Request for Information Log_Graphic Design RFQ 2043FY-25-Q-00054.xlsx
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- IRS Graphic Design Services
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- 2043FY-25-Q-00054
About this file
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) Log for a Graphic Design Request for Quote (RFQ) issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The RFQ (No. 2043FY-25-Q-00054) is a small business set-aside for graphic design services under NAICS code 541430, with a small business size standard of $9.0 million. The solicitation seeks a contractor to provide approximately 1,000 annual hours of design services, including 700 hours of Design Production Tasks and 300 hours of Design Creative Tasks, primarily focused on producing reports and publications for the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS).
Key requirements include two senior designers with 5+ years of experience, providing design and production services for various reports such as Annual Reports to Congress, Objectives Reports, and other publications. The contract will be awarded on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis, with quotes due by 10/07/2025. The contractor will be responsible for software licensing, file transfers, and potentially some Section 508 accessibility support. There is no incumbent contractor, and the contract will be a firm fixed-price arrangement with base and option years. The RFI log includes 114 detailed questions and answers covering technical, administrative, and pricing aspects of the solicitation.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment 2 Pricing worksheet 10-8-25.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| RFQ 2043FY-25-Q-00054 Amendment 0002.pdf | ||
| Section 3 Attachment 1 Statement of Work_R1_7Oct25.pdf | ||
| RFQ 2043FY-25-Q-00054 Amendment 0001.pdf | ||
| Attachment 2 Draft Pricing worksheet.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Attachment 1 Statement of Work.pdf | ||
| RFQ 2043FY-25-Q-00054.pdf |
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RFI LOG
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION LOG
Graphic Design, RFQ #: 2043FY-25-Q-00054
| RFI # | INFORMATION REQUESTED | DATE SENT | RECOMMENDED RESPONDENT | RESPONSE |
| 1 | We would like to know if you have any approved vendors for printing in the Washington area? | 09/22/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | TAS does not maintain a list of approved printing vendors. The Contractor may use a printing vendor of its choice in accordance with the SOW C.4.4. |
| 2 | The SOW requires “a minimum of two Senior Designers with 5+ years’ experience.” Can you confirm if one Senior Designer may perform the majority of the ~1,000 annual hours, while the second serves primarily as surge/backup support during peak reporting periods? Our intent is to ensure continuity and coverage, while avoiding inefficiency from splitting hours across two part-time roles. | 09/22/25 | TAS | This is acceptable. One Senior Designer may perform the majority of work while a second designer with similar expertise and experience can serve as a backup. SOW 4.2 has been updated to reflect this. |
| 3 | Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing these services? If so, could I please find out the contractor name and contract number? | 09/23/25 | CONTRACTING | There is no incumbent currently performing these services. |
| 4 | Please clarify what is required under “Contractual Documents” and exactly what should be included in Volume 1 | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | Volume 1 shall include the forms annotated in Section 7.3.5 of the RFQ. Additional information will be provided in a amendment to clarify everything that must be submitted as part of the vendor's quote in order to be eligible for award. |
| 5 | Will the Government provide access to a FedRAMP-certified file transfer platform, or should the Contractor supply its own compliant solution? | 09/24/25 | TAS | Yes, the Government has an active file transfer subscription that includes Hightail. However, see SOW C.4.14. The Contractor shall have capabilities for the electronic transfer of files. TAS CSO currently has an agreement to use Hightail for file transfers. In the event of a change, TAS CSO may specify which file transfer service the Contractor must use. Any service used to accommodate file transfers must be capable of securely handling files up to a minimum of 50 MB and must also be FIPS 140-2 compliant. Any services considered as cloud service providers that extend secure file transfer into the cloud must be FedRAMP-certified. Note: As IRS security and technology rules change, the Contractor must be amenable to using IRS-approved file transfer methods. If electronic transfer is unavailable, the Contractor must provide an alternate means of file delivery, as specified by TAS CSO. |
| 6 | Are full résumés required for proposed staff only? | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | Resumes are required for the positions identified as Key Personnel in the Statement of Work. Resumes shall be submitted for review and approval to the COR after award of the contract. The SOW has been updated under C.4.2. |
| 7 | Is a Letter of Intent required from staff who are currently not on the company’s payroll? | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | No, a letter of intent is not required. |
| 8 | I do not have a certification(SBA Cert/Badge) as a small business, but I do run one. Can I still submit my proposal & be considered? | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | Vendors must be registered in SAM.gov as a small business under NAICS code 541430 to be elligible for award. See page 1, paragraph 4 of the RFQ. |
| 9 | Regarding C.3.4.0./C.3.4.1. Licensing and Subscription Services;The contractor is required to cover costs for software licenses (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud, Hootsuite, Prowly, Pantone Connect, PageFreezer.) for both contractor and TAS staff, and to ensure TAS retains ownership or control of accounts after contract completion. To accurately price and plan for this requirement, could TAS clarify the following: 1. How many licenses (by product) should the contractor assume for TAS staff (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud seats, Hootsuite users, Adobe Stock accounts, Prowly, Pantone Connect seats, and PageFreezer)? | 09/24/25 | TAS | SOW Revision 1 has been incorporated to clarify the licenses and subscription requirement. See SOW C.3.4.0. |
