Request for Information.pdf

Request for Information

Contract Action: Request for Information (RFI)

Contract Title: “Government Accountability Office (GAO) Semiconductor Lead Times

Data”

NAICS Code: 334413

NAICS Details: Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing

Date of Release: Thursday, June 9, 2022

Response Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2022

1. Background/Introduction:

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan Legislative Branch agency that works for Congress, generally at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or as mandated by public laws. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO’s work may lead to laws and acts that improve government operations, saving the government and taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

The agency operates all of its work under strict professional standards. GAO’s highly trained professional workforce is organized into mission teams based on subject area as well as a number of operational support offices.

GAO’s Science, Technology, Assessment, and Analytics (STAA) team’s forward-looking analyses examine the potential benefits and challenges of emerging technologies. STAA focuses on:

• Technology assessments and technical services for the Congress,

• Auditing federal science and technology programs,

• Compiling and utilizing best practices in the engineering sciences, including cost, schedule, and technology readiness assessment, and

• Establishing an audit innovation lab to explore, pilot, and deploy new advanced analytic capabilities, information assurance auditing, and emerging technologies that are expected to greatly impact auditing practices.

2. Purpose/Objective:

GAO/STAA has initiated an engagement on the Global Semiconductor Shortage under the Comptroller General's authority. GAO requires data on semiconductor lead times, the time between when a semiconductor is ordered and when it is delivered, to support analyses of the global semiconductor shortage.

GAO often needs data resources to provide quantitative evidence to support analytic findings to support its work for the U.S. Congress. Examples of these analytic findings are found on the agency’s web site: https://www.gao.gov.

https://www.gao.gov/

GAO is seeking to enter into a one year fixed rate subscription for electronic delivery of semiconductor lead times data, updated monthly and segmented by semiconductor device type. The data will enable GAO to assess the extent of the shortage on an ongoing basis and assess the impact of the shortage on manufacturers who incorporate semiconductors into their products. Specifically, lead times segmented by semiconductor device type will allow GAO to trace impacts of increased lead times to the manufacturers who incorporate certain device types into their products.

3. Technical Response Details:

GAO is seeking information required to assist in the formulation of an acquisition strategy that includes determining the characteristics of available data sets.

Request brief, clear, and concise responses to the technical questions below:

(1) Provide the time period covered by the data set.

a. During the covered time period, have any changes been made to the methodology of data collection or analysis?

(2) How are semiconductors categorized in the data set? Please list categories by semiconductor device type.

a. In addition to the default categories, please describe your ability to segment lead times data into the following categories: analog, discrete, logic, memory, microcontrollers and microprocessors (combined), and optoelectronics.

(3) Is the data collected from semiconductor distributors, semiconductor manufacturers, semiconductor customers, or a combination? Please describe the population from which data is collected.

a. Provide the typical sample size(s) of distributors, manufacturers, and/or customers.

(4) Does the data represent lead times for semiconductors purchased from distributors, from manufacturers, or from both distributors and manufacturers?

a. If the data represents lead times for semiconductors purchased from both distributors and manufacturers, what portion of the sample represents purchases from distributors versus purchases from manufacturers?

b. If the data represents lead times for semiconductors purchased from both distributors and manufacturers, please describe your ability to further segment lead times data by mode of purchase (i.e. purchases from distributors versus from purchases from manufacturers).

(5) How frequently are updates to the data set released?

a. How many days elapse between the end of the current period and the date on which the data for the current period is released?

4. Procurement Response Details:

(1) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) –

If applicable, indicate your GWAC(s) that would be available for the work to be performed for these services by including the Contract Number and Contract Expiration Date:

GWAC Holder Type Contract Number Contract Expiration Date

General Services Administration (GSA)

NASA Solutions for Enterprise Wide Procurement (SEWP) V

Other (Please state)

5. RFI Response Instructions:

It is emphasized that this Request for Information is NOT a Request for Proposal, Quotation, or Invitation for Bid. This RFI is for information and planning purposes only, subject to FAR Clause 52.215-3 titled "Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes," and is NOT to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contractual and/or binding agreement, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. The Government may request follow-on discussion with one or more respondents, at the Government's discretion, to obtain clarification or additional detail of the material submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

The Point of Contact (POC) for questions regarding this RFI is:

• Genie Williams, williamsg@gao.gov, Contracting POC

• Cedric Mitchener, mitchenerc@gao.gov, Contracting POC

All responses to this RFI may be submitted via e-mail to williamsg@gao.gov by close-of-business (COB) June 23, 2022. Files may be submitted in MS Word, PDF, or RTF format.

Paper submissions will not be accepted. All responses should be no more than ten (10) pages including questions, graphs, charts, tables, illustrations, and other figures. A page is defined as one (1) sheet 8 ½ x 11 inches using a minimum of 12-point font size for text. The cover page is excluded from the page count.

Please provide the following information about your company:

• Company Name

• Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

• Address/Location mailto:mitchenerc@gao.gov

• Size of business (large, small, small disadvantaged, 8(a), veteran-owned, service disabled veteran-owned and/or women owned or HUBZone, etc.)

• Years in business