USAGM International Journalism Training Academy Support Services
PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR FULL DETAILS OF THIS REQUIREMENT. SECTION C - Description/Specifications/Statement of Work USAGM International Journalism Training Academy Suppor... PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR FULL DETAILS OF THIS REQUIREMENT. SECTION C - Description/Specifications/Statement of Work USAGM International Journalism Training Academy Support Services C.1.0 United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is a networked global media agency. The six entities that comprise the USAGM complement and reinforce one another in a shared mission vital to U.S. national interests: to inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy. Together, USAGM entities each week reach a combined weekly audience of more than 410 million people across the globe in more than 60 languages. The USAGM entities are: Voice of America (VOA) Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Radio Free Asia (RFA) Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) Open Technology Fund (OTF) C.2.0 Background USAGM’s mission of supporting freedom and democracy is defined by two overarching, long-term strategic goals: (1) expanding freedom of information and expression, and (2) sharing America’s democratic experience and values. The current CEO’s priorities are: Expand and improve USAGM’s content and its audiences’ access to content, Ensure journalistic independence for every broadcaster and entity, Bolster journalistic safety, security, training and ethics, Model transparency and accountability in everything USAGM does; and, Maintain mission focus. USAGM plans to develop training for journalists that will support these priorities and a future vision of establishing a journalism training academy for the organization. C.3.0 Period of Performance The period of performance of this BPA shall be five (5) years from the date of award, with five ordering periods of one (1) year each, as follows: Ordering Period One: (TBD) Ordering Period Two: (TBD) Ordering Period Three: (TBD) Ordering Period Four: (TBD) Ordering Period Five (TBD) C.4.0 Place of Performance The Contractor shall perform all work at the Contractor’s site location. Occasional in person meetings may be warranted at the Government’s facilities. In addition, when in-person training is required, the Contractor will be required to travel to the designated location. Therefore, the area of consideration for this BPA is Worldwide. Training locations will vary and will not be predetermined at the time a BPA is awarded. The place of performance for a planned training event will be selected by USAGM and made known to the Contractor at USAGM’s earliest opportunity. C.5.0 Scope of Work USAGM requires non-personal services necessary to perform professional development training services in support of its vision of establishing a journalism training academy as defined in this Performance Work Statement (PWS), except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The Contractor shall perform to the standards in this BPA. This PWS outlines the requirements for training course development, delivery (in-person) and facilitation of virtual training. The purpose of this BPA is to establish an agreement to support the training needs of the USAGM through the use of all available training methods and innovative customized course development (inclusive of multi-language options). The Contractor shall provide all necessary resources, expertise, and services to develop and facilitate high-quality training courses. C.5.1 Objective USAGM seeks to enhance the skills and capabilities of its workforce by procuring training and course development services. The training will be targeted towards, but not limited to, journalists, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and expertise to efficiently and effectively produce news stories. As courses are developed, USAGM’s objective is to enhance its workforce’s professional development through training. C.6.0 Tasks The Contractor shall provide all materials, personnel, confirmation of training completion, and all resources required to plan, advertise, schedule, and manage the registration and execution of all training courses for USAGM personnel. This BPA is broken down into four (4) TASKS as described below: C.6.1 TASK 1: Course Development C.6.1.1 The Contractor shall develop new courses, customize or modify existing Contractor’s courses based on the Call Order requirements, inclusive of specific language(s). This work may include integrating USAGM-specific case studies, scenarios, exercises, or crosswalk to ethical standards, laws, regulations, or policies. The Contractor shall develop training and provide the course design, templates, tools/applications and support, and final version (when applicable) to execute either Instructor Virtual Led or Virtual Self-paced courses. In the case of new courses, the Contractor must deliver a pilot session. Costs for the pilot session must be included in the price of course development, i.e. not separately priced. The COR shall provide written final approval before a course proceeds beyond the pilot stage. Post-pilot course changes and comments must be incorporated by the Contractor into the curriculum and materials. The Contractor must provide instructor(s), materials (electronic copies), and equipment/tools to conduct the pilot course. The COR shall provide written final approval before a newly developed course proceeds past the pilot state. Edits identified during the pilot and comments must be incorporated by the Contractor into the final course materials. USAGM reserves the right to change, modify, or add topics and other course criteria as it sees fit. C.6.2 TASK 2: Training Courses C.6.2.1 As courses are developed, the Contractor shall maintain a “Course Training Catalog” and identify those courses that are available 100% in a virtual environment, Instructor Led, or Self- taught (E.g., Stand-alone course, no instructor required for a student to complete