Sources_Sought_CDET.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Regional Contracting Office – National Capital Regional (RCO-NCR), Marine

Corps Base, Quantico, VA is seeking sources for Electronic Interactive Media

Instruction Design and Curriculum Services in support of the Marine Corps College of

Distance Education and Training (CDET), Education Command (EDCOM).

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS: Regional Contracting Office – National

Capital Regional (RCO-NCR), 2010 Henderson Rd, Quantico, VA 22134

INTRODUCTION:

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION to conduct market research and determine the availability and technical capability of small businesses

(including the following subsets, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, HUBZone Firms;

Certified 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Woman Owned

Small Business) to provide the required products and/or services.

This sources sought allows potential contractors to submit a non-binding statement of interest and documentation demonstrating their corporate capabilities and suggestions that will allow the Government to refine its potential course of action. The sources sought effort is intended to assess industry service capabilities and solicit feedback for acquisition planning purposes. The qualifying North America Industry Classification

System (NAICS) code for the majority of this effort is 611710- Educational Support

Services.

DISCLAIMER:

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS

NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A

SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY

THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE

GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A

RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY

FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY

INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL

DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.

CONTRACT/PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

Contract Number: M00264-14-F-1110

Contract Type: FFP

Incumbent and their size: Knowledge Management Inc. (Small Business)

Method of previous acquisition: 100% Small Business Set Aside

The Marine Corps CDET is seeking information for potential sources to provide the following courseware capabilities:

1) Initial Project Assessment,

2) Project Front End Analysis,

3) Product Design and

4) Curriculum Product Execution

The goal of this acquisition is to support CDET, Education Command (EDCOM) mission. Capabilities under this effort will comprise the delivery of effective interactive multimedia instruction (IMI) and related digital products and electronic learning (e-learning) initiatives to the Marine Corps. The Contractor shall support the CDET Digital

Content Department (DCD) product development mission by producing fully executable instructional products with varying levels of complexity, length and user interactivity in an online courseware format. Key knowledge areas to support this requirement include all phases of e-learning product design and development, comprising electronic learning

(e-learning) feasibility analysis, instructional design, multimedia design and development, courseware programming, and coordination/liaison with Operating Forces

(OPFORs) and other CDET customers. Delivered products align directly to these knowledge areas and include the production and delivery of capabilities.

CORE OBJECTIVES TO BE ACCOMPLISHED:

The Government requires services to provide analysis, planning, design, and development products to the Marine Corps CDET, EDCOM in support of their mission to provide effective IMI and related digital products and e-learning initiatives to the Marine

Corps.

These objectives are established to support CDET’s mission in instituting Electronic

Distance Learning application courseware for the USMC.

1. Initial Project Assessment. The initial project assessment shall be conducted in the form of a needs analysis to validate the need for an e-learning intervention and to provide important information regarding which gaps need to be addressed to ensure that the intervention is targeted to organizational needs. This capability consists of providing a thorough analysis of the instructional materials utilized to conduct the current training, interviews with the appropriate stakeholders, and agreement with the stakeholders regarding an instructional methodology to utilize.

The output shall include a report that, at a minimum, includes the level of complexity and learning time necessary to achieve the learning outcomes agreed upon with the stakeholders, a plan of action and milestone (POA&M) document providing the estimated timeline to complete all phases of the project and recommended layout/plan for the courseware.

2. Front End Analysis (FEA). This deliverable comprises the execution of a front-end analysis to be delivered as a formal report based on an approved initial project assessment. An in-depth analysis of the instructional methodology, current vs. desired situation comparison, resources, and materials will be completed as the second phase of the requirement. The culmination of the analysis will be a recommendation of instruction methodology and explanation (e.g. performance support application, video tutorial, IMI, classroom instruction, On the Job Training (OJT), improved references, process changes, etc.). The capability shall provide a “blueprint”, delivered in document file format, which defines project requirements, describes the ideal instructional methodology to meet the requirements, and identifies acceptable alternatives to meet the training outcomes of

CDETs customer, the USMC sponsor.

The scope of the FEA shall be defined by the complexity and learning time indicated by the initial project assessment. Categories of complexity shall mirror user interactivity levels with respect to the content per MIL-HDBK-29612-3A.

