91990023R0004 Amendment 0001 SF30.pdf

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUISITION NUMBER 5. PROJECT NUMBER (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended. is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NUMBER

IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

Previous edition unusable

The purpose of this Solicitation Amendment 0001 is to provide responses to clarification questions and provide revised documents based on question responses.

1 26

91990023R00040001 OCT 20, 2022

CAMPCP

US Dept of ED-550 12th Street SW - Room 7169 Washington DC 20065

See Block 6

91990023R0004

OCT 04, 2022

See Schedule

Table of Contents

SECTION C DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C.1 Questions and Responses

SECTION L INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

L.1 Instructions to Offerors

SECTION M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 Evaluation Criteria

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SECTION C

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C.1 Questions and Responses

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Educat i o n Reso ur c e s Inform a t i o n Cent er

(“ERIC” )

Ques t io n s and Answer s

Quest io n 1: The instruc t ions state that "The offeror should also provide information on all indirec t costs, such as overhead , fee, and G&A, including the categories on which overhea d, fees, and G&A will be calculat ed . Similar business information shall also be submit ted for subcon t r ac to r s ." If a subcont r a c to r conside r s elemen t s of their price build up to be proprie t a ry (i.e. indirec t rates), may the subcont r a c to r submit a sealed package direc tly to the governm e n t , which provides all required cost detail?

Answer: Yes. If a subcont r ac to r is not willing to share its proprie t a ry information with the prime contrac to r , the subcont r ac to r may submit subcon t r ac to r packages directly to the contac t s listed above by the deadline listed above.

Quest io n 2: The instruc t ions state that "Offerors shall submit proposals with fully loaded labor rates and any applicable discount s from the GSA approved rates ." Can the governm e n t please confirm that this solicita tion is not released under a GSA schedule and that the require m e n t to provide applicable discount s from GSA approved rates is not applicable to this opportuni ty?

Answer: Yes. Please see the update d Instruc t ions .

Quest io n 3: The instruc t ions state that "Labor hours shall be proposed for the developme n t of costs, in the event that it becomes necessa ry to extend the period of performa nc e for up to 6 months beyond the stated period of performa nc e , in accordanc e with FAR 52.217- 8 Option to Extend Services." Is the governm e n t asking the contrac to r to propose a 6-month extension? If yes, should the 6-month extension be included within the Excel Budget Template?

Answer: Yes. Please see upda ted Instruc tions and budge t templat e .

Quest io n 4: Given similari ties in scope (IT services, reviews, communica t ions , etc.) betwee n ERIC and TOAST, would the Depar t m e n t consider using small business par ticipa t ion evalua tion crite ria similar to what is included in the TOAST solicita tion ("Small business es are performing substan tive work in a meaningful capacity.

A meaningful capacity is one in which small businesse s are

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performing work for which they are qualified, under a particula r task that is integral to the successful completion of the respec t ive tasks(s), and ultimate ly, to the require m e n t . Courier services, office supplies, meeting planning, or travel services are not considere d meaningful...)" ?

The small business calcula tion tool was not provided in the solicita tion. However , given the reasons noted above rega rding the similarit ies to TOAST, can we assume that the calcula tion tool will not be required?

Answer: Yes. Please see the update d Instruc t ions .

Quest io n 5: Is educa tion using RESTful web services or SOAP web services?

Answer: Please see: https://www.you tub e .com/wa tch?

v=SCIxFmJWgD4

Quest io n 7: Are personnel completing quality assuranc e tasks in ELVIS curren t ly contrac to r s or governm e n t employees?

Answer: All work in the ERIC contrac t is to be done as par t of the ERIC contrac t . The COR will review all output and recomm e n d it for accep ta nc e , but the contrac to r is responsible for quality assura nce .

Quest io n 8: Have any changes to the ELVIS system been made since the demonst r a t ion video recorded in 2017?

Answer: There have been routine updates , but no significant changes in functionali ty.

Quest io n 9: Is ELVIS still curren t ly hosted on Amazon Web Services? Can education share any details regarding the infras t ruc tu r e of the curren t solution?

Answer: Yes. ELVIS is hosted in the IES Data Cente r . The infras t ruc t u r e is described in the RFP.

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SECTION L

INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

L.1 Instructions to Offerors

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Version Date: October 20, 2022

INSTRUCTION S TO OFFERORS

Educat i o n Resour c e s Informa t i o n Center (ERIC)

I. Introdu c t i o n

All proposals received in response to this Reques t for Proposals (RFP) will become a par t of the official contrac t file. The RFP does not commit the U.S. Depar tm e n t of Education (Depar t m e n t ) to pay any cost for the prepa ra t ion and submission of a proposal. In addition, the Contrac t ing Officer is the only individual who can legally commit the Governm e n t to the expendi tu r e of public funds in connec tion with this proposed acquisition. The Depar t m e n t will not be obligated to provide any equipmen t or a work site.

