M95494-19-R-0020-0001.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

30-105-04EXCEPTION TO SF 30

APPROVED BY OIRM 11-84

STANDARD FORM 30 (Rev. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

The purpose of this amendment is to incorporate changes and revisions to the solicitation and provide the Questions and Answ ers document. Changes to the solicitation are highlighted in yellow .

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES

S 1 30

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

BY 12-Jun-2019

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA15C. DATE SIGNED15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of Contracting Officer)(Signature of person authorized to sign)

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., Street, County, State and Zip Code) X M9549419R0020

X 9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

14-May-2019

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

X The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offer is extended, X is not extended.

Offer must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN

REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE

CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(B).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

10A. MOD. OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO.(If applicable)

6. ISSUED BY

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

12-Jun-2019

CODE

MCICOM HQ

3000 MARINE CORPS PENTAGON

WASHINGTON DC 20350-3000

M95494 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than item 6)

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.

CODE

See Item 6

FACILITY CODECODE

EMAIL:TEL:

M9549419R0020

SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

SECTION SF 1449 - CONTINUATION SHEET

The following have been modified:

FAR 52.212-1, ADDENDUM

General

All proposals in response to this solicitation shall conform to the following requirements:

Proposals shall be submitted in Hard Copy format. Faxes, e-mails, and/or responses through FedBizOpps or any other method are not acceptable. Electronic versions of the offeror’s proposal shall be included with each respective volume on either CD or DVD. Electronic files shall be compatible with Microsoft Word (*.docx), Microsoft Excel (*.xlsx), Microsoft PowerPoint (*.pptx), and/or Adobe (*.pdf) format.

Initial proposals and any modifications thereto are to be submitted to the Contracting Officer on or before the closing date and time cited in Block 8 of the Standard Form 1449. Late submissions will not be considered for evaluation unless the conditions of FAR 15.208(b) apply. All proposals in response to this solicitation shall be delivered to the address set forth below:

Marine Corps Installations Command, Contracting Branch

Attention: Mr. F. Paul Lirio

701 S. Courthouse Road

Building 12, Room 1J100

Arlington, VA 22204

Proposals may be hand delivered or mailed via commercial carrier. Hand delivered proposals shall only be accepted by Mr. F. Paul Lirio, (703) 604-3236.

After receipt of proposals, the Government may, with or without notice, negotiate with and, if desired, seek proposal revisions from as many or as few Offerors as it, in its discretion, deems appropriate. Proposals are solicited on an

“all or none” basis. Failure to submit a proposal for all requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS) shall be the cause for rejection of the proposal. Non-compliance with any of the provisions herein may lead the

Government to determine that a proposal is non-compliant and may result in removal from the evaluation. Offerors are cautioned not to alter the solicitation. Offerors shall submit their proposals in three (3) separate volumes as follows:

Volume Description

I Administrative Proposal

II Non-Price Proposal

III Price/Cost Proposal

The completion and submission of the above items will constitute a proposal and will be considered the offeror’s unconditional assent to the terms and conditions of this solicitation and any attachments and/or exhibits hereto.

Alternate proposals are not authorized. An objection to any of the terms and conditions of the solicitation will constitute a deficiency (see FAR 15.001), which will make the proposal ineligible for award.

QUESTIONS – Offeror’s may submit questions requesting clarification of solicitation requirements. All questions must be received by 10:00 AM EST no later than ten (10) business days after release of the solicitation. All questions shall be submitted electronically via email to Mr. F. Paul Lirio, francis.lirio@usmc.mil, and Mr. Sam

Kistner, samuel.kistner@usmc.mil.

Requirements for Proposal Content

A. Introduction and Purpose – This section specifies the format that offerors shall use in proposals submitted in response to this solicitation. The intent is not to restrict the offerors in the manner in which they will perform their work but rather to ensure a certain degree of uniformity in the format of the proposals for evaluation purposes.

mailto:francis.lirio@usmc.mil mailto:samuel.kistner@usmc.mil

B. The Government does not anticipate a need for offerors to submit classified material in any proposal volume;

therefore, offerors shall not place any classified information in any portion of its proposal.

C. Each volume shall contain the following items in addition to the other information required by this solicitation:

1) Cover – The cover shall indicate the following:

Title of the Proposal

Volume Number

Solicitation Number

Name and Address of Offeror

Identification of Original Signature Copies

2) Table of Contents – The table of contents shall provide sufficient detail to allow the important elements to be easily located. The use of tabs and dividers is encouraged.

D. Requirements for Style – The proposal must demonstrate an understanding of and ability to meet all of the requirements set forth in the RFP’s PWS. The Offeror shall provide sufficient detail to substantiate the validity of all statements. The Offeror shall demonstrate that the proposal is in compliance with the requirements, terms, and conditions of the RFP. Comprehensive responses to the requirements of the RFP are required to enable the

Government to evaluate the Offeror’s understanding of and capability to accomplish the requirements of the

PWS.

