SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- USAC Risk Assessment for Schools & Libraries (E-rate) Support Mechanisms
- Notice Date
- 10/2/2012
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Managing Director, Contracts and Purchasing Center, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20554, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20554
- Solicitation Number
- USAC-SL-2012-10-08
- Archive Date
- 12/4/2012
- Point of Contact
- Jay H. Beard, Phone: 202-776-0200
- E-Mail Address
-
jbeard@usac.org
(jbeard@usac.org)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Universal Service Administrative Company ("USAC") intends to issue a request for proposals ("RFP") seeking the services of professional services firms with experience in conducting risk assessments in accordance with the Government Accountability Office ("GAO") procedures. The anticipated RFP release date is October 8, 2012. The RFP will be made available through FedBizOpps. This procurement will be conducted generally in accordance with the simplified acquisition procedures in Federal Acquisition Regulations ("FAR") Subpart 13.5 The contract awarded shall be a firm-fixed-price contract. The anticipated contract award and performance start date is in or around January 31, 2012. The contract term is 12 months. Offerors must have an active Central Contractor Registration profile in order to be awarded a contract. The Solicitation number for this procurement is USAC-SL-2012-10-08. •I. Overview of Procurement USAC will request proposals from independent and objective professional services firms to conduct a robust risk assessment of the federal Universal Service Schools and Libraries (SL) Support Mechanism (commonly referred to as the "E-rate program"). The assessment shall provide a thorough examination of the administration of the E-rate Program, including USAC's internal control structure, to ensure that program goals are met in a cost-effective manner and that risks are appropriately targeted and addressed. Among the matters to be addressed in the risk assessment are the findings and concerns about the administration of the program set forth in GAO's September 2010 report titled: "FCC Should Assess the Design of the E-rate Program's Internal Control Structure," GAO 10-908, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-908.. This risk assessment shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in the GAO report entitled "Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government," (GAO/AIMD-00-21.3.1) (November 1999). The contractor shall also use concurrently both GAO's "Internal Control Management and Evaluation Tool" (August 2001) and Office of Management and Budget, Management's Responsibility for Internal Controls, Circular No. A-123 (Dec. 21, 2004). •II. Description of USAC USAC is a not-for-profit Delaware corporation. The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC" or "Commission") appointed USAC as the permanent administrator of the Universal Service Fund ("USF") and the Universal Service Support Mechanisms - High Cost ("HC") program, Low Income ("LI") program, Rural Health Care ("RHC") program, and Schools and Libraries ("SL") program (collectively referred to as "programs" or "support mechanisms") - as set forth in Title 47, Part 54, Section 701 of the Code of Federal Regulations. USAC administers the support mechanisms pursuant to FCC regulations. [1] Subject to Commission oversight, USAC performs the billing, collection, and disbursement functions associated with the USF and the programs. Certain aspects supporting program administration are outsourced to USAC contractors. USAC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Exchange Carrier Association ("NECA"). However, NECA has no management or operational control over USAC. The Chairman of the FCC is responsible for selecting all members of the USAC Board of Directors and approving the selection of USAC's Chief Executive Officer. USAC is not a Federal agency, a government corporation, a government controlled corporation or other establishment in the Executive Branch of the United States Government. USAC is not a contractor to the Federal Government. The contract awarded as a result of this RFP will not be a subcontract under a Federal prime contract. However, USAC conducts its procurements in accordance with the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with the FCC, which requires USAC, as a general matter, to apply designated provisions of the FAR, including requirements for full and open competition. •III. Description of the SL Program (E-rate) The schools and libraries universal service support program, commonly known as the E-rate program, helps schools and libraries to obtain affordable telecommunications services, broadband Internet access and internal network connections. Eligible schools, school districts and libraries may apply individually or as part of a consortium. Funding may be requested under five categories of service: telecommunications, telecommunications services, Internet access, internal connections, and basic maintenance of internal connections. Discounts for support depend on the level of poverty and whether the school or library is located in an urban or rural area. The discounts range from 20 percent to 90 percent of the costs of eligible services. E-rate program funding is based on demand up to an annual Commission-established cap of about $2.3 billion. The E-rate program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company under the oversight of the FCC. Specifically, USAC is responsible for processing the applications for support, confirming eligibility, and reimbursing service providers and eligible schools and libraries for the discounted services. USAC also monitors compliance of applicants and service providers with the E-rate rules and procedures established by the Commission. Place(s) of Performance: Universal Service Administrative Company 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036 Federal Communication Commission, Washington, DC. Solix, Inc. (E-rate Operational Support Services contractor) Parsippany, NJ. Vangent, Inc. (E-rate Operational Support Services subcontractor to Solix), Lawrence, KS. Selected group of schools and libraries beneficiaries at their respective sites in the United States. [1] See 47 C.F.R. Part 54.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/FCC/FCCOMD/FCCCPC/USAC-SL-2012-10-08/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, District of Columbia, 20036, United States
- Zip Code: 20036
- Zip Code: 20036
- Record
- SN02906356-W 20121004/121002234444-cd5bbd5ed5bd0820ce8aca5b1a65a6e6 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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