Corporate Bond Ratings License

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of Business Solutions Acquisition (OBSA), Treasury Operations Branch (TOB), on behalf of the Department of Treasury's Office of Economic Policy intends to negotiate a sole source acquisition with Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC (S&P) for Corporate Bond Ratings License. The anticipated period of performance for this acquisition is from September 28, 2023 – September 27, 2024, plus four (4) 12-month option periods. This requirement also includes FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services and allows up to a six-month extension. This is a follow-on requirement to contract 2032H318P00086 with Standard & Poor’s Financial Services.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) mandates that the Treasury Department produce a corporate bond yield curve, High Quality Market (HQM) Corporate Bond Yield Curve.  The HQM yield curve pertains to corporate bonds in the top three qualities AAA, AA, and A.  Additional related yield curves using the same methodology are computed in conjunction with the HQM curve, including other corporate bond yield curves and yield curves for Treasury securities.

In order to utilize appropriate bonds for these curves, the Office of Economic Policy follows acceptable market practices and uses the bond credit ratings from major Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSROs), including Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s.  Therefore, licenses are purchased from these rating organizations for their ratings.  The ratings will be provided in daily price files from a third-party provider.

The authority permitting a sole source acquisition is FAR 6.302-1– “Only one responsible source.” Market research was conducted and it has been determined that there is only one responsible source to obtain a license for bond credit rating provided by a major Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organization (NRSRO).

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent to sole source is not a request for competitive quotations; however, the Government will consider responses received no later than July 25, 2023, 3PM EDT. Responses shall be submitted to Contracting Officer, Vivian.N.Vanhorn@irs.gov.

Responses shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

1. The name of your company;

2. Company UEISAM No.;

3. POC name and contact information (address, phone numbers, emails);

4. The specific license that your company offers for training and certifications as the items to be included on the proposed contract or evidence that your company is capable of providing the services referenced above; and,

5. A description of that service and its' overall capabilities.

6. A discussion of your business status, size, and recognized category (e.g. small, 8(a), Woman-owned, etc.).

It is your company’s responsibility to respond in writing with clear and convincing evidence to support their ability to provide a license for corporate bond ratings from a NRSRO. The Government will not seek additional information from your company if you fail to provide sufficient evidence to support providing the required services in order to meet the Government's needs.

A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government's Contracting Officer. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement or proceed with a sole source.