Offerors shall prepa re separa t e technical and business /cos t proposals in response to this RFP. The technical proposals shall not contain referenc e to specific costs , although resource information may be included so that the offeror’s unders t a n ding of the scope of the work may be evaluate d .

Cost information is rest ric ted to the business proposal (with the limited exception of contrac t value data that offerors may include in the past perform anc e volume explained in great e r detail below). Each proposal shall be separa t e and complete so that evaluat ion of one may be accomplished independ e n t ly of the other. The proposed costs shall also be commens u r a t e with the proposed technical solution set forth in the technical proposal.

Sub mi s s i o n Inform at i o n:

The offeror shall submit their proposals as four separa t e digital files:

(1) Technical Proposal (including appendices and résumés)

(2) Business Proposal (nar ra t ive volume and price informat ion)

(3) Excel workbook using the attached budge t templat e

(4) Suppleme n t a l Excel workbook (optional)

(5) Past Performa nc e Volume

Offerors must submit files elect ronically as PDFs and unlocked Excel spreads h e e t s . All pages shall be 8 ½ x 11. All pages shall be numbe re d .

Vendor Questions:

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Version Date: October 20, 2022

The Depar t m e n t will accep t solicita tion questions . Offerors must submit all questions to Katie Opper (Katie.Oppe r@e d.gov ) with a cc to Joseph Gibbs (Joseph.Gibbs@ed.gov) no later than 1 PM Eastern on Octob er 18, 202 2 . The Depar t m e n t will not accept or respond to questions submit ted via mail, facsimile, or telephone. The Depar tm e n t cannot guaran t e e responses to questions submit ted after the stated deadline.

Proposal Sub mission :

The Depar t m e n t will only accept elect ronic proposals submit ted in accordanc e with the instruc t ions below. The Depar tm e n t will not accep t or review proposals submit ted by mail (public or private) or facsimile.

Elect ronic copies of proposals shall be emailed to Katie Opper (Katie.Oppe r@ed.gov ) with a cc to Joseph Gibbs (Joseph.Gibbs@ed.gov ) no later than 1 PM Eastern on Nove m b e r 4, 202 2 . The Depart m e n t ’ s email servers cann o t guara n t e e delivery of email s larger than 15MB . This size rest riction account s for possible expansion of file size due to cer tain Microsoft Cloud prope r t i es . Offerors must submit PDF versions of the Technical and Business Proposals, and Past Performa nc e Repor ts . Cost and price data should also be submit ted as a Microsoft Excel file (additional information is provided below). If attachm e n t s are too large for one individual email then offerors may submit more than one email as long as the email subject line clearly indicates that multiple emails will follow (e.g. “ERIC Proposal: One of Four”). If a subcon t r a c to r is not willing to share its proprie t a ry information with the prime contrac to r , the subcont r ac to r may submit subcon t r ac to r packages directly to the contac t s listed above by the deadline listed above.

II. Volu m e I: Tech ni c a l Propo s a l (Pag e Limit: 50 Page s )

Genera l instru c t i o n s :

The offeror must complet ely address all of the tasks described in the Performa nc e Work Statem e n t (PWS) and provide sufficient detail on the proposed approach for each task to allow a Technical Evaluat ion Panel (TEP) to adequa te ly evaluat e that approach. All information necessa ry to evalua te the technical soundne ss and manage m e n t capabili ties of the offeror will be contained in the technical proposal. The TEP will not make assumptions or guesses .

Technical proposals shall be no more than 50 double spaced pages (8 ½ x 11) in length, using a 12- point font and 1 inch margins.

Appendices do not count towards the 50- page limit. Below are

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some details about what may or may not be included in an Appendix:

- Tables and figures:

oOrganizat ional chart s may be single spaced and size 10 font. These should appea r in the body of the technical proposal, not in an Appendix.

oDeliverable Schedules may be in an Appendix. They shall have size 12 font and be double spaced. There is no page limit.

oThe Table of Time Commitme n t s of Staff may be single spaced. It shall have size 10 font and shall appea r in the body of the technical proposal , not in an Appendix.

oAll other tables and figures must have size 12 font and be double spaced. These should appea r in the body of the technical proposal , not in an Appendix.

- Résumés may be single spaced. They shall have a size 12 font. There is a limit of 10 résumés of up to 3 pages each. These shall be in an Appendix.

- There are no page limits for the lette rs of commitm e n t . These shall have a size 12 font and may be single spaced. These shall be in an Appendix.

- The Cover Page, Cover Letter , and Table of Content s are excluded from the page limit. These pages shall have at leas t a size 12 font and do not need to be double spaced.

When labeling appendices please keep in mind the concep t paper appendix naming require m e n t s discussed in item 10 below. Appendices for informat ion described above should begin with B and continue in sequence .

The Depar t m e n t will not review proposal pages that exceed the maximum page limit.

