PBGC Investment Risk Management System (IRMS)

Amendment 0001 Government Responses to Industry Questions (6/1/2022)

Please see the attached Amendment 0001 to Solicitation 16PBGC-22-R-0006 and the Government's responses to industry questions. The purpose of the subject amendment is to extend the Step 1, Volume 1 proposal submission date. This change is delineated via tracked changes in Amendment 0001. All other items remain unchanged. 

Requirement Background Information, Purpose, and Objective:

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) established Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) as a federal corporation to encourage the growth of defined benefit pension plans, provide timely and uninterrupted payment of pension benefits, and keep pension insurance premiums at a minimum. PBGC is not funded by general tax revenues. PBGC collects insurance premiums from employers that sponsor insured pension plans, earns money from investments and receives funds from pension plans it takes over. PBGC manages its investment assets under an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) mandated by the Board of Directors (Board). The Board consists of the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Treasury, with the Secretary of Labor as Chairman.

The PBGC administers two separate insurance programs. The Multiemployer Program protects about 10.9 million workers and retirees in about 1,360 pension plans. The Single-Employer Program protects about 22.7 million workers and retirees in about 23,900 pension plans. The assets and liabilities of the Multiemployer and Single-Employer programs are separate.

The Multiemployer Program covers defined benefit pension plans that are created through one or more collective bargaining agreements between employers and one or more employee organizations or unions. The employers are usually in the same or related industries, such as transportation, construction, mining, and hospitality. PBGC provides financial assistance to insolvent plans to allow them to pay guaranteed benefits and reasonable administrative expenses. In FY 2021, PBGC provided $230 million in financial assistance to 109 multiemployer plans.

The Single-Employer Program covers defined benefit pension plans that generally are sponsored by a single employer. When an underfunded single-employer plan terminates, PBGC takes over the plan’s assets, administration, and payment of benefits up to the legal limits. In FY 2021, PBGC paid approximately $6.4 billion in benefits to more than 970,000 retirees across more than 5,000 single-employer plans.

CID requires a robust Investment Risk Management System (IRMS) with capabilities necessary to measure, manage, and monitor the risks of the Investment Program’s assets and liabilities, both Single-Employer and Multiemployer Programs. CID currently has a contract in place for an IRMS that expires in September 2022. CID’s need for an IRMS is an ongoing requirement and

therefore the existing contract is being recompeted. The IRMS may either be cloud-based, installed on PBGC’s hardware, or a hybrid (e.g., the application is hosted locally on PBGC’s servers and/or PCs but the data is stored in the cloud). However, PBGC has a strong preference for a cloud-based IRMS with minimal or no software installation on PBGC hardware. The anticipated period of performance is one (1) twelve-month base period and nine (9) twelve-month option periods. Please view the attached Request for Proposal (RFP) 16PBGC-22-R-0006 for more detailed information, including the date and time for Volume I and Volume II & III proposal submissions.

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in subpart  12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2022-06.

The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition. Please see the subject solicitation regarding any addenda to the clause.

The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services applies to this acquisition. Paragraph (a) of the provision references the solicitation’s Section M, which listed the specific evaluation criteria used in this acquisition.  

Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, with their proposals.

The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition. Please see the subject solicitation regarding any addenda to the clause.

The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition. Please see the subject solicitation regarding FAR clauses cited in this solicitation that are applicable to this acquisition.