The Standardized Assessment Task Force and a few hundred stakeholders and educators all weighed in as the Maine DOE crafted a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a new vendor for the 2015-16 administration of the MEA for math and ELA/literacy. The comments and feedback were crucial to the process and helped inform the writing of the document that is in its final stages. The finalized RFP goes to the Maine State Bureau of Purchases and Sales for approval, which includes securing the Governor’s approval. After that, Maine DOE will make the RFP publicly available.
By mid-September, bidders’ questions and answers will be posted at a link that will be provided on the Maine DOE website. Following the last date for submissions, a Maine DOE review team will then begin the task of scoring submitted proposals. Into October, this review team will recommend a vendor to be reviewed by the Commissioner and Governor’s office. Once this process is complete and the appeal window has closed, negotiations can begin with the chosen vendor.
Thank you to the task force members for taking the time from your summer to come to Augusta, provide feedback and direction, and thanks to all others who shared their feedback as well. The comments and suggestions received via this venue and through our public comment portion of the Task Force web link were most valuable to the writing of the RFP.