99 -- DEVELOP TRAINING CURRICULUN AND LESSONS PLANS

Notice Date

September 4, 2001

Contracting Office

USDA Forest Service, Contracting, P.O. Box 21628, Juneau, AK 99802-1628

ZIP Code

99802-1628

Solicitation Number

R10-01-49

Response Due

September 18, 2001

Point of Contact

Walter Ullmayer 9075867901 or W.Dean Graham (907) 586-8746

E-Mail Address

click here to reach the contact person via e-mail (dgraham02@fs.fed.us)

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitues the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The folowing is applicable and incorported into this solicitation docuement: provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 25, the provisions at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial, provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation Commercial Items and clause at 52.215-5, Contract Terms and conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders Commercial Items. Offerors are advised to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial items with their offer. URL address to obtain full test clauses: http://www.arnet.gov/far. SCHEDULE OF ITEMS Unit Unit Unit Quantity Issue Price Amount Training Plan 1 LS $______ $______ BASIS OF AWARD: One contract will be awarded to the responsible Offeror offering the lowest total acceptable offer. STATEMENT OF WORK Curriculum Development for Alaska Region Youth Practica PURPOSE. The USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region requires development of an educational curriculum and lesson plans to guide the conduct of annual youth practica. BACKGROUND. Since 1989, the Alaska Region has held 11 youth practica, open to students from all race and ethnic groups, which focused on teaching basic concepts and principles of national resources management on the Tongass National Forest. In addition, the Region has conducted five Intertribal Youth Practica since 1992, hosted by the Region and other Federal and Alaska Native partners. In the past, no specific curriculum or lesson plans were in place to guide earlier offerings and to bring across-the-board consistency and uniformity to the conduct of these practica; therefore, a uniform-approach for the development of curriculum and lesson plans was specified by the Regional Leadership Team for FY 2001, with implementation of the next practicum in FY 2002. A professionally developed educational curriculum will ensure that future practica are goal oriented, well planned and organized, and consistent from year-to-year in providing educational benefits and highquality experience. SCOPE. Educators believe that exposure to specific career fields should begin as early as junior high school, and perhaps even sooner. Each youth practicum is an 8- to 10-day camp that provides Alaska high school students with practical, educational experience in natural resources management. Natural resource professionals, both internal and external to the Forest Service, and Tribal elders provide a diverse mix of professionals to conduct training and career sessions, field trips, handson natural resources management experiences, and cultural sharing and activities for high school juniors and seniors. The Practicum requires a curriculum designed to give Alaska students from all over the State a chance to learn about the principles, disciplines, techniques, and methods of natural resources management. The curriculum must provide for the following goals of a Regional youth practicum: 1) provide a positive experience for Alaska youth; 2) increase student's interest in natural resources management education and careers; 3) foster an understanding and value of the important role of traditional Native ecological knowledge in natural resources conservation, use, and management, i.e., integration of Western scientific approaches with traditional Native knowledge; 4) Increase an understanding of natural resources upon which rural Alaskans depend for subsistence, 5) Provide exposure to the concepts and practices for maintaining natural resources relative to rural subsistence in a healthy, productive condition, 6) provide training in how to obtain jobs and volunteer positions that foster career development; 5) develop practical skills, including communication and problemsolving techniques, that students can put to useful purpose in community projects and natural resources jobs. The curriculum will organize the Practicum into three modules that focus on: Forest ecosystems, Freshwater/wetland ecosystems, and Marine ecosystems. The curriculum will use a full range of educational techniques including presentations, readings, group discussions and problem solving, lab exercises, and field exercises. All activities will be appropriate for students in grades 1012, of both genders. The practica will focus on students from a) all ethnic and racial backgrounds and/or b) students from Alaska Native communities. Specific training provided in the curriculum will include: basic field safety; principles of natural resources ecology and management; forest products and community use; importance of fire in ecosystems management; methods of data collection and reporting; care and processing of field samples; traditional ecological knowledge and linkages to sciencebased natural resources management; introduction to key ANSCA, ANILCA, and other laws concerning Alaska Natives and natural resources; rural subsistence management; and careers and educational requirements in natural resource fields. MUTUAL BENEFITS. The Practica mutually benefit the Forest Service and Alaska youth who participate. Through the Practica, Alaska youth learn about natural resources management and career options. Those involved in conducting the Practica (university/college, other Federal, and tribal entities and Forest Service) gain a greater understanding of rural community concerns relative to natural resources management and the importance of linking western, science-based and Native traditional knowledge. Students and communities will have an opportunity to know more about the natural resource professionals of the Forest Service. Rural and Native communities benefit by gaining skills and understanding of natural resources management and increasing their abilities in natural resources decision making. The Forest Service benefits, by building stronger relations with local communities and Tribes in Alaska and increasing the potential for diversity in its workforce. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS. The proponent will use uptodate materials in developing the natural resources content of the curriculum. Suitable references include scientific journals, professionaltexts and journals, and government reports. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. The work consists of a primary task (development of an educational curriculum) with a related subtask (development of daily lesson plans). In conducting the work, the contractor will seek advice and technical assistance from key Forest Service personnel (the Director of Wildlife, Fisheries, Ecology, and Watershed, the Director of Civil Rights and Tribal Government Relations, and a Regional Forest Service Youth Practica Advisory Working Group) as needed to ensure consistency of the curriculum and lesson plans with the goals of the youth practica. The contractor's work will include at least one trip to Sitka (on or about March 1, 2001) to meet with Forest Service Project Coordinators, to view facilities and field settings to be used in the conduct of the FY 2002 practicum, and to evaluate logistics for this offering. Primary Task. The final curriculum product will be delivered as a document in hardcopy and electronic format with the following contents: o Description of the propose, scope, and goals/objectives of the youth practica. o Overall course organization by three subject areas: forest ecosystems; freshwater and wetland ecosystems; and, marine ecosystems. o Description of knowledge, skills, and competencies to be gained in each subject area. o Description of learning environments and educational approaches by subject area (i.e., allocation of time to passive learning versus active learning methods; time to be spent in classrooms, labs, and in the field; description of field settings required; and, duration of individual field activities). o Recommendations for additional cultural enrichment activities suitable for evenings and weekends. o Statement of expectations for student performance and conduct. o Policies, procedures, and equipment needs to provide for the safety of participants. o Criteria and methods for evaluating the practicum. A Working Draft of the curriculum will be delivered to the Forest Service by November 30, 2001. The Forest Service will provide review comments by December 20. The final curriculum shall be delivered by April 1, 2002. Final Youth Practium curriculum and lesson plans shall be approved by the Contracting Officer before any payment request is approved. Subtask. A detailed Lesson Plan will be developed for each day of a 8- to 10-day youth practicum. The final product will be delivered in hardcopy and electronic format, and will contain the following content: Introduction to the subject or topic area, including key concepts, principles, or techniques to be learned. Numbers of instructors required and needed skills and expertise. Description of activities that students will engage in, with estimated time requirements for each. Desired instructional outcomes for each activity (i.e., what new skills, knowledge, or abilities will students acquire). Materials, equipment, and transportation requirements. Measures of student performance or success. Onepage summaries of each lesson plan will be delivered to the Forest Service for review by February 1, 2002. By February 15, the Forest Service will provide review comments and approve development of full lesson plans. The delivery for the final lesson plans is April 1, 2002. Cost of Deliverables Cost for development of Youth Practicum Curriculum and Lesson Plans (costs shall include direct, indirect costs, salaries, 1 round trip Juneau/Sitka for planning purposes). Contractor should provide three 3-ring binders (hard-copy version) in 8-1/2 " X 11" format and three computer disks (electronic version) containing the curriculum and lesson plans. Contractor should use MicroSoft Word software application. Performance of stated work should take place at the contractor's facility. Period of Contract: September 28, 2001 April 1, 2002. Criteria for Determining Whether Requirements are Met. o Curriculum and Lesson Plans clearly demonstrate how established goals and objectives of the Practicum will be attained. o Content of deliverables demonstrates use of up-to-date materials and knowledge of natural resources management concepts and methods. o Curriculum and Lesson Plans apply a full range of educational techniques including presentations, readings, group discussions and problem solving, lab exercises, and field exercises. o Curriculum and Lesson Plans are organized into three modules focusing on forest, freshwater/wetland, and marine eco o Curriculum and Lesson Plans emphasize and provide learning in field safety and basic field skills; principles of natural resources ecology and management; forest products and community use; importance of fire in ecosystems management; methods of data collection and reporting; care and processing of field samples; traditional ecological knowledge and linkages to sciencebased natural resources management; introduction to key ANSCA, ANILCA, and other laws concerning Alaska Natives and natural resources; rural subsistence management; and careers and educational requirements in natural resource fields. o All components outlined under the Primary Task and Subtask are delivered as well- developed products. Curriculum and Lesson Plans are well organized and packaged in an easy-to-read, concise, and consistent format. Criteria for Bid Selection o Experience based on past performance in developing educational curricula for Alaska youth, with emphasis on youth in rural communities and Native villages. o Evidence of knowledge and experience in basic field skills and field safety sufficient for effective incorporation in o Knowledge of uptodate materials in the scientific and professional literature pertaining to natural resources management. Education, experience, and demonstrated expertise in the principles and practices of Natural Resources Management.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010906/99SOL010.HTM (W-247 SN50W7H2)