Focus Groups Project - Malaysia

AMENDED ANNOUNCEMENT: Please see changes provided under bullets 2 and 4 of the paragraph titled, "FOCUS GROUP COMPOSITION AND LOCATIONS" The following solicitation provisions apply to this acquisition This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation? quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is a firm fixed price acquisition being conducted under FAR part 12 in conjunction with FAR 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures (13.106). ___________________________________________ The Office of Opinion Research (OPN) of the U.S. Department of State (the Client) is considering commissioning 8 focus groups in Malaysia on international affairs, religious life, and social issues. We would like to conduct the groups in Summer 2016 with exact timing to be determined upon consultation with the Contractor. Each focus group discussion shall last about 120 minutes. The Office of Opinion Research will provide (1) the English-language version of the focus group discussion guide, a screening questionnaire indicating the criteria for selecting respondents, and a short follow-up questionnaire. PROJECT OVERVIEW The Contractor shall be responsible for the following tasks: 1) Consulting on the design of the discussion guide, screening questionnaire, and follow-up questionnaire with the Office of Opinion Research; 2) Translating into Bahasa Malaysia the discussion guide, screening questionnaire, and follow-up questionnaire and backtranslation of these documents into English. 3) Identifying and selecting participants using the screening questionnaire; 4) Managing the fieldwork - including providing suitable space for the discussion groups, providing incentives, briefing the moderator(s) and conducting the groups; 5) Providing viewing facilities for observation of each discussion group by Office of Opinion Research staff, and an interpreter to provide simultaneous translation of the discussion into English for the Client; 6) Providing audio and video recording of the discussion for all group discussions. If possible, this should be in digital format; 7) Providing full and accurate transcriptions of all group discussions in Bahasa Malaysia and English translations of transcripts; 8) Providing summaries of each group, a methodological report, and a final analytical report to the Office of Opinion Research by established deadlines (see below for detailed list of deliverables); 9) Maintaining frequent and regular contact with the Office of Opinion Research for the duration of the project. FOCUS GROUP COMPOSITION AND LOCATIONS: The Contractor shall propose a research design for a total of 8 groups, each consisting of 6-8 participants. All participants should be between 18 and 35 years old and identify as Muslim. Four groups should be composed exclusively of men, and four groups composed exclusively of women. We propose the following group composition, but welcome your recommendations: BULLETS 2 AND 4 HAVE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THIS AMENDED ANNOUNCEMENT TO REFLECT THE NEED FOR SURVEYING WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-35: - 2 groups of 6-8 Muslim men between the ages of 18-35 in Klang Valley - 2 groups of 6-8 Muslim women between the ages of 18-35 in Klang Valley - 2 groups of 6-8 Muslim men between the ages of 18-35 elsewhere in Malaysia - 2 groups of 6-8 Muslim women between the ages of 18-35 elsewhere in Malaysia Please provide a proposal with the above specifications, but we welcome additional options. The Contractor may propose any set of 8 focus groups of all young Muslims, but may vary the location and gender of groups, and may propose alternative configurations. DISCUSSION GUIDE AND SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE: The client will develop an English-language version of the discussion guide, screening questionnaire, and a follow-up questionnaire in consultation with the Contractor. The Contractor is responsible for translating these documents into colloquial Bahasa Malaysia and having them backtranslated into English by someone who has not seen the original English documents. The Office of Opinion Research will review the Bahasa Malaysia translation and backtranslation and consult with the Contractor on necessary changes. The Client must approve the final translation before recruitment begins. RECRUITMENT: Participant recruitment shall commence upon Office of Opinion Research approval of the Bahasa Malaysia version of the discussion guide, screening questionnaire, and follow-up questionnaire. The Contractor shall be responsible for identification of prospective participants - preferably through a randomized method of contact and collection of data from the screening questionnaire. Participants must not be neighbors, friends, relatives, co-workers or members/activists in the same organization. Recruiters should be closely supervised in the field during the entire recruitment process. Fieldwork supervisors should be on hand during the scheduling of the focus groups and during the beginning of each discussion in order to manage any unforeseen circumstances. Field staff should recruit at least 8-10 people per session to ensure 6-8 participants per group. The Office of Opinion Research must agree to the final selection of participants before the discussion groups begin. Each participant should receive an appropriate incentive. Those who turn up but are not selected for the group should also receive some remuneration for their willingness to participate. FIELDWORK: Exact timing for fieldwork shall be coordinated with Office of Opinion Research travel to observe the groups. The Contractor shall provide suitable space with adequate viewing facilities for observation of each discussion group by Office of Opinion Research staff. The Contractor shall provide simultaneous English translation of the groups (as necessary). The Contractor shall provide trained and highly skilled moderator(s) for each discussion group. Group discussion shall last about 120 minutes and shall be conducted according to