Cloud Hosting, System Administration, and Website Support and Development for the Institute of Education Sciences

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to gather information regarding capabilities for cloud hosting, system administration, and website support and development. IES currently operates a virtual data center in Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host survey collection and dissemination websites. This RFI seeks market research to inform potential future solicitations.

IES is looking for vendors capable of providing:

• Access to Amazon Web Services (AWS) Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
• System administration and support staff
• Website administration and development staff
• System, security, and analytical software

Vendors are asked to review the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) and provide feedback.

• Description of prior experience in AWS cloud hosting, systems operations, website administration/development, and software support, including tasks performed and level of effort.

• Feedback or questions regarding the requirement and the draft PWS, including clarity of sections, missing information for proposals, concerns about contract type (FFP vs. Cost Reimbursement), timeline issues, or material errors.

• Assessment of whether the PWS provides sufficient detail for pricing and identification of any missing or unclear information.

• Indication of whether required services and labor categories are available on existing ED contracts or GSA Schedules, including relevant contract numbers and business size status at award.

• Responses must not exceed 8 pages.

• Submit responses via email to the Point of Contact.

• Deadline for responses: 12:00 PM ET, April 7, 2026.

• All information in this RFI is preliminary and subject to change.

• This RFI does not constitute a commitment to solicit or award a contract.

• Responses are voluntary, and no reimbursement will be provided for costs incurred.

• IES offers no assurance that a solicitation will result from this RFI.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To acquire services for providing Amazon Web Services (AWS) Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), system operations and security support, and website administration and development for the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

• AWS Cloud Services: Provide cost-effective AWS hosting in GovCloud-West and US-East regions, meeting Federal IT security requirements (FISMA, FedRAMP). This includes assuming ownership of existing AWS accounts, providing responsive cloud services, ensuring high availability (99.9%) and rapid recovery (1 hour), and maintaining technical documentation for accreditation.
• System Operations and Security Support: Offer off-site support staff experienced in federal IT mandates and handling sensitive data. This includes managing the IES virtual data center in AWS (VPCs, servers, backups, security policies), maintaining various server operating systems (Windows Server, Linux) and applications (SQL Server, IIS, Drupal), and ensuring system security and compliance with federal regulations (FISMA, NIST, OMB).
• Website Administration and Development: Provide support for approximately 40 websites and 400 databases, including troubleshooting, migration, user account management, and load balancer management. Support for the IES Digital Modernization project is also required. Development work includes .NET, .NET Core, Classic ASP, and Drupal. Ensuring website compliance with federal regulations (Section 508) and updating dissemination tools are key tasks.
• Software and Applications: Support a wide range of software including AWS services, Microsoft products, Linux, Drupal, and various analytical and security tools. The contractor will also provide necessary software licenses.

Base Year: July 26, 2026 – July 25, 2027 Option Years 1-4: July 26, 2027 – July 25, 2031

• Staffing: All proposed staff must be U.S. citizens and eligible for High-Risk Public Trust positions. Background investigations and security clearances are mandatory.
• Security: Strict adherence to federal IT security mandates, including FISMA, FedRAMP, NIST standards, and data protection regulations (Privacy Act, CIPSEA, FERPA). Encryption for data at rest and in transit (FIPS 140-2 validated) is required.
• Compliance: Adherence to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for accessibility, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling, and Records Management Obligations.
• Equipment: The contractor must provide all necessary equipment; Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) will not be supplied.
• Reporting: Monthly reports detailing progress, accomplishments, issues, spending, and future work are required.

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) for market research purposes. IES plans to award a task order for cloud hosting, system administration, and website support and development for its web operations. The primary function is to host survey collection and dissemination websites, including web servers, database servers, web applications, and development environments, currently hosted in Amazon Web Services (AWS).

IES is seeking written information from vendors regarding their capabilities and experience in:

• AWS cloud hosting
• Systems operations support
• Website administration and development
• Software support

Vendors are asked to provide:

• A brief description of prior experience, including specific tasks performed and level of effort.

• Feedback or questions on the requirement and the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS), including potential unclear sections, missing information for proposal submission, concerns about contract type (FFP vs. Cost Reimbursement), timeline issues, or errors.

• An indication of whether the PWS provides sufficient detail for pricing and what information might be missing.

• Whether the required services and labor categories are available on an existing ED contract or GSA Schedule, including contract number and business size status.

• Responses must not exceed 8 pages.

• Submit responses via email to the POC listed.

• Deadline for responses: 12:00 PM ET, April 7, 2026.

• This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment to solicit or award a contract.

• No reimbursement will be made for costs associated with responding to this RFI.

• The Government makes no assurance that a solicitation will result from this notice.