RFP ED-00-R-0016 National Education Goals Panel Media Services/Teleconference Contract Amendment 1 This amendment serves three purposes:1) to extend the closing date of the RFP and 2) to include a clause to the RPF, and 3) to clarify the requirement with the questions addressed by the prospective contractors. Therefore, the amendment reads as follow: 1) Extension of the Closing Date - The closing date of this RFP ED-00-R-0016 has been extended to April 14, 2000 by 2:00 p.m., eastern standard, from April 4, 2000. 2) L. 13. 52.215-1 I Instructions to Offerors-Competitive Acquisition (Oct 1997) - Alternate I (Oct 1997) 3) Questions/Answers 1. Please clarify whether or not the 2-page resumes that are to be provided for project personnel are to be provided as a part of the section called "Qualifications and Availability of Project Personnel." Answer: Under technical instruction L.4. 311-3 (p.32), exclude # 5 with the heading "Qualifications and availability of project personnel" within the 40-page limit in length. Please provide the "Qualifications and availability of project personnel" in the resume. 2. If resumes are to be provided as a part of this section, but they do not count toward the 40-page limit, are we to use some alternate form of pagination for the resumes so that our adherence to the 40-page limit remains clear? Answer: Resumes should not be included in the 40-page limit. Therefore, there exists no alternate form of pagination. But within the resume, please include the qualifications and availability of project personnel. 3. In the section called "Management, Staffing, and Scheduling" are offerors to discuss only those individuals whom they are proposing as Key Personnel, or all professional personnel? Answer: Please state management, staffing, and scheduling of the Key Personnel only, excluding all professional personnel. 4. The top of page 32 indicates that the technical proposal should contain the list of data shown for all "similar or related contracts, subcontracts, or grants." This appears to be the same data that offerors are required to provide in the Past Performance report. Please clarify. Answer: The technical proposal asks an offeror to list contracts, subcontracts, or grants with the following information as the name of the customer, contract or grant number, dollar amount, time of performance, and the names and telephone numbers of the project officer and contracting/grant officer. In other words, it simply asks for a list, i.e., to compile all information as asked in the technical proposal from all past performances. The Past Performance, on the other hand, provides ratings/evaluation of the performance supported with brief comments. 5. Section L.4 on page 32 (top of page) indicates that offerors should discuss proposed facilities and equipment. Yet this section is not listed as one of the sections in the detailed discussion later on that same page. Please clarify. Answer: Please disregard the instruction on top of page 32 (L.4) where it asks for facilities and equipment. 6. The introductory text in the middle of page 32 says that the proposal should be organized in the following sections: Table of Contents, Introduction, General Approach, Statement of Work, Project Management, Qualifications and Availability of Project Personnel, and Corporate Experience. But the detailed listing that immediately follows differs from this - while four of the sections in the list match the text above it, the list calls for a section called "Work Statement," which is not mentioned in the introductory text. Also, the detailed list does not include a section called "Project Management." Please clarify. Answer: Please include General Approach within the Introduction. Work Statement is the same as the Statement of Work. Project management is the same as the Management, staffing and scheduling. To recapitulate the organization of the technical proposal, the structure should be as follow: 1) Table of Contents 2) Introduction 3) Statement of Work 4) Management, staffing and scheduling 5) Corporate experience 7. If a section called "Project Management" is a required section, please state what elements are required parts of the discussion. Answer: Offerors should list the key personnel proposed, their proposed responsibilities, percentage of time each is committed to the project and other contractual obligations for each during the course of this award. 8. Section L.5.E, Business Proposal Instructions, Responsibility of Prospective Contractor, states that the descriptions and statements called for in this section are to also be incorporated into the Technical Proposal. Yet there is no reference in Section L.4, Technical Proposal Instructions, to including this information, nor is it shown in the list of required sections. Please clarify. Answer: These descriptions and statements are to be incorporated in the technical proposal under the 1)management, staffing and scheduling and 2) Corporate experience. 9. Can additional information that offerors believe is pertinent to their technical proposal be provided as appendices to the 40-page document? Answer: No 10. While the number of regional field hearings (three) is given, and the number of panel meetings to be telecast (one) is stated, there is a statement that "two or three" Panel meetings will be held during the first year (see the "Background" section of the statement of work). Since this is to be a fixed price contract, the exact number of Panel meetings to be supported needs to be provided. Also, we need to know the locations of the regional field hearings, to price our costs for traveling to these sites. Please provide this information. Answer: The 3 field hearings are for this year only. There will be 3 panel meetings each year but only two in this year. The field hearings will be in Vermont, Atlanta and Chicago. 