SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- WEB AND MOBILE USABILITY STUDY
- Notice Date
- 8/26/2010
- 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-10-00084DDS
- Archive Date
- 9/24/2010
- Point of Contact
- Diane Sturgis, Phone: 202-382-7849, Herman P Shaw, Fax: 202-382-7870
- E-Mail Address
-
dsturgis@bbg.gov, hshaw@bbg.gov
(dsturgis@bbg.gov, hshaw@bbg.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A COMBINED SYNPOSIS/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 ANNOUCEMENT CONSITITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; PROPOSAL ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. (ii) Solicitation No. BBG50-R-10-0084DDS 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 for a Contractor to conduct website and mobile website usability studies that are used by different languages. The Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting service, supported by the International Broadcasting Bureau and funded by the U.S. Government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA uses TV, radio, internet and mobile platforms to distribute news and information in over 40 languages. With websites and mobile websites in these different languages, VOA requires studies on websites and mobile websites of particular languages, in order to obtain a benchmark understanding of user experience, in target countries and languages. IBB Office of Research is interested in conducting website and mobile website usability studies that will allow it to: • Test actual users' experience with the websites, such as, but is not limited to, navigation, layout and search functions • Find user issues or obstacles with websites • Offer concrete recommendations to improve the websites IBB's goal is to test the users' experience of one or more of our websites in order to assess user interaction with our websites in different languages and contexts. Each study should stimulate, as close to possible, the real user experience. Subject to the availability of funds, IBB will contract bidder(s) to carry out one or more of the projects delineated below. Proposals submitted shall be responsive to one or more of the projects. Preference shall be given to offerors who can carry out all of the projects; however, proposals from offerors who can carry out the projects in only one or some of the locations cited will be considered. Scope of Work: The submitted proposals should detail each proposed project's parameters. Exact design of each project shall be proposed by the vendor. Proposals shall be submitted of the following projects: 1) Website usability study in Spanish in Lima, Peru (www.voanoticias.com) 2) Mobile usability study in Spanish in Lima, Peru (voanoticias.voa.mobi) 3) Website usability study in Spanish in Venezuela (www.voanoticias.com) 4) Mobile usability study in English, in Pakistan (www.voa.mobi) 5) Website usability study in Kurdish, in either Irbil or Suliemaniya, Iraq (www.voanews.com/kurdish) 6) Website usability study in Persian, in a neighboring country to Iran (www.voanews.com/persian) Technical Requirements of each study: • Each study must include 6-10 participants; • All participants should be regular users of the Internet for news gathering purposes (i.e. use the Internet to follows current news at least 3-4 days per week.) • Participants may be of either gender, should be between the ages of 20 and 40, and should have at a minimum complete secondary level education. • Participants should be native speakers in the prescribed language, but participants are not required to be fluent in English (with the exception of the English study, where English is the assigned language); • Each study will be conducted in language of the site under review; • Each study shall include a set of Pre and Post questions and a task analysis, both drafted by IBB (See Appendix A and B), and finalized after consultation with contractor; • Task analysis must include time taken to complete task and success rate at task; and • Each study must include observation or navigation tracking, which is to be determined by the vendor as described in detail in the proposal. Observation may include, but is not limited to, webcams, personal observation, or computer tracking. Vendor may propose a laboratory study, remote study or ‘in-home' study, for which details and technology must be described in the proposal. If possible, offerors are encouraged to submit proposals for the website studies including heat mapping/eye tracking, though this is not a requirement. Proposals should include the cost differential with and without this added feature. Deliverables of each study: At the conclusion of the assessment, IBB requires written documentation in English of the approach, findings, and recommendations associated with this project. A formal presentation of the findings and recommendations is optional. English translations of recorded observations are also optional. The required documentation should consist of the following: • Formal Report- detailing the scope, approach, findings and recommendations • Technical report- detailing the methodology employed • Executive summary report- summary of scope, approach, findings and recommendations Timing: All work performed under this contract and all deliverables shall be completed by November 1, 2010 Proposal Requirements: Each vendor's proposal for one or more studies shall include: • Executive summary • Detailed description of the proposed scope, approach and methodology; including specific listing of organizations the vendor will use for fieldwork, detailed description of proposed fieldwork plan, recruitment plan and procedures; • Project deliverables • Project management approach, including the method and approach used to manage the overall project and client correspondence. Briefly describe how the engagement proceeds from beginning to end. • Current information on the qualifications of vendor's office and field staff; • Company overview, including specific information on vendor's past experience in conducting website and/or mobile website usability studies, as well as specific information on vendor's past experience in conducting research in locations deemed in proposal. Companies also must provide official name, Dun number, Primary and secondary SIC numbers, address, main telephone number, key contact information, person authorized to contractually bind the organization for any proposal; • Detailed and Itemized pricing; • A schedule showing the time required to complete each phase of the project. Selection