General statements that the Offeror can or will comply with the requirements, that standard procedures will be used, that well known techniques will be used, and paraphrasing the solicitation’s requirements in whole or in part will NOT constitute compliance. Failure to conform to any of the requirements of the solicitation may form the basis for rejection of the proposal.

Unnecessary elaboration or other presentations beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal are NOT desired and may be construed as an indication of the offeror’s lack of cost consciousness.

Elaborate artwork, expensive paper or bindings, and expensive visual or other presentation aids are neither necessary nor desired. Clarity, completeness, and conciseness are essential and the overall quality of the proposal will be evaluated in the context of being representative of the Offeror’s services.

An Offeror’s proposal is presumed to represent the best efforts to respond to the solicitation. Since only the proposal submitted in response to this solicitation will be evaluated, Offerors shall make certain that their proposal is complete with regard to the information provided. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their proposal responds to the requirements of this solicitation, and are responsible for ensuring that a proposal contains sufficient detail for the Government to evaluate it. Data previously submitted, or presumed to be known, will not be considered in the evaluation unless that information is physically contained in the proposal.

E. Page Limitations

Proposals shall be submitted to the Government as follows:

Volume Description Page Limits* Hard Copies Electronic Copies

I Administrative Proposal N/A 2 1

II Non-Price Proposal 100 5 1

III Price/Cost Proposal N/A 3 1

*Pages submitted in excess of the page limitations described above will not be evaluated.

Offerors are required to submit all required copies of each part of their proposal. In case of conflict between hard copies and electronic copies, the hard copies shall control. Each page of each copy shall include the following legend: “Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 and 3.104.” The contractor must apply the appropriate controlled unclassified information (CUI) markings to their proposals (see DFARS 252.204-7008 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-171).

Page limitations are inclusive of any appendices, charts, diagrams, and/or other graphics. Each “page” is defined as one sheet, 8.5” x 11”, with at least one inch margins on all sides, using a font with a point size of 12 or greater (e.g., Times New Roman style with 12 point font). Lines shall, at a minimum, be single-spaced.

Multiple pages, double pages, two-sided pages, or foldouts will count as an equivalent number of 8.5” x 11” pages. Individual resumes shall not exceed one (1) page per resume. The cover sheet, table of contents (not to exceed one page per volume), resumes, tabs, and dividers will not count toward the page limit. The one exception to the font size requirement shown above is that the Past Performance Questionnaires may be completed with a point size of 10 or greater. If Volume II exceeds 100 pages, the Government will only evaluate the first 100 pages and will not evaluate any pages after the 100th page.

Pages shall be numbered consecutively within each volume showing volume and page. For example, page 9 of

Volume I would be numbered I-9 and page 10 of Volume II would be numbered II-10. Offerors are advised that the Government may selectively verify any information provided in the proposal. Offerors are cautioned that they are responsible to ensure that material that they desire to have evaluated for a particular section is contained in that specific section.

Proposal Content

Volume I – Administrative Proposal

This volume shall address the following:

A. Solicitation and Amendments cover sheet with the appropriate blocks completed by the offeror.

B. Solicitation pricing pages completed by the offeror.

C. Offer Letter – The Offer Letter shall be signed by an authorized company official and include the following:

1) The Solicitation number.

2) Company Information: Company Name, address, DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number

(TIN), and telephone number of the Offeror.

3) Authorized Personnel – Provide the name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address of the company/division point of contact who can obligate your company contractually. Also, identify those individuals authorized to negotiate with the Government and who can answer questions regarding your proposal.

4) Terms of any express warranty.

5) “Remit to” address, if different than the offeror’s mailing address.

6) Acknowledgement of solicitation amendments pursuant to FAR 52.215-1 (if applicable or not previously acknowledged).

7) Agreement with Terms – A statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the RFP. Offerors shall detail any exceptions taken and the rationale for the exceptions taken to the RFP. Please note that exceptions taken to the RFP will render the proposal deficient and unacceptable to the Government for award.

8) Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) – Offerors shall provide an affirmative statement that no OCIs exist or a detailed plan which mitigates existing or anticipated OCIs.

9) Technical data and software documentation to be delivered with other than unlimited rights using the format provided under DFARS 252.227-7017, Identification and Assertion of Use, Release, or Disclosure

Restrictions. If none, so state.

10) Technical data and software documentation required to be identified by DFARS 252.227-7028, Technical

Data or Computer Software Previously Delivered to the Government. If none, so state.

11) Proposal Expiration Date – The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 90 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers.

D. Representations and Certifications – A completed copy of the representations and certifications at FAR 52.212-

3 ALT I and DFARS 252.204-7007 ALT A. Offerors who have completed the representations and certifications in the System for Award Management (SAM) do not need to submit a separate copy. Instead, they shall include a statement stating their representations and certifications are up to date in SAM.

