ED-VAE-15-R-0034_Amend_0001.pdf

NSN 7540-01-152-8070 STANDARD FORM 30. (Rev. 10-83) Previous Edition unusable Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Page of Pages AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. Contract ID Code

2. AMENDMENT MODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (if applicable)

6. ISSUED BY CODE 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than item 6) CODE

(x) 9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (NO., Street, Country, State and ZIP Code)

CODE FACILITY CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning ______ copies of amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OR OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

Check One

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE

CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return _______ copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible)

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

15C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

16C. DATE SIGNED

Attachment Page

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies

BUSINESS QUESTIONS

1. Are project descriptions in “5. Experience; Past Performance; Institutional Capacity” outside the 30 page limit, or included?

Response – The 30-page limit excludes key personnel resumes and letters of agreement from subcontractor or partners such as philanthropies, if any. Therefore any information provided on experience, past performance, and institutional capacity will be included within the 30-page limit.

2. Business Proposal (RFP page 17). If this is a performance-based firm-fixed-price, does the budget require indirect costs and profit/fee? FFP budgets usually do not require indirect and fee information.

Response – Offerors shall provide the details regarding the hours by person and functional labor category along with their fully loaded labor rates that include (fringe benefits, overhead, and profit).

However, all Other Direct Costs shall be inclusive of any associated indirect costs and profit consistent with the offeror’s established accounting practices. If the Department is not able to perform an adequate price analysis based on the level of detail of the information provided, it may need to request additional information from the offeror in order to meet the Federal Acquisition

Regulation requirement that the Contracting Officer determine the price to be fair and reasonable.

3. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 41). Task 4 requires the contractor to host a listening session for 20 key nonfederal stakeholders to be held in a federal meeting space in Washington DC. Please specify the requirement that “no procurement funds shall be used to pay for honoraria, travel, meals, or incidentals” if travel is required to attend a listening session?

Response – It is the intent of the Department that such participation be done on a voluntary basis that will not require payment for honoraria, travel, meals or incidentals with contract funds. Offerors shall seek outside sources such as businesses and philanthropic communities to develop partnerships that can assist in obtaining highly qualified individuals for these meetings at no cost to the contract.

4. PWS Task 5 (RFP page 43). Task 5 requires the contractor to host 15 leading employers for a

Business Subject Matter Expert Team, meeting four times during the year to be held in Washington

DC. Please specify the requirement that “no procurement funds shall be used to pay for honoraria, travel, meals, or incidentals” if travel is required to attend quarterly meetings?

Response – Please refer to the response provided under question 3.

5. The Synopsis on the FedBizOpps.gov for this solicitation contains the statement: “The Department has a preference for award to small businesses, and especially small businesses that are also certified to be HUBZone small businesses and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small businesses.” However, the competition is designated as “unrestricted” and there doesn’t appear to be any similar language in the solicitation itself regarding this preference. Furthermore, the scoring rubric and narrative on small business partnership engagement are similar to other solicitations regarding small business participation. Please clarify whether and/or how this “preference for award to small businesses” will be applied during the selection process.

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies Response - While the Department has a preference to award to small businesses pursuant to the federal acquisition regulation, there is no expressed preference in the evaluation criteria and all companies responding to the RFP will have the same opportunity for award.

6. We are a small business and will be priming this effort. Please clarify how this will affect award of points in the evaluation. Can we expect to obtain the full 10 points for small business participation?

Response – Small business prime contractors that submit proposals that are determined to be responsive to the terms and conditions of the solicitation will receive the maximum 10 points for small business participation.

7. Since we are a small business, what information do you need from us to obtain the full small business points.

Response - Offerors should disclose their business size in their proposals, including any and all socio-economic categories for which they have been certified by the Small Business Administration.

The Department will perform its own due diligence to verify the business size of each small business submitting a proposal. Small business prime contractors who have been confirmed to be small businesses will still need to submit a responsive proposal in order to receive the total number of points allotted for this evaluation criterion.

8. Page 17, 18, 20. Small businesses are not required to submit subcontracting plans. Small businesses may submit information on their plans to subcontract work to other small businesses in another format than a subcontracting plan to receive credit under Criterion 1, correct? How will the

Government ensure a small business awardee actually awards those subcontracts? May the small business receive small business credit for its own participation?

