Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF MARCH 09, 2005 FBO #1199
SOURCES SOUGHT

70 -- SSA seeking sources capable of providing a web-based testing and survey tool

Notice Date

3/7/2005
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

541512 — Computer Systems Design Services
 

Contracting Office

Social Security Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment and Management, Office of Acquisition and Grants, G-C-7 East High Rise Building 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21235
 

ZIP Code

21235
 

Solicitation Number

SSA-RFI-WEBQUIZ-CS
 

Response Due

3/22/2005
 

Archive Date

4/6/2005
 

Description

This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Training (SSA/OT) is seeking sources capable of providing a commercial off-the-shelf web-based testing and survey tool. The software should meet the following salient characteristics of software functionality: 1) should allow SSA/OT the ability to author and publish online tests and surveys; formats for these tests and surveys should include, but not be limited to: multiple choice questions, true/false questions, fill in the blank questions, essay questions, short answer questions, matching questions, etc.; 2) include the option to build time limits for the student to complete the test and have the ability, in near real-time, to grade all responses for accuracy; 3) should be able to populate a database with such fields as: student name, student identification number, overall score per student, which questions each student answered accurately and which questions each student answered inaccurately; 4) calculate overall course scores, overall score averages, percent of correct answers for each question, percent of incorrect answers for each question, correlate survey data, and the average amount of time it took to answer each question; 5) include a reporting interface that provides standard reports and/or allows SSA/OT to customize reports using the data fields described above; 6) allow SSA/OT to populate a question bank with a pool of questions; simultaneous users would receive a pre-determined number of random questions from the question bank that would vary from user to user, is to discourage answer sharing amongst the users; 7)have the ability to print out a certificate for users passing a defined test or series of tests; 8) be able to update a remote master database with the names and identification numbers of those students that obtained certification; 9) test questions, student data, test scores, and all reports must be in a secure environment, the vendor will supply written details of how this data will be secured; and 10) have the ability for the administrator to override the timed test requirement for any student or group of students requiring additional time to take the test. The software should meet the following requirements for number of users: 1) support as many as five thousand simultaneous users; and 2) have no limit on the number of times SSA/OT reuses this software. Other salient characteristics: 1) number of licenses--the software would be loaded centrally at SSA Headquarters in Baltimore, MD with up to ten remote sites requiring full licenses for authoring and publishing; 2) interfaces/software parameters--all software should be compatible with Windows XP and Windows 2003 Operating System and support the Microsoft SQL Server database platform; 3) System Support?SSA requires vendor support for the installation, maintenance, training, and upgrades to the software; and 4) the software should allow the test creator to create tests in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel and seamlessly import the MS Word or MS Excel documents into the application. If Word or Excel templates are required for this feature, the vendor shall supply such templates. Section 508 Compliancy: Interested vendors must provide verifiable proof in sufficient detail to demonstrate their ability to meet the Agency?s requirement, see URL site http://www.ssa.gov/oag/acq/oagacq_508.htm. Any software must be compatible with Federal Government Section 508 standards. Section 508 software standards can be found at www.section508.gov. The software/vendor must meet the following Sections of 508 standards: 1) Section 1194.21 - Software Applications and Operating Systems; 2) Section 1194.22 - Web-based Internet Information and Applications; 3) Section 1194.31 - Functional Performance; and 4) Section 1194.41 - Information, Documentation, And Support. SSA uses the JAWS (speech input / audio output) and MAGic (screen magnification) products from Freedom Scientific Corporation. All software must support these products. Compatibility with Dragon software for mobility impaired individuals is also required. SSA/OT may request a demonstration of the software at a later date. Vendors that believe they can offer a technically compliant product (or one that can be made compliant with minimal modification) are invited to submit information concerning the product?s capabilities. Detailed responses to each of the above requirements (with substantiating documentation) are required. Simple marketing information or incomplete responses will not be considered. Reference to vendor web sites is not considered a valid response. Vendors responding should indicate whether their products are available on the GSA schedule. Pricing data is not required. This is not a request for proposals, and the government does not intend to pay for information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation of the information received. No contract award will be made on the basis of responses received; however, this information will be used in SSA?s assessment of capable sources. Electronic responses to this notice should be submitted by March 22, 2005. Requests for copies of a solicitation will not be honored or acknowledged. Faxed information will not be permitted. NO FORMAL SOLICITATION IS BEING ISSUED AT THIS TIME. The size limitation for email attachments is 5 megabytes. MS Word 2002 is the standard word processing software. Respondents should refer to SSA-RFI-WEBQUIZ-CS.
 

Place of Performance

Address: 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD

Zip Code: 21235

Country: US
 

Record

SN00764097-W 20050309/050307212105 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

---

| FSG Index  |  This Issue's Index  |  Today's FBO Daily Index Page |