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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JANUARY 17, 2002 FBO #0046
SOLICITATION NOTICE

99 -- Variance Estimation Procedures for the National Compensation Survey (NCS) and the Employment Cost Index (ECI)

Notice Date

1/15/2002
 

Notice Type

Solicitation Notice
 

Contracting Office

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Procurement and Property Management, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Room 1830, Washington, DC, 20212
 

ZIP Code

20212
 

Solicitation Number

BLS-02-19
 

Response Due

1/30/2002
 

Archive Date

2/14/2002
 

Point of Contact

Etihun Hailemichael, Purchasing Agent, Phone 202-691-6044, Fax 202-691-6026, - Kevin Brown, Purchasing Agent, Phone 202-691-6048, Fax 202-691-6026,
 

E-Mail Address

Hailemichael_E@bls.gov, Brown_Kevin@bls.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

This is a solicitation for services. The announcement constitutes the only solicitation; and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is being issued as an Intent to Award To PROF. SUOJIN WANG, Department of Statistics, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843-3148 in accordance with FAR Part 13, NTE $100,000 Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement by submitting quotations. All quotes received within ten (10) days after the publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. The purchasing activity is not responsible for locating or securing any information which is not identified in the quotation and reasonably available to the purchasing activity. Delivery shall be 45 days ARO. FOB Destination - Washington, D.C. -- All Quotes shall be submitted to BLS, Room 1830, 2 MASS. AVE. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20212 no later 3:00pm EDT, January 30, 2002, and be clearly marked with RFQ#BLS-02-19. The point of contact for all information is -Etihun Hailemichael, Purchasing Agent, at the address and phone number listed above. If your response is not received by the date/time and at the location specified in the announcement, it will not be considered. No hand carried quotes will be accepted. Offerors may download the RFQ by accessing the FedBizopps website at :www.fedbizopps.gov. All future information about this acquisition, including solicitation amendments, will also be distributed through the FBO site. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the FBO site to ensure that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. Fax proposals are encouraged and must state name, address and solicitation number. An original copy of the proposal shall follow by mail. Quotations may also be submitted electronically provided that all the necessary documentation requested in this RFQ is included. Variance Estimation Procedures for the National Compensation Survey (NCS)and the Employment Cost Index (ECI) Description of Work Services are needed to give BLS the ability to provide satisfactory variance estimates for the NCS and ECI. Research will be carried out to develop and assess the properties of new techniques tailor-made for these surveys. Supporting Statement I. Introduction Until recently the ECI was a broad national survey. It is now in transition to being based on a sub-sample of the NCS, so that it is now PSU based. Within industrial strata, there are on average less than one establishment per stratum, even when strata are merged to contain two PSUs. This creates serious complications for variance estimation. In particular in forming variance strata, the choice of units (establishments) from distinct PSUs is not independent, as generally assumed for standard variance estimation procedures. Thus there is a need for a variance estimation methodology that can be shown to accommodate this fact. II. Objectives The objective of the project is to complete development of variance estimation procedures that take into account recent changes in the sample design for NCS and ECI, the theory that justifies them, and empirical work that shows their feasibility and effectiveness. III. Description of Project The project will retain the services of Professor Suojin Wang of Texas A&M University, the contractor, to collaborate with OSMR and OCWC-SMD in carrying out research into variance estimation under the conditions of the NCS sample design, with special regard to the special problems of the ECI sample design. IV. Scope of Work The services rendered will consist of research by Professor Wang into variance estimation methodology, which allows for imputation of data, with special attention to methods of imputation that have been suggested by the OCWC Imputation Team. Additionally, attention will be paid to the ECI, which under recent changes in sample design poses unusual complications for variance estimation. The work will produce new methods of variance estimation, theory for the new estimators, and, in consultation with BLS, empirical studies that assess the practical advantages of the new methodology. The period of performance will be from the date Purchase Order is issued to September 30, 2002. Professor Wang will be provided with office space in BLS on an as needed basis and access to the Office of Survey Methods Research?s Sun Sparcstation. V. Detailed Breakdown of Services and Costs 1. BLS will purchase 25 days of the provider?s time at the rate of $452 per day, a total cost of $11,300. 2. The provider will be reimbursed estimated travel expenses of $3,000 for two visits to BLS from College Station Texas, spending up to one week per visit. The visits will involve discussion of NCS and ECI design with OCWC and OSMR staff. The second visit will include a technical seminar presented by Professor Wang to BLS staff summarizing methods developed and empirical results observed. 