Questions_and_Answers_V.4.pdf

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Learning Management System

RFI – SFSIAQ18SS4001

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Friday, November 17, 2017

Questions and Answers

Answers to questions are grouped according to subject matter.

End User Support

Question #1

Can you provide details on how each user population will utilize the system?

Answer to Question #1

Refer to Appendix A of the SOO; the SOO describes how the user population will utilize the system based on the required feature-sets of the new LMS.

Question #2

Can [FSI] provide details on how each user population will utilize the system?

Answer to Question #2

See answer to question #1.

Question #3

What level of access do non FSI- employees need? How will they be using the system?

Answer to Question #3

Non-FSI employees will have access to training content once the employ has been approved with the exception of non-FSI Instructors. (Adjunct Professors)

The LMS will provide the following capabilities to the non-FSI Instructors:

Planning - Enable a non-FSI Instructor to know how many students have registered, dropped and are pending by a selected course and for all of his courses for a specified date range or year so that he can make data driven decisions.

Content Management – Enable non-FSI Instructor to easily upload, edit, and delete learning content to support the continuous learning requirements of the students.

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Question #4

What level of access do non FSI- employees need?

How will [others] us[e] the system?

Answer to Question #4

See answer to question #3.

Question #5

What level of support is needed for students?

Answer to Question #5

Support will be provided during a standard business week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time with the exception of federal holidays and government closures.

Question #6

What level of support is needed for students?

Answer to Question #6

See answer to question #5.

Question #7

How many LMS end-users and [administers] does FSI anticipate?

Answer to Question #7

Question #8

[Does the government] require 24x7 support for the LMS?

Answer to Question #8

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Question #9

What type of End User Support is required?

Answer to Question #9

Question #10

On pg. 18: “Allow students to access a support center or helpdesk via a mobile device…”

Does FSI have additional requirements regarding this Support Desk?

Will the contractor provide the Support Desk function?

Answer to Question #10

Current LMS Environment

Question #11

Who is [the] current LMS Provider? What system is LearnCenter?

Answer to Question #11

The LearnCenter is FSI’s Modified Off-the-Shelf (MOTS) LMS system hosted within the

Institute’s local infrastructure that is developed and maintained by onsite FSI staff. The original source code for the LearnCenter system was purchased by FSI in 2002 and has been constantly updated and customized to meet evolving FSI training requirements.

Question #12

Who is your current LMS Provider?

What system is LearnCenter?

Answer to Question #12

See answer to question #11.

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Question #13

What system is STMS? Is this [FSI’s] core HR system?

Answer to Question #13

STMS is not the Department’s core HR system. While there are integrations with the

Department’s core HR system, STMS serves as the Institute’s in-house database that tracks student registrations, course completions and testing assessment results among other data.

Question #14

What system is STMS?

Is this your core HR system?

Answer to Question #14

See answer to question #13.

Question #15

Can [the government] describe what OpenNet is and the requirements around it?

Answer to Question #15

OpenNet is the Department's Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) internal network or intranet, providing access to State-specific web pages, email, and other resources. In addition, users can access the larger Internet via OpenNet Plus. At the time of the 2013 Windows 7 deployment, the network consisted of over 90,000 workstations, more than two-thirds of which are in use by

Department and tenant agency employees at overseas posts. The network is largely built on a

Windows Server/Active Directory platform, with Windows client devices. The current LMS hosted in the FSI DMZ interfaces with STMS that is on OpenNet.

Question #16

Can you describe what OpenNet is and the requirements around it?

Answer to Question #16

See answer to question #15.

http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php/Department_of_State http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php/Sensitive_But_Unclassified http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php/Windows_7 http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php/Windows_Server http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php/Active_Directory

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Question #17

Can [the government] share the third party vendors that comprise the 2700 commercial distance learning courses?

Answer to Question #17

The commercial distance learning courses utilized by the Institute are provided by Skillsoft.

Question #18

Can [FSI] share the third party vendors that comprise the 2700 commercial distance learning courses?

Answer to Question #18

See answer to question #17.

Question #19

What web conferencing tool does FSI use? Webex? Adobe Connect? Something else?

Answer to Question #19

FSI currently uses Adobe Connect as a part of the Department’s enterprise licensing agreement with Adobe however; Cisco’s WebEx is currently under review by the Department as a potential, cloud-based web conferencing tool.

Question #20

What web conferencing tool does FSI use? Webex? Adobe Connect? Something else?

Answer to Question #20

See answer to question #19.

Question #21

[Can the government] elaborate on the requirements to prevent reuse of password after 24 cycles? Does this mean that a person cannot reuse the same password until 24 other passwords have been used, or does it mean once a password has been used 24 times it can never be used again? (Administration, #14)

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Answer to Question #21

A user cannot reuse the same password until 24 other passwords have been defined and used by the same user.

Question #22

Could [FSI] elaborate on the requirements to prevent reuse of password after 24 cycles?

Does this mean that a person cannot reuse the same password until 24 other passwords have been used, or does it mean once a password has been used 24 times it can never be used again?

(Administration, #14)

Answer to Question #22

See answer to question #21.

Question #23

What is “eHomeroom”? [Can the government] elaborate of the functionality that is expected and the types of tasks learners would be expected to be able to perform? (Authoring, #4)

Answer to Question #23

An eHomeroom is a virtual space for learning collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Content management – creation, storage for use of learning resources that can be placed inside an eHomeroom for users to access.

Learner engagement and administration – managed access to learner information and resources and tracking of progress and achievement by use of assignments and leaderboards.

Communication and collaboration – chat and discussion boards

Badging – Peer nomination, system generated and manual badging to help motivate students learning.

Question #24

What does the following requirement mean (pg. 20): “Ensure eHomeroom editing is quick and easy to understand even if user doesn’t know HTML so that they save time developing solutions.”?

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Answer to Question #24

The LMS solution proposed by offerors should have content management functionality that allows non-technical faculty and staff to manipulate learning content without knowledge of scripting or coding techniques in a way that is easily understood by the majority of system users.

Question #25

What “co-existing cloud architectures” (pg. 8 [of the SOO]) does FSI currently use?

Answer to Question #25

None; FSI’s current LMS is locally hosted.

Question #26

What is “eHomeroom”?

Could [FSI] elaborate of the functionality that is expected and the types of tasks learners would be expected to be able to perform? (Authoring, #4)

Answer to Question #26

See answer to question #23.

Question #27

Para 4.0, Background: FSI’s current LMS, the LearnCenter, is hosted on a dedicated internet network (DIN).

a. Will the DIN be available to use as an option for an on-premise hosting?

b. If yes, can you please provide the details, topology, hardware, and OS, and versions residing on the DIN that a vendor may consider utilizing?

Answer to Question #27

Departmental dedicated internal networks (DINs) including FSI’s are not suitable for processing

Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) level data. While the DIN would be made available for a locally-deployed LMS solution that is limited to processing unclassified data only, FSI would prefer a solution capable of processing SBU.

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Question #28

Para 6.3.18: Provide a security plan focused on the integration points of end-user authentication

(e.g. LDAP), cloud or internal environment management authentication (PIV card), and physical and logical security and certification (e.g. FedRAMP) delivering a single comprehensive solution that can be leveraged across the organization reducing end user confusion and security management complexity.

[Does the government] require the vendor to create, update, and manage the RMF package for this system, or [] the vendor to implement the system, configuration, and applications to meet

NIST and FEDRAMP requirements and provide support to RMF manager?

Answer to Question #28

Yes.

If it is locally hosted: The offeror’s solution will meet LOW or MODERATE FISMA categorized system and all appropriate security controls that that entails per NIST 800-

53 https://nvd.nist.gov/800-53

If it is Cloud solution: The offeror’s solution will meet LOW or MODERATE

FEDRAMP categorized system and all appropriate security controls that that entails per

FEDRAMP https://www.fedramp.gov/

Future LMS Environment

Question #29

Is e-commerce needed for external non-FSI students? More specifically, [does the government] charge a fee for non-FSI students to access/complete training and if so [does the government] intend for the LMS to manage that process?

Answer to Question #29

Fees are charged for non-FSI students but there is no requirement in the SOO for the LMS to manage that process.

Question #30

Is e-commerce needed for external non-FSI students?

More specifically, [does FSI] charge a fee for non-FSI students to access/complete training and if so [does FSI] intend for the LMS to manage that process?

https://nvd.nist.gov/800-53 https://www.fedramp.gov/

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Answer to Question #30

See answer to question #29.

Question #31

Is FSI looking for an LCMS in addition to the LMS?

Answer to Question #31

FSI would consider the incorporation of a separate LCMS into the proposed solution if the offeror can successfully demonstrate that this configuration is most beneficial to FSI in meeting its requirements as stated in the SOO.

Question #32

Is FSI looking for an LCMS in addition to the LMS?

