SF 1449 73351022R0017 Solicitation with Attachments.pdf

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Attached to: Research on Small Business Labor Market Issues
Solicitation number: 73351022R0017
Issued by: Small Business Administration

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SEE ADDENDUMIS CHECKED

CODE 18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CODE

FACILITYCODE

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER

OFFEROR

208050

SUITE 300

721 19TH STREET

DENVER FINANCE CENTER

DENVER ACQUISITION OFFICE FOR SBA

212020 CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BYCODE

541720

SIZE STANDARD:

% FOR:SET ASIDE:UNRESTRICTED OR208050

RFPIFB

10. THIS ACQUISITION ISCODE

RFQ

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

13b. RATING

NAICS:

SMALL BUSINESS

08/16/2022 1700 ET

07/26/2022

Nikeena Brown (No collect calls)

INFORMATION CALL:

FOR SOLICITATION 8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL TIMEb. TELEPHONE NUMBER a. NAME

4. ORDER NUMBER3. AWARD/ 6. SOLICITATION

73351022R0017

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS 1. REQUISITION NUMBER PAGE OF

1 59 OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

DENVER CO 80202

TELEPHONE NO.

17a. CONTRACTOR/

WASHINGTON DC 20416

409 3RD ST SW

OFFICE OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

15. DELIVER TO

DENVER CO 80202

SUITE 301

721 19TH STREET

DENVER FINANCE CENTER

9. ISSUED BY

2. CONTRACT NO.

EFFECTIVE DATE

$22.00

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW

ISSUE DATE

DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

11.

SEE SCHEDULEX

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13a.

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

8(A)

DENVER ACQUISITION OFFICE FOR SBA

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

24.

AMOUNT

23.

UNIT PRICE

22.

UNIT

21.

QUANTITY

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

19.

ITEM NO.

This requirement supports the Office of Advocacy in fulfilling research on small business labor markets.

Attachments:

1 - Performance Work Statement 2 - Terms and Conditions 3 - Instructions to Offerors

Delivery: 09/27/2023 Continued ...

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

DATED

Nikeena S. Brown

. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION (BLOCK 5),

INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER

ARE

31c. DATE SIGNED

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY ADDITIONAL

SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED.

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

OFFER

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 2/2012)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

ARE NOT ATTACHED.

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT:

REF.

32e. MAILING ADDRESS OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32c. DATE 32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

ACCEPTED, AND CONFORMS TO THE CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS NOTED:

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

RECEIVED INSPECTED

40. PAID BY39. S/R VOUCHER NUMBER38. S/R ACCOUNT NUMBER

37. CHECK NUMBER

FINALPARTIAL

36. PAYMENT

FINALPARTIAL

35. AMOUNT VERIFIED

CORRECT FOR

34. VOUCHER NUMBER33. SHIP NUMBER

COMPLETE

32g. E-MAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

42d. TOTAL CONTAINERS42c. DATE REC'D (YY/MM/DD)

42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

42a. RECEIVED BY (Print)

41c. DATE41b. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICER

41a. I CERTIFY THIS ACCOUNT IS CORRECT AND PROPER FOR PAYMENT

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 2/2012) BACK

24.

AMOUNT

23.

UNIT PRICE

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UNIT

21.

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19.

ITEM NO.

Period of Performance: 09/28/2022 to 09/27/2023

0001 CLIN 0001 Outline and data development completed

(includes 1.a and 1.b)

Anticipated Award Type: Firm-fixed-price

Product/Service Code: AF11

Product/Service Description: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION

SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH

FOB: Destination

0002 CLIN 0002 Draft Introduction, Literature Review, & Data Discussion Sections – Submitted for COR and editorial review in complete or nearly complete form.

Anticipated Award Type: Firm-fixed-price

Product/Service Code: AF11

Product/Service Description: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION

SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH

FOB: Destination

Continued ...

