Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Web-Based Data Collection is a critical program by the Department of Education, authorized by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. This Request for Proposal (RFP) outlines a base contract with three optional periods, spanning four data collection cycles from 2026-28 to 2029-31. The core purpose is to collect institution-level data from over 6,200 postsecondary institutions to track trends and provide consumer information. Key tasks include managing the project, maintaining a web-based data collection system, providing help desk support, administering data collection, generating reports and publications, and operating an online data dissemination system. The contract emphasizes adherence to NCES standards, IT security, and accessibility, ensuring the quality and availability of postsecondary education data for analysis and public use.

The U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences issued a Request for Information (RFI) on November 20, 2025, concerning the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). This RFI seeks vendor capabilities to support and advance the IPEDS web-based data collection, which gathers crucial information from institutions participating in federal student financial aid programs. IPEDS collects data on institutional characteristics, prices, admissions, enrollment, financial aid, degrees, student success, and institutional resources. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is gathering information to potentially award a new contract or task order. Vendors are asked to detail their experience with large-scale data projects, federal reporting requirements, higher education data, and innovative tools/methodologies. Responses are due by December 17, 2025, to Alyson Allman.