3. The total cost of the project will be $14,300. VI. Inspection and Acceptance Final inspection and acceptance of all items called for in the project will be made by OSMR. VII. Deliverables The provider will submit the following items to OSMR: Item Delivery Date 1. Interim project report February 1, 2002 2. Completed research and testing April 1, 2002 3. Final project report, which may be a April 1, 2002 technical report describing suggested methods, with supporting theory and a description of relevant empirical studies. VIII. Confidentiality and Security Requirements A. The BLS policy on confidentiality is stated in Commissioner?s Order No. 3-93, August 18, 1993, ?Confidential Nature of BLS Records,? and is incorporated into this contract. It is applicable to the Contractor and the Contractor?s employees and agents. The majority of data collected by BLS are provided on a voluntary basis by respondents who have agreed to provide the information for the purpose(s) specified by BLS. A violation of the confidence that respondents place in BLS would endanger BLS? ability to carry out its duties. B. For the purposes of this contract, ?confidential information? is defined as: 1. The confidential source documents and other media provided by BLS; and 2. Any documents, disks, tapes or other media produced as a result of the work provided for in this contract that contain or are derived from BLS information. 3. The work specified in this contract shall be done exclusively using non-confidential BLS data. However, since the Contractor will be working on-site at the BLS National Office, there is some possibility that he may come into contact with confidential BLS data. For that reason, the Contractor shall sign A BLS Non-disclosure Affidavit acknowledging that he has read and understands BLS Commissioner?s Order 3093. The Contractor will return the signed affidavit to the Contracting Officer?s Technical Representative (COTR) before beginning work on the project. 4. Contractor personnel shall be required to sign any non-disclosure agreements that are required by other Federal agencies. 5. If a task order specifies that the Contractor will have access to unpublished, aggregate Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, the Contractor agrees not to buy, either directly or indirectly, CPI futures contracts. The Contractor further agrees to sign a written notice acknowledging that he has read it and agrees to abide by it. The Contractor shall forward the signed notice to the COTR before receiving access to unpublished, aggregate CPI data. 6. The Contractor agrees not to remove any tape, compact disk, diskette or other media containing confidential information while performing work at the BLS National Office. 7. The Contractor agrees not to divulge, publish, reproduce, or otherwise disclose, orally or in writing, BLS confidential information, whole or in part, to any individual other than authorized persons. 8. The Contractor agrees not to attempt to link BLS confidential information with individual identifiable records from any BLS or non-BLS data set. 9. The Contractor agrees to notify the COTR immediately upon discovering: 1. any breach or suspected breach of security, or 2. any disclosure of BLS confidential information. 10. The Contractor agrees not to subcontract or transfer any work in the performance of the contract. 11. The Contractor agrees to obtain the written authorization of the COTR to use any courier service not expressly provided for in this contract. 12. The confidential information may not be accessed by an electronic communications service, such as the Internet. The confidential information may not be accessed by modem or other electronic communication device from a location other than that specified in this contract. 13. All Contractor personnel selected to work under this contract shall be subject to any United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) background investigations deemed appropriate by BLS, including a National Agency Check and Inquiry or higher level of investigation. BLS will pay all costs directly related to the background investigation, and will arrange for the conduct of, and payment for, the investigation. Contractor personnel may be required to complete forms and be fingerprinted for the OPM investigation. Such investigation may be conducted at any time during the existence of the contract. If there are questions concerning the suitability (as defined in the OPM, Federal Personnel Manual Chapter 731, Subchapter 3) of an individual following such background investigation, notification and an opportunity to respond will be provided to the individual. If the individual is found to be unsuitable, BLS reserves the right to require the Contractor to remove and/or replace said individual from his/her duties under the contract. Such removal and/or replacement shall not alter or affect the responsibility of the Contractor to meet the performance standards prescribed in this contract. In the absence of a written waiver by contract personnel, the provisions of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) may preclude discussion with the Contractor of the details of the background investigations and/or BLS action. 14. If the Contractor fails to comply with the requirements contained in these clauses, the Contractor shall be deemed to have failed to perform the provision of this contract within the meaning of the default clauses and the contract shall be subject to termination for default. 15. In accordance with contract provisions, BLS may formally modify this contract if or other circumstances dictate such a modification.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE Room 1830, Washington, DC

Zip Code: 20212

Country: USA
 

Record

SN20020117/00014660-020116090208 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(will not be valid after Archive Date)

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