11. Will the same number and types of meetings supported in the base year be supported in the option years (we need to know this for pricing the option years)? Answer: Yes 12. Much more detail is needed about the requirements of the one Panel meeting that is to be telecast in order to prepare a price, especially in a fixed price environment. Please provide answers to all of the following: a. Exactly how long will the panel meeting be that is to be telecast? Answer: 1 1/2 to 2 hours. b. Will the Panel meeting to be telecast be held in Washington, DC? Answer: YES. c. Is the session to be interactive, i.e., will people at the downlink sites need to be provided with the capability to speak to the panel members and presenters and ask them questions? Answer: It is a one way telecast. However, questions can be called in. d. Who is the "broadcast company" to which the RFP's statement of work refers several times? Does the Department of Education already have a contract with a broadcast company, or will the contractor need to select a broadcast company and enter into a contract with them? Answer: Contractor will select a broadcast company and enter into a contract with them after approval by NEGP. e. What is the role of the moderator whom the contractor is to help secure for the telecast? Is this someone to direct the technical aspects of the telecast, or a content expert who will be involved in the actual panel deliberations? Answer: Moderator will moderate deliberations and not the technical aspects. f.Regarding speakers who cannot physically attend the panel meeting and the requirement in the SOW to help them prepare "video presentations," are their presentations to be taped in advance and played before the Panel using a VCR and monitors, or are the speakers going to make their presentations from a remote site while the meeting is ongoing, requiring that the contractor do a live "feed" of the presentation into the room where the Panel meeting is being held? Answer: All speakers will physically attend panel meetings. g. To gain a better understanding of the complexity of the planned telecast, we request that a reading room be established that has a monitor and tape player, so that potential offerors could come and watch the tapes of previous telecasts. Can this be done? Answer: NEGP has videos of previous telecasts that will be made available to the chosen contractor. 13. The last sentence of the SOW states that the contractor will not be responsible for any hotel space or food and beverage costs for the Panel meeting. Does this statement also apply to the regional field hearings? Is the contractor to pay any costs for space for any of the meetings? Answer: NEGP will bear these costs. 14. Is the contractor to pay the travel and perdiem costs for any of the Panel members, either to the field hearings or to the Panel meetings? Answer: NEGP will bear these costs. 15. Do the Panel members receive any honoraria, and if so is this paid for by the contractor? Answer: NEGP will bear these costs. 16. Regarding the costs of distributing the press releases, does the Panel have a contract with a press release distribution service, or does the contractor bear these costs? Answer: Contractor will bear these costs. 17. Regarding the various press conferences that are to be held, are these typically held in Government facilities? If not, is the contractor to pay the costs for the facility and the cost of any equipment (such as microphones) needed for the press conferences? Answer: NEGP will bear these costs. 18. Does the contractor pay the costs for having the media kits printed (the ones that are to be prepared before each press conference)? Does the contractor pay the mailing costs? Answer: The contractor will pay for printing and mailing. 19. Who has been the primary audience for the National Education Goals Panel's previous telecasts and hearings? Please provide approximate number of participants at each event. Answer: Education policy makers. We cannot predict the number of participants at each event. 20. How many previous telecasts have there been? Answer: 2 21. Are there broadcast copies available for viewing? How can prospective contractors see them? Answer: Once award is made, copies of previous telecasts can be provided. 22. What is the value of the existing contract? Answer: The total value of the existing purchase orders (not contract) is $190,000. The purchase order for Media conference equals $100,000 and Teleconference equals $90,000. 23. While the Offeror has the ability to utilize its list of contacts within the educational policy and legislative arena, how can we ensure the teleconference participant list includes all agency representatives that the Department of Education would like included? Answer: NEGP will mail out letters informing them of the upcoming teleconference. 24. Is there an existing computerized database of contacts? Answer: YES 25. What software program is it in? Answer: Microsoft Access 26. Will the database contents be provided to the selected Contractor? Answer: It can be if necessary. 27. The RFP assumes that meeting logistics will be handled by the Contractor, but does not speak to the level of logistical support and oversight that will be required to ensure full participation at the hearings, or broadcasts. Please clarify the range of meeting and hearing support that the Contractor is expected to perform (i.e..,: letters of invitation, travel coordination, meeting signage, etc.). Answer: NEGP will send out letters, make travel arrangement for participants and provide meeting arrangements for hearings. 