RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED // FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

1-RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips

Solicitation No. 15JPSS22Q00000037

Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs (PAO)

News Clips Services Request for Quote (RFQ)

From: Velvette Clayton, Contracting Officer (CO), Department of Justice (DOJ), Procurement Services Staff (PSS) Date: April 4, 2022 Set-aside: N/A NAICS Code: 519190 (All Other Information Services)

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Request for Quote Overview- Task Order

The Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs (PAO) has a need for a contractor to provide news clipping services to inform the Attorney General and the Department of Justice on daily issues and current events. This solicitation will be awarded to one qualified Contractor on a fixed price basis for all services contained in the Statement of Work. A qualified firm shall have experience in the NAICS code related to this requirement sufficient enough to determine which daily news stories and news media are considered major as it relates to the requirements contained in this solicitation. The NAICS is 519190 (All Other Information Services).

The contract will include the SOW and the identified sections of the contractor’s technical response as provided for RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037.

Table of Contents

A. Instructions to Offerors Section B. Evaluation of Quotes Section C. Attachments

• Statement of Work (SOW) Section

• Terms and Conditions

• Pricing Schedule

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SECTION A: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Respondents

1. The Government intends to conduct this procurement through a multi-phased submission and evaluation process. A notional schedule for this procurement is below:

Event Date Phase 1 Release of RFQ April 8, 2022 Phase 1 Questions April 15, 2022 Phase 1 Answers Posted - Anticipated April 19, 2022 Phase 1 Technical Capability – Sample Deliverables April 26, 2022

Phase 1 Advisory Down Select Letters Sent May 6, 2022 Phase 2 Technical Capability and Past Performance – Written Technical Response/Pricing Offers Due

May 17, 2022

Evaluations – Anticipated End Date May 27, 2022 Award – Anticipated June 17, 2022

2. All correspondence (excluding Phase 1 Sample Deliverables) in conjunction with this RFQ shall be directed to the following Contracting Officer (CO) Government point of contact (POC): Velvette Clayton, velvette.clayton@usdoj.gov

2.1. No additional Questions will be accepted after the Phase 1 Question period has passed. The

Government will provide an answer to all questions received in accordance with the instructions for the Phase 1 Question period.

2.2. Communications and questions or requests for clarifications shall be submitted by email to the CO April 15, 2022 at 3:00 PM, local time (Washington D.C.). The subject of the email should contain the Offeror’s name and the RFQ number. Failure to submit questions in the time specified may result in a “no response” from the Government, unless otherwise determined by the CO. Offerors should not direct any communications or questions (written or verbal) concerning this RFQ to anyone other than the CO. Answers to all written questions submitted will be provided as an amendment to this RFQ as soon as possible after the time and date listed above.

2.3. Questions and comments should be segregated by Phase 1 Sample Deliverables and Phase 2

Volume (Volumes I through III) when submitted. When referencing specific text of this RFQ, questions or comments shall include the following information:

Solicitation Number: 15JPSS22Q00000037

Page # Section and Paragraph # or Attachment

Question/Comment Recommended Change or Supplemental Information

Requested

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2.4. Offerors questions and responses by the Department may form the basis of an amendment to the RFQ. Responses to questions will not reveal the Offeror who proposed the question.

3. Offer Acceptance Period: The Department requires a minimum acceptance period of at least 90 calendar days. Offerors may specify a longer acceptance period than the Department’s minimum requirement. A response allowing less than the Department’s minimum acceptance period may be rejected. For purposes of this RFQ an offer or responses includes submissions for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 in accordance with this solicitation.

4. Quotation Submission Instructions: The Offeror shall submit documentation that comports with the requirements of this RFQ. Offerors shall acknowledge all amendments, complete necessary fill-ins in their entirety, and return them with their submission to this RFQ. Any response not in compliance with the Department’s request may be rejected. The Department, at its discretion, may incorporate all or portions of an Offeror’s quote at Award.

4.1. Phase 1 Submission Instructions:

RFQ Issued Questions Sample Deliverable Submission

The Offerors shall provide sample deliverables for Phase 1 as instructed in this section for Phase 1 Sample Deliverables.

No other methods of submission for Phase 1 Sample Deliverables will be accepted.

The Government is not responsible for any expenses incurred by the Offerors in developing and submitting sample deliverables in response to this RFQ.

Offerors who do not participate in Phase 1 of this RFQ will NOT be considered for award on this RFQ.

4.2. Representations and Certifications: Offeror shall ensure they have updated and complete representations and certifications in the System for Award Management (SAM), to include its representation and certifications for FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

4.3. Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI): The Offeror shall disclose any potential or actual organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs) that your firm (to include subcontractors) may have with the requirements of the SOW/RFQ. Include a description of the OCI(s) and the action(s) taken, if any, to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the OCIs. A negative response is required.

