RFQ_15-36_Writing_Services_NEA_guide_Community-Based_Research_in_the_Arts_and_Health_(CBRAH).pdf

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS

(THIS IS NOT AN ORDER)

URGENT, PLEASE EXPEDITE!

PAGE

OF

PAGES

1. REQUEST NO.

RFP 15-36

2. DATE ISSUED

08/11/2015

3. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NO.

4. CERT. FOR NAT. DEF.

UNDER BDSA REG. 2

AND/OR DMS REG. 1 >

RATING

5A. ISSUED BY

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA)

CONSTITUTION CENTER, 400 7TH STREET, SW, 3RD FL

WASHINGTON, DC 20506

6. DELIVER BY (Date)

5B. FOR INFORMATION CALL: (Name and telephone no.) (No collect calls)

LATONCA HARRIS (202) 682-5476

7. DELIVERY

FOB DESTINATION OTHER (See Schedule)

8. TO: NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE

PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS

9. DESTINATION (Consignee and address, including ZIP Code)

10. PLEASE FURNISH QUOTATIONS TO THE ISSUING OFFICE IN BLOCK 5A ON OR BEFORE CLOSE OF BUSINESS (Date)

Please furnish proposals before or by 5:00PM (EST) on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

IMPORTANT: This is a request for information, and quotations furnished are not offers. If you are unable to quote, please so indicate on this form and return it to the address in Block 5A.

This request does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of this quotation or to contract for supplies or services. Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter. Any representations and/or certifications attached to this Request for Quotations must be completed by the quoter.

12. SCHEDULE (Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes)

ITEM NO.

(a)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(b)

QUANTITY

UNIT

(d)

UNIT PRICE

(e)

AMOUNT

(f)

The Contractor shall provide writing services that brings technical knowledge about studying and evaluating arts-based approaches to health within the grasp of arts practitioners and arts therapists across the country. Reciprocally, ORA intends to communicate to biomedical and behavioral researchers (whether a cademically or commercially based) the benefits of conducting research and evaluation in partnership with community arts practitioners and/or arts therapists in accordance with the timeline for performing contract, the attached Statement of Work, and a firm fixed price.

Please refer any QUESTIONS concerning this request to Latonca M. Harris via email at

HARRISL@ARTS.GOV by 6:00 pm (EST) on

Wednesday, August 12, 2015.

Proposals that are faxed will not be accepted.

Proposals must include your DUNS & TIN and be received by the closing date and time stated above via email to HARRISL@ARTS.GOV

SEE

PRICING

SCHEDULE

ON PAGE 4

SEE

PRICING

SCHEDULE ON

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT >

10 CALENDAR DAYS

20 CALENDAR

DAYS

30 CALENDAR DAYS

CALENDAR DAYS

14. NAME AND ADDRESS OF QUOTER (Street, city, county, State, and ZIP Code)

15. SIGNATURE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN

PROPOSAL

16. DATE OF PROPOSAL

17. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

18. TELEPHONE NO. (Include area code)

Standard Form 18 (Rev. 6-95) mailto:harrisl@arts.gov

August 11, 2015

Subject: RFP 15-36 Writing Services Community-Based Research in the Arts and Health (CBRAH)

Dear Prospective Offeror:

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) invites contractors to submit proposals for the services described in the attached statement of work, under the authority of Part 12 and 6 of the Federal

Acquisition Regulation.

Enclosed you will find a Statement of Work to provide writings services that brings technical knowledge about studying and evaluating arts-based approaches to health within the grasp of arts practitioners and arts therapists across the country.

Questions concerning this quotation shall be submitted via email to HARRISL@ARTS.GOV by 6:00 p.m. (EST) August 12, 2015. Please submit your proposals by August 19, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. (EST).

This RFP in no way obligates the U.S. Government to award a contract, nor does it commit the U.S.

Government to pay any cost incurred in preparing and submitting your quotation.

The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. In order to select the winning offeror, NEA will rank offerors from best to worst. In addition to the narrative assessments prepared by the Evaluation Team for each evaluation factor, a point scoring system will be used to rank all technical proposals. The point scoring system uses a rating scale of 100%.

NEA, however, will not select an offeror for award on the basis of a superior capability without consideration of price. NEA intends to make one award under this solicitation.

This procurement is a total small business set-aside. The North American Industry Classification Systems

(NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541720 with a small business size standard of $20.5M.

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be delivered via email.