A résumé shall be included for up to 10 personnel named in the proposal . Each résumé must be no more than 3 pages and shall clearly demonst r a t e that individuals have the experience and exper tise to perform the work for which they are proposed.

While the intent of each task is stated in the PWS, it is the offeror’s responsibility to propose the most effective method for carrying out

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these tasks. Offerors are encoura g e d to sugges t technical improvem e n t s to the work for each task and subtask if appropria t e .

They may propose innovation or enhance m e n t s that achieve the same goals in a more efficient manne r , but any enhance m e n t s must be justified to explain why they are more cost effective without increasing error or shifting work to the governm e n t or anothe r contrac to r or grantee . Proposed enhance m e n t s shall be specific and demonst r a t e that the offeror has a firm unders t a n ding of the task and the poten tial risks and benefits of the proposed approach.

The task specifica tions contained in this RFP are a star ting point;

the proposal is expected to build on them by providing examples, where appropria t e , rathe r than simply repea t ing the languag e contained in the PWS. Repea ting the languag e of the PWS does not demonst r a t e an unders t a n ding of the require m e n t and will not receive a rating higher than marginal.

Proposals must include the following elemen t s , in the order specified.

Offerors can cross- referenc e betwee n sections in the proposal:

1. Cover Shee t

The cover sheet must include the name and address of the entity submit ting the proposal and be signed by an officer of the entity. The cover sheet does not count agains t the page limit.

2. Cover Letter

The Cover Letter must contain a clear list of all proposed subcon t r ac to r s , their small business status , and DUNS number s of the prime. The cover letter does not count agains t the page limit.

3. Table of Conten ts

The table of conten ts shall identify key authors of each section.

The offeror shall write the proposal in the order shown below.

The table of conten ts does not count agains t the page limit.

4. Introduc tion

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The offeror shall provide an introduc tion demonst r a t ing an unders t a n ding of the project and a familiari ty with the issues relevan t to the ERIC progra m. The overview shall briefly describe the technical approach the offeror proposes and provide rationales for why the proposed approach will meet the intent and requirem e n t s of the contrac t . The offeror shall highlight any unique featu re s or approache s included its proposal .

5. Technical Plan

The offeror shall provide details explaining the strat egies , opera tions , and procedu r e s it proposes , by task and subtask.

The offeror shall add details and propose specific solutions to demonst r a t e an unders t a n ding of the purpose, require m e n t s , complexities, and difficulties of this contrac t and how the offeror proposes to respond to them. Offerors shall not re- state the PWS, but shall instead use their exper t ise and unders t a n ding to propose a comprehe n sive proposal that builds upon the requirem e n t s stated in the PWS.

For each task in the PWS, the offeror shall provide the following information:

A broad descrip tion of the work – stra tegies , opera tions , procedu r es , and activities – that the offeror proposes to achieve all task objectives over the base year and option years of the contrac t period, including a schedule of deliverable s during the first year.

Specific detail on the stra tegie s , opera t ions , procedu r e s , activities and deliverables proposed for each task and subtask in the first year, including a justification for why these stra tegie s are the best option for the progra m.

A descrip tion of work that the offeror , including key personnel, has conduc ted in the past that demons t r a t e s that the offeror has the experience to carry out the task as described.

6. Proposed Personnel

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The offeror shall propose a list of up to 10 named personnel , including the project leaders hip, who will work on the contrac t . Each task must have designa te d task lead to be named as key personnel; however individuals are expected to lead more than one task. Key personnel are conside red essen tial to the performa nc e of the work and any changes in these personnel require the approval of the Depar tm e n t .

Additional personnel named in the proposal may or may not be designa te d as key personnel in the final contrac t but should not be responsible for large portions of technical direction and oversigh t during perform a nc e .

For each named individual, the offeror shall include their expected roles, and a descrip t ion of the experience and exper tise that the offeror believes qualifies these proposed staff to successfully complet e the work. These descrip tions shall be no more than one paragr a p h for each person that points towards the most relevant experience and qualifications that are applicable to the particula r task(s).

In a separa t e appendix, the offeror shall include résum és for these individuals and only these individuals. These résumé s should not exceed 3 pages and should include professional background , including degree s held and specializations , along with relevan t experience and related accomplishm e n t s .

In addition, this appendix shall contain letter s of commitme n t from all proposed subcont r a c to r s , consultan t s , professional staff not curren tly employed by the offeror, or collabora to r s . The appendix must also delinea t e the natu re of each agreem e n t and their commitm en t to the project if awarde d the contrac t .

