HBCU Capital Financing Program

The mission of the U. S. Department of Education's (the Department) Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Capital Financing Program (The HBCU CF Program) is to provide access to low-cost capital for HBCUs that historically could not access the capital markets. Through this program, the HBCUs are able to broaden their exposure to capital markets by obtaining loans backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. This approach allows the capital markets to identify and become familiar with HBCU credits, ultimately providing these colleges and universities with direct access to the capital markets without Government insurance. The appointment of the Designated Bonding Authority (DBA) for the HBCU Capital Financing Program has yielded positive results in familiarizing the capital markets with HBCUs. However, the HBCU CF Program's Advisory Board has advised the Department of Education's Secretary (the Secretary) that the HBCUs are in need of technical assistance, to increase the number of creditworthy candidates. Title III, Part D, Section 345 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to award contracts or to make direct grants to provide technical assistance to eligible HBCUs. The proposed contract action is for services for which the Department intends to solicit and negotiate with one on source under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. To provide the above-referenced technical and financial assistance to the HBCUs, The Department intends to award one firm fixed price contract, on a sole source basis, to Rice Securities, LLC. Rice Securities is the current DBA for the HBCU CF Program. In this role, Rice Securities issues the taxable construction bonds for the HBCU CF Program, is responsible for many of the HBCU CF Program's operations (i.e. reviewing loan applications, making lending recommendations to the Department, monitoring loan agreements, and enforcing loan agreements), and is subject to Departmental oversight. The anticipated period of performance will be for one, 12-month base period and four (possible), 12-month option periods. Justification Summary - The HBCU Capital Financing Program, while providing credit enhancements to level the playing field, still requires rigorous financial planning on behalf of the HBCUs. The rigorous financial planning requirements of the HBCU Capital Financing Program are unique to the HBCUs, but parallel to the industry standards. Presently, there is no planning mechanism currently in place that addresses the unique requirements of the HBCUs, while utilizing the expertise developed in this Program to prepare these institutions to access the capital markets. The Department intends to provide the technical assistance required for the HBCU Capital Financing Program by using Rice Securities expertise and institutional knowledge gained from working with the HBCU CF Program as the Department's designated DBA, to provide HBCUs with a template for accessing the Program. Rice Securities shall develop a strategic planning model using software acquired under the previous contract with the Department by means of a partial investment of their own funds. The anticipated strategic planning model is designed to assist HBCUs in making fiscally sound decisions about operation and capital initiatives, and will also be used to assist the Department in its decision making process regarding acceptance of the DBA's loan recommendations. In it's role as the designated DBA, Rice Secuities is the sole external entity approved by the Department, to have access to HBCU loan application information, which provides the necessary safeguards for all proprietary, financial data. Please review the attached Statement of Work titled - Historically Black College & University (HBCU) Capital Financing Program Technical Assistance', for full details on this requirement. EMAIL INQUIRIES ONLY will be accepted in response to this notice. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to meet ED's requirements by submitting a Statement of Capability (SOC). Statements of Capability must be submitted electronically on or before 12 noon (EST), September 1, 2010. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all SOCs received will be considered. A determination by the Contracting Officer not to compete the proposed contract action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Please submit all inquiries or SOC submissions to Jason Wilson at jason.wilson@ed.gov, and copy: veronica.price@ed.gov.