Foreign Languages Assessment Tool

This notice is not a solicitation. This announcement serves as a sources sought notice for the upcoming requirement to provide research and courseware development for Service Academy's (USAFA, USMA, USNA) departments of Foreign Languages to include the department's Language Learning Centers The primary goal of this project is to develop Foreign Language Assessment Instruments that can be used to evaluate the foreign language proficiency of cadets and midshipmen in speaking, listening, and reading at the end of their academic foreign language experience. Currently, the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) is the only assessment tool available in the DoD, and it is designed to measure advanced-level language skills in listening and reading. It is not well suited to assess language proficiency gained through service academy or ROTC programs, as the cadets/midshipmen generally do not reach the proficiency levels at which the DLPT is most valid and reliable (levels 2 and higher in the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale). Furthermore, as an official, certifying exam, the DLPT provides no feedback to close the learning loop on specific areas of improvement for the student, the teacher and course developers. The Contractor will provide foreign language assessment instruments in Chinese and Spanish to measure students' ability between the Novice-Low to Intermediate-High levels (0 to 1+ in the ILR scale) using the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. The Contractor will design the instrument to allow for efficient delivery to a large number of geographically separated students, in a short amount of time (not longer than 2 hours), with automated scoring accomplished quickly, and results sorted by individual and cohort to facilitate analysis and feedback. The Contractor will validate the instruments using accepted psychometric procedures. The instruments should allow for expansion at a later date to test for higher levels of proficiency, or measure writing, grammar, student motivation or cultural awareness. The Contractor will design the instruments to allow it be used as templates for the rapid development of similar instruments in other languages. Requirements: - 1. The contractor shall be responsible for project management and oversight, troubleshooting challenges, presenting alternatives/solutions, scheduling, maintaining project schedule and mitigation of any delays. - 2. The Contractor will use state-of-the art test delivery/administration practices to ensure an efficient and reliable testing format that meets the requirements stated above in the general description. - 3. The Contractor will create, field test and validate an instrument in Chinese and Spanish to assess proficiency in listening, reading, and speaking between the Novice-Low to Intermediate-High levels (0 to 1+ in the ILR scale) using the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines. - A. The assessment tools shall segment areas for analysis, which will identify areas for improvement for the student, teacher or course developers. - B. The tools shall report results both on the ACTFL and ILR scales. The Contractor shall provide the methodology for determining scores, by segment and overall, and the equivalency formula used to translate ACTFL scores to ILR scores and vice versa. - C. The vendor will ensure that the testing instruments are divisible into two 50-minute segments for feasibility of administration to midshipmen/cadets. - D. The tools shall meet Department of Defense security standards and be compatible with information technology systems used in the Language Departments of all three academies. - E. The Service Academies' (USAFA, USMA, USNA) departments of Foreign Languages shall retain the right to edit or modify test items. The proposed contract will be a firm fixed price requirement contract with a one year delivery from date of award. This notice is designed to locate responsible sources who have an interest, and have the ability to supply the items described herein. Responsible vendors who are interested may contact James Dougherty, USAFA Contract Specialist, via e-mail at James.Dougherty@usafa.af.mil or Daniel D Moline, USAFA Contracting Officer, via email Daniel.Moline@usafa.af.mil, by 18 July 2010. Interested vendors must provide the company's name, a point of contact, contact information, and the size of the business (e.g., small, large), Cage code, and answers to the questions below. 1. Has your company ever developed a tool of this nature, or something similar? 2. Please provide a summary of your experience with developing a foreign language tool of this nature. 3. Are you able to complete all or part of this requirement? 4. How long have you been in business? 5. What size is your company? How many employees do you have? 6. What are your payment terms? 7. Are you a manufacturer/developer, or do you subcontract the work? 8. Have you ever performed government contracts? 9. What is your estimated lead-time to develop and delivery end product? 10. What is your rough magnitude of cost for this type of deliverable? Only responsible suppliers need respond. If you are not interest in supplying this item, no response is necessary. ** No telephone responses, please** NOTE: This requirement is contingent on the availability of funds. A statement of Objectives that are more detailed will accompany a solicitation. This sources sought is for planning purposes only and does not commit the government to pay for the information requested.