Amendment 2 to RFP HE125420121220114 RFP Questions and Answers 11June 2012.doc

Amendment 2 to RFP HE125420121220114 provides the answers to the following questions:

Question 1: Volume II A. Past Performance Information: May we use the Department of Defense Education Activity as a reference for our Past Performance response?

Answer: Yes, as long as the DoDEA employee is not participating in the technical review of this procurement.

Question 2: Upon notice for our presentation, will DoDEA clarify the amount of time allotted for our presentation? So as to best facilitate travel schedules, would our presentation be scheduled over multiple days?

Answer: Yes.

Question 3: In order to provide sufficient copies of handouts at our presentation, can you provide the number of individuals who would be in attendance?

Answer: Five individuals will be in attendance.

Question 4: Under 6.3 Professional Development, please provide the number of sets of Back to Schools materials would be required; would these materials be in print form or electronic versions?

Answer: Print ready electronic materials suitable for newsletters, brochures, fliers, bookmarks, etc are acceptable. Printed/hardcopy posters, displays, or exhibits are also acceptable with one copy included for each school in which the particular online database is available. Presently, there are 195 schools.

Question 5: Can you please provide your preferred vendor for WebEx?

Answer: Defense Connect Online (DCO) is utilized by DoDEA. It is an Adobe Connect product. We can generally access other types of Webinar services as long as they are managed at the vendor site and our participants are logged in/admitted as guests. A Webinar solution in which training and voice are both delivered via the computer so that voice does not require access to a phone line is acceptable.

Question 6: On page 10 under 5 (a) (1) (a) Special Note to Vendors regarding offers, what exactly is being required as “One set of all proposed IT components and software . . . and DVDs.” Is there a format to follow or is this just a listing of the products we are proposing? Is there a compliance requirement check list we should be using?

Answer: Vendors shall submit either access to their Online Databases or DVDs of the same so that the IT division can perform its security compliance review. There is no compliance requirement checklist for IT.

Question 7: For a product that fits multiple categories - how does DoDEA want that displayed on the pricing matrix? DoDEA would only be paying once for it but the product fits multiple categories.

Answer: Vendors shall show all up round pricing in the area that is appropriate and Not separately Priced (NSP) pricing (but show the unit price) in other areas where it may fit.

Question 8: Attachment 3 for Reference Inquiry. How is this form used? Does DoDEA interview our references, do our references complete and send to us or DoDEA or is this something we complete?

Answer: Past Performance Reference Forms are filled out by the references and sent directly to us. The Government reserves the right to conduct additional past performance reviews from other sources.

Question 9: Page 25, Section 3.1 – General Purpose Database, Subsection 3.1.1 – Online Database(s) Aggregator(s): Within this section, it states: “The online database/aggregator(s) shall include magazines, journals, and newspapers, as well as a variety of additional reference documents including but not limited to: government documents, primary source documents, images, multimedia (film/video), wire service reports, transcripts of radio/television broadcasts, speeches, literary resources, maps, encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, podcasts/vodcasts, searchable eBooks, Web sites, and blog entries.” Could you provide your definition of ‘searchable eBooks’? Could you also please clarify further as to what you are looking for with regard to this item (‘searchable eBooks’)? Our databases contain many full-text reference books, monographs, etc., which are searchable. We also have eBooks as stand-alone offerings that are searchable. Could you indicate if these types of products are also contemplated, or just those in our proposed databases?

Answer: Searchable eBooks are defined as eBooks in which the content inside the eBook is searchable across the database via the database search engine/search screen. These eBooks are included inside the database offerings along with other content and types of materials. For example, a student might search for a health term and return search results that include articles, dictionary entries, a paragraph/chapter/section of an eBook of which the student may select/click on the results entries and directly open the article, definition, paragraph/section/chapter of the eBook. The intent is not to procure a separate eBook library in which eBooks are searchable by title, author, keyword, subject and results return an eBook title available for view or download.

Question 10: Page 25, Section 3.1- General Purpose Database, Subsection 3.1.1 – Online Database(s)/Aggregator(s): Within this section, it indicates: “Ability to access and broadcast database information through social media tools.” Could you please clarify the above item further as to what you are specifically looking for with regard to this feature? Could you provide your definition of ‘broadcast database information’?

