SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Music Research in the Middle East
- Notice Date
- 7/9/2010
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541910
— Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling
- Contracting Office
- Broadcasting Board of Governors, Director, Office of Contracts, Office of Contracts (M/CON), 330 C Street, SW, Room 4300, Washington, District of Columbia, 20237, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20237
- Solicitation Number
- BBG50-R-10-0709
- Archive Date
- 8/13/2010
- Point of Contact
- Myria ED Carpenter, Phone: 202-382-7861, Herman P Shaw, Phone: 202-382-7856
- E-Mail Address
-
mecarpen@ibb.gov, hshaw@bbg.gov
(mecarpen@ibb.gov, hshaw@bbg.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR A COMMERCIAL ITEM PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6 AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. (ii) Solicitation No. BBG50-R-10-xxxx is issued as a Request For Proposal (RFP) and a contract will be awarded using the contracting by negotiation procedures in FAR Part 15. (iii) This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect from the Federal Acquisition Regulations 2005-041, dated May 13, 2010. (iv) The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541910. (v) The Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau (BBG/IBB), Office of Contracts (CON) located in Washington, D.C. has a requirement, subject to the availability of funding, for a Contractor to conduct music research in the Middle East cities of Amman, Jordan, BEIRUT, LEBANON, Alexandria, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Casablanca, Morocco and Baghdad, Iraq. The project will consist of research on the musical tastes and preferences of Arab adults, ages 17-28. Research will be conducted by playing musical excerpts provided by IBB to a sample drawn from the target audience and recording reactions to a brief questionnaire designed to elicit listeners' likes and dislikes, as well as the intensity of their preferences. Contractor shall have demonstrated ability and experience in performing market research and public opinion polling services as outlined herein. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIRED FIELDWORK: The primary object of this research is to test respondents' familiarity with and reactions to individual musical selections, as identified by brief, easily recognizable excerpts, usually lasting between 5 and 10 seconds in length. Details of required fieldwork are as follows: [1] Contractor shall provide supervision of fieldwork; [2] Music research shall be conducted on a weekly basis in all cities with the exception of Baghdad which shall be conducted on a bi-weekly basis. [3] Sample universe shall be the adult populations between the ages of 17 and 28 (inclusive) of the following cities: Amman, ALEXANDRIA, Abu Dhabi, Casablanca and Baghdad. [4] Contractor shall recruit a fresh sample of 50 respondents each week in each city, except in Baghdad, where a fresh sample of respondents shall be recruited every two weeks. [5] In the initial stage of sampling, recognized probability techniques shall be used to select households for screening to ascertain the presence of eligible household members. In the event that a selected household does not contain any members eligible for this study, or eligible members within the household refuse to participate, successive additional households shall be identified, again based on recognized probability techniques until a substitute respondent has been successfully recruited. In no case shall more than one respondent be drawn from the same household. [6] Screening criteria and quotas: Contractor shall ensure that all respondents fall in the SES categories A, B, C1, or C2, as these categories are commonly defined by market research agencies in the countries concerned. Proportions of each week's sample in each group should roughly follow the underlying population distribution. In no case should the total proportion of A/B individuals in a weekly sample exceed 20%. Each weekly sample should be approximately half male and half female. In addition, approximately half of each weekly sample should be between the ages of 17-22 (inclusive) with the other half between the ages of 23 and 28 (inclusive). All respondents should listen to music at least one hour per week and should listen to music on the radio at least 30 minutes per week. Contractor shall screen all potential respondents for musical preferences. Contractor shall eliminate from the sample all respondents who dislike contemporary Western music. [7] Interviews will take place in the respondent's home, with interviewer playing musical hooks on a CD or tape player provided by the Contractor. [8] Interviewers will employ a questionnaire requiring respondent to indicate familiarity with each song played, as well as favorability rating for each song with which respondent is familiar. Questionnaire will contain up to five minutes of additional questions, to be determined by IBB in consultation with Contractor. [9] Approximately 100 songs shall be tested each week, using hooks to be provided by IBB (with the exception of Baghdad, where the number of songs shall be tested approximately every two weeks). It is expected that weekly compilation of hooks will be provided electronically to contractor as MP3 files. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES: The Contractor shall be responsible for the project design, drafting, translation, formatting, adaptation and printing of the survey instruments; developing the sample plan and screening procedures; training interviewers, supervising fieldwork; cleaning and encoding survey responses; entering and processing the data; preparing tabulations in data books; submitting data in electronic form, and communicating all necessary information and results to IBB in a timely manner. DELIVERABLES: Results from Amman, Alexandria, Abu Dhabi, BEIRUT, and Casablanca shall be delivered to IBB each week in electronic form. Results from Baghdad shall be delivered to IBB bi-weekly in electronic form. Data shall be presented in a manner that allows analysis by age, gender, and extent of liking for the Western music. Data shall contain SES category for each respondent. Contractor shall clean and encode survey responses; enter and process data collected; prepare tabulations in data books; and submit all necessary information and results to IBB every Friday by 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. Offerors shall submit a firm-fixed price for the following CONTRACT LINE ITEMS (CLINs): CLIN B.1, BASE PERIOD (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011): CLIN B.1.1 - Design, develop, translate and print sample plan, train interviewers, Qty 1 job (to include all anticipated costs to be incurred prior to the commencement of actual fieldwork); CLIN B.1.2 - Conduct music research in Amman, Alexandria, Abu Dhabi, BEIRUT, and Casablanca and submit research data weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 39 result/reports; and CLIN B.1.3 - Conduct music research in Baghdad and submit research data bi-weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 20 result/reports. CLIN B.2, OPTION YEAR 1 (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012): CLIN B.2.1 - Conduct music research in Amman, Alexandria, Abu Dhabi, BEIRUT, and Casablanca and submit research data weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 52 result/reports; and CLIN B.2.2 - Conduct music research in Baghdad and submit research data bi-weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 26 result/reports. CLIN B.3, OPTION YEAR 2 (October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013): CLIN B.3.1 - Conduct music research in Amman, Alexandria, Abu Dhabi, BEIRUT and Casablanca and submit research data weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 52 result/reports; and CLIN B.3.2 - Conduct music research in Baghdad and submit research data bi-weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 26 result/reports. CLIN B.4, OPTION YEAR 3 (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014): CLIN B.4.1 - Conduct music research in Amman, Alexandria, Abu Dhabi, BEIRUT and Casablanca and submit research data weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 52 result/reports; and CLIN B.4.2 - Conduct music research in Baghdad and submit research data bi-weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 26 result/reports. CLIN B.5, OPTION YEAR 4 (October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015): CLIN B.5.1 - Conduct music research in Amman, Alexandria, Abu Dhabi, BEIRUT, and Casablanca and submit research data weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 52 result/reports; and CLIN B.5.2 - Conduct music research in Baghdad and submit research data bi-weekly to IBB in electronic form, Qty 26 result/reports. (vi) The period of performance is October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011 with four (4) one-year option periods. The Contractor shall submit an invoice electronically to BBG for payment on a monthly basis. IMPORTANT NOTE: The term of the contract is contingent upon availability of full funding for this project being received in the Government's Fiscal Year 2011. In the event that funding is less than anticipated, the contract term may be amended to entail less frequent research or research that covers only part of the period stated herein. Delivery terms and point: FOB Destination, Washington, D.C. (vii) The provision at FAR 52.212-1, "Instruction to Offerors--Commercial Items" applies to this solicitation. Offerors responding to this solicitation shall submit the following items to the contracting officer: [1] Technical proposal with a narrative of the Offeror's understanding of requirement as noted above and a description of their capability to perform the tasks as stated above. [2] Narrative and detailed information on past experiences in conducting market research and public opinion polling. [3] Detailed information on past performance, including recent (within last 3 years from date of this notice) and relevant contracts for similar services and other references including contract numbers, points of contact with telephone numbers, email addresses and other relevant information; [4] Price for each of the above listed CLINs; [5] a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, "Offeror Representations and Certifications--Commercial Items" and [6] Offeror's DUNS Number, prompt payment terms and correct remittance address, if different from mailing address. Offers shall be submitted on a SF-1449 signed by an official authorized to bind your organization. (viii) The Government will award a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract resulting from this RFP to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the RFP will be most advantageous to the Government, based on price, past performance and other factors in the solicitation. An award may be made without discussions. When combined, technical evaluation factors are significantly more important than cost or price. The following technical factors shall be used to evaluate proposals and are listed in descending order of importance with the first two (2) factors being significantly more important than the last two (2): 1. Offeror's