Specifications include, but are not limited to: The purpose of this RFP is to select one or more vendors that can satisfy IDOE and other PARCC-participating states need to conduct item tryout, field testing, operational form construction, and embedded research for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment system. It is the intent of IDOE to contract with one or more vendors that provides quality services that meet the needs described within the RFP. The activities in this RFP are divided into four phases. The first phase, the Item Tryout Phase, will occur in spring 2013. The purpose of the item tryout is to better understand how assessment items, tasks, and innovations are functioning and to refine test administration, data collection, scoring materials and procedures. The second phase, the field test phase, will occur in the spring of 2014. The purpose of the field test is to collect large and representative samples of student performance for each field tested item to use in estimating linked item parameters. Items with linked item parameters will be used to assemble alternate forms for operational use in subsequent years. In the third phase, the items and their associated item parameters will be used to construct a number of operational forms. The fourth phase includes research to be planned and implemented in support of the PARCC assessment activities. Research activities will occur throughout the item tryout and field test phases, as well as during summer 2013 following item tryouts. Each phase of activities is described in greater detail in the following sections. A portion of the items developed for the summative Performance-Based Assessment (PBA) and End-of-Year Assessment (EOY) components, as well as the non-summative Mid-Year Assessment (MYA) component will be used in item tryouts in spring 2013. For some of the items in tryouts additional research will be conducted with individual students in summer of 2013. All items that will appear in the first operational assessment in 2014- 2015 school year will be field tested in spring 2014.The innovative nature of these items will require additional research during both item try out and field test phases to construct a high-quality assessment.