Answer: The ability to access and broadcast information from databases includes strategies for sharing, posting, alerting, announcing, emailing, distributing database content through social media tools. Content from databases is shareable through social media tools. For example content retrieved from online databases/aggregators and specialty databases including links, documents, articles, images, media are shareable through social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social media tools.

Question 11: Page 10, Items 5.a-c – Information Technology (IT) Components Information and Closing Date: This item states: “Vendors shall submit the following:

One set of all proposed IT components and software to include digital courseware for the technology safety and compliance requirements check such as online, CD-ROM, downloadable material, CDs, or videos and DVDs. Any portion of a vendor’s IT components that fails the technology safety and compliance requirements check will not be reviewed during the materials evaluation.

Instructions/Password to access URLs for IT Division Personnel to test IT submission.

One packing slip identifying each item submitted. Items received that are not listed on the packing slip will not be evaluated.” With regard to the above, we have the following questions:

· Could you please clarify further as to what you are looking for with regard to this requirement? The databases that we will be proposing to the DoDEA are online databases (accessed online through the Internet). There are no CDs, DVDs, etc. or other physical IT materials/components associated with our proposed services. As such, what would be expected of us in response to this requirement?

Answer: Vendors shall submit either access to their Online Databases or DVDs of the same so that the IT division can perform its security compliance. review.

· For this requirement, is the DoDEA looking for a trial/trial access to the online databases that we would be proposing to the DoDEA? If yes, is the DoDEA looking for trial access with a username/password for the IT Division Personnel to review and test the online databases for functionality?

Answer: Yes; however, the review is for security compliance.

· If the DoDEA does require trial access information, can the trial access instructions be emailed directly to the RFP contact, Ms. Julie Brooke?

Answer: Vendors shall submit their trial access Information in writing to the Contracting Specialist.

Question 12: What is the DoDEA’s estimated and/or allocated budget for the online databases as specified within the RFP?

Answer: The U. S. Government does not publicize its budget for requirements.

Question 13: Page 8, Item 1.b. – Offeror Composition Requirements and Instructions – Volume 1 – Technical Capability Statement, Sub item g: This item states: “Vendors must submit a Title List to include coverage years for full-text and any embargoed item information for all proposed categories.”

Please note that our Title Lists, which will be included, are quite extensive and are hundreds of pages in length. For further clarification -- is it permissible to provide these title lists electronically only (i.e. on a CD) with our response?

Answer: No, printed title lists are required for review during product evaluation.

If it is not permissible to provide electronically only, would it then be permissible to provide only one (1) print hard copy of the title lists with our response?

Answer: No, a minimum of three (3) copies is required.

Question 14: Could you clarify your definition of “copies” in the submittal instructions? For example, on Page 8, for Volume I, you indicate “Submit 7 copies.” Do you mean one (1) original and six (6) copies? Or do you mean seven (7) original copies? Please identify if your answer applies to all Volumes.

Answer: One original and six copies. Yes, this applies to all Volumes.

Question 15: Is electronic submittal via email of our RFP response acceptable in lieu of hard copy submittal?

Answer: Vendors shall comply with the hard copy requirements of the RFP.

Question 16: Page 9, Volume II, Section b- states:

“Vendors shall provide a completed Commercial Item Small Business Subcontracting Plan ONLY if required by FAR and your offer amount. Please see Attachment 5 for instructions.”Is this a requirement of this RFP? Please clarify the FAR Requirements and offer amount that would necessitate us to complete a Commercial Item Small Business Subcontracting Plan? Please note that it is not our practice to hire subcontractors associated with this contract.

Answer: Please see FAR 19.702, 52.219-9, and 52.219-9 ALTII for the monetary and business size standards, as well as requirements for Small Business Subcontracting Plans. If required, vendors shall note their practices on that plan.

Question 17: Would the DoDEA please provide a list of schools/sites that will be accessing the databases per this RFP?

Answer: DoDEA school sites are available from our Web site/data center at this URL: http://www.dodea.edu/datacenter/schools.cfm/ .

