Development of Student Assessment System /

 

COMPACT DEVELOPMENT TEAM – BELIZE

 

Specific Procurement Notice

 

March 12, 2024

 

Re: Development of Student Assessment System

Ref No: CDT-BEL-24-4000-05

 

The United States of America, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and the Government of Belize (The Government) or (GoB), have signed a Compact Development Funding (CDF) Agreement to help facilitate in the development and implementation of an MCC Compact with Belize (The Agreement) in the amount of US$10 million (MCC Funding).

As a first step in the development of a compact with the Government of Belize, MCC conducted a constraints analysis in early 2022. Of the five identified constraints, the Government of Belize selected the low quality of education and the high cost of electricity constraints for further development. MCC and the Government of Belize’s Compact Development Team have conducted an analysis to explore the root causes of these constraints and are developing a Program to address these constraints. The Government, acting through the Compact Development Team (CDT) of the Ministry of Economic Development, is hereby issuing a Request for Offers, following the General Procurement Notice published on May 1, 2023, in DgMarket and UNDB, among other sites.

The CDT invites offers to provide Consulting Services for the Development of Student Assessment System.

The primary objective of this contract is to design and support the implementation of the Belize National Student Assessment System. The National Student Assessment System will enable accurate measurement and monitoring of student and school performance to inform improved teaching and learning. The Consultant will support MOECST to design and implement the National Student Assessment Policy and System, including but not limited to:

• Development of a National Student Assessment Policy for the primary and secondary levels of education. The National Student Assessment System may include a range of assessments including formative, diagnostic, summative, certifications, and national sample surveys.
• Development and implementation of a Stakeholder Communication and Engagement Strategy and Plan.
• Development of National Student Assessment Instruments for Math, English, Science and Belizean studies for Standard 1, Standard 3, Standard 6, Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, and Form 4 including tables of specifications, item banks, administration and marking guidelines, and report designs for assessments aligned to the national curriculum for the primary and secondary levels of education.
• Design of an integrated National Student Assessment Management System including an electronic application for class management and entries for any computer-based components, and for collecting, processing, storing, analysing and disseminating assessment results. This system must work with the Belize Education Management Information System (BEMIS) to allow for use of existing student and school information, for storage of results, and for tracking of performance over time.
• Piloting of the National Student Assessment System in the 2024 – 2025 academic year, which will be a combination of paper tests and computer adaptive tests.

This Request for Offers (“RFO”) is open to all eligible entities (“Offerors”) who wish to respond. Subject to restrictions noted in the RFO, Offerors may associate with other Offerors to enhance their capacity to successfully carry out the assignment.

An Offeror will be selected under the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (“QCBS”) method, an evaluation procedure that is described in sections of the RFO in accordance with the “MCC Accountable Entity Procurement Policy and Guidelines (“MCC PPG”) available at www.mcc.gov/ppg. The selection process, as described, will include a review and verification of qualifications and past performance, including a reference check, prior to the contract award.

Offerors interested in receiving the RFO and submitting offers should register using the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/dGZ8PrSZYt. Please fill in the form to get access to the RFO document. Offerors should provide their correct email contact details. This will ensure that the Offerors receive updates regarding this RFO.

 

Offers must be submitted electronically in the manner specified in the DS ITO 17 of the RFO, no later than 2:00 pm Belize Time (GMT-6), on April 22, 2024.

 

Please note that only electronic offers shall be accepted. Late offers will not be accepted under any circumstances.

 

 

Yours Sincerely,

Osmond Martinez Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment

Belize City, Belize