RFP_-_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Request for Proposal – Solicitation 693JJ318R000012

1) Can you provide incumbent contract information? (e.g. Contract #, name) Incumbent contract #’s:

DTFH61-11-D-00021 – A. Harold and Associates, LLC DTFH61-11-D-00022 – Delan Associates, Inc.

DTFH61-11-D-00023 – Endyna, Inc.

DTFH61-11-D-00024 – Entertronics Engineering Corp.

DTFH61-11-D-00025 – E Studio for Learning, Inc.

DTFH61-11-D-00026 – Ideation, Inc.

DTFH61-11-D-00027 – RLM Communications, Inc.

2) Will commercial past performance be rated equally to federal past performance in the evaluation process?

All Past Performance information shall be evaluated in accordance with the Past Performance Evaluation Criteria listed in Section M.2.b of the RFP.

3) How many awards do you expect for this IDIQ contract?

It is anticipated that 3 to 5 awards will result from this solicitation

4) Can past performance from teaming partners be utilized to fulfill past performance requirements?

Past performance information shall be provided for the Prime contractor and may be provided for teaming partners. Please see the Past Performance Evaluation Criteria on Pages 68 and 75 of the RFP.

5) Is a transition plan required assuming there are incumbent contractors?

No, there is no transition plan required.

6) Do you require submission of resumes for each of the 15 positions or do you want resumes for key personnel?

Resumes are required for key personnel: Program Managers and Project Managers.

The remaining positions are to be addressed within the staffing plan.

7) On pg 66 of the RFP, it mentions under staffing plan the following: “2. Education, experience, qualifications and key skills for proposed Instructional System Designers, Media Specialists and Project Manager(s)” Do you require specific resumes for only the 3 positions ISD, Media Specialist, and project manager?

8) Will past performance of the Prime and its subcontractor be equally evaluated for this effort? Per the RFP sentence on page 74: The Government reserves the right to assess the past performance of proposed subcontractors.

9) RFP pg# 67 states “A completed, signed, and dated FAR 52.219-28 (See Section

I)” Can you clarify what areas need to be completed and signed? We did not see any areas to complete this form.

Each Offeror is required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and completed their representations and certifications. If they have not, then they need to supply the information requested within FAR 52.219-28 with their representation and then register within SAM.

10) Do we need to submit a form Standard Form LLL if we have not participated in any lobbying activities?

Yes, the form should be submitted; the offeror may state no lobbying activities

11) Reference: RFP page 66, Part II- Staffing Proposal / Resumes. Please clarify the requirement for including resumes within the proposal. Are resumes required within the proposal for the Program Manager and also representative of each identified support personnel labor category (i.e., Instructional Systems Designers, Media Specialists, and Project Managers).

12) Reference: RFP page 74, (b) Past Performance Evaluations . (Question copied from first email below) Will past performance of the Prime and its subcontractor be equally evaluated for this effort? The Government reserves the right to assess the past performance of proposed subcontractors.

13) On page three in the introduction, the government states:

“Currently NHI uses Web-Based Training (WBT), Web Conference Training (WCT), Virtual World-11 Training (VWT), Video Conference

Training (VCT), video clips, job aids, electronic publications, flip books and blended learning opportunities and is open to other learning options as they become viable.”

Can the government please clarify if, when referring the Virtual World Training, they are interested in virtual/augmented/mixed reality solutions?

Specific task orders will identify the problems we are trying to solve. It will be up to the individual contractors to propose appropriate solutions that will help solve the problem. It is hard to identify if we are interested in virtual/augmented/mixed reality solutions without defining a specific problem that needs to be addressed.

14) Will the Government penalize a prime if they do not have past performance with all aspects of this requirement, or will the Government allow primes to team so that they can augment there experience with that of their subcontractor or subcontractors to ensure their team has past performance with all the required tasks identified in the solicitation?

An offeror will not be penalized for not having past performance with all aspects of this requirement. The government will review the past performance information for subcontractors for the additional required tasks.