Question 18: Page 8, Volume III- Contracting/Pricing Information- states:

“The Contracting/Pricing Information shall be submitted separately and in accordance with instructions provided at Paragraph (b) (Offer Composition Requirements and Instructions) below.”

Could the DoDEA clarify what they mean by separate submittal? Do the Volumes need to be shipped separately or simply bound separately and included in the same box and shipped together?

Answer: The Pricing Volumes shall be separate from the Technical Volumes but can be shipped together.

Question 19: Evaluation Factors; Price, Section (f) re: Section 508. If a vendor is substantially, but not fully 508 compliant, will they still be eligible for a contract award?

Answer: Per the RFP, Pg 17, Price (f) Vendors shall “adequately address the requirements for Section 508”. Additionally, vendors shall complete all GPATs shown in Attachments 4 and 5 of the solicitation.

Question 20: Statement of Work, Section 4.3. If a vendor can provide access at an IP level only but not currently provide access via a user name and password, will they still be eligible for a contract award?

Answer: DoDEA is requesting online databases/aggregators and specialty databases for all grade-levels.

Question 21: 3.0 Scope

Regarding the third and fourth paragraphs:

“ DoDEA serves approximately 99,000 students and teachers/staff (87,000 students and 12,000 teachers/staff). Approximately two third of the student population is made up of PK-6 grade students.”

“Product licensing shall be based on a per student/staff model. DoDEA will not accept site-based or per building licensing models. Products shall be licensed for all students/staff in order to meet the needs of middle grade students (grades 5, 6, 7 and 8) who may be located in either an elementary or secondary building.”

· Is this RFP ONLY for middle grade databases? Or are you requesting databases for ALL grade levels?

Answer: DoDEA is requesting online databases/aggregators and specialty databases for all grade-levels.

· Please provide a more detailed breakdown of student population quantities based on grades, if possible.

Answer: Approximately 60% of our students attend grades PK-6 of that 60% approximately 47% of these elementary students are in grades PK-3. Approximately 40% of our students attend grades 7-12.

Question 22: Special Note to Vendors regarding offers Page 10 of 68 a. Information Technology (IT) Components Information

“1a) One set of all proposed IT components and software to include digital courseware for the technology safety and compliance requirements check such as online, CD-ROM, downloadable material, CDs, or videos and DVDs. Any portion of a vendor’s IT components that fails the technology safety and compliance requirements check will not be reviewed during the materials evaluation.” Not that we anticipate any problems, but will we be informed if any product failed the technology safety and compliance requirements?

Answer: Yes.

Question 23: Page 2, paragraph 9, reads in part: “The Contractor must prepare an Excel spreadsheet which identifies items and prices being proposed.” There are additional, multiple RFP references (for example, page 8, paragraph 1.a; page 9, paragraph Volume III.c) to providing the “offer” in Excel format. Please confirm the RFP references to providing the “offer” in Excel format refer to the price offer only, and do not indicate that all of Volumes I-III are to be submitted in Excel format.

Answer: The Pricing Volume (including all ELIN Exhibits) only shall be submitted in Excel format.

Question 24: On page 10, paragraph 2 is followed by paragraph 4. Is any information or specification missing, or the latter paragraph simply misnumbered?

Answer: Nothing is missing. It is simply numbered incorrectly.

Question 25: We are unable to identify the cited “IT Components.” Does “IT Components” refer to the GPAT tables beginning on page 44, Attachment 5? If not, what “IT Components” are desired by 13 June 2012?

Answer: No. The IT components do not refer to the GPAT Tables. For the IT submission due on 21 June 2012, Vendors shall submit either access to their Online Databases or DVDs of the same so that the IT division can perform its security compliance review. For the GPAT, Vendors shall submit completed GPATs with their technical submissions on 05 July 2012.

Question 26: We do not understand the instruction to “submit…One set of all proposed IT components and software.” Does this instruction apply to a provider of online databases (and that does not provide software)? If so, please provide specific, detailed instructions for our submission (unless this has already been covered in the response to our previous question).

Answer: Vendors shall submit either access to their Online Databases or DVDs of the same so that the IT division can perform its security compliance review.

