Data Enclave for ERS Data at NORC

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and Economic Research Services (ERS) intends to award a sole source contract to the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) located in Chicago. The service support is for the following: to provide secure access to internal USDA and external researchers and protocols that ensures strict maintenance of data confidentiality, supply all statistical software (Stat, SAS, ArcInfo, etc) needed by researchers, and to provide in-house academic survey methodologists for prospective examination of data quality, consisting of various statistical analyses such as rigorous disclosure risk review and development of alternative replicate weights, and econometrics work. The service must come from NORC because they currently have in place a data enclave used for the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) and the National Household Food Purchase and Acquisition Survey (FoodAPS). This is a notice of intent and is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals. No solicitation is available. Firms that believe they can provide this service are encouraged to identify themselves and provide a substantive statement with descriptive literature and any other supporting information to the Contract Specialist within 10 days of publication of this notice. All information received within 10 days of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government to determine if more than one firm can meet the Government's requirements and is capable of performing the intended task(s). All responses must be in writing and emailed to [email protected]. Anticipated Date of Award 09/12/2014