Extent of SNAP Benefit Trafficking: 2012-2014

This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is for small businesses only. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the interest and feasibility of a small business set-aside for the following requirement:  Evaluation of Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor will the U.S. Government pay for information solicited.  The information from this notice will help the Food and Nutrition Service plan their acquisition strategy.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service intends to issue a procurement for the subject research study in Fiscal Year 2015 and is seeking statements of capability from potential offerors. Preference will be given to small businesses with experience and staffing to perform the requirement as demonstrated in their capability statement.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is responsible for authorizing and managing retailer participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and only authorized food retailers can redeem benefits for cash from the Federal Government.  FNS uses a variety of resources from state-of-the-art technology to undercover investigations to reduce and prevent retailer-level trafficking of SNAP benefits.  As part of USDA's efforts to monitor program integrity, beginning in 1993, FNS has periodically produced estimates of retailer-level benefit trafficking, with the most recent estimates spanning 2009-2011.

Although SNAP retailer trafficking does not increase costs to the Federal Government, it is a diversion of program benefits from their intended purpose of helping low-income families access a nutritious diet. This study will update the series by calculating the retailer trafficking estimates for the period spanning 2012 to 2014.

FNS is seeking a contractor to update the retailer trafficking estimates by generating the "current" estimates for the period spanning 2012 to 2014 and produce the seventh report in the series on retailer trafficking estimates.  The study will also require that the contractor develop a regression-based approach for calculating trafficking estimates and apply this regression adjustment to the 2009-2011 and 2012-2014 data to generate trafficking estimates to compare with the "current" estimates.

Responses are due by May 11, 2015 by 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

"SEE ATTACHED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR COMPLETE CAPABILITY DESCRIPTION"