7. Time Commitm en t s of Proposed Personnel.

The technical proposal must indicate the time commitme n t s to both federal and non- federal contrac tua l obligations (as well as outside consulting assignme n t s) by all named personnel , including subcont r ac to r s , assigned to this project. Assigned personnel must be identified by name along with the percen ta g e of their time allocated to those contrac tu al obligations . The offeror must indicate the numbe r of proposed hours of each staff person by subtask, and also describe the specific responsibilities of each proposed staff person. In addition, the offeror must indicate the numbe r of hours (and propor t ion of time) commit ted by each staff person by-year, to encompas s the

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full perform anc e period of the anticipa t ed contrac t . If the total proposed time commitme n t for ERIC and curren t contrac tu al obligations exceeds 100%, please provide informa tion on how you will transi tion those personnel to the ERIC project .

For purposes of estimating time, please assume the following optional tasks will be awarded in each year. This is not a guaran t e e and is subject to the availability of funds

- Task 2 exercised in Option Year 1 and Option Year 3 of the contrac t

- Task 6.2 exercised in Option Years 1-4 of the contrac t

- Task 7 exercised in Option Year 2 and Option Year 4 of the contrac t

- Task 8: assum e 1 webinar , 1 one- minute video, 1 3-5 minute video, and 1 infographic per year

- Task 13 will not be exercised

- Task 14.1 will be exercised in the base year, 14.2 and14.3 in Option Year 1, 1.4 in Option Years 2-4

- Task 15 exercised in Option Year 5 of the contrac t

The contrac to r shall use the attached Excel budge t templa te to form required tables. Any deviations from the templa t e must be clearly noted and changes may not alter the informat ion needed in the final tables. The contrac to r may submit additional information in a separa t e budge t workshe e t .

Projec t Leader s h i p: The offeror shall ensure that the following personnel meet the specified criteria . Additional individuals may be task leads and the individuals named below may serve as task leads for tasks not mentioned below:

Proje c t Direc t o r : The offeror shall propose a Project Director to lead the project . The Director will serve as the Task Lead for Task 1 and may also be a task lead for other tasks. The Director shall repres en t a combina tion of exper tise in the areas of developing bibliographic records and metada t a , developing and maintain a selection policy, developing and managing applica tions in an environme n t similar to the IES Data Cente r , digitizing microfiche, and creating communica t ion product s and protocols. The direc tor shall have experienc e leading a team of at least 20 individuals and be at leas t 50% FTE throughou t the dura tion of the contrac t . The Director shall be an empl oy e e of the prime contrac t or .

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Publ i s h e r Rela t i o n s Lead (Tas k 2, 3, 11, and 14.3 ) : The publishe r relations lead shall demonst r a t e experienc e developing and maintaining a selection policy, working with others to improve a selection, and an unders t a n ding of the educa tion resea r ch publishing indus t ry. They shall have established connections with publishe r s and be responsible for building a team to oversee the execution of publishe r agreem e n t s and publisher metrics repor t s . The publisher relations lead shall commit 40% FTE throughout the dura t ion of the contrac t .

Indexi n g Lead (Tas k 4, 6, 7, 10): The indexing lead shall demonst r a t e experience developing bibliographic records , associa ting metada t a , managing a databas e similar in size and scope to the curren t require m e n t , and upda ting and using controlled vocabula ries .

They shall have experience managing the work of a team of at least 10 individuals. The indexing lead shall commit 80% FTE throughout the dura tion of the contrac t .

Com m u n i c a t i o n s Lead (Tas k s 8 and 13): The Dissemina tion Lead shall demons t r a t e a genera l exper tise in dissemina tion best practices and exper tise in Plain Language guidelines . The Communica t ions Lead shall also have r elevant graphics exper t ise and sufficient experience in producing infographics, videos, and managing a help desk. Experience dissemina ting information within the federal space, including familiarity with the require m e n t s of the Institu te of Educa tion Sciences (IES) Data Cente r and the IES Newsflash System is recomm e n d e d , but not required . The Dissemina t ion Lead shall commit at least 30% time throughou t the dura tion of the contrac t .

8. Mana g e m e n t Plan and Timel in e s

The offeror shall provide a summary descrip tion of the manage m e n t control system that will be used internally for planning, scheduling, budge ting , managing, and repor t ing the accomplishm e n t s over the course of the contrac t performa nc e . The offeror must describe how the internal manage m e n t control system will be applied to the work of this proposal as specified in the PWS and the evalua tion criteria . The proposed manage m e n t system should include procedu r e s for the following: (1) effective manage m e n t of project resources ; (2) procedu r e s for controlling the quality of produc ts /se rvices; and (3) procedu r e s for early identification of potential problems in carrying out task activities.

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In addition to describing the manage m e n t system, the offeror shall presen t the following information:

An organizat ional chart for the project showing responsible par ties and lines of authori ty for each task.

An internal quality control plan that address e s accoun ta bili ty in each task and subtask area must be provided. This shall include the review process for deliverables before they are submit ted to the COR and shall include which individuals are responsible for assuring that all work is complet e , accura t e , and free of error s and omissions . This quality control plan shall be included in the technical proposal and not in an Appendix.

