Frequently Asked
Questions

BLS develops eLearning modules (SCORM, xAPI), instructor-led training (ILT) and virtual ILT (vILT), job aids and performance support tools, scenario-based learning, microlearning, blended learning programs, and onboarding curricula. Format is selected based on learning objective, audience, and delivery environment. See Training & Curriculum Development ↳ K–12 Education for the full scope.

BLS has deep experience in: compliance and regulatory training (harassment prevention, cybersecurity awareness, active shooter preparedness), law enforcement and first responder training, financial regulation and oversight, workforce readiness and onboarding, leadership development, and professional skills. BLS is also experienced with highly technical and classified-adjacent content requiring careful SME integration.

SME collaboration is central to BLS's process. BLS conducts structured interviews, facilitates working sessions, and helps SMEs translate deep expertise into clear, learner-centered content. BLS's ability to quickly internalize complex material and ask the right questions is a consistent client differentiator.

Yes. The BLS team is proficient in Articulate Storyline, Articulate Rise, Adobe Captivate, and other industry-standard authoring tools. BLS delivers in SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI/Tin Can, and other formats compatible with leading LMS platforms. Custom HTML5 content is also available when standard tools don't meet the need.

Yes. BLS provides LMS support including content loading, testing, troubleshooting, and platform administration as part of the L&D Support & Operations service area. BLS has experience with major government and commercial LMS platforms.

BLS produces training and instructional videos, documentary and narrative films, corporate brand and culture videos, executive communications, recruitment videos, event and keynote recording and broadcast, and social media content. The in-house multimedia production team handles scripting, filming, editing, motion graphics, and delivery.

Yes. BLS designs and produces 2D explainer and educational animation, motion graphics and title sequences, data visualization animation, branded graphic packages for video series, and animated eLearning elements. Animation is particularly effective for abstract processes, systems, or concepts difficult to capture with live footage.

BLS has extensive experience producing training content on sensitive topics: harassment prevention, suicide prevention, active shooter response, and law enforcement procedures. BLS approaches this work with subject matter expertise and close collaboration with agency stakeholders to ensure content is accurate, appropriate, and effective.

A single training video (5–10 minutes) takes 8–12 weeks from kickoff to final delivery, including scripting, review cycles, filming or animation, editing, and final approval. Timelines vary by complexity and review rounds. BLS is experienced delivering on tight timelines when urgency requires.

Yes. BLS provides full-service live event broadcast and streaming for conferences, leadership summits, town halls, and training events. This includes multi-camera recording, live stream production, and post-event editing and highlight packages.

Strategic communications at BLS means helping organizations develop and deliver clear, audience-focused messaging — both internally (employee communications, change management) and externally (brand voice, stakeholder engagement, public-facing content). BLS moves clients from "what do we need to say" to "how do we say it so people hear and act on it." See Strategic Communications.

Yes. BLS designs and executes communications campaigns including written content (memos, articles, newsletters), visual assets (infographics, slide decks, posters), video, and digital communications. BLS develops campaign strategy, messaging frameworks, and delivery plans.

Yes. Change management communication is a specific area of strength. BLS has helped organizations communicate new policies, system changes, leadership transitions, and cultural shifts to large workforces — including federal agencies where clear communication is critical to compliance and adoption.

Yes. BLS helps organizations define and articulate brand voice, develop messaging frameworks, and create style and communication guides. This work is often part of a larger engagement that also includes content production.

A learning strategy engagement focuses on how an organization develops its workforce over time — not just building training products. Deliverables include needs analysis, learning architecture, workforce readiness assessment, and multi-year learning roadmap. See Learning Strategy & Workforce Development.

BLS begins with listening — to leadership, to frontline employees, and to the data. Needs analysis includes stakeholder interviews, focus groups, job shadowing, surveys, and document review. BLS examines performance gaps, environmental constraints, existing resources, and organizational culture before recommending solutions. The goal: understand the actual problem, not just the stated one.

Yes. BLS designs and develops leadership development programs from single workshops to multi-year cohort-based programs. Deliverables include curriculum design, facilitator guides, participant materials, assessments, and evaluation frameworks.

Yes. BLS designs training with evaluation in mind from the start, using Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation and other frameworks to measure reaction, learning, behavior change, and organizational results. BLS builds evaluation strategies that are realistic, sustainable, and tied to mission outcomes.

