D -- Email Marketing

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; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is a Request for Quote (reference number AMPIN5RA500). This solicitation is being conducted as a 100% Small Business Set-Aside for small businesses under Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-24 dated 19 JUL 04. NAICS Code 516110, small business size 500. Period of Performance: Base year (approx Oct 1, 2004- Sept 30, 2005), with 3 annual options. Solicitation is to procure the services of an electronic mail service vendor who provides web-based software that will enable DFAS to send permission-based emails to DFAS's subscribers in accordance with the attached Statement of Work. CLIN 0001 is a FFP for account setup; CLIN 0002 is a monthly FFP for the service to provide permission-based emails; CLIN 0003 is a FFP per email sent. These 3 CLINs are applicable to all periods of performance. Offerors shall propose a one time account set up cost (if applicable), a monthly firm fixed price for the service and a firm fixed price per email sent. The following FAR provisions and clauses apply to this requirement: 52.212-1 - Instruction to Offerors -Commercial; 52.212-2 Evaluation - Commercial Items (Lowest price, technically acceptable proposal; 52.212-3 - Offeror Representations and Certification - Commercial Items (include a completed copy of this provision with offer); 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; DFARS 252.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items; 52.217-8- Option to Extend Services (fill-in: 30days); 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Terms of the Contract (fill-ins: 30 days, 30days, 4years, 6 months.); DFARS 252.232.7003- Electronic submission of Payment Requests; 52.204-7- Central Contract Registration (CCR); DFARS 252.204-7004- Alt A- Required CCR. 52.219-6 -- Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside; 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification; 52.224-2 Privacy Act. Price quote shall be provided separate from the technical proposal. Technical proposal will address contractor's ability to meet all requirements of the solicitation; particularly sections 4 and 5 of the SOW. Response to this combined synopsis/solicitation must be received via email, fax, mail or delivery by no later than 4:00 PM EST on 10 SEP 2004. BUYER: Bill Fischbach , (216) 204-3829; fax 216-522-6352. Electronic proposals are preferred, send to [email protected]. Prospective vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Register (CCR) prior to the award of a contract. Lack of registration in the CCR database may make an offeror ineligible for award. The Central Contractor Registration Handbook and information on the registration process can be obtained via the CCR website, http://www.ccr.gov or by calling 1-888-227-2423. STATEMENT OF WORK MILITARY PAY OPERATIONS EMAIL MARKETING BACKGROUND: Because Military Pay Operations is committed to educating the customer on their pay, DFAS is seeking to use email marketing to keep customers up to date on pay specific issues. DFAS is in search of an electronic mail service vendor who provides web-based software that will enable DFAS to send permission-based emails to DFAS's subscribers. The email marketing tool should enable DFAS to accomplish the following 3 main objectives: (1) educate the customer through the use of email bulletins and periodic newsletters, (2) track and measure the customer's use of the email newsletters and bulletins, (3) follow up on customer responses both in automated and manual form. This online account, hosted by the vendor, will store DFAS specific information such as newsletter articles, pictures, surveys, email address lists, and tracking results. SCOPE: The vendor will be required to maintain DFAS's account on their server, and provide access to authorized users to support the creation, delivery and tracking of email marketing efforts. Within the first year of acquiring the vendor's services, DFAS will target solely Army customers for the receipt of email newsletters and bulletins. We project to reach roughly 286,000 subscriber. During the second year of the initiative, we will expect to have 523,000 subscribers. In the third year, we expect to reach roughly 822,000 subscribers. DFAS plans to send out batch emails to all subscribers approximately 6 times per year. For example, in the first year, DFAS will send approximately 286,000 emails 6 times per year totaling 1,716,000 emails sent in that year. OBJECTIVES: DFAS is seeking a vendor who can provide a web-based software that will enable DFAS to send permission-based emails, as well as store all data relating to email marketing efforts on the vendor's server. The data stored will include email addresses, profile information (name, rank, email address, etc.), templates, emails, and historical tracking information. All data will be accessible by authorized DFAS users, and permissions will include adding, deleting, modifying and retrieving data at any point in time. Other services required in connection with the storage of data will be described in detail in the requirements section of this document. The email marketing tool, along with the stored information, will be used to provide DFAS's customer up to date pay information. REQUIREMENTS: The vendor will provide access and use of their web-based email marketing tool to authorized DFAS users. Features of email marketing tool shall include: 4.1 Collection and storing of customer names and email addresses. 4.1.1 The vendor shall provide DFAS with HTML code that will enable customer information to be populated into the vendor's system. 4.1.2 The vendor's web interface shall allow DFAS users to manually input, edit, delete, and organize any and all customer profile information. Examples of profile information include customer name, email address, rank, service, etc. 4.1.3 Within the profile information, the vendor's system shall display the status of each email address. The purpose of this is to keep DFAS informed of those customers who have valid, undeliverable, and unsubscribed email addresses. 4.2 Uploading, categorizing, storing, retrieving, modifying, and deleting data using the web interface. Examples of data include text, pictures, surveys, .pdf files, etc. 4.2.1 The application shall allow for administrative rights amongst chosen authorized users, which will grant all privileges to specified users. 4.3 Creating, editing, viewing and storing of templates for emails, bulletins and surveys. 4.3.1 Vendor's email marketing tool shall provide DFAS with a selection of pre-designed templates. These templates shall be editable by DFAS. 4.3.2 Vendor's email marketing tool shall allow DFAS to import and create customized HTML coding to be used for templates. 