NAICS Code: 541810 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services 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 to be issued for proposals and a written solicitation will not be issued. PAPER COPIES OF THIS SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE. Solicitation RFQ-GA-06-00042 is issued as a Commercial Solicitation using Simplified Acquisition Procedures found in FAR Part 13. This acquisition will be 100% small business set-aside. The NAICS code is 541810. The Government intends to award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer best conforms to the Statement of Work (SOW), meets the Government's delivery schedule and is the most cost effective in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria below. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those that are in effect through the latest Federal Acquisition Circular. The contractor shall be required to provide non-personal services to include all labor, design, tools, equipment, material, and other items and services necessary to develop and implement the following Statement of Work (SOW). STATEMENT OF WORK 1.BACKGROUND: The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) has been in effect since 1992. The EPA Regions and States have made great strides in implementing the WPS provisions; however, despite these efforts there is still a need to enhance our outreach and communication efforts. Specifically, EPA needs to find more effective ways to educate workers regarding their rights under the WPS. In addition, EPA seeks to undertake activities to address the current violation reporting system, providing greater assurance of the anonymity of the workers that report violations. To accomplish this we will use innovative methods for reaching and educating farm workers on their rights under the WPS. The purpose of the Radio Outreach to Hispanic Agricultural Workers Project is to develop and disseminate educational information on pesticide farm safety and the WPS to Spanish speaking farm workers via radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on Spanish language radio stations. Many Spanish speaking farm workers remain unaware of the WPS or the fact that they can report violations of the WPS. Furthermore, those that do wish to report violations are afraid to do so for fear of retaliation, even though the WPS has provisions against such retaliation. Thus, through radio PSAs which shall supply a toll-free number, individuals can call and be referred to the appropriate agency for filing an anonymous complaint, or be referred to a place where they can get more information on pesticide safety. The contractor shall develop a program to develop and disseminate PSAs, with content provided and approved by EPA. 2.GOALS: A. To educate Spanish speaking farm workers about the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and basic pesticide safety on the farm and at home. B. To increase Spanish speaking farm workers' reporting of violations of the WPS. C. To increase Spanish speaking farm workers' calls to a toll free number to answer pesticides related questions. 3.OBJECTIVES: A. Development of a series of PSAs in Spanish, which shall be transferable to radio stations throughout Region 4. B. Collect data on the number of call-in responses to a toll free number in response to the PSA. 4. PERFORMANCE REQUIRED: Item 1. The contractor shall develop a series of 10 to 12 Public Service Announcements (PSAs), in accordance with generally-accepted radio broadcast practices. The PSA content and presentation shall be approved by the EPA Project Officer. The series shall cover all basic areas of the Worker Protection Standards (WPS), as well as general pesticide safety and violation reporting. Each PSA shall be one to two minutes in length, and shall inform listeners of the toll-free number that they may call anonymously for further information about pesticides or how to report violations. The contractor shall provide EPA with both print and recorded copies of all PSAs in a format or media that would be most readily transferable to additional radio stations for broadcast. The contractor shall also grant EPA all data rights for additional use of the material. EPA will provide the contractor with copies of 24 previously approved PSAs that covered the basic areas of the WPS and pesticide safety, which may be incorporated into the new PSAs if desired. The Contractor will develop PSAs in close consultation with EPA specialists, and EPA will approve or disapprove the series of PSAs within 30 days of submittal. Item 2. The contractor shall be responsible for distributing copies of the PSA series to Spanish language radio stations whose broadcast signals are normally capable of being heard in southern Georgia (from a latitude including Macon south), and obtaining the agreement of those stations to air the PSAs as specified. The PSAs must begin to be aired no later than the sixth full month after award of the purchase order. The contractor shall be paid for each Spanish language station (up to a maximum of 15) that airs the series of PSAs between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Each radio station must agree to air the full series of PSAs at least once per month during the ten month period in which the toll free number is operational. The contractor shall submit to EPA documentation from each station stating that they aired the PSAs as specified. Item 3. The contractor shall provide a toll-free telephone number which may be dialed from anywhere in