From FedBizOpp via PostalReporter reader:
The United States Postal Service (USPS) administers and maintains a number of pre-hire and post-training examinations for purposes of evaluating applicants and employees’ job-related qualifications and training. Included among those examinations are three that require examiners to observe examinees performing specific job-related activities and record observed behaviors: the Initial Road Test (Examination 804), the End-of-Training Road Test (Examination 806), and the Automotive Bench Test (Examination 941). The USPS is interested in automating the recording of examination behaviors, in order to further expedite data capture and scoring.
Scope and Objectives of Request for Information
The USPS wishes to obtain information about innovative, portable automated solutions for recording and transmitting assessment data. The USPS does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to pay for the information solicited. This solicitation is issued for the purposes of obtaining general information about products, services and suppliers.
The U.S. Postal Service currently has three work-sample examinations that are administered in a one-on-one environment, where the examiner observes the examinee and records observed, exam-related behaviors. Currently, the behaviors are recorded on a scannable form, then the form is scanned and a score is generated. We are interested in seeking solutions to automate this process.
Two of the examinations are driving exams, where the examiner is riding in the passenger side of a moving vehicle while recording observed behaviors. The third examination is an automotive maintenance exam, where the examiner is observing the examinee in a workroom environment.
Because of the mobile nature of the examination administrations, it is important that the automated solution also be mobile, such as a laptop, electronic notepad, digital pen or handheld display device. Further, the driving exam form includes over 100 behaviors and the behaviors are not performed sequentially. Therefore, the form or interface needs to allow for examiners to easily view and read test items, quickly navigate among and locate the appropriate items, and record them while sitting in a moving vehicle.
An examinee’s score is calculated by combining the values of the behaviors observed (or not observed), following a pre-determined scoring algorithm. Examinees pass or fail as a result of their exam score, based on a pre-set passing score.
We are seeking an automated solution to use for administering these examinations. We are interested in learning about automated solutions that offer one or more of the following benefits:
1. A portable device that can be held, carried, viewed and accessed in a moving vehicle and in a work room.
2. A user-friendly interface for examiners to view behavioral statements and mark when observed or not observed.
3. Automated exam scoring.
4. Data transfer to a central database.
source: FedBizOpp