| 10 | For tools with multiple tiers of service (e.g., Hootsuite Standard vs. Advanced; Adobe Stock Basic vs. Pro), does TAS have a preferred subscription level? | 09/24/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. |
| 11 | How does TAS envision the transfer of licenses to ensure a smooth transition at contract completion, and what are the Government’s expectations for this handoff (e.g., account ownership transfer, payment information)? | 09/24/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. |
| 12 | Regarding C.4.13.0. Copies of all Reports to Congress: Can ODC line items be added to the Pricing Worksheet? (i.e., to cover the cost of printing and shipping reports as required) | 09/24/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | This task is considered minimal as only 30 copies of each related publication for the reports to Congress are required under C.12 and C.5.16.3. This task has been added to the pricing worksheet and it is labeled printing cost. |
| 13 | Where can we see past bid for this project? | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | There is no current incumbent for this contract. |
| 14 | Are we competing with current Project vendor who had been carrying out this project. | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | There is no current incumbent for this contract. |
| 15 | All our designers are freelance basis, Does that mean they are subcontractors? | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | The Government's relationship is with the prime contractor. Who the vendor hires in support of this contract is up to them |
| 16 | Insider Threat Awareness Training, will we have to do that after the contract is awarded? | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | Provision/clause is only applicable to "acquisition of commercial items, requiring contractor access to classified information." This provision will be removed from the solicitation. |
| 17 | The RFQ is very extensive, as a small business we are worreid that we might not undertand or fill it accurately. How does that impact us. is there anybody who can assist us if we have not filled out something incorreclty. Will it impact our ability our bid or chances of awards. | 09/24/25 | CONTRACTING | There are services available to assist businesses do business with the Government. Per the Small Business Administration, vendors can reach out to their local APEX Accelerator: www.apexaccelerators.us APEX is an organization funded by DOD to help businesses do business with the government. Apex has locations across the country. Its services are free of charge. |
| 18 | Reference: RFQ SOW Section C.4.14, Paragraph 1, Page 4. Our understanding is that the FedRAMP requirement applies only to cloud-based file transfer services used in support of this contract (e.g., secure file transfer platforms). The Contractor itself does not need to hold a FedRAMP authorization. Could you please confirm that this interpretation is correct? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 5. |
| 19 | Reference: RFQ SOW Section C.4.0, Paragraph 2 & 3, Page 2 & 3 This section states the two Senior Designers as key personnels and biographies and capabilities statements for each staff member. Can the agency please confirm if we need to submit resumes and capabilities within our response? If yes, Can the agency clarify which volume should contain this as the technical volume has a page limit of 5? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | See updated SOW section C.4.2 |
| 20 | Reference: RFQ Section 8.2 Factor I, Page 79 Could the agency please confirm whether the contractual documents only include the forms listed in Section 7.3.5, or if there are any additional forms that must be submitted as part of the proposal? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | See response to question 4. |
| 21 | Is the estimate of ~1,000 hours per year (700 production, 300 creative) a hard ceiling, a minimum guarantee, or a historical estimate? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.5.3 & C.5.10.2, Pages 5 & 7
| 09/25/25 | TAS | It is a historical estimate over the past five years. | |||
| 22 | What is the maximum surge capacity expected during critical production periods (December/January and June)? | ||||
| Reference: RFQ Section C.4.10, Paragraphs 2–3, Page 3 | 09/25/25 | TAS | This will vary based off the expereince of the designer. SOW sections C.5.5.5 and C.5.5.6 indicate the expectations during the critical production periods. | ||
| 23 | Should we assume full evening and weekend availability for all 8 critical weeks, or only for certain deliverables? | ||||
| Reference: RFQ Section C.4.10, Paragraphs 2–3, Page 3 | 09/25/25 | TAS | Yes, during the 8 critical weeks, assume full evening and weekend availability. | ||
| 24 | If more than two rounds of revisions are requested, will those be billable as additional hours? Reference: RFQ Section C.5.15.3, Page 9 | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING/ TAS | Generally, no more than two rounds of revisions will be required. | |
| 25 | Are the listed page and figure counts stable from year to year, or do they vary significantly? Reference: RFQ Section C.5.5.0–C.5.9.0, Pages 5–7 | 09/25/25 | TAS | They vary some but not significantly. | |
| 26 | Should pricing assume potential annual increases in page or figure volume? | ||||
| Reference: RFQ Section C.5.5.0–C.5.9.0, Pages 5–7 | 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | See response to question 25. | ||
| 27 | Will the contractor ever need to create charts/figures from raw data, or only edit TAS-provided Illustrator files? Reference: RFQ Section C.5.5.1 & C.5.14.7, Pages 5 & 9 | 09/25/25 | TAS | All data will be provided as final data for creation of tables, along with the basic template. Some are standard and can be updated with provided data. Some will need to be made from scratch using a basic template with built-in styles. | |