4.4. RFQ responses shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions in this section. RFQ responses must be prepared in four parts: Phase I: Sample Deliverables and Phase II:

Volume I – Business Quote/Technical Response, Volume II – Past Performance, and Volume III – Price. No volume, with the exception of Volume III – Price, shall contain

6-RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips any costs related to this RFQ; however, resource information may be contained in the technical quote so that your understanding of the scope of work may be evaluated.

4.5. Phase 1 responses are due no later than April 26, 2022, 10:00AM Eastern Time. Phase 2 RFQ responses are due no later than May 17, 2022 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Any quote, modification, or revision that is received after the exact time specified for receipt of quotes is late and will not be considered.

4.6. An official authorized to bind your organization must sign the Phase 2 RFQ responses.

The Offeror’s quote shall provide convincing rationale to address how the Offeror intends to meet these requirements. Offerors are reminded that that Department reserves the right to award this effort based on the initial quote, as received, without discussions.

This RFQ does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the submission of any quotation or in making necessary studies for the preparation thereof. Nor does it commit the Government to procure or contract for said services. The Contracting Officer is the only individual who can commit the Government to the expenditure of public funds in connection with this proposed procurement.

4.7. The quote must include all data and information requested by these instructions and must be submitted in accordance with these instructions. Offerors shall be compliant with the requirements stated in the RFQ. The Department may reject any offer that is not in compliance with the instructions provided in this RFQ. Quotes must be clear, coherent, and prepared in sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The quote shall not simply rephrase or restate the Department’s requirements, but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the Offeror intends to meet these requirements. Each volume shall be written on a stand-alone basis so that its contents may be evaluated without seeking information from other volumes of the quote. Information required for quote evaluation, which is not found in its designated volume, will be assumed to have been omitted from the quote.

Offerors are advised not to make generalized statements, such as “the Offeror understands and will comply with the requirements,” “standard procedures will be used,” “well known techniques will be used,” “best known practices,” or statements that paraphrase the RFQ/SOW in whole or in part. 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, or 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. Elaborate artwork, expensive visuals, 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. Since only the proposal submitted in response to this solicitation will be evaluated, Offerors should make certain that their proposal is complete regarding the information provided. Offerors are

7-RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips 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 Department to evaluate it. Data either previously submitted or presumed to be known will not be considered in the evaluation unless that information is contained in the proposal.

4.8. Quotation Format and Content:

(a) Phase 1-Sample Deliverables:

Phase 1 – Sample Deliverable shall include the News Briefing. Sample products are necessary because the Government would like to review the quality of the deliverables and the offeror’s understanding of the requirements to determine capability to perform the required services. The Government must be able to evaluate its confidence based on each Offeror’s technical capability as it relates to quality of services and deliverables.

Format for Sample Deliverable:

See Attachment 1- Statement of Work, Sections I.D and I.E for specific requirements and formatting. The Government has provided the following attachments to inform the sample deliverables: DOJ Beat Reporters and Sample Deliverable Search Terms List.

The News Briefing shall be for the news of the day for April 25, 2022, and submitted by 10:00 a.m. on April 26, 2022. The monitoring period for the News Briefing shall cover from approximately 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 2022, through approximately 6:00 a.m. on April 26, 2022.

All samples shall be submitted to RFQ15JPSS22Q00000024@usdoj.gov

(b) All Phase 2 submissions shall contain the three separate volumes (and sections) identified in the chart below and be submitted as three (3) separate PDF files, subject to the quantities and page limits as specified below:

Volume Title Original Plus # of Copies

Maximum Page Limit*

I Technical Response 1 Original – Electronic Version

12 Pages total

II Past Performance 1 Original – Electronic Version

6 Pages

III Price 1 Original – Electronic Version

N/A

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

(c) Paper, Page Size and Markings: Each volume shall have a Table of Contents for easy reference. The quotations shall be formatted such that, if printed, they fit within 8 ½ x 11- inch paper, in a commercially standard font size (no smaller than 11-point). The

8-RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips offeror should mark its RFQ response with any proprietary marking, if needed, based on their assessment of the contents of each of these volumes.

(d) Illustrations and Tables: Pages shall not contain any graphics or illustrations other than for the purposes of depicting the technical approach. Illustrations, charts, and graphs other than for depicting the technical approach are not permitted. Tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, and figures shall be used wherever practical to depict organizations, systems and layout, implementation schedules, plans, etc. These displays shall be uncomplicated, legible, and shall not exceed 8.5 x 11 inches. Text shall be no smaller than 10 point for tables, charts, graphs, and figures. Elaborate formats or color presentations are not required.

