SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Structure and Implement Public-Privat Partnerships resulting in increased marketing promotion and subsciption sales of Commercial Services Programs and Services
- Notice Date
- 8/9/2006
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541890
— Other Services Related to Advertising
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, SSMC4 - Room 7601/OFA61 1305 East West Highway, 7th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-TACS1106-6-90270
- Response Due
- 9/18/2006
- Archive Date
- 10/3/2006
- Description
- The U.S. Commercial Service ("CS") is the worldwide client service delivery arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA), operating over 100 U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEACs) domestically, and approximately 150 Commercial Posts in 80 countries overseas. The CS is statutorily mandated to provide export promotion and facilitation services, products and programs to small and medium-sized U.S. business enterprises (SME's) globally. The CS provides on a cost recovery user-fee basis a wide range of market research, trade contacts, matchmaking (Le., U.S. seller with foreign buyer) and business facilitation products and services. These services include, but are not limited to, the following: Gold Key Matchmaking Service, Export Education Seminars in the U.S., Import from the U.S. Education Seminars targeting international buyers of U.S. products and services, Market Research, International Buyer Delegations, Trade Leads and U.S. Pavilions at Certified Trade Fairs. The CS also provides Counseling and Advocacy. For a full list of CS programs and services, please visit the following web site: http://www.export.qov/commsvc/csproductsservices.html The U.S. Commercial Service also operates the Trade Information Center (TIC) - a call center which can be reached by calling 1 800 USA TRADE. The TIC is the first stop for companies seeking export assistance from the U.S. Government. TIC international trade specialists: a. advise exporters on how to locate and use government programs; b. guide businesses through the export process; c. direct businesses to market research and trade leads; d. provide information on domestic and overseas trade events and activities; e. explain sources of public and private export financing; f. help exporters locate reports and statistics on trade; and, g. refer businesses to state and local trade organizations that can provide additional assistance. The TIC also provides export counseling for the Western Hemisphere (including NAFTA), Western Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (including the China Business Information Center). TIC international trade specialists can help exporters with questions about: a. import tariffs, taxes, and customs procedures; b. standards, intellectual property rights, government procurement, and other c. commercial laws, regulations, and practices; d. distribution channels, business travel, and other market information; e. opportunities and best prospects for U.S. companies in individual markets; and, f. difficulties encountered on specific commercial transactions C.3 Purpose This requirement is to provide cooperative support with the CS to structure and implement public-private partnerships resulting in increased marketing, promotion and subscription sales of CS programs and services. The CS specifically does NOT seek to fund such activities, and partnerships are to be proposed at no cost to the CS. Where a proposal seeks to obtain revenue for the partner submitting the proposal, such revenue may be sought through a sharing, between the partner and the CS, of the subscription income generated by that partner's marketing activities. Increased marketing, promotion and sales activities under this RFI should include some or all but not necessarily be limited to the following, all of which are part of the CS' export promotion program: 1. Placement of the CS logo and accompanying text, on the marketing partner's web site in an area viewed by large numbers of small and medium-sized businesses engaged in, or likely to be interested in, exporting goods or services produced in the United States. 2. Creation of web site links from various partner web sites to CS' www.export.gov and www.buvusa.gov worldwide network of web sites for the specific purpose of bringing potential new clients and subscribers to CS and CS programs and services. 3. Creation of web site links from the Business Service provider sections CS network of www.export.gov and www.buvusa.gov to various partner web sites where the link clearly adds value to CS efforts to demonstrate the potential value of CS to business seeking to export from the U.S. or increase U.S. exporting activities. 4. Direct mail, email and similar direct and/or target marketing activities that publicize and promote CS to appropriate U.S. exporters and encourages such businesses to become CS clients. 5. Development of export education seminars, conferences and other outreach activities, either independently or in cooperation with the U.S. Commercial Service, that include publicizing, promoting and marketing the U.S. Commercial Service and its programs and services when appropriate. 6. Offering U.S. SMEs, through cooperative Partner/CS activities, export assistance products and services not offered by the CS, and which through the partnership, allow the CS to reach greater numbers of US exporters and potential U.S. exporters, or add clear value to existing CS programs. 7. Developing and disseminating joint success stories highlighting SME's that have completed an export sale because of the partnership. 8. Generating and facilitating media coverage for the purpose of highlighting the business opportunities exporting presents to U.S. SME's. C.4 Scope The CS, through a cooperative public-private contract with Respondent, seeks to build a greater awareness in the U.S. business community of CS, CS programs and services and exporting from the U.S. as a viable business development strategy. C.4.1 Provide public-private partnership proposals, as described above, from U.S. firms that: 1. Currently engaged in Internet based business activities, client outreach & education activities and program and product marketing activities which can clearly enhance one or both of the following: a. facilitation of buying, selling, or promoting U.S. goods and services; or b. facilitation of exporting of goods and services from the United States. 2. Currently engaged in, and having demonstrated expertise in the following elements essential to exporting: importer due diligence and other export market intelligence; international shipping and logistics; international trade finance and risk insurance; international commercial passenger transportation; international Internet-based marketing expertise; international traveler hotel and lodging. C.4.2 Contractor tasks and responsibilities - General The Contractor will: 1. With the CS, establish a point of contact and develop a work plan with a schedule of deliverables including timeframes for implementation. 2. Develop, with the CS, a CS outreach strategy that may include, but need not be limited to, press releases, direct mailings, target marketing campaigns, e-?newsletters, articles in publications, U.S. export training seminars and sourcing from the U.S./importing from the U.S. seminars throughout the term of the contract. Any marketing collateral for specific co-marketing that mentions the CS or contractor or any of their products must be submitted to the CS or contractor for review, edit and approval of the text mentioning its own entity. The treatment of client lists will be mutually agreed upon for each future activity. 3. Create CS program web site links using appropriate logos and copy in appropriate sections of the contractor's web site. 4. Provide opportunities to the CS throughout the term of this contract to attend and educate the public on the CS and CS programs and services, and/or offer trainings or joint workshops at contractor events. 5. With the CS, develop benchmarks for, and a process to track, evaluate and report client prospects resulting from marketing activities under this contract. 6. Market partnership contract internally through postings on internal web sites, emails, announcements at internal meetings and relevant seminars, etc. 7. Inform the CS of any new relevant new marketing with other government agencies or export promotion agencies/firms. C.4.3 Government tasks and responsibilities - General The CS will: 1. With the Contractor, establish a point of contact and develop a work plan with a schedule of deliverables including timeframes for implementation. 2. Develop, with the Contractor, a CS outreach strategy that may include, but need not be limited to, press releases, direct mailings, target marketing campaigns, e?-news letters, articles in publications, U.S. export training seminars and sourcing from the U.S./importing from the U.S. seminars throughout the term of the contract. Any marketing collateral for specific co-marketing that mentions the CS or contractor or any of their products must be submitted to the CS or contractor for review, edit and approval of the text mentioning its own entity. The treatment of client lists will be mutually agreed upon for each future activity. 3. Create web site links, and accompanying text as appropriate, to Contractor web site from appropriate web pages on www.export.gov and www.buyusa.gov web site pages. 4. Provide opportunities to Contractor throughout the term of the contract to attend CS events in the U.S. to offer export promotion trainings, CS events outside the U.S. to offer import from the U.S. trainings or joint trade promotion workshops as mutually agreed upon. 5. With Contractor, develop benchmarks and a process to track, evaluate and report client prospects resulting from Contractor marketing activities under this contract. 6. Communicate the existence of marketing contract internally through postings on the Intranet, emails, announcements at internal meetings, etc. 7. Inform Contractor, as appropriate and relevant, or marketing contracts with other trade service providers.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, DC
- Zip Code: 20004
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 20004
- Record
- SN01109950-W 20060811/060809220432 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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