LEAP_eMentor_Q&As_9-11-17.pdf

Question and Answers from Contractor Questions relating to LEAP eMentor Solicitation FA3300-17-R-0036 - 11 Sept 2017

Answer – SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION--SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY See Amendment 002. (PG 48)

Question 2. Please confirm that Items ‘c-h’ on page 52 (contained in the Volume II instructions) apply to all proposal volumes.

Answer – Items c-h applies to Volume II; please see Volume III and Volume IV for clear instructions. See Amendment 002 for corrected Volume numbering. (Pg 50)

Answer – Yes but no smaller than 10pt font on the tables. See Amendment 002. (Pg 50)

Question 4. The Summary Page description appears to describe the Organization Structure Change History information. Please confirm that offerors should use the Past Performance Summary page to summarize their Past Performance and the Organization Structure Change History to provide a “roadmap” describing all such changes in the organization of the offering company.

Answer – The summary page does not have to include the Organization Structure Change History. As stated in the solicitation, Past Performance volume is to be organized according to the general outline ((1) – (7)). (Pg 51)

Question 5. Paragraph (c) requests Quality and Satisfaction Rating and Corrective Actions on Contracts completed in the Past Three (3) Years. Is this information only required for the three (3) contracts for which PPI is submitted?

Answer – It’s up to the offeror. The information can be for the three contracts for which PPI is submitted or three different contracts.

Question 6. Please provide instructions for the Client Authorization Letters required under volume organization paragraph. (Pg 51)

Answer – please see sample

Sample_Client_Auth orization_Letter.pdf

Question 7. ‘The contractor shall use existing, previously- developed commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), Government-off-the-shelf (GOTS) technology or their own previously developed technology for the Virtual School hosted on their own, dedicated servers. What is current LMS provider/technology used by the incumbent? Are there other supporting technologies for the Virtual School that are in use today? If so, what are they?

Question 1. The instructions state: “h. Each page should contain the following legend at the bottom of each sheet:”;

However, there is no legend guidance provided. Please provide the desired legend language.

Question 3. Are offerors allowed to use a smaller text font (less than 12 pt) for charts, tables and diagrams; for example, 10 pt? Can offerors single space text lines within tables?

Answer – The current LMS provider/technology used by the incumbent are virtual classrooms hosted via vConnect. The incumbent developed and deploys an in-house Collaborative Learning Environment to provide the asynchronous portions of a class.

Are there specific specifications for this data transfer? Is a flat-file, batch-based approach sufficient?

Answer – Data transfer is completed via a web service that is provided and management by the incumbent.

The web service is used to exchange csv files between LEADeR and the incumbent.

Question 10. What timeframe does the Government project for transition between the outgoing contractor and the incoming contractors?

Answer – Immediate start, contract ends 30 Sep 2017. PWS paragraph 1.2 states: “The contractor must have all aspects of the contract fully operational and ready to execute the day the contract is let; there will be no time for a contractor to “develop” or “create” such as Virtual School once the contract is awarded.” (Pg 35)

Question 11. “The overarching goal for eMentors is to instruct LEAP participants so that they may attain and sustain a DLPT score of at least 2+/2+ and an OPI score of 2 as defined by the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) language skill levels.” [PWS 3.4]Historically, is there a specific starting score or a range of the starting scores the majority of the participants have when they start their class?

Answer – It varies; participants enter the program from a DLPT range of 1/1 to 3/3. The goal is to try to maintain or increase an individual’s level of proficiency as well as add culture and professional terminology to their vocabulary. (Pg 36)

Question 12. “The contractor shall provide a SAMPLE Language Curriculum Plan that conveys how the contractor will design curriculum and language IAW PWS paragraph 3.5” [PWS 3.5]

Answer – This is for the contractor to supply. (Pg 35)

This paragraph describes curriculum for ‘those of Developmental-level capabilities’ and ‘those of Enabled-level capabilities’. Please clarify whether the Government requires a SAMPLE language and curriculum plan for students at ‘developmental-level’ capability.

Answer – Yes, provide for ‘developmental level’

Answer – Yes … curriculum should integrate the AF 12 domains of culture. See Amendment 002.

(Pg 50)

Question 8. ‘… the ability to connect virtually with the LEAP database, Language Enabled Airman Development Resource (LEADeR), for data transfers’.

