Amendment_2_Questions_and_Answers_6-24-2019.pdf

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FedBizOpps Request for Quotation - 95332A-19-Q-0019

Amendment No. 2 - Questions and Answers June 2019

1. Question: What is the length of engagement/term?

Answer: The contractor is to propose the appropriate length of time (period of performance) for which all requirements listed on the Statement of Objectives can be performed and completed.

2. Question: What is the approximate budget range you are working with?

Answer: The government cannot disclose its Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE).

Offerors should propose their best offer in response to the solicitation.

3. Question: What are you looking for in an ideal agency/marketing partner?

Answer: We are looking for a firm that understands the unique value proposition of CNCS and its need. We need a creative firm that can collaborate with our team to produce effective results.

4. Question: Is there any desired format or specific guidance for the Performance Work Statement (PWS)?

Answer: The PWS should be formatted using Adobe PDF, single pages, no less than 12 point Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri font.

5. Question: One of your stated needs is to “increase awareness and identity of national service amongst stakeholders and the American people.” Who are all of the stakeholders and to what degree do you believe they need to be engaged and/or informed about the project?

Answer: Stakeholders include our current grantees, sponsors, members and volunteers, alumni, future grantees, sponsors, members and volunteers, members of Congress and the general public.

6. Question: Given President Trump’s proposal to eliminate CNCS, what are the potential risks and impacts to this project? Do you envision ways this project could help garner continued bipartisan support for CNCS?

Answer: The question is beyond the scope of providing information needed to respond to the solicitation and we accordingly are not going to respond.

7. Question: In the solicitation’s Performance Objectives, the agency states that the selected contractor should “Aggregate feedback of how current and potential customers perceive the new branding concepts.” Toward this end, who do you view as ‘customers’: current volunteers of CNCS’ various programs, beneficiaries of those programs, or both?

Answer: Both.

NationalService.gov

8. Question: Could the agency please clarify Factor 1, Subfactor C of the Evaluation Methodology? It references a “sample task”; will this be provided in a subsequent amendment? Another interpretation of this criterion suggests the task in mind is the “contractor’s assessment of CNCS’ current brand and the list of brands/sub-brands,” or potentially “the contractor’s creation of a simplified brand architecture for the agency.” Clarification would be sincerely appreciated.

Answer: The sample task is asking contractors to evaluate the current brand and sub-brands of CNCS (refer to page 9 of the solicitation attachment - Combined Synopsis Solicitation) and create a simplified brand architecture for the agency. Provide reasoning for decisions.

9. Question: Is CNCS considering the possibility of an organizational renaming process has part of its brand strategy implementation plan?

Answer: Yes.

10. Question: Are there regulatory or legal requirements that might inhibit the ability to present sub-brands in a particular context? E.g., What plans, if any, are there to sunset sub-brands?

Answer: The adoption of an operating name for CNCS will not change the legal fact that the formal name of the agency will remain the Corporation for National and Community Service.

CNCS has previously trademarked our service marks and stylized marks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. If CNCS adopts a new logo or stylized mark, it will go through the registration process.

11. Question: Does CNCS have limitations on soliciting audience feedback? We’ve worked on government projects open to everything from open surveys to tightly controlled focus groups. Knowing whether CNCS falls anywhere specific on that scale would be tremendously helpful.

Answer: Yes, we follow OMB standards for audience feedback.

12. Question: Would the government consider re-licensing its photography under a less restrictive license, perhaps even going so far as to contact Flickr to license it as U.S. Government Work?

Answer: CNCS will comply with required Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) licensing clauses.

13. Question: Will the new visual identity be solely for the CNCS parent brand visual, or will it include either complete redesign or refresh to the visual identity designs for sub-brands?

Answer: The new visual identity will focus on the parent brand but should also include how the sub-brands interact with the parent brand.

14. Question: Can you identify what segments exist within the “customer” audience and are there other audience groups you would like to reach outside of customers?

Answer: Customers include members, volunteers, grantees, sponsors and alumni. Other important audience groups are the Hill, future members, volunteers, grantees and sponsors, and the public.