15) Many small companies specialize in what they do, especially when they are maturing in the 8(a) program and gaining experience as they take on more complicated projects. Will the Government look favorably on firms that do not have direct prime experience covering all areas of this requirement if they do not team?

16) Is this a new requirement or recompete of an existing contract?

This is a recompete of an expired contract. The earlier contracts expired in April 2016.

17) Can FHWA provide an estimate of projected spending on the IDIQ vehicle (based on past spending if a re-compete)?

During the term of this Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite-Delivery (IDIQ) contract, the Government shall place orders totaling a minimum of $25,000. The maximum amount of all task orders issued against all contracts awarded as a result of this acquisition shall not exceed a ceiling of $9,500,000.

18) The RFP lists the Program Manager and Project Managers as key personnel but does not provide number of project managers. Does FHWA have an estimate based on projected level of effort (past) on how many project managers will be adequate to staff this project?

Individual task orders shall identify the specific requirements necessary to complete that task. The government will not stipulate how the contractor should man the project for successful completion. We will evaluate the abilities and responsibilities for the team members assigned to the project.

19) Which positions requirement resumes?

20) To help us understand the evaluation process, can you explain how are the evaluation criteria are weighted?

Page 73: In determining which proposal provides the best value to the Government, an integrated evaluation and assessment of offers will be conducted. The evaluation will consist of three factors: Technical, Past Performance, and Cost/Price. The Technical factor is more important than Past Performance, and when the two non-price factors (Technical and Past Performance) are combined, they are approximately equal to price.

21) Is it possible to get an extension on the due date for the proposal?

No

What is the estimated volume (number of courses) offering per month or per quarter or per year coming out of this contract?

This number will vary based on the actual number of Task Orders issued.

22) What are the preferred platforms for WBT, WCT, VWT, VCT and flip books?

NHI currently uses Adobe Connect and a home-built solution for our Learning Management System. In situations where we need to have learner tracking, we are looking for SCORM compliance. At present, the Adobe Connect is SCORM 1.2, although it will accept other SCORM compliant files, we may not be able to use the updated features.

23) Will NHI be supplying the licenses for these platforms or will the contractor be responsible for acquiring all licenses?

NHI/FHWA is responsible for all licenses to distribute and deploy content, the contractor is responsible for obtaining the proper licenses to develop, and test the deliverables.

24) Will the contractor be asked to also supply training facilitators for the face-to-face training and if so, are they required to be IACET certified?

IACET certification applies to the training development process, deployment, and materials, not to individuals. The following information comes directly from the IACET website:

The ANSI/IACET Standard for Continuing Education and Training is a universal model for learning process excellence. It defines a proven model for developing effective and valuable continuing education and training (CE/T) programs by measuring a CE/T provider's training program from procedure to process to result.

Because the ANSI/IACET Standard focuses on how continuing education and training programs are developed>, not what they cover, it provides a certifiable framework of researched and proven best practices that can be applied across disciplines and industries.

The ANSI/IACET Standard measures all aspects of a CE/T provider’s program development across ten nationally recognized categories. This has allowed for the ANSI/IACET Standard to be recognized as the official standard for CE/T in the world.

25) In the past two years, what has been the usage of each modality (in percentage): ILT, WBT, WCT, VWT, VCT, virtual simulations (3D), video clips, job aids, electronic publications, flip books, blended learning, flipped classroom, and mobile learning?

The graph shows the participation year-by-year in three various modes: Instructor-led (ILT); Web-based (WBT); and Web-Conference (WCT). In addition, several of these offerings use other media such as video clips, simulations, electronic job aids, and electronic publications within the training environment.

Between 2013 and 2015 FHWA/NHI used the former ID/IQ to develop and produce approximately 110 video clips (https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials/). These clips are being incorporated into updates and new development efforts as appropriate.

26) On average, how many courses are produced by NHI on an annual basis?

This is a function of budget, program priorities, and needs of the target audiences.

NHI currently offers approximately 130 Instructor-led courses of various lengths.

