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HHS standard instructions for completing the “Description” field for FedBizOpps Sources Sought notices and Requests for Information

Attachment 1

Introductory paragraph. Use the appropriate statement (provided in quotations below) as the introductory paragraph for the designated notice:
1. For a Research and Development (R & D) Sources Sought: “This is a Research and Development (R & D) 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 all qualified sources to perform a potential R & D requirement.”
2. For a Sources Sought (non-R & D): “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 all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement.”
3. For a Small Business Sources Sought: “This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.”
4. For a Request for Information: “This is a Request for Information (RFI). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain knowledge and information for project planning purposes.”
Main text paragraphs. As applicable, the following types of information should be provided as the main text for all of the notices. Use the format identified below. Provide the applicable information under each heading so that respondents can understand the potential requirement or proposed acquisition and respond with the appropriate information. Information that may be included for each of the paragraph headings is provided as a guideline.
1. Background. Briefly summarize any important background information about the potential requirement or proposed acquisition and its scientific/technical context in the overall mission and applicable program of the OPDIV.
2. Purpose and Objectives. Briefly describe the purpose, objectives, and goals of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition.
3. Project requirements. Summarize the potential requirement or proposed acquisition, including its scope, focus, technical/performance requirements or specifications, and any deliverables, reports, and/or data that may be required under any resultant contract. Highlight any areas of particular importance.
4. Anticipated period of performance. If known and applicable, cite the anticipated period of performance, including any option periods, and project phasing.
5. Other important considerations. Cite any other information that is necessary for potential respondents to understand the nature of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition.
6. Capability statement /information sought. Clearly indicate whether respondents must provide, as part of their responses, a capability statement, “white paper,” answers to questions/issues, etc. This may include requests for:
  - i. respondents’ opinions about the difficulty and/or feasibility of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition, possible solutions and approaches that may currently exist in the marketplace, and information regarding innovative ideas or concepts;
  - ii. information regarding respondents’: (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information;
  - iii. general information regarding the respondent’s estimate or rough order of magnitude of the effort or time that may be required for completion of the work. (NOTE: This type of information may only be requested as part of an RFI. However, care must be exercised in requesting such information. Information requested must be: (A) necessary; (B) broad in scope; and (C) used for planning purposes only. Detailed estimates must not be requested.);
  - v. respondents’ DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code;
  - v. any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the OPDIV’s acquisition requirements.
  - i. how the information should be provided (i.e., in writing or electronically) and whether telephone and facsimile responses will be accepted;
  - ii. whether the information should be provided in a particular format, such as Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, Microsoft Power Point, etc., and specifications, including font size, paper size, margins, spacing, etc.;
  - iii. whether an information outline is required and, if so, how the material should be organized (e.g., cover page, title, index of topics addressed, executive summary, etc.);
  - iv. page limit, if any, for the response and whether any page limit includes references, if requested;
  - v. number of copies of the response required;
  - vi. date and time responses must be received;
  - vii. respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses; and
  - viii. name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the Contract Specialist or Contracting Officer to whom the information should be sent.

Concluding paragraphs. As applicable, use one of the following statements (provided in quotations below) as the concluding paragraphs for the designated notices. (NOTE: The concluding paragraphs are exactly the same for the three sources sought notices.)
1. For an R & D Sources Sought, Sources Sought, and Small Business Sources Sought:
  “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).”
2. For a Request for Information:
  “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. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. 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.
  
  Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced to the public in Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with the FAR Part 5. 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).”