SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- Selection Assessment Technology Tools
- Notice Date
- 1/21/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541512
— Computer Systems Design Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B130, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1410, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1410
- Solicitation Number
- SB1350-16-SATT
- Archive Date
- 3/8/2016
- Point of Contact
- Monica Brown, Phone: 2024820932
- E-Mail Address
-
monica.brown@trade.gov
(monica.brown@trade.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- DESCRIPTION 1.1 The Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA), Global Markets (GM) is seeking information on how an interested respondee could provide technology based assessment screening tools for the purpose of selection. 1.2 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Government is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondees are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. BACKGROUND 2.1 Mission and Vision Within the Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA), the Global Markets (GM) business unit assists and advocates for U.S. businesses in international markets to foster U.S. economic competitiveness and prosperity. Utilizing our network of trade promotion and policy professionals located in over 70 countries and 100 U.S. cities, Global Markets promotes U.S. exports, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises; advances and protects U.S. commercial interests overseas; and attracts inward investment into the United States. The vision statement of Global markets is: "Provide the most effective and efficient government assistance to U.S. businesses, foreign investors, and partners seeking opportunities and facing challenges in the global marketplace." 2.2 Foreign Commercial Service Officers (FCSOs) The United States & Foreign Commercial Service (U.S. Commercial Service) is one of four official Foreign Affairs Agencies under the Foreign Service Act of 1980. The U.S. Commercial Service is responsible for commercial affairs. The U.S. Commercial Service, through its customized business solutions, supports economic prosperity and more and better jobs for all Americans. Foreign Commercial Service Officers are typically assigned to foreign posts, such as U.S. embassies and consulates, to promote the export of U.S. goods and services, attract foreign investment into the United States and defend U.S. commercial interests abroad. Commercial Officers also typically serve a mandatory tour of duty at an Export Assistance Center within the United States early in their careers and are encouraged to serve tours at Department of Commerce Headquarters in Washington, DC. The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is comprised of nearly 265 Foreign Service Officers serving in Embassies and Consulates around the globe. 2.3 Staffing and Recruitment of FSOs To execute the mission of the Commercial Service (CS), there is a need to recruit a qualified cadre of Foreign Service Officers (FSOs). To fulfill this need, the Commercial Service conducts entry level recruitment approximately every two years. The recruitment process requires a valid methodology for determining application and assessment of FSO candidates. Candidates apply on-line to a vacancy announcement and applications are scored by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which provides a rank order list of qualified candidates. Qualified candidates are invited to an all-day assessment center examination based on their score and availability of examination slots. Individuals who pass the examination are placed on a rank order register based on their assessment center score. Those who pass may be elevated on the register based on foreign language proficiency and veteran's preference. The CS issues job offers to those on the register as budget, attrition, and other factors determine staffing needs. 2.4 FCSO Competency Model An update of the FSO competency model and job analysis is currently underway. All assessments delivered under this project must be mapped to this competency model and provide valid measures of skills and abilities identified as critical to the success of new FSOs. The previous iteration of the competency model can be viewed in the Foreign Commercial Service Officer vacancy announcement, viewable here: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/387566700. OBJECTIVES 3.1 CS is seeking a professional company to assist in the development of job-related pre-employment assessments that will meet our goal of effectively reducing a large applicant pool prior to the in-person assessment center examination. Our goal is to implement valid assessments that will allow for the selection of highly qualified applicants while minimizing adverse impact to the greatest extent possible. 3.2 The purpose of this request for information is to identify qualified vendors to develop and validate pre-employment assessments for Foreign Service Officer (FSO) candidate selection. The assessments shall accurately and objectively measure the relevant competencies required on entry into the FSO position. The development and validation procedures shall comply with the Title 5, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations "Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures," the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Due consideration shall be given to professional guidelines such as Standards for Education and Psychological Tests (published by the American Psychological Association) and the Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures published by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. TASKS The below tasks relate to the development and execution of a technology-based assessment tools. Task I and Task II are required, while the remaining tasks represent options. The government is interested in identifying existing technology available in these areas and understanding better the level of effort associated with the options. All assessment tools