27) Section L.4: Proposal Content and Configuration: Volume I - Technical: Part II - Staffing Plan/ Resumes (RFP p.66)

FY-2007 FY-2008 FY-2009 FY-2010 FY-2011 FY-2012 FY-2013 FY-2014 FY-2015 FY-2016 FY-2017

WCT 8 202 373 290 284 294 287 45 187 114 114

WBT 802 2147 7464 14274 12029 22650 24404 27387 32792 32437 28340

ILT 16744 17072 14350 12398 15058 12967 14995 13257 14183 15301 13728

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Pa rt ic ip an ts https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials/ https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials/

Requirements state that Offerors should provide the following information:

a. Academic credentials, professional experience and expertise of the Program Manager.

b. Education, experience, qualifications and key skills for proposed Instructional System Designers, Media Specialists and Project Manager(s).

Should Offerors provide two-page resumes for only the labor categories listed above, or should other resumes (i.e., all positions presented in Attachment J.2) be presented as part of the Staffing Plan?

Resumes are required for key personnel: Program Managers and Project Managers, with the remaining positions addressed within the staffing plan.

28) Attachment J.2 does not identify "Media Specialists" as a position under the Schedule of Rates. However, Media Specialists are referenced in Section L.4 and under evaluation criteria. J.2 does identify "IT Specialists (High, Medium, Low)."

Are Media Specialists the same as IT Specialists?

The IT Specialist has been removed from Attachment J.2. Media Specialist/Graphic Designer has been added to the SOW and Attachment J.2 has been amended to include both positions.

29) Will the Government please provide qualifications for High, Medium, and Low positions listed in J.2?

Please see attachment J.1

30) Section L.4: Proposal Content and Configuration: Volume 1 - Technical: Part I - Technical Approach (RFP p.65).

Requirement 1 in this section states:

Clearly describe the contract objectives, needs, and how the Contractor will address each task. Demonstrate a clear understanding of what is expected to address each requirement.

However, under evaluation criteria in Section M.2(a): Technical (RFP p.73), there is no reference to providing "a clear understanding of what is expected to address each requirement."

Given the number of requirements in PWS sections C.6 through C.11 and the limited page count available for the technical, please advise if the Government will be evaluating and scoring offerors' understanding of each requirement in the PWS. If the answer is yes, please update section M.2(a) to include this as an evaluation criteria factor.

Section M.2(a)(1) states: Strength of plan to meet the contract objectives and accomplish each task, including: the additional a-e

31) Will the successful offeror(s) for this RFP also be eligible for award for the active

NHI Sources Sought Notice # 693JJ3-18-SS-0012 if that SSN is later released as a

RFP?

No

32) Section C.6.4 - Can the government provide more information around what constitutes a “minor” revision as compared to a “major” revision?

This will be a negotiation between the contractor and the government, but in general (not an absolute), minor revisions are typically those that can be completed by one person in less than 4 hours. This would include items such as moving objects on a slide, updating specific words and the like. More significant changes would require a formal task order with a clearly defined Statement of Work, schedule of deliverables, and a timeline.

33) Section C.5, General Work Description describes that the contractor is required to attend a face-to-face kick-off meeting as part of contract award. Is this requirement part of the IDIQ award or a task order award? If part of IDIQ award, will the contractor be compensated for the Contract kick-off meeting participation and preparation and delivery of the required report?

This requirement is part of the IDIQ award. No, there will not be any compensation for attendance to the kick off meeting and report.

34) On page 57, Program Manager is listed as key personnel but not listed on the schedule of rates. Can the government clarify if rates should be provided for the Program Manager?

Attachment J.2 has been amended to include the Program Manger position.

35) Are there any specific requirements for the Narrator position and should this position be added to the LCAT?

Specific requirements for a narrator will be addressed in individual task order requests. Those requirements will be Firm-Fixed Price.

36) Are 8(a) joint ventures acceptable for this bid?

Yes

37) Can a USB be submitted in lieu of a CD-Rom?

Yes, the RFP has been revised to reflect this.

38) Will FHWA consider extending the due date to the week of April 16-20?

39) Based on experience, how often do you issue individual task orders during the fiscal year? How much time will we have to respond to each task order?

