In July of 2008, the Social Security Administration (SSA) made significant changes in the Ticket to Work (TTW) program in response to feedback from TTW partners and findings by SSA’s evaluation contractor, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. (MPR), that there was more demand for employment services by SSA beneficiaries than was being realized by the TTW program. SSA intends to modify contract number 0600-03-60130, Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program - Part A, Evaluation Implementation with MPR to extend the TTW evaluation through May 2011. Under this modification, MPR will collect additional TTW process data, evaluate the TTW program following the implementation of the new rules, and present their findings in two additional reports.

SSA needs an extended assessment of the Employment Networks (ENs) and beneficiary response to the new regulations and it is critical that continuity is maintained with the earlier analyses so that we may understand how the post relaunch experiences compare to the earlier findings. These analyses will need to begin in early 2009 so that data collection can occur as the SSA and EN changes take place. SSA believes bringing in a new contractor at this point would be time consuming and could introduce data gaps and methodological changes in the evaluation that could confound the comparison with earlier results. MPR is the only source capable of meeting these timeline and continuity concerns based on their knowledge and experience analyzing the TTW program since 2003. Given the close relationship of the new activities under this modification to those of the original statement of work and the tasks already completed, the new tasks could not reasonably be expected to be performed by another offeror without significant delay and additional cost.

BACKGROUND: On May 29, 2003, SSA awarded a 5-year contract to MPR for preparing data files from SSA administrative data and conducting the adequacy of incentives evaluation, process evaluation, participation analysis, and impact/outcomes analyses for the evaluation of the TTW Program.

REQUIREMENTS: MPR shall collect TTW implementation and process data (including data from the Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) projects) and shall analyze SSA administrative data, National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) data, TTW program implementation process data, and data on the use of WIPA projects by SSA beneficiaries. The analyses will include:  Analyses of the EN and beneficiary participation response to the new TTW rules  Analyses of the data from the delayed round-four of the National Beneficiary Survey (NBS—to be conducted in 2009) focusing on beneficiary awareness of the new TTW program, service use, employment, and attitudes toward ticket participation, work, and possible exit from SSA benefits  An examination of the short term trends in beneficiary outcomes and EN payments under the new rules  Analyses of WIPA WebData being collected under the recently added modification to this contract to understand the extent to which the WIPA program is affecting work attempts by SSA beneficiaries

MPR shall report their evaluation findings in two reports to be produced in May 2010 and May 2011. Interested sources that believe they have the capability to perform the services required, should submit a capability statement to Kevin P. Muñiz via e-mail at [email protected]. Responses shall be marked SSA-RFP-09-1021, CAPABILITY STATEMENT, and shall be received no later than JANUARY 26, 2009, 3:00PM EST. All responsible sources will be considered. If no responses are received by the cutoff date, a modification will be issued directly to the MPR contract referenced above. All questions must be submitted in writing to Kevin Muniz via the e-mail address listed above. Telephone calls will NOT be accepted. See government-wide numbered note 22.