Attachment_1_RFI_BID2025.docx

Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response Washington, D.C. 20201

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

AGENCY: Health and Human Services (HHS)/Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)/Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)

ACTION: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Nonetheless, vendors should properly mark their responses if the information is confidential or proprietary. Furthermore, those who respond to this RFI should not anticipate feedback with regards to its submission other than acknowledgment of receipt, should the vendor request an acknowledgement. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government and will not be returned. Vendors are solely responsible for all expense associated with responding to this RFI.

PURPOSE OF RFI

BARDA is seeking vendors to provide a venue and audiovisual services to support the production of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA) Industry Day (BID) conference, a 3-day event slated to take place between April 21 – May 22, 2025. The purpose of the RFI is to gather information from potential vendors about venue availability, services, capabilities, and technical expertise to help inform the planning of the event. The information gathered from the RFI will be used to refine BARDA’s event requirements, which will be reflected in the Request for Proposal. An interested vendor must submit sufficient documentation, in accordance with current industry best practices and standards, demonstrating the ability to meet the following minimum requirements.

RFI RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

Administrative Response Requirements

Section 1 of the capability statements shall provide administrative information. The Administrative Response section should be no longer than two (2) pages in length, and include at a minimum the following information:

i. The vendor’s official name, address, and phone number

ii. Point of Contact information, including name, phone number, and email address

iii. The vendor’s country of origin

iv. If applicable, one URL for the vendor’s official website.

Technical Response Requirements

Section 2 of the capability statements shall provide answers to the following that will enable the Government to understand how an offeror will be able to meet the Government’s needs. The Technical Response section is limited to ten (10) pages.

i. What capabilities can you provide that meet the needs specified in the scope section?

ii. What is your cost estimate for this project and if possible, break it out by event day?

a. Cost estimate for the Venue portion

b. Cost estimate for the AV portion

c. Can you provide a per head cost for basic coffee service from 8-12 daily (only include, regular, decaf, creamer, sweetener, and ice water) broken out by attendee.

iii. Provide a brief description of services and business size.

iv. Does your company have the certifications, skillsets, and talent for this service?

a. Please identify the required licenses and permits to hold the event at your location

v. Do the requirements contain information that would enable you to adequately respond to a future Request for Proposal (RFP)?

a. Is there any aspect of this requirement that may limit or restrict your ability to bid?

vi. Does your company have the capability to perform all required services in-house?

a. If your company cannot perform all services entirely, please identify which service(s) your company can perform. (Example: Audio/Video support)

b. If your company cannot perform all services entirely, please identify which service(s), if any, would require a third-party vendor for completion (i.e., using an AV vendor, renting additional equipment, contracting additional staff, etc.)

vii. If applicable, please select the NAICS code you believe is most appropriate for this requirement. The NAICS codes currently under consideration include:

a. 72 Accommodation and Food Service

b. 51 Information

viii. Are there other considerations that have not been covered that the Government should be aware of when evaluating and selecting potential vendors for this event?

ix. What technical information does the Government need to provide to support accurate proposals (e.g., cost, performance, schedule) for any future solicitations?

x. Can you share with us an example of how this contract could be structured to meet the requirements outlined above?

a. Are there any items that should be added to or changed in the draft terms and conditions? (Attachment 3)

b. Are there any items that should be removed from the draft terms and conditions? (Attachment 3)

xi. Has your company provided this type of service before? If yes, please provide a recent example of the event held including:

a. Place of performance,

b. Agency/Customer,

c. POC, or

d. No, our company has not provided these services.

xii. After reviewing the package, do you have any suggestions or questions about this requirement? The Government will not post questions or responses. If any changes do occur, they will be incorporated in the RFP.

Notes

· As a reminder, the Federal Government is exempt from hotel taxes.

· The information obtained may be utilized in the preparation of a Request for Proposal (RFP) provided BARDA finds it in its best interest.

· Responders are encouraged to review this RFI and determine if they can meet BARDA’s requirements as identified above.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Responses must be submitted via e-mail only to the Contract Specialist, Heidi Treadway, at heidi.treadway@hhs.gov as well as the Contracting Officer, Devin FitzMaurice, at devin.fitzmaurice@hhs.gov no later than Thursday, March 22, 2024 at 10:00 am EST. The subject line of the email should contain the project name (BID2025). Respondents shall mark all copyrighted information, data, and materials with appropriate restrictive legends (i.e., confidential, privileged, proprietary, trade-secret). Please note that non-federal BARDA personnel performing advisory and assistance services will have access to any submission under this RFI. All non-federal BARDA personnel are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to accessing the RFI responses.

Responses to this RFI shall be written using Times New Roman 12-point fort. Submissions shall be made using Microsoft Office or Adobe Acrobat applications.

DISCLAIMER:

Pursuant under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10, the intent for this RFI is to conduct market research. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotation. This announcement does not constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Quote (RFQ), or a Request for Proposal (RFP), and it should not be construed as a commitment of any kind by the Government to issue a formal solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses to this notice cannot be accepted as offers. The sole purpose of the RFI is to assist the Agency in crafting the appropriate solicitation and shall be used for information purposes only. Any proprietary information will be protected, if appropriately marked. The information provided is entirely voluntary and will not impact the ability to submit on future requirements.

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