MODIFICATION
R -- MedlinePlus Maintenance II
- Notice Date
- 8/1/2014
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 105, Bethesda, Maryland, 20894, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20894
- Solicitation Number
- NIHLM2014135B
- Archive Date
- 8/19/2014
- Point of Contact
- Maryann Carroll, Phone: 3014517329, Robin Hope, Phone: 301-496-6546
- E-Mail Address
-
maryann.carroll@nih.gov, Robin.Hope@nih.gov
(maryann.carroll@nih.gov, Robin.Hope@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- **** NOTICE: THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS HEREBY SUSPENDED DUE TO AN AGENCY LEVEL PROTEST. **** NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NO. NIHLM2014135B INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS A. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. NOTICE OF SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE Proposals under this acquisition are solicited only from small business concerns (reference: FAR 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside). 2. NAICS CODE AND SIZE STANDARD NOTICE TO OFFERORS: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS TO BE USED IN COMPLETING BLOCK 10 OF SF 1449, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS; AND FAR 52.219-1, SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REPRESENTATIONS (MAY 2004) OF THE ATTACHED REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS. a. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541990. b. The small business size standard for this acquisition is $15.0 million. 3. NUMBER OF AWARDS It is anticipated that ONE (1) AWARD will be made from this solicitation and that the award will be made around August 15, 2014. It is anticipated that the awards from this solicitation will be for a one year with options for two (2) successive one-year periods. The period of performance begins around September 15, 2014. 4. COMMITMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS The Contracting Officer is the only individual who can legally commit the Government to the expenditure of public funds in connection with the proposed acquisition. Any other commitment, either explicit or implied, is invalid. 5. COMMUNICATIONS PRIOR TO CONTRACT AWARD Offerors shall direct all communications to the attention of the Contract Specialist cited in Block 7a of SF 1449, Request for Proposals. Communications with other officials may compromise the competitiveness of this acquisition and result in cancellation of the requirement. Communications with other officials may compromise the competitiveness of this acquisition and result in cancellation of the requirement. Questions regarding this RFP should be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist cited in Block 7a of SF 1449, Request for Proposals, no later than Noon ET on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. 6. COMPARATIVE IMPORTANCE OF PROPOSALS You are advised that paramount consideration shall be given to the evaluation of the technical portion of quotes. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. However, the Government reserves the right to make an award to the best advantage of the Government, cost and other factors considered. 7. PREPARATION COSTS This RFP does not commit the Government to pay for the preparation and submission of a proposal. B. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS 1. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS -- COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION (a) Definitions. As used in this provision Discussions are negotiations that occur that may, at the Contracting Officer's discretion, result in the offeror being allowed to revise its proposal. In writing or written means any worded or numbered expression which can be read, reproduced, and later communicated, and includes electronically transmitted and stored information. Proposal modification is a change made to a proposal before the solicitation's closing date and time, or made in response to an amendment, or made to correct a mistake at any time before award. Proposal revision is a change to a proposal made after the solicitation closing date, at the request of or as allowed by a Contracting Officer as the result of negotiations. Time, if stated as a number of days, is calculated using calendar days, unless otherwise specified, and will include Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. However, if the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, then the period shall include the next working day. (b) Amendments to solicitations. If this solicitation is amended, all terms and conditions that are not amended remain unchanged. Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation by the date and time specified in the amendment(s). (c) Submission, modification, revision, and withdrawal of proposals. (1) Unless other methods (e.g., electronic commerce or facsimile) are permitted in the solicitation, proposals and modifications to proposals shall be submitted in paper media in sealed envelopes or packages (i) addressed to the office specified in the solicitation, and (ii) showing the time and date specified for receipt, the solicitation number, and the name and address of the offeror. Offerors using commercial carriers should ensure that the proposal is marked on the outermost wrapper with the information in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii) of this provision. (2) The first page of the proposal must show (i) The solicitation number; (ii) The name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers of the offeror (and electronic address if available); (iii) A statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation and agreement to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item; (iv) Names, titles, and telephone and facsimile numbers (and electronic