SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Machine Foreign Language Translation System (MFLTS) Follow-on Capabilities
- Notice Date
- 8/26/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541930
— Translation and Interpretation Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC - APG (W909MY) Belvoir, 2461 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia, 22331, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22331
- Solicitation Number
- W909MY-16-R-A025
- Archive Date
- 10/12/2016
- Point of Contact
- Wanda Noblin, , Rosetta Wisdom-Russell,
- E-Mail Address
-
wanda.m.noblin.civ@mail.mil, rosetta.wisdom-russell.civ@mail.mil
(wanda.m.noblin.civ@mail.mil, rosetta.wisdom-russell.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION: No award will be made as a result of this request. This Request for Information (RFI) is for informational purposes only; this is not a Request for Proposals (RFP), or Request for Quotations (RFQ). No solicitation document exists and formal solicitation may or may not be issued by the Government as a result of the responses to this RFI. The Government will not be liable for payment of any response preparation expenses and is in no way obligated by the information received. The information provided may be used by the Army in developing a future contracting strategy, Performance Work Statement, and/or Performance Based Specification(s). Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. NOTE: The use of a RFI Number W909MY-16-R-A025 is for tracking purposes only. BACKGROUND/DESCRIPTION: Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground-Fort Belvoir (ACC-APG-Belvoir) is conducting market research on behalf of Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S), Product Director, Machine Foreign Language Translation System (PD, MFLTS) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. MFLTS consists of open architecture software and language component software modules. MFLTS is a software only capability that provides an automated foreign speech and text translation capability in order to augment and complement limited human linguistic resources across all Army echelons in all environments. The MFLTS software application resides on portable, mobile and web-enabled host hardware. Initial MFLTS capability supports translation of two spoken languages (Pashto, Iraqi Arabic), one written language (Modern Standard Arabic) and two language domains (Checkpoint Operations & Base Security). In the future MFLTS will continue improvements: with new languages, additional language domains, and technical improvements throughout the product's Total Life Cycle. As a result of a fair opportunity competition, the Government anticipates competitively awarding a follow-on developmental five year, multiple award, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to developers of language translation products and/or technology enhancements to develop MFLTS capabilities. This RFI seeks to identify sources that have an interest and are capable to provide these follow-on capabilities within the Government owned MFLTS open software architecture. Vendors should refer to the following MFLTS software architecture documentation, which is available upon vendor request: 1. MFLTS Technical Requirements Document Volume 1: Architecture Specification; 2. MFLTS Technical Requirements Document Volume 2: CILABL Application and Language Component Development Guide; 3. MFLTS Software Development Kit (SDK) and Sample Language Components (LCs). Requests for MFLTS software architecture documentation must be sent via e-mail to Wanda Noblin, Contract Specialist, at wanda.m.noblin.civ@mail.mil, cc Rosetta Wisdom-Russell, Contracting Officer, at rosetta.wisdom-russell.civ@mail.mil, and George Smith, Technical POC, at george.w.smith306.civ@mail.mil. No request via telephone will be accepted. Include RFI number W909MY-16-R-A025 in the subject line and the following information: 1. Vendor Name: 2. Address: 3. CAGE Code: 4. POC Name, Phone # and email: REQUIREMENTS: Note: Vendors are encouraged to address any and all requirements that align with their capabilities. Vendors may address all requirements, if applicable, or may limit their responses to individual requirement(s) as appropriate. 1.0 Language Modules 1.1. Two-way Speech-to-Speech (S2S) Translation Capability - Capability to deliver two-way S2S language modules at the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) level of 1 for the prioritized languages shown below. (Refer to http://www.govtilr.org/ for additional information on ILR skill level descriptions). 1.2. Two-way Text-to-Text (T2T) Translation Capability - Capability to deliver two-way T2T language modules at the ILR level of 1+ and providing two-way T2T translation capability for electronic text (e.g. softcopy documents, scanned and photographic images, web pages, electronic storage devices, e-mail), and machine-printed paper documents, for the prioritized languages shown below. Note: New languages will be developed at a rate of two (2) new language starts per year. Each new language will include both S2S and T2T modules (except as noted below). Development cycle time for a new language module is estimated to be 24 months, to include contractor qualification testing as well as Government Acceptance Testing. Prioritized languages for development are: 1. Dari, Farsi; 2. Urdu, Yemeni Arabic (S2S only); 