Response – It is at the discretion of the small business whether or not it chooses to subcontract some of the work. However, it is a requirement for all offerors to identify their subcontractors by name and to indicate what work will be performed by the prime contractor and what work will be performed by each subcontractor. Although small business prime contractors are not required to subcontract, their business proposals will provide details of the individual price components of their total price proposed, including the proposed price for each of their subcontractors. Small businesses that submit proposals as the prime contractor that are determined to be responsive will receive the maximum small business participation points for this evaluation criterion.

9. Can OCTAE clarify the small business participation requirement? How heavily weighted is small business participation? Are all small businesses weighted and evaluated equally (Hubzone, 8a, SDVOSB, WOSB)?

Response –Small Business Offerors and Other Than Small Business Offerors have an opportunity to receive a maximum of 10 points for this evaluation criterion. Other Than Small Business Offerors will be evaluated based on their commitment to small business subcontracting and to the extent to which the offeror proposes substantive work for small business participation in a meaningful capacity to fulfill the requirements of the performance work statement (PWS).

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies

10. Are the points given for each sub element all or nothing or will partial points be given? For example, Tech Approach, Sub element 1 is 15 points but there are 5 tasks to address. Would an offer get 3 points per properly addressed task or all 15 points for properly addressing 3 of the 5?

Response – Offerors are not evaluated on an all or nothing basis. The technical evaluation panel will have very clear guidance regarding how they are to evaluate each proposal to ensure consistency and fairness throughout the evaluation process.

11. Page 20. The RFP states that price is an important evaluation factor, but price is not listed in the table on page 20. Please describe how price will be used in evaluation – as a tie breaker, on a “best value” continuum, something else? We understand (page 23) that it will be evaluated for fairness and reasonableness, but that does not involve comparison with other bidders’ prices?

Response – The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Although price is an important factor, technical merit is significantly more important than price.

12. On page 17 in C. Organization of the Business Proposal it says: “It is anticipated that this 12 month contract shall be awarded as Performance-based Firm-Fixed-Price.” And later in that section it says:

“Offerors shall provide a separate cost estimate for each meeting to be conducted under this contract, including any planning and preparation costs, and all logistics costs.” Is the separate cost estimate to include travel and honoraria for SME participants? If so, how will that be evaluated for award?

Response –

a) All federal agencies are required to report conference and meeting costs to demonstrate compliance with current federal policy. In support of this, the Department is required to carefully review the estimated costs for any such face-to-face meetings, including payment for travel for non-federal individuals and any honoraria and also the terms and conditions of any contracts contemplated between the contractor and hotels where meetings will be held, as part of the proposal evaluation process and to determine such costs to be fair and reasonable prior to making an award decision. The Department’s request for such information is solely to meet this requirement and is not intended to change the type of contract. However, in order to meet its due diligence and reporting responsibilities, the Department must request cost detail for conferences and meetings at the individual cost element level. Offerors may include fully-burdened functional labor category hourly price rates, along with hours by functional labor category to substantiate their labor costs. They should also provide line item details for other direct costs, and include the application of any indirect cost rate that is consistent with its standard accounting practices, along with any profit that is added to the total cost for other direct costs.

b) The cost/price for conferences and meetings will be addressed in the instructions to offerors and it will be included in the evaluated price for each performance period and total price. Although price/cost is an evaluation factor, it will not be evaluated based upon a predetermined evaluation

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Century Competencies rating scale. However, cost/price will be analyzed in order to ensure that the proposed cost/price is fair and reasonable.

13. Page 31. Are all subcontractors, price employees, and consultants required to submit signed conflict of interest certifications with the proposal?

Response – All subcontractors and consultants shall complete conflict of interest certificates that the prime contractor should submit with its proposal. We are not familiar with the category “price employees.”

14. Are companies such as RAND and others who contributed to the baseline research findings eligible to bid on this opportunity?

Response – The competition is full and open, therefore any organization may apply. The

Government has provided access to all applicable information to ensure that there is no unfair competitive advantage by any company involved in the baseline research. However, each company submitting a proposal must provide a Conflict of Interest Plan that requires full disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest along with the effort undertaken to avoid, neutralize or mitigate any such conflict. The Government will carefully review all such Plans as part of its evaluation process to best ensure that any actual or potential conflict is adequately and appropriately addressed.

