Vendor Q and A - Department Responses.pdf

Number Attachment Section Questions Response

RFQ

91990024Q0078

Combined Synopsis-

Solicitation

N/A

The instructions for the Technical Ability volume include “visuals of news briefs”. Will visuals/sample briefs be excluded from the 5-page limit on this volume? Visual examples are not included in the 5-page limit.

2 N/A N/A

Will the Government require a feedback period to review briefs and request edits to content before the daily brief is sent via email or published online? No.

3 N/A N/A

Does the Government have a current newsletter template that the awarded vendor should replicate?

If so, can the government share an example?

No replication or example template is required.

4 N/A N/A

How large is the intended audience of the daily news digest? The Daily News Digest can be utilized by all Department personnel.

5 N/A N/A

Are there different recipient groups of the daily news digest, and if so, does the Government require multiple versions to suit each audience? No, one version.

6 N/A N/A

Would the Government like for there to be an executive summary (4-5 sentences of human analysis outlining the key themes of the days’ news?) in each digest?

No.

7 N/A N/A

Would the Government like per-article summaries? If so, would the government feel comfortable with AI-driven summaries as a means to reduce cost?

In accordance with PWS 2.1 the digest summaries must be human-curated.

8 N/A N/A

Would the Government like to include any of the following on a per-article basis: reach, social media sharing buttons, email sharing buttons? No.

9 N/A N/A

Does the Government intend to access the vendor’s online platform to view and share the Media Analytics Dashboards, perform searches, schedule alerts, generate ad-hoc reports, and monitor custom dashboards with options for dozens of metrics?

A. If so, how many users will require access to the platform?

B. If not, does the Government intend for the vendor to deliver daily dashboards?

The Department will need access to an online digest in accordance with PWS 2.2.

10 N/A N/A

Are there any additional features or tools that the Government is interested in hearing about from vendors (e.g. podcast monitoring, reporting on owned social media performance, external audience segmentation and demographics, website newsfeeds, etc.)?

No.

11 N/A N/A

Are proposals improved by inclusion of compliant samples of the various deliverables? Only visuals of news brief capability is being requested.

12 N/A N/A

If so, would ED benefit from offerors being required to submit sample deliverables on a common day on a specified deadline to provide ED a true apples comparison?

N/A, the Department is not requesting sample deliverables.

13 N/A N/A

Would a sample deliverable count against the 5-page limit for the technical response?

See answer to Question 12.

14 N/A N/A

Does ED require each ar�cle found to be verified for its relevance, categorized, and ordered by a human analyst?

Yes.

15 N/A N/A

Would ED prefer or require tools that would link media contacts cited in the News Clips Service to the Media Contacts Management System?

16 N/A N/A

Does ED require Spanish language coverage of all topics and keywords of interest? Or are there certain topics/keywords that ED priori�zes for Spanish language coverage?

Spanish articles should follow the same coverage criteria as English articles in accordance with PWS 2.1.2.

17 N/A N/A

Does ED require that abstracts or summaries of Spanish language coverage be translated into English?

Yes, in accordance with PWS 2.1 “the digest must include an English summary of news articles published in Spanish.”

18 Attachment 1 2.1

Within the Performance Work Statement, “2.1 Email and Print Version of the Daily News Digest”:

a. Does “Email and Print” mean the email body and atached Microso� Word document? Or

a. Yes, email body and attached Microsoft Word document.

b. Email body must contain a mobile friendly index containing is the Department of Educa�on (“DOE”) looking for a physical print version delivered as well?

b. Does the reference below mean a) the email body must contain a mobile friendly index containing ar�cle headlines and page numbers from the digest and b) the digest (i.e., Microso� Word atachment) will contain the human curated abstracts / summaries and links to actual source ar�cles? It is not clear where the DOE prefers the links to the ar�cles – in the email body or digest?

i. Reference: “The email distribu�on must be mobile phone friendly and feature an index, lis�ng headlines and page numbers for all ar�cles in the digest. Links to the actual news stories must be included to the maximum extent possible.”

c. Does the reference below mean that there should be at least 40 ar�cles in total per digest or 40 ar�cles per source within the digest?

i. Reference: “The digest must include human-curated abstracts or summaries of at least 40 educa�on ar�cles per issue gathered from newspapers, wire services, network newscasts, news article headlines and page numbers, links must be included in the email body to the maximum extent possible. The Microsoft Word version must be a downloadable digest containing the human curated abstracts / summaries and links to actual source ar�cles.

c. At least 40 articles per digest issue.

d. Search functions should work in the online version via the vendor quoted solution.

magazines, educa�on trade press, educa�on blogs, college papers and other news outlets.”

d. With respect to the reference below, how does the DOE want to be able to search within the archive? Do they desire a web-based pla�orm or a cumula�ve Word Document or another desired format? This reference appears to be referencing the Online Version of the Daily News Digest, not the Email and Print version.

i. It is stated that the digests must be “archived by date with a keyword search capability that enables users to retrieve summaries of specific ar�cles and links to the actual stories.”