Interpretive planning is the discipline of designing how meaning, stories, and information are communicated to audiences in physical and digital spaces. This includes visitor centers, museums, national parks, historic sites, memorials, and cultural institutions. BLS has done interpretive work for Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia Key Beach Park, and other significant sites. See Interpretive Planning & Experience Design.

Interpretive planning projects produce: interpretive plans, exhibit concepts and scripts, wayfinding and signage systems, audio tour content, digital and interactive experiences, and educational program frameworks. Specific deliverables depend on the site, audience, and budget.

Yes. BLS has experience working with federal agencies and federally affiliated institutions on interpretive and experience design projects, including military memorials, national historic sites, and educational programs tied to federal missions. See BLS Federal for contracting options.

BLS's instructional design background shapes every interpretive project. BLS approaches each engagement asking: "What do visitors need to know, feel, and do differently after this experience?" That learning-centered lens drives content organization, media selection, and visitor journey design.

Yes. BLS has significant experience designing curriculum and professional development for K–12 contexts. This includes lesson plan development, teacher training programs, educator workshop facilitation, and curriculum frameworks aligned to academic standards. BLS has worked with school districts, educational nonprofits, and federally funded education programs.

Yes. BLS learning designers develop curriculum aligned to Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), state-level standards, and other frameworks. BLS applies the same rigor to standards alignment that it brings to compliance requirements in federal training.

Yes. BLS designs and facilitates professional development workshops, coaching programs, and training series for educators. This includes content-area professional development, instructional strategy training, and technology integration support. Multiple BLS team members have direct classroom teaching experience.

Cultural responsiveness is a core consideration in BLS K–12 curriculum work. BLS designs learning experiences that reflect diverse histories, perspectives, and communities, with content reviewed for bias and accuracy. The BLS team includes educators with direct experience in diverse urban and rural school contexts.

Yes. BLS has experience supporting federally funded education programs including grant-funded curriculum development, STEM education initiatives, and programs connected to federal missions such as the AEOP (Army Educational Outreach Program). BLS understands federal compliance requirements for educational programs. See BLS Federal.

Instructional design is the analytical and architectural phase: identifying performance gaps, defining learning objectives, selecting the right format, and designing the learning experience. Training development is the production phase: building the actual courses, videos, job aids, or facilitation guides. BLS does both. Many vendors skip the design phase and jump straight to production — which is why a lot of training fails to change behavior. BLS's process begins with needs analysis before any content is built.

WOSB stands for Woman-Owned Small Business. In federal procurement, WOSB status allows contracting officers to set aside contracts for WOSB competitors, helping agencies meet small business participation goals under FAR Part 19. BLS is certified WOSB with UEID HYL6JUW9UNK5 and CAGE code 6PMN1. Contracting officers can award sole-source contracts to BLS in WOSB-eligible NAICS codes (611430, 512110, 541430) without a full competitive process, within applicable dollar thresholds.

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a technical standard that allows eLearning content to communicate with a learning management system (LMS). SCORM-compliant courses track completion, quiz scores, and time spent — data the LMS records for compliance reporting. Federal agencies commonly require SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004 for courses deployed on government LMS platforms. BLS delivers in SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and xAPI (Tin Can) formats, and tests content on client LMS environments before final delivery.

Key criteria: verified small business certifications (WOSB, SDVOSB, 8(a)) if applicable; past performance on similar federal subject matter; technical proficiency with required LMS and authoring tools; demonstrated needs analysis process; and experience with the specific compliance or regulatory domain. Ask vendors for examples of work on sensitive or complex subject matter — harassment prevention, law enforcement, financial regulation — to gauge whether they can handle the content rigor your agency requires. BLS can provide past performance references and sample work on request.

Kirkpatrick's model is the standard framework for measuring training effectiveness. Level 1 (Reaction) measures learner satisfaction. Level 2 (Learning) measures knowledge or skill gain. Level 3 (Behavior) measures on-the-job behavior change. Level 4 (Results) measures organizational impact — reduced errors, improved compliance rates, faster onboarding times. Most federal training programs measure Level 1 and 2 only. BLS helps clients design evaluation strategies that reach Level 3 and 4, tying training outcomes to mission performance metrics.