32f. TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

59 2 of

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

3 59

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

73351022R0017

0003 CLIN 0003 First Draft Sections; Peer Review or

External Consultation Possibly Initiated

(includes 3.a and 3.b)

Anticipated Award Type: Firm-fixed-price

Product/Service Code: AF11

Product/Service Description: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION

SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH

FOB: Destination

0004 CLIN 0004 Polished Draft including all report sections and Peer Review or External Consultation

– Complete first draft submitted for COR, editorial, and peer review or external consultation

Anticipated Award Type: Firm-fixed-price

Product/Service Code: AF11

Product/Service Description: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION

SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH

FOB: Destination

0005 CLIN 0005 Final Draft Passback (includes 5.a and

5.b)

Anticipated Award Type: Firm-fixed-price

Product/Service Code: AF11

Product/Service Description: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION

SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH

FOB: Destination

0006 CLIN 0006 Reworked, Resubmission of Proposed

Final Document (includes 6.a and 6.b)

Anticipated Award Type: Firm-fixed-price

Product/Service Code: AF11

Product/Service Description: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION

SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH

Continued ...

NSN 7540-01-152-8067 OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

Solicitation Number: 73351022R0017 Requirement Title: Research on Small Business Labor Market Issues Solicitation Issue Date: 26 July 2022 Response Deadline: 16 August 2022 at 5:00pm Eastern Time (ET).

Contracting Office: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of the Chief Financial Operations and Acquisitions Management (OFOAM), 721 19th St., Denver, CO 80202 Point of Contact (POC): Nikeena Brown, Nikeena.Brown@sba.gov

General Information This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, as applicable, and supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

73351022R0017 is being issued as a request for proposal (RFP). All questions are due by 2 August 2022 at 5:00pm Eastern Time (ET) and shall be submitted via email to the Point of Contact (POC) identified above.

The solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2022-06, effective 1 May 2022.

This is a total small business set aside. The North American Industry Size Classification System (NAICS) code associated with this requirement is 541720 Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities. The small business size standard is $24.5M. The Product Service Code is AF11 Education, Training, Employment, & Social Services Research & Development Services; Basic Research.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract; it does not restrict the Government’s ultimate approach; nor does it obligate the Government to pay for any proposal preparation costs.

Requirement Information The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Advocacy intends to procure research on small business topics using economic data, in accordance with the Attachment 1 – Statement of Work.

The purpose of this acquisition is to produce an empirical, data-intensive research report on small business labor market issues. This report will evaluate current small business labor trends and issues, such as the causes and effects of labor shortages by business size and industry, and assess the policy implications of the findings. This report may focus on a relevant labor issue affecting small business overall, or an issue affecting small businesses in certain industries or business owner demographic groups, such as veterans, minorities, or women.

mailto:Nikeena.Brown@sba.gov

1 Background

Line Item

Description Quantity Unit of Measure

Unit Price

Extended Price

0001 Outline and data development completed (includes 1.a and 1.b)

1 Each TBD TBD

0002 Draft Introduction, Literature Review, & Data Discussion sections – submitted for COR and editorial review in complete or nearly complete form.

1 Each TBD TBD

0003 First Draft Sections; Peer Review or External Consultation Possibly Initiated (includes 3.a and 3.b)

1 Each TBD TBD

0004 Polished Draft including all report sections and Peer Review or External Consultation – complete first draft submitted for COR, editorial, and peer review or external consultation

1 Each TBD TBD

0005 Final Draft Passback (includes 5.a and 5.b)

1 Each TBD TBD

0006 Reworked, Resubmission of Proposed Final Document (includes 6.a and 6.b)

1 Each TBD TBD

0007 Final Report Submission – Completed final product.

1 Each TBD TBD

Total Price TBD

Place of Delivery/Acceptance/FOB Point SBA Headquarters, Office of Advocacy, 409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC. 20416.

Clauses and Provisions FAR Provision 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Nov 2021), applies to this acquisition and includes addenda, see Attachment 3 – Instructions to Offerors.

FAR Provision 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items (Best Value/Trade-Off) (Nov 2021) is applicable with Technical and Price for evaluation criteria, see Attachment 3 – Instructions to Offerors.

FAR Provision 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items (May 2022) is included in Attachment 3 – Instructions to Offers and shall be completed and returned with the proposals.

FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Nov 2021), applies to this acquisition and includes addenda, see Attachment 2 – Terms and Conditions.

FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (May 2022), applies to this acquisition and the applicable clauses are found in Attachment 2 –Terms and Conditions.

Instructions to Offerors & Evaluation Criteria See Attachment 3 - Instructions to Offerors including when questions and answers are due and how to submit proposals.

Research on Small Business Labor Market Issues

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 represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. Advocacy is an independent office within the Small Business Administration that conducts policy analysis of small business impacts, disseminates small business statistics, and funds research into small business issues. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, including past research projects, visit https://advocacy.sba.gov/category/research/economic-reports/economic-studies/.

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 one year from the award date Clearance required: None

1 Purpose

2 Background

The Office of Advocacy is responsible for examining the contributions and challenges of small businesses in the U.S. economy, including veteran, women, and minority-owned small businesses. Advocacy seeks to increase understanding of the state of small businesses, and supports research related to the role of entrepreneurship in the economy and the examination of various issues of relevance to small business owners. In light Covid-19’s impact on the nation’s small businesses, understanding the status of small business employment is vital to economic recovery and supporting these businesses in future crises. The Office of Advocacy seeks research that increases knowledge about the state of small business employment as well as major labor issues facing small businesses.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States causing widespread economic damage. The economic impact of the pandemic varied across geographic areas, with metropolitan and coastal areas hardest hit. Additionally, some industries suffered more than others, with the largest declines in employment in leisure and hospitality. Further, disproportionate metropolitan https://advocacy.sba.gov/category/research/economic-reports/economic-studies/ impacts contributed to differences across demographic categories, with Black and Asian business owners suffering the most.1

The pandemic and subsequent recession led to the largest decline in employment since the Great Recession.2 Small business employment alone fell by 9.1 million in the first two quarters of 2020. Yet small businesses began to bounce back quickly—much more quickly than in the Great Recession. Over the next year, small businesses gained back 60 percent of that lost employment.

The limiting factor in this recovery, unlike in many of those in the past, seems to be labor supply.

The Great Resignation—or the Great Reshuffle—saw almost 48 million people quit their job in 2021,3 some moving on to new employment and others opting out of the workforce. The reduced labor supply is driving up wages, creating a competitive hiring environment that could disadvantage small businesses already struggling with inflation. In April 2022, annual wage growth reach 6%, the highest of any month in the 25 years that the Atlanta Fed has been tracking this figure.4

As the pandemic continues to drive changes to the nature of work across industries, many small businesses may also struggle to hire because they are unable to keep up with emerging technology or simply lack the access to broadband or the technical equipment necessary to manage a remote workforce. Moreover, if the labor shortage and structural market changes are accelerating automation and technological workforce trends, this could further hamper small business recovery because they are typically less able to adopt automation and new technologies.

Combined, these developments have led to a concerning situation for small business employment: over 40 percent of small businesses cited labor needs at the end of March 2022,5 and roughly one-third said they were having difficulties hiring employees.6

The Office of Advocacy’s research has focused on illuminating unique business challenges to help policymakers formulate solutions, with some recent studies examining employment trends.

For example, recent Advocacy research has shown that job losses through January 2021 were especially severe in the leisure and hospitality industry—in which employment is still 1.6 million

1 Wilmoth, Daniel, “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Small Businesses.” U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, March 2021. https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/02112318/COVID-19- Impact-On-Small-Business.pdf

2 Wilmoth, Daniel, “Small Business Facts: Small Business Job Creation.” U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, April 2022. https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/22141927/Small-Business-Job-Creation- Fact-Sheet-Apr2022.pdf 3 Greg Iacurci, “4.3 million people quit their jobs in January as the Great Resignation shows no sign of slowing down.”

