50310223R0019 LSSP Questions and Answers Posted 9-6-2023 AMENDMENT 0002.pdf

LSSP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

50310223R0019 AMENDMENT 0002

Document Page/ Section Question Government’s Response

Attachment 5 2 Item S15 references a Fee Tracking sheet. Can the Government provide a copy for review?

See attached 50310223R0019 LSSP Q and A Attachment.

Attachment 5 2 Item S16 references a Transaction Data sheet. Can the Government provide a copy for review?

See attached 50310223R0019 LSSP Q and A Attachment.

Attachment 5 2 Item S18 references a Participant data sheet.

Can the Government provide a copy for review?

See attached 50310223R0019 LSSP Q and A Attachment.

50310223R0019+LSSP+SOLICITATION Page 85 Instructions

Regarding the submission requirement “to submit one electronic copy of your Proposal,” can the SEC please clarify if all Volumes should be consolidated into 1 file or if 3 separate Volume files is preferred?

3 separate volume files is preferred.

50310223R0019+LSSP+SOLICITATION Page 85 A. Volume I:

Technical Proposal - Factor 1

Instructions state “The Technical Proposal shall be limited to 25 pages and attachments are limited to 5 pages.”

Can the SEC please confirm this additional page count is intended for items such as Key Personnel resumes, compliance matrix, subcontractor management plan, etc?

The Volume I, Technical Proposal, page count has been updated to remove certain items including key personnel resumes, key personnel commitment letters, and the subcontractor management plan.

50310223R0019+LSSP+SOLICITATION C. Volume III – Factor 3 Price Proposal (Fee, Fee Collection Approach/Fee Structure, Fee Schedule)

To be able to accurately calculate the Fee structure requires some baseline data. Can the government please provide either the most recent semi-annual (June 30, 2023) or annual (December 30, 2022) total volumes for the following categories:

• Reports and Inquiries

• CUSIP

• Transfer Agent

• File

Maintenance

See attached 50310223R0019 LSSP Q and A Attachment.

50310223R0019+LSSP+SOLICITATION C. Volume III – Factor 3 Price Proposal (Fee, Fee Collection Approach/Fee Structure, Fee Schedule)

To accurately calculate volume by Participant, can the government please provide the average number of Direct Inquirers broken down across each of the nine (9) categories:

• Bank – Over $1 billion

• Bank - $500 million to $1 billion

• Bank – Les than $500 million

• Broker/Dealer – Over $25 million

• Broker/Dealer – $5 million to $25 million

• Broker/Dealer – $500 thousand to $5 million

• Broker/Dealer – Less than $500 thousand

• Transfer Agent – Issued 100,000

See attached 50310223R0019 LSSP Q and A Attachment.

shares or more last year

• Transfer Agent – Issued less than 100,00 shares last year

50310223R0019+LSSP+SOLICITATION Page 87 C. Volume III – Factor 3 Price Proposal (Fee, Fee Collection Approach/Fee Structure, Fee Schedule)

ATTACHMENT

4 - Exchange Act Release No. 34-15289

For the Pricing Volume, the instructions state:

“In this section the Offeror shall provide the following information: 1) Specify how they will collect fees/document its approach for collecting fees from participants to fund operations and modernize the program, which shall be in accordance with

SEC 1978-11-01 LSSP

Release No. 34-15289.”

SEC 1978-11-01 LSSP

Release No. 34-15289 stipulates under “Schedule of Charges” that “All charges will be billed in advance on a quarterly basis and adjusted subsequently to reflect the actual aggregate volume of inquiries.”

As this does not seem to be in alignment with current billing practices stated on the SIC website and in PWS, can the SEC please confirm:

1) Billing is semi-annual. The usage fee collection should be proposed semi-annually (twice a year) versus the 1978 Release’s quarterly language.

2)Invoicing is submitted in arrears for the prior period (not in advance), for instance in January for semi-annual usage occurring during July-December and in July for semi-annual usage occurring during January-June.

The RFQ SOW and Instructions have been updated accordingly.

1) Billing is twice-annual

2) Invoicing is submitted in arrears for the prior period (not in advance)

As part of our response, we will be submitting a list of Exceptions, Deviations and Assumptions to the Solicitation which is fairly standard.

However, each volume specified has a strict page limit allowed for that response. I’m not seeing in the instructions for any volume where the Exceptions, Deviations and Assumptions should go. Does SEC have a preference, or would it be acceptable for us to prepare a separate document included in our submission which outlines our Exceptions, Deviations and Assumptions?

The RFP has been updated. If there are any Exceptions, Deviations, and Assumptions, they are to be included in the Technical Volume and shall be included in the page count.