[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 32, Volume 2] [Revised as of July 1, 2008] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 32CFR247 App B] [Page 569-577] TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) PART 247_DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND CIVILIAN ENTERPRISE Sec. Appendix B to Part 247--CE Publications A. Purpose. CE publications consist of DoD newspapers, magazines, guides, and installation maps. They support command internal communications. The commander or public affairs office provides oversight and final approval authority for the news and editorial content of the publication. CE publishers sell advertising to cover costs and secure earnings, print the publications, and may make all or part of the distribution. Periodically, CE publishers compete for contracts to publish these publications. Neither appropriated nor nonappropriated funds shall be used to pay for any part of a CE publisher's costs incurred in publishing a CE publication. B. Name. The name of the publication may include the name of the command or installation, or the name of the command or installation may appear separately in the nameplate (flag). The emblem of the command or installation may also be included in the nameplate. When possible, the DoD Components and their subordinates shall trademark the names of their publications, as stated in Sec. 247.6(d). C. Masthead. The masthead shall include the following in addition to that required in Sec. 247.4 (i) and (j). ``The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the (name of command or installation) Public Affairs Office.'' The names of the commanding officer and PAO, the names and editorial titles of the staff assigned the duty of preparing the editorial content, and the office address and telephone number of the editorial staff shall be listed in the masthead of DoD newspapers, but is not required in CE guides and installation maps. The names of the publisher and employees of the publisher may be listed separately. D. News and editorial materials. The commander or the public affairs office shall provide oversight and final approval authority for news, information, photographs, editorial, and other materials to be used in a CE publication in the space allotted for that purpose by written contract with the commercial publisher. Authorized news and information sources include the OASD(PA), AFIS, the Military Departments and their subordinate levels of command, and other Government Agencies. CE contractor personnel may provide material for use in the publication if approved by the commander or PAO, as the commander's representative. Commercial news and opinion sources, such as AP, UPI, New York Times, etc., are not [[Page 570]] normally authorized for use in DoD publications except as stated in Sec. 247.4(q). Newspapers may publish community service news and announcements of the civilian community for the benefit of command or installation personnel and their families. Imagery used will be in compliance with Sec. 247.4(r). E. Assignment of personnel. Neither military nor DoD civilian personnel shall be assigned to duty at the premises of the CE publisher. Neither military nor DoD civilian personnel shall perform any job functions that are part of the business activities or contractual responsibilities of the CE publisher either at the contractor's facility or the Government facility. The PAO and staff who produce the non- advertising content of the CE publication may perform certain installation liaison functions on publisher premises including monitoring and coordinating layout and design and other publishing details set forth in the contract to ensure the effective presentation of information. One or more members of the public affairs staff shall review proof copy to prevent mistakes. Newspaper text-editing-system pagination and copy terminals owned by the CE publisher may be placed in the command or installation public affairs office under contractual agreement for use by the public affairs staff to coordinate layout and ensure that the preparation of editorial material is performed in such a way as to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the printing and publication functions performed by the CE publisher. All costs of these terminals shall be borne by the CE newspaper publishers who shall retain title to the equipment and full responsibility for any damage to or loss of such equipment. The relationship between the public affairs staff and employees of the CE contractor is that of Government employees working with employees of a private contractor. Supervision of CE employees; that is, the responsibility to rate performance, set rate of pay, grant vacation time, exercise discipline, assign day-to-day administrative tasks, etc., remains with the CE publisher. Any modification of the contract must be made by the responsible contracting officer. Public affairs staff members must be aware that employees of the contractor are not employees of the government and should be treated accordingly. F. Distribution of CE publications. 1. A funded newspaper shall not be distributed as an insert to a CE newspaper, unless provided for in the CE contract, nor shall a CE newspaper be distributed as an insert to a funded newspaper. 2. Supplements, clearly labeled as such, and advertising inserts, may be inserted into and distributed with a CE newspaper. 