CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNITY ELIGIBILTY PROVISION SCHOOLS

Solicitation Number: AG-3198-S-15-0041 Notice Type: Sources Sought CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNITY ELIGIBILTY PROVISION SCHOOLS This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is for small businesses only. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the interest and feasibility of small business set-asides. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor will the U.S. Government pay for information solicited. The information from this notice will help the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plan their acquisition strategy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) intends to issue a procurement for the subject research study in Fiscal Year 2015 and is seeking statements of capability from potential offerors. Preference will be given to small businesses with experience and staffing to perform the requirement as demonstrated in their capability statement. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. CAPABILITY STATEMENT The Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support (OPS) & Contracts Management Division (CMD), is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, including small business set-asides, small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), 8(a) small businesses, woman-owned small businesses (WOSB), veteran owned small businesses (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), and Historically Under-utilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses capable of conducting a national study on WIC participants and WIC State and local agencies. All responding small business firms are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business to the anticipated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code. For this acquisition, the NAICS code is 541720 and the Small Business Standard is $20.5 Million. Teaming arrangements and joint ventures will be considered for any subsequent procurement based on the Government's market research, provided the prime contract is awarded to an applicable small business and that small businesses provide fifty percent or more of the support. Under the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) was established to allow schools in high-poverty areas to offer nutritious school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) at no cost to students. Under CEP, schools no longer collect or process meal applications for free or reduced-price meals. Instead, schools are reimbursed for meals using a formula based on the percentages of students identified as eligible for free meals using direct certification or other lists of eligible students. Any costs for serving these meals in excess of the Federal reimbursement must be paid from non-Federal sources. CEP is intended to increase low income students' access to nutritious meals while reducing administrative burden. The CEP was phased in over a 4-year period, beginning in three States in school year (SY) 2011-12. It became available to eligible schools nationwide in SY 2014-15. An evaluation was conducted in SY 2012-13 to provide descriptive information on the implementation of the CEP from the State Agency and Local Education Agency (LEA) perspectives in 7 States. It also includes analytic findings on the factors affecting LEA participation in the CEP and its impacts on participation, revenues, availability of SBP, LEA administrative costs, program integrity, and meal quality. The final report can be found on the FNS website (http://www.fns.usda.gov/community-eligibility-provision-evaluation). The Addendum describes the characteristics of LEAs and schools that participated in the CEP in School Year 2013-14 in the 11 States where the CEP was offered. It also describes how these characteristics differ for those high-poverty LEAs and schools that did not take up the CEP. With the expansion of CEP nationwide, FNS is in need of updated information on the characteristics of participating and non-participating CEP schools and LEAs. This study will examine operational issues and perceived incentives and barriers for adopting CEP as well as the impacts on NSLP and SBP participation and per meal revenues. The Food and Nutrition Service under the Office of Policy Support is conducting market research to identify sources that can demonstrate their experience, skills, and qualifications with projects of similar scope and size completed within the last three (3) years, and explain in appropriate detail how they intend to demonstrate competency in each of the following points (A) through (H). Expound, utilizing specific examples, on how the firm has undertaken and/or demonstrated the prerequisites listed below: A. A dedicated project director who can deliver high quality work, adhere to project schedules, keep costs within budget, manage the work of many professionals on many tasks simultaneously, and contribute knowledge and understanding of FNS programs. The project director should also possess skilled expertise in research focused on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP), as evidenced by publications on the NSLP/SBP in peer-reviewed journals and/or government reports/publications. Please provide citations and attach writing samples in your response for full consideration. B. Staff experienced in highly technical sampling techniques to obtain representative samples of Local Education Agencies and schools participating in the NSLP in the United States. Staff should be highly experienced with the development of corresponding sample weights for complex sample designs. Please provide resumes of proposed staff that clearly indicate the proposed staff's relevant qualifications and experience. C. Staff experienced with developing comprehensive national study designs to address numerous complex interrelated research questions, questionnaires for computer assisted data