National Science Foundation, Division of Contracts, Policy and Oversight, Contracts Branch, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 475, Arlington, VA 22230

R -- CONSULTING AND PLANNING FOR NSF2000 CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES SOL RFQ CPO 97-021 DUE 032197 POC Philip King, (703)306-1246/fax, (703)306-0280 E-MAIL: Click here to contact the agency point-of-contact by e-mail., pking@nsf.gov. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting quotations for professional consulting and planning services in support of its planned NSF2000 celebration. In the year 2000, the NSF will observe its 50th year of service to the Nation supporting basic research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. NSF began in 1950 as an outgrowth of the science and engineering breakthroughs of World War II, and with the recognition by a select group of officials in both the executive and legislative branches of the Federal Government that the U.S. needed to support basic research more actively. The key player in bringing the idea of a NSF-like organization to fruition was Vannevar Bush, a close confidant of then-President Franklin Roosevelt. Bush's "Science -- The Endless Frontier" is widely credited as the blueprint from which NSF was started in 1950. The main purpose for celebrating NSF2000, the Foundation's 50th anniversary, is not to call attention to NSF's accomplishments. Rather, it is to use the anniversary as an opportunity to highlight the achievements of U.S. science and engineering research over the last half century. This anniversary provides a unique opportunity to foster wider public understanding of the significant role played by science and engineering in people's everyday lives. It also offers a chance for the scientific community to do a better job in "telling its story" to the American public. The lead-time for a number of the options is 2-4 years, with the most intense activity likely in years 1998-2000. Because the year 2000 is the beginning of the new millennium, it will be difficult to attract attention to the anniversary amid celebrations of this milestone. Consequently, we believe that as many special events as possible should take place before the year 2000. The best scenario from our point of view is to begin observances in fall of 1998 and end in the year 2000. To supplement internal staff efforts and provide critical expertise in select areas, NSF is seeking interested parties with significant experience in communications to provide consulting and planning start-up services for the breadth of proposed NSF2000 activities. The tasks include: (1) evaluate the proposed NSF2000 program (developed by NSF staff) to determine the feasibility of successfully undertaking each proposed activity and the likelihood that it will meet the stated goals and objectives of NSF2000; (2) recommend either the inclusion or exclusion of each proposed activity in the final set of NSF2000 activities, and recommend alternative activities, if needed, to accomplish goals/objectives; (3) conduct research to determine the best approach for accomplishing each activity and, where appropriate, suggest mechanisms/partners for implementing such activities; (4) research possible media packaging activities that will result in an NSF presence on television, particularly public television and/or selected cable outlets; (5) propose detailed timelines/milestones/budget requirements (including outlay dates) foreach proposed activity; (6) propose a strategic public relations plan and associated calendar (focused on the proposed activities) that will garner significant coverage of NSF2000 activities and NSF in print and broadcast media outlets; (7) develop and submit for NSF review and approval a complete NSF2000 graphic identity package (with a minimum of three alternatives) that features an anniversary logo (and other appropriate elements) suitable for use on stationery, publications, on-line, t-shirts and other memorabilia, and on all other NSF2000 related activities and events (the final logo must be adaptable as a permanent logo at the conclusion of NSF2000), and develop the final package and provide NSF with a range of useable deliverables; and (8) produce a detailed report on findings/recommendations. Interested parties should ssubmit a written request for a copy of RFQ CPO 97-021. Telephonic requests will not be honored. This procurement is conducted using simplified acquisition procedures authorized by FAR 13.103, and is setaside exclusively for small businesses. The SIC code assigned to this procurement is 8748-Business Consulting Services, N.E.C. and the small business size standard is average annual receipts not exceeding $5.0 million for the past three complete fiscal years. In order to receive a copy of the solicitation, interested parties must affirm in their request that they would properly be considered a small business using this size standard. (0050)

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