| 28 | Should the contractor assume licenses for both contractor staff and TAS staff (e.g., Adobe, Hootsuite, Prowly, PageFreezer)? Reference: RFQ Section C.3.4.1, Page 2 | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | |||
| 29 | Does TAS have existing stock imagery licenses, or should the contractor provide and manage subscriptions? Reference: RFQ Section C.5.14.10, Page 9 | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | |||
| 30 | Which project management platform does TAS currently use, and will TAS provide access, or should we price licenses? Reference: RFQ Section C.4.9 & C.5.13.1, Pages 3 & 8 | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | See updated SOW Section C.5.13.1 | |||
| 31 | Should the contractor include the cost of producing up to 30 spiral-bound color copies per report in its price, or will this be reimbursed as Other Direct Costs (ODCs)? Reference: RFQ Section C.4.13.1 & C.5.16.3, Pages 4 & 10 | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING/ TAS | Yes, contractor should include the cost of producing up to 30 spiral-bound color copies per report. Also, see response to question 12. | |
| 32 | Are there specific finishing requirements for advance copies (e.g., lamination, covers, tabs)? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.4.13.1, Page 4 09/25/25 TAS Covers are typically 100lb gloss or semigloss; interior pages are gloss/semigloss text weight. No tabs or lamination. Spiral binding. See updatd SOW section C.4.13.1.
33 Will shipping and courier costs for advance copies be reimbursed as ODCs or absorbed by the contractor?
Reference: RFQ Section C.4.13.2, Page 4
| 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | Shipping and courier costs for advance copies for requirements under C.4.12 and C.4.13.1 are the only ones that will need to be priced accordingly under vendor's printing cost. It will not be reimbursable under ODCs. |
| 34 | Should the contractor budget time for Section 508 accessibility remediation, or treat this as “if needed” support? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.4.15 & C.6.0, Pages 4 & 5
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Contractor shall be knowledgable of Section 508 requirements. This can be treat it as "if needed support." |
| 35 | If TAS requests original illustrations or rights-managed photography, will these costs be reimbursed as ODCs? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.5.14.10, Page 9
| 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | No, if required, it will fall under "Design Creative Task" SOW section C.5.5.3 |
| 36 | Will page counts, hours, and figures remain consistent across option years, or should the contractor plan for escalation? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.5.5.0–C.5.9.0 & C.9.1, Pages 5–7 & 11
| 09/25/25 | TAS | TAS CSO expects it to remain similarly consistent. |
| 37 | Can labor hours vary significantly year-to-year (e.g., 800 hours one year, 1,200 the next)? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.5.3 & C.5.10.2, Pages 5 & 7
| 09/25/25 | TAS | For the last five years, the hours have been around 1,000 per year. |
| 38 | Beyond printing, will TAS consider subcontracting for design overflow, or must all design work remain in-house? |
Reference: RFQ Section C.4.4, Page 3
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Design work should remain in house, see SOW section C.4.1. |
| 39 | Can you please provide the incumbent information and contract number(s), value(s), and period(s) of performance, if applicable? |
Reference: RFQ General
| 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | There is no current incumbent for this effort. | ||
| 40 | The IRS indicates that the contractor shall provide biographies and capabilities statements for each staff member. Can the government define which section of the Response this information belongs to? Specifically, is this part of the 5-page technical defined in Section 7.3.2 Page Limits, Paragraph 1, Page 77 or in the Contractual or demonstrated experience sections listed therein? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | Resumes are required for the positions identified as Key Personnel in the Statement of Work. Resumes shall be submitted for review and approval to the COR after award of the contract. See updated SOW Section C.4.2. |
| 41 | The government indicates several subscription services for which the contractor is expected to cover the costs. Can the government confirm that this list is just an example of SaaS products and not the actual list? If this is the list, can the government expand on what Hootsuite Enterprise, Prowly and Page Freezer would be used for in relation to this SOW? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. |
| 42 | Overarching Statement of Work: The SOW doesn't mention editing needed. Should the contractor assume all content is finalized by the government, with required editing from contractors? | 09/25/25 | TAS | Editing is not part of this SOW. |
| 43 | The government acknowledges that a subcontractor may be used to produce 30 advance report copies, before final printing managed by the IRS and GPO. Is it the intent of the government to fold pricing and/or materials costs for the advanced copies into the labor costs for design, or can offers add an ODC line to cover printing or materials (binding, etc.) costs? | 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | See response to question 12. | |
