Media Monitoring

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation, FDA-SOL-09-1061440, is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 05-35. The acquisition is set-aside for Small Business. The associated NAICS code is 518210 and small business size standard is $ 25.0 Millions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking competition to help the government ensure that media queries are handled in a timely, professional, and thorough manner and seeks to establish an electronic record of queries that will provide a record of response, help the agency to respond more quickly and efficiently to media inquiries, and aid management in making strategic and tactical public affairs decisions for the agency. Objective: The FDA is soliciting a professional tracking system to enable press officers and other staff to track the responses of the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) to telephone and e-mail queries, from receipt through response using an electronic Web-based platform. The primary objective of this schedule is to satisfy the current and emerging needs that cannot be met through - in-house personnel, equipment or technology. Scope of Work: The Contractor shall: --Provide an electronic tracking system designed to allow multiple users to quickly enter and track the following information about each media query through the following categories: date of inquiry; date inquiry entered into tracking system; name of reporter; news outlet; nature of request (reporter's storyline); contact information; reporter's deadline; date of publication; interview format; list of reporter's questions; names of others that the reporter has contacted for the story; key FDA messages to be conveyed to reporter; subject matter expert or spokesperson for the inquiry; field for press officers perception of likely course of interview; field for the initial OPA response; date/time that OPA product cleared required internal reviews; field for the name of OPA employee who closed the request; and other pertinent information about the reporter and the request. The tracking system would allow for additional fields to be added to it. --Provide a system that allows for the creation of electronic files that will include notes from OPA employees on the requests, drafts of their responses, press releases, questions and answers, and other materials that may be generated as a result of the media inquiry. --Provide a daily report of calls received, subject of the queries, and the name of the staff member handling the query, query status, as well as the time the call was received and the time of response. --Provide a system capable of searching by topic, date, reporter and news organization. --The system must be Web-based, allow for simultaneous multiple-user access at any given time for an unlimited number of users, and if possible, be accessible by blackberry. --The system provider shall provide FDA with an experienced 24/7 support customer service office to assist the FDA in using the system. --If possible, the system should provide alerts as reporter's deadlines near as well as a way to highlight certain - tickets. Reporting Requirements and Deliverable Items: The Contractor shall provide system to track media inquiries within FDA OPA. Period of Performance: One (1) Year with Two (2) Option Year Base Year September 01, 2009 - August 30, 2010 Option Year One (1) September 01, 2010 - August 30, 2011 Option Year Two (2) September 01, 2011 - August 30, 2012 Location: 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Building WO66, Silver Spring, MD 20993 Evaluation Criteria The evaluation, adjective-description rating scale to be used by the evaluation team for Technical Approach and Past Performance is defined below as follows: TECHNICAL APPROACH Technical Approach Defined: This factor will consider the extent to which the offeror understands the background, history, purpose, proposed approach, and goals of this contract, and the overall contract requirements. This factor will consider technical soundness and specificity of proposed plans for completion of tasks described in the Statement of Work (SOW). This factor will consider the offeror's identification and discussion of outstanding issues and logistical concerns and the planned approach for the use and management of personnel and resources required in the performance of this procurement. The offeror shall describe how these personnel and resources will be used to accomplish the specific elements of the tasks. It will also consider the offeror's proposed approach to addressing any perceived issues or other constraints to meeting requirements or project goals This factor will consider how the offeror explains how it intends to obtain this service within the given time frame and in the most efficient and cost-productive manner. The offeror shall submit: Ratings Description of Ratings Excellent Demonstrates superior strength and no weaknesses for this evaluation criterion. Very Good Demonstrates extensive strength and only minor weaknesses for this evaluation criterion. The weaknesses are easily correctible. Average Demonstrates moderate strength and only minor weaknesses for this evaluation criterion. The weaknesses are easily correctible. Fair Demonstrates no strengths, some weaknesses. Weaknesses exceed strengths and will be difficult to correct. Unsatisfactory Demonstrates no strengths and major weaknesses for this evaluation criterion. Weaknesses are so significant and numerous that any possible correction would essentially require a major re-writing of the proposal. Non-Responsive The evaluation criteria is not addressed or is addressed in such a vague manner as to be construed the same as non-responsive. PAST PERFORMANCE Past Performance Defined: FDA's evaluation of past performance will be a subjective assessment based on information provided by the offeror and information obtained independently by FDA from a variety of public and private sources, including the references provided. The offeror shall submit past performance of work performed for similar tasks (e.g. public health matters) requested in the Statement of Work. The offeror shall list similar projects within the last 5 years (federal, state, and local). The offeror must list: 1. Contract Number or Project number 2. Period of Performance 3. Place of Performance 4. Point of Contact 5. Contact Information (email, phone number, alternate contact's number and email) 6. Description of the project Rating Description Excellent/ High Confidence Based on the offeror's performance record, essentially no doubt exists that the successful offeror will successfully perform the required effort. Little or no Government oversight is expected to be required in achieving the proposed level of performance. Very Good/ Confidence Based on the offeror's performance record, little doubt exists that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort. Little Government oversight is expected to be required in achieving the proposed level of performance. Satisfactory/ Confidence Based on the offeror's performance record, some doubt exists that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort. Some Government oversight is expected to be required in achieving the proposed level of performance. Neutral/ Unknown Confidence No performance record identifiable. Marginal/ Little Confidence Based on the offeror's performance record, substantial doubt exists that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort. Substantial Government oversight or intervention is expected to be required to meet the contract requirements. Changes to the offeror's existing processes may be necessary in order to achieve contract requirements. Poor/ No Confidence Based on the offeror's performance record, extreme doubt exists that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort. Regardless of the degree of Government oversight or intervention, successful performance is doubtful. COST/PRICE FDA will evaluate the offeror's submission/proposal on their ability to provide support at a reasonable and realistic price (to include any discounts offered and shall be fixed price).The offeror shall submit their cost/price proposal based on the tasks and deliverables in the Statement of Work. OFFEROR MUST COMPLETE AND SUBMIT WITH ITS QUOTE, FAR 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JUL 2009), WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY AT: http://www.arnet.gov/far/current/html/52_212_213.html. The clause at FAR 52.212-4 (Mar. 2009), Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items and FAR 52.212-5 (Jun. 2009), Contract Terms and Conditions required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are applicable to the acquisition: (1) 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, with Alternate I (Sep. 2006), (2) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (May 2004), (3) 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (DEC 1996), (4) 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (FEB 1999), (5) 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (MAR 2007), (6) 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans (Sept 2006), (7) 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers and Disabilities (JUN 1998), (8) 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans on the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans (Sept 2006) (9) 52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Feb 2008) (10) 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) (11) 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer (Oct 2003). (12) 52.204-7 Central Contractor Registration (Apr 2008). (13) 52.217-7 Option for Increased Quantity'Separately Priced Line Item (Mar 1989) (14) 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999). (15) 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000).. Technical Proposal shall be no more than 25 pages. Award will be made to the offeror providing best value to the Government in consideration of cost and technical proposal. The Contract Specialist must receive any questions no later than August 04, 2009. An original and 3 copy of the offerors cost and technical proposal shall be received on or before 2:00 P.M. local time, August 10, 2009 at Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857. For information regarding this solicitation, please contact Jeankite Joseph, at 301-827-5095, Fax 301-827-7106, or email: jeankite.joseph@fda.hhhs.gov