SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Afghanistan Builiding Business Networks Program
- Notice Date
- 7/10/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541613
— Marketing Consulting 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, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- AFG_ABBNP
- Archive Date
- 7/27/2013
- Point of Contact
- Monica Brown, Phone: 2024820932
- E-Mail Address
-
monica.brown@trade.gov
(monica.brown@trade.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This notice is for market research and planning purpose only and does not obligate the Government to any contractual agreement. This is not a request for proposal. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses, nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted, nor will respondents be notified of the review of the information received. The information obtained from this Request for Information (RFI) will be utilized as market research for consideration in development of the Acquisition Strategy and Acquisition Plan for this requirement. The Government will not reimburse interested sources for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice. Information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a contract. The Commerce Department's Iraq and Afghanistan Investment & Reconstruction Task Force (Task Force) supports the Government of Afghanistan's efforts to develop its private sector as cited in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. The Task Force's vision for Afghanistan is a market conducive to trade, investment, commercial development and a prosperous and sustainable private sector. This Statement of Work is designed to increase the availability of real time information on the local Afghan business environment, provide opportunities for increased U.S.-Afghan business communications and showcase success stories in the Afghan business context. The program is intended also to deepen Afghan business networks relationships nationwide by expanding opportunities through the use of media (including print, news stories, blogs, etc.) to increase awareness about Afghanistan's business environment as well as foster cross border business dialogue. Afghanistan is a country where business relationships are primarily built through direct person to person interaction. Due to the security situation nationwide along with the limited capacity of both local and international business people to travel throughout the country, Afghan business people lack the opportunities to build on the relationships established at conferences, during international trade shows, or during business travel. This program seeks to create and promote the use of business centers in cooperation with local business organizations including chambers of commerce to provide local employment, business skills capacity building opportunities, technology and technology training. The primary goal of this program is to expand U.S.-Afghan business networking opportunities and to provide timely information regarding the business environment in Afghanistan. During 2006-2012, the number of internet users in Afghanistan has grown from about 200,000 persons to over 1 million persons. Furthermore the number of active telephone subscribers has increased from less than total 2 million subscribers in 2006 to over 17.4 million persons. This growth in telecommunications capacities creates an environment which is increasingly conducive to conducting business virtually. It also provides an opportunity to overcome one of the top ten barriers to trade in Afghanistan which is the lack of good transportation systems. Increasingly, Afghan business people are integrating their export capacity with their capacity to communicate virtually with partners globally. Afghanistan's business people have created websites such as khaama.com and wadsam.com to communicate with the global community on successes in Afghanistan's business community and opportunities for trade with Afghanistan. The vision of this program is to further expand access to reliable business news from all parts of Afghanistan to a global market and to create or promote business center hubs that can serve as economic growth engine centers. The objectives of the Afghan Building Business Networks Program are: a. Develop real-time information on the local business environment in Afghanistan using multi-media tools (print, electronic and digital) to support and promote trade and investment in Afghanistan. b. Equip Afghan businesses and business people with the capacity to attract foreign interest in their market through media technologies and outreach that highlight success stories, showcase new opportunities for developing relationships and advertise opportunities for businesses. c. Develop communications networks that strengthen Afghan business climate and capacity for inter-province and international business dialogue through working with business groups that are strategically located in Afghanistan and abroad. The contractor shall help participating Afghan firms develop viable relationships that can produce opportunities for inter-Afghanistan and international trade to occur. Furthermore, the contractor will focus on creating a cadre of specialists in business journalism and statistical data collection making the resources developed by these sources available online as well as in other media sources freely in order to promote better awareness of Afghan sectors. The program scope will include three key elements: I. The development of widely distributed and utilized trade promotion resources such as DVD videos and video segments showing current and ongoing opportunities with a focus on Afghan companies and international trade; and the generation of print and other media on the success stories captured in these resources. These resources would portray the variety of existing opportunities and still available opportunities for Afghan business successes (in particular in partnership with American businesses). II. The production of a website with capacity to provide news updates in English and Dari or Pashtu. A website to provide international and US businesses with reliable and verifiable business news, statistical information, Afghan and US business opportunities for cooperation through tenders, listing of company profiles, opportunities for networking, listing by sector, etc. III. Identification of business center hubs in a minimum of 5 Afghan cities that provide technology support (such as video-conferencing capability and associated technology) and training for local chambers of commerce to create opportunities for Afghan businesses to conduct business virtually with counterparts in international markets including Pakistan, India, U.A.E, Kazakhstan, Turkey and the USA. Throughout the program the contractor will provide participating Afghan firms with written training materials in English and Dari or Pashtu that the Afghan firms can utilize during the program. The project mentioned herein is not all-inclusive, but rather is representative of the project directed by Commerce at this time. The contractor shall accomplish the following tasks: 1. Design a Project Work Plan, Detailed program budget including any sub-contractors, Human Resource plan (including resumes and safety of staff plan), Project Timeline, and Project Monitoring & Evaluation Plan for the Afghanistan Building Business program. 