| 44 | 2. | Section C.3.3.1 says that “All Design Creative Tasks if required will be on an as-needed basis. The Design Creative Tasks category will not obligate the IRS if not needed due to budget and/or time restraints. Design Creative Tasks may include but are not limited to design tasks requiring creative strategy and development, such as redesigning publications, updating design templates with a new look, developing infographics, creating figures that require data analysis, etc.” We understand this section to mean that the IRS may request just about anything (and any amount of work) within the realm of creative design. We also presume that these tasks are not factored into the provided hourly estimates for the known tasks indicated elsewhere in the RFP. Given that this is a fixed-fee bid based on an anticipated number of hours of effort, and given that this clause indicates dependency on budget, can we assume that any tasks requested under this clause will be considered out of scope and subject to a contract modification and/or additional billing? If the answer to that question is ‘no’ (ie, these tasks must also be included in our fixed bid), can IRS provide any sort of estimate or insight into how much of this type of work (in hours) has typically been required in past years? | 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | TAS has historically used 300 hours of Design Creative Tasks over the past five years. The 300 hours falls within the scope of the SOW. See C.5.10.3. for a list of past projects falling under this category. |
| 45 | 3. | Section C.3.4.1: The SOW indicates that Contractor is responsible for providing software/platform costs for not only its own staff, but also TAS staff. How many licenses of which software/platforms does TAS anticipate needing for its own staff? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. |
| 46 | 4. | Section C.5: The SOW indicates an average of 700 hours for “Design Production Tasks” and 300 hours for “Design Creative Tasks.” There are other estimates for specific reports/publications. Can TAS confirm that these sub-task estimates are included (and not in addition to) the 700/300 hour estimates? Ie, can TAS confirm that our total pricing proposal be based on ~1000 hours of anticipated design effort? | 09/25/25 | TAS | Pricing is based on the 1,000 hours estimate. Sub-tasks are included. |
| 47 | SOW C.3.4.0: Will contractor personnel be required to perform all design and production tasks on Government-Furnished Equipment (e.g., IRS-issued laptops), or will the use of contractor-owned equipment be permitted under this contract? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | The government will not furnish any equipment. The contractor shall use their own equipment. SOW Section C.3.4.0 is for Licensing and Subscriptions services that the Government currently has active subscriptions for. | |||
| 48 | SOW C.3.4.0: If the use of Government-Furnished Equipment is required, will the Government provide such equipment to all contractor personnel who require access to perform the work described in the SOW? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 47. | |||
| 49 | SOW C.3.4.0: If Government-Furnished Equipment will be provided, can the Government confirm whether the hardware will meet the performance requirements necessary for advanced design and production tasks, including the efficient operation of software such as Adobe Creative Cloud? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 47. | |||
| 50 | SOW C.3.4.1bCan the Government clarify the expected scope and frequency of press release distribution and media outreach activities required under this contract. | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Media is not part of this SOW. SOW section C.3.4.1 has been revised. | |||
| 51 | SOW C.3.4.1b Can the Government provide information on the annual budget or anticipated year-over-year costs it has allocated for licensing software such as Prowly and PageFreezer under this contract? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | See response to question 9 and pricing worksheet reflects the NTE cost for required licenses and subscriptions. | |||
| 52 | SOW C.3.4.1b Can the Government specify the number of software licenses expected to be required for contractor personnel and, if applicable, TAS staff, to support the work described in Section C.3.4.1(b)? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | |||
| 53 | Regarding Section C.4.1, can the Government clarify whether there are any specific requirements, standards, or certifications that subcontracted printing vendors must meet to support the deliverables under this contract? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See C.5.14.9; must meet the quality standards, timeliness and provide accurate color matching. In addition, see response to question 12. | |||
| 54 | Can the Government confirm whether any personnel performing work under this contract are required to possess a security clearance or undergo a suitability determination? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | No security clearance required. Contractor will need to meet SOW section C.11.0 requirements only. | |||
| 55 | If a security clearance or background investigation is required, can the Government specify the type, level, and process for obtaining such clearance prior to performance? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 54. | |||
| 56 | C.3.3.1, paragraph 1, page 2: Is the contractor expected to suggest improvements to the TAS Design Style Guide, or only enforce existing standards? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | TAS would not expect the contractor to suggest improvements to the TAS Design Style Guide during the design and production phase, however as part of the design Creative Tasks C.3.3.1., we may require help with updates as needed. | |||
| 57 | C.3.1. & C.5.14.9. Paragraph 9, Page 1 Paragraph 3, Page 9: Do you foresee the main TAS Design Style Guide/Brand changing/updating between now and when the report is to be submitted? | 09/25/25 | TAS | No, TAS would not expect the contractor to suggest improvements to the TAS Design Style Guide. | |
| 58 | C.4.0: Paragraph 10, Page 2: Will designs need to be optimized for mobile, social media, or microsites beyond PDFs? | 09/25/25 | TAS | Designs will NOT need to be optimized for mobile, social media, or microsites beyond PDFs as this is not a requirement of this SOW | |
| 59 | C.5.12.3.: Paragraph 2, Page 8: Where does design proofreading end and editorial review by TAS begin? | ||||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Design proofreading consists of ensuring all content transferred correctly into InDesign with appropriate headings. | |||
