Foreign Service Test Administration

Other / Unclassified

This document is a Sources Sought Notice issued by the Department of State, Bureau of Global Acquisitions. It is for market research purposes only and is not a solicitation, RFP, or RFQ. The government is seeking information to determine the capabilities of firms, particularly small businesses, to meet requirements for Foreign Service Test Administration Services, as outlined in a draft Performance Work Statement (PWS).

• Purpose: To gauge industry interest and capability for potential future procurements.
• NAICS Code: 541910
• Key Information Requested:
  • Company name, headquarters, and office locations.
  • Point of contact details.
  • Brief Capability Statement demonstrating understanding of Foreign Service Test Administration Services.
  • Specific requirements for domestic (225+ centers), international, and U.S. Embassy/Consulate testing locations.
  • Other pertinent information and approach to meeting requirements.
  • Completed "Company Profile Questions" table covering UEI, CAGE Code, Socioeconomic Status, Business Size, current Schedules/GWACs, SAM registration, and Excluded Party List status.
• Submission Deadline: April 10, 2026, 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time.
• Submission Method: Email to Ashley Johnson (JohnsonAL1@state.gov) and Maria Anguiano (anguianom@state.gov).
• Important Notes:
  • Responses are voluntary and will not be returned.
  • No questions will be answered as part of this notice.
  • Submissions become U.S. Government property.
  • Proprietary information should be clearly marked.
  • The government is not committed to awarding a contract or reimbursing any costs associated with responding.

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

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) outlines the requirements for the administration of secure, computer-based testing instruments for the U.S. Department of State's Board of Examiners (BEX). The objective is to develop, administer, maintain, refine, evaluate, and validate these tests to support the Foreign Service selection process for Officer and Specialist candidates.

• Test Administration: Administer the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), Consular Fellows Program Test (CFPT), Diplomatic Technology Officer Test (DTOT), Diplomatic Security Tests, and various Specialist Tests.

• Systems Development & Maintenance: Develop, maintain, and upgrade secure, accessible, and compliant web-based registration, scoring, and reporting systems.

• Candidate Support: Provide customer support for candidate registration, test scheduling, and inquiries.

• Test Center Management: Manage domestic and international test centers, including training staff and ensuring secure test delivery.

• Information Assurance: Adhere to strict information security standards, including FISMA, FedRAMP, and Department of State requirements.

• Reporting: Provide comprehensive data files and reports on candidate performance and test statistics.

• Specialized Services: Includes online proctoring, conversion of specialist tests to a gateway format, and administration of Case Management Exercises.

• Period of Performance: June 10, 2026 – June 9, 2031 (Base Period plus four Option Years).

• Place of Performance: Primarily at the contractor's facilities, with occasional on-site work at BEX's office for training. Test administration will be conducted at domestic and international test centers.

• Accessibility: Systems must be fully accessible and compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

• Security: Rigorous information security standards, including background investigations for personnel, secure data storage, and incident response capabilities.

• Contract Type: Hybrid of Firm Fixed Price and Time and Materials.

• Reporting: Monthly progress reports and bi-weekly meetings with BEX.

• Deliverables: Include management plans, web-based systems, test administration, scoring reports, data files, and training materials.