This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is to determine the interest and technical capability of qualified small businesses. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor will the U.S. Government pay for information solicited. The information from this notice will help the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plan their acquisition strategy. CAPABILITY STATEMENT FNS is seeking a contractor to provide a detailed study to review some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) forms and instructions through cognitive testing and make recommendations to improve their usability by SNAP participants or retailers. The tasks focus on cognitive tests for SNAP participants and SNAP retailers. For SNAP participants the contractor will be required to cognitive test the design of a sample of SNAP online applications, the design of a sample of FNS and State client integrity education messages, and the design and content of notices to SNAP recipients identified as able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). For SNAP retailers the contractor will be required to cognitive test the design of several retailer application forms. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Contracts Management Division (CMD) are conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small business set-asides (including small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), 8(a) small businesses, woman-owned small businesses (WOSB), veteran owned small businesses (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), Historically Under-utilized Business Zone (HUBZone)). Offerors shall demonstrate their experience, skills, and qualifications with projects of similar scope, nature, complexity and size completed within the last three (3) years. Also, explain in appropriate detail how they intend to demonstrate competency in all of the areas described below in (A) through (E): A. Demonstrated experience managing projects of similar size and scope to meet government objectives, ensuring the quality and timeliness of deliverables, and coordinate with government funding agencies. B. Demonstrated experience using cognitive testing techniques to improve understanding of forms and responses to applications. C. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the variations in State SNAP policies and administrative processes and how the variations may affect SNAP applications and forms. D. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the variations of SNAP authorized retailers and the need for multiple retailer applications. E. Capacity to write reports and provide oral briefings on technical information in language appropriate to non-technical policy-relevant audiences. Research Objectives of the Requirement: Objective 1: Cognitive test the design of a sample of State SNAP online applications. Objective 2: Cognitive test the design of a sample of FNS and State client integrity education messages. Objective 3: Cognitive test the design and content of State notices to SNAP participants identified as ABAWDs. Objective 4: Cognitive test the design of several retailer application forms. Submission Requirements: • Limit the length of the packages to 10 double spaced pages. Note: Packages over 10 pages will not be evaluated. • 1 inch margins (top, bottom and sides) • Times New Roman typeface, 12-point font • Page limitation does not include appendices, 1 cover page or 1 letter of introduction page • Do not include promotional materials Interested firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice shall submit the following: Company name, address, point of contact, telephone number, email address, and Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), and NAICS code. Provide business size and status such as Small Business, Disadvantaged, 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUB) Zone, Woman Owned, Minority Owned, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or Other Than Small Business. Provide contract vehicles you participate in such as General Services Administration (GSA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise Wide Procurement (SEWP), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), or any other vehicle. Please submit responses to this Sources Sought Notice electronically (via e-mail) to Keeyada Dickens, at
[email protected] and to Lawrence Williams at
[email protected], no later than 4:00PM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) on April 02, 2018. The e-mail subject line must specify Sources Sought for Cognitive Testing of SNAP Forms.