Georgia, including south of Macon. Such line shall be manned by a Spanish speaking operator(s) at least eight hours a day on normal Federal business days anytime between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Such line shall be maintained for a period of ten months, beginning with the airing of the first PSA. The operators shall be trained to obtain correct violation info, provide callers with basic pesticide information, and/or direct them to other information. EPA specialists will provide the Contractor with information regarding where to refer different types of calls, and the information to be provided. Within 60 days after the end of the ten month period, the contractor shall provide EPA with a final report of all activities included in this purchase order, and specifically listing the number and types of calls received (whether reporting violations or requesting information) and general summary information about call activity and other work performed for this purchase order. 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Award will be based on Best Value where price is more important than experience and past performance information. Offerors shall provide past performance information that illustrates they have performed work in the areas stated below, including references, contract/order no., performance period, technical point of contact and phone number. A. Working with Hispanic audiences on health and safety related issues or other issues of concern to the community; B. Developing professional quality PSAs in Spanish; C. Distributing PSAs to Hispanic radio stations, and more specifically radio Stations which broadcast in the Southern Georgia area; D. Provision and maintenance of a toll free number for responses to the PSAs; E. Ability to track call-in data to a toll free number for determining the effectiveness of the media message; F. Submit evidence of community impact resulting from previous PSAs or other types of media outreach your firm has developed, such as increased phone calls to a hotline, survey results, workshops your firm has conducted, increased hits on websites, attendance at meetings, or other similar evidence of community impact. G. Knowledge of pesticide safety and EPA's Worker Protection Standard. Unless otherwise specified in the contract/purchase order, the supplier is responsible for the performance of all inspection requirements and quality control. It is also the contractor's responsibility to be familiar with applicable clauses and provisions. The provision at FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Award shall be based on the Lowest Price with Best Value to the Government. Offerors are reminded to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications, Commercial Items with the offer, which can be accessed at http://www.arnet.far.gov. The successful offeror must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database to be considered for award. The CCR database may be accessed at www.ccr.gov. Clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items and Clause 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items are hereby incorporated by reference. The Contractor shall comply with the following FAR clauses that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being applicable to acquisitions of commercial items or components: 1) 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside: 2) 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns, 3) 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting; 4) 52.219-25 Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program; 5) 52.222-3 Convict Labor; 6) 52.222021 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 7) 52.222-22 Previous Contracts and Compliance Reports; 8) 52.222-25 Affirmative Action Compliance; 9) 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity; 10) 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era and Other Eligible Veterans; 11) 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 12) 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans; 13) 52.222-41 Service Contract Act of 1965, as Amended; 14) 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires; 15) 52.222-44 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act-Price Adjustment; 16) 52.225-15 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; 17) 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration; 18) 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference; 19) 52.227-14 Rights In Data - General; and, 20) 52.252-6 Authorized Deviation in Clauses. All offers are due 15 days after publication of this notice. Offers may be mailed to Sharyn Erickson, Contract Specialist, EPA Region 4, Office of Acquisition Management, 61 Forsyth St., SW, Atlanta, GA 30303; e-mailed to
[email protected] or faxed to 404/562-8370. It is the offeror's responsibility to ensure receipt of faxes or e-mail quotes. Quotes shall include 1) a letter signed by an individual authorized to bind the company, with a schedule (list) of offered items to include unit and total price, per items #s in the SOW, and 2) completed Representations and Certifications. NOTE: Offerors not submitting sufficient information may be eliminated from competition. Questions concerning this acquisition shall be submitted in writing and e-mailed to
[email protected]. All answers will be provided via an amendment to the solicitation. No paper copies of the Request for Quotes will be provided. Telephonic questions will not be answered and collect calls will not be accepted.