Sources Sought - Services to Assist with the Annual Survey of Federal Government Finances

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. A SOLICITATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. The U. S. Census Bureau is the primary source of basic statistics about the population and economy of the Nation. These statistics assist the Congress, the executive branch of the Federal Government, state and local governments, the general public, and the private sector in the development and evaluation of social and economic activities. Our major programs are the periodic censuses, current surveys, and a wide range of reimbursable work for other agencies. The programs cover a broad spectrum of demographic and economic statistics. The Governments Division (GOVS) provides for the collection, review, tabulation, and dissemination of financial statistics on nearly 90,000 state and local governments in the United States. These data cover government revenues by type, expenditures by character and function, indebtedness, and cash and securities holdings. These financial statistics are essential to calculations of key U.S. Government measures of national economic performance, viz., Gross Domestic Product and the Flow of Funds Accounts. Other federal agencies, state and local legislators, researchers, businesses, and individuals also use these data. The purpose of this contract is to obtain the services of a contractor who will provide expert advice and assistance required by the Governments Division (GOVS) to complete the resurrection of the Annual Survey of Federal Government Finances (Federal Comp) and develop statistics for some of the missing years from the time series between 1995 when it was discontinued and 2007 when it was started again. This includes the research, data collection, compilation, classification, data review, and written analysis of financial data for the federal government. By contracting this year we will be able to provide government financial statistics for all levels of government (Federal, state, and local) on a corresponding basis for comparison and analysis and be able to go back into the time series to provide for some of the missing data series. This will complete a previously missing component to our measures of government finances. For Local Government Finances, the work will include completing the research and compilation of financial statements to increase the response rates for the 2007 Census of Governments Finance Phase. For the survey year 2007, OMB granted a one-year exception to the 2005 - 2007 clearance package to allow for a one-time collection of data on Defined Contribution and Healthcare Plans offered by state administered public employee retirement systems. OMB recently granted approval to extend and expand the collection of data from public-employee retirement systems by allowing the continuation of the collection from state administered systems and extending the collection to all locally administered retirement systems with assets in excess of $5 billion. The purpose of this phase of this contract is to obtain the expert experience and service required by Governments Division to update the 2007 Government Finance and Employment Classification Manual to include the statistical classification categories and definitions that are applicable to the additional collection of Defined Contribution and Healthcare Plan data. The Classification Manual was updated in 2006 and every effort is being made to keep it current and complete. The Contractor shall provide the following services: Phase I: Survey of Local Government Finance (September 15, 2008 - October 1, 2009) 1. Code/Classify data from large local governments. 2. Review and research previous coding and provide task manager with written summaries of differences found. Phase II: Survey of Public Employee Retirement Systems 1. Define the statistical classification categories and definitions that are applicable to the collection of Defined Contribution and Healthcare Plan data. 2. Develop new sections of the Government Finance and Employment Classification Manual to cover data reported by Defined Contribution and Healthcare Plans. These sections should follow the format currently used in the Manual. 3. Update all related chapters and appendices of the Classification Manual to include this new material. 4. Provide the Branch Chief with the proposed additions and changes to the Classification Manual and meet with the Classification Manual Review Committee to finalize new sections and corrections. 5. Participate in research related to identifying new systems that offer Defined Contribution Plans and Healthcare Plans. 6. Review a sample of 10% of 2008 and 2009 compilations completed by Retirement Survey staff for accuracy and compliance with Classification Manual for Defined Benefit Section as well as Defined Contribution and Healthcare Sections. 7. Review a sample of 10% 2008 and 2009 of data submitted by respondents for accuracy and compliance with Classification Manual for Defined Benefit Section as well as Defined Contribution and Healthcare Sections. 8. Provide documentation when revisions to prior year data are identified. This documentation shall include variables involved, current value, revised value, source of data, and reason revision is needed. 9. Update material related to Defined Benefit Plan data identified as a result of sample review or research. Phase III: Survey of Federal Government Finance for FY 2008 (Completion April 2009) 1. Develop Dependent Agency List (DAL). 2. Source Research based on DAL to ensure complete coverage. 3. Collect all required sources (including negotiations with OMB and/or BEA for E-Basic files). 4. Create Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS) dataset to determine better detail on Federal payments to other governments versus individuals. 5. Code/compile Federal finances using GOVS classification methodology. 6. Analyze and review data and provide all related documentation to census upon completion of survey. 7. Provide Census with (a) Classified revenue and expenditure data, (b) complete unit reviews/edit notes, (c) technical specification to load coded revenue and expenditure files from MS Access to GOVS GPS E-Basic software, and (d) all documentation regarding every aspect of conducting this survey. 8. Update the Government Finance and Employment Classification Manual as needed. Phase IV: Survey of Federal Government Finance for FY 2005 (Completion August 2009) 1. Develop Dependent Agency List (DAL). 2. Source Research based on DAL to ensure complete coverage. 3. Collect all required sources. 4. Create Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS) dataset to determine better detail on Federal payments to other governments versus individuals. 5. Code/compile Federal finances using GOVS classification methodology. 6. Analyze and review data and provide all related documentation to census upon completion of survey. 7. Provide Census with (a) Classified revenue and expenditure data, (b) complete unit reviews/edit notes, (c) technical specification to load coded revenue and expenditure files from MS Access to GOVS GPS E-Basic software, and (d) all documentation regarding every aspect of conducting this survey. Phase V: Survey of Federal Government Finance for FY 2004 (Completion December 2009) 1. Develop Dependent Agency List (DAL). 2. Source Research based on DAL to ensure complete coverage. 3. Collect all required sources. 4. Create Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS) dataset to determine better detail on Federal payments to other governments versus individuals. 5. Code/compile Federal finances using GOVS classification methodology. 6. Analyze and review data and provide all related documentation to census upon completion of survey. 7. Provide Census with (a) Classified revenue and expenditure data, (b) complete unit reviews/edit notes, (c) technical specification to load coded revenue and expenditure files from MS Access to GOVS GPS E-Basic software, and (d) all documentation regarding every aspect of conducting this survey. Phase VI: Survey of Federal Government Finance for FY 2003 (Completion April 2010) 1. Develop Dependent Agency List (DAL). 2. Source Research based on DAL to ensure complete coverage. 3. Collect all required sources. 4. Create Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS) dataset to determine better detail on Federal payments to other governments versus individuals. 5. Code/compile Federal finances using GOVS classification methodology. 6. Analyze and review data and provide all related documentation to census upon completion of survey. 7. Provide Census with (a) Classified revenue and expenditure data, (b) complete unit reviews/edit notes, (c) technical specification to load coded revenue and expenditure files from MS Access to GOVS GPS E-Basic software, and (d) all documentation regarding every aspect of conducting this survey. Phase VII: Survey of Federal Government Finance for FY 2002 (Completion August 2010) 1. Develop Dependent Agency List (DAL). 2. Source Research based on DAL to ensure complete coverage. 3. Collect all required sources. 4. Create Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS) dataset to determine better detail on Federal payments to other governments versus individuals. 5. Code/compile Federal finances using GOVS classification methodology. 6. Analyze and review data and provide all related documentation to census upon completion of survey. 7. Provide Census with (a) Classified revenue and expenditure data, (b) complete unit reviews/edit notes, (c) technical specification to load coded revenue and expenditure files from MS Access to GOVS GPS E-Basic software, and (d) all documentation regarding every aspect of conducting this survey. Phase VIII: Survey of Federal Government Finance for FY 2009 (Completion July 2010) 1. Develop Dependent Agency List (DAL). 2. Source Research based on DAL to ensure complete coverage. 3. Collect all required sources (including negotiations with OMB and/or BEA for E-Basic files). 4. Create Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS) dataset to determine better detail on Federal payments to other governments versus individuals. 5. Provide Census with all documentation associated with the FY 2009 Survey including the DAL, FAADS dataset, and all other necessary source materials and related information so that Census can code/compile, analyze, review, and disseminate the survey going forward. The place of performance shall be at the U.S. Census Bureau in Suitland, Maryland and at the contractor's site. The period of performance shall be from September 15, 2008 through August 15, 2010. The government anticipates awarding a Time and Materials, Labor-Hour type contract using Part 15 Negotiated Competitive Procurement procedures. Interested parties may submit capability statements that demonstrate its ability to perform all elements of the requirement as described in this notice. Your response must include a description of your past experience on at least three (3) similar projects consistent in scope, size and complexity with this requirement which you performed in the past five years. Contact information for references on the described, similar projects shall also be provided. All responses must be submitted to contact@example.gov NO LATER THAN 4:00 p.m. on August 25, 2008. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. For questions concerning this notice, please contact Kristee M. Camilletti, Contract Specialist, at +1 (555) 000-0000.