Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, MS2500, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817

R -- CUSTOMER AWARENESS PROGRAM SOL 1435-01-98-RP-3976 DUE 100598 POC J.S. Callas, Contracting Officer, (703)787-1359 WEB: Home Page for the Minerals Management Service, http://mms.gov. E-MAIL: Contracting Officer, Jaci.Callas@mms.gov. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items/services prepared under FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented by additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the ONLY solicitation; offers are being requested and a written solicitation SHALL NOT BE ISSUED. Solicitation 1435-01-98-RP-3976 is a Request for Proposal (RFP). Offerors should reference RFP 1435-01-98-3976, "Customer Awareness Program". Statement of objective: Create and implement a customer awareness program that informs potential customers of the services being offered by the Minerals Management Service (MMS). Customers are other federal agencies. Currently, new clients come to MMS through word-of-mouth referrals. The MMS wants to augment word-of-month referrals with a structured customer awareness program that will inform other federal agencies of the services being offered. This awareness program should include preparing direct mail brochures, paid print advertising, sales material, informational meetings, video, and other media. Mass marketing media such as billboards, radio and TV should NOT be proposed. The program should be tailored to the operating environment of each service provider, of which there are four, as defined below. A successful program will increase the number of new clients that use the services of the MMS as measured by increased fees over the current operating period. Background: The MMS is a bureau of the Department of the Interior (DOI). In 1994 Congress authorized six federal agencies to operate a Franchise Fund for the purpose of providing "Common Administrative Services" on a fee basis to other agencies. "Common Administrative Services" are defined as personnel and payroll, procurement, personal and real property management, accounting and finance, information technology and telecommunications, and office support services such as mail, copiers, safety and security. The DOI operates the Interior Franchise Fund (IFF) of which MMS is a member. The MMS has been providing Common Administrative Services for several years through several operating units that report to the Associate Director for Administration and Budget as follows: 1. The Personnel Division is providing personnel services to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and is interested in providing other small federal agencies personnel services from its Herndon, VA, and Washington, DC, offices. 2. The Procurement and Support Services Division is providing nationwide acquisition services from Herndon, VA, to a variety of federal agencies. 3. Optional: The Budget and Finance Division is evaluating offering accounting services (an external client base doesn't yet exist) from Herndon, VA, and the MMS/IFF. TASK 1: Recommend strategies for increasing customer awareness using a variety of media tailored for each service provider unit, including identifying key message(s) for each service provider and a common message for MMS/IFF. TASK 2: Develop (A) materials, (B) sources and (C) script themes for periodical stories on each service provider and MMS/IFF. TASK 3: Work with and/or develop customer source lists and customer demographics, focusing on the most productive sources for implementing each awareness program. TASK 4: Develop metrics and methods for measuring awareness program success. TASK 5: Develop cost estimates for implementing each recommendation. TASK 6: Implement approved awareness program. Implementation of all recommendations may last longer than the initial performance period and may extend into subsequent fiscal years. TASK 7: Evaluate the effectiveness of the awareness program based on the service providers' criteria for success. Criteria for Success (specific target values will be provided to the contractor): (1) Acquisition Services -- increased number of customers and revenue. (2) Personnel Services -- increased new customer contacts. (3) MMS/IFF -- customer awareness of the program and services. (4) Accounting and Finance Services -- customer awareness and new customers. Performance Schedule. Work will be phased as follows: Acquisition Services -- 120 calendar days for Tasks 1-6; and, Personnel Services -- 120 calendar days for Tasks 1-6. Options: MMS/IFF -- 120 calendar days for Tasks 1-6; and, Accounting and Finance Services -- 120 calendar days for Tasks 1-6. Task 7 schedule will depend on recommendations of other tasks. Individual task orders will be issued for each service provider. Customer awareness program budget is $150,000 for the current fiscal year. The contract will be for one year with an option for 4 one-year extensions. HOW TO RESPOND: An interested party must demonstrate that your organization is qualified to perform the work by providing a Capabilities Statement detailing (1) key staff that will work under the contract for MMS (those