R -- Manufacturing Extension Partnership Survey Support Services

The purpose of this amendment is to provide answers to questions presented on the subject solicitation SB1341-08-RP-0025 and extend the due date for proposals to April 25, 2008; 4:00pm, EST: 1. Do you follow a software development life cycle? Answer: No 2. What technologies are currently used for the web surveys? Answer: NIST MEP is unsure'the vendor decides upon and is responsible for the web survey technology 3. Is the Web survey database integrated with the CATI database? Answer: Yes 4. Are there citizenship limitations on resources? Answer: No 5. IT environment available for development and deployment? Answer: We expect the contractor to host and deploy the survey using their IT resources 6. Will there be a transition time for CATI software? Answer: We expect the contractor to have the CATI and web-based surveys tested and ready for deployment shortly after the contract is awarded 7. In terms of page limitation, the solicitation says that graphs and tables are excluded - does that mean that if we have tables in the Technical Approach, then - a page is excluded (or what ever size the table is)? Also, are graphs specifically referring to bar graphs or pie charts, etc. and NOT a graphic/exhibit that would be in the text? Answer: For question 7, see solicitation 52.212-1 addendum - Proposal Instructions paragraph (a)(ii). States Courier 10 pitch or equivalent and must be double-spaced. 8. Can we use Times New Roman 11 point font, and space and a half instead of double-spaced? See answer to question 7. 9. Due to the short turn around, would the Government be amenable to extending the proposal due date? Answer: Yes, due date revised to April 25, 2008. 10. The above referenced RFP did not include a Section B with labor categories'Do you have a list of specific labor categories or should we propose our own labor categories? Answer: Offerors are to propose the types of labor categories to be utilized to perform the required services outlined in the statement of work. 11. What is the contract amount for the most recent year this study was conducted? We are interesting in the annual dollar amount, not the total multi-year amount of the contract awarded to Synovate. The yearly amount for FY2007 was approximately $432,876.00. 12. Please provide an estimate of the number of pre-survey letters mailed each week in the upcoming study. Answer: The number of pre-survey letters mailed each quarter is equal to the number of surveys attempted. Please reference http://mep.nist.gov/documents/pdf/about- mep/impacts/FY2006_MEP%20Delivering%20Measurable%20Results.pdf 13. Please provide an estimate of the number of telephone surveys conducted each week in the upcoming study. Answer: Please reference http://mep.nist.gov/documents/pdf/about-mep/impacts/FY2006_MEP%20Delivering%20Measurable%20Results.pdf The number of telephone surveys completed each quarter is provided here. The scheduling is largely up to the vendor as long as the vendor assures that there is sufficient time for several telephone survey attempts. 14. What is the government's estimate of the ratio of interviews completed by Internet vs. by telephone in the upcoming study? For instance, 25% completed by phone and 75% by Internet? Answer: Please reference http://mep.nist.gov/documents/pdf/about-mep/impacts/FY2006_MEP%20Delivering%20Measurable%20Results.pdf for the answer. NIST MEP desires to work towards an internet-only survey, with other modes of survey used only for - back-up purposes. 15. Under SubTask 1-3, the RFP states that in included in the pre-survey package sent to each client selected for the survey. This makes us question whether the study involves random selection, or if it's a census. Please advise. Answer: The survey is intended to be a census of MEP clients. All manufacturing clients served are surveyed. 16.. What is the total number of surveys completed last year? Of these, how many were by phone and how many by Internet? Answer: Please reference http://mep.nist.gov/documents/pdf/about-mep/impacts/FY2006_MEP%20Delivering%20Measurable%20Results.pdf ? 17. Under SubTask 2-4, the RFP states that appropriate logos are uploaded to the web system. Does this mean that the survey site is customized with a different logo (and perhaps other information) for each MEP? This is correct. It is NIST MEPs intention that the surveys appear to be from each individual MEP center. 18.. Do you anticipate extending the deadline for proposals? See answer to Question 9. 19. If there will be a pre-proposal conference and when? A pre-proposal conference is not planned at this time. 20. When are questions and answers due for this RFP? Questions will be accepted up until April 18, 2008, 4:00pm, EST. 21. If a company cannot undertake, the project as currently configured for $1,250,000 would that proposal still be considered? Would NIST consider providing additional funding to the project? This is the maximum ceiling value set for the contract. At this time, no additional funds are planned. 21. Is travel part of the budgeted yearly cost or is that treated as an actual cost, when it occurs? Travel is required based on a yearly estimate and reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations. 