| 60 | C.4.15. Paragraph 9, Page 4: When exactly will compliance testing fall to us, and what tools/standards does IRS expect us to use? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 93. |
| 61 | C.5.13.0.Paragraph 3, Page 8: What project management tools and communication protocols are mandated or preferred? | 09/25/25 | TAS | As outlined in updated C.5.13.1 of the SOW, “The Contractor shall support project coordination and provide regular status reporting through a TAS-approved collaboration or project management tracking platform.” TAS does not mandate a specific tool but requires use of an approved system proposed by the contractor as part of their level of effort. Day-to-day communication is typically conducted via email and phone, with the approved platform used for tracking and documentation. Also, see response to question 5. |
| 62 | C 1.4. Paragraph 4, Page 1: Clarify the intended expectation to work simultaneously between " Design Production Tasks" which include "production of reports and publications rather than application of creative vision and strategy" and Design Creative Tasks which "include but are not limited to design tasks requiring creative strategy and development, | 09/25/25 | TAS | See C.5.10.0, Design Creative Tasks where we go into detail on the Design Creative Tasks requriment and provide examples of tasks completed during the previous period of performance. Overlap between reports and any other type of project will be minimal. There may be some simultaneous production and creative tasks, but these are typically balanced throughout the year. |
| 63 | Prior-year working files - Will TAS provide prior-year InDesign files, style sheets, master pages, and Illustrator figures for each recurring publication to ensure consistency with established formats? | 09/25/25 | TAS | As stated in 5.11.2 of the SOW, TAS will work with the Contractor during the transition period to share files, templates, assets, and information to ensure continuity. This will include providing prior-year working materials, such as InDesign files, style sheets, master pages, and Illustrator figures, as applicable. |
| 64 | Section 508 responsibilities - Please confirm contractor expectations are limited to producing accessible InDesign/PDF structure (tags, alt-text placeholders, bookmarks, TOC links), with TAS performing final remediation and compliance testing. | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 93. |
| 65 | After-hours coverage windows - For planning purposes, can TAS share approximate two-week windows for the Annual Report and Objectives Report so that contractors can allocate staff during these critical production periods? | 09/25/25 | TAS | TAS CSO expects the two-week windows to fall roughly during June and December, though this is subject to change. |
| 66 | Advance copies - The SOW references up to 30 spiral-bound advance copies per report. Can TAS confirm the expected specifications (size, color, binding) and whether ship-to locations are typically single or multiple? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 32. Locations for shipping are throughout the United States. Per C.4.13.2. The locations for shipping will vary each year. Per C.4.13.1. These publications shall be in full color and spiral bound. C.5.0. Scope cover the estimated amount of pages for each report based on prior years. |
| 67 | Pricing structure - The pricing worksheet requests fully burdened rates. Please confirm the Government intends to award Firm Fixed Price per CLIN (Base + Option Years) derived from those inputs, with no T&M or LOE reporting requirements. | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | Correct, the Government intends to award a firm fixed price order Per CLIN. |
| 68 | Can TAS briefly describe the workflow for content handoff — e.g., whether contractor will receive final text and figures directly from TAS analysts/writers, or through a designated TAS liaison — so we can plan production turnaround more accurately? | 09/25/25 | TAS | The contractor will only be in contact with and receive all content from 2-3 people in our Communications team. After contract award, the contractor will work with the COR and TAS CSO team for any coordination. |
| 69 | Please clarify the expected quantity, license type (user vs. enterprise), and scope for contractor-provided software subscriptions (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud, Hootsuite, PageFreezer). Should bidders include costs for licenses allocated only to their own users, or should they include assumed costs for IRS/TAS government staff as well? If for IRS staff, how many licenses/users are anticipated? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. |
| 70 | Please confirm if there is a formal “Key Personnel” designation required for this contract, and whether the Government has a required process for approval of key personnel or staff substitutions post-award. Are resumes/capabilities to be included in the technical proposal, or as an attachment? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | See response to Question 6. Resumes/capabilities are not being evaluated as part of their technical proposal. |
| 71 | Can the Government clarify whether transition and ramp-up activities (e.g., file sharing, templates, orientation sessions) are to be priced within Year 1 as part of the base period, and if there is any separately billable transition period? Are there anticipated deliverables, timetables, or required resources for transition? | 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | During the onboarding of a new contractor, it would be expected to have more calls within the base year to ensure timely ramp up of activities. We would not expect deliverables during the kickoff meetings; rather, we would provide with all of files, templates, etc. |
| 72 | Is this requirement a follow-on to an incumbent contract? If so, can the Government |
please provide the incumbent contract number, incumbent company name, and the current contract value. Additionally, does the Government prefer to see a staffing strategy that includes incumbent “capture” or transition for continuity, or is a fresh staffing approach preferred?