3. The commercial publisher of a CE publication shall make as much of the distribution to the intended readership as possible. CE publications may be distributed through official channels. 4. Except as authorized by the next higher headquarters for special situations or occasions (such as an installation open house), CE publications shall not be distributed outside the intended DoD audience and retirees, which includes family members. Electronic publication on the internet/world wide web is not considered distribution outside the intended DoD audience. The CE publisher may provide complete copies of each specific issue of a CE publication to an advertiser whose advertisement is carried therein. 5. The CE publisher of a CE newspaper will provide the appropriate number of news racks determined by the installation commander for publication distribution. CE publishers are responsible for maintenance of these racks. 6. CE guides, magazines, and installation maps may be delivered in bulk quantities to the appropriate installation offices to distribute these publications through official channels as necessary. G. Responsibilities regarding advertising. 1. Only the CE publisher shall use the space agreed upon for advertising. While the editorial content of the publication is completely controlled by the installation, the advertising section, including its content, is the responsibility of the CE publisher. The public affairs staff, however, retains the responsibility to review advertisements before they are printed. 2. Any decision by a CE publisher to accept or reject an advertisement is final. The PAO may discuss with a publisher their decision not to run an advertisement, but cannot substitute his judgment for that of the publisher. 3. Before each issue of a CE publication is printed, the public affairs staff shall review advertisements to identify any that are contrary to law or to DoD or Military Service regulations, including this part, or that may pose a danger or detriment to DoD personnel or their family members, or that interfere with the command or installation missions. It is in the command's best interest to carefully apply DoD and Service regulations and request exclusion of only those advertisements that are clearly in violation of this part. If any such advertisements are identified, the public affairs office shall obtain a legal coordination of the proposed exclusion. After coordination, the public affairs office shall request, in writing if necessary, that the commercial publisher delete any such advertisements. If the publisher prints the [[Page 571]] issue containing the objectionable advertisement(s), the commander may prohibit distribution in accordance with DoD Directive 1325.6.\1\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Copies may be obtained, at cost, from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. DoD Directive 1325.6 gives the commander authority to prohibit distribution on the installation of a CE publication containing advertising he or she determines likely to promote a situation leading to potential riots or other disturbances, or when the circulation of such advertising may present a danger to loyalty, discipline, or morale of personnel. Each commander shall determine whether particular advertisements to be placed by the publisher in a CE publication serving the command or installation may interfere with successful mission performance. Some considerations in this decision are the local situation, the content of the proposed advertisement, and the past performance of the advertiser. Prior to making a determination to prohibit distribution of a CE publication, the commander shall obtain a legal coordination. 5. CE publications may carry paid and nonpaid advertising of the products and services of nonappropriated fund activities and commissaries, if allowed by DoD and Military Service regulations. (See DoD Instruction 1015.2 \2\) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ See footnote 1 to section G.3. of this appendix. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. The Military Departments will coordinate a standard set or ratios of advertising-to-editorial copy for multiples of pages for run of the publication advertising in CE publications that will be included in all DoD Component regulations supplementing this part. The recommended annual average is a ratio of 60/40. Inserts and advertising supplements will not count in the total ad-to-copy ratio; However, the commander may prohibit the distribution of supplemental advertising deemed excessive. 7. Bingo games and lotteries conducted by a commercial organization whose primary business is conducting lotteries may not be advertised in CE publications. Non-lottery activities (such as dining at a restaurant or attending a musical performance) of a commercial organization whose primary business is conducting lotteries may be advertised in CE publications. Exceptions are allowed for authorized State lotteries, lotteries conducted by a not-for-profit organization or a governmental organization, or conducted as a promotional activity by a commercial organization and clearly occasional and ancillary to the primary business of that organization. An exception also pertains to any gaming conducted by an Indian tribe under 25 U.S.C. 2720. See section D. of appendix C to this part. H. CE guides and maps. 1. The name of the publication may include the name and emblem of the command or installation. 