jA Articulate 360 signed.pdf

FAR Part 13.5 Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 AND 3.104 - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

Non-Competitive Memorandum for Actions Under the SAT IAW FAR 13.1063-3(b)(i) eLearning Authoring Tool

1. Contracting Agency

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA, Procurement Division

2. Description of Action

A brand-name sole source firm fixed price (FFP) contract is planned to be awarded as a small business set-aside with a total estimated value of .

The period of performance is a base year and four one-year option periods. FAR Clause 52.217-8 (Option to Extend Services) will be included in the contract with a six-month potential time period and a potential estimated value of . FY22 Operating and Maintenance (O&M) funds are available for the base year in the estimated amount of.

3. Description of Services Required to Meet Agency Needs

DoDEA requires an off-the-shelf, vendor-hosted, rapid eLearning authoring tool (software application) that supports responsive design, SCORM, xAPI, cmi5-compliance, and Section 508-compliance to meet the development/ design requirements of our instructional designers, instructional system specialists (subject-matter experts), and professional learning specialists. The web-based products they produce are used primarily for (1) secondary courses/resources for students and (2) professional learning courses/resources for educators. The eLearning authoring tool also allows educators without coding experience and little to no experience using eLearning development software to use the product effectively. DoDEA expects to award one contract for a 12-month base year and four 12-month option years. DoDEA will require an estimated 50 licenses or subscriptions in the first year and an estimated two additional licenses in each of the following years—52, 54, 56, 58, respectively.

4. Authority Cited

41 U.S.C.3304(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), Soliciting from a Single Source

5. Nature of the Acquisition Requiring the Authority Cited

Background: DoDEA requires Articulate 360 Teams, a suite of rapid eLearning authoring tools, to meet the development/design requirements of our instructional designers, instructional system specialists (subject-matter experts), and professional learning specialists. For over a decade, they have used this product to create and modify over 1,000 courses/modules and learning objects. Currently, these products are used in over 600 courses and learning objects as a component of instruction for DoDEA’s Virtual High School and a wide variety of professional learning used systemwide.

Rationale: Articulate 360 has a proprietary code, so the aforementioned products (courses/modules and learning objects) cannot be migrated to another type of eLearning authoring tool (software application). Consequently, Articulate 360 Teams must be used to make all modifications to these products. To adopt a new rapid eLearning authoring software application would require a massive amount of retooling at a great cost in time and expense.

DoDEA would need to recreate all courses, professional learning resources and learning objects, which would negatively impact instruction and which is beyond DoDEA’s current capacity (manpower) to achieve. All off-the-shelf rapid eLearning authoring tools use proprietary codes. Therefore, were DoDEA to adopt a different eLearning authoring solution, the same problem—that is, the inability to migrate the courses to another rapid eLearning authoring tool—would exist.

http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3

FAR Part 13.5 Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 AND 3.104 - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

DoDEA also requires Articulate 360 Teams because it is a commercially available off-the-shelf rapid eLearning authoring tool that does not require users to have coding experience and little to no experience using eLearning development software. It includes an easy-to-use intuitive interface, pre-built components, an extensive royalty-free content library and features that allow for development that automatically adapts to smartphones, tablets and computers. Additionally, Articulate 360 Teams supports publishing SCORM (1.2 or higher), Tin Can API, cmi5 and AICC-compliant content. Consequently, it allows DoDEA educators to create/modify responsive eLearning courses to current and future specifications with virtually no training.

Based on the rationale above, the Contracting Office has made the determination to issue a brand-name sole source solicitation set-aside for small businesses to procure Articulate 360 Teams.

12. Technical Requirements / Personnel Certification

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance and which are included in the Memorandum are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Digital Signature/Date: __________________________________________

Andre Briscoe, Contracting Officer’s Representation

13. Contracting Officer

I certify the Memorandum is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Digital Signature/Date: _________________________________________

Jerri Newton, Contracting Officer, Procurement