Request for Information Content Authoring.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

Content Authoring Tools

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)

This is a formal Request for Information (RFI) drafted in the requested format, tailored to the requirements of Content Authoring Tools

1. SCOPE

This is a Request for Information (RFI), as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e). The Government is issuing this RFI to understand market availability, technical characteristics, cost structures, and functionality of content authoring software tools capable of satisfying the technical, functional, and operational requirements described herein.

Any information submitted by respondents to this request is strictly voluntary. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or Invitation for Bid (IFB); nor does its issuance obligate or restrict the Government to an eventual acquisition. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on responses to this RFI or pay for the preparation of any information submitted. All information received will be used solely for planning and market research purposes.

Respondents are encouraged to submit nonproprietary information to the maximum extent possible. Proprietary information should be clearly marked and will be handled in accordance with- Government regulations.

Respondents are capable of supporting one or more of the following potential Business Functions:

• Content Management System (CMS)

• Design & Multimedia

• Education & Training

• Human Resources

• Talent Development

2. BACKGROUND

The Multimedia team is assessing alternative eLearning authoring tools, as the potential loss of our current authoring platform, Storyline360 will greatly hinder the continuity of course development and maintenance. This evaluation is essential to preserve our current capabilities and prevent extensive rework manhours to recreate the vast portfolio of computer-based training courses.

Each industry-standard authoring tool utilizes proprietary project file formats (e.g., Storyline *.story, Captivate *.cptx). These formats are not cross-compatible; project files can only be opened, edited, or republished within the native software environment. Once a course is published (into SCORM, HTML5, or web packages), the resulting assets are finished products and are not editable. Consequently, the Government requires viable alternative platforms that ensure the long-term maintainability, updateability, and repurposing of training assets should current access be restricted.

3. PURPOSE

The purpose of this RFI is to gather industry input regarding best practices, software capabilities, and evaluation methodologies associated with:

• Full-functionality software licensing for evaluation purposes.

• Interoperability of authoring tools.

• Tools and/or other viable capabilities that may meet the requirements.

• Time-to-develop metrics and platform agility.

• Content migration strategies.

The Government seeks information on commercial offerings, pricing structures, and vendor capabilities necessary to assess these tools for enterprise adoption.

4. SCOPE OF REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

The Government requires a content authoring solution capable of supporting the full lifecycle of digital training development.

4.1 Software Licensing and Evaluation Requirements

Vendors must be capable of providing:

• Full-Feature Access: Availability of non-trial (full) licenses to support a formal evaluation period.

• Capability Assessment: Functionality that allows the Multimedia team to measure development velocity and feature parity against current industry standards.

4.2 Technical and Operational Compatibility

The solution should address:

• Asset Management: Ability to manage complex branching, interactive elements, and multi-media assets.

• Deployment: Reliable output generation for SCORM 1.2/2004, xAPI, and HTML5 web delivery.

• Enterprise Support: Professional-grade technical support for enterprise-level deployment and troubleshooting.

5. REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM INDUSTRY

Respondents are requested to provide:

• Product Overview: Details on the proposed software tool, specifically addressing how it functions as an enterprise authoring solution.

• Evaluation Model: Information on how the Government can obtain full-license access for a defined evaluation and benchmarking period.

• Migration Capabilities: Documentation on if/how the tool can ingest or work alongside assets created in other proprietary authoring tools.

• Support/Training: Available resources for user training and technical onboarding.

5.2 Cost Information

Provide cost models and/or estimated pricing for:

• Annual enterprise license costs.

• Scalability for seat-based licensing.

• Support and maintenance service tiers.

5.3 Company Information

Please include the following:

a) Company Name

b) Telephone Number

c) Email Address

d) Point of Contact (POC)

e) Any existing FedRAMP Authorization or relevant security compliance certifications.

6. QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this RFI should be submitted with " content AUTHORING TOOLS RFI RESPONSE" in the SUBJ line, NLT 30 SEP 2026 via e-mail to:

J. Phillip Amiss: John.Amiss@dla.mil

Please limit responses to three (3) pages.

7. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It is not a solicitation or commitment to issue a solicitation in the future. The U.S. Government will not pay for any costs incurred in responding to this RFI. Failure to respond does not preclude future participation.