Proposals that are mailed, hand-carried, or faxed will not be accepted. Proposals must be received by the closing date and time stated above. Please refer any questions concerning this request to Latonca M.

Harris at (202) 682-5476 or by email at HARRISL@ARTS.GOV.

Sincerely, Latonca M. Harris

Latonca M. Harris

Contracting Officer

Grants & Contracts Office

Enclosures:

Section B, Supplies/Service and Prices

Section C, Description/Specifications/Statement of Work

Section D, Preservation, Packaging and Marking

Section E, Inspection and Acceptance

Section F, Deliveries or Performance

Section G, Contract Administration Data

Section H, Special Contract Requirements

Section I, Contract Clauses

Section J, List of Attachments

Section K, Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors

Section L, Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors

Section M, Evaluation Factors for Award

SECTION B

SUPPLIES/SERVICES AND PRICES

B.1 GENERAL

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, regional arts organizations, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.

As part of its Strategic Plan for 2014-2018, the NEA has pledged “to promote public knowledge and understanding about the contributions of the arts” (Strategic Goal 3). In pursuit of this goal, the NEA’s

Office of Research & Analysis (ORA) seeks to:

(1) Investigate the value of the U.S. arts ecosystem and the impact of the arts on individuals and communities;

(2) Identify, cultivate, and publish new and existing data sources in the arts; and

(3) Elevate the public profile of arts-related research.

In line with these efforts, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has formed an Interagency Task

Force on the Arts & Human Development, in partnership with the U.S Department of Health & Human

Services and several other agencies and sub-agencies within the federal government. The Task Force aims to catalyze research and information-sharing about how the arts can help individuals realize positive health and educational outcomes across the lifespan.

Through products and services such as The Arts and Aging: Building the Science—a report of a research workshop jointly held by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the NEA, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—as well as a series of quarterly webinars, the Task Force has contributed to public discourse about research needs and opportunities concerning the arts and health in particular. Notably, in

2014, based in part on research findings from the NAS/NIH/NEA workshop, NIH issued a new funding opportunity to support research on arts-based approaches to palliative care.

Yet an early aspiration of Task Force members has been to produce a web-based resource that would equally serve community-based arts practitioners (including arts therapists) and biomedical or behavioral researchers who want to study the arts’ efficacy and effectiveness as a health intervention. Such a resource could contain networking tools to bring community arts organizations, artists, and arts therapists into contact with biomedical or behavioral researchers and vice versa. It could feature news about the latest funding opportunities within government and/or the private sector for research and practice concerning the arts and health. Lastly, it could provide practical guidance to community arts practitioners

(including arts therapists) about how to partner more successfully with academic/private researchers, while advising academic/private researchers how to partner more successfully with community arts practitioners (including arts therapists).

The latter function of the web-based resource is the subject of this RFP. The NEA seeks a contractor to write 30-50 pages of a guide to include some or all of the elements below:

Introduction to Community-Based Research in the Arts and Health: What It Looks Like, What

Models Exist (Including Community-Based Participatory Research); What Are Their Benefits and Difficulties, and What Kinds of Relationships and Resources are Necessary

Section for Community Arts Practitioners And Arts Therapists (A): What a Research Partnership

Can Bring to Understanding and Improving an Arts-Based Health Intervention; What Other

Benefits Can Be Realized from Such a Relationship; How To Find Research Partners, and What

Qualities to Look For; What to Expect in Working with a Research Partner, and How to Avoid

Snags in the Relationship During the Life of the Project

Section for Community Arts Practitioners and Arts Therapists (B): A Primer about Different

Study Goals, Such as To Evaluate Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and

Maintenance of Arts-Based Health Interventions; Discussion of Different Methodologies;

Examples of Scenarios in Which Different Study Goals (As Mentioned Above) or Different

Methodologies Are More Appropriate Than Others

Section for Biomedical or Behavioral Researchers (C): What Can Be Gained from Partnering with a Community Arts Practitioner or Arts Therapist; How Artists, Arts Organizations, and Arts

Therapists Can Inform the Study Design, Research Questions, Choice of Methodologies, and

Analysis and Dissemination of Findings; Key Differences in Arts Practitioner (or Arts Therapist)

Versus Researcher Outlooks and How They Might Be Reconciled

Section for Biomedical or Behavioral Researchers (D): How to Seek Out and Engage with Arts

Practitioners (or Arts Therapists) Whose Interests Converge on a Potential Research Project. How to Negotiate Terms of the Relationship, and How to Monitor It and Make Changes as Needed;

How to Win Trust and Confidence of the Study Population

Funding Opportunities, Resources, and Practical Advice on How to Partner Effectively in

Seeking Outside Support

Glossary of Terms

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

Firm Fixed Price

Period of Performance: Date of Award through March 31, 2015.

