USAF wants 8(a) small biz help running a language training portal for up to 50,000 linguists
By Loren Blinde
February 7, 2014
The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISR), which trains and maintains each year about 6,000 military and civilian employees in their linguistic abilities, wants to find a small business 8(a) contractor that can help AFISR manage its “Command Language Program Manager” (CLPM) database and language portal.
The language portal is a commercial site intended to deliver online maintenance and enhancement training materials in foreign languages and cultures, explains an AFISR sources sought document that was issued on February 6. The formal solicitation is expected to be released shortly and responses will be due by March 10.
“The commercial Language Portal site delivers language and cultural learning in video, audio and text formats, as well as links, discussion forums, and other materials associated with language and cultural learning to registered users around the world,” says the AFISR’s performance work statement.
The selected 8(a) contractor will be expected to maintain all hardware for the classified and unclassified language portal systems; perform all necessary accreditation and documentation actions; recommend the latest technology tools to enable AFISR to accomplish its language training goals; maintain a current catalog of language and cultural materials; provide cryptologic skill proficiency testing; issue data and reports; and more, explains the sources sought document.
“The Contractor shall maintain and expand Government provided storage, access, and delivery capabilities from the current 3,300 users to service up to 50,000 users,” says the AFISR.
The contractor’s efforts to maintain and enhance the language portal’s capabilities will take place at separate classified and unclassified sites at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska (including the Offutt AFB Language Learning Center); an Air Force site in San Antonio, TX; and the contractor’s own location.
Further information is available from Carissa Lechner, a contract specialist, at 210-977-5457 or carissa.lechner@us.af.mil.
