WSJ - SOLICITATION PART 1.docx

PART 1

The Contracting Officer (CO), Maria Middleton has the overall responsibility for the administration of this contract. The CO alone, without delegation is authorized to take actions on behalf of the Government to amend, modify from the contract terms, conditions, requirements, specifications, details and/or delivery schedules; issue task orders against the contract, makes final decisions on disputed deductions from contract payments for nonperformance, or unsatisfactory performance; terminate the contract for convenience or default, and issue final decisions regarding contract questions or matters under dispute. However, the CO may delegate certain other responsibilities to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

(End of Text) B.2 Continuation of Block 18b-INVOICES

a) The original invoice shall be submitted electronically through the Invoice Processing Platform system as prescribed below;

(b) The Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) is a secure Web-based electronic invoicing and payment information service available to all Federal agencies and their suppliers. Effective October 1, 2012, invoicing for payment through the IPP will be mandatory for all new contract awards. Additional information regarding the IPP may be found at the IPP website address https://www.ipp.gov. Contractors must complete the contractor point of contact information below, and submit it with their proposal submissions. Contractors may contact the IPP Helpdesk for assistance via e-mail at ippgroup@bos.frb.org or via phone at (866) 973-3131. Once a contract award has been made, the contractor will be contacted by the IPP via e-mail to set-up an account. It will be necessary for contractors to login to their IPP accounts every 90 days to keep their IPP accounts active.

(c) To constitute a proper invoice, the invoice must include those items cited in FAR 52.232-25, Prompt Payment, Paragraphs (a)(3)(i) through (a)(3)(viii).

(d) Invoices must reference both the contract number and task order number.

(End of Text)

B.3 Contract Period of Performance The total Period of Performance shall not exceed 60 months. The periods of performance are defined as follows;

B.4 1052.201-70 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR) APPOINTMENT AND AUTHORITY, (AUG 2011)

(a) The Contracting Officer’s Representative will be furnished upon award.

(b) Performance of work under this contract is subject to the technical direction of the COR identified above, or a representative designated in writing. The term “technical direction” includes, without limitation, direction to the contractor that directs or redirects the labor effort, shifts the work between work areas or locations, and/or fills in details and otherwise serves to ensure that tasks outlined in the work statement are accomplished satisfactorily.

(c) Technical direction must be within the scope of the contract specification(s)/work statement. The COR does not have authority to issue technical direction that:

(1) Constitutes a change of assignment or additional work outside the contract specification(s)/work statement;

(2) Constitutes a change as defined in the clause entitled “Changes”;

(3) In any manner causes an increase or decrease in the contract price, or the time required for contract performance;

(4) Changes any of the terms, conditions, or specification(s)/work statement of the contract;

(5) Interferes with the contractor's right to perform under the terms and conditions of the contract; or

(6) Directs, supervises or otherwise controls the actions of the contractor's employees.

(d) Technical direction may be oral or in writing. The COR must confirm oral direction in writing within five workdays, with a copy to the Contracting Officer..

(e) The Contractor shall proceed promptly with performance resulting from the technical direction issued by the COR. If, in the opinion of the contractor, any direction of the COTR or the designated representative falls within the limitations of (c) above, the contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer no later than the beginning of the next Government work day.

(f) Failure of the Contractor and the Contracting Officer to agree that technical direction is within the scope of the contract shall be subject to the terms of the clause entitled “Disputes.”

(End of Text)

ADDENDUM TO 52.212-1

COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THIS SOLICITATION

Any questions or comments regarding this solicitation shall cite the solicitation number and be directed to the following Government Representative electronically via e-mail;

The Government will answer relevant and appropriate questions regarding this solicitation. Any offeror questions should be submitted as soon as possible but no later than August 20, 2015 @11:00 am Eastern Standard Time. All answers will be provided via e-mail.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFERORS

1. General Information This acquisition is a Sole Source restricted requirement under NAICS 511110 for an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) customized on-line research of the newspaper publication The Wall Street Journal.

The Government will not pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a quote. Quotes shall be clearly and concisely written as well as neat, indexed (cross-indexed as appropriate), logically assembled and complete. A comprehensive quote to provide a basis for sound evaluation of price reasonableness by the Government must be submitted.

2. Submission of Quote Offerors shall submit response to this Request for Quote (RFQ) by 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time on August 27, 2015, at the address shown below. Responses received after this time are late and will not be considered for award.

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVCE

AWSS/Procurement ATTN: Maria Middleton, OS:A:P:B:A:A, Building “C” Mailstop: C7-170

5000 ELLIN ROAD

LANHAM, MARYLAND 20706

Each offeror's quote submitted in response to this solicitation shall be in one (1) volume as described below and must include all applicable information in the formats specified. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ACCEPT ELECTRONIC COPIES OF QUOTES.

Volume I – Business Proposal

In this volume, the offeror (s) shall provide a detailed price quote in accordance with Section B of this RFQ. The Quote, which is the RFQ Standard Form 1449 shall be submitted in two originally signed copies.

3. DISPOSITION OF QUOTES

After evaluation, selection, and contract award, unsuccessful quotes will be disposed of as follows: one copy of each quote will be retained by the Contracting Officer and the remainder will be destroyed.

4. FAR 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

(a) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from:

CONTRACTING OFFICER, MARIA MIDDLETON

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

OS:A:P:B:A”A, Building “C”

MAILSTOP C7-170

5000 ELLIN ROAD

LANHAM, MARYLAND 20706

(b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

(End of provision)

5. BASIS FOR AWARD

In accordance with FAR 6.3, the Government intends to make one (1) sole source award from this procurement. The offeror is the only source that can meet the customized online research requirements of the IRS.