It is impossible to define how many proposals will come out in any specific timeframe as this as it is a function of budget, priority, and user needs.

The time to respond will depend on the complexity of the Task Order.

40) It is stated that the location of work performed under this contract will be specified in each task order. From this can we assume that the place of performance will vary based on the work and can be either at contractor location or at FHWA facilities?

Development work will be performed at a contractor’s facilities. Pilot deliveries will be held at the pilot hosting location. Pilot deliveries will be held within the Continental United States (CONUS), Hawaii and Alaska, and US territories.

41) Can we add more labor categories to the cost list or should we stay with what is asked in J2 attachment?

42) Should contractor assume the responsibility of printing training and marketing materials as needed by FHWA under this contract?

Printing and shipping of participant course materials and various NHI administrative items are the responsibility of the Government.

43) Minimum how many courses are anticipated to developed/updated in each contract year?

The amount of courses will vary from year to year.

44) What percent of training development will be new course offerings in base year?

It is impossible to define how many proposals will come out in any specific timeframe as this as it is a function of budget, priority, and user needs.

45) Based on the RFP, the contract lists different modalities (WBT, ILT, VILT, etc.) of instruction. Does the Federal Highway Administration have a Learning Management System (LMS) in place to hosts eLearning? If so, what type is it?

NHI currently uses Adobe Connect and a home-built solution for our Learning Management System. In situations where we need to have learner tracking, we are looking for SCORM compliance. At present, the Adobe Connect is SCORM 1.2, although it will accept other SCORM compliant files, we may not be able to use the updated features.

46) Is the LMS compatible with multiple types of eLearning software?

In situations where we need to have learner tracking, we are looking for SCORM compliance. At present, the Adobe Connect is SCORM 1.2, although it will accept other SCORM compliant files, we may not be able to use the updated features.

47) Does the eLearning courseware require a certain type of software application(s) for development? If so, what type (Captivate, Articulate presenter, Lectora, Dreamweaver, etc.)? If so, will the government provide contractor with software?

In situations where we need to have learner tracking, we are looking for SCORM compliance. At present, the Adobe Connect is SCORM 1.2, although it will accept other SCORM compliant files, we may not be able to use the updated features.

NHI/FHWA is responsible for all licenses to distribute and deploy content, the contractor is responsible for obtaining the proper licenses to develop, and test the deliverables.

48) Does the contract require any LMS maintenance and management on this contract?

The Learning Management System (LMS) maintenance or administration is NOT part of this contract.

49) Does the Federal Highway Administration LMS application provide a fully functional reporting tool?

NHI does generate reports from the Learning Management System which means we require the tracked component pieces of formal courses to be SCORM compliant.

50) There is a NHI Style Guide listed, is there also a Section 508 Checklist already in place to pass eLearning courses through the process?

The Request for Proposal included the following attachments:

• Section 508 Checklist for MS Word Documents (J.5)

• Section 508 Checklist for PowerPoint and Adobe Presenter (J.6)

• Section 508 Checklist for Adobe PDF (J.7)

These documents were developed prior to the January 18, 2018 effective date for the revised 508 Standards, so there may be corrections made to them.

New tools such as the Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist, the 508 Solicitation Conformance Chart template, and the GSA Accessibility Requirements Tool may be used to help evaluate and provide for conformant 508 deliverables.

For additional information please see: https://www.section508.gov/refresh-toolkit

51) On Pg. 10-11, will the government provide all training room requirements listed on the bottom of pg. 10 and top of page 11 under the “Instructor Guides shall include as a minimum” section?

Specific requirements will be addressed in individual task order requests.

52) Will the gov’t provide technical equipment including laptops and software for WBT, Training design/development for contract staff?

https://www.section508.gov/refresh-toolkit

NHI/FHWA is responsible for all licenses to distribute and deploy content, the contractor is responsible for obtaining the proper equipment, and licenses to develop, and test the deliverables.

53) Will the contractors be required to work onsite at the agency 100% of the time or will contractor be able to work at the contractor location 50% of time?

