B -- Production of SSPTW

The Social Security Administration (SSA) intends to negotiate on a sole-source acquisition with the International Social Security Association (ISSA) of Geneva, Switzerland with the intention of awarding a contract for the services described in this announcement. SSA has a need for research and dissemination of information on international social security programs. Experience and developments in social security programs maintained by other nations are analyzed by SSA and related to SSA program and policy deliberations. Executives within SSA use this information, as do other executive agencies, the Congress, researchers and the public. This activity generates the standard reference document, Social Security Programs Throughout the World (SSPTW). SSPTW is an internationally respected publication which has been produced by the Social Security Administration since 1937. A continuous flow of accurate and reliable data on international programs is critical to this program effort. This requirement calls for the contractor to collect information on social security programs in approximately 172 countries, analyze the data, and produce four separate volumes of SSPTW. This requirement also calls for the contractor to update the CD-ROM databases that include providing searchable, linkable electronic versions of available social security laws; information on recent developments in social security; and the full text of SSPTW. The contractor will be required to obtain and provide translations and any other support services necessary to the successful conduct and completion of the project. The CD-ROM will be available in four languages: English, French, Spanish and German. The ISSA possesses unique qualifications and capabilities in the social security field to meet the project requirements and successfully carry out its objectives. For the past 2 decades the ISSA has collected information on social security developments and trends worldwide. The ISSA has proprietary control of the information it collects for both SSPTW and the CD-ROM (data in the CD-ROM's legislative database, NATLEX, is provided by special agreement with International Labor Office.) The ISSA regularly produces a number of social security publications on related topics. The ISSA specializes in social security and has unique and long-established contacts. The ISSA's affiliate members in 139 countries, as well as associate members in 40 countries with whom it has established working relationships, support the Association's aims: the protection, promotion, and development of social security throughout the world. In addition, the ISSA has contacts with about 47 non-member countries for the purpose of obtaining social security program information. Furthermore, the ISSA, which had been in operation since 1927, provides a symposium for the international exchange of information in all areas of social security as broadly defined. The ISSA is a nonpolitical international organization. U.S. agency conduct of this project would preclude access to otherwise obtainable information from certain countries. The ISSA has the capability and support services such as expert staff, physical facilities and translation capabilities, as well as social security contacts mentioned above, to ensure the systematic and consistent flow of materials required to effectively conduct this project. The proposed contract is a fixed-priced term contract, with options for additional services. Any organization that believes that it has the capability to perform this work may submit a statement of such capability. This is not a request for proposal. The cost for the preparation and submission of proposals will not be reimbursed by the Government. The size limitation for email attachments is five megabytes per individual email message. Responses to this notice should be submitted by June 8, 2005, 3:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. Respondents will not be notified of the results of an evaluation of the information received.