030ADV22Q0195 - Amendment 0001.pdf

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO. 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODECODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30 PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

(Type or print) (Type or print)

(Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code)

(If other than Item 6)

(Specify type of modification and authority)

(such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

0001 RQNLS20230001

Contracts and Grants Directorate Library of Congress

101 Independence Ave. SE LA 325 Washington DC 20540-9411

Contracts & Grants Directorate Library of Congress

LA 325

101 Independence Av SE Washington DC 20540-9411

To all Offerors/Bidders

030ADV22Q0195

X x x

See CONTINUATION Page

The purpose of this amendment is to revise Section C.4.3 and C.4.4.

Please see the revisions under Section C.4.3 and C.4.4.

Robinson, James

CONTINUATION PAGE

SECTION C

C.1. OVERVIEW / BACKGROUND

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), a major program within the Library of Congress (LOC), administers a free library service that loans recorded and braille versions of books and magazines, music scores in braille and large print, and, specially designed playback equipment to United States residents and citizens living overseas who are unable to read or use standard print materials because of visual or physical disabilities. NLS administers the program through a network of cooperating libraries throughout the United States, and in U.S. territories.

As part of NLS’s ongoing commitment to braille, for over one hundred years, NLS has provided training and certification for braille transcribers and proofreaders to any interested and qualified United States citizen or resident of the United States living abroad to ensure that the texts in the NLS collection are of the utmost quality as well as to ensure that United States citizens who use braille have materials in braille. All individuals who provide braille materials for NLS are required to have Library of Congress braille certifications. All of the United States braille producers including those producing textbooks require Library of Congress certification in the transcriber’s area of expertise.

NLS uses a contractor to administer all of its training and certification programs. Currently, there are a total of seven (7) courses in the certification program which cover the following areas:

Literary braille transcribing, Literary braille proofreading, Mathematics (Nemeth Code) transcribing, Mathematics (Nemeth Code) proofreading, Music transcribing (associates), Music transcribing and Unified English Braille (UEB) technical materials.

NLS has developed and will provide qualification criteria, enrollment criteria, and procedures as well as instructional and testing materials for the above-referenced courses. As noted in Section C.3 below, the contractor is required to maintain and update all materials (including course criteria) as needed. All courses may be taught as correspondence courses, using postal services or email, as well as in-person using a classroom setting or a one-on-one mentoring setting.

Students will register on an ongoing basis that will range from 100 - 300 students.

Any change in student eligibility and enrollment criteria must be approved by NLS before use. In the event of a conflict, NLS shall serve as the sole determining body in the resolution of conflict between any students or potential students and the contractor. Either the contractor or the student may appeal to NLS for determination in request for an exception to established rules or regulations about any element of the program.

Comprehensive information about the program is available here: https://nfb.org/braille-certification

C.2. SCOPE

The contractor shall administer all aspects of the comprehensive braille transcribing and proofreading training programs, this includes but not limited to, delivery and updating training content to eligible United States citizens and citizens residing abroad who satisfy the requirements previously established by NLS to participate in these courses. See the link above on nfb.org.

C.3. COURSE MATERIAL

The contractor shall:

C.3.1 Update and maintain each of the individual training and transcription courses in compliance with the current Braille Authority of North America (BANA) and International Council on English Braille (ICEB) requirements no later than 6 months after the official BANA implementation date for the change. It will be the vendor’s responsibility to periodically check if there are any changes to the official BANA to make those updates.

C.3.2 Review and update the curriculum content for UEB Technical Material and implement the certification process for students alongside the other certification courses.

C.3.3 Review and update the content of the Nemeth Code Courses for transcription and proofreading as well as the final exams. This includes (but not limited to):

C.3.3.1 Review the delivery methods for the material and ensure that the most current, accessible and efficient means are available to students using those materials;

C.3.3.2 In the case of course(s) that use an exam to qualify the student for certification, ensure that no fewer than three (3) substantively different versions of the final certification exam is available. Certification exams must be comprehensive in that all of the material covered in the course is adequately tested in the exam.

C.3.4. Produce instructional material, including lessons, code books, and final exams, in all formats (hardcopy print, hardcopy braille, and accessible electronic formats) and ensure the material is publically available with the emphasis on distributing the material electronically whenever possible. All instructional material must be provided to the students in print or braille, whichever is their primary means for reading. Note that these formats should be provided electronically whenever possible and hardcopy braille or print should only be provided if the student has no other means of reviewing the material, and should not be provided to parties who are not active students.

C.3.5. The contractor shall provide contractor staff (e.g. certified transcribers and proofreaders under their employ or contract to work) and the students with at least 30 days’ notice of any changes to any NLS training or certification requirement or other program information that is relevant to these parties.

C.3.6. Provide a draft of any proposed changes to any course for NLS approval before its use. NLS will review and approve of any changes within six months.

C.4. TRAINING

The contractor shall provide hands-on instruction (taught as correspondence courses, using postal services or email, as well as in-person using a classroom setting, or a one-on-one mentoring setting) and one-on-one feedback to a range of 100 - 300 students as they take the NLS training and certification courses. The hands-on and one-on-one feedback includes:

4.1. Upon entry into one of the certification courses each student is provided the name and contact information for a designated course material Grader;

4.2. The Grader shall provide additional explanations of individual concepts for students who require extra information than what is provided in the lessons.

4.3. Email and/or verbal feedback regarding the errors found in each graded exercise.

4.4. A written report to all students submitting manuscripts or final tests that have been deemed not to meet minimum requirements for certification. The report should include: number of pages actually graded or percentage of test graded (whichever is relevant), a description of each category of error, number of errors and points deducted for each type of error, at least two actual examples of errors and the location of the errors in the manuscript, and information regarding the next steps for the student. Note that the examples should be taken directly from the manuscript being graded.

4.5. A written report after the completion of each lesson that provides specific and substantive information about the student’s performance for that lesson.

4.6. A written report to students who have submitted a certification test and have not met the minimum requirements for certification. This report shall include number of pages graded or percentage of test graded (whichever is relevant); type of errors made with at least two examples of each error, and next steps for the student. The examples shall be taken directly from the manuscript being graded.

4.7. A written report after each lesson submission, which shall include the number of items missed, specific and substantive information about perceived problem areas related to the lesson or exercise, and specific next steps for the student.

4.8. Ensure that all trial manuscripts are recorded in the automated system provided by NLS.

4.9. Ensure that any trial manuscript or certification test submission is evaluated by a certified transcriber and/or proofreader (whichever is relevant) and that the student has received his/her results within thirty (30) days of the submission date.

4.10. Ensure that the results of all successful trial manuscripts and/or certification tests are forwarded to NLS for certificate processing within 10 days of completion of grading.

4.11. Inform students that they will only have three opportunities to achieve a passing score for each lesson. If they do not achieve a passing score after three times, they will be required to restart the program from the beginning.

C.5. COURSE INFORMATION AND ENROLLMENT

The Contractor shall respond to students’ inquiries, submissions, potential students’ requests, and requests for general information about the program within 72 hours of receiving the inquiry, submission and/or request. This includes providing:

5.1. Information and advice regarding eligibility requirements for any of the training and certification courses.

5.2. Information and advice regarding the application process for any of the certification courses.

5.3. Information and advice regarding required equipment, hardware, and/or software required for any of the certification courses or to produce braille in general.

5.4. Instructions and assistance with application and/or enrollment for any of the certification courses.

5.5. Ensure that all applications received are logged into the database provided by NLS.

5.6. Ensure that all requested or required materials are mailed to applicants within 5 days of the request.

C.6. ADMINISTRATION

The contractor shall:

6.1. Perform all administrative tasks using previously established LOC Database dedicated to braille certification.

6.2. Ensure all information in the database is maintained and up-to-date based on the most recently available information.

6.3. Document and handle all initial requests pertaining to the certification program, document students’ progress, and update and maintain all databases associated with the contract.

6.4. Maintain and implement all training and certification curricula that was previously developed by the Library of Congress.

6.5. Allow at least 30 days for contractor’s staff to receive training on NLS’s revamped and/or newly developed digital management system for the certification courses.

6.6. Provide a Program Manager who shall be available to participate in weekly or biweekly conference calls with NLS staff determined by the Library.

C.7. Statistics

7.1. The contractor shall collect and produce statistical data reports regarding program analysis and students’ progress.

