Expert Financial Advisory Services (U.S. Information Technology Sector)

Overview

This is a request for quotations (RFQ) prepared in accordance with Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) 5.201(c). The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is seeking quotations from firms that can provide expert financial advisory services and that possess specialized knowledge of the U.S. information technology sector. See below for additional information about the services.

Concise Description of Services

PBGC, a wholly owned U.S Government corporation, administers the pension plan termination insurance program established by Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. PBGC protects the retirement income of approximately 30 million American workers and beneficiaries in both single-employer and multiemployer private sector pension plans.

PBGC’s Corporate Finance and Restructuring Department requires the assistance of an experienced financial advisory services firm with proven experience in the U.S. information technology (IT) sector leading large distress valuation and turnaround engagements and/or representing clients in a lead capacity on large and complex restructuring and/or bankruptcy transactions involving enterprises with funded debt exceeding $4 billion. PBGC will place particularly high value on prior experience with the PBGC pension termination process and on contractor personnel with relevant expert testimony experience.

Detailed Description of Services

This section applies only to firms that have not already submitted documentation under the pre-solicitation announcement linked to this solicitation. Firms that have already submitted this information should disregard this section.

The performance work statement (PWS) contains a detailed description of services. To receive a copy of the PWS, interested firms must complete and submit Attachment 6 – Intent to Compete and Non-Disclosure Agreement no later than 48 hours before the closing date of this announcement. PBGC will not consider any requests received after this time. Before permitting an interested firm to view the PWS, PBGC will verify that the firm (1) has expertise and experience that fits the general scope of work as described above, and (2) is actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and otherwise eligible to do business with the U.S. Government.

Eligibility

All responsible sources will have an opportunity to submit a quotation for PBGC to consider. To be eligible for award a firm will need to have:

• experience providing in-court or out-of-court restructuring advisory services to a debtor or creditor in a case in which the debtor had at least $4 billion in funded debt at the time of filing for bankruptcy or at the initiation of an out-of-court restructuring; and
• executed and submitted Attachment 6 – Intent to Compete and Non-Disclosure Agreement no later than 48 hours before the closing date of this announcement.

Description of Attachments

Attachment 1 – Instructions to Interested Firms: Interested firms should thoroughly review this document to ensure adherence to and understanding of the solicitation process.

Attachment 2 – Evaluation Criteria: Describes how PBGC will evaluate quotations and select the contract awardee.

Attachment 3 – Performance Work Statement: Only available to select firms as previously described in this announcement.

Attachment 4 – Clauses and Provisions: Contains the provisions that apply to this solicitation and clauses that will apply to the contracts.

Attachment 5 – EFAS Pricing Template: Use this template to quote prices for this work. (Due date is identified in Attachment 1.)

Attachment 6 – Intent to Compete and Non-Disclosure Agreement: Use as previously described in this announcement.

Attachment 7 – Industry Feedback Form: Use to pose questions or provide suggestions. Deadline for submission is identified in Attachment 1.

Attachment 8 - Industry Questions and PBGC Responses - EFAS Draft Solicitation: Contains agency responses to questions submitted by firms in response to the draft solicitation. Interested firms should review this before submitting new questions.

“Revolutionary” FAR Overhaul

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has fully adopted all currently available components of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). All solicitations and contract awards issued by this agency are aligned with the updates issued under the RFO framework. Offerors should ensure that their submissions reflect compliance with the revised Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions and associated implementing guidance as adopted by this agency. The RFO clauses and provisions can be found here: https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide

Differences Between Draft and Final Solicitations

The vast majority of changes to the attached documents are non-substantive in nature (e.g., stylistic, grammatical, formatting, clarity). The following comprise the substantive differences between this and the draft solicitation:

1. The inclusion of Attachment 4 - Clauses and Provisions.

2. The addition of deadlines to Attachment 1 - Instructions to Respondents. Specifically, questions in response to this posting are due by Thursday, July 2 at 12:00 noon ET and price quotations are due (from qualifying firms only) by Monday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET.