B09_Solicitation_Amendments_Amd_1_Attch_4_QA_Document_12_12_24_0001.pdf

Questions & Answers Off-range Marketing Services

BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program Solicitation No. 140L0124Q0027– Amendment 1

The following questions were generated during the solicitation phase. The questions and responses are incorporated into the solicitation and resulting contract.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

Ref Question Response 1 Do key personnel resumes count against the page limit?

Yes.

2 Do offerors have to have a GSA schedule to submit a response? Can the solicitation be amended to indicate that a GSA schedule is not required?

You must have a GSA Schedule to be eligible for award.

BLM is not compelled to change this requirement. The Contracting Officer determined the contract method (FAR 8.405-3 Blanket purchase agreements) and set aside (SDVOSB) based on the market research conducted.

3 If a GSA schedule is required, is there a not to exceed limit for non-schedule pricing that is listed as open market per page 4 of the solicitation?

A specific limit is not established; however, the open market items should be incidental supplies/services.

4 Is the kickoff meeting required to be onsite, or is it possible to be virtual?

The kick-off meeting may be “In-person or Microsoft Teams.”

See Statement of Work (attachment 2), 7.0 Project Deliverables Schedule.

5 If the kickoff is required to be onsite, is it acceptable to have the key personnel attend in-person and the rest of the team dial in?

See item 4 above.

6 Is the execution for promotion for the events video or display banners (static) or both? (6.5)

Note that the work described in paragraph 6.5 includes all work described in paragraphs 6.5.1 through 6.5.6. Contractor will produce various static media for use by the Program for educational and promotional purposes. This may include flyers, banners, signs, booklets, etc. The contractor will also develop ads for use in social media campaigns. Ads will be static for display on various platforms and websites.

7 Creative Style Guide says during years 1, 2, and 4 the contractor will refresh, and update campaigns as needed.

There are only a base and 2 option years to the contract. Is there an option year 4? (6.3)

There is no option year 4. The SOW is revised accordingly. See attachment 1.

8 Print Resizing SOW says, “I per year.” CLIN 0018 says “quantity 100.” Is it 1 or 100 or up to 100? (6.5.5)

Up to 100.

9 Deliverables: The quantities for some deliverables (e.g., brochures, fact sheets, videos) are ranges. Are these minimums, maximums, or estimated ranges?

All stated quantities are estimates. See SF 1449, page 2.

10 Deliverables: Can we access any previous brand guidelines, campaign materials, or public feedback on past efforts to align with the existing brand?

The BLM WHB Style Guide attached (attachment 2).

11 Deliverables: The SOW specifies some excluded costs (e.g., printing, shipping). Can you confirm whether these will be handled directly by BLM or subcontracted separately?

Except for the kick-off planning meeting, all deliverables are electronic. There are no shipping or printing requirements.

12 Creative Production: How many stakeholders are typically involved in approving materials, and what is their average feedback turnaround time?

BLM will determine which staff will be involved as appropriate.

The “turnaround time is described in paragraph 7.0, Project Deliverables Schedule.

13 Historic Data: What are the biggest barriers to wild horse and burro adoption and which are we addressing? E.g., Funding? Public Awareness: Potential adopters are Unaware of the program or the availability of these

Barriers to wild horse and burro adoption include expertise by members of the public to handle and train wild animals;

availability of land and/or facilities to care for wild horses or https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-8#FAR_8_405_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-8#FAR_8_405_3 animals. Training and Care Needs: Adopting wild horses requires significant time, training, and resources. Public and Stakeholder Conflict, e.g., disagreement between stakeholders, including conservationists, ranchers, animal rights advocates, and the general public, over how the program should be managed. Public Perception: Some view the removal of wild horses as inhumane, leading to criticism and lawsuits against the BLM. Ranching Interests: Ranchers may view wild horses as competition for grazing allotments.

burros; cost of maintenance. The contractor is not expected to overcome these barriers through marketing. The contractor will provide support to the Program to increase public awareness of adoption opportunities and to build public understanding or and support for Program objectives.

14 Historic Data: Has BLM conducted any recent competitor analysis for similar programs that can inform the marketing strategy?

No.

15 Historic Data: Can the contractor access performance data from prior marketing efforts to identify areas of improvement?

No information is available.

16 Historic Data: Is there data or survey feedback from previous adopters regarding their experience, including barriers or motivations, that can inform the marketing plan?

No information is available.

17 Historic Data: Are there existing partnerships with conservation, animal rights, or equine organizations that the campaign should consider leveraging or avoiding?

These details are more appropriately handled post-award with the awardee. The Program can advise contractor on potential opportunities to leverage stakeholder interest.

18 Historic Data: SOW Sec 6.5.4 states, “A list of previous year events can be provided upon request.” Would the government provide the list of previous years events?

Yes. See attachment 3. Note that previous events are not an indicator of future events. Nor will the products and services described herein will be ordered for all events.