15. Past Performance (RFP page 15). How many past performances are required?

Response – Offerors should provide sufficient information on their past performance to be able to demonstrate the offeror’s reputation for effective management of federal contracts, including quality assurance, problem resolution, cost control, timeliness, business relations, and customer service.

Therefore, there is no predetermined number of past performance reports that offerors need to submit;

rather, offerors’ should use their own judgement to determine the number of past performances reports that highlight their experience in conducting projects of a similar or comparable nature as well as its experience with different federal programs.

16. Page 15. Also on past performance, could the Government further clarify what it deems to be similar or comparable federal programs (e.g. Federal Agencies and Federal Programs involved in professional education of adult learners).

Response – Offerors are encouraged to submit past performance information that is applicable to the requirements of the PWS.

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

17. PWS Task 2 (RFP page 39). Is there a target number of expert panelists expected? The RFP denotes a

“15 non-federal personnel” which could include the contractors. Please specify the expected number of TWG members.

Response – The Department suggested 15 as the target number of subject matter experts to serve as members of the technical working group (TWG) or expert panel. However, an offeror may

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies recommend a different number of TWG members, if justified. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

18. What does the Department see as the role of DOL in this work, and what are the priorities for beginning to “bridge” the conversation with the Department of Labor.” (p. 10, Attachment A)

Response – The Department and the Department of Labor are partners in the implementation of career pathways. The Department of Labor has incorporated the employability skills into the competency model clearinghouse (http://www.careeronestop.org/competencymodel/). The

Department has not set priorities for beginning to “bridge” the conversation with the Department of

Labor.

19. What are the expected next steps by the Skills Work Group?

Response – The Skills Group continues to address the challenge of upskilling American workers identified in Ready-to-Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity.

20. PWS Task 2 (RFP page 38). Is the expectation that the expert panel members are researchers with expertise in the topical area, or would the expert panel include field-based experts as well?

Response – The offeror should determine what expertise the TWG members should bring to the panel.

21. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 42). The PWS states that the contractor will support dissemination of

“excellent multi-media learning content”? Is this content already created, or would the contractor also create the multi-media learning content?

Response – The contractor will not be expected to develop “excellent multi-media learning content.”

The contractor will be expected to identify and disseminate “excellent multi-media learning content.”

22. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 42). Will the contractor be responsible for all aspects of the webinars, including selecting the hosting platform (WebEx, etc.), content development and marketing?

Response – Yes, the contractor will be responsible for all aspects of the webinars.

23. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 42). Will the five videos live on the website?

Response – Yes, the five videos will live on the website (http://cte.ed.gov/initiatives/employability-skills-framework).

24. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 42). Who is responsible for writing the “Dear Colleague letter”?

Response – The contractor will draft a “Dear Colleague letter” for the Department’s review and approval.

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies

25. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 42). Which social media account(s) would be used for this? Would the contractor “own” the accounts and be responsible for posting? Is the contractor able to select which tools to use for analytics, monitoring and reporting?

Response - The offeror will provide content such as draft tweets for the Department’s existing social media account(s). The Department will own the accounts and will be responsible for posting. The contractor should recommend which tools to use for analytics, monitoring, and reporting. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract. Offerors are encouraged to bring innovation and creativity to their technical proposal.

26. PWS Task 4 (RFP page 42). Is the contractor responsible for conducting a content audit of the existing website?

Response – In order to identify new content to add to the website, the contractor may wish to conduct a content audit of the existing website.

27. Section 31.205.71 TRAVEL COSTS provides consent for conducting meetings under Tasks 2, 4 and

5. Are there any expectations that these meetings be held in the Washington, DC area to facilitate the participation of Education Department or other federal staff? If so, which of these meetings need to be scheduled in the Washington, DC area? Are virtual meetings permitted as a substitute for one or more of these sessions?

Response – All meetings are expected to be held in the Washington, D.C. area in accordance with the

PWS. Meetings should be performed as described in the PWS.

