R -- Language Proficiency Interviews

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The closing date and time for receipt of proposals is Monday, March 7, 2005 at 10:00AM ET (local time), 1111 20th Street; Room 4414; Washington, DC 20526; Attn: Jennifer Shell, Contracting Officer, (202) 692-1713. The NAICS Code is 813920 and the small business size standard is $6,000,000. The solicitation number is PC-05-R-005 and is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP). The Peace Corps intends to award a firm fixed price contract to be completed within 5 months of award. The Peace Corps Language Proficiency Interview (PC LPI) is an important assessment tool used by all Peace Corps posts around the world to evaluate the speaking ability of Trainees before they become volunteers, during their service, and at the end of their stay in-country. The interview is closely modeled by the ACTFL OPI and uses the ACTFL Guidelines as the assessment criteria. With this testing Peace Corps responds to the Congressional Mandate (1961) that - No persons shall be assigned to duty as volunteers in any foreign country or area unless at the time of such assignment they possess such reasonable proficiency as their assignment requires in speaking the language of the country or area to which they are assigned. The training materials used are being upgraded in order to present consistently high quality of training to all posts in English, French and Spanish, as well as to reflect Peace Corps identity and mission in connection to the language teaching program. The new materials must follow the PC LPI protocol, and offer optimal samples of testing techniques. The ratings of the new recordings should correspond to the new ACTFL Guidelines (revised in 1999 and available on the Internet) and to the structure and protocol Peace Corps teaches, as described in the new workshop Manual (now in preparation and available to the successful contractor). The goal is to use these new materials to assist the field in the preparation of better qualified testers who will then administer more accurate testing programs. The contractor shall: 1) Create a maximum of 15 hours, minimum of 10 hours, of new digital videos of valid sample interviews for training in the PC LPI Workshop in Spanish, English, and French (10 interviews each = 30 interviews) Maximum length of each interview: 30 minutes; maximum total recording per language: 5 hours. A VHS copy of the video should be included; 2) Create a maximum of 15 hours, minimum of 10 hours, of new master digital audio recordings in Spanish, English and French for the PC LPI practice cassettes that accompany the Workshop Manual (10 interviews each = 30 interviews) Maximum length of each interview: 30 minutes; maximum total recording per language: 5 hours; 3) Create new master digital audio recordings in Spanish, English, and French for the workshop testing (5 interviews each = 15 interviews) ratings shall require final approval from Peace Corps. Maximum length of each interview: 30 minutes; 4) Collateral Materials - The contractor will include a rationale for rating of each interview in writing. It should describe each interview in terms of structure and evaluation. All documents should be print-ready and delivered on disk in PC MS Word format so that Peace Corps may edit the materials for size or content when necessary. The target audience of the program is the language testers and teachers from Peace Corps at posts in more than 70 countries. Many in this audience are second language learners of English, Spanish or French, or speak a particular regional dialect that will make the American pronunciation a foreign language. Therefore, clarity in pronunciation and recording is particularly important. Testers and interviewees in the recordings should represent a diversified group in terms of gender, age, and ethnic background. While interviewees may be repeated in different languages, a variety of testers should be used for each language collection. While interviewees must be selected so that all proficiency levels are represented in the master, the preference choice of testers should be guided by their experience as proficiency testers. All testers must be ACTFL Tester certified in order to conduct the testing. Due to the time-sensitive nature of the final products, deadlines will be a critical aspect of this contract. These recordings must be developed in high quality and content so that the materials can service the multicultural and international audiences of Peace Corps, and remain applicable for many years to come. Applicability is defined in the following categories: Quality of the interviews: 1) Clear structure, easily ratable content; 2) Length of each interview will vary according to the level. No interview should be longer than 30 minutes; 3) Quality of recording should be of the best quality available, with clear voices and clear pronunciation, no background sounds, and without static or background - rain; 4) Second rated and reviewed for structure requirements, topic choices, quality of recording; 5) Quality assurance by blind second rating to certify that each interview rating corresponds to the appropriate level in the ACTFL Guideline. Choice of topics of conversation: 1) Culturally appropriate/universal; 2) Material should not make reference to dated events that will mark the recording as done in 2005 (no references to recent events, films or dates); 3) Peace Corps oriented; 4) Politically correct: no reference to name of functionaries that may change, or issues that may offend or surprise other cultures (i.e. abortion, gun control, etc); 5) Internationally oriented so that the international audience