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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 FBO #4310
MODIFICATION

R -- EVENT PLANNER AND VENUE NEEDED TO SUPPORT HUMAN RESEARCH PROGRAMINVESTIGATORS WORKSHOP

Notice Date: 9/10/2013
Notice Type: Modification/Amendment
NAICS: 561920 — Convention and Trade Show Organizers
Contracting Office: NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH
ZIP Code: 00000
Solicitation Number: NNJ13487217Q
Response Due: 9/11/2013
Archive Date: 9/10/2014
Point of Contact: Ashley E. Harral, Contract Specialist, Phone 281-792-7921, Fax 281-244-5331, Email ashley.e.harral@nasa.gov - J. R. Carpentier, Contracting Officer, Phone 281-244-7254, Fax 281-244-5331, Email john.r.carpentier@nasa.gov
E-Mail Address: Ashley E. Harral
(ashley.e.harral@nasa.gov)
Small Business Set-Aside: N/A
Description: THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE COMBINED SYNOPSIS/RFQ FOR EVENT PLANNER AND VENUE NEEDED TO SUPPORT HUMAN RESEARCH PROGRAM INVESTIGATORS WORKSHOP. Companies shall acknowledge all amendment(s) in their quote. This notice serves as the official amendment to subject synopsis/RFQ and a written amendment will not be issued. The purpose of this amendment is to provide vendors with HRP Conference Questions & Answers: 1. Question: Does JSC require a specific format for the response? Answer: No. 2. Question: Does JSC require a breakout of costs, or will this be a firm fixed price effort? Answer: This is a firm-fixed price effort 3. Question: Will JSC accept the suggested dates for the event, based on venue availability? Answer: As long as the event occurs in Feb. 2014, then yes. 4. Question: Is there a page limit to the response? Answer: No. 5. Question: On the reps & certs requirement, the link provided http://rcb.cancer.gov/rcb-internet/SAP/52-212-plusadd.pdf results in an error (404) - please advise. Answer: Yes the link is being repaired. Please go to: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm and access FAR part 52.212 that way. 6. Question: I am unable to download the IFM format of the form 1449. Please advise. Answer: Please see attached the Form 1449. 7. Question: Will JSC consider an extended due date of COB Monday, 9/16/13? Answer: No extension is possible due to current end of fiscal year restrictions. 8. Question: Is there a formal approval process for Abstracts via NASA prior to the contractor accepting abstracts for the conference or is it the intent of the Government for the contractor to accept all Abstracts? Answer: The HRP team will review the abstracts. In general, most of the abstracts are approved. 9. Question: How does NASA anticipate assigning oral or poster status for Abstracts? Answer: The HRP team will decide that.There is just so many presentations that can be accommodated in the break out sessions. 10. Question: How many different types of registrants does the Government anticipate (Speakers, presenters, exhibitors, etc.) Answer: There are not types of registrants. 11. Question: Does the government require the contractor to compile brief bios of the presenters? Answer: No. 12. Question: On page 2, it states the Abstracts are to be submitted 1 Oct 15 Nov 2013 and on Page 1, it states the website should be live within 2 weeks of the contract award. Does the Government anticipate awarding NLT 17 September and if not, will they consider modifying the date of website launch) Answer: The website launch date will be extended if the award date is not completed by September 17th. 13. Question: Will the government please clarify needs for name badges and complexity of information displayed on the name badges? Answer: Name and affiliation 14. Question: Will the government require session tracking through badge scanning technology? Answer: No. 15. Question: Will the government please elaborate on the Sponsorship costs and sponsorship fees Answer: In the past, the HRP program has looked for sponsors. The fees will depend on the venue costs for coffee, etc. 16. Question: How many microphones are needed for the general sessions and each breakout session? Answer: One microphone for the speaker and at least two for the audience for the general session. One microphone for the speaker in the breakout sessions. 17. Question: Will the government require any event signage, posters, banners, directional signage, etc? Answer: It will depend on where in the venue the meeting is located. Directional signage may be needed to direct attendees from the entrance of the venue. 18. Question: Can the Government please clarify what they are referencing when stating source files for the meeting website (page 2) Answer: HTML code 19. Question: Given the requirement to provide close-out information to be submitted within 30 days of the last survey being submitted, can the government please provide the cut-off date for post-event surveys to be submitted by participants? Answer: We will work with the contractor to determine the preferred cut-off date. 20. Question: Is it your preference for the offer to be emailed or hard-copy mailed to the contracting office address? Answer: Preference is e-mailed to myself and Ashley Harral. 