H - 34300024Q0033 Combined Synopsis Solicitation.pdf

34300024Q0033

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) Solicitation #: 34300024Q0033

The purpose of this Request for Quotation (RFQ) is to obtain a Global Company Database subscription.

The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract.

(iii) This solicitation contains provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 05/22/2024, 2024-05.

(iv) This procurement is being solicited unrestricted, NAICS Code is 519290, Web Search Portals and all Other Information Services.

(v) Pricing –

This requirement is Firm Fixed Price, for the purchase of a global company database. Offerors shall propose a single fixed price, as an enterprise license for the entire USITC.

(vi) Description of requirements for the items to be acquired:

Statement of Work

2.1 INTRODUCTION

2.1.1 Mission Statement

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, quasi-judicial Federal agency established by Congress with a wide range of trade-related mandates. The USITC's mission is threefold: (1) to administer U.S. trade remedy laws in a fair and objective manner; (2) to provide the President, the U.S.

Trade Representative, and the Congress with independent, quality analysis, information, and support on matters of tariffs and international trade and competitiveness; and (3) to maintain the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. In doing so, the USITC serves the public by implementing U.S. law and contributing to the development and implementation of sound and informed U.S. trade policy.

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/12.htm#P311_50761

2.1.2 Background

The Office of Analysis and Research Services contributes directly to and supports the U.S. International Trade Commission's (USITC) investigative and research activities. In the performance of its mission, the Commission has utilized an international company database to test and deliver survey instruments intended to build information on new or emerging trade topics of interest to the President and Congress.

The company database has also been used to scope the composition of foreign markets, including investment activity, and to measure the price-cost impact of nontariff measures affecting services trade.

In many instances, these efforts require information on thousands of domestic and foreign firms. The availability and integrity of this data is highly important to maintaining the Commission's reputation for producing insightful and authoritative analytical products.

2.1.3 Requirement

The USITC requires extensive company level data to support mission related international trade research and analysis. The database access would support a range of research and investigative purposes, including the testing and distribution of survey instruments, the measurement of barriers to trade in services, analyzing multinational activity through M&A and greenfield projects, and the scoping of market conditions.

The database shall be accessible through the internet as a site license and shall accommodate at least two (2) concurrent Commission users through an internet link accessible anywhere. A single license for unlimited use of the database, including any databases from sub-vendors integrated into the database, shall be provided through an annual subscription fee. The USITC intends to download data into .csv files for internal analysis and manipulation in support of its mission of providing information to the public. The contractor shall provide technical help and expert training as required throughout the period of performance.

2.1.3.1 Performance Requirements

• Robust country coverage distributed across low, medium, and high-income countries.

• Comprehensive industry coverage, including services, manufacturing, agricultural, chemicals, textiles, and natural resources industries, including all 2-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) major groups (except 92), for all sizes of companies (including small firms).

• Sufficiently detailed company coverage to allow econometric analysis of like firms at a level equivalent to no less than the 6-digit NAICS.

• Data shall be available for both public and private companies.

• Available data shall include:

o General contact information, including current mailing and e-mailing addresses, phone numbers, and website addresses.

o Industry classification codes, including NAICS codes among other local and international codes.

o For publicly listed companies, detailed financial information, including annual revenue, total and fixed assets, cash flow, balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, and standard financial ratios, for a continuous (i.e. “sliding) 10-year period ending no earlier than the prior calendar year.

o Ownership information, including shareholding and subsidiaries, direct and indirect ownership, ultimate owner, franchisee status (to the extent possible), date of incorporation, and corporate group.

o Annual information on companies' employment, for a continuous 10-year period ending no earlier than the prior calendar year.

o Information on companies' merger and acquisition activity searchable by country, industry, date, and other criteria.

o Information on companies’ greenfield (new) investment activity searchable by country, industry, date, and other criteria.

o Information on banking and insurance companies in all sectors.

• License shall allow USITC to present both aggregate data and specific examples from the database in public reports.

• To the extent possible, all company information should be in a format that permits sector-level (or industry-level) comparison across countries despite differences in countries’ filing regulations and accountancy practices.

• Downloading capability for information on thousands or tens of thousands of firms simultaneously into broadly available spreadsheet, graphic, and statistical software.

2.1.3.2 Training and Support Requirements

• The Contractor shall provide a one-day training course for up to 20 USITC staff members. The training is anticipated to take place through a virtual platform that the USITC can access. The contractor will provide all course materials.

• When updates or new features are added to the database, the Contractor will notify USITC staff. When significant updates or changes are made to the database, the Contractor will provide additional training to USITC staff.