(e) After evaluation, selection, and award, the files of each unsuccessful quotation will be retained per FAR 4.805.

(f) Advisory Notification Phase 1 Factor 1A

After the Government completes evaluation of Phase 1 sample deliverables, Offerors will receive an advisory notification via email from the Contracting Officer. Offerors who provide responses that do not indicate some to high confidence for Phase 1 will not be invited to proceed to Phase 2. Offerors that did not provide responses that result in the most confidence to the Government will be advised that they are unlikely to be viable competitors, along with a brief explanation for that opinion. The intent of this advice is to minimize proposal development costs for those Offerors with little chance of receiving an award. This will be a recommendation only and discontinuing the pursuit of the requirement following the notification is voluntary. The Government does not intend to provide debriefings or brief explanations after the completion of the advisory down select notifications. Failure to participate in Phase 1, will be considered non-responsive and it will disqualify any offeror from further consideration as part of this procurement process.

Offerors are advised that their Phase 1 evaluation results will carry forward and be combined with Contractors Phase 2 submissions and when considering which offer represents the best value to the Government.

The advisory notification will include the Phase 2 due date. The notification will also include the due date and time for Phase 2 quotes to be submitted for evaluation. Any questions or concerns regarding the advisory notification should be provided no later than the Phase 2 due date.

Offerors that are evaluated as providing low confidence will be advised that they are unlikely to be viable competitors. If any such offeror chooses to proceed, the offeror shall send an email to the CO’s address provided in the advisory notice no later than stated in the advisory notification.

(g) Technical Response Volume I Instructions. Technical response shall address the offerors project plan for completion of the statement of work and deliverable. The project

9-RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips plan shall include the following sections (1) deliverable methodology and approach; (2) management approach; and (3) staffing plan. The Offeror shall provide enough detail for the Government to determine its confidence that the contractor has the technical capability to perform the required services, understands the statement of work, and has corporate experience with the performance of services required by the statement of work.

The technical response can include an optional executive summary and/or a table of contents that shall not exceed two total pages in length for both. Neither the executive summary nor table of contents will be evaluated. The executive summary shall provide a concise narrative of the technical response highlighting any key or unique features.

A. Factor 1B-Project Plan(12 Page Limitation): Each Offeror shall provide a project plan that is organized with the following sections: (1) deliverable methodology and approach; (2) management approach; and (3) staffing plan. The plan should include your firm’s experience with utilization of the deliverable methodology and management approach. Your firm’s experience will be reviewed for two (2) past experience examples describing your firm’s performance of services similar to those required by the SOW using the deliverable methodology and management approach provided in the project plan. Examples shall include at minimum the customer agency, contract title, and contract number. Past experience must be verifiable in federal databases such as FPDS-NG, FAIIPAS or by verification of contact information provided.To be considered for award, the plan must be organized to address the sections and subsections listed below-

Deliverable Methodology and Approach

(1) Access to the news sources referenced in Attachment 1, Statement of

Work, Section II.C.3

(2) Any current or planned subscriptions and/or partnerships with news outlets or other vendors for use of TV/radio broadcasts and print publications; please include as separate list

(3) Search processes, story selection and organization, consolidated summary development

(4) Use of human analysts to perform SOW requirements

(5) Software tools (proprietary and/or commercial) employed to perform

SOW requirements related to searches, drafting consolidated summaries, publication of deliverables, mobile friendly version development, etc.

(6) The plan shall address any concerns with peformace of the requirements in Attachment 1, Statement of Work.The plan should address any necessary Government resources and any concerns that the offeror may have with the deliverables and the services required. Offers are cautioned that items presented under this section may result in the offeror being unfavorably evaluated. Further the Government can not guarantee that it will provide the resources requested

(7) Peformance schedule. Include your firm’s schedule for completion of the SOW requirements including transition, meetings and News Briefing deliverable

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Management Approach

(1) Overview of organization that details staff and functional relationships relative to the performance of SOW requirements

(2) Overview of project management phases including internal and external communication flows for performance of SOW

(3) Quality control measures or quality indicators relative to performance of SOW services; DOJ is interested in measures specific to staff as well

(4) Quality control measures relative to the Government’s QASP performance indicators as described in Attachment 1, Table 2

(5) Ability to provide quick response to unanticipated tasks, changes, or problems and any unique quality indicators for inclusion in the QASP.

(6) Unique features of your project plan or specific to your firm’s ability to perform contract requirements.

Staffing Plan

(1) Labor categories that will be utilized to perform SOW requirements.

