QA-26_Nov_2013.pdf

HE1260‐3240‐1000

Question & Answer 26 November 2013

Q1. Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this??

A1. Offerors outside the U.S. may submit a proposal as long as they are not a prohibited source per FAR 25.7.

Q2. Whether we need to come over there for meetings??

A2. No face to face meetings will be conducted.

Q3. Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA??

A3. If you are eligible to propose (reference A1 above) and can perform the requirements of this solicitation.

Q4. Can we submit our proposals via email?

A4. Yes. RFP states proposal shall be emailed to Jennifer.Knutson@pac.dodea.edu

Q5. The excel spreadsheet with the pricing is asking for 2 numbers from us in each row, one is "quote" and one is "total." Do you want the quote in a dollar amount per minute and the total to be the price per minute times the Qty number in column C?

A5. Yes, that is correct. The quote is the price per minute and the total is the unit price times the quantity.

Q6. The RFP discusses Ordering Procedures with seven items listed. What is the vendor's involvement and responsibility with regard to the Task Order?

A6. The awarded contractor will not have any responsibility in the issuing of the task order.

Once the task order is issued, the contractor will be responsible for performing the requirements of the task order.

Q7. What is the expected digital video format and codec that you’ll be sending for transcription and closed captioning services?

A7. This is addressed in performance requirements 3 and 4 in the PWS. Within these specifications, the most likely scenario will be a link to a YouTube video we have already uploaded. If we send an actual file, it will generally be in a .mov container using an mpeg‐2, mpeg‐4 or h264 codec for video projects and a .mp3 for stand‐alone audio projects.

Q8. Are the closed captions to be embedded in the digital file or do you require closed caption files? If you require closed caption files, what type of files (i.e. .srt, .scc… etc.)? If you require the closed captions to be embedded, what digital video format and codec would you expect in return?

A8. This is addressed in performance requirements 1(c) and 7, and deliverables/delivery schedule 2. The simple answer is we will typically need separate captioning files that we can import into YouTube, DVD Studio Pro, Quicktime player, professional video editing software, etc. Embedded options for closed captioned videos are fairly limited and we would not request them very often if at all. Generally, these are found in .mov, .m4v and other containers associated with quicktime‐based podcasts and vodcasts

Q9. What style of closed captions do you require (i.e. 2‐line center pop‐on, basic roll‐up… etc.)?

A9. Usually 1 or 2‐line center pop‐on will do but they may need to adjust depending on the video raster size (e.g. a smaller video may not accommodate a 2‐line pop‐on)

Q10. How frequent will task orders be sent, and what is the expected quantity (in video minutes) included in the order?

A10. The Government is awarding an indefinite delivery‐indefinite quantity contract because we do not know the frequency and quantity of our requirements. The quantities specified for each CLIN is the maximum the Government may order in one performance year, but does not guarantee the maximum quantity will be ordered.

Q11. When transcripts are provided by DoDea‐Pacific are they to be used verbatim or as reference?

A11. Verbatim unless we instruct otherwise (e.g. in rare cases, the formatting may include screen direction, title information, etc. that won't necessarily need to be transcribed and therefore a human being will need to determine which parts apply by watching the video)

Q12. How would you like transcripts formatted? Would you require .txt or Word Documents?

A12. .TXT and/or .RTF. This is addressed in performance requirements 6 and deliverables and delivery schedule 1 of the PWS.

Q13. For content stored at website URLS such as YouTube, the content is not downloadable.

The content is only downloadable in .mp4 form by the account owner twice in a 24 hour time frame. How does DoDEA plan to handle situations like that?

A13. The vendor must be capable of captioning/transcribing directly from YouTube urls provided by DoDEA Pacific‐‐no .mp4 will be provided by DoDEA Pacific with YouTube urls.

Q14. Is there a specific software preferred or recommended by DoDEA that meets the requirements outlined in Section 1 of attachment 2 “Secure Online Account Management”?

When the DoDEA uses the term “automated” in reference to this section, does that limit email notification exclude human notification via email?

A14. No, the online account management system should conform to common industry security standards (e.g. https login/account interaction) and meet or exceed the capabilities described in Performance Requirements 1(a)‐1(f).

Q15. Does the DoDEA require pricing for audio description services as well, since the section of law being complied with specifically mentions audio description of visual content?

A15. Yes, the pricing for captioning and/or transcription services should include basic audio descriptions as necessary (e.g. the goal is to ensure the end‐user can comprehend what is occurring which may require an occasional audio description of a sound effect or off‐screen comment that is critical to understanding the material). For the purposes of this PWS, the terms captioning and subtitles for web‐based media are synonymous‐‐we primarily use YouTube to deliver our media content and the YT player allows the end‐user to turn the captions on and off to suit their own needs. For DVD material, SDH is equally acceptable to closed captions with embedded audio descriptions as necessary.

Q16. Is there a particular file format for proposal submissions? Is a .pdf file type acceptable?

A16. There is no specific file format. PDF file is acceptable.

Q17. Who is the current caption vendor?

A17. There is no current vendor.

Q18. Does the DoDEA require encoding to a video format?

A18. No, we only want the appropriate digital file(s) which we will select when submitting a project (e.g. .srt or DFXP for YouTube, .scc for DVD Studio Pro, etc.).

Q19. What format of captions are preferred? (i.e. pop‐on, roll‐up) A19. Pop‐on.

Q20. High School Cube does not currently support captions. Would this content be downloaded by the vendor, captioned, and then uploaded elsewhere, or just transcribed?

A20. This is correct and we wrote this into the PWS as HighSchoolCube (HSC) may support this feature in the future. What HSC does allow is YouTube embedding. Until HSC adds captioning functionality within their player, we will simply submit YouTube urls for captioning/transcription services and embed the YouTube video in the HSC site after the captions have been added to the YouTube video.

Q21. Please explain what a “Simplified online project submission form” is.

A21. Should be intuitive enough so the average user does not need training and can complete the form in less than 5 minutes. So what do I mean by intuitive? A basic "step 1, 2, 3" type of organization; checkboxes or dropdowns for quickly selecting options; a single page instead of having to click through multiple pages; a help icon next to some fields where a little more explanation is generally helpful such as what types of urls are acceptable; etc.

Q22. For videos on major video platforms like YouTube, will DoDEA make the MP4 or other video file available for download, or else be agreeable to uploading the video file to the chosen vendor’s secure FTP site? We currently require an electronic of physical video that we can download, and we do not “rip” files from the web.

A22. No. The vendor must be capable of captioning/transcribing directly from YouTube urls provided by DoDEA Pacific‐‐no .mp4 will be provided by DoDEA Pacific with YouTube urls. On occasion, we may upload an audio‐visual file directly to the vendor but that upload function should be integrated into the project submission form. A separate FTP upload process from the project form submission is undesirable. The bulk of our projects will be based on YouTube urls.

Q23. Does a “raw transcript with markers” mean a transcript with timecodes for each new speaker? If not, please clarify.

A23. Broken up by periodic timestamps (yes, each new speaker, topic or other sensible breakpoint is fine).

Q24. Captions for Google and YouTube videos are searchable. Please clarify “Google video search data.”

A24. This requirement is being removed and an amended solicitation will be issued to revise the PWS.

Q25. What are “iTunes chapter captions”? We currently caption for iTunes and are not familiar with the “chapter” specification.

A25. Whatever closed‐captioning/subtitle format works in iTunes is fine (we have Quicktime Pro and can import/embed a variety of formats). The goal is to ensure podcasts and vodcasts delivered through the iTunes platform (e.g. an itunes podcast subscription) offer user‐ selectable (turning on and off) closed captions or subtitles.