Development work will be performed at a contractor’s facilities. Pilot deliveries will

54) What is the existing training WBT, CBT software being utilize by the govt or govt preferred software to be utilized for eLearning development on this contract?

Existing deployments have primarily used Adobe products, but we have deployed products developed in other tools as long as those products are SCORM 1.2 compliant and they behave as expected on our Learning Management System.

55) Does the government expect contractors to deliver instructor-led classroom training?

If so, can the government please add Labor Category/Description for Facilitator?

NHI has other contracts in place for instructor-led deliveries. Our intention for this contract is not to lead sessions, but to develop technology assets that may be used in the training environments. Specific requirements will be identified in individual task orders.

56) What Software is compatible to the NHI system?

Existing deployments have primarily used Adobe products, but we have deployed

57) What WBT, WCT, VCT and flipped classroom softwares are currently being used?

Existing deployments have primarily used Adobe products, but we have deployed

58) Can the government please describe the statement “the advancement of the state of practice?”

Established by Congress in 1970, the National Highway Institute (NHI) is the training and education arm of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The NHI’s mission is to provide technical training and resource materials to the transportation community. NHI accomplishes this by developing and delivering training that is focused on adult-learning principles and learner-centered outcomes.

To meet the time challenges of customers and reach as many participants as possible, NHI espouses distance learning options. Currently NHI uses Web-Based Training (WBT), Web Conference Training (WCT), Virtual World Training (VWT), Video Conference Training (VCT), video clips, job aids, electronic publications, flip books and blended learning opportunities and is open to other learning options as they become viable.

Recent research in learning methodologies and strategies has revealed that micro-learning and/or video is instrumental in knowledge transfer. NHI’s strategic vision requires a granular approach for content production, meaning that the training is highly detailed; having many small and distinct parts. This approach makes better use of synchronous time and should result in shorter synchronous sessions to achieve desired learning outcomes. The benefits for this effort include but are not limited to:

• Produce material based upon stable content;

• Ensure material is succinct, and is accessible by learners prior to class;

• Design to make class time more efficient;

• Ensure materials are available as references for direct and related topics;

and

• Ensure materials are able to be recombined for refresher efforts.

59) Are these positions remote? Can these positions be staffed at Contractor Facility?

Development work will be performed at a contractor’s facilities. Pilot deliveries will be held at the pilot hosting location. Pilot deliveries will be held within the Continental United States (CONUS), Hawaii and Alaska, and US territories.

60) The Program Manager (designated as Key Personnel in Solicitation I.2) is not listed in Attachment J.1 Billing and Labor Categories. Are there education and experience requirements for the Program Manager? Is there an expectation that there will be both a Program Manager and a Project Manager?

Attachment J.1 Billing and Labor Categories has been updated to include the Program Manager.

RFP Page 66: PART II Staffing Proposal

1. Academic credentials, professional experience and expertise of the Program Manager.

61) Can certain positions within Attachment J.1 Billing and Labor Categories perform dual roles? For example, can the Project Manager also act as an Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) - High?

Yes, if qualified.

62) Does the Government wish for offerors to submit yearly rates or hourly rates?

Hourly rates for each year per Page 66 of the RFP and J.2

63) Are the labor hours under this contract based on a model of 1880 annual labor hours? If another annual hour model, will the Government please specify?

See Question 62 above.

64) Is there a Travel plug number?

Specific task orders will identify requested/required travel for successful completion of the task.

65) Is there an ODC plug number Specific task orders will address the issue of ODCs for successful completion of the task.

66) The solicitation states that the "Program Manager and the ISD Specialist" must attend certain meetings (such as the face-to-face kickoff meeting). Can the Project Manager attend in the Program Manager's stead or in addition to the Program Manager and ISD?

Please see Page 6 of the RFP. C.6.1.c – Task Order Kick-off Meeting.

67) Is the Contractor responsible for the production, printing, and delivery of all instructional materials (visual aids, instructor guides, participant materials, etc.)?

Printing and shipping of participant course materials and various NHI administrative items are the responsibility of the Government.

