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INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) & NOTICE INVITING BID (NIB)
NOTICE INVITING BID - NIB
Reference No. RKCL/15-16/31
Dated
23.04.2015
Unique Bid No: - RKCL/15-16/PROC/SSP/SOFTWARE/002
RKCL invites bid/ proposal from MS. Karishma Enterprises, 132 Maker Tower B, Cuffe Parade,
Mumbai - 400005, INDIA ,Phone: (022)-22181853 ,Telefax: (022)-22153291
for Procuring Screen Reader Software “JAWS“ for 33 District Centers in Rajasthan through Single
Source procurement Method.
Name & address of procuring entity
Estimated Cost
Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited
7-A, Jhalana Institutional Area, Behind R.T.O. ,
Jaipur
Sh. Bishal Chakraborty bishalc@rkcl.in
For procuring Screen Reader Software “JAWS“ for
33 District Centers in Rajasthan to support its RSCIT program for visually impaired people
Rs. 9.5 Lac excluding taxes
Earnest Money Deposit(EMD)
Not Required
Bid submission End Date / Time
Bid opening End Date / Time
Website for downloading Tender Document,
Corrigendum’s, Addendums etc.
27-04-2015 Time 03.00 PM
27-04-2015 Time 03.15 PM
http://rkcl.in
http://sppp.raj.nic.in
Bid Validity
90 Days from the last date of bid submission
Name & address of OIC
Nature of Services
Date: 23-04-2015
Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Ltd. (RKCL)
Managing Director
Jaipur (Rajasthan)
Note~
1) Bid Procedure: Single-stage: Single envelop Bid procedure .
2) Bidder (Authorized Signatory) shall submit the bid in prescribed format to email bishalc@rkcl.in .
3) RKCL will not be responsible for delay in submission due to any reason. For this, bidder is requested to
Submit complete bid well advance in time so as to avoid any other unforeseen problems
4) The procuring entity reserves the complete right to cancel the bid process and reject any or the entire
Bid
5) No contractual obligation whatsoever shall arise from the bidding document bidding process unless
and until a formal contract is signed and executed between the procuring entity and the successful bidder.
6) Procurement entity disclaims any factual! or other errors in the bidding document (the onus is purely on
the individual bidder to verify such information) and the information provided therein are intended only to
help the bidder to prepare a logical bid-proposal
7) The provisions of RTPP Act 2012 and RTPP Rules 2013 thereto shall be applicable for this procurement
furthermore in case of any inconsistency in anyof the provisions of this bidding document with the RTPP
Act 2012 and Rules thereto, the latter shall prevail.
Bridging the Digital Divide – Computer Literacy for the Visually
Impaired
Introduction - Overview & Role of RKCL
As per latest statistics the highest prevalence of blindness in India is in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Next to Tamil Nadu, the state of Rajasthan has the second highest prevalence of blindness in
India where 2.5 % of the total population of 68.6 million in the State is affected. This means
that there are nearly 1.7 million blind people in Rajasthan. A large proportion of these blind &
people with impaired vision live in Western Rajasthan primarily Jodhpur division.
Today in the age of computer and information technology it is imperative that the same is also
available to the visually disabled. With the introduction of adaptive technology hardware and
software, it has now become possible to achieve this. The responsibility of computer education
to the disabled lies on the shoulders of the educationists & skill development bodies and it is
therefore important that teachers proposing to train the disabled must first learn the
methodology of training them in computers and then transfer their knowledge to the disabled
students in the computer training centers.
Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited (RKCL) since 2009 has been instrumental in offering
education, governance and empowerment solutions to large and diverse population with
world-class quality, at very affordable cost, with widest accessibility from urban to rural in a
just-in-time manner with a deeper mass-personalized service experience.
RKCL thus being the flag bearer of digital literacy mission in the State with a successful training
record of 18 lakh+ state citizens, must help the blind community in Rajasthan to be computer
literate by bridging the digital divide and empowering them to pursue higher education as well
as seek employment thereafter. Moreover blind persons if given computer training would be
able to contribute to the economic growth of the State of Rajasthan by being an active task
force instead of being a liability.
Essential Software – A Screen Reader
It is not difficult for a sighted person to imagine how being blind or visually impaired could
make using a computer difficult. Just close your eyes and you will instantly experience that even
processing text is impossible or impossible without additional software at least. Now a range of
software is available called Screen Readers that can help to make using a computer an easier,
more enjoyable and more productive experience for blind or visually impaired users.
A screen reader is an essential piece of software for a blind or visually impaired person. Simply
put, a screen reader transmits whatever text is displayed on the computer screen into a form that
a visually impaired user can process (usually tactile, auditory or a combination of both). Whilst
most screen readers work by having a synthetic voice that reads text aloud, others can also
communicate data via a hardware called refreshable braille display. But while screen-reading
software can be affordable, such hardware is usually very expensive. At the most basic level, text
to speech software works by finding text on a screen and reading it aloud through the computer’s
speakers. More advanced versions help you navigate the screen by telling you what objects the
mouse is hovered over, what window you have open, or what letters you are typing. Special
keyboard commands, called hotkeys, perform these and other functions.
