External Evaluator

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Request for Proposal/Quote
"Notice to Proposers"
NSF ATE AVIATE External Evaluation Services
RFP Number: 2027-03
Date Posted: 10/09/2026
Closing Date: 10/23/2026
Email Address: purchasing@wsutech.edu
Website: https://wsutech.edu/purchasing/
Project Name: NSF ATE AVIATE External Evaluation Services
Purpose of Purchase: Procure an independent external evaluator to conduct comprehensive
formative and summative evaluation of the NSF Advanced Technological
Education (ATE) AVIATE project.
Agency: WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech)
4004 North Webb Road, Gateway Bldg., Wichita, KS 67226
Guarantee: No Monetary Guarantee Required
Scope Summary: Three-year professional evaluation services supporting the Advancing AVIonics
in American Technical Education (AVIATE) project, including evaluation
planning, instrument development, mixed-method data collection and
analysis, quarterly formative feedback, annual formative reports, and a final
summative evaluation report.
READ THIS REQUEST CAREFULLY
From this point forward, all Contractors and Vendors shall be referred to as "Contractor". Failure to abide by all the
conditions of this Request may result in the rejection of your proposal/quote. Inquiries about this Request should
indicate the RFP number and title and be directed to the Purchasing Coordinator via email address above.
This notice to Contractors is intended to be used in conjunction with the Request for Proposal and all terms and
conditions.

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Solicitation Reference Number: The above number has been assigned to this Solicitation and MUST be shown on all
correspondence or other documents associated with this Solicitation and MUST be referred to in all verbal
communications. All inquiries, written or verbal, shall be directed to the Purchasing Coordinator via email address
purchasing@wsutech.edu
Failure to notify the Purchasing Coordinator of any conflicts or ambiguities in this Solicitation for Proposal may result in
items being resolved in the best interest of WSU Tech. Any modification to this Request shall be made in writing by
addendum and mailed to all bidders who received the original request. Only written communications are binding.
Any correspondence by potential bidders, with WSU Tech, must be documented in writing and submitted to the
Purchasing Coordinator, to be considered for any possible addenda, and/or in the evaluation of the proposal/quote.
Any change in specifications shall be documented by the Purchasing Coordinator and will be issued by written
addendum.
This Request for Proposal (RFP) does not obligate WSU Tech to award a contract or complete the proposed project and
each reserves the right to cancel this RFP if it is in its best interest. Proposals must be clear and concise. Proposals that
are difficult to follow or that do not conform to the RFP format or binding specifications may be rejected. Responding
Vendors must include the required information called for in this RFP. WSU Tech reserves the right to reject a proposal if
required information is not provided or is not organized as directed.
WSU Tech also reserves the right to waive minor informalities and reserves the right to:
1. Reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFP.
2. Select a proposal for contract negotiation other than the one with the lowest cost.
3. Negotiate any aspect of the proposal with any Vendor.
4. Terminate negotiations and select the next most responsive Vendor for contract negotiations.
5. Terminate negotiations and prepare and release a new RFP.
6. Terminate negotiations and take such action as deemed appropriate.
Any decision to cancel or reject any and all proposals is in WSU Tech's sole discretion. Changes to evaluation criteria, the
price ceiling, scope, or other material solicitation requirements shall be issued by written addendum before the proposal
deadline and made available to all prospective proposers through the Purchasing webpage and the RFP notification
process. WSU Tech shall allow sufficient time for revised proposals and extend the deadline when necessary. Published
evaluation criteria and their relative weights will govern selection; material requirements will not be waived selectively
for an individual proposer.

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Proposal Content and Specifications
1. Project Background
WSU Tech is seeking proposals from qualified independent evaluators to support Advancing AVIonics in American
Technical Education (AVIATE), a three-year National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)
project. AVIATE is a multi-institutional initiative led by WSU Tech with academic and industry partners and is designed to
strengthen avionics technician education through workforce-aligned curriculum, digital learning tools and XR-enabled
simulations, instructor development, recruitment and pathway activities, and national dissemination.
Award Period. AVIATE is funded under NSF Award 2600147 for October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029. Proposers
shall plan remaining services and final deliverables within that period. The start date for Contractor services will be
established in the executed agreement or written notice to proceed; the award start date does not authorize retroactive
Contractor work.
Project Partners. WSU Tech serves as the lead institution for AVIATE, working with Clemson University, Aims Community
College, Calhoun Community College, Choose Aerospace, the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), and the Aviation
Technician Education Council (ATEC). These partners contribute to curriculum development, digital learning and XR
simulations, workforce alignment, instructor development, and dissemination. As the lead institution, WSU Tech will
coordinate interactions with each partner's designated representatives to meet evaluation plan requirements.
The external evaluator was intentionally not identified during proposal development because WSU Tech is required to
select the evaluator through its institutional competitive procurement process. The selected evaluator must remain
independent from the project implementation team while working collaboratively with project leadership, consortium
partners, and stakeholders to finalize and execute the evaluation plan.
2. Purpose and Evaluation Approach
The selected Contractor will conduct a comprehensive external evaluation addressing all four AVIATE project goals. The
evaluation shall use a mixed-methods approach and may include surveys, interviews, focus groups, student learning
assessments, employer and instructor feedback, institutional and project data, platform analytics, participation records,
and dissemination/adoption data.
The preliminary evaluation framework developed during NSF award negotiations establishes minimum areas of inquiry
and example measures; it is not intended to prescribe the final evaluation methodology. The selected evaluator will
exercise professional judgment and work with the project team to finalize the evaluation matrix, instruments, data-
collection timing, analysis plan, formative reporting processes, and summative reporting expectations.