68) The RFP states, the "Contractor shall provide qualified instructor(s) for the course who have been approved by the COR and who have studied the material and prepared for the course."

What is the approval process? Will the Contractor be provided a list of qualified instructors or of the qualifications required? How long is the instructor expected to instruct the course?

NHI has other contracts in place for instructor-led deliveries. Our intention for this contract is not to lead sessions, but to develop technology assets that may be used in

69) The RFP states, ""If they [sic] pilot instructors will be responsible for course delivery, each proposed instructor shall present a significant portion of the course materials so that the course monitors can evaluate the performance of each proposed instructor."

Will the NHI potentially hire these proposed instructors permanently?

NHI has other contracts in place for instructor-led deliveries. Our intention for this contract is not to lead sessions, but to develop technology assets that may be used in

70) Section L.4 of the solicitation states the staffing plan must include "1. Academic credentials, professional experience and expertise of the Program Manager. 2.

Education, experience, qualifications and key skills for proposed Instructional System Designers, Media Specialists and Project Manager(s). " Attachment J.2 lists additional required labor categories. Does the Government intend for the staffing plan to contain all fifteen labor categories listed in J.2 (as well as the Program Manager) or only those mentioned by name in Section L.4?

With the remaining positions addressed within the staffing plan.

71) Section L.4 of the solicitation states the staffing plan must include "Media Specialists." Attachment J.2 names "Graphics Designer" but omits Media Specialists.

Are these terms referring to the same position?

These may be the same position. Specific task orders will address what is required for successful completion of the task. The contractors will be responsible to propose solutions that achieve the desired goal. Section L.4 of the RFP and Attachment J.2 have been revised to include both positions.

72) Section L.4 of the solicitation states the offeror must "Demonstrate that Contractor facilities are sufficient to complete the contract requirements satisfactorily and in a timely manner." Are Task Orders expected to require the majority of the work be completed at Contractor Facilites, or NHI Facilities?

Development work will be performed at a contractor’s facilities. Pilot deliveries will

73) What is the anticipated Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI) level for this contract? Level 1 - Passive. Level 2 - Limited Participation. Level 3 - Complex Participation. Level 4 - Real Time Participation.

Specific task orders will identify the problems we are trying to solve. It will be up to the individual contractors to propose appropriate solutions and with the appropriate IMI level that will help solve the problem. The proposals must address why the specific IMI level is most suited to solve the solution as there will be price implications with higher levels of interactivity.

74) How many past performances the contractor should provide in case of submitting a joint venture response? 5 per each subcontractor or 5 total for the team?

Please see Part IV – Past Performance on page 67of the RFP.

75) Please provide an example Task Order An example of a Task Order will not be provided

76) How many Task orders were awarded during the past 24 months?

No Task Orders have been awarded in the past 24 months; the contract expired in

77) What was the total dollar value of task orders issued in the past 24 months?

No Task Orders have been awarded in the past 24 months; the contract expired in

78) What is the range of task order dollar values issues in the past 24 months?

$0 as the original contract expired in early April 2016.

79) How is this solicitation different from the incumbent contract?

This is a follow-on contract as NHI/FHWA is seeking capacity for developing training and informational assets that can be deployed via technology.

80) Do we have to provide separate rate schedule for prime and subcontractor?

The schedule of rates shall be submitted in accordance with RFP Page 1, B.2.

81) What are the allowed indirect costs and profit margin for the subcontractor?

This is dependent on the contract between prime and subcontractor.

82) Disbursement for the subcontractor is direct or through the prime?

Through the prime

83) What is the payment terms of the subcontractor?

This is dependent on the contract between prime and subcontractor.

84) Page 19 in the PWS -Will the government provide an ODC CLIN to support licenses, stream hosting services, video-hosting services, etc… to enable a “virtual world” event? Will the small business provide pricing at the TOPR level? If would be difficult to price an unknown quantity of license or the magnitude of the “virtual world” requirements at the IDIQ level.

Specific task orders will address the issue of ODCs and travel for successful completion of the task.