Sole Source Public Review - EduDream LLC

City Colleges of Chicago, through Malcolm X College, is conducting a sole source procurement for external evaluation services related to the METAS HSI STEM grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The procurement seeks an external evaluator to conduct a summative evaluation of the METAS (Mathematics, Engineering, Technology, Apoyo, and Science) HSI STEM grant program for Year 5 of the initiative. The evaluation will assess program effectiveness and outcomes, document lessons learned, and inform continuous improvement efforts as mandated by the Department of Education. The contract scope includes four separate evaluation phases scheduled from June 1 through September 15, 2026, with specific billing periods: June 1-19, June 22-July 17, July 20-August 14, and August 17-September 15, 2026. The evaluator must demonstrate expertise in assessing STEM programs serving historically underserved populations, possess institutional knowledge of the METAS program design and data systems, and ensure compliance with strict Department of Education grant timelines and requirements. The public review period runs from May 20, 2026, through June 3, 2026, with a public hearing scheduled for June 3, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CDT via Zoom teleconference to allow interested parties to testify regarding the sole source determination; vendors wishing to challenge the sole source designation must submit documentation to William Moore, Contracts Administrator, no later than the hearing date.

EduDream LLC, a Latina-founded, women-owned research consulting firm, has been identified as the sole source provider and was explicitly approved as the evaluator in the Department of Education-approved Year 5 budget. The sole source designation is justified based on EduDream's prior experience with Malcolm X College on related evaluations, including previous work on the Chancellor's Retention Grant and Working Credit programs, as well as interim METAS evaluation work completed in fiscal year 2024. The contract award value is $50,000.00, divided equally among four evaluation phases at $12,500.00 each, with no renewal options included. Prior interim evaluation work by EduDream valued at $9,858 for each of two separate periods has already been completed. Funding for this procurement is provided entirely through grant funds from the U.S. Department of Education. Interested vendors who believe they can provide equivalent or superior services may submit formal objections using the provided Objection Form prior to June 3, 2026.