ITEM

No.

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES QTY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

0001 Writing services that brings technical knowledge about studying and evaluating arts-based approaches to health within the grasp of arts practitioners and arts therapists across the country.

1 Lot

GRAND TOTAL FFP

FOR THIS PROJECT

The government estimated budget is $25,000, all-inclusive.

Notes*:

1) Please expand on/include additional pricing info as necessary.

2) All-inclusive figure (including any and all overhead, related costs, travel, etc.)

3) The NEA is a federal agency and exempt from sales tax.

SECTION C

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C. STATEMENT OF WORK

The National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) five-year research agenda, starting in FY 2012, includes numerous projects devoted to better understanding the value and impact of the arts in American life. A critical area of interest to the Agency and several of its federal partners—such as those represented on the

NEA’s Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development—is to increase the rigor and frequency of studies investigating the arts’ potential benefits to health and well-being at all stages of the lifespan.

In recent years, for example, the NEA has cosponsored with the National Institutes of Health a public workshop at the National Academy of Sciences, to evaluate gaps and opportunities in research about the arts’ effects on positive health outcomes for older Americans. Also, as part of an agreement with the

Walter Reed National Medical Military Facility—specifically with its National Intrepid Center of

Excellence—the NEA is cosponsoring research on the benefits of arts therapy when integrated with a range of treatment modalities for military personnel who experience mild traumatic brain injury and psychological illnesses.

The NEA’s Office of Research & Analysis (ORA) now aims to bring technical knowledge about studying and evaluating arts-based approaches to health within the grasp of arts practitioners and arts therapists across the country. Reciprocally, ORA intends to communicate to biomedical and behavioral researchers

(whether academically- or commercially-based) the benefits of conducting research and evaluation in partnership with community arts practitioners and/or arts therapists. For both audiences—researchers and http://arts.gov/partnerships/task-force practitioners—ORA also aspires to provide models and practical insights about how to work together effectively in all stages of the research process.

For example, community-based participatory research, a field well-recognized within the public health sector, offers one such an approach, and a vocabulary for plausible partnerships. The approach assumes that the arts practitioners and/or arts therapists and the health researchers involved are mutually committed to investigating how a given arts intervention works, how its effectiveness can be evaluated, and the conditions under which it may be refined and, if possible, replicated. The approach aims equitably to involve members at the community level, not only from both the researchers and practitioners involved in the study, but also from the population served by the intervention, and from outside partners as appropriate.

For the purpose of this RFP and the guide that is being commissioned, the term “arts intervention” is meant to describe the intentional use of an arts-based program or service to improve health and well-being outcomes in a given population.

Scope of Work

The contractor shall perform the below listed duties:

a) Participate in a kick-off meeting with ORA staff, in person or on the phone or by video conferencing, to review the project’s scope of work and to discuss goals, priorities, and communication methods between ORA staff and the contractor. If possible, interested representatives from other federal agencies will be in attendance.

b) Conduct a rapid “terrain check” to determine what bibliographical and/or online resources currently exist that might be used as references in developing the NEA Guide. Produce a brief document (4-5 pages) describing the strengths and limitations of such resources concerning their applicability for community arts practitioners and/or arts therapists and academic/private researchers in health.

c) Interview 9 or fewer individuals, based on a list compiled jointly with ORA staff, to gather input on what elements and resources would be most useful for creating the NEA Guide, and on optimal pathways for distribution.

d) Draft successive chapters of the guide, submit to ORA staff for review (up to 3 rounds of feedback), incorporate edits, and produce final draft version of the guide.

e) Distribute the Guide to up to 5 community arts practitioners and therapists and 5 biomedical and behavioral researchers to obtain feedback, including proposed edits.

f) In consultation with ORA staff, incorporate edits as requested, and perform final proof-checking.

g) Deliver final Guide (30-50 pages) to ORA staff.

SECTION D

PRESERVATION, PACKAGING AND MARKING

Not Applicable.

SECTION E

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 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: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/

(END OF CLAUSE)

E.2 52.246-4 Inspection of Services—Fixed-Price (AUG 1996)

E.3 Inspection and Acceptance

FAR Clause 52.246-4 Inspection of Services – Fixed Price, will govern inspection and acceptance of all services performed by the Contractor. The Contractor is responsible for carrying out its obligations under this contract by controlling the quality of all services rendered and ensuring performance of all contract requirements.

