Head Start in State Systems Sole Source Award

This contract is a sole‑source award to continue research and evaluation work that supports the Financing Early Care and Education (ECE) Study, focusing on how Head Start programs operate within state funding systems. The effort will leverage existing data sets, conduct follow‑up surveys of state administrators, and produce analytical reports and technical assistance to inform federal policy. • Scope includes data analysis, follow‑up surveys, additional data collection, and production of research products linking state financing to Head Start outcomes. • The incumbent vendor, NORC, is the only entity with exclusive access to the required survey data and the methodological expertise needed for immediate continuation of the work. • The agency overseeing the award is the Administration for Children and Families (HHS), and the contract is classified as a sole‑source procurement with no set‑aside designations.