E. Buy American Certificate – A Buy American Certificate in accordance with FAR 52.225-2.

F. Small Business Subcontracting Plan – Large Business offerors shall submit a Small Business Subcontracting

Plan as required under FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Large Businesses shall ensure the

Small Business Subcontracting Plan adequately responds to each of the required elements of FAR 52.219-9(d).

In accordance with FAR 19.704, Subcontracting Plan Requirements, Small Businesses are exempt from having to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan.

Large Business offerors shall demonstrate the offeror’s commitment to offer fair opportunities and subcontracting prospects to Small Business firms, as defined in FAR Part 19, in order to subcontract with those

Small Businesses. The offeror's proposed Small Business Subcontracting Plan must demonstrate their plan to reach out to Small, HUBZone, Small Disadvantaged Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned Small, and/or Service

Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and to establish the maximum subcontracting opportunities practicable under this requirement. Large Businesses are required to ensure that the commitments in the Small

Business Subcontracting Plan are comparative to the commitments established in the Small Business

Participation Plan.

G. Small Business Participation Plan

1) The Small Business Participation Plan is distinct from the Small Business Subcontracting Plan and is required of all Offerors regardless of size status. Failure to submit a Small Business Participation Plan may form the basis for rejection of the proposal.

2) All offerors must provide a Small Business Participation Plan that addresses the Offeror’s approach to securing small business participation in support of this requirement. Offerors must:

i. Provide a percentage (%) of the total effort to be performed by large and small businesses and include a description of how those percentages were developed (e.g., market research or past experience).

ii. Provide a description of additional efforts that will be undertaken to develop opportunities for small business concerns.

iii. Describe the proposed range of services and supplies that will be provided by small business concerns under any resulting contract. Provide the names of specific small business firms that will be providing the proposed range of services and supplies under any resulting contract or specific small business firms that will be targeted in the future. Delineate the socio-economic status (e.g., SDVOSB) of each.

iv. Use the following format (add rows as needed):

Company

Name Address CAGE

Socio-

Economic

Status

Level of

Participation

Work to be

Performed

3) Minimum Quantitative Requirement (MQR) – The MQR provides a baseline for the socio-economic categories under this requirement and is not intended to be a goal that offerors’ Small Business

Participation Plans must meet. The MQR for this requirement is as follows:

Socio-Economic Group Percentage

Small Business 23%

HUBZone 1%

Small Disadvantaged Business 5%

Women-Owned Small Business 5%

Veteran Owned Small Business 3%

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business 3%

Volume II – Non-Price Proposal

This volume of the proposal shall exclude pricing/cost information. This volume shall contain all information required for proposal evaluation and include, in descending order of importance, the Offeror’s Advertising

Approach, Management Approach, and Past Performance as follows:

A. Advertising Approach

The offeror shall provide in detail an advertising approach that will successfully accomplish the requirements of the solicitation. Offerors shall submit an advertising approach that describes how the offeror will provide full-service advertising agency support to furnish the supplies and services as described in the PWS to enhance the

USMC’s recruiting efforts to include:

1) Account Program Management:

i. Provide a detailed approach to meet the Account Program Management requirements to include all meetings and reports.

ii. Provide a Draft Quality Control Plan that demonstrates an effective approach to minimizing risks, mistakes, and costs as well as a detailed Risk Mitigation Plan. The Offeror shall describe any risks associated with the PWS, Campaign Plan, and implementation of the offeror’s proposal. The Offeror shall describe any techniques and actions to mitigate such risks and explain whether the techniques and actions identified for risk mitigation have been successfully used by the Offeror. The Draft Quality

Control Plan will be used for evaluation purposes and is still a required deliverable in accordance with

Section IV(A)(4) of the PWS. The Draft Quality Control Plan shall be provided as part of an Appendix to Volume II and does not count toward the page limitation set for Volume II.

iii. Describe the methodology to identify, track, and address performance deficiencies necessary to ensure that the offeror’s proposed annual goals are met. Address Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and necessary processes to ensure that operating procedures are monitored and changed to correct and prevent performance deficiencies and that personnel are appropriately trained to accomplish operating procedures, including necessary changes.

iv. Provide a comprehensive approach that demonstrates an understanding of the information security (IS) standards applicable to MCRC. Provide a comprehensive approach to maintain MCRC’s Authorization to Operate (ATO) the Advertising Information Technology System (AITS) and ensure all Personally

Identifiable Information (PII) is secured in accordance with Attachments J-2 and J-3 of this solicitation and Section XVI of the PWS.

v. Provide a detailed approach to meet the MCRC Assets Library requirements to include storing, organizing, and cataloging advertising materials and developing and maintaining an Assets Library.

vi. Provide a detailed approach to meet the Inventory Management System requirements to include storage and maintenance.

2) Advertising Strategy:

i. Provide an Advertising Strategy that includes prospective programs the Offeror will provide. Describe how the programs in the Advertising Strategy meet MCRC’s Campaign Plan objectives and initiatives in accordance with Section IV(B) of the PWS.

ii. Provide a comprehensive approach for how recommendations and revisions will be implemented into the Advertising Strategy during performance.

3) Lead Generation:

i. Demonstrate an understanding of lead generation under this requirement and provide a comprehensive approach to include all proposed products, activities, and website services.

ii. Provide a detailed approach to deliver lead lists to recruiters in accordance with the PWS.

iii. Provide a comprehensive approach to operating and maintaining the USMC webpages, subpages, and social media accounts that align with the Marine Corps Campaign Plan.

4) Awareness – Provide a comprehensive approach to promote public awareness to include public events, promotional programs, and a public relations campaign.

5) Recruiter Support – Discuss the recruiting guides, sales tools, and pertinent marketing data that will be provided to support Marine Recruiters.

6) Recruiter Support Materials – Provide a list of proposed support materials, a description of why they would be effective, and an effective distribution plan.

7) Call Center Support – Provide a comprehensive approach that includes operator instructions, marketing strategies, and alternative location procedures.

8) Media and Advertisements Support:

i. Provide a detailed approach to design, develop, and produce media and advertisements that align with the objectives of the PWS and MCRC’s Campaign Plan.

ii. Provide a comprehensive approach for the media planning/scheduling, placement, and purchasing functions for this requirement.

9) Paid Media – Provide a prospective media and advertisement package for the amounts included in the solicitation, not inclusive of the Paid Media options. Describe how the package will reach 50% of the prospect audience at least three (3) times per month.

B. Management Approach

1) The Offeror shall provide a detailed Management Approach to meet the requirements of this solicitation, including execution of the proposed Advertising Strategy.

2) The Offeror shall explain how it will manage the reimbursable elements (i.e., Paid Media and Travel), performance, and schedule of a contract of this magnitude and execute these services in the complex advertising marketplace.

3) The Offeror shall identify the management positions and provide resumes for the proposed Key Personnel that demonstrate the ability to meet the requirements of Section VI of the PWS.

4) The Offeror shall identify the total level of effort (LOE) for each task and the overall contract effort.

5) The Offeror shall provide a narrative describing the managerial objectives and approach to support all

CONUS recruiting stations.

6) The Offeror shall detail the offeror’s methods to select and manage subcontractors as well as how subcontractor performance will be monitored and incentivized.

C. Past Performance

1) Offerors are requested to provide information on up to three (3) previous Government contracts whose effort is recent and relevant to the effort required by this solicitation. For each of the Past Performance references submitted, the Offeror shall:

i. Demonstrate the offeror’s ability to provide full-service advertising agency support with a focus on recruiting or similar efforts. If subcontractor experience is provided as part of the most recent and relevant contracts or efforts, the subcontractor experience will be given weight relative to the scope, magnitude, and complexity of the aspects of the work under the solicitation that the subcontractor is proposed to perform. Therefore, the Offeror’s proposal shall clearly detail the aspects of the work in the solicitation that the subcontractor is proposed to perform;

ii. Include the contract number, type of contract, dollar value, a brief description of the work performed, any problems encountered during contract performance, and corrective actions taken;

iii. For each reference, address compliance with FAR clauses 52.219-8, “Utilization of Small Business

Concerns,” and 52.219-9, “Small Business Subcontracting Plan,” if applicable;

iv. Identify a Point of Contact (POC) (e.g. Contracting Officer, Contracting Officer’s Representative, Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative, or Government Program Manager), name of contracting agency, agency representative, telephone number, and email address;

v. Provide the POC with a copy of the Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment L-1) and request that the POC submit the completed questionnaire to the Government in accordance with the instructions on the questionnaire. The Offeror and any subcontractors shall complete all applicable items of the Past

Performance Questionnaire prior to providing it to each POC. It is requested that the reference POC, not the Offeror or its subcontractor, email the completed Past Performance Questionnaire BEFORE

THE DUE DATE FOR PROPOSALS directly to Mr. F. Paul Lirio, francis.lirio@usmc.mil, and Mr.

Sam Kistner, samuel.kistner@usmc.mil. The Offeror, NOT THE GOVERNMENT, is responsible for ensuring that the Government receives a sufficient number of questionnaires.

2) If the Offeror does not have recent and relevant past performance experience, then the Offeror must make an affirmative statement to this effect.

Volume III – Price/Cost Proposal

All information relating to pricing data shall be included in Volume III. Volume III shall include a complete and detailed price/cost breakdown with all supporting documentation. The Price/Cost Proposal shall include all elements of cost and such other cost information as considered appropriate to support the Offeror’s Non-Price Proposal. The cost and pricing information shall be completed in accordance with the following:

A. Offerors shall provide their Price/Cost Proposal using the template included as Attachment L-2.

mailto:samuel.kistner@usmc.mil

B. Separate cost and pricing information shall be submitted for each time period specified in the pricing pages of the solicitation.

