SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Evaluation of the Silage Sorghum Pilot Endorsement
- Notice Date
- 8/17/2007
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- NBC - GovWorks 381 Elden Street, Suite 4000 Herndon VA 20170
- ZIP Code
- 20170
- Solicitation Number
- 0407RQ68339
- Response Due
- 9/1/2007
- Archive Date
- 8/16/2008
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- This is a COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION for commercial items prepared with the format in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information include in the notice and following the Simplified Acquisition Procedures in FAR Part 13.5. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSITITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT E ISSUED. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-18. This contract will procure services to support the USDA, Risk Management Agency with the evaluation of the Silage Sorghum Pilot Endorsement. The resultant contract will be Firm Fixed Price with Labor Hour CLINS. THIS IS A 100% SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE NIACS CODE: 524298 Product Service Code: R506 SPECIAL QUOTE INSTRUCTIONS 52.212-01 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items 52.212.02 Evaluation-Commercial Items 52.212-03 Offeror Representations and Certification-Commercial Items 52.212-04 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items 52.212-05 Contract Terms and Conditions Req. to Implement Statutes 52.204-04 Printed or Copied Double Sided on Recycled Paper 52.202-01 Definitions 52.227-17 Rights in Data-Special Works 52.217-08 Option to Extend Services 52.232-01 Payments 52.232.07 Payments under Time and Materials and Labor-Hours Contracts 52.204-09 Personal Identity of Contractor Personnel PP05-05 GovPay E-Invoicing The documents applicable to this solicitation can be viewed at http://govworks.gov/vendor/solicit.asp The full text of the provisions and clauses can be viewed at www.arnet.gov/far or www.farsite.hillaf.mil Offers must include the following: 1. Tax Identification Number (TIN) 2. Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS) 3. North American Industrial Classification System(NAICS) Code 4. Product Service Code CLOSING DATE: 04 SEPTEMBER 2007 TIME: 3:00pm EASTERN STANDARD TIME Offeror's must also ensure that their firm is registered with the Center Contractor Registration (CCR), for information refer to www.ccr.gov. All offeror's must submit with their quotes, a completed Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (FAR 52.212-3) form. If the offeror's Representations and Certifications are registered on the ORCA website, it must be indicated in the offer. Offerors must submit both Technical and Price Quotes (separate volumes) via e-mail to the Contracting Officer Donald Abamonte at: donald.abamonte@mms.gov by the closing date of this solicitation. If you have questions regarding this solicitation, please submit your inquiries immediately by email only by 13 August 2007 to donald.abamonte@mms.gov. No telephonic or facsimile submissions of questions will be entertained. Also be advised that the Government reserves the right to transmit those questions and answers of a common interest to all prospective Offerors. NOTE: Due to email server and pipeline limitation, please limit size of each email with attachments to 3MB. If the offeror does not have access to email, offers must be mailed to: National Business Center (NBC-ASD) Acquisition Services Directorate-Herndon 381 Elden Street, Suite 4000 Herndon, VA 20170-4842 Attn: Donald Abamonte Be advised that NBC-ASD is located in a secure building. If Offerors are hand delivered, please ensure the courier is instructed to use the courtesy phone in the rear of the lobby (to the right of the elevators) to call the point of contact listed above at 703-964-3645. A staff member will meet the courier to receive the submittal. USDA Risk Management Agency Statement of Work For EVALUATION OF THE SILAGE SORGHUM PILOT ENDORSEMENT May 25, 2007 Table of Contents Section 1.0 General Information 3 Section 2.0 Statement of Work 8 Section 3.0 Government Furnished Information and Other Resources 12 Section 4.0 Contractor Furnished Resources 13 Section 5.0 Government Quality Assurance 13 Section 6.0 Reporting Requirements 14 Section 7.0 Key Personnel 14 Attachment 1 - Program Evaluation Handbook (FCIC 22010) 17 Attachment 2 - Program Acceptance Component of the Diagnostic Tool Summary 18 Attachment 3 - Required Data for the Data Analysis and Insurance Experience Report 19 Attachment 4 - Board Package Specifications 20 Attachment 5 - Proposal Instructions & Proposal Evaluation Criteria 21 Section 1.0 General Information 1.1 Requiring Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Risk Management Agency (RMA), Office of Product Management 1.2 Organizational Contact: The Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) will be identified at the time of award. 1.3 Contract Type Contemplated: Firm fixed price, except for Deliverable 4: Board Assistance (Board Package and Presentation Support), which shall be time and materials. 1.4 News Releases The Contractor shall not make any news release pertaining to this procurement without prior Government approval and then only in coordination with the Contracting Officer or COTR. 1.5 Scope of Authority The offeror is advised that the Contracting Officer is the only person who can legally obligate the Government for the expenditure of public funds in connection with this procurement, and that only the Contracting Officer or the COTR is authorized to accept or reject deliverables. 1.6 Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality Section 502(c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. ? 