21. Question: Is RFQ a Firm Fixed Price or T&M? Answer: Firm Fixed Price 22. Question: The specific date in Feb was not noted Answer: All we require is that the workshop is in February. 23. Question: Time and dates for Poster session needs to be open. Answer: Dont entirely understand the question. Referring to the program at http://www.hrpiws2013.com/pdf/HRPIW-program.pdf may be helpful? 24. Question: The RFQ states the planner is responsible for the timely delivery of programs for all attendees. Is the anticipated number 600 to 650 people accurate? Answer: Yes 25. Question: The planner responsible for contracting the printing of programs or will printing be contracted separately? Answer: The planner is responsible. 26. Question: If 'yes' should printing cost be part of the costing submission for the RFQ? Answer: Yes 27. Question: If 'yes' can you provide the printing specifications (number of pages/ colors, binding, cover specifications, artwork/photography etc.) Here is a link to last years program http://www.hrpiws2013.com/pdf/HRPIW-program.pdf. Answer: Binding was staples in centerfold. 28. Question: The planner will be responsible for sending workshop-related messages to all meeting participants and maintaining email distribution list. Messages may be sent before, during and after the meeting. a)Can you approximate the total number of times a unique messages will be sent to all meeting participants? b)Are email messages text-based, HTLM-based, or a combination the two? Answer: a) About 6. b) Combination 29. Question: Publication of programs: Includes program design, layout, and content development by the contractor? Answer: Here is a link to this years program http://www.hrpiws2013.com/pdf/HRPIW-program.pdf. We would require this information but the layout could change. The link to the meeting in general is http://www.hrpiws2013.com/workshops.php. 30. Question: Access to lunch venues On-site means in the venue hotel? Answer: Yes, at the hotel. Since we anticipate presentations during lunch which many of the participants would participate in, we would want easy access to lunch. This would mean either to go lunches or quick access for take out. 31. Question: Should the budget include information about room rates or other attendee covered expenses? Answer: No, the hotel and other expenses are the responsibility of the participant. The meeting planner is not responsible for this. However, if during your discussion with the hotel venue, they provide you with a special rate, you can provide that information on the meeting website. However, you and NASA cannot guarantee that these hotel rooms will be used. 32. Question: Will there be a registration fee to attend or present at the event? Answer: No registration fee. 33. Question: Understanding that all food beverage functions will be for charge to the attendees. What food and beverage functions will be held during the event? Answer: Lunch is the only requirement. In the past, coffee breaks have been sponsored by NASA partners.However, the venue may want to consider the option of having coffee available (for pay). 34. Question: The proposal mentions sponsorship fees. Is there a sponsor program for the event? Answer: As stated in the previous answer, we have had sponsors in the past. We dont know whether we will have the sponsors in 2014. 35. Question: Is the government signing the venue/vendor contracts? Answer: No, the contractor will be signing the contracts. 36. Question: For the SF 1449, what is the address and code for Johnson Space Center for blocks 9 and 16? What are the CLINS for block 20? Answer: Blocks 9 & 16 will be filled out by NASA. Block 20 will state what we are purchasing, e.g. HRP Conference Support and will also be filled in by NASA. The vendor needs to only fill out the browned-out sections of the form: blocks 12, 17a, 23, 24, 30a, 30b, & 30c. 37. Question: Can we submit two documents? First document is the Standard Form 1449 to include Representation, Certifications and Other Statements of Offeror(s). Second document would be the proposal. We feel one document will be too large to send via e-mail. Answer: You may send 2 e-mails. 38. Question: Meeting List: Do the workshop-related messages include event marketing? This meeting is a requirement for all of HRPs Principle Investigators. Answer: They just need to know when and where the meeting is. 39. Question: If so, do you have an expectation of how many marketing messages should be sent? N/A Are there any other specific messages required? Answer: We may ask you to send updates to the registered participants prior to the meeting. 40. Question: Are there any printed marketing materials required? Answer: No, just the website. 