ICT Spending and Market Data Services

The Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA), requires a searchable database that is structured to provide information on commercial opportunities in foreign markets in a manner best suited to compliment market analysis and business counseling services, such as locating and evaluating comprehensive information quickly, and to compare and contrast risks and opportunities across both regions and countries. This information must also provide the basis for advising senior Commerce Department officials and the U.S. Trade Representative on critical decisions concerning the negotiation and enforcement of trade agreements. This is a combined Synopsis/Solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, and guidance of FAR 13.5 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only Solicitation that will be published; proposals are being requested and a written Solicitation will not be issued. This combined Synopsis/Solicitation will be provided electronically only. The Solicitation includes the following Attachments: Combined Synopsis Attachment A: Statement of Work Attachment B: ICT Market Segment Taxonomy Attachment C: Regions and Countries The Government anticipates an award of a Fixed Price Purchase Order. This requirement is 100% set-aside for Small Businesses. The applicable NAICS is 541910, Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling. The applicable size standard is $6.5M. The Solicitation is a Request for Quote (RFQ), please reference RFQ NO. RFQ0910676. The anticipated award date will be no later than 08/14/2009. The Solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-26. Offerors are required to check Federal Business Opportunity website: www.fbo.gov for any amendments to this combined Synopsis/Solicitation. All questions must be in writing and received by the DOC/NOAA Contracting Office not later than 10:00 am local time by 08/05/2009. No telephonic request will be entertained. All responses to questions will be posted by way of an amendment to this combined Synopsis/Solicitation. The email address for submission of all questions is rhee.burke@noaa.gov. Questions must be addressed to the Contract Specialist only. I. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: The RFQ must be submitted electronically by 10:00 am local time, electronically by 08/10/2009 to the attention of: Sheila Adjei Contract Specialist DOC/NOAA -NCAD Via electronic transmission to sheila.adjei@noaa.gov II. Proposal Content: The offeror's proposal shall consist of Sections A through D as described below. a. Technical Capability: approach to understanding the requirement and qualifications . b. Past Performance: The offeror shall submit at least three (3) Past Performance References for contracts of similar work performed. References shall include a) date of work performed and brief description of assignment; b) dollar value of the contract and c) point of contact. References must be able to confirm experience as it relates to the project. c. Pricing: The Offeror's price proposal must include a firm fixed price for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Spending Data Services. d. Offeror's must submit a complete response. Responses that are not substantially complete will be returned without further consideration. Offers of partial performance shall be rejected. Responses must be electronically submitted in MS Word or Adobe Acrobat. The electronic version shall be in the form of an email with attachments. Each response shall be on 8 1/2-inch x 11-inch paper, in a commercially standard font, not smaller than a size 12 font. Each page in the response shall be separately numbered. A page of paper printed on both sides is considered two pages. The offer, including the letter of transmittal, shall be limited to twenty (20) single sided pages. III. EVALUATION: - This will be a best value award conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 and 13, utilizing Simplified Acquisition procedures for commercial items. The award will encompass the entire Statement of Work. No partial awards will be made. - Award will be made to the offeror deemed responsible in accordance with FAR 9.104, as supplemented, whose proposal conforms to the Solicitation's requirements and is judged to represent the best value to the Government. ITA reserves the right not to make award(s) if such a decision is determined to be in the best interest of the government. - FAR 52.212-2 EVALUATION-COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 1999) The above stated FAR Clause is applicable to this evaluation process. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: - Offeror's technical approach, the offeror's approach to understanding the requirement and qualifications . - The quality of the offeror's recent and relevant past performance - Price The evaluation criteria above are listed in descending order of importance. When combined, the technical approach and past performance are significantly more important than price. As non-priced factors reach equality, price becomes a significant factor. The price shall include sufficient data to allow the Government to determine the amount, realism and consistency of the fixed price. The Government shall not be liable for any costs incurred in response to this request. A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. - The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a contract without discussions with offerors except for clarifications. Therefore, the offeror's initial proposal should contain the offeror's best terms. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if deemed necessary. - Past Performance: Offeror must ensure three (3) Past Performance References are submitted as described above. Past Performance shall be received by the submission date of proposals. Past Performance references must be emailed as stated above. Past performance assessments will be evaluated in the areas of : ? Quality of Work ? Business Relations ? Timeliness of Performance ? Customer Satisfaction a. EVALUATION APPROACH: The Government intends to use the offeror's proposal as a means of evaluating the offeror's ability to satisfy the requirement of this Purchase Order, in terms of the technical approach in conjunction with past performance, and pricing submission to determine the award of the Purchase Order. The best value will represent the offeror that demonstrates the ability to provide the best proposal to the Order, considering the offerors' understanding of the project and the offeror's approach to satisfy the requirements, ability to satisfy the schedule and deliverable requirements, past performance as it relates to the Order and price. Price will include the reasonableness of the price and locality adjustment factor(s). The Government may award to other than the highest rated offeror when the price proposed by this offeror for the tasks is determined to be unaffordable. IV. SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES The following clauses from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) apply to this synopsis/solicitation 52.204-7 Central Contractor Registration 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items 52.212-2 Evaluation Commercial Items 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -Commercial Items 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders---Commercial Items (5, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 31, and 36) 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting 52.222-46 Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees 52.229-1 State & Local Taxes 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address (es): http://www.arnet.gov/FAR/ In accordance with FAR 13.303-3(a), END OF DOCUMENT