28. In the Statement of Work, Attachment A, under the Pre-telecast activities (Page 5), the paragraph numbered 2 contains conflicting statements. The first sentence assumes the contractor will have a subcontracting relationship with "the broadcast company," while the next sentence presumes they are separate entities and the broadcast company is setting telecast requirements that will govern the contractor's work and responsibilities. Please clarify which scenario is being proposed. Answer: Contractor will be setting telecast requirements. 29. If the Department of Education is purchasing telecast services directly from "the broadcast company", how is it envisioned the contractor will interface with said "broadcast company?" Answer: NEGP is not purchasing telecast services from broadcasting company. 30. Page 2 of Attachment A states the telecast will be made available to all 50 states and six territories, and include a question and answer period. Is the telecast to be a "view only" telecast for the downlink sites across the country or will there be an opportunity for participation or interaction during the question and answer segment from some or all of the 50 states and six territories? Answer: Questions can be called into the telecast. 31. If interactive, will it allow for 2-way audio feed or a 2-way video feed? If 2-way audio interaction (i.e.., viewer call-in) is desired, is the contractor expected to bear the costs associated with a toll-free number? Answer: Contractor will bear these costs. 32. How much local facilitation is expected at each of the participating 50-state and six-territory sites? Answer: NEGP will provide site facilitator guide and other materials. Telephone line will be provided for technical support 33. If specific cities are to be the host sites within the 50 states and six territories, please provide cities by name. Answer: N/A 34. What is the city of origin for the telecast? Please identify it by name. Answer: Washington, DC 35. What is the intended duration of the telecast? Answer: 1 to 2 hours 36. Attachment A, page 5, Item No. 5 states that the contractor is responsible for developing handouts for the meetings and downlink sites. No mention, however, is made of who absorbs the cost of distribution of telecast materials? Please clarify if it is to be the sole responsibility of the contractor or accomplished through an existing NEGP infrastructure. Answer:NEGP will mail out handouts. 37. Attachment A, Background Section talks about three regional field hearings that the Panel will conduct during the first year of this award. Are these traditional public hearings? If so, please clarify who is responsible for posting them in the Federal Register and paying the associated costs. Answer: NEGP will pay Federal Register costs 38. On page 32, section L.4 suggests that the offeror should discuss "present or proposed facilities and equipment," however, further down the page they are not included as one of the numbered sections that is required. Please advise as to placement of this information. Answer: Contractor will subcontract for broadcasting facilities 39. What is the level of effort of the current contract? What is the anticipated level of effort of the new contract? Answer: The total value of the existing purchase orders (not contract) is $190,000. The purchase order for Media conference equals $100,000 and Teleconference equals $90,000. 40. Will the new contract be a fixed price or cost plus award fee-type contract? Answer: Fixed Price 41. If the new contract is to be awarded as a fixed price contract, please provide the number and specific locations of all meetings that must be supported by the contractor, number of individuals other than contractor staff whose expenses must be covered under the contract, the exact number of broadcast events and the duration of each, and other data regarding quantities of materials etc. required for accurately estimating the other direct costs that are associated with panel events. In the event that such information cannot be provided at this time, what fixed dollar amount for other direct costs or other guidance can the Government to provide a basis for determination of contract pricing? Answer: These questions have been answered througout this amendment. 42. The statement of work indicates that lodging and per diem should not be included in the cost estimate. How are transportation costs to be covered under the contract for contractor staff and speakers? What about other meeting-related expenses such as meeting rooms, audiovisual equipment rental, on-site office services etc.? Are these types of expenses covered by means other than the contract? Answer: Contractor will pay travel cost for its staff. NEGP will pay travel expenses for speakers and participants, meeting rooms, audiovisual equipment and other room expenses. 43. What satellite space is preferable, Ku-band, C-band, or other? Answer: both are mandatory 44. Is the contractor responsible for Public Address in the room? Answer: Contractor will pay 45. Is the contractor responsible for visual support on site? Answer: Contractor will pay 46. Is set construction needed for the telecast? Answer: Maybe 47. Is the contractor responsible for anything else on location? Set-up, lighting, catering etc...? Answer: Contractor will subcontract for broadcasting facilities 48. During past telecasts, how many satellites were utilized to broadcast to all 50 states and 6 territories? Answer: Two. C and KU bands 49. Following a regional field hearing or a Panel meeting, should the contractor plan to use the services of a press clipping service, such as Burrelles, to determine the extent of press coverage for the events in the print media? Answer: This would be paid for by NEGP. 50. Does the Government want the contractor to contact TV stations after the field hearings and the Panel meetings to try and get tapes from those stations who covered these events? Answer: Yes