D--Questions and Answers #2

The following questions were received from interested parties. Note: Interested parties are reminded to use Amendment 1 posted on the DCCW home page as the solicitation. The RFQ date remains the same, May 27, 2004 12 NOON. Q1. Please inform whether there is a significant difference between how we need to respond to this RFQ vs responding to an RFP. It is my understanding that you will need both a quotation and a technical proposal detailing how we will fulfill this contract if awarded it, much like an RFP would require. A1. Both a quotation and a technical proposal shall be submitted Q2. I have not seen any request for samples of previous work similar in scope to that described in the solicitation. Do you want to see any samples at this point? A2. No Q3. Are all responses due to you via email or via postal mail? If via postal mail, how many copies are required and do you need pricing and technical proposals separated? A3. Email proposals are acceptable Q4. In the list of CLINs, what does FFP stand for? A4. Firm Fixed Price. See FAR Part 16 for Contract Types. Q5. Under CLIN 0001 should we enter the sum of 0001AA through 0001AH or is there some other number you require here? If so, what should we base that on? A5. CLIN 0001 would be the total of the subclins 0001AA-0001AH. CLIN0002 would be the total for 0002AA-0002AB and so forth. See amendment 1 for solicitation re-issue. Q6. Some of the CLIN sub-categories are a little confusing. I understand you need the maximum figures based on approximately 12 to a maximum of 27 web events in a 12 year contract. Some of your 0001 category CLINs indicate numbers based on multiples of 12 and others use multiples of 27. Is this intentional and if so, please expound upon what we need to consider for CLIN 0003 which indicates a maximum figure of 19,440. I am confused about what is being requested in particular for this CLIN. Does this refer t o licensing the interface over a period of time? A6. The MAX QUANTITY for CLIN 0001AG and CLIN 0002AA should reflect 27 vice 48. The 19,400 minutes in CLIN 0003 represents the total number of presentation minutes available online for the 12 month period of performance, for approximately 60 minute averag e events with a maximum of 27 events (12 X 60 X 27 = 19,400). This reflects licensing the interface based on content available over a period of time. Q7. Are the transcripts only required in English or will you need multiple languages transcribed, such as Spanish? A7. Transcripts are only required in English. Q8. CLIN 0006 asks for pricing of video taping. There are no further details about this though and so pricing can vary greatly depending on what's needed. For example, would shooting require one half day, one full day, several days in a row? Will any editi ng be required for on-demand events? Will the shoot require one, two or more cameras and will sound need to cover a panel of presenters or one speaker at a podium, perhaps with an audience and questions and answers. Conversely, will speaking be in a contro lled studio with no audience and one camera only required? In order to answer this question as accurately as possible, please let us know the parameters you would like us to use for supplying quotes and if you have any on-line samples of what is typical ac cessible, this could be very helpful. A8. Generally, events will be in the National Capital Region. They will consist of a single speaker needing one camera. During question and answer sessions, viewing the audience will not be necessary, but hearing the audience will be necessary. The even t will normally last sixty (60) minutes. Samples are not available. Due to the variety of venues in the NCR, complexities may vary event to event. Q9. In section 4.3, p. 14 under TASKS, a Web-based Client interface is required. Is it the OFT's intention to have the contractor build a proprietary portal-like interface allowing web presentation users to search an archive of all web presentations that will be the result of this contract? Is this interface intended to be for all archived events, whether originally live or on-demand? A9. All events (live and on-demand) will be available through a web-based interface provided by the vendor via the Internet. Searching should be available across all archives and within each archive. Q10. I have not seen any CLIN referencing satellite time in association with the live event web casts so we can deliver the event back to our servers for serving up events live. Is this figure something we should just include in the base price in 0005? A10. All costs for conducting a live event shall be included in the base price. Q11.CLIN 0005AC requests quotes for a 'publishing fee' for the live events. Should we take this to include all costs from the point of sending the mixed/switched signal via satellite (from above) through to serving