1502(c)) states that no person may disclose to the public information provided by a producer under the Act unless the information has been transformed into a statistical or aggregate form in which the individual submitter is unidentifiable or the producer consents to such disclosure. The Contractor shall maintain the confidentiality of all data provided by RMA, all analyses and the results of such analyses conducted under this SOW, all programs, models, formulas, etc., all graphs, charts, and any other document or information used, created or generated through the performance of any task under the SOW. No person may view or have access to any data provided by RMA, any analyses and the results of such analyses conducted under this SOW, any programs, models, formulas, etc., any graphs, charts, and any other document or information used, created or generated through the performance of any task under the SOW unless such access is necessary to perform a task under this SOW. The Contractor shall keep all information contained in source documents or other media furnished by the Government in the strictest confidence. The Contractor also agrees not to publish or otherwise divulge such information in whole or in part in any manner or form, or to authorize or permit others to do so, taking such reasonable measures as are necessary to restrict access to such information while in the Contractor's possession, to those employees needing such information to perform the work provided herein, i.e., on a "need to know" basis, unless prior written approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, in the event that the Contractor determines or has reason to suspect a breach of this requirement. The Contractor shall insert the substance of this clause in any consultant agreement or subcontract hereunder. At the completion of this contract, the Contractor shall be required to destroy or return all data or information made available by the Government that are not intended for public disclosure. 1.7 Paperwork Reduction Act For any information collection activities subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that may be performed under this contract, the Contractor shall comply with the PRA. 1.8 Conflict of Interest Any person or entity who presently conducts loss adjustment, is involved in sales of the programs, or receives any funding from insurance providers who currently conduct crop loss adjustment and sales of the program policies, shall not be eligible to participate in the activities of this contract as a Contractor or subcontractor; and, any individual, Contractor or subcontractor who developed, assisted in the development, maintained, or assisted in the maintenance of the program, or who may receive any benefit by means of additional contract awards resulting from the recommendations for the programs shall not be eligible to perform the work contained in this contract. 1.9 Acronyms: CSREES Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service DAC Deputy Administrator for Compliance DAIS Deputy Administrator for Insurance Services DAPM Deputy Administrator for Product Management FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FCIC Federal Crop Insurance Corporation FSA Farm Service Agency MPCI Multiple Peril Crop Insurance NASS National Agricultural Statistics Service NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service RMA Risk Management Agency RO Regional Office of RMA USDA United States Department of Agriculture 1.10 Definitions: Act - The Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524), as amended. Actuarial documents - The material for the crop year that is posted on RMA's website at the URL http://www.rma.usda.gov. These documents show the amounts of insurance or production guarantees, coverage levels, premium rates, insurable crop production practices, insurable acreage, and other related information regarding crop insurance for a crop in a county. Acceptable data source - Publications and data of the RMA, CSREES, NASS, other agencies of the USDA; marketing and promotion organizations supported by public funds or a check-off system; State Departments of Agriculture; any grower organization or association whose membership represents 15 percent of growers in the area the organization or association serves, any generally recognized authoritative or professional journal or magazine, or any other source approved by RMA, schools of higher education; international agencies such as FAO or the World Bank; growers' organizations or associations whose membership is representative of growers in one or more areas; and farm level data subject to review by qualified crop insurance experts. Appendix III (Data Acceptance System Handbook) - An appendix of the 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) that provides instructions and information for reporting reinsured company data to the Risk Management Agency/Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. Also known as the M-13 Handbook. Board - The Board of Directors of Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. Actuarially Sound - A situation in which the premium rates charged to insured persons are sufficient to cover the present value of expected future losses and to build a reasonable amount of reserve. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - Proposed and final regulations published in the Federal Register also are considered to be part of the CFR. Crop Insurance Handbook (CIH) - A document denoted by RMA as the Crop Insurance Handbook in effect at the time the Program Evaluation is performed. See the URL http://www.rma.usda.gov Catastrophic Risk Protection Coverage (CAT) - The minimum level of coverage offered by FCIC for the program that is required before the insured may qualify for certain other USDA program benefits unless the insured executes a waiver of any eligibility for emergency crop loss assistance in connection with the crop. Cost-benefit analysis - A process whereby the expected monetary and non-monetary public and private outlays of a proposed action are compared to the expected monetary and non-monetary returns to beneficiaries. This is accomplished by an examination of available raw data and data assumptions, by developing model premises and description, and by estimating the model's results and projecting those results to actual circumstances. A cost-benefit analysis recognizes the principles set forth in the document "Economic Analysis of Federal Regulations under Executive Order 12866" as set forth at the URL http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/riaguide.html. Contracting Office's Technical Representative (COTR) - an employee of RMA who assists the Contracting Officer with technical administration of the contract. Crop - An agricultural commodity insured under the authority of the Act that has been assigned to a contractor to perform a Program Evaluation. Crop insurance procedures - Methods approved by RMA to administer approved crop programs. The term includes the Underwriting Guides, the CIH, the LASH, Manager's and PM Bulletins, or other documents that may be issued by RMA that are applicable to the crop undergoing Program Evaluation. See the URL http://www.rma.usda.gov Crop policy - The legal documents which establish a contract between the insured person and the insurance provider, including but not limited to the Common Crop Insurance Policy, the Basic Provisions, and the Crop Provisions, as published in the CFR or by RMA on its website and the Special Provisions, as applicable, and the actuarial documents. Crop program - The insurance plan or plans whereby the insurable interests of a producer of a crop are protected. Earned Premium Rate (EPR) - The ratio of total premium divided by total liability. Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) - A corporation chartered by the U.S. Government and administered by the Risk Management Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Farm Service Agency (FSA) - An agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, or a successor agency. Generally Recognized Farming Practice- When agricultural experts or the organic agricultural industry, as applicable, are aware of the production method or practice and there is no genuine dispute regarding whether the production method or practice allows the crop to make normal progress toward maturity and produce at least the yield used to determine the production guarantee or amount of insurance. Government - The Contracting Officer or his duly authorized representative (COR or COTR). Indemnity - The amount of money that the approved insurance provider owes the insured based on the determination of loss. Independent Actuary and Independent Researcher - Party (ies) not affiliated with and not having any interest in the day-to-day business operations of the contractor. Insurance Experience - Tables that contain the number of policies earning premium, policies indemnified, units earning premium, units indemnified, net insured acres, liability, total premium, producer premium, subsidy, indemnity, loss ratio, earned premium rate, and loss cost ratio. Insurance Providers - Private insurance companies reinsured by FCIC. Interview - A personal discussion with an interested party by a member of the review team. The purpose is to permit the interviewee to volunteer observations about the crop program. Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook (LASH) - Provides the general standards with respect to claims for indemnity in addition to any Handbook issued by RMA that provides specific guidance for adjusting loses for the crop under review. Liability - The total amount that the insurance provider would pay to the insured if there was a total loss. Limited Resource Farmer - A producer or operator of a farm with: (a) direct or indirect gross farm sales of not more than $100,000 in each of the previous two years (beginning fiscal year 2004, this is adjusted for inflation using Prices Paid by Farmer Index as compiled by NASS); and (b) a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years (to be determined annually using Commerce Department data) . Listening Session - Any meeting with agricultural producers, reinsured company personnel, agents and loss adjusters, or other interested parties wherein the participants are free to discuss any issue they deem relevant to the crop program under review. Loss Cost Ratio (LCR) - The ratio of total indemnity divided by total liability. Loss Ratio (LR) - The ratio of total indemnity divided by total premium. Manager's Bulletin - A document issued by RMA's Administrator to convey information that supplements the crop insurance procedures. See the URL http://www.rma.usda.gov Plan of Insurance - A general structure of insurance that may be extended to one or more crops (e.g., actual production history and revenue coverage). Policy - An insurance policy or plan of insurance (including endorsements or options), including those approved under sections 508, 522, or 523 of the Act, and that is reinsured by FCIC. Also see Crop Policy. Policy review procedure - An in-depth, detailed process to identify any problem areas or issues; to make recommendations to limit waste, fraud, and abuse; to assure actuarial soundness; and to determine acceptability of the crop programs to producers, insurance providers, the Government, and other interested parties. Producer premium - The amount of premium paid by the insured. Program materials - Basic Provisions, Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement, crop provisions, Special Provisions of Insurance, loss adjustment handbook, loss adjustment manual, all applicable actuarial documents, Appendix III, Crop Insurance Handbook, underwriting requirements, and other forms necessary to deliver the program. Risk Management Agency (RMA) - An agency within USDA that is responsible for administering the Federal Crop Insurance Program. Quantify - Assigning measurable impacts to an action. In the