| 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | There is no incumbent currently performing these services. In terms of what will be evaluated regarding the technical evaluation, please see "Section 8-Evaluation Factors" in the RFQ. | ||
| 73 | Can the Government clarify the anticipated number and types of personnel (e.g., project managers, senior designers, graphic specialists, support staff) it expects to be necessary for successful performance of this contract? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | Per updated SOW Section C.4.2, The Government expects at least two senior designers as part of this requirement. Additional staff is at the contractors discretion. The Government acknowledges that the two senior designers can fill multiple roles. |
| 74 | Will the Government please update attachment 2 to reflect printing costs? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | The Government has updated the pricing worksheet (Attachment 2) to reflect printing costs. |
| 75 | C.3.2.2 Will the government provide existing InDesign templates for all publications, or will some require creation from scratch? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See C.5.0. Specifically: |
C.5.2. Design Production Tasks include laying out publications using provided templates, reformatting data into charts or tables, and providing proofs, print-ready files, and web-friendly PDFs. The focus will be on production of reports and publications rather than application of creative vision and strategy.
C.5.4.1. Generally, these publications requiring Design Production Tasks use similar templates from year to year. If significant design modifications or a redesign occurs, it shall fall under Design Creative Tasks.
| 76 | C.3.2.3: Will the government clarify how much data analysis or guidance is provided for designers to "reformat data into charts or tables" for design production tasks? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 27. Some data analyzation will be expected as a general understanding of the data is necessary to provide creative designs. See C.3.2.2. for specifics. | ||
| 77 | C.3.2.3: Will the Government provide how frequently do design templates change, and what triggers a redesign (which would shift work from Production to Creative Tasks)? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Design templates do not have frequent or large changes. We may ask for very light refreshes, but full-scale redesigns are likely expected about every 3-5 years. | ||
| 78 | C.3.2.4 Can the government provide the complete TAS Design Style Guide and any publication-specific brand guides during the proposal phase? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | See C.7.1.; the TAS Design and Style guide will be provided during the kickoff call. | ||
| 79 | C.3.4.1How many licenses for software and platform subscriptions is the quoter responsible for obtaining in support of TAS staff? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | ||
| 80 | C.3.4.2 Can the Government clarify why are social media management and media outreach tools required for what appears to be primarily publication design work? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | ||
| 81 | C.3.4.2 Can the government confirm that all listed platforms actually necessary, or are some optional based on project needs? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Yes, all are necessary. See response to question 9 for additional guidance. | ||
| 82 | C.3.4.2 Can the Government provide clarification for enterprise accounts (like Hootsuite Enterprise), how does license ownership transfer work when the contract ends? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | ||
| 83 | C.3.4.2: Can the Government Clarify what happens to accumulated content/data in these platforms upon contract termination? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. |
| 84 | C.3.4.2 Will the Government confirm "covering costs for TAS staff" mean purchasing additional licenses for government employees to use these tools? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | ||
| 85 | C.3.4.2 Social media management accounts require access to social media profiles, will the Government verify that the vendor will require access for any purpose in the SOW? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | ||
| 86 | C.3.4.1: What quantity of associated costs for TAS staff are anticipated? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 9. | ||
| 87 | C.4.2: What is considered a large-scale project sufficient to meet the experience requirements for the two Senior Designers? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | The Annual Report to Congress, which requires three publications totaling roughly 600 pages. | ||
| 88 | C.4.10 - C.4.11, pg 3 Will the Government clarify during the "critical production periods," what specific after-hours response expectations exist? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | C.4.11. During core business hours during normal work timeframes, TAS CSO expects the Contractor to respond to emails or calls within 24 hours. During the defined critical production periods for the Reports to Congress, TAS CSO expects the Contractor to return emails or calls within two hours. In the event of an emergent turnaround during non-core business hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays during the defined critical production periods for the Reports to Congress, TAS CSO expects a response within two hours to establish next steps. | ||
| 89 | C.4.15. Page 4: Can the government define what backup or troubleshooting services might be expected regarding 508 compliance? | 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 93. |
