7212020EQ0009_SOW.pdf

SBAHQ-17-Q-0018

Research on the Industry Distribution of Women-owned Businesses

Statement of Work

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy 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, visit http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847.

Type of contract: The government anticipates awarding a firm-fixed price type award Location of work: To be completed by the contractor at the contractor’s facility Anticipated period of performance: Not more than 14 months from the award date Clearance required: None

1 Purpose

The purpose of this study is to conduct an empirical, data-intensive study on the reasons for the industry distribution of women-owned businesses.

2 Background

Advocacy is constantly looking for answers to small business questions and sponsors research related to the role of women’s entrepreneurship in the economy and the examination of various issues of relevance to women small business owners. To this end the Office of Advocacy seeks projects that evaluate the reasons behind the high concentration of women-owned businesses in specific industries and their lack of representation in others.

Almost 36% of all businesses in the United States are women-owned and through over 9.8 million businesses they employ 8.4 million workers.1 Women have grown to be 47% of the workforce2 and control 51% of US personal wealth.3 However, data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners shows that women-owned businesses are concentrated in a few specific industries. Often women-owned businesses are in lower revenue industries,4 and there is evidence of a large gender gap in STEM industries.5 While research has focused on general barriers women entrepreneurs face when trying to open a business,6 recently less has

1 U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Survey of Business Owners (SBO), accessed through AmericanFactFinder.com 2 DeWolf, Mark, Department of Labor Blog. https://blog.dol.gov/2017/03/01/12-stats-about-working-women 3 “Financial Concerns of Women,” BMO Wealth Institute, March 2015. https://www.bmo.com/privatebank/pdf/Q1-2015-Wealth- Institute-Report-Financial-Concerns-of-Women.pdf 4 Advocacy analysis of Census SBO Data. 4-digit NAICs industries used for analysis.

5 https://www.sba.gov/advocacy/understanding-gender-gap-stem-fields-entrepreneurship 6 “21st Century Barriers to Women’s Entrepreneurship,” United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, July 2014. http://www.microbiz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/21st-Century-Barriers-to-Womens- Entrepreneurship.pdf http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847 https://blog.dol.gov/2017/03/01/12-stats-about-working-women https://www.bmo.com/privatebank/pdf/Q1-2015-Wealth-Institute-Report-Financial-Concerns-of-Women.pdf https://www.bmo.com/privatebank/pdf/Q1-2015-Wealth-Institute-Report-Financial-Concerns-of-Women.pdf https://www.sba.gov/advocacy/understanding-gender-gap-stem-fields-entrepreneurship http://www.microbiz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/21st-Century-Barriers-to-Womens-Entrepreneurship.pdf http://www.microbiz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/21st-Century-Barriers-to-Womens-Entrepreneurship.pdf been conducted on why/how they choose industries and the causes of differing concentrations in specific industries.

3 Scope

3.1 Overview

a. Any additional terms must be submitted with the proposal. No additional terms or agreements will be considered following award.

b. The research contract will incorporate by reference the contractor’s complete research proposal, the complete Statement of Work (SOW), and additional documents.

c. This is a nonpersonal services contract to provide services as detailed herein and in the contractor’s complete research proposal.

d. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform this service as defined in this SOW. The contractor shall perform to the standards identified in this contract.

3.2 Proposal Expectations

This solicitation is for empirical research. The proposal should demonstrate knowledge of the topic area and economic expertise.

3.2.1 Potential Data Sources

The following list is not a comprehensive list of data sources appropriate for this research.

Research is not limited to these options. Proposals that utilize timely data will be shown preference in evaluation.

a. National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS)

b. Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID)

c. System for Award Management (SAM)

d. Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)

e. Statistics of US Business (SUSB)

f. Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

g. Current Population Survey (CPS)

h. Survey of Business Owners (SBO)

i. Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)

j. County Business Patterns (CBP)

3.3 Components of Finished Research

The research contract will evaluate the reasons, explicit and implicit, for the differing concentrations of women in specific industry sectors. The research should evaluate factors such as demographics, entrepreneurial preferences (e.g. flexible schedules, industry familiarity), and barriers to entry. Analysis of barriers to entries should include how industry specific barriers like differing start-up costs or licensing requirements, as well as general barriers such as access to capital. The contract will be divided into two tasks:

Task A:

To be completed six months after the date of award, Task A will include a comprehensive literature review, analysis of descriptive statistics based on publicly available data, identification of gaps in the current literature, and the development of an empirical strategy for additional research on the topic. Task A will produce a report publishable independent of Task B.

Task B (if option is exercised):

To be completed fourteen months after the date of award, Task B will execute the empirical strategy developed in Task A. Task B will produce a single final report that includes the research conducted in Task A in addition to the findings from the empirical work. Task B will include a discussion of possible implications of the research on public policy such as federal contracting, tax policy, loan programs, and/or state policies.

4 Deliverables

4.1 Final Deliverable Schedule

The following is a general set of deliverables and deadlines for the delivery of those deliverables.

More specific deliverables and a more specific deliverable schedule shall be finalized following the award of the contract and shall be mutually agreed upon by the Contractor, Contracting Officer, and Contracting Officer Representative at the kick-off meeting for the contract. The deliverables and deliverable schedule shall be based on the milestones identified in this section, the accepted proposal, and the specific period of performance of the contract upon award, including specific due dates within the contract term. The final deliverable schedule shall be formally amended to the contract through a modification.

4.2 Progress of Deliverables

Deliverables must show significant progress relative to each previous deliverable and must be consistent with all parts of section 5 of the Statement of Work, Performance Requirements.

SBA’s Office of Advocacy will not cover the costs associated with correcting rejected deliverables.

4.3 Acceptance of Deliverables

The Contracting Officer Representative (COR) shall review submitted deliverables over a reasonable amount of time and shall make an express determination of whether to accept or reject the deliverable.

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom

Post Award Conference – discuss expectations, procedures/invoicing, and deliverables milestones

10 business days after award

N/A -- Phone Conference

N/A CO and

COR

Monthly progress reports 3rd business day of each month

Microsoft Word document

Via Email COR

Discussions on reports/submittals, including

As scheduled by

N/A -- Phone Conference

N/A COR/Vendor

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom passback and edits request of the COR (possible bi-weekly calls)

Detailed Contract Deliverables Milestones

1. Outline and Initial Briefing (includes 1.a and 1.b)

Month 1 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

a. Outline – establishes planned overarching structure for report

Microsoft Word document

Via Email COR

b. Initial Briefing – contractor presents outline, projected research path, and any preliminary findings.

Microsoft Word or PowerPoint Document

Via Tele-conference or in Person

COR and internal staff including Advocacy editors

2. Rough Draft Sections of Report (includes 2.a)

Month 3 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

a. Draft Introduction, Literature Review, & Data Discussion sections – submitted for COR and editorial review in complete or nearly complete form.

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

3. Final Drafts of Comprehensive Literature Review, Descriptive Data analysis, etc.; Initial Draft of Proposed Empirical Strategy (includes 3.a and 3.b)

By Month 4 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

a. Polished Draft of Literature Review and Descriptive Data sections submitted for COR and editorial review. Draft should

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no

Via Email COR

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom be publishable independent of 3.b.

PDFs or locked files)

b. Initial Draft of Proposed Empirical strategy – submitted for COR

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

3. Final Report Submission of Comprehensive Literature Review, Descriptive Data, etc.; Final Submission of Proposed Empirical Strategy For Task B consideration

Month 6 – End of Task A

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

4. Briefing on Empirical Strategy

Month 7 of contract term; Task B initiation

Microsoft Word or PowerPoint Document

Via Tele-conference or in Person

COR and internal staff including Advocacy editors

5. Initial Draft of Empirical Strategy sections of the report submitted for COR

Month 9 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

6. Reworked Resubmissions of First Draft, Peer Review or External Consultation Likely Initiated (includes 6.a and 6.b)

Month 10 of contract term;

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

a. Polished Discussion, Draft Executive Summary & Policy Implications – submitted for COR and editorial review, including: polished discussion of results & graphics/tables, draft ES, draft policy implication discussion

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

b. First Draft including all report sections and Peer Review or External

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom

Consultation – complete first draft submitted for COR, editorial, and peer review or external consultation specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

7. Final Draft Passback (includes 7.a and 7.b)

Months 12- 13 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

a. Peer review or external consultation and COR, editorial feedback distributed

– contractor will receive comments

Microsoft Word or

PDF

Via Email COR to contractor

b. Response to peer review or external consultation – submitted for COR review, including comments accepted and declined with brief explanation.