41. Question: For the event schedule, how do you prefer to have the rooms set up? While the number of people to accommodate is helpful, it is also helpful to know the room set up style (i.e. theater style, classroom style, banquet style). Answer: Classroom style so that the participants can easily take notes. To use the space efficiently, we are not requiring separate desks. Instead, long tables are preferred. 42. Question: Do you have proposed times for the activities on the schedule? Does the entire day mean 8:00am-5:00pm? Answer: There may be some sessions for smaller team members that go beyond 6pm. Please refer to the program and website from last year. 43. Question: Are submissions to be evaluated considering the contractor and venue locked together? For example, could NASA select a contractor but select another venue from another proposal or a venue not even mentioned in any proposal? Answer: Yes. We will be evaluating the contractor and venue they have chosen together. We will not be conducting two searches. 44. Question: Would there be ability to sign a contract for government per diem rates for the 300 hotel rooms (and is that 300 for 3 nights or 300 total). Answer: The answer is no. We are not legally allowed to sign a contract for a set of rooms. 45. Question: They are asking for poster boards for 250 posters will they put 2 posters per board or 4 posters per board? Answer: That is up to the meeting planner. The poster size is 44 x 44 inches and there should be adequate space for discussion. 46. Question: The AV requirements listed in the RFP are not very detailed; will they want to do rigging in the General Session or do it from the floor like they did this year? Are they wanting to use House Sound or bring in a Sound system since they will be showing videos? Answer: The same as last year is fine though I dont know what rigging means. Though we dont know whether videos will be shown, we should assume that they will be. 47. Question: Does the attendee pay for the registration fee? Answer: There is no registration fee. 48. Question: Offsite venue paid for by NASA or attendee? Answer: attendee 49. Question: Should it be quoted as Government rate? Answer: The event planner is not responsible for arranging hotel rooms for out of town attendees and NASA cannot guarantee the block of rooms. However, if the venue would like to include rooms as incentive, the room rate should be at or below government rate. 50. Question: What are the A/V equipment requirements for the B/O rooms? Answer: The same requirements for the breakout rooms and ballroom. The details are computer, monitor, projector, and wireless microphones. 51. Question: What has been your previous setup for the A/V equipment in the B/O rooms Answer: The same as above. 52. Question: Was this or similar workshop held previously (last year)? Answer: We have had similar workshops for the last several years. 53. Question: If so, where was it held? Answer: It was held at Moody Gardens in Galveston. The website for last years meeting is at http://www.hrpiws2013.com/. 52. Question: How will the hotel room reservations be submitted? Will they be submitted through a rooming list? Answer: Again, the event planner is not responsible for the hotel room reservations. Making the reservations and paying for the hotel rooms is the responsibility of the attendee. 53. Question: Will the meeting planner be responsible for the creation of name badges and welcome packets? Answer: The event planner will be responsible for printing out the programs and name badges. 54. Question: Is a full proposal required? Answer: Since this is not a FSS solicitation, we will require a full proposal 55. Question: Is there an incumbent and if so, what was the contract award amount Answer: There is no incumbent. 56. Question: Has this meeting been held in the past? Answer: Yes. 57. Question: If so, who is the incumbent planner? Answer: MWH Public Relations was the planner this year. Prior to that, the planner was USRA. 58. Question: What are the start and ending times of the meeting? Breakouts? Answer: We dont have specific dates identified since we want to provide the event planner with some flexibility.The three-day workshop will be held in February 2014 beginning on Tuesday and ending on Thursday. Breakouts are during that time also. 59. Question: Will there be any overnight rooms required? If so, how many do you expect? Answer: The hotel arrangements are not the responsibility of the event planner and the number of rooms cannot be guaranteed. However, if during your discussion with the hotel venue, they provide you with a special rate, you can provide that information on the meeting website. We expect about half of the registrants would need hotel arrangements. 60. Question: Exhibit Hall Poster Presentations: Who is responsible for the poster boards? Answer: The event planner. 61. Question: Are attendees required to pay for registration or is this a complimentary event? Answer: No registration fee. 62. Question: General Session: What is the set-up for the general session? Theatre? Classroom? Rounds? Other? Answer: Classroom style so that the participants can easily take notes. To use the space efficiently, we are not requiring separate desks. Instead, long tables are preferred. 