addresses if available) of persons authorized to negotiate on the offeror's behalf with the Government in connection with this solicitation; and (v) Name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign the proposal. Proposals signed by an agent shall be accompanied by evidence of that agent's authority, unless that evidence has been previously furnished to the issuing office. (3) Late proposals and revisions. (i) Any proposal received at the office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of quotes will not be considered unless it is received before award is made and (A) It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of proposals (e.g., a proposal submitted in response to a solicitation requiring receipt of offers by the 20th of the month must have been mailed by the 15th); (B) It was sent by mail (or telegram or facsimile, if authorized) or hand carried (including delivery by a commercial carrier) if it is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due primarily to Government mishandling after receipt at the Government installation; (C) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 p.m. at the place of mailing two working days prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals. The term ``working days'' excludes weekends and U.S. Federal holidays; (D) It was transmitted through an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation and was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals; or (E) There is acceptable evidence to establish that it was received at the activity designated for receipt of proposals and was under the Government's control prior to the time set for receipt of proposals, and the Contracting Officer determines that accepting the late proposal would not unduly delay the procurement; or (F) It is the only proposal received. (ii) Any modification or revision of a proposal or response to request for information, including any final proposal revision, is subject to the same conditions as in subparagraphs (c)(3)(i)(A) through (c)(3)(i)(E) of this provision. (iii) The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late proposal or modification or revision sent either by registered or certified mail is the U.S. or Canadian Postal Service postmark both on the envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. or Canadian Postal Service. Both postmarks must show a legible date or the proposal, response to a request for information, or modification or revision shall be processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped, or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable without further action as having been supplied and affixed by employees of the U.S. or Canadian Postal Service on the date of mailing. Therefore, offerors or respondents should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation bull's eye postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper. (iv) Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government installation includes the time/date stamp of that installation on the proposal wrapper, other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by the installation, or oral testimony or statements of Government personnel. (v) The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late proposal, modification or revision, or withdrawal sent by Express Mail Next Day Service Post Office to Addressee is the date entered by the post office receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail Next Day Service Post Office to Addressee'' label and the postmark on both the envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. ``Postmark'' has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this provision, excluding postmarks of the Canadian Postal Service. Therefore, offerors or respondents should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation bull's eye postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper. (vi) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this provision, a late modification or revision of an otherwise successful proposal that makes its terms more favorable to the Government will be considered at any time it is received and may be accepted. (vii) Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram (including mailgram) received at any time before award. If the solicitation authorizes facsimile proposals, proposals may be withdrawn via facsimile received at any time before award, subject to the conditions specified in the provision entitled "Facsimile Proposals." Proposals may be withdrawn in person by a offeror or an authorized representative, if the representative's identity is made known and the representative signs a receipt for the proposal before award. (viii) If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that proposals cannot be received at the office designated for receipt of proposals by the exact time specified in the solicitation, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation or other notice of an extension of the closing date, the time specified for receipt of proposals will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume. If no time is specified in the solicitation, the time for receipt is 4:30 p.m., local time, for the designated Government office. (4) Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be in English and in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise permitted by the solicitation. (5) Offerors may submit modifications to their proposals at any time before the solicitation closing date and time, and may submit modifications in response to an amendment, or to correct a mistake at any time before award. (6) Offerors may submit revised proposals only if requested or allowed by the Contracting Officer. (7) Proposals may be withdrawn at any time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Contracting