Answer to Question #32

See answer to question #32.

Question #33

[Can the government] provide a couple examples of the visibility requirement to hide “some areas of a page”? (Administration, #27)

Answer to Question #33

SOO Req.- Permit Administrators to set “area visibility” based on user’s group memberships to ensure that some areas of a page are displayed to the correct audience. Granular control of content and functionality based on roles/permissions.

While the SOO does not confine this requirement to specific scenarios, some examples may include creating training content or quizzes associated with a particular course once to serve multiple audiences rather than creating and maintaining separate versions for each audience independently. Essentially build once, serve many.

Question #34

Could [FSI] provide a couple examples of the visibility requirement to hide “some areas of a page”? (Administration, #27)

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Answer to Question #34

See answer to question #33.

Question #35

What type of hosting is expected for the future-state LMS?

Is Fed-Ramp required, or will ATO be accepted?

Answer to Question #35

ATO is required for local and cloud-based LMS solutions however Fed-RAMP is preferred for vendor cloud-based LMS solution proposals.

Scope

Question #36

Does this [requirement] include the actual procurement of the new LMS product or is it solely focused on the IT services and support required to plan, deploy, and integrate an enterprise-wide LMS and collaboration environment into a target environment?

If the [requirement] does include the procurement on a new LMS Product, has the government made a determination in regard to the new LMS product?

Would the contractor need to also propose all hardware required to support the new LMS?

Answer to Question #36

FSI’s requirement includes the procurement of the LMS product and implementation and operational support services for either a locally hosted environment within FSI or a cloud-based environment suitable for FSI’s needs as described in the requirements provided in the SOO. The offeror will propose solutions for either environment to enable the Institute to select the best option and include all hardware and all other resources required for the locally-hosted option.

Additional technical information on FSI’s current, locally-hosted LearnCenter solution will be provided in a future RFP.

Question #37

Has FSI considered making ‘Task Area 1: LMS Environmental Analysis’ and ‘Task Area 2:

LMS Deployment Planning’ a standalone activity before beginning actual development in ‘Task

Area 3: LMS Pilot Deployment, Integration, and Data Migration’?

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Answer to Question #37

Suggestions to the SOO are welcomed.

Question #38

Task Area 3 includes a “LMS Pilot Deployment.”

How does FSI define a “pilot”?

How will FSI determine the best user base with whom to pilot?

Answer to Question #38

Definition: A pilot project implements a new solution under real-world conditions to a small subset (identified/initial group of users) of an organization. This reduces the risk of an unsuccessful organization-wide implementation later, enabling the organization to determine if the suitability of the solution, and provides users with preparatory hands-on experience.

User roles are identified within the SOO for participation in the pilot.

Procurement Process

Question #39

Regarding minimum secret security clearance related to 6.3.22, could this be obtained post award?

Answer to Question #39

PWS section 4.0 paragraph 4 states ", the Contractor shall have a Secret facility clearance at proposal submission, award and through the life of the contract."

Question #40

Regarding minimum secret security clearance related to 6.3.22, could this be obtained post award?

Answer to Question #40

See answer to question #39.

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Question #41

What are the highest priority requirements? What is the most important functionality?

Answer to Question #41

Mandatory requirements are expressed in section 2.1 of FSI’s LMS SOO document and must be provided by the offeror’s solution to be considered for selection by the Institute.

Question #42

What are the highest priority requirements?

What is the most important functionality?

Answer to Question #42

See answer to question #41.

Question #43

[Will the future] solicitation include providing the LMS system or strictly implementing a government owned LMS system?

Is there a POC we can contact to get further detail/discussion?

Answer to Question #43

See answer to question #36.

No.

Question #44

[I]s there an estimated value ceiling?

Answer to Question #44

Question #45

[Can] this procurement be set aside for SDVOSB using CIO-SP3DV, IT 70 or VETS2 GWAC?

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Answer to Question #45

It is a possible acquisition strategy.

Question #46

Para 3.1 Period and Place of Performance: Are there any target dates or defined time periods for each phase?

Answer to Question #46

No pre-determined target dates have been specified by FSI.

Question #47

a) Para 6.0, Objectives:

a. Question: Are there any target dates or defined time periods for each phase?

b. Question: How long does the government anticipate (from date of contract award) before it is ready to begin Task Area 3, i.e. LMS Pilot Phase?

c. Question: How long does the government anticipate (from date of contract award) before it is ready to begin full production, roll-over to the new LMS?

d. Question: Can FSI please share any hard cut over dates or program milestones that the solution provider should know about in advance?

