Background questions to support a federally-sponsored assessment of major student aid delivery system options are addressed. Attention is directed to: (1) information needed by the U.S. Secretary of Education to decide about changes to the delivery system; (2) reasons that delivery system redesign is a critical issue; (3) what can be learned from previous approaches to the delivery system issues; (4) the current approach to the delivery system redesign issue; and (5) what will result from the assessment effort. One consideration for key policymakers is the effect of the current delivery system on key participants, including aid applicants and their families, colleges, lenders, and state and federal government. The focus is three systems of the U.S. Office of Student Financial Assistance: Pell Grants, Guaranteed Student Loans, and campus-based aid. Major proposals of an alternative delivery system are reviewed that concern: use of technological advances, using a system approach to system redesign; broad alternative approaches involving operational and programmatic changes; and a general methodology for system redesign that deals with effects of change on program intent and involves the student aid community in the process. The framework and model structure of the current approach and its general strategy are also considered. (SW)