AnnualPerformanceReportRFP.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION

The National Mediation Board (NMB) requests a one-year proposal with two additional one-year options for the design, layout, and production of each of its Annual Performance and Accountability Reports (Annual Reports) for FY-2011, 12 and 13 in both HTML and PDF versions. Current versions can be found on the Documents page of the NMB website (www.nmb.gov).

The design for each year is expected to be unique, although a standard structure may be used for all three years.

Note: Bidder, Contractor and Designer are synonymous terms in this request for proposal as are "National Mediation Board", NMB and Customer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The NMB is an independent federal agency established by the 1934 amendments to the Railway Labor Act of 1926 (RIA). Pursuant to the RLA, NMB programs provide an integrated dispute resolution process to effectively meet the statutory objective of minimizing work stoppages in the airline and railroad industries.

The agency is required to publish a hard copy of its Annual Performance and Accountability Report for each fiscal year ending September 30th and provide it to the U.S. Congress and the Office of Management and Budget no later than November 15. To provide for wide-scale distribution, the NMB also requires a web-ready electronic version (E-report) of the Annual Report.

REQUIREMENTS:

The design for each year is expected to be unique, although a standard structure may be used for all three years. Tt,e c.ontracto," !5 responsible for all aspects of this proposal, including the prinli~g and delivery of the hard copy PDFs to the NMB.

During July of each year on a date mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and the NMB, a Kick-off Meeting will be held to discuss DeSign themes and general specifications. Although the NMB prefers such meeting to be held at the NMB office in Washington, DC, other venues such online video conferencing will be considered.

Since the electronic and hard-copy PDFs have earlier deadlines than the E report; the NMB will expect the contractor to finalize the PDF version before moving its content to the E-report. The objective is to minimize the total number of edits that may be needed.

(A) PDF Electronic Version and Hard Copy

• 100 Printed copies of the PDF are required with Digital Printing and Spiral Binding. The final PDF hard-copy publications are to be delivered to the NMB no later than 2:00 p.m. on November 14 of each year. Inside delivery to customer at suite 250 East is required.

• The hard copy version of the PDF is expected to be around 100 pages, not to exceed 110, plus 4 pages for the covers.

• An electronic copy of the draft PDF must be made available on the Contractor's website for NMB access no later than October 17, 2011.

• Drawing from the selected E-report deSign, develop one design for the PDF version of the Annual Report, using the current FY-2010 layout, which is available in the Documents section of the NMB website at www.nmb.gov.

• Allow up to three (3) rounds of text edits during production phase.

All three rounds to be accessible to the NMB online in color; and the third round also as hardcopy color lasers. Please note that there may be 2 rounds of color lasers if needed.

(8) E-report (HTML) version

• Once site architecture, pursuant to the Kickoff Meeting, is approved by the customer, present 3 design options showing the main page of the E-report with sample internal pages, using sample customer text and data from the 2010 E-report and PDF available via the NMB website (www.nmb.gov), each with distinct design concepts that range from Traditional to Contemporary to Futuristic. The internal pages should include text taken from the Mediation section of the current FY-2010 Annual Report and also a few supporting pages such as tables and lists.

• Assume there will be 2 rounds of design edits of the E-report during the creative phase before implementation to the entire project.

• The E-report files/images and Final-version of the electronic PDF must be provided to the Host of the NMB Website for posting no later than November 14, 2011.

• The contractor will coordinate as necessary with the NMB website Host to insure proper implementation of the E-report.

• Develop an outline the structure of the E-report for 2011 using a framework that can also be used for years 2012 and 2013 in order to minimize cost.

• The design for each year is expected to be unique, although a standard structure may be used for all three years. Refine and create the single design direction selected by the NMB.

• Online E-report Design and HTML Code: Front half Narrative Section as HTML, and Back Half Supporting Lists and Tables as PDF. The E-report is to include a fully hyperlinked Table of Contents and other relevant hyperlinks.

DELIVERABLES (each year)

Deliverables from Contractor to include:

(1) 100 printed PDF copies of the FY-2011 Annual Report to the NMB.

(2) A clean draft of the PDF which the customer can send to the OMB for a pre-publishing review of content.

(3) A PDF of final report in web-ready and printable formats to the

NMB.

(4) E-report: a web-ready html or equivalent of final report with fully hyperlinked Table of Contents and a separate electronic PDF to the NMB website Host.

(5) Provide final content in clean, editable MS Word format to the

NMB.

EXPENSES and OTHER COSTS

• The E-report site will meet 508 Compliance before replication of all pages.

• To ensure that the E-report will be accessible to the widest range of potential visitors, it will include the LATEST standards-compliant browsers, such as :

o PC: IE 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 Firefox 2.0 + Safari 2.0 o Macintosh: Firefox 2.0 + Safari 2.0 +.

• NOTE: There will not be any CMS or Database features integrated to the site.

• A maximum of 30 FPO images to be scanned by designer (note: partial may be supplied in digital format by the customer and/or from designer's stock library)

• Approximately 5 Charts (pie/bar formats); maximum of ten (10)

• Include all costs for Stock Photography and Illustrations similar to the 2010 Annual Report (per image/use).

• Management of internal or sub-contracted Printing process, including a final printing and specifications package and Press Inspection as needed.

• All other customer-approved, project-related materials billed as needed and approved by the NMB.

Other Expenses to be included in your bid will cover such items as:

Fed-Ex, PDFs, web posting/hosting, CDROM/DVD, art materials, courier, fax services, laser proofs, color copies/lasers, phone and any direct project related costs.

List your Authors Alterations (AA) rate per hour for both design and production. Text Edits beyond allotted rounds may be billed at the AA rate with prior customer notification and approval.

Customer to provide all text for FY-201lto the Contractor in MSWORD and perhaps some digital images or photos.

Final files will be delivered on flash drive to the NMB Website Host in html/pdf formats along with a laser proofs and specifications to industry standards.

All high resolution scanning (if required) is to be done by Contractor and/or supplied to Contractor by the NMB. All files set in Adobe Indesign CS3 on MAC OSX4 platform.

PROPOSALS DUE

All Proposals are due to NMB on/before May 15, 2011.

NMB Contact:

All bids/proposals and any related questions are to be directed to Denise Murdock, the NMB Administrative Officer, at 202-692-5005. The NMB address is 1301K. St. NW, Suite 250 East, Washington, DC 20005-7011.

All subsequent invoices and related issues from the winning contractor is also to be directed to Ms. Murdock.

EVALUAnONCRITERIA

• Cost of Proposal Quality of work samples provided by the Bidder Design and layout scope of the work samples, especially those pertinent to this RFP

• Size and experience of staff doing the type of work in this RFB

PRODUCTION MILESTONES for the First Year (FY-2011)

NOTE: A schedule for each optional year exercised by the NMB will be similar, but subject to adjustment due to weekends and holidays.

• July, 2011: An NMB-Contractor Kickoff Meeting to be held in July on a mutually acceptable date.

• Sept. 1: Designer to present three (3) E-report and one (1) hard copy PDF deSigns, which may be subject to design refinements.

• Sept. 30: Designer is to present final designs for Customer approval.

• Oct. 11: Customer is to provide draft Text and Data/Content to Designer.

• Oct. 17: Contractor to provide a clean draft of electronic PDF to NMB, [The NMB will send this version to the OMB for their pre-publishing content review.]

• Oct. 26: Customer and Contractor will complete up to two (2) rounds of text edits. [The NMB Financial section may not be available until this date.]

• Oct. 28: Contractor to present near-final PDF hard-copy for NMB (ADRS) approval.

• Oct. 31: NMB to incorporate OMB modifications, if any, into the PDF.

• Nov. 1: NMB to provide Final NMB approval of the hard-copy PDF to Designer.

• Nov. 3: Contractor to prepare Final PDF Package for NMB approval before proceeding to Printing.

• Nov. 14: Provide 100 copies of the Final, hard-copy PDF publications to the NMB by November 14, 2011, not later than 2:00pm. Inside delivery to Suite 250 East is required.

• Nov. 14: Contractor to provide the Final E-report to the NMB Website Host for posting. Copy to be provided to NMB.

OTHER CONDITIONS

The winning contractor will automatically be granted rights to the E-report and PDFs for portfolio and self-promotion purposes including competitions.

Any costs associated with the contractor's use, such as the printing of PDFs, is to be borne solely by the contractor.

PAYMENT

Payment will be made in accordance with the clauses of the contract entitled "Prompt Payment" (FAR 52.232-25), Progress Payments (FAR 52-232-16), Payments (FAR 52.232-1), and Termination of Convenience of the Government (FAR 52.249-2).