Vendor_Quiestions_3.docx

1. Is the offeror to provide one combined hourly rate for all services in Section B? Yes

1. Page 15 – FAR Clause 52.222-41 Service Contract Act: Which WD is applicable to this RFP? Answer: Contactors should use their location for which wage determination to use.

1. Liaison and Response Time: “The Government may notify the Contractor of the need for services by telephone or email. Within twelve (12) hours after the Government notifies the Contractor of the need for services, the Contractor shall pick up materials and Request for Estimate from the identified Government facility or setup a consultation meeting with the Government at the Government’s discretion of location. At the Government’s discretion, the government will send materials to the contractor. What criteria will the government use to determine whether or not to send the materials to the contractor, specifically contractors not located within the St. Paul area? For those contractors not in the St. Paul area, will the government facilitate pick up (packaging; FED EX/UPS) at the contractor’s expense? Items will be emailed

1. What is the estimated number, amount, size, etc. of materials to be used/shipped to the contractor? For each project typically everything will fit into an express size envelope (i.e., UPS or FedEx) or occasionally a small box.

1. Proposals should include prices per item for each of the task items and levels of work and should describe costs per page, piece, or hour. All transportation and communication costs are to be borne by the contractor. Please provide types and examples of transportation and communication costs that may be associated with this effort? Transportation: shipping items or files back to the government when an alternative (email, ftp) is not available. Communication: contractor cannot expect reimbursement for telephone, ftp, server costs.

1. I’d like to confirm that the bidders for this contract are supplying annual pricing only at this time. Answer: Yes

1. Are EPUBS created regularly for all Resource Bulletins? Are EPUBS created for any other publications within the scope of this Solicitation? Is the Contractor responsible for the full development of any EPUB versions? We have just begun creating epubs, and up to this point, it has been for the resource bulletin series only. This does not preclude an option to create epubs for other series/products in the future. It would be determined on a case-by-case basis (for each project).

1. For Research Papers and other publications, are the topographical maps provided camera-ready to the Contractor? Files are not provided “camera ready” but are submitted to contractor as a digital file. Are graphic enhancements and call-outs added to the existing maps by the Contractor? There could be times when the contractor will be requested to make “graphic enhancements”; typically, text or call-outs are provided by the government.

1. On page 9 of 23, Section c. Graphics, photography is mentioned. Is the Contractor responsible to provide photography, or is this suggesting retouching of photography? Mostly it will involve touch -ups to existing, or submitted photos using (typically) Photoshop. Occasionally but rarely, the contractor may be asked to research and obtain a photo for a specific use. The photo “acceptance” will be by the government.

Also, is the Contractor responsible to create audiovisual presentations? Not at this time, under this solicitation.

1. The charts and graphs are less polished in the Research Papers publications as compared to the Resource Bulletins. Is this less-polished format acceptable for all future Research Papers publications? That will determined on a case-by-case basis. Occasionally, authors will submit files for publication that cannot be improved up, or the author is unable (or refuses) to make changes. In these cases, we have to ‘live with” what we have been provided.

1. Are all photographs for any of these publications, brochures or posters supplied by you, or is it the responsibility of the Contractor to provide photography of any type? Typically supplied by the government, however, see response to #11 above.

1. Are line-art maps provided by you? Yes Do you have a library of maps available that are commonly used and accessible to the Contractor? No

1. Regarding Research Maps (RMAP) publications, are the maps utilized provided by NRS to the Contractor? Yes Are the maps 4-color? Yes, output by the authors. Is the Contractor responsible to visually indicate varying areas, for example, of drought in the graphic? What is used as a guide by the graphic designer for such indications? All of the features and details of maps are provided by the author (government).

1. Is any imagery, such as graphics, logos, topographical maps, photographs, line-art, and tables, etc., embedded in Word documents, or are they submitted as all separate files? We occasionally receive images/graphics embedded. We (NRS) work with authors to obtain “original files” of these embedded objects. Most of the time (80%) we are successful in obtaining what we need. Occasionally, we 1) live with what we can get; or 2) ask contractor to recreate/scan file to improve upon the existing.

1. If a brochure is to be printed, are the files submitted directly to a printer, or to you? Files submitted to NRS.

1. When a visitor is online and using the "order a printed copy of this publication" option, is this printed by the NRS on a 4-color press, or is it photocopied? This will affect if a digital file is prepared as an rgb or cmyk file, as well as print quality settings and file sizes. Or do you require two separate file types for every project—one for 4-color press and one for photocopying? When “order a printed copy” option is displayed, we have professionally printed documents on our warehouse. If the message “this publication is available online only” it means that there are no shelf copies available and the customer must download and print. We do not require two separate file types, however, if we know in advance that the publication is ‘online only’, the contractor will be made aware and adjustment can be made (for instance, in color, or in scrolling or page view default options.)

1. Is the Contractor responsible to create any PowerPoint presentations? NO, not at this time.

1. What prices did that contractor bid for its work during the base year and each option year of the expiring contract? We have more than one contractor and their prices vary.

1. My question concerns the pricing. It seems to me there are quite a few levels, formats, page sizes, deliverables for each, etc. Some I can figure out myself (for instance, I know you won't have a 150 page document that is 32 x 21), but the way the RFP is worded it almost seems as if I have to cover all bases. Can you give me any guidelines or advice? For this solicitation, if you can provide a per-hour price, that’s really what we are looking for. For each project, you will be given the opportunity to estimate the number of hours to complete the project.