Description
THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT IS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS: 1) There will be one field trip, location undetermined at this time, for up to 150 participants only. Guests will not be included. 2) There is no previous contractor. Award will be made upon completion of the evaluation of offers. 3) Marketing is not required as there is a specific audience: State Agriculture Agencies, the USDA, foreign departments of agriculture. Therefore there is no need for mailers, ads or mailing lists. 4) There is no requirement for bags, pens, thank you items, etc. The conference program will list just the conference dates, times and speakers. The program size and content is not required to be extravagant unless the contractor wishes to include that in their quote but special consideration will not be given to offers in respect to the proposed program appearance. Contractor shall design and provide 200 programs. A specific logo is not required. 5) Exhibitors will only be provided a table and the space to set up. The exhibitor fee should not be considered when submitting an offer as it does not concern the contractor. The contractor shall communicate with all exhibitors and arrange for all exhibitor logistics for their displays means it is the contractors responsibility to assist with the set up. There will be no other contractors or subcontractors. 6) There is no requirement for food and beverages. As stated in the original synopsis solicitation, the conference will be held at the Sheraton and therefore should not be a concern for contractors offering a quote. The accommodations for participants do not have a bearing on this requirement and therefore should not be taken into consideration when an offer is submitted. There is no sponsorship outreach and therefore coordination is not required. 7) The number of speaks and honorium to be paid is not to be addressed by the offer as part of their quote. The IPIAC Committee will determine the number of speakers they will invite to speak. 8) The registration fee will be determined by the IPIAC Committee and the Committee shall remain the owner of all funds received. The contractor is required to collect the fees on behalf of the IPIAC Committee. The contractor will be informed which payments they are authorized to make on behalf of the IPIAC from funds collected. 9) There is no additional fee associated with the poster board sessions. It is the responsibility of the contractor to obtain thirty (30) 4 X 8 poster boards, mount the poster material provided to the contractor onto the poster board and set up the poster boards in the room provided. 10) The PowerPoint presentations will be provided to the contractor by the presenter in order for the contractor to make or have made the 200 CD?s of the conference proceedings. It is not known at this time whether the contractor shall present the PowerPoint to the AV staff. That determination will be made at a later date and should not significantly affect an offer. 11) The meeting will be three (3) full days, with registration on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm.; Wednesday, May 23 registration at 7:00 am to 8:00 am and meeting 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.; Thursday, May 24 meeting at 8:00 am to 1:00 pm with a field trip to location to be determined from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.; Friday May 25 meeting 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. 12) The contractors staff must be on site before the conference to coordinate setup and finalize details. Travel to the conference site in order to make an offer is not required. A viable quote will include all elements to coordinate this conference and include the contractors travel and per diem expenses. 13) The function of the conference coordinator is to coordinate events, setup, and manage the conference in accordance with instructions and guidance from the IPIAC Committee. 14) Additional questions will not be addressed. Response date remains the same. Please re-read the original Fedbizopps. The USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Riverdale, MD, has a requirement for conference coordination services for the International Pacific Invasive Ant Conference (IPIAC) to be held in Kona, Hawaii, May 22-26, 2007. A fixed-price purchase order will result. QUOTATIONS ARE DUE JANUARY 26, 2007, by 10:00 a.m. local time. Submit written or faxed quotation to ?Purchasing Section?, at (612) 370-2136 Attention Joanne Mann. Simplified procurement procedures will be used as well as commercial item acquisition regulations per FAR 12. This is a COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION for commercial items 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. Quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses which are in effect through the current Federal Acquisition Circular. Applicable FAR clauses are incorporated by reference: Instructions to Offerors -Commercial Items 52.212-1; Evaluation-Commercial Items 52.212-2; Offeror Representations and Certifications 52.212-3; Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items 52.212-4; Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items 52.212-5; 52.225-3 and 52.225-3 Alt I, Buy American Act -Free Trade Agreements-Israeli Trade Act; Prohibition of segregated facilities 52.222-21; Equal Opportunity 52.222-26; Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans 52.222-35; Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities 52.222-36; Employment Reports on Special Disable Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans 52.222-37; Installment Payments on Commercial Items 52.232-30; Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration 52.232-33; All responsible sources may submit a quotation for consideration. ****NOTE: 52.212-3 MUST BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED WITH THE OFFERORS QUOTE, or registered electronically at http://orca.bpn.gov **** The Government will award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined are significantly more important than cost or price. Contractor must have experience and knowledge of academic and scientific meetings, both domestic and international and in working with the Pacific Community; knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR); and be able to communicate and coordinate special topics relating to science based information with the University of Hawaii, Hawaii State Department of Agriculture, Foreign Governments and the USDA. References are requested which will show experience in coordinating a similar conference. Company Name _____________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person ___________________________________ Phone number ______________________ DUNS # ___________________________________ Tax I.D. ________________________________ A COMPLETE QUOTE WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING: If an offerors quote does not contain all of the items listed above, the quote may be considered incomplete for evaluation purposes and no further consideration will be given to the offerors quote, thereby making an offeror ineligible for award. Offers may be submitted on company letterhead provided all the information requested has been included. SPECIFICATIONS: The USDA is hosting the International Pacific Invasive Ant Conference (IPIAC) in Kona, Hawaii, May 22-26, 2007 and requires a contractor to provide conference coordination services. Approximately 150 participants are expected to attend. The duties will consist of: PRE-CONFERENCE SERVICES: Participation in planning meetings via phone and email; develop a conference time line; design initial conference flyers; provide conference signage; provide 200 conference programs; coordinate, supply, set-up poster boards and poster board sessions; research current VISA/Immigration procedures to develop a narrative for a website. REGISTRATION SERVICES: Design website and implement full online registration procedures; design the registration form; maintenance of the registration database; post the registration form on the website; receive all registration payments; send conference confirmations; provide a roster of participants; prepare registration receipts for delegates on-site; respond to all inquires related to registration; refer all program questions to the IPIAC program committee. REGISTRATION SERVICES FOR EXHIBITORS: Communicate with all exhibitors and arrange for all exhibitor logistics for their displays; collect exhibitor registration/coordination fee to be determined by the IPIAC depending on space configuration, set up and pre-conference requirements. AUDIO-VISUAL COORDINATION: Ensure AV technical needs are met; work with the IPIAC program committee to confirm specific equipment and requirements. All audio-visual equipment ordering will be initiated by the IPIAC committee. AV costs will be paid by the IPIAC directly to the hotel. Coordinate room set-up and monitor the preparation of all rooms which require AV equipment. FISCAL MANAGEMENT: Process payments to service providers not previously paid by the IPIAC committee; final fiscal reconciliation; payments to all sub-contractors; receive all conference registration monies; deposit all conference registration monies into an identified account; process all purchase orders; process all required invoices; process all required payments and refunds; process all honorariums and per-diem requests for keynote speakers and specified presenters; process all travel reimbursements; provide a final financial statement of all income and expenses within 10 weeks of May 26, 2007. TRANSPORATION SERVICES: Arrange transportation for special events. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: Organize registration materials; design and distribute meal and activity function tickets for guests; Coordinate on-site staffing needs. Contractor staff shall be on-site before and during the conference. Provide 200 CD?s of the conference proceedings (presenters will provide their PowerPoint before the end of the conference, and mail to participants. Quotes shall be submitted as a Total Cost $ _________________, with a break down of costs.