Questions_from_Webinar_(Compiled).pdf

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United States Department of Education

Development And Technical Assistance for Leveraging Analysis Based Websites (Datalab) Questions from Webinar (Emailed)

Question Department Response

Is the Department open to using an API? The Department is open to using an API. However, there has been a limitation in the past in the use of an API for some data that are used in the DataLab application. Restricted-use files cannot be released to the public and cannot be accessed via an API due to disclosure concerns in Restricted-Use data files. APIs can be used with Public-Use data.

Is there a limitation to using open source software?

All new software needs to be approved by the OCIO. Open source software is examined with more scrutiny due to concerns about support (and updating the application) and security vulnerabilities. However, it is possible to get some software approved. NCES is attempting to have GitLab approved.

With regard to the publication module, where can we find an example of a DataPoint publication? The website is https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/index.asp?HasSearched=1&searchcat2=producttype&pubtype=043.

If a contractor were to set up an API, are you willing to use third-party products?

This is something that the Department is open to if a contractor can develop a solution that meets the Department’s disclosure requirements, but there have been technical limitations in doing so. Many of the studies in DataLab are complex surveys using replicate weights. Thus far, third-party products designed for data visualization are unable to work with complex survey data, requiring customized programming.

Can the data be pre-processed to allow for an API to work?

Yes, data can be pre-processed working off of indexed tables – in fact such a solution may speed up queries. Doing so, however, would create limitations for external users. Currently, users can select from thousands of variables and multiple table options. Pre-processed data would not allow users create customized analyses or tables as they can do now. These analyses would need to be pre-selected.

For the publication module, will there be a requirement to make the output Section 508 accessible? Yes. It will either be programmed to allow for compliant publications or it can be done after it is created. All publications must follow the IES Style Guide and NCES Statistical Standards: https://nces.ed.gov/statprog/style.asp https://nces.ed.gov/statprog/standards.asp

Who is the incumbent? Are they a small business? Can they compete? The incumbent is RTI International. RTI International is a large business.

Are there any authentication procedures for the contractor to sign in to do work?

The contractor who is awarded this work will have access to sensitive information, so most employees will have to undergo security screenings for positions of Public Trust. The contractor will use their own equipment to establish a secure connection with the Department’s servers and will work within a remote desktop.

Would the Government consider issuing computers to the contractor? The Department will not be issuing computers for this work, so the contractor will need to plan to have equipment available for staff to work outside a Government facility and remote into our environment.

How is past performance going to be addressed? Will subcontracted work be evaluated similarly to prime work?

The details of how past performance will be evaluated will be clearly listed within the solicitation when it is released. If the solicitation does not indicate that prime work is weighted more than subcontracted work, then these will be give equal weights. If the solicitation indicates that prime work has more weight, then the evaluation will prioritize prime evaluations above subcontracted evaluations.

Is there a task in the performance work statement that discusses transition?

Section VI (see page 2 of the draft PWS) addresses the transition into the contract lasting 120 days. The cost of these activities should be addressed (and budgeted) in the base period tasks. At the end of the contract, optional task 17 addresses transition activities (see page 14 of the draft PWS).

Is the current contractor an 8A contractor? If they are have they graduated from the program? The incumbent is a large business and they are not an 8A.

Will the Department be splitting out and awarding the tasks to separate contractors? No. They Department requests that interested offerors seek out partnering opportunities to provide an overall solution to the Department.

How will cybersecurity for this system to be handled? This activity is covered in Task 9. The contractor shall propose how it intends to address cybersecurity in this task and implement their plans.

Will every module delivered be assessed from a cybersecurity standpoint with the goal of building security into every component of the system (preferred)? Or is the plan for cybersecurity to be checked at the end with the goal of simply bolting cybersecurity on and hoping for the best (less time consuming, cheaper but not effective for security)?

The Performance Work Statement does not specifically address how the contractor shall protect the website or the personally identifiable information located in the database associated with the website. The contractor will need to propose a process for addressing the requirements listed in Appendix B of the draft work statement.

Who manages user registration/access to the TrendStats web site? Is user administration within the scope of the contract? If so, what authentication solution/system is currently in use?

Authentication to all websites within DataLab is within the scope of this contract. Authentication is done using Microsoft ASP.NET Membership Provider.

Does the government desire for the contractor to implement a single-sign-on type of approach, which enables users to migrate seamlessly from the Online Codebook site to other DataLab component sites, thereby eliminating the need for multiple sign-ins?

The Department is open to such a solution, but the current Online Codebook is currently managed by another program at NCES. The contractor shall budget for taking over the tool and integrating it within the DataLab website. If exercised, technical instructions will be provided on whether to subsume the tool or to maintain two systems.

Are there any requirements for the existing site to be mobile-friendly? There are no requirements for the site to be mobile friendly.

Regarding the open source software question today, are open source software tools "R" (statistical) and "D3" (visualization) approved as some of the software tools that are/may be allowed going forward?

The Department currently has access to the major statistical programs such as R, Stata, SPSS, and SAS. If a contractor would like to know about other software, they can address targeted questions in the request for quotation process.

ED's list of active contracts lists the incumbent's contract award amount for PEDSS. Is there an estimate for the Datalab opportunity, given the expansion in scope?

The Department anticipates that the level of effort for the base tasks in the DATALAB contract will be similar to the base tasks of the PEDSS contract.

Are there estimated numbers of internal ED and external users for the existing tools and portals that can be shared?

If so, are there performance reports for these websites? It is estimated that there are approximately 4,000 to 6,000 web sessions per month on the DataLab website.

Will ED's IT staff provide the continuous monitoring reports for the application, database and server? Will ED provide some of the performance thresholds it is considering

The IES Web Services staff will provide access to Google Analytics to review website performance. While Department's IT staff provides continuous monitoring of the IES and NCES websites, it will be the responsibility of the contractor to monitor the DataLab website and bring problems/issues to the Department’s attention. The Department will provide performance thresholds with the solicitation.

Would ED be open to a proposed proof-of-concept approach for the integration of any new COTS and/or open-source solutions?

Because such activities would lower overall costs in the long term, the Department would be open to exploring the integration of COTS or open-source solutions, even if it increased costs in the short term. The contractor will have an opportunity to design and budget for such a task in the solicitation.

In order to improve performance and address concerns regarding the number of data variables, would ED consider disclaimers indicating cut-off times/hours for the timeliness of the data?

The Department does not see a problem with the number of data variables, though the staff will be open to feedback from external users the data elements. The Department will be open to all solutions designed to address problems in the application.

Can the full list of COTS tools, open source (including the ones under current consideration) and programming languages be shared?

Appendix A of the draft Performance Work Statement provides basic information about technical information and the programming languages used. Any additional tools that are identified for this project will be released as decision are made. Note that some information may not become available until after the solicitation is released.

In order to improve security of the system, would ED consider importing cleared/unrestricted data into a separate public portal? Public data are already available in a separate portal in the Online Codebook tool (nces.ed.gov/edat).

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