Criteria: Award of the contract resulting from this RFP will be based upon the most responsive vendor whose offer will be the most advantageous to IBB in terms of cost, functionality, and other factors as specified elsewhere in this RFP. In addition to total project cost and ability to meet the requirements of the studies, proposals will be evaluated and vendor selected on the basis of the following equally important technical criteria: • Demonstrated experience in conducting usability studies • Professional qualifications of key project leaders • Demonstrated experience in conducting research in locations specified within solicitation • Quality of the proposed study's methodology and procedures • Ability to complete the project within the schedule shown above. Submission of Proposals: IBB reserves the right to: • Reject any or all offers and discontinue this RFP process without obligation or liability to any potential Vendor; • Accept other than the lowest priced offer; • Award a contract on the basis of initial offers received, without discussions or requests for best and final offers; and • Award more than one contract. In the event that bids for the work outlined in this RFP significantly exceed IBB's budgetary limitations, IBB reserves the right to reduce the scope of work specified herein. This could include reducing the number of overall studies, changing study location, or modifying the pre/post test questionnaire or task analysis. APPENDIX A DRAFT Website Usability Template Pre-questions: How often do you access the internet? How often do you access news websites? Have you been to the VOA website prior to today? If yes, when? Task 1 Starting Point: Blank browser Find a website that provides today's news and information on the United States and the world. Task 2 Starting Point: Blank browser You want to read the news or information from the Voice of America website. How would you proceed? Task 3 Starting Point: www.voanews.com How would you find news stories in your language from this website? Task 4 Starting point: VOA home page in language You want to find more details about the main stories/breaking news stories. How would you proceed? Task 5 Starting point: Current page You want to find more information about the _topic to be determined day of, what do you do? Time taken to find: Task 6 Starting point: Previous news story You want others to read this story, what do you do? Task 7 Starting point: Current page You want to listen to a radio program from VOA, what do you do? Task 8 Starting point: Current page You want to see video of the program Foro (program will change per study), what do you do? Task 9 Starting point: Current page You want to find out where and when you can listen to VOA on the radio, how would you proceed? Task 10 Starting point: Current page You want to find out where and when you can watch VOA on TV. How would you proceed? (This task will depend on service. For Kurdish, task will change to If you want to find news in Kurdi, what do you do?) Task 11 Starting point: Current page You want to send a message to VOA over a program you heard, what do you do? Task 12 Starting point: Current page You want to see what English learning material VOA has, how do you proceed? Post-Test questions: 1. How satisfied were you with the website overall? 2. How easy was the website to navigate? 3. What aspects of the website did you like? 4. What aspects of the website did you dislike? 5. How could the website be improved? 6. How interested are you in listening to news and information radio programs on the web? 7. Would you recommend this website to your friends? Why? 8. How does this VOA website compare with your regular news website? APPENDIX B DRAFT Mobile Website Usability Template Pre-Questions: What is the make and model of your phone? How often do you connect to the internet on your mobile? How often do you access news websites on your mobile? How often do you watch videos on your phone? Have you ever been to the VOA mobile website before today? If yes, what were you looking for? Tasks: 1) You want to find out what the news and information on the US and the world, what do you do? 2) You want to find out what the latest stories are from Voice of America in Spanish, what do you do? 3) You want to listen to a newscast from VOA, what do you do? 4) You want to watch videos from VOA, what do you do? 5) You want to ask VOA a question or make a comment, what do you do? 6) You want to send VOA a photo or video that you just took of breaking news, what do you do? Post-Questions: What was your overall impression of the mobile website? How would you rate the ease of navigation? Were the audio and video files easy to use? If you could make one significant change to this website, what change would you make? Are there materials you would like to see added to the mobile site? What? Would you be likely to visit this site again? Why or why not? If you have an iPhone or blackberry, do you prefer to have this mobile website as a free app? 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 the above listed CLIN; [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 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 Usability Studies; 2. Specific expertise in conducting Usability Studies use of mobile and web technology in particular; 3. Professional experience and expertise on the proposal project leader(s). 4. Offeror's past performance; (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: (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: (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 price 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. Technical Proposal must be submitted separately from Price Proposal *NOTE: If Technical Proposal and Price Proposal is combined together Proposal will not be accepted. Questions must be submitted in writing to Diane Sturgis at dsturgis@bbg.gov. Written questions must be submitted by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time on September 01, 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. Electronic Proposals will not be accepted. Proposals are due to Diane Sturgis, Contract Specialist, Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau, Office of Contracts, 330 C Street, SW, Room 4007E, Washington, DC 20237 before 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time on Sept 09, 2010. (xvi) Contact: Diane Sturgis, Contract Specialist, email: dsturgis@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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