Source Sought - Recorded Books subscription - Amendment 1

Added: May 30, 2018 12:45 pm Sources Sought Synopsis

This is a Sources Sought Synopsis published by the United States Air Force (the Government or USAF). There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research to determine whether there are businesses available capable of providing an alternative product that meets the characteristics below. The Air Force anticipates procuring this product as a FY18 base effort with no option years. The period of performance for this subscription is 30 September 2018 - 29 September 2019. Responses to this sources sought notice will assist a determination of whether it is in the best interest of the Government to conduct a sole-source acquisition or to proceed with a competition.

FSC: 7630

NAICS: 519130

Size Standard: 1000 employees

Subscription name: The following subscriptions will be included in this purchase: ZINIO, Artistworks, ComicPlus, InstantFlix, Qello, OneClickDigital, and Universal Class for DOD Library Consortium

Supplier name: Recorded Books, Inc.

Product description: The following products will be included in this acquisition:

Zinio:
Zinio is an online magazine provider, which allows readers to access over 650 popular news and special interest digital magazines. The magazines can be streamed online or they can be downloaded to a PC, MAC, app-enabled Tablet or smart phone for reading at any time. Titles include popular magazines such as National Geographic, The Economist, US weekly, and hundreds more. Zinio is a part of the RBDigital product line and the app allows the seamless use of all RBDigital material.

ArtistWorks:
ArtistWorks for Libraries provides patrons with instruction through self-paced video lessons from Grammy Award-winning music and artistic professionals. ArtistWorks for Libraries offers users musical and artistic instruction, from introduction to advanced performance.

ComicPlus:
ComicsPlus brings unlimited access to thousands of digital graphic novels and comics to library patrons on any Web-connected device. Patrons can access over 16,000 comics from 93 publishers. ComicsPlus is a part of the RBDigital product line and the app allows the seamless use of all RBDigital material.

InstantFlix:
Instaflix is a movie and television streaming service that offers over 7,000 shows from around the world. Instaflix specializes in unique and hard-to-find movies and shows. Instaflix is a part of the RBDigital product line and the app allows the seamless use of all RBDigital material

Qello:
Qello Concerts has over 1,700 full-length concerts and music documentaries streamed on-demand to any digital device. Qello is a part of the RBDigital product line and the app allows the seamless use of all RBDigital material.

OneClickDigital:
OneClickDigital is an online e-book and e-audio book site that has both fiction and non-fiction material and also has an extensive e-audio book collection. OneClickDigital provides a wide selection of eBooks and unabridged audiobooks for checkout and download to a computer or portable device. OneClickDigital is a part of the RBDigital product line and the app allows the seamless use of all RBDigital material.

Universal Class:
Universal Class offers over 500 online courses on a wide range of subjects. Universal Class offers courses 24 hours a day 7 days a week and each course is instructor led while also being self-paced to allow for both personal attention and maximum flexibility. Some courses may also be recognized for Continuing Education Units (CEU's) and can help with vocational improvement.

Product characteristics an equal item must meet to be considered:

Zinio:
• Robust collection of popular magazines
• Can be streamed while online or downloaded to read at anytime
• Archive of old issues
• Be accessible from a variety of digital devices including computers, tablets, and smartphones.
• Application that allows for seamless access to other services.

ArtistWorks:
• Beginner to advanced music instruction for the most popular string and band instruments
• Professional musicians provide instruction
• Art and voice classes also included
• Video based with bookmarking features

ComicPlus:
• Instant access to content without holds or waiting
• No limit on specific titles or checkouts
• Available on computer, tablet and smartphone
• Searchable by genre, publisher, and comic

InstantFlix:
• Over 7,000 high-quality shorts, features, documentaries, classic TV shows and Web series from 85 countries.
• Offers films from major festivals all over the world, including Sundance, Cannes, and Tribeca
• Watch movies on any Internet-enabled computer, smartphone, or tablet with a Web browser - also available on Roku, Xbox, and Apple TV.

Qello:
• Large collection of classical music concerts and documentaries
• Includes concerts from modern artists, as well as older concerts.
• Can be watched on television with Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, and Sony

OneClickDigital:
• Extensive collection of both fiction and non-fiction e-books and unabridged audio books.
• Online access and ordering system for collection management and selection
• Adobe Digital Editions to download eBooks to your computer
• Application that allows for seamless access to other services.

Universal Class:
• Over 500 online course for continuing education
• Offers Continuing Education Units (CEU's) for vocational improvement

Additionally, product must be able to interface with the Air Force Portal and must be able to provide password embedded URL's for access through Library OPACS.

The Government will consider responses received within 30 days of issuance of this notice. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a full and open competitive procurement or a small business set aside competitive procurement. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this announcement. Vendors may submit responses describing their alternative product for one, multiple, or all of the requirements listed above.

If the Government competes this requirement, a synopsis shall be issued utilizing the combined synopsis/solicitation procedure identified in FAR 12.603. If this effort becomes a Small Business Set-Aside, FAR 52.219-14, Limitation on Subcontracting, will apply. Therefore, small businesses that want to be considered for a small business set-aside should demonstrate how they intend to comply.

A determination not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is an administrative decision by the Government that is solely within its discretion.

Contractors should be aware of the following information:

1. Contractors must include the following information:

a. Points of contact, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers.

b. Identification as a large U.S. business, a small U.S. business, or a foreign business. Please note that size indicated should be based on the NAICS code for this effort listed above.

c. Identification of any other socioeconomic status including: Women-Owned Small Business, Economically Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business or HUBZone.

d. Company CAGE Code or DUNS Number.

2. In your response, you must address how your product meets the product characteristics specified above.

3. Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED.

4. Responses are limited to of 10 pages in a Microsoft Word compatible format.

Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not reimburse the respondents for any costs associated with their response. This synopsis does not constitute a Request for Proposals nor does its issuance restrict the Government as to its ultimate acquisition approach. The Government reserves the right to contact the submitting parties, on an as required basis, for further clarification on material provided. Respondents should not construe this notice as a commitment by the Air Force for any purpose.

Responses should be emailed to Nicole Cantrell at nicole.cantrell@us.af.mil and Joelynn Laux at joelynn.laux@us.af.mil no later than 29 June 2018, 2:00 PM EST. Any questions should be directed to Nicole Cantrell through email.

All responses should be received no later than 29 June 2018, 2:00 PM (Eastern).