SOURCES SOUGHT
69 -- USDA's Team AgLearn Management System
- Notice Date
- 3/23/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 611430
— Professional and Management Development Training
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Office of Procurement and Property Management, Procurement Operations Division, 300 7th Street, S.W., Room 377, Reporters Building, Washington, District of Columbia, 20024
- ZIP Code
- 20024
- Solicitation Number
- 032310
- Archive Date
- 4/15/2010
- Point of Contact
- Shirley A Fortune, Phone: (202) 720-1666, Jerome Davin, Phone: (202) 694-0006
- E-Mail Address
-
shirley.fortune@da.usda.gov, Jerome.Davin@ocio.usda.gov
(shirley.fortune@da.usda.gov, Jerome.Davin@ocio.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- USDA 's Team AgLearn Request for Information Introduction Learning content published on the AgLearn Learning Management System (LMS) is required to be validated as Section 508 compliant and SCORM/AICC conformant. The AgLearn program management office is seeking to identify vendors that can produce eLearning content that is validated as Section 508 compliant and that allows all students, regardless of ability, to take the same version of the training (e.g., does not require hearing or visually impaired students to take an alternate, less interactive version of the training). The vendor's development tool must also produce eLearning content that is validated AICC or SCORM conformant. The tool should allow for audio, video, and mid-level interactivity (e.g., knowledge checks and sequencing, etc. but not necessarily simulation, which is high-level). If the software is hosted outside of the USDA firewall, the vendor must provide C&A and SCAP documentation on the hosted system. In their response to this RFI, vendors should provide a suggested management plan describing how the software will be implemented and supported within the USDA. Vendors should also include a plan for training developers, and identify plans for software maintenance and continued performance support. General Solution for Editing & Maintenance Requirements The solution must provide the following: eLearning output must be AICC and/or SCORM 1.2 compliant and shown as tested to work with the AgLearn Learning Management System (LMS). The Solution must include a means of importing PowerPoint content where the imported text and graphics are be editable by non-programmers. A means of integrating third-party (or "custom") Adobe Flash components into the course. Not every technology that produces Flash output is capable of producing accessible, compliant content. For tools that do enable compliance and control over tab order, etc., the solution should include a means of integration into the eLearning course. Account for screen reader support, screen magnification tools and voice recognition navigation and execution of eLearning. Learners must be able to execute all aspects of the resulting eLearning (e.g. answer assessment questions) without mouse movement. The ability for non-programmers to maintain the Section 508 compliant content. Department has a wide variety of personnel that need to create and maintain Section 508 compliant eLearning and the solution must enable both programmers and non-programmers the ability to edit the content. eLearning output shall provide a well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be exposed so that adaptive technology can track focus and focus changes. All eLearning elements (forms, sliders, checkboxes, toolbars, scroll bars, buttons, bitmap images, etc.) must be identifiable and describable by assistive technologies. eLearning output cannot negate, disable, or otherwise disrupt the proper operation of any operating system or third-party vendor accessibility enhancement features/applications. eLearning output shall have form elements, their contents, and the form's overall purpose sufficiently understood by adaptive technologies, especially screen readers, to successfully complete the form. The ability for non-programmers t o create interactive tr aining content. The ability for non-programmers t o create slides and practice scenarios. The ability for non-programmers t o include video and audio files in training. eLearning output must contain a glossary function. The ability for developers to preview training as a student would see it. The ability for non-programmers to create links to external resources from training. The ability for non-programmers t o create review questions throughout the courseware. These questions would be distinct from the test questions and should not be included in total score nor should they prevent the ability to receive a module completion. Implementation Requirements To support implementation of the solution, USDA has the following requirements. Training for Department personnel on how to utilize technologies associated with the solution. Solution must provide for customized training and/or professional services to assist the Department with implementation outside of "standard training" described above. LCMS-like Requirements •· The tool should provide a collaborative web-based authoring site online that all members of the development team can access and one that enables subject matter experts (nonprogrammers) to directly contribute to the development and review process. •· The tool should also allow for reuse of existing assets and management of new content development. The ability for multiple users from around the Department to contribute to the development of the course. Access to the course during creation must be managed via roles and permissions. Versioning control is also a must. The Solution shall not require installation of software on Department desktop computers, but have a web-based interface. USDA requires the solution to be easily and cost effectively scalable across the Department and sub-organizations within. This shall include the ability to manage a range of contributors and associated content across and by sub-organization. Supported Section 508 Functionality The development tool must be able to support the specific Section 508 requirements stated below: •§ Keyboard access - All elements that can be accessed by mouse must be keyboard accessible