[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68270-68271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-34004]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Teleconference Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of Closed Teleconference meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a 
forthcoming meeting, by teleconference 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.

DATES: January 9, 1998.

TIME: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon (et).

LOCATION: National Assessment Governing Board, 800 North Capitol 
Street, NW, Suite 825, Washington, DC 20002-4233 Telephone: 202-357-
6938.


[[Page 68271]]


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 America's Schools Act of 1994) 
(Public Law 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 January 9, 1998 the National Assessment Governing Board's 
Special Committee to Review the Voluntary National Tests Development 
Contract will hold a closed meeting by teleconference. 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 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, DC, from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 97-34004 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M