Include the number and anticipated hours associated with performance for each individual performing services.

(2) For each labor category list the expertise, knowledge, and experience that is required as it relates to SOW requirements. Include a crosswalk that provides an overview of key tasks and services to be performed by each individual that your firm will utilize to perform SOW services.

(3) Include a crosswalk that provides an overview of key tasks and services to be performed by each individual that your firm will utilize to perform SOW services

(h) Factor 2-Past Performance Volume II Instructions

A. Past Performance Reference Listing: Offerors shall provide information on no more than three (3) previous contracts performed for federal, state, and local government agencies and/or commercial customers, for which the Offeror’s efforts are recent and relevant to the efforts required by this RFQ. Offerors shall also provide information on problems encountered on the identified contracts and the Offerors corrective actions If the Offeror has no recent or relevant Past Performance, the Offeror shall state so.

(1) “Recent” is defined as occurring within the last three years prior to the RFQ closing date. Recent is further defined as those contracts in which efforts have been performed for at least 1 year. [This 1-year performance requirement applies to referenced efforts that have already been completed within three (3) years of the date that quotations are due as well as referenced efforts that are still ongoing. In other words, both types of references (those completed and those still ongoing) must have 1-year of performance to be considered recent.].

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(2) “Relevant” is defined as a contract of similar scope, magnitude, and complexity to the requirements as set forth in this solicitation.

o Scope: Experience in the areas defined in the SOW.

o Magnitude: The measure of the similarity of the volume, dollar value and/or duration of the work actually performed under the Offeror’s submitted contracts to the SOW.

o Complexity: The measure of the similarity of technical difficulty, managerial intricacy, and/or required coordination of efforts and disciplines performed by the offeror in its submitted contracts to the SOW. For complexity, not only will the tasks performed by the Offeror be considered, but also the Offeror’s ability to coordinate tasks (e.g., concurrent performance requirements).

B. Past Performance Questionnaire. As much as possible, past performance should be available for review in the CPARS system. If there is not a CPARS evaluation available for the referenced contract, Offerors shall complete the “Past Performance Questionnaire” (PPQ) form Attachment 6 for each listed contract referenced in the past performance reference list and email the questionnaire to the technical representative responsible for the referenced past/current contract. The questionnaire states that the technical representative should complete Section 2 of the questionnaire and email the entire questionnaire within the date and time designated on the questionnaire to the point of contract designated on the form. Questionnaires should not contain any classified information. Offerors may request/remind the technical representative to complete and email the form to the CO listed on the questionnaire. NOTE: Offerors shall clearly identify themselves on the form as the proposing Offeror so that questionnaires can be tracked to the correct Offeror.

Offerors shall provide the past performance questionnaire to their references and complete and return directly to CO before the solicitation close date and time. The Department may use all portions of the past performance questionnaire to determine whether the relevancy and recency requirements of the RFQ are satisfied. The Department may also use information from other sources to assess past performance, such as federal government offices and commercial sources. The Department may also contact the references provided or check available records, such as CPARS and PPIRS, for performance evaluation information.

(i) Factor 3- Price Volume III Instructions

It is anticipated that pricing and award will be based on adequate price competition.

The offeror shall provide sufficient price information to allow the Contracting Officer to determine the fairness and reasonableness of the proposed price.

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Completion of the price template is necessary for a full evaluation of an Offeror’s quote.

A. Cover Letter: At a minimum, the price volume of the quotation shall include the following information:

(1) RFQ number:

(2) Offeror Name, Address, DUNS Number

(3) Authorized Individuals. Provide the name, title, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address for the individual designated as the central point of contact for this quotation.

(4) Acknowledgment of RFQ Amendments (if applicable).

(5) Agreement with terms. A statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the RFQ. Offerors are to clearly detail any exceptions taken and the rationale for the exceptions taken to the RFQ. Please note that exceptions taken to the RFQ may render the submission unacceptable to the Government. Offeror shall indicate that any amendments to the solicitation are accepted and include the number of amendments.

(6) Assumptions. Offeror shall describe any assumptions used to develop the quotation.

(7) Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI). Offeror shall include any disclosures of potential or actual organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs) as outlined Paragraph 3.2.

(8) Representations and Certifications. Offeror shall confirm all representations and certifications are completed in SAM.

(9) Quote expiration date.

B. Pricing Spreadsheet. Complete the price template provided at Attachment 4 of the RFQ. Proposed prices must include all resources necessary to perform all of the services described in the RFQ/SOW. Offerors shall not change information provided in Attachment 4.