Officer. (d) Proposal expiration date. Proposals in response to this solicitation will be valid for a period of 60 calendar days. (e) Restriction on disclosure and use of data. Offerors that include in their proposals data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes, shall (1) Mark the title page with the following legend: This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed in whole or in part for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a contract is awarded to this offeror as a result of or in connection with the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]; and (2) Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend: Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal. (f) Contract award. (1) The Government intends to award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose proposal represents the best value after evaluation in accordance with the factors and subfactors in the solicitation. (2) The Government may reject any or all proposals if such action is in the Government's interest. (3) The Government may waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received. (4) The Government shall evaluate proposals and may award a contract without discussions with offerors (except clarifications as described in FAR 15.306(a)). Therefore, the offeror's initial proposal should contain the offeror's best terms from a cost or price and technical standpoint. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if the Contracting Officer later determines them to be necessary. (5) The Government reserves the right to make an award on any item for a quantity less than the quantity quoted, at the unit cost or prices quoted, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the proposal. (6) The Government reserves the right to make multiple awards if, after considering the additional administrative costs, it is in the Government's best interest to do so. (7) Exchanges with offerors after receipt of a proposal do not constitute a rejection or counteroffer by the Government. (8) The Government may determine that a proposal is unacceptable if the prices proposed are materially unbalanced between line items or subline items. Unbalanced pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price, the price of one or more line items is significantly overstated or understated as indicated by the application of cost or price analysis techniques. A proposal may be rejected if the Contracting Officer determines that the lack of balance poses an unacceptable risk to the Government. (9) If a cost realism analysis is performed, cost realism may be considered by the source selection authority in evaluating performance or schedule risk. 2. POTENTIAL AWARD WITHOUT DISCUSSIONS The Government reserves the right to award a contract without discussions if the Contracting Officer determines that the initial prices are fair and reasonable and that discussions are not necessary. 3. ORDERING TERMS AND CONDITIONS • ¬¬¬The offeror must specify the unit price quoted for each Item Number listed in Block 23 of SF 1449. • ¬¬¬Prices quoted for this RFP are Open Market or General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) prices. For items quoted from the FSS, the offeror must cite its FSS contract number. The offeror must also provide a copy of its FSS contractor's price list with its proposal. • The offeror must indicate the Quantity, Item, and Trade Discounts being quoted for each line item listed in Block 23 of the SF 1449. If none, so state. • The offeror must indicate the F.O.B. Point (cite 'O' for Origin and 'D' for Destina¬tion). [Reference Item No. (2), Transportation & Shipping Terms, of the attached Addendum to Terms and Conditions of Contract.] 4. CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS The attached Contract Terms and Conditions shall be made a part of any contract awarded as a result of this RFP. The attached Addendum to Terms and Conditions of Contract shall be made a part of any contract awarded as a result of this RFP. 5. REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS (a). The attached Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors shall be completed and submitted as part of the proposal. 6. PRIVACY ACT The Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579) requires that a Federal agency advise each individual whom it asks to supply information, the authority which authorizes the solicitation, whether disclosure is voluntary or mandatory, the principal purpose for which the information is intended to be used, the uses outside the agency which may be made of the information, and the effects on the individual, if any, of not providing all or any part of the requested information. The NIH is requesting the information called for in this RFP pursuant to the authority provided by Sec. 301(a)(7) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, and P.L. 92-218, as amended. Providing the information requested is entirely voluntary. The collection of this information is for the purpose of conducting an accurate, fair, and adequate review prior to a discussion as to whether to award a contract. Failure to provide any or all of the requested information may result in a less than satisfactory review. In addition, the Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579, Section 7) requires that the following information be provided when individuals are requested to disclose their social security number. Provision of the social security number is voluntary. Social security numbers are requested for the purpose of accurate and efficient identification, referral, review and management of NIH acquisition programs. Authority for requesting this information is provided by Section 301 and Title IV of the PHS Act, as amended. The information provided by you may be routinely disclosed for the following purposes: • to the cognizant audit agency and the General Accounting Office for auditing. • to the Department of Justice as required for litigation. • to respond to congressional inquiries. • to qualified experts, not within the definition of Department employees, for opinions as a part of the review process. 