Federal procurement opportunity: The U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), has issued solicitation 91990026R0015 for the Regional Educational Laboratory Program: 2027–2031 Cycle.
Status: Closed to new offerors. The solicitation was posted September 10, 2026 and revised September 14, 2026. Phase I quotes were due September 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, and that deadline has passed. Phase II submissions are limited to offerors that submitted a Phase I quote by the stated deadline. The September 14 revision did not change the due date. It updates Phase I terminology from cover page or cover letter to Title Page and clarifies font size and spacing requirements for tables and graphics. The procurement schedule identifies an advisory down-select on or around October 2, Phase II questions on or around October 9, Phase II proposals on or around October 30, and anticipated award December 31, 2026.
Structure: The Department intends to award up to 10 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts, one for each REL region, with a 60-month ordering period. Task Order #001 is expected at IDIQ award and is planned for January 3, 2027 through January 2, 2028, subject to availability of funds. The procurement uses NAICS 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services, with a published size standard of $24.5 million. The SAM.gov notice lists no set-aside.
Program purpose: IES describes the ten Regional Educational Laboratories as partners to educators and policymakers nationwide. REL work includes applied research, training, coaching, technical support, and evidence use to improve educational outcomes. The REL program is administered by IES’s National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance and is authorized under the Education Sciences Reform Act.
Submission materials: The federal notice lists seven solicitation files, including the revised September 14, 2026 SF1449 solicitation, IDIQ and Task Order #001 performance work statements, budget workbook, concept-paper document, quality assurance surveillance plan, and past-performance questionnaire. The revised SF1449 contains the controlling instructions to offerors and evaluation requirements. Phase I applicants should use the revised Title Page terminology and follow the clarified table and graphics font-size and spacing rules.
Material qualification controls: This is a specialized education-research and technical-assistance procurement. The solicitation requires substantial demonstrated capability and qualified personnel. Published solicitation material includes region-specific proposals, past-performance documentation, and key-personnel requirements; one identified requirement is that the Task 5 lead be certified in What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards version 4.1 for group designs. Offerors should use the current SAM.gov solicitation and attachments as controlling authority before preparing any response.
Dr. Miltie direct-vendor assessment: No Bid / not submission-ready on currently verified evidence. A legitimate direct pursuit would require documented REL-scale education research, program-evaluation and technical-assistance capacity, qualifying key personnel, required WWC expertise/certification where applicable, relevant past performance, complete pricing, and all mandatory solicitation representations and attachments. Atlas has not verified that Dr. Miltie currently satisfies those requirements, and no qualifications, references, certifications, or past performance should be fabricated.
Official sources: Review the controlling federal opportunity at SAM.gov. Program background is available from the Institute of Education Sciences Regional Educational Laboratory Program.