SOURCES SOUGHT
U -- E-Learning Accounting & Tax Law Training - PAST PERFORMANCE - NOTES - SOW
- Notice Date
- 3/9/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 611691
— Exam Preparation and Tutoring
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Field Operations Branch Northeast (OS:A:P:B:N), 290 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, New York, 10007-1867
- ZIP Code
- 10007-1867
- Solicitation Number
- TIRNE-17-Q-00009
- Archive Date
- 4/1/2017
- Point of Contact
- Suzette A. Eugenio, Phone: 2124361527, Norberto Duran, Phone: 2124361528
- E-Mail Address
-
suzette.a.eugenio@irs.gov, Norberto.Duran@IRS.gov
(suzette.a.eugenio@irs.gov, Norberto.Duran@IRS.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- STATEMENT OF WORK NOTES PAST PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND The Internal Revenue Service, Human Capital Office, and Operating Divisions have a requirement for Commercial-Off-the Shelf (COTS) accounting and tax law training courses in primarily an E-learning (Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration) format for IRS employees. The use of these courses will allow IRS employees to learn and apply tax law and accounting principles that are critical to job performance. The tax law and accounting related topics may be used as a part of a standardized training curriculum or continuing professional education. IRS employees who are certified public accountants may be authorized to complete State Ethics examinations. IRS employees need access to training courses that will allow them to choose from an appropriate range of job related technical subjects in order to maintain their current technical knowledge, stay abreast of tax law changes, and learn about emerging or new issues. The contractor is required to have a proven background in producing a wide range of materials in this area, the ability to provide training courses in an E-learning format, and provide access to downloadable files and/or online access websites and learning management systems. OBJECTIVE Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires contractor support for educational services and COTS e-learning products that will provide accounting and tax law technical training to IRS employees. The vendor contract associated with Accounting and Tax Law Training is managed out of IRS Headquarters, HCO LEADS office. IRS Operating Divisions use task orders to use the contract to meet their employee's CPE training requirements. The Accounting and Tax Law Training Program include the delivery of accounting courses, business ethics courses, specialized certification programs, webinars, and the design and development of customized courses. SCOPE OF WORK The scope of this Statement of Work encompasses the creation and establishment of access to CBT format and media that will provide training modules for training in tax law and accounting related subjects for IRS employees that work in examination, compliance, collection, and/or tax customer service functions. The Contractor shall provide support as required to update and maintain the training tools at a level of professional development in conformance with IRS training requirements Internal Revenue Manual (IRM), Training, and Development - Learning and Education. The individual training module requests will be controlled by approval by designated IRS training coordinators. The Contractor shall be responsible for delivering all training modules in conformance with this Statement of Work (SOW). All technical and support services shall adhere to IRS standards and methodologies. The requirements include, but are not limited to the following: • Provide a wide selection of CBT training modules in the areas of Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, and related areas. • Provide all CBT training modules in online and downloadable formats. • Establish an ordering system to include online and off-line ordering capabilities. The ordering system would allow for (up to) two levels of approval before the orders are submitted to the vendor. • Provide training support and training resources to IRS training coordinators to ensure understanding of ordering system. • Design and develop specialized tax modules to meet Business Segment Specialization needs. • Customize products to embedded IRS procedures, processes, and IRS workshops/scenarios. • Provide individual user support via a toll-free telephone number during each business day from 9:00 am to 9:00 PM Eastern Time. • Document and transmit/communicate results of changes to the training modules. • Provide the ability to generate automated real-time management reports, Reports include, but are not limited to: • Courses Ordered Reports o Includes title of course ordered, date ordered, date approved, name of approver, delivery date, course costs, and course completion data. o Online reports available by coordinator • Usage Reports - includes date course started, date completed, employee reminders or alerts • Financial Reports o Spending and current balance by operating division and