SOLICITATION NOTICE
D -- Online Access to Outsell
- Notice Date
- 8/7/2008
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541910
— Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Acquisitions and Grants Services, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 2129, Rockville, Maryland, 20857-0001
- ZIP Code
- 20857-0001
- Solicitation Number
- FDA-SOL-08-1046669
- Archive Date
- 8/29/2008
- Point of Contact
- Jody L. O'Kash, Phone: 301-827-5094, Ted L Weitzman,, Phone: 301-827-7178
- E-Mail Address
-
Jody.O'Kash@fda.hhs.gov, ted.weitzman@fda.hhs.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- (i) This is a combined/synopsis solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) This is solicitation number FDA-SOL-08-104669 and this solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-12. (iv) The applicable NAICS code is 541910. (v) The following are Brand Name descriptions of items: 1) Access for FDA’s Bioscience library staff (30 users) to all publications and databases; 2) FDA-wide access to Outsell Insights online publication (online news analytics service providing analysis of events, data and trends affecting the information industry); 3) Access for FDA’s Bioscience Library Staff (30 users) to Outsell Annual Outlook publication (in-depth report that draws on size, share, and forecast market metrics on publishers and information providers, presenting Outsell's view and predictions for the following year); 4) Access for FDA’s Bioscience library staff (30 Users) to Outsell’s ReadySet Benchmark Tool: A custom benchmark report that compares your library’s data on budgets, staffing, and services to peer organizations. Outsell’s ReadySet Benchmark Tool includes: Benchmarking Toolkit Briefing; Access to all briefings including archives; ReadySet Needs Assessment; 5) Vendor Portfolio Management Toolkit Briefing; 6) Online access to Publishers & Information Providers Database; 7) Online access to Benchmarks & Best Practices Database; and 8) Online access to User Survey Results Database. 9) Customer service shall be available to troubleshoot website/connectivity issues via phone, email, etc. 10) Consulting services from Outsell Information Consultants via telephone and email which includes 24/7 access AND Unlimited advising / consulting by Outsell Information Managers/Analysts to library staff on information and knowledge management issues, strategic planning, user survey development, needs assessment and other core issues relevant to libraries and information providers. 11) Contractor shall provide online tutorials. Contractor shall also provide training, briefings and updates to FDA researchers, in the DC area as well as selected remote offices. If a plug-in, additional software or recommended software is required for optimal use, please include specific requirements. Contractor will address any questions or problems encountered when using this product with supported software or hardware. The contractor shall provide usage statistics on a monthly basis. The format of the usage statistics is provided either via email or contractor provided login and should include session count, search count and total document retrievals per title. (vi) DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENTS / STATEMENT OF NEED: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), FDA Biosciences Library requests to renew access to Outsell online publications to provide information needed by librarians to enhance their performance as information consultants, and to provide background information on the information industry, information management, researcher needs assessment, vendor portfolio management, information needs survey development, benchmarking and more. This is a BRAND NAME OR EQUAL TO request for quote (RFQ). In order to be considered for award a vendor offering an EQUAL TO product must submit with their quote supporting documentation that their products and services meets the following salient Agency needs: 1) Access for FDA’s Bioscience library staff (30 users) to all market and IT Research report and services publications and databases; 2) FDA-wide access to current online publications such as online news analytics service providing analysis of events, data and trends affecting the information industry; 3) Access for FDA’s Bioscience Library Staff (30 users) to an online publication that provides an in-depth report that draws on size, share, and forecast market metrics on publishers and information providers, presenting the vendor’s view and predictions for the following year); 4) Access for FDA’s Bioscience library staff (30 Users) to a Benchmark Tool that provides custom benchmark reports that compares your library’s data on budgets, staffing, and services to peer organizations, access to briefings including archives, and needs assessments; 5) Vendor Portfolio Management Toolkit Briefing; 6) Online access to Publishers & Information Providers Database; 7) Online access to Benchmarks & Best Practices Database; and 8) Online access to User Survey Results Database. 9) Customer service shall be available to troubleshoot website/connectivity issues via phone, email, etc. 10) The contract shall provide consulting services from company’s consultants via telephone and email which includes 24/7 access AND Unlimited advising / consulting by a company’s Managers/Analysts to library staff on information and knowledge management issues, strategic planning, user survey development, needs assessment and other core issues relevant to libraries and information providers. 10) Contractor shall provide online tutorials. Contractor shall also provide training, briefings and updates to FDA researchers, in the DC area as well as selected remote offices. 11) Contractor shall provide online tutorials. Contractor shall also provide training, briefings and updates to FDA researchers, in the DC area as well as selected remote offices. (vii) Delivery of the product will be via email. The email address will be made available upon award. (viii) The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors (APR 2008) -- Commercial, applies to this acquisition and is available at website: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/12.htm#P257_45709. (ix) The provision at 52.212-1, Evaluation -- Commercial Items (Jan 1999) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will offer the best value to the Government, technical factors, price, and past performance considered. To determine technical merit, each quotation will be evaluated against the technical evaluation factors. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers and are listed in descending order of importance. 1) Price. FDA will award a purchase order to a responsible vendor whose quote is the lowest price meeting or exceeding the required technical factors. 2) Technical Understanding and Approach. The proposed technology will be evaluated on its ability to meet all of the requirements listed in part (vi) of this solicitation. Contractors shall furnish as part of their quotation all descriptive material necessary for the government to determine whether their service meets the technical requirements. The technical proposals will be graded subjectively with final scores of, “Minimally Acceptable”, “Acceptable”, or “Exceptional”. A score of “Minimally Acceptable” would mean that the proposed technology minimally met the requirements and demonstrated to be difficult to implement. A score of “Acceptable” would mean that the proposed technology fully met the requirements and demonstrated its ability to be implemented. A score of “Exceptional” would mean that the proposed technology exceeded the requirements and would be easy to implement. If applicable, the contractor shall also include in their technical proposal recommended software that is required for optimal use and address any software or hardware problems that may be encountered while using the requested product. 3) Past Performance: Vendors should provide two references of similar efforts performed during the last three years. This will include a description of the project, project title, contract number, contract amount, client identification including agency or company name, contracting and technical reviewing official name(s), address and telephone number. The government is seeking to determine whether an offeror has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and high performance of services. This is a matter of judgment. The government will assess the relative risks associated with each offeror. Performance risks are those associated with an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the acquisition requirements as indicated by that offeror’s past performance record. Rating of positive, neutral, and poor will be given. A positive past performance will take precedence over neutral or poor past performance. Neutral past performance takes precedence over poor past performance. A contractor with no past performance will be given a score of neutral, which will neither be used to the advantage nor disadvantage of the offeror. The Government will assess the relative risks associated with each offeror. Performance risks are those associated with an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the acquisition requirements as indicated by that offeror’s record of past performance. (x) Vendors shall complete FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (JUN 2003). This can be done electronically at http://orca.bpn.gov. The contracting officer will review the vendor’s online certifications at http://orca.bpn.gov to ensure that they are accurate and complete. If the vendor does not have active representations and certifications registered online they will be disqualified from being considered for award. (xi) The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items (FEB 2007), applies to this acquisition. (xii) The clause at FAR 52.217-8 -- Option to Extend Services (MAR 2000) and FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (JUNE 2007), applies to this acquisition as well as the following clauses cited therein: 52.222-3, Convict Labor (JUN 2003)(EO 11755); 52.222-19, Child Labor - Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (JAN 2006)(EO13126); 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (FEB 1999); 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (MAR 2007)(EO11246); 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era and other Eligible Veterans (SEP 2006)(38 USC 4212); 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (JUN 1998)(29 USC 793); 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era and other Eligible Veterans; 52.225-1 Buy American Act---Supplies (JUN 2003), 52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (FEB 2006), 52.232-1 Payments (APR 1984); 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer –Central Contractor Registration (OCT 2003)(38 USC 4212); 52.239-1 Privacy or Security Safeguards (AUG 1996) (5 U.S.C. 552a). Full text of clauses and provisions can be accessed at www.arnet.gov/far. (xiii) In order to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Government asks vendors to complete a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) and submit it with their quote. The technical standards applicable to this requirement are: Subpart B -- Technical Standards § 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications. (a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). (b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. (c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. (d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. (f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. (g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. (h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers. (i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation. (j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. (k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes. (l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology. (m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l). (n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. (o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. (p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. Note to §1194.22: 1. The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1 Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5, 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium: Section 1194.22 ParagraphWCAG 1.0 Checkpoint (a)1.1 (b)1.4 (c)2.1 (d)6.1 (e)1.2 (f)9.1 (g)5.1 (h)5.2 (i)12.1 (j)7.1 (k)11.4 2. Paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section are different from WCAG 1.0. Web pages that conform to WCAG 1.0, level A (i.e., all priority 1 checkpoints) must also meet paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section to comply with this section. WCAG 1.0 is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505. Subpart D -- Information, Documentation, and Support § 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support. (a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge. (b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge. (c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities. All questions must be submitted in writing to Jody.O’Kash@fda.hhs.gov no later than Tuesday, August 11, 2008 at 5pm EST. Answers to all questions will be posted as an amendment to the solicitation. Price Proposals, Technical proposals, and VPAT may be submitted electronically at Jody.O'Kash@fda.hhs.gov no later than Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 5pm EST.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=463ed2a520f54a96b3e902113709e663&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: PKLN RM11B40, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland, 20857, United States
- Zip Code: 20857
- Zip Code: 20857
- Record
- SN01634157-W 20080809/080807223515-463ed2a520f54a96b3e902113709e663 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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