RFP HSTS01-10-R-HRM157 clarification questions and responses.pdf

RFP HSTS01-10-R-HRM157 clarification questions and responses

1. In the last paragraph in SECTION III: Background on page 2, the RFP says, "OAS wishes to develop a set of instructional interactive practice interview scenarios..."

Question:

Can you please share the approximate total number of finished interactive video minutes/hours in the "set"? If not, can you please share the total number of scenarios envisioned to properly cover the course topics listed in Task 2.1?

Response: The final product will need to have videos to have an introductory and conclusion video and adequately cover the following topics: preparing for the interview, asking questions and probing for more information, taking notes, and finding consensus.

2. We have differing interpretations on the highlighted sentence. “Offerors should submit a

DVD, CD, or secure hyperlink to similar relevant projects that were developed for TSA review and evaluation.”

Question:

Are you requiring, for TSA's review, DVD, CD or online link to similar work done for others? Or is this intended to mean that you are requiring DVD or CD or online link of similar work we have done for TSA?

Response:

It is similar work that they have done for others, however, if they have done work for TSA already they can provide that. We are looking for the best example that would illustrate work that best matches what is outlined in the SOW.

3.

Question:

Will you accept electronic proposal submission via email in response to subject solicitation?

Response:

Yes, please see page 47 of the solicitation.

Submission of Offers Offeror’s are required to submit their offer via email to the Contract Specialist, Victor Carden, at Victor.Carden@dhs.gov. Offeror’s are cautioned to submit their proposal in either PDF or MS Word Format. Email responses must be received by 4:30 p.m. EST on August 23, 2010. Offeror’s are highly encouraged to send an email to Victor.Carden@dhs.gov requesting confirmation that your offer has been received. In addition, due to firewall issues, it is highly recommended for Offeror’s to submit their proposals as early as possible on August 20th, 2010.

For clarification, it is only recommended that Offeror’s submit their proposals as early as possible on August 20th, 2010. However, proposals must be received by the Contracting Specialist Victor Carden Victor.Carden@dhs.gov no later than 4:30 p.m. EST on August 23, 2010.

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4. Task 2.1 on page 6 says, "The plan must address the following course topics: * Introduction, * Preparing for the interview, * Asking interview questions and probing, * Note taking and documentation, * Individual rating and consensus ratings"

Question:

Does the TSA prefer that each of the topics be a separate, standalone training module or that all of the topics be woven into one one overarching story?

Response: TSA is open to either approach.

5. On page 3, Task 4, 4.4, it says the entire course should take approximately 1 hour.

Is there a maximum time limit for course completion?

Response: Ideally we would like the course to be taken in a single sitting and take no more than1 hour.

6.

Does the TSA anticipate a specific number of role play scenarios to be included in the course?

Response: No. The final product will need to have videos to have an introductory and asking questions and probing for more information, taking notes, and finding consensus.

We would assume there would need to be at least one role play scenario to cover asking questions, probing for information, taking notes, and finding consensus.

7. Please describe the existing training package that the TSA has developed for teaching interviewing skills to selection officials.

Response: TSA’s current training package consists of a comprehensive PowerPoint deck with imbedded videos that is delivered over our LMS.

8. Question:

How much time does this course take?

Response: The current course takes about an hour to complete.

9. Question:

What media formats does it use, or is it an instructor-led course?

Response: It currently uses MS PowerPoint.

10. Bookmarking within the course

Does TSA intend that a learner who begins a course or role play will be able to exit and return to the previously started role play at the point at which they exited?

Response: Yes, this is desirable.

11. Question:

Will learners (selecting officials) be required to "Pass" the course?

Response: Learners will need to certify that they took the course each year.

12. Question:

Should the module be capable of scoring their progress?

Response: TSA is open to this capability.

13. Instructions for Submission of Proposals, 1.0 Proposal Content - 1. Technical and Methodology Approach - This section asks for the persona of the characters to be described and for specifics of the video production (settings and equipment) to be described. However, since the content of the existing course has not been reviewed, and the new course is not designed or storyboarded, it may not be possible to be precise in these descriptions

Is it okay to provide an anticipated approach based on what is known at this point?

Response: Yes.

14.

Section II: Purpose ~ Product, Service or Outcome Needed (page 2). “The contractor will package the course so it can be administered on a standard CD or DVD in addition to being loaded in TSA’s Online Learning Center (OLC).”

Question:

With regards to a CD, is it desired or intended to be on delivered on CD or is this merely a reference? We are unaware of a method that has the ability to finalize a CD that can contain video content.

Response: CD is a reference. However, the content should be on a DVD.

15.

Upon putting the material on a DVD does the program need to have the ability to track the progress of the user (i.e. time spent, answers recorded)? If so, is it the intent of the

TSA to have software loaded onto the users computer to give the program the ability to track and record a users progress? Otherwise, we believe, it is not possible to track the progress of the user on DVD as they are “read only” storage devices in their final state.

Response: No. The course on the DVD does not have to track progress.

16. (Section III - page 2): TSA current training includes written documents, videos, and policies as stated in the RFQ.

