The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) intends to issue a procurement for research study in 2011 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 the capability statement. Study Overview The purpose of the study is to examine the characteristics, circumstances, and spending patterns of zero-income SNAP units. The percentage of zero-income units has been steadily increasing, and the pattern of increase started long before the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009. Generally, the SNAP caseload closely follows the national unemployment rate, but the relationship is less clear for zero-income units. For instance, the national unemployment rate hovered between 3.9 and 5.9 percent between 1999 and 2008, but the percentage of zero-income units increased each year, doubling from 8.5 percent in 1999 to 17.6 percent in 2009. The study will provide: 1.Descriptive analysis of the characteristics of zero-income SNAP units including demographic information, SNAP recipiency history, and measures of participation dynamics, including entry rates, spell lengths, exit rates, and reentry rates. 2.An analysis of spending patterns based on EBT Transaction Records. 3.Examination of units' circumstances including variability in their zero-income status, family composition, sources of income if/when they have income, and survival strategies. Study Objectives and Research Questions The proposed study builds upon cross-sectional data developed in a prior study. It seeks to better understand zero income units on the SNAP caseload currently and over time. The study can be considered in two parts: (1) A longitudinal component considering the circumstances of zero-income units using SIPP data, and including redemption patterns of zero-income units over several years using EBT data, and (2) a qualitative component providing greater detail on the characteristics and circumstances of a subset of zero-income units. Objective 1: What are the circumstances of zero-income units now and in the past, and how do those circumstances compare to other SNAP units and non-SNAP units with similar income? The income groups could be divided into several subgroups, such as zero-income, 50 percent of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), 100 percent of FPL, and 200 percent FPL. This is a longitudinal component considering the dynamics of program participation for zero-income units using SIPP data, as well as benefit redemption patterns as evidenced in EBT Transaction Data. Objective 2: Provide an in-depth view of low-income units' characteristics and circumstances through in-person qualitative interviews with 50 units. This is a qualitative component providing greater detail on the characteristics and circumstances considered in Objective 1 above of a subset of zero-income units. The most important research question for Objective 2 is to determine how, with zero income, the units are surviving. The purpose of the interviews is to provide greater depth and insight into the lives of zero-income units. Data Sources and Sampling There will be three data sources for this study: 1.Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP): The SIPP is an on-going, nationally-representative survey conducted by the US Census Bureau. The latest panel's sample size was about 46,000 households. As its name suggests, it collects data on households' cash and in-kind income sources, from paid employment to public programs, such as SNAP and social security income. Data is collected through a continuous series of national panels ranging from two and a half to four years, with the same households being interviewed at regular intervals during the panel period. Interviews are conducted in-person and on the phone and use computer assisted survey methods. All household members 15 years old and over are interviewed, although proxy response is allowed in some cases. The survey has two parts - a core section, which includes questions on labor force, program participation, and income; and topical modules, which are given at different times and cover a variety of income or program topics, such as child support, school enrollment, and taxes. 2.EBT Transactions data: There are two types of EBT data. FNS has a database that links QC and EBT data that FNS will provide to the contractor upon award to use for the analysis. a.ALERT: The Anti-Fraud Locator for EBT Redemption Transaction (ALERT) data have a record of every EBT transaction for each SNAP household. Each record contains the store identification number, SNAP household account number, EBT card number, date and time of transaction, transaction type and amount, and account balance. b.STARS: The Store Tracking and Redemption Subsystem (STARS) data have a record of each retailer authorized to accept SNAP benefits. Each record in the extract contains a store identification number, location (city, state, ZIP code), business type (supermarket, grocery, convenience, specialty, and so on), and total annual eligible food sales. 3.In-Person Interviews with Zero-Income Units: An important component of this study will be qualitative interviews with zero-income units. Using semi-structured, in-person interviews with approximately 50 units, the contractor will gather information about the characteristics, circumstances, and buying patterns of zero-income units. Interviews would be in-person and between one and two hours long. This is not intended to be a representative sample, but should reflect the overall pattern of characteristics of zero-income units discussed in the Background Section . For instance, one would anticipate most interviewees to be single-person units, split approximately evenly between ABAWDs and those not subject to work requirements. Offerors are expected to have principal investigators who are PhD-level researchers with expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods. For the quantitative work, senior-level staff must have experience working with large, nationally-representative surveys with complex survey design. This would include knowing how to properly link longitudinal data files, and having familiarity with using sampling weights, considering the survey's complex design on calculating standard errors, choosing appropriate significance tests, and other issues relevant to complex survey design. In addition, senior-level staff must have expertise with qualitative interviewing, which includes a sampling scheme that ensures completing the desired number of interviews, conducting research-quality interviews, using qualitative software to code and analyze data, and linking qualitative findings to quantitative findings in the analysis, reporting, and conclusions. All responses must be submitted to
[email protected] NO LATER THAN 4:00 p.m. on December 20, 2010. Responses will be considered solely for information purpose only. This is not a request for proposal (RFP) and responses may or may not be used for future RFP. The Government is under no obligation to pursue further action on this request. For questions concerning this notice, please contact Belal Hammad, Contract Specialist, at 703-305-2262. Please limit the length of the packages to 20 pages. Packages over 20 pages will not be assessed.