New Warehouse Building Construction-_RFI_2019_pl.doc

US DOL / BLS / OPLC / PPI

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

New Warehouse Building Construction in the Producer Price Index Program

January 15, 2020 This Request for Information (RFI) by the U.S. Department of Labor the Producer Price Index

(PPI). BLS’s PPI program requires data for New Warehouse Building Construction. Sources Sought Notice for Request for Information (RFI) No 1625DC-20-N-00001. The proposed acquisition classified under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Size Standard of $16.5 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, January 24, 2020. 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.

Background:

The Producer Price Index (PPI) Program has been funded to purchase one year’s worth of quarterly cost updates for the existing warehouse models. This is necessary to continue producing an accurate output-based price index for New Warehouse Building Construction (236221).

The vendor that originally developed the cost models for “New Warehouse Building Construction” has provided updated cost information on a quarterly basis for the past several years. BLS needs a year’s (four quarters) worth of “cost updates” to insure the continuous calculation of the Producer Price Indexes (PPIs) for “New Warehouse Building” construction until the next contract goes into effect. Without this purchase, the calculation and release of this industry index (which is mission critical) would lapse.

II.

Description:

The PPI program requires services and data to aid in the continuous publication of the existing warehouse building models. These services and data are not available from public sector sources. It is the intention of the Bureau of Labor Statistics to procure these services and data from an appropriate private sector vendor.

III.

Scope:

The services and data covered by this statement of work include:

1. Delivery of cost updates for each of the four regional warehouse models due on a quarterly basis. The updates should be delivered in the months of June 2020, September 2020, December 2020, and March 2021.

2. Provide assistance to BLS on an ‘as needed’ basis to understand the make-up of the models, to evaluate model cost changes, and to evaluate any future updates to the models due to significant changes in ‘typical’ construction materials and/or practices.

IV.

Goal:

To procure the cost updates necessary for the continuous publication of the New Warehouse Building index.

V.

Approach:

1. The vendor will independently survey all relevant sources of cost data for the model on a regular basis in order to update the model cost information on a quarterly basis.

2. The BLS will combine overhead and profit mark-up data obtained from initiated survey respondents along with material and installation cost data provided by the vendor to estimate output price trends for new warehouse building construction activity.

VI.

Deliverables:

1. One year of quarterly cost updates for the four warehouse building models.

Performance Measure: Cost updates for each of the warehouse building models are delivered by the 10th of June 2020, September 2020, December 2020, and March 2021 unless an extension is granted by BLS. The quarterly cost updates will reflect actual changes in costs for material, installation, and fuel observable in the market place since the previous cost update for each particular region.

2. Explanation of quarterly cost changes for the regional models and any quality adjustment information required by BLS due to changes in the regional models. Along with the delivery of the quarterly cost updates the vendor provides reasoning for any significant model cost changes. BLS may also request additional information for cost changes that it deems noteworthy or for cost information to make adjustments when the models or cost update process change.

Performance Measure: The vendor provides written explanations of significant cost changes along with the model updates. Any additional information requested by BLS concerning price changes or changes in the model or cost update process is provided in writing within five business days.

Delivery Method: The data shall be provided in a common electronic file format, such as delimited ASCII files, Excel workbooks, SAS datasets, etc. File names should somehow correspond to the month and year that the data was extracted.

VII.

Inspection and Acceptance:

Designated staff of the Producer Price Index Program will make final inspection and acceptance of the specified deliverables.

VIII.

Location of Performance

All work will be performed at the Contractor’s site.

IX. Market Research Questions for Vendors to answer General Questions:

1. How quickly can data be delivered and what is the turnaround for the most current data (could April data be delivered in May, June, or when)?

2. In what formats could the data be provided (text files, database access, etc.)?

3. How complete is the data you provide? What percentage of values are blank or missing?

4. How do you sample your data?

5. Do you provide discounts for older data (say more than two years old)?

6. What percentage of the market is covered by your data?

7. Does the U.S. level data depend upon, include, or require projection factors to adequately represent the U.S. market?

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

Please indicate your business classification for NAICS code 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Size Standard of $16.5 Million):

Other Than Small Business Small Business

· If your business classification is Small Business, do you anticipate remaining under the size standard of $16.5 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.

X. Period of Performance One base year, 06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021

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. BLS request that you submit any input you have by e-mail to Graves.Kelly@bls.gov no later than 12:00 pm EST January 24, 2020. Please be advised that telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Please note, this is not a request for proposal.