Obtain Media Services to Support Vehicle Safety Communications

Active

Contract Opportunity

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to identify potential qualified Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business (HUBZone SB), Service-Disabled-Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), or Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns that may be interested in and capable of performing the work described herein to provide timely, efficient, effective and expert marketing, communication and advertising to NHTSA, and its partners, in support of the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), and Office of Vehicle Safety Research (OVSR) to enable the safety conscious consumer to make informed purchasing decisions and maintain safe vehicles.

NHTSA welcomes all qualified Small Business concerns, with the appropriate NAICS Code and past experience to submit their Corporate Capability Statements that demonstrate their ability to successfully accomplish the goals of the project as listed below. NHTSA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses to this notice or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made; no formal evaluation of the information received will be conducted by NHTSA. NHTSA may; however later issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). However, should such a requirement fail to materialize, no basis for claims against NHTSA shall arise as a result of a response to this notice.

Background:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs associated with motor vehicle use and highway travel. To accomplish this, NHTSA collects and analyzes motor vehicle crash data, develops, promotes, and implements education programs, vehicle safety standards, research, and enforcement programs.

NHTSA’s vehicle safety programs focus on initiating vehicle research, issuing vehicle safety standards, enforcing vehicle safety standards, conducting investigations on potential safety defects, and issuing recalls when appropriate. As the automotive industry’s federal regulator, NHTSA provides a vital service not only to the manufacturers but also with everyday consumers.

Communicating to consumers about NHTSA’s role in vehicle safety is a fundamental component of the Agency’s effort to safeguard their interest and to promote understanding of their role in vehicle safety issues. NHTSA’s primary means of interacting with consumers on alleged safety defects is through the Auto Safety Hotline and www.nhtsa.gov. To inform consumers on the crashworthiness of new vehicles and recommended technologies that can help avoid and mitigate crashes, NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) provides comparative safety information on a variety of vehicles. NCAP also encourages manufacturers to design vehicles to protect occupants in a crash, to include the latest advances in safety technologies, and to design vehicles to be less susceptible to rollover crashes.

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) conducts tests, inspections, and investigations necessary to identify and correct safety-related defects in motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment. Consumer complaints regarding alleged vehicle safety defects are critically important to assist the agency to determine if a safety defect investigation should be initiated. It is important that the public become aware of its role in providing information about safety defects to the agency. Many consumers are not aware that NHTSA is a valuable vehicle safety resource and a place for consumers to communicate alleged vehicle safety-related defects. More importantly, consumers do not fully appreciate their involvement in prompting the agency to commence an investigation into a potential vehicle safety defect. While not as publicly visible as the NCAP and ODI programs, NHTSA’s OVSR) plans and implements research programs to continually further the Agency’s goal of reducing crashes, fatalities, and injuries. Research and testing are demonstrating the promising safety and mobility advancements that driver assistance technology and fully automated driving systems represent for the public, and its power and potential to greatly improve traffic safety. To improve public understanding of these safety technologies, NHTSA seeks to publish information about the safety benefits of these technologies that will educate the public and motivate them to choose vehicles equipped with advanced technologies when purchasing vehicles.

In addition to programs previously described, NHTSA requires messaging for other vehicle safety initiatives such as automated vehicles, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), alternative fuel vehicles, tire safety education, vehicle theft prevention, electric vehicles, and cybersecurity.

NHTSA’s Office of Communications and Consumer Information (OCCI) develops and executes marketing strategies to distribute and disseminate comprehensive vehicle safety consumer information programs to the public. While implementing these strategies, NHTSA identified a need for basic communication support in a timely manner, often on short notice with short deadlines to support long-term comprehensive vehicle safety communications activities, initiatives, and programs.

Objective:

The objective of this project is to acquire integrated communications, media planning/buying, marketing, market research, advertising, partnership development and event planning services to enhance NHTSA’s vehicle safety programs through NHTSA’s OCCI. This support will be used by NHTSA to provide timely, efficient, effective, and expert marketing, communication and advertising support to NHTSA, and its partners, in the management of its NCAP, ODI, OVSR and advanced driver assistance systems communication efforts, as well as other vehicle safety programs that include but are not limited to automated vehicle technologies including ratings activities, theft prevention, fuel economy, electric vehicles, cybersecurity and tires. In addition, the Contract may be used to develop communication materials targeting various foreign language populations to support these vehicle safety programs’ communications campaigns.

