Purpose of Amendment - extend due date to August 11, 2017. Add Baltimore, MD for possible location of conference The Department of Interior (DoI) Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), is seeking capability statements and preliminary cost estimates from hotel venues interested in hosting a 2-day USDA conference in the Washington metropolitan area and Baltimore, MD. Capability statements and cost estimates will be used to inform decision-making and budgeting. USDA is not seeking full proposals. NOTICE: This request for information (RFI) is being issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to a contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Furthermore, the Government is not at this time seeking quotes and will not accept unsolicited quotes. Responders are advised that the Government will not reimburse for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested parties' expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in a future RFP, if one is issued. USDA is proposing to convene a fall 2017 conference that will focus on learning and knowledge sharing under the topic of food security. The official name of this annual conference is the ¿USDA 2017 International Food Assistance and Food Security Conference¿ herein after referred to as the Food Security Conference. Expected attendees include top food security experts across the spectrum of government, private sector, non-profit, academia, international institutions, and other actors with a key role in global food security. In 2016, on October 10 and 11, USDA held its initial Food Security Conference in Des Moines, Iowa two days prior to the renowned World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium and Hunger Summit events. The Food Security Conference drew more than 300 attendees and was hosted by the Marriott Hotel in downtown Des Moines. Marriott provided meeting space and sleep rooms for both the Food Security Conference and the World Food Prize events. Attached is a copy of the 2016 Food Security Conference agenda that provides the general structure expected for the 2017 Food Security Conference, with one exception - USDA desires to have 4 simultaneous breakout sessions each day instead of 3. Eligible venues desiring to host USDA's 2017 Food Security Conference must be able to meet the following minimum requirements: - Be accessible by public transportation and the method of transport must be identified in the capability statement, with the exception of hotels in Baltimore -Provide 1 ballroom for plenary session with table seating for up to 400 attendees - Provide 4 rooms for simultaneous breakout sessions with table seating for each room up to 100 attendees - Provide pens and water in each breakout room - Provide minimum block of 35 sleep rooms for VIPs - Provide rooms and meeting space compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act - Provide onsite AV services and equipment to include monitors, stage sound, podium, hand mics - Provide onsite restaurant for post conference networking - Provide 3 easels to hold USDA signage - Provide 4 6'x30' tables for USDA conference registration with 2 chairs each - Provide exhibit space with skirted tables, chairs and water for up to 25 exhibitors - Provide space or room for press meetings and interviews - Provide a speaker ready room for last minute changes and preparations - Provide catering of coffee and lunch for 2 days for up to 400 attendees, not to exceed $25,000 Capability statements must explicitly address and confirm that the minimal requirements listed above can be met. Cost estimates must provide a general estimate or cost range for only the minimal requirements above. Marketing brochures and/or generic company literature will not be considered. Submission: Interested parties are requested to submit a response by 4:00PM EDT on July 31, 2017 to the Contracting Officer, Mike McGuire
[email protected]. Submissions shall be submitted electronically and not exceed twenty-five (25) page. Paper copies will not be accepted. Late responses will only be accepted if they contain extraordinary value to the Government. Submissions should be in a Microsoft Office compatible format (i.e., Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) or Adobe Acrobat and not contain text smaller than 11 font. The maximum file size of the submission shall not exceed 8 MB. Tables, graphs, etc. will count against the total page count. Font size smaller than 11 may be used to label tables and graphs, but may not be smaller than 8 font. All data received in response to this Sources Sought Notice that are marked or designated as corporate or proprietary information will be fully protected from release outside the Evaluation Panel. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All Government and contractor personnel reviewing RFI responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation. There is no bid package or solicitation. In order to protect the procurement integrity of any future procurement, if any, that may arise from this announcement, information regarding technical point of contact will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made. Please refer all questions/comments to the Contracting Officer, Mike McGuire
[email protected]. All questions/comments are due by 4:00PM EDT on Tuesday July 25, 2017. FedBizOps will be the sole repository for all information related to this RFI. Contractor questions and Government responses will be posted to FedBizOps. No questions will be addressed via oral communication.