CNBC, March 2022. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/09/the-great-resignation-is-still-in-full-swing.html 4 Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, “Wage Growth Tracker.” Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, accessed May 18, 2022.

https://www.atlantafed.org/chcs/wage-growth-tracker 5 Daniel Brown, “Small Business Facts: Small Business Hiring Needs.” U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, May 2022.

6 U.S. Census Bureau, “Small Business Pulse Survey.” U.S. Census Bureau, accessed May 18, 2022.

https://portal.census.gov/pulse/data/#weekly https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/02112318/COVID-19-Impact-On-Small-Business.pdf https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/02112318/COVID-19-Impact-On-Small-Business.pdf https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/22141927/Small-Business-Job-Creation-Fact-Sheet-Apr2022.pdf https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/22141927/Small-Business-Job-Creation-Fact-Sheet-Apr2022.pdf https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/09/the-great-resignation-is-still-in-full-swing.html https://www.atlantafed.org/chcs/wage-growth-tracker https://portal.census.gov/pulse/data/#weekly below the pre-pandemic level.7 Restaurants and bars, a category dominated by small businesses, have suffered disproportionate declines in employment.8 Other research showed that during the recent downturn job seekers shifted their searches away from early-stage companies and toward larger firms, which led to a deterioration in the quality of the human capital pool available to early-stage ventures during the downturn.9

These trends having worrying implications for the economic outlook of the overall economy for many reasons, not least of which is small business’s outsized role in employment growth.

Although small businesses constitute less than half of U.S. employees, they accounted for two-thirds of net employment growth over the last 20 years.10 Understanding the causes of small business labor struggles over the last two years and identifying potential policy solutions is of crucial importance. Adding to the economic literature on these important labor issues affecting small businesses can help inform policymakers and potentially improve future outcomes for small business as well as the U.S. economy.

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 on an economic issue salient to small businesses to increase understanding and provide policymaking insight across government and is not intended specifically for evaluation of SBA programs. As stated, the Office of Advocacy is an independent office within SBA tasked with examining the role of small businesses in the economy. Research proposals should exhibit strong knowledge of the research area. The hypotheses to be tested should be presented, and the data that will be used to test them should be identified. Research

7 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment, Unemployment, and Openings, Hires, and Separations.” U.S. Bureau of

Labor Statistics, accessed May 18, 2022. https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag70.htm 8 Wilmoth, Daniel, “Restaurants and Bars Staggered by Pandemic.” U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of

Advocacy, June 2020. https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/29105857/Small-Business-Facts- Restaurants-And-Bars-Staggered-By-Pandemic.pdf

9 Bernstein,S,; Townsend R.R., and Xu Ting, “Flight To Safety: How Economic Downturns Affect Talent Flows To Startups.” National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper Series October 2020.

https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w27907/w27907.pdf

10 U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, “Frequently Asked Questions about Small Business, 2021.”

U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, November 2021. https://advocacy.sba.gov/2021/11/03/frequently-asked-questions-about-small-business-2021/ https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag70.htm https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/29105857/Small-Business-Facts-Restaurants-And-Bars-Staggered-By-Pandemic.pdf https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/29105857/Small-Business-Facts-Restaurants-And-Bars-Staggered-By-Pandemic.pdf https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w27907/w27907.pdf https://advocacy.sba.gov/2021/11/03/frequently-asked-questions-about-small-business-2021/ https://advocacy.sba.gov/2021/11/03/frequently-asked-questions-about-small-business-2021/ proposals can use a wide range of data sources. Modern statistical techniques and timely data are preferred. It is not expected that a research proposal will cover all issues and all owner demographic groups. If focusing on an issue relevant to a particular owner demographic group, groups of interest include but are not limited to racial groups, ethnic groups, sex/gender groups, groups with disabilities, age, and veteran status. Preference will be given to the proposal that best shows a strong technical knowledge of the issue to be researched, demonstrates the policy relevance of the research and potential findings, and presents a clear, concise, and feasible research plan.