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

8. Reworked, Resubmission of Proposed Final Document (includes 8.a and 8.b)

Months 13- 14 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

Via Email COR

a. Final round of comments distributed – contractor will receive final substantive comments following internal review of first draft, peer review/external comments, and contractor responses to peer review/external comments.

Microsoft Word or

PDF

Via Email COR to contractor

b. Final Passbacks of Draft Report – submitted for COR and editorial review, including final revisions in response to comments/edits.

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

9. Final Report Submission – No later than Microsoft Word Via Email COR

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom completed final product. day before end of contract term.

documents formatted in accordance with specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

5 Performance Requirements

5.1 General Requirements

a. 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.

b. 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 these services.

c. The resulting final submission will fully document the analysis and conclusions to fully support the position asserted.

d. The final product should contain a thorough review of the current and relevant literature, discussion of the data and findings, and overall conclusions.

e. The report should demonstrate policy relevance to current issues.

f. Deliverables as listed in the final deliverable schedule will reflect reasonable progress toward the final product and should be submitted according to final product formatting requirements, meaning all deliverables should be thoroughly proofread and edited, written clearly and concisely and free of grammatical and typographical errors.

g. For other details on the final product, see section 4 of the Statement of Work on deliverables and section 5.2 of the Statement of Work on additional requirements.

5.2 Additional Requirements

Contractors must adhere to the following when submitting draft and final deliverables, with the draft and final versions completed by the listed deadlines:

5.2.1 Adherence to Contract Terms

All submissions will be presented by the prescribed deadlines; 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.

5.2.2 Deliverables

The contractor will provide the Office of Advocacy with an electronic version of the final deliverable within the contract term. All of the deliverables listed in the deliverables chart of this SOW and any subsequent modifications to the contract, including all drafts identified as deliverables, shall be created in accordance with the terms and conditions detailed in this document. The research is expected to progress along the timeline and benchmarks as noted in the Deliverables section and as incorporated into the contract.

5.2.3 Contract Team

a. Key Personnel Key personnel shall have the technical skills requisite to perform the project. This requires a minimum of advanced technical training in applied economic and econometric analysis and demonstrated experience as subject matter experts. For example, a Ph.D. in Economics or survey methodology would be considered acceptable. Offerors shall submit resumes that demonstrate these minimum qualifications for key personnel, such as project leads.

b. Changes in Contract Team 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 minimum qualification requirements contained in the solicitation and the contractor must provide resumes for each proposed replacement as part of its request for prior written approval.

5.2.4 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements

When surveys or new information collections are necessary, contractors must meet the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) where applicable. In order to do so, the contractor will need to anticipate within the performance term the required public notice and OMB review for information collections under the PRA. The creation of a new information collection will require the contractor to develop survey procedures; identify appropriate respondents; provide clarification of the collection process; provide realistic estimates of the response rates; and work to develop an appropriate survey instrument (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg_infocoll).

It is the contractor’s responsibility to prepare any materials necessary to obtain PRA clearances associated with the work to be performed.

5.2.5 Data Quality and Transparency Requirements

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, data source disclosure and robustness checks will be required for any research or data project, including all data coding necessary to replicate findings and datasets derived through coding and query and used in support of analysis, unless otherwise limited by special access agreements. 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.

5.2.6 Data Rights

Rights in Data under FAR §§ 52.227-14 (alternates 2 and 5), 52.22715, 52.227-16, and 52.227-17 shall apply.

5.2.7 Editing and Proofreading Requirements

The documented submissions related to the post award service, including the final report and all intervening deliverables, must be thoroughly edited and of high professional quality before http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg_infocoll http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/omb/fedreg/reproducible2.pdf 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.

5.2.8 Style Requirements

The final report must contain an executive summary and table of contents. It must conform to 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.

5.2.9 ADA Section 508 Requirements

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 according to 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.

5.2.10 Formatting Requirements

Final reports 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.

5.2.11 Disclaimer

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."

5.2.12 Product Release

If the contracted product is a complete publishable report, 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.

5.2.13 Definition of Small Business

Within the research product, the definition of small businesses should be the same as that of the proposal and should be consistent with either the general definition of small businesses (less than http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/847

500 employees), the definition of small business established by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Size Standards, or a reasonably justified definition of small business as substantiated in the contractor’s proposal.

5.2.14 Future Publication and Attribution

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. Attribution should cite the SBA contract number under which the research was performed.

3.3 Components of Finished Research