7. SELECTION OF OFFEROR a. The acceptability of the technical portion of each proposal will be evaluated by a technical review committee or a member of the Government's technical staff. Each proposal will be evaluated in strict conformity with the evaluation criteria in the RFP utilizing point scores and written critiques. The offeror may be requested to submit clarifying information. b. The business portion of each proposal will be subjected to a cost/price analysis (as appropriate), management analysis, etc. c. If award will be made without conducting discussions, offerors may be given the opportunity to clarify certain aspects of their proposals (e.g., the relevance of a offeror's past performance information and adverse past performance information to which the offeror has not previously had an opportunity to respond) or to resolve minor or clerical errors. d. Best-Value Analysis. A final best-value analysis will be performed taking into consideration the results of the technical evaluation, cost analysis, and adequate resources to respond to the Government's required schedule. The Government reserves the right to make an award to the best advantage of the Government, technical merit, cost, and other factors considered. e. The NLM reserves the right to make a single award, multiple awards, or no award at all as a result of this RFP. In addition, the RFP may be amended or canceled as necessary to meet NLM's requirements. 8. SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE [FAR 52.252-1 (FEBRUARY 1998)]. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its proposal. In lieu of submitting the full text provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its proposal. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this address: http://www.arnet.gov/far/. 9. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL Your proposal should be organized as specified in Section B., GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS; Section C., INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL; and Section D., INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL; You must submit an electronic version of your quotation to the following email address no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on August 4th, 2014: Maryann Carroll - Email: maryann.carroll@nih.gov In addition to the electronic copy, you must submit one (1) signed original and three (3) hard copies by 3:00pm, Eastern Time, on August 4th, 2014 to the following address: Maryann Carroll, Contract Specialist Office of Acquisitions (OA) National Library of Medicine (NLM) 6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 105 Bethesda, Maryland 20894 FAXED COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED Elements of the Proposal The Offeror should submit a proposal consisting of the following documents separately bound in two volumes. 1. Volume I: Technical Proposal 2. Volume II: Business Proposal C. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL 1. SECTION 508 REQUIREMENTS Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. The creative service items and all preparatory documents and final submissions required by this scope must be Section 508 compliant. Specifically, the end product and all associated electronic files must be conformant with all applicable provisions, including: 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support These provisions can be found at http://www.section508.gov/section508-laws Section 508 program need Requirements for accessibility based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) are determined to be relevant for the following program need: "MedlinePlus Maintenance and Support". Section 508 Product Requirements Functional Performance Criteria from 36 CFR part 1194.31 and Information, documentation, and support requirements from 36 CFR part 1194.41 have been determined to apply to this acquisition. Solicitation respondents must describe how the functional performance criteria and information, documentation, and support proposed for Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) deliverables meet at least the information, documentation, and support requirements identified as applicable in the attached Government Product/Service Accessibility Template (GPAT) relevant to the appropriate service. Section 508 Evaluation Factors Responses to this solicitation will only be considered for award after it has been determined that the proposal adequately addresses the requirements for Section 508. Only proposals which contain adequate information to document their responsiveness to the Section 508 requirements (e.g. a completed GPAT (Government Product/Service Accessibility Template), VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) or equivalent and supporting documentation) will be eligible for any additional merit consideration. If the deliverable proposed in response to this solicitation includes features and functions in addition to those identified as requirements, these features and functions also need to conform to relevant Section 508 technical provisions, functional performance criteria, and information, documentation and support. The accessibility of these additional features and functions should be described in the completed GPAT, VPAT or equivalent supporting information, see Appendix 1. 