Statistical data to be examined in the reports include:

i. Number of students making general inquiries;

ii. Number of students currently enrolled in the course;

iii. Number of curricula in each format (print/braille hardcopy/electronically) distributed;

iv. Number of students receiving LOC certification each month;

v. Number of students withdrawing from the course voluntarily or involuntarily;

vi. The current level of student registration quarterly.

7.2. All reports shall be provided in electronic format to the COR every quarter. NLS may ask for additional reports on a monthly basis (if needed) or to change the format or information included in the reports at any time.

C.8. CONTRACT PERFORMANCE

8.1. SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

Years 1-5

REQUIREMENT/REFERENCE DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLES RATE/PAYMENT SCHEDULE

C.3. Update all transcription courses As Needed

C.3.2 Review and update UEB Technical training

Years 3-5

C.3.3 Complete update of Nemeth Code within the context of UEB

Year 1

C.3.5 Provide Notice of course changes

As needed

C.3.6. Provide draft of proposed changes

As needed

C.4 Provide Hands-on instruction as students register

Ongoing / Continual

C.4. Literary braille transcribing: to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.4. Literary braille proofreading: to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.4. Mathematics (Nemeth Code) transcribing: to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.4. Mathematics (Nemeth Code) proofreading: to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.4. Music transcribing (associates):

to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.4. Music transcribing: to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.4. UEB technical materials: to administer all its training and certification

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.5 Respond to students and non-students inquiries

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.5. Provide substantive guidance to students in writing

Ongoing / Continual as students register

C.6.1. – C.6.4. Perform all administrative tasks Monthly

C.6.5 Allow time for key administrative personnel to train on new system

Within 30 days of the start of period of performance

C.6.6. Program Manager participation in weekly or bi-weekly meeting

Weekly or Bi-Weekly

C.7.1, C.7.2 Provide statistical data reports Quarterly, or monthly (if requested)

C.9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

9.1. The Library shall provide the contractor with the following:

i. Access to LOC’s database dedicated to braille certification.

ii. Access to instructional and testing material previously developed for the courses covered by this contract.

iii. Official certifications for successful applicants, mailed directly to applicants.

iv. A contact person (COR listed in Section G) for any technical questions related to this contract.

9.2. The Library shall provide no additional equipment or materials related to the performance of this contract. It is solely the contractor’s responsibility to procure and provide the necessary materials to adequately perform the requirements of this contract.

C.10. KEY PERSONNEL

C.10.1 The Program Manager listed in Section H is defined as key personnel.

C.10.1.1 The Program Manager shall act as liaison between NLS and contractor personnel and its representative. The program manager must:

i. Be responsible for all administrative tasks/requirements under the contract.

ii. Have the most current Library of Congress certification or be in a position to acquire any updates to bring certifications to the most current level within three (3) months of the start of the work.

iii. Have educational experience in developing and implementing a curriculum, classroom instruction, and creating and administering examinations.

iv. Have expertise in working with braille translation software.

v. Have expertise with screen reading technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired.

vi. Have strong interpersonal communication skills, ability to establish and maintain a strong working relationship with the COR.

C.11.3 PERSONNEL - GENERAL

The contractor shall provide adequate personnel and resources to work with 100-300 students simultaneously, each of whom may be at different stages within any given course and spread among the seven (7) courses being offered.

Personnel implementing this contract shall possess the following qualifications:

i) A thorough knowledge of the currently implemented braille codes to include: Unified English Braille (UEB), Nemeth code, and the braille music code. It should be noted that advanced knowledge or certification in advanced codes is only required of the personnel specifically providing instruction for that code.

ii) Complete or have LOC certifications in the subject matter course they teach as well as having educational qualitative work experience in education as a trainer, instructor, or educator.

iii) Expertise, skills, and experience with the braille code relevant to the specific course

iv) Personnel working on this project should have a background in developing and implementing educational curricula

v) Experience with and expertise in developing and administering end of course examinations.

vi) Strong interpersonal communication skills, ability to establish and maintain a strong working relationship with the NLS administrative coordinator and/or COR

vii) Knowledge of laws, policy, and procedures governing the National Library Service for the Blind and Print

Disabled, Library of Congress.

C.12. OTHER

Any and all Training, instructional, and/or testing materials and methods developed by the contractor for use under this contract will become the sole property of NLS and must be approved by the NLS COR before used under this contract.

Development and implementation of these materials is the sole responsibility of the contractor. See 52.227-14 Rights in Data – General.

End of Document