19 Media: Social Media Presence: any restrictions, e.g., no X? No TikTok?

The agency and Program currently maintain a presence on X, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. Plans for Instagram are in development. The Program does not maintain a presence on TikTok or utilize the platform on government devices.

See FAR clause 52.204-27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application. The clause, although not specifically included in these solicitation documents, is incorporated into any GSA Schedule contract along with many other provisions and clauses.

20 Media: What is their current social media strategy, e.g., I couldn’t find them on InstaGram. A few private groups on Facebook. They have a YouTube Channel… with dated content. https://www.youtube.com/@BLMNational

See item 19.

21 Program Monitoring & Effectiveness: What criteria will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of emerging technologies or innovative approaches?

Methods and metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of emerging technologies will be developed as the technologies themselves develop.

22 Program Monitoring & Effectiveness: KPIs/metrics including current benchmarks.

Also, which metrics (adoption numbers, engagement rates, media impressions, etc.) are most closely tied to contract performance evaluations?

Contractor performance is most closely related to standard digital media metrics such as impressions, click-through rate, engagement, etc.

23 Program Monitoring & Effectiveness: What performance metrics has the government used to measure program progress, performance and effectiveness?

engagement, etc.

24 Program Monitoring & Effectiveness: What performance metrics data can the government share to give offerors an understanding of the effectiveness of current and/or past marketing efforts?

BLM will not disclose performance of federal contractors. See FAR 42.1503(d) and contract clause titled Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System.

25 Program Monitoring & Effectiveness: Can you specify the key performance indicators (KPIs) or benchmarks for digital media campaigns (e.g., click-through rate, impressions)?

engagement, etc.).

https://www.youtube.com/@BLMNational

26 Program Monitoring & Effectiveness: Section 2.0 states, “The internal monitoring and reporting tools will help improve consistent marketing efforts across multiple BLM offices within the program to help encourage the adoption and/or purchase of wild horses and burros.” What internal monitoring and reporting tools has the government used in the past to help improve consistent marketing efforts across multiple BLM offices?

BLM expects a successful contractor to have expertise in this area.

27 Proposal Submission & Evaluation: How many past performance references should be included, and is there a specific format required?

The quantity or format is not specified.

28 Proposal Submission & Evaluation: Is there a not-to-exceed budget or ceiling amount for this Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)?

The ceiling amount will be based on the price proposal of the awardee.

29 Proposal Submission & Evaluation: Should resumes be included only for the Project Manager and Alternate, or for all proposed staff?

Resumes are only required for the Project Manager and alternate.

See SOW revision to paragraph 8.0, attachment 1.

30 CLIN 0001 - Beyond the program manager, will any other contractor personnel be required to attend the kick-off meeting in person?

No other personnel are required to attend. Others may attend as the contractor deems appropriate.

31 CLIN 0013 - Attach 1 Price Schedule states, “WHB Event social media ad development (English and Spanish) - Small, Medium, and Large scale events. Quantity 150.

Please clarify the deliverable of 150. Does 150 mean the contractor will create 50 ads in three sizes for a total of 150 ad units OR 150 unique ads in three sizes for a total of 450 OR something else.

All quantities are estimated. No quantities are ordered by award of the BPA. Actual quantities will be determined on a task order basis following BPA award.

The Program conducts upwards of 150 events per year, some small, others medium, and others large. Actual ad sizes will not necessarily vary by the type (or size) of the event. Ad sizes will be platform dependent. The duration and reach of each campaign may vary based on the type/size of each event. Individual campaigns may and likely will incorporate multiple events occurring approximately in time or place.

32 CLIN 0014, 15, and 16 - Attach 1 Price Schedule state requirements for social media campaigns to be executed for 12 each of small, medium, and large events. PWS Sec

6.5.4 states, “A list of previous year events can be provided upon request.” Would the government provide the list of previous years events?

See item 18.

33 Resources: Will BLM provide a list of pre-approved stock vendors or a budget for purchasing stock imagery and videography?

No. However, the contractor is not prohibited from obtaining stock images/video from other sources subject to BLM approval.

34 Resources: Will contractors receive direct access to existing BLM photography, videography, or any historical data for marketing materials?

Direct access to BLM photos and videos will be provided.

Historical data is not available.

35 Targeting: Beyond the general female demographic and equine enthusiasts, is there any additional insights they can share about their current target audience (e.g., geographic, socioeconomic, or behavioral data)?

The Program successfully adopts animals to individuals from coast to coast, with the preponderance in the Plains and East. Though predominantly female, adopters come from varied socioeconomic strata. Common motivations for adopting include desire to compete (performance and show), companionship (animal-human and animal-animal), or simply to possess a symbol of American heritage.

36 Targeting: Are there specific cultural considerations when targeting the Hispanic market or other underserved populations mentioned in the RFP?

Aside from making the Program readily accessible to Spanish speaking populations, the Program has no further insights to offer.

Hispanic adopters share the same diverse values and motivations as all Americans.