SECTION F

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F. TIMELINE FOR PERFORMING CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

DELIVERY SCHEDULE:

The contractor shall adhere to the delivery schedule for primary task deliverables along with supporting details presented below:

F.1

Within 1 week of the award attend kickoff meeting in person or on the phone or by video conferencing with the Project Director and the ORA team.

F.2

Within 2 weeks of award prepare and submit for approval by the Project Director a detailed timeline and work plan for accomplishing the remaining tasks of the project, incorporating input from the kick-off meeting. The work plan should include biweekly project updates submitted to the Project Director via email.

F.3

Within 6 weeks of the award conduct a rapid “terrain check” to determine what bibliographical and/or online resources currently exist that might be used as references in developing the NEA Guide.

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/

a) Midway through the terrain check submit an initial outline document (1-2 pages) to Project

Director for feedback.

b) Submit a brief document (4-5 pages) describing the strengths and limitations of such resources concerning their applicability for community arts practitioners and/or arts therapists and academic/private researchers in health.

F.4

Within 6 weeks of award submit list of potential individuals to interview (at least 15 potential candidates) to Project Director for ORA’s review and feedback. Finalize the list of 9 interviewees. Submit draft interview protocol and questions. Submit draft invitation letter.

F.5

Within 14 weeks of award schedule and complete 9 (or fewer) interviews and provide short summary to

Project Director of aggregated interview findings.

F.6

Within 22 weeks of award draft successive chapters of the guide and submit First Draft to ORA staff for review (30-50 pages).

F.7

Within 26 weeks of award incorporate NEA feedback and submit Second Draft of successive chapters to

Project Director for review. Distribute the Second Draft version of the Guide to up to 5 community arts practitioners and therapists and 5 biomedical and behavioral researchers to obtain feedback, including proposed edits.

F.8

Within 32 weeks of award complete final fact-checking, proof-reading, and incorporate all additional edits from ORA and the 5 community arts practitioners and therapists and 5 biomedical and behavioral researchers. Deliver Final Guide to Project Director.

SECTION G

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 NEA Project Director

G.1.1 Upon award, an NEA Project Director will be designated to coordinate the technical aspects of this contract and inspect items/services furnished hereunder; however, he shall not be authorized to change any terms and conditions of the resultant contract, including price.

G.1.2 The NEA Project Director is authorized to certify (but not to reject or deny) invoices for payment in accordance with enclosed payment terms. The authority to reject or deny performance and associated invoice payment is expressly reserved for the Contracting Officer.

G.1.3 The NEA Project Director for this contract is:

To be determined at time of award

National Endowment for the Arts

Constitution Center

400 7th Street, SW, Third Floor

Washington, DC 20506

(202) 682-XXXX

G.1.4 The Contracting Officer for this contract is:

Latonca M. Harris

Constitution Center

400 7th Street, SW, Third Floor

(202) 682-5476

Written communications shall make reference to the award contract number and shall be mailed to the above address.

G.2 Invoice Requirements

G.2.1 Written communications shall reference the contract number and shall be e-mailed to the

Contracting Officer/Project Director as necessary. Project-related questions may be directed to the Project

Director while contract/cost related questions must be directed to the Contracting Officer. Questions regarding any changes to the contract whatsoever must be directed to the Contracting Officer.

G.2.2 Payment for actual work and services rendered under this contract will be made. Payment will be made by the National Endowment for the Arts via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and in accordance with the contract clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items (SEPT 2013), and

52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer— System For Award Management (JUL 2013), upon submission of commercial invoices to the Endowment Finance Office, Second Floor.

The office that will make the payments due under this contract (i.e., the designated payment office) is shown below. Invoices shall be emailed to the email address below:

NEAINVOICES@ARTS.GOV

Finance Office, Second Floor

Constitution Center

400 7th Street, SW

To constitute a proper invoice, the following information and/or attached documentation shall be included with the invoice.

(1) Name and address of the Contractor

(2) Invoice date.

(3) Contract number.

(4) Period covered by the invoice.

mailto:NEAINVOICES@ARTS.GOV

(5) Number and description, quantity, unit price and extended total for the period covered applicable to Section B, Supplies/Services and Prices.

(6) Cumulative amounts billed by to date.

