Notification of the SEC's Intent to Award a Single Source Purchase Order for Equities Risk Factor Model data subscription

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to award a single-source purchase order to Barra, LLC for a fundamentals-based risk model data subscription. This notice, published on March 26, 2025, outlines the SEC's plan to procure a specialized equities risk factor model with historical data capabilities. The Contracting Officer has determined that Barra, LLC is the only source capable of meeting the agency's specific data and formatting requirements. The purchase order will be fixed-price and fall below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. The notice is being issued to provide transparency about the intended procurement and to allow potential interested parties an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities.

The primary objective of this Special Notice is to secure a 12-month subscription for a comprehensive equities risk factor model that meets the SEC's precise specifications. While the procurement is not competitive and a solicitation will not be issued, the SEC will consider responses from interested parties who can demonstrate their capability to meet the requirement by the response date of April 2, 2025. Contractors seeking to express interest must clearly articulate how they can fulfill the SEC's specific data and formatting needs comparable to Barra, LLC's offering. The intended award date is May 12, 2025, with a base performance period of one year. Although this is a single-source procurement, the notice provides a mechanism for other potential vendors to showcase their capabilities, though the likelihood of displacing Barra, LLC appears low given the specific requirements outlined by the SEC.