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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF AUGUST 23, 2013 FBO #4290
DOCUMENT

R -- Notice of Intent to Sole Source- Vocus Implementation and Training - Attachment

Notice Date

8/21/2013
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541990 — All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
 

Contracting Office

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick;Department of Veterans Affairs;321 Ballenger Center Drive, Suite 125;Frederick MD 21703
 

ZIP Code

21703
 

Solicitation Number

VA119A13Q0199
 

Response Due

8/23/2013
 

Archive Date

9/7/2013
 

Point of Contact

Caitlin Palmer, caitlin.palmer@va.gov
 

E-Mail Address

Caitlin.Palmer@va.gov
(caitlin.palmer@va.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
 

Description

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED AND PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE REQUESTED. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Acquisition Operations (OAO), Strategic Acquisition Center-Frederick (SAC-F), in accordance with the Veterans First Contracting Program and the Authority under 38 USC 8127-8128 (Sections 502 and 503 of Public Law (P.L.) 109-461), FAR Part 6.302-5(b)(6), and VAAR 819.7007, intends to solicit and award a sole source contract to Atlas Research LLC, 3240 Prospect Street NW, Suite 100 Washington, DC 20007-3254, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) for Strategic Communication Support Services on behalf of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of Communications (10B2), Strategic Communications Support Services, VHA Strategic Outreach Support. This is a Follow-On requirement. Background: The Vocus media management system (http://www.vocus.com/) was implemented in selected VHA sites in 2011. This software allows users to monitor news pertaining to Veterans by creating a targeted network of media contacts, coordinate social media efforts, and find key content in rapid fashion. In addition, Vocus captures media distribution, surveillance, and analytics information covering traditional and online media. Purpose and Objective: The Contractor shall secure a user license on behalf of the government for the contract allowing the government to continue Vocus services at the same level as currently licensed. The Contractor shall continue to introduce additional Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) and other communications staff to the Vocus system and continue individual training and guidance for the current users who gained access to this online public relations tool during the pilot in FY12 and FY13. Anticipated Period of Performance: September 26, 2013 through September 25, 2014 Contractor Requirements: The Contractor shall leverage best practices established during the integration of the VHA Vocus Pilot Users in order to take a phased approach to ongoing Vocus training for current and future users. Conducting tailored trainings based on job roles will result in higher levels of engagement. The Vocus trainings addressing specific job roles will provide public relations guidance for PAOs. The contractor shall develop monthly media outreach trainings to ensure that Vocus is used to inform media of recent events, research, and other VHA news. Public relations support will emphasize the importance of targeted pitching and highlight this function within Vocus. Contractor shall conduct the monthly outreach trainings by computer conference and voice conference, accompanied by attached or emailed training documents, as appropriate. The VHA Office of Communications will identify staff to maintain the Vocus system and the Online Press Room, a high-level dashboard accessible from the VHA SharePoint-based intranet --- known as CommSite -- that contains recent news and analytics based on Vocus media monitoring. The contractor shall determine a training plan and timeline to provide the staff members with the necessary tools and knowledge to maximize the use of Vocus. The contractor shall equip the staff members with templates, tool kits, and other training materials. Justification: Vocus is web-based software system for media management and analysis. VHA is currently using Vocus under a user license obtained through the current contractor. Based upon a full market review conducted by several VISNs and another by the VHA Office of Communications, the system was found to have the best integration of communications and media management components crossing both conventional and online media, as well as superior analytics, campaign tracking and client data support. Because VHA Office of Communications and several VISNs have already entered considerable amounts of data into the system for several years, Vocus now provides a common platform and format for compiling and exchanging such data with other VISNs and medical centers as VHA moves to standardize its media informatics. For VISNs and initial pilot users the Vocus online platform now contains extensive VA-related data that has accrued during its use. Discontinuing the Vocus service would either forfeit that data or require extensive porting of data to other, separate platforms which do not have the single-system integration that Vocus offers. Without this kind of integration, VHA would continue to have numerous stove-piped data repositories and sources which could not be readily analyzed and shared without extensive human intervention. Vocus does this automatically. Its value is reflected also in its widespread use among other Federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and elements of the Department of Health and Human Services with whom VHA conducts extensive interactions, and other health systems. Regulatory Authority: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) FAR Part FAR 6.302-1(c) Application for brand name descriptions, and 6.302-5(b)(6) and Sole source awards under the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003. Additional Information: The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 541990, All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services with size standard of $14.0 Million. This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price/ list price, any shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. All responses must be received by August 23, 2013, 12:00PM. EST. and must reference synopsis number VA119A-13-Q-0199, and shall be submitted electronically to The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Acquisition Operations (OAO), Strategic Acquisition Center-Frederick (SAC-F) Attention: Caitlin Palmer at caitlin.palmer@gov. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative. "All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency."
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/AFMLOVASS/VASSMD/VA119A13Q0199/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA119A-13-Q-0199 VA119A-13-Q-0199.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=959735&FileName=VA119A-13-Q-0199-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=959735&FileName=VA119A-13-Q-0199-000.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Office of Media Management, 4th Floor;1717 H Street, NW;Washington, DC

Zip Code: 20006
 

Record

SN03157839-W 20130823/130822000422-3a70231cf8bd8ac92c76bc4225ae8442 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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