19 Attachment 1 2.1.1.1

Within the Performance Work Statement, “2.1.1.1 Features of the Print Daily News Digest: Media and Analytics Dashboard”:

a. Can you please further expand on the “prominence” requirement? Is the DOE looking to tag the various thematic sections (listed in Section 2.1) to each article by primary, secondary, etc.

classification?

b. Can you please expand on this requirement as we do not understand it?

i. “Key messages, whether important Education messaging

a. Prominence refers to the type of periodical, TV or other news source.

b. “Key messaging” is what is coming out of OCO to the public.

c. No. No.

is present in news coverage.”

c. The Analytics Dashboard is listed as a feature of the Print Digest, but its functionality – sorting data by date, media type, source;

ability to toggle metrics; ability to export – implies a web-based platform. Is the DOE looking for a web-based platform that displays the various metrics and requirements for the actual print digest for that day? Do you mean the Analytics Dashboard should be included in the Online Version of the Daily News Digest?

20 Attachment 1 2.1.1.2

Within the Performance Work Statement, “2.1.1.2 Features of the Print Daily News Digest: Other Features”:

a. Does the DOE want the “What’s Happening Today” event summary to be included in the print daily news digest or on the web-based platform or both?

The email/print version only.

21 Attachment 1 2.1.3

Within “2.1.3 Special Requests”:

a. The requirement states that the

DOE anticipates “perhaps three special searches per year” and “a travel briefing…may be needed to be emailed to OCO leadership throughout the performance period.”

i. Can the DOE put more defined, quantified needs around these two special requests? For example, “up to three special a(i). PWS 2.1.4 has been updated to reflect “up to six special searches a year.”

a(ii). In accordance with PWS

2.1.4 Travel briefings would

include an email to OCO leadership of local news stories relevant to where the Secretary of Education travels.

requests” or “X number of travel briefings per year”? This will help us with pricing given the firm-fixed price contract.

ii. Can the DOE expand on the format and/or what is to be included in the special requests and travel briefings?

22 Attachment 1 2.2

Within “2.2 Online Version of the Daily News Digest”:

a. With respect to Section 508 compliance, do we need to submit anything for this RFQ to demonstrate 508 compliance? (I.e., a completed VPAT form) If so, can this be excluded from the Technical Ability 5 page limit?

There is no submission requirement for PWS 2.2.

23 N/A N/A

Approximately how many individuals will be on the email distribu�on list?

The Daily News Digest can be utilized by all Department personnel.

24 N/A N/A

Within the Technical Ability submission, can offerors submit an example Email and Print Digest? Can examples be excluded from the 5 page limit?

See answer to question 1.

25 N/A N/A

Is there a current incumbent contractor for this RFQ?

If so,

a. Can you please provide the current vendor and contract number?

b. Can you please provide any information on whether the incumbent is eligible to bid on this RFQ?

a. Bulletin Intelligence LLC, 91990019P0016

b. No.

26 N/A N/A

If there is a current incumbent contractor for this RFQ, can you please provide any specific deficiencies or specific features lacking with the current solution that the DOE is particularly interested in ensuring is included in the new contract period solution?

27 N/A N/A

If an existing solution exists for this RFQ, can the DOE please provide an example Email Digest and News Digest (Microsoft Word document)?

No, the Department is seeking vendor solutions for this requirement.

28 N/A N/A

What is the allocated budget for this solicitation?

The Department doesn’t anticipate a total contract value of more than $1,350,000.

RFQ

91990024Q0078

Combined Synopsis-

Solicitation

N/A

Within the Synopsis Solicitation, “Instructions for Proposal Content,” it is suggested that the Technical Ability include “prior experience including visuals of news brief capability.” Can the examples of previous news brief capabilities be excluded from the 5 page limit?

See answer to question 1.

RFQ

91990024Q0078

Combined Synopsis-

Solicitation

N/A

Within the Synopsis Solicitation, “Clauses:

Incorporated by Reference,” several contract clauses are included by reference. Is there anything the DOE would like to call out that must be submitted – subject to these included clauses by reference – that is not already highlighted in “Instructions for Proposal Content: Clauses & Amendments” to ensure a proposal submission is valid and not classified as non-responsive?

Please follow instructions in RFQ 91990024Q0078 Combined Synopsis-Solicitation, page 2, paragraph 4.b.

31 N/A N/A

So that vendors may have adequate time to receive and incorporate the answers to our and other questions submitted in the Question & Answer period for the RFQ, will the DOE consider extending the current contract deadline of August 14, 2024?

The Department is not extending quote submission date.

32 N/A N/A

There does not appear to be a small business set-aside for this RFQ. However, Large Businesses are required to submit an approved Commercial Subcontrac�ng Plan. Can you please advise if there is a Small Business set- aside or if the DOE has a preference for a Small Business vendor for this contract?

This is an unrestricted RFQ.