NCVER is preparing to undertake the National Student Outcomes Survey (SOS) program for 2020 and 2021. The SOS is an online self-completion survey with a small telephone component that gathers information on vocational education and training (VET) students who successfully completed some training during the previous calendar year. The SOS now has several components including the core survey, SOS lite (shorter questionnaire), international graduate component, continuing student component and non-responders’ component.

Tenders are now being sought for the project for an annual survey for 2020 and 2021. Final specifications are dependent upon outcomes from the 2019 survey program so a demonstrated capacity to be flexible and accommodate change is important.

The main components of the survey are:

•  input into questionnaire design and layout (questions to be provided by NCVER)
•  preparation for and collection of information from respondents, including contact list preparation
•  data processing
•  non-response analysis
•  preparation of unit record files, frequency counts and verbatim files
•  preparation of specified reports
•  preparation of a survey methodological report.

The contract will be for 2 years with the option to extend for a further year.

Proposals are due by Thursday 29 August 2019.