Sub- contrac tu al or teaming arrang e m e n t s including the work to be perform ed , responsibilities for tasks, repor t ing arrang e m e n t s , and any other terms of the agree m e n t . This informa tion shall be included in a lette r of commitm en t from the proposed subcon t r ac to r (s) or partne r s delinea t ing the natur e of the agreem e n t . This information should be included as an Appendix.

A schedule of task activities and the delivery of product s in calenda r weeks and the inter r ela t ionship of tasks throughou t the first year of the project . This may be in the Appendix.

In summa ry, the manage m e n t approach should provide a clear indication that all tasks can be completed on time and with a high level of quality.

9. Organiza t i o n a l Capabi l i t i e s , Experie n c e & Reso ur c e s

This section must describe pertinen t corpora t e experience and qualifications in conduc ting the tasks/sub ta sks outlined in the PWS.

This section must also briefly identify the organiza t ion’s track record of recrui ting and maintaining well- qualified resear ch e r s and staff, resources (other than personnel), such as facilities and equipmen t , that are available for use in carrying out the activities of this project .

III. Volum e II: Busin e s s Propo s a l (No Page Limit)

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Each Offeror’s business proposal must contain enough information for a cost realism dete rmina t ion to be made. Offerors are expected to use their best business judgmen t in submit ting the necessa ry information. The Source Selection Official (Contrac t ing Officer) can reject an Offeror’s proposal if a nega tive cost realism dete rmina t ion is made, or if proposed prices are found to NOT be reasonable . Federa l Acquisition Regula tion (FAR) 15.404- 1 states , “Cost realism means the costs in an Offeror’s proposal are a) realistic for the work to be performe d; b) reflect a clear unders t a n ding of the requirem e n t s ; and c) are consisten t with the various element s of the Offeror’s technical proposal.” As such, Offerors proposals must contain identification of cost or pricing data (i.e., data that are verifiable and factual) and an explana tion of the estimating process . When applicable, the following items must be specifically identified; e.g., Other Adminis t ra t ive Data (Refer to FAR 15.408, Table 15- 2 I.C.).

Page Limitat io n

There is no page limita tion for the business proposal. Please verify that the conten ts of the business proposal are mathe m a t ically accura t e and the suppor t ing data reconcile in the proposal.

All text in a narra t ive volume shall be in size 12 font and double spaced.

All char t s in the business proposal shall not be smaller than font size 10.

There are no spacing or size rest ric tions for Excel volumes.

Anticip at e d Contrac t Type

The Depar t m e n t anticipa te s awarding a hybrid Firm- Fixed Price and Time and Materials contrac t . The PWS describes which tasks are each designa tion.

Propos e d Costs

The offeror shall submit proposed costs for each task and subtask, and for the project overall, to encompa ss the entire period of performa nc e .

The proposed budge t for each task (and subtask) must include the numbe r of hours each staff person is expected to commit . The prices shall be inclusive and reflect the cost of needs sensing.

Offerors must submit the following information with their business proposal:

1. Cover Shee t

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The Depar t m e n t reques t s that offerors provide the following information on the cover shee t of the business proposal:

1) Solicita tion Numbe r (ED- IES- 15- R-0016 )

2) The name and DUNS of offeror and the sub-contrac to r s

3) The percen t a g e of the total proposed budge t that will be given to each subcont r ac to r

The cover sheet shall list the names and telephone number s of persons authorized to conduc t negotia tions and a statem e n t that your offer is firm for a period of at least 180 calenda r days from the date of receip t of offers specified by the Governme n t .

2. Price Infor ma t i o n

The business proposal shall include a separa t e cost estimate for each task and subtask for all five years of performa nc e .

Business proposals that do not provide separa t e breakou t s for each task and subtask are unaccep ta ble, and the Depar t m e n t will not conside r your proposal for award.

The business proposal shall include detailed cost breakdow ns for staff, consultan t s , subcont r ac to r s , travel, supplies, compute r costs, etc., for each task (separa t e ly). The offeror should provide information on the assumptions underlying estimate s of direc t costs. The offeror should also provide information on all indirec t costs, such as overhea d, fee, and G&A, including the categories on which overhea d, fees, and G&A will be calcula ted . Similar business informa tion shall also be submitt ed for subcont r ac to r s .

The offeror shall also provide a deliverables schedule showing all contrac t prices for the first year of performa nc e (note that this is in addition to the Price Matrix that outlines Firm- Fixed Price costs for all years as described in great e r detail below). The offeror shall submit suppor t ing information documen t ing their price build up by year. The offerors shall submit adequa te data to allow complet e analysis and evaluat ion of proposed prices. If necessa ry, the Depar tm e n t will reques t other than cost and pricing data to dete rmine that prices are conside red fair and reasona ble.

Food costs are not allowable under any circums ta nc es , and offerors shall not include food costs in their proposals.