C. Supporting data including labor rates, hours, and material lists used in developing the price/cost breakdown shall be furnished. The supporting data for Recruiter Support Materials shall include an itemization of those expenses.

D. If the offeror is currently being audited, or has been audited, by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), the name and location of the assigned DCAA office shall be furnished with the price/cost proposal.

E. In accordance with Section IV(I) and XI of the PWS, Paid Media and Travel, respectively, will be funded by the

Government on a reimbursable basis when required. The Government has estimated the Paid Media and Travel for each period of performance and those amounts are included in Attachment L-2.

Intent to Incorporate Contractor’s Proposal

All or part of the successful Offeror’s technical proposal may be incorporated by reference at the sole discretion of the Contracting Officer in any contract resulting from this solicitation as Attachment J-8 under Section J. Nothing contained in the successful Offeror’s proposal shall constitute a waiver to any requirement of the contract. In the event of any conflict between the successful Offeror’s proposal and any portion of the contract, the conflict shall be resolved in favor of the contract.

(End of Provision)

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Marine Corps Recruiting Command Advertising Support

I) Background

The Marine Corps Recruiting Command is responsible for the recruitment of approximately 40,000 personnel per year to fill vacancies in regular Enlisted and Officer, United States Marine Corps (USMC) Reserve Enlisted and

Officer, and prior service programs. It supports 48 Recruiting Stations (RS) within six (6) Marine Corps Districts

(MCD) that are organized into two (2) regions: the Eastern Recruiting Region (ERR) and the Western Recruiting

Region (WRR). The USMC’s advertising approach spans a wide variety of channels including an expanded online and social media presence, an array of awareness media options, an effective lead generation program, a nationwide support team providing advertising assistance through local event activation, and the development of recruiter sales support materials. By providing recruiters with sales support materials, generating leads, building relevant brand awareness, and weaving diversity into the fabric of the Marine Corps, MCRC is focused on delivering an integrated and consistent message to reinforce the brand’s positioning among all key prospects.

II) Objective

To implement effective advertising strategies to encourage qualified prospects to engage with Marine Corps recruiters and, ultimately, become Marines.

III) Scope

The purpose of this contract is to provide full-service advertising agency support to furnish supplies and services to enhance the USMC’s recruiting efforts. The Contractor must execute an Advertising Strategy that aligns with the

USMC’s Campaign Plan (see Attachment J-1) and includes a full range of services from the development of a tactical advertising strategy to the production of a wide-range of advertising formats (e.g., TV, radio, print media, internet, and direct marketing). The Contractor must plan and execute advertising, promotional, and publicity programs to support the following recruiting missions:

Active Marine Enlisted Special Missions:

o Special Forces o Marine Judge Advocate General (JAG) o Musician Enlistment Option Program (MEOP) o Female Recruitment Missions o Non-Prospects (e.g., Parents, Influencers)

Active Marine Officer

Marine Reserve Enlisted Non-Prior Service

Marine Reserve Enlisted Prior Service

Marine Reserve Officer

IV) Tasks

The Contractor must execute a comprehensive national marketing plan and Advertising Strategy that aligns with the

Marine Corps’ Campaign Plans. The Contractor must provide the following supplies and services:

A) Account Program Management

The Contractor must provide MCRC with responsive, thorough, comprehensive, complete, and timely Account

Program Management services, which includes the following:

1) Kick-Off Meeting – The Contractor must schedule, coordinate, and host a Kick-Off Meeting within ten

(10) days after the start of performance. The Government will provide the Contractor with the Meeting

Agenda. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will ensure all identified participants are notified in advance of the meeting. The Contractor must develop and, after Government approval, distribute the

Kick-Off Meeting minutes (see Exhibit J-A).

2) Bi-Weekly Progress Meetings – Telephonic Progress Meetings are scheduled and conducted by the

Government to evaluate current and prospective marketing, advertising, and recruitment efforts. The

Contractor must attend all Progress Meetings to provide insights, recommendations, and pertinent information that support meeting objectives. The Contractor must develop and, after Government approval, distribute Progress Meeting minutes (see Exhibit J-B).

3) Quarterly Progress Report – The Contractor must develop a Quarterly Progress Report (see Exhibit J-C).

4) Quality Control Plan (QCP) – There have been significant changes in the wants and needs of America’s youth over the history of the USMC. The numbers and quality of personnel required for each of the

USMC’s programs can vary in response to factors such as economic fluctuations, unemployment rates, world events, past shortfalls in recruiting, the internal reenlistment rate, and personnel ceilings established by Congress. With consideration of these variables, the Contractor must develop and maintain a QCP (see

Exhibit J-D) that includes annual goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Copies of inspection documentation must be retained by the Contractor for the duration of this contract and must be available upon request by the COR or Contracting Officer (KO). Subsequent changes to the QCP shall be submitted to the COR no later than ten (10) business days prior to the effective date of change.