Main Features to look out for in Screen Reader
There are many different types of screen reader software available, and the right one for you
depends on your own vision levels and assistance needs.
Features
This is where your needs will vary the greatest. If have no vision whatsoever, you’ll want an
application that announces programs as they open and as you navigate to them. The software
should also read menu items as the dropdown menus are activated, and narrate text within a
program when you activate narration, usually with a click or hotkey. Character and word echo as
you type helps you improve the accuracy of your typing, while inflections on capital letters and
announcements of punctuation and text styles make sure that the document looks the way you
want it to. And always be sure that your software is capable of connecting to a Braille output
device. If you have some vision, screen zoom is quite the useful feature. And regardless of your
vision levels, a variety of voices is always a convenient feature.
Compatible Applications
This is one category that should not vary, no matter what your vision level is. You want your
software to be compatible with the basics of your computer – word processing applications,
internet, email, PDF reading – but not all screen readers are. The best ones work well with newer
versions of Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel. They also include at least two different
internet browser options, usually Internet Explorer and Firefox. A variety of email applications is
nice, but at the least, the software should work with Outlook and Outlook Express. Adobe
Reader is another important application, and the ability to read electronic books is quite the
handy feature as well.
Ease of Use
Spending hundreds of dollars on screen reader software will be a waste if you need a sighted
person to help you use it. The best screen readers are designed so you don’t even need a sighted
person to set them up because the installation and setup guides are read aloud. Voice narration
adjustment options also make the software easier and more pleasant to use. The software should
also be easy to navigate.
Help & Support
It’s not unusual to need assistance with this type of software. The developers should make a
variety of non-visual options available, like a technical support phone number and audio
tutorials. The user manual should be easily read aloud by the software. Other helpful options
include an email address or form, FAQs, troubleshooting guides or a message board.
Screen Reader Solutions – Which One?
In January 2014, WebAIM conducted a survey of preferences of screen reader users. The sample
study report snapshots are given below:-
Moreover a 5 year market growth chart has also been given to showcase the various screen readers:-
(Reference Web Link - http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey5/ )
From above 2 graphics we can see that following 3 products are clear global leaders in Screen
Reader softwares namely:1. JAWS (Job Access With Speech) – commercial platform – latest version is 16.0.2136
2. NVDA (Non Visual Desktop Access) – open source platform – latest version is 2015.1 –
MS Office Compatibility is poor & Remote Access is absent. Not ideal for corporate
environment.
3. Windows Eyes – commercial platform – latest version is 8.3
Since we at RKCL primarily deal with MS Office based courses we would like to consider only the
following 2 major products for a detailed comparison:-
Some additional info on why JAWS is the clear market leader and most widely accepted screen
reader standard is given below:1. CBSE allows JAWS in Board Exams to assist Blind students.
 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/CBSE-to-encourage-use-of-specialsoftware-for-visually-challenged-students/articleshow/18237094.cms
 http://cbse.nic.in/circulars/Circular%20dated%2017.10.2012.pdf
2. Online Review Links
 http://screen-reader-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
 http://www.disabled-world.com/assistivedevices/computer/screen-readers.php
 http://enabled.in/wp/nothing-succeeds-like-success-mr-k-ramkrishna/
JAWS – Intro, Features & USPs
JAWS, Job Access With Speech, is the world's most popular screen reader, developed for
computer users whose vision loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with
a mouse. JAWS provides speech and Braille output for the most popular computer applications
on your PC. It is developed & run by Freedom Scientific Inc., USA
The JAWS software is compatible with all versions of windows including the very latest
Windows 8.1, there are no compatibility issues with any windows operating systems and this
software can be installed on any normal computer.
Main Features of JAWS are:-
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Two multi-lingual synthesizers: Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive
Talking installation
Built-in free DAISY Player and full set of DAISY-formatted basic training books
Works with Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and much more
Supports Windows 8, including touch screens and gestures
Support for MathML content presented in Internet Explorer that is rendered with MathJax
Fast information look-up at your fingertips with Research It
Convenient OCR feature provides access to the text of PDF documents, even those with
scanned images that are reported as empty documents by screen readers
 Save time with Skim Reading
 The only Windows screen reader to provide contracted Braille input from your Braille
keyboard
 Fully compatible with MAGic, screen magnification software, and OpenBook, scanning and
reading program
Advanced Features:-
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JAWS Tandem available for free to help with support and training
Optional support for Citrix, Terminal Services, and Remote Desktop
Powerful scripting language to customize the user experience on any application
Includes drivers for all popular Braille displays
Includes voices for over 30 different languages including Hindi.
Distributed worldwide with local sales and support in most countries.
Unique Features (USPs) & Latest Updates:
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Compatible with Windows 8
Text analyzing tools for identification of errors and proof reading/ formatting of
document by the blind/ visually challenged
OCR facility to read PDF and Scanned Graphics having embedded text.
Flexible Web feature for hiding/ignoring Google Ads and Advertisement frames etc. for
direct reading of the main content on websites with facility to create rules for all
website or specific WebPages.
Clipboard Text Viewer – allows copying of text from multiple locations and sites and
presenting it all together.