3.3 Data Sources

The proposed analysis can use a variety of economic datasets, and proposals should identify the economic dataset(s) that will be analyzed. The following list is not a comprehensive list of data sources appropriate for this research, and proposals that use the mentioned data will not necessarily be given preference. Some of these data sources provide metrics at the firm level (e.g., BED) while others provide metrics at the establishment level (e.g., JOLTS). Although the firm is the more appropriate level of granularity for measuring business activity, establishment-level studies can still provide valuable insight, particularly when firm-level data cannot inform the most interesting questions. Research proposals should consider the balance between appropriate granularity and the value of a research question.

a. Business Employment Dynamics (BED)

b. Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

c. Job-to-Job Flows (J2J)

d. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW)

e. Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS)

f. Experimental Business Dynamics Statistics (EXP-BDS)

g. American Community Survey (ACS)

h. Annual Business Survey (ABS)

i. Statistics of U.S. Business (SUSB)

j. Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

k. Current Population Survey (CPS)

l. Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)

m. County Business Patterns (CBP)

n. National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS)

o. Nonemployer Statistics (NES)

p. Nonemployer Statistics by Demographics (NES-D)

q. Business Formation Statistics (BFS)

r. Small Business Pulse Survey (SBPS)

s. Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS)

3.4 Potential Areas of Focus

The Office of Advocacy requests proposals on a focus of relevance, within the solicitation’s background and scope, to Advocacy’s mission11, small business stakeholders, policymakers, academics, and small business owners. Potential areas of focus include, but are not limited to the following:

a. Causes or effects of the small business labor shortage

b. Worker movement trends by business size and industry

c. Relationship between job quits and new entrepreneurship/boom in business applications

d. Effects of wage increases on small businesses by industry or owner demographic

e. Relationship between emerging technology and small business hiring challenges and workforce development needs

f. Trends in automation and workforce technologies, and their effects on small businesses

g. Small business job vacancies, finding and retaining qualified workers, and workforce development needs

h. Small business employment trends by owner or worker demographic

i. Employment dynamics by geography (e.g., by state or county, urban versus rural)

j. Effect of hiring problems or wage increases on small business survival

k. Impacts of federal policies on small business employment

l. Impact of tax policy on small business employment

3.5 Research Methods

The proposal should describe the empirical methods that will be used. The use of modern statistical techniques to test hypotheses about causal relationships is preferred. Proposals involving instrumental variables should identify the instruments to be used and defend their suitability. The software that will be used to conduct the analysis should be identified. Research should be thoroughly documented and reproducible, and scripts of the analysis in statistical packages like R or Stata should be available upon request.

3.6 Components of Finished Research

The final research report should contain an executive summary, a literature review of the relevant research, discussion and description of the data and methodology, the results and findings of the analysis, policy implications, and overall conclusions. The final research report should be thorough, clear, concise, and cohesive.

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

11 see 15 U.S.C. § 634(b).

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 passback and edits

As scheduled by request of the COR (possible bi-weekly calls)

N/A -- Phone Conference

N/A COR/Vendor

Detailed Contract Deliverables Milestones

1. Outline and data development completed (includes 1.a and 1.b)

Months 1-3 of contract term

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

Via Email COR

a. 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

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom

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

Months 3-4 of contract term

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

Via Email COR

3. First Draft Sections; Peer Review or External Consultation Possibly Initiated (includes 3.a and 3.b)

Months 4-6 of contract term

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

Via Email COR

a. Initial results of analysis submitted for review, including: preliminary model & results, descriptive statistics/cross-tabulations, preliminary graphics, preliminary discussion of results

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

Via Email COR

b. Complete Draft submitted for COR and editorial review, including methodology, model, results, and discussion

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

Via Email COR

4. Polished Draft including all report sections and Peer Review or External Consultation – complete first draft submitted for COR, editorial, and peer review or external consultation

Months 6-8 of contract term

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

Via Email COR

5. Final Draft Passback (includes 5.a and 5.b)

Months 8-9 of contract term

Microsoft Word documents formatted in accordance with

Via Email COR

Deliverable Due Date Format for Written Submissions

Transition Method

Transmitted to Whom specifications and/or statistical results (no PDFs or locked files)

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 proposed revisions in response to comments with brief explanation.