37 Targeting: Confirm geography from website: Wild, free-roaming wild horses can be found on public lands across 10 western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming. Wild burros roam rangeland in: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Oregon. Pursuant to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the BLM and U.S.

Forest Service manage wild horses on subsets of public

Information on the website is correct. The Program conducts adoption events nationwide (except Alaska and Hawaii).

lands where the animals were found upon passage of the Act in 1971. These areas are known as Herd Management Areas.

38 Targeting: Audience: civilians or are we looking at non-profits and other partners as well?

Generally speaking, the target audience is individual members of the public, though organizations are eligible to adopt and are not excluded from our outreach/marketing efforts.

39 Targeting: Do civilians need to domesticate the animals? The expectation is that adopters will give the animals good homes.

This necessarily involves gentling the animals to the extent that proper care can be given (e.g. hoof trimming, vet care as needed, etc.). The extent to which adopters choose to train their animals beyond that is an individual choice.

40 Targeting: Does BLM have existing data or research on the Hispanic market to support the targeted outreach mentioned?

No specific data is available. The Program understands that Hispanic adopters share the same diverse values and motivations as all Americans. Ensuring that the Program is accessible to Spanish speaking populations is an important focus.

41 Task Order Process: Will all quarterly task orders be pre-funded, or will funding be subject to availability on a rolling basis?

Any task orders issued under the contract will be funded.

42 Section 6.2: Would you provide any sub-demographic audience information in regards to the current female demographic that covers multiple age ranges and equine disciplines.

See item 35.

43 Section 6.5.1: What is the preferred software to develop editable flyers for?

Paragraph 6.5 of the SOW is revised for clarity. See attachment 1.

44 Section 6.5.4: Please provide a list of previous year's events, and any correlating digital marketing campaigns or print marketing materials if possible.

See item 32.

45 Section 6.5.5: Would you confirm that image/pdf attachment is required instead of an HTML coded email template?

For proofs, HTML may be acceptable. Final deliverables must comply with paragraph 6.5.

46 Section 6.5.6: Would you confirm the depth of talent acquisition needed? We are under the assumption that all talent acquisition requests throughout the entirety of the project are off-screen voice-over talent; not on-screen talent.

That is correct. If on-screen representation is required for a particular project, BLM will provide the subject.

47 Section 6.6: Is the request for image and video marketization anticipated to be an ad-hoc request as needed, or is it a batch operation at scheduled intervals throughout the year?

Ad hoc. All quantities are estimated and will be ordered via the task order process as needed for BLM requirements.

48 Do we submit only one response file under the title Technical Section? Will the below sections be responded under the Technical Section or in a single file:

• Technical Capability

• Past Performance

• Price

All Sections are to be clearly separated from each other (page break, blank page divider). Is this excluded from the page limit?

The page limit only applies to the technical section. The technical section does not include past performance or price. If you submit separate files, then they would be considered “clearly separated.”

Use of the MS Excel Price Schedule is mandatory.

49 Does the BLM have a target or maximum ad spend per campaign, or should we propose based on standard market rates for geotargeted campaigns?

There is not an established target or maximum ad amount. Vendors have the discretion to formulate pricing for the products and services described herein.

50 Are there specific digital platforms the BLM prefers for these campaigns (e.g., Facebook, Google, Instagram)?

See item 19.

51 What level of analytics and reporting is expected for each campaign beyond standard metrics (e.g., impressions, clicks, demographic breakdowns)?

See item 22.

52 Is there currently an incumbent for this scope of work? No.

53 Is this solicitation a combination of multiple prior contracts?

No.

54 To assist with pricing the implementation, can the Government share more about the scope of the “Initial Marketing Plan”?

The scope can be deemed from the Statement of Work as a whole.

BLM expects vendors in this industry to have the expertise in this area.

55 How does the Bureau of Land Management define a social media or advertising “campaign” in terms of duration? (6.5.4)

Ads will typically run for about 2 weeks.

Paragraph 6.5.4 states ”…ads using geo-targeting to reach the target audience within 300 miles of advertised event locations for a minimum of 14 calendar days prior to the earliest advertised event.”

56 Does the Bureau of Land Management have an established accessibility compliance check tool that digital products will go through before approval?

BLM normally uses Adobe Pro to verify compliance.

Also see the Section 508 website.

57 Is the past performance section included in the technical section page count?

No.

58 Can the Government share the social media campaign placement budget for small, medium, and large events?

BLM will not disclose information regarding internal budget and government cost estimates.

59 Does the WHB print advertisement pricing include advertisement placement fees? Given these budgets can have a large range, is there a set budget? (6.5.5)

Paragraph 6.5.5 states “The contractor will not place print advertisements.” Therefore, BLM does not expect a fee or costs associated with ad placement under the resulting contract.

60 Should the radio and TV spot pricing include placement fees or should they be priced separately? (6.5.6)

The work of paragraph 6.5.6 is for development of the ads. The contractor is not responsible for actual ad placement. The SOW is revised for clarity. See attachment 1.

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