This is a written Request for Quotation (RFQ) No.CON-02-0003 pursuant to procurement of the required services described below using the Simplified Acquisition Procedures specified in Part 13 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Price quotations submitted in response to this RFQ that exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (as specified in FAR Subpart 2.101, Definitions) will not be considered as responsive to this RFQ. The Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau (BBG/IBB) has a requirement for a contractor to obtain qualitative information on media habits and evaluations of Radio Mart? broadcasts by its regular or occasional listeners among Cubans traveling to the United States of America. Scope of Work: The contractor shall obtain the qualitative information through focus groups with recently-arrived Cuban travelers in the Greater Miami area, identifying and recruiting participants, arranging transportation to the contractor's focus group facility, professional moderation and analytical reporting of the results. This qualitative research will provide BBG, IBB and Radio Mart? management with: (a) audience reaction to and suggestions for improving Radio Mart? programs; and (b) in-depth analysis of attitudes toward foreign and domestic media, sources of news and information, and Radio Mart? programs. 1. General Specifications. The contractor shall conduct a total of four focus group sessions, each with 8-10 participants and lasting approximately 2 hours. Each group shall include roughly equal numbers of women and men, and at least two participants in each group shall be from each of the following age ranges: 18-29, 30-39, and 40 and older (if possible three participants each from the 18-29 and 30-39 groups). All participants must be Cuban citizens with at least complete secondary education, and none shall have left Cuba more than 3 months prior to participation in a focus group (as many as possible of the participants should have arrived in the U.S. within the previous two months). The contractor shall screen to minimize participation of recent political prisoners or others with outspoken political views whose involvement might bias group discussions. As many of the groups as possible shall be composed of recently-arrived travelers who listened regularly (weekly) to Radio Mart? programs prior to leaving the island. If it is not possible to recruit sufficient travelers who were recent regular listeners, regular radio listeners who have listened to Radio Mart? programs in the last 12 months (occasional listeners) may be recruited as necessary. Separate groups shall be held with regular and occasional listeners (if sufficient numbers of regular listeners can be recruited). The same moderator shall conduct all groups. Participants will be given a self-completion questionnaire during sessions, and they will listen to brief in-session stimulus tapes of 20 to 30 minutes total duration. The tapes will be supplied to the contractor by the IBB prior to the focus group sessions. 2. Discussion Guide. IBB will provide the contractor with a draft discussion guide, in Spanish, which will specify questions of basic interest and suggested sequencing. These issues shall include: daily lifestyle and media habits in Cuba, evaluation of the production style, presentation quality, and content of specific Radio Mart? programs, discussion of topic areas of interest to radio listeners, reasons for listening (and not listening) to Radio Mart? programs, and participant suggestions of possible strategies for improving Radio Mart? programs. The contractor shall review and suggest revisions for final approval by IBB's Office of Research (P/NR). 3. Identification and Recruitment of Participants. The contractor will identify arriving Cuban travelers who meet recruitment criteria through direct contacts at Miami International Airport and/or other points of entry, or through referrals from publ

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