General Database

ATTENTION VENDORS: THIS RFI HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 5:00 PM, EASTERN STANDARD TIME ON 1 NOV 2018. THIS NOTICE IS AMENDED TO CORRECT PARAGRAPH TOPIC; K-6 General Purpose Databases to K-12 General Purpose Databases. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Online General Databases for K-12 Information Centers Purpose The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) issues this Request for Information (RFI) for the purpose of identifying vendors who have the capacity and experience to provide an online specialty databases for DoDEA schools. DoDEA expects to award one or more contracts for a base year and four option years. DoDEA is conducting market research about your company's (1) interest in competing and (2) ability to compete for this requirement. DoDEA greatly appreciates your input and participation in this process. Suspense Monday, October 29, 2018. See details at the bottom of page 3. Background Agency: DoDEA is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing PK-12 educational programs on behalf of the Department of Defense. DoDEA is globally positioned, operating 163 brick-and-mortar schools in three regions (Americas, Europe, and Pacific) located in seven states, 11 foreign countries, Guam, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA employs over 8,000 educators who serve approximately 71,000 children. DoDEA also operates a fully accredited virtual high school located in Virginia with teaching hubs in Europe and the Pacific. DoDEA, a field activity of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), is headed by a director who oversees all agency functions from our HQ in Alexandria, Virginia. Information Centers: DoDEA schools vary greatly in size and grade configuration and currently use a union catalog. All sites with over 100 students are staffed by a certified school library information specialist. Each regional office is staffed by a subject-matter expert who serves as the coordinator for school library information center programs in that region. Currently, DoDEA is using Follett, Destiny Library Manager as its integrated library automation system (ILS). Requirement Summary DoDEA requires school library information center online database, electronic resource products and associated services that support the curriculum in grades PK-12. The online database and electronic resources shall (1) address the essential information literacy and library research needs of elementary and secondary schools and (2) include general purpose online database aggregators, virtual reference tools, and content-specific online databases. All online databases and electronic resources shall be accessible throughout the school building and from remote locations. DoDEA will provide IP (Internet Protocol) ranges for automatic authentication and a password structure for remote user access. DoDEA serves approximately 71,000 students and 10,000 teachers/staff. Approximately two-thirds of the student population consists of PK-6 students.  Importantly, DoDEA requires product licensing based on a per student/staff model. DoDEA will not accept site-based or per building licensing models.  DoDEA requires licensing for all students/staff in order to meet the needs of middle grade students (grades 5, 6, 7, and 8) who may be located in either an elementary or secondary building. K- 12 General Purpose Databases Online Database(s)/Aggregator(s): The online database/aggregator(s) shall include magazines, journals, newspapers, as well as a variety of additional reference documents including but not limited to: government documents, primary source documents, images, multimedia (film/video), wire service reports, transcripts of radio/television broadcasts, speeches, literary resources, maps, encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, podcasts/vodcasts, searchable eBooks, Web sites, and blog entries. The content should be aligned with the DoDEA Standards, Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. The online database/aggregator(s) shall be updated daily and include full-text resources and be able to do the following across the database: 1) Conduct simple and advanced searches, save searches, create search alerts or feeds that automatically run searches and repopulate results with newly published items. 2) Save digital elements from databases (such as links, articles, images, digital video) and embed them in virtual reference tools and other online tools used to design digital or virtual instruction. 3) Access on-demand librarian tools, teacher tips, lesson plans, and user tutorials. 4) View retrieved items on the screen, to save retrieved items, and email retrieved items. 5) Highlight, take notes, and create citations and to save/download said items 6) Interface with Schoology and/or Google drive. 7) Use a single sign on such as Classlink or Clever 8) Interface with our ILS Virtual Reference Tool(s): The virtual reference tools shall include a searchable online database(s) of reference books, images, sounds, or moving image (film) to deliver virtual reference services Content: The online database aggregator shall include the following subject areas with grade-level appropriate materials: 1) STEM Database(s) /Aggregator(s): Including Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), be updated daily, and include full-text resources 2) Social Studies Database(s) /Aggregator(s): Including US/World History, Geography, Law, Government, and Economics, be updated daily, and include full-text resources. 3) English Language Arts Database(s) /Aggregator(s): Including literary genres, author profiles, literature studies, communication tools and language arts foundations to help students distinguish fact from opinion, identify themes, understand narrative writings, interpret expository writings, critically evaluate persuasive writings and comprehend technical writings. 4) Arts and Humanities Database(s) /Aggregator(s): Including fine arts, music, visual and performing arts, philosophy, biographical resources and cultural studies. 5) Professional Educator Database (s)/Aggregator(s): Including broad coverage of educational issues and curriculum areas. Resources shall include peer-reviewed and juried materials in order to support professional research activities. Databases may not be limited to materials intended solely for the practitioner level. 6) Newspapers Database(s)/Aggregator (s): Including current and historical US and international newspapers written in English, and preferably in French, Spanish, German, Korean and Japanese. QUESTIONS 1. General Information Please provide the following: 1) Company name and address 2) Contact information of the person(s) to whom DoDEA should send the solicitation. 3) DUNS number 4) CAGE number 5) NAICS code(s) 6) GSA number, if applicable 7) Business size 8) Socio-economic status, if applicable, such as, WOSB, DVOSB, Hub Zone) 2. Alignment to Student Needs How well does your online database meet the essential information literacy and library research needs of elementary and secondary students? Please list any school districts that are larger than 20 schools and currently using your online encyclopedia. 3. Accessibility How well does your online database provide access to its resources throughout the school building and from remote locations? 4. Functionality Briefly describe how your online database provide the eight functional characteristics listed above. 5. Professional Learning Briefly describe how virtual professional learning will be provided to the library information center specialists. 6. Non-Binding Cost Estimate Please include pricing for licensing the online database broken down in a way(s) that makes sense with your business model. As stated above, DoDEA requires product licensing based on a per student/staff model. DoDEA will not accept site-based or per building licensing models. This non-binding data shall be kept confidential. 7. Recommendations Please provide any recommendations to improve our requirements. SUSPENSE DoDEA would appreciate responses by close of business, October 29, 2018. Please send them to Michael Ridley at [email protected].