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

Via Email COR

6. Reworked, Resubmission of Proposed Final Document (includes 6.a and 6.b)

Months 9- 11 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 substantive comments distributed.

Microsoft Word or

PDF

Via Email COR to contractor

b. Draft Final 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)

Via Email COR

7. Final Report Submission

– completed final product.

No later than day before end of contract term.

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

Via Email COR

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, https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-regulatory-affairs/federal-collection-information/).

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 (see, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2002-02-22/pdf/R2- 59.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, and 52.227-16 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 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, https://advocacy.sba.gov/.

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 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

Prior to the Office of Advocacy’s release, the Contractor shall not release, distribute, or publish the final research product without written permission of the Office of Advocacy. 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, and, if prior to the Office of Advocacy’s release, receiving written permission of the Office of Advocacy. Prior to publication, the Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer Representative in writing regarding attribution to the Office of

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

73351022R0017 Attachment 2 - Terms and Conditions Page 1 of 11

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Nov 2021)

Addendum to 52.212-4

(w) The following are clauses required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The clauses are categorized for the purposes of paragraph (s) Order of Precedence as Other Compliances and Compliance with Laws Unique to Government Contracts.

Invoice Submission

a. Invoices shall be submitted via the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), a service provided by the U.S. Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Contractors are solely responsible for ensuring invoices are accepted by IPP and transmitted to the SBA. IPP will submit a status update to the vendor when the invoice is transmitted to the SBA.

b. Contractors not enrolled in IPP will be notified to register upon award of a contract, agreement or order. Unless already enrolled in IPP, Contractors shall enroll at https://www.ipp.gov/. Contractors should contact the IPP Customer Support for system-related questions at 866-973-3131or IPPCustomerSupport@fiscal.treasury.gov.

c. Contractors shall ensure that their System for Award Management (SAM) account remains active during contract or order performance. IPP will not allow a submission or payment of an invoice if the Contractor’s SAM registration is expired.

d. The Contractor shall include or input the following information. Additional information may be required by the contract, agreement or order. Items with asterisks typically automatically populate from the contract or order.

i. Vendor name and address

ii. Invoice date: Future dates and dates greater than five years in the past cannot be entered into IPP

iii. Invoice number. Duplicate invoice numbers cannot be used

iv. Contract and/or order number

v. Quantity per Contract Line Item Number (CLIN)

vi. Description, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of delivered items or provided services

vii. Unless otherwise specified in the contract or order, a billing period for services is a month.

viii. For Time and Materials contracts or orders, the Contractor shall invoice no less often than monthly, and shall include the following on the invoice or an attachment to the invoice:

a. Total amount funded by CLIN

b. Total amount invoiced to date by CLIN

c. Funding balance by CLIN iv. Estimated completion cost by CLIN

ix. Discount terms for prompt payment if offered

x. Name and phone number of a Contractor’s Point of Contact (POC) https://www.ipp.gov/ https://www.ipp.gov/

73351022R0017 Attachment 2 - Terms and Conditions Page 2 of 11

xi. Attachments as applicable including the Contractor’s internally generated invoice or supporting documentation

e. IPP allows Contractors to view the status of invoices in IPP. IPP invoice status codes are:

i. Pending Approval – Invoice has been submitted via IPP

ii. Approved to Pay – Invoice is approved and payment is or will be scheduled

iii. Rejected – Invoice has been rejected and the invoice must be resubmitted with new invoice number

iv. Paid – Payment has been made to the Contractor’s financial institution

v. Saved in Exception – Invoice has not been created in IPP because of a rule set error

Restrictions on Endorsements

The Contractor shall not refer to contracts/agreements/orders awarded by the SBA in commercial advertising, as defined in FAR 31.205-1, in a manner which states or implies that the product or service provided is approved or endorsed by the Government, or is considered by the Government to be superior to other products or services. This restriction is intended to avoid the appearance of preference by the Government toward any product or service. The Contractor may request the Contracting Officer to make a determination as to the propriety of promotional material.