2. At the discretion of the commander, an installation telephone directory may be included as a section of a CE guide. The telephone section shall be part of the guide contract specifications. Separate contracts for CE telephone directories are not authorized. Over-run printing of the telephone directory/yellow pages section of the installation guide is authorized. The number of guides with integral telephone directories and the number of over-run copies of the telephone directory/yellow pages will be clearly specified in the single guide contract. Required communication security information shall be printed on the first page of the telephone section and not on the cover of the guide. The cover of the guide may notify users that the publication contains the telephone directory. 3. CE contracts for guides and maps shall establish firm delivery dates and shall contain provisions to ensure distribution is controlled by the command. Delivery dates may vary for guides and maps to make them more attractive to advertisers. The contract provisions shall specify delivery dates. I. Employment and gratuities. DoDpersonnel shall not accept any gratuities from or employment with any CE publisher in violation of DoD Directive 5500.7-R.\3\ In addition, DoD personnel whose spouse or children (or other relations as described in DoD Directive 5500.7-R) are offered employment by, or work for, a CE publisher, must take appropriate action to avoid conflicts of interest. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\ See footnote 1 to section G.3. of this appendix. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- J. Contracting for a CE publication. 1. General. The DoD Components and their subordinate commands are authorized to contract in writing for CE publications. The underlying premise of the CE concept is that the DoD Components and their subordinate commands will save money by transferring certain publishing and distribution functions to a commercial publisher selected through a competitive process. The CE publication is printed and delivered to the command, installation, or its readership in accordance with the terms of a written contract. Oral contracts are not acceptable. The right to sell and circulate advertising to the complete readership in the CE publication provides the publisher revenue to cover costs [[Page 572]] and secure earnings. The command or installation guarantees first publication and distribution of locally-produced editorial content in the publication. The publication becomes the property of the command, installation, or intended reader upon delivery in accordance with terms of the contract. 2. Contracting process. Whether a first time initiative to establish a CE publication or a recompetition of an existing CE contract, the process must start with advance planning as to the nature of the command's requirements, the contracting strategy, and the market of potential advertisers and competitors for the job. The CE contract solicitation and the contract itself must contain a statement of work that describes in legally sufficient detail the Government's requirements and the conditions and restrictions under which the contractor will perform. The cognizant contracting office for the CE contracting action shall be the contracting office which normally provides contracting support to the command for service contracts and other procurements of a general nature which are above the simplified small purchase threshold. The contracting officer shall combine the statement of work with appropriate contractual terms and conditions, using 48 CFR chapter I and II as guides, although CE contracts are not subject to the FAR or DFARS, because they do not involve the expenditure of appropriated funds. The resulting solicitation and contract shall completely identify the rights and obligations of both parties. Proposals shall be solicited from all known commercial publishers who could potentially become the CE contractor. Upon evaluation of the competing proposals by the Source Selection Advisory Committee (SSAC) and selection of a winner by the selecting official, the CE contract shall be awarded by the contracting officer. The CE contract shall not require the contractor to pay money to the command or to provide goods, services, or other consideration not directly related to the CE publication. In the event that only one offer is received, the SSAC may recommend to the selecting official that no award be made or that the contracting officer enter into negotiations with the sole offeror to obtain the best possible service and product for the Government. 