Donated Media Assets JA_Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL)

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

Frederick, MD 21703

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR

CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL ACQUISITION

REGULATION (FAR) 13.5

(1) Identification of the agency and contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Sole Source Justification Under Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items in Accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation

(FAR) 13.5.”

The Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F), on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP), Suicide Prevention Program (SPP) proposes to enter into a sole source contract with the Advertising Council, Inc. (Ad Council), a large business, under simplified acquisition procedures.

(2) The nature and/or description of the action being approved, i.e., sole source under procedures for certain commercial items in accordance with FAR 13.5.

This Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition seeks the approval to proceed with a sole source contract to continue to develop, implement and assess large-scale, fully integrated, donated media public service campaigns in support of OMHSP suicide prevention program. Campaigns developed for OMHSP must be based on evidence and the Contractor must demonstrate measurable campaign impact on help seeking and related attitudes/beliefs as well as the capacity to reach all Veterans, whether they use VA health services or not, and their family/friends. These campaigns must rely solely on donated media provided by the Contractor and is critical for SPP to effectively reach these large national target audiences. In previous years much of the focus was on paid media. SPP has reviewed the cost for paid media combined with the reach of that approach and is looking for an experienced, innovative multi-media contractor to assist. The priority is to create a larger targeted campaign over multiple years that is based on donated and earned media allowing VA to reach a broader audience including Service members, Veterans, National Guard members, Reservists and their family and friends living across the United States, which has become more urgent. Additionally, SPP wants to assure that the following components are included in such campaigns; significant return on investment, Veteran engagement, strategy, creative/innovative design, measurable impact and evaluation.

As the nation’s premier provider of public service communications, the Ad Council possesses the unique expertise, return on investment, demonstrated experience, Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F) evaluation, distribution methods/capacity and qualifications necessary to complete this vital work to help prevent Veteran suicide and improve Veteran mental health.

(3) A description of the supplies and/or services required, including the delivery schedule and/or the period of performance (inclusive of all option periods), and the estimated dollar value of the acquisition.

1. Ad Council shall perform the following activities, which broadly include:

a) Develop and execute national campaigns that shall rely solely on donated media and include, but is not limited to, the following creative elements:

television, radio, print, outdoor, digital, social media, mobile, website development, and strategic partnership opportunities.

b) Apply best practices including audience and message segmentation to campaigns.

c) Monitor campaign performance for targeted audiences including collection of formative data to inform message design, process metrics and measures of effectiveness associated with campaigns.

d) Develop and execute multi-million-dollar-value donated media distribution strategies that include the pitching and redistribution of SPP campaign material through an established, large national network; and

e) Report regularly to SPP via conference calls and written progress and summative reports.

SPP requires Ad Council to garner resources from the business, non-profit, and entertainment communities in order to assist with spreading the agency’s suicide prevention related messages and campaigns to create awareness, foster understanding, and motivate action concerning the critical national issue, preventing Veteran suicide. Ad Council will produce, distribute, and promote with demonstrated existing capacity to tap into various pools of marketing talent within the advertising and communications industry from around the country to obtain donated media services, with either pro-bono, or reduced cost access to media facilities and talent.

It is also critical that Ad Council demonstrate the ability to continue access to donated media time and space to run SPP Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and related materials for successful performance over multiple option years under the terms of the proposed contract. Robust methods for performance monitoring of campaign activities are required as is evidence of measurable campaign impact on public health issues in the U.S. This requirement directly contributes to the VA’s mission to reduce Veteran suicide.

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F)

The base period of this contract shall begin September 28, 2023 through September 27, 2024. This contract shall include two (2) 12-month option periods, to expand the work beginning in the base period, that may be exercised at the discretion of the Government. The estimated dollar value is $1,924,135.11 for the base period, $2,259,333.10 for option period 1, and $1,924,135.11 for option period 2. The total aggregate value of this contract will be estimated to be $6,107,603.32.

(4) The statutory authority permitting sole source.

This action is under the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.5 under the authority of:

X 41 U.S.C. 1901, Simplified Acquisition Procedures 41 U.S.C. 1903, Special Emergency Procurement Authority

This acquisition is conducted under the procedures of FAR subpart 13.5, used in accordance with the authority of 41 U.S.C § 1901. FAR 13.5 authorizes the use of Part 13 simplified procedures for certain commercial items. Acquisitions conducted under simplified acquisition procedures are exempt from the competition requirements listed in FAR Part 6. FAR 13.501(a)(1). Instead, Contracting Officers are required to promote competition to the maximum extent practicable. FAR 13.104. FAR Part 13 requires the agency to justify in writing sole source acquisitions. FAR 13.501(a)(1)(i). The agency may solicit from only one source if the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i).

(5) A statement demonstrating the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or the nature of the action requiring use of the authority.

Ad Council is a full-service communications firm that demonstrates a unique capacity to provide the particular services requested to successfully execute the activities supported with this contract and perform the objectives identified in the scope of work.

Ad Council has worked with the Federal Government, including every Administration from Roosevelt to Obama, addressing every major health, safety, and education situation in the United States over the past 75 years. Notably, the Ad Council has had a measurable impact on issues such as Polio, Aids, hunger, drunk driving, literacy, obesity, foreclosure, and, more recently, diversity and online bullying. The Ad Council develops comprehensive, integrated communications programs that successfully utilize both traditional and new media elements. The White House worked with Ad Council for opioid-related campaigns in 2018-2019. The White House partnership underscores the high visibility Ad Council can garner.