(1) Firm Fixed Price. The Department has stated the requirements in terms the services and deliverables that should be provided for each month of performance. The Department has provided a pricing table that includes a monthly price for all services based on the estimated labor categories and labor hours on this template, which represent the Department’s current best estimate of effort necessary to complete the requirements. This template shall be used by the Offeror for computing the total evaluated price. Offerors shall NOT change the formula already filled in on the spreadsheet. The pricing table will be used for evaluation purposes.

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SECTION B: Evaluation of Quotes

1. Evaluation Process: This acquisition will be awarded using the procedures of FAR part

12. The procedures in FAR Subpart 15.3 do not apply to this acquisition. The use of this fair opportunity process does not obligate the Department to determine a competitive range, conduct discussions with any Offerors, solicit proposals or revisions thereto, or use any other source selection techniques associated with FAR Subpart 15.3.

1.1 Exchanges: During the evaluation process, the Department reserves the right to conduct exchanges. If the Department conducts exchanges, it may be with one, several, or all Offerors. Exchanges may vary with each Offeror based on the Department’s need to understand or give the Offeror an opportunity to improve their quotation. However, exchanges with Offerors will be fair and equitable.

2. Evaluation and Factors: 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, price and other factors considered. The following factors, listed in descending order of importance, shall be used to evaluate offers to determine best value:

Factor 1: Technical Capability (Phase 1 Sample Deliverables and Phase 2 Project Plan) Factor 2: Past Performance Factor 3: Price

The non-price evaluation factors, are listed in descending order of importance. Factor 1 is more important than Factor 2, past performance. The non-price evaluation factors, when combined, are significantly more important than price. This award is not set aside for small business concerns, however, if offers are otherwise considered equal based on the Government’s confidence, the Government may consider business size in the following order of precedence: small business followed by socio economic status in this order:

HubZone, SDVOB, Woman Owned in its determination of best value to the Government.

The CO will use the Offerors representations and certifications as included at SAM.gov to verify each offerors business size for the NAICS code contained in this solicitation.

Price becomes increasingly more important when Offerors receive similar ratings for the non-price factors. Offerors are forewarned that a submission meeting RFQ requirements with the lowest evaluated price may not be selected for award if a higher rated submission with a fair and reasonable price is determined to represent the best value to the Government.

2.1 Factor 1 – 1A Sample Deliverables and 1B Project Plan

The Government will assess its level of confidence that the Offeror understands the

12- RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips requirement, has experience with the planned approaches and will successfully perform all requirements of the SOW at an acceptable quality level based on the Offeror’s sample deliverables and project plan.

2.2 Factor 2 – Past Performance

The Offeror’s Past Performance will be evaluated to assess the Offeror’s successful past performance in providing requirements similar in size, scope, and complexity of this solicitation. The Department may use present and/or past performance data obtained from a variety of sources, not just those identified by the Offeror.

(a) There are three aspects to the past performance evaluation: Recency, Relevancy and Quality.

(i) The first aspect of the Past Performance evaluation is recency, as defined in the instructions section above in Section (f) Past Performance Volume II Instructions. If an instance of a past performance is deemed “Not Recent,” the Department will stop evaluation of the past performance reference, and it will not be evaluated for relevancy or quality.

(ii) The second aspect of the Past Performance evaluation is relevancy. The Department will determine how relevant a recent past performance is to the effort to be acquired through the this RFQ. The Department will consider the following aspects in its relevancy evaluation, as they are defined in the instructions section above: 1) scope, 2) magnitude, and 3) complexity. Each recent past performance reference provided by the Offerors will receive one of the relevancy ratings outlined in Section 3.2 below. If an instance of a past performance reference is deemed “Not Relevant,” the Department will stop evaluation of the past performance reference, and it will not be evaluated for quality or be included as part of the evaluation of an offeror’s performance confidence.

(iii) The final aspect of the Past Performance evaluation is the overall quality of the Offeror’s past performance. The quality of any recent and relevant past performance will be evaluated under the following aspects: 1) Quality (Service) 2) Timeliness (Schedule Performance) 3) Cost Control 4) Management (Business Relations) and 5) Other Areas (Problem Resolution such as Management of Key Personnel).

(b) After evaluating individual past performance submissions for recency, relevancy, and quality, the Department will assign one overall confidence rating for Past Performance as outlined in Section 3.2 below.

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(c) The past performance evaluation conducted in support of this RFQ does not establish, create, or change existing records and history of the Offeror’s past performance on past contracts; rather, the past performance evaluation process gathers information from customers on how the Offeror performed those past contracts.

(d) In the case of an Offeror who does not provide information on recent or relevant past performance, or where past performance information is not available, the Offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on this factor. The Offeror shall receive the rating of “neutral,” meaning the rating is neither favorable nor unfavorable. In a best value tradeoff, the Department may determine that a “Substantial Confidence” or “Satisfactory Confidence” past performance rating is worth more than a “Neutral Confidence” past performance rating, as long as the determination is consistent with stated criteria.

(e) A significant achievement, problem, or lack of data in any element can become an important consideration. A negative finding under any element may result in an adverse performance confidence assessment.

(f) Since the Department may not contact any or all of the past performance sources provided, it is incumbent upon the Offeror to explain the relevance of the data provided. Offerors are reminded that while the Department may elect to consider data obtained from other sources, the burden of proving good past performance rests with the Offerors.

(g) Submitting more recent, relevant, and quality references may result in a higher-confidence rating. Likewise, submitting less than three recent, relevant, and quality references may result in a lower confidence rating.

2.3 Factor 3– Price

(a) The Department will conduct a price analysis to ensure that rate tables and other pricing data are accurate and reasonable. The Department will verify that Offerors did not alter the total values in the pricing spreadsheet provided in Attachment 4. A determination will be made as to whether the price quotes submitted by Offerors are complete in all aspects and whether amounts submitted are calculated accurately. The proposal will also be reviewed for consistency to ensure that all performance, scope, and assumptions proposed in other sections of the proposal are captured in the price proposal section.

(b) The Department will evaluate the price quote to determine if the total evaluated price is fair and reasonable.

(c) The proposed price is reasonable when it is fair to the buyer, fair to the seller, and reasonable considering the market conditions, available alternatives, and other price-

14- RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037 News Clips related factors. The determination that a total price is reasonable will be based upon information submitted with the Offeror’s quote, review of individual CLINS, comparison to the IGCE, or other reasonable bases.

(d) The Department will establish a “total evaluated price” based on a completed

Attachment 4 – Price Template.

(e) Price volumes failing to meet or comply with price proposal instructions may be deemed noncompliant.

(f) Evaluation of options will be conducted in accordance with FAR 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options, the objective of the evaluation of options is to determine that the price for each of the options to be fair and reasonable. The evaluation of options shall not obligate the Department to exercise any options.

(g) The total evaluated price shall be used in the trade-off analysis between the price and non-price factors to determine the best value. The total evaluated price of the proposal shall include the total price for the base period and all option periods.

3. Evaluation Ratings

3.1 Rating definitions for Factor 1: Technical Capability (Phase 1 Sample Deliverables and Phase 2 Project Plan)

Confidence Rating Description

High Confidence

The Government has high confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, has experience with the planned approaches and will successfully perform all requirements of the SOW at an acceptable quality level based on the Offeror’s sample deliverables and project plan

Some Confidence

The Government has some confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, has experience with the planned approaches and will successfully perform all requirements of the SOW at an acceptable quality level based on the Offeror’s sample deliverables and project plan.

Low Confidence

The Government has low confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, has experience with the planned approaches and will successfully perform all requirements of the SOW at an acceptable quality level based on the Offeror’s sample deliverables and project plan.

3.2 Ratings definitions for Factor 2 – Past Performance

Past Performance Relevancy Rating Definition

Very Relevant Present/past performance effort involved essentially the same scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

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Relevant Present/past performance effort involved similar scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

Somewhat Relevant Present/past performance effort involved some of the scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

Not Relevant Present/past performance effort involved little or none of the scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

Performance Confidence Assessments

Rating Definition

Substantial Confidence Based on the Offeror’s recent and relevant performance record, the Department has a high expectation that the Offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Satisfactory Confidence Based on the Offeror’s recent and relevant performance record, the Department has a reasonable expectation that the Offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Neutral Confidence

No recent or relevant performance record is available or the Offeror’s performance record is so sparse that no meaningful confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned. The Offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on the factor of past performance.

Limited Confidence Based on the Offeror’s recent and relevant performance record, the Department has a low expectation that the Offeror will successfully perform the required effort..

No Confidence Based on the Offeror’s recent and relevant performance record, the Department has no expectation that the Offeror will be able to successfully perform the required effort.

3.3 Rating definitions for Factor 3 - Price

The price factor does not receive a rating.

4. Award

Following an evaluation and tradeoff analysis, the Department will make an award to the Offeror whose quote represents the best value to the Department, price and non-price factors considered.

The Department reserves the right to make an award based on other than the lowest quoted price.

4.1 Award on Initial Responses: The Department anticipates making an award based on initial responses, without engaging in exchanges with Offerors. Therefore, Offerors are strongly encouraged to submit their best technical solutions and price in response to this RFQ.

4.2 Comparative Analysis: The Department may perform a comparative analysis

(comparing Offeror responses to one another) as a part of tradeoff analysis.

4.3 Basis of Award: An award will be made to the responsible Offeror whose offer, conforming to the RFQ, is determined to be the best overall value to the Government. The evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in this Section B.

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4.4 Brief Explanations/Debriefings: Post award notices will be issued in accordance with FAR

52.212-1.

SECTION C – List of RFQ Attachments

ATTACHMENT 1: Statement of Work (SOW) ATTACHMENT 2: Sample Deliverable DOJ Beat Reporters ATTACHMENT 3: Sample Deliverable Search Terms List ATTACHMENT 4: Pricing Template Spreadsheet ATTACHMENT 5: Applicable Administrative Terms, DOJ / FAR Clauses ATTACHMENT 6: Past Performance Questionnaire

RFQ 15JPSS22Q00000037

DOJ, PAO News Clips Services Attachment: Statement of Work

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NEWS CLIPPING SERVICE STATEMENT OF WORK

Section I – Statement of Work (SOW)

A. Background

The United States Department of Justice (Department or DOJ) has a requirement for news clipping services for the Attorney General and DOJ components. The Department requires a comprehensive review of the day’s major news stories relevant to the federal U.S. justice system from sources including all major national and local newspapers, national and local television, national radio, news wires, online news outlets, magazines, legal journals, and specialty press/trade journals.

The Department requires a qualified firm to provide (1) collect daily relevant news based on review of a wide-ranging scope of news outlets; (2) provide summation that demonstrates understanding of the daily news as it relates to DOJ’s complex legal environment; and (3) provide daily deliverables. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, it is critical that the Attorney General remain aware of the current issues and events relevant to the federal U.S. justice system.

The NAICS code for this Statement of Work is 519190 (Size Standard is $30.0 million).

B. Scope

The Contractor shall provide news clipping services for the Attorney General and DOJ components as required in the Statement of Work.

C. Requirements

1. The Contractor shall review the day’s major news stories as they relate to the work of the

Department and conduct searches that include the subject matters described in the previous and current day’s press releases and media advisories and in the relevant categories described in the Specific Requirements. In addition, the Contractor will be provided with a list of terms to use when conducting searches. Unless specifically authorized, the Contractor shall not include original stories that are more than two (2) business days old.

2. The Government shall provide the Contractor with real-time access to all disseminated press releases, media advisories, and reports relevant to the fulfillment of SOW requirements.

3. The Contractor shall base the deliverables on all major national and local newspapers, national and local television, national radio, news wires, online news outlets, magazines, legal journals, and specialty press/trade journals. The sources shall include subscription-based publications.

4. The Contractor shall use human analysts to review articles and broadcasts to prepare deliverables. The human analysts shall apply an extensive understanding of the Department’s complex legal environment and respond to the evolving news and issues relating to Justice Department activities when preparing the deliverables.

5. The Contractor shall review the deliverables to ensure there are low incidences of missed, day-old, or irrelevant stories, typographical errors, or broken links. The Contractor’s quality assurance measures shall address how these areas will be remedied if identified by the Government. The final Quality Assurance Plan will be attached in whole or part to the Statement of Work after award. The Government will review and provide comments on the draft document to the Contractor within ten (10) business days after award, and the Contractor shall have three (3) business days to update and resubmit the final plan.

6. Before dissemination of deliverables, the Contractor shall conduct one final search to ensure the most current product possible.

7. In order to ensure that the deliverables are relevant and adequately address DOJ’s complex legal environment, PAO will provide input into the content and format of the deliverables. The Contractor shall have the ability to accommodate updates to the deliverables. Any updates shall be within scope and include but are not limited to updates to subject matter, deadlines, and format. Updates to deliverables may be initiated by the Contractor or the Government. Updates shall have the primary purpose of addressing daily news and the changing needs and priorities of the Department. The Contractor shall be notified in writing via email 24 hours in advance of any required updates. For any adjustments that the Contractor would like the Government to consider, the Contractor shall propose in writing via email with 24 hours in advance of any recommended changes. The change shall not take place until approved by the Government in writing.

8. Meetings. During the first three months performance, inclusive of base and Option

Period 1 as applicable, the Government and Contractor shall meet weekly to assess the successful fulfillment of the Department’s requirements. For the next three months of performance, the Government and the Contractor shall meet monthly to assess the successful fulfillment of the Department’s requirements. DOJ will notify the contractor prior to the end of the sixth month of performance, if monthly meetings are necessary during the first 12 months of performance based on contract performance. If option years are exercised, meetings shall occur on an ad hoc basis. The Contractor’s program manager for the services contained in this statement of work shall attend all meetings for the first month of performance and at least 2x monthly for the next two months of performance. The program manager shall attend monthly meetings for the remainder of the Contract’s performance as requested in writing in advance by the COR.

