Name | Type | Posted | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
REL 2027_31 PWS 03122026 CLEAN.docx | DOCX | Mar 19, 2026 | |
REL Competition 2027 RFI Instructions Revised.docx | DOCX | Dec 19, 2025 | |
Draft 2027 REL PWS.docx | DOCX | Dec 18, 2025 | |
Draft REL Competition 2027 Budget Template.xlsx | XLSX | Dec 18, 2025 | |
REL Competition 2027 RFI Instructions.docx | DOCX | Dec 18, 2025 |
Regional Educational Laboratory Program: 2027 – 2031 Cycle
Regional Educational Laboratory Program: 2027 – 2031 Cycle
The U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, is conducting market research for the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Program’s 2027–2031 cycle. This Sources Sought notice, identified by solicitation number REL-CYCLE2027, seeks to determine the capabilities of research organizations, institutions, agencies, and higher education partnerships to serve as laboratories for up to 10 designated regions. The Department intends to award 60-month firm-fixed-price contracts with cost-reimbursable travel for this requirement, which is classified under NAICS 541720 (Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities) and PSC R499 (Support- Professional: Other). There is currently no set-aside assigned to this procurement.
The mission of the REL Program, administered by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, is to provide applied research and Training, Coaching, and Technical Support (TCTS) activities that address immediate evidence needs in the education field. Contractors must assemble teams comprising content experts with published peer-reviewed portfolios, methodological experts, current or recent practitioners, and specialists in adult learning or professional development. These teams will frame research questions and lead projects designed to advance knowledge in specific content areas and jurisdictions. The place of performance is Washington, DC, and the deadline for responses is March 23, 2026.
This notice includes five attachments: a performance work statement, budget template, and multiple versions of RFI instructions. An informational amendment issued in March 2026 notes that a related Request for Information was posted against GSA MAS Schedule 541611 (Program Evaluation) in accordance with the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). The Department is specifically seeking feedback on whether utilizing the GSA schedule would adversely affect an organization's ability to compete for this requirement. Information gathered from this market research will assist the agency in finalizing its acquisition strategy.
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Contact and place of performance
Jana Knapp
DC 20202
USA
Added on 03/18/2026 Informational Amendment: This RFI Amendment is to inform interested parties that an Request for Information (RFI) has also been posted against GSA MAS Schedule 541611 SIN Program Evaluation. Per the recent Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR Part 8.104, Use of existing contracts, the FAR states the following: "When supplies or services are unavailable from the mandatory sources,...
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**Please note that this posting was updated on December 19, 2025. Please make sure to use the document labeled REL Competition 2027 RFI Instructions Revised**.
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is conducting market research to determine if sufficient interest and capability exist in the marketplace for the Regional Educational Laboratory Program, 2027-2031 Cycle. This notice is NOT a request for proposals but is an invitation for potential offerors to express interest and provide information regarding their relevant knowledge, skills, and capabilities. Information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Notice may be used to assist the Department in finalizing its acquisition strategy.
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) intends to award 60-month contracts to qualified entities to serve as the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) for up to 10 REL regions. These contracts are planned to be firm fixed price with cost-reimbursable travel restricted to a percentage of the overall contract value. See Appendix A for the names of the regions and their constituent states or jurisdictions. Each individual REL will be part of a program of 10 RELs authorized under the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002, Part D, Section 174 (20 U.S.C. 9564). The REL Program is administered by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)[1] in the US Department of Education (the Department).
REL personnel shall include researchers with significant and demonstrated scholarly expertise in content areas and methodologies relevant to the work the REL undertakes as well as practitioners who have significant experience teaching and leading professional development in those content areas. RELs shall develop a team that includes experts of several types, listed below:
The REL Program’s authorizing statute identifies eligible offerors in Section 174(c). Specifically:
“The Director may enter into contracts under this section with research organizations, institutions, agencies, institutions of higher education, or partnerships among such entities, or individuals, with the demonstrated ability or capacity to carry out the activities described in this section …”
All potential offerors meeting these criteria are encouraged to respond to this RFI.
[1] https://www.congress.gov/107/plaws/publ279/PLAW-107publ279.pdf