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F)

The caliber of the campaigns created in partnership with their expert partners is without comparison; iconic campaigns developed over the past 75 years include: Smokey Bear's “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires”; The Crash Test Dummies’ “You Could Learn A lot from a Dummy”; McGruff the Crime Dog's “Take A Bite Out of Crime”;

UNCF’s “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste”; NHTSA’s “Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk”; the Ad Council’s very own “Love Has No Labels”; and most recently, VA’s Don’t Wait. Reach Out campaign.

Due to Ad Council’s expansive collection of multimedia creative, it has captured an estimated $1.56 billion in donated media per year. This donated media exposure places the Ad Council among the top 10 advertisers in the U.S. These remarkable numbers are the result of the Ad Council’s unique distribution methods, which leverage well-established relationships with media decision-makers and a network of over 33,000 media outlets. For example, Ad Council messages received more than 93 billion impressions in 2015 alone, leading to notable changes in attitudes and behaviors for their campaigns. Ad Council PSAs have more than 30,000 different pathways into Veterans’ homes through broadcast partners alone. To supplement this distribution, the Ad Council conducts targeted outreach to the universe of national media outlets on behalf of their multimedia campaigns. Each month, Public Service Directors (PSDs) receive hundreds of PSAs, all vying for limited PSA space. Having the Ad Council-developed campaign propels their spots to the top of the list due to the quality and the importance of the messages with Ad Council brand.

The Ad Council leverages beneficial relationships with media and brand leaders to impact and amplify campaign messages, providing incremental resources and distribution channels to the already comprehensive integrated marketing program. For example, since 2005, entertainment industry partners such as Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. etc., have partnered with the Ad Council on highly successful marketing campaigns, providing an incremental $200 million in donated media and expanded reach via multiple marketing channels to families with critical, highly targeted messaging. Similar relationships have been forged with other major media companies, including the most esteemed digital groups in the industry, such as Google, Facebook, Snapchat and Apple. For example, the Love Has No Labels campaign, which launched in February 2015, has received over 370 million views on YouTube alone and nearly 2,000 mentions in traditional, online and broadcast media. The campaign launched its second online video on July 4, 2016; the video has already been viewed over 30 million times. Additionally, in October 2015, the Ad Council, working in conjunction with leaders in the technology industry including Apple, Google, and Adobe, launched its Teen Bullying Prevention campaign. Notable results since launch include over 1.2 billion social impressions and 26 million views on YouTube. Most recently, in April 2016, the Ad Council partnered with Snapchat to launch a global sponsored geo-filter for the Texting and Driving Prevention campaign. Over 61 million Snapchatters took part in the

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F) conversation, delivering over 210 million views for the campaign and generating $757,000 in donated media support. The partnership helped raise awareness for this important issue and encouraged everyone to think twice before using their phones behind the wheel.

According to a 2014 survey among Public Service Directors and other decision-makers, 72% consider the Ad Council to be better than other PSA providers. In that same survey, station decision-makers are quoted as saying, “The Ad Council has always been the standard I’ve followed for my entire 25-year career in the industry” and that the Ad Council is a “trusted professional organization that has been in the business a long time [with] high quality campaigns and a variety of causes.” The same decision-makers note that the local outreach the Ad Council conducts distinguishes the organization from its competitors: “I think meeting with my regional PSA coordinator is a big help.” The Ad Council has a proven track record of innovation and has been successful in evolving to work within the ever-changing media landscape. The Ad Council has pursued cutting-edge new media opportunities, including highly targeted advertising across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitch; content collaboration with leading social influencers on YouTube as part of the “Creators for Good” program; and the development of compelling online content. Most notably, the Ad Council’s Love Has No Labels campaign launched on Valentine’s Day in 2015 with an online video that is now the second-most-viewed community and activism campaign video of all time.

Assessment is also a critical component of every Ad Council campaign. In order to assess a campaign’s effectiveness and impact, the Ad Council adheres to a rigorous framework of monitoring/assessing for each campaign. This framework establishes key metrics early in the campaign process to ultimately measure each campaign’s exposure, recognition, engagement, and impact among identified target audiences.

Specific metrics include, but are not limited to, donated media support; press coverage;

consumer response; web/social engagement, consumer tracking; and national trend assessments. With the evolving media landscape and focus on digital and social tactics, online engagement metrics are also an important element in campaign monitoring.

Ad Council campaigns are not just memorized - they mobilize. Campaign results demonstrate the power of Ad Council’s messages to make lasting and positive social change, For example:

Texting and Driving Prevention Campaign: In 2015, significantly more (42%) 16– 24-year-olds said it was never okay to text and drive as compared to the benchmark in 2011 (35%).

Child Passenger Safety Campaign: In 2015, nearly half of parents and caregivers surveyed reported seeking information about which car safety restraint is right for their children, up from just 30 percent prior to the 2012 campaign launch.

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F)

Independent Government Cost Estimate, past proposal submissions (if available), and other information as made available.

(8) A description of the market research conducted and the results or the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted through query of VetCert, GSA e-Library, and Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBC). Based on an exhaustive search of VetCert, GSA e- Library, and DSBC, no SDVOB or VOSB’s were identified as capable to fulfill this requirement. The specific services are also not readily available on an existing purchasing vehicle (such as a GWAC, Internal IDIQ, GSA FSS, etc.).

The market research conducted demonstrates the unique nature of the services available from The Ad Council.

(9) Any other facts supporting the use of sole source.

The Ad Council has a documented history of evidence-based national health campaign design/deployment and of obtaining at least $30 million donated media per campaign (or $1 billion overall per year).

(10) A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

None

(11) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

All future requirements will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Should it be determined that SPP has a future requirement for this type of service, the Contracting Officer may consider conducting a market survey to determine if any business can provide this same service and consideration will be given as to whether the future acquisition should be competitive.