Answer to Question #47

See answer to question #46

Question #48

The RFI reads very similar to FSI’s LMS RFI from 2016. Can the government please provide details regarding how previous responses to the 2016 RFI did not accomplish FSI’s market research objectives?

Answer to Question #48

This notice is additional information to the previous RFI.

Question #49

Can [FSI] please describe how the government’s LMS requirement has changed since the LMS

RFI that was released in November 2016?

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Answer to Question #49

The requirement remains the same.

Question #50

Has FSI already selected the COTS LMS technology that it will implement (e.g., Saba, SuccessFactors, Moodle, etc.)?

Answer to Question #50

The government is still in the market research phase of a possible acquisition.

Question #51

Assuming FSI has not yet selected a COTS LMS solution, is FSI limited to FedRAMP approved

LMS COTS solutions?

Answer to Question #51

See answer to question #50.

Clarifications to Be Provided in Solicitation

Question #52

The RFI mentioned 100,000 students, but how many active users are in the system annually?

Answer to Question #52

Approximately 90,000 (based upon annual student registrations).

Question #53

The RFI mentioned 100,000 students, but how many active users are in the system annually?

Answer to Question #53

See answer to question #52.

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Question #54

[Can the government] please provide definition around the “notional pricing” that is requested? [Can the government] provide the number of active users anticipated to be tracked in the LMS solution?

Answer to Question #54

See answer to Question #52.

Question #55

How many potential users do [the government] envision for the future-state LMS?

How many users do you expect in year one?

Answer to Question #55

See answer to question #52.

Question #56

How many active users’ historical data and user data will be migrated over from LearnCenter?

Answer to Question #56

Additional details regarding student LMS usage statistics will be provided in the solicitation.

Question #57

How many active users’ historical data and user data will be migrated over from LearnCenter?

Answer to Question #57

See answer to question #56.

Question #58

Can [the government] provide additional details on what is expected for the decommissioning process, specifically around data sanitization or destruction?

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Answer to Question #58

Further details regarding records management are provided in the Department’s foreign affairs manual at:

https://fam.state.gov/Fam/FAM.aspx?ID=05FAM

Question #59

Can [FSI] provide additional details on what is expected for the decommissioning process, specifically around data sanitization or destruction?

Answer to Question #59

See answer to question #58.

Question #60

Para 6.4.1.2: Provide for storage media data sanitization or destruction as appropriate consistent with NIST Special Publication 800-88 or other applicable standards and guidelines.

Will there be any classified equipment/data (Secret or above) that requires sanitization or destruction?

If yes, can [FSI] provide specific details about how much equipment, type of equipment and how much data will need to be sanitized.

Answer to Question #60

No classified information is used in FSI’s current LMS nor is a requirement for the future LMS.

See answer to question #58.

Question #61

Para 7, Task Area 4: Successful decommissioning of FSI’s current LMS and any existing, LMS-related solutions, and support services.

What does FSI anticipate is the scope of “decommissioning” this current LMS and any existing

LMS-related solutions and existing support services? (E.g. current LMS-related solutions and support services)

Answer to Question #61

See answer to question #60.

https://fam.state.gov/Fam/FAM.aspx?ID=05FAM

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Question #62

Please elaborate on “guest accounts”. [Does this] mean allowing people to access the system without identifying themselves (anonymous browsing)? Or test accounts with a specific name?

What would guests need to view/have access to? (Content Management, #4)

Answer to Question #62

Additional details will be provided in the solicitation.

Question #63

Please provide a description of the requirements for guest accounts.

Answer to Question #63

See answer to question #62.

Question #64

Please elaborate on “guest accounts”. Do [this] mean allowing people to access the system without identifying themselves (anonymous browsing)?

Or test accounts with a specific name?

What would guests need to view/have access to? (Content Management, #4)

Answer to Question #64

See answer to question #62.

Question #65

[Can the government] please provide details about what type of information should be included when reporting organization affiliations?

Answer to Question #65

Question #66

Do data need to be exchanged between the LMS and the Career Transition Center for JSP participants?

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Answer to Question #66

Question #67

[Does the government] have localization requirements (language translations, etc.)?

If so, which languages [are required] for the LMS?

Answer to Question #67

Question #68

Can [the government] provide a consolidated list of the various integrations [that FSI] require including the system name and type of data [] to be communicated?

