IARP_sf30_Amend 1 QAs.pdf

BBG50-S-11-4564-RJ - Amendment No. 1 Page 2 of 9

IARP July 07, 2011

The following information is provided to clarify the RFP and to answer questions submitted by Offerors:

Offeror Question No. 1: Does sample task 2 indicate that BBG would support social media monitoring capabilities that can provide near real time assessments on target audience response and behavior to BBG content?

IBB Answer No. 1: BBG neither supports nor opposes media monitoring as included in a technical proposal for Sample Task 2. It is the Offerors’ business decision to propose their best combination of services and deliverables for each Sample Task.

Offeror Question No. 2: What is the Government’s anticipated escalation rate in each of the Contract’s Option Years?

IBB Answer No. 2: It is the Offerors’ business decision to propose their escalated rates.

Offeror Question No. 3: On page 66 of the RFP, BBG requests pricing for sample tasks 6 and 7. Does BBG consider it useful to request bidders provide technical proposals for these tasks? In the absence of technical proposals substantial differences in prices could result from different interpretations and subsequent technical approaches.

IBB Answer No. 3: BBG provides, in Sample Tasks 6 and 7, the specifications for delivery and asks the offeror to submit a price according to those specifications. If there are assumptions made by the offeror that are inherent to their pricing and not addressed in the BBG specifications, those should be specified in their response.

Offeror Question No. 4: On page 66 of the RFP, paragraph L.3 (a), BBG states that ―[t]he hours multiplied times the Rates will provide the Offeror’s Firm-Fixed Price,‖ suggesting that only labor will be considered within the offer. However, the next paragraph (L.3

(b)) states ―[t]he Contractor shall provide all necessary direct/indirect labor, materials, equipment…and any other … material resources that are necessary for the

Contractor to perform all Sample Tasks.‖ The latter paragraph seems to contradict the former. Can BBG please clarify what pricing information beyond labor rates it would like included within the pricing information for sample tasks 6 and 7?

IBB Answer No. 4: Paragraph L.3 has been revised to address your question.

Offeror Question No. 5: Page 69 of the RFP provides the address for submitting the hard copies of the proposal. In anticipation of Offerors planning to submit proposal materials via in-person delivery instead of sending the information via mail, is there any additional information or instructions BBG can provide to make sure that proposal materials are submitted on-time (i.e.. security procedures, confirmation of delivery, confirmation of submission in-person directly to Rachel E. Johnson in her office or recognition of a specific location within the building or information related to other authorities who can accept proposal in her absence)?

IBB Answer No. 5: The BBG Office of Contracts is located in a secured federal building.

Offerors should allow appropriate time to enter the building and have a security guard contact Rachel Johnson to come to the lobby.

Offeror Question No. 6: Pages 75 and 76 of the RFP provide the technical evaluation criteria for this proposal. Is each evaluation criteria equally weighted or are there specific criteria that are more significant in regards to BBG’s evaluation of technical proposal submissions?

IBB Answer No. 6: The Technical factors are relatively equal, in the following descending order of importance: Technical Approach to Sample Tasks, Offeror’s Experience, Q/QC Plan, Management Plan, Global Reach, and Overall Corporate Capabilities.

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Offeror Question No. 7: In the current version of the RFP BBG does not provide guidance in regards to page limitations for the technical proposal. In support of an efficient evaluation period, will BBG provide a page limitation for technical proposal submissions?

If no, based on the scope of work detailed in the proposal, would BBG find a 45 to 50 page technical proposal with responses to sample task orders included be acceptable

(excluding appendices from the page count – i.e. full resumes of key personnel, past performance information and letters of recommendation)?

IBB Answer No. 7: There are no restrictions.

Offeror Question No. 8: Section B.4.1 requires the contractor to provide firm fixed price hourly rates for employees needed to successfully support each of the five identified task areas in the SOW. However, the costs of performing the various kinds of work differ greatly from one country to another. Is it the Government’s expectation that only US-based personnel are included in the tables? If not, does the Government have a specific averaging or other methodology to be used by all bidders for calculating the cost of in-country personnel? Alternatively, should bidders submit ceiling rates for the purposes of B.4.1 but provide discounts as appropriate for lower cost countries when pricing Task Orders?

IBB Answer No. 8: This is a business decision contingent upon Offerors’ geographical distribution of its labor. Ceiling rates are acceptable and should be noted accordingly.

The ceiling (max) prices will be used for evaluation purposes.

Offeror Question No. 9: Section L.5 (j), (k) General Instructions to Offerors- Are there any security restrictions for hand delivery of proposals?

IBB Answer No. 9: See Q&A No. 5.

Offeror Question No. 10: Section L.5 General Instructions to Offerors (h)- Can the offeror use 8.5 by 11 and 11x17 size pages? Can the offeror use 8pt text size for graphics and 10pt text size for tables? Are there any page limitations?

IBB Answer No. 10: See Q&A No. 7.

Offeror Question No. 11: Section L.7 Past Performance - Are written references and clients the same? If not, how are they different?

IBB Answer No. 11: Offerors shall provide evidence of past performance and points of contacts to enable the BBG to verify information provided.

Offeror Question No. 12:

Section Number and Title: L2 Sample Tasks, Task 6

Page: 66 of 78

RFP Text: ―Program questionnaire into a GPS-enabled PDA or hand-held computer to be used for data capture and program data collection and reporting interfaces. Data transmission may be wireless or fixed;‖

Comment/Question: New methodologies could alter trends, hence what is the tolerance for change which may not necessarily reflect real change?

IBB Answer No. 12: BBG is always interested in leveraging new technologies and methodologies that can improve accuracy and insight, while ameliorating potential disruptive effects on the ability to track and report trends.

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Offeror Question No. 13:

Page: 66 of 78

RFP Text: ―Program questionnaire into a GPS-enabled PDA or hand-held computer to be used for data capture and program data collection and reporting interfaces. Data transmission may be wireless or fixed;‖

Comment/Question: This task requires GPS-enabled PDA or hand-held computers. Is this item GFE from the existing contract with InterMedia? If not is there a government preferred model? Is there a preferred software platform? Do you recommend that submissions include this as a fixed dollar amount for proposal preparation and evaluation? How many countries does the government expect to require use of the handheld devices? Please provide a list of the countries for use of handheld devices? Will the government provide all USG export licensing support for the GPS enabled handheld devices, if required? Is there an approved list of devices that meet USG export requirements?

IBB Answer No. 13: The BBG does not propose a standard for the hand-held device for the purposes of this sample task, and currently requires pricing only for the country described in Sample Task 6.

Offeror Question No. 14:

Page: 66 of 78

RFP Text: ―Formally train enumerators and supervisory field personnel a minimum of one week and include instruction in accurate household and respondent selection, questionnaire, use of data capture device, call-back protocols for absent respondents, back-checking and pre-testing. Use a supervisor/enumerator field ratio of no greater than

1:6;‖

Comment/Question: Is the required enumerator training one-time or will it need to be certified annually?

IBB Answer No. 14: It is the BBG’s experience that turnover of field personnel necessitates significant training at least annually.

Offeror Question No. 15:

Section Number and Title: C.3.6 Quantitative Surveys

Page: 27 of 78

RFP Text: ―Contractor(s) must suggest a post-weighting approach for all data, with a goal of not exceeding 10 as a weight factor; ―

Comment/Question: A generic upper bound of 10 (ten) is provided for the weighting factor. Does this indicate that the government does not care about the weight ratio?

IBB Answer No. 15: No, this is not meant to suggest the agency does not care about the weight ratio.

Offeror Question No. 16:

Section Number and Title: L2 Sample Tasks, Task 3

Page: 65 of 78

RFP Text: ―The BBG requires a regular and accurate measure of its Mandarin audience on multiple platforms, including radio, and fixed and mobile internet, but it is extremely difficult to achieve.‖

Comment/Question: What frequency is indicated by the word ―regular?‖ Is this weekly, monthly or something else?

