This blanket purchase agreement serves to provide vocational expert witnesses to the SSA for hearings before an administrative law judge (ALJ) appealing denial of certain benefits administered by SSA.…

This Blanket Purchase Agreement, awarded to Automated Environments, Inc., a woman-owned small business, provides vocational expert witness services to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for administrative proceedings before Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) in disability benefit appeals. The contract, effective April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2030, supports SSA's adjudication process by furnishing vocational experts who provide testimony and reporting capabilities during hearings for claimants appealing the denial of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The single-award vehicle carries no set-aside designation and involves the delivery of automated reporting tools, specifically VHR Express and ME-VE Express reporting systems, with primary performance location in North Carolina. While the contract ceiling value is listed at $0.00, historical context indicates individual task orders under related agreements have carried values up to approximately $640,000, and the contractor maintains established capabilities for managing regional vocational expert consulting engagements.

The scope of work encompasses providing qualified vocational experts to testify regarding the claimant's vocational capacity, work history, and ability to perform available work in the national economy—a critical evidentiary component in SSA's disability determination process. By leveraging automated reporting tools and experienced vocational consultants, Automated Environments enables SSA to efficiently manage the high volume of disability hearings while ensuring consistent, documented expert testimony. The five-year performance period provides SSA with sustained access to these specialized services across regions, supporting the agency's obligation to fairly adjudicate disability claims through the appeals process and ensuring that administrative proceedings are supported by credible vocational evidence.

This blanket purchase agreement serves to provide vocational expert witnesses to the SSA for hearings before an administrative law judge (ALJ) appealing denial of certain benefits administered by SSA. These hearings involve claims for benefits author