Combined Synopsis Solicitation.docx

20 September 2023

1. The Office for Acquisition Services, Centers for Disease Control intends to issue a firm-fixed-price purchase order for mosquito educational outreach services IAW Attachment 1 - Statement of Work (SOW).

2. General Information:

Mosquito Educational Outreach for Hurricane Prone Areas

3. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Additionally, the Government will utilize simplified acquisition procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13.

4. This combined synopsis/solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) with solicitation number 75D30123Q17886. This procurement is utilizing a total small business set-aside.

5. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-04, effective 06/02/2023.

6. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this solicitation is 541820 – Public Relations Agencies with a small business size standard of $19M.

7. The contractor shall provide pricing for three Benchmark Scientific Bead Blaster 24R IAW the following specifications:

Firm-Fixed-Price

Anticipated Period of Performance: 09/30/23 – 09/29/24 1 Job

Firm-Fixed-Price

Anticipated Period of Performance: 09/30/24 – 09/29/25 1 Job

8. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items (Sept 2023), applies to this acquisition. Addendum to FAR 52.212-1:

Contractors shall submit two volumes, Price (Volume I) and Technical (Volume II).

Price Submission (Volume I)

1) Submit pricing and company information on separate attachment

Technical Submission (Volume II)

1) Technical Approach: quoters shall describe their technical approach including the media plan, education materials, media placement, and media reporting.

2) Project Management: quoters shall submit a management plan, timelines, and staffing utilization

3) Past Experience: quoters shall submit previous or current experience similar to the requested services

4) The technical submission shall not exceed 10 pages

9. The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (Nov 2021), and the addendum, applies to this acquisition. The evaluation factors are Price and Technical. Addendum to FAR 52.212-2: The Government will award a purchase order to the quoter who provides the best value to the Government considering price and technical rating and whose price can be determined fair and reasonable. Utilizing this method, the Government may award to a higher priced technically superior quoter but is not required to do so. All timely quotes will be evaluated.

Subfactor 1 – Price Price will be evaluated to determine reasonableness IAW any of the methods in FAR 13.106-3(a).

Subfactor 2 - Technical The technical factor will be evaluated by assigning a numerical score to each technical submission utilizing the scale below.

Subfactor 1 Media Plan (15 points): Proposal supports the development of a comprehensive media plan that takes into account key audiences and geographic locations. Channels identified in the plan are relevant to the audience, content, and cost effective.

Subfactor 2 Educational Materials (15 points): Quote supports the development of messaging and media products to meet the Government’s needs to get messages to the target audience. The quoter’s ability to create engaging and meaningful media products.

Subfactor 3 Media Placement (15 points): How the quote will execute the media plan for the products developed to meet the messaging need. Contains specific information on how the media platforms will be used.

Subfactor 4 Media Reporting (15 points): How the quoter will inform the Government of program success and accomplishments

Subfactor 5 Management Plan and Timeline (10 points): Management approach through development, execution, evaluation, modification (if necessary), and closure. Detailed timeline of activities.

Subfactor 6 Project Staffing and Utilization (10 points): Quote addresses staffing requirements to meet tasks.

Subfactor 7 Past Experience (30 points): Quoter can demonstrate through past experience and projects that they have the technical and management experience to execute the requirements of the project.

Quoters will be assigned a score out of 100 which will be used in conjunction with price to determine best value to the Government.

Exchanges: The government intends to award a purchase order without exchanges with respective vendors/quoters. However, Government reserves the right to conduct exchanges if deemed in its best interest.

10. Quoters shall include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items (Sept 2023), Alternate I (Oct 2018), with their quote, or the quoter shall complete paragraph (b) of FAR 52.212-3, if the offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

Vendors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) to be eligible for award.

