Sources Sought Notice Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Quality Control (QC) Web-Based Training This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is for small businesses only. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the interest and feasibility of small business set-asides. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor will the U.S. Government pay for information solicited. The information from this notice will help the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plan their acquisition strategy or plan. FNS is seeking a contractor to develop a multi-lesson Web-based training for Federal SNAP QC reviewers from existing FNS materials. This effort is intended to transition away from the paper training materials, but will maintain the course curriculum and lesson plans developed by FNS. The objective is to create a consistent, repeatable self-paced training program which provides robust testing and feedback; user progress tracking; and can be completed through a Web interface by multiple users. FNS will require contractor input to develop testing, feedback and tracking mechanisms which provide users with a positive and satisfying experience. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. The Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP & Contracts Management Division (CMD), is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, including small business set-asides, small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), 8(a) small businesses, woman-owned small businesses (WOSB), veteran owned small businesses (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), and Historically Under-utilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses capable of developing a multi-lesson Web-based training for SNAP QC reviewers from existing FNS materials. All responding small business firms are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business to the anticipated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code. For this acquisition, the NAICS code is 541511, and the Small Business Standard is $27.5 Million. Teaming arrangements and joint ventures will be considered for any subsequent procurement based on the Government's market research, provided the prime contract is awarded to an applicable small business and that small businesses provide fifty percent or more of the support. Below are the Objectives of the Requirements: The key objective of this project is: Objective 1: FNS is in the process of developing a new SNAP Quality Control training curriculum that is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Once complete, SNAP's QC training curriculum will consist of roughly 25 to 30 individual lessons covering all applicable regulatory and policy knowledge areas that an individual must know in order to successfully perform quality control reviews. Each lesson also includes a series of questions to test comprehension of the material. It is currently a paper based deliverable, completed in Microsoft Word. The primary objective is to identify a vendor that can take FNS's paper based product and transform it into a Web-based training for SNAP QC reviewers. The training will provide Federal QC reviewers a consistent, repeatable, self-paced training through a Web interface which can be accessed by multiple users. FNS currently has just fewer than 50 Federal QC reviewers located in seven (7) regional offices and in various out-stationed locations. By implementing the Web-based training, FNS hopes to provide all Federal QC reviewers with a positive and consistent learning experience across the agency. In addition, FNS may extend the training modules to State agency partners who conduct first line QC reviews of cases. While the number of QC reviews varies by State, nationwide, FNS could expect up to an additional 1,000 users when this Web-based training is expanded. States may have additional training needs, such as internal policies or systems specific to their State, but they would be responsible for handling that function outside of this project as they do today. Furthermore, it is important that the Web-based system include testing, feedback and tracking utilized in the training to provide users an understanding of progress and knowledge level in a positive manner which encourages effort and excellence. FNS has internal processes that require a demonstrated level of competency in order to be able to perform case reviews independently without a second party review. This objective includes the ability to include those thresholds into the development of the system and to provide users with real-time positive feedback regarding knowledge areas where the individual demonstrates strengths, as well as specific recommendations on target areas that scored below minimum thresholds defined by FNS. Additional Background on the SNAP Quality Control function: Under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, each State agency is responsible for monitoring and improving its administration of SNAP. As a part of this requirement, the SNAP QC system is used to determine the accuracy of the State agency eligibility and benefit amount determinations and adherence to procedural requirements. Each year, State agencies conduct QC reviews of a statistical sample of their participating SNAP households. A QC review is a detailed examination of household non-financial and financial circumstances, including income, resources and deductions, to determine whether benefits were accurately authorized for active cases or improperly denied, suspended or terminated for case and procedural cases. Federal QC reviewers verify the work of the State agency QC reviews. The Food and Nutrition Service, under SNAP, is conducting market research to identify sources that can demonstrate their experience, skills, and qualifications with projects of similar scope and size completed within the last three (3) years, and explains in appropriate detail how they intend to demonstrate competency in each of the following points (A) through (H). Expound, utilizing specific examples, on how the firm has undertaken and/or demonstrated the prerequisites listed below: A. Demonstrate expertise in producing user friendly Web services; B. Demonstrate expertise implementing Web services which track user progress through a multi-step process; C. Demonstrate expertise in converting paper media to Web-based media; D. Demonstrate expertise creating or developing Web-based training courses for adults; E. Demonstrate expertise creating or developing Web-based training that includes visual, auditory and kinesthetic delivery methods; F. Demonstrate expertise creating or developing Web-based training with a testing component; G. Demonstrate expertise creating or developing user feedback/testing/tracking mechanisms which encourage user effort and sense of accomplishment; and H. Manage projects of a similar size and scope, including meeting government objectives, ensuring the quality and timeliness of deliverables, and coordinating with the government funding agency. Please submit the following information in response to the eight (8) capabilities (A - H) pre-requisites listed above: 1. Name and address of company and or companies (if there is a teaming arrangement or joint venture), 2. Technical expertise relevant to the requirement, 3. Technical approach relevant of the requirement, 4. Management approach relevant to the requirement, 5. Corporate experience relevant to the requirement, and 6. Relevant past performance which contains at least three (3) relevant experiences within the past three years to include contracts or task orders for work of the same or similar to the requirement, including: • Contract Number, • Period of performance, • Technical/contracting points of contact (POC's) - The POC's names, telephone numbers, agency or department, and e-mail addresses must also be included, • Contract value (in $), and • Description of work and how it relates to the requirements. Submission requirements: 1. Limit the length of the packages to 20 pages. Note: Any pages over the 20 page limit will not be evaluated, 2. 1 inch margins (top, bottom and sides), 3. Font - Times New Roman - 12 point, 4. Page limitation does not include (1 cover page or 1 letter of introduction page), and 5. Do not include promotional materials. Interested firms responding to this market survey must provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b). The capability statement shall be in sufficient enough detail, but not exceed 20 pages TOTAL, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the requirements above. The Government technical team will then assess the experience & capabilities (A - H above) based on: 1) technical expertise relevant to the requirement; 2) technical approach relevant to the requirement, 3) management approach relevant to the requirement, 4) corporate experience relevant to the requirement, and 5) relevant past performance. These capability responses should be based upon the 8 capabilities (A - H) pre-requisites listed above. Please specify one primary and one alternate Point of Contact (POC) within your firm, including telephone numbers and email addresses. Your capability statement needs to include a list of at least three customers (Government/non-Government) within the past 3-years highlighting similar work in nature, scope, complexity, and difficulty, and a brief description of the scope of work. Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and should be emailed to: Linda Mullen at
[email protected] and Justin Fraser at
[email protected]. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Response to Sources Sought Notice - AG-3198-S-15-0001 - SNAP Quality Control Web-Based Training Requirement. A determination by the Government to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside is within the discretion of the Government. If capability statements are not received from at least two responsible small businesses or if the Government determines that no small business concerns are capable of performing this requirement based upon an assessment of the capability statements submitted, the Government may proceed with a full and open competition. Please submit all information to both Linda Mullen and Justin Fraser by August 31, 2015 by 4:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.