Question 9. ‘Starting 1 October 2018, 450 LEAP Developmental participants a year and 500 LEAP Enabled participants a year are projected to go through eMentor courses’.

Answer – 500 Enabled / 500 Developmental per year. (Pg 40).

Question 13. “The contractor shall provide a SAMPLE Language Curriculum Plan that conveys how the contractor will design curriculum and language IAW PWS paragraph 3.5” [PWS 3.5] According to the PWS, ‘eMentors will standardize their programs of instruction (POI), or syllabi with LEAP curriculum guidelines’. [PWS 3.5.1] In order to avoid undue advantage to the incumbent, would the Government make these guidelines available to bidders to respond to Subfactor 3 in the desired format?

Twelve Domains of Culture.pdf

Question 14. Historically, how many courses have been required in each of the languages listed under PWS Section 3.2

Answer – The number of courses varies and is dependent on where a participant is in the program, i.e., developmental requires more and enabled requires less. (Pg 40)

Question 15. “The contractor shall provide eMentors who are native speakers of their respective language in speaking, listening, reading and writing equivalent to or above an ILR proficiency level of 3/3/3 or an American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency assessment of “Superior” in speaking and writing.”[PWS 3.4.1] Do instructors require ACTFL test scores to satisfy this requirement? Are equivalent ALTA test scores acceptable as well?

Answer – No, all instructors have to show ILR proficiency via ACTFL, academic degree, years of teaching at graduate level etc. (Pg 40)

Answer – No

Answer – Contractor site as a liaison to the gov’t

Answer – No and No.

Question 21. Will access to classified materials be required for this contract?

Answer - No

Question 16. The individual may be a dual-national who is a native of the respective country…’ Is citizenship required of eMentors?

Question 17. “The contractor shall appoint a security manager for on-base service performance.”[PWS 7.2] Please clarify whether this means that a security manager is required on base, or on contractor site?

Question 18. ‘The contractor shall obtain base identification for all contractor personnel who make frequent visits to or perform work on the Air Force installation(s) cited in the contract’ Does the Government expect any courses to take place on base or Government installations?

Other than the Security Manager [PWS 7.2] will any contractor personnel be required to perform work on Government site?

Question 19. Will there be any use of FOUO material or the safeguarding of FOUO or sensitive information during the period of performance of this contract?

Answer – No

Question 20. Is a security clearance or background investigation required for any contract personnel under this contract?

Answer – No

Question 22. What types of on-base service performance is anticipated in supporting these requirements? Q: Is the position of Security Officer a billable position on this program?

Answer – No

Question 23. Volume II Sub factor 1- "How-to-Instructions"- Q: Is it the government's intent to schedule a live demonstration that includes a conference call line for vendor and government personnel to conduct the live demonstration, or is the live demonstration intended to be conducted solely by government personnel at a time of their choosing? Q: If not will the government accept a video demonstration product in lieu of a live demonstration?

Q: Is there a time-line associated with the demonstration or is it “on call” at the government’s discretion?

Answer – All live demos will be conducted by gov’t personnel without contractor assistance. An example of without would be a way for the gov’t to log into the system and navigate through the virtual classroom successfully based on the written “How-to-Instructions” provided by the contractor. Videos will not be accepted.

Question 24. Attachment 2 Past Performance Information- Q: Is it acceptable for the offeror to recreate this template as an MS word document for the purposes of filling in the required information electronically?

Answer – Yes

Question 25. PWS 2.1; Please clarify the definition of resource library. Q: Is this intended to be a searchable electronic foreign language training aid and training material repository? Q: For the LMS mentioned in the solicitation does the government expect instructors to develop and maintain courses on the LMS?

Answer – The resource library should be a searchable electronic foreign language training aid and training material repository so all students can benefit past students/instructor best practices. Yes the government expects instructor to develop and maintain courses on the LMS.

Question 26. Are the 48-hour Standard Course and 16 hour Assessment Course POI’s complete and will they be made available upon award?

Answer – IAW PWS paragraph 3.5.1, eMentors are to standardize their POI’s with LEAP curriculum guidelines; and made available to the LEAP program manager at least two weeks prior to any class start date. The LEAP office will review POIs prior to class start dates.

