U -- COMPREHENSIVE COURSE OF ADVANCED RUSSIAN LANGUAGE STUDIES

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) intends to negotiate and award a sole source contract to Moscow State University for Russian Language Immersion Training. The training will be conducted in Moscow, Russia by an internationally accredited source of higher learning. Training shall consist of four (4) distinctly different courses. Each course shall be two weeks in duration, shall consist of 60 classroom hours, and at least six (6) evening and/or weekend day cultural activities. Up to 50 students will be trained per year (12-month period). The total number of classes to be conducted is not expected to exceed 25 per 12-month period. Each class will have no more than 4 students per class and no less than 2 students per class. The courses shall consist of advanced Russian language studies programs, contemporary Russian society studies, and cultural orientation programs. The four courses are described as follows: 1. Course I. An advanced Russian Language course incorporating lectures on the humanities and political science. Course subjects include: intonation and phonetics, lexicon and grammar, mass media, Russian civilization, political history, national security, plus a cultural orientation program. The duration of the course will be two weeks. 2. Course II. A continuation of Course I, this course is an advanced Russian language course incorporating lectures on the humanities and political science. Course subjects include: intonation and phonetics, lexicon and grammar, Russian newspapers, socioeconomic, "hot spots", international relations and national security, plus a cultural orientation program. The duration of the course will be two weeks. 3. Course III. An intensive consecutive interpretation course incorporating advanced Russian language classes. Course subjects include: oral interpreting drills, sight translation, morphology, syntax, semantics, lexicon, and phraseology. The duration of the course will be two weeks. 4. Course IV. An intensive Russian language course designed to increase the student's knowledge of Russian grammar and improve their command of the Russian language. The course will incorporate an initial Russian language placement test in order to tailor the course to the level of the students. Course subjects include phonetics, word formation, morphology, syntax, semantics, lexicon, phraseology and a cultural orientation program. The duration of the course will be two weeks. The entire training program includes all in-country transportation services (to and from airport, local travel for cultural events, etc.), development of curriculum, all materials, instruction, cultural orientation program, and student lodging. The period of performance will be from on or about 1 April 2004 through 31 March 2005 for the base year, and four (4) option years. The courses shall consist of advanced Russian language studies programs, contemporary Russian society studies, and cultural orientation programs. This is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties have fifteen (15) days from the date of publication of this synopsis to submit in writing, to the identified point of contact, clear and convincing evidence of their qualifications and/or capabilities to provide the subject services. Such qualifications and/or capabilities shall be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Responses received after fifteen (15) days, or without the required information, will be considered non-responsive to this notice and will not be considered. Information submitted should not exceed five typewritten pages. A determination by the Government not to conduct this effort as a full and open competitive procurement, based upon the responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. All inquiries must be submitted in writing to the address above or via the facsimile number stated herein and to the attention of the Contract Specialist or Contracting Officer cited above. Responses to this notice shall include the interested parties business name, point of contact, address, telephone number, email address and the qualifications/capabilities documentation. Telephone requests or inquiries will not be accepted. Inquiries may be faxed to (703) 767-4691. If no responses are received, a contract will be negotiated and awarded to Moscow State University for subject services.