Sources Sought - Services to Assist with the Quarterly Financial Reports for the Company Statistics Division

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 soliciting for capability statements from all interested parties for the work described below. The U. S. Census Bureau is the primary source of 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 Company Statistics Division (CSD) provides for the quarterly collection, review and tabulation of financial data necessary for the production and publication of the Quarterly Financial Report (QFR). The QFR is a principal economic indictor that provides financial statistics essential to calculations of key U.S. Government measures of national economic performance. The main purpose of the QFR is to provide timely, accurate data on business financial conditions for use by Government and private-sector organizations and individuals. Other groups who use QFR data include: foreign countries, universities, financial analysts, unions, trade associations, public libraries, banking institutions, and U.S. and foreign corporations. The primary users are U.S. Governmental organizations charged with economic policymaking responsibilities. These organizations play a major role in providing guidance, advice, and support to the QFR Program. The highly complex and specialized nature of the QFR requires a strong accounting and financial background necessary to review, analyze, communicate, compile and tabulate quarterly financial data. The purpose of this contract is to obtain the services of a contractor who will (1) provide expert advice and assistance required by the Company Statistics Division (CSD) for the quarterly collection, review and tabulation of financial data necessary for the production and publication of the Quarterly Financial Report (QFR); and (2) participate as a program expert for cognitive interviews being conducted to expand the QFR program into the services industries. The Contractor shall provide CSD expert accounting advice and assistance to accomplish the publication of the Economic Indicator Press Releases and the Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) publication. These services shall include the following tasks: Provide staff with advice and assistance in the collection of forms QFR 200MT and QFR201 MG forms from surveyed corporations. Review QFR related attachments from surveyed corporations and resolve all material deficiencies in the data to ensure compliance with QFR requirements and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This is accomplished through contact with corporate representatives by phone, mail, or fax. Resolve chronic ($1 Billion in assets and over) delinquent reporters by contact with the corporate representatives, by phone, mail, or fax to increase response rates. Assist and advise the QFR staff during preliminary and final tabulation of QFR data and preparation of data for publication. Document and instruct staff on accounting pronouncements and procedures which affect QFR rules of consolidation, and use these procedures to train government personnel. Provide expert advice and assistance for cognitive interviews conducted for the proposed expansion into the services industries. The majority of services shall be performed at the Headquarters, U.S. Census Bureau, Suitland Federal Center, Suitland, Maryland. Some limited travel may be required. The period of performance shall be from date of award through September 30, 2009 plus 3 one year option periods. 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 4, 2008. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. For questions concerning this procurement, please contact Kristee M. Camilletti, Contract Specialist, at +1 (555) 000-0000.