SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Media Training and Writing Support Services
- Notice Date
- 8/26/2014
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- 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 B130, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1410, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1410
- Solicitation Number
- SB1350-14-RQ-0567
- Archive Date
- 9/17/2014
- Point of Contact
- Jemal Williams, Phone: 202-482-1459
- E-Mail Address
-
jemal.williams@trade.gov
(jemal.williams@trade.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 and FAR 13, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541613 with a small business size standard of $14.0M. THIS IS A 100% SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE. 1352.215-72 INQUIRIES (APR 2010) Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to jemal.williams@trade.gov. Questions should be received no later than Wednesday August 27th, 2014 at 12:00 pm EST. Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. (End of Provision) 1.0 Scope of Work The contractor shall provide the Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA), Office of Public Affairs (OPA) Support Services for writing op-eds and other media related materials as well as provide media training to senior staff. Support services include writing press materials, op-eds, letters to the editor, and press releases. The media training includes workshops for how to communicate with the press and how to write press materials that will garnish media attention. The workshops will focus on providing ITA senior staff and the office of public affairs with the skills necessary to communicate effectively with the press including proper preparations and presentation skills. Background Senior management recognizes the significance of preparing and delivering successful oral and written presentations to various media outlets to communicate the important role that ITA plays in helping businesses grow and prosper. ITA senior staff consistently must brief key media outlets on specific trade issues and Presidential priorities. This requires that employees have excellent communication skills. In order to accomplish this, OPA and senior leadership has determined that these workshops provide the best means for training on the basics of successful media preparations and communications. Additionally, having ongoing support for refresher sessions, one-on-one or small group, is important. Lastly, having ongoing support in writing and pitching op-eds from senior management and other media materials is necessary to continue to advance ITA's media outreach strategy. 2.0 Standards of Acceptable Performance All Work Deliverables under this task order shall be submitted in accordance with the quality standards of their GSA schedule. The contractor is responsible for taking management and quality control actions necessary to meet these quality standards. 3.0 Deliverables/Delivery Schedule The Contractor shall provide training for up to two workshops and writing/editing services (up to 50 hours of work on an as needed basis). The Contractor will work with the Department to provide draft and final media materials (pending OPA approval) as well as all necessary materials for teaching the training workshops. Workshops to be conducted on-site at 1401 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC. Workshops will be offered every 3 - 4 months over the course of the contract year. The Contractor will work with ITA-OPA in custom tailoring the workshops. OPA will review and approve the Vendors syllabus within five (5) business days of receiving it. 2014 • October 4: Kick-off Meeting: Review of upcoming ITA media events, draft calendar for upcoming writing assignments and due dates, discuss workshop trainings. • October 18: Draft Syllabi, draft evaluation survey, and proposed calendar to be submitted to ITA/OPA. • October 23: ITA/OPA to provide feedback and/or approval of syllabi, evaluation surveys, and proposed calendar. • November 1: Monthly meeting with ITA/OPA to review writing assignments (required the first week of every month) • November 4: Final drafts for syllabi, evaluation surveys and proposed calendar to be submitted to ITA/OPA. • November 8: ITA/OPA to provide final approval of Syllabi, surveys, and proposed calendar. 2014-2015 • November/December: First Round of classes to be offered • March/April: Second Round of Classes to be offered • July/August: Third Round of Classes to be offered 4.0 Period of Performance The period of performance for these services is October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015. 5.0 Place of Performance The primary work location is 1401 CONSTITUTION AVE., NW, WASH DC 20230. 6.0 Tasks The Vendor will provide up to two training/workshop sessions for up to three times per year for the topics below. The topics should be geared for small groups of 6-10 people. The workshops are one-day workshops, and they will be offered up to three times a year 1) Media interviewing skills, Preparing for interviews, Successful presentation techniques, 2) Building trusting relationships with the press The Vendor will provide up to 50 hours of assistance with drafting actual materials for the Office of Public Affairs on as needed basis, including the pitching and placing to articles with media. The writing consists of press materials, op-eds, letters to the editor, press releases and statements. Type of Order The Government intends to award a Firm Fixed Price order for this requirement. Contract Management 7.1 Hours of Work The contractor will provide training between the hours of 9am - 5pm. 7.2 Government Holidays The following Government holidays are normally observed by Government personnel: New Years Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Presidential Inauguration Day (metropolitan DC area only), President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and any other day designed by Federal Statute, Executive Order, and/or Presidential Proclamation (i.e. 26 December). However, this service must be provided 24/7/365. 7.3 Contractor Personnel The contractor shall be responsible for managing and overseeing the activities of all contractor personnel. The contractor's management responsibilities shall include all activities necessary to ensure the accomplishment of timely effective support, performed in accordance with the requirements contained in the statement of work. 7.4.1 Project Manager We seek a single point of contact for all services to be provided through this contract. 7.5 Physical Security The contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government property provided for contractor use. At the end of normal duty hours and/or after normal duty hours, all government facilities, equipment and materials must be secured. 