28. Does the technical proposal require a one-page abstract? If so, is it excluded in the 30-page limit? Is the Table of Contents also excluded from the page limit?

Response - Although an abstract is not required, a table of contents and introduction is required. The table of contents and introduction are excluded from the page limit.

29. The Key Personnel section on page 14 of the solicitation requires offerors to identify Subject Matter experts and provide documentation of their expertise. Are there similar requirements for the

Technical Work Group members? Are resumes and letters of commitment required as part of the submission as well?

Response – Resumes are only required for individuals listed as Key Personnel. A letter of commitment from all proposed consultants and key staff not currently employed by the offeror should be included in the offeror’s proposal.

30. Page 9, 14 and Attachment A, page 7. Key personnel. Apart from Technical Work Group staff, may the contractor, does the Government want to identify any labor category as key personnel or may contractor determine which of its staff is key?

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies Response – Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to identifying their team of Key Personnel. Key Personnel shall have appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities to support the Department’s goals and objectives for this initiative. The Department will not identify any labor categories as Key Personnel.

31. Task 2 on page 39 indicates that a panel of experts are to recommend developing measures of constructs, however, it is unclear to whom this recommendation is being made, as the U.S.

Department of Education does not develop assessments, but can fund the development of assessments. Please clarify to whom the recommendations are being made and for what purpose.

Response – The TWG will make its recommendations to the contractor for the purpose of identifying next steps for the Department to consider.

32. Task 2 on page 39 indicates that an expert panel shall draft recommendations for policies for adopting these measures. Please clarify to whom those recommendations would be targeted, would it be State education policy makers or school district administration?

Response – The TWG will make its recommendations to the contractor for the purpose of identifying next steps for the Department to consider.

33. Regarding Task 2. Given that many experts that we would want to invite to the technical working group are faculty members with teaching and service obligations during the fall semester, would the government consider shortening the meeting from three days to two days to increase the vendors' likelihood of securing their participation?

Response - Although the intent of each task is spelled out in the scope of work, it is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

34. In Task 2, would the Department consider identifying “low hanging fruit” by other criteria, in addition to how easy it would be to measure competencies, if this would advance the project objectives?

Response – Yes, the Department will consider alternative approaches to the project. Although the intent of each task is spelled out in the PWS, it is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities.

Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

35. Deliverable 3.c on 41 states: “Provide access to existing instruments by creating mechanism for practitioners and researchers to use current measures, and by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to discern among instruments or measures to support good practice.” Are we correct in interpreting “mechanisms … to discerning instruments or measures” to mean an elaboration on the guidelines offered in the RAND R&D plan, perhaps in the form of detailed rubrics linking

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies assessments to best practice? Further, the brief summary of deliverables/activities for 3.c on page 46 mentioned only creating mechanisms to obtain access. Please clarify.

Response– The full deliverable should read: “3.c. Provide access to existing instruments by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to use current measures, and by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to discern among instruments or measures to support good practice.”

Although the intent of each task is spelled out in the scope of work, it is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

36. What does OCTAE mean by “provide access to existing instruments by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to use current measures, and by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to discern among instruments or measures to support good practice” (deliverable 3c on page 41)? What is this task asking for?

Response - The full deliverable should read: “3.c. Provide access to existing instruments by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to use current measures, and by creating mechanisms for practitioners and researchers to discern among instruments or measures to support good practice.”

Although the intent of each task is spelled out in the scope of work, it is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

37. Regarding Task 3. The RFP states that: "The contractor shall identify existing measures related to career and technical education in extant repositories maintained by entities like the National Science

Foundation and the RAND Corporation rather than create an open-access repository of existing measures of employability skills. Information shall be linked to cte.ed.gov/employability skills." This statement seems contradictory to other parts of the RFP – namely Task 4 – which focuses on disseminating these item. Is the expectation that the contractor only link to existing sources published on external sites, rather than compile them in a single location (database, website, list, etc.)? Some clarity from the government would be helpful here.

Response– This is not contradictory because the Department uses cte.ed.gov to disseminate information about career and technical education.

38. As part of Task 3, would the Department value a review of the many proprietary measures offered by companies in this space (even if these cannot necessarily be disseminated free of charge)?

