U--English Language Proficiency (ELP) Assessment Ecosystem for BIE Schools (Grades
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), under the Department of the Interior, has issued a Sources Sought / Request for Information (RFI) to gather market research for an English Language Proficiency (ELP) Assessment Ecosystem for Grades K-12. This initiative aims to identify vendors capable of providing a comprehensive, fully operational, and U.S. Department of Education-approved ELP assessment system for 183 BIE-funded schools across 23 states. The RFI will inform the acquisition strategy, contract type, and scope of a future solicitation. Responses are due April 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM MDT.
Purpose & Scope
BIE is mandated to administer ELP assessments for federal accountability reporting. The desired solution is a turnkey, integrated ecosystem encompassing standard and alternate ELP assessments, ELP screeners, a complete technology platform (COTS preferred), on-time administration, scoring, reporting, data integration, training, technical support, and project management. The system must be culturally responsive, provide parent-friendly reporting, and be compatible with BIE systems like NASIS and the Data Warehouse.
Key services include:
- Assessment Administration: Online and paper-based, materials production, 100% scoring accuracy.
- Secure Student Registration Portal: 24/7 availability, integration with BIE's NASIS via API.
- Reporting: Individual Student Reports, parent/guardian reports, aggregate data, EDFacts-compliant files, secure electronic transmission.
- Training: Virtual and onsite sessions, web-based office hours, 24/7 learning platform.
- Project Management: Weekly meetings, financial reporting, communication plan, risk tracking.
- Helpdesk Services: Four-tier support, multi-time zone coverage, phone/chat, with a service level agreement (SLA) of <=15 minute hold times for 95% of contacts.
- Optional Services (Option Years): Interim assessments, dashboards, research studies, test item development.
Compliance & Performance
The solution must be fully operational by School Year 2026–2027. Vendors must demonstrate compliance with federal privacy and security regulations including FERPA, COPPA, CIPA, NIST SP 800-53/53A, FIPS 199 (Moderate), FIPS 140-2 encryption, and Section 508 accessibility. All work and data residency must be within the Continental United States (CONUS). Performance standards include 100% accuracy for scoring and data reporting, and 95% helpdesk availability. Contractor personnel will require a BIE background investigation.
Instructions to Respondents
This is a Sources Sought / RFI for market research only; no contract will be awarded. Interested vendors should submit responses to the RFI document, addressing questions on feasibility, staffing (especially experience with Native American populations and culturally relevant materials), service delivery models, compliance (SIS experience), and recommendations for performance metrics. Responses must be emailed to Felicia.Aspaas@bie.edu with the subject line "Sources Sought – BIE ELP Assessments – [Your Company Name]".
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sources Sought / Request for Information (RFI)
- Period of Performance: Base year + 4 one-year options (anticipated for future contract)
- Set-Aside: Not specified at this market research stage.
- Response Due: April 22, 2026, 11:00 AM MDT
- Published: April 7, 2026