Commercial Housing Data

Amendment / Modification

This amendment (A001) to the solicitation (RFQ No. 1333HK26C00000007) serves two primary purposes:

• Answers Vendor Questions: Provides responses to inquiries received from potential bidders regarding the Request for Quotation (RFQ).
• Updates Solicitation Sections: Modifies specific sections of the original solicitation:
  • Section B.4.1: CLIN Descriptions
  • Section C.4.1: Data Usage and Retention Rights
  • Section F.5: Deliverables and Work Products

Sections B.4.1, C.4.1, and F.5 of the original solicitation have been updated.

Bidders should review the updated sections to ensure their proposals accurately reflect the latest requirements. The amendment does not explicitly state changes to proposal deadlines or evaluation factors, but bidders should confirm any potential impact on their submissions based on the updated content.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the solicitation for data products. It clarifies requirements, data formats, and contractual terms.

• Pricing: A single annual price quote is expected for all 10 data products, covering one year.
• Section 508 Compliance: Section 508 standards are not applicable to flat files.
• Data Ownership: The Government does not intend to claim ownership of the commercial data itself, but the data will become commingled and effectively the property of the Census Bureau.
• Data Lineage: Flags indicating data source must reflect the underlying data lineage, not just the prime contractor's sourcing method.
• Data Dictionary: A complete data dictionary is required with every delivery, including the initial delivery within 30 days of contract award.
• Delivery Format: CSV or Parquet are preferred delivery formats, with fixed-length ASCII being acceptable. Use of Census Managed File Transfer (MFT) is required for all deliveries.
• U.S. Territories: Priority U.S. territories for data coverage include Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

These clarifications refine understanding of pricing, data handling, delivery methods, and geographic scope, which may impact vendor proposals and technical approaches.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for commercial housing data for the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories. The U.S. Census Bureau (USCB) will use this data to continue production work aimed at reducing respondent burden and data collection costs, and to research new uses for the data. The primary NAICS code is 518210 – Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services.

• Data Sources: Public records (e.g., property tax assessments) and non-public sources (e.g., Multiple Listing Services). Data must be enhanced with estimated home values from a vetted automated valuation model.

• Data Elements: Includes public records (tax assessments, sales, mortgages, foreclosures), rental data, modeled housing value, open liens, Multiple Listing Service data, parcel boundaries, master address lists, HOA/COA data, vacancy/occupied status, and enhanced characteristics (e.g., modeled risk of natural hazards).

• Format: Single, fixed-length ASCII or shapefile/GeoJSON format, delivered via secure file transfer protocol (Managed File Transfer).

• Metadata: Data dictionary or description of data fields with valid values, including last update date and a flag indicating data source/processing.

• Vintage: Records must be the most current available at the time of delivery.

• Quality Standard: Data elements must have no errors 98% of the time.

• Technical Support: Contractor must acknowledge inquiries within 8 business hours and resolve issues within 48 business hours.

• Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price with an Optional CLIN for Special Projects.

• Period of Performance: 5-year lifecycle including a 12-month Base Period and four (4) one-year option periods. The projected start date is April 13, 2026, with the Base Period ending April 12, 2027. Option periods run through April 12, 2031.

• Estimated Value: Not explicitly stated, but CLIN 0002 (Optional) has a Not-To-Exceed amount of $4,500.00 per period.

• Inquiries Deadline: Friday, March 13, 2026, 5:00 p.m. EST.

• Quotation Due Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 1:00 p.m. EST.

• Submission Method: Email to Kristina.D.Hartman@census.gov and Harjot.Kaur@census.gov.

• Proposal Format: MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Specific formatting requirements include Times New Roman 11-point font, 1-inch margins.

• Evaluation Criteria: Award will be based on the greatest overall value, considering Technical Capabilities (Factor 1), Prior Demonstrated Experience (Factor 2), and Price (Factor 3). Non-price factors are significantly more important than price.

No specific set-aside requirements are mentioned in the provided sections. However, a subcontracting plan is required.

• The USCB will not release identifiable information, use data for marketing or compliance, or resell the data.
• Data usage rights are granted to the USCB, allowing sharing with other Federal Agencies.
• The contract includes clauses related to security, data stewardship, and compliance with Title 13 of the U.S. Code.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is the U.S. Census Bureau's Managed File Transfer (MFT) User's Guide. It provides instructions and information for data providers on how to use the MFT system for secure file transfers to the U.S. Census Bureau.