3. Statement of Work (SOW). The SOW should be written to have the CE contractor perform as many of the publishing and distribution functions as practical to generate maximum savings to the Department of Defense. In so doing, care must be taken to balance Government requirements with a realistic view of the advertising revenue potential so as to achieve a contract that is commercially viable. The command's internal information needs shall be paramount. Some of the key issues that shall be addressed in the SOW follow: a. A general description of the scope of the proposed contract including the name and nature of the publication involved; for example, weekly newspaper, monthly magazine, annual guide and installation map. Normally, guides and installation maps are included in the same contract. b. A description of editorial content to be carried; e.g., news, features, supplements, and factual information, along with provisions addressing the possible inclusion of contractor-furnished advertising supplements for newspapers, provided any such supplement shall have the prior approval of the commander. c. A description of the rules for the inclusion of advertising in the publication, substantially as follows: ``The contractor agrees not to include in the publication any advertising of the following types: (1) paid political advertisements for a candidate, party, or which advocate a particular position on a political issue, including advertisements advocating a position on any proposed DoD policy or policy under review, or which advocate lobbying elected officials on a specific issue; (2) advertisements for any establishment declared ``off limits'' by the command; (3) advertisements that are contrary to law or to DoD or Military Service regulations or that in the government's opinion pose a danger or detriment to DoD personnel or their family members, or that interfere with the command or installation missions; (4) advertisements for bingo games or lotteries conducted by a commercial organization whose primary business is conducting lotteries; (5) (other restrictions deemed appropriate by the Service/command, if any.)'' Additionally, the contract will contain provisions which: (1) specify the annual average advertising-to-editorial ratio for newspapers and magazines; (2) state that the commander's representative shall have the authority to specify newspaper advertising layout when required to enhance communication's effectiveness of the publication; and (3) which requires the contractor to notify advertisers of the requirements in Sec. 247.4(i) and Sec. 247.4(j). d. A provision substantially as follows: ``The contractor agrees not to enter into any exclusive advertising agreement with any firm, broker, or individual for the purpose of selling advertising associated with this contract.'' e. A description of the CE contractor's responsibilities for distribution of the publication. This provision should address such matters as contractor furnishing of news racks along with contractor responsibility for maintenance of these racks. f. A description of contractor-owned and/or contractor-furnished equipment such as text editing, copy terminals, and modems determined to be required to coordinate layout and ensure that the preparation of editorial [[Page 573]] material is performed in such a way as to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the publication process. g. A description of contractor-furnished editorial support services determined to be required. Such description must be in terms of the end product required; e.g., photography service and/or writer/reporter services, and not as a requirement to make available certain contractor personnel. In day-to-day performance and administration of the CE contract, contractor personnel performing such support services shall not be treated in any way as though they are Government employees. h. A provision that the use, where economically feasible, of recycled paper for internal products will be a consideration for awarding the contract, as stated in Sec. 247.6 (e). i. SOW's and RFP's for CE newspapers shall specify standard newsprint, recyclable, subject to requirements of applicable laws and regulations. j. For CE magazines, a provision requiring the contractor to provide a bulk number of copies of each printing to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for distribution to Federal Depository Libraries. The number of copies to be provided will be determined on the number of libraries desiring to subscribe to the publication. The number could be a maximum of 1,400, but has historically averaged approximately 500 to 600 copies for military magazines. The contractor would be required to contact GPO to initiate this procedure at (202) 512-1071. 4. Contract provisions. The CE concept is based on an exception to the Government Printing and Binding Regulations \4\ published by the Congressional Joint Committee on Printing. While CE contracts are not subject to the FAR (48 CFR chapter I) or the DFARS (48 CFR chapter II), the FAR contains many clauses that are useful in protecting the interests of the Government. The following clauses may be helpful in obtaining the best possible CE publication: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \4\ Copies may be obtained, at cost, from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- a. Status of FAR clause. To clarify the status of FAR clauses appearing in CE contracts, the following clause shall be included in all new CE contracts: ``The (name of DoD installation/unit/organization) is an element of the United States Government. This agreement is a United States Government contract authorized under the provisions of DoD Instruction 5120.4 \5\ as an exception to the Government Printing and Binding Regulations published by the Congressional Joint Committee on Printing. Although this contract is not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) or the Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS), FAR clauses useful in protecting the interests of the Government and implementing those provisions required by law are included in this contract.'' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ See footnote 1 to section G.3. of this appendix. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- b. Option clause. Insert a clause substantially the same as the following to extend the term of the CE publisher contract: (1) ``The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the contractor within [insert in the clause the period of time in which the contracting officer has to exercise the option]; provided that the Government shall give the contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to exercise the option at least 60 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the government to exercise the option.'' In the case of base closure or realignment the publisher has the right to request a renegotiation of the contract. (2) ``If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option provision.'' (3) ``The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 6 years.'' c. Default clause. Insert the following clause in solicitations and contracts: (1) ``The Government may, by written notice of default to the contractor, terminate this contract in whole or in part if the contractor fails to: (a) Deliver the CE publications in the quantities required or to perform the services within the time specified in this contract or any extension; (b) Make progress, so as to endanger performance of this contract; (c) Perform any of the other provisions of this contract.'' (2) ``If the Government terminates this contract in whole or in part, it may acquire, under the terms and in the manner the contracting officer considers appropriate, supplies or services similar to those terminated. However, the contractor shall continue the work not terminated.'' (3) ``The rights and remedies of the Government in this clause are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under this contract.'' d. Termination for convenience of the Government. Insert the following clause in solicitations and contracts: ``The contracting officer, by written notice, may terminate this contract, in whole or in part if the services contracted for are no longer required by the Government, or when it is in the Government's interest, such as with installation closures. Any such termination shall be at no cost to the Government.'' The Government will use its best efforts to mitigate financial hardship on the publisher. [[Page 574]] 5. Term of contract. CE contracts may be entered into for an initial period of up to 2 years, and may contain options to extend the contract for one or more additional periods of 1 or 2 years duration. The total period of the contract, including options, shall not exceed 6 years, after which the contract must be recompeted. 6. Exercise of options. Under normal circumstances, when the contractor is performing satisfactorily, options for additional periods of performance should be exercised. However, the exercise of the option is the exclusive right of the Government. 7. Modification of the contract. Any changes to the SOW or other terms and conditions of the contract shall be made by written contract modification signed by both parties. 8. SSAC. The commander shall appoint an SSAC. The committee shall participate in the development of the Source Selection Plan (SSP) before the solicitation of proposals, evaluate proposals, and recommend a source to the selecting official. Since cost is not a factor in the evaluation, award will be based on technical proposals, the offeror's experience and/or qualifications, and past performance. a. The SSAC shall consist of a minimum of five voting members: a chairperson, who shall be a senior member of the command; senior representatives from public affairs and printing; and a minimum of two other functional specialists with skills relevant to the selection process. Each SSAC shall have non-voting legal and contracting advisors to assist in the selection process. b. In arriving at its recommendations, the SSAC shall follow the SSP and avail itself of all relevant information, including the proposals submitted, independently derived data regarding offerors' performance records, the results of on-site surveys of offerors' facilities, where feasible, and in appropriate cases, personal presentations by offerors. c. The work of the SSAC must be coordinated with the contracting officer to ensure that the process is objective and fair. All communications between the offerors and the Government shall be through the contracting officer. No member of the SSAC or the selecting official shall communicate directly with any offeror regarding the source selection. d. In cases where a losing competitor requests a debriefing from the contracting officer, members of the SSAC may be called upon to participate so as to give the losing competitor the most thorough explanation practical as to why its proposal was not successful. No information regarding competitors' proposals shall be discussed with the unsuccessful offerors during debriefings, discussions, or negotiations. 9. SSP. A SSP (see sample SSP at attachment 1 to this appendix) must be developed early in the planning process to serve as a guide for the personnel involved and ensure a fair and objective process and a successful outcome. The contracting officer is primarily responsible for development of the SSP, in coordination with the PAO and other members of the SSAC. Ideally, the SSP should be completed and approved prior to issuance of the solicitation; it must be completed and approved before the receipt of proposals. 