Social Networking Study

(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- 0022 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 July 05, 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. Conduct a social networking study of the following markets: Lagos, Nigeria, Cairo, Egypt, and Jakarta, Indonesia. (vi) The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) Governors requires a contractor to conduct a social networking study of the following markets: Lagos, Nigeria, Cairo, Egypt, and Jakarta, Indonesia. The Broadcasting Board of Governors operates the Voice of America (VOA) is a U.S.-based, publicly funded international broadcaster dedicated to providing objective news and information to audiences in under-served media environments around the world. While traditionally focused on delivering its content via broadcast media, VOA is moving aggressively to expand distribution via new media platforms. In particular, recognizing the explosive growth of social networking around the world, VOA is interesting in exploring how this phenomenon can best be used to supplement and enhance its traditional methods of content distribution. To succeed in this effort, VOA requires a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of exactly how web and mobile-based social networking contributes to the flow of information in key markets. VOA invites interested Contractors to propose a methodological approach that will provide us with the required insight into the role of social networking in news dissemination. The methods deployed might involve conventional qualitative research, depth interviews, ethnographic research, the use of social media monitoring tools, mining of existing data sources, or some combination of these and other research techniques. The ultimate attempt of this project will be to assess the current and future potential of social media as a content dissemination platform for VOA and to develop strategies that will maximize the effectiveness of these distribution methods. The key questions to answer would be: 1. To what extent do users of social networks rely on those media for news and information? 2. What types of news and information do they most commonly obtain via social media? 3.Are social media explicitly seen as a venue to seek out news and information or is the consumption of news casual and incidental to other activity on social networks? 4. What are the specific mechanisms by which user obtain news and information via social networks? 5. To what extent do users of social networks pass on news and information to their friends and family? 6. Which types of news and information are most likely to be passed on? What specific methods/media are used to pass on news and information? 7. How does news consumption via social networks affect usage of traditional media? Is news and information received via social networks a complement to or a substitute for traditional media? 8. To what extent do users of social networks "subscribe" to news and information; i.e. "friend" news organizations on Facebook; follow news providers or important public figures on Twitter, etc.9. What are the technical means by which users access social media (i.e. desktop computers, mobile phone, internet cafes, etc) and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. These questions should be considered as a starting point, with the research pursuing other related avenues of inquiry as they arise. For purposes of this study, "social media" will be defined not just to include well known platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but also other means of electronic information sharing, such as SMS and email. The deliverables for the project are as follows; 1). For each country, a narrative report of 20-30 pages in length, addressing the main research questions cited earlier and any other significant issues that are raised in the course of the research. Each report shall also a full description of the research methodologies employed. In the event that focus groups, depth interviews, or ethnographic techniques are employed, the contractor shall also submit full transcripts in English (or, in the case of ethnographic studies, observational logs.) and 2). a summary report, of 20 -30 pages in length providing overall conclusions based on the research and noting similarities and differences between the countries covered in the study with respect to the topics of interest. It is expected that the Contractor will submit drafts of all of the above-mentioned deliverables for comment by VOA prior to the issuance of the final reports. (vii) The Period of Performance is four months after award. The anticipated date of award is September 9, 2011. Please note that it is anticipated that work on this project will begin no later than September 30, 2011, with draft reports to be submitted to BBG within three months after commencement of fieldwork, and final report within four month of commencement of fieldwork. (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) Overall quality and appropriateness of the methodological approach proposed, B) Specific experience in conducting research on new media and social media in particular, C) Experience in conducting qualitative media research in the markets selected for this study and D) 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 approximately equal to cost/price. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS SHALL BE ADDRESSED IN THE TECHNICAL PROPOSALS AND SHALL BE USED TO EVALUATE PROPOSALS: A) Overall quality and appropriateness of the methodological approach proposed, B) Specific experience in conducting research on new media and social media in particular, C) Experience in conducting qualitative media research in the markets selected for this study, D) Professional experience and expertise of the proposed project leader(s) and E) Ability to complete the study within the specified period of performance (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. BBG prefers that the project manager(s) personally travel to each research site for field observation and oversight, but recognizes that costs considerations may come into play. Price quotations should therefore break out project manager travel as a separate line item. The prices for shall be provided in English and United States dollars. The Price Proposal must contain Attachment A entitled "Schedule Services and Price" filled out by the Offeror 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 Action for Workers with Disabilities (Oct 2010) (29 U.S.C. 793), 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (Sep 2010) (38 U.S.C. 4212), 52.223-18, Contractor Policy to Ban Text Messaging while Driving (Sep 2010); 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 19, 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 2, 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.