NCSES Portfolio Review - Notice of Intent to Sole Source to NASEM

Background
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is issuing a Cost-Reimbursement Contract Award to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) under the authority which allows for a sole source award when only one responsible source can satisfy agency requirements.

The goal of this contract is to inform NCSES’s strategy for designing its portfolio of data collections related to science and engineering statistics.

Work Details
The contractor will convene a multi-disciplinary consensus study committee tasked with reviewing NCSES's surveys and alternative data sources. The committee will evaluate whether these surveys effectively capture important changes in science and engineering (S&E), assess potential duplications, and explore alternative data sources that could reduce respondent burden or provide additional insights.

Key tasks include:
1) Reviewing existing surveys and alternative data sources;
2) Making recommendations based on findings;
3) Holding open meetings to gather input from stakeholders who utilize or benefit from S&E data;
4) Issuing a study report that provides credible consensus advice on transforming the survey system to enhance S&E statistics for future needs.

Period of Performance
The contract will be performed over a period of eighteen (18) months, starting on or about February 1, 2025.

Place of Performance
The contract will be performed in Washington, DC.