• The Contractor shall appoint a company representative to answer USITC questions about the database throughout the term of the contract.

(vii)

The contract period of performance is anticipated to be:

Base: October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025 Option Year 1: October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026 Option Year 2: October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 Option Year 3: October 1, 2027 – September 30, 2028 Option Year 4: October 1, 2028 – September 30, 2029

(viii) 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (SEP 2023), applies to this acquisition.

(ix) Evaluation Procedures

Quotation Submission Instructions

The Government requires the offeror to submit its quotation in two separate volumes:

(1) Technical http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/52_000.htm#P1619_225648

(2) Price

Technical – Volume 1

Offer shall include a full written description of their proposed solution to meet our requirements in Section 2.0, Statement of Work. It should also include a brief summary of their company’s capabilities, personnel, and experience in providing its global company database.

The offeror shall provide the Commission a demo of its solution via a one-hour demonstration to no more than five Commission staff to provide for the evaluation of usability and user friendliness.

This demo will be scheduled sometime after the date of receipt of quotations. The offeror is also required to allow a limited time access period to the solution for members of the evaluation team to use.. Volume 1 is limited in length to 15 pages. Any pages in excess of 15 pages will not be evaluated.

Past Performance questionnaires and / or references will not count against the 15 pages, but are limited to a total of 3 (minimum of 2) references, 3 pages each. Offeror’s can either send the questionaries directly to the reference, and have them submit the form directly back to Ian.Quillman@usitc.gov by the due date and time that bids are due, or the offeror may include the name and POC for the reference for the USITC to contact.

Price – Volume 2

Pricing may be submitted in email, pdf, or Microsoft word, and needs to be clear, legible, and only 1 page. Offerors shall propose a single fixed price per year. We are only accepting offers for an enterprise license, available to all USITC employees.

Base: ___________ Option Year 1: ___________ Option Year 2: ___________ Option Year 3 ___________ Option Year 4: ___________

Evaluation Factors for Award

Award shall be made to the responsible offeror whose offer, in conforming to this Request for Quotation, provides an overall best value to the Government, technical evaluation factors and price considered.

The Government's objective is to obtain the highest technical quality considered necessary to meet the Government’s requirement, with a realistic and reasonable price. Technical is more important than Price.

mailto:Ian.Quillman@usitc.gov

The Government reserves the right not to make an award as a result of this solicitation if, in the opinion of the Government, none of the offers would provide satisfactory performance at a price that is considered fair and reasonable and/or economically feasible.

In order to be considered for award, the offeror must be registered, and current (with certain exceptions), in the System for Award Management database (www.sam.gov) prior to award being made (Reference FAR 4.11), unless an exception at FAR 4.1102 applies.

Factor 1: Technical Offer shall include a full written description of their proposed solution and how it can meet our requirements.

The following areas will be used to determine the Technical Factor rating:

• The Offeror’s ability to provide a complete (number of countries, number of firms, and detail of such firms) global company database.

• Offerors product demonstration, specifically in the areas of ease of use, and level of detail

• Offeror’s Past Performance, specifically in providing a Global Company Database services

Factor 2: Price Offer shall propose a single fixed price for completing the requirement. We are only accepting offers for an enterprise license, available to all USITC employees. The Government will evaluate the offeror’s quoted prices for reasonableness. Price reasonableness will be determined based on competition as well as established commercial prices for same or similar services.

Each price quote will be assessed to identify any potential risk. Price risk refers to any aspect of an offeror’s quote which could have significant negative price consequences for the Government.

Where risk is assessed, it may be described in qualitative terms or used as a best-value discriminator.

(x) Each Offeror shall submit a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations & Certifications - Commercial Items, with its quotation.

(xi) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms & Conditions – Commercial Items, (Nov 2023), applies to this solicitation.

(xii) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (May 2024).

The successful offeror must comply with the following applicable commercial item terms and conditions, which are incorporated herein by reference. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -Commercial Items; the provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation; FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certification-Commercial Items. FAR Clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions, Commercial Items. FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Order-Commercial Items. Paragraph (a) and the following cluses in Paragraph (b): 52.203-6, 52.204-10; 52.209-6; 52.209-9, 52.219-4, 52.219-8, 52.222-19; 52.222-21; 52.222-26; 52.222-35; 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-40, 52.222-50; 52.223- 18; 52.225-13; 52.232-33

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 address:

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/

FAR CLAUSES & PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

52.202-1 DEFINITIONS JUN 2020

52.203-3 GRATUITIES APR 1984

52.204-7 CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION OCT 2018

52.252-6 AUTHORIZED DEVIATIONS IN CLAUSES NOV 2020

52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (July 1990)

Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government’s best interests, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 30 calendar days before the contract expiration date.