collection or hard-copy completion, and OMB Information Collection Packages. Please cite applicable OMB clearance numbers in your response. D. Experienced survey managers who can recruit a sufficient number of capable data collectors to provide information nationwide and over a short period of time; can train and monitor data collectors' performance to collect high quality data, and minimize non-response. Please specify in your response data collection efforts conducted by your firm of a similar magnitude to that of the Implementation Study component of the Community Eligibility Provision Evaluation. Include methods used and size of data collection sample in your response. E. Experienced data collectors and interviewers who are proficient at collecting information from a wide variety of sources (e.g., State agencies, local education agencies), using a variety of data collection techniques (e.g., CATI/CAPI data collection, record abstraction, interviews, paper and web-based surveys, etc.). Please clarify in your response proposed staff and their relevant experience and/or proposed efforts to obtain and train the data collection staff needed for this project. F. Staff experienced with and demonstrating proficiency in using analytic methods, including data matching, mathematical modeling, multivariate regression analysis; and descriptive and inferential statistics. Staff with proficiency in manipulating and merging large, complex databases, using mainstream software packages, including SPSS, SAS, and STATA, synthesizing results from multiple research sources, performing literature searches and reviews, conducting other complex analyses; statistical adjustment for complex sample design; imputation; non-response bias analysis and correction; and creating complex, large scale restricted and public use databases and comprehensive corresponding documentation allowing full replication of study procedures and findings. G. Staff who have the necessary skills and experience writing technical, high-quality, well-edited reports, which may be targeted to technical readers or to policy officials. Staff who can produce briefing materials (including PowerPoint presentations) and present study findings for technical and/or policy staff. Staff that can take highly technical information and put it into language appropriate for non-technical audiences. Citations to such reports shall be included in responses. H. Staff who have knowledge of the operational and financial management aspects of the NSLP and SBP including special assistance alternatives such as CEP, program integrity issues, and issues related to program participation. Please include citations to previous publications in peer-reviewed and/or government journals/reports on the aforementioned areas in your submission. Characteristics of the Requirements: The study will update information obtained in the Implementation Study component of the Community Eligibility Provision Evaluation. It will also examine student participation and per meal revenue generated pre- and post-implementation of CEP. The study will provide a basis to assess the impact of the identified student percentage (ISP) multiplier, set under current policy at 1.6, on program access, coverage, and per meal costs to LEAs and the Federal Government. Please submit the following information in response to the 8 capabilities (A - H) and pre-requisites listed above: Submission requirements: 1. Interested firms responding to this market survey must provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b). The capability statement shall be in sufficient enough detail, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the objectives above. The Government technical team will then assess the experience & capabilities based on: 1) technical expertise relevant to the objectives; 2) corporate/organizational experience relevant to the objectives, and 3) relevant past performance. 2. Capability responses should be based upon the 8 capabilities (A - H) pre-requisites listed above. 3. Please specify one primary and one alternate Point of Contact (POC) within your firm, including telephone numbers and email addresses. 4. Relevant past performance shall include the following information: • Contract name • Contracting Agency or Department • Total contract value (in $) • Period of performance • Description of work and how it relates to the requirements 5. There is a 20 page limit on capability statement responses, but 1 cover page or 1 letter of introduction page and resumes and writing samples may be submitted and will not count toward the 20 page limit. 6. Use 1 inch margins (top, bottom, and sides) and Times New Roman font - 12 point. 7. Do not include promotional materials. Your capability statement needs to include a list of three customers (Government/non-Government) within the past 3-years highlighting similar work in nature, scope, complexity, and difficulty and a brief description of the scope of work. Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and should be emailed to: Mr. Kevin Alexander at: [email protected] and Ms. Thu Vo at: [email protected]. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Response to Sources Sought Notice - AG-3198-S-15-0041 - Characteristics of Community Eligibility Provision Schools. A determination by the Government to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside is within the discretion of the Government. If capability statements are not received from at least two responsible small businesses or if the Government determines that no two small businesses are capable of performing this requirement based upon an assessment of the capability statements submitted, the Government may proceed with a full and open competition. It is imperative that all questions and capability statements be sent via Email to Mr. Kevin Alexander at: [email protected] and Ms. Thu Vo at: [email protected] by May 20, 2015 by 4:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.