up the live event to the audience over th e net? A11. Yes. Q12. Will there be a separate travel budget considered if we need to send crew to different locations or should itemized CLIN pricing be inclusive of travel time? A12. All costs shall be included in the base price of the appropriate CLIN. The government does not anticipate travel outside of the National Capital Region. Q13. On page 16 under section 52.212-2 (b) there is a reference to 'options', which are being evaluated by OFT to determine best value. I am unclear as to what these options are. Does this mean the optional extension periods after the initial 12-month cont ract or rather does this refer to the CLIN subsets (such as 0001AA, AB, AC etc.) or something different again? A13. This requirement is for a Base Period of 12 months and four, twelve month option periods. Solicitation has been re-issued to reflect the option period CLINS. See Amendment 1. Reference FAR Part 17 for explanation on option periods. Q14. We work in partnership with a company that has complimentary services to ours and for the purposes of fulfilling this contract as required by OFT it would be necessary to work in tandem (production services in tandem with webcasting services). We inte nd that one company will be the single point of services, payments etc. to ensure the best service. As such, will this arrangement be acceptable to OFT given the Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government with Alternate I FAR clause has been che cked by the contracting officer? A14. 52.203-6 does not restrict teaming or subcontractor. FAR Part 19 for subcontracts and FAR Part 3.503-2 which prescribes clause 52.203-6. Q15. In section 4.1.2 under TASKS, it is required to be able to handle slide build outs and animated slide transitions. Technically it is possible to do this though it often ends up making the slide synchronization problematic. Is it acceptable to provide a work-around design to these build outs or help prepare an approximate simulation to these build outs and transitions when we convert slides? A15. As long as the intent of the slide is represented, alternates/simulations of the slide would be acceptable. Q16. Please elaborate about the table of contents. Specifically are you after a TOC such as: 1.) May 17 conference 2.) June 3 Conference 3.) July 11 Conference etc. Or are you after a more detailed TOC detailing each conference such as 1.) May 17 Conference a.) Opening remarks b.) Presentation by xyz c.) round table discussion etc. A16. The table of contents is intended to be seen within the interface of each event as described in the latter example above. The table of contents will generally be broken down by slide/rich media title. There should also be a table of contents availab le to reflect all events in the archive/library. Q17.How many concurrent viewers do you need to support and at what bandwidth? A17. It is not possible to determine the concurrent viewers required. The bandwidth required for media delive ry should reflect the capability of low and high bandwidth participants. Q18. In section 4.3 you mention the ability to search across all OFT content and within an event. Please elaborate about the specific types of searches you have in mind. A18. Searches should be based on keywords and include content from all slides/ transcripts. When keywords are found and selected, all synchronized content should move to that point in the event. Q19. How long will each event typically last? A19. Sixty minutes. Q20. What is FFP? A20. Firm Fixed Price. See FAR Part 16 for Contract Types Q21. Must the additional media mentioned in 4.1.3 appear in a separate frame within the viewing window? A21. Rich Media will typically be located in the portion of the interface that contains the slide content. Q22. What format will you accept the responses in such as Microsoft word? Wordperfect? Adobe pdf? A22. Proposals are accepted in MS Word format. Q23. Would the Closed Caption log serve as a transcript? It seems to me that the CC is for all practical purposes a transcript. Producing a separate and independent transcript will only add cost. A23. As long as the Closed Caption Log is synchronized with the Video during playback, it is alright to use the Closed Caption Log. Q24. What performance criteria for the online media delivery will be used and what metrics are used to measure video and presentation delivery performance? Will there be a scale in technical capability or will it only be 'meets technical requirements or d oes not meet technical requirements'? A24. The criteria used for evaluation purposes is delineated in the Technical Evaluation Criteria published as part of this solicitation. Q25. As the amount of streams and the size of the audience can not be estimated, will a firm fixed price for specific usage amounts of streamed and hosted data be acceptable? A25. Yes.