4.3.3 Vendor's email marketing tool shall allow for the reuse of previously published templates. 4.4 Creating, editing, viewing and storing of emails, bulletins and surveys. 4.4.1 DFAS shall have the option to create emails from existing templates, from HTML, and from revising existing emails. 4.4.2 Email subject line shall be able to be personalized with user profile information. An example of this would read: "Mr. Smith, here is your June Military Pay Newsletter" 4.4.3 Vendor's email marketing tool shall allow an authorized DFAS users to retrieve data (whether it be text, pictures, surveys, etc.) previously uploaded to DFAS's account hosted on the vendor's server. That data shall be available to be inserted directly into the template being used to create the email. 4.4.4 Vendor's email marketing tool shall allow authorized DFAS users to view both text and HTML versions of newsletter or bulletin at any point during the creation process. 4.5 Creating, modifying and delivering of surveys that can be sent out independently, or included in an email. 4.5.1 Vendor's email marketing tool shall provide the ability to create and modify questions, answers and answer types within each survey. 4.5.2 Vendor's email marketing tool shall collect and organize survey submissions so that DFAS can conduct analysis on results. 4.6 Delivering newsletters and bulletins to subscribing customers. 4.6.1 Vendor's email marketing tool shall utilize personal profile information when delivering email newsletters and bulletins. Vendor's email marketing tool shall recognize the profile attributes for each customer and send the appropriate content (articles, pictures, surveys, etc.) that corresponds with those unique attributes. For example: A customer in the Army would only receive Army related articles, pictures, etc., whereas a customer in the Navy would receive Navy specific information. This customized content will automatically populate designated areas within the newsletter and bulletins. The designated areas will be defined by authorized DFAS users. 4.6.2 Prior to sending newsletters or bulletins, vendor's email marketing tool shall scan the content of each email content for potential problems that may arise due to the recipient's Spam filter. An example of a potential problem would be undeliverable emails due to content that may be considered Spam. This scanning feature should state the problem and provide a resolution to authorized DFAS user. 4.6.3 Vendor's email marketing tool will monitor delivery attempts, and will decipher those emails that have been successfully delivered, those that are in a returned status (out of office), and those that are undeliverable (3 attempts have been made email marketing tool to deliver). If an email account shows a return status, email marketing tool will automatically make up to three attempts to re-send message before classifying the account as undeliverable. 4.7 Allow DFAS users to view, drill down and export tracking statistics from delivered emails. 4.7.1 Vendor's email marketing tool shall provide an email summary including: ƒ{ Name of email sent ƒ{ Date email was sent ƒ{ # of emails sent and to whom ƒ{ # of undeliverable emails and their corresponding addresses ƒ{ # of successful deliveries and their corresponding addresses ƒ{ # of unsubscribes and their corresponding addresses ƒ{ # of emails opened and by whom ƒ{ what website links within the email were clicked and by whom ƒ{ how many emails were forwarded, and out of those who subscribed to future emails ƒ{ results of survey (what questions were asked, and what answers were given) 4.7.2 Vendor's email marketing tool shall provide the ability to export any and all statistics to spreadsheet form. 4.8 Vendor shall provide phone, email and web training. 4.8.1 Vendor will provide monthly web training on using their email marketing tool, and how other customers have been successful. This training will educate users on how to interpret tracking results and how to compare those results with industry metrics. 4.8.2 Vendor shall be available for email and phone support to answer questions. DELIVERABLES: 5.1 Vendor shall provide user name and password to enable authorized DFAS users to access DFAS's account hosted on vendor's web platform. 5.2 Vendor will be expected to continuously upgrade their tools and services as market standards improve. Access to the upgraded tools will be provided by vendor at no additional cost to DFAS. 5.3 Vendor will provide DFAS with secure and sufficient storage space on vendor's server for the storage of email addresses, text, pictures, surveys, etc. 5.4 Vendor will provide DFAS with the necessary training to maintain and improve upon required skill sets needed to leverage email marketing tool. This training will be web-based, and should be offered on a monthly basis. It will upgrade users on new upgrades of the tool, if any, and skills on interpreting tracking results. 5.5 All tools and attributes associated with email marketing tool shall be functional and operative so as to perform the intended tasks throughout the length of the agreement. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Vendor shall perform their required duties at their respective locations, and DFAS will gain access to vendor's tool via the web. The vendor is not required to perform any services at any DFAS location. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year from date of award, with 3 option years thereafter. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY: The government will provide email addresses of those customers who have signed up to receive emails, documents and pictures. SECURITY AND PRIVACY ACT REQUIREMENTS: Classification of data will be CONFIDENTIAL, meaning that the Vendor's responsibility is to protect information stored on their server. DFAS expects the Vendor to have an infrastructure in place that will safeguard the confidentiality of email addresses and all shared information. During the life of the contract and at contract completion or termination for convenience/default, no information will be shared on behalf of the Vendor with any outside party. Upon contract completion or early termination, the Vendor will delete all customer information, including email addresses and newsletter content, in their possession. Vendor is required to have a policy stating that they are in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS: All proposals will be evaluated on a "best value" basis. DFAS will only consider proposals that meet all of the requirements, and a proposal will be selected based on lowest cost technically acceptable (LCTA).