Periodical Subscription Management Services

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides clarifications and answers to vendor questions regarding the solicitation for subscriptions.

• Billing and Shipping Addresses: The provided addresses are for the Program Office (Shipping) and USCIS Invoice Consolidation (Mailing). Electronic invoice submission is preferred to USCISInvoice.Consolidation@ice.dhs.gov.
• Taylor & Francis Tokens: USCIS requires 100 tokens per year. This is not a duplicate order; a renewal is expected in October 2026.
• LA Times / Los Angeles Times: USCIS requires access to the daily, online edition published 365 days a year. The previous mention of 26 issues appears to be a typo.
• Ha’aretz: USCIS requires the English edition.
• Reuters: USCIS requires access to Reuters.com online edition, published 365 days a year.
• Diplomat: USCIS requires access to "Diplomat All Access – Online," published by Diplomat in Arlington, VA.
• Subscription Access Quantity: For subscription access, USCIS prefers group rates based on Column E of the title list. If a group rate is unavailable, 10 individual subscriptions are required. For titles with '1' in Column E, pricing is for one user.
• JSTOR-JPASS: USCIS has extended their institutional subscription for JSTOR and AL-Monitor. Pricing should be for the start date of 2027.
• Wall Street Journal - Online: USCIS will use the @uscis.dhs.gov email domain. Bidders should proceed as if it is a new order, as previous subscription details may not apply.
• Financial Times: USCIS has instructed the Financial Times to work with any vendor contacting them regarding the solicitation. The order will be a new subscription.
• Tax Exemption: USCIS is a federal entity and is exempt from taxes per the U.S. Constitution. A W-9 form can be provided to prove USCIS's federal status.

The bid submission deadline has been extended to February 5, 2025, at 2:00 PM.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a schedule of requested online periodicals for the USCIS Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations. It outlines the specific subscriptions required, the quantity of access needed, and the period of performance.

• Requesting Office: USCIS Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations.
• Period of Performance: 12 MONTHS.
• Work Tasks: The vendor is to obtain licenses for the listed subscriptions and provide access for USCIS personnel. Access information must be provided within 7 days of subscription activation.
• Subscription Details: A list of periodicals including title, medium (ONLINE), issues per year, quantity of personnel access required, and access start/end dates.
• Special Note: In the absence of group subscriptions, 10 individual subscriptions are requested.

This document is crucial for bidders to understand the specific information resources the government requires. It details the exact periodicals, the number of users needing access for each, and the timeframe for providing this access. Bidders must use this schedule to accurately price the subscription licenses and plan for fulfilling the access requirements within the specified timelines.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for Subscription Management Services. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Contracting (OCON), on behalf of the Research Management Branch (RMB), is seeking a vendor to provide online availability to a variety of publications and journals.

• Provision of online availability to a variety of publications and journals.

• Specific work requirements are detailed in the "Subscriptions Schedule" attachment.

• Contract Type: Firm-Fixed Price.

• Period of Performance: January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

• Delivery Date: December 31, 2026.

• The solicitation includes Parts I, II, III, and IV, covering the solicitation itself, contract clauses, attachments, and provisions/instructions/evaluation.

• The offer due date is December 19, 2025, at 1700 ET.

• The acquisition is set aside for Small Business.

• NAICS Code: 513120 (Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals).

• Size Standard: $1,000.

• The solicitation number is 70SBUR26Q00000029.

• Contact for solicitation information: Andre Stewart at 802-288-7987.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Request for Quote (RFQ) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Refugee, Asylum, International Operations, Research Division (RAIO), Resource Management Branch (RMB), is for Research Subscription Services. The government intends to award a Firm-Fixed Price Task Order.

• Provision of periodical subscription services.

• Ability to provide uninterrupted access to required periodicals and publications.

• Access methods (e.g., online, digital platforms, user authentication).

• Customer service and technical support.

• Transition and continuity of service.

• Timely delivery and access consistent with Government mission needs.

• Contract Type: Firm-Fixed Price Task Order.

• Period of Performance: One (1) base year period, projected from 04/01/2026 through 03/31/2027.

• NAICS Code: 513120 (Periodical Publishers).

• Submission Deadline: Quotes are due by 14:00 pm ET on January 22, 2026.

• Submission Method: Electronic submission via email to the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contract Specialist (CS).

• Quote Validity: Minimum of 60 days from the deadline.

• Evaluation Factors: Offers will be evaluated on a trade-off basis considering Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price. Technical Approach and Past Performance combined are significantly more important than Price.

• Award Intent: The government intends to make an award without negotiations, so initial offers should be the best terms.

• Not specified in the provided text.

• Attachment 1: Schedule-2026 Subscriptions.

• Key FAR clauses incorporated by reference include 52.212-4 (Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services) with a deviation, and 52.212-1 (Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items) with a deviation.

• Key HSAR clauses incorporated include 3052.212-70 (Contract Terms and Conditions Applicable to DHS Acquisition of Commercial Items).

• Specific instructions for invoicing and electronic file submissions are provided.

• Points of Contact for questions: Andre Stuart (Contract Specialist) and Alexis James (Contracting Officer).

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a schedule detailing the online periodicals requested by the USCIS Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations for a 12-month period of performance. It outlines the specific subscriptions required, the quantity of personnel needing access, and the desired access start and end dates.

• Work Tasks: The vendor is responsible for obtaining licenses for the listed subscriptions and providing access to USCIS personnel. Access information must be provided within 7 days of subscription activation.
• Subscription Details: A list of periodicals including title, medium (ONLINE), issues per year, and the quantity of personnel requiring access. Some subscriptions are noted as 'New Subscription'.
• Quantity: For most subscriptions, a specific number of personnel access is listed. For 'Brill Foreign Law Guide', 'unlimited' access is requested. In cases of no group subscriptions, 10 individual subscriptions are preferred.
• Access Dates: Specific start and end dates for access are to be provided.

This schedule is crucial for bidders as it defines a key deliverable: the provision of specific online periodical subscriptions. Bidders must understand the scope of these subscriptions, the number of users, and the required access timelines to accurately price and plan for fulfilling this requirement. It highlights the need to procure and manage these subscriptions effectively post-award.