2. PREPARING THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL The technical approach should be in as much detail as is necessary to fully explain the vendor's proposed technical approach or method. The technical portion of the proposal should reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken. The technical portion of the proposal should include information on how projects are to be organized, staffed, and managed. Information should be provided which will demonstrate an understanding and management of important events or tasks. 3. VOLUME I: TECHNICAL PROPOSAL The Vendor must submit ONE (1) bound volume clearly marked Original and THREE (3) complete, clearly marked Copies, separately bound, with the title of the solicitation, the Offeror's name, and the Service Category on the first page, and addressing the following: Technical Proposals. The technical portion of your proposal should respond to the items set forth below: Proposal should be organized as follows and contain the following elements: a) Past Performance b) Technical Approach c) Qualifications and Key Personnel Technical Proposals. The technical portion should respond to the items set forth in the SOW and shall not exceed twenty (20) pages excluding all attachments and appendices. A. Past Performance: Contractors should explain their reputation for cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction, adherence to contract schedules, including reports and performance quality control. The Contractor shall identify at least one contract with the Federal Government and/or commercial customers that demonstrate recent and relevant past performance. Ideally these should be companies that have similar staffing needs. Recent is defined as within the last three years. Relevant is defined as work similar in complexity and magnitude of the work described in this Statement of Work. Include the following information: • Project title • Description of the project • Awarded price/cost • Final or projected final price/cost • For contracts which did not/do not meet awarded price/cost, period of performance, or other performance requirements. Provide a brief explanation of the reason(s) for the change/deviation and any adjustments taken in repose. • Period of Performance (dates of start and completion of work). • Agency/Organization • Contract and, if applicable, task order number • Contact name, which may be Contracting Officer's Representative's name, address, and phone number • Contracting Officer's name, address, and phone number, if applicable • Current status, e.g., completed and/or if in progress, start and estimated completion dates • Name of company being referenced • A brief narrative of why you deem the reference to be relevant to this effort The Government may also consider information obtained through other sources such as from the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS). Past performance information will be utilized to determine the quality of the contractor's past performance as it relates to the probability of success of the required effort.   B. Understanding the Requirement and Technical Approach The Contractor's Technical Proposal should discuss: • The background, objectives, and requirements of the Statement of Work as analyzed by the Contractor, • The proposed methods and techniques for completing each task, • How support will be evaluated for full performance and acceptability of work from the Contractor's viewpoint; with support, and • Any anticipated major difficulties and problem areas, along with potential recommended approaches for their resolution. The Contractor should also submit a detailed narrative plan showing how they would approach and carry out requirements in the Statement of Work. This includes the work of monitoring and site record maintenance, conducting topic checks, maintenance and other project-based word, and overall administration and management of the contract.. The narrative should be a clear reflection of the Contractor's understanding of the project, including: • the Contractor's perception of the purpose and requirements • clarity of the approach in executing these requirements • methods of measuring performance of the contract and doing quality control • the Contractor's general approach the management of staff, professional development of staff, handling hiring and recruiting, handling staffing changes, performance feedback, and addressing performance concerns of staff. • The communication mechanisms for communicating with the Government and communicating with staff. • The mechanism for recognition of potential difficulties in performance and appropriate proposed solutions. Explain the level of response that the Government could expect from the Contractor in terms of staffing, performance, or other management concerns. C. Qualifications and Key Personnel: This section shall define the staff for the requirement explained in the Statement of Work and their qualifications to carry out the defined work. The Contractor shall include in its response a resume for each key person proposed for the project. Individual resumes shall be no more than three pages in length. Resumes shall include the following: • Name of person; • Proposed position, function, or role; • Education (including, in reverse chronological order, colleges and/or technical schools attended (with dates), degree(s)/certification(s) received, major field(s) of study); • Experience (including, in reverse chronological order, area(s) of work in which a person is qualified, company and title of position, approximate starting and ending dates (month/year), concise descriptions of experience for each position held, and • Certification that the information contained in the resume is correct and accurate.   4. EVALUATION OF THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF PROPOSALS The technical portion of proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the factors, weights, and order of relative importance as described in E. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD below. 5. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL a. Proposals which merely offer to conduct the work in accordance with the requirements of the Government's scope of work will not be eligible for award. The Vendor should submit an explanation of the proposed technical approach in conjunction with the tasks to be performed in achieving the project objectives. b. Evaluation of the technical portion of proposals will be conducted by a technical review committee or a member of the Government's technical staff in accordance with the weighted technical evaluation criteria stated in E. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD below. This evaluation produces a numerical score (points) which is based upon the information contained in the Vendor's proposal only. D. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL 1. BASIC COST/PRICE INFORMATION The business portion of the proposal should contain sufficient information to allow the Government to perform a basic analysis of the proposed cost or price of the work. This information shall include the amounts of the basic elements of the proposed cost or price. These elements will include, as appropriate: direct labor, fringe benefits, travel, materials, subcontracts, purchased parts, shipping, indirect costs and rate, fee, and profit. Volume II: Business Proposal The Vendor must submit ONE (1) bound volume clearly marked Original and FOUR (4) complete, clearly marked Copies, separately bound, and addressing the following: Vendors should respond for all key labor categories that are relevant to the services they propose to provide. a) Vendors should submit a detailed breakdown of burdened rates for all key personnel for the categories of labor. Itemize materials and subcontractors separately. The Vendor should submit fully burdened hourly rates (burdened rates include direct labor, all indirect rates [e.g., overhead and G & A expense, and profit]) for all key labor categories listed under Key Personnel in Volume I of the Technical Proposal to be utilized to submit a firm fixed price proposal for the base and each option year. The Vendor should submit the percentage markup (including overhead, G & A, commission, FCCM, profit, etc.) for subcontractor's labor and other direct costs (except travel) to be used. b) All labor categories for which the Vendor requires payment should be identified. Vendors may submit categories commonly used in their businesses. If so, Vendors should submit information indicating what proposed categories perform the duties as described in the Statement of Work. c) If the Vendor has a current federal government audit agency, the Vendor should include the name of this agency, address, telephone number and person to contact. 2. INFORMATION OTHER THAN COST OR PRICING DATA The information submitted shall consist of data to permit the Contracting Officer and authorized representatives to determine price reasonableness or cost realism, e.g., information to support an analysis of material costs (when sufficient information on labor and overhead rates is already available), or information on prices and quantities at which the Vendor has previously sold the same or similar items. Any information submitted must support the price proposed. Include sufficient detail or cross reference to clearly establish the relationship of the information provided to the price proposed. Support any information provided by explanations or supporting rational as needed to permit the Contracting Officer and authorized representatives to evaluate the documentation. Unless otherwise stated in this solicitation, the information may be submitted in the Vendor's own format. The Cost Template should be submitted in the provided format. See Cost Template Attachment. 3. SERVICE CONTRACT ACT OF 1965 Offerors are hereby notified that the Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended, may apply to any contract resulting from this RFP. The National Library of Medicine shall request the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for a wage determination in accordance with the requirements of the Act. Any applicable wage determination received from DOL shall also be made a part of the resultant contract. The following clauses are hereby incorporated by reference and shall be made a part of the resultant contract. All clauses incorporated by reference have the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. a. FAR Clause 52.222-41, SERVICE CONTRACT ACT OF 1965, as amended (MAY 1989). b. FAR Clause 52.222-42, STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENT RATES FOR FEDERAL HIRES (MAY 1989). In compliance with the Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended, and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR Part 4), this clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5341 or 5332. c. Fringe Benefits (1). Ten paid holidays as follows: New Year's Day President's Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans' Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Martin Luther King's Birthday (2). Paid annual leave (vacation as follows): (a). Two hours of annual leave each week for an employee with less than three years of service. (b). Three hours of annual leave each week for an employee with three but less than fifteen years of service. (c). Four hours of annual leave each week for an employee with fifteen or more years of service. (3). Two hours of paid sick leave each week for all employees regardless of years of service. 4. PRICING Prices to the Government shall be as low as or lower than those charged to the offeror's most favored customer for comparable quantities under similar terms and conditions in addition to any trade or prompt payment discounts offered. Accordingly, discounts notwithstanding, the offeror must ensure that the items sold to the Government in the particular commodity category meet the requirement for "most favorable pricing" to the Government. E. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 1. GENERAL The evaluation factors for this RFP include technical, which encompasses the section 508 requirements, the vendor's previous work experience, and key personnel, and cost/price factors. Although technical factors are of paramount consideration in the award of a contract(s), cost/price is also important to the overall award decision. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. Vendors are advised that award will be made to the source whose quote provides the best overall value to the Government. Proposals which merely offer to conduct the work in accordance with the requirements of the Government's scope of work will not be eligible for award. The vendor should submit an explanation of the proposed technical approach in conjunction with the tasks to be performed in achieving the project objectives. Evaluation of the section 508 requirements will be conducted by a technical review committee or a member of the Government's technical staff in accordance with HHSAR Section 508 "339.203". Evaluation of the technical portion of proposals will be conducted by a technical review committee or a member of the Government's technical staff in accordance with the weighted technical evaluation criteria stated in EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR VOLUME I - TECHNICAL PROPOSAL below. This evaluation produces a numerical score (points). 2. SECTION 508 EVALUATION FACTORS Responses to this solicitation will only be considered for award after it has been determined that the proposal adequately addresses the requirements for Section 508. Only proposals which contain adequate information to document their responsiveness to the Section 508 requirements (e.g. a completed GPAT, VPAT or equivalent and supporting documentation) will be eligible for any additional merit consideration. If the deliverable proposed in response to this solicitation includes features and functions in addition to those identified as requirements, these features and functions also need to conform to relevant Section 508 technical provisions, functional performance criteria, and information, documentation and support. The accessibility of these additional features and functions should be described in the completed GPAT, VPAT or equivalent supporting information. 3. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS It is anticipated that any contract(s) awarded from this RFP will contain option provision(s) and period(s). In accordance with FAR Clause 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options (July 1990), the Government will evaluate quotes for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement, except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government's best interests. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). 4. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA The following technical evaluation criteria will be used by the Government when reviewing the technical portion of the proposal. The criteria below are listed in the order of relative importance with weights assigned for evaluation purposes. Review of responses will be conducted by a technical review committee or a member of the Government's technical staff. The technical proposal should be as complete and specific as possible. The technical merits of each proposal will be carefully evaluated in terms of the requirements and in relation to the criteria listed below: 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR VOLUME II - THE BUSINESS PROPOSAL Cost is evaluated separately. All evaluation factors other than cost, when combined, are significantly more important than cost. Cost will be evaluated for completeness and reasonableness. Since the evaluation of cost will represent a portion of the total evaluation, it is possible that an Vendor might not be selected for award because of unreasonable, unrealistic, incomplete, inaccurate, or noncurrent cost proposal information. Each Vendor's cost information will be evaluated for realism, completeness, and reasonableness to determine the Vendor's understanding of the work and ability to perform the contract. Realism is evaluated by assessing the compatibility of proposed costs with the technical/management/qualifications of the personnel. Completeness is evaluated by assessing the level of detail the Vendor provides for all requirements. Reasonableness is evaluated by assessing the acceptability of the Vendor's methodology used in developing the cost. The existence of adequate cost competition may support a determination of reasonableness. This includes both original submissions and final proposal revisions (if requested). 6. EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR VOLUME II - THE BUSINESS PROPOSAL Cost is evaluated separately. All evaluation factors other than cost, when combined, are significantly more important than cost. Cost will be evaluated for completeness and reasonableness. Since the evaluation of cost will represent a portion of the total evaluation, it is possible that a Vendor might not be selected for award because of unreasonable, unrealistic, incomplete, inaccurate, or noncurrent cost proposal information. Each Vendor's cost information will be evaluated for realism, completeness, and reasonableness to determine the Vendor's understanding of the work and ability to perform the contract. Realism is evaluated by assessing the compatibility of proposed costs with the technical/management/qualifications of the personnel. Completeness is evaluated by assessing the level of detail the Vendor provides for all requirements. Reasonableness is evaluated by assessing the acceptability of the Vendor's methodology used in developing the cost. The existence of adequate cost competition may support a determination of reasonableness. This includes both original submissions and final proposal revisions (if requested). 7. EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR VOLUME I - TECHNICAL PROPOSAL Criterion Weight A. Past Performance 15 points B. Understanding Requirements and Technical Approach 35 points C. Qualifications and Key Personnel 50 points TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 100 points In Volume I the Technical Proposal, firms and their proposed staff should demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the following critical elements of work: A. Past Performance 15 Points Past Performance information is an evaluation factor in the best value decision. Past Performance will be evaluated on performance under existing and prior contracts for work similar in nature and complexity. Offerors should explain their reputation for cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction, adherence to contract schedules, including reports and performance quality control and providing references for past performance. The Offeror shall identify at least one contract with the Federal Government and/or commercial customers that demonstrate recent and relevant past performance of a similar complexity and magnitude to what is described in the Statement of Work. B. Understanding Requirements and Technical Approach 35 Points The proposal must provide evidence that the Offeror understands the statement of work and is able to meet all of the requirements set forth in the statement of work. This includes: site monitoring and site record maintenance, conducting topic checks, maintenance and other-project-based work, and overall administration and management of this contract. Details shall include quality control measures, reporting mechanisms, and the overall management approach for managing staff, hiring and recruiting, handling staffing changes, performance feedback and addressing performance concerns procedures to assess the level of service provided. C. Qualifications and Key Personnel 50 Points Key personnel will be evaluated to ensure that the assembled personnel have the required experience, skills and ability to complete task orders of comparable size, scope, and complexity to the Library's previous projects. The contractor shall define the staff for this work and their qualifications to meet the positions and the defined work. In response a resume for each key person proposed for the project must be submitted. Individual resumes shall be no more than three pages in length and shall include the name, proposed position, education, experience, and certification that the information is correct. The key labor categories and qualifications for each are listed below. The Library anticipates that each of the personnel categories listed will be used but makes no guarantee that such will occur. The Project manager shall have an advanced degree in librarianship from an ALA-accredited program. He/she shall have at least ten (10) years of experience in librarianship (work post-degree) or equivalent experience. The Project Manager shall have at least ten (10) years of experience with evaluating consumer health information. In addition, the project manager shall have a minimum of two (2) years of experience managing a team of subject analysts, including budgeting, planning, coordinating work, overall quality control. The 10 year and 2 year requirements of experience can be simultaneous. The project manager shall have a commitment to customer service and ensuring a quality experience for users of MedlinePlus. He/She shall also meet the general personnel requirements as outlined in the SOW. The Project Manager is a senior member of the team handling the maintenance of MedlinePlus, which is a high-profile Web site offered by the National Library of Medicine. Education and experience in librarianship is essential for seamlessly overseeing the review and evaluation of content, understanding how information on MedlinePlus is organized and created (including new topics or subsets of content), how information is categorized and indexed for display, and also how information is selected for the site to meet the needs of users. A librarian's specialized training in collecting, evaluating, organizing and disseminating information is imperative for this work to go seamlessly. Subject Analysts: The Subject Analysts shall have an advanced degree in librarianship from an ALA-accredited program. They should also have a minimum of one (1) year of experience with consumer health information and librarianship (post-degree). They should be able to evaluate the quality of health information resources and meet the general personnel requirements as outlined in the SOW. A librarian's specialized training in collecting, evaluating, organizing and disseminating information is essential for ensuring that the work is done as efficiently and effectively as possible. He/She shall also meet the general personnel requirements as outlined in the SOW. F. ATTACHMENTS TO THE RFP 1. Statement of Work (4 pages). 2. FAR Clause 52.212-1, Instructions of Offerors-Commercial Items (4 Pages). 3. FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Items (1 page). 4. FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (11 pages). 5. FAR Clause 52.213-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercials Items (11 pages). 6. FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (5 pages). 7. Addendum to Terms and Conditions of Contract (7 pages). 8. Buy Accessible Government Product/Service Accessibility Template (GPAT) for MedlinePlus Maintenance and Support (15 pages). 9. Wage Determination dated 06/19/2014 (10 pages). 10. SF 1449
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