the training). Additionally, the Instructor-led trainings shall accommodate a minimum of ten (10) students. No course shall be fully approved without COR authorization The Contractor shall provide a 100% web-based registration platform that includes the following functionalities: Course catalog for student review with course titles, descriptions, Continues Learning Points (CLPs), etc. Self-registration function The ability for students to change registration status post submission (drop/cancel training request or change to a different training or training date, etc.) Pending registration confirmation notice COR registration notice COR registration request approval/disapproval Training certificate access/download in PDF format Training transcript access/download in PDF format C.6.2.1.1 NOTE TO OFFEROR: USAGM is currently in the process of conducting market research for a new Learning Management System (LMS). Depending on the capabilities available to USAGM, after USAGM selects the successful Offeror the Contractor, after receiving an Order from USAGM, will be required to coordinate with the successful Offeror and transfer some, or all, of the activities/capabilities listed in Section C.6.2. C.6.2.2 Instructor Virtual Led Courses For Instructor Led courses, the Contractor shall provide instructors who are well-versed with subject matter (inclusive of specific language(s)) and up to date on the most recent applicable training subject(s) based on Contractor and instructor professional experience and publicly available information. USAGM reserves the right to change, modify, or add topics and other course criteria as it sees fit. In addition, see Section C.6.2.1.1. C.6.2.3 Virtual Self-paced Courses Virtual delivery platforms must be accessible without the need for added plug-ins or downloads and in accordance with the USAGM Office of the Chief Information Officer policy. The Contractor shall coordinate testing of said platform with the COR and a sample of USAGM employees prior to commencing classes to ensure that the web-based courses are accessible to the students. In addition, see Section C.6.2.1.1. C.6.2.4 Specific Course Requirements The Contractor shall provide courses that meet the following requirements: The courses shall include an exit exam to verify and validate that the training material taught was comprehended by the student. Exit exams should adjust based on the type, level and complexity of the subject matter taught during the training. All exit exams must allow multiple attempts to retake, minimum of three (3). Failed attempts must report to the student what questions were answered correctly and incorrectly, prior to allowing another attempt. A confirmation of successful training completion via issuance of training certificate of completion is provided at the successful completion of the course. All written and student provided course material is current with applicable laws and regulations. Course training materials are reviewed and updated annually. A survey form for the student to provide feedback and rate the course. C.6.3 TASK 3: Virtual Training Facilitation The Contractor shall facilitate virtual training courses, inclusive of the specific language(s), using a variety of interactive and engaging methods. The training facilitation shall include, but not is not limited to: Conducting live virtual training sessions using current web conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom for Government, but being able to use new platforms as new technologies emerge; Delivering pre-recorded training modules and videos; Facilitating virtual discussions, cases studies, and group activities; Providing real-time feedback and guidance to participants; Managing training materials and resources in a centralized online platform; and, USAGM reserves the right to change, modify, or add topics and other course criteria as it sees fit. C.6.4 TASK 4: In-Person Training Facilitation (Instructor-Led Courses) Each training is expected to last between 1-5 (one – five) days, depending on the topic. Each training day will cover at least 1 (one) and to 5 (five) different topics. Topics will be covered in 90-120 (ninety – one hundred and twenty) minute sessions, depending on the complexity. After most sessions, there will be a 15 (fifteen) minute break. Each training day will consist of a 1 (one) hour lunch break to be taken at the region’s standard time. The Contractor must coordinate and facilitate all logistical aspects of the training, including securing a location, parking, lodging, building access, materials, food (if necessary), transportation, conference area, equipment, etc., in order to execute a successful local and/or regional training. Contractor will ensure all assignments are completed on time and meet project deadlines as set by the USAGM delivery schedule in each issued Order. The Contractor shall facilitate in-person training courses, inclusive of the specific language(s), using a variety of interactive and engaging methods. The training facilitation shall include, but not is not limited to: Provide a detailed description of the course and the training agenda to be used; A comprehensive curriculum and corresponding materials that enable the topic to be understood by the training participants; Facilitating discussions, cases studies, and group dynamics; Variety of teaching techniques, methods, and learning activities; The most effective multimedia training materials (text, audio, and video) to teach the selected topic; and; USAGM reserves the right to change, modify, or add topics and other course criteria as it sees fit. C.7.0 Reports C.7.1 Class/Student Welcome Letter The Contractor, after receipt of attendance roster from the COR, shall provide a Class/Student Welcome Letter including course name, date, time, notification of pre-course requirements, and sign in instructions to all registered students and a copy to the COR. C.7.2 Course Materials and/or Directions for Pre-Course Assignments The Contractor shall provide electronic copies of all training materials, resources, and