experience in conducting music research in international settings; 2. Offeror's experience in conducting music research in the Middle East; 3. Offeror's past performance; and 4. Offeror's planned method for recruiting respondents. (ix) Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with its offer. Proposals must also include contractor's DUNS Number, prompt payment terms, and correct remittance address, if different from mailing address. The contractor must be registered on-line with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) Web site at: http://www.ccr.gov/Start.aspx. The successful Offeror will be required to complete and submit an ACH form, for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), to the Contracting Officer before submitting their first invoice. (x) The FAR clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition with addendum to the clause. The addendum is as follows: AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER. The Contracting Officer will appoint by letter an Authorized Representative of the Contracting Officer (AR/CO), who will have the responsibility of ensuring that the work conforms to the requirements of the contract and such other responsibilities and authorities as may be specified in the letter of authorization or this contract. It is understood and agreed, in particular, that the AR/CO shall not have authority to make changes in the scope or terms and conditions of the contract unless and only to the extent that such authority is specified in the letter of authorization or the contract. THE RESULTANT CONTRACTOR IS HEREBY FOREWARNED THAT, ABSENT THE REQUISITE AUTHORITY OF THE AR/CO TO MAKE ANY SUCH CHANGES, IT MAY BE HELD FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CHANGES NOT AUTHORIZED IN ADVANCE, IN WRITING, BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER, MAY BE DENIED COMPENSATION OR OTHER RELIEF FOR ANY ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED THAT IS NOT SO AUTHORIZED, AND MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE GOVERNMENT, TO TAKE ALL CORRECTIVE ACTION NECESSITATED BY REASON OF THE UNAUTHORIZED CHANGES. (xi) FAR clause 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this solicitation by reference and proposed subsequent contract as well as the following clauses contained within FAR clause 52.212-5: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct 1995); 52.203-13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Apr 2010); 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Aug 2009); 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (E.O. 11246); 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans (38 U.S.C. 4212); 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (29 U.S.C. 793); 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans (38 U.S.C. 4212); 52.222-39 Notification of Employee Rights Concerning Payment of union Dues or Fees (E.O. 13201); 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008) and 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration (31 U.S.C. 3332) (xii) Additional FAR provisions and clauses incorporated by reference and applicable to this solicitation and the proposed subsequent contract are: 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract, 52.232-18 Availability of Funds and 52.237-3 Continuity of Services ;(xiii) A Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) assigned rating is not applicable to this acquisition. (xv) Notice of Delay- If the Contractor becomes unable to complete the contract work at the time(s) specified because of technical difficulties, notwithstanding the exercise of good faith and diligent efforts in the performance of the work called for hereunder, the Contractor shall give the Contracting Officer written notice of the anticipated delay and the reasons therefore. Such notice and reasons shall be delivered promptly after the condition creating the anticipated delay becomes known to the Contractor but in no event less than thirty (30) days before the completion date specified in this contract, unless otherwise directed by the Contracting Officer. When notice is so required, the Contracting Officer may extend the time specified in the schedule for such period as deemed advisable. (xiv) There are no additional contract requirement(s) necessary for this acquisition other than those consistent with customary commercial practices. NOTE: See government-wide numbered notes 13 and 25. (xv) Failure to provide any of the above-required CLIN may result in the rejection of your proposal. Full text of all FAR clauses and provisions are available electronically at the following Internet address: (http://www.arnet.gov/far). Proposals shall be in writing and must be signed by an official who is authorized to bind the organization. Oral proposals will not be accepted. Questions must be submitted in writing to Myria Carpenter at mecarpen@bbg.gov. Written questions must be submitted by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time on July 20, 2010. Proposals shall be submitted with an original and three (3) copies. Proposals may be sent via courier or overnight delivery before the closing deadline below. Proposals are due to Myria Carpenter, Contract Specialist, Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau, Office of Contracts, 330 C Street, SW, Room 4007B, Washington, DC 20237 before 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time on July 29, 2010. (xviii) Contact: Myria Carpenter, Contract Specialist, email: mecarpen@bbg.gov or Facsimile 202-382-7870. All responsible sources may submit an offer that will be considered by the Agency.
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