Response - Yes, the Department will consider alternative approaches to the project. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

39. Regarding Task 4. Knowing that advanced media and dissemination strategies can incur substantial costs, does the government anticipate requiring all of the "new materials" that are listed in

Attachment A, or would they prefer to have a proposed plan for the most promising media and

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies dissemination strategies as designed by the potential contractor? Relatedly, does the government have specific priorities or preferences with respect to the possible media and dissemination strategies used?

Response – The Department may not require all of the new materials. The Department does not have specific priorities or preferences with respect to the possible media and dissemination strategies used.

Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

40. Regarding Task 4. Given that it reads "No procurement funds shall be used to pay for honoraria, travel, meals, or incidentals" for the listening session, can we assume that the expectation is that the

20 key nonfederal stakeholders should be local to Washington, DC? Does the government have any guidance on what types of stakeholders/personnel that are expecting for this meeting? There is little guidance in the RFP.

Response- It is the intent of the Department that such participation be done on a voluntary basis that will not require payment for honoraria, travel, meals or incidentals with contract funds. Offerors shall seek outside sources such as businesses and philanthropic communities to develop partnerships that can assist in obtaining highly qualified individuals for these meetings at no cost to the contract.

41. Regarding Task 5. The text for this task notes that the contractor "shall convene a group of 15 employers, chief learning officers, and foundations." Is the same convening that is later mentioned as a Business Subject Matter Expert Team, or are these two separate groups with two separate meetings?

If they are indeed separate, can procurement funds be used for honoraria, travels, meals, and incidentals for the meeting of "15 employers, chief learning officers, and foundations."

Response – Originally, the Department conceived of these two groups as separate, however, a contractor could make the argument that it would be more cost effective and beneficial to the project to use the same group for all activities under Task 5. The meetings however are separate activities with different objectives. It is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract. It is the intent of the Department that such participation be done on a voluntary basis that will not require payment for honoraria, travel, meals or incidentals with contract funds. Offerors shall seek outside sources such as businesses and philanthropic communities to develop partnerships that can assist in obtaining highly qualified individuals for these meetings at no cost to the contract.

42. Regarding Task 4. The RFP reads "The contractor shall support information dissemination of excellent multi-media learning content for public use developed by public sector organizations such as public broadcasting entities." Can the government provide an example of what is expected here?

The expectation here - both in terms of size and scope – is not clear and will have budget implications.

Response– The Department does not have any examples to share. It is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all

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Responses to Offeror Questions for ED-VAE-15-R-0034 Employability Skills: Connecting Ready-to-Work Americans to Jobs and Measuring Hard to Measure 21st

Century Competencies key activities. Offerors are encouraged to exercise independent judgment with respect to the best methods of attaining the objectives of this contract.

43. Deliverable 5.c. on page 44 indicates that a group of business subject matter experts are to promote widespread adoption of the framework among agency partners. Please clarify or give examples of what implications in the agency’s work this adoption might have. For example, if a Federal agency adopts the employability skills framework, it could mean that it would give competitive preference for use of this framework on the part of grantees.

Response- Yes, if a Federal agency adopts the employability skills framework, it could mean that it would give competitive preference for use of this framework on the part of grantees.

44. Regarding Task 5. Our understanding of the tasks is that with the exception of Task 1 (Project

Management) - which occurs throughout the life of the project – the rest of the tasks are approximately temporally sequential, such that the information gathered and products produced directly informs the direction of the subsequent task. As such, the development of the "The Business

Subject Matter Expert Team" in Task 5 we assume would happen toward the end of the project.

However, the RFP reads that this team should convene "four times during the next year." Does that refer to the year following the period of performance (I.e. outside of the contract)?

Response - All tasks are to be carried out during the period of performance. It is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities.

45. Does the Department plan to focus on particular employers or industries for Task 5? Is so, which ones?

Response - The Department does not plan to focus on particular employers or industries. It is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks (including recommending particular employers or industries) and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities.

46. Can a contractor propose an alternate timeline, or is there a milestone requirement that is driving the aggressive timeline?

Response– The contractor may propose an alternate timeline, however all work must be performed within the contracts period of performance. It is up to the offeror to propose the most effective method for carrying out the tasks and the most feasible timeline and dates for all key activities.

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