[Federal Register: December 4, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 233)]
[Notices]               
[Page 64210-64211]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04de97-31]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of closed meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a 
forthcoming meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board's 
Special Committee to Review the Voluntary National Tests Development 
Contract. This notice also describes the functions of the Board. Notice 
of this meeting is required under Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act.

    Date: December 16, 1997.
    Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    Location: St. Louis Airport Marriott; I-70 at Lambert International 
Airport; St. Louis, Missouri, 63134.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing 
Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20002-
4233, Telephone: (202) 357-6938.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Assessment Governing Board is 
established under section 412 of the National Education Statistics Act 
of 1994 (Title IV of the Improving Americas Schools Act of 1994) (Pub. 
L. 103-382).
    The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the 
National Assessment of Educational Progress. The Board is responsible 
for selecting subject areas to be assessed, developing assessment 
objectives, identifying appropriate achievement goals for each grade 
and subject tested, and establishing standards and procedures for 
interstate and national comparisons. Under Public Law 105-78, the 
National Assessment Governing Board is granted exclusive authority over 
developing Voluntary National Tests pursuant to contract number 
RJ97153001 and is required to review within 90 days (i.e., by February 
11, 1998) and modify the contract to the extent the Board determines 
necessary; if the contract cannot be modified to the extent the Board 
determines necessary, the contract shall be terminated, and a new 
contract negotiated.
    On December 16, 1997 the National Assessment Governing Board's 
Special Committee to Review the Voluntary National Tests Development 
Contract will hold a closed meeting. The purpose of the meeting is for 
the NAGB Special Committee to review the Test Development Contract, to 
formulate its recommendations to the NAGB for modification or 
termination and recompetition of the Development Contract for the 
Voluntary National Tests. This information relates to the source 
selection criteria by which government contracts may be modified

[[Page 64211]]

or awarded. Not only would the disclosure of such data implicate 
proscriptions set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulations, but 
also such disclosure would significantly frustrate a proposed agency 
action. Specifically, disclosure of the Subcommittee's discussion 
prematurely, including contract specifications and government cost 
estimates, could affect private decisions made by the contractor which 
might damage the financial interests of the government as a whole, by, 
for example, increasing the costs to the government, and might make it 
impossible for the two sides to reach agreement. Such matters are 
protected by exemption 9B of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    A summary of the activities of this closed meeting and other 
related matters, which are informative to the public and consistent 
with the policy of the Section 5 U.S.C. 552b, will be available to the 
public within 14 days after the meeting. Records are kept of all Board 
proceedings and are available for public inspection at the U.S. 
Department of Education, National Assessment Governing Board, Suite 
825, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, D.C., from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.

    Dated: December 1, 1997.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 97-31774 Filed 12-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M