The contractor will be required to provide a report that includes:

Section Content

1 Introductory Information: Sponsor details, request details, analysis dates, reason for analysis, brief description of the analysis

2 Current Instructional Methodology / Learning Outcomes

3 Desired Instructional Methodology / Learning Outcomes

4 Situation Comparison: Current versus Desired

5 GFI or other materials needed for the project

6 Additional resources needed for the project

7 Recommendation of instruction methodology and explanation (e.g.

performance support application, video tutorial, IMI, classroom instruction, OJT, improved references, process changes, etc.)

8 Concluding Statements

The FEA capability is segregated by levels of interactivity. The levels of interactivities are defined as follows:

Levels of Interactivity

COMPLEXITY LEVEL DESCRIPTION

Level 1 – Passive The student acts solely as a receiver of information.

Level 2 – Limited participation The student makes simple responses to instructional cues.

Level 3 – Complex participation

The student makes a variety of responses using varied techniques in response to instructional cues.

Level 4 – Real-time participation The student is directly involved in a life-like set of complex cues and responses.

The learning times for development shall be tasked in different increments depending on the complexity level of the interactivity. Low complexity projects shall be tasked in 0.5-hour increments with an unlimited composite learning time for the project. Medium complexity projects shall be tasked in 0.5-hour increments with a twenty-hour composite learning time maximum for each project. High complexity projects shall be tasked in

0.15-hour increments and have a one-hour composite learning time maximum for each project.

Service provided includes a delivery of the FEA reports per the time conditions listed in the table below. As indicated in the table, higher complexity projects are allotted more time for completion of the FEA. Additionally, medium complexity projects with an initial project assessment that indicates longer learn times than 10 hours are allotted more time for completion of the FEA. The allowable time to completion for medium complexity projects over ten hours will follow a linear pattern at six-work days per additional hour of learn time.

Time Period to Deliver the FEA.

Complexity Learning

Increment

Minimum

Learning

Time

Maximum

Learning

Time

Allowable Project

Time to Deliver

Product

Low 0.5-hour 0.5 hours Unlimited 20 work days

Medium 0.5-hour 0.5 hours 20 hours 60 work days per 10 hours of learning time

High 0.15-hour 0.15 hours 1 hour Up to 120 work days

Interactivity Levels and Associated Learning Levels.

INTERACTIVITY

LEVEL

DESCRIPTION

OF LEVEL

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS ATTITUDES

LEVEL 1

PASSIVE

Capable of computer-generated multimedia presentations of intellectual skills

(facts, rules, procedures).

Capable of showing a procedure with computer-generated multi-

Fact Learning.

The learning of verbal or symbolic information

(e.g., names, formulas, facts).

Rule Learning.

Learning to use two or more facts in a manner that will

Perception

(Encoding).

Perception of sensory stimuli that translate into physical or mental performance.

media explanations of equipment operation.

Student interaction limited to those required to advance with the presentation.

provide regularity of behavior in an infinite variation of situations.

LEVEL 2

LIMITED

PARTICIPATION

providing drill and practice.

Capability for providing feedback on student responses.

Capability for emulation of simple psychomotor performance.

Capability to emulate simple equipment operation in response to student action.

Computer evaluation of student intellectual skills by computer-based predictive and performance test items.

Fact Learning.

The learning of verbal or symbolic information

(e.g., names, formulas, facts).

Rule Learning.

Learning to use two or more facts in a manner that will provide regularity of behavior in an infinity variation of situations.

Procedure

Learning.

Learning to perform step by step actions in the proper sequence.

Perception

(Encoding).

Perception of sensory stimuli that translate into physical

Readiness.

Learning to have readiness to take a particular action.

Guided

Response.

Learning of a complex physical or mental skill by copying and demonstration.

Receiving.

Learning and demonstrating the ability to perceive the normal, abnormal, and emergency condition cues associated with the performance of an operational procedure.

Situational

Awareness of operational condition cues.

Responding.

Learning and demonstrating mental preparedness to encode operational cues as indicators of normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions associated with the performance of an procedure.

LEVEL 3

COMPLEX

providing complex branching paths based on student selections and responses.