IBB Answer No. 16: Per Section C: Background, the BBG is required to report audience figures annually to Congress and OMB. The appropriate frequency of further reporting is up to the Offerors to propose.

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Offeror Question No. 17:

Page: 65 of 78

RFP Text:

Comment/Question: Based on intelligence from other sources, it appears that the

VOA Chinese Branch has accumulated several million email id’s of regular listeners of VOA. Can the government provide this entire list or a representative sample of this list?

IBB Answer No. 17: No.

Offeror Question No. 18:

Page: 65 of 78

RFP Text:

Comment/Question: Can the government provide with responses to this Q&A, a copy of the most recently fielded survey instrument and methodology report for China?

IBB Answer No. 18: No.

Offeror Question No. 19:

Section Number and Title: L2 Sample Tasks, Task 7

Page: 67 of 78

RFP Text: “This qualitative study aims to understand how individual recently-arrived

Tibetan refugees consumed media inside Tibet, their assessment of the media and information environment inside Tibet, their use of media platforms and selection of media content. Using a BBG questionnaire and a snowball or other type of non-representative sample to recruit unrelated respondents, conduct 25 30 minute face-to-face in-depth interviews in Dharamsala, India and 25 in Kathmandu Nepal among adult Tibetan refugees having arrived within the past 12 months;‖

Comment/Question: If sufficient numbers of recent arrivals at Dharmasala are not available, will the government consider alternative locations in India?

IBB Answer No. 19: The solicitation requires pricing only for Sample Task 7 as it is specified, i.e. interviews in Dharamsala. Should such interviews prove impossible under a future Task Order, the agency would consider alternative locations.

Offeror Question No. 20:

Section Number and Title: L2 Sample Tasks, Task 7

Page: 67 of 78

RFP Text: “Deliver electronic verbatim transcripts in Tibetan and a 15-page, high level analytic report of main findings and significant outliers in English.‖

Comment/Question: What is the required format or medium for the electronic verbatims?

IBB Answer No. 20: Electronic delivery means electronic transmission of written transcripts (i.e. commercial word processor format); no audio files.

Offeror Question No. 21:

Section Number and Title: C.3.6 Data Portal

Page: 28 of 78

RFP Text: “Data and deliverables produced under this Contract will be available through a web-based portal to users with a variety of levels of access, both inside and outside the agency.‖

Comment/Question: How many users are anticipated for the data portal? How many levels of access?

IBB Answer No. 21:

The BBG has not identified the number of levels of access, nor the number of users, but anticipates users to number in the low hundreds.

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Offeror Question No. 22:

Section Number and Title: C.3.6 Qualitative, Evaluative, and Observational Studies

Page: 28 of 78

RFP Text: “All such studies must outline very clear criteria for participant recruitment by the Contractor, in consultation with the agency. Criteria will typically go beyond demographics such as age, gender and education, but also include media and consumer behavior, location in a social or professional network. No changes in recruitment criteria can be made without BBG approval; ―

Comment/Question: Are incentives permitted for focus groups, depth interviews, monitoring panels, observational research, and cognitive interviews? (We recognize incentives may not be appropriate in all cultures, but would like to know if they are permitted at all under this contract)

IBB Answer No. 22: Incentives, where culturally and methodologically appropriate, would be permitted under the contract and should be included in the Task Orders’ price proposal accordingly.

Offeror Question No. 23: What is the target population, age 15+, age 18+ or something else?

IBB Answer No. 23: The target population is 15+.

Offeror Question No. 24: Can the government provide access to all questionnaires and discussion guides for the past year with responses to this Q&A?

IBB Answer No. 24: No.

Offeror Question No. 25: Can the government provide access to all methodology reports for the past year with responses to this Q&A?

IBB Answer No. 25: No.

Offeror Question No. 26: Is there a separate household listing operation prior to household selection?

IBB Answer No. 26: There is no request for pricing a household listing operation as part of Task Order #6. It is up to the Offeror to propose the elements of a technical approach for Sample Tasks 1-5.

Offeror Question No. 27: Please provide a list of countries that will be surveyed under each program review? For example, what countries are included in the English Africa review?

IBB Answer No. 27: A list of typical countries for field research is listed in Section

C. Some countries, such as Pakistan, are surveyed every year in preparation for program review. Some language services that target multiple countries, such as English to Africa, typically rotate countries to survey.

Offeror Question No. 28: Please provide a past 12 month schedule of field periods for interviewing by country? Please provide a forward (next 12 month or fiscal year 12) schedule for interviewing by country?

IBB Answer No. 28: Past schedules are not necessarily indicative to future requirements.

The Sample/Draft Schedule, as Attachment in Section J, provides the all known scheduling.

Offeror Question No. 29: Is there is an incumbent contractor for this requirement? If so, could you please provide the contractor name and the contract number that was awarded?

IBB Answer No. 29: In the past, BBG has performed various types of International

Audience Research using several contractors to support its mission. The current

Statement of Work reflects new a requirement.

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Offeror Question No. 30:

Page No: 1 of 78

Paragraph No: B.1 Work Breakdown Structure

Issue/Concern: Is Certified Cost or Pricing Data and a sealed package required?

Question: Since the Government intends to issue Firm Fixed Price Task Orders with price determined based on a fixed price negotiation, and the Government expects more than one response to this Solicitation, recommend removing both FAR 52.215-10

Price Reduction for Defective Cost or Pricing Data and FAR 52.215-12 Subcontractor

Cost or Pricing Data from Section I of the Solicitation.

IBB Answer No. 30: Certified Cost or Pricing Data is not required with proposal submission on July 22, 2011. The clauses remain due to the possibility of the Government deciding to make a single award. Price proposals shall be submitted in a separate sealed package.

Offeror Question No. 31:

Page No: 17 of 78

Paragraph No: C.3.2 Technical Requirements

Issue/Concern: In light of the provision in section C.3.6 of the RFP (page 26) that

"all data and deliverables that result from research performed under this Contract remain the property of the U.S. Government", it may be impossible for the

Contractor to engage subcontractors to perform survey work overseas if the subcontractors are not permitted to protect their proprietary survey methodologies and questionnaires.

Question: RFP C.3.2 para 1, bullet 5 requires that the Contractor "ensure all intellectual property rights clauses as well as mandatory federal clauses flowdown to subcontracts." In light of the provision in section C.3.6 of the RFP (page 26) that "all data and deliverables that result from research performed under this

Contract remain the property of the U.S. Government", it may be impossible for the

Contractor to engage subcontractors to perform survey work overseas if the subcontractors are not permitted to protect their proprietary survey methodologies and questionnaires. We respectfully request that the RFP be amended to permit subcontractors to protect their proprietary methodologies and questionnaires as

"limited rights data".

IBB Answer No. 31: BBG intends to have Contractor(s) and subcontractor(s) field a questionnaire designed by the agency and its international broadcaster partners. Any amendments to that questionnaire, or instruments for other research developed to the specifications of the BBG by Contractor(s) or subcontractor(s) for delivery under the contract, will remain the property of the U.S. Government.

Offeror Question No. 32:

Page No: 27 of 78

Paragraph No: Data Purchases

Issue/Concern: To be able to serve as a supplier of commercial data for purchase in every market in which the BBG operates.

Question: In order for the Contractor to serve as a supplier of commercial data for purchase where appropriate, recommend adding FAR 52.244-6 Subcontracts for

Commercial Items to Section I of the Government’s RFP.

IBB Answer No. 32: Included.

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Offeror Question No. 33:

Page No: 44 of 78

Paragraph No: Part II . CONTRACT CLAUSES

Issue/Concern: Clarification on ownership rights to data and the types of data expected as part of this program

(a) Please clarify to which data the FAR 52.227-14 RIGHTS IN DATA -- GENERAL clause applies and to which data the FAR 52.227-17 RIGHTS IN DATA -- SPECIAL

WORKS clause applies to ensure that contractors can clearly understand the RFP expectations.

(b) Also, the FAR states: "The clause at 52.227-18, Rights in Data—Existing

Works, is for use in contracts exclusively for the acquisition (without modification) of existing works such as, motion pictures, television recordings, and other audiovisual works; sound recordings; musical, dramatic, and literary works; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; and works of a similar nature." Please clarify whether this type of data is expected under IARP.

IBB Answer No. 33: Pursuant with FAR 27.409(b)(1), FAR 52.227-14 is applicable and FAR

52.227-17 applies to all formal deliverables of the contract and subsequent Task Orders.

FAR 52.227-18 is included with no exception of the type of data other than other audio visual works, sound recordings, and literary works.

Offeror Question No. 34: Given the number of potential subcontracting relationships necessary to successfully meet the Government's needs in this Contract as well as the potential challenges of subcontracting with companies spread all over the world, we hereby request a one week extension of the due date for this proposal.

IBB Answer No. 34: See Q&A No. 30.

Offeror Question No. 35: The RFP does not appear to allow for the pricing of non-labor items for the sample tasks or for future task orders separate from the Fixed Hourly rates. Section B.3 Pricing (page 1) states, ―The rates must include all costs and profits.‖ Non-labor costs, particularly travel may be a significant cost for certain tasks. Estimating such costs in the Option Years for inclusion in the Fixed Hourly Rates will be problematic and could result in otherwise higher labor rates due to future cost uncertainty. Would the BBG permit non labor costs to be included in the sample and future task budgets separate from the Fixed Hourly Rates and hours?

IBB Answer No. 35: Yes and Offerors shall distinguish accordingly.

Offeror Question No. 36: Section G.2 Submission of Invoices (page 39) states that backup worksheets are required with invoice submissions. Since the RFP states that task orders will be issued on a Firm-Fixed Price basis, why would backup worksheets be required? If the requirement remains, please describe what information is required for the backup worksheets.

IBB Answer No. 36: Task Orders will be issued on a Firm-Fixed Price basis, so back-up worksheets are not required with invoices.

Offeror Question No. 37: The evaluation criteria for Management Plan, Organization and

Staffing Structure (Section M.4.d, page 76) references ―five (5) Sample Task Areas‖ throughout. Please confirm that the BBG intended this to read ―five (5) Contract Task

Areas‖ consistent with those stated in Section C.3.3 of the RFP (page 18)

IBB Answer No. 37: Paragraph M.4.d has been revised to address your question.

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Offeror Question No. 38: The evaluation criteria for Management Plan, Organization and

Staffing Structure (Section M.4.d, page 76) requires a ―full description of the corporate capabilities it will bring to bear specifically [to successfully manage the Contract].

How does the BBG differentiate between the corporate capabilities required here and those required as part of Section B. Corporate Capabilities in Support of Global Research?

IBB Answer No. 38: Corporate Capabilities in Support of Global research describe general capabilities to conduct and support global research efforts of this scale, irrespective of the client. The Management Plan will describe in greater detail which of these capabilities, and in what specific combination, the offeror proposes to use to satisfy the requirements of this solicitation.

Offeror Question No. 39: Section L.2.1 (page 63) states ―The Contractor(s)…will have proven background in multiple forms of international quantitative and qualitative research; federal program evaluation; performance monitoring; conducting research and evaluation in difficult geographies and among hard to reach populations; and media consulting to a wide range of stakeholders. In their Technical Proposal, Offerors will describe their approaches to these requirements…‖ However, the Evaluation Criteria only requires a Technical Approach to Sample Tasks (Section M.4.f, page 76). Please confirm that it is not the BBGs intention for Offerors to provide a complete technical approach for each of the 5 contract task areas, but to only provide complete technical approaches for each of the 7 sample task area

IBB Answer No. 39: The BBG only wants a specific technical approach for the first 5

Sample Tasks (not Contract Task Areas). Sample Tasks #6 and #7 require pricing only.

Offeror Question No. 40: We would like to formally request an extension for the submission deadline. If possible, could you please provide the new submission date and details?

IBB Answer No. 40: There is no extension. The deadline for proposal submission remains

July 22, 2011, 2pm Local Time (Eastern Daylight Time).