10. Evaluation criteria and proposal requirements. The solicitation must specify, in relative order of importance, the factors the Government will consider in selecting the most advantageous proposal. In addition, the solicitation must specify the types of information the proposal must contain to be properly evaluated. These two aspects of the solicitation must closely parallel one another. The contracting officer is primarily responsible for development of these two solicitation provisions, in coordination with the PAO, legal counsel, and members of the SSAC. a. Evaluation criteria for award. Drawing upon the SSP, this feature of the solicitation must advise offerors what factors the Government will consider in evaluating proposals and the relative importance of each factor. The sample SSP (attachment 1 to this appendix) provides an example of criteria that might be used. Note that under the ``Services and/or Items Offered'' factor, paragraph E.2.b. of attachment 1 to this appendix, it is necessary to list and indicate the relative importance of services and/or items above the minimum requirements of the SOW that the command would consider desirable and that, if offered, will enhance the offeror's evaluation standing. The offer of services and/or items not listed in the evaluation criteria shall not be considered in the evaluation of proposals, but may be accepted in the contract award if deemed valuable to the Government, PROVIDED the service and/or item involved is directly related to producing the publication and not in violation of any other statute or regulation. Examples of items that cannot be considered during the evaluation process are; press kits, laminated maps, economic development reports, or other separate publications not an integral part of the CE publication. b. Proposal requirements. This provision of the solicitation must describe the specific and general types of information necessary to be submitted as part of the proposal to be evaluated. Offerors shall be notified that unnecessarily elaborate proposals are not desired. Attachment 1 to Appendix B to Part 247--SSP A. Introduction 1. The objectives of this plan are: [[Page 575]] a. To ensure an impartial, equitable, and thorough evaluation of all offerors' proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria presented in the request for proposals (RFP). b. To ensure that the contracting officer is provided technical evaluation findings of the SSAC in such a manner that selection of the offer most advantageous to the Government is ensured. c. To document clearly and thoroughly all aspects of the evaluation and decision process to provide effective debriefings to unsuccessful offerors, to respond to legal challenges to the selection, and to ensure adherence to evaluation criteria. 2. This plan will be used to select a CE contractor for publication of the -------------------- newspaper (CE guide, magazine, or installation map) and will: a. Give each SSAC member a clear understanding of his or her responsibilities as well as a complete overview of the evaluation process. b. Establish a well-balanced evaluation structure, equitable and uniform scoring procedures, and a thorough and accurate appraisal of all considerations pertinent to the negotiated contracting process. c. Provide the selecting official with meaningful findings that are clearly presented and founded on the collective, independent judgment of technical and managerial experts. d. Ensure identification and selection of a contractor whose final proposal offers optimum satisfaction of the Government's technical and managerial requirements as expressed in the RFP. e. Serve as part of the official record for the evaluation process. B. Organization and Staffing 1. The SSAC will consist of the Chairperson and a minimum of four other voting committee members plus the non-voting advisors to the SSAC. 2. The SSAC committee members are: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name Position ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chairperson Member Member Member Member Legal Advisor \1\ Contract Advisor \1\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ Non-voting members. C. Responsibilities 1. Selecting Official: a. Approves the SSP. b. Reviews the evaluation and findings of the SSAC. c. Considers the SSAC's recommendation of award. d. Selects the successful offeror. 2. Chairperson of the Source Selection Advisory Committee (C/SSAC): a. Reviews the SSP. b. Approves membership of the SSAC. c. Analyzes the evaluation and findings of the SSAC and applies weights to the evaluation results. d. Approves the SSAC report for submission to the selecting official. 3. Contracting Officer: a. Is responsible for the proper and efficient conduct of the entire source selection process encompassing solicitation, evaluation, selection, and contract award. b. Provides SSAC and the selecting official with guidance and instructions to conduct the evaluation and selection process. c. Receives proposals submitted and makes them available to the SSAC, taking necessary precautions to ensure against premature or unauthorized disclosure of source selection information. 4. SSAC members shall: a. Familiarize themselves with the RFP and SSP. b. Provide a fair and impartial review and evaluation of each proposal against the solicitation requirements and evaluation criteria. c. Provide written documentation substantiating their evaluations to include strengths, weaknesses, and any deficiencies of each proposal. 