SOURCES SOUGHT
U -- Web Based Automated pre-employment skills testing
- Notice Date
- 6/11/2015
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 611710
— Educational Support Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of State, Office of Acquisitions, Acquisition Management, 1735 N. Lynn St., Arlington, Virginia, 22209, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22209
- Solicitation Number
- Webbased_automated_skills_testing
- Archive Date
- 7/9/2015
- Point of Contact
- Adrienne Y. Bell, Phone: 703-516-1667
- E-Mail Address
-
bellam@state.gov
(bellam@state.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Request for Information (RFI) as defined in FAR 15.201(e). THIS RFI IS FOR SMALL BUSINESS ONLY Description: Department of State (DoS), Bureau of Human Resources (HR) is performing market research to determine industry interest and capabilities in providing an established web-based, automated, pre-employment skills testing program by which overseas embassies can use for locally employed staff recruitment worldwide. This is a Request for Information (RFI) announcement only. This is not a solicitation or request for proposal and in no way commits the Government to award a contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract(s) based solely on the submissions of this RFI nor does it intend to pay for any costs incurred in response to this announcement. This RFI is solely intended for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Responses to this notice will not be considered as offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for expenses associated with this RFI. Respondents will not be briefed on the Government's review of submissions to this RFI. Background: OE works with the nearly 200 United States embassies and consulates around the globe to hire and employ approximately 56,000 Locally Employed (LE) Staff. These employees are an integral part of the diplomatic team dedicated to representing America's interests to other countries. They provide the institutional knowledge and professional contacts that are so important to the post. Because LE Staff perform vital mission program and support functions and all USG agencies under Chief of Mission (COM) authority depend heavily on them to perform significant management roles and program functions, the recruitment process at our posts must be of the highest caliber. Pre-employment testing is one of the elements that ensure we are recruiting the best and the brightest. Department of State Needs: Each HR office at the approximately 200 US Missions abroad processes numerous job applications for each posted vacancy announcement. In an effort to regularize and expedite recruitment at post, HR/OE seeks to offer our overseas Missions pre-employment job skills testing for assessing in-country job applicants. HR/OE's informal survey of posts regarding pre-employment skills tests showed testing inconsistencies worldwide and established the need for standardized skills tests. The Department is looking for an established web-based, automated, pre-employment skills testing program by which overseas embassies can use for LE staff recruitment worldwide. The department is not seeking a custom designed program; rather we are looking for companies with a library of test that the post can access as needed. Responsibilities/Criteria program: the vendor will provide the following under the DOS BPA: 1. Automated skills level testing available 24/7 via the internet in the following areas but no limited to: Software Applications - Autocad MS Access 2003, 2007, 2010 (and most recent version) MS Excel 2007, 2010 (and most recent version) MS Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010 (and most recent version) MS Powerpoint 2003, 2007, 2010 (and most recent version) MS Publisher 2007 (and most recent version) MS Word 2003, 2007, 2010 (and most recent version) Quickbooks Pro 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (and most recent version) Quicken 2012 (and most recent version) General Typing Accounting & Finance - Accounting Terminology Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Auditing Bookkeeping Basic Bank Teller Skills Financial Analysis Financial Math Financial Spelling Ledger Knowledge Math Math Word Problems Reconciliation English Language - Grammar Listening comprehension Reading comprehension Vocabulary Office Basics - Reasoning/Analytical Skills Office Grammar and Spelling Internet Basics Internet Research Skills Listening Skills Writing Sample 2. The vendor will provide the Missions with easy online access to required tests as needed. (The Government is looking for a press/click/test process only with no upfront pre-loading of test). 3. The tests must be easily accessible by applicants via the internet. 4. The test results must be reliable and provided to overseas post HR offices within a maximum of 24 hours of test-taking. 5. HR Offices at US Embassies and Consulates world-wide must be able to securely log in and access the testing site. The automated skills test must be available 24/7. Technical support including troubleshooting, maintenance and recovering data is required. Technical support for Department administrators and embassies would also entail initial set-up for accessing the test results, reporting functions, and ways to deal with system errors and outages. 6. The Department via HR/OE, may request limited branding/customization to their selected test packets, i.e., additional, specific questions, editing existing questions or answers to existing questions. Uploading tests currently used by the Missions may be required. Initial training conducted virtually is required for each participating Embassy in order for posts to access and use the program and generate reports. The COR and/or GTM would submit a request for changes to the vendor and the vendor shall provide a Level-of-Effort (LOE) to make the adjustments. This process shall not exceed 2 days. Market Reserach (Capability Statement): The following are instructions for vendor's response to this RFI Instructions: 1.Provide a detailed capability statement, focusing on your firm's proven ability to provide the requirement and not exceed ten (10) pages including cover pages, table of contents etc. 2.Provide company and contact information 3.Sale brochures, videos, and other marketing information materials are not solicited and will not be reviewed. 4.Provide price information 5.Identify if your company needs to use another company as platform to provide the test. 6.Identify if your company can provide all the above services in the cost per test and if so is there a minimum of test required to be ordered. 7.Provide a list of the library test offered by the company. 8.Identification of the available contract vehicles, such as: GSA Federal Supply Schedules (schedule/contract number and appropriate Special Item Numbers) or other GWAC vehicles by agency and contract number. 9.Provide the size classification of your business. If you are classified as a small business, HUBZone small business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned small business, Woman-owned small business and/or 8(a) certified small business, 10.Interested companies shall submit an electronic copy of their response (along with supporting documentation) via email to Adrienne Bell at bellam@state.gov The due date and time for submission of responses is 2:00 pm June 24 2015. 11.No phone calls related to this RFI will be accepted. All correspondence shall be sent via email only. Disclaimer This RFI is not an offer. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned, nor will there be any ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses. However, information obtained as a result of this announcement may be reflected in the subsequent solicitation if issued. This announcement is Government market research and may result in revisions in both its requirements and its acquisition strategy based on industry responses. In accordance with FAR 15.201 (e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associates with responding to this RFI.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/State/A-LM-AQM/A-LM-AQM/Webbased_automated_skills_testing/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03761732-W 20150613/150611235529-7b254bc92d9b68ff9da3f01b63af5534 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |