MODIFICATION
U -- Six Sigma
- Notice Date
- 8/1/2006
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 611430
— Professional and Management Development Training
- Contracting Office
- Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Commanding Officer, USCG Engineering Logistics Center, 2401 Hawkins Point Road Building 31, Mail Stop 26, Baltimore, MD, 21226-5000
- ZIP Code
- 21226-5000
- Solicitation Number
- HSCG40-06-Q-6TR001
- Response Due
- 8/7/2006
- Archive Date
- 8/22/2006
- Point of Contact
- Kathy Fields, Contracting Officer, Phone 410-762-6473, Fax 410-762-6270, - Sandra McKay, Contracting Officer, Phone 410-762-6476, Fax 410-762-6270,
- E-Mail Address
-
Kathy.J.Fields@uscg.mil, Sandra.M.McKay@uscg.mil
- Description
- 1. Provided are answers to questions received regarding this quotation: Q: In the solicitation HSCG40-06-Q-6TR001 it states that there will be 15-20 Green Belt participants and there will be 5 Black Belt participants. Will the Black Belt candidates come from the original 15-20 Green Belt class? Or is this in addition to the Green Belt class. In order to obtain Black Belt status one must first posses a Green Belt. A: Black Belts will come from the green belt pool. Q: The new requirements state Green Belt training for 7 and Black Belt training for 3. Can I assume that the 3 are included in the 7 or are they 3 different people? It's important because if they are 3 different people then they have to also attend the Green Belt class in our case. A: The three come from the seven - however the new numbers are 5 black and 15 green (i.e. all 20 to be trained as green - 5 of those to black). Q: Is the use of Minitab or any other specific software necessary for the Black Belt program or can we choose what we use? A: That is up to the vendor. Q: The request does not indicate what kind of process improvement issues you are facing. Can you please outline what is driving the Engineering Logistics Center's desire for a process improvement program? What are the objectives? A:Primarily the desire to take our quality improvements to 'the next level'. Identification and improvement of Critical to Quality variables. Implementation of more robust measurement and improvement methodologies. Improved understanding and use of statistical analysis. Improve process yields. Maximizing return on improvements. Q: Have you already identified any specific problems or issues that need to be addressed? If so, please explain. A: We have selected 3 projects: Improving a reverse logistics process (called MTI for mandatory turn in), Improving the process for officer evaluations, and improving CTQs related to our customer facing websites. The last project is probably the weakest in terms of adequacy for Six Sigma. Good data exists for the first two. Q: The request states that the Engineering Logistics Center is interested in training 15 Green Belts and 5 Black Belts. Have the specific participants already been identified. Either way, can you please describe what kind of backgrounds these people have and what roles they play within the organization? A:They have been identified. Mid to senior level people all with some background in quality improvement (primarily TQM and ISO 9001:2000). All should have good exposure to the 'soft' skills in managing improvement projects (like team facilitation). Most trainees will be weaker in statistical analysis. All will have worked on improvement teams before - but generally not at the level of depth required by Six Sigma. Q: Are these numbers (15 GBs and 5 BBs) absolute? Is there any chance that you would include more or fewer people at either level? A: More is ok - less might be a problem. Q: Will the participants be in a position to bring real projects to the training sessions? (The alternative is that we would just use case studies and examples.) A: We have 3 black belt projects selected - we had initially contemplated dividing the training group into 3 teams with each team working on a black belt project, since we are now requesting 5 black belts we would need to provide 2 more projects for that approach. Green belt candidates would work as assistants on the black belt projects. This approach is not required - we are open to other approaches that vendors find to be effective. Case studies or vendor provided 'projects' are acceptable. Q: The request indicates that Certification should be included in the program. The definition of Certification varies widely in the Six Sigma industry. Some organizations (both vendors and users) define Certification as passing a written examination. Others require not only a written exam, but successful completion of an actual project (to be reviewed by a Certifying Expert or Board). What is the Engineering Logistics Center's definition of "Certification?" A: Exams and projects are beneficial but not absolutely required. Vendors should define what certification means to them and sell us the benefits of their approach. The American society of quality's body of knowledge for six sigma is a useful guide but adhering to every point of it is not required. For certification vendor will need to state that each person that successfully completes the training is competent in each of the knowledge areas vendor proposes to provide training in. Q: Black Belt training includes instruction in statistical analysis methods using statistical software (such as Minitab or JMP). Does the Engineering Logistics Center already use one of these programs and/or do you have a preference for one of them? A: We have no preference - we do not currently own these tools. Q: Is the Engineering Logistics Center considering any Leadership and/or Champion training? Are you interested in information about this kind of service? A: No Q:Is there an incumbent or preferred vendor already in place for the requested training? A: No Q: What is the current issue(s) that the Coast Guard is attempting to address via Lean Six Sigma? A: Identification and improvement of Critical to Quality variables. Implementation of more robust measurement and improvement methodologies. Improved understanding of statistical analysis. Improve process yields. Maximizing return on improvements. Q: How is the Coast Guard handling the related elements of this deployment outside of the training? e.g, project selection, Deployment champion, project sponsor training? A: This has already been done. Q: How will/are projects being selected for the Green Belt and Black Belt training? How were these arrived at? A: Our quality management boards evaluated their current work and selected the projects they though best met the scope of a six sigma project. Each project has a charter stating the business case and desired outcomes. 2. As of this date, no further questions will be allowed. 3. The due date for Quotations remains 7 August 2006 at 2:00 local time.
- Record
- SN01102877-W 20060803/060801220409 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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