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3. Scope of Services
* Review the NSF-approved proposal, award materials, project goals/objectives, work plan, and relevant NSF
negotiation materials.
* Facilitate an evaluation kickoff and stakeholder orientation with WSU Tech and consortium partners.
* Refine and finalize objective-level evaluation questions, indicators, measures, data sources, instruments,
sampling/respondent strategies, collection schedules, and analysis procedures.
* Establish baseline measures where appropriate and identify data responsibilities across WSU Tech, consortium
partners, vendors, and the evaluator.
* Develop or refine surveys, interview/focus-group protocols, student learning measures, employer feedback
tools, instructor measures, implementation/fidelity tools, and other instruments as appropriate.
* Conduct or oversee mixed-method data collection and perform appropriate quantitative and qualitative
analyses.
* Assess implementation fidelity, curriculum quality and workforce alignment, student outcomes, instructor
outcomes, employer perspectives, recruitment/pathway activity, dissemination/adoption, network
development, scalability, and sustainability.
* Provide timely formative feedback that project leadership can use for continuous improvement of curriculum,
XR simulations, recruitment materials, professional development, dissemination strategies, and sustainability
planning.
* Prepare annual formative evaluation reports and a final summative evaluation report documenting outcomes,
lessons learned, and evidence of impact.
* Participate in project meetings, briefings, and NSF-related discussions as reasonably necessary to communicate
evaluation findings and support required reporting.

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4. Minimum Evaluation Domains
Domain Minimum Areas of Inquiry
Current/emerging avionics competencies; employer-defined needs; workforce and
Workforce Alignment
curriculum gaps; industry relevance.
Learning objectives; module and assessment quality; technical accuracy; alignment
Curriculum Quality
with FAA, CAET, and industry expectations; SME validation.
Learning gains; module completion; engagement; confidence; satisfaction; DLT/XR
Student Outcomes acceptance and usability; interest in avionics education/careers; perceived
readiness.
Professional development participation; confidence/self-efficacy; implementation
Instructor Outcomes
readiness; use/adoption of instructional resources.
Fidelity; field testing; usability; barriers; institutional variation; scalability; revisions
Implementation
resulting from evidence and stakeholder feedback.
Curriculum relevance; competency alignment; value of digital/XR resources;
Employer Outcomes
remaining skill gaps; workforce readiness; recommendations for updates.
Student reach; awareness/interest; recruitment campaign performance; toolkit use;
Recruitment & Pathways enrollment inquiries; secondary/postsecondary implementation; work-based
learning pathways.
Resources posted/distributed; views/downloads; institutions reached;
Dissemination & Adoption
adoption/reuse; sustained access and archiving.
National Network & Community-of-practice participation; collaborations; faculty-industry linkages;
Sustainability institutionalization; sustainability mechanisms and continued use.