the discussion guide. At the conclusion of each group discussion, participants will fill out a brief self-completed questionnaire. Following each discussion group, moderator and project manager will participate in a 30-60 minute debrief with Office of Opinion Research staff. DATA MANAGEMENT: For the purpose of the proposed study, data refers to: 1) Complete verbatim audio and video tapes/files of group discussions; 2) Complete verbatim transcripts of each audio recording, clearly identifying each speaker; 3) Complete high quality English-language translation of all transcripts, clearly identifying each speaker; 3) Brief informal summary reports (1-2 pages, in English) of each group, highlighting the opinions expressed and any problems encountered. They do not need to be polished formal reports; 4) Tabulation of participant responses to screening questionnaire and the post-discussion follow-up questionnaire, and; 6) Methodological report detailing recruitment procedures, fieldwork, demographic profiles of each participant/group, and a brief report of any unusual problems or significant events that may have influenced the conduct of the group discussions; 7) A final analytical report in English presenting the main findings of the discussion, with attention to the similarities and difference between the groups, with a small number of illustrative quotes from the transcripts. This does not need to be a narrative report. It can be provided in matrix/table form. For example, for each section of the focus group discussion guide, the final report could consist of a list of the major themes within each focus group, with a few quotations to illustrate these findings; and a few sentences highlighting the key findings and the major comparisons between the groups; The Contractor is responsible for the management and the delivery of all data to the Office of Opinion Research (see below): DELIVERABLES: Immediately following the completion of fieldwork, the Contractor is responsible for delivering to the Office of Opinion Research by email or by international air courier: ? Clear, high-quality audio and video recording of each group discussion to Office of Opinion Research staff on site or, if electronic format is possible, by email to your point of contact in the Office of Opinion Research. Electronic files should be formatted for QuickTime or another software program agreed upon with the Client. Within 3 business days of completing each group, the Contractor is responsible for delivering to the Office of Opinion Research by email: ? Brief informal summary reports; Within 7 business days of completing fieldwork, the Contractor is responsible for delivering to the Office of Opinion Research by email: ? Methodological report; Within 15 business days of completion of fieldwork, the Contractor is responsible for delivering by email: ? Full verbatim transcripts and the English-language translation of all transcripts; ? Tabulation of participants' responses to the follow-up questionnaire for each group in a Microsoft excel file; ? A final analytical report in English. TIME SCHEDULE: Each stage of the focus group project should be conducted according to a schedule agreed to by the Contractor and the Office of Opinion Research, but it shall be no later than February 2017. SUB-CONTRACTORS: If any part or stage of the focus group project will be sub-contracted to an individual or firm outside of your company, please identify the individual or firm, along with their relevant qualifications and the scope of their responsibility on the project. CONFIDENTIALITY: The study is to be conducted in the name of the Contractor, in keeping with standard industry practice. The Client's identity shall not be revealed to field supervisors, interviewers or participants in order to minimize bias. Further, the Client's identity, details of the project and the results shall not be revealed to outside parties - e.g., media, academic or government - at any point before, during or after completion of the project without the express written permission of the Client. BILLING AND PAYMENT: Payment is typically authorized in two installments: the first upon approval of the final discussion guide and recruitment plan, and the second upon receipt and approval of all required deliverables. Please note, payment cannot be authorized upon commissioning the project. All payments will be made in U.S. dollars. The method of payment is typically by electronic funds transfer if the Contractor provides appropriate banking information, but may also be made by U.S. Treasury check. ____________________________________________ The following solicitation provisions apply to this acquisition: - FAR 52.212-3, "Offeror Representations & Certifications Commercial Items" (Feb 2016) ____________________________________________ The following contract clauses apply to this acquisition: - FAR 52.212-4, "Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items" (May 2015) - FAR 52.212-5, "Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders" (Feb 2016). In addition to the required paragraphs, the following are the applicable optional paragraphs under 52.212-5: (8) 52.209-6,"Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment". (Aug 2013) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) (26) 52.222-19, Child Labor--Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Feb 2016) (E.O. 13126) (27) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015) (33)(i) 52.222-50, "Combatting Trafficking in Persons" (Mar 2015) (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627) (40) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011) (E.O. 13513) (49) 52.232-30, "Installment Payments for Commercial Items" (Oct 1995) (41 U.S.C. 4505, 10 U.S.C. 2307(f)) For additional terms/conditions and instructions, including submittal contents and selection criteria, please refer to the relevant attachment. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR QUOTE BY THE SPECIFIED DATE/TIME TO LORDTG@STATE.GOV. Submittals sent through this website will not be reviewed or considered.