61320618Q0188_New_releases.docx

QUESTION 1:

Is there a current incumbent providing these services? If so, what is the current contract number? What is the total yearly spend?

ANSWER 1:

Yes, similar tasks are currently being performed under contract number CPSC-D-13-0011 by PR Newswire. CPSC has made significant changes to the scope of work, and therefore past obligation information should not be used to estimate the level of effort for this requirement.

QUESTION 2:

Is there a general budget the Commission would like to make proposers aware of for this project?

ANSWER 2:

CPSC will not release budget information for this project.

QUESTION 3:

Is this an increase in number of total news releases from the previous incumbent contract?

ANSWER 3:

No. The previous incumbent contract has unlimited news release distribution. This contract has a specific number per year.

QUESTION 4:

Please confirm the total number of users who would submit a news release for dissemination?

ANSWER 4:

CPSC would like to have the ability for anyone in the Office of Communications to be able to submit a news release for dissemination when needed. Normally it is 1 or 2 people who submit releases for distribution, but if those individuals are out of the office, we would need others to fill in for them. Ideally, seven people would have the authority to submit news releases for dissemination. But if this raises the cost, we would prefer to limit this number to 1 or 2 staff.

QUESTION 5:

Section 4.E. “up to 200 news releases” , is this up to 200 news releases per period of performance?

ANSWER 5:

This is 200 per year.

QUESTION 6:

Section 4.J. “up to 50 CPSC releases”, is this up to 50 news releases per period of performance to translate into Spanish?

ANSWER 6:

This is 50 per year.

QUESTION 7:

Will the 50 news releases translated into Spanish described in J be in addition to the 200 news releases described in Requirement E? Or is it that of the 200 news releases described in E, 50 of them will need to be translated into Spanish?

ANSWER 7

Most will be CPSC news releases distributed in English that will need to be translated into Spanish and distributed.

QUESTION 8:

Will there ever be a need to send news release material for dissemination at a later time (in other words, sending Contractor news release material on a Tuesday at 2pm for dissemination Thursday at 9am?)

ANSWER 8:

Yes

QUESTION 9:

Will there ever be a need to send news releases to Canada or other international markets? If so, how many?

ANSWER 9:

No

QUESTION 10:

Will all news releases be required to be disseminated to the US National wire network? Or will there ever be a need to limit the distribution to a specific US Region (which costs less)? If there will be regional vs. national, can you please provide a breakdown of expected volume for each network over the course of a Period of Performance?

ANSWER 10:

4B states “The contractor shall provide electronic distribution services and shall transmit CPSC news releases and other documents to national, local and Hispanic media, reaching a minimum of 3,000 media outlets.”

Most are to be sent to a U.S. national wire network. From time to time, local (US region) distribution is desired to reach specific areas of the country in a crisis. Our estimate is 195 releases distributed via a U.S national wire network and 5 to a local (US region) network per year.

QUESTION 11:

“Electronic distribution shall be transmitted via newswire within one (1) hour of electronic receipt from CPSC to the contractor.”

Does the one hour include any edits that must be submitted to and approved by CPSC? Example scenario: We receive a release for transmission at 2:00 AM CST, we quickly proofread and return edits to CPSC, then await final approval from CPSC staff. When does the one hour clock begin for wire distribution? Upon receipt of the initial release, or upon receipt of the final approved release?

This is an important distinction, given the time needed for the distribution vendor’s SOP to conduct its own quick release review proofreading / appropriateness, place required call to representing agency contact via phone to verify all information (headline, target media lost, etc.) and set system for immediate transmission.

ANSWER 11:

The one hour clock begins upon receipt of the final approved release from CPSC.

QUESTION 12:

Do you have any location restraints for the chosen agency partner within the U.S.?

ANSWER 12:

No

QUESTION 13:

Based on a quick scan of your press releases, it appears PRNewswire is your national news distribution service, which our team has used for 15+ years. Is that a correct assessment, and are you utilizing the national, regional, local and target list distribution options?

ANSWER 13:

4B states “The contractor shall provide electronic distribution services and shall transmit CPSC news releases and other documents to national, local and Hispanic media, reaching a minimum of 3,000 media outlets.”

QUESTION 14:

Are you at liberty to disclose any guidance on budget constraints as we craft our proposal?

ANSWER 14:

CPSC will not release budget information for this project.

QUESTION 15:

Instructions in the above referenced solicitation instruct the offeror to submit a complete SF1449 as part of Volume I (page 4). However, there is no SF1449 included as part of the documents posted on the notice. Can you please provide the SF1449 so it can be included as part of the submission as instructed.

ANSWER 15:

Please disregard the request to complete a SF1449. If you are awarded a contract, we will provide a SF1449 for your signature.