INSTRUCTIONS_TO_OFFERORS.docx

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

SUBMISSION: The requirements are Volume I – Technical, and Volume II– Price. Files shall not contain classified data. The intent of this standardized format is not to limit creativity. Creativity is permitted within the parameters below to allow the Government a more fair and easy assessment of offers. Proposals should include one original, three copies, and one electronic version in the submission.

Questions regarding this Statement of Work (SOW) must be submitted (in writing only to) Sheila Thompson via email at Thompson.sheila@dol.gov.

Questions must be submitted not later than September 8, 2015 at 10:00am EST. Responses to questions submitted will be responded via an amendment published on FBO.

a. Format. The submission shall be clearly indexed and logically assembled. Each volume shall be appropriately numbered and clearly identified with the submission date and solicitation number in the header and/or footer and shall begin at the top of each page. A Table of Contents should be created using the Table of Contents feature in MS Word. MS Word (.doc) files shall use the following page setup parameters.

Margins – Top, Bottom, Left, Right – 1” Gutter – 0” From Edge – Header, Footer – 0.5” Page Size, Width – 8.5” Page Size, Height – 11”

The following additional restrictions apply: Each paragraph shall be separated by at least one blank line. A standard, 12-point minimum font size applies. Times New Roman fonts are required. Tables and illustrations may use a reduced font size not less than 8-point and may be landscape.

b. File Packaging. Quotes shall be submitted in three volumes, as outlined above.

Submission. Contractors shall clearly identify each volume by volume number and volume name, SOW title, and date of submission.

c. Page Count. The page count is as follows:

Those pages that exceed the page counts for each volume or attachment will not be evaluated. If there are more than forty-five (45) printed lines of text on any page, the sum of the additional lines will be removed from back to front of the particular volume or attachment and will not be evaluated.

d. Content Requirements. All information shall be confined to the appropriate volume. The applicant shall confine submissions to essential matters, sufficient to define the Quote details, in a concise manner, to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of each Quote. Each volume of the Quote shall consist of a Table of Contents, Summary Section and the Narrative discussion. The Summary Section shall contain a brief abstract of the volume. Proprietary information shall be clearly marked. The following shall be included in the Narrative discussion:

VOLUME I: TECHNICAL

The proposed approach shall demonstrate the contractor’s ability to perform the work required at the highest level of quality and rigor, including relevant past experience.

The Quote should:

· Provide a detailed description of the technical requirements of the Data Elements required in Section B – Purpose. Specifically, the Offeror should outline which areas they are responding to, describe the data elements their subscription includes, the sources of the data, and list those elements listed in Section B are currently available or will be by September 2015;

· Describe the benefit of the data and why it is useful for the Department

· Describe the coverage of the dataset (that is, how much of the market/plan filings/bankruptcy filings/etc are included in the data)

· Describe how the Department will access the data (ie user-guided interfaces or via data requests) as well as transfer data (and in what format);

· Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the department’s technical needs. The Offeror shall include information on technical support and user guides or training;

· Include a discussion of the likely problems and identify possible solutions; and

· Be written to demonstrate the contractor’s ability to present complex technical material in an accessible yet accurate manner.

In addition, the quote should provide information on the experience that it has had in the performance of work that is the same as or similar to that identified in Section C – Required Data Elements and Section D – Research Tasks.

VOLUME II: PRICE

Awards may be issued across each category and multiple awards may be issued within categories. As the number of licenses/users may vary depending on the information included in each subscription, potential contract holders should structure proposals in the following manner and include (for each category for which they want to be considered cost per licenses/user and total cost for the base and option years as designated in the chart below and any additional fees for additional service or training and a description of what the services/training (e.g., webinars, etc.) includes and whether they are optional.

Base Year – Category 1

First licenses/users

Next 10 licenses/users

Next 10 licenses/users

Next 50 licenses/users

Option Year 1 – Category 1

First 5 licenses/users

Next 10 licenses/users

Next 10 licenses/users

Next 50 licenses/users

Option Year 2 – Category 1

First 5 licenses/users

Next 10 licenses/users

Next 10 licenses/users

Next 50 licenses/users

FACTOR III – DECLARATION OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

It is the policy of the Government to encourage the full participation of small businesses in the procurement process. As a result, this Request for Proposals (RFP) includes a preference for small businesses. The Government will review the size standard of the Offeror under the schedule at time of RFQ closing. Offerors designated as a small business will be rated more favorably than an offeror designated as a large business.

BASIS FOR AWARD:

The Government will multiple award contracts from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer confirming to the solicitation is most advantageous to the Government based on the best overall proposal that is determined to be the most beneficial to the Government, with appropriate consideration given to the three evaluation factors: Technical, Price, and Socioeconomic status. Factor I, Technical, is significantly more important than Factor II, Price.

The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest offer; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. Clarifications may be requested as described in FAR 15.306(a). Offerors may be asked to clarify certain aspects of their proposal (for example, the relevance of past performance information) or respond to adverse past performance information to which the Offeror has not previously had an opportunity to respond.

ALL QUOTES SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO:

Sheila J. Thompson via email at Thompson.sheila@dol.gov, not later than Friday, September 18, 2015 at 5:00pm EST.

Any Quote received after the due date and time will not be evaluated and will therefore be ineligible f or award.