Capabilities:

The corporate capability statement must address the capabilities necessary to accomplish the scope described above and in the attached Draft Statement of Work (SOW), as well as the additional tasks and characteristics that follow:

• Develop strategic and tactical communications and marketing plans to support vehicle safety communications programs and campaigns;


• Develop and promote vehicle safety communications to reduce crashes, and the resulting injuries and deaths to English and Spanish-speaking populations. Expertise needed includes the ability to conduct market research, understand the use of multimedia platforms that include traditional media, radio, digital, and social media; develop communication strategies and tactics, develop collateral materials to support vehicle safety consumer information and education campaigns and measure effectiveness of communications;


• Manage paid media buys targeting specific audiences to promote vehicle safety messages;


• Manage and implement consumer market research, both qualitative and quantitative, to enable NHTSA to reach out to vehicle consumers effectively and efficiently about vehicle safety issues and messages including vehicle safety ratings, vehicle safety defects and recalls, theft prevention, tires, fuel economy, automated vehicles, cybersecurity, electric vehicles, and other vehicle-related innovations as developed;


• Develop and manage paperwork and materials to support the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Information Collection Request (ICR) process for all consumer research projects;


• Develop and promote collateral materials including but not limited to digital and online materials, infographics, social media messaging, videos, and advertisements, as stated in NHTSA-approved communication and marketing plans to support outreach plans for vehicle safety programs including ODI, NCAP, and automated vehicles, as well as other vehicle safety initiatives;


• Develop and update content to post on NHTSA’s websites and for distribution through stakeholders’ channels;


• “Refresh” existing advertisements and, when appropriate, develop new advertisements for program offices as needed;


• Provide technical assistance on developing new promotional opportunities and collaboration opportunities that include the vehicle safety community as well as other consumer-related industries that have a shared interest in vehicle safety issues;


• Consult, maintain, and collaborate with NHTSA in expanding relationships with existing and new stakeholders, including online automotive organizations that market to consumers on vehicle safety issues;


• Provide management of event logistics as necessary to support vehicle safety programs;


• Produce and submit reports that provide well organized and detailed analysis of national campaigns;


• Provide assistance and logistical support that may include capturing Bites and B-Roll, video news releases, satellite media tours, radio media tours and event support;


• Acquire photography and video services and manage the execution of photo and video shoots necessary to carry out NHTSA programs and campaigns as required;


• Adapt existing materials into culturally appropriate languages, and create new materials that positively resonate with targeted populations, and meet the guideline set forth by the American Translators Association;


• Manage and maintain vehicle safety data on NHTSA’s websites as needed, and work with U.S. DOT to ensure data are updated and provides adequate information to consumers; and Conduct and/or participate in meetings and conference calls in support of basic program management activities and provide meeting/conference notes in a timely manner.

Format of Corporate Capabilities Statement:

Any interested qualified Small Business firms, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns should submit their Corporate Capability Statement, which demonstrates the firm’s ability and past experience in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described above to the identified NHTSA point of contact listed herein.

Any proprietary information should be marked as such. All respondents are asked to certify the type and size of their business organization is in-line with the requirements of this Sources Sought Notice which must be received no later than 10 calendar days from the date of publication or by the closing date of this notice.

To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms should respond using the format requested in this notice.

Please provide the following information for your firm and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

General Information

1. Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.


2. Unique Entity ID (UEI) Number and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.


3. Business size and classification (e.g., large, small, small-disadvantaged, SBA Certified 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned) based on NAICS code: 541810 – Advertising Agencies.


4. If applicable, potential proposed teaming arrangements to include business size and classification of prime and subcontractors.


5. GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Number (FSS must include NAICS code 541810 – Advertising Agencies.


6. Identify contracts your company has been awarded under NAICS code: 541810 – Advertising Agencies.

Technical Capability:

1. Provide a brief synopsis to support the firm’s ability to perform all of potential areas of the objective/Draft SOW. Identify each task element and provide information to support the firm’s experience, staffing and overall ability to perform the technical area.


2. Evidence of experience and past performance should include contracts/task orders from the past three (3) years similar in scope to this requirement.


3. Examples must include contract numbers, project titles, dollar amounts, periods of performance, and Government points of contact (telephone numbers or email addresses).


4. Any data on previous contracts/task orders on personnel retention and succession planning.

Additional Information:

1. Indicate if your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued, and if your firm’s interest is for Prime contracting, teaming agreement or Joint Venture.


2. Validation of, or recommended NAICS codes for this effort.


3. Validation of, or recommended contract type.


4. Validation of, or recommended GSA vehicle.


5. Other Recommendations
   
   
   
   1. Any information missing from this requirement that would provide a better understanding of the effort desired.
   
   
   2. Please submit any other questions or comments along with your response.
   
   
   
   

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Transportation (DOT) Headquarters, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

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