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5. Required Deliverables
Deliverable Minimum Requirement / Timing
Evaluation Launch & Project Kickoff, document review, stakeholder orientation, and identification of immediate
Review baseline/data needs; target within 30-45 days of contract execution.
Final evaluation questions/matrix, measures, instruments, data sources, collection
Comprehensive Evaluation
calendar, analysis methods, reporting schedule, roles/responsibilities, and applicable
Plan
IRB/data-governance considerations; early in Year 1.
Develop/refine instruments and protocols as needed throughout the project, subject to
Evaluation Instruments
applicable IRB requirements.
Concise written and/or briefing product communicating findings, supporting evidence,
Quarterly Formative Feedback
implications, and recommended actions.
Annual Formative Evaluation Annual report organized around project goals/objectives and addressing outcomes,
Report implementation, limitations, progress, and recommendations.
Annual Evaluation Briefing Presentation of annual findings to WSU Tech and consortium leadership.
Cumulative assessment of project accomplishments, outcomes, impacts, scalability,
Final Summative Evaluation
sustainability, lessons learned, and recommendations for future
Report
implementation/research.
Provide evaluation findings, tables, summaries, or clarification reasonably necessary to
support project reporting and dissemination.
NSF/Project Reporting Support
6. Human Subjects, IRB, Data Privacy, and Security
Certain evaluation or research activities may involve human participants or identifiable data. Clemson University is
anticipated to serve as the Single IRB for the collaborative project. The Contractor shall cooperate with WSU Tech,
Clemson University, consortium partners, and the applicable IRB in developing instruments, protocols, consent
materials, data-management procedures, and documentation necessary to support applicable human-subjects review.
Under NSF Award 2600147, no work with human subjects, including recruitment, may be conducted under the protocol
or award until IRB approval has been obtained. The Contractor shall not conduct participant recruitment, consent,
interviews, surveys, focus groups, identifiable-data collection, or other human-subjects work until WSU Tech provides
written confirmation that the required IRB approval covers the proposed activities. This condition implements the
award-specific restriction under 45 CFR 690.118 and is not waived by contract execution. Any alternative determination
must be documented and confirmed with NSF as necessary before the affected work begins. The Contractor shall
comply with applicable privacy, confidentiality, data-security, and FERPA requirements, including the Contractual
Provisions Attachment incorporated into this RFP.

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7. Contractor Qualifications
Minimum qualifications:
* Experience conducting external evaluation of federally funded education, workforce-development, or
comparable initiatives.
* Demonstrated capability in mixed-method evaluation and quantitative and qualitative analysis.
* Experience evaluating multi-institutional or multi-partner initiatives.
* Experience developing evaluation instruments, data-collection protocols, formative feedback, and summative
reports.
* Capacity to perform the work over the full contract period and maintain evaluator independence.
Preferred qualifications:
* Demonstrated NSF ATE evaluation experience.
* Experience with technician education, community/technical colleges, STEM workforce development, curriculum
evaluation, and industry-responsive education.
* Experience evaluating digital learning, simulation, XR, or technology-enhanced instruction.
* Experience operating in human-subjects/IRB environments and working with protected student or institutional
data.
8. Proposal Response Requirements
Proposals should be organized in the order below and provide sufficient detail for WSU Tech to evaluate the proposed
approach and price reasonableness:
* Executive summary and understanding of AVIATE and the evaluation assignment.
* Technical approach and preliminary evaluation strategy, including how the proposer would refine the
preliminary AVIATE evaluation framework.
* Relevant qualifications and examples of comparable NSF, ATE, technician education, STEM/workforce, or multi-
institutional evaluations.
* Three professional references for comparable work.
The grant budget estimate assumed approximately 190 evaluator days annually as a basis of estimate. Proposers are not
required to price exactly 190 days and should propose the staffing level and effort necessary to accomplish the required
scope and deliverables.
Price Ceiling and Pricing Requirements. The maximum total price for the complete three-year Scope of Services is
$300,000, inclusive of all labor, travel, subcontractor costs, instruments, data collection, analysis, reporting,
administrative or indirect costs, profit or fees, and other charges. The grant budget provides a planning estimate of
$100,000 annually; this is not a separate annual price ceiling. Provide proposed prices by project year and deliverable,
with a complete three-year total. Proposals exceeding $300,000 will be considered nonresponsive unless WSU Tech
changes the ceiling by written addendum before the submission deadline. The ceiling is not a guaranteed payment or a
target price; propose the amount reasonably necessary to perform the full scope. Identify all pricing assumptions. The
resulting contract shall establish the negotiated price, payment basis, annual allocation, deliverable acceptance
requirements, and period of performance. No additional charges, scope changes, or price increases are authorized
without a prior written amendment executed by WSU Tech's authorized contracting official and any required Federal

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approvals. A no-cost extension does not itself increase the contract price. Any post-award increase must also comply
with applicable procurement requirements.
9. Evaluation of Proposals
WSU Tech intends to evaluate responsive proposals using the following criteria. WSU Tech may conduct interviews,
request clarifications, check references, and negotiate scope and price consistent with the terms of this RFP.
Only responsive proposals within the published price ceiling will proceed to scored evaluation. Award will be made to
the responsible proposer whose proposal is most advantageous to WSU Tech considering price and the other published
factors. WSU Tech will document its evaluation, selection, and price-reasonableness determination. Cost-plus-a-
percentage-of-cost pricing is prohibited.
Evaluation Criterion Points
Understanding of AVIATE and NSF ATE evaluation needs 15
Proposed evaluation methodology and technical approach 25
Qualifications and experience of proposed evaluator/team 20
Relevant NSF ATE, technician education, STEM/workforce, and community college experience 10
Approach to formative evaluation and continuous improvement 10
Multi-institutional coordination, IRB/data management, and project management 10
Cost and overall value 10
Total 100
10. Independence and Conflict of Interest
The Contractor must be able to provide an independent external evaluation. Proposers shall disclose prior or current
relationships with WSU Tech, AVIATE project personnel, consortium partners, project vendors, or other circumstances
that could create an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest. WSU Tech reserves the right to determine
whether a disclosed relationship is acceptable and whether mitigation is required.
Objective Illustrative Evaluation Focus / Evidence
1.1 - Identify avionics workforce Industry interviews and employer surveys; priority competencies; employer-rated
needs importance; documented workforce/curriculum gaps.
1.2 - Identify current/planned Curriculum inventory and gap analysis; ATE Center/SME participation;
avionics curricula opportunities for curriculum integration.
1.3 - Plan ongoing curriculum Quarterly partner discussions; participation; completed action items; evidence that
collaboration industry input informs curriculum priorities.

