Animal Feed Safety System

** The closing deadline for Qoutes has been changed to 09/10/10 by 3:00 pm ET. ** ** This requirment has been amended as a Small Buisness Set Aside requirment** This is a solicitation for Commercial Services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6, simplified acquisition procedures and the resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 05-36. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a written solicitation will not be issued. This combined synopsis/solicitation, NAICS code 813920, is to notify contractors that the government intends to issue a Fixed Price purchase order in accordance with FAR Part 13.106 for the following specifications, under the simplified acquisition procedures. This action is designated as a Small Buisness Set-Aside a base and two (2) option years if exercised. Prospective offerors are responsible for downloading the solicitation and any amendments. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the FedBizOpps website for the release of any amendments to this solicitation. The Government reserves the right to award a contract without discussions if the Contracting Officer determines that the initial offer(s) is/are providing the Best Value and discussions are not necessary. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotes (RFQ). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intends to award based on the specifications in reference to this solicitation are listed as follows: SPECIFICATIONS: Title: Animal Feed Safety System Farm-Level Outreach Project BACKGROUND: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in August 2003 its intention to make the agency's animal feed safety program more comprehensive and risk-based. The modernized Animal Feed Safety System (AFSS) will instill preventive control measures for ensuring the safety of animal feed and human food derived from animals (i.e., meat, milk and eggs). FDA, with State assistance, continues to develop the AFSS Framework, the fourth draft of which was placed on the Center for Veterinary Medicine's (CVM) web site in 2009. This document describes in detail the current processes, guidance, regulations and policy documents used by the FDA and the products that should be developed to meet the objective of having a more comprehensive and risk-based animal feed safety program in the United States. STATEMENT OF WORK: The Contractor shall provide advisory and consultative services to CVM on reaching out to animal producers (i.e., those entities that raise poultry and livestock) to assist them in producing safe meat, milk and eggs. Specifically, the Center is focusing its efforts on providing guidance on the proper and safe use of animal drugs, devices, and feed. Rather than relying solely on communications through trade associations, postings on websites, etc., CVM wishes to bring its messages directly to the animal producers. The Contractor shall provide a detailed report identifying five to ten effective methods/techniques for connecting with animal producers who raise dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goats, swine, catfish and other aquaculture species, turkeys, broilers and egg laying chickens. As part of the report, the contractor shall identify who would effectively deliver such information on a species basis. In addition, the Contractor shall be responsible for the timely drafting of materials that will deliver the critical messages of a safe animal feeding guidance that the AFSS Team is writing, and for efficient revision of the materials based on comments from the AFSS Team. The Contractor shall have extensive experience with the development of farm-level outreach programs, good animal agricultural practices, and grassroots educational approaches. Also, the Contractor shall have a wide-ranging knowledge of the regulatory and stakeholder groups that could be impacted by the safe animal feeding guidance. Furthermore, the Contractor shall have a working knowledge of the USDA Cooperative Extension Service as it currently exists and operates, as well as the goals, objectives and premises of the AFSS. REPORTING REQUIRMENTS AND DELIVERABLE ITEMS DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULE: Following acceptance of the contract, the contractor shall develop draft reports, and submit these documents to the project officer for review. The project officer will provide comments and suggested revisions (for future reports) to the contractor. Reports/Deliverables and Schedule Deliverable Schedule 1. Kick-off meeting with AFSS Team Within four weeks of award date 2. Provide a detailed report identifying five to ten effective methods/techniques for connecting with animal producers who raise swine and poultry End of first quarter 3. Provide a detailed report identifying five to ten effective methods/techniques for connecting with animal producers who raise remaining species End of second quarter 4. Draft of materials that will deliver the critical messages of a safe animal feeding guidance End of third quarter 5. Final report End of fourth quarter PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Base Year - 2010 through 2011 Option Year One (if exercised) - 2011 through 2012 Option Year Two (if exercised) - 2012 through 2013 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The work will take place at the contractor's place of business with quarterly meetings at CVM, 7519 Standish Place, Rockville, MD. For work performed at CVM, the Contractor will be required to abide by security clearance procedures for outside visitors. EVALUATION AND AWARD: The Contractor should submit a current resume as part of the technical evaluation package. Evaluation factors listed are in descending order of importance. A. Experience and Capability of Contactor Describe experience and capability to deliver outreach materials down to the farm level. 1. Describe ability to: i. identify those communication processes that work effectively at the farm level on a species basis; ii. develop written and video materials explaining information of a highly technical or regulatory nature; iii. translate regulatory requirements and research information into materials useful to the animal production industry; and iv. communicate using written and video techniques. 2. Describe expert knowledge of U. S. animal production systems and methods for delivering information to animal producers. The Contractor should have experience and skills with: i. developing materials for delivering complex information to animal producers; ii. the use of a wide array of communication procedures; and iii. the processes that have proven effective for delivering information to animal producers. B. Technical Approach Describe the technical approach to be used for providing FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) with advice for ensuring its guidance materials effectively reach and are understood by animal producers. C. Understanding the Scope of Work Provide a comprehensive statement of the scope and purpose of the project. State the overall objectives and the specific accomplishments you hope to achieve. Indicate the rationale for your plan, and the relationship to comparable work in progress or completed elsewhere. 1. Knowledge and understanding of the Scope of Work is demonstrated by the clarity, practicality, and appropriateness of the contractor's proposal and plan to accomplish the effort. 2. Demonstrate recognition and ability to overcome potential difficulties in the performance of the project. D. Past Performance The contractor shall describe past performance, identifying other organizations with which he/she has participated in similar efforts including the degree of involvement, the size and complexity of the organization, and other information describing his/her experience. Contractors shall submit a list of three (3) references. Contracts listed may include those entered into by the Federal Government, agencies of State and local governments, and commercial customers. Contractors that are newly formed entities without prior contracts should list contracts and subcontracts as required above for all key personnel. The reference list of the three (3) references shall include the following information for each contract and subcontract: 1. Name of contracting activity; 2. Contact number; 3. Contract type; 4. Total contract value; 5. Contract work; 6. Contracting officer and telephone number; 7. Program manager and telephone number; and 8. Administrative contracting officer, if different from number 6 above, and telephone number. Each contractor will be evaluated on his/her performance under existing and prior contracts for similar products or services. Performance information will be used as an evaluation factor against which contractors' relative rankings will be compared to assure best value to the government. The government will focus on information that demonstrates quality of performance relative to the size and complexity of the procurement under consideration. The Government intends to evaluate proposals and, if necessary conduct discussions with all responsible offerors within the competitive range. The award will be made to the offeror whose proposal conforms to the terms and conditions of the solicitation and award may be made to other than the lowest priced. Relative importance and trade-offs. The Government will base the determination of best value on performance and evaluation factors as identified above. CCR: Vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Register (CCR) prior to the award of a contract. You may register by going to www.ccr.gov. You will need your Dun & Bradstreet number and banking information. QUESTIONS DEADLINE: All questions are to be submitted via email to jacqueline .richardson@fda.hhs.gov no later than Sept 7, 2010 4:30 pm ET. QUOTATIONS DUE: All quotations are due, via email to: jacqueline.richardson@fda.hhs.gov , no later than 11:00 pm ET on September 9,2010. PROVISIONS and CLAUSES: The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items applies to this solicitation. The following agenda has been attached to this provision: None. Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items. The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions, Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. The following agenda has been attached to the clause: None. The clause at FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders, Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses cited are applicable: FAR 52.217-8, FAR 52.222-26, FAR 52.222-35, FAR 52.222-36, and FAR 52.232-33, FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract. Clauses and provisions are incorporated by reference and apply to this acquisition. Responses to this notice must be sent via email to jacqueline.richardson@fda.hhs.gov . No phone calls will be accepted.