U.S. Information Agency, International Broadcasting Bureau, Contracts and Procurement Division, B/PA/AC, Room 2517, 330 C St, SW, Washington, DC 20547

D -- NEW IBB WEBSITE REDESIGN AND RECONSTRUCTION SOL 853-1009 DUE 092598 POC Contact Point/Contracting Officer: Jim Sullivan, B/PA/AC; Telephone: (202) 619-3448; Facsimile: (202) 260-0855. Technical Contact Point: Richard Firestone, B/K; Telephone: (202) 619-2166. The U.S. Information Agency's International Broadcasting Bureau (USIA/IBB) has a requirement to procure the below-listed, non-personal, professional, commercial support services for the Redesign and Reconstruction of a New IBB Website -- using the "Simplified Acquisition Procedures" specified in Part 13 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). This combined Notice and Solicitation is prepared in accordance with FAR Subpart 2.101, Definitions, and FAR Subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this Notice; which constitutes the only solicitation for the below-listed IBB Website redesign andreconstruction services. Quotations are herein being requested and a separate written solicitation document will not be issued. Price quotations submitted in response to this combined CBD Notice and Request for Quotation (RFQ) No. 853-1009 that exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (as specified in FAR Subpart 2.101, Definitions) will not be considered as responsive to this RFQ. This procurement is set-aside for small businesses in accordance with FAR Subpart 19.502, and the Standard Industry Code (SIC) 7371 (Computer Programming Services) Size Standard is $18 million. The commercial services to be procured are for the contractor to perform the following Statement of Work (SOW): SUMMARY: The contractor shall provide all labor and materials to redesign, expand, and improve the International Broadcasting Bureau's (IBB) existing Website, in order to provide users (both internal and external to IBB) with better access to current "multi-language" news and other pertinent information about IBB and its missions, functions, programs and projects, organization, etc. The new redesigned IBB Website must also have a "library access capability", so that both internal and external Website readers can access current IBB programs and projects, such as the "Broadcasting for Child Survival" conference. The redesigned Websitemust be easy to update, maintain, and have the capability to be used by IBB and other Government personnel, as well as the worldwide, multi-language, general public A. Contract Tasks and Deliverables: [NOTE: The below-stated Tasks and Deliverables are "typical" items that constitute "minimum" IBB requirements. Quoters responding to the RFQ to which this SOW is an integral part thereof may propose additional Tasks and Deliverables (with corresponding price quotations for each such additional Task and Deliverable) that the quoter believes will make the redesigned new IBB Website more effective and interesting to all users. Please also note, however, that any/all such quoter-proposed additional Tasks and Deliverables shall be priced separately as bilateral options that are distinct and easily separable from the specifically required below-listed typical Tasks and Deliverables. 1. Task 1 and Deliverable 1: Redesign the Existing "IBB Website". Redesign and develop a new IBB Website that meets the above-stated general requirements, is aesthetically pleasing, easily accessible and understandable, and user-friendly to internal and external users in many languages. The contractor shall create a unified graphics and style package for all the pages of the new IBB Website, whether such pages are associated with IBB, Worldnet, or VOA functions or information. The existing IBB Website is organized hierarchically, following the hierarchy of the IBB elements represented. This overall IBB hierarchical style shall be maintained in the new redesigned IBB Website, but the contractor shall recommend specific ways and methods to further redesign the IBB Website in order to improve the new Website's mobility and other pertinent characteristics of this Website. The contractor shall provide both an electronic and hard-copy (paper document) of the completely redesigned IBB Website to IBB-B/K, that includes all of the redesign, expansion, and improvement features described in all of the herein stated SOW tasks, as implemented by the contractor. 2. Task 2 and Deliverable 2: Develop a Method to Make all News Files Searchable by Topic. Redesign the current IBB newswire files to make them more accessible to the general public. The redesigned newsfiles shall be quickly searchable and shall be capable of being updated every five (5) minutes. Demonstrate and document this topic-search capability in the redesigned IBB Website. 3. Task 3 and Deliverable 3: Create a User-Friendly Method to Quickly Access Non-English Website Language Text. The IBB Website "Homepage" will remain in English text. However, the contractor shall create a method whereby non-English speaking IBB Website users will be able to easily access those Website pages, beyond the Homepage, that are written and illustrated in the appropriate IBB/VOA language service text that is understandable to the non-English speaking IBB Website user. The Website Homepage shall include an index or table of contents of follow-on pages designated for each B/VOA language service that will have their ownindividual Webpages as part of the overall IBB Website. Demonstrate and document this non-English access capability in the redesigned IBB Website. 4. Task 4 and Deliverable 4: Establish a System of Connecting Links to Other Pertinent Internet Websites. Establish the IBB Website's capability to "link" with other Internet Websites; whether for programming, special events, or ongoing projects. Develop user-friendly instructions to IBB Website users on how to use these connecting links. Demonstrate and document this Internet linking capability in the redesigned IBB Website. 5. Task 5 and Deliverable 5: Install Search Engine Codes. Encode the redesigned IBB Website with codes (i.e., keywords), so that the search engines used with the IBB Website can quickly and easily find the Webpage(s) desired by the user. Demonstrate and document this new coding and keywording easy-search capability. 6. Task 6 and Deliverable 6: Develop and Implement a Search Engine for Specific Website Pages. As part of the expanded IBB Website capabilities, develop or obtain access to a search engine that will be dedicated to specific high-priority, high-visibility IBB programs and projects established by the IBB Webmaster; such as the ongoing "Broadcasting for Child Survival" project. The search engine used shall be able to quickly access and link multiple programs and projects that have established interrelationships. Demonstrate/document the workability of this search engine for the "Broadcasting for Child Survival" Project and other IBB programs and projects designated by the IBB Webmaster. 