Final_Questions_HSFE70-15-R-0021_6.2.2015.docx

Vendor Questions in Response to HSFE70-15-R-0021

1. Q. Does FEMA currently own media monitoring/tracking software such as Critical Mention or TVeyes, or is it expected that the contractor will provide this software?

A. FEMA currently has a contract/subscription for TVEyes broadcast monitoring. This does not mean the contractor should not also include prominent broadcast news reports in the FEMA news briefings.

2. Q. What software tools has FEMA used in the past for media monitoring?

A. Besides the current contractor providing news briefings and a TVEyes contract, FEMA has had subscriptions or contracts in the past with Lexis-Nexis and Shadow TV, as well as other services that are not known to current FEMA public affairs staff.

3. Q. Is this a Time and Materials contract or Firm Fixed Price? How does FEMA intend to compensate firms during periods of increased activity, such as during a natural disaster?

A. This is a firm fixed price contract. FEMA expects that due to disasters the contractor will work a certain number of weekends and holidays to provide the briefings within this fixed price.

4. Q. Being that the most important factor in evaluating offers will be “Technical Acceptability,” FEMA may benefit from reviewing live work samples from offerors, particularly when all offerors are required to submit their samples in real time, on the deadlines specified in the RFP, using “live” news. Is FEMA interested in adding this element to the competition? And if so, please specify a date and time on which the samples should be submitted on deadline.

A. This may be left to offerors’ discretion to demonstrate their potential product for FEMA. The date should be the solicitation closing date.

5. Q. Related to surge days, is FEMA open to any of the following: (a) hourly pricing during that time, (b) a firm-fixed daily price with no cap on the number of days or (c) surge pricing included in the overall firm-fixed price but with a cap on the total number days available to FEMA each year (and, if so, what cap would you like to put in place)?

A. Approximately 30 days should be included within the firm-fixed price. The ability to negotiate price for additional days of service would also be desired, should the need arise, but surge days are generally kept below 30.

6. Q. Related to the Full Briefing/Clips, approximately how many total employees would you anticipate sharing the service with ("Total Readers")? And related to Vendor Option #2, is it fair to assume that among that "Total Reader" group, there are some employees for whom it is more important to see full text than others? If so, approximately how many readers would fall into that group?

A. Every FEMA employee should be able to access the Full Briefing/Clips online via FEMA’s intranet. As of April 2014, there were more than 14,000 employees, including reservists. It is expected that the news briefings be distributed by email to roughly 400 to 600 email addresses.

7. Q. Item 2 on page 2 states that the base period will be 7 months. The CLIN shows 12 months. Which do you prefer?

A. The base period will be seven (7) months.

8. Q. Item 2 on page 2 states that there will be 4 one-year options. The CLIN adds a 5th 6-month option. Please confirm that you would like a price for that as well.

A. Yes. FEMA would like a price for the 6-month option.

9. Q. Related to News Media Analytics, on page 5, FEMA states that it may want local television and social media only during times of emergency. Please confirm that your intent then is for News Media Analytics to always have print/web news but to generally not have television and social media. Or would you like pricing for each so you may choose on that basis?

A. The intent is to have every news report that is in the FEMA briefing also included in the Analytics.

10. Q. Related to the Full Briefing/Clips - Late Version (page 8), could you confirm the delivery deadline?

A. Between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m.

11. Q. Related to Past Performance, page 2 specifies that vendors are not to submit information, while page 17 specifies that 3 references must be provided. Please confirm that FEMA requires submission of the 3 references.

A. Yes, references required.

12. Q. Reference Section 2 as well as Section XI of the SOW versus Section 5.a Table. Can the government confirm the correct Period of Performance? Section 2 and XI of the SOW define the Period of Performance as seven (7) month base period and four (4) one (1) year options, whereas the Table defines the Period of Performance as the Base Year of twelve (12) months, and four (4) one year (1) options plus a 6 month period.

A. The period of performance will be a base of seven ( 7) months with four (4) one (1) year option periods and a six (6) month extension.

13. Q. Reference Attachment II – 52.212-1. This section references SF 1449. Is the government going to be providing the SF1449?

A. The SF1449 will be provided upon contract award.

14. Q. Can the government please clarify this directive regarding past performance: “List of at least three but no more than five clients familiar with performance (include name, telephone number, physical address, and email address).”

A. See item #11.

15. Q. Does the term “client” refer to a government POC (Like the COR) that is responsible for each contract? Would FEMA prefer these names be presented as a list separate of each citation, or each included with the corresponding citation?

A. Yes, agency and a person to contact.

16. Q. SOW indicated virtually ALL US publications and broadcast to be included but is there a targeted list for the various briefings?

A. The general idea is to provide the day’s top news on the agency with an average of about 50 to 60 news reports per day. Some days and weeks will have a much greater number while others will be lighter, depending on the current situation with disasters and developments within agency programs or outreach campaigns.

17. Q. Do you have a list of keywords that will be used for each of the Briefings (understanding that there will be changes along the way)?

A. Yes, this will be provided.

18. Q. What type of volume are you anticipating for each of the reports (approximate)?

A. The general idea is to provide the day’s top news affecting the agency, directly and indirectly.

Type of Report Approximate # of Articles # Recipients Target Sources Identified?

Executive Version/Summary: Applicable sources cited in the summary of the top 2 to 5 news topics of the day, typically one to three pages in length.

Clips Package: It is anticipated that there will be approximately 50-60 news reports per day between the two editions, with the majority of them running in the 5:30 a.m. edition.

News Media Analytics: All news reports on the agency should be included in the analytics.

WH News Summary: Generally prominent or high level sources cited in a summarized version of the top applicable news of the day.

DHS Briefing: Generally prominent or high level sources cited in a summarized version of the top applicable news of the day.