American Capital Ltd. announced that it provided $50 million of Senior Subordinated Note financing to support the merger of Survey Sampling International and Opinionology, Inc., which will operate as Survey Sampling International. American Capital has been a lender to Opinionology, Inc. since December 2006 when it provided a $34 million Second Lien Term Loan as part of a larger acquisition financing in support of Sterling Investment Partners.

Survey Sampling International LLC and Opinionology, Inc. have received regulatory approval to combine and finalized their agreement to unite under the SSI brand. By integrating their complementary offerings, they are creating the industry's first complete portfolio to support every phase of the survey research process. The new SSI's unique end-to-end solution supports market researchers with a full suite of online, offline and mixed access sampling and data collection services, as well as advanced data analytics and reporting, including real-time results and customized dashboards. In addition, with 30 offices around the world, respondents from 72 countries and staff fluent in 36 languages, it provides both the global reach and on-the-ground knowledge to deliver accurate, meaningful and consistent outcomes for both multi-country and domestic research projects. To ensure researchers gain the insights they need from any target segment, however tightly defined, the new SSI also taps into the widest range of respondent sources, providing broad, eclectic access across every consumer, B2B and healthcare audience. The combined company brings 50 years of experience to every project, including more than a decade creating and managing online panels across 28 countries. It extends and diversifies its reach even further to cover those who would never join a traditional panel through SSI Dynamix(TM)-its dynamic sampling platform that links to a multitude of sources, including proprietary panels, social media, online communities, affiliate partners and more. In addition, SSI has the largest team of professional telephone interviewers, conducting more than 6 million interviews a year through its integrated network of call centers in the US and Philippines. Team members are experienced across the total spectrum of interviewing techniques, including phone-to-Web recruiting, public opinion measurement, Voice of the Customer programs and executive interviewing. To ensure optimal outcomes for all projects, whether online, offline or mixed access, the SSI Knowledge Team will continue to play a central role in the new company. Comprised of senior methodologists, the Knowledge Team provides consultative guidance on questionnaire optimization and respondent engagement. It also conducts extensive ‘research on research’ to advance sampling and survey design.

Survey Sampling International LLC and Opinionology, Inc. announced that they have entered into an agreement to combine and operate under the SSI brand. The new company will deliver the only comprehensive sampling solution to support every phase of the survey research process, with best-in-class online, landline telephone, wireless/mobile device and mixed access offerings. The newly-combined organization's expanded global footprint will reach research participants in all major regions around the world, including the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. In addition, it will offer the widest range of respondent sources, giving clients worldwide access to consumer, healthcare and B2B audiences. As a result, the new company will have the full breadth of resources to ensure clients successfully engage their target populations for every research project--even those focusing on the hardest-to-reach segments. With 1,300 employees in 30 offices that span every time zone, the new SSI will provide clients with 24/7 service coverage, as well as local expertise to drive effective research in every target region. In addition, with 50+ years of combined sampling experience and a dedicated Knowledge Team of senior methodologists, it will offer consultative guidance to ensure optimal questionnaire design, respondent engagement and research results for its customers.