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Pricing Matrix for Fixed Price Deliverables:

Offerors mu s t use the pricing matrix in the attached Excel templa t e to provide Firm- Fixed Price (FFP) information for all five years of performa nc e for the FFP tasks only. This matrix will dete rmine the prices for fixed price deliverables .

The Depar t m e n t has provided a templa te to assist with this process .

Offerors may add or delete deliverables consisten t with its technical solution.

Budge t Template:

Offerors mu s t use the attached budge t templat e to crea te standa rdized templa te s and tables. They may modify the table to make any correc t ions , but the information specified in the tables must remain in the format in the templat e .

3. Cost Accou n t i n g , Estimat i n g , and Purcha s i n g Syste m Inform at i o n

The offeror must include informat ion on the status of its accoun ting system, estimating system, purchasing system. If these systems have been reviewed and approved by a Governm en t Agency, include a copy of the approval letter . If they have not, offerors must state so and provide a justifica tion for all proposed costs .

4. Breakd o w n s for Other Direct Costs and Other Reso urc e s

Offerors must submit proposed costs itemized for each task/sub t a sk , as well as a total proposed cost for the entire work to be perform ed .

The proposed budge t for each task and subtask must indicate the numbe r of hours being proposed for each staff person and breakdowns of direct charges for mate rials, supplies, consultant s , equipmen t , telephone , copying, travel, and any other major budge t items, as well as indirec t cost rates used in prepa ring the cost estimate . Indirec t cost rates shall be proposed in accordanc e with an offeror’s curren t provisional billing rate agree m e n t . A copy of curren t indirec t rate agree m e n t s shall be provided in the business proposal.

The business proposal must also include costs itemized by project year.

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5. Subc o n tr a c t or Cost( s )

Offerors must submit its price/cos t analyses of all subcon t r a c to r s proposed whose costs exceed the threshold for certified cost or pricing data (as applicable). The following informat ion must be address e d (as applicable):

In accordanc e with FAR 52.215- 22 Limitations on Pass-through Charges – Identification of Subcon t r ac t Effort, if applicable, if the Offeror intends to subcon t r ac t more than 70% of the total cost of work to be perform ed , the proposal must identify (i) the amount of the offeror’s indirec t costs and profit applicable to the work to be performe d by the subcont r ac to r ( s) and (ii) a descrip t ion of the added value provided by the offeror as related to the work to be performe d by the subcon t r a c to r (s) .

6. Labor Rates

Offerors shall submit proposals with unloaded labor rates.

Additionally, offerors must submit data that shows how the fully loaded rates are developed (e.g. base rate and any additional costs that comprise the loaded rate). The labor mix and labor categories proposed must be consis ten t with the personnel proposed in the technical proposal.

Labor hours shall be proposed for the developme n t of costs , in the event that it becomes necessa ry to extend the period of performa nc e for up to 6 months beyond the stated period of performa nc e , in accordanc e with FAR 52.217- 8 Option to Extend Services. For purposes of budge ting, the contrac to r shall assume the same level of effort for the 6 month extension as year 4.

This information may be submit ted in char t form.

7. Cons ul t a n t Costs

Any rate higher than $800 per day for proposed consultan t s requires a written justification, as well as a statem e n t from the proposed consultan t that the proposed rate is what they have charged the Federa l Governm en t , or a state or local governm e n t within the past 12 months . The hourly rate used to develop the proposed consultan t rates must also be provided.

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8. Confl ic t of Intere s t (COI) and COI Plan

Offerors and all proposed consultan t s and subcont r a c to r s must complete the Conflict of Interes t Certifica tion contained in Section K of this solicita tion, and include it in their business proposal.

Offerors must submit a Conflict of Intere s t Plan (Plan), providing details on its policies and procedu re s to identify and avoid poten tial organiza t ional or personal conflicts of intere s t (or appare n t conflicts of interes t ) . The Plan must also address procedu re s taken to neutr alize or mitigat e such conflicts, if they have not been or cannot be avoided. The Plan should indicate that such policies and procedu r e s are opera t ive throughout the period of performa nc e of the contrac t . The policies should address , at a minimum, gifts, outside activities financial interes t s , or other significan t connec tions or identifica tions that would establish, or give the appea r a nc e of establishing, a conflict of interes t . A method for periodically reviewing financial interes t s of employees , subcont r a c to r s and consultan t s , and their immedia t e families, in order to assess actual or appa re n t conflicts of interes t should be included in the plan. In this clause, the term “poten tial conflict” means reasona bly foresee able conflict of interes t .

The thoroughn e s s , completen e ss , and effectivenes s of the Plan will be evaluat ed as par t of the offeror’s overall proposal. The Plan will be incorpora t e d into the contrac t awarded to the successful offeror.

IV. Volum e III: Past Perfor m a n c e (Pag e Limit: 15 Page s )

The Depar t m e n t will evaluate an offeror’s past perform anc e .