63. Question: What is the set up for each of the breakout rooms? Answer: Same as general session. 64. Question: Please clarify:Attendees are responsible for all meals and beverages? Will there be any food and beverage hosted by NASA? If so, what? How much? Answer: It is possible that coffee may be provided during the morning and/or afternoon breaks by a sponsor. Lunch and coffee (if not provided by sponsor) is the responsibility of the attendees. 65. Question: Printed Program - how many pages, full color and what card stock Answer: Here is the link to last years program http://www.hrpiws2013.com/pdf/HRPIW-program.pdf. Yes to color. I dont have a card stock number but we dont require very heavy card stock. Standard stock is adequate. 66. Question: What will the Seating arrangement in the breakout rooms be Answer: Classroom style so that the participants can easily take notes. To use the space efficiently, we are not requiring separate desks. Instead, long tables are preferred. 67. Question: Will the exhibit hall need to be available all three days Answer: Yes 68. Question: How many screens, microphones in main room and sessions?Will you provide laptops with presentations Answer: Number of screens are dependent on size of room. Screen(s) should be visible to all participants. One microphone for presenter and one or two microphones for questions in the audience. Laptops need to be provided by event planner/venue. 69. Question: Will we provide hotel and transportation arrangements for guest presenters Answer: No. The hotel and other expenses are the responsibility of the participants, including presenters. 70. Question: Will there be Signage needs? Answer: Depending on location of breakout rooms, signage may be required for participants to find the rooms. Same for the ballroom if it is a distance from entry into building. 71. Question: Will Nametags be needed or registration bags? Answer: Name tags but not registration bags. 72. Question: Is there interest on the Event Owners side to be able to access the event website and registration process to pull reports or view who has or has not registered or similar functionality during the event process. Our system allows a client to get into the application as much as they want or step back and let us handle it. It is designed so that they can modify on the fly and can add content as they wish as well as create emails to speakers, attendees or exhibitors based on need. It affects some of the pricing if they want to be involved in the back office or if they want to let someone else handle the process. Answer: We would only require that the event planner provide us with a list of registrants and who has submitted abstracts soon after the deadline has passed. We would want to make sure that all of our Investigators, who are required to attend this meeting, have done their due diligence. 73. Question: Is there any interest in providing the Posters in a digital format online as well as the physical poster boards. We have a process for submissions online and viewing online. ASTRO is one event but the posters are not viewable until the event starts in late September. We also do Poster discussions via Large LCD screens for a focused group.Is there any interest in that level of service. Answer: No there is not. 74. Question: Is there a preference to having Barcoded badges or NFC badges( higher costs involved) Answer: No. 75. Question: Is there Session tracking involved for capacity or for Continuing Education credits. Answer: No. 76. Question: http://rcb.cancer.gov/rcb-internet/SAP/52-212-plusadd.pdf This document appears to be missing at this point in time. When will it be uploaded? Answer: We are having a computer problem. IT should be posted Shortly. 77. Question: Could you please provide the actual dates of the intended meeting. It states that it is a three-day workshop held in February 2014, but does not specify the actual week. Answer: There are no specific dates. The only specifics are that the conference needs to be held in the month of Feb. on a tues., wed., and thurs. 78. Question: Will the requirements be updated? Answer: Yes mod 1 was issued for that. 79. Question: Will there be plenary or general sessions each day in the main ballroom? Answer: Yes. 80. Question: Will staging or a riser be required for the main ballroom? Answer: Yes. 81. Question: How many wireless microphones are required for the ballroom and the breakout roomsWill the microphones be podium microphones for both the ballroom and breakout rooms?...Will stand-alone microphones be required for the audience questions/responses? Answer: One wireless microphone for the speaker in both ballroom and breakout rooms. At least two stand-alone microphones for the audience in the ballroom and none for the breakout sessions. 82. Question: Can corkboards be used instead of poster boards to stage or hang your 250 posters? Yes Answer: Yes 83. Question: Will the program pages to be single or double-sided? Answer: Double-sided. 