The purpose for this amendment is to include the following: The Government's need for this requirement has changed to an extent not contemplated at time of original solicitation; therefore, this solicitation is canceled in its entirety. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE OFFERORs: The Offeror shall provide his proposed CLIN structure to meet the Statement of Objectives (SOOs) in the solicitation. The price proposal should provide a total Firm-Fixed-Price, which should be broken down into the proposed major categories such as social media, website, printed material etc. The price proposal should also include the labor categories that will perform each task. The Government intends to acquire a Firm-Fixed-Price commercial services contract based on the following PERIODS OF PERFORMANCE: Base Year: Option Year 1: Option Year 2: Option Year 3: Option Year 4: Other unique items not mentioned in the SOOs or proposed Performance Work Statement can be proposed as optional items for consideration. These optional items will not factor in the price evaluation but may be exercised at the time of award or in the future. The Government also, request for the offeror to provide the labor categories that will perform each task. MILESTONES, DELIVERABLES, SCHEDULE and ACCEPTANCE shall be established in the award. The purpose for this amendment no. 2 is: a. to post 2nd group of questions and answers. b. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged. The purpose for this amendment is for the following: a. To extend the response due date to November 24, 2014, b. To include the FAR clause 52.232-18, c. To include that this is a Performance-Based Acquisition, and d. To post the answers to interested parties' questions. The following clause is incorporated by reference: 52.232-18 -- Availability of Funds (Apr 1984). Proposals will be accepted via e-mail no later than noon on November 24, 2014. Oral and faxed proposals will not be accepted. E-mailed proposals must have solicitation number and Notice title in the subject line of the e-mail. Please note that questions must be submitted in writing to Alfredia Rich-Murphy, Contracting Officer via email
[email protected] or Bruce Markman, Contracting Officer via email
[email protected] and received before the 6:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time on October 27, 2014. No questions via phone will be accepted. This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation, which is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ); quotes are being requested under RFQ No. DTMA91R140012 and a written solicitation will not be issued. The Government intends to acquire firm fixed-price commercial services with one base year and 4 one year option years using the Simplified Acquisition Procedures set forth in FAR Part 13.5 Test Program for Certain Commercial Items. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect from the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-76, dated Effective July 25, 2014. This is a one hundred percent (100%) total small business set-aside. The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541613 with a small business size standard of $14.0 mil. The US Department of Transportation/Maritime Administration located in Washington, D.C. intends to award a commercial, firm-fixed price service acquisition (The award date and period of performance is to be determined) to work with a firm to develop a strategy to attract young adults interested in the maritime industry and the training, educational and employment opportunities that it presents. MARAD wants to introduce college bound adults to the maritime academies and the Student Incentive Payment Program at the State Maritime Academies in accordance with the attached statement of work (SOW). Evaluation Procedures (a) MARAD will review the replies received in response to this solicitation for a marketing strategy requirement, and will select the company using a Best Value approach. Evaluation and selection will be based on the following factors: i. Technical • Understanding of the SIP Program and integrating it into the marketing strategy; • Understanding marketing to young adults and reflecting that in the marketing strategy; • Understanding the maritime academies and integrating career opportunities in the maritime industry into the marketing strategy. ii. Past Performance information iii. Price. (b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. The final decision for evaluating and selection of a company rests with the Maritime Administration. The technical and price proposals must be submitted separately. No price information should be contained within the technical proposal. Proposals must also include contractor's DUNS Number, prompt payment terms, and correct remittance address, if different from mailing address. The following clauses and provisions are applicable to this combined synopsis/solicitation: 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors; 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items; or a statement that FAR 52.212-3 has been completed in the System for Award Management website at: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ and should be completed prior to award; 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; 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 (Sep 2006) with Alternate 1; 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards; 52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractor's Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment; 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations; 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (15 U.S.C. 644); 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns; 52.219-13 Notice of Set-Aside of Orders; 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting; 52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3 Convict Labor; 52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies; 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (E.O. 11246); 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veteran; 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (29 U.S.C. 793); 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans; 52.222-40 Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act; 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification; 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging while Driving; 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) (E.O.'s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury); 52.232-29 Terms for Financing of Purchases of Commercial Items; 52.232-30 Installment Payments for Commercial items; 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management (31 U.S.C. 3332); 52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards; 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires; and 52.222-43 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards -Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts). Proposals shall be in writing and must be signed by an official authorized to bind the organization and/ or the individual offeror. Proposals will be accepted via e-mail no later than noon on November 3, 2014. Oral and faxed proposals will not be accepted. E-mailed proposals must have solicitation number and Notice title in the subject line of the e-mail. Please note that questions must be submitted in writing to Alfredia Rich-Murphy, Contracting Officer via email
[email protected] or Bruce Markman, Contracting Officer via email
[email protected] and received before the 6:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time on October 27, 2014. No questions via phone will be accepted. All small responsible business sources may submit an offer that will be considered by the Agency.