documentation used in the virtual training courses. These materials shall be made available to the organization for reference and future use (i.e., Course Materials and/or Directions for Pre-Course Assignments to all registered students) C.7.3 Student Training Status Report The Contractor shall provide a Student Training Status Report. Unless specified in the Call Order, the Student Training Status Report contents includes: An annotated Student Grade Roster. Contractor will indicate the final class attendance and status for each student on the roster. If they pass, annotate status successful completion status and issue a certificate of completion. If the student does not successfully complete the training, annotate the cause for unsuccessful completion (i.e., pre-course work, attendance, participation, exit exam, etc.) List of Students by Course “in training”. Failure rate of Each Course Summary of student feedback by course List of Courses and List of Materials updated to match latest requirements Issues/Recommendations Performance Metrics. The Contractor shall establish measurable performance metrics for each training method, including participant engagement rates, assessment scores, and feedback on the effectiveness of the training techniques employed. C.7.4 First Day Attendance Roster For Instructor-Led Courses, an annotated First Day Attendance Roster, which indicates Walk-in and/or no-shows. C.7.5 Students Certificates The Contractor shall provide a copy of the Students Certificates to the student and “cc” the COR within 48 hours of class ending C.7.6 Attestation and Evidence of Updated Course(s) Material The Contractor shall provide an Attestation and Evidence of Updated Course(s) Material following the publication of changes after the Contractor has completed the annual review and updates to the course training materials. C.7.7 Completed Survey Forms for Each Course The Contractor shall provide detailed reports on the evaluation of each training course, including participant feedback, assessment results, and recommendations for improvement. The reports shall be submitted to the COR within five (5) days, after the completion of each training course. C.7.8 Ad Hoc Reports As tasked, the Contractor shall submit an Ad Hoc Report with activities performed as requested by, and at the direction of the COR. C.7.9 In addition, see Section C.6.2.1.1. C.8 Personnel Qualifications C.8.1 The Contractor shall provide skilled personnel together with the supervisory, management and administrative services necessary to successfully meet the Government requirements. Minimum qualifications and typical duties of required Key Personnel are defined in the paragraphs below. All Key Personnel performing any issued Order shall meet the minimum requirements as specified herein. Disciplined Leadership and Organizational skills for successful completion of deliverables. Ability to foster teamwork and work collaboratively in a cross-functional, cross-agency setting. Experience in developing and leading communications programs and materials. Meeting facilitation and strategic planning experience. Superior verbal and written communication skills. Superior time management and organizational skills. Experience in working, and providing support services for training initiatives in large public or private organizations involving technology, in-person training, and other innovative delivery methods. Proficiency in office automation technologies e.g., Microsoft Office, MS Project, MS Visio, etc. C.9 Key Personnel Descriptions C.9.1 Project Director / Senior Subject Matter Expert (SME): Serves as a consultant to executive management and senior program leadership. This position is responsible for developing and directing others in the planning and delivering of the relevant set of functional and management services. In this role, assures new concepts are developed and implemented. Develops solutions to unusually complex problems which impact organization objectives. Expert in the use of relevant analytical, methodological, and management tools needed to organize, perform, and deliver the services being provided including human resources and social services. Provides thought leadership in the development of enterprise-wide or large-scale broadcast media operations and technology transformation services with high customer / user satisfaction outcomes. Ensures all provided models or views that show how the current and future needs of an organization will be met in an efficient, sustainable, agile, and adaptable manner. Demonstrates superior written and oral communication skills. Minimum Education: Master’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, or related disciplines on stated executive experience in working with stakeholders, both leadership and subject matter experts, design and align a future state architecture that has the organization's strategy, processes, information, and information technology assets to keep the desired business, customer experience and IT outcomes in alignment. Minimum years of experience: 12 C.9.2 Project Manager / SME: Leads large and/or complex project teams and provides services in one or more relevant service areas, including: consulting services, human resource services, social services, and program integration and project management services. Expert in the use of relevant analytical, methodological, and management tools needed to organize, perform and deliver the human resources and/or social services being provided. Minimum Education: Master’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 10. C.10 Support Personnel Descriptions C.10.1 Project Manager / Tech Lead: Serves as project manager for a task order and assists with working with the Government Contracting Officer (CO), the contract?level Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), the task order?level COR(s), government management personnel and customer agency representatives. Under the guidance of the Program Manager or corporation, responsible for the overall management of the task order and ensures that the technical solutions and schedules in the project are implemented in a timely manner. Provides leadership to project team, ensures conformance to performance requirements, and assists in the overall direction to all project level activities and personnel. Minimum Education: Master’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 8. C.10.2 Task Lead: Provides leadership and technical direction to the team. Interacts with the client and provides advice and counsel and develops solutions to complex methodological problems. Provides technical quality control and oversight for team products and deliverables. Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, business or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 6. C.10.3 Senior Associate: Works independently under general supervision. Position requires a solid background in the technical area of expertise and/or quantitative skills, and good writing and communication skills. Structures an approach to project analysis requirements, and conducts and coordinates. Supervises junior staff. Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, business or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 5. C.10.4 Junior Associate: An advisor to senior management on industry best practices, methods, and approaches. Applies and develops of new concepts, methods, and techniques to obtain solutions. Plans and arranges schedule and budget for a project. Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, business or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 4. C.10.5 Senior Research Support: Provides expertise to significant and unique issues where the analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of hard and soft information. Exercises independent judgment in developing research methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Coordinates the activities of groups and often supervises the activities of other project staff. Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, business or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 2. C.10.6 Junior Research Support: Provides technical personnel with assistance in research, writing, and computer applications. Performs data collection, including acquiring data from clients per arrangements made by the task or contract manager, and data entry. Assists in the preparation and development of technical reports, deliverable products, and client briefings. Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, business or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 1. C.10.7 Administrative Support: This position requires general experience and capabilities supporting project teams. Capable of working with close supervision to provide support for: typing, copying, and meeting scheduling and similar related activities. Minimum Education: High School Diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience in social science, public policy, business or related disciplines. Minimum years of experience: 1. C.11 Travel Travel may be required to support the requirements of this BPA and as stated in any issued Orders. For those Orders requiring travel, the Contractor must include estimated travel requirements in its quote as required by the Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO). All travel shall be in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) [as applicable] and all lodging shall be at or below allowable, published lodging rates for the respective locality, unless an exception applies. The Contractor is required to ensure good stewardship of travel funds, and shall seek rates lower than the approved FTR lodging rates whenever possible. C.12 Other Direct Costs / Ancillary Support Services and/or Products Other Direct Costs (ODCs) and Ancillary Support Services and/or Products are defined as integral and necessary to complete a total integrated solution under a requirement within the scope of this BPA. Sub-areas include, but are not limited to, professional and/or non-professional services, commercial and/or non-commercial items, products, equipment (leased or purchased), IT services and/or components, administrative support, data entry, and subject matter expertise. The Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO) may allow and the Contractor may propose a labor category or labor categories at the Order level not identified in Sections C.8 through C.10 – Personnel Qualifications of the RFP, provided that the Contractor complies with all applicable contract clauses and labor laws, including the Service Contract Labor Standards or the Davis Bacon Act, if applicable. If the OCO approves the Contractor’s proposed labor and price, the Contractor may include in its invoice, ODC’s incurred in performance of the contract. OCOs are authorized to include products in their requirements so long as the products are required for the performance of the services being ordered. C.13 Data Rights The USAGM shall have unlimited rights in all data delivered under this BPA and resulting orders, and in all data first produced in the performance of this BPA and resulting orders. Unlimited rights means the perpetual rights of USAGM to use, disclose, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, in any manner and for any purpose, and to have or permit others to do so. Data means recorded information, regardless of form or the media on which it may be recorded. The term includes technical data and computer software. The Contractor shall indemnify USAGM and its officers, agents, and employees acting for USAGM against any liability, including costs and expenses, incurred as the result of the violation of trade secrets, copyrights, or right of privacy or publicity, arising out of the creation, delivery, publication, or use of any data furnished under this contract; or any libelous or other unlawful matter contained in such data. See FAR Clause 52-227-17 Special Works, which is hereby fully incorporated into this RFP, and any resulting BPA and Orders.
Data sourced from SAM.gov.
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