Workforce Dev QA Summary.pdf

Summary of SAM.gov Posting Questions Received and Answers Provided

The following document provides a summary of questions and answers relating to SAM.gov Notice ID FMP-NNL-0039, Workforce and Training Development Problem Statement. This document is a summary only, is being provided for reference, and may not be all inclusive. Questions are reproduced close to how they were provided and may include grammatical errors.

Question: Is BPMI searching for Software as a Service (SaaS) for this project?

Answer: The current problem statement is not currently evaluating SaaS solutions and is seeking workforce development vendors with experience in executing a training pipeline that delivers individuals to employers. BPMI would encourage anyone interested in providing information, including SaaS providers, to submit a response that can be used for future reference should we begin investigating any needs in these spaces.

Question: Is BPMI looking for any particular format for responses to this posting?

Answer: No, BPMI is not looking for a particular format for responses. The SAM.gov document is an editable document, so organizations may choose to respond in-line using that document format but are also free to choose their own format. If an organization does choose their own format, then we request that they make sure the responses reference back to the enumerated list item number of the problem statement so we can efficiently disposition and assess responses.

Question: How is your posting related to Danville efforts with the SiB [Submarine Industrial Base]?

What do you see may be different here than some of those other workforce development actions happening?

Answer: BPMI is integrating with the MiB [Maritime Industrial Base] and SiB [Submarine Industrial Base] regarding their investments in Danville and the program they are standing up there. This BPMI effort is a parallel effort, identifying additional opportunities for workforce development. BPMI is also looking to engage workforce development vendors to target specific specifications and qualifications for the NNPP [Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program] that may be over and above existing efforts or programs.

Question: Is your underlying problem statement related solely to skilled trades, or does this encompass naval architecture and engineering as well?

Answer: At this time our problem statement is focusing on the skilled trades identified and is not currently focusing on naval architecture, engineering, or other degreed individual workforce development. BPMI would encourage anyone interested in providing information, including for degreed training, to submit a response that can be used for future reference should we begin investigating any needs in these spaces.

Question: Is BPMI looking for more brick-and-mortar solutions? Are you acceptable of digital content and solutions to achieve end goals?

Answer: BPMI is open to understanding brick and mortar solutions and digital solutions. BPMI is seeking solutions and organizations that can most efficiently and effectively deliver fully trained and qualified individuals into production openings on the shop floor. BPMI has seen this being delivered most efficiently and effectively from brick-and-mortar solutions and is open to understanding any digital solutions that may also compete with such solutions.

Question: Does your definition of workforce development include development in addition to outside training such as certification training, career planning, and apprenticeship?

Answer: The definition of workforce development BPMI is using for this problem statement is very broad and includes all steps to get an individual not currently employed in a skilled trade into a position to fit a need. This can include all steps ranging from training of high school students into a skilled trade career path to re-skilling existing labor forces to meet production personnel demands and other options in between.

Question: For questions that an organization may not currently have an answer to, what would be the most valuable feedback to provide? Do you want perspective on the process for how the organization would seek to gather such information, such as how they would accumulate, compile, or perform research?

Answer: If the organization would like to provide BPMI perspective on their process they are welcome to do so. Providing such information to BPMI may help with our assessments and when determining which organizations are viable for follow-on engagement. BPMI notes that, if selected, organizations will be provided additional information during the follow-on engagement regarding demand signal based on the needs of our vendors to round out and expand upon the problem statement questions to support a market assessment. BPMI acknowledges that some workforce development providers may already be engaged with performing workforce development in the SiB [Submarine Industrial Base] and therefore may already have perspective on demand signal. BPMI is seeking to understand what each organization’s understanding is today so we can assess what level of engagement and information sharing may be needed with each organization, if selected for follow-on engagement.

Questions: Is this projected supply chain different than the overall MiB [Maritime Industrial Base] or are you more focused on specifically NNPP [Naval Nuclear Propulsion Plan] suppliers?

Answer: The supply chain within the NNPP is a subset of the broader Defense Industrial Base (DiB) and Maritime Industrial Base (MiB). There are several areas where they overlap but BPMI’s specific efforts will be focusing specifically on identifying workforce development organizations with solutions that can be leveraged to directly support the NNPP vendor needs.

Questions: Do you have a regional focus in mind or are you open to geographical dispersion?

Answer: There is a fair bit of geographical dispersion across the US. There is a higher concentration in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest region. That is where a large bulk of our vendors are located but we also have several distributed across the US. If we select a vendor for the follow-on engagement, our scope of work will provide a geographic breakdown for the more refined assessment.

Questions: What are the next steps following this RFI [request for information] if BPMI chooses to proceed with a given entity?

Answer: BPMI will be assessing the responses provided and prioritizing vendors to engage with a follow-on request for proposal (RFP) that would come directly from BPMI, not via SAM.gov. This RFP would seek to obtain additional information on workforce development for a market study that builds upon the questions identified in this current problem statement. The follow-on RFP would be a funded effort with an expected execution time of 8 weeks. Vendors who provided a response to this problem statement, and selected by BPMI for follow-on engagement, will be notified within several weeks of this SAM.gov posting closing if being engaged via RFP.

Questions: Can you articulate on the requirements and specifications/standards that you are looking for compliance with that may be over and above what programs currently offer?

Answer: Existing programs may be focusing on commercial standards for training, the NNPP [Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program] does require some additional certifications or qualifications over and above these commercial standards. Specific requirements and specifications/standards that we are looking to develop workforce development curricula around will be identified in future scopes, for organizations that were selected by BPMI for follow-on engagement. The current problem statement is seeking to understand what organizations are providing today and their receptiveness to creating/adding additional curriculum.