for non-mouse users. •§ Built-in color contrast options - if color and contrast settings are adjustable, a variety of settings must be available and shall not override the user's selected contrast, color selections and other individual display attributes. •§ Animation alternative - The animation must not be the only way to convey information. •§ Color dependence - Information provided by color must also be available in text. •§ Flickering elements - Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements between 2 Hz and 55 Hz, for Web Standards no blinking elements are allowed. •§ Labels - All elements must have Name, Role and State information that can be accessed by assistive technologies, such as screen readers and speech recognition tools. Web forms must use explicit form labels to provide an accurate Name. •§ Text equivalents - Images, animations, graphs, and audio files must have equivalent descriptions for screen reader users. Decorative images that do not convey information should not be announced by a screen reader. Images must be used consistently throughout the application for users with cognitive disabilities. •§ Audio and Video - Must have accurate transcript/synchronized captions. •§ Style sheet dependence - A page must be readable and functional without the developer's style sheet. •§ Data tables - Data table column and row headers must be identified. •§ Descriptive titles for frames - Frame Titles must be descriptive so the content of the frame is obvious to aid screen reader navigation. •§ OS Accessibility Features - use of the application must not interrupt user's accessibility functions and must adopt operating system appearance attributes. •§ Provide plug-in links - Links must be provided to download plug-ins required to view file types that will not display in the browser. •§ Skip repetitive navigation links - There must be a method to skip past the repetitive navigation links. •§ Timed response - The user must be alerted that time is about to expire and be allowed to request more time. •§ Forms - Form fields must be explicitly labeled for screen readers to read aloud the correct information so a user can complete the forms. Speech recognition software also relies on form field labels. •§ Client-side image maps - application shall be able to provide client-side image maps that include the creation of alt text for both images and hot spots. •§ Scripting - If scripting language is utilized to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology •§ Redundant text links - a method to create links for each active region of a server-side image map shall be provided •§ Focus -A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that assistive technology can track focus and focus changes. •§ Bitmap Images - When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, a method shall be provided to assign consistent meaning to the images throughout the application's performance. •§ Textual Information - a method for textual information to be displayed through operating system functions for displaying text shall be provided. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes. •§ Markup - Data table cells must be able to be associated with the appropriate headers (e.g. with the ID, Headers, Scope, and/or axis attributes). ITAC Requirements Department requires an eLearning framework that is based on independent third-party audit and certification (ITAC) of Section 508 compliance. The following are requirements associated with third party audit and certification: An eLearning solution that that provides independent third-party audit and certification (ITAC) of Section 508 standards of its eLearning output. The third-party performing the audit and certification of the components must be executed by a reputable Section 508 firm with no less than 5-years in business and at least 10 complete eLearning audit and certifications. Vendor must provide credentials for third-party auditor and certifier including contact information and date the audit and certification were completed. ITAC components must include compliance and usability review of an overall instructional design paradigm for accessible eLearning. ITAC solution must include compliance and usability review of the logical progression through an entire course. "Logical progression" must account for a minimum of all "tab order", "focus" and "feedback" elements of a course within the overall instructional design paradigm. ITAC must include compliance and usability review of individual page content including but not limited to: page text, graphics (access to alt-text) and navigational elements embedded in the text (e.g. links, and glossary terms). ITAC must include compliance and usability review of scored and un-scored assessments that are presented within the context of a single course. Course must enable delivery of "content" pages, and multiple scored/un-scored assessments as one solitary course unit. Scored and un-scored assessments must include compliant and useable presentation of a variety of question types including but not limited to: fill-in-the-blank, matching, ordered list, and multiple-choice. ITAC solution must include compliance and usability review of integration of audio script for courseware that has audio components. As implied, any given page of content may utilize "voice over" audio - ITAC must account for presentation and navigation of audio script as necessary. ITAC solution must include compliance and usability review of keyboard navigation of all courseware elements where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually. Keyboard functionality must account for short-cut keys, standard adaptive technology support in addition to general course navigation. ITAC must include compliance and usability review of learner help system that accounts for "accessible technology".
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/OPPM/POD/032310/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, District of Columbia, 20250, United States
- Zip Code: 20250
- Zip Code: 20250
- Record
- SN02100598-W 20100325/100324000228-66b756b990d287b28b0f90bf0ed6afeb (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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