The subject Request for Information (RFI) announcement is published for Market Research purposes ONLY. Submitted information will assist Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5, United States with internal acquisition planning for set-aside decisions and identifying commercial terms and conditions. THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR QUOTES AND NO AWARDS WILL BE MADE FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY FOLLOW-UP REQUESTS. No telephone calls requesting a solicitation will be accepted or acknowledged. Standard company brochures will not be reviewed. The purpose of this Request for Information is to determine the availability of small businesses, 8(a) business development participants, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small business concerns, service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns, and women-owned small business program participants and seek commercial samples of work. BACKGROUND: The contractor shall be prepared to provide top tier news search results in Region 5 states Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota as well as New York and Washington DC. Some common key topics and search terms used in the search and support EPAs mission and interests include: Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund, Great Lakes, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, hazardous waste, and recycling. EPA uses the news articles help to stay informed of public concerns about environmental issues and to determine whether the articles contain any errors. REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall be capable of providing all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform requirement. The vendor shall monitor news stories (hard copies and online articles) in top regional news publications as well as the New York Times and Washington Post. Based upon the results, the contractor shall daily prepare and deliver to mobile users an organized report compiling the articles that complies with all Copyright laws. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: 1. Please submit a brief (no more than 10 single-sided pages) description of your company's ability to produce quality searches and reports. 2. Please submit a sample of work. 3. Please include comparable experience and a point of contact information (name, title, telephone number, and email address) for the efforts cited. 4. Please indicate your company's size status for the referenced North America Industry Classification System (NAICS), (i.e. large, small), DUNS number, and whether or not your company is a certified HUB Zone, small disadvantaged, woman-owned, veteran, service-disabled veteran-owned, 8(a) small businesses concern or large business. 5. If a potential vendor would rely on forming a teaming arrangement, a joint venture, or some other business relationship to provide the requirement, then this shall be addressed in such a way to allow EPA to fully understand how potential contractors intend to propose on the requirement. POTENTIAL CONTRACT INFORMATION: The results of this market research will assist EPA in planning necessary to solicit prospective vendors for ONE potential award by January 1, 2015, with a 12 month base period, and one (1) year option. The applicable primary North America Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 511140 "Directory and mailing List Publishers". For more information on size standards under this NAICS code and the Small Business Administration (SBA) small business standards visit: http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/contracting/contracting-officials/eligibility-size-standards. Please submit your company's response electronically to
[email protected] by the close of business on November 28, 2014. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. The EPA reserves the right to set needs aside for small businesses. There is no commitment by the Government to issue a Request for Quote (RFQ) or Request for Proposal (RFP), or make an award or awards, or to be responsible for any monies expended by industry responses to this RFI. Do not submit pricing information in response to this RFI. Amendment #1 added contact email address:
[email protected]