3. Levantine Arabic (S2S only), Korean; 4. Egyptian Arabic (S2S only), Gulf Arabic (S2S only); 5. Mandarin, Tagalog; 6. Hausa, Thai. 1.3. S2S Surge Capability - Capability to deliver two-way S2S language modules within 60 days of task order award, given off-the-shelf linguistic resources (speech translations in defined domains and/or existing language components) and limited language data collection that can be productized, in order to deliver a militarily useful translation capability to meet immediate operational need. 1.4. T2T Surge Capability - Capability to deliver two-way T2T language modules within 60 days of task order award, given off-the-shelf linguistic resources (text translations in defined domains and/or existing language components) and limited language data collection that can be productized, in order to deliver a militarily useful translation capability to meet immediate operational need. 2.0 Language Data Collection Capability to perform the collection, processing, transcription, and documentation of language data needed to implement S2S and T2T language modules. Vendor should discuss if capability resides in-house or will be subcontracted; if subcontracted, identity preferred subcontractor(s). 3.0 Language Domains Capability to deliver translation capability tailored for mission specific operations within the prioritized domains shown below. Note: A domain is defined as a specific set of tasks for which there is a specified lexicon. All domain development will include domain specific (e.g., military, medical) terminology, jargon, and acronyms. The Government will provide domain data (English side only) as Government Furnished Information (GFI). Chosen vendor(s) would then perform the translation, transcription (where appropriate), annotation, and alignment to develop aligned parallel corpora. Prioritized language domains for development are: 1. Counter-insurgency (COIN), Convoy Operations, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defense (CBRN), Combat Lifesaving, Internment and Detention 2. Basic Combat Training, Humanitarian Relief; 3. Civil/Military Police Training, Law Enforcement; 4. Civil Affairs, Mission Command; 5. Medical (Health Care Facility), Logistics Support; 6. Information Operations, Military Information-Support Operations (MISO). 4.0 Technical Improvements Note: Presented as a list of prioritized follow-on improvements which the Government implements based on technology readiness and funding: 4.1. Chat Translation - capability to conduct immediate text translation within Department of Defense (DoD) approved multi-national coalition chat programs. 4.2 Advanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) - capability to provide OCR with a Word Error Rate (WER) of 10% or lower for English and 15% or lower for foreign languages and processing speed equivalent to 500 words per minute or greater. 4.3. OCR for handwriting - capability to perform OCR for hand written documents. 4.4. Speech-to-Text (S2T) translation - one-way S2T translation capability to process streaming audio (e.g., from television broadcasts and multimedia files and audio tracks from intercepted voice communications) from target language to English at an ILR level of 1+. 4.5. Automated language and dialect recognition for speech and text for all previously developed languages. 5.0 Software Support Services Capability to provide software services to support integration into the MFLTS baseline and post-delivery software maintenance for any delivered software components and to facilitate transition to Government sustainment. RESPONSES: All responsible sources are requested to identify their interest and capabilities by submitting a White Paper response. White Papers must be no longer than twenty (20) pages and must be in a Microsoft Word compatible format or Portable Document Format (PDF), with the following parameters: 1. Font: Arial (All Text) 2. Font Size (Narrative): 12pt 3. Font Size (Figures & Tables): no less than 8pt 4. Font Color: Automatic (Body Text & Headings) 5. Line Spacing (minimum): Single (1.0) 6. Page Size: 8.5" x 11" 7. Page Margin (Word): 1" Left, right, top, bottom 8. Page Number Location: Bottom Center White Paper responses MUST include the following: Provide the following information about your company. If submitting a team response, please include the requested information for all companies on the team. a) Company Name b) Point of Contact, Phone Number, Email Address c) Company Address d) Website (if available) e) Contact Phone Number f) Business Type (e.g., Large Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-owned Small Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business) g) NAICS code(s) and business size h) Cage Code and DUNS Number Note: Please identify your company's small business size standard based on the primary North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code of 541930 and 1 secondary NAICS code of 334220. The Small Business Size Standard for this NAICS code is $7 million. For more information, refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards. 1. Brief summary of the company, of no more than 3 paragraphs. 2. If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the SB subcategories as stipulated in above, then is your company interested in a prime contract for the above requirements? 