| 90 | C.4.16, Page 4: Will the Government provide what types of 508 compliance issues have required backup/troubleshooting support in the past 2-3 years? | |
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 93. |
| 91 | C.4.17 page 4: Will the Government share how often has the internal IRS service been unavailable, requiring contractor backup? | |
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 93. |
| 92 | C.4.18 page 4: What is the Government’s required typical turnaround time expected when backup services are needed? | |
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 88. |
| 93 | C.4.19 page 4: When the government says they'll "furnish 508 compliant alternate text if needed," does this mean ALL alt text, or only in specific circumstances? | |
| 09/25/25 | TAS | TAS CSO will furnish the majority of alt text for figures, etc. You may be required to provide some basic alt text (i.e., basic description of a photo, identifying a logo as a logo, etc.) Examples of our 508 needs include tags, alt-text, placeholders, bookmarks, TOC links, and text color contrast (see WCAG 2.0 Level AA https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref/?versions=2.0). Troubleshooting may involve finding solutions for any of the above. Treat as "if needed" support. |
| 94 | C.4.20 page 4: Can the government provide examples of past 508 troubleshooting scenarios to help contractors better understand and price this requirement? | |
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See response to question 93. |
| 95 | C.5.3 page 5: Design Production tasks are initially listed as being on an as-needed basis, yet the contractor can expect roughly 700 hours of work. Similar estimates are provided for annual reports, the Objective Report, Grant Application, Clinics Program Report, Taxpay Advocacy Report, and Design Creative tasks. Can the government specify a variance with those estimated LoEs, or does it prefer Quoters to create prices and extended prices based on those estimated hours? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | All Design Creative Tasks if required will be on an as-needed basis. This is under SOW section C.3.3.1 and C.5.10.1 says roughly 300 hours of Design Creative Tasks. Design Production Tasks are under C.5.3, which are roughly the 700 hours of work. | ||
| 96 | C.5.5.1 Page 5: Will the Government provide what percentage of the "150 figures" in Annual Reports typically require contractor work versus supplied print-ready files? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | The contractor may be expected to produce up to 50% of the figures. Most figures the contractor creates will be tables. C.5.5.1. The three Annual Report to Congress publications contain about 150 figures (charts/graphs/tables). The Contractor is expected to complete roughly 75 tables. TAS CSO will supply print-ready Adobe Illustrator files of charts/graphs to the Contractor. Occasionally, TAS CSO may request the Contractor to work on charts/graphs. (In the past five years, fewer than 20 charts/graphs required contractor work.) | ||
| 97 | C.5.5.1 Page 5: For the "fewer than 20 charts/graphs" mentioned for contractor creation, will the Government provide the typical complexity level? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | The charts range from simple pie and bar charts to complex full-page infographics, with the vast majority being the former. Links under C.5.5.0 are provided to determine complexity level. | ||
| 98 | C.5.10.3 Page 7 Will the Government provide if there are any of the additional languages right to left? What additional languages are required? Will specialized fonts be provided by the Government for any of these languages? (e.g. Farsi, Chinese, Korean) | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | Per 5.10.3 TAS CSO provides those translations, and this is just an example of what could be expected work for the Design Creative Tasks. Languages include Russian, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. Specialized fonts will not be provided. Language translations are on hold for now but could be expected in the future all under creative design tasks. | ||
| 99 | C.5.10.3 Page 7: Will the Government clarify if there are standard chart/infographic templates, or does each require custom design? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | 5.10.3 are just examples of Desgin Creative Tasks completed during the previous period of performance. None of these examples reference a chart. There is one for Creating a wireframe and subsequent layouts for infographics, but again this is just an example of what was completed in the past. | ||
| 100 | C.5.14.9 Page 9: The government specifies publication color requirements related to the TAS Design Style Guide. Are their similar requirements for printed media (e.g., paper quality)? | |||
| 09/25/25 | TAS | See updated C.4.13.1. The Contractor must be able to provide up to 30 copies of each related publication for the Reports to Congress. These publications shall be in full color and spiral bound. Covers are typically 100lb gloss or semigloss, and interior pages are gloss or semigloss text weight. No tabs or lamination are required. The Contractor will have ten business days to print, ship, and deliver copies to TAS after receiving final approval on files. See Section C.5.4.0., Design Production Deliverables, for estimated project details to support planning. | ||
| 101 | Calls for at least two Senior Designers. Pricing schedule calls for Creative Director, Senior Graphic Designer, and a Production Manager. Please clarify labor category requirements. | 09/25/25 | TAS/CONTRACTING | See response to question 2. |
