01_Packaging and Delivery of Proposals for Use with the NIH eCPS website.docx

Attachment 1 - Packaging and Delivery of Proposals for Use with the NIH electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) Website

I. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. eCPS

1. Proposals must be submitted via the electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) website at https://ecps.nih.gov.

2. Proposals submitted by facsimile or e-mail will not be accepted.

3. Follow the “How to Submit an Electronic Proposal” instructions provided on the eCPS website at: https://ecps.nih.gov/home/howto. Please note that creating an account to submit may take up to three (3) business days. Please apply for a new account early to allow enough time for the registration process.

4. Offerors are solely responsible for submitting proposals and any modifications or revisions so as to reach the Government office designated above by the date and time specified in the solicitation. If your proposal is not received by the date and time specified in the solicitation, it will be considered a “late proposal,” in accordance with FAR Clause 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors – Competitive Acquisition.

B. Creating and Naming Files:

1. Create one PDF file of your Technical Proposal, including all attachments.

The Technical Proposal should be created in a PDF format that enables word searches to the maximum extent practicable. Forms and/or documents requiring signature(s) may be scanned, but must be merged into the Technical Proposal PDF file.

2. Create one PDF file of your Business Proposal, including all attachments:

The Business Proposal should be created in a PDF format that enables word searches to the maximum extent practicable. Forms and/or documents requiring signature(s) may be scanned, but must be merged into the Business Proposal PDF file. The Pricing Template, Attachment 9 to this Solicitation, must accompany the Business Proposal.

3. Create your Business Document Excel.

The Excel file should be the Pricing Template, Attachment 9 to this Solicitation in its original Excel format, not PDF. Multiple Excel files may be included, as necessary.

4. Each of the proposals, Technical and Business, must be separate and complete in itself. Do not reference one proposal in another.

5. File naming convention: It is requested that the filenames for your Technical Proposal, Business Proposal, and Excel Workbook include the name of the offeror, the solicitation number and the type of proposal (i.e., Technical, Business, or Excel Workbook).

Examples:

Technical Proposal: XYZ Company_NIHAI2012001_Technical.pdf Business Proposal: XYZ Company_NIHAI2012001_Business.pdf Excel Workbook: XYZ Company_NIHAI2012001_Business.xlsx

II. FORMATTING AND PAGE LIMITATIONS:

A. Formatting for proposals

1. Proposal page layout shall be letter size 8.5” x 11" for all pages.

2. Proposals shall not include links to internet web site addresses (URLs) or otherwise direct readers to alternate sources of information.

3. Proposals shall not include audio or video files of any type.

4. Font size must be 10 to 12 points.

5. Spacing should be no more than 15 characters per inch. Within a vertical inch, there must be no more than six lines of text.

6. Margins must be at least one inch on all sides.

7. Failure to adhere to the formatting requirements above may impact whether your proposal is reviewed in its entirety.

1. Page limitations:

1. The total page count of the Technical proposal shall not exceed 30 pages;

1. The page count for each Task Order proposal shall not exceed 20 pages;

1. Total page count does not include:

2. Title and Back Page; Table of Contents; Section Dividers that do not contain information other than title of Section;

2. The business proposal;

2. Past performance information;

2. Resumes;

2. Letters of commitment;

2. Completed attachments 5-17.

1. Pages exceeding limitations will be removed from the proposal and will not be considered.