Question 27: We do not understand the request to “test IT submission.” Does this refer to testing 508 compliance (see our question #3)? If not, what type of system access is desired, and what will be tested?

Answer: No. Vendor IT Components (submitted 13 June 2012) will be reviewed for security compliance. Vendor completed GPATs (submitted 05 July 2012) will be reviewed for vendor conformance to Section 508 Question 28: Please confirm that a packing slip is required only if items such as CD-ROMs, CDs, DVDs, etc. are submitted.

Answer: Yes. That is accurate. However, hard copy (paper) submissions with access information shall be labeled with the same information required on the packing slip.

Question 29: As described in questions 3-5, we are currently unaware what information is desired by 13 June. Further, we do not currently know when answers to submitted vendor questions will be available. This puts us in the position of needing to consult with multiple internal experts to produce what may be very detailed technical specifications for multiple databases, and ship it for receipt, in a very small number of business days. Would an extension of the 13 June deadline be possible—if only by allowing e-mail receipt of the material in question?

Answer: Yes. The closing date for the IT Component Information was extended until 21 June 2012 at 11 AM EST.

Question 30: At this writing, the online databases we will offer in our response have not been finalized. We believe that whatever information is desired by 13 June in response to “IT Components” must be provided for all offered databases/functional platforms, and that if we are unsure whether a particular database will be offered in our 5 July submission, we must include information about it in the 13 June response. Can you confirm our understanding as described above to be correct?

Answer: Yes, it is correct.

Question 31: Will inclusion of any material in the 13 June submission that is not relevant to databases included in the 5 July submission cause our proposal, or any portion of it, to be eliminated from consideration?

Answer: No.

Question 32: Section 5.a. – Information Technology (IT) Components Information and Closing Date (Page 10): We are planning to bid only online resources. Under Volume I, Section “e” (Page 8), we are required to provide trial or demonstration access URLs for online products so it seems this provision does not apply to online resources. Please advise what, if anything, needs to be submitted under this provision for bidding only online resources.

Answer: Vendors shall submit either access to their Online Databases or DVDs of the same so that the IT division can perform its security compliance review.

Question 33: Section 2 – Oral Presentations/Presentation Time (Page 13): We are currently planning to offer multiple products under the Online Databases/ Aggregators category and do not feel that 30 minutes will allow enough time to demonstrate all of the products. Can we be allotted 15 minutes per product, with a maximum of 2 hours 45 Minutes for Presentation and 15 Minutes for the Clarification Questions/answers?

Answer: If a vendor is proposing multiple products in the General Purpose Online Database/Aggregator Category at both elementary and secondary levels, an additional 30 minute time allotment is allowable. However, the total maximum time allowed for all presentations is 2 Hours 45 Minutes. No vendor can exceed the 2 Hour 45 Minute presentation time.

Question 34: The RFP includes requirements for title lists. Depending on the collection offered, a paper title list may run hundreds of pages. Is submission of electronic title lists on media such as a CD-ROM acceptable? Or are only paper title lists accepted?

Answer: No, paper submissions are required.

Question 35: Section 3.0 – Per Student/Staff Pricing (Page 24, Last Paragraph): This provision states “Product licensing shall be based on a per student/staff model. DoDEA will not accept site-based or per building licensing models. Products shall be licensed for all students/staff in order to meet the needs of middle grade students (grades 5, 6, 7, and 8) who may be located in either an elementary or secondary building.” Will the DoDEA purchase the same products for all students for all high schools, the same products for all students in all middles schools and the same products for all students in all elementary schools, or is the DoDEA planning to purchase different products for each school on a case-by-case basis?

Answer: DoDEA does not plan to purchase products on a case-by-case/school-by-school basis. All students must be able to access all PK-12 products regardless of their school and/or grade-level location. For purposes of this requirement DoDEA schools are classified as elementary (grades PK-6) and secondary (grades 7-12). There is no separate designation for middle school (grades 5-8). DoDEA middle schools students may be located in either an elementary school or secondary school.

Question 36: For how many users does this RFP apply?

Answer: See PWS Paragraph Three 3.0 Scope.

Question 37: As our service is a website license-based service, a trial username and password will be sufficient for the June 13th IT Components submission. ‘ Answer: Yes.