training Coordinator o Cost of courses by category - technical (accounting and tax law), ethics, course design/development and bulk orders • Program and Course Evaluation Reports - includes online optional survey feedback on the course and customer service DESCRIPTION OF WORK All CBT modules delivered shall be able to operate on the IRS employees' laptop and/or personal computers. These computers are of various manufacturers and have the following minimum attributes for one of the listed formats: WKRP Standard Laptop - nc6220 with Intel 1.60G processor, 14.1" XGA display, 40 GB 5400 RPM hard drive, 512 Memory Module, Combo DVD/CDRW, Dual point Keyboard, 6 cell primary battery, 56K modem, TPM Embedded Security Chip, USB Diskette Drive, USB Mouse, Keyboard, Port Replicator WKRP Standard Desktop - HP dc5000 SFF, Pentium 4, 2.8a GHz with Intel 865G Chipset, 533 MHz FSB, 512Mb RAM, 40Gb Ultra AT HD, 48X DVD/CDRW Combo Drive, 1.44 Floppy, Windows XP Professional, Integrated NIC and Audio Speakers, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard In addition, IRS new E-Learning initiative will be the driving configuration for workstations under the new IRS "Computer Operational Environment." COE Workstations must meet all minimum hardware requirements to be counted: · 166 MHz Pentium Processor · 512 MB RAM · 40 GB disk drive Baseline software currently loaded on IRS machines: • Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1 Internet Explorer 8 (8.0.7601.17514).Net Framework 3.5.1 (Includes.net Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.0 SP2 and 3.5 SP1) • Adobe Flash Player 10 ActiveX 10.2.153.1 • Adobe Reader X (10.0.1) • Adobe Shockwave Player 11.5.10.620 • Direct! CP (Courion Password Management) 8.00.0003 • Java 6 Update 25 (6.0.250) • LiveUpdate 3.3 (3.3.0.99) • Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2010 (14.0.4763.1000) Microsoft Access 2010 Microsoft Excel 2010 Microsoft InfoPath Designer 2010 Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010 Microsoft OneNote 2010 Microsoft Outlook 2010 Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 Microsoft Publisher 2010 Microsoft SharePoint Workspace 2010 Microsoft Word 2010 • Microsoft Silverlight 4.0 (4.0.60129.0) • OPNET Application Capture Agent 3.9 • SecureZip (12.50.006) • Snag-it 9 • Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition (11.0.6200.754) All vendor software and course materials shall be compatible with these minimum computer attributes. In addition, the parties may agree to modify the contract to provide new CBT training products that reflect technology improvements. All CPE courses will be labeled or printed with the following language: "Continuing Professional Education for IRS Training Program". Throughout the duration of the Contract, the Contractor shall deliver course materials within seven (7) business days after receipt of orders that have been approved by duly designated IRS Training Coordinators. Course materials provided via electronic media shall be available within five (5) calendar days after receipt of approved orders. In the case of new or updated courses, the Contractor shall deliver those courses within forty-five (45) days of the product release date. Course materials will be delivered to IRS offices located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. All CBT modules will meet established criteria for use on IRS employees' laptop and/or personal computers. The Contractor will replace defective modules at no cost to the IRS. The replacement modules shall be provided at the Contractor's expense within five (5) business days after Contractor's receipt of the defective module. The Contractor's CPE courses shall contain a customizing feature that will allow the IRS to define customized information to be written into the course. The IRS will have the option to use the feature for any of the CPE courses identified in this contract. The Contractor will make the products with customized features available for review and approval by IRS within 30 days after the Contractor receives IRS' request. The IRS shall retain all rights to any COTS courses customized or modified to IRS specifications. The IRS shall pay a fee for each course for which it desires application of the customized feature. The IRS then can order an unlimited number of the customized course at the same price at which the course was offered prior to customization. However, if a course is subsequently updated or revised, the IRS shall pay an additional fee for updating the customizing feature. The IRS then can order an unlimited number of the revised or updated course with the customized feature. However, the IRS will not have to pay customized features to be installed on revised courses if the revision is due to a technical error by the Contractor. The Contractor shall be responsible for establishing an ordering system for the courses that will allow IRS employees to order the course(s) and the media option of his or her choice. The contractor shall provide an on-line and off-line ordering process that is streamlined and allows individual students to select and request approval of courses through a designated IRS Training Coordinator via learning management system. The Contractor shall fill only course requests approved by a duly designated IRS Training Coordinator. Any video or audio media utilized in the vendors' products will utilize a player that is standard to the IRS. The contractor will work with the IRS to ensure that the ordering process they propose is streamlined and allows student registration and completion information to be provided to IRS via a format that can be uploaded into the IRS Enterprise Learning and Management System (ELMS). SPECIAL PERF0RMANCE STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS The Contractor's CPE courses will be accepted for CPE credit for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). State Boards of Accounting change from state to state and periodically change their requirements. The Contractor shall inform the IRS of any State Boards of Accounting changes as they occur. The Contractor shall design their CPE courses according to the "Statement on Standards for Formal Continuing Professional Education Programs," published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for continuing education hours. The CPE series Courses shall be accepted for CPE credits: National Association of State Boards of Accountancy for CPAs (NASBA #91-00138-97). Florida - 1-582; Illinois - 158-000470; Indiana - 000779378 and Maryland - E-1135. The Contractor's CPA Ethics courses will be accepted for the ethics requirements of the various State Boards of Accountancy. DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a solicitation announcement; it is a Sources Sought announcement only. A statedin FAR 15.201, responses to Sources Sought are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The decision to release a contract solicitation is solely at the iscretion of the Government. This Sources Sought is not to construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response to this request. Respondents will not be notified of the results of any Government assessments. Capability Statement: The Government requests demonstration of capability by companies or other entities interested in performing this requirement as a prime contractor through the submission of a Capability Statement. All Capability Statements must have the following: 1. Company or entity name, address, DUNS, and contact information for primary point of contact. 2. Business classification(s): Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, Small Disadvantaged Business, Sevice-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Women -Owned Small Business, Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business, or other than small business. 3. Information demonstrating your capability to perform all tasks described in this Sources Sought 4. Include feedback regarding the requirements in the Sources Sought 5. Not exceed five (5) pages in length, excluding cover page 6. Avoid the submission of fancy brochures and unnecessary sales literature Submission Information: The Government intends to review Capability Statements using the following five (5) factors identified below: 1. Fulfillment of Statement of Work 2. Variety, Quantity, and Quality of Continuing Professional Education Training Modules 3. Ease of online Access and Technical Support 4. Current and Past Performance 5. Compliance with the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards Any resulting synopsis, solicitation, amendments or other information related to this Sources Sought will be posted via FedBizOpps ( www.fbo.gov ). All interested parties are encouraged to check FedBizOpps regularly for updates. Please complete the attached Past Performance Questionnaire and Questions by April 10, 2017. Submit your Capability Statement as described above via email ( Suzette.A.Eugenio@irs.gov ) no later than March 24, 2017. Please email Suzette A. Eugenio ( Suzette.A.Eugenio@irs.gov ) or Norberto Duran ( Norberto.Duran@irs.gov ) with questions regarding this Sources Sought. Interested Vendors Lists: All interested parties, submitting a capability statement, are asked to add their company information to the Interested Vendors List tab associated with this notice on FedBizOpps. The Interested Vendors List will aid the Government in market research for this requirement. Interested parties can add their company information to the Interested Vendors List by viewing the synopsis of this Sources Sought on FedBizOpps ( www.fbo.gov ) clicking on the Interested Vendors List Tab, selecting Add Me to Interested Vendors button at the bottom of the page, and follow the system instructions.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/TREAS/IRS/IRSNPBAPFNE/TIRNE-17-Q-00009/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico, United States
- Record
- SN04429923-W 20170311/170309234803-c4a8efcd3cef7d4a9f1e53c253955ba9 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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