99--Utility of Nonradar Training in the En Route Environment Market Survey

This market survey advertisement is posted in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acquisition Management System Policy 3.2.1. The FAA invests a significant amount of resources in training its workforce. To make a good investment, the agency maintains training objectives that are specific, measurable and task relevant. One environment that developmental air traffic control specialists (ATCS) are trained to perform in, nonradar, has become an unlikely part of their future job. For this reason, its relevance has become questioned. Eliminating nonradar training might save FAA resources or allow them to be allocated to other types of training. However, there is anecdotal evidence from the FAA Academy that developmentals who perform poorly on nonradar training also perform poorly in radar associate (RA) training. There is also anecdotal evidence from the field that developmentals not receiving nonradar training, or only a portion of the training, performed poorly during radar training. These observations suggest that nonradar training may make unique contributions to achieving relevant training objectives. Nonradar training is provided as a part of the Initial En Route Training course. During the course, the FAA provides job-related knowledge and skill oriented training to developmental ATCS. The course consists of four blocks of training: academics, nonradar academics/lab, radar academics/medium fidelity lab, and RA lab. The objective of the training is to enable the developmental to progress into field-delivered stages of air traffic control training. Over one-third of the time spent in the course, 18 of 53 days, is devoted to the nonradar academics/lab block. During this block, developmentals receive training on separation, coordination, control judgment, methods and procedures, and communication skills in a nonradar environment. The FAA is seeking to learn of industry capabilities that will deliver conclusive scientific evidence about the utility of nonradar training so that the agency can make the best investment decisions. The agency expects to require the contractor to deliver several pieces of information as part of the evaluation. First, the contractor will identify what radar training needs nonradar training may meet or enhance. Second, the contractor will identify the elements of nonradar training that meet the needs or enhance training effectiveness. Finally, the contractor will compare the training effectiveness of the current nonradar training to a system without this type of training, and to a viable, efficient and effective alternative. Interested vendors are requested to submit the following information. . Demonstrated application of knowledge of learning and training methodology to the evaluation of training programs and to instructional systems development (ISD). Training evaluation experience should be emphasized with indication of the following: . Assessing knowledge, measuring behavior/skill, and assessing job performance . Identifying and addressing evaluation design issues . Knowledge of training evaluation alternatives . Evaluation at multiple levels, from training effectiveness to job performance . Experience with the operational Air Traffic Technical Training system . Proposed approach to the nonradar training evaluation . Estimated duration of the project . Comments on requirements All interested parties are advised that the FAA will not pay for any information or any administrative costs incurred associated with response to this Market Survey announcement. Therefore, any costs associated with this market survey submission will be solely at the interested party's expense. Responses may be submitted by email to contact@example.gov. If sent electronically, it is preferred that the response be sent as an attachment to the email message in Microsoft Word, PDF or similar format, on company letterhead and print to no more than 10 pages, on 8 ½ x11 paper size and using 12 point font. Excessively elaborate responses containing marketing materials are not desired and may be discarded without review. One, some, all, or none of the respondents to the Market Survey may be requested to provide additional information at the option of the Government. No evaluation of vendors will occur and vendor participation in any informational session is not a promise for future business with the FAA. Information obtained will be used to support the development of an acquisition strategy for a nonradar training evaluation. Interested parties should reply via email, by close of business August 24, 2007, to contact@example.gov.