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Enables blind to fill electronic forms in web pages
Compatible to applications like Finacle & SAP to ensure proper training of persons to use
the screen reader when employed with banks and companies after education
Facility of tandem feature for E-learning and online coaching with ability by tutor to take
control of student’s computer
Research It feature for quickly looking up meanings of words or information on the
internet.
Facility to add Indian words to in-built dictionary of the software for accurate
pronunciation.
Graphic labeller feature enabling the blind to give text labels to Icons, Menus, and Links
etc. for better accessibility by the blind in any special Windows Applications
Script Manager Feature for creation of scripts for accessibility by the blind for special
Windows based applications not otherwise accessible.
Virtual ribbon menu for accessibility and easy navigation between groups and items
from Windows 7 onwards
Supports use of refreshable Braille Displays as well as control PC directly from them.
Instantly identifies Pop Up Windows that appear during operation on account of
firewalls and anti-virus programs.
Automatic reading of Column and Row titles in an Excel spreadsheet with the Excel
Define Name feature
Ability for reading of Daisy books / files with FS Reader
JAWS provides a choice of different voices, which now also includes an Indian Accent
Voice - Sangeeta.
Complete compatibility with other Assistive Technologies (AT) for Blind like –
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TypeAbility Talking Keyboard Learning Software
Talking Typing Software for young learners
MAGic Screen Magnification Software
MAGic Large Print Keyboard
Support for Hindi – a major requirement for RKCL:JAWS screen reader also supports Hindi languages. Now you can have JAWS speak with a clear
Hindi voice just like a young Indian lady newsreader on TV!
A revolutionary development and a milestone in the promotion of Assistive Technology for the
benefit of the visually challenged people of India!
Now more than 50% of the blind persons in India living in 9 States of the country who primarily
speak, study, read / write, communicate and even correspond in Hindi language will be able to
learn as well as operate computers in Hindi.
This new development will not only assist in inculcating computer literacy among the blind
children in the rural areas but also support the visually challenged working in the State/ Central
Ministries, Government Departments, Public Sector Units and banks especially those working as
Hindi stenographers and those in LDC or UDC positions.
This will empower the visually impaired to work with and read Hindi documents in MS Windows
and MS Office. In addition, it will enable them to read and type in Hindi, surf the Internet,
download or read web pages such as BBC News in Hindi, Dainik Bhaskar, Rajasthan Patrika, etc.
and send and receive Emails in Hindi all on their own!
The Hindi supported version of JAWS is only available through Karishma Enterprises.
Karishma Enterprises at Mumbai are the master distributors of Freedom Scientific Inc. USA for
India and the neighboring countries.
JAWS Vendor – Karishma Enterprises, Mumbai
Sole Authorized Distributors of JAWS for India & the neighbouring countries like
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Pakistan & Afghanistan for:
Karishma Enterprises is the first and the leading organization in India that has the expertise to
guide the educational institutions to set up computer training centers. They have over 21 years’
experience with a track record of having successfully installed more than 258 computer-training
centers, Braille transcription centers, electronic reading centers, accessible libraries etc. in India
and the neighboring countries.
Karishma Enterprises were the pioneers to introduce computer education to the blind with the
use of JAWS talking software in 1997 making extensive efforts countrywide to explain to the
various blind schools, NGOs, Government agencies, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
that the blind can also operate computers independently even though they cannot see the monitor
screen which has changed the lives of the blind community uplifting them from unskilled jobs
like stick making, chalk making Cane weaving etc. to hi tech computer related jobs like
computer programming, medical transcription, managerial positions in Corporate and Industrial
sectors. They also took up the challenge to even teach computers to deaf blind persons at the
Helen Keller Institute in Mumbai in 2002.
Karishma Enterprises, is today the centre for Assistive Technologies and has the widest range of
products for the visually challenged and can be considered the HUB of Assistive Technology in
the Indian Sub Continent.
Mr. Ram Agarwal, CEO of Karishma Enterprises was appointed as member of the Expert
Technical Committee for the apex body of Govt. of India namely Rehabilitation council of India,
New Delhi. He also remained as the Technical Advisor for the Helen Keller Institute for the Deaf
& Deaf blind, Mumbai for 10 years from 2002 to 2012.
“RS-CIT + JAWS” in RKCL Network:
RKCL would initially empower each of 33 DLC offices with JAWS software installation
so that each district of Rajasthan is covered.
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JAWS Master teacher training would then be given to select 5-10 State level trainers at
Mumbai who would further take up the responsbility of training at local levels.
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RS-CIT Course for Blinds can be offered as a 6 month – elaborate program inclusive of
following 2 sessions (Bi – Lingual):1. Basic JAWS software Orientation and hands on Speech based Interface in basic
computing tasks.
2. RS-CIT Course – Theory (Instructor Led) + Practical Hands On
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Facility of tandem feature for E-learning and online coaching with ability by tutor to take
control of student’s computer enables the trainer to even support the student on line or
also provide training to the students living in rural areas. Since initially the training will
only be in Nodal centers in district HQs of Rajasthan the reach can be further extended to
other mofussil locations.