Questions_and_Answers_for_Solicitation__H98210-16-R-0022.pdf

Questions & Answers - DLSNEO - Foreign Language Editions - cultureReady Basics

1. Question: RFP Attachment B, Paragraph 1.4. Pass/Fail is marked that it “will not be used,” but paragraphs 1.4.1-1.4.3 implies that it will be used. Will the Pass/Fail evaluation criteria be used?

Answer: As stated in the Solicitation Pass/Fail will not be used.

2. Question: RFP Attachment B, Paragraph 3.1. Will the Pass/Fail evaluation criteria be used?

Answer: As stated in the Solicitation Pass/Fail will not be used.

3. Question: RFP Attachment B, Paragraph 3.4. Based on the RFP and PWS terms and conditions, industry assumes the government has an annual budget for this program. Will the government communicate their budget information as it pertains to this program?

Answer: The Government will not disclose the budget information as it pertains to this program.

4. Question: Will the government provide the English content for the foreign language instruction?

Answer: The government will not provide the English content for the foreign language instruction.

In accordance with the PWS, 4.2 - Provide a plan to collect and analyze at least 10 scenarios based on interactions of individuals while in the target area. The plan will include a list of sources for interviews. PWS 4.2.2. – Provide the complete scenarios with appropriate references. PWS 4.2.3. – Translate all scenarios into target language.

5. Question: How many foreign languages will be developed?

Answer: The amount of languages developed will be based on the budget. cultureReady Basics is a culture trainer with languages, after the culture portion is developed, the government would ideally like to see at least two to three languages (Russian, Mandarin, Arabic) integrated into the final product.

6. Question: What is the estimated number of hours of instruction for the foreign language course?

Answer: The cultureReady Basics should not last longer than 30-45 minutes per iteration.

7. Question: Does the government have foreign language subject matter experts that can review the developed foreign language content?

Answer: The government has the foreign language subject matter experts that will review the developed for language content.

8. Question: Who is the foreign language target audience?

Answer: The foreign language target audience consists of personnel within the DoD LREC Program policy (DoD, Intelligence Agencies, Foreign Area Officers, etc), as well as personnel associated to the National Security Education Program (Study Abroad, Flagship), and personnel who would like to learn about culture-general concepts in the target language.

9. Question: What is the deliverable? A word based storyboard of the lesson/course content? A fully functional html5 file with the content?

Answer: The deliverable is foreign language versions of the culture training tool found on the www.cultureReady.org website called cultureReady Basics.

A fully functional html file with content.

10. Question: If a fully functional html5 file is the base deliverable, will the government provide the flex templates required to create the course content?

Answer: The deliverable is foreign language versions of the culture training tool found on the www.cultureReady.org website called cultureReady Basics. There is nothing in the PWS that references a fully functional html5 or flex templates.

11. Question: Will the students be assessed on their understanding of the content?

Answer: The students will be assessed on their knowledge of the course content.

12. Question: If assessed, what is the target ALMS?

Answer: If this question pertains to the ‘target Army Learning Management System’, there is no learning management system involved with taking the cultureReady Basics.

13. Question: What are the target languages or how many target languages will be addressed in the first period of performance?

Answer: The target languages are Russian, Mandarin, and Arabic. The government would ideally like to see at least two to three languages integrated into the first period final product.

14. Question: What are the target areas/countries/cultures in the first period of performance?

Answer: The target languages are Russian, Mandarin, and Arabic. The target areas and countries are areas and countries where the target languages are commonly spoken. The http://www.cultureready.org/ government would ideally like to see at least two to three languages integrated into the first period final product.

15. Question: Is the target audience US personnel speaking a foreign language or foreign/allied personnel?

Answer: The foreign language target audience consists of personnel within the DoD LREC Program policy (DoD, Intelligence Agencies, Foreign Area Officers, etc), as well as personnel associated to the National Security Education Program (Study Abroad, Flagship), and personnel who would like to learn about culture-general concepts in the target language.

16. Question: Will a full copy of the English content from cultureReady Basics be available outside of the training platform for offeror/winners use?

Answer: The government will determine that on a case by case basis.

17. Question: Should content produced be original or simply translations of existing content?

Answer: The content produced will be original.

In accordance with the PWS, 4.2 - Provide a plan to collect and analyze at least 10 scenarios based on interactions of individuals while in the target area. The plan will include a list of sources for interviews.

18. Question: Will the translations and scenarios be for specific cultures or just generally in the target language?

Answer: This question is not clear.

The target areas and countries are areas and countries where the target languages are known to be spoken. The government would ideally like to see at least two to three languages integrated into the first period final product.

19. Question: Should scenarios have a military focus or be generally applicable to cross-cultural learning/interaction?

Answer: The scenarios will be in accordance with the PWS, 4.2 - Provide a plan to collect and analyze at least 10 scenarios based on interactions of individuals while in the target area. The plan will include a list of sources for interviews. The details determining types of specific scenarios will be addressed during the Post Award Conference.

20. Question: Should scenarios be based on real-life incidents from the target area/country/language or hypothetical illustrations of the concept being taught?

Answer: The content produced will be original.

In accordance with the PWS, 4.2 - Provide a plan to collect and analyze at least 10 scenarios based on interactions of individuals while in the target area. The plan will include a list of sources for interviews.

21. Question: Please elaborate on the technical requirements/vision for the "language assist capability" (4.1.2), should the hints be spoken word or text based?

Answer: The vision for the language assist capability will be hints to the user in English text.

22. Question: How will the contract winner gain access to cultureReady Basics?

Answer: www.cultureReady.org

23. Question: Is cultureReady Basics built on a commercially available platform or custom made for

DNLSEO?

Answer: The web-based culture training tool, cultureReady Basics, was developed for DLNSEO under contract number H98210-14-C-0028.

24. Question: How and where is cultureReady Basics hosted? Who maintains those servers?

Answer: cultureReady Basics is hosted on www.cultureReady.org, the website server is maintained by Acquia Cloud Enterprise.

25. Question: How is or in what coding languages is the cultureReady platform coded?

Answer: The coding language is in html.

26. Question: Is the cultureReady platform/service already built for expansion or will contract winner have to provide technical personnel to manage the update of the service?

Answer: The www.cultureReady.org website is able to host additional services.

27. Question: Does the government have a specific number of languages they would like the training translated to during the base period?

Answer: The target languages are Russian, Mandarin, and Arabic. The government would ideally like to see at least two to three languages integrated into the first period final product.

28. Question: Can you please clarify what is expected for the testing? Should the focus be on usability testing?

Answer: The test plan will detail testing procedures for usability testing.

29. Question: The RFP states that no travel is needed; is it acceptable to add in some travel for team members who are not collocated with each other or with the COR?

Answer: Not at this time.