SPECIAL NOTICE
69 -- Notice of Intent to Sole Source
- Notice Date
- 9/22/2016
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 611430
— Professional and Management Development Training
- Contracting Office
- Social Security Administration, Office of Budget, Finance, Quality and Management, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 1540 Robert M. Ball Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21235, United States
- ZIP Code
- 21235
- Solicitation Number
- 0500-16-1010
- Archive Date
- 10/12/2016
- Point of Contact
- Lindsay Hrybyk, Phone: 4109653767
- E-Mail Address
-
lindsay.hrybyk@ssa.gov
(lindsay.hrybyk@ssa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is not a request for quotations or an announcement of a forthcoming solicitation, but merely notification of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) intent to issue, on a sole-source basis, a firm fixed-price purchase order to the Corporate Executive Board (CEB). SSA will be renewing electronic memberships/subscriptions to the following research programs: the Human Resources Corporate Leadership Council. The CEB Councils services provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) senior executives and technologists with a commitment to steward enterprise initiatives. Under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 6.302-1, the Contracting Officer has determined that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The subscriptions described above are only available from its producer and manufacturer and not through dealers or distributors. The period of performance will be for twelve months, beginning October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. The subscription is for a site license for access to best practices research studies, customized research briefs, web-based access to program content database, surveys, decision-support tolls, teleconferences, webinars, and other CEB materials and services. The subscription is an online web-based system that employees will access through SSA's Intranet via the password protected Digital Library; or individuals can establish their own account through the Technology Innovation Board - Technology Research Tools site. SSA staff use the resources provided by the CEB to conduct IT, E-commerce, training, and human resource research in support of the Agency's online services and critical initiatives. In addition, the subscription is an online web-based system and analyst consultation service. SSA will use the on-line resources provided by CEB to obtain the following services. o Web Site Portal - Research resources, benchmarking, decision support centers, events, conferences, meetings, teleconferences, and webinars. o IT Learning Centers - Training modules designed to enhance the key IT management skills of IT staff. The courses available provide SSA with a series of audio-based lessons covering a range of topic areas, such as business engagement, value demonstration, and project management. o Executive Productivity Network Connect - Access to a comprehensive network of senior level executives focused on best practices. o Customized Research Request - Customized research project where CEB research managers will collaborate with SSA to determine the type of research that will provide the most suitable support. o Hard Copy Studies - Quarterly research studies are available online and as hard copies. o Annual Executive Retreat - Highly interactive, confidential, vendor free one-day meetings. The member-driven agenda is anchored by company case studies and an opportunity to interact with program principals to disseminate key insights from each program's member-driven research. o On-site Research Briefing - Personalized research briefings conducted by the CEB senior research director. These are annual briefings per program/council are customized to meet SSA requirements across a broad range of topics. Workshops begin with presentation and discussion of relevant program research, and then transition to hands-on exercises to create deliverables that SSA can use to launch new initiatives. The subscription is necessary to provide SSA access to expert advice regarding IT, Finance, and Human Resource (HR) programs with a focus on business management, strategic management, and people/process/change management. The Human Resources (HR) Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) is a peer based research consortium that provides strategic guidance and implementation support designed to improve effectiveness and build transformational HR functions that deliver on SSA's crucial talent management initiatives. The CLC will provide data-driven insight and customize support required to improve SSA's functional and corporate performance. Traditional research firms focus on emerging technology trends, vendor recommendations, product/feature comparisons, and technical white papers. CEB differentiates their services by providing a unique offering that includes: o Addressing IT/Finance/HR issues from a practitioner perspective, rather than an analyst's perspective. The Executive practitioners are solving common managerial challenges and CEB acts as a clearinghouse for their practical, proven solutions. They also engage participating managers and technology leaders to drive the research agenda through bi-annual polling. o Traditional research firms often accept revenues from vendor companies and large service providers fund some of the research. CEB has no commercial affiliation with any vendor company; maintains complete objectivity and has no follow-on consulting services. Their unbiased and independent research permits them to assess internal audit practices, tools and vendor solutions objectively. o CEB also provides programs that span across all executive levels and their direct reports thus offering a 360 degree, cross-functional perspective on IT, Financial and HR business issues. o Traditional research firms offer seat based or licensed based subscriptions/memberships; whereas CEB designed its programs for particular functional areas that are in line to support our executives and their teams; e.g., talent management, employee engagement, and succession planning. Using this as an example, it is equally important to point out that the research and services extend across the entire agency in an unlimited capacity with no restrictions on the number of staff accessing the services. Therefore, using the data center as an example, staff in Facilities as well as in the CIO's office has access to the research initiated by Systems and vice versa. o The research that CEB provides includes: best practices, tools and management frameworks, and benchmarking data by business function (IT, Human Resources, Finance, etc.) that spans across: Business Process Optimization, Organizational Design, Talent Management, Executive Communications, Change Management, Business Transformation, and Technology. Their research methodologies highlight actual results, key economic rationales, and business imperatives. This requirement is utilizing procedures in FAR Part 12 in conjunction with procedures in FAR Part 13. A determination by SSA not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of SSA. Information received will be considered for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The government does not intend to pay for information provided in response to this notice. Written responses to this notice shall contain sufficient documentation to establish a bona fide capability to fulfill this requirement. Responses shall be submitted via email to Lindsay Hrybyk at Lindsay.Hrybyk@ssa.gov by 9:00AM ET on Tuesday September 27, 2016. If SSA does not receive an acceptable response to this announcement by September 27, 2016, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), negotiations will be conducted with the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) as the only source and a purchase order will be issued without any additional notices being posted. Respondents should refer to 0500-16-1010 in their responses.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/SSA/DCFIAM/OAG/0500-16-1010/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04283821-W 20160924/160922234916-aa6b28ec6154069af072d8379476eaaa (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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