Offerors shall submit narra t ive information about a selection of up to 5 of the offeror’s most recent contrac t s (State , Federa l , or private indus t ry), grants , or other compara ble project completed in the last three years or curren tly in process but beyond the first year of perform anc e , which are of similar size, scope, complexity or, in any way, are relevan t to the effort required by this solicita tion in a separa t e Past Performa nc e Proposal, The contrac t s may include those ente re d into with the Federal Governm e n t , agencies of State and local governm e n t s and commercial customer s . Contrac t s with the paren t company or an affiliate of the offeror may not be used.

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Offerors should submit brief summarie s of such work and include the names, curren t affiliations, and curren t telephone number s of the customer . All similar federal contrac t s should be included.

The offeror shall provide information on problems encoun t e r e d on the contrac t s and subcon t r a c t s identified above and correc tive actions taken to resolve those problems. Offerors should not provide only genera l information on their perform anc e on identified contrac t s .

The offeror may describe any quality awards or certifica tions that indicate the offeror produces high- quality services and produc ts . If applicable, the offeror shall describe the segmen t of the company, institution, or organiza tion that received the award or certifica tion and when it was bestowed. If the award or certifica tion is more than three years old, the offeror shall presen t evidence that the qualifications still apply.

The offeror shall not include cost information for its curren t proposed technical solution in the past performa nc e volume, but shall include this information in the business proposal. However , the offeror may include the value of each project described in the Past Perform anc e Volume.

The Governm e n t rese rves the right to contac t past performa nc e referenc es to verify the information provided, and the Governm e n t also rese rves the right to obtain past performa nc e informa tion from other sources such as PPIRS and eSRS. The Governme n t may use eSRS informat ion to dete rmine the contrac to r’s past perform a nce as it relates to meeting small business subcont r ac t ing goals.

The format ting require m e n t s for the Past Performa nc e Volume are identical to those require m e n t s for the Technical Volume.

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SECTION M

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 Evaluation Criteria

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ERIC

Basi s of Award: Award will be made to the contrac to r whose offer conforms to the solicitation, has no deficiencies (as defined in FAR 15.001), and is most advantag eo us to the Governme n t , price and other factors conside red . Although price/cost is an impor tan t factor, technical merit is significantly more import an t than price. As technical merit becomes more equal , price/cost will become a more significan t factor.

The competi t ive range will include all offerors with a rating of “very good” or “good” on each technical evaluat ion criterion. The evaluat ion criteria are listed below in descending order of impor tance .

1. Quali ty and credibi l i ty of the gen era l approac h to the Perfor m a n c e Work State m e n t . Approach to accomplishing each task and the full set of tasks in the core contrac t is complete and feasible within the proposed time frames

Demonst r a t e s an unders t a n ding of the purpose and context of the contrac t , the major issues and objectives, potential challenges , and how a cohere n t body of ERIC work is the cumulat ive resul t of project s that fall under differen t tasks.

Proposed approach for accomplishing each task and the full set of tasks in the core contrac t is complete and feasible within the proposed time frames.

Demonst r a t e s a clear unders t an d ing of the challenges facing the project and a well though t- out solution about how best to address those challenges .

Proposal demonst r a t e s a clear and compreh e n s ive knowledge of the skills, resourc es , and stra tegies needed to complete the work.

Proposed plan is clearly written, coheren t , well organized, and demonst r a t e s a commitm en t to detail and high quality work.

2. Qualif i ca t i o n s of the projec t staff Collectively possess exper t ise and experienc e:

Proposed key project staff have proposed adequa t e time commitme n t s to this project (as defined in the Instruc tions to Offerors)

Proposed project staff have combined depth of experience and education/t r a ining in the following areas:

o Databas e manage m e n t o Developing bibliographic records o Writing abst rac t s o Developing relationships with external stakeholde rs

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o Familiari ty with the publishing process o Developing and maintaining applica tions in the IES Data Cente r o Creating and conver ting documen t s to be 508 compliant o Exper tise developing social media update s , hosting webinar s , and crea ting communica t ions mate rials o Experience maintaining a help desk o Creating or upda ting selection policies

Several staff have experienc e working with applica tions in the IES Data Cente r and would be able to gain access to the system upon award.

3. Tech ni c a l and man a g e r i a l qualif i ca t i o n s and experi e n c e of the propo s e d projec t lead er s h i p . The project leaders hip has:

Dedicated has adequa t e time commit ted to the project.

Demonst r a t e d exper t ise and experienc e supervising the work of a team of at least 15 professionals and the overall quality of their work on many tasks simultaneously

Demonst r a t e d ability to adhere to project schedules , keep costs within budge t , and manage the work of subcont r ac to r s

Exper tise in running large scale opera t ions that are similar in scope and scale to the curren t require m e n t

Demonst r a t e d depth of relevant exper tise in the following areas:

o Developing and maintaining online databas e s of bibliographic records o Creating or maintaining applica tions in the IES Data Cente r o Unders t a n ding of the publishing process o Developing communica t ion mate r ials .

