THEC is seeking proposals for a comprehensive data management system and external evaluation services to support Tennessee’s federal grant, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). The selected vendor will be responsible for implementing a data management system tailored specifically for GEAR UP grant programs and providing external evaluation services in alignment with the proposed evaluation plan. The data management system must support oversight of service participation, performance progress monitoring, federal reporting, and longitudinal evaluation. The system must be designed specifically for GEAR UP grant programs, ensuring compliance with federal reporting requirements and facilitating efficient data analysis. The external evaluator will refine and implement the GEAR UP evaluation plan as outlined in Appendix I. Responsibilities will include providing formative reports, conducting quantitative and qualitative research, performing the summative impact evaluation, and implementing an embedded study on dual enrollment. Additionally, the evaluator will deliver professional development and training to school-based staff on data utilization. THEC maintains a team of full-time staff dedicated to internal evaluation and data management functions, with the selected evaluator complementing these efforts. A detailed scope of work is provided in the Pro Forma Contract attached. Tennessee’s GEAR UP grant, known as GEAR UP TN, is a federally-funded initiative designed to increase postsecondary readiness and success among participating students. GEAR UP TN directly serves two cohorts of students beginning in the 7th grade – the high school graduating classes of 2030 and 2031. In addition, GEAR UP TN serves priority seniors in years 2-7 and continues to serve them through their first year of higher education. Over the seven-year grant period, GEAR UP TN will serve approximately 9,000 unique students across ten (10) high schools and eighteen (18) feeder middle schools.