2. Create a monthly Project Management (PM) Tasking plan to be submitted on the 10th day of the previous month (i.e. Month 4 activities will be due on 10th day of Month 3) with the first two months anticipated activities submitted within 10 days of the start of the contract. This PM tasking plan would include a detailed breakdown of specific program milestones, anticipated outcomes and program outputs. Furthermore, it should indicate specifically, items that would require pre-approval or review by Department of Commerce staff in order to meet specific deadlines and requirements of the program. The purpose of this document is to serve as a coordination tool between the U.S. government and the program implementer. Therefore this will serve as a working document to assist in the achievement of program activities. 3. Develop and execute a plan for how to use multi-media tools to promote U.S.-Afghan business cooperation and highlight Afghan business successes. Contractor shall provide a multi-media production, promotion and strategy outreach, and closeout of project plan. The plan would include a usage strategy as well as reference all legal matters relating to the production, distribution and ownership rights of the video segments (DVDs). 4. Create specifications, standards and design plan for the videos for review and approval 5. by Department of Commerce's Program Manager and COR for review and guidance. 5. Develop a series of 7-14 trade promotion DVD video segments, news articles, blogs, etc. to attract investment. Any news articles that address DoC or U.S. government involvement must be reviewed and pre-approved by Department of Commerce staff. 6. Develop a minimum of 7 business success videos (promotional DVDs) highlighting success stories on Afghan companies with a focus on international trade in partnership with an Afghan business organization. Develop a series of growing business success video segments and news articles, blogs, Facebook or Twitter and other multi-use social network postings, etc. to portray growing commercial successes in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz, Jalalabad, and Lashkar Gah. 7. Develop a delivery marketing plan methodology for the business success videos as well as the trade promotion video segments through various organizations, chambers of commerce, governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as media outlets. 8. Ensure quality of media products and track number of airings of video segments, feedback, numbers of viewers etc. 9. Create or promote business center hubs by identifying appropriate technologies, setting up a space and utilizing technologies to conduct business to business meetings. The implementer may meet with and evaluate the feasibility of working to set these up at business organizations throughout Afghanistan or suggest other appropriate partners and provide relevant background information to be included in a business center design plan for review by DoC prior to plan execution. 10. Provide Afghan business people with at least one training of trainer program per center (5 total) to be empowered to design and run training programs for local Afghan businesses on how to utilize technology to that allow them to market their goods and services. 11. Develop a training program to equip a minimum of 100 Afghan citizens including women in technology usage, maintenance and management; video and marketing production; and business journalism and other such topics as determined by an assessment of local business needs by each local chamber of commerce or business organization in cooperation with the program implementer and the U.S. Department of Commerce's staff. Ensure this program is well-staffed, sustainable beyond the lifetime of the project and includes technical expertise key subject matters addressed. 12. Develop resources including training materials; networking sessions, internet based forums, etc. that can be used to facilitate knowledge sharing and communication with potential international partners for Afghan companies. 13. Develop beta website specifications, design, intended marketing plan, outcomes, sustainability plan and list of sponsors to be ongoing supporters of the website. 14. Develop and create a beta website to serve as an online repository of local Afghan business news, Afghan tenders, and Afghan companies advertisements for products they would like to sell or buy from international sources, video segments, e-newsletter, etc. 15. Create a list of potential editors, writers and suppliers of business news. 16. Develop a website governance plan to include a post launch website sustainability and marketing outreach plan. 17. Create a network of contributors to the website in Afghanistan as well as potential international content contributors. 18. Develop a website launch event to include international media, local and international business organizations and chambers of commerce. 19. Produce a monthly e-newsletter to include information on U.S.-Afghan business projects, opportunities for Afghan businesses to grow their businesses, and other business relevant news regarding Afghanistan. 20. Collect evaluations of training workshops from workshop participants. 21. Solicit and collect feedback from Afghan viewers or recipients of the quality of videos, video segments, beta website and e-newsletter. 22. Program success would be measured based on the following criteria: a) Number of Afghan program participants (defined as those who receive direct benefit through program funds being spent on their behalf such as training participants, Afghan persons employed as contractors by program implementer, participants in website launch event and other website contributors, DVD production participants etc.) to be a minimum of 200 persons. b) Number of viewings and viewers of video segments and videos and number of persons who sign up to receive e-newsletter; number of news articles and multi-media produced as well as potential audience size. c) Quality and timeliness of Quarterly reports (narrative and financial). d) Quality and timeliness of Final report and Demobilization plan. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing all Life Support functions for all their employees within Afghanistan. Life Support includes, but is not limited to living accommodations, potable water, electricity, Internet access, trash removal, and related support services. The government is not responsible for providing Life Support for the Contractor within Afghanistan. The Department of Commerce anticipates Contractor personnel will primarily be working in Afghanistan, with additional work performed in the United States, the Middle East and South Asia. The Contractor will have discretion on where to locate its personnel to best perform its obligations under the Contract. For all personnel deploying into the theater of operation, the contractor is authorized to conduct contractor-performed theater admission processing. The period of performance is twelve (12) months from date of award. The U.S. Department of Commerce is requesting that interested contractors provide a brief capability/information statement demonstrating their ability to provide this service and provide the following information: The statement of capabilities should include: 1. Firm name, address, e-mail, telephone and fax numbers 2. Small business certification - 8(a), HubZone, Service Disabled Veteran or Women-owned. 3. Applicable contract vehicles (i.e. DOC, GSA, NASA SEWP) available for Government-wide use. 4. Past Experience - describe your experience of similar type, size and complexity to that which is the subject of this Sources Sought. 5. Provide a listing of three (3) most recent projects your firm has performed. 6. Your firms Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 7. System for Award Management (SAM) registered NAICS Codes. Interested parties should submit their responses in either a.doc or.pdf compatible format via email. Submissions should be no more than five (5) pages plus cover sheet. The DOC does not intend to respond to questions concerning this requirement at this time. Responses should be submitted to Monica.Brown@trade.gov
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