Phillips Laboratory/PKOE, Directorate of Contracting, Operational Contracting Division, 2000 Wyoming Blvd SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117- 5606

70 -- ARMSTRONG LABORATORY'S FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS TRAINING (FST) WORD PROBLEM SOLVING (WPS) SOFTWARE OR EQUAL SOL F29650-95-R0176 POC Christi L. Eggleston, Contract Specialist, (505) 846-4283/Mhynard Wink, Contracting Officer, (505) 846-6898. The Air Force Phillips Laboratory, Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is seeking potential sources to provide Armstrong Laboratory Fundamental Skills Training (FST) Word Problem Solving (WPS) Software or equal. The Phillips Laboratory is interested in involving New Mexico educators in artificial intelligence based projects that apply government technology to the need of the State. The general goal of the program is to bring advanced technologies into the high school classroom in order to enhance the learning of mathematics. The initial phase of the program was a joint effort between the State of New Mexico, Armstrong Laboratory and Phillips Laboratory using the Armstrong Laboratory's Fundamental Skills Training (FST) Word Problem Solving (WPS) software. Phillips Laboratory currently has plans to equip additional schools with the WPS or comparable word problem solving software and anticipates purchase of ten (10) to twenty (20) each over a one year period. The software must meet the following minimum specifications: (1) Provide instructional materials with integrated artificial intelligence capabilities for teaching word problem solving in high schools. The artificial intelligence capabilities should include availability of individualized hints to assist students as they progress through each step of the problem solving process. These hints should be tailored to fit the needs of the student as identified by prior steps completed in the attempt to solve the word problem, (2) Have been in operation in a classroom setting for at least three years and field tested in classrooms with varying demographics, including a significant Hispanic student population, in compliance with the curriculum standards approved by the State, (3) Meet the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards, (4) Include curriculum that is divided into at least the following word problem solving modules: Algebraic equations, area of shapes, area of quadrilaterals, area of triangles, area of circles, circumference of circles, decimals, equations in Geometry, formulas, fractions, integer mathematics, number sequences, percentages, perimeter, proportions, Pythagorean theorem, ratio, surface areas, and volume of Geometric solids, (5) Permit full teach involvement so that curriculum can be tailored to individual students, as well as, organized around small groups and entire classroom teaching goals. The teacher should be able to: Make curriculum choices concerning content, modify the decision-making criteria used in determining when a student should advance through the levels of difficulty, including number of steps per problem, amount of help and number of problems at each level of difficulty and choose either guided or unguided modes of instruction, (6) Provide on-screen computer assistance for access by the student. Assistance shall include: computer based tutorial, individualized hints on how to proceed at any place in the word problem, diagrams (where appropriate), weights and measures information, mathematical formulas and word glossary, (7) Provide for individualized feedback capabilities on number of problems solved per day, number of hints per problem, number of errors per problem and number of steps needed to solve each problem, (8) Provide for individualized feedback capabilities in a notebook format which allows students to express ideas, difficulties, successes and general reflections on their work, (9) Be designed to enhance teachers' individualized attention to students and not to replace the teacher, (10) Be self-paced to allow each student to learn at his or her individual rate, (11) Accommodate students who miss classes or are slower learners, (12) Make extensive use of colors and graphics and require interactive participation by students, (13) Provide for automated pre and post testing to determine a student's level of word problem solving knowledge at the beginning and end of the course, (14) Have demonstrated, through sound research techniques, that the tutor increases students' word problem solving skills by 25% from their ability before use of the software, and (15) Be capable of being used in conjunction with other software tutorials dealing with other topics, such as, science and writing. NOTICE TO RESPONDEES: THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS In WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING POTENTIAL SOURCES CAPABLE Of PROVIDING THIS SOFTWARE. RESPONSES WILL ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT IN DETERMINING HOW To PROCEED WITH THIS REQUIREMENT. DO NOT REQUEST A COPY Of THE SOLICITATION AS ONE DOES NOT EXIST AT THIS TIME. YOUR ATTENTION Is DIRECTED TO THE FOLLOWING AND YOU MUST COMPLY IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED. Firms responding must submit product brochures or technical documentation (i.e. technical literature, demonstration disks, etc). The technical documentation must provide sufficient technical data in order for the project office to determine whether the software meets the required technical/functional specifications as stated above. If the Armstrong Laboratory software is offered, written evidence of reseller authorization is required. For those offerors interested in contacting Armstrong Laboratory the Point of Contact is Lt Col Parlett, AL/HRTI, 7909 Lindbergh Dr, Brooks AFB TX 78235, (210) 536-2146. Offerors are also required to submit any applicable software license agreements associated with the software being offered. Although not required as part of this anticipated purchase, offerors are requested to submit information regarding technical support and maintenance. Responses with supporting technical data/documentation are to be submitted to Phillips Laboratory/PKOE, Attn: Ms Chris Eggleston, 2000 Wyoming Blvd SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5606 no later than 31 Jul 95. Firms responding should indicate if they are a Small Business, a Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business, an 8(a) qualified business, or Woman-owned Business. For the purposes of being considered a small business the following applies: SIC Code 5045, Size Standard 100 employees. The Government reserves the right to set this acquisition aside for Small Business, SBA 8(a) Program, Small Disadvantaged Business, Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU) or Minority Institutions (MI) based upon known sources and/or responses to this synopsis. Firms responding should indicate whether they fall into any of these categories. Foreign owned firms will not be precluded from participation in this acquisition. DPA # KAA-95-AD001. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The purpose of the Ombudsman is to receive and communicate serious concerns from potential offerors when an offeror prefers not to use established channels to address concerns during the proposal development phase of the acquisition. Potential offerors should use established channels to request information, pose questions, and voice concerns before contacting the Ombudsman. For serious concerns only, potential offerors are invited to contact the Primary PL Ombudsman, Colonel James D. Ledbetter at (505) 846-4964 or the alternate PL Ombudsman, Bruce Grunsten in the Directorate of Contracting, at 505/846-8273 or at 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5777. (0195)

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