7.8 Project Manager, CO, COTR Meetings The contractor's Project Manager (if any) shall meet with the COTR as necessary to maintain satisfactory performance and to resolve other issues pertaining to Government/contractor procedures. At these meetings, a mutual effort will be made to resolve any and all problems identified. Written minutes of these meetings shall be prepared by the contractor, signed by the contractor's designated representative, and furnished to the Government within two workdays of the subject meeting. 8.0 Travel The cost of travel to and from the worksite, 1401 CONSTITUTION AVE., NW, WASH DC 20230, is not included in this contract. 9.0 Government Furnished Equipment/Information/Materials 9.1 Government Furnished Information (GFI) The contractor shall be furnished current task working papers, project descriptions, program briefing material and other pertinent information, and other documentation or material required to carry out the tasks described in the SOW. 9.2 Government Furnished Materials (GFM) The contractor will be furnished with briefing and key messages materials. All written materials are property of the U.S. Government. The contractor cannot re-produce or distribute work products without prior consent of the U.S. Government. PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES: The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are hereby incorporated by reference. All FAR clauses may be viewed at http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html. Provisions 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items; 52.225-25, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Sanctioned Activities Relating to Iran; 1352.209-70, Potential Organizational Conflict of Interest; Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law (Class Deviation) (March 2012) 1) In accordance with Sections 543 and 544 of Public Law 112-55 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2012, Title V (General Provisions) none of the funds made available by that Act may be used to enter into a contract with any corporation that- a) Was convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government. b) Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government. 2) The Offeror represents that, as of the date of this offer- a) It is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation under a Federal law within the preceding 24 months. b) It is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreements with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability. (End of provision) Offerors shall complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://orca.bpn.gov in accordance with FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items. If paragraph (j) of the provision is applicable, a written submission is required. Clauses 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (APR 2010)-Commercial Items including subparagraphs: 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards; 52.209-6, Protecting the Government' Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment; 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (section 740 of Division C of Public Law 111-117, section 743 of Division D of Public Law 111-8, and section 745 of Division D of Public Law 110-161); 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3, Convict Labor; 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52-222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 52.223-18, Contractor Policy to Ban Text Messaging while Driving; 52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232-30, Installment Payments for Commercial Items 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration. 1352.201-70, Contracting Officer's Authority 1352.201-72, Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) 1352.209-73, Compliance With The Laws INSTRUCTIONS: SAM.GOV REGISTRATION In accordance with FAR 52.204-7, the awardee must be registered in the SAM.GOV DATABASE (www.sam.gov) prior to award. Refusal to register shall forfeit award. Due Date for Quotations Offerors shall submit their Quotations via email not later than 01:00 p.m. Eastern Time on September 2nd, 2014. FAX quotations shall not be accepted. E-mail quotations to jemal.williams@trade.gov. Offerors' quotations shall not be deemed received by the Government until the quotation is entered into the e-mail address inbox set forth above. Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Quotation Preparation Instructions 1) Price Quotation: The pricing quotation shall be separate from any other portion of the quotation. The offeror shall propose a firm-fixed-price. Price quotations shall remain valid for a period of 30 days from the date quotations are due. 2) Technical Quotation: The offeror shall submit an original electronic version of the technical quotation. The technical quotation shall address the requirements as outlined in the SOW. 3) Past experience: Working with international organizations and government entities, at least three years of past experience with conducting classes as stated in the Contract Requirements above. QUOTATION EVALUATION: Evaluation Factors Award shall be made to the offeror whose quotation offers the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable to the Government price and other factors considered. 1352.233-70 AGENCY PROTESTS (APR 2010) (a) An agency protest may be filed with either: (1) the contracting officer, or (2) at a level above the contracting officer, with the appropriate agency Protest Decision Authority. See 64 Fed. Reg. 16,651 (April 6, 1999) (b) Agency protests filed with the Contracting Officer shall be sent to the following address: NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION ATTN: Jemal G. Williams, CONTRACTING OFFICER 100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 (c) Agency protests filed with the agency Protest Decision Authority shall be sent to the following address: NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION ATTN: HEAD OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICE (HCO) 100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 (d) A complete copy of all agency protests, including all attachments, shall be served upon the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel within one day of filing a protest with either the Contracting Officer or the Protest Decision Authority. (e) Service upon the Contract Law Division shall be made as follows: U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230. FAX: (202) 482-5858 1352.233-71 GAO AND COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS PROTESTS (APR 2010) (a) A protest may be filed with either the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or the Court of Federal Claims unless an agency protest has been filed. (b) A complete copy of all GAO or Court of Federal Claims protests, including all attachments, shall be served upon (i) the Contracting Officer, and (ii) the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel, within one day of filing a protest with either GAO or the Court of Federal Claims. (c) Service upon the Contract Law Division shall be made as follows: U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230. FAX: (202) 482-5858 (End of clause)
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