D. Specific Requirements

The Department requires a daily deliverable, sourced from a variety of news outlets, to provide a comprehensive review of the day’s major news stories, as they relate to the Department’s mission, functions, and complex legal environment. The requirements are follows:

News Briefing

a. Delivery shall occur daily at the time stated based on the day of week. Refer to the Deliverable table below.

b. The News Briefing shall include consolidated summaries of (1) that day’s major news stories and (2) articles that are about the U.S. Department of Justice and/or relevant to the federal U.S. justice system.

i. Summarized stories shall be first grouped by subject matter.

• The required subject matters are: Attorney General/Deputy Attorney

General/DOJ; National Security; Criminal Law; Civil Rights; Civil Law;

Antitrust; Environment; Tax; Indian Affairs; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the U.S.

Marshals Service (USMS); the Bureau of Prisons (BOP); U.S. Attorneys;

international law enforcement (as it relates to Department matters); Judicial Nominees and Appointments; Editorials/Op- Eds/Letters to the Editor; and the Administration, Congress, and Supreme Court.

• Ad hoc subject matters: To accommodate for breaking news and new, if five or more stories on a unique theme not mentioned above break in a single day, the Contractor shall add a new ad-hoc subject matter. The ad hoc subject matter may be removed when stories substantially diminish.

ii. Stories under each subject matter shall then be organized by story.

• The Contractor shall provide a consolidated summary of each story.

• The consolidated summary shall include DOJ-relevant information for each consolidated summary shall be clearly highlighted and the article in which the information appears will be referenced.

• Redundant and/or extraneous information shall be removed to provide a concise summary.

• For story topics that have multiple news articles, a single consolidated summary shall be provided.

• Information unique to individual articles on these story topics shall be highlighted in the consolidated summary with source articles referenced.

c. The News Briefing shall also include the day's Washington Schedule, Congressional hearings of interest to DOJ, morning headlines from major newspapers, and the story line ups from the previous evening’s network news programs and prime time editorial programs from the three largest cable news networks.

d. The Sunday News Briefing shall include the story line ups from the five major Sunday morning talk shows.

E. Format

All deliverables shall be in the English language; Section 508 compliant; and compatible with a variety of IT resources including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices (i.e., Android and iOS). The Department uses Microsoft Outlook for email services.

News Briefing – shall be delivered at the time stated every day of the week.

a. The News Briefing shall be available electronically as a printable Word Document and printable Adobe PDF file to facilitate unlimited distribution internally to the Department.

b. The News Briefing shall clearly show the product’s title and date.

c. The Table of Contents shall be organized by subject matter as described in

Section II.D.

d. The Table of Contents shall link to the individual summaries within the product to facilitate one-click access to each listed news story.

e. Each summary shall include an external hyperlink to the full-text news article/broadcast at the website from which the story originated.

i. For print stories, the link shall be to the original full text versions on the original publisher’s website.

ii. For broadcast stories, the link shall be to the available audio/video clips that stream to the user’s desktop/mobile device.

f. The contents of the printable document shall also be included the in the body of the distribution email and shall maintain all the features and formatting as the printable document. The body of the email shall also be mobile friendly.

F. Delivery

1. The deliverables shall be distributed electronically to Department officials and delivered in accordance with the below table.

2. The Contractor shall maintain the distribution list for the News Briefing. The Contractor shall be prepared to accommodate regular changes to the distribution list.

3. The size of emails containing the News Briefing may not exceed 30MB; must originate from email systems with properly configured Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records; and must not contain malicious attachments and/or links.

Table 1. Deliverables

Product Delivery

Weekdays

Delivery Weekends &

Federal Holidays*

Format

News Briefing 6:15 a.m. – 6:45 a.m. ET 1:00 p.m. ET Electronic Word, Adobe, Email

Quality Assurance Plan 30 calendar days post award

Electronic Word and Adobe

* Submissions are not required on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

G. Distribution

The Department reserves the right to distribute the product described in Section II.D in electronic or hard copy format internally within the DOJ on an unlimited basis.

H. Contractor Furnished

The Contractor shall provide all labor, relevant subscriptions, licensing agreements, software, and equipment required to complete the required services and deliverables.

I. Government Furnished

The Government shall provide the Contractor with real-time access to press releases, media advisories, and relevant reports to assist in determining which articles shall be included in the deliverables.

J. Quality Assurance

The final Quality Assurance plan will be mutually agreed upon and modified to the contract after award.