5. Legal advisor: a. Reviews RFP and SSP for form and legality. b. Advises the SSAC members of their duties and responsibilities, regarding procurement integrity issues and confidentiality requirements. c. Participate in SSAC meetings and provide legal advice as required. d. Provides legal review of all documents supporting the selection decision to ensure legal sufficiency and consistency with the evaluation criteria in the RFP and SSP. e. Advises the selecting official on the legality of the selection decision. D. Administrative Instructions 1. Evaluation overview. The advisory committee will operate with maximum flexibility. Collective discussion by evaluators at committee meetings of their evaluation findings is permitted in the interchange of viewpoints regarding strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies noted in the proposals relating to evaluation items. Evaluators will not suggest or disclose numerical scores or other information regarding the relative standing of offerors outside of committee meetings. 2. Evaluation procedure. The evaluation of offers is based on good judgment and a thorough knowledge of the guidelines and criteria applicable to each evaluation factor. a. Numerical scoring is merely reflective of the composite findings of the SSAC. The evaluation scoring system is used as a tool [[Page 576]] to assist the Chairperson of the SSAC in determining the proposal most advantageous to the Government. b. The most important documents supporting the contract award will be the findings, conclusions, and reports of the SSAC. 3. Safeguarding data. The sensitivity of the proceedings and documentation require stringent and special safeguards throughout the evaluation process: a. Inadvertent release of information could be a source of considerable misunderstanding and embarrassment to the Government. It is imperative, therefore, for all members of the SSAC to avoid any unauthorized disclosures of information pertaining to this evaluation. Evaluation participants will observe the following rules: (1) All offeror and evaluation materials will be secured when not in use (i.e., during breaks, lunch, and at the end of the day). (2) All attempted communications by offeror's representatives shall be directed to the contracting officer. No communications between members of the SSAC or the selecting official and offerors regarding the contract award or evaluation is permitted except when called upon under the provisions of paragraph J.8.d, of appendix B to this part. (3) Neither SSAC members or the selecting official shall disclose anything pertaining to the source selection process to any offeror except as authorized by the contracting officer. (4) Neither SSAC members or the selecting official shall discuss the substantive issues of the evaluation with any unauthorized individual, even after award of the contract. E. Technical Evaluation Procedures 1. Evaluation process. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria as indicated in Section M of the solicitation: The evaluation worksheet (attachment 2 to this appendix) shall be used to score the technical factors. Using the technical evaluation worksheet, each member of the SSAC will independently review each proposal and assign an appropriate number of points to each factor being considered. Point scores for each factor will range from ``0'' to ``5'' based on the committee member's evaluation of the proposal. Upon completion of individual evaluations, the group will meet in committee with the Chairperson and arrive at a single numeric score for each factor in the proposal. 2. Criteria. An example of applicable evaluation criteria and their relative order of importance are listed below in paragraphs E.2. a. through d. of this appendix. Criteria and weights are provided as an example only. The SSAC must determine its own weighting factors tailored to meet the needs of the particular CE publication and describe the relative weights assigned in the RFP; e.g., ``Evaluation factors are listed in descending order of importance; criteria 1 is twice as important as criteria 2,'' etc. a. Technical and production capability. Scores will range from ``0'' (unacceptable), to ``5'' (exhibits state-of-the-art, award winning, or clearly superior technical ability to produce the required newspaper, magazine, guide, or installation map). Factors to be considered for newspaper contracts include: level of automation; compatibility of automation with existing PAO automation (unless other automation is provided); printing capability; production equipment; physical plant (capabilities); and driving distance to the plant. Similar factors may be considered for magazines, guides and installation maps. b. Services and/or items offered. Scores will range from ``0'' (unacceptable), to ``5'' (the offer of equipment, such as automation equipment; or services, such as editorial or photographic services as set forth in the contract solicitation that will greatly enhance the newspaper and/or its production). Factors to be considered for newspapers include: offer of automation equipment and the quality and amount of equipment offered; the quality and amount of services offered; the usefulness of the services and/or items to the public affairs office in enhancing the newspaper; the impact of the services and/or items on other parts of the contract. Similar factors may