Media_outreach_services_RFI_v2.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/SOURCES SOUGHT

This is a request for information (RFI) and Sources sought only. Do not submit a quotation. It is requested that all interested parties, however, note their interest and provide indication of their respective capabilities to perform the effort described in part below. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered an Request for Proposal or Request for Quote. There is no obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services or incidental material described in this RFI. Your response to this RFI will be treated only as information for the Government to consider. You will not be entitled to payment for direct or indirect costs that you incur in responding to this RFI. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated or received for this effort. The information provided may be used by the FTC in developing its acquisition strategy. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The

Government does not intend to pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI and

Sources sought.

1. Purpose

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Office of Public Affairs (OPA) is requesting information and sources sought about media outreach services provided via a web-based, software-as-a-service solution.

The purpose of the services is to enable Public Affairs Officers to:

• Identify and contact members of the media, bloggers and influencers

• Build contact lists for email distribution

• Email press releases to customized lists of media contacts

• Search for and find media coverage

• Search for and find broadcast video, including coverage by Spanish-speaking TV outlets

This document describes the goals and objectives that the FTC expects to achieve. The respondents should describe solutions through their submissions and provide written materials and information on the following:

Detailed description of services (content, features, functionality, etc.)

Pricing structure

How pricing relates to number of users

How pricing relates to service level, e.g. access to specific modules or functionality, number of emails sent, number of releases distributed

System requirements, e.g. browser requirements

Scope and scale of media contacts database

Scope and scale of media coverage database

Scope and scale of broadcast video database

List building, management and distribution capabilities

Training and support services

Privacy and security posture and practices

Administrative and user guides

Product development timetable and approach

Other federal clients

2. Background

The FTC is an independent federal government law enforcement and regulatory agency with authority to promote consumer protection and competition through prevention of unfair, deceptive and anticompetitive business practices; to enhance informed consumer choice and public understanding of the competitive process; and to accomplish these missions without unduly burdening legitimate business activity.

The Office of Public Affairs is responsible for informing the public about the FTC’s diverse law enforcement actions and policy work. The office is the agency’s main point of contact with the news media. One of OPA’s primary objectives is to ensure that American consumers have a high awareness and understanding of the FTC’s work.

The FTC has a very robust public affairs operation, often distributing multiple news releases daily. Major media such as the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NBC Nightly News, Fox

Business, Good Morning America, and Consumer Reports, as well as state and local media across the country, often contact, cover, and cite the FTC. Having access to a rich, up-to-date, media contact database and the ability to send releases to the media quickly and efficiently is essential to OPA’s operations.

3. Existing Environment

OPA currently uses a media contact database service for news release distribution and a separate service to access a database of broadcast video coverage.

4. FTC Requirements

The objective is to obtain and evaluate market information so that FTC can identify current market offerings in planning a future acquisition of media outreach services that includes the following features, as available:

Searchable database of more than 1 million media organizations (print, broadcast, etc.), bloggers and influencers (U.S. only)

Database should include media staff at all levels of the media organization, not just top editors or a single contact for that organization

Database should include Spanish media in the United States

Ability to search and/or filter database results by multiple facets, such as organization, location (state, city, etc.), industry, type of media, keyword.

Ability to search for contacts at all levels of the media organization

Ability to add contacts to the database

Ability to import/export contacts in batches

Ability to build multiple distribution lists

Ability to send to multiple distribution lists concurrently

Ability for FTC staff to view/use/share distribution lists

Ability to include non-text media such as images, embedded video in news release for distribution

Ability to send unlimited number of emails to unlimited number of contacts

Guaranteed delivery to distribution list (e.g. use of white list so not flagged as spam or junk)

Automatic deletion of contact from list after multiple recurring bounces

Metrics such as emails delivered, bounces, opens and clickthroughs

Ability to search for coverage by topic and organization over a specific timeframe

Ability to search for coverage on social media

Ability to search for broadcast video coverage by topic, program, channel, keyword, name of individual.

Compliance with privacy and security requirements and best practices

Training and ongoing support

5. System Requirements

FTC staff must be able to access the software-as-a-service via a web browser. Current browsers on the standard FTC Windows desktops and laptops are:

Internet Explorer 11.9.9600, update version 11.0.42

Frontmotion Firefox Nightly 51.0.1 (32 bit)

FTC anticipates six users accessing the system

Response RequirementsHow many media contacts are in the database, and how is the database maintained (improved, kept up to date, purged of outdated contacts)?

How many levels down does the contact database go for a media organization, e.g.

Washington Post?

Describe how the media contact database can be searched.

Can the FTC add its own contacts to the database?

Can contact lists be imported/exported?

Describe how contact lists can be built/managed/shared.

Does the service support unlimited emails to unlimited contacts?

How is white listing handled so OPA emails are not flagged as spam or junk by media organizations?

Describe metrics included in the system, and whether reports can be generated.

Describe the media coverage search functionality and database.

Describe the broadcast video coverage search functionality and database.

Describe any social media features.

Describe the system’s privacy policy.

Describe the availability/uptime and security protections and posture of your system.

Describe training and ongoing support services. Such as consulting and Training.

What is the pricing model for the service? Please specify modules/add-ons.

Identify Federal agencies that use this product

Is the service on the GSA Schedule, Open Market or GWACs?