NASA GSFC Solicitation: NASA Inspire Magazine: A Mass Media Solution Designed to Reach and Inspire The Next Generation of Space Explorers

Synopsis – Sep 11, 2007

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNG07Z21041L
Posted Date: Sep 11, 2007
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Sep 11, 2007
Original Response Date: Oct 11, 2007
Current Response Date: Oct 11, 2007
Classification Code: 76 — Books, maps and other publications
NAICS Code: 511120 – Periodical Publishers

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 210.M, Greenbelt, MD 20771

Description

This notice is issued by the NASA/GSFC to post an RFI via the internet, soliciting interest from potential parties interested in providing a national children’s outreach publication named NASA’s INSPIRE magazine. NASA’s INSPIRE magazine will be a mass media solution designed to reach and inspire the next generation of explorers. This magazine will reach numerous middle students, their teachers and their families in order to fulfill NASA’s future efforts of having the manpower to fulfill our mission to go back to the moon and onto the surface of Mars.

NASA/GSFC is interested in finding a potential party to create, publish, and market a national news publication for children based on the scientific discoveries and achievements of NASA missions and technology development. The proposed publication will convey the diverse portfolio of opportunities NASA is engaged in by targeting America’s students within grade levels 5-8, at no cost to its readership.

The proposed NASA INSPIRE magazine shall meet specific publication, format, delivery and partnering requirements as specified below: Publication Requirements

• 24 pages
• Full color
• National coverage to include Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico
• Age appropriate articles (Middle School)
• Informative articles about past, present and future Space Science, Earth Science, Aerospace Technology, Space Flight, and new Technologies
• Articles spotlighting NASA employees to illustrate our diverse workforce and various opportunities for careers at NASA
• NASA Fun Facts, games, puzzles, spacecraft models, contests
• Teacher’s Guide to using the magazine in the classroom
• Monthly classroom poster (i.e. Hubble, TRACE, MODIS, Shuttle)
• “What’s NEW this month?” (i.e. Launch schedule, exhibit opening, Astronomical events)
• Internet site references to motivate the readers to explore further for more information Format Requirements
• Must meet NASA Style Guide for Graphics Standards (reference: http://communications.nasa.gov/portal/site/osc/menuitem.b66436148b6772c99c60bf1036793ea0/ )
• Must be NPR 1450.10D compliant (reference: http://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayDir.cfm?t=NPR&c=1450&s=10D )
• Must be comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (reference: http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=12 )
• Must use a page layout program and be in Native Format

Delivery Requirements

Currently, the Agency is exploring two options for coverage of the printing and distribution of INSPIRE magazine:

• The first option would entail NASA identifying and allocating federal funding for printing and distribution by the Government Printing Office; NASA would assign federal personnel to oversee those steps. At present, however, there is no federal funding for INSPIRE magazine.
• The second option, and default alternative, is that the publisher would also be responsible for all aspects of the printing and distribution of INSPIRE magazine. Perhaps assisted by perspective corporate sponsors.

Partnering Requirements

• The selected publisher will create the publication for national distribution to their current subscribers’ middle schools. Along with the publication, the publisher will include Teacher’s Guides sent to classrooms. The Teacher’s Guide will include the National Standard’s covered in the issue, discussion points, and the answers to the quizzes in the issue.
• The publisher will provide the experienced journalism, design, and advertising staff that have previously written and marketed grade and reading level appropriate publications for students from Pre-K through 12. Articles for this effort would be created in partnership with NASA scientists and the Project Manager in order to develop stories about Science, Aerospace Research, Space Operations, and Exploration Systems. NASA will provide information, data, photos and time to interview scientists to complete the information contained in every issue published.

NASA will not be providing funding for this proposed effort, therefore the selected publisher may want to solicit corporate sponsorship in order to fund and market the magazine. Currently the Agency is exploring the availability of identifying funding or a grant for printing and distribution, but none is available at this time.

This document is for information and planning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizz Opps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these cites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. This presolicitation synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response. Respondents will not be notified of the results.

Prospective offerors are invited to submit written comments or questions by electronic submission to Justin DeWitt, Contract Specialist, Code 210.4, at the following address: Justin.C.Dewitt@nasa.gov. Questions regarding technical information may be addressed to Maureen Madden, Project Manager, at 301-286-8231, Maureen.P.Madden@nasa.gov, no later than October 11, 2007. When responding reference NNG07Z21041L.

An ombudsman has been appointed — See NASA Specific Note “B”.

The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/GSFC Business Opportunities home page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=51 It is the offeror’s responsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.

Point of Contact

Name: Justin C. DeWitt
Title: Contract Specialist
Phone: 301-286-6303
Fax: 301-286-6299
Email: Justin.C.DeWitt@nasa.gov