7. Task 7 and Deliverable 7: Update the IBB Website to Include the Conference Proceedings for the "Broadcasting for Child Survival" Project. Incorporate a specific section as part of the Conference Proceedings that are included on the IBB Website, wherein the expertise of the "Broadcasting for Child Survival" Conference attendees can be listed and cross-referenced, as appropriate, with other IBB Webpages. Demonstrate and document the existence and useability of this new section [i.e., Webpage(s)] of the IBB Website. 8. Task 8 and Deliverable 8: Establish a Method to Determine the Number of Times Users Accessed the IBB Website (i.e., Number of "Hits"), both During a Stated Time Period and Cumulatively from a Stated Start-Date and Time. This task includes the capability for IBB to be able to determine why a user logged onto the IBB Website (i.e., research, downloading of scripts for rebroadcasting purposes, adaptation of broadcasting materials, comments, etc.). The purpose of this IBB Website "hits access capability" is to assist IBB staff in monitoring and evaluating the usefulness and effectiveness of the reconstructed IBB Website. Demonstrate and document the user access (i.e., hit) measurement capability of the reconstructed IBB Website. 9. Task 9 and Deliverable 9: Establish a "Comments Page" as Part of the New IBB Website. Establish a detailed and user-friendly formatted "comments page", whereat users can give updates, comments, suggestions, corrections, etc. to the contents of the IBB Website; to include, if desired by the user, the identification of the commenter, date-time group when the comments were made, and how appropriate IBB staff can contact the commenter by telephone, facsimile, or the Internet, if the commenter is willing to be contacted in response to his or her comments on the content or other aspect of the IBB Website or a particular item(s) on an IBB Webpage(s). Demonstrate and document the content of the newly established IBB Website "comments page" and its principal features for the users of this comments page. B. Web-Server Equipment and Licenses: 1. The target execution environment for the newly redesigned IBB Website will be the Netscape Enterprise Web-Server, Version 3.5 (or later version). The contractor shall acquire, at its own expense, any license for the Netscape Enterprise Web-Server that is required by the contractor for the purpose of any contractor off-site development of the new IBB Website and/or new Webpages. 2. The Government (i.e., IBB) has already licensed the Netscape Enterprise Web-Server for production use on the Government's (IBB) premises after the newly redesigned contractor-prepared Webpages are reviewed and accepted by the Government (IBB). The contractor may use any of the capabilities of the Netscape Enterprise Web-Server product. However, the contractor shall provide complete configuration files and other information required to correctly transmit all newly completed Webpages of the redesigned IBB Website, including any dynamically-generated pages, to all requesting clients. 3. The contractor shall furnish IBB with any CGI executables and perpetual licenses for all completed Webpages. The Government (IBB) reserves the right to reject any CGI executables or other software that may unduly compromise the security of the Government's Netscape Enterprise Web-Server. All items are FOB Destination. Delivery requirements: Completion of all tasks within three (3) months after receipt of order, unless further extended by the Government. The provisions at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, are applicable to this procurement. FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, is applicable to this procurement. FAR Clause 52.212, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, is incorporated by reference into this RFQ. The solicitation Provision at FAR 52.225-20, Buy American Act -- North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act -- Balance of Payments Program Certificate, Alternate I, and FAR 52.247-34, FOB Destination, are also applicable to this procurement. The Government will award a Purchase Order contract resulting from this RFQ based on both the quoter's: A) Technical capabilities and experience in Website design and construction; and B) the quoter's Total Price quotation. Of these two Selection Criteria, Total Price is the dominant criterion. The Technical Capabilities and Experience subcriteria are equally weighted and stated as follows: 1) Demonstrated experience in Website design, redesign, construction as closely related as practicable to IBB's worldwide multi-language broadcasting mission; 2) Demonstrated existing technical capability (software and hardware) to perform the required work as specified in the above-stated SOW within the required up to 3-month delivery period; 3) Demonstrated pertinent technical background and experience of the primary individual(s) who would be working on this project; and 4) The ability to successfully complete all nine (9) project tasks within, or sooner than, the maximum 3-month period of performance. For the Total Price criterion, quoter's shall provide a component price for each of the nine (9) tasks comprising the SOW for this project, the sum-total of these individual task prices shall equal the Total Price. The following information shall be an integral part of the quoter's response to this RFQ: 1. Documentation (i.e., specific examples with references who can be readily contacted by telephone) of past Websites created, redesigned, constructed by the quoter that are similar to IBB's business (along with the cost and duration to create such similar Websites); 2) Documentation on the quoter's or firm's technical capabilities (software and hardware) that it would use to perform the SOW for this project; 3) Documentation (resumes) of the key individual(s) who would perform the work; and 4) A bar-chart showing the proposed completion durations for each of the nine (9) tasks comprising the SOW, and how long the quoter proposes to take to complete the entire SOW within or hopefully before the expiration of the maximum 3-month project duration. Quoters responding to this RFQ shall submit to the below-listed Contracting Officer the following information by facsimile as part of their Price quotation: individual prices for each of the nine (9) tasks comprising the Statement of Work, prompt payment terms, correct remittance address if different from the quoter'smailing address, and a completed copy of the Provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items. Price quotations shall be in writing, and they shall be accompanied by completed Representations and Certifications or they will be rejected. Any questions (technical or otherwise) related to this proposed procurement shall be in writing and shall be sent directly and only to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Jim Sullivan, for this procurement. All price quotations are requested to be received by the Contracting Officer, not later than COB (5 p.m. EST), Friday, September 25, 1998, via either facsimile at (202) 260-0855 or by mail to the above-stated address. Posted 09/14/98 (W-SN249541). (0257)

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