The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) intends to issue a sole source contract to RISC, Inc., 17041 El Camino Real, Houston, TX 77058, for its Virtual Training Assistant software hosted server application for a one year period plus four one-year options. The Virtual Training Assistant software is the only product available which meets all of the Government's requirements which includes the following: 1. Provide for on-line registration to a course and/or class roster and/or waiting list in a secure manner. Registration to Training and Education Center classes should be limited initially to select district offices and program office personnel, but must have flexibility via a web browser to allow eventual direct access by students. The system must limit registrations up to the maximum capacity for a given class and it must prevent registrations after a specified cut-off date. 2. Track all training (formal classroom, distance learning, on-line training, etc) for all FSIS employees and other individuals who participate in FSIS-sponsored training activities. 3. Track certificate and license expirations. 4. Track test dates and scores including a) track status of assigned training in multiple component training programs; and b) assign time limit requirements for completion of training. 5. Retain records for inactive students (employees no longer in FSIS) into a separate database. 6. Create on-line and off-line tests from a pool of pre-defined test questions, and allow students to take tests using a web browser interface. The software must provide for automatic scoring, password protection to protect confidentiality and local printing of tests (with student answers). 7. Allow FSIS program office to establish and enforce restrictions on test taking (for example, limit access to an on-line exam to one occurrence per student). 8. Provide standardized management reports including but not limited to class rosters, certificates of completion, student transcripts, and analysis of test results. 9. Provide management tools including but not limited to automatic e-mail messages to students confirming registration acceptance, and mailing labels. 10. Allow students secured access to his or her own training records and transcripts. 11. Accept imported data from NFC to update the employee database. 12. Provide periodic backups of student databases. This is a sole source procurement under the authority of FAR 6.302-1. The Government believes only one responsible source can provide the service that will satisfy the agency requirements. This notice of intent is not a Request For Proposal (RFP). See Numbered Note 22. Responses are due by 3:00 p.m. on September 3, 2002. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. Responses must be submitted to Debra C. Kaelberer, Contracting Officer, at USDA, FSIS, ASD, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Maildrop 5230, Beltsville, MD 20705-5230. Responses will also be accepted by fax at 301-504-4276 or by e-mail at
[email protected].