The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today issued a formal Notice of Intent to Award on its Request for Proposal (RFP) for contracted services for student assessment.
The student assessment contract will be split between two vendors – Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Pearson. The contract awards are contingent on final negotiations with each vendor.
The project allowed proposers to bid on one or more of the following six components:
1. Program Integration
2. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) Item and Test Development, Administration, Scoring, and Reporting for Grades 3–8 Assessments
3. STAAR Item and Test Development, Administration, Scoring, and Reporting for End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments
4. STAAR Alternate Item and Test Development, Administration, Scoring, and Reporting.
5. Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Item and Test Development, Administration, Scoring, and Reporting.
6. Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Administration, Scoring, and Reporting.
ETS provided a stronger response for the first three components of the RFP (Program Integration, STAAR 3–8, and STAAR EOC)., while Pearson provided a stronger response for the last three components of the RFP (STAAR Alternate, TELPAS and TAKS).
The new contracts are expected to begin Sept. 1, 2015. The term of any contracts resulting from this RFP shall run through Aug. 31, 2019.
A copy of the Request for Proposal can be reviewed on the Texas Education Agency website at http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Agency_Finances/Procurement_and_Historically_Underutilized_Business_Program/.