will understand (no particular references to local American culture such as video games, dating among youngsters, college life, etc); 6) No reference to controversial or sensitive topics that may offend a conservative international audience (religion, sex preferences, euthanasia, etc); 7) Topics should be rich and interesting, and serve as good suggestions for testers. The variation of topics should be present from one interview to the other so that the recordings are not repetitive, since all will be heard in a short period of time by the same audience. Peace Corps has final authorization of all topics. Other Requirements: 1) Interview evaluation form will be provided as evaluation guide provided by Peace Corps to the successful contractor; 2) Signed release from both interviewer and interviewee that allows Peace Corps to use the recordings indefinitely; 3) Final revision by the Language Testing Specialist at Peace Corps. Masters will be cut individually for each interview and labeled accordingly. Video recording should be done with a minimum of two cameras. Final master should be on one compact video disk and VHS tape per language. Audio recordings should be delivered in digital master only. Final digital audio master should be delivered divided by language per disk. Testing recordings should be separate from practice tapes. Ratings should not appear on the recording. The rationale/description (see Collateral Material) should include the final ratings of the interviews. Anticipated Masters Delivery Date: Contractor will shoot interviews June 2005 through July 2005. Final digital audio deliverable by July 25th, 2005. Digital and VHS video masters deliverable by August 29th, 2005. The delivery address for all deliverables is: Peace Corps, 1111 20th Street; Washington, DC 20526. Review Process: The Contractor shall perform edits and submit final copy to the Peace Corps for review and approval before approved deadline. The final version of video recording must be submitted for review in two formats: one DVD and one VHS. The final version of audio recordings must be submitted for review in one format: CD. All delivered recordings must be reviewed and approved by Peace Corps prior to final acceptance. Legal Requirements: The Contractor will ensure that all copyrights, waivers and other legal requirements are met regarding the rights of Peace Corps to use the recordings in perpetuity, with unlimited rights. The Contractor may be required, at no additional cost to the government, to perform one major revision and one minor revision of individual deliverables before Peace Corps representatives accept a final version. Criteria for acceptance of the above deliverables includes, but is not limited to: 1) Quality of video image: including focus, stability and accuracy of flesh tones, uniformity and accuracy of colors, clothing, and presentation of recording studio. Video must be free from damage, scratches and image interference; 2) Quality of Sound: including uniformity of sound levels, clarity of narration and ambient sounds, proper balance between music tracks, sound effect tracks, narration and ambient sound; 3) Quality of presentation: all presentations shall be free of error, clear, optimized for print per Peace Corps instructions; 4) Design and layout of materials conveying a consistent message and an integrated appearance, which includes consistent colors, fonts and text; 5) Compliance to the requirements stated above. This solicitation is for creative production only. Contractor will not be responsible for any duplication printing and/or distribution of the finished materials. Rights - Important Note: All materials produced under this contract become the exclusive property of the Peace Corps. Peace Corps will provide rights to Contractor to share the materials if it will decrease cost. PRICE/COST: The contractor shall be paid, upon submission of proper vouchers, and acceptance of deliverables, the amounts specified in the accepted proposal, as full consideration for all effort provided herein. Deliverable 1) Digital Videos (one DVD and one VHS) $_________. Deliverable 2) Digital Audio Recording for practice tapes $________. Deliverable 3) Digital Audio Recordings for testing tape $_________. Deliverable 4) Collateral Material $__________. This solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-27. 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. Offeror's shall include in their proposal to the Government at least 3 samples of previous videos/audio recordings that are close to the specifications of the Peace Corps. Offerors shall submit two separate proposals: one technical (including samples) and one cost. The technical proposal shall be limited to 5 pages (not including samples or resumes) and one cost. The offeror shall submit four (4) copies of the technical proposal and two (2) copies of the price proposal. 52.212.-2 Evaluation - Commercial Items, para (a) is filled in as follows: The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offerors: 1) Prior relevant experience (include at least 3 companies which can be contacted for past performances. This should include the company name, contact person, phone number and brief description of the effort), 2) Quality of Samples, 3) Personnel Qualifications and 4) Price. All evaluation factors, other than price, when combined are significantly more important than price. Offerors must include a completed copy of 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with their offer. 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items and 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes of Executive Orders-Commercial Items apply to this acquisition.