Question:

Does this training also included screening, searching and interviewing techniques, or will the contractor be required to develop these?

Response: TSA is interested in just the structured interviewing content.

17. (Section IV -Task 2.1 page 3):

Will the contractor develop the project plan with the assistance of SMEs from TSA or will the contractor be required to create the plan with their own SMEs and Consultants.

Response: TSA will provide assistance and feedback in the creation of the project plan.

18. Question:

What is the estimated length of each training segment? How many are there? What it the estimated length of the entire VIDEO training program?

Response: The final product will need to have videos to have an introductory and asking questions and probing for more information, taking notes, and finding consensus.

We do not have a time requirement for each individual training segment but expect the entire course to not be longer than 1 hour in length.

19. (Section IV -Task 5.3 page 4):

How long after the VIDEO portion of the project has been completed and approved will the contractor be required to attend, in person or by telephone, designated bi-weekly IPRs to discuss the progress of the project? Also, how long will the contractor be required to attend Project Management meetings, training sessions, etc.

Response: The contract period is 12 months. After the video course has been approved and accepted by TSA, the contractor’s involvement will end. During the development of the video course the Contractor must attend, in person or by telephone, designated bi-weekly IPRs to discuss the progress of the project. Other reviews of the project may be conducted electronically.

20. Section IV -Task 5.3 & 5.4 page 4):

Will contractor be reimbursed for travel expenses for any or all meetings required by

TSA?

Response: A travel Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) not to exceed in the amount of $4,800 will be added.

Travel costs are for official travel to conduct work under this contract. Travel to locations other than the Washington D.C. Metro area (50 mile radius of TSA HQ) must be approved by the COTR. Local travel (50 mile radius of TSA HQ) is not reimbursable.

Travel will be reimbursed subject to Federal Travel Regulations (FTR).

21. (Section IV Task 2.3 page 3):

Does the TSA intend to have, from the contractor, detailed illustrated story boards or is the intent to have storyboards be focused on the detailed content -written detailed scenarios descriptions (i.e. detailed roadmap ~ as stated in the RFP) ?

Response: The intent is to have the contractor develop a detailed storyboard that illustrates the videos, associated narratives, and options (videos and associated narratives) that learners can access during the course. The storyboard should provide a road map, or process flow, on how to reach each video in the course.

22. The solicitation clearly calls for a web-delivered, SCORM-conformant, interactive video-based training course.

Question:

Is there any interest in a proposed solution which included not only such a video-based solution as described, but ALSO included an interactive game-based (3D) training solution as an optional set of tasks to the proposed video-based solution?

Response: TSA is open to options.

23.

Is there an existing curriculum to be used to model the video scenarios off-of? Would such a curriculum be furnished to the winning contractor as GFE?

Response: Yes, the structured interview course content that has been identified and currently in use will be provided as GFI.

24.

Would a proposing team be viewed any more favorably if the team included a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business?

Response:

No, this is a small business set-aside open to all qualifying small businesses.

25.

Question: In reference to the above solicitation for Interactive video-based training course, are you looking for a simulation or real life video scenarios?

Response: For all role playing scenarios they need to replicate a real life interview with actors or role players (not a simulation if is being defined as an animated character). For overall introduction and closing content this could be covered by either real life actors or a simulated character.

The RFP is hereby amended as follows:

The following clause is deleted:

52.227-14 Alternate IV Rights in Data – General* Dec 2007

The following clause is added:

52.227-17 Rights in Data – Special Works ** Dec 2007

FAR provision 52.227-15 is hereby added to the RFP. All responding vendors shall include this provision and response in Volume II of their submittal:

52.227-15 Representation of Limited Rights Data and Restricted Computer Software.

(Dec 2007)

(a) This solicitation sets forth the Government’s known delivery requirements for data (as defined in the clause at 52.227-14, Rights in Data—General). Any resulting contract may also provide the Government the option to order additional data under the Additional Data Requirements clause at 52.227-16, if included in the contract. Any data delivered under the resulting contract will be subject to the Rights in Data—General clause at 52.227-14 included in this contract. Under the latter clause, a Contractor may withhold from delivery data that qualify as limited rights data or restricted computer software, and deliver form, fit, and function data instead. The latter clause also may be used with its Alternates II and/or III to obtain delivery of limited rights data or restricted computer software, marked with limited rights or restricted rights notices, as appropriate. In addition, use of Alternate V with this latter clause provides the Government the right to inspect such data at the Contractor’s facility.

(b) By completing the remainder of this paragraph, the offeror represents that it has reviewed the requirements for the delivery of technical data or computer software and states [offeror check appropriate block]— [ ] (1) None of the data proposed for fulfilling the data delivery requirements qualifies as limited rights data or restricted computer software; or https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_227.html#wp1139363� https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_227.html#wp1139459� https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_227.html#wp1139363�

[ ] (2) Data proposed for fulfilling the data delivery requirements qualify as limited rights data or restricted computer software and are identified as follows:

(c) Any identification of limited rights data or restricted computer software in the offeror’s response is not determinative of the status of the data should a contract be awarded to the offeror. (End of provision)