Question 27. PWS 2.2.2 Special Project Courses (SPCs); Q: Does the government have SPC outlines and presentation formats? Q: Will these be made available upon award?

Answer – Yes; and Yes

Question 28. PWS 2.2.3 Cross training and Space A courses; Q: Are these intended to be initial language acquisition courses?

Answer – No Space A or space available will be offered to other participants if a class does not fill up during the scheduling process and they are not initial language acquisition courses.

Question 29. PWS 2.2.4 LEADeR database; Q: what are the elements of information currently found within the LEADeR data base which file formats are currently used to maintain and populate it, and how the government intend for the contractor to access it? Q: Will the government provide a data base architecture? Q: Is the data migration from the LEADeR data base to the vendor database a billable item? Q: How much time will the vendor have to develop an interface with the LEADeR system?

Answer – The contractor will not access the LEADeR database; only gov’t personnel. No database architecture will be provided to the contractor. LEADeR will not interface with the vendor database; ,, Question 30. PWS 3.1 Through eMentors, the contractor will provide language instruction and assessment in the skills of skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing for all languages specified by the LEAP office. Q: Will the government provide specific assessment criteria or assessment products?

Answer – No; the IRL scale should be used for assessment performance standard and criteria.

Question 31. PWS 3.2 1.1. Languages. The contractor shall provide instruction for any and all languages listed below within 30 days of contract start. Although new languages will be added to LEAP as the program grows, currently LEAP participants speak the languages found in the following table at varying language skill levels.

eMentors in all the below languages must be available, trained, and ready to instruct at contract start. Q: Will the government provide a percentage based volume breakdown of current students per language on the proffered list?

Answer – Yes, breakdown will be given upon award of the contract to the awarded vendor.

Question 32. PWS 3.4; The contractor shall provide eMentors who are able to create and adjust curricula relative to the specific language(s) and needs of their specific participants, administer the curricula, schedule participant classroom activities, provide one-on-one coaching, facilitate group exercises/activities, and grade and provide feedback on homework and exams. For all LEAP participants of all ILR levels, eMentors must be able to conduct post-course assessments in all four modalities: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Q: Will the government provide existing curriculum products or will all material for all languages be vendor generated? Q: Does the government have and will it provide standardized post course assessment products?

Answer – Yes, the gov’t will provide existing materials; however the vendor is required to have these materials on-hand as part of their existing capability and school schedule. The gov’t will help the vendor incorporate the 12 domains of culture and military topics into the already existing vendor lesson plans. Same applies to post course assessments.

Question 33. The eMentors will work with the LEAP office to create specific curriculum and assessments as needed. Q: Will the products currently in use be integrated into the program?

Answer – Yes as reference material or guides. New ones will have to be developed

Question 34. Government Furnished Material. The Government shall provide all LEAP information and all Government- produced or procured curriculum and assessment guidelines. This will include any and all material requiring translation. Q: Will the government provide the curriculum and assessment guidelines currently in use?

Answer – Yes as reference material or guides. New ones will have to be developed

Question 35. PWS 4.5 1.1. Contractor Furnished Material and Services. Except for material and services specifically stated as government- furnished, the contractor shall furnish everything required to perform this contract, including all supplies, computer equipment, and system hardware and software. Q: Is the contractor expected to provide student computers?

Answer – No

Question 36. PWS 2.10 Record keeping: The system will track all records created by eMentors and program managers in the course of language instruction to include syllabi, lesson plans, homework assignments or projects, assessments, and virtual materials such as videos, presentations, slides, etc. Q: This function is typically provided through an LMS, not via the virtual classroom. Does it matter to the government which system provides this as long as it is provided within the complete system offered?

Answer – It does not matter as long as it is provided within the complete system offered.

Question 37. Resource Library. Q: In the PWS the described definition of the Resource library is the same function as the Record keeping requirement. Do these two requirements differ? Q: The resource library describes LMS functionality which is separate from a virtual school/ classroom environment. Is the resource library a desired function of the LMS and not the virtual classroom?

Answer – Yes, it is a desired function of LMS but it can be separate from the virtual classroom.3

Question 38. Who was the incumbent and dollar amount?

Answer – Progressive Expert Consulting, Inc - $20,865,856.20