SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Early Childhood Data Collection and Analysis Efforts for the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) 2006 Cohort
- Notice Date
- 3/8/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management, Parklawn Building Room 5-101 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857
- ZIP Code
- 20857
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-05FOSTER01
- Response Due
- 3/17/2005
- Archive Date
- 4/1/2005
- Description
- The Administration for Children and Families , Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation through the Program Support Center, Strategic Acquisition Service, Division of Acquisition Management, is providing the following sources sought notice to determine the availability of potential small businesses (e.g., small business concerns, 8(a), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business) that can manage and administer large-scale, early childhood data collection and analysis efforts for the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) 2006 Cohort. FACES is an ongoing, longitudinal study of Head Start program quality and child outcomes, which to date has included three nationally representative cohorts (1997, 2000 & 2003). The FACES 2006 study will provide data from a new, nationally representative sample of children and programs that will build on the knowledge gained from previous cohorts, and can serve to validate information reported under other efforts such as the Head Start National Reporting System. Anticipated period of performance for this requirement is five (5) years. Core tasks for the contract will include: (1) Establishment of a Technical Work Group (TWG) whose members will advise the Contractor on various technical aspects of the study; (2) Development of a sampling plan that draws on the universe of regular preschool Head Start programs; (3) Negotiation with approximately 60 local programs to facilitate engagement in the study; (4) Selection and/or development of a battery of research-based, valid and reliable data collection instruments including: survey instruments for use during in-person interviews with Head Start parents, teachers, and staff; tools for the direct assessment of child development; and observational measures of classroom environments. Negotiation of agreements with publishers of any copyrighted assessments selected for use in FACES and compensation of publishers for such rights may be required; (5) Development of materials necessary to obtain OMB approval for data collection activities; (6) Development of a detailed data collection and analysis plan; (7) On-site data collection including direct assessments of up to 3000 children as they enter Head Start and as they complete one or two years of program participation and kindergarten; parent and teacher interviews for each child; and observations in up to several hundred Head Start classrooms. Each data collection wave must be completed within a two month period in the fall or spring, with the first such period beginning in fall 2006. This task also includes field testing of data collection instruments and procedures, training of field data collectors, and implementing procedures for tracking participants over time and minimizing attrition; (8) Data entry, analysis, reporting and archiving. The minimum contractor requirements are: (1) In-depth expertise in development and research on assessment tools for young children, particularly children from low-income families, and including children entering preschool speaking a language other than English; (2) Experience managing national studies in areas of investigation such as child development, program evaluation, early childhood education, and the assessment of young children?s cognitive, social and physical functioning; (3) Demonstrated experience and capability to conduct large-scale data collection involving classroom observations, parent and teacher interviews, and direct assessments of young children from a wide range of ethnic, cultural, and linguistic populations at the volume and within the time schedule mentioned above; (4) Experience in efficiently managing the range of tasks related to the training and management of field staff located in all regions of the U.S., and the data collection and quality control activities associated with multi-site studies of similar programs; (5) Experience with collecting, analyzing, and reporting information for purposes of program accountability and program improvement; (6) Adequate computer/statistical resources and the institutional capability to process and analyze a large volume of assessment and interview data, including capacity to input data, clean data and conduct quality control checks, and perform complex data analyses. The contractor must have an accounting system adequate to support a cost-reimbursement type contract. Interested parties having these capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements may submit capability statements via E-MAIL to PSCACQUISITIONS@PSC.GOV. In the subject line, Reference Number 05FOSTER01. Capability statements MUST demonstrate the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS outlined above. Capability statements must also include the following information: company name, address, point of contact, phone/fax/email, and business size and status (e.g., small business, 8(a), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women owned small business). RESPONSES ARE DUE BY NOON, March 17, 2005, local prevailing time. Capability statements received after the due date will not be accepted.
- Record
- SN00764451-W 20050310/050308211852 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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