be considered for magazines, guides and installation maps. The offer of equipment or services not specifically related to producing the publication will not result in the assignment of a higher score. c. Past performance record. Scores will range from ``0'' (no experience in newspaper, magazine, guide, or installation map publishing and/or unsatisfactory, previous performance), to ``5'' (long-term, highly successful experience publishing similar newspapers, magazines, guides, or installation maps). Factors to be considered include: demonstrated ability to successfully produce a CE or similar publication; demonstrated printing ability (types of printing, history of newspaper, magazine, guide, or installation map printing); demonstrated success in contract performance in a timely and responsive manner; demonstrated capability to sell advertising and successfully recoup publication costs. d. Management approach. Scores will range from ``0'' (approach unacceptable), to ``5'' (proposal demonstrates a sound and innovative approach to interfacing with the PAO and managing the CE publication operation). Factors to be considered include: The offeror's proposed approach to: (1) Interfacing with the PAO staff. (2) Controlling the quality and timeliness of the finished product. (3) Sale of ads of the type that enhance the publication's image in the community and with the readership at large. [[Page 577]] (4) Ensuring that contractor's personnel are properly supervised and managed. 3. Weighting factors. Points will be assigned to the final score of each factor in a proposal as determined by multiplying the score assigned (e.g., ``0,'' ``1,'' ``2,'' ``3,'' ``4,'' or ``5'') by the relative weight of the individual criterion as indicated: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Relative Factor weight Maximum (percent) points ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CRITERION 1......................................... 40 200 CRITERION 2......................................... 30 150 CRITERION 3......................................... 20 100 CRITERION 4......................................... 10 50 ......... 500 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (EXAMPLE ONLY): CRITERION 1: Score 5 (5 x 40), Total Points.................. 200 CRITERION 1: Score 4 (4 x 30), Total Points.................. 120 CRITERION 1: Score 3 (3 x 20), Total Points.................. 60 CRITERION 1: Score 2 (2 x 10), Total Points.................. 20 šššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššš 4. Report of findings and recommendations. After the SSAC has completed final evaluation of proposals and all weighting has been completed, the committee will prepare a written report of its findings and recommendations, setting forth the consensus of the committee and its composite scores (Sample at attachment 3 to this appendix). The Chairperson will sign the report to confirm its accuracy and his agreement with the recommendation. All copies of proposals and evaluation worksheets will be returned to the contracting officer. Attachment 2 to Appendix B to Part 247--Sample Evaluation Worksheet CONTRACTOR______________________________________________________________ EVALUATOR_______________________________________________________________ DATE____________________________________________________________________ EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SCORES (RANGE 0-5 POINTS FOR EACH) 1. Technical and production capability:____________________________________________________________ 2. Services and items offered:_______________________________________________________________ 3. Past performance record:________________________________________________________________ 4. Management approach:______________________________________________________________ NARRATIVE DISCUSSION: \1\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (\1\ Discussions of strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies should reference the specific evaluation factor involved to ensure that proposals are evaluated only against the criterion set forth in the RFP, to facilitate debriefings, and to provide an effective defense to any challenges regarding the legality of the selection process.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strengths_______________________________________________________________ Weaknesses______________________________________________________________ Deficiencies____________________________________________________________ Attachment 3 to Appendix B to Part 247--Sample Memorandum for Selecting Official SUBJECT: Evaluation of Proposals RFP No.________________________________________________________________ 1. All proposals received in response to subject RFP have been evaluated by the Source Selection Advisory Committee (SSAC). The results and comments are listed below. a. Offeror's proposals were rated as follows: Offeror Name Numerical Score b. Summary Narrative Comments. (This section of the report shall be a summary of the individual strengths and weaknesses in each proposal, along with any deficiencies that are susceptible to being cured through written or oral discussions with the offeror, as noted by the SSC evaluators. This summary should be supported by detailed narratives contained on the individual evaluator's worksheets.) 2. Recommendation. ________________________________________________________________________ Chairperson, SSAC