USDA, Food and Consumer Service, Contract Management Branch, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 914, Alexandria, VA 22302

B -- UNDERSTANDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGES IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM SOL FCS 97-013JIB DUE 071497 POC Jorge Bernardo, 703/305-2250/Contract Specialist, Elaine S. Lynn, 703/305-2250/Contracting Officer The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Service (FCS) plans to award up to six task order contracts pertaining to welfare reform and the Food Stamp Program (FSP). At least one of these contracts will be set aside for small business concerns. The contracts will be used to conduct a variety of research, evaluation and technical assistance projects to describe State strategies for implementation and to understand the consequences of welfare reform in the FSP on an as needed basis. Work requirements will be defined through task orders that the Agency will issue over the next four fiscal years. The first task, an initial evaluation of the new time limits and work requirements for able-bodied food stamp recipients without dependents, will be awarded concurrently with the umbrella task order contracts. In general, the tasks issued under this contracti will require the contractors to establish strong working relationships with State and local food stamp agencies, collect a broad variety of data, create and manage large scale data bases, perform complex multivariate analyses, and prepare reports that are both technically sound and policy-relevant. Pending Department approval the request proposals (RFP) will be issued on or about June 13, 1997 with proposals due on or about July 14, 1997. Cost-plus-fixed-fee type contracts are expected to be awarded. All requests for a complete hard copy of the RFP (including all applicable forms) must be submitted in writing and include four (4) self-addressed mailing labels. Telephone requests will not be honored. Interested parties may view the text of this RFP (excluding forms) on the FCS Home Page at the following address: http://www.usda.gov/fcs/contract.htm. (0134)

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