USDA, ARS, PPD, Contracts Branch, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Rm. 3-2126-C, Beltsville, MD 20775-5100

R -- ACCESS TO WEB SITE OF CURRENT CONTENTS DATABASE, AND CURRENT CONTENTS CD SOL RFP 02-3K06-99 DUE 120398 POC Contact Lenear Bassett-King, Contract Specialist at 301-504-1699 E-MAIL: Contact Lenear Bassett-King, ARS, USDA, lbassett@ars.usda.gov. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared by USDA, ARS, AFM, PPD, Contracts Branch 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; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (i) This acquisition is to provide web-based access to the Institute for Scientific Information's (ISI's) Current Contents for Agency Wide Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Researchers, Administrators, and Information Professionals; AND an FTP or CD-ROM version of Current Contents for the National Agricultural Library (NAL) to provide Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) services for the ARS community and for 150 non-ARS-USDA employees. The following editions of Current Contents are required: Life Sciences; Clinical Medicine; Engineering, Computing & Technology; Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences; Physical, Chemical & Earth Sciences; and Social & Behavioral Sciences. Through this service, the ARS community will be able to identify relevant research literature using Boolean, keyword, and/or field delimited search techniques; order the full text of articles; export records directly into bibliographic management programs, etc. (ii) The solicitation number is 02-3K06-99; and this solicitation is issued as a Request For Proposals (RFP). (iii) This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-9, and through the 1996 edition of the Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR). (iv) This acquisition is unrestricted -- full and open competition. The resultant contract will be a firm fixed price contract. (v) The following contract line items and quantities are solicited at this time (please provide prices for each line item): (1) ARS Agency Wide (Researchers, Administrators, Other Professionals, And approx. 150 non-ARS/USDA Users) Desktop Access toWeb-based "Current Contents" for 6 editions -- Life Sciences; Clinical Medicine; Engineering, Computing & Technology; Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences; Physical, Chemical & Earth Sciences; Social& Behavioral Sciences. -- CLIN 001A -- Base Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 1999 -- December 31, 1999). -- CLIN 002A -- Option Year I Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2000 -- December 31, 2000). -- CLIN 003A -Option Year II Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2001 -- December 31, 2001). -- CLIN 004A -Option Year III Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2002 -- December 31, 2002). -- CLIN 005A -- Option Year IV Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2003 -- December 31, 2003). (2) Local batch search capabilities using FTP'd files or CD-ROM versions of Current Contents editions: Life Sciences; Clinical Medicine; Engineering, Computing & Technology; Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences; Physical, Chemical & Earth Sciences; and Social & Behavioral Sciences for NAL's SDI service. -- CLIN 001B -- Base Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 1999 -- December 31, 1999). -- CLIN 002B -- Option I Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2000 -- December 31, 2000). -- CLIN 003B -- Option II Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2001 -- December 31, 2001). -- CLIN 004B -- Option III Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2002 -- December 31, 2002). -- CLIN 005B -- Option IV Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2003 -- December 31, 2003). (3) Document delivery -- per page costs to be charged back to requestor. -- CLIN 001C -- Base Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 1999 -- December 31, 1999). -- CLIN 002C -- Option I Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2000 -- December 31, 2000). -- CLIN 003C -- Option II Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2001 -- December 31, 2001). -- CLIN 004C -- Option III Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2002 -- December 31, 2002). -- CLIN 005C -- Option IV Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2003 -- December 31, 2003). (4) Help Desk and Customer Support (24 Hours/Day, If Available. If not, available 24 Hours/Day, please specify hours of availability). -- CLIN 001D -- Base Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 1999 -- December 31, 1999). -- CLIN 002D -- Option I Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2000 -- December 31, 2000). -- CLIN 003D -- Option II Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2001 -- December 31, 2001). -- CLIN 004D -- Option III Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2002 -- December 31, 2002). -- CLIN 005D -- Option IV Period of Performance, 12 Months (January 1, 2003 -- December 31, 2003). (5) Satellite broadcast training session. -- CLIN 001E -- Base Period of Performance, 2 Hours, Must Be Completed in 1st Quarter 1999 (January 1, 1999 -- March 31, 1999). (6) On-site training for information professionals. -- CLIN 001F -- Base Period of Performance, 1 Day, Must Be Completed in 1st Quarter 1999 (January 1, 1999 -- March 31, 1999). (7) On-site training for designated ARS researchers. -- CLIN 001G -- Base Period of Performance, 1 Day, Must Be Completed in 1st Quarter 1999 (January 1, 1999 -- March 31, 1999). (vi) The specific objective of this requirement is to provide "Current Contents" via the web to users, while continuing the SDI services offered through NAL using Current Contents on CD-ROM or from FTP'd files. The required editions of Current Contents are listed in the Description of services below. "Current Contents" will be integrated into the complete research process -- identifying relevant research literature using Boolean logic, keyword, and/or field delimited search techniques; ordering the full text of articles; exporting records directly into bibliographic management programs, etc. The following is a Description of the services required to be performed: -- Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, materials, supplies, equipment, and services (except as otherwise specified herein) and perform the work set forth below. -- All work under this contract shall be monitored by the Project Officer, whose position is defined elsewhere in this solicitation. -- ARS-wide web-based access to the on-line version of "Current Contents" for authorized users which include approximately 3,000 ARS scientists, administrators, and information professionals; about 150 non-ARS/USDA employees; and walk-in patrons at ARS libraries, information centers, and the National Agricultural Library (NAL). For the provision of SDI services through NAL for ARS and