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COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF JANUARY 29,1999 PSA#2272U.S. Information Agency, Office of Contracts, 301 4TH STREET SW, Room
M27, Washington, DC 20547 R -- EVALUATION OF EXCHANGE PROGRAMS SOL IA-209-S923-4925 POC
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; PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A
WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. SOLICITATION NO.
IA2209-S9234925 IS ISSUED AS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) AND A
CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED USING THE CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION
PROCEDURES. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and
clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC)
97-08. The Standard Industrial Classification is 8999. The United
States Information Agency (USIA), Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Office of Policy and Evaluation (E/ZE), has an immediate
requirement, subject to availability of funding, for a contractor to
perform a series of valid and reliable evaluations of exchange programs
in Russia, the NIS and Eastern Europe over a two (2) year period. The
evaluations will be developed for and administered to program
participants in close coordination with USIA and are designed to gauge
the impact of selected exchange programs at the individual and/or
institutional level. Offeror may identify a subcontractor to assist
with the project, subject to approval of the Authorized Representative
of the Contracting Office (AR/CO). USIA will identify and define
evaluation projects as needs develop. Under this IDIQ contract, a
minimum of $5,000 and maximum of $800,000 is anticipated for a two (2)
year period from February 1999 to January 2001. The government may
make multiple awards. The work at a minimum may include the following:
1) On a periodic basis for the period February 1999 through January
2001, the contractor shall be responsible for conducting evaluations of
selected USIA programs in Russia, the Newly Independent States (NIS)
and Eastern Europe, while working in close coordination with the Office
of Evaluation and Policy, Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs,
USIA. Activities at a minimum, may include: A. Developing an
evaluation plan detailing data collection procedures, schedule of
activities, subcontractor (if desired) and project budget; B.
Developing data collection procedures, including written questionnaires
and focus group questions. The questionnaires should be primarily
closed, although a few open-ended questions may be desirable. It is
anticipated that questionnaires may include between 50 and 175
questions and will take no longer than 45 minutes to administer; C.
Administering written questionnaires either through individual
interviews, e-mails or mail. This could include updating participant
addresses if necessary. Proposals should include budgets for all forms
of data collection noted in these specifications. D. Coding survey
questionnaires; E. Entering data from questionnaires; F. Analyzing
questionnaire data; G. In consultation with USIA, the Contractor shall
determine number and location of focus groups. All focus groups shall
be video tapedand transcribed. Copies of tapes and transcriptions
shall be made available to USIA. Offerors shall include a budget in the
Price Proposal for focus groups. H. Submit a final report(s) of
findings to USIA. Note: Final Report(s) shall include: synopsis of
findings; detailed explanation and analysis of the data and summary of
what they imply for assessment of program impact; data book; codebook;
and any other materials necessary for utilization of data. 2. Coded
data shall be submitted in English in hard copy and on computer disk in
SPSS and Excel format; written report(s) shall be submitted in both
hard copy and on disk in a word processing format to be outlined in the
evaluation plan. 2) Contractor shall deliver to USIA a draft report(s),
including all materials indicated in 1.H), within thirty (30) workdays
of the completed data collection phase. 3) Contractor shall deliver to
USIA a final report(s) within thirty (30) workdays after receipt of
comments on the draft from USIA. 4) Contractor shall be responsible for
translating the written questionnaire into all necessary languages.
USIA will be responsible for translating focus group transcripts into
English, if necessary. 5) USIA will provide the contractor with all
background and program information necessary to create and analyze data
collection instruments in correct context. 6) USIA and the contractor
will note in the evaluation plan how questionnaires and other
documentation will be handled upon the completion of the evaluation. 7)
The contractor may be requested to give oral presentations to audiences
identified by USIA. 8) The authorized representative of contracting
officer (AR/CO) will review with the contractor specific requirements
for each project. 9) Orders within the threshold for Simplified
Acquisition Procedures may be placed by phone to the Contractor by the
AR/CO. However, such orders must be negotiated as a FFP within thirty
(30) calendar days after date of placed order. Proposals will be
evaluated based on criteria cited below and submissionof completed
sample project. Proposals shall include budget and work plan for the
following sample project. Sample Evaluation Project: Evaluation Goal:
Summative evaluation to determine if program achieved goals outlined by
USIA; Program: Masters level degree program providing scholarships to
candidates from Eastern Europe; Population size: 2,000 returned
participants; Project tasks: 1. Evaluation design; 2. Data collection:
a. Written survey to be administered by individual interview and/or
mail. (Please provide budget for both forms of survey administration).
Survey will be given in native language of participant; b. Focus
groups in the country of the participants; 3. Data analysis; and 4.
Final report, including written and oral presentation of findings. The
Evaluation Criteria in the order of importance is as follows: 1.
Quality of services offered; 2. Knowledge of Russia; the NIS and/or
Eastern Europe; 3. Past Performance; 4. Cost-effectiveness; 5. Ability
to travel to sites in Russia, the NIS and Eastern Europe; 6. Ability
to travel to Washington, DC on short notice; 7. Ability to travel to
sites across the United States; and 8. Ability to provide deliverables
to USIA on schedule. Delivery terms and point: Washington, DC.
Interested offerors who are capable of performing these services should
submit a proposal, which shall include narrative detailing experience,
understanding of requirement, references and price. Contract
performance period: date of award through September 30, 1999 with
option to extend two (2) 1-year periods. The provision at FAR 52.212-1,
Instruction to Offerors -- Commercial Items and FAR Provision 52.212-2,
Evaluation of Commercial Items applicable to this acquisition. The
following clauses apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-4, Contract
Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms
and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders --
Commercial Items, including subparagraphs (b)(3,6,7,8 and 9); and FAR
52.232-18, Availability of Funds. The Government may award multiple
contracts. The Government will award a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract
resulting from this RFP to the responsible offeror whose offer
conforming to the RFP will be most advantageous to the Government,
based on price and past performance. Offerors responding to
solicitation shall submit the following items to the contracting
office: 1. Technical proposal with narrative of understanding of
requirement as noted above. Technical proposal shall be responsive to
the criteria outlined above with specifications for evaluation project,
including sample unit prices for program design, data collection and
analysis listed in a separate price proposal. 2. Technical proposal
shall address the offeror's professional qualifications, related
experience with detailed information on past performance explaining
ability to meet this requirement. 3. Separate Price Proposal for the
above. 4. A completed copy of the provisions at FAR 52.212-3, Offer
Representatives and Certifications -- Commercial Items. 5. Proposals
must also include prompt payment terms and correct remittance address
if different from mailing address. Failure to provide any of the above
items may result in the rejection of your proposal. A company 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. Proposals shall be in writing and must be signed by an official
authorized to bind your organization. Oral proposals will not be
accepted. Proposals may be faxed to (202) 205-5466. Proposals are due
at the U.S. Information Agency, Office of Contracts, 301 4th Street,
SW., Room M-22, Washington, DC 20547 on February 22, 1999 at 2:00 P.M.,
Eastern Time. All responsible sources may submit an offer for
consideration. Posted 01/27/99 (W-SN291864). (0027) Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0062 19990129\R-0001.SOL)
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