4. Soun d n e s s of the mana g e m e n t plan and task/ t i m e com m i t m e n t s of staff . The offeror:

Proposes a sound and feasible approach to assuring the quality of project work and produc ts

Proposes a project team that demonst r a t e s an efficient use of staff with clearly defined lines of authori ty and responsibili ties, and staff assignme n t s match their exper t ise

Demonst r a t e s effective control of tasks and resource allocations that will ensure the timely completion of tasks/deliverable s within the proposed budge t

Clear explana tion of how problems will be solved and how the contrac to r will work to remedy them

Provides evidence of strong corpora t e commitm en t to manage r i al oversight as evidenced by a clear and effective approach to problem identifica tion and resolution, and/or a clear corpora t e structu r e s for project oversigh t

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Has strong system for monitoring project budge t s and expendi tu r e s Describes a clear and convincing quality control plan that will ensure that deliverable s are timely, complete , free of error s, and demonst r a t e the level of effort needed to successfully complete the task

5. Corporat e expert i s e , capabi l i ty, and overs i g h t . Demonst r a t e d experience with projects of a similar scale and scope

Provided evidence of strong corpora t e commitme n t to manage r ia l oversight as evidenced by, for example, a clear and effective approach to problem identifica tion and resolution, or a clear corpora t e hiera rchy for project oversight

Has experienc e recrui ting and retaining well qualified staff

6. Vendor Past Perfor m a n c e Demonst r a t e d relevant past perform anc e in terms of quality, problem resolution, cost control, timeliness , business relations and custome r service.

7. Smal l Busin e s s Partic ip a t i o n

Small businesse s are performing substan t ive work in a meaningful capacity. A meaningful capacity is one in which small business es are performing work for which they are qualified, under a particula r task that is integral to the successful completion of the respec t ive tasks(s), and ultimate ly, to the require m e n t . Courier services, office supplies, meeting planning, or travel services are not considere d meaningful.

Small business offerors will receive the highes t rating for this crite rion and are not required to submit a Small Business Subcon t r a c t ing Plan.

Evaluat io n Factor s The following adject ival rating s shall be applied for each evaluation factor:

Very Good: The offeror’s proposed solution exceeds the specified performa n c e or capability in a beneficial way to the Depar t m e n t . The solution does not contain inconsis ten ci es or incompa tibilities. The respons e to this criterion has multiple streng th s in meeting the require m e n t s . The proposal may or may not contain weakness e s , but any weakness e s that exist can easily be remedied. This rating is consisten t with a very low risk of unsuccessful contrac t performa n c e based on this factor.

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Good: The offeror’s proposed solution meets the performa n c e or capability standa r d s . The solution contains minor or insignifican t inconsis te ncie s or incompa tibilities. The response to this criterion has streng t hs and may or may not have weakness e s , but the streng t hs outweigh the weaknesse s and the weakness e s can be remedied without change s to staffing or budget . This rating is consisten t with a low risk of unsuccessful contrac t performa n c e based on this factor.

Margin a l: The offeror’s proposed solution fails to meet some of the performa n c e or capability standa r d s . The solution contains inconsis te ncie s or flaws that could jeopardize performa n c e . The response to this crite rion may have streng ths , but these streng t h s are offset by multiple weakness e s or significant weaknes se s . Some or all of these weakness e s and significant weakness e s cannot be remedied without change s to budget or staffing. This rating is consisten t with a modera t e risk of unsuccessful contrac t performa n c e based on this factor.

Poor: The offeror’s proposed solution fails to meet the minimum performa n c e require m e n t s . The solution contains numerou s inconsis te ncie s or weakness e s . The respons e may contain streng th s , but these are minimal and strongly outweighe d by the weakness e s and multiple significant weakness e s presen t . The respons e to this criterion require s extensive revision that amounts to a rewrite of multiple sections of the proposal in order to be good or very good. The weakness e s and significant weaknes se s cannot be address e d without significant impacts to budget or staffing. This rating is consisten t with a high risk of unsuccessful contrac t performa n c e based on this factor.

The following definitions shall be applied appropria t ely by Panel Members when evalua ting a proposed solution and docume nt ing technical evaluation findings:

Stren g t h – An attribute in the proposal , which can be beneficial to the progra m or grea tly increas e the probability of successful contrac t performa n c e .

Weakn e s s – An attribute in the proposal that is a flaw in the proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contrac t performa n c e .

Signi f i c a n t weakn e s s e s —An attribu te in the proposal that appreciably increase s the risk of unsuccessful contr ac t perform a n c e . It is unable to be address ed without change s to the technical approac h, staffing approach, or manag e m e n t struc tu re .

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