Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street NW., Room SB427, Washington, DC 20415

R -- ECONOMIC CONSULTANT SOL OPM-SFO-97-00022RDH DUE 011597 POC Ray Hesson, (202) 606-1045. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) plans to issue a competitive solicitation for Economic Consultant Services. The consultant(s) works as technical advisor on cost-of-living allowances (COLA), based on living cost differences payable to most Federal white-collar and U.S. Postal Service employees, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This is an effort to resolve issues related to the COLA Program, the measurement of living costs and to assist preparing OPM for its report to Congress, which is required by PL 102-141 as amended. OPM's established Working Group anticipates the consultant shall attend and participate in all Technical Advisor Group (TAG) meetings on economic issues concerning COLA and related compensation issues, OPM concerns, and provide OPM with verbal and written reports of the meetings and issues discussed. With approval, the consultant may hire or subcontract with other personnel to perform support functions but only to the extent that such support does not jeopardize the quality, thoroughness; professionalism of the overall work performed. The Government will make award to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government considering cost or price factors. For this solicitation, technical quality will be given a greater priority. Technical proposals will be rated in terms of the quality and relevance of information presented. Proposals will be evaluated according to the following factors, professional qualifications, work experience, and testimony and presentations. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which may be considered by the agency. The period of performance shall be one year from date of award with the inclusion of a one-year option period if exercised. This requirement has been set aside for participation by Small Business concerns only. The Standard Industrial Classification Code is 8742 with average annual receipts not exceeding $5.0M for the preceding three years. All requests must be submitted in writing. Telephone requests will not be accepted. Requests may be sent to the above address or faxed to (202) 606-1464. The solicitation will simultaneously be available for downloading over the internet at OPM's Web site http://www.opm.gov/procure/. (0344)

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