Department of the Treasury, Comptroller of the Currency, Administrator of National Banks, 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219

B -- CONSULTANT ECONOMIST POC Katie Scherf, Contract Specialist -- (202) 874-5040 The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) intends to purchase on a sole source basis the services of a consultant economist, Dr. James R. Barth. The consultant will advise the Senior Deputy Comptroller for Economic and Policy Analysis (E&PA) on key topics and areas in which the E&PA Department should focus its bank performance and regulatory research efforts, given the emerging issues in the financial services industry. The consultant will review and comment on outlines and draft research papers prepared by E&PA Department staff and make recommendations for appropriate vetting of completed papers within the academic community. The consultant will also be asked to write by himself and/or co-author with OCC staff one or more research/policy papers. This work requires a broad perspective on the financial services industry and strong professional research and policy experience. Dr. Barth's substantial academic and public sector experience make him uniquely qualified to provide the assistance needed. His academic credentials include more than two decades as a professor at George Washington and Auburn universities and extensive writings on a wide range of financial services issues in both a domestic and international context. His writings include analyses of bank performance, bank structure, banking risks, and the role of financial services regulation. He has participated in numerous financial conferences and refereed manuscripts for major journals of banking and finance. Mr. Barth brings to these activities a broad perspective on the policy-making environment in the financial services sector. He served as Chief Economist at both the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and the Office of Thrift Supervision. He has held visiting scholar appointments at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, and the OCC, and consulting assignments with the World Bank and private sector financial services companies. In addition, he has testified numerous times before the House and Senate Banking Committees. This notice is not a Request for Proposals. Any party responding to this notice must provide clear and convincing evidence that the services they offer meet the experience level and qualifications outlined above and must respond within 15 days from the published date of this announcement. (0107)

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