Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau, Office of Contracts (CON), 330 C Street, SW, Room 2500, Washington, DC 20237

B -- MARKET RESEARCH STUDY IN ARAB WORLD SOL CON-00-0053 DUE 061300 POC Contact Point/Contracting Officer: Wayne Greene, Contracting Officer, Telephone: (202) 619-2339; Facsimile: (202) 205-0683 E-MAIL: Click here to contact the contracting officer via, wgreene@IBB.GOV. This announcement is also a written Request for Quotation (RFQ) No. Con-00-0053 pursuant to procurement of the required services as described below using the "Simplified Acquisition Procedures" specified in Part 13 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Price quotations submitted in response to this RFQ that exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (as specified in FAR Subpart 2.101, Definitions) will not be considered as responsive to this RFQ. The Broadcasting Board of Governors/International Broadcasting Bureau (BBG/IBB) has a requirement, subject to the availability of funds, to commission a contractor to study the role and image of the Voice of America (VOA) in the Arab world, along with strategic recommendations for increasing VOA's impact and market share in that region. Quoters are herein requested to submit written price quotations and technical capabilities/experience information for conducting this study outlined below. (A) Project Goals. The project shall be broadly designed to review the position of the VOA in the primary media markets of the Arabic-speaking countries and to suggest concrete strategies for improving that position. To that end, the contractor shall be expected to perform the following general tasks: (1) Review the overall media environment in the region, including the relative roles of domestic television and radio, international television and radio, printed media, and Internet, as well as the size and nature of the audiences for different media; (2) Review, in particular, the present role of international radio in the regional media environment, including the nature of the current audience for international radio broadcasts and the interests and expectations of that audience; (3) Examine the image of VOA and other international radio stations, especially among those segments of the societies concerned that currently listen to international radio stations or that are most likely to be attracted by international radio broadcasts; (4) Consider how to attract new audiences to VOA beyond those who have traditionally listened to international radio stations; in particular, individuals with an above-average interest in news and current affairs. (5) Identify strategies for increasing VOA's impact in the Arab world. Indicators of impact would include both overall audience size and reach among opinion leaders and those sectors of society that most actively seek news and information about current affairs. Strategies for increasing impact might include: changes in VOA programs, changes in VOA broadcast strategy, changes in delivery systems (including the possibility of using additional media such as television and Internet), enhanced contacts with VOA's affiliate stations, or advertising and publicity campaigns (including specific themes that should be addressed in such campaigns and appropriate means and media for doing so). Note: these suggestions are merely illustrative and should not be taken as constraining the options that might be presented. IBB appreciates the size and diversity of the Arab world with respect to media usage patterns and encourages contractors to make proposals that take into account the differences between the major media markets within the region. While it is not anticipated that a separate strategy will be presented for each country, it is assumed that the final report and proposed plan of action will at least take into account the important difference between such overall regions as North Africa, the Levant, and the Persian Gulf. (B) Project Execution. Potential quoters may suggest a wide variety of investigatory techniques designed to achieve the broad tasks outlined above. IBB will make available to the awardee the results of recent VOA-sponsored surveys and qualitative research in a number of key Arab countries as an initial basis for exploring the issues raised in points (1) -- (5) above. The contractors may wish to suggest other research techniques such as depth interviews, additional focus groups, surveys of special populations, etc. It is assumed that large scale general population surveys will not be necessary for this project as considerable data from such studies already exists both in IBB archives and in the records of various market research companies that regularly conduct surveys in the region. (C) Summary of Deliverables. The contractor shall provide to IBB a final report addressing in detail all points mentioned in Section (A) above. In particular, the report shall include a full strategic plan for maximizing VOA's impact and position in the key media markets of the Arab world, including detailed and specific recommendations for action, the rationale for the recommended actions and, where relevant, the probable costs associated with such actions. (D) Proposed Time Schedule/ Delivery Schedule. Prior to beginning work, contractor shall provide IBB with proposed timetable for all phases of project, which will be subject to approval by IBB. A final report shall be submitted to IBB no later than eight weeks after contract award. SECTION B: SELECTION CRITERIA. A contract (i.e., Purchase Order) award will be made by the contracting officer based on: A) the quoter's Technical Capabilities/Experience (for which there are four (4) equally weighted subcriteria); and B) the quoter's Price Quotation. Of the two Selection Criteria, Technical Capabilities/Experience is the significantly dominant criterion over the Price criterion. The Technical Capabilities/Experience subcriteria are as follows: (1) Relevant professional experience of the contractor and principal staff. (2) Contractor's understanding of the project objectives. (3) Contractor's experience in conducting media research in the Arab world. (4) Appropriateness of the proposed methodology to achieving the project aims. SECTION C: SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES TO THE RFQ (i.e., PRICE QUOTATIONS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION. Each quoter's response to this RFQ shall include a detailed description of the methodologies contractor proposes to use to address the issues raised in Section (A) above, a proposed timetable, separate costs for each project component, and a total cost for the entire project. The technical capabilities, experience statement shall also describe the contractor's relevant experience and the professional backgrounds of the staff that would have primary responsibility for the project. Omission of any of the above-requested information pertaining to the quoter and/or any subcontractors proposed by the quoter in performing this contract, will weigh against the quoter during the Contracting Officer's evaluation of the quoter's response to this RFQ. Firms/individuals interested in the above described work are requested to submit their responses to this RFQ (i.e., Technical Capabilities/Experience and Schedule information, and Price quotation) by 12 Noon EST, Tuesday, June 13, 2000, and they shall reference this RFQ No. CON-00-0053 in their transmittal letter to the Contracting Officer. All questions (technical or otherwise) by a prospective quoter regarding this RFQ shall be in writing. Any questions and the quoter's complete written response to this RFQ shall be sent directly and only to the Contracting Officer for this procurement, Mr. Wayne Greene, via facsimile at (202) 205-0683. The Price quotations submitted as part of a quoter's response to this RFQ shall be on a separate page from the above-requested Technical Capabilities/Experience and Schedule information. The Contracting Officer has found and determined that this proposed work is appropriate for an "unrestricted" procurement pursuant to FAR Subpart 19.502 (Setting Aside Acquisitions). All responsible sources may submit a quotation which will be considered. Posted 05/26/00 (W-SN459083). (0147)

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