(7) Name and address of Contractor official to whom payment is to be sent (must be the same as that in the contract or in a proper notice of assignment).

(8) Taxpayer Identification Number.

(9) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number.

Please note:

The successful contractor is required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at:

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. (This was previously known as CCR - the Central

Contractor Registration.)

Assistance with creating/registering a SAM account may be found here:

https://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list.

G.2.3 Pricing of Adjustments

When costs are a factor in any determination of a contract price adjustment pursuant to the "Changes"

Clause, or any other clause of this contract, such costs shall be in accordance with the contract cost principles and procedures in Part 31 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR 31) in effect on the date of the contract.

SECTION H

SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 Contract Type

This is a Firm Fixed Price Commercial Item Contract.

H.2 Special Contract Requirements

Private Use of Contract Information and Data Except as specifically authorized by this contract, or as otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer, information and other data developed or acquired by or furnished by the Contractor in the performance of this contract, shall be used by the Contractor only in connection with the work under this contract. The contractor must obtain permission through a written request to the Contracting Officer and approval from the NEA’s General Counsel Office prior to releasing any data for use outside of the performance of this

NEA contract.

In accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.227-14(b) Rights in Data-General, the

Contractor shall guarantee strict confidentiality of the information and data that is provided by the

Government during the performance of the contract. The Government has determined that some of the information and data that the Contractor will be providing during the performance of the contract is of a sensitive nature and cannot be disclosed in any manner.

H.3 Facility Access

A. Rights of Egress and Ingress https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ https://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list

During the life of this contract, the rights of ingress to and egress from the National Endowment for the Arts facility for the Contractor's representatives shall be made available as required.

During all operations on Government premises, the Contractor's personnel shall comply with the rules and regulations governing the conduct of personnel and the operation of the facility. The

Government reserves the right to require Contractor personnel to "sign-in" upon entry and "sign-out" upon departure from the National Endowment for the Arts facility.

B. Building Access Passes

When any Contractor personnel enter a NEA building for the first time, the Contractor must notify the NEA Project Director in advance and provide the full name and purpose of visit in order to obtain approval for escorted access.

SECTION I

CONTRACT CLAUSES

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 may be accessed electronically at this Internet address: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/.

(End of clause)

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items. (MAY 2015) (Incorporated By

Reference)

52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive

Orders- Commercial Items. (MAY 2015)

(a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

(1) 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (Dec 2014)

(2) 52.233-3, Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553).

(3) 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (OCT 2004) (Public Laws 108-77, 108-

78 (19 U.S.C. 3805 note)).

(b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or

Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

[Contracting Officer check as appropriate.]

X (25) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755).

X (50) 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer— System for Award Management

(JUL 2013) (31 U.S.C. 3332).

(End of Clause)

52.227-14 Rights in Data-General. (MAY 2014) (Incorporated By Reference)

52.246-4 Inspection of Services -- Fixed-Price (AUG 1996) (Incorporated By Reference

SECTION J

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

Wage Determinations Online - www.wdol.gov. Department of Labor Wage Determination Number:

2005-2103 REV (16) Date of Revision: 07/08/2015 Area: Washington, DC Click on the following hyperlink. http://www.wdol.gov/wdol/scafiles/std/05-2103.txt?v=16

SECTION K

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

The Offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically (filed online) via the System for Award Management

(SAM) website accessed through https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/). If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (p) of this provision. If an offeror is experiencing technical difficulties during this process and is not registered at the time of proposal submission, a manually filled copy of the clause

52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (MAR 2015) must be turned in along with the proposal. This shall not count towards any stated page limits for the proposal.

Registering an active account in SAM is REQUIRED for contract award. For assistance with creating a SAM account, please visit the link in the paragraph above.

SECTION L

52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS--COMMERCIAL ITEMS (APR 2014)

52.212-1 Instruction to Offerors--Commercial Items (APR 2014)

(a) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541720 and the size standard is $20.5 millions of dollars.

(b) Submission of Offers. The written proposal should be no more than 10 pages, single spaced, in

12-point font and submissions shall include at a minimum:

The offeror’s initial proposal should contain the offeror’s best terms from a cost or price and technical standpoint. The Government reserves the right to conduct clarifications, if later determined to be necessary. Offerors may be given an opportunity to clarify certain aspects of their proposals.

In this section, provide satisfactory evidence of your organizational capacity to effectively conduct the tasks described. In particular, note the importance in Section C.1 (Statement of Work

Overview of the Contractor’s Understanding of Project and Proposed Approach (not to exceed

3 pages)

Outline your general understanding of the project and your proposed approach. Explain your understanding of the Endowment and the goals of the project.