Capable of presenting or emulating complex procedures with explanations of equipment operation.

Capability for student participation in emulation of psychomotor performance and extensive branching capability.

Capability for limited real-time simulation of performance in the operational setting.

Computer evaluation of student intellectual skills by computer-based predictive and performance test items.

Computer evaluation of student procedural performance

Procedure

Learning.

Learning to perform step by step actions in the proper sequence.

Discrimination

Learning.

Learning to group similar and dissimilar items according to their distinct characteristics.

Problem-

Solving.

Learning to synthesize lower levels of knowledge to resolve problems.

Continuous

Movement.

Learning to track or make compensatory movements based on feedback.

Perception

(Encoding).

Perception of sensory stimuli that translate into physical

Readiness.

have readiness to take a particular action.

Guided

Response.

Learning of a complex physical or mental skill by copying and demonstration.

Mechanism.

perform a complex physical or mental skill with confidence and proficiency.

Innovation.

Learning and demonstrating the mental preparedness to make decisions by generating the results expected upon completion of prioritized strategies or tactics in response to normal, abnormal, and emergency cues associated with the performance of an operational procedure, and the ability to generate new actions in response to abnormal or emergency

Receiving.

demonstrating the ability to perceive the normal, abnormal, and emergency condition cues associated includes the capability to generate time and error scores for performance test items.

Adaptation.

modify a complex physical or mental skill to accommodate a new situation.

Origination.

create a new complex physical or mental skill to accommodate a new situation.

with the performance of an operational procedure.

Situational

Awareness of condition cues.

Responding.

demonstrating mental preparedness to encode operational cues as indicators of normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions associated with the performance of an

Valuing.

demonstrating the ability to judge the worth or quality of normal, abnormal, and emergency cues associated with the performance of an

Competence.

demonstrating the mental preparedness to make decisions by using prioritized strategies and tactics in response to normal, abnormal, and emergency condition cues associated with the performance of an operational procedure.

LEVEL 4

INTERACTIVITY

REAL-TIME

Capability for real- time simulation of performance in the operational setting.

Computer evaluation of student performance and intellectual skills by computer-based predictive and performance test items.

Computer evaluation of student procedural performance includes the

Discrimination learning.

Learning to group similar and dissimilar items according to their distinct characteristics.

Problem-

Solving.

Learning to synthesize lower levels of knowledge for the resolution of problems.

Mechanism.

perform a complex physical or mental skill with confidence and proficiency.

Adaptation.

Learning to modify a complex physical or mental skill to accommodate a new situation.

Receiving.

Learning and demonstrating the ability to perceive the normal, abnormal, and emergency cues associated with the performance of an operational procedure.

Situational

Awareness of capability to generate time and error scores for performance test items.

Employs state-of-the- art technology for simulation and communication.

Origination.

Learning to create a new complex physical or mental skill to accommodate a new situation.

Continuous

Movement.

Learning to track or make compensatory movements based on feedback.

Responding.

Learning and demonstrating the mental preparedness to encode operational cues as indicators of normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions associated with the performance of an operational procedure.

Valuing.

Learning and demonstrating the ability to judge the worth or quality of normal, abnormal, and emergency cues associated with the performance of an

The deliverable for this capability includes a “blueprint”, delivered in document file format, which defines project requirements, describes the ideal instructional methodology to meet the requirements, and identifies acceptable alternatives to meet the training outcomes of CDETs customer, the USMC sponsor.

3. Design Product. This capability consist of providing a design product that formally identifies the design elements to include the learning objectives, content sequencing, instructional strategy, delivery strategy, and evaluation strategy. The ultimate deliverable included in the design product shall be content design storyboards, which shall include a demonstration of the intended sequencing, delivery and evaluation strategies, as well as indications of the content to be included within the final development product. Final design product shall include a full description of the major components of the project and include enough detail to ascertain the development products functionality, flow, and layout.

Final design product shall include a full description of the major components of the project and include enough detail to ascertain the development products functionality, flow, and layout. A prototype of the development product is recommended but not required. The delivery format is not dictated, but must be appropriate for formal evaluation by the government. Examples of appropriate delivery formats are Microsoft

Word or PowerPoint document formats.

