MODIFICATION
B -- Development of Standard Reference Set of Ballot Markings
- Notice Date
- 6/28/2010
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1640
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- SB1341-10-RQ-0458
- Archive Date
- 7/24/2010
- Point of Contact
- Keith Bubar, Phone: 3019758329
- E-Mail Address
-
keith.bubar@nist.gov
(keith.bubar@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The purposes of this amendment are as follows: A. To extend the response deadline for this solicitation from July 2, 2010 to July 9, 2010 at 12 pm. B. To change the due date of the deliverables associated with Task 1 in the PWS from November 1, 2010 to November 15, 2010. C. To provide responses questions submitted by potential offerors. The following is a list of the questions proposed with their respective responses. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE USED AS THE ONLY DOCUMENT THAT INCORPORATES THESE CHANGES TO THE SOLICITATION. Questions: 1. Is the Contractor expected to obtain the release of the scans to NIST by the Washington Secretary of State and/or the responsible Washington election officials? Response: No, either the release will be authorized or it won't be. 2. What is the approximate number of ballot styles for each of the three election jurisdictions? Response: An estimate of the number of ballot styles is 50 for each jurisdiction. 3. Will the contractor have access to PDFs of each ballot style at least 60 days prior to the analysis phase? These PDFs should be the same as received by the ballot printing company. The purpose is to prepare and test ballot definition files used in locating valid vote target positions. Response: The contractor cannot be guaranteed access to PDFs of each ballot style at least 60 days prior to the analysis phase. 4. Please provide an estimate of the space available to perform the scanning task at the COTR's designated location. Is the contractor expected to provide tables and chairs for the contractor personnel to perform the scanning tasks? How many electrical outlets will be available for use by the Contractor at the place where the scanning will be performed? Response: Tables, chairs and electricity will be provided. Clark and Snohomish Counties should have 700 square feet to offer. Spokane County is the most limited on space due to election operations going on concurrently; possibly less than 700 square feet. It is unknown at this time how many electrical outlets will be available for contractor use. 5. How many hours a day will the contractor have access to the ballots? Will the contractor have weekend access to the ballots? Will the contractor have access to the documents in Clark County on Columbus Day, October 11, 2010? Response: The Contractor shall assume ordinary business hours, no weekends. The Contractor is not guaranteed access on Columbus Day. 6. Mention is made of using "Washington personnel." What human resources are available to help scan or stage the ballots at each location? Should we include the cost to reimburse the election department for using their staff? If so, what is an appropriate hourly rate? Response: Washington personnel are interested in contributing relevant observations from their elections experience. They have not volunteered to assist with scanning. 7. For image-to-ballot traceability, is it permissible to have the scanner automatically print a unique serial number on the ballot via a pre-imprinter? Response: The Government is unable to provide a definitive answer on this question. However, the ballots will be destined for destruction anyways. 8. The "glitter pen" discussion at the top of page 4 suggests a requirement that the contractor examine approx. 300,000 ballots by hand. Is that the intent or can the contractor propose a different method to achieving the same objective? Response: Contractor may propose a different method. The Government believes that ballots marked with unapproved markers will be among those that were already "pulled" for duplication. 9. Can the government provide a workload estimate of the percentage of ballots that will be marked with other than blue or black pen (i.e. glitter pen, lipstick, chocolate, etc.)? Response: The Government believes that ballots marked with unapproved markers will be among those that were already "pulled" for duplication. The total number of pulled ballots is estimated to be no more than 12,000 in any jurisdiction. 10. Does the ballot size vary within each of the batches of 100,000 ballots? Is the size of the ballots consistent at each location? Response: The size of ballots is consistent within each jurisdiction. 11. What are the specific dimensions for each of the three ballot types? The solicitation indicates a maximum ballot size of 9.75 x 19 inches, and indicates that the ballots vary in size. Is any further size breakdown available? Response: Sequoia (Optech) ballots: 9.75 by 19 inches; Hart ballots: 8.5 inches by 14 inches; ES&S ballots: The Government cannot provide a definitive answer on this. 12. Is any estimate available of what proportion of the ballots are double-sided? Response: The contractor shall assume that all ballots are double sided. 13. If there are folded ballots or ballots that have been folded, what approximate percentage are those ballots within each of the three batches? Response: All ballots were folded on arrival but they have been unfolded and stored flat. Ballots have been properly cared for and should be in good condition in all other respects. 14. Will any of the ballots be printed using color? Response: Yes. 15. What is the basis weight (e.g., 90lb., 110lb.) or thickness (in mils or thousandths of an inch) of the paper stock used for each of the three ballot types? Response: The weight will be heavier than regular paper but the Government does not have specifics yet. 16. How many "pulled ballots" will be required to be scanned? Response: Total number of pulled ballots is estimated to be no more than 12,000 in any jurisdiction. All of these shall be scanned. 17. The solicitation indicates that access will be available to ballots at the Vancouver site starting on September 30th, and at an additional pair of sites starting October 18th. Is there any possibility or likelihood of this availability being made earlier? Are these ballots subject to the federal ballot retention law of 22 months? Are there any legal deadlines that are not already identified in the solicitation beyond which we cannot access the ballots? Response: Latest information: Snohomish and Clark will make ballots available sometime in September, probably early September but no promises. These are ballots being unsealed after the 22-month retention period, which would normally be destroyed immediately. Spokane will definitely not make ballots available until the latter part of October. Contractor must be out of the way in all jurisdictions by November 1 due to elections. However the deadline for delivery of the Task 1 deliverables to NIST should be moved later than November 1. 18. Is there a preference to use analog or digital optical scan/marksense equipment [for Task IV validation]? Response: There is no contractual preference. 19. Does the Government require detailed budgets in support of the prices for each of the four specific tasks, or only firm prices for each task? Response: The Government requires firm fixed prices for each of the four tasks in the PWS. These firm fixed price should include a breakdown of the labor category, fully-burdened hourly labor rate, and any other pertinent information to the cost derivation. 20. What are the regulations regarding the purchase of hardware necessary to perform the contract? Response: The Government will not provide any equipment to the contractor for this requirement. Any equipment purchased by the Contractor for which the cost is included in the price paid by the Government to the Contractor, then becomes property of the Government following the expiration of the contract.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/SB1341-10-RQ-0458/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02190646-W 20100630/100628235622-41d07ea4fa4a632ab161a8578792e813 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |