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D -- PRODUCTIVITY TRAINING COURSES SOL 99-OA-038SRB DUE 051099 POC Sarah Bueter, (301) 443-5352; fax (301) 443-5462 E-MAIL: email for Sarah Bueter, point of contact, sbueter@hrsa.gov. This solicitation is not amended. Provided for information only are Questions & Answers for 99-OA-038SRB, Productivity Training classes. 1) Is having a GSA Schedule number required to bid? Answer: no. 2) You state a requirement for 1,032 deliveries per year. Can the contractor provide more than the required number of deliveries annually? Answer: This is the upper level estimate. This represents what HRSA expects will be the maximum number of courses that will be ordered in the base year. 3) The solicitation indicates several different software training requirements. Are these requirements (Windows, MS Word, cc:Mail) to be taught separately, or should they be integrated? Answer: These courses will be taught separately unless a private class is taught for HRSA employees only (9 students or more) and the vendor is specifically asked to teach an integrated session. 4) How many software training requirements (Windows, MSWord, cc:Mail) does each voucher cover: What is the applicable classroom training duration for each voucher (one day, one week)? Answer: Each voucher covers a single full day class for one HRSA employee at the contractor's training facility for a regularly scheduled class. 5) Is there a recommended duration for each software training class requirement? For example, how many days (at 7 hours) or how many hours of training time should be allotted for each software requirement (Windows, MSWord, cc:Mail?) Answer: Each class is a one-day presentation (minimum 6 hours). 6) Is this a SDB or 8(a) set aside? Answer: No. 7) Are public classes a requirement? Or can the contractor provide HRSA-only classes exclusively? Answer: Public classes are a requirement since HRSA rarely has the full number of staff available to take a HRSA-exclusive class. 8) Will training classes at the various sites be conducted simultaneously, or will they be scheduled back-to-back? Answer: Training at the individual field offices will be conducted independently. Each of the field offices will decide who gets trained in what and when. The concept of the voucher system allows for easy payment when integrating HRSA employees into the contractor's regular training schedule. The contractor collects vouchers over the course of a month and bills HRSA against the contract for the number of vouchers expended. 9) Who exactly are we training? Clerical staff? Executive staff? Answer: Both clerical and management since all employees are expected to be able to use these productivity packages. 10) What are the computer skills of the employees being trained? Answer: This should not be an issue. The vendor should give the prerequisites if any (course level or equivalent knowledge) for each of the classes offered. It will be the responsibility of HRSA management to ensure that staff has proper background before enrolling in a particular class. It is unlikely that HRSA would want to waste a voucher on training that an employee was not equipped to learn. 11) Will student employees be grouped according to their computer skills? Answer: Again, not an issue. See #10 above. 12) When would HRSA like the first site to receive training? Answer: HRSA prefers that training become available upon the effective date of the contract (EDOC). However, a preparation period of no later than 10 business days after EDOC is acceptable. We are looking for a contractor who already has a public training program in place and a published schedule of classes. This contractor should not need any "start up" time. 13) How long can an employee be away from work to complete training? Answer: The employee will be excused from work duties to complete the class (one day). 14) What are "established commercial practices"? Answer: They represent the industry standards for training. 15) Does this contract require that one vendor be able to perform training in all locations? Answer: yes. 16) Are you willing to consider CBT, instead of the older, traditional instructor led model? Answer: No. The SOW specifically asked for classroom/instructor setup with a vendor who has a regular public schedule of computer training. Posted 05/06/99 (W-SN328719). (0126)

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