52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 45 days of contract expiration; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 15 days before the contract expires.

The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 66 months.

(End of clause)

(xiii) Additional Contract Requirements

AUTHORITIES

Contracting Officer: The Contracting Officer (CO), in accordance with Subpart 1.6 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, is the only person authorized to make or approve any changes in any of the requirements of this contract and, notwithstanding any clauses contained elsewhere in this contract, the said authority remains solely with the CO.

In the event the contractor effects any changes at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the changes will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made to the contract’s price to cover any increase in costs incurred as a result thereof. The CO shall be the only individual authorized to accept nonconforming work, waive any requirement of the contract, or to modify any term or condition of the contract. The CO is the only individual who can legally obligate Government funds.

Ian Quillman Contracting Officer

U. S. International Trade Commission 500 E Street, S.W., Room 315

Washington, D.C. 20436

Contracting Officer’s Representative: The Contracting Officer will appoint the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) at time of award. The COR will be responsible for technical monitoring of the Contractor's performance and deliveries. The COR will be appointed in writing, and a copy of the appointment will be furnished to the Contractor. Changes to this delegation will be made by written changes to the existing appointment or by issuance of a new appointment. The COR for this contract will be:

Filled in upon award

The COR is not authorized to perform, formally or informally, any of the following actions:

• Promise, award, agree to award, or execute any contract, contract modification, or notice of intent that changes or may change the terms and conditions of this contract;

• Waive or agree to modification of the delivery schedule;

• Make any final decision on any contract matter subject to the Disputes Clause;

• Terminate, for any reason, the Contractor's right to proceed;

• Obligate, in any way, the payment of money by the Government.

The Contractor shall comply with the written or oral direction of the Contracting Officer or authorized representative(s) acting within the scope and authority of the appointment memorandum.

The Contractor need not proceed with direction that it considers to have been issued without proper authority. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing, with as much detail as possible, when the COR has taken an action or has issued direction (written or oral) that the Contractor considers to exceed the COR's appointment, within 3 days of the occurrence. Any action(s) taken by the Contractor, in response to any direction given by any person acting on behalf of the Government or any Government official other than the Contracting Officer or the COR acting within his or her appointment, shall be at the Contractor's risk.

Invoices

Submission of Invoices:

Invoice(s) shall be submitted through the U. S. Department of Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), which provides for secure electronic submission and receipt of invoices.

https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/index

IPP Customer Support may be reached at 866-973-3131 or IPPCustomerSupport@fiscal.treasury.gov, is available to assist users of the system.

PLEASE NOTE: When entering the invoice(s) in IPP, ensure the period of performance being invoiced is included in the Description field. Please use the format “MM/DD/YYYY to

MM/DD/YYYY.”

https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/

To ensure a proper invoice is submitted, the following information must be on each invoice submitted:

1 Name and address of contractor 2 Invoice date and invoice number 3 Purchase Order No. (34300024P00XX) 4 Description, price, and quantity, CLIN, of services and/or supplies delivered;

5 Delivery Date/Performance Period covered by the invoice;

6 Payment terms https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/index mailto:IPPCustomerSupport@fiscal.treasury.gov https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/

7 Name and address of the contractor’s official to whom payment is to be sent. The “Remit To” address must correspond to the remittance address in this contract;

8 Name, title, phone number, and mailing address of contact person to be notified in the event of a defective invoice.

(xiv) Not Applicable

(xv) Due date of Offers:

RFQ Questions/Vendor Communications

All questions concerning the RFQ are due by 11:00 a.m., E.T. Friday, July 5, 2024, and must be sent via email, to Ian Quillman at Ian.Quillman@usitc.gov. Please include the solicitation number 34300024Q0033 in the subject line of your email.

If questions are received after the date stated above, the Government reserves the right not to provide an answer. If, however, in the Government’s opinion, the question represents an issue of significant importance, the Government may provide responses to all offerors. Please note, questions and comments will not be protected by the Government as proprietary.

Quotation Due Date

Quotations submitted in response to this RFQ shall be received by the due date and time established herein. Quotations must be received by the USITC no later than 11:00 a.m. E.T. Monday, July 15, 2024, to be considered for award. Quotations must be emailed to Ian.Quillman@usitc.gov. No hard copy quotations will be accepted.

(xvi) Point of Contact for this solicitation is Ian Quillman, Ian.Quillman@usitc.gov 202-631- 1234.

< End of Solicitation >