U.S. Information Agency, Office of Contracts, 301 4TH STREET SW, Room M27, Washington, DC 20547

D -- TERRESTRIAL, SATELLITE GROUND STATION AND SATELLITE SPACE SEGMENT SOL IA-0300-S823-4792 POC Technical Point of Contact: David Shiben, Tele.: (202) 619-1778; Contracting Officer: Herman Shaw, Tele.: (202) 205-5414 THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; PROPOSAL ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. SOLICITATION NUMBER IA-0300-S823-4792 IS ISSUED AS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP), AND WILL BE AWARDED AS A CONTRACT USING NEGOTIATION PROCEDURES. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-4. The Standard Industrial Classification is 4899, Communications Services Not Elsewhere Classified. The FAR provisions at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercials; FAR 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract; FAR 52.232-18 Availability of Funds; and FAR 52.237-3 Continuity of Services, apply to this RFP The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items (JUN 1996) apply to this acquisition. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT: The U.S. Information Agency (USIA), International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), subject to availability of funds, requires terrestrial and/or satellite space segment services and ground station reception and transmission facilities to support critical analog radio broadcast requirements into Bosnia, Serbia and the surrounding region in support of multinational peace keeping efforts. The Contractor shall provide terrestrial and/or satellite transmission facilities to deliver a simplex, mono, 15 kHz bandwidth, radio broadcast channel from the IBB Network Control Center (NCC) located at 330 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, D.C. 20547 to the Contractor provided Astra satellite transmission facility. Contractor shall provide a certified ground station satellite gateway facility to receive the IBB programming from the Contractor provided terrestrial and/or satellite link and retransmit the signal to the Astra -- 1A Satellite, Transponder 7, Video Downlink Frequency 11,302.75 MHz, Audio Subcarrier 2 at 7.56 MHz. The end-to-end channel shall meet the follow technical parameters between 50 Hz and 15,000 Hz. Idle Channel Noise -58 dB or better; Maximum test tone deviation +/- 1 dB or better, Distortion 1% or better, Frequency Response +/- 1 dB. The Contractor will provide service 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. This satellite space segment is used to transmit Agency program material to independent media organizations and individuals within Bosnia and Serbia and surrounding areas. The Agency has no data regarding the ability of receive stations to receive signals via any other satellite facility. Accordingly, if an offeror proposes other than the exact satellite, transponder, audio Subcarrier identified, it will be the responsibility of the offeror to clearly demonstrate the ability of the receive stations to receive that signal, including consideration of local obstructions, local station interferences, etc., before the offer may be considered. In addition, the cost of re-aiming and/or returning to any alternate satellite and/or transponder, shall be a cost evaluation factor. The Agency has no data available concerning the ability of in country receive stations to receive the signal of any other satellite and transponder. Contractor shall immediately notify IBB's Network Control Center (NCC) of link failures in any portion of the Contractor's responsible link from the IBB NCC through the Astra transmission. Contractor shall maintain a link availability of the entire Contractor supplied link at a minimum availability of 99.97%. Availability shall be calculated based on 24 hours/day/365 days/year. Interruptions that exceed 99.97% shall be credited to the Agency for the full amount of the entire link. For example, if there is a failure of the Astra space segment that exceeds 99.97%, the credit to the Agency will be for the Astra space segment and all ground station, satellite and/or terrestrial facilities for the affected services. The 99.97% availability is for the entire link, end-to-end, as a unified system, not individual components. Interruptions as a result of any failure or activity of the Agency to deliver the signal are excluded from link availability or Contractor rebates for interruptions. Contractor shall respond to the NCC for any matter concerning the entire Contractor supplied link with the exception of actions that could cause harm to living beings, damage Contractor supplied equipment, or exceed the operating limitations of subcontractor supplied services or equipment. The Contractor shall coordinate planned down times with the NCC Manager or in his absence Deputy Manager at least 5 business days prior to the downtime. If emergency maintenance is required on the link, coordinate the downtime as soon as possible prior to link interruption. Emergency down times must be scheduled with the on duty NCC operations staff in the absence of the Manager and Deputy Manager. Down times not coordinated in advance will be treated as service interruptions and will be handled in accordance with requirements defined above in the RFP. Contractor shall provide a list of escalation procedures, names and 24-hour contact numbers with the proposal. Offeror's price proposal shall provide prices for all necessary labor, management, materials, supplies, services, documentation and facilities (except for those facilities provided by the Government) required to perform all services described herein: CONTRACT AND TERM: The Government expects to award a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract with a one-year base period beginning August 4, 1998, plus six (6) one-year options to extend the contract term, which shall be as follows: CLIN 1: Base Year- (August 4, 1998 through August 3, 1999): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 2: Option Year One -- (August 4, 1999 through August 3, 2000): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 3: Option Year Two -- (August 4, 2000 through August 3, 2001): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 4: Option Year Three -- (August 4, 2001 through August 3, 2002): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 5: Option Year Four -- (August 4, 2002 through August 3, 2003): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 6: Option Year Five -- (August 4, 2003 through August 3, 2004): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 7: Option Year Six -- (August 4, 2004 through August 3, 2005): Provide terrestrial and satellite facilities and Astra satellite space segment; CLIN 8: Per minute, or fraction thereof, price credit for service interruptions. INVOICING: Contractor shall submit quarterly invoices, in U.S. Dollars, in duplicate to: International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), Attn: David H. Shiben, Room 4232, 330 Independence Avenue SW., Washington D.C. 20547. EVALUATION FACTORS: The following factors, in descending order of importance, shall be used to evaluate offers: (1) Offerors ability to provide the required transmission facility; (2) Offerors proposed technical approach and understanding of effort; (3) Offeror's proposed management approach; (4) Offeror's past performance; (5) Offeror's proposed price; and (6) Offeror's organization qualifications and background. The offeror shall include a completed copy of the FAR provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items. Offerors are advised that FAR provision 52.232-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Failure to provide any of the above items may result in the rejection of your proposal. A offeror not in possession of the above referenced clauses in full text, may contact the contracting office for a copy of the clauses which will be faxed to you. PROPOSAL DUE DATE, SUBMITTAL ADDRESS AND CONTENTS: The deadline for receipt of offers is May 22, 1998, 2:00 pm EST. The proposal shall be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization. Submit one (1) copy with price and technical proposals bound separately to: U.S. Information Agency, Office of Contracts, ATTN: Herman Shaw, M/KC, 301 4th Street, SW., Room M-22, Washington, DC 20547. Offers may be submitted on letterhead and at a minimum shall show: (1) RFP number; (2) The date and time specified in the RFP for the receipt of offers; (3) The name, address and phone number of the offeror; (4) A technical description of the offer in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with the requirements in the solicitation; (5) Price in U.S. Dollars (6) "Remit To Address," if different from mailing address, along with electronic banking data; (7) a completed copy of the representation and certificates at FAR 5.212-3; (8) Acknowledgment of RFP Amendments, if any; (9) Include a statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the RFP; and (10) Provide a list of escalation procedures, names and 24-hour contact numbers with the proposal. Proposals may be faxed to (202) 205-5466. Oral offers will not be accepted. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation is the most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Please be advised that this award may be made without discussion. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered. (0112)

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