5) Material and Data Management

MCRC has access to a multitude of assets to support its advertising and marketing strategies. MCRC will provide the Contractor access to these resources in support of this contract.

a) The Contractor must comply with the requirements and information security standards provided under

Section X, XVI, and XVIII.

b) Advertising Information Technology System (AITS) Maintenance – AITS is the Marine Corps’

Defense Business System (DBS) that provides digital and database marketing, leads management, and recruiter fulfillment services across all recruiting locations. The Senior Information Security Officer

(SISO) that oversees MCRC’s AITS is the Chief, Cybersecurity Division, Headquarters Marine Corps

(HQMC) C4, which established information technology requirements for AITS (see Attachment J-2).

The Contractor must develop remediation plans, perform vulnerability scans, and submit vulnerability scan reports in accordance with the AITS Security Controls (see Attachment J-3). The Contractor must maintain an Authorization to Operate (ATO) for AITS and ensure all Personally Identifiable

Information (PII) is secured in accordance with all applicable Department of Defense (DoD) and

Department of the Navy (DoN) regulations and the ATO.

c) MCRC Assets Library – The Contractor must store, organize, and catalog all advertising material (e.g., photographs, videos, print ads, etc.) created during the performance of this contract. The Contractor must develop and maintain an Assets Library (see Exhibit J-E). The Assets Library shall be available to the COR and any Government officials designated by the COR. The Contractor must ensure that all records abide by the intellectual property rights under this contract and remains searchable, compatible with MCRC systems, and transferrable. The Contractor must maintain the original copies of all releases and licenses within the record. The Contractor must develop and maintain a digital Image and

Video Content Rights Audit Sheet listing all such signed releases and licenses indexed to the products.

d) Inventory Management System – MCRC’s advertising and marketing inventory is comprised of collateral, recruiter support, promotional, and incentive items, which will be provided to the Contractor after award (see Attachment J-4). The Contractor must maintain a full-time, self-service Inventory

Management System to facilitate warehousing and distribution for all items (see Exhibit J-F). This function is currently provided by the Collateral and Recruiter Support Items subpage (see Lead

Generation below).

6) Transition Plan – The Contractor must develop a Transition Plan for the follow-on contract (see Exhibit J-

G). The last thirty (30) days in the final Period of Performance of this contract shall constitute the transition period. The Transition Plan must describe how the Contractor intends to coordinate and transfer knowledge to the inbound Contractor, as applicable, and Government. If the period of performance overlaps with an incumbent Contractor’s efforts, the Contractor must collaborate with the incumbent Contractor to facilitate a successful transition-in. The Contractor’s personnel must coordinate with the follow-on contractor’s personnel to: execute knowledge transfers; provide lessons learned; ensure continuity of information;

transfer documents; and prevent gaps in service. The Transition Plan must include the following:

Program management processes;

POCs;

Location of technical and program management documentation;

Appropriate Contractor-to-Contractor coordination to ensure a seamless transition;

Schedules and milestones;

Actions required of the Government;

Effective communication procedures with the incoming Contractor and Government personnel for the period of the transition via weekly status meetings; and

Assigned Contractor personnel that will conduct a joint inventory, including condition status assessments, with Government personnel of all advertising and promotional materials.

All facilities, equipment, and materials utilized by the Contractor personnel during performance shall remain accessible to the Contractor personnel during the transition period pursuant to the applicable in-processing and out-processing guidelines.

B) Advertising Strategy Execution

The Contractor must execute and maintain an Advertising Strategy to support existing Campaign Plans (e.g., Battles Won). The Advertising Strategy must include a detailed description of the work to be performed to include tasks, materials, dates, and subcontractors. The Advertising Strategy must address the following elements for all services, as applicable:

1) Lead Generation – prospect identification, lead development, and influencer strategies;

2) Awareness – public events and promotional programs that promote USMC awareness;

3) Recruiter Support and Materials – support services and products for Marine Corps recruiters;

4) Call Center Support – short and long range communication efforts and objectives; and

5) Media and Advertisement Support – creative development, media mix, paid media, and the respective KPIs.

The intent of the Advertising Strategy is to document the services that the Contractor shall perform in support of

MCRC’s Campaign Plan objectives and initiatives. The Contractor must continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the Advertising Strategy as initiatives are completed and as the Marine Corps’ Campaign Plan evolves. The

Contractor must:

1) Develop and provide timely recommendations to improve MCRC’s Campaign Plans. Recommendations may include: creative concepts, alternative media plans, direct response programs, product positioning, short and long range communication objectives, and account planning.

2) Attend Operational Planning Group (OPG) meetings to evaluate MCRC’s marketing and advertising efforts. The OPG convenes at least once a year in the May/June timeframe.

