sources_sought_expert_reviewers.docm

INTRODUCTION

SOURCES SOUGHT FOR ACTUARIAL AND UNDERWRITING REVIEWS OF CROP INSURANCE AND AGRICULTURAL RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Purpose: To create a general pool consisting of Board approved persons with expertise as actuaries or in underwriting of insurance policies to serve as reviewers of policies. The government will create the pool by awarding sole source blanket purchase agreements (BPA) for one-year base period with four one year option periods. This sources sought synopsis is the first part of the overall award process. This process will further include source selection, and a sole source award to qualified persons.

DESCRIPTON OF SERVICE

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT synopsis. This sources sought synopsis requests information needed by the Government prior to release of any potential solicitation/award. Details follow – please read this entire synopsis.

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for supervision of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), administration and oversight of programs authorized under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et. seq.), any pilot or other program involving revenue insurance, risk management education, risk management savings accounts; the uses of the futures market to manage risk and support farm income that may be established under the Federal Crop Insurance Act or other law; and, other programs the Secretary of Agriculture considers appropriate. The Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 modified the Federal Crop Insurance Act to:

1) Require the Board of Directors of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to “establish procedures under which any policy or plan of insurance, as well as any related material or modification of such policy or plan of insurance, to be offered under this title shall be subject to independent reviews by persons experienced as actuaries and in underwriting, as determined by the Board;” and

2) Direct the Board, to the maximum extent possible, to “contract with private insurance companies, private rating bureaus, and other organizations as appropriate for actuarial services, services relating to the loss adjustment and rating plan of insurance, and other services to avoid duplication by the Federal Government of services that are or may be readily available in the private sector.”

DESCRIPTION OF SOURCES SOUGHT

FCIC is attempting to determine the availability of sources within the private sector to conduct these actuarial and underwriting activities required by the Federal Crop Insurance Act.

Actuary - A person having technical competence relating to the current financial implications of future contingent events, especially as this affects the establishment of premium rates for insurance, as evidenced by: 1) membership, as either a fellow or associate, in the Casualty Actuarial Society; 2) at least 10 years of professional level work experience as an actuary setting rates for crop insurance or related lines such as hail, livestock, or farm insurance; or 3) at least 15 years of professional level insurance premium rate setting experience in, or equivalent to, the GS-1510 (Actuary) job series.

Underwriter - A person having technical competence and experience with the design of insurance policies, the classification and acceptance or rejection of risks, or the class of asset or activity (e.g. - the production risks or economics of specific crops) proposed to be insured, and who applies such knowledge to assure the proper functioning of insurance programs, as evidenced by: 1) at least 10 years of professional level work experience as a crop insurance underwriter; 2) at least 15 years of professional level work experience as a property and casualty underwriter in fields related to crop insurance, such as hail, livestock, or farm insurance; 3) at least 15 years of experience as an agricultural risk management consultant; 4) a Ph.D. in agricultural economics with at least 5 years of post-doctoral work in crop insurance or agricultural risk management; or 5) a Ph.D. with at least 5 years of post-doctoral work in a field of agriculture, risk management, etc., directly related to the agricultural commodity or activity proposed to be insured.

REVIEW PROCESS

Once the response/information is received by the Government and verified to be complete. The contract office will forward the package to the program office for submission to the Board to approve or disapprove. The program office will notify the contract office to either proceed with the sole-source BPA or with a letter rejecting the reviewer’s submission and the reason it was not selected. This is a highly specialized field with few reviewers meeting the qualifications to conduct actuarial and underwriting reviews of submissions. The Board, to meet the requirements of the Act, will continue to accept qualified submissions throughout the October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2018 period of performance.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

These informational responses must be submitted via email by COB, August 30, 2013.

All valid internet responses must contain Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.212-3, Offerors Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items. FAR clauses are available at http://acquisition.gov/far/index.html. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 524128.

ALL PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS MUST USE E-MAIL TO RESPOND TO THIS SYNOPSIS. TELEPHONE AND FACSIMILE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you are interested in responding to this requirement, please indicate you’re interest by sending an E-mail to Sheryl Welch at sheryl.welch@kcc.usda.gov NO LATER THAN Friday, August 30, 2013.

REQUIRED INFORMATION

Information required for a thorough review.

Name and Address of Company (Individual) or (As it would appear on the order. If you work for a university, etc., please indicate if the order is to be placed with the university or to you personally).

Point of Contact

Taxpayer Identification Number

DUNS #

E-mail address

Telephone Number(s) Fax Number(s)

Company Size (i.e., large, small, woman owned, disadvantaged owned, woman owned, veteran owned, hubzone, disabled veteran etc.)

The name of person(s) who would be working on order(s) with their hourly rates for the periods of:

Base Year: October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014 Option Year One: October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015 Option Year Two: October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016 Option Year Three: October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017 Option Year Four: October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018

Biography, Resume or VIATA for each individual that would work on the order(s).

Payment Terms (i.e. Net 30 Days)

Has your company updated its registration with SAM (System for Award Management that replaced CCR)?

Complete and submit the U.S. Department of Agriculture ASSURANCE REGARDING FELONY CONVICTIONOR TAX DELINQUENT STATUS FOR CORPORATE APPLICANTS

Remit to Address for Payment

CLAUSES/PROVISIONS

52.212-2 Evaluation—Commercial Items.

As prescribed in 12.301(c), the Contracting Officer may insert a provision substantially as follows:

EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 1999)

(a) The Government will award multiple Blanket Purchase Agreements resulting from this sources sought to the responsible offerors whose offer will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers” technical capability.

(b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

(End of provision)

AGAR 452.209 – 70

REPRESENTATION BY CORPORATIONS REGARDING AN UNPAID DELINQUENT TAX LIABILITY OR A FELONY CONVICTION (DEVIATION 2012-01) (FEB 2012)

(a) Awards made under this solicitation are subject to the provisions contained in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. No. 112-55), Division A, Sections 738 and 739 regarding corporate felony convictions and corporate federal tax delinquencies. To comply with these provisions, all offerors must complete paragraph (1) of this representation, and all corporate offerors also must complete paragraphs (2) and (3) of this representation.