Academic Bowl Challenge FY 10/11

42nd Contracting Squadron proposes to award to College Options Foundation, LLC on a sole source basis. This procurement shall be under other than full and open competition procedures in accordance with FAR 6.302-1(b)(2), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirement. A firm-fixed-price contract is anticipated. The period of performance is 2 August 2010 - 17 July 2011. This notice of intent is not a request for quotation or a solicitation of offers. Interested parties may provide a Statement of Capabilities to be considered by the agency. If no written responses are received by 23 Jul 10; 4:00 PM CST, the contract will be awarded without further notice. The Challenge shall include two on-line preliminary rounds of competition between participating JROTC units, wherein an unlimited number of 4-person teams go on-line at specified times to compete with each other by answering questions posed by the offeror and/or competing via games produced by Disney-MGM for the offeror via interactive software. In advance of these rounds, the offeror will provide ASVAB/ACT/SAT test improvement software CDs, based upon the type questions found on these nationally recognized entry tests, to each participating unit to assist in preparation. Winners of the preliminary rounds will then be scheduled for a Final Round at a college site mutually acceptable to the Air Force to facilitate a live, in-person championship round, comparable to the old television show that competed college students in an academic college bowl setting. The offeror will provide, as part of the contract, professional academic bowl moderators and organizers to coordinate all logistical support to include lodging, transportation (one-six passenger vehicle will be authorized per team for those teams not driving to the event) and meals for all cadets, instructors and chaperones. The offeror will provide lodging for 5 cadets (4 team members plus 1 alternate), 1 instructor and (if required for dual gender teams) an additional chaperone for 3 nights. The offeror will provide all questions, buzzer systems, materials and supplies needed for the event. The dates of the in-person championship round will be determined by Air Force JROTC headquarters based on availability of academic teams and resources. Overseas teams that compete online and win a spot to the final round will be offered a stipend of $3,500 to cover transportation. The offeror will be responsible for all local transportation, billeting and meals for all cadets, instructors and chaperones. College Options Foundation, LLC has been used by Air Force JROTC, Army and Navy JROTC as a source for supplemental SAT/ACT prep software for their programs for several years. The Air Force JROTC program's goal is to encourage cadets to live up to their full potential, build better citizens for America and contribute to the success(es) of students pursuing a college education and/or military service. It is important to continue to purchase services from College Options Foundation, LLC and to maintain the same program used by Army and Navy JROTC managers to implement identical Academic Bowl competitions. By using the sources from College Options Foundation, LLC, Air Force, Army and Navy JROTCs are staying in line with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and joint ROTC service senior leaders for ROTC initiatives to drive all service JROTC programs to common curricula and programs. In addition, Tri-Service ROTC Conference mandates that the service JROTC programs continue to work toward common program elements, courses, etc. College Options Foundation, LLC will conduct a competitive Academic Bowl Challenge to reach 110,000 plus AFJROTC cadets at the program's 884 units. The Academic Bowl Challenge will consist of three levels of competitions using two on-line preliminary rounds and a final live round. The preliminary rounds will mirror ACT/SAT/ASVAB tests from test improvement software and from products by the Holm Center, Maxwell AFB, AL.