select non-ARS/USDA employees, the contractor shall also provide a CD-ROM of "Current Contents" to be located at NAL and/or the ability to download weekly update filesfrom an FTP server. NAL must be able to use saved search profiles constructed using sophisticated Boolean, keyword, and field delimited search techniques to conduct batch searching on these files. -- Site-wide (ARS and the non-ARS/USDA employees), connectivity to web-based interactive searching of Current Contents multi-disciplinary editions including: (1) Life Sciences; (2) Clinical Medicine; (3) Engineering, Computing & Technology; (4) Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences; (5) Physical, Chemical & Earth Sciences; and (6) Social & Behavioral Sciences. -- Batch searching capabilities using FTP'd files or CD-ROM versions of Current Contents editions: (1) Life Sciences; (2) Clinical Medicine; (3) Engineering, Computing & Technology; (4) Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences; (5) Physical Chemical & Earth Sciences; and (6) Social & Behavioral Sciences, so that the NAL can provide mediated selective dissemination of information services for ARS' researchers, administrators, and information professionals, and the non-ARS/USDA employees. NAL must be able to use saved search profiles constructed using sophisticated Boolean, keyword, and field delimited search techniques to conduct the batch searching. -- The ability to create, save, and modify search profiles in both the Web- and CD-ROM based versions of the above mentioned Current Contents editions. -- The ability to scan the table of contents of specific journal titles as well as journals within a predefined subject area. -- The ability to request articles or reprints of articles from the authors, journals, or through the contractor. Costs associated with this activity are to be charged back to the requester. -- The ability to select the time period to search: the latest week of data, the latest six months, or the full extended file (back files up to or over 2 years). -- The ability to export records into bibliographic management software packages such as Reference Manager and ProCite, e-mail systems, electronic request systems, etc. -- User authentication is to be done through user name and password. Web-based database usage must be tracked and reported to the project manager as mutually agreed upon by ARS and the contractor. The mechanism for tracking by sub-accounts or by user group is to be mutually agreed upon by ARS and the contractor and may be user authentication driven. -- An additional 150-user license to accommodate non-ARS-USDA employees. -- Contractor-based training including: a satellite broadcast for ARS staff nationwide, to be video-recorded for future use; and two workshops in the Washington, DC metropolitan area -- one geared toward ARS information professionals and the other for ARS researchers. The training sessions must be designed to meet the needs of each group and include issues of efficient and effective search strategy development as well as use of the different searching resources available through the various search software interfaces. The training must alsoinclude database demonstrations and must cover database content, specific fields, points of access and search techniques. -- The contractor must provide a unlimited 24 Hour/Day help desk and customer support for both technical and search and retrieval related issues. (vii) In accordance with AGAR 452.246-70, Inspection and Acceptance (Feb 1998), the Project Officer is Claudia Weston, Head, Information Management Branch. Inspection and Acceptance will be performed by the Project Officer at the following location: National Agricultural Library, Room 013, 10301 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705-2326. (viii) Provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, applies to this acquisition, and there are no addenda to this provision. (ix) Provision 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Commercial Items, will be used for this acquisition. Also, evaluation will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13.5. The BASIS OF EVALUATION is as follows: Award shall be made to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and offers the lowest fair and reasonable price. In accordance with the provision 52.212-2, Options will be evaluated. Award will be made to the Offeror offering the lowest reasonable price, which is technically acceptable in accordance with the requirements of this solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.304, satisfactory past performance will be used as part of the determination of Contractor responsibility and in the evaluation (See Format For REFERENCE SUBMISSION below). Past performance will be rated on a pass or fail basis. Technical Acceptance will be based on Contractor's ability to meet the technical requirements included in this synopsis/solicitation, as shown in the offer. Technical acceptability will be rated on a pass or fail basis. Again, award will be made to the offeror who offers the lowest total price, whose price is determined technically acceptable, with an acceptable past performance record. The Government reserves the right to award without discussions. (x) Offerors are required to include a completed copy of Provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certification -- Commercial Items with the offer. (xi) Provisions 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items and 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items apply to this acquisition. The following additional FAR Clauses apply under this provision: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, Alt I, 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns and Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns, 52.219-9, Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan, 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity, 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era, 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era, 52.225-3, Buy American Act -- Supplies, 52.225-9, Buy American Act -- Trade Agreements Act -- Balance of Payments Program. To receive copies of any provision listed, or applicable, please notify the point of contact as shown in No. 11. Offerors are requested to submit their offers, including all necessary information to evaluate ability to meet the requirement to the address listed in No. 7. In addition, verification of past performance is required -- Offerors must submit 3 verifiable references for the same or similar commercial items. Provide name, title, address, telephone number, contract number (or other identifier), and contract value. OFFERS ARE DUE BY 3:00 P.M.,EASTERN STANDARD TIME, DECEMBER 3, 1998, at the address shown in No. 7 of this synopsis. Please indicate solicitation number RFP 02-3K06-99 on all offers. Posted 11/17/98 (W-SN272267). (0321)

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