B -- Request For Information In-Flight Survey Program

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA), Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) in support of goals established by the President of the United States, is seeking information from industry that will assist in the evaluation of its current program for surveying international travelers to and from the United States. This Request for Information (RFI) invites interested parties to respond to the attached In-Flight Survey (IFS) Program Background Document and Questionnaire. Responses and comments are being solicited from the travel industry sectors (airlines, airports, travel related associations, consultants, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, research Contractors, etc.) and other interested parties as part of the Government's market assessment to identify new methodologies that exist for conducting surveys.The primary purpose of the Survey of International Air Travelers is to obtain the necessary data used by the Government to estimate travel and passenger fare exports and imports for the country. International trade data from the Survey is also used to calculate the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the country. The program provides information, while safeguarding individual privacy, about U.S. resident and non-U.S. resident international travelers and trip characteristics. The information is used by the Government to develop public policies and by the private sector to improve resource management. Information obtained through this RFI will be used to formulate possible improvements and/or alternate solutions in the program's methodology and to develop requirements for a formal Request For Proposal (RFP) for surveying services. Respondents are asked to provide any input they feel will improve the data the Federal Government collects on international travel to and from the USA, with a focus on assisting the Government in obtaining the maximum return on the money invested in this program. Interested parties may propose alternative concepts for solutions that meet these requirements. The Government encourages both rigorous and yet creative solutions, by thinking - outside the box when responding to this RFI. Interested parties are encouraged to provide the Government with information on their company along with detailed information on how they would approach conducting this program. Section 5, of the attached document is an open area for suggestions, comments, concerns, issues, questions, other methodologies OTTI should consider using, and/or any other ideas the industry may want to share with Commerce. The documents, also provides links to additional data and information to assist respondents in understanding the Government's needs and approach to this program. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice will not be considered an offer and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Interest Parties are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Additional information on this program may also be found at the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries web site at: http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov Additional information request, questions or responses to this notice including the public information exchange meetings, individual appointments, all responses to the attached document, comments and ideas should be emailed to the following: contact@example.gov, contact@example.gov,or contact@example.gov Please use reference no.: 2005 RFI In-flight Survey in the subject line of all correspondence.