Preservation of and Access to Contract Records

a. Contract records” means information created or maintained by the contractor in the performance of the contract. Contract records include documents required to be retained in accordance with FAR 4.703 and other information generated or maintained by the contractor that is pertinent to the contract and its performance including, but not limited to: email and attachments; formal and informal correspondence; calendars; notes; reports; memoranda;

spreadsheets; tables; telephone logs; forms; surveys; books; papers; photographs; drawings;

machine-readable materials; and data. Contract records may be maintained as electronically stored information or as tangible materials. Contract records may exist in either final or any interim version (e.g., drafts that have been circulated for official purposes and contain unique information, such as notes, edits, comments, or highlighting).

b. “Electronically stored information (ESI)” means any contract records that are stored on, or generated by, an electronic device, or contained in electronically accessible media, either owned by the contractor, subcontractor(s), or employees of the contractor or subcontractor(s) regardless of the physical location of the device or media (e.g., offsite servers or data storage).

c. “ESI devices and media” include, but shall not be limited to:

1. Computers (mainframe, desktop, and laptop);

2. Network servers, including shared and personal drives;

73351022R0017 Attachment 2 - Terms and Conditions Page 3 of 11

3. Individual e-mail accounts of the contractor’s and any subcontractors’ principals, officers, and

4. employees including all folders contained in each email account such as “Inbox,” “Outbox,”

5. “Drafts,” “Sent,” “Trash,” “Archive,” and any other folders;

6. Personal data assistants (PDAs);

7. External data storage devices including portable devices (e.g., flash drive); and

8. Data storage media (magnetic, e.g., tape; optical, e.g., compact disk; microfilm; etc.).

9. “Tangible materials” means contract records that exist in a physical (i.e., non-electronic) state.

d. If during the period of performance of this contract, SBA becomes or anticipates becoming a party to any litigation concerning matters related to records maintained or generated by the contractor in the performance of this contract, the contracting officer may provide the contractor with a written (either hardcopy or email) preservation hold and certification of compliance with preservation hold. Upon receipt of the hold, the contractor shall immediately take the following actions:

1. Discontinue any alteration, overwriting, deletion, or destruction of all tangible materials and ESI;

2. Preserve tangible materials and ESI. The contractor shall preserve ESI in its “native” form to preserve metadata (i.e., creation and modification history of a document);

3. Identify all individuals who possess or may possess, tangible materials and ESI related to this matter, including contractor employees, subcontractors, and subcontractor employees. The contractor shall provide the names of all such individuals via email to the SBA official indicated in the notice;

4. Document in writing the contractor’s efforts to preserve tangible materials ESI. It may be useful to maintain a log documenting preservation efforts;

5. Complete the certification of compliance with litigation hold upon receipt and return it to the identified contact person; and

6. Upon the request of the contracting officer, provide to the contracting officer or other SBA official designated by the contracting officer with any of the information described in this clause.

7. The contractor shall immediately confirm receipt of such request. The contractor shall describe in detail any records that the contractor knows or believes to be unavailable and provide a detailed explanation of why they are unavailable, and if known, their location.

73351022R0017 Attachment 2 - Terms and Conditions Page 4 of 11 e.

1. If any request for records pursuant to paragraph (b)(6) of this clause causes an increase in the estimated cost or price, or the time required for performance of any part of the work under this contract, or otherwise affects any other terms and conditions of…

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