Tasking for the content design product shall follow the same complexity, learning increment, minimum and maximum learning time criteria for the FEA.

Time Period to Deliver the Design Product.

Complexity Learning

Increment

Minimum

Learning

Time

Maximum

Learning

Time

Allowable Project

Time to Deliver

Product

Low 0.5-hour 0.5 hours Unlimited 20 work days

Medium 0.5-hour 0.5 hours 20 hours 60 work days per 10 hours of learning time

High 0.15-hour 0.15 hours 1 hour

Up to 40 work days per 0.15 hour of learning time

4. Development Product. The capability will consist of an electronically-delivered training product (courseware) that meets the requirements as set forth in the project FEA, mirrors the specifications of the design product and is compatible with the MarineNet system for distribution to the user population. Programming will align with Marine

Corps guidelines as set forth in MARADMIN 620/08 and MarineNet Content

Development Tech Standards, Version 3.0.

The final product will be a fully interactive course developed for online training to be operational on MarineNet. This product is a compilation of the previous phases into an interactive online training course that fulfills the training requirement identified in the initial analysis. The contractor shall provide an electronically-delivered development product (courseware) that meets the requirements as set forth in the project FEA, mirrors the specifications of the design product and is compatible with the MarineNet system for distribution to the user population. Programming will align with Marine Corps guidelines as set forth in MARADMIN 620/08 and MarineNet Content Development

Tech Standards, Version 3.0.

SOURCES SOUGHT:

The anticipated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 611710- Educational Support Services. This Sources Sought Synopsis is requesting responses to the following criteria ONLY from businesses that can provide the required services under the NAICS Code.

To assist RCO-NCR in making a determination regarding the level of participation by small business in any subsequent procurement that may result from this Sources Sought, you are also encouraged to provide information regarding your plans to use joint venturing (JV) or partnering to meet each of the requirements areas contained herein.

This includes responses from qualified and capable Small Businesses, Small

Disadvantaged Businesses, Service Disabled-Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Women-owned Small Businesses, HUBZone Small Businesses, and 8(a) companies. You should provide information on how you would envision your company's areas of expertise and those of any proposed JV/partner would be combined to meet the specific requirements contained in this announcement.

To be considered for a Small Business set-aside, at least 50 % of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the responder.( FAR

52.219-14, Limitation of Subcontracting)

RESPONSE

Are you a Small Business? (FAR 19.102), If so, which type: □ YES □ NO

Small Disadvantaged small business? (FAR 19.304) □ YES □ NO

Service Disabled small business? (FAR 19.14) □ YES □ NO

8(a) Small Disadvantaged small business? (FAR 19.8) □ YES □ NO

HUBZone small business? (FAR 19.13) □ YES □ NO

Woman-Owned Small Business? (FAR 19.15) □ YES □ NO

Involved in a mentor and/or protégé program? (DFARS

219.71)

□ YES □ NO

In order to make a determination for a small business set-aside, two or more qualified and capable small businesses must submit responses that demonstrate their qualifications.

Responses must demonstrate the company’s ability to perform in accordance with the

Limitations on Subcontracting clause (FAR 52.219-14).

SUBMISSION DETAILS:

Responses must include:

1) Business name and address;

2) Name of company representative and their business title;

3) Type of Business;

4) Cage Code;

5) Contract vehicles that would be available to the Government for the procurement of the product and service, to include ENCORE II, General Service

Administration (GSA), GSA MOBIS, NIH, NASA SEWP, Federal Supply http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2019_1.html http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2019_3.html http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2019_14.html#wp1093836 http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2019_8.html#wp1092796 http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2019_13.html#wp1094801 http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2019_15.html#wp1094868 http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfars/html/current/219_71.htm http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfars/html/current/219_71.htm

Schedules (FSS), or any other Government Agency contract vehicle. (This information is for market research only and does not preclude your company from responding to this notice.)

Vendors who wish to respond to this sources sought should send responses via email

NLT 2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on 7 February 2018 to janice.harvey@usmc.mil. Interested vendors should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten (10) pages) demonstrating ability to perform the services listed in this Technical Description. Documentation should be in bullet format.

Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials.

All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

All government and contractor personal reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described 41 USC 423. The

Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified.