A -- Data and Development Services

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for the commercial items listed below and prepared in accordance with the Simplified Acquisition Procures, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation number, DOL072J10045 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) and incorporates provisions and clauses that are incorporated through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-18. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541511.The Department of Labor?s Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index (PPI) is seeking a contractor to provide data and services to aid in constructing an output price index for new warehouse construction in the United States. The data will be used to determine high level specifications for the models and as a frame source for survey respondents. Services will include the development of four detailed regional warehouse models. The contract length will be two years. If your company is interested in this requirement, contact Vanessa Reynolds for a Statement of Work at reynolds.vanessa@bls.gov. Please submit a technical and cost proposal no later than August 23, 2007, at 3:00PM ET . Questions should be submitted to the same email address and must be received no later than August 9, 2007 at 3:00PM ET. The Technical Proposal should not exceed 40 pages, plus resumes and attachments. All responses will be evaluated in accordance with the stated evaluation criteria. The BLS will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsive/responsible offeror whose offer to this solicitation is the most advantageous to the Government. The anticipated award date is September 14, 2007. All responsible sources may submit a quotation, which will be evaluated by BLS. Technical Proposals must contain the following information: 1. Name of: (a) project leader (b) person(s) directly responsible for model development, (c) person(s) responsible for completing quarterly cost updates, and (d) person(s) directly responsible for answering questions. 2. A description of the source data to be used to satisfy deliverable 1 as shown in the Statement of Work. The description should include where and how the information is collected, the frequency of collection, and the scope. The description should also state how the data are verified. 3. The number of records that would be provided to BLS to satisfy deliverable 1. 4. A complete listing of the individual fields (which make up a single record) that the offeror is able to provide information for to satisfy deliverable 1. 5. An example of 20 project records in the vendor?s database that would be used to satisfy deliverable 1. This should be provided in a Microsoft Excel format with each row being a single project record. 6. A list of any additional fields not specifically requested by BLS for deliverable 1 but which the offeror believes might be important to include in each project record. 7. A description of the proposed methodology to be used by the offeror to select specific assemblies/components not imposed by BLS for inclusion and which represent current ?typical? construction practices. 8. A description of the origin and scope of all primary and secondary source data that will be used to satisfy deliverable number 5 (cost updates) as stated in the Statement of Work. Primary data sources are those directly surveyed by the vendor. Secondary data sources are those surveyed by anyone other than the vendor. If no secondary sources of data are used please state that explicitly. Information must include: the total number of discrete materials for which costs are directly collected in the vendor?s cost surveys, the number of survey respondents participating in the vendor?s survey, the frequency of survey respondent contacts, and the average number of survey respondents per state. The description should also state how the data are verified, validated, and, if applicable, modified. 9. A description of how data in the offeror?s cost surveys are gathered and verified. 10. A description of the proposed methodology to update the model costs on a quarterly basis. The proposal should explain in detail how the update process would occur and describe the basis for updating the costs. If both primary and secondary source data are to be utilized explain any differences between how each is used. If there is no difference then state that explicitly. The description must explain how the costs will be regionalized. 11. A description of how the percentage changes between cost updates for individual assemblies and the building as a whole are expected to compare against secondary sources of price movement for the same time period. For example, a description might state, ?The percentage change from one cost update to the next for each assembly is expected to very similar to the movement seen in secondary source data.? Another example might be, ?The percentage change from one cost update to the next will exhibit a lag when compared to secondary sources due to the cost data from our survey respondents being reported on a 2-month lag.? 12. Since the cost updates are intended to accurately reflect current market material, labor, and equipment price trends for the assemblies and the building as a whole, provide a summary narrative explaining why the proposed cost update methodology is the best method to capture this. Offeror?s must provide three Past Performance references. Please include Contract Number, technical and contracting points-of-contact including phone numbers and email addresses. Past performance references should be similar in nature within the last five years. BLS will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria: ? Scope and completeness of available project data to satisfy deliverable 1. ? Clear and objective methodology for detailing warehouse models. ? Proposed cost update methodology reflects actual cost changes observed in the market place. ? Scope of survey used to gather current cost data. ? Past Performance ? Cost