Answer to Question #68

There is a one-way direct feed from STMS to LMS to create users accounts. Data from LMS

(course completions, survey results) are transferred from LMS to STMS using a manual backup/restore process. Additional technical details will be provided in the forthcoming RFP.

Question #69

Para 3.0 Scope: Will the government provide access to DOS’s Cloud Computing Governance

Board (CCGB) list of approved Cloud solution providers?

Answer to Question #69

Question #70

Para 4.0 Background: For the LMS to work properly in support of FSI, data exchange with legacy systems including FSI’s student records tracking database called the Student Training

Management System (STMS) and learning evaluation system will need to be implemented with monitoring capabilities available for LMS administrative staff to utilize.

a. Question: What are the other legacy systems?

b. Question: What application software are the other legacy systems using?

c. Question: What operating environment are the legacy systems running?

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Answer to Question #70

Question #71

Para 7, Task Area 4: Efficient and policy compliant disposition in an environmentally sound manner of any unneeded, existing LMS-related assets.

Can [FSI] define the scope of this effort in terms of identifying existing LMS-related assets, such as, providing a list of equipment, number of items, etc.?

Answer to Question #71

Question #72

Have LMS requirements from all offices within FSI already been incorporated? Or will comprehensive requirements gathering and validation be part of Task Area 1 and 2?

Answer to Question #72

Technical requirements are still being defined. Additional technical requirements on FSI’s current LMS environment will be provided in the solicitation.

Question #73

Beyond developing a responsive webpage for the LMS, does FSI anticipate working with

IRM/MRA to approve and deploy a COTS Mobile app for its future-state LMS?

Answer to Question #73

See answer to question #72.

Question #74

Is there already a defined future for the systems that are proposed to integrate with the new

LMS? For example, will the STMS remain in its current state, or does FSI envision the LMS cloud-based system to eventually host all student-record data?

Answer to Question #74

See answer to question #72.

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Question #75

Can [the government] further explain what the ‘2017-2018 FSI Technical Advisory Board deliverables and products’ are?

Can the government provide a summary of the findings and recommendations from those

‘deliverables and products’?

Answer to Question #75

Additional technical details on FSI’s current LMS environment will be provided in the solicitation.

Question #76

Can [the government] further explain what the ‘recent 2017-2018 System Inventory’ is (pg. 13)?

Can the government provide a summary?

Answer to Question #76

Question #77

Can [FSI] describe if there is a requirement to migrate all existing LMS data (i.e. data beyond existing course content) into the future-state LMS?

Answer to Question #77

FSI will request that offerors include in their proposals estimates on work activity required to migrate all data including content and system state data to the new LMS.

Question #78

Can you provide more information on your Interactive Gradebook requirement (Evaluation, #26)?

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Answer to Question #78

General Questions

Question #79

Who is the incumbent?

If no incumbent, who is currently performing this work?

Answer to Question #79

This information will be provided at a later date.

Question #80

Assuming a cloud-based product is selected for the LMS, will FSI procure its own software licenses or will it rely on its contractor to procure licenses on behalf of the government?

Answer to Question #80

The acquisition of licenses is still being discussed internally by the government.

Question #81

Can [the government] provide more details on the support needed for IPV6 related to 6.3.15?

Answer to Question #81

This requirement is still be discussed internally by the government and may change.

Question #82

Can [FSI] provide more details on the support needed for IPV6 related to 6.3.15?

Answer to Question #82

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Question #83

[Can the government] provide an example of an external tuition report? (Planning, #7)

Answer to Question #83

Question #84

Can [FSI] provide an example of an external tuition report? (Planning, #7)

Answer to Question #84

Question #85

Para 7, Task Area 4: Successful preparation of FSI facility space into “turn-in” condition to be defined by the current facility space owner.

Can [FSI] define the scope of this effort in terms of identifying the type, size, and contents of current LMS space?

Recommendation: A vendor might not be able to respond or price a level of effort not clearly defined; thus, this effort like others not clearly defined might best be considered as an optional

CLIN to be added and negotiated at a later date.

Answer to Question #85

Question #86

On page 4: “For the LMS to work properly in support for FSI, data exchange with legacy systems including…learning evaluation system will need to be implemented…”

Does this mean FSI does not expect the future LMS solution to provide evaluation functionality

(assessments and surveys)?

However, in Appendix A there are ‘evaluation’ and ‘reporting’ requirement sections. Please advise.

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Answer to Question #86

Question #87

What does the following mean: “support for preparing FSI facility space into “turn-in” condition to be defined by the current facility space owner” (pg. 14)?

Answer to Question #87