INTRODUCTION This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified business sources. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large, foreign, and small businesses. The small business size standard for the applicable NAICS code of 541430 is $7.5M. Please include your company's size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice. NOTE: This notice is strictly for obtaining Market Research. There will be no Question & Answer period under this Sources Sought Notice. BACKGROUND/PURPOSE In 1905, the U.S. Congress mandated the Office of Weights and Measures of the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) to assist states in achieving uniformity in the areas of weights and measures. To accomplish this task, the Office formed the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) consisting of representatives of state and local weights and measures jurisdictions, industry, and other invested parties. The NCWM meets annually to vote on guidelines, laws, and regulations to be adopted by the states. The decisions of the meetings are published for public dissemination in an Annual Report. This report is published in an electronic format. Each year, the current report is added to the compilation DVD to provide a searchable and usable history of weights and measures issues. NIST seeks a Contractor to convert a multi-sectional report(s) created in Microsoft Word® into Adobe Acrobat® for inclusion in the NIST Special Publication SP979, "Report of the National Conference on Weights and Measures." The contractor shall add bookmarks, hyperlinks, navigational aids, and ensure the documents are ADA 508 compliant as well as searchable. This DVD is updated annually. The first year on this contract will add four years (2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015) of reports in the fall of 2016 and an additional report in the spring of 2017 (2016 report), and each and each year thereafter one additional report each year. The contract will also cover the replication, and preparation of the DVD for mailing. After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, and specifications are developed for the report preparation and DVD replication that can meet NIST's minimum requirements, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, then any competitive procurement that resulted would be conducted as a small business set-aside. SCOPE NIST is seeking contractors who have the capabilities to prepare reports and replicate DVDs meeting or exceeding the following specifications: The tasks will include: • Add completed NCWM Annual Report(s) to the current (1905 - 2011) compilation DVD, SP 979 for: o Base period: from date of award through FY2017; Task 1: Reports for: 2012, pages 658 2013, pages 596 2014, pages 622 2015, pages 819 Task 2: Report for: 2016* o Option Year 1 (FY2018) add report for 2017* o Option Year 2 (FY2019) add report for 2018* o Option Year 3 (FY2020) add report for 2019* o Option Year 4 (FY2021) add report for 2020* *Page Counts on individual reports can range from 600 pages to 1100 pages. • Report is made up of individual sections, which are assembled into a single document, that require conversion from Microsoft Word® format to searchable Adobe Acrobat® format (pdf); • Add bookmarks using major headings and subheading; • Create hyperlinks from all table of contents to the individual report content; • Create navigational aids (links) to interconnect the reports together through a menus structure; • Comprehensive search capabilities that give the users the ability to use basic keywords and advanced searches to access the complete history of the NCWM and/or selected report; o Index: advanced pdf search index database. o Index: allow search feature to access all reports or individual reports. o Property Tags: update property tags (title and subject for all datasheets), and fields required for the pdf search engine. • Update the artwork and links on DVD menu pages; • Viewable PDF pages shall allow the user to copy and print directly from the DVD; • Include an "auto-run/launch" feature; • Files must be accessible by most common computer operating systems (PC and Apple); • Provide a links to the current Adobe Acrobat® version. • Meet the current ADA, Section 508 compliance standards. • Replication of final DVD, 2600 copies • Preparation of mailing package - labeled DVD, jewel case with cover insert, labeled DVD mailer. Government Furnished Items The government will provide materials to the Contractor to assist in the preparation of the reports. The following will be provided: • Existing copies of the most recent DVD of NIST SP 979 for use as evaluating the scope of the project, • Individual reports (National Conference of Weights and Measures) can be viewed through the NIST, Office of Weights and Measures web site at: o NIST Site: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/pubs/ncwm.cfm RESPONSE INFORMATION In order for a contractor to clearly convey their capability to fulfill the above-identified need, they MUST SUBMIT the following information. It is preferred that Capability Statements address each of the components in the order in which they are listed below. Please provide information regarding the following: 1. Companies that possess the desired capabilities must submit a detailed capability statement, addressing all of the specifications discussed above, in an organized format (preferably in the same order as listed above) that allows for a direct correlation to the requested information. 2. Indication of number of days, after receipt of order that is typical for delivery of final deliverables. 3. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research. Each response shall include the following Business Information: 1. Name of the company that provides the services for which specifications are provided. 2. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses. 3. Business size for NAICS 541430 ($7.5M) and status, if qualified as an 8(a) firm (must be certified by SBA), Small Disadvantaged Business (must be certified by SBA), Woman-Owned Small Business, HUBZone firm (must be certified by SBA), and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (must be listed in the VetBiz Contractor Information Pages). 4. DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Companies also must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR, at www.ccr.gov) to be considered as potential sources. 5. Identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and contract number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested. SUBMISSION INFORMATION Responses must be submitted no later than October 21th at 11:00AM, EST. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. GENERAL INFORMATION As previously stated, the Government will not entertain questions regarding this Market Research; however, general questions may be forwarded to the following: Contracts Specialist: January Magyar Email Address:
[email protected] Phone: 301-975-5442 Contracting Officer: Lynda Roark Email Address:
[email protected] Phone: 301-975-3725 "Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s)."