84. Question: Will the programs be stapled or bound? Answer: Stapled 85. Question: Will a laptop be acceptable instead of a computer and monitor for the ballroom, breakout rooms, and registration table?...and how many for each location? Answer: Yes, one per room. 86. Question: Will you require screens for the ballroom and the breakout rooms? Answer: Yes. 87. Question: Will you require a sound system for the ballroom and the breakout roomssound mixer board? Answer: Just a system to accommodate the microphones. However, in past years, we may require a sound system in the ballroom to view/listen to a video. 88. Question: Please clarify what is meant by electronic media in reference to abstracts stated in the Programs section. Answer: Example would be a jump drive or a CD. 89. Question: Will signage be required? Answer: It will depend on where in the venue the meeting is located. Directional signage may be needed to direct attendees from the entrance of the venue. 90. Question: Will you require name badge design and printing? Answer:Yes. 91. Question: Who will respond to participants selected to provide posters? Answer: HRP. 92. Question: Is this a fee based event?...Are we required to collect fees through the website? Answer: No registration costs for the workshop. 93. Question: Please explain what is meant by sponsorship costs pertaining to sponsorship fees stated in the Workshop Closeout section? Are we required to secure sponsorships? Answer: In the past, the HRP program has looked for sponsors. The fees will depend on the venue costs for coffee, etc. 94. Question: What is the level of cost detail?...it didnt appear to be indicated. Answer: We would like to know the cost of the venue, AV, labor costs and any other costs that will help us understand where the money is being spent. 95. Question: What does FOB stand for listed on page 5 of the solicitation, where it describes the submission procedures, it states FOB destination to this Center? Answer: Freight on Board 96. Question: What are the 3 rooms for 25 people used for on Wednesday and Thursday? Answer: They are used for breakout sessions where there will be presentations and discussions. 97. Question: What are the A/V requirements ie. Screen size, wireless mic.? Answer: Screen size appropriate for room size so that everyone can easily see the screen. Either a wireless or wired mic for the smaller rooms. 98. Question: Do you require an A/V technician in all 3 of those rooms? Answer: Yes. 99. Question: Is February 2014 the only time frame for this event? Answer: Yes, we have this meeting annually, in February. 100. Question: Will NASA sign hotel contract for sleeping rooms and meeting space and be liable for the cost if the sleeping rooms are not picked up based on an attrition contract with Hotel? Answer: No, NASA is not allowed (legally) to sign a hotel contract. If the hotel wants to offer a lower cost for the rooms, then it can be advertised on the website.However, the contractor and NASA cannot promise to use the rooms. 101. Question: Do you have a history of how the rooms pickup for this event at Hotel? Answer: The majority of the attendees will be coming in on Monday and leaving on Wednesday. Some (~ 200 will remain on Thursday). We dont have historical numbers but assume about half or less of the attendees will require hotel rooms each night and some may come in on Tuesday. For example: Monday: 20 rooms Tuesday: 200 rooms Wednesday: 180 rooms Thursday: 50 rooms 102. Question: Do all attendees pay for their room and tax Answer: Yes. 103. Question: Is a govt rate required for sleeping rooms at hotel? Answer: See above comments. The government travellers will be required to use hotels that provide the government hotel rate. 104. Question: What time are meeting rooms needed each day? Ie. 8am to 6pm Answer: On Tuesday there may be some later, smaller sessions. Please refer to http://www.hrpiws2013.com/workshops.php for last years schedule. The difference is that the actual workshop will end at the end of day 2 and the two separate side workshops will continue on Thursday. 105. Question: How many hours is the General Session room used on Wednesday and Thursday? This will help me budget the labor cost for that room. Answer: We dont have the schedule for this February yet but refer to last years schedule. However, due to the reduced time (2 days from 2 days, it will be different). The due date for receipt of offers is not extended. Companies shall provide the information stated in the synopsis/RFQ posted on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) on 8-27-13. Documents related to this procurement are available over the Internet. These documents reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities home page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=73
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R -- EVENT PLANNER AND VENUE NEEDED TO SUPPORT HUMAN RESEARCH PROGRAMINVESTIGATORS WORKSHOP