Closed ATM View - AHQ AHU 1/2009: AusTender

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Closed ATM View - AHQ AHU 1/2009

Specialist Publishing Services for Army History Unit

Deputy Director Corporate Governance and Procurement

Phone: 0488 588 165

Email Address: Helen.kaczmarek@defence.gov.au

ATM ID:

AHQ AHU 1/2009

Agency:

Department of Defence

Category:

55000000 - Published Products

Close Date & Time:

26-Nov-2009 12:00 pm (ACT Local Time)
Show close time for other time zones

Publish Date:

23-Oct-2009

Location:

ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS

ATM Type:

Request for Tender

Description:

The Army History Unit (AHU) requires specialist publishing services for manuscripts selected for publication under the Australian Army Publishing Program (AAPP) as part of the Australian Army History Collection (AAHC). The AHU has, as one of its prime responsibilities, an obligation to support efforts to research and disseminate the history of the Australian Army.

After receipt of a draft manuscript, the AHU requires a manuscript assessment to be undertaken. Once the AHU has decided to proceed with the publication of a manuscript, the author will be asked to consult with a substantive editor to bring the draft manuscript to a state that is ready for the other specialist publishing services.

The specialist publishing services include substantive editing, copy editing, typesetting, indexing, digital imagery, cartography, publishing of manuscripts, and warehousing and distribution. It is expected that a three year contract will allow completion of the current AAPP tasking.

Information for Respondents

Potential respondents must direct any questions regarding the ATM AHQ AHU 1/2009 in writing to the Contact Officer nominated at Clause 1.4 of Part 1 Conditions of Tender of the RFT.

Potential respondents submit questions or requests for clarification on the basis that the Commonwealth may circulate the inquiry and Commonwealth’s answer to all other potential respondents without disclosing the source of the inquiry, or revealing Commercial-in-Confidence Information, or the substance of a proposed RFT response.

The Commonwealth will post responses (if any) to queries regarding the RFT to AusTender. Any modifications or amendments to the RFT documents will also be posted to AusTender.

Potential respondents are encouraged to check AusTender regularly for the addition of any new information. Each respondent must ensure that its RFT response reflects any modifications or amendments to the RFT documents as notified on AusTender.

Addendum 1 Dated 23/10/2009

Query reference 1

Part 2.1

Question: Could you please tell us whether the Depaartment is loking for a Sole Source or a Panel of Companies for each of these categories

Answer: As stated in the Statement of Work clause 2.1 "The Contractor shall underttake the work in one or more of the following phases" Thr evaluation of tenders will determine if one prime contractor is able to undertake all phases or if there will be several contractors.

A Panel of companies will not be established for each of the phases.

Query Referecne 2

Part: Part 2 Conditions of Contract Attachment A Statement of Work

Clause: All

Question: Would preference be for a supplier within the ACT?

Answer: No preference for a geographical location

Query 3

Part Part 1 Conditions of Tender Annex D

Clause All

Question: Can you please explain Annex D - Employer Sponsored Superannuation. No. 5 "Do you already have employer sponsored superannuation of any type for this tender?

All our employees have super funds set up with monthly employer contributions but we don't understand the above wording.

Answer: The Department of Defence needs assurance that future contractors are covered by Superannuation fund and they receive contributions according to current legislation in that matter.

Query 4

Part: Part 2 Conditions of Contraqct Attachment A Statement of Work

Clause: 2.5

Question: How important is it that the publishing company demonstrates "experience in Military History manuscript typesetting", if we can demonstrate that we design and typeset a large number of state and federal government documents that are highly confidential?

Answer: The Commonwealth requires experience in military history typesetting to ensure that the potential tenderer is comfortable with military maps, charts, terminology etc. Having a demonstrated ability in this area is not as critical as it is in say, substantive editing and Indexing, but the Commonwealth would prefer contractors that have worked on this topic, in the same way a legal dictionary/resource book would benefit from having an experienced typesetter involved in that book's design.

However, if a potential contractor can demonstrate a wide variety of experience on similar publications, then they will be considered in the evaluation process for the typesetting services phase.

Query reference 5

Part: Part 1 Conditions of Tender and Annexes

Claus All

Question: I have never prepared a formal tender before. Would it be possible for you to prepare a pro-forma that we/I could complete, to save time at both ends of the process?

Answer:The Conditions of Tender and Annexes clearly state the requirements the tenderer must provide in order to be considered compliance. The tenders will be evaluated in accordance with Paragraph 3.5 Evaluation Criteria and Process. It is the responsibility of the tenderer to seek their own legal and contractual advice if required in the completion of the tender response.

Query reference 6

Part 2 Conditions of Contract Attachment A: Statement of Work

Clause: 2.5 and 2.6

Question: In Part 2, 2.5 Typesetting services, the electronic typeset draft is to be in MS Word for forwarding to the Indexer. This will mean that the whole document will need to be in MS Word. Does the document have to be typeset in Microsoft Word or can it be in QuarkXpress?

Answer: There is no problem with the typesetter using whatever desktop publishing program they feel is appropriate and gives them the quality they (and the Commonwealth) desire for our books. The only time that QuarkXpress files should be sent to an Indexer is when the indexer has QuarkXpress as well. If they do not, then the Commonwealth prefers PDF documents to be used as the standard file type for the typesetter to send to the indexer (and the AHU Publishing coordinator). If, after a period of time, and with approval from the Commonwealth, typesetters and indexers wish to make alternative arrangements between themselves on file types they use between themselves, the Commonwealth will have no issue as long as the work is accurate and the quality does not suffer.

