Amendment One_1_ HE12545198864_Combined Synopsis_Soliciation.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICIATION

Amendement One (1): HE12545198864 – Media Monitoring and Analysis Solution - Questions and Answers has been added to the solicitation. The referenced solicitation number above is revised to incorporate the responses to the questions received.

QUESTIONS RECEIVED FROM VENDORS GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS

We are performing independent research on the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (HE12545198864). We would like to know if this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current previous contract number?

This is an anticipated follow-on contract. The current contract number HE125419C8005.

I am with _________ and I am based in northern Virginia. I see the RFQ posted on SAM.gov due March 24, 2025. _________ is very well positioned to help DODEA with comprehensive and simplified media monitoring and analytics solution.

However, there are a few elements that we can not meet - related to tasks 4, 8 and 18 of the Performance Work Statement. If we do not meet the exact requirements, do you recommend us providing a quote for the remaining services outlined in the PWS?

Please review the entire RFQ, including the Instructions to Offerors and the Basis of Award, to decide whether you choose to submit a quote.

Under 2.1.1 Supporting Tasks, (Task 2) asks for unlimited clips/mentions from 5+ million online media sources.

1. How did the agency quantify the requirement for 5+ million sources? . 2. Of the 5+ million sources, what are the priorities? Can DODEA share specific publishers/platforms of interest?.

3. Is monitoring the foreign information environment a priority for DODEA?

4. If so, are there specific foreign information sources/countries DODEA seeks to monitor?

1. Rough estimate of media sources across the 12 countries in which our schools are located. 2.

Priorities are major news outlets, blogs, forums, and news aggregators (Tier 1 and Tier 2). 3. Yes. We have schools in 11 foreign countries. 4. Japan, Korea, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Bahrain, Turkey.

Under 2.1.1 Supporting Tasks, (Task 14) asks for unlimited automated daily and weekly media digests for unlimited recipients.

1. Can DODEA clarify its requirements for 10 user accounts, but unlimited recipients?

2. Does DODEA intend to procure DOD-enterprise licenses for this capability?

3. Will non-DOD enterprises/users receive the media digests?

4. Will the digests/data be shared with international partners/allies?

5. Does DODEA require open licensing?

1. Ten user accounts, unlimited internal recipients for curated news digests. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5. No.

Does DODEA intend to award single or multiple awards to accomplish the Objectives?

DoDEA intends to award a single award.

Are there any other specific languages besides English that are required for content monitoring?

Korean, German, Japanese, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, Dutch. Full translations not required but identification of keywords in local news outlets is important.

“5+ million online media sources” seems excessive. Is this a hard requirement or can it be reduced to focus on relevant sources?

Rough estimate of sources with geographic range in which our schools are located.

Does it matter if the solution is custom, or do you require an off the shelf solution?

Can be custom or off-the-shelf. User interface should have all components in one place.

Does the agency expect any custom or specialized dashboards/features beyond what is already specified (e.g., additional KPIs or specialized visuals)?

Ability to create visualizations from data captured is preferable.

How soon after contract award does the agency expect the initial system to be operational and accessible to the ten (10) user accounts?

Initial operating capability within 5 business days

Are there any restrictions on how user accounts are authenticated (e.g., single sign-on, two-factor authentication)?

No.

Could you clarify the required integrations (e.g., “Google Analytics or equal”)? Are there any preferred or pre-existing analytics systems we need to accommodate? Do you have existing accounts that can be used for access and monitoring?

No preferred or pre-existing analytics systems.

What level of detail is required for comparing “media coverage based on custom search parameters”? Are there any standard metrics or benchmarks already in use within the agency?

Search parameters will be defined within a Boolean search algorithm.

Are there specific social media platforms (beyond the usual major networks) that must be monitored?

No. Focus is on public-facing news media

Do you foresee any compliance or data-privacy constraints for monitoring social media mentions or storing content?

No. Focus is on public-facing news media

Regarding the creation of “unlimited on-demand reports” (PDF, Excel, HTML), are there specific formatting or branding guidelines to follow (logo placement, color schemes, disclaimers)?

No specific formatting or branding guidelines. We can work within the parameters of the selected platform.

For the monthly service reports (Objective 3), could you clarify the depth of analytics or insights expected (e.g., sentiment analysis details, influencer breakdown, audience demographics)?

Share of voice, sentiment analysis, mentions, top tier mentions, keyword mentions, audience demographics, SimliarWeb or equivalent data

The AQLs indicate that 100% of tasks must be completed on time. How are “completion dates” and “on-time” defined or measured? Is there a grace period?

All tasks must be completed on-time

If delays occur due to external factors (e.g., third-party data sources or integrations), how will the agency handle adjustments to performance evaluations?

Performance evaulations will take into account external factors out of vendor control

Are there any preferred training formats (e.g., live instructor-led, self-paced online modules) beyond face-to-face or virtual sessions?

No preference

What level of detail is expected for the on-demand technical support? Do you have an internal help desk that coordinates with the contractor, or will contractors be the primary support for end users?

Vendor is expected to provide technical support for the selected platform.

Are there any security clearances or compliance requirements (e.g., FedRAMP, DoD standards) that the system must meet?

As per DoD guidelines

Do you require an audit trail of all user activity within the platform, and what level of detail should that include?

Audit trail shold identify which user performed actions within the platform, i.e., set up custom search, changed Boolean search terms, etc.

Is there an expectation of coordinating or integrating with other agency initiatives or software beyond what is listed (e.g., CRM, intranet portal)?

Solution should be cloud-based; no integration with other software or agency platforms

Would the agency require or anticipate any future expansion of functionality to include artificial intelligence or machine learning capabilities for sentiment or trend analysis?

No anticipation of future integrations

What is the projected start date and the overall timeline for completing all tasks under each objective?

Projected initial operating capability by April 1, 2025

What policies or guidelines must be followed to ensure ethical use of the data collected (e.g., avoiding certain types of personal information, adhering to privacy regulations)?

No anticipation of personal data collection

Do you have a process for obtaining any required permissions or addressing potential liability issues if protected content is used or stored?

No

Do you foresee any specific privacy, data protection, or compliance regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA) that the platform needs to observe when monitoring and storing media data?

We have not had any issues with these topics in the past.

Do you have requirements for how long data should be retained, archived, or deleted to comply data governance policies?

No set requirements at this time.

Would it be possible to extend the close date?

No

Regarding Task 4 (PWS 2.1.1), can an in-platform, artificial intelligence/machine learning driven capability meet this requirement, if Offeror demonstrates the ability to provide sufficient analytics?

Yes

Regarding Task 15 (PWS 2.1.1), can the USG please elaborate upon what "access to complementary platforms" is intended to provide account users? It would be helpful to better understand overall functions of this access.

LexisNexis or equal - to view content that may be behind media outlet paywall

Regarding PWS Task 2.2, is the USG interested in identifying Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior in addition to influencers?

No

Is there an incumbent vendor? If yes, please provide contract number.

HE125419C8005

Has DODEA worked with any media monitoring platforms in the past? If so, which ones?

Yes. Cision

Would the government consider a 2 week extension to allow for thoughtful consideration of answers to questions?

No

Of the 10 users please describe if there is different intended level of access within the software platform?

Same level of access

Currently no platform allows for access to all news outlets without having to pass a subscription paywall. Does the government want the contractor to lists publications that allow access beyond paywall?

No

How many readers will be consuming each newsletter/interactive report?

Varies from 10 to 250

Please describe if any translation services will be needed?

No translation services needed

How many topics/can the government share topics intended for each newsletter/interactive brief?

Two primary topics- DoDEA-related and education-related

Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.