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2.1 - Define industry-based learning
Learning objectives, validated module outlines, assessment materials,
objectives and aligned
FAA/CAET/industry alignment, SME review/approval.
materials/assessments
2.2 - Create hybrid instructional
Completion and quality of digital learning tools and XR simulations; usability;
materials using Digital Learning
accessibility; instructional design quality; technical accuracy.
Tools
2.3 - Field test and refine Field-test sites and participation; pilot completion; stakeholder satisfaction; module
modules/courses revisions; readiness for release.
Student pre/post learning, completion, confidence/satisfaction, DLT/XR
2.4 - Integrate digital learning tools
acceptance/usability, instructor ratings, employer readiness feedback, work-based
and evaluate effectiveness
learning opportunities.
3.1 - Develop coalitions in Workshops, participant mix, documented best practices/challenges, adoption
specialized avionics areas commitments, visibility and partner feedback.
3.2 - Develop/implement avionics
Campaign/toolkit completion, webinars, students reached, awareness/interest,
recruitment campaigns and
downloads, inquiries, and implementation counts.
materials
3.3 - Sustain/disseminate project Resources posted, views/downloads, institutions accessing materials, platform
findings and archive resources availability, reuse, and archive completion.
4.1 - Provide instructor professional PD resources/webinars, instructors trained, confidence/self-efficacy,
development implementation plans, readiness to use XR-enabled content.
4.2 - Establish a national avionics Community-of-practice participation and engagement, resources shared, meetings,
education network collaborations, and sustained faculty-industry linkages.
Duration of Offer
All proposal responses must indicate they are valid for a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) calendar days
from the date of the proposal closing unless extended by mutual written agreement of both parties. Prices
and terms of the proposal as stated must be valid for the length of the resulting contract.
RFP Terms and Conditions
This RFP includes and incorporates the Contract Provisions form. Contractors should be aware that these
terms and conditions in preparing responses to this RFP. Much of the language reflected in any resulting
contract with WSU Tech is required by statute. If you take exception to any of the language in the terms and
conditions, you must indicate those exceptions in your response to the RFP; certain exceptions may result in
your proposal being disqualified from further review and evaluation. Only those exceptions indicated in your
response to the RFP will be available for discussion or negotiation.

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Cost Proposal / Delivery Form
Total Not-to-Exceed Proposal: $ _________________________ DATE: ________________
Proposer: ________________________________
ADDRESS: __________________________________________
The undersigned proposes to furnish all professional evaluation services, labor, travel, data collection,
analysis, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and other items necessary to perform the Scope of Services
described in this RFP. Attach a detailed cost schedule by project year and major deliverable/activity, including
labor categories, estimated hours/days, rates, travel, and other direct costs.
The total proposed price shall not exceed $300,000 for the complete three-year scope, including all fees and
expenses. The annual amounts must sum to the total proposed price. Payment will be based on the executed
contract and accepted services or deliverables, not solely on the budget ceiling.
Annual allocation: Year 1 $__________; Year 2 $__________; Year 3 $__________; Total $__________.
WSU TECH IS TAX EXEMPT BY STATE STATUTE. APPLICABLE TAXES MUST NOT BE PASSED ON TO WSU TECH.
Proposed Service Timeline
The undersigned agrees to begin work promptly following execution of the contract or written notice to
proceed and to perform services in accordance with the approved evaluation work plan and project schedule.
Proposer shall identify any assumptions or dependencies that could affect the proposed timeline.
Proposed date available to begin services:
Subcontractors / Other Key Personnel:
Identify any subcontractors, consultants, or other entities proposed to perform a material portion of the
evaluation services. Include role, scope, and anticipated cost. If none, state "None."
Entity / Individual: ______________________________________________________________
Role / Scope: ___________________________________________________________________
Anticipated Cost: _________________________________________________________________