Solicitation Questions-Responses.pdf

Consumer Labeling Research Solicitation Questions/Responses

September 16, 2022

1. Will FSIS clarify the difference between Section 2 Corporate Experience and Section 3 Past

Performance?

• Corporate Experience refers to experience with similar scope and size requirements, Past Performance is an assessment of how the vendor performed in similar scope requirements.

2. In order to prepare a proposal responsive to all the SOW requirements within the 10-page limit, may offerors include the table with information on the staffing plan (proposed labor categories and number of hours by labor category for each staff person) as an Appendix?

• Yes.

3. In order to prepare a proposal responsive to all the SOW requirements within the 10-page limit, may offerors include the information on corporate experience/past performance references as an Appendix?

4. It is unlikely to obtain OMB approval and be able to conduct all of the base year activities within 12 months (Base Years). Will FSIS accept an alternative Period of Performance?

• Yes, FSIS will consider it.

5. On page 5 of the SOW Attachment, it states that the contractor should “invoice for only those months in the base year that research is conducted.” Can FSIS provide information on invoicing, and does FSIS want the contractor to invoice on a monthly basis or by deliverable?

• Contractor to submit itemized invoice monthly

6. To ensure responders are aligning their proposed approach appropriately given OPACE’s resources, will FSIS provide an estimated budget range for the base year and optional tasks?

• Base year: $500k - $700k

• Option year: $650k - $1MM

7. Is this a new requirement? If not, what is the incumbent name, POP, contract number and contract value?

• This is a new requirement

8. If this is a new requirement, how is the work currently being performed? Which dataset is the government using now or has used in the past? There is no current data set. The most relevant recent research can be found here:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2022- 02/SHI_Behavior_Change_Study%20Final%20Report_9_23_20.pdf However it is important to https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2022-02/SHI_Behavior_Change_Study%20Final%20Report_9_23_20.pdf https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2022-02/SHI_Behavior_Change_Study%20Final%20Report_9_23_20.pdf note that FSIS is looking for a different approach to studying labels and it not looking to repeat this research design or approach.

9. (Section 2, p. 47, 1st paragraph) Has the government already selected an eye-tracking system or will the contractor make that decision? If so, what is the name of the system?

• The government has not selected an eye-tracking system.

10. (Section 4.1.2, p. 49, 2nd paragraph) For the listening session, does the government have a list of relevant experts and stakeholder groups or will the contractor decide those?

• FSIS will take the lead on establishing relevant experts and stakeholder groups for the listening session. We will look to the contractor to then work with that list and implement all phases of the listening sessions.

11. (Part III (Price), p. 22, 2nd paragraph) Does the government have a template that it would like for the business/cost proposal?

• There is no template for the business/cost proposal.

12. (Section 4.1.1, p. 49, 1st paragraph) In addition to our literature sources, does the government have any publications or literature that it would like for us to include in our literature review?

• FDA’s Labeling Research and FSIS Consumer Research. But more than that we are looking for the incumbent to scan the landscape for other labeling research that we may not yet be aware of.

13. (Section 4.1.1, p. 49, 2nd paragraph) Does the government have previous screeners (e.g., demographic and psychographic qualifications) or incident rates from previous research in this space?

• Relevant screening methodologies are included in FSIS’s previous SHIs research.

14. (Section 4.1.2, p. 49, 2nd paragraph) For the listening session in the base year, would the government like for them to be the same as in the option years for the focus groups in four (4) main areas of the country – East Coast, South, Midwest, and West Coast?"

• No. The listening sessions are among specific stakeholders, such as registered dietitians and risk communications experts. They are not intended to be representative of American consumers, like the focus groups are and therefore don’t need to take place in specific geographic regions and can in fact be carried out virtually.

15. The government has listed how large it wants the sample size to be for the base year. Can the government clarify the sample sizes for the base year?

• The focus group sample sizes can be assumed to be the same in the option years as was defined in the base year.

16. (Section 4.1.3, p. 49, 2nd paragraph) Is the 20 different label designs based on one package concept or are there multiple concepts to be designed? If yes, how many concepts does the government anticipate?

• This is TBD.

17. (Section 4.1.3, p. 49, 3rd paragraph) Does the government know how many of each expert (eg, risk communicators, registered dieticians, and cooperative extension agents) you would like to be involved in the study?

• FSIS does not have this information yet. It will likely be in the range of 20-40 total participants.

18. (Section 4.1.3, p. 49, 3rd paragraph) Does the government have certain geographies that you would like the experts(eg, risk communicators, registered dieticians, and cooperative extension agents) to come from?

• No. See question 15.

19. (Section 4.1.3, p. 49, 3rd paragraph) How does the government have a specific format for the able design with experts (e.g., web-design, focus groups, web design)?

• There is not a specific format for the able design with experts.

20. (Section 4.1.3, p. 49, 3rd paragraph) Is the government open to the consumer portion of the label design to be another format other than web survey?

• FSIS prefers a web survey but are open to suggestions.

21. (Section 4.1.3, p. 50, 2nd paragraph) The government has stated that it wants 2 rounds of surveys. Is the government willing for one of the rounds to be in-person vs web survey?

• FSIS is open to having that concept presented.

22. (Section 4.1.3, p. 50, 3rd paragraph) For the focus groups in Spanish, do you want reports and deliverables in Spanish, or do you only want the focus group conducted in Spanish but the reports and deliverables will be delivered in English?

• All reports will be delivered to OPACE in English.

23. (Section 4.1.3, p. 50, 3rd paragraph) Is the government open to having some focus groups before 6pm? We are concerned that parents who might have obligations after work would be excluded and therefore the participation could exclude parents?

24. (Section 4.2.1, p. 51, 1st paragraph) Is there guidance on sample size for listening groups?

• See question 18 above.

25. (Section 4.2.1, p. 51, 1st paragraph) How many people does the government anticipate from your team will join the in-person or remote listening sessions and/or focus groups?

• 1-4 people, depending on the session and peoples’ schedules.