Description of Personnel Qualifications and skills of the Contractor and their familiarity and experience. Work samples must be included (not to exceed 4 pages) http://www.wdol.gov/wdol/scafiles/std/05-2103.txt?v=16 https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

In this section, provide satisfactory evidence of your organizational capacity to effectively conduct the tasks described. Describe previous relevant experience of the contractor and its organization.

Details of past similar D.C. This section should also focus on the qualifications and skills of specifically named and assigned personnel.

Price

Provide a complete Pricing Table in Section B. Prices shall include all direct and indirect costs, and any other factor which contributes to the total firm fixed price. In addition, provide a breakdown of project costs by personnel (including daily rate and projected time on each task), supplies, travel, etc., associated with the tasks. Specify services to be purchased from other agencies or subcontractors.

A completed copy of the Representations and Certifications (see Section K).

(c) Period for acceptance of offers. The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 30 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers, unless another time period is specified in an addendum to the solicitation.

(d) NA

(e) NA

(f) NA

(g) Contract award (not applicable to Invitation for Bids). The Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with offerors. Therefore, the offeror's initial offer should contain the offeror's best terms from a price and technical standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest offer; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received.

(h) NA

(i) NA

(j) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number. The offeror shall enter, on the cover page of its offer with its name and address, the annotation “DUNS” followed by the DUNS number that identifies the offeror’s name and address. If the offeror does not have a DUNS number, it should contact Dun and

Bradstreet directly to obtain one. An offeror within the United States may contact Dun and Bradstreet by calling 1-866-705-5711 or via the Internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. The offeror should indicate that it is an offeror for a Government contract when contacting the local Dun and Bradstreet office. Also, enter your General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Service Schedule Number.

(k) System for Award Management. Unless exempted by an addendum to this solicitation, by submission of an offer, the offeror acknowledges the requirement that a prospective awardee shall be registered in the

SAM database prior to award, during performance and through final payment of any contract resulting from this solicitation. If the Offeror does not become registered in the SAM database in the time http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform prescribed by the Contracting Officer, the Contracting Officer will proceed to award to the next otherwise successful registered Offeror. Offerors may obtain information on registration and annual confirmation requirements via the SAM database accessed through https://www.acquisition.gov.

(l) Debriefing. If a post-award debriefing is given to requesting offerors, the government will do so in accordance with this provision.

(End of provision)

SECTION M

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation--Commercial Items (OCT 2014)

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, taking into account price and other factors; the Government will award a contract on a 'best-value' basis.

For each evaluation factor, a point scoring system will be used to rank all proposals, using a rating scale of 100%. The evaluation will include three major areas:

1. Overview of the Contractor’s Understanding of Project and Proposed Approach

(35%)

2. Description of Personnel Qualifications and skills of the Contractor and their familiarity and experience. Work samples must be included (35%)

3. Price (30%)

In order to select the winning offeror, NEA will rank offerors from best to worst by making paired comparisons, trading off the marginal differences in capability and price. If one offeror has both the better capability and the lower price, then that offeror will be the better value. If one offeror has the better capability and the higher price, then the technical evaluation panel will decide whether the marginal difference in capability is worth the marginal difference in price. If the technical evaluation panel considers the better capability to be worth the higher price, then the more capable, higher-priced offeror will be the better value. If not, then the less capable, lower-priced offeror will be the better value. If more than two proposals are received, the technical evaluation panel will continue to make paired comparisons until s/he decided which offeror represents the best value.

(b) N/A

(c) A written notice of award, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party.

1. Overview of the Contractor’s Understanding of Project and Proposed Approach (35%)

a) Demonstrate knowledge of community-based research methodologies, communication practices, and health and human development, and

b) Demonstrate knowledge of how to incorporate arts and cultural practitioners into research projects involving health and human development https://www.acquisition.gov/

2. Description of Personnel Qualifications and skills of the Contractor and their familiarity and experience. Work samples must be included (35%)

a) Demonstrate skills in writing or speaking about translational research, and

b) Demonstrate skills in literature reviews and qualitative research

3. Price (30%)

The proposed budget is appropriate to the administration of the project. The Government will evaluate the contractor’s proposed prices to make a determination that the costs are fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided. The contractor shall provide a reasonable breakdown of their costs to allow the Government to make an assessment of the various components of the overall price.

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