3. Under the current SB recertification regulations, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business, under primary NAICS 334220? If you are a SB answer questions 3A & B. All others skip to Question #4. a) If your company is awarded the contract, will you be able to perform at least 50% (percent) of the work? b) If you are a small business, can you go without a payment for 90 days? 4. Does your firm possess an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system? 5. Does your company have experience as a prime contractor administering Multiple Award Contracts (MACs)? 6. If you answered "yes" to Question # 7, please provide as much of the following information as possible; a) MAC contract number(s); b) aggregate dollar value of entire MAC contract; c) aggregate dollar value of task orders you prime on each MAC; d) number of task orders you prime on MAC; e) Is the work on each MAC similar in scope to that of above requirements? 7. Does your company possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of services called for in the above requirements? ______ YES _______ NO 8. If you answered YES to Question # 7, please provide specific capabilities and examples for how your company can provide these services. 9. If you answered NO to Question # 7, please list what services in the above requirements your company can provide? Please provide specific capabilities and examples. 10. Is your company planning on business arrangements with other companies, please list the process used in selecting the members? 11. Please provide details regarding proposed joint ventures, teaming arrangements, strategic alliances, or other business arrangements to satisfy the above requirements. Offerors are encouraged to identify teams, indicating each team member's size based upon the NAICS code of the work that the team member may be doing. 12. Is your company currently providing similar services to another government agency (you may also include contract #s for government) or other non-government customer? If so, please identify the agency or non-government customer. If you are unwilling to share your customer's identity, please address whether your company offers the same or similar services commercially. 13. Has your Company performed this type of effort or similar type effort (to include size and complexity) in the past, if so provide Contract Number, Point of Contact (POC), e-mail address, phone number, and a brief description of your direct support of the effort? 14. What are the core competencies of your employees that would support the above requirements? Also, provide the total number of individuals currently employed by your company that are capable of supporting the above requirements. 15. Does your company have a SECRET facility or access to one should it be required. 16. Do all the employees that would support the above requirements have a SECRET Clearance? 17. Please provide discussion of vendor's capability and specific technical approach to providing the requirement(s) outlined above. (In this section vendor should individually address all requirements that align with their capabilities). Note: All proposed vendor solutions must be capable of being implemented within the MFLTS software architecture, as described in the MFLTS software architecture documentation. NO TELEPHONIC INQUIRIES WILL BE HONORED. White Papers shall be submitted via email to Wanda Noblin, Contract Specialist, at wanda.m.noblin.civ@mail.mil, cc Rosetta Wisdom-Russell, Contracting Officer, at rosetta.wisdom-russell.civ@mail.mil, and George Smith, Technical POC, at george.w.smith306.civ@mail.mil within 30 calendar days of the date of this notice. Include RFI number W909MY-16-R-A025 in the subject line. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: Vendors may submit supplemental material, in the form of briefings, product descriptions, data sheets, information papers, etc. as desired. Supplemental material is not subject to page limitations or format restrictions. Supplemental material shall be submitted through one of the following: 1. In writing by e-mail to Wanda Noblin, Contract Specialist, at wanda.m.noblin.civ@mail.mil, cc Rosetta Wisdom-Russell, Contracting Officer, at rosetta.wisdom-russell.civ@mail.mil, and George Smith, Technical POC, at george.w.smith306.civ@mail.mil. Include RFI number W909MY-16-R-A025 in the subject line. 2. U.S. mail to ACC-APG - Washington, ATTN: Rosetta Wisdom-Russell, 10205 Burbeck Road, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5863; or 3. Facsimile to the attention of Rosetta Wisdom-Russell at 703-704-0800. Include RFI number W909MY-16-R-A025 in the subject line. All requests for additional information must be made in writing via e-mail to Wanda Noblin, Contract Specialist, at wanda.m.noblin.civ@mail.mil and Rosetta Wisdom-Russell, Contracting Officer, at rosetta.wisdom-russell.civ@mail.mil. Include RFI number W909MY-16-R-A025 in the subject line.
- Web Link
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FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/8a30b39588793dc183ab96973b4560c7)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG - Washington ATTN: CCCE-CW, 10205 Burbeck Road, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 22060-5863, United States
- Zip Code: 22060-5863
- Zip Code: 22060-5863
- Record
- SN04242954-W 20160828/160826234759-8a30b39588793dc183ab96973b4560c7 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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