RFP_KW0006_Questions_and_Answers_FINAL.docx

1. How many licenses of Venture Xpert data do you require?

It depends on the terms of the licenses. If the licenses are for individuals, then we want three

(3) licenses. If the licenses are based on the number of computers, then we want two (2) licenses.

1. On the fed.gov website it says that the request for proposal (RFP) is due on July 24th however, in the RFP document it says that the RFP is due on July 27th. Can the U.S Census Bureau confirm which date and time the RFP is due?

The RFP due date has been extended to August 5th, 2015 @ 12 pm EST.

2. Can the U.S. Census Bureau provide some of the use cases on how the data is used for the "support planning and conducting of future economic censuses, current surveys such as the Survey of Small Business Owners (SBO), and other Census Bureau demographic and economic research and production work"?

Data would be linked to Census business data sources to identify which firms are publicly traded. This information might be used in survey sampling, weighting, and tabulating Census data products. For example, it might be used to support producing statistics on employmentgrowth rates for publicly traded versus privately held firms.

3. Are there any other identifiers that the SEC can use other than an EIN, such as a CUSIP or ticker?

Business identifiers in the Census data include business name, business address, and the EIN.

4. Is the U.S. Census Bureau interested in U.S. based data or global?

The Census Bureau is primarily interested in U.S. based data, but would also value data for companies trading in the U.S. on whether/where they have global operations. We are also interested in any foreign entities with physical activity (plants or establishments) in the U.S.

5. Does the U.S. Census Bureau want current and future financial data or historical? If interested in historical information how much history is needed?

Census is interested in historical data back to 1975, in addition to current/future data.

6. Can the U.S. Census Bureau provide further detail on what it means by "Information on geographic segments of operations"?

We are interested in understanding geographic production activity.

7. What is the U.S. Census Bureau’s delivery preference, flat files, feeds or some other alternate delivery?

Flat asci files, SAS, or Excel are all acceptable. Feed or web access is our preference. No need for CD.

8. Will the data be redistributed outside of the U.S. Census Bureau?

Data on individual companies will not be redistributed outside of Census. Statistics on groups of firms that combine Compustat and Census data will be distributed to the public.

9. What are the future plans for the longitudinal business database?

This is an ongoing program. We will be expanding the types of information that it incorporates including characteristics of business owner, innovative activities, involvement in trade, multinational status, work force characteristics….

10. What is title 13?

Title 13 is the federal law that authorizes and directs the Census Bureau to conduct censuses and surveys and sets the standards of confidentiality for its data.

11. Regarding section 6.3.5 please provide details on intended post-term use. We can be flexibile as to documents incorporating limited amounts of our data and created during the term, but perpetual wholesale post-term use is not available with our data.

Census would expect to continue to use the data that has been downloaded into our systems even post term.

12. Regarding 6.3.3 how long is this information archived? Can the U.S. Census Bureau confirm once the agreement ends, no use will be made of archived data without our permission?

Census would expect to continue to use the data that has been downloaded into our systems even post term without asking for permission.

13. Regarding 13.7 d: Please clarify these types of conflicts of interest.

The clause is self-explanatory. For more information on Organization Conflict of Interest regulations, see FAR 9.5 found here: https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/Subpart%209_5.html

14. Is 13.8 applicable to this RFP?

Yes, it is applicable.

***********************************ALREADY POSTED*******************************************

1. Section 5 – has a budget/budgetary range for this procurement been determined? If so, what is it?

Acquisitions will address.

2. Section 6.3.2 – is the U.S. Census Bureau interested solely in current business population data or does it also seek to acquire the same set of data elements for each year dating back to 1975, where available?

It also seek to acquire the same set of data elements for each year dating back to 1975, where available.

3. Section 6.3.2.1 – how many distinct data sets is the U.S. Census Bureau looking to procure? Does #1 pertain to a database off all companies as a separate deliverable or is Census simply seeking to acquire the three data elements (business name and address, EIN and Industry) for both publicly-traded companies and private equity/venture investments, along with the additional data elements listed in 2 and 3, respectively?

Census is seeking to acquire the three data elements (business name and address, EIN and Industry) for both publicly-traded companies and private equity/venture investments, along with the additional data elements listed in 2 and 3, respectively. Also, it is important to note that the relevant data elements (name, address, and EIN) should be sourced from the correct year. Put differently, we need the data elements to be sourced separately for each year.

4. Section 6.3.2.1 – with regards to the data on publicly traded companies, is the U.S. Census Bureau interested in those companies and all members of their corporate families (whether US or global) or is only in those records above a certain level (top-most US Headquarters level)?

Census is interested in those companies and all members of their corporate families (whether US or global?).

5. Section 6.3.2.1 – is the U.S. Census Bureau willing to entertain proposals that can address a portion of either the primary data element and/or business population category requirements? For example, given that there is only one “authoritative” source of EINs (the IRS), would Census accept a proposal that included less than 100% EIN coverage?

Yes. Census is interested in high rates of coverage for the populations of publicly traded firms and firms involved in private equity financing.

6. Section 6.3.2.1 – what is the role played by the EIN within the Longitudinal Business Database? Does it serve as the company identifier? Would the U.S. Census Bureau be willing to entertain a proposal that also includes an alternate company ID as a supplement to the EIN?

EIN serves as an important item in linking business entities across data sources, but is not the sole company identifier. Alternative company IDs are the name and address.

7. Section 6.3.2.1 – could you clarify what “Information on geographic segments of operations” entails?

Census is seeking to acquire information on the domestic share of business revenues and employment, where available. It is also interested in information about the distribution of revenues and employment across states or regions within the U.S., where available.