context of this evaluation, the term means that a recommendation or determination shall be accompanied by a cost-benefit analysis. Quantified recommendations or determinations shall be complete with all raw input data and models, and shall show a bottom line with the overall projected cost of the recommendation or determination and the accompanying benefits with respect to affected growers, RMA, the insurance providers, other USDA agencies, taxpayers, and other interested parties where appropriate. The overall cost and benefit must be placed in the context of overall contract requirements. Special Provisions of Insurance - The part of the policy (contained in the county actuarial documents) that contains specific provisions of insurance for each insured crop that may vary by county; e.g., planting dates, rotational requirement, exclusions to the policy, etc. Standard Reinsurance Agreement - A cooperative financial assistance agreement between FCIC and approved insurance providers that establishes the terms and conditions for subsidy and reinsurance on eligible Federal crop insurance contracts by authority of the Act and promulgated regulations codified in 7 C.F.R. Chapter IV. Subsidy - The amount of total premium paid by the FCIC on behalf of the insured. Supportability - Recommendations that are logical, consistent with data collected and assumptions made, sufficiently detailed to justify conclusions, and based upon relevant and complete database(s). Data, data sources, data assumptions, methodologies, findings, determinations, and recommendations are properly cited. Systemic - With respect to deficiencies, weaknesses, or problems means a condition which is basic to the crop program and is experienced by the whole of it and not just particular areas of the country or other localized situations. Total premium - The total amount of premium for an insured's coverage that is determined by multiplying liability by the unsubsidized premium rate. Section 2.0 Statement of Work 2.1 Contract Objectives: To provide RMA with the necessary information to determine if the Silage Sorghum Pilot Insurance Program should be modified and continued as a pilot, terminated, or converted to a permanent program 2.2 Scope and Type of Work This contract will involve submitting reports and oral presentations on the results of a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the Silage Sorghum Pilot Endorsement. In general, the work will involve critical thinking and innovative problem solving techniques; compiling and analyzing results of research; data collection and review, and data analysis; categorizing, analyzing, and summarizing verbal information; report writing, and presenting the findings orally; and project planning, scheduling and quality control. More specifically, the program evaluations will involve evaluating the applicable insurance program materials; obtaining grower and insurance provider feedback; tendering reports that document the contractor's evaluation of the program and its recommendations, and delivering oral presentations to RMA and the FCIC Board of Directors. 2.3 Background The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors authorized the implementation of the Silage Sorghum Pilot Endorsement starting with the 2005 crop year to run through the 2008 crop year. The pilot program was authorized to run in two counties in Colorado (Baca, Prowers) and 37 counties in Kansas (Barton, Decatur, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Wichita). The number of policies earning premium increased during the pilot program, from 250 in crop year 2005 to 1,046 in crop year 2006. Insured acres have also increased from 26,826 acres in crop year 2005 to 216,631acres in 2006. The loss experience of the Silage Sorghum Pilot Endorsement has been unfavorable. The loss ratio was 2.41 in 2005 and 3.02 in 2006 For the 2007 Crop Year RMA made actuarial and underwriting changes to the program to address issues. One of these issues has been the lack of information concerning silage only varieties or if they exists. T-yields for non-irrigated silage sorghum were reduced to reflect returns on comparable crops. Producers were required to provide documentation they produced and sold or fed silage sorghum two of the last four crop years, Insurable acreage was capped at 125 percent of the last two years average of insurable harvested acreage. RMA developed a Program Evaluation Handbook, FCIC-22010 (SOW Attachment 1) to provide a framework for comprehensive assessments of insurance programs operated by FCIC, both permanent (regulatory) and pilot. A program evaluation is performed to ensure that relevant provisions of the Act are met as effectively and efficiently as possible while providing risk management tools that meet the needs of agricultural producers. Program evaluations examine the past and present performance of a crop program to determine if that performance can be improved and if there are program vulnerabilities and weaknesses. The outcome of a program evaluation may result in recommendations to revise any regulation, manual, handbook, guide, directive, or actuarial structure to address any identified conflicts, ambiguities, inconsistencies, gaps, duplications, or other problems. A sound program is a program with documents that are clear, consistent, in accordance with the applicable law and regulations, understandable, predictable, and enforceable; that reduce the potential for fraud, waste, and abuse; and, that reduce risk of litigation. Specifically, a program evaluation determines if: 1. There are problem areas or issues with the plan of insurance and to identify discrepancies between the policy provisions, procedures, and current practices and technology in the industry; 2. There are policy vulne
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- Zip Code: 20250
- Country: US
- Zip Code: 20250
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