| 102 | C.4.13.1 – page 4: States the contractor must provide advanced copies to congress. There is no line item in the pricing sheet for printing. Where should offerors include this cost? | 09/25/25 | CONTRACTING | The Government has updated the pricing worksheet (Attachment 2) to reflect printing costs. |
| 103 | Our designers are all remote. Will that prevent us from bidding or be eligible for this project? | 09/25/25 | TAS | No |
| 104 | RFQ, Section 4, Award Decision, paragraph 10, Page 81. The government indicates that the SOW will be awarded Best Value to the government. However, in Section 8.1 on page 78 in the second paragraph, the government defines evaluation criteria as Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. Can the Government confirm whether the evaluation is based on Best Value or LPTA? | CONTRACTING | The evaluation of quotes will be based on the lowest price technically acceptable offer. The term "Best Value" in federal acquisitions refers to the expected outcome of an acquisition that provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirement, as defined in FAR 2.101. The concept of "Best Value" can be achieved through two primary source selection processes: the Tradeoff process and the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) process. The RFQ has been updated to be more clear. | |
| 105 | Evaluation method - Will quotes be evaluated on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis under FAR Part 13, or as a best-value tradeoff? | CONTRACTING | See response to question 104. | |
| 106 | Given that this solicitation is a total small business set-aside, can the Government |
clarify whether or how a HUBZone-certified offeror would be given any evaluation preference or advantage for award under the LPTA method, particularly in competition against a non-HUBZone small business.
| CONTRACTING | No, it is strictly based on LPTA evaluation criteria. No additional preference will be given to any socioeconomic or other small business concerns. | ||||
| 107 | In the event that both HUBZone and non-HUBZone small business offerors submit technically acceptable quotes at the same or similar price, will the Government utilize any tiebreaker or further consideration for HUBZone status during the award determination? If so, can the Government please specify the process. | CONTRACTING | It will strictly follow RFQ Section 8.1 Basis for award. The Government will begin its evaluations with the lowest priced proposal and proceed upward until an Acceptable Technical Capability rating reached. | ||
| 108 | Please clarify evaluation criteria as they are listed as both best value and LPTA but then listed under Award Decision as best value. | CONTRACTING | See response to question 104. | ||
| 109 | I'm an interested Vendor and I was wondering what the subcontracting rules are. I don't have any in-house designers but I know some that I would like to subcontract too. Please let me know if I would be allowed to put a proposal together for this project. | CONTRACTING | See response to question 38 regarding in-house designer requirements. Also, per the RFQ, this is a set aside for Small Businesses as defined by NAICS Code 541430. The Government will accept only quotes submitted by Small Businesses. | ||
| 110 | 2. | In the solicitation document on page 2 in Section 1 “Purchase Order Terms and Conditions” it states: “This is a set aside for Small Businesses as defined by NAICS Code 541430.” - Will the government please confirm that this includes small businesses that are registered in the System of Award Management (SAM), but do not currently have a schedule listed in the GSA MAS Category 541430 Graphic Design Services. | CONTRACTING | Yes, that is correct. This includes a set aside for Small Business as defined by NAICS Code 541430. Vendor does not need to have a schedule listed in the GSA MAS Category 541430 as we are not making an award under GSA MAS schedule. | |
| 111 | From the RFQ |
3.Factor III – Demonstrated Experience
The Government will evaluate the extent to which the provided samples are in accordance with the Offer Instructions above. The Contractor shall submit seven (7) samples of prior design work.
The samples shall: Be high-resolution PDFs that are relevant to graphic design and related work; Be accompanied by a brief description of the project and the Contractor’s role; One of the seven samples shall reflect a technically complex report of more than 100 pages, featuring data visualization, structured page layout, footnotes, and overall formatting consistency. Include charts/graphs and infographics where applicable to demonstrate layout and visual storytelling capabilities.
| CONTRACTING/TAS | Submitted via email and cannot exceed 25MB may need to break up into multiple emails please make sure to include 1 of XX in the subject line so we can confirm all documents are received. | |||
| 112 | is there a question addendum available for our review, and is there any additional information on how to complete the pricing worksheet? | CONTRACTING | An amendment with our responses to all the questions that were received will be published via SAM.gov. This amendment will also include instructions on how to complete the pricing worksheet. | |
| 113 | In the Pricing Worksheet, in the hours column, should each item be reflective of 1 hour? Thereby providing the rate for each 1 hour. | CONTRACTING | Pricing worksheet has been revisided to include instructions on how to fill out the pricing worksheet. | |
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File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .