SOW_SmallBusiness_BigData.pdf

Solicitation Number: SBAHQ-15-Q-0033 Research on Small Business and Big Data

Statement of Work

Location of Work: To be completed by the contractor off-site (not at SBA headquarters)

Time to Complete the Work: Not more than one year from the date of award

Clearance Required: None

1. Introduction

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats, and it funds research into small business issues. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, including past research projects, see http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847 and http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/ for archived reports.

2. Background

The digital economy is generating more data than ever before presenting both challenges and opportunities for companies of all sizes. The term Big Data often describes the increasingly large amounts of data available for companies to analyze, and a fundamental shift in how companies are using data to drive decisions and strategy. With the emergence of mobile technologies and social media, data can no longer be managed by traditional IT systems, while business decisions continue to evolve from being intuition driven to data driven.

Large businesses were the first to pioneer ways to turn data into value, but now with greater access and availability of cost-effective technology, small businesses are doing the same. Besides taking advantage of existing large datasets collected by companies like Google and Facebook, small businesses are becoming more focused on collecting their own data and using it in creative ways to make better decisions and add value to their organization. For example, with new platforms and tools, a small retailer can collect data from on-line transactions to direct future sales and marketing initiatives, price products and services more effectively, understand customers, and predict staffing needs.

Data experts have touted the benefits of the Big Data movement including increased availability of products and services, ease of inventory control/shopping, and reduced costs (see, e.g., Jonathan Shaw, “Why Big Data is a Big Deal: Information Sciences Promises to Change the World” Harvard Magazine, March-April 2014; “Data, Data, Everywhere.” The Economist. February 25, 2010, available at http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847 http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214579614000082 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214579614000082 http://www.economist.com/node/15557443 ). Big Data trends are seen in a wide variety of sectors from manufacturing (e.g., auto industry), health (e.g., pharmaceutical firms, drug chains, and hospitals) to the construction industry and retail sectors. However, the effect of Big Data on small businesses is relatively unknown. In addition, it is unclear how feasible it is for small businesses to collect, analyze, and utilize data given possible limitations in technological and analytical resources.

3. Scope

This study will discuss Big Data’s role in today’s economy, and examine the impact of big data on small business, including their ability to perform business analytics. Further, it will discuss the influence and effects Big Data will have on workers and owners in small firms. If available data permits, the study should analyze the extent to which existing large databases are being used by various sectors of the economy with high concentrations of small firms, and sectors where small firms are mining their own data for creative uses. This study will also evaluate the implications this new phenomenon will have on regulations and public policy.

Specific milestones of this research might include but are not limited to:

• Summarize the businesses functions and processes impacted by Big Data, the applications of this data, data types and data sources, and technologies and solutions available to small firms.

• Examine the costs and benefits of using large datasets and creatively using new datasets to small firms.

• Analyze significant Big Data trends impacting small firms including discussion on potential geographic and demographic trends.

• Analyze trends in development and utilization of technologies such as software applications that perform business analytics based on big data

• Identify industries in which small firms may be most affected by big data

• Case study or qualitative approaches may also prove effective in illustrating the above described trends, benefits, and barriers to small business use of big data.

Potential Data Source:

Potential data sources are the Current Population Survey, (computer use information by firm size) and the American Community Survey. Other potential sources include data from on-line shopping, internet sales, and data in particular sectors like medical records, and on-line advertising.

Previous studies/reports:

• Graham, Mark. “Big Data and the End of Theory.” The Guardian. March 9, 2012.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/mar/09/big-data-theory http://www.economist.com/node/15557443 http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/mar/09/big-data-theory

• Press, Gil. “A Short History of Big Data.” Forbes. May 9, 2013.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2013/05/09/a-very-short-history-of-...

• Bell, Steven. “Promise and Problems of Big Data.” Library Journal. March 13, 2013. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/03/opinion/steven-bell/promise-and-pro... –

• Davenport, Tom. “Competing on Analytics.” Harvard Business Review. January 2006. https://hbr.org/2006/01/competing-on-analytics/ar/1

• Franks, Bill. “Taming the Big Data Tidal Wave: Finding Opportunities in Huge Data Streams with Advanced Analytics.” Wiley, 1st Edition. April 2012.

• Mayer-Schonberger, Viktor. “Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think.” Houghton Mifflin, 1st Edition. March 2013.

4. Performance Requirements

The methodology and hypotheses put forth in the proposal will clearly show how the research will be conducted, are binding upon award, and are expected to be reflected in the final report. All research team members listed in the proposal, including but not limited to subject matter and technical experts, will actively contribute through the performance of this services. The resulting final submission will fully document the analysis and conclusions to fully support the position asserted.

The final product shall contain a thorough review of the current and relevant literature, discussion of the data and findings, and overall conclusions. The report shall demonstrate policy relevance to current issues. Draft products will reflect reasonable progress toward the final product and shall be submitted according to final product formatting requirements. For other details on the final product, see the “Deliverables” and “Performance Requirement Summary” sections that follow.

5. Deliverables

Deliverables and

Meetings Due Date Format For Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom

Post Award Conference

10 business days after award

N/A -- Phone Conference

N/A CO and COR http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2013/05/09/a-very-short-history-of-big-data/ http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/03/opinion/steven-bell/promise-and-problems-of-big-data-from-the-bell-tower/ http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/03/opinion/steven-bell/promise-and-problems-of-big-data-from-the-bell-tower/ https://hbr.org/2006/01/competing-on-analytics/ar/1

Monthly progress reports

3rd business day of the month following initial award and each month thereafter

Microsoft Word document

Via Email COR

Discussions on reports/submittals

As scheduled by request of the COR

N/A -- Phone Conference

N/A COR/Vendor

Draft(s) Report sections and data development

Months 1-3 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents and/or statistical results (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Via Email COR

Rough Draft of Report

Months 3-4 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents and formatted in accordance with specifications (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Via Email COR

First Draft; Peer Review Initiated

Months 4-6 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents and formatted in accordance with specifications (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Via Email COR

Reworked, Resubmissions of First Draft Based on Peer Review

Months 6-8 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents and formatted in accordance with specifications (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Via Email COR

Final Draft Months 8-9 of Microsoft Word documents and

Via Email COR contract term formatted in accordance with specifications (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Reworked, Resubmission of Proposed Final Document

Months 9-11 of contract term

Written, submitted in a Microsoft Word documents and formatted in accordance with specifications (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Via Email COR

Final Report Submission

Month 12 of contract term

Written, submitted in a Microsoft Word documents and formatted in accordance with specifications (no Adobe Acrobat PDF files or locked files)

Via Email COR

6. Performance Requirement Summary

Contractors must adhere to the following when submitting drafts and the final report, with the final version completed not more than one year from the date of award:

• All submissions will be presented by the prescribed timelines; presented under the prescribed methodology; in the prescribed format to the contracting officer’s representative (COR). Documents shall be clearly annotated and/or identified as either a draft or a final document.

• Contractors must seek prior written approval from the contracting officer and COR before any changes are implemented among the key personnel and other staff listed in the proposal. Individuals that the contractor proposes to use as replacements for those listed in the proposal shall satisfy the personnel experience requirements contained in the solicitation and the contractor must provide resumes for each proposed replacement as part of its request for prior written approval.

• The documented submissions related to the post award service, including the final report and all intervening drafts, must be thoroughly edited and of high professional quality before submission to the COR. These high professional quality drafts and reports shall include professional language, presentation, and citations commensurate with published research in academic journals in the relevant subject matter field and shall be free of typographical and grammatical errors.

• All research and data projects are subject to the Office of Management and Budget Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/omb/fedreg/reproducible2.

pdf). Per these guidelines, peer review may range from internal Advocacy staff review to that of external reviewers in relevant fields such as academics or technical experts. Feedback from this process will be incorporated into subsequent drafts before the report can be finalized for release.

• The final report must contain an executive summary and table of contents. It must conform with the current version of one of the major style guides, such as the University of Chicago Manual of Style or the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Manual, in terms of grammar, style, and organization. In particular, each table and figure must have a source specified on the page; references, footnotes and bibliographies shall be formatted consistent with a major style guide; and all pages shall have page numbers, including tables and figures.

• All government agency electronic and information technology (EIT) is required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Section 508 of the ADA’s 1998 amendments requires the electronic documents posted by Federal agencies to be accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities to the extent that it does not pose an “undue burden.” To comply with this mandate, the final report must be formatted in accordance with Section 508 requirements. The Office of Advocacy will provide guidance to achieve 508 compatibility at the time of award; however, it is ultimately the contractor’s responsibility to provide all deliverables in accordance with the legal requirements for section 508 compliance.

Per the guidelines, written descriptions of all figures and charts in the final report must be provided in a separate document.

• The contractor will provide the Office of Advocacy with an electronic version of the final report within twelve months from the contract start date. The research is expected to progress along the timeline and benchmarks as noted in the Deliverables section.

• The final report must be double-spaced. The format of the electronic version must be a native word processing software format. An Acrobat (PDF) file is not acceptable.

All tables, graphics, and charts must be supplied in an editable software format. The font size used in the document will be no smaller than 12 point for manuscript text;

10 point for tables, graphics and charts; and 9 point for footnotes.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/omb/fedreg/reproducible2.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/omb/fedreg/reproducible2.pdf

• The Office of Advocacy will prepare a cover page carrying the following disclaimer, "The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations found in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Advocacy, the United States Small Business Administration, or the United States Government.”

• Following approval and acceptance of the final report, the Office of Advocacy will assign a date for public release of the report. Upon release, an electronic final report, along with an Office of Advocacy-prepared research summary, will be posted on Advocacy's web site, http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847, and the report also will be available for sale at cost through the National Technical Information Service.

• The definition of small businesses should be the same as used by the U.S. Small

Business Administration’s Office of Size Standards.

• The Office of Advocacy encourages contractors to publish their findings in professional journals, if possible, but they can do so only after completing the contract. Prior to publication the Contractor must approach the Contracting Officer Representative regarding attribution to the Office of Advocacy.

http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847