This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. It is neither a solicitation announcement nor a request for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Responses to this sources sought notice must be in writing. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential businesses interested and capable of providing the services described below.

The U.S. Government desires to procure the creation of a fictional book, with an accompanying video, designed to make the complex or abstract concepts of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) and Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) more relatable and digestible, by placing the characters in a modern / future conflict incorporating MDO through multiple aspects of LSCO, including impacts from sea, air, land, space, cyberspace, and electronic warfare on a small business set-aside basis, provided 2 or more qualified small businesses respond to this sources sought synopsis with information sufficient to support a set-aside. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. We encourage all small business concerns, in all socioeconomic categories (including, 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantage Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Women-Owned Small Business concerns), to identify their capabilities in meeting the requirement at a fair market price.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought notice. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ or IFB or RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Government wide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Government wide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The anticipated NAICS code(s) is/are: 541810 - Advertising Agencies; the size standard associated with this NAICS code is $25.5M.

Attached are the SF1449 along with the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

See PWS for specifics.

In response to this sources sought, please provide:

1. Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code. Does the company have a GSA Schedule contract? If so provide the GSA Schedule contract number.

2. Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or not. Identify subcontracting, joint ventures or teaming arrangement that will be pursued, if any.

3. Identify what percentage of work will be performed by the small business prime contractor and all similarly situated entity subcontractors. Note: In accordance with FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (DEVIATION 2020-O0008) “Similarly situated entity” means a first-tier subcontractor, including an independent contractor, that has the same small business program status as that which qualified the prime contractor for the award and that is considered small for the NAICS code the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract the subcontractor will perform. An example of a similarly situated entity is a first-tier subcontractor that is a HUBZone small business concern for a HUBZone set-aside.

4. Identify type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) of the proposed subcontractors.

5. Information in sufficient detail regarding previous experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, timeframe, government or commercial), pertinent certifications, etc., that will facilitate making a capability determination.

6. Identify how the Army can best structure these contract requirements to facilitate competition by and among small business concerns.

7. Recommendations to improve the approach/specifications/draft PWS/PRS to acquiring the identified items/services.

8. Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition. Please contact the MICC Advocate for Competition, Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes.civ@mail.mil or 210-466-2269 , if you believe that this action is unreasonably restricting competition. Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from the FedBizOpps notice. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.

Questions regarding this Sources Sought announcement shall be submitted NLT 1300 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 19 April 2024. After this deadline, questions will not be considered regarding this announcement.