_RFI_2019_pl.doc

US DOL / BLS / OPLC / CPI

Request for Information Consumer Retail Transaction Data in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC CSA

July 2, 2019 This Request for Information (RFI) by the U.S. Department of Labor the Consumer Price Index

(CPI). BLS’s CPI program requires data Consumer Retail Transaction Data in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC CSA. Sources Sought Notice for Request for Information (RFI) No 1625DC-19-N-00013. The proposed acquisition classified under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 518210 - Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services (Size Standard of $32.5 Million) or NAICS Code 541990-All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Size Standard of $15 Million).

DISCLAIMER:

This Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this Request for Information/Sources Sought that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought Notice.

Instructions for Potential Offerors:

1. Please review the below overview of the requirements and respond if you are an interested party.

2. Include both a capabilities statement and complete all sections of the Market Research Questions. Your response should not exceed 10 pages for each business.

3. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this market research. Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are encouraged and are up to each industry partner. Multiple teaming arrangements are acceptable. Please express your intentions in the questionnaire and capabilities package. If applicable, please specify your small business classification in any response.

4. If, after reviewing this document, you desire to participate in this market research request for information, you should reply via email with the corresponding questionnaire responses and your capabilities statement to Graves.Kelly@bls.gov no later than 12:00 pm EST Friday, July 09, 2019. Proprietary information should be clearly marked. All submissions shall be sent via e-mail. The electronic format may be in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) or compatible with Microsoft Office suite of software.

I. Objective

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has an ongoing interest in data detailing purchases of consumer goods, especially in the categories for food at home, meals away from home, and utilities. These data will be evaluated by BLS staff, its employees, agents, and partner statistical agencies, in order to aid in improving outlet samples, as well as in the estimation of weights and indexes for the Consumer Price Index (CPI). BLS will use the information acquired through the agreement for exclusively statistical purposes and will hold the information in confidence. In accordance with the Confidential Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (Title 5 of Public Law 107-347) and other applicable Federal laws, your data will not be disclosed in identifiable form without your informed consent. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, Federal information systems are protected from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of transmitted data.

The BLS seeks to purchase retail transaction data for the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC CSA combined statistical area starting in January 2015 thru December 2018.

II. Background The BLS is the principle Federal agency responsible for measuring price changes in the economy and constructs indexes using data collected from both households and business establishments. The weights and outlet samples for these indexes have historically been sourced respectively from the BLS’ Consumer Expenditure (CE) survey, as well as the Telephone Point-of-Purchase Survey (TPOPS). With the sun-setting of the TPOPS program in 2019Q3, the BLS will move exclusively to CE for both outlet and weight sourcing.

The sample yield of CE as an outlet source is expected to be – compared to its TPOPS counterpart – smaller and less detailed regarding outlet location. To maintain a sample as comprehensive as the TPOPS, BLS wishes to explore supplementing this CE data source with a source of retail transaction data.

III. Scope of Work The BLS is looking for a data feed starting in April 2019 that tracks consumer retail transactions. This feed would be delivered on a monthly basis, or more frequently. These data should come from a verifiably accurate source – such as uploaded from a receipt. Each transaction should contain information regarding the outlet, the price of each item, a description of the item purchased, and the quantity purchased. Information about the consumer, demographic or otherwise, is also ideal.

The necessary variables are listed below:

Potential vendors should be able to complete the following tasks at a minimum:

· Provide retail transaction data on a frequency not exceeding one month

· Provide retail transaction data for panelists/respondents located in the Pittsburgh-Newcastle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV Combined Statistical Area

· Provide retail transaction data for the following item categories: Grocery Purchases, Meals away from home, and utilities.

· Provide data for all of the necessary variables as listed above.

· Provide data in a spreadsheet format in a standard file type is acceptable (i.e., CSV, SAS, txt, etc.)

· Provide data in a secure electronic manner such as secure file transfer protocol (SFTP).

The vendor shall provide a data dictionary containing a list of all variables the vendor can supply. The data dictionary shall include descriptions for all variables listed above.

The vendor will be available via telephone or email to answer detailed questions about the data. The vendor will respond to telephone or email questions within two business days. The contractor is responsible for being available to provide customer support between the hours of 9am-5pm Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings.

IV. Place of Performance

Data files and/or proprietary software will be delivered electronically, installed, and/or maintained at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Avenue. NE Washington DC 20212. Customer support will be provided from the contractor’s worksite.

V. Period of Performance

The period of performance is for 12 months from date of data delivery.

VI. Delivery Schedule

VII. Security The vendor will not have access to BLS data.

VIII. Data Availability

Please be advised that the selected vendor may not use the Bureau of Labor Statistics name in connection with any collection of data that is being purchased under this contract. The vendor will not have access to CPI data. The data being purchased should be commercially available and not collected exclusively on behalf of the BLS.

Please review and respond to the following market research questions regarding business size.

· Please indicate your business classification for NAICS code 518210 (Size Standard of $32.5 Million) or NAICS Code 541990-All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Size Standard of $15 Million) below:

Other Than Small Business Small Business

· If your business classification is Small Business, do you anticipate remaining under the size standard of $15 Million or $32 Million for the next two years?

No Yes

· If your business classification is Small Business, do you qualify under any of the following certification programs and socio-economic categories?

HUBZone

Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Women Owned Small Business (WOSB)

8(a)

· Please indicate that you can complete all of the requested tasks listed in their entirety outlined in this RFI. Note: BLS is not interested in a vendor’s abilities to complete only some aspects of a specified task.

· GSA Schedule Number if applicable This information will be used for market research purposes only and will not be used as a part of the source selection evaluation. All information received will be protected and safeguarded as ACQUISITION/SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE in accordance with FAR Part 2.101 and 3.1074, Procurement Integrity. Request you submit any input you have by e-mail to Graves.Kelly@bls.gov no later than 12:00 pm EST Friday, July 09, 2019. Please be advised that telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Please note, this is not a request for proposal.