Recognition and Award Program (Gift Card)

I. OVERVIEW: 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; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-44 including amendments effective July 8, 2010. The solicitation document number is RFQ-10-0345. The NAICS code is 522210. Only qualified offerors may submit a response. The BEP anticipates awarding an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract. The Government anticipates making an award prior to August 31, 2010 with the period of performance starting September 1, 2010. II. REQUIREMENT: II.A Background: The BEP Office of Human Resources ("OHR") proposed a new employee recognition initiative to the Bureau's Associate Directors ("Ads"). The ADs approved the proposal and requested OHR take steps to implement the new award program. The program goal is to increase the award program's effectiveness and process efficiency. It will also enable supervisors to recognize and award employees immediately. The employee program recognition initiative provides gift cards which will be used for On-The-Spot Awards ranging from $50 - $250. II.B Scope of Work: The BEP has a requirement for a contractor to provide Visa/Master Card/AMX brand name or equivalent Gift cards. The contractor shall provide all necessary supplies and services to provide a program that enables the BEP to obtain gift cards in the monetary denominations and quantities within the timeframe required. Refer to Attachment A for specific details. III. RESPONSE INFORMATION: Offerors shall provide a written response that is broken down into the following sections; III.A Pricing: Proposed pricing to include the shipment of the cards to the BEP at the address specified in Attachment A Section F and all fees required for providing the program to support the BEP's Gift Card program. Proposed fees shall be clearly described as well as indicate how it is to be applied (e.g. to each order, to each gift card). Specifically, the below fees, if applicable (if not applicable please state N/A); 1. Program administration fee (i.e. the general fee for providing the program), 2. Replacement fee (i.e. this fee would be incurred due to the replacement of a lost or stolen gift card) and 3. Initial and subsequent set-up fees for BEP required message and logo. Any proposed volume discounts shall be described as well. Note: Upon award, Section B will be annotated to include details regarding proposed pricing. III.B Technical Approach: A detailed technical discussion discussing the program that the Offeror will provide to support the requirement described herein, specifically but not limited to providing a discussion on the following; overview of the company, the electronic ordering system to be used along with any specific software/hardware requirement needed for the BEP to use the system, the point of contact/support team, reporting, customer service, the characteristic/ specifications of the gift cards to be provided, in addition to those outlined in Attachment A, delivery options, delivery time after receipt of order, the timeframe required after award to set-up up the program and begin receiving orders from the BEP, fraud/lost/stolen and damage approach, as well as other options and details about the program to be provided by the Contractor. The technical approach shall also include picture of the BEP logo and message described in Attachment A. No references to price or cost shall be included in this section of the Offeror's response. Responses to this section shall not exceed thirty (30) pages in length. III.C Past Performance: Offerors are to limit past performance information to the past three (3) years and to those which demonstrate that the Offeror is currently performing or has performed work that is similar in size, scope and/or complexity to the requirement stated herein. Past performance information provided by the Offeror may include those contracts entered into with the Federal Government, agencies of state and local governments as well as commercial customers. The Government reserves the right to use all information available and reserves the right to obtain past performance information from sources other than those provided by the Offeror. Offerors who do not have past performance information to provide should include a statement regarding this fact. Responses to this section shall not exceed five (5) pages in length. III.D Representations and Certifications: Offerors should include either a copy of their completed representations and certifications as per FAR provision 52.212-3, entitled "Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items" with their response or complete them via on-line at https://orca.bpn.gov/. Offerors are responsible for ensuring their response includes sufficient details, in a concise and easily understandable manner and is properly formatted to permit an evaluation of their response. Proprietary information shall be clearly marked. Failure to furnish a full and complete offer as instructed above may result in the Offeror's response being considered nonresponsive, therefore eliminated from further consideration and award. IV. QUESTIONS DEADLINE: All questions are to be submitted in writing either via email to the Contract Specialist, D'Angela Moore at d'angela.moore@bep.gov no later than 10:00 a.m. EST July 29, 2010. V. RESPONSE DUE DATE: Responses to this solicitation shall be submitted in writing to the attention of the Contract Specialist listed herein no later than 2:00 PM EST August 13, 2010 via e-mail at d'agela.moore@bep.gov. Solicitation telephone requests will not be honored. VI. EVALUATION & AWARD: The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Technical Approach, Past Performance and Price. Technical and past performance, when combined, are more important when compared to price. However, the strength of the Government's preference for such non-price factors depends on the marginal cost of obtaining higher technical merit. 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 (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. VII. PROVISION & CLAUSES: The following provisions and clauses are incorporated by reference and apply to this solicitation: 52.211-6 BRAND NAME OR EQUAL (AUG 1999) 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 2008) 52.212-3 OFFEROR'S REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS - COMMERCIAL ITMS (AUG 2009) THE FULL TEXT OF THESE OF THESE PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES MAY BE ACCESSED ELECTRONICALLY AT: http://acquisition.gov/far.