3) Provide advertising support to the MCRC field within the ERR, WRR, and MCDs. The Contractor’s

Advertising Strategy must be broad enough to accommodate the nuances and challenges of regions and districts, but maintain a consistent message.

4) Develop and deliver presentations that summarize current advertising efforts and objectives. Presentations may be in person, via conference call, or through video teleconference (VTC) and shall be used to brief

MCRC leadership and stakeholders in a concise manner.

5) Contact the KO to coordinate trademark reviews with the Marine Corps’ Trademark Counsel for any new slogan, logo, or other indicator.

6) Advertising Strategy Assessment – The Contractor must develop and provide an Advertising Strategy

Assessment (see Exhibit J-H).

C) Lead Generation

The Contractor shall develop and execute procedures to generate Qualified Leads for recruitment. Qualified

Leads are defined as age and education qualified prospects asking for more information and agreeing to meet with a recruiter. The USMC’s goals are based on conversion rates, which are a function of Qualified Leads to contracts (i.e., enlistments). Historically, between 200,000 to 300,000 unique Qualified Leads are required to meet the USMC’s annual recruitment goals and 20%, or 8,000, of new recruits can be attributed to advertising efforts. NOTE: Recruiting is an inherently Governmental function; therefore, the Contractor is not required or expected to perform direct recruiting functions.

Under this task, the Contractor must:

1) Develop targeted lead generation products that encourage Qualified Leads to meet with recruiters.

2) Develop and execute direct response activities at the national, Regional, District, RS, Recruiting Sub-

Station (RSS), and Officer Selection Site (OSS) levels that facilitate a call-to-action for prospects to seek immediate feedback from recruiters.

3) Operate, maintain, and upgrade the USMC’s recruitment page, https://www.Marines.com. This site collects requests for recruitment information and is the USMC’s public facing portal. The intent of this website is to be appealing and useful to the primary target audience, influencers of such targets, and diversity targets.

The COR or the Government official(s) designated by the COR will provide final approval for all content changes. The USMC retains all rights to this site including, but not limited to, all intellectual property rights related to, or associated with, the site.

4) Operate, maintain, and upgrade the USMC Advertising Portal (Ad Portal) and its subpages at https://adportal.marines.com. This site is the access point for the following recruiter support tools:

http://www.marines.com/ https://adportal.marines.com/

Ad Portal Subpages Description

Admin Interface Administrative page to create and manage Ad Portal accounts.

Advertising Exchange Program management tool between MCRC and Contractor partners to track projects and share files.

Collateral and Recruiter

Support Items

The library of available items to order for Enhanced Area Canvassing (EAC), recruiting purposes, and increasing awareness of the USMC.

Direct Mail Samples Provides visibility on the quantity, timing of mailings, and visibility of the PDF versions to be distributed.

Education Center Library of training and reference materials supporting the advertising and marketing efforts.

Enlisted Priority

Prospect Card (ePPC)

Provides qualified enlisted leads for all lead generation sources to the Region, Districts, RSs, RSSs, Permanent Contact Stations (PCS), and OSSs.

Event Management

The user can create unique source codes for each event or activation to track EAC lead submissions. Provides capability for after-action reports to monitor and evaluate event performance criteria.

iPad Event Data A tool to monitor submissions at EAC events utilizing handheld lead capture devices.

Lead Reporting Tool Reporting interface for all MCRC lead generation activities.

Locator Electronic library to manage Region, District, RS, RSS, PCS, and OSS location information to populate USMC advertising and marketing systems.

Media Database

(Cision)

Tool to support public service advertising and public relations supporting the recruiting mission.

Online Advertising

Resource (OAR) Provides access to approved media and assets for download, printing, and production.

Officer Priority

Prospect Card (oPPC)

Provides qualified officer leads for all lead generation sources to the Region, Districts, RSs, RSSs, PCSs, and OSSs.

OSO Email Generator Provides means of sending branded communication for OSO prospect acquisition while adhering to all legal restrictions.

OSO Profile Provides a personalized business profile page to offer to prospects for follow-up.

PSA Tracking Provides an online database of tracked Public Service Announcement (PSA) airtime for review and a path to receive information about Public Service Directors.

PSR Email Generator Provides PSR recruiters the means of sending branded communication for Prior

Service Recruiter (PSR) prospect acquisition while adhering to all legal restrictions.

PSR Leads Provides secure means of delivering PSR leads to PSR recruiters.

Student and

Influencer Programs

Provides access to application data and contract information for students who have applied to either the Semper Fidelis All-American Program (SFAAP) or Summer

Leadership Character Development Academy (SLCDA). Provides contact information to influencer prospects who have expressed interests through USMC brand Electronic

Contact Card Interface (ECCI).

Support Tickets Electronic portal for submitting trackable trouble tickets for Ad Portal and applications.

5) Operate and maintain the Marine Corps’ social media accounts as follows:

Social Media Account URL

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marinecorps/

Instagram https://www.instagram/usmarinecorps/

Twitter https://twitter.com/USMarineCorps

Snapchat N/A; Mobile Application

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-states-marine-corps/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/OurMarines https://www.facebook.com/marinecorps/ https://www.instagram/usmarinecorps/ https://twitter.com/USMarineCorps https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-states-marine-corps/ https://www.youtube.com/user/OurMarines

The intent of this task is to reach target audiences through paid and organic advertising efforts. The

Contractor must create content and programs to engage prospects and influencers that will call them to action, whether through service or support. The Government will provide all log-in information upon award. All posts, messages, account updates, and online activities on these accounts must be coordinated with and approved by the COR or the Government official(s) designated by the COR before publication and distribution.

6) Exploit emerging technologies, innovations, and new advertising opportunities to ensure MCRC remains at the forefront of recruitment advertising. The Contractor must establish efficient and effective means for recruiters to respond to prospects quickly in order to maximize qualified lead identification.

7) Develop and execute marketing and advertising programs to include the procurement of media in the multi-cultural markets.

8) The Contractor must compile all potential qualified lead information and provide lists of these leads to the respective RS via the ePPC and oPPC subpages of Ad Portal (see Attachment J-5). The Contractor must extract potential qualified lead information from AITS and provide it to recruiters no later than 5am Eastern

Standard Time (EST), Monday to Friday.

D) Awareness

The Contractor must develop and execute public events and promotional programs that promote USMC awareness. These programs must create useful opportunities for recruiters to interact with prospects and their adult influencers. The Contractor must execute and maintain a public relations campaign that includes developing and disseminating PSAs and executing promotional and image-building initiatives through free media channels. The intent of this task is to enhance the USMC’s image amongst prospects and leads, promote public awareness of the Marine Corps, and support USMC recruiters.

E) Recruiter Support

USMC recruiters under the 8411 Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) perform administrative functions for recruiting units. 8411 Recruiters must be familiar with the enlistment process from applicant prospecting to preparation for recruit training. Marines in the 8412 MOS, Career Recruiters, are in key managerial billets and are responsible for establishing a cadre of professional 8411 Recruiters to improve the management and effectiveness of the recruiting effort.

The RSs are grouped into MCDs, which are organized into regions. Specifically, the ERR is made up of MCDs

1, 4, and 6 while the WRR is made up of MCDs 8, 9, and 12, which are illustrated in the image below:

The Contractor must provide on-site support for each MCD as follows:

1) Develop and provide recruiting guides, sales tools, and pertinent marketing data for recruiters.

2) Provide refresher training for onboarding Marketing and Communication (MAC) Marines at each RS.

Refresher training must include advertising, marketing, and Ad Portal usage. Refresher training must be done in person.

3) Execute advertising and marketing initiatives at the regional and district level in accordance with the

Advertising Strategy.

F) Recruiter Support Materials

The Contractor must develop and provide support materials for approximately 3,000 recruiters. The

Government will review and approve all proposed materials prior to full production. The support materials must include pamphlets, brochures, and material targeting prospects and may also include sales support items (e.g., merchandise and giveaways).

Printed materials shall be made through the Document Automation and Production Service (DAPS) and the

Government Printing Office (GPO). The intent of these materials is to compel prospects and qualified leads to ask for additional information and agree to an appointment with a recruiter.

G) Call Center Support

The Marine Corps’ primary telephone number for leads and prospects is 1-800-MARINES, which receives an estimated 60,000 telephone calls per year on average via its toll-free numbers. The following tables include projected annual inbound and outbound Call Center activity:

Inbound Activity

Type Quantity Action

Request for

Fulfillment 10,800 – 12,000

Data capture;

Hot Transfer offered

Pranks 8,400 – 9,600 Operator terminates;

No data capture

Miscellaneous* 26,400 – 38,400 Operator provides recruiter information if possible;

No data capture

*Note: Calls include non-fulfillment requests, such as referral of phone number for local

Marine Corps RSs, as well as non-enlistment related information about the USMC.

Outbound Activity

Type Quantity Action

District 20,000 – 30,000 Campaigns related to a specific Marine Corps District

National 30,000 – 40,000 Outbound efforts executed on a national level

Miscellaneous* 10,000 – 20,000 Data capture and operator provides information if possible

*Note: These campaigns can be related to data profiling and market research.

1) The Contractor must provide and manage call center operations in support of 1-800-MARINES. The primary language for call center operators shall be English.

2) The Call Center must have qualified operators on duty from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (EST), 365 days a year. The

Contractor must have the capability to provide 24-hour support, if necessary.

3) The Call Center must have an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system and real-time address verification software in-line with industry best practices. The Call Center must have the capability to see the callers’ phone numbers for verification purposes and filter outbound calls through the Do Not Call (DNC) registry.

4) The Call Center must have outbound short message service (SMS) messaging capabilities to send recruiters’ phone…