employees that will have primary responsibility for performing and managing the Awareness Program), (2) organizational experience and facilities, and, (3) specific references for similar work that your firm has performed within the past 12-18 months. Include contract number or reference, project name or description, period of performance, dollar amount, client identification with point of contact, and telephone number for references. All references will be checked. Capability Statements are due OCTOBER 5, 1998, by 12:00PM, Eastern Time. Following the review of Capabilities Statements, only firms demonstrating they have the best experience, organizational capability, and assigned key personnel to successfully perform the work will be invited to give an oral presentation during OCTOBER 12-19, 1998. Only those offerors will be required to submit a written cost and business proposal detailing how the work will be performed by OCTOBER 26, 1998. The written cost and business proposal detailing how the work will be performed and at what price should be no more than 20 pages. The price should include the each task outlined above. Each offeror should submit a labor hour rate schedule for each category or labor that might be assigned to theproject for future work. The oral presentation will be a one-hour presentation of how your firm will increase the awareness of MMS's Franchise Fund activities, including a brief story board presentation, the milestones, and methodology for evaluating the success of the awareness strategy. Following the oral presentation there will be a one-hour question and answer session where the government will query the presenters on their proposal. The oral presentation and question and answer session will not constitute part of the offer or contract. Neither the oral presentation nor the question and answer session will obligate the government to conduct discussions or to solicit or entertain any proposal revisions. Only the offeror's key project personnel will be allowed to participate in the oral presentation. Key project personnel include only those persons who will be assigned to work on the contract. Corporate officers not directly working on the project should not be presenters. An outline of the oral presentation in bullet form should be provided to the government evaluation team (10 copies) at the start of the presentation. The written cost and business proposal is due by 12:00PM (Noon), October 26, 1998. The government reserves the right to award contracts to other than the lowest priced offer if, in its judgement, the offer is superior to other offers and out weighs the cost difference. Your capability Statement will be evaluated using the following criteria: (1) key personnel assigned to the project by skill, experience and ability; (2) your firm's organizational experience and resources; (3) past performance (including number, size complexity of similar projects, adherence to contract terms and conditions, schedules and budgets, project management, willingness to cooperate, point of contact/reference and success of past work.) (REFERENCES WILL BE CHECKED.); (4) innovative and creative approach to developing an Awareness Program that will meet the stated outcomes; (5) an effective evaluation methodology; and, (6) ability to work within the budget and schedule. On the cover page of your capability statement offerors shall include the point of contact, phone/fax numbers and Email address. The following provision/clauses are incorporated by reference: 52.212-1, Instructions to Offer's -- Commercial Items (JUN 97); 52.212-2, Evaluation of Commercial Items (OCT 97); 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items (JAN 97) 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items (MAY 97); 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items (AUG 96). These documents are current to FAC 90-46 (MAR 97) Offerors should go to the Internet GSA FAR website at http://www.gsa.gov/far/ or http://www.arnet.gov/far/ to view these clauses. It is strongly recommended to use the Internet to obtain copies of these provisions and clauses, however, if that is not possible, offerors may submit a faxed a request to Ms. L. Donley as soon as possible at (703) 787-1387. Questions should be faxed or Emailed as soon as possible to the above fax number or Email address Jaci.Callas@MMS.gov. The RFP number MUST be in the subject line of the Email. All questions should additionally include your full name and title, RFP number, your organization, complete address, and telephone and fax numbers. TELEPHONIC QUESTIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Responses to this announcement should be forwarded to the Minerals Management Service; 381 Elden Street; ATTN: J. S. Callas, MS 2500; Herndon, VA 20170. If offerors desire to hand deliver their capability statements, then they are informed that this is a secure office complex and MUST NOT enter the building beyond the lobby. There is a courtesy telephone near the elevators to which you must call extension 1354 for a procurement official to pick-up your response. Posted 09/22/98 (W-SN252692). (0265)

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