11. If a contract is awarded to your firm, it will be prepared in accordance with the provisions and clauses of the Federal Acquisition Regulation and standard procedures contained therein will apply. The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items (Dec 2022), applies to this acquisition. The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items (Sept 2023), applies to this acquisition; additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are:

52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (JUN 2020) 52.209-6, Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed or Debarment (Nov 2021) 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (Oct 2022) 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation (Oct 2022) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (JUN 2003) 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Dec 2022) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016) 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Jun 2020) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jun 2020) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (Jun 2020) 52.222-50, Combatting Trafficking in Persons (Nov 2021) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Jun 2020) 52.225-1, Buy American-Supplies (Oct 2022) 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Feb 2021) 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management (Oct 2018)

12. The following FAR, HHSAR, and CDC clauses and provisions are applicable to this solicitation:

52.204-7 System of Award Management (Oct 2018) 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020) 52.204-18 Commercial and Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020) 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) 52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment – (Nov 2021) 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting With Inverted Domestic – (Nov 2015) 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items – (Dec 2022) 52.232-39 Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations – (Jun 2013) 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors – (Nov 2021)

52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated By Reference – (Feb 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address: acquisition.gov

352.232-71 Electronic submission of payment requests (Feb 2022)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause – Payment request means a bill, voucher, invoice, or request for contract financing payment with associated supporting documentation. The payment request must comply with the requirements identified in FAR 32.905(b), “Content of Invoices” and the applicable Payment clause included in this contract.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this clause, the Contractor shall submit payment requests electronically using the Department of Treasury Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) or successor system. Information regarding IPP, including IPP Customer Support contact information, is available at www.ipp.gov or any successor site.

CDC0_G018 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer (Feb 2018)

(a) The Government shall use electronic funds transfer to the maximum extent possible when making payments under this contract. FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer –System for Award Management, in Section I, requires the contractor to designate in writing a financial institution for receipt of electronic funds transfer payments.

(b) In the case that EFT information is not within the System of Award Management, FAR 52.232-34 requires mandatory submission of Contractor’s EFT information directly to the office designated in this contract to receive that information (hereafter: “designated office”); see below. The contractor shall submit the EFT information within the form titled “ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form” to the address indicated below. Note: The form is either attached to this contract (see Section J, List of Attachments) or may be obtained by contacting the Contracting Officer or the CDC Office of Financial Resources at 678-475-4510.

(c) In cases where the contractor has previously provided such information, i.e., pursuant to a prior contract/order, and been enrolled in the program, the form is not required unless the designated financial institution has changed.

(d) The completed form shall be mailed after award, but no later than 14 calendar days.

CDC37.0001 Non-Personal Services (Jun 2020)

(a) Personal services shall not be performed under this contract. Although the Government may provide sporadic or occasional instructions within the scope of the contract, the Contractor is responsible for control and supervision of its employees. If the Contractor (including its employees) believes any Government action or communication has been given that would create a personal services relationship between the Government and any Contractor employee, the Contractor shall promptly notify the Contracting Officer of this communication or action.

(b) The contractor shall comply with, and ensure their employees and subcontractors comply with, CDC Policy titled "Contractor Identification and Safeguarding of Non-Public Information". No Contractor employee shall hold him or herself out to be a Government employee, agent, or representative. No Contractor employee shall state orally or in writing at any time that he or she is acting on behalf of the Government. In all communications with third parties in connection with this contract, Contractor employees shall identify themselves as Contractor employees and specify the name of the company for which they work. The contractor is limited to performing the services identified in the contract statement of work and shall not interpret any communication with anyone as a permissible change in contract scope or as authorization to perform work not described in the contract. All contract changes will be incorporated by a modification signed by the Contracting Officer.

(c) The Contractor shall ensure that all of its employees and subcontractor employees working on this contract are informed of the terms and conditions herein. The Contractor agrees that this is a non-personal services contract; and that for all the purposes of the contract, the Contractor is not, nor shall it hold itself out to be an agent or partner of, or joint venture with, the Government. The Contractor shall notify its employees that they shall neither supervise nor accept supervision from Government employees. The substance of the terms herein shall be included in all subcontracts at any tier.

(d) The terms and conditions above do not limit the Government's rights under other terms of the contract, including those related to the Government's right to inspect and accept or reject the services performed under this contract.

13. Attachments:

Attachment 1: Statement of Work 75D30123Q17886 Page of