Middle East Internet Panel

(i)THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR A COMMERCIAL ITEM 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; PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. (ii) Solicitation No. BBG50-R-11- 0026 is issued as a Request For Proposal (RFP) for a Firm-Fixed price purchase order that will be awarded using the contracting by negotiation procedures in FAR Part 15. (iii) This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect from the Federal Acquisition Regulations 2005-53, dated August 04, 2011. (iv) This is a full and open competition. The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541720. (v) The contractor shall provide the following Contract Line Item (CLIN): 1. The contractor shall propose a methodological approach for, and after review and approval of the methodology by BBG, conduct and report on the results of two online panels, one analyzing English speakers news gathering habits online and via mobile web, and a second assessing the VOA English website (still under construction) that targets English speakers in the Middle East (vi) The Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau (BBG/IBB) has a requirement, subject to the availability of funds, for a contractor to propose a methodological approach for, and after review and approval of the methodology by BBG, conduct and report on the results of two online panels, one analyzing English speakers news gathering habits online and via mobile web, and a second assessing the VOA English website (still under construction) that targets English speakers in the Middle East. Each panel will include 10-20 questions (see Attachment C for examples) for which final versions will be approved by BBG before panel implementation. The panel should be conducted in English. Each panel must have no less than 200 achieved responses. These respondents must be native to and currently residing in the Middle East and be fluent speakers of English. The panels demographics should include an equal mix of male and female respondents, as well as about equal distribution of respondents from different age cohorts (15- 29, 30-45, 45+ years of age). They may be educationally and occupationally mixed. Deliverables for each panel include: (1) raw data pulled from observed panel in English (2) 10-20 page written report in English, including an analysis of the panel findings, demographic breakdown of panelists and technical methodology. Delivery Schedule: It is anticipated that the panels will begin no later than September 30, 2011. The raw data and draft reports must be submitted to BBG within two months after commencement of fieldwork, to which BBG reserves the right to revise/edit, and a final report will be due within three months of commencement of fieldwork. (vii) The Period of Performance is 120 days after award. The anticipated date of award is September 13, 2011. Please note that it is anticipated that work on this project will begin no later than September 30, 2011, with completed reports to be submitted to BBG no later eight weeks after start date. (viii) The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provision FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to Offerors-Commercial Items, applies to this solicitation. Full text of all FAR clauses and provisions are available electronically at the following Internet address: (http://www.arnet.gov/far). Interested contractors who are capable of providing these services should submit a proposal demonstrating their ability and experience in providing the required services. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: A) Expertise relevant to provision of specified services as demonstrated by the overall quality and appropriateness of the methodological approach proposed, B) Experience in conducting qualitative'preferably online'media research in the market specified and/or similar markets and C) Professional experience and expertise of the proposed project leader(s). OFFERORS RESPONDING TO THIS SOLICITATION SHALL SUBMIT AT MINIMUM, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TO THE CONTRACTING OFFICER: (1) a technical proposal which addresses the factors described below in (ix) and (2) and a price proposal in accordance with (ix). The Price Proposal must contain a copy of the SF 1449 which is attached to this notice and Attachment A entitled - Schedule Service and Price filled out by the Offeror. (ix)The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provision FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items, applies to this solicitation. The Government will award a Commercial Item, Firm-Fixed-Price, purchase order resulting from this RFP to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the RFP will be most advantageous to the Government, based on technical approach, experience, past performance, and price. When combined, technical evaluation factors are more important than cost/price. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS SHALL BE ADDRESSED IN THE TECHNICAL PROPOSALS AND SHALL BE USED TO EVALUATE PROPOSALS: A) Offeror's methodological approaches, including proposed timelines; B) Specific institutional experience in conducting online panel research in the Middle East; C) Size and quality of offeror's online panel, including demographics that match VOA's targeted audience: D) Professional experience and expertise of the proposed project leader(s), as well as details of any local sub-contractors who may be engaged to carry out the fieldwork; E) Ability to complete the project in a timely manner (Technical Approach); 2) The Offeror shall provide recent examples (within the past three (3) years) demonstrating its experience in providing the services required under this Solicitation to Governmental and/or commercial customers. Examples provided should be of the same and/or similar services specified herein. (Experience) 3) Detailed information on past performance and relevant contracts for same and/or similar services with a minimum of three (3) references including contract numbers, points of contact with telephone numbers and email addresses (i.e., the point of contact who can verify performance) (Past Performance) and 4) Separate Price Proposal showing a price breakdown for CLIN above. The prices for shall be provided in English and United States dollars. The Price Proposal must contain Attachment A entitled - Schedule Service and Price filled out by the Offeror, completed copy of the provision FAR 52.212-3 and a signed copy of the SF 1449 which is attached to this notice. Offerors are cautioned that failure to address each of the above factors may deem their proposal unacceptable. (x) Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with its offer. Proposals should also include contractor's DUNS Number, prompt payment terms, and correct remittance address, if different from mailing address. The contractor must be registered on-line with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) Web site at: http://www.ccr.gov/Start.aspx. The successful Offeror will be required to complete and submit an ACH form, for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), to the Contracting Officer before submitting their first invoice. In addition, the successful Offeror must obtain a DUNS number and have an active registration in CCR before award. (xi) The FAR clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition with addendum to the clause. (xii) FAR clause 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this solicitation by reference and proposed subsequent contract as well as the following clauses contained within FAR clause 52.212-5: 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns (May 2004); 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Apr 2009); 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003); 52.222-19, Child Labor'Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jul 2010); 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999); 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity(May 2007) (E.O. 11246); 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Sep 2010) (38 U.S.C. 4212); 52.222-36 Affirmative Actions for Workers with Disabilities (Oct 2010) (29 U.S.C. 793), 52.222-37 Employment Report on Veterans (Sep 2010); 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging while Driving (Aug 2011); 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) and 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration (OCT 2003). (xiii) There are no other additional contract requirement(s) necessary for this acquisition other than those consistent with customary commercial practices. NOTE: See Government-Wide Numbered Notes 13 and 25. (xiv) No Defense Priorities and Allocation System (DPAS) rating assigned. (xv) Failure to provide the required services for the above CLIN may result in the rejection of your proposal. Proposals shall be in writing and must be signed by an official authorized to bind the organization. Oral, faxed or emailed proposals will not be accepted. Please note that questions must be submitted in writing to Myria Carpenter by email (contact@example.gov) or fax (+1 (555) 000-0000) and received before the deadline of 12:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on August 26, 2011. Technical Proposals shall be submitted as an original and two copies and Price Proposals shall be submitted as an original and one copy. All proposals must be sent via courier or overnight delivery and must be received before deadline. Proposals are due at the Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau, Office of Contracts, 330 C Street, SW, Room 4007B, Washington, DC 20237 on September 6, 2011, at 12:00PM, Eastern Time. (xvi) Contact: Myria Carpenter, Contract Specialist, Facsimile +1 (555) 000-0000, email: contact@example.gov. All responsible sources may submit an offer that will be considered by the Agency.