PC-12-R-005_RESPONSES TO Vendor Questions.docx

PC-12-R-005 – Vendor Questions and Answers

1. Do you have a complete list of languages required for the online/internet-based survey/data collection software? (C.2.1.)

The software should be able to take/represent characters from any of the 76 countries in which Peace Corps currently serves, for example:

2. The RFP specifies that the “Contractor shall provide a means for Peace Corps designers to create at least 25 different types of survey questions.” Is there any additional detail on the types of questions such as Likert-scale, closed-ended, forced choice, multiple-choice, demographic, graphic interaction, and so on. (C.2.4.)

Question types should include, but not be limited to, the basic survey questions:

Open ended Short text [less than 250 characters] Matrix questions with multiple items and response choices Likert Multiple choice

3. The RFP states “Peace Corps designers in OSIRP must be able to access the surveys and data directly at any time.” Does this refer to data after completion of a survey or/and running total for an in-progress survey? (C.2.3.)

Both: the Peace Corps needs to access the data upon completion of the surveys and while the surveys are running.

4. The RFP states a requirement for technical support to Peace Corps staff via telephone, email, web and/or other means. Are there any time requirements for this support such support provided 24/7 or provide issue resolution or update within a specified time period. (C.2.5.)

Support should be available no less than 8am – 6pm EST;

Resolution of problems needs to be concluded within 1 business day.

5. The RFP mentions a requirement for orientation and training on how to author, manage, and execute surveys online. Does this requirement address authoring, managing, and executing surveys using the software only? Or does the orientation and training also include the fundamentals of authoring, managing, and executing surveys? (C.2.5.)

The training is for using the software only. The Peace Corps survey authors have many years experience in crafting and analyzing surveys.

6. Is there a complete list of browsers or minimum browser requirements which the product must be compatible? (C.2.1.)

The Contractor’s software shall be compatible with Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Blackberry, Google, and other common browsers. However, as surveys are completed overseas, we do not have a complete list of browers at this time.

7. The RFP mentions that the Contractor shall provide tools for OSIRP staff to control other survey users in remote locations. Could you provide more detail on “control other users.” (C.2.1.)

Peace Corps often hires contractors to conduct field research and evaluations. Sometimes we need to give these remote users access to the raw data or the design of a specific survey/interview in order to collaborate.

8. Is there an estimate of the number of authors/survey owners for this effort?

12 survey authors.

9. Is there an estimate of end-users/survey takers for this effort?

Up to 15k submitted/completed per year. Some surveys will be administered to individuals. Evaluation interviews will be entered by members of Peace Corps’ research team who will be entering up to 10 interviews each.

10. Is there an idea of the types of devices used by authors/survey users and end users/survey takers?

As stated in the RFP:

Lap top/desktop Tablet Smart phone

11. Will you be releasing a separate solicitation to conduct your large-scale survey or is this always done in-house?

No. The large scale survey is always done in-house.

12. C.2.2. Survey and Interview Management Requirements: "The Contractor shall provide a means to develop authenticated and unauthenticated surveys (i.e. specify respondents or create anonymous surveys) that are accessible through a URL."

What are the authentication requirements? How many users will we need to authenticate?

The number of authentications will be for all of the surveys, ie up to15,000 and should have the capability to be automated.

Authentication should occur through a mix of the following: auto generated custom identity numbers, respondent-generated identity numbers, respondent-generated passwords, email addresses entered into the system

13. C.2.3. Data Management Requirements: "Submitted survey data shall be exportable to SPSS and Excel [including .xlsx files]."

Are any reports expected from the system? Is a simple dump of the data all that is needed?

The Peace Corps uses the system to provide basic data on submission rates by country, project etc.

Otherwise, we prefer to pull the data, clean it, and run our own analysis.

14. C.2.5. Technical Support Requirements. “As part of the required technical support, the Contractor shall provide as-needed orientation and training for Peace Corps staff on how to author, manage, and execute surveys online. The Contractor shall also provide software training materials and user guides to Peace Corps users.”

How many training sessions are anticipated? Where and when would they be conducted? Can the user guides be given electronically? If using a third party, does their documentation suffice?

Training sessions could be done on site at Peace Corps or through virtual means. There should be training at the initial launch of the contract, and then updated training as the software is updated/upgraded.

The guides should be provided electronically and updated as needed.

Third party contractors conducting the training must use documentation and materials approved by the vendor awarded this contract.