should specify ownership of intellectual property rights associated with each task. 4.1 Task I -Provide Automated Writing Assessment The respondee will develop a new writing assessment or customize an existing automated writing assessment to be used as pre-screening tool as part of the overall FSO selection process. This tool must be able to process a high volume of applicants (approximately 5000) in a timely manner and assess writing skills beyond grammar to include, for example, clarity, organization of ideas, and other higher-level writing concepts. All candidate essays received through the writing assessment process must be made available to CS. If the process to develop or validate the tool involves "training" the scoring system, the respondee should describe the proposed process and timelines associated with this training. The respondee must be able to provide information about the soundness of the technology methodology for assessing writing. Information must be provided on what types of prompts are available. 4.2 Task II -Administer Assessment(s) Provide approach(es) for alignment with USA Jobs application system (e.g. link to site, email process) and limit personally identifiable information. Provide support to candidates through the application process to field questions and resolve technical assistance related only to proposed assessment instruments. Establish process for adjudicating and resolving candidate user issues. Provide scoring of candidates on FSO competencies. Provide protocols for managing applicant faking. 4.3 Task III - Option for Development of In-Box Assessment The respondee will build a technology-based in-box assessment. The assessment may include multiple-choice scenarios as well as open-ended components, such as composing an email or memo response. The look and feel of this assessment should mirror an embassy environment. The exercise may be adapted from an existing assessment, provided that significant customization is possible, so as to ensure a high degree of face validity. The government is also interested in options to build a completely new in-box assessment. Respondees may provide a range of options, assumptions, and estimated pricing. 4.4 Task IV- Option to Suggest Additional Assessments Respondees may suggest additional assessments and describe processes related to the development or adaptation of such exercises. These may include additional assessments of written communication skill, situational judgment tests, or other tests that may be relevant based on the competency profile described in the most recent vacancy announcement for Foreign Commercial Service Officers, viewable here: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/387566700. Respondees may provide information about the extent that Assessment tools can be customized to overlay instruments with Foreign Commercial Service Branding. Provide detail related to the extent that tools can be altered with custom content. The respondee should provide information about what changes are possible and the estimated effort (e.g. changes to exercise wording, "look and feel" of content). 4.5 Task V-Option for Using Tools In Future Applicant Cycles The respondee shall provide information about the usage of all assessment tools for future applicant pools. For purposes of this request for information, the respondee should provide information about making changes approximately every two years over a ten year period. The respondee should describe the fee structure for changes that range from minor wording edits to major content changes. The content must be maintained and available for future applicant cycles. 4.6 Task VI-Option for Providing Validation Study Support For all assessments proposed, the respondee should provide a description as to how the validity of these tools will be assessed or demonstrated. While the government may choose to undertake its own validation studies related to these assessments, we are interested in understanding the level of support the respondee is prepared to provide in this area. The proposed validation methodology should take into consideration both the small size and distributed nature of the workforce. Content-related strategies are generally preferred. RESPONSES 5.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper. 5.2 White papers are due no later than 22 February 2016, 3:00 EST. Responses shall be limited to 50 pages and submitted via e-mail only to Monica.Brown@trade.gov. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 5.3. The white paper shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum: A. Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. B. Identify the approach and capability for each of the tasks described above in the task section. C. Cost information or models as available based on the information available. D. Information related to academic citations, studies, protocols, and references for the approach in developing assessment tools mentioned in the white paper. E. Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541512, Computer Systems Design Services. "Small business concern" means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than $27.5 million dollars in annual receipts. Respondees are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions may apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at http://www.arnet.gov. QUESTIONS Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer by email at Monica.Brown@trade.gov no later than 1 February 2016 at 4:00 p.m. EST. Please ensure the subject line of the email contains the title of this RFI. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Responses to questions will be posted on FBO. Accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after specified date will be answered. SUMMARY THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide technology based assessment screening tools for the purpose of selection. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Department of Commerce has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
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