22. Do you intend to extend the due date? Answer: See answer to question no. 18. Or given the anticipated brief turn-around time between publication of the answers to offeror questions and the current deadline of Wednesday April 23rd at 4PM EST, will offerors be allowed to meet the deadline by providing an electronic version via email, with hard-copies subsequently delivered via commercial delivery services? Electronic version is acceptable as long as hard copies are dated before the date and time proposals are due. Send via email according to the proposal instructions to contact@example.gov. 23. Will the incumbent contractor be responsible for all activities in support of Survey Quarter 1? Some of the deliverable dates (per table 4.1-4, page 45) are after the solicitation's period of performance start date of June 1st? Yes, the incumbent will complete the Q1 survey process. 24. After contract award, will a list of MAIM (Minimally Acceptable Input Measures) metrics that NIST MEP uses to evaluate center performance be provided to the oncoming survey house? Yes. 25. Can one client company have multiple records? If so, is it possible that one company could be interviewed more than once if they have received multiple services? Clients are surveyed only once a year, based on one or more completed projects. 26. Are you willing to expend funds to undertake additional research among the MEP centers and their clients, if on merit, that will help facilitate improvement of the data confirmation process, training tools and methods of communication? Yes 27. Is there a maximum number of attempts to complete surveys via telephone? There is no maximum number of attempts, but the vendor should use their discretion to achieve the maximum response rate. 28. On average, what is the number of calls the contractor should expect to receive from clients and centers with questions about the survey, website, etc. and over what period of time? This varies greatly, but the phone calls generally only occur during the confirmation and survey periods. 29. Task 4, Sub-task 4. How often is visual or written data analysis requested of the contractor per year? Quarterly 30. The Survey Process: 4.1.2 Does each company have to have at least three years experience with the MEP to participate in the survey? No 31. How often in the past, has it been necessary to provide the client impact survey in Cantonese or another language, other than Spanish? Infrequently. None in the past few years. 32. Reference to Page 18: Where is the Offer Schedule, Section B located? Are you referring to our GSA Schedule? Answer: No, this refers to the price schedule in the solicitation. See SF 1449. 33. Are item numbers 0001 and 0002 on the SF1449, referenced later on in the RFP as CLIN? Yes. 34.. Is there a preferred data file format for the completed questionnaires to be provided to the COTR? Currently Excel, but this may change. 35. Will we be receiving the client historic records directly from the COTR? Yes . If so, in what data format will it be provided? In Excel. 36 . What percentage of the surveys are conducted via web? Please reference http://mep.nist.gov/documents/pdf/about-mep/impacts/FY2006_MEP%20Delivering%20Measurable%20Results.pdf 37. Since this is a fixed price IDIQ contract, will invoicing be deliverable based or Task order based? Can Project Management be invoiced monthly? Answer: Individual task orders will be issued against the basis IDIQ contract. Payment schedules, if proposed, will be on a task order by task order basis. 38. Why is there a special questionnaire for Pennsylvania MEP? This was requested by and is paid for by PA. 39. Task 2-6: Can you further define the data reconciliation process in relation to that work element? Please refer back to task 2-6, which is self-explanatory. 40. Task 4-1: Concerning training tools, what has been utilized in the past so that what we propose will not duplicate those that have been successfully implemented? Webinars, in-person training classes, and occasionally travel to the center if requested. 41. Task 4-1: Can the MEP meetings be conducted via telephone and/or webinar? Also, does each MEP need to be met with individual or can there be group meetings? Yes. Group meetings are acceptible. 42. Task 4-1: By attending MEP meetings, what are the specific roles that the consultant will play at any of these meetings, beyond reporting out on what has been accomplished? Providing insight into the survey process, gather and report feedback from centers, provide insight into the survey instrument. 43. Can the general questionnaire be adjusted in any way based upon our experiences of the past? The current questionnaire is being revised, and with future revisions, the vendor is expected to give participate in the revision process. 44. To what extent should the contractor provide insight to the MEP clients regarding any question or comment they may have in answering any of the questions? In any way that will not influence the client's response to any of the questions. 45. Since the MEP program deals with economic development and assisting manufacturing clients, to what extent can this work program be enhanced and extended to be of maximum assistance to the MEP centers as they continue to offer important services? Continuous improvement is part of NIST MEPs mission and culture, and any way in which the vendor wishes to contribute to that mission is welcome. 46. Is travel part of the budgeted yearly cost or is that treated as an actual cost, when it occurs? Duplicate question. See answer to question no. 21.