70 -- SSA INTENDS TO NEGOCIATE SOLELY WITH ECONOMIC SYSTEMS = INC.

Notice Date

May 30, 2001

Contracting Office

Social Security Administration, Deputy Commissioner for = Finance, Assessment and Management, Office of Acquisition and Grants, = 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21207-5279

ZIP Code

21207-5279

Description

The Social Security Administration (SSA) intends to issue, on a = sole-source basis under Simplified Acquisition Procedures, an order = with Economic Systems Incorporated for modifications to an existing = Retirement Benefits Calculator. To the Government?s knowledge Economic = Systems, Inc. is the only known source that can provide the software = that meets all of the requirements listed below. Any responsible party = that feels it has the capability to provide the software meeting all of = the requirements below may write to the referenced Contract Specialist. = The reference number for this announcement is SSA RFQ-01-1145. This = announcement and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in = effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-16. Responses in regard = to this announcement shall be submitted by May 28, 2001, 3:00 P.M. = Eastern Standard Time, addressed to ATTN: MEGAN ROBEY, SOCIAL SECURITY = ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF ACQUISITION AND GRANTS, 1710 GWYNN OAK = AVENUE, BALTIMORE, MD 21207. FAXED RESPONSES WILL NOT BE EXCEPTED. = The Government does not intend to pay for any information provided. = All responses from responsible sources will be fully considered. If no = affirmative written responses are received by the due date indicating a = comparable source exists, an order will be placed with Economic = Systems, Inc. for the requirements stated below. Each Electronic and = Information Technology supply or service furnished under this = acquisition shall comply with the Electronic and Information = Accessibility Standards (36 CFR 1194, see http://www.section508.gov/ ), = except for supplies or services specifically identified by the = contractor to the Contracting Officer prior to award. If the = Contracting Officer determines any furnished supply or service does not = conform to the Standards, the Contracting Officer will promptly inform = the Contractor in writing. The contractor shall, without charge to the = Government, repair or replace the non-compliant supply or service = within the period of time the Government specifies. The Government = requires software for the period of four months that meets the = following requirements: 1. It must be a commercial, off-the-shelf = product to be installed as an extension of the Federal Employees = Retirement Planner (FERC). 2. It must be compatible and work = seamlessly as another calculation module with the existing FERC. 3. It = must compute both Social Security Retirement benefits for an individual = and the individual?s spouse. The contractor shall provide the = software for the period noted to commence on a mutually agreed-upon = date after the award of the contract. The contractor will configure = access to the software with the existing FERC application on FirstGov = for Seniors website. The contractor will assume responsibility for = working with the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) in = Springfield, Virginia (or another web hosting entity should it be = necessary) in getting the software installed and configured for the = Seniors website. The contractor will be responsible for = troubleshooting problems that arise during the course of the four-month = period and fixing them on the NTIS host. =20 The following are requirements for the existing FERC maintained by = Economic Systems Inc. : The Government requires software that meets the = following requirements: 1. It must be a commercial, off-the-shelf = product that can be demonstrated at the time of offering. 2. It must be = able to compute both Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal = Employee Retirement System (FERS) annuities, allowing for estimated = future earnings, user-selectable retirement age options and CSRS = offset. Computation must be able to incorporate FERS transfer for = employees whose annuity will include a Civil Service annuity component. = 3. It must compute Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) benefits and allow for = user-selected future contributions and rates of return on TSP = investments. It must also compute the FERS supplement, and include the = SSA calculation in determining the final benefit calculations. 4. It = must allow for supplemental calculations including at a minimum the = Windfall Elimination Provision, Government Pension Offset, and early = and deferred retirement calculations. 5. It must allow for Disability = benefits computation. 6. The planner must have screens available for = help with frequently asked questions about retirement options or links = to a web site with such information (e.g. OPM). 7. The Retirement = Planner must allow for printout of the calculations at the user's = printer. 8. The program must allow for secure data transaction between = the server and the user's computer using Secure Sockets or a similar = technology. 9. The program must rely on user-input for the data to be = used in the computations. (This application is intended for use at the = user's home. Automated personnel databases will not normally be = available for access and use with this application. Therefore = applications that rely on back-end databases -- such as are found in = agency personnel files -- are not appropriate for this solicitation). = The contractor shall configure the software with background images and = icons to customize its look in accordance with the existing Access = America for Seniors web site; shall assume responsibility for working = with the National Technical Information Service in Springfield, VA in = getting the software installed and configured for the Access America = web site; shall be responsible for troubleshooting and fixing problems = on the NTIS host that arise during the course of the period of = performance. The following features are desirable and should be noted = if available: FERS transfer comparisons; Computations for Railroad = Retirement Board Benefits; incorporation of Military Service into = benefit estimate, including different provisions regarding military = deposits; estimate of spouses benefits under different scenarios; = incorporation of benefit estimate from other retirement plans and = savings accounts (private retirement plans, annuities, 401K savings, = etc). The following provisions at FAR 52.212-1, Instruction to = Offerors-Commercial Items (tailored) apply to this acquisition: = (b)(1)-(b)9, (b)11, (c), and (g). There are no addendum to these = provisions. Offerors are required to complete and include a copy of the = provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representation and = Certification -- commercial items, with their quote. The provisions at = FAR Part 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items apply = to this acquisition. Addendum to FAR 52,212-4 (o) warranty: add "the = Government will accept the contractors commercial warranty." The = following provisions at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions = Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items = apply to this acquisition: (a)(1), (a)(2), (b)(11), through (b)(15). = RESPONDENTS WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED OF THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION OF = THE INFORMATION RECEIVED. PLEASE DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS IN WRITING, NO = VERBAL QUESTIONS WILL BE ENTERTAINED.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/SSA/DCFIAM/OAG/SSA-01-1145/listing.html)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010601/SPMSC056.HTM (D-150 SN50N4O1)