Sources Sought_DANTES AST (9-12-2025).docx

NOTICE TYPE: Sources Sought CENTER OFFICE: Defense Support Services Center (DSSC), Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) REQUIREMENT: Academic Skills Training

1. The Defense Human Resources Activity is issuing this Sources Sought Notice as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in, and the resources for, providing services in accordance with the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS).

The Government is specifically performing Market Research to see if there are potential vendors who can provide online academic skills training with learner support in the form of an academic help desk and tutoring for all military service members.

This requirement is currently being performed by Peterson’s LLC under contract number H9821021C0004.

2. This notice shall not be construed as a formal solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. In addition, it does not guarantee that a subsequent solicitation will be issued. Submission of any information in response to this Sources Sought notice is voluntary and will assist in selecting the appropriate solicitation type/method. Costs associated with any submission shall not be reimbursed by the Government. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT SEEKING PROPOSALS AND WILL NOT ACCEPT UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS.

3. The proposed NAICS for this effort is 611699, All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction (size standard $16.5M). Comments on this NAICS and suggestions for alternative codes must include supporting rationale.

4. Interested parties must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). A business must be a current participant and certified by SBA if responding as an 8(a) firm and HUBZONE small businesses must be certified by SBA by the time of proposal. A Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) must represent to the contracting officer that is it certified as such at the time of offer submission. Women-owned small business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB) should indicate if their certification is a self-certification or if they are formally certified by SBA (or will be by time of any proposal).

5. Interested parties are requested to submit an unclassified capability statement, limited to 10 pages, that includes:

a) Company name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone numbers, website address (if available), and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with Government representatives. Include Unique Entity Identifier from the System for Award Management (UEI (SAM)), CAGE Code and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.).

b) Type of business, including small business socio-economic category if applicable (e.g. Other than Small, 8(a) s, HUBZone, Non-Profit)

c) Small businesses shall specify if any kind of teaming arrangement will be involved and “other than small” businesses shall address subcontracting opportunities that exist.

d) If applicable, GSA contract number, schedule, Multiple Award IDIQ contract number (e.g. OASIS, NITAAC).

e) Indicate if you are interested as a Prime contractor or subcontractor.

f) Describe any teaming or subcontracting that you may use to fulfill a requirement such as this.

g) Describe your organization's breadth of expertise/competency to respond to the draft PWS. Critical functions to be provided include:

· Commercially available online academic skills course that includes basic math, English, and science curricula aligned to national models of basic academic skill improvement and college and career readiness standards in cognitive, meta-cognitive, and non-cognitive skill areas.

· Ability to provide assessments that gather diagnostic, formative, interim, and summative data on learner’s academic knowledge and skill level.

· Ability for the commercial product to be modified to relate to military testing such as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

· Ability for the product to address the needs of a multitude of learning styles.

· Ability to provide learner support in the form of an academic help desk.

· Ability to provide learner support in the form of live or virtual tutoring to high-needs learners.

· Ability to provide voluntary education workforce support and reporting to enable monitoring, and reporting of learner enrollments, progression, and engagement. This also includes the provision of administrator training, ongoing professional development through webinars and program outreach support.

· Ability to provide data management and information technology support for all maintenance, sustainment, software, and hosting required for the training platform and courseware.

h) Industry feedback is requested on the PWS for this requirement. Please list any challenges or potential performance roadblocks related to fulfilling the PWS requirements and any suggestions for improving the PWS language. Additionally, the Government seeks answers to the following questions concerning this requirement. What is industry’s capacity to execute the requirements with an existing commercially available product that includes the programs of instruction and requirements outlined in the PWS?

· What is your company’s capability to complete the PWS requirements? If unable to provide support for the entire requirement, indicate which sections of the PWS your company can successfully support.

· Given that Government networks significantly restrict external media, what is your ability to provide an offline version of the online training to service members without internet access?

· Please describe your ability to provide learner support via an academic help desk and online/virtual tutoring.

· Does your program have the capacity to work in a tablet/phone environment? If yes, please explain.

· What additional information is needed, if any, from the Government to determine the contractor’s cost and performance management approach?

· Please indicate willingness and ability to conduct an in-person or virtual demonstration of proposed technological solutions of the online training to a panel of government personnel.

i) Provide the following information on two (2) similar projects in an environment of similar scale completed within the last five (5) years for which the responder was a prime or Sub-Contractor.

· The name and value of each project;

· The name, address, telephone and email address for point of contact;

· A description of each project, including challenges and successes; and

· Your company's role and services provided for each project.

6. All interested and capable contractors are encouraged to respond. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the sources sought evaluation. The results of this sources sought notice will assist the Contracting Officer in determining whether an 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Certified HUBZone Small Business, Woman-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), Small Business set-aside, or full and open competition is an acceptable strategy for this procurement. Responses to this synopsis may be used to aid in establishing realistic, achievable small business participation goals.

7. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this Sources Sought; all costs associated with responding will be solely at the interested party’s expense. All information received in response to this submission that is clearly marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made and submissions to this Sources Sought will not be returned.

8. The information provided in this Sources Sought is subject to change and is not binding on the Government.

9. The Government requests that all responses be returned by close of business on Friday, 3 October 2025. All responses shall be submitted electronically to the DHRA Acquisition Management Directorate point of contacts listed in SAM and below.

Jada Weaver, Contract Specialist, jada.a.weaver.civ@mail.mil Charles M. Carnley, Contracting Officer, Charles.m.carnley.civ@mail.mil

If you need assistance from the DHRA Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), please reach out to dodhraosbp@mail.mil.