The typesetting should be completed in an appropriate desktop publishing program, not Word as stated. Copies of the typeset work should be sent in PDF format (to preserve the typeset format and structure). This is an error on our part.

Addendum2 Dated 9 November 2009

Reference 1

Part 2 Conditions of Contract Attachment A Statement of Work

Clause 2.3 and 2.4

Question: The RFT differentiates between 'substantive' and 'copy' editing. Is it correct to assume that substantive editing relates to the historical accuracy, referencing and academic conventions used in the draft, and copy editing to the grammar, language style and internal consistency of the draft? I ask because matters of grammar, punctuation, spelling and consistency appear under both services in the Statement of Work, as do referencing and academic conventions (paras 2.3 and 2.4). Answer: The correspondent is correct in that, for the purposes of the SOW, substantive editing means the historical accuracy, structure, referencing and academic conventions of the draft. Copy editing for the purposes of this SOW means looking at the punctuation, grammar, language style and internal consistency of the draft, as well as ensuring the academic conventions have been adhered to.The issues the correspondent raises regarding an apparent duplication of copy editing services in 2.3 (g) and 2.4 (c,d and e) was an attempt to address the fact that some editors, as part of a substantive edit, also conduct a copy edit as a final sweep over the manuscript. In this way, they cover both aspects of the editing process without moving to a second specialist copy editor. The wording may have been clumsily expressed but the intent was to acknowledge that in some cases, one editor will complete both a substantive and copy edit as part of their quote.

Query reference 2

Part 2 Conditions of Contract Attachment A Statement of Work

Clause All

Question: How many Tier 2 books would be published each year through this tender project? Anwser: Anywhere between four and seven Tier 2 titles could be produced per year. This depends on a variety of factors, not the least being the cost per book to bring to publication. As the cost of books vary depending on the amount of work to be put into them, the number of images and maps to be procured, the size of a given book and the final print run agreed upon etc, this figure could be higher or lower.

There are currently 61 approved manuscripts that are ready for typesetting under the contract but they will need to be managed within the current AHU budget and future budget estimates.

Query reference 3

Part 1 Conditions of Tender

Clause 3.5.6

Question: I have been consulting with non Defence APS in the development of my response. Is this in breach of clause 3.5.6? Answer: Clause 3.5.6 emphasises the declaration in Annex A that tenderers must not obtain the improper assistance of any Commonwealth employees. An example of this would be:a. hiring the Commercial manager of a project area that has just put out a tender, forthe purposes of replying to the tender;b. bribery; orc. fraud.

Query reference 4

Part 2 Conditions of Contract and Attachment A Statement of Work

Clause: 4.1 and 2.10 (Attachment A)

Question: In the distribution phase, are royalties to be paid to the author?

Answer: The Background IP (the draft manuscript) is owned by the Commonwealth. Clause 4 Part 2 Conditions of Contact details the IP under the Contract. Clause 4.2.23 states that “The Commonwealth may, on request, grant the Contractor a licence to exercise Foreground IP owned by the Commonwealth.” Query reference 5

Part 2 Conditions of Contract and Attachment A Statement of Work

Clause:All

Question: Is there a standard for a publication detailing quantity, paper quality, B&W or colour photographs, size etc. so that I can provide a quotation as a comparison between tenders? Answer: No, there are too many different types and styles of AHU publications. It would be in the interests of the tender to provide details of their pricing for a publication and any options they would consider necessary.

Query reference 6

Part 2 Conditions of Contract Attachment A: Statement of Work

Clause All

Question: Who currently designs the dust jackets for AHU publications?

Answer: The Defence Publishing Service has designed some covers in the past (and may do so in the future). However, this is a task that the commonwealth would seek to co-ordinate with the successful contractor. Query reference 7

Part 2 Conditions of Contract and Attachment A: Statement of Work

Clause All

Question: Does the Army logo have to appear on the front and spine of the publication dust cover?

Answer: Yes. The publication is a Commonwealth asset funded by public monies.

Query reference 8

Part 1 Conditions of Tender and Part 2 Conditions of Contract

Clause: 1.11 (COT) and 8.9 (COC

Question: Does the contractor need to pay for security passes and clearances in regard to this contract? Answer: There is no necessity for the contractor to have access to Defence establishments or obtain Defence security clearances in the performance of this contract. If the contractor is required to attend meetings at a Defence establishment, then a visitor’s pass will be obtained by a Defence representative in accordance with Defence policy.Query reference 9

Part 1 Conditions of Tender and Part 2 Conditions of Contract

Clause: 1.6.1 and 1.6.2 (COT); 8.8 and Annex C (COC)Question: Will the Commonwealth be accepting joint tenders or part tenders? I was considering teaming up with another company to provide the services. Are subcontractors acceptable?

Answer:A joint tender is one in which two or more companies tender as one, and combine their response to the RFT. A part tender is one which addresses only a part of the requirements of the RFT.

The Commonwealth prefers to enter into a contract with a single entity for the entire requirement as this ensures that one entity is legally responsible for the successful delivery of the requirement. Reflecting this preference, clauses 1.6.1 and 1.6.2 notify tenderers that the Commonwealth will not consider either part or joint tenders.

Subcontractors are acceptable to the Commonwealth as the prime contractor is the legal entity. Clause 8.8 informs the Contractor of the Commonwealth's requirements when Subcontractors are involved in the provision of the Services. The Contractor retains full responsibility for the work performed under the Contract regardless of whether it Subcontracts out that work. Under clause 4.1 of Annex C, tenderers must provide details of any subcontractors they propose to use in providing the Services where the value of the work exceeds $2,000

Query reference 10