Qs&As_Russian_update_2.pdf

19GE5018R0099 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, continued

Ladies and gentlemen, Below please find the first questions and answer for this solicitation.

All will be collected and added as a new attachment to the contract document.

Q.1 The SOW requires minimum of two native speakers of Russian language. Would it be acceptable if the Social Media Experts are from Ukrainian nationality considering the fact that all of them will have native knowledge of the Russian language?

A.1 It would be acceptable. Nationality does not matter, they do have to be native Russian speakers.

Q.2 The Pricing Section requires prices for Consultation, Twitter Promotion, Facebook

Promotion, Youtube Promotion. The Unit of Measure is defined as lump sum however it is not clear if this lump sum refers to the overall service during the entire contract period or lump sum as single task/activity. Also, the quantity of these line items is not clear i.e. what does this quantity refers to (2 x consultation per contract period, 5 x Twitter promotions per contract period and so on). Would you be able to provide more details on the unit and quantization of these 4 line items?

A.2 Consultations refers to the visits received by the contractor or visits from the contractor to our offices (most likely Brussels). It is the offerors’ business decision how to organize this / to come up with a plan for social media promotion and to present funding allocations for the respective platforms. Last year we spent an estimated 10,000 USD combined on those.

Q.3 Section 3.8 (Consultation) defines the requirement for the contractor to make representatives available to meet with visiting U.S. officials in Brussels, Washington DC or other city. Will these meetings require the Russian-speaking Social Media Experts to be present at the meeting location or does this refer to any representative that the contractor will assign as Project Manager?

A.3 We would strongly urge that one of the Russian-speaking Social Media Experts would be present for the consultations as they are at the heart of the operation. In the past, at least one was always present, when we have met in the city of the contractor or in Brussels. We intend to stick to that policy for the future.

Q.4 Q3 refers to Russian-speaking Social Media Experts being present at the meeting location, specifically when it comes to meetings in Washington DC, would the USG support short stay US visa processing considering that the Russian-speaking Social Media Experts may not be US Citizens or have previously obtained US visa? This question does not apply in case the contractor can assign someone from its senior management for these meetings considering that nationalities and travel authorizations for the senior staff of our company.

A.4 If necessary, we can help the Russian-speaking Social Media Experts in need of a visa through the process. We don’t envision meeting in Washington, but if we decide on that, we would work to make it a successful meeting.

Q.5 Ref: A. Summary of Instructions, (page 47 of 67)

Will the Government confirm by what date all questions are due? Furthermore, we suggest extending the due date of this solicitation to 14 September to allow for an adequate question and answer period.

A.5 There is no fixed date but unless we receive one or more questions that require research or a rewrite of the requirement, the USG will not extend the due date for receipt of proposals.

Q.6 Ref: SF 1449, box 10. Is this solicitation unrestricted or a set-aside?

A.6 This solicitation is unrestricted.

Q.7 Would you be willing to share any of the following information?

Confirm whether this is a new effort; if there is an incumbent, share name and contract number Government estimate of most probable cost

A.7 No, the Government does not divulge this type of information.

Q.8 Ref: Section 4 – Evaluation Factors, 52.212-2, part a (page 50 of 67) Will the Government confirm this solicitation is being evaluated as best value? The section referenced above states that “Technical and past performance and cost/price are equal”.

A.8 The solicitation document fulfills the requirements per below FAR references. The

USG does not intend to go into detail regarding this matter.

FAR part 15.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors.

(d) …The rating method need not be disclosed in the solicitation.

(e) The solicitation shall also state, at a minimum, whether all evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are—

(1) Significantly more important than cost or price;

(2) Approximately equal to cost or price; or

(3) Significantly less important than cost or price (10 U.S.C.

2305(a)(3)(A)(iii) and 41 U.S.C. 3306(c)(1)(C)).

52.212-2 Evaluation—Commercial Items.

As prescribed in 12.301(c), the Contracting Officer may insert a provision substantially as follows:

http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?getdoc+uscview+t09t12+37+408++%2810%29%20%252 http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?getdoc+uscview+t09t12+37+408++%2810%29%20%252 http://uscode.house.gov/ https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/Subpart%2012_3.html#wp1084399

EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2014)

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

[Contracting Officer shall insert the significant evaluation factors, such as (i) technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement; (ii) price; (iii) past performance (see FAR 15.304); and include them in the relative order of importance of the evaluation factors, such as in descending order of importance.]

Technical and past performance, when combined, are __________ [Contracting Officer state, in accordance with FAR 15.304, the relative importance of all other evaluation factors, when combined, when compared to price.]

Q.9 The pricing sheet does not include a line item for the actual social media analytics platform. How should vendors price that?

A.9 This should not be prized. The contractor will be given appropriate access to the social media management platforms utilized by the Department of State. If the contractor wants to use their own / other platforms, they have to bear this cost themselves.

Q.10 Will the Department of State require access to the Contractor’s platform?

A.10 No. The contractor will be given appropriate access to the social media management platforms utilized by the Department of State

Q.11 How many different social profiles will need to be managed?

A.11 The social media profile to be managed is USApoRusski, the main platform is twitter.

Other platforms currently used are Facebook, YouTube, and Medium

Q.12 What kind of approval workflow will be required between Contractor and USG for approving outbound messages?

A.12 The contractor shall submit all messages for approved before they may be made public. Messages shall be based on cleared language, draft messages based on that will then still need be approved before being made public

Q.13 At what time of day is the Daily Summary of Online / Social Media Activity due?

A.13 At noon, Brussels time zone.

https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/Subpart%2015_3.html#wp1088883 https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/Subpart%2015_3.html#wp1088883

Q.14 We will require a software platform to manage social profiles and use for reporting metrics and data. Please add a line item to the Pricing Sheet to reflect for these types of subscription licenses.

A.14 See answer A.9

Q.15 You refer to partner sources for images, in addition to government-provided images.

Are you referring to the agency’s sources, the vendor’s sources, or other, unidentified partner sources? If unidentified partner sources, what is the source?

A.15 We are referring to other U.S. Government sources, like Department of Defense (e.g.

https://www.dvidshub.net/) or USAID. U.S. Government produced images are in principle public domain and may be used freely. Any other cost for other (commercial) sources shall be borne by the contractor.

Q.16 Does the government have any service level agreements (SLAs) for responding to comments or trends?

A.16 No.

Q.17 Does the government require Brussels Hub review and approval before responding?

A.17 See A.12

Q.18 Does the monitoring service require human review 24/7/365?

A.18 No, the contractor shall have a contact available 24/7/365, but media monitoring is on an ad-hoc basis and is generally requested in advance or following special events

Q.19 Can social media posts be scheduled or will they be required to be edited and published at any given time of the week and day?

A.19 Social media posts can and will be scheduled (currently with the use of HootSuite, the

Brussels HUB will take care of the license).

Q.20 A relevant part of Russia social media audience consumes VKontaktie other than

Facebook and Twitter (proposed channels), should we include this channel in monitoring and publishing services?

A.20 For the moment, we do not use VKontaktie, and there are no plans to use it. This could change during the contract period of performance. If the Brussels HUB needs other platforms to be added later as the social media landscape changes, this will happen by contract modification signed by the RPSOFR contracting officer.

https://www.dvidshub.net/