What Does This Mean?

The title of this one had thrown me. David Traver at SSA CONNECT noticed this notice to potential contractors put out by the Social Security Administration:

SPECIAL NOTICE TO: Contractors who can provide subscription access for an electronic publication that will provide SSA with updated occupational information for use as a replacement for the Department of Labor's (DOL) Dictionary of Occupational Titles Revised 4th Edition (DOT) in SSA's disability evaluation process. -- THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION AND NO CONTRACT AWARD WILL BE MADE AS A RESULT OF THIS POSTING.

INTRODUCTION: The Social Security Administration (SSA) anticipates awarding multi-award contracts to contractors for electronic publication subscriptions on a pilot 120-day trial basis. Following the trial period, SSA may exercise the option of a full subscription with one of the contractors. SSA's requirements are further delineated in the attached Statement of Work (SOW).

FYI - Under SSA-RFI-08-1500, SSA is concurrently seeking Independent evaluators IE services which will include pre-award and post-award evaluations of the occupational information and methodology employed by the subscription contractors.

If you feel your organization possesses the capability and expertise for performing the above type of service, please provide the following information about your company:

1. Company name, address, email address, website address, and point of contact;
2. GSA FSS contract number if available;
3. Does your company have relevant experience in providing similar information to the government? If yes, briefly explain;

SSA anticipates issuing a Request for Quotation for the services described above around April, 2008 and awarding a single BPA within approximately 60 days thereafter.

This RFI is not a solicitation and does not constitute a request for quotation or proposals. The purpose of this RFI is strictly for determining capable sources for market research purposes only and for incorporating industry comments into the SOW. Submission of any information based on this RFI is purely voluntary.

Please submit your response directly to Robert Pfaff via email at robert.pfaff@ssa.gov .