• MFT Features: Secure file transfer, automatic encryption, large capacity for files (5GB single, 10GB transfer), ability to submit multiple files, self-service password reset, username reminders, and password expiration reminders.
• Account Setup: Instructions on how to establish an MFT account via the https://mft.econ.census.gov/ website, including using the "Need Help?" link for account requests.
• Login and Navigation: Details on accessing the MFT login page, using the help page for account requests, password resets, and username retrieval.
• File Transfer Process: Guidance on using the MFT Transfer Page, including uploading files, folder association with agency agreements, and avoiding special characters in filenames.
• Troubleshooting: Information on common issues such as password expiration, blank screens, rejected URLs, and file transfer failures, with contact information for support.
• Contact Information: Data Quality Branch (DQB) contact details via email (erd.all.dqb.list@census.gov) and phone ((301)-763-2095), with office hours Monday-Friday, 9 am to 5 pm EST.

This guide is essential for any bidder or data provider who will be required to submit data or administrative records to the U.S. Census Bureau via the Managed File Transfer system. It outlines the necessary steps for account creation, file submission, and troubleshooting, ensuring a smooth and secure data transfer process.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment J.1 - Representations, Certifications, and Provisions Addendum," contains several Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses that offerors must review and comply with. It serves as an addendum to the main solicitation, providing specific requirements related to representations, certifications, and provisions.

• FAR 52.203-11 (Certification and Disclosure Regarding Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions): Requires offerors to certify that no Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to influence an agency official. Disclosure is required if lobbyists have made contact on behalf of the offeror.
• FAR 52.203-18 (Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements): Prohibits requiring employees or subcontractors to sign agreements that restrict reporting waste, fraud, or abuse.
• FAR 52.204-7 (System for Award Management - Registration): Mandates active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at the time of offer submission and award. Requires offerors to provide Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.
• FAR 52.209-7 (Information Regarding Responsibility Matters): Requires offerors to disclose information regarding past or present administrative, criminal, or civil proceedings that could impact their responsibility.
• FAR 52.240-90 (Security Prohibitions and Exclusions Representations and Certifications): Addresses prohibitions related to covered telecommunications equipment and services, FASCSA orders, and restricted business operations in Sudan. It also includes representations and certifications regarding Iran.
• Representations and Certifications List: A table lists specific FAR provisions (e.g., 52.204-5, 52.209-2, 52.219-1) that require entity-level representations and certifications, which are incorporated by reference via SAM registration.

This document is critical for potential bidders as it outlines mandatory compliance requirements, certifications, and representations that must be accurate and current. Failure to comply with these provisions, including maintaining an active SAM registration and providing accurate identifying information, may render an offer ineligible for award. Offerors must carefully review each FAR clause to understand their obligations and ensure their submissions meet all stated requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, Attachment J.2, outlines the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) for the contract. It details the methodology the government will use to evaluate contractor performance, including what will be monitored, how monitoring will occur, who is responsible, and how results will be documented. It clarifies that the QASP does not detail how the contractor performs the work, which is the contractor's responsibility.

• Roles and Responsibilities: Defines the roles of the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in overseeing surveillance and performance evaluation.
• Quality Control (QC) Plan: The contractor's QC plan, incorporated by reference, details how the contractor will ensure satisfactory service delivery.
• Performance Standards: References the Performance Requirements Matrix and Performance Standards (F.7) for specific performance metrics and surveillance methods.
• Incentives/Disincentives: States that no monetary incentives are provided, but performance at or below the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) of 95-100% will negatively impact past performance ratings, while performance above AQL will have a positive impact.
• Surveillance Methods and Ratings: Outlines the COR's responsibility for monitoring and the rating system (Exceptional, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory).
• Documenting Performance: Details monthly and annual documentation procedures, including the Performance Report (PR) and its contents.
• Unacceptable Performance: Describes the process for addressing unacceptable performance, including the Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) and Corrective Action Plans (CAP).
• Past Performance Reporting: Explains how PR and CDR reports will be used for past performance evaluations.

This QASP is crucial for bidders to understand the government's approach to performance monitoring and evaluation. It highlights the importance of meeting or exceeding performance standards, the rating system used, and the consequences of unacceptable performance, all of which will influence past performance evaluations and future contract opportunities.