D--Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) - Fort Knox in support of The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-1, is seeking information on how an interested Contractor can provide support for the Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS) project. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, services, equipment, tools, materials, facilities, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform operation and maintenance of ATRRS. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, MICC - Fort Knox is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondees are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested parties' expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. Email is the preferred method of submission. Please do not include in your comments information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information, proprietary or confidential commercial information. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Federal Government to form a binding contract. Information obtained as a result of this notice may be used by the Federal Government for planning purposes. Email: contact@example.gov. Email submissions will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive individualized feedback on any suggestions. BACKGROUND: The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Army G-1, is the proponent for personnel input to training management for the Total Army. This is accomplished through use of the ATRRS. ATRRS consists of an automated personnel database (both peacetime and mobilization) which is the Army's official system of record for personnel input to training and training completion. ATRRS provides real-time access of individual training information to levels of command located throughout the United States and overseas. Courses on ATRRS encompass those taught by the Army for all students, those courses taught by other services and DOD agencies that Army students attend and course managed on ATRRS for Acquisition agencies. This system provides the vehicle for soliciting training requirements, converting them into resourced training programs, allocating and managing training seat by agency, managing training application requests, making training seat reservations for students by name and SSN, recording student input and output from class and maintaining historical record of training for each student. All of these functions/processes are inter-dependent to support the entire personnel input to training management process. ATRRS data is used not only to manage personnel input to training but also to document budgeted dollars required to provide training. The ATRRS system is integral to the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES) for Army training. ATRRS data is used to support budget reports such as the Justification for the President's Budget and Program Objective Memorandums (POM) submissions. ATRRS is used to compile the Inter-service Training Readiness Report (ITRR) which is submitted annually to Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) to support OSD's submission to Congress of the capabilities of the DOD institutional training base to provide qualified individuals to Active and Reserve Component units. ATRRS produces the Army Program for Individual Training (ARPRINT), which is the mission and resourcing document showing training requirements and approved training programs for POM years 1-3. ATRRS is also the system of record for training management of Defense Acquisition University (DAU) courses and several other DOD and Federal schools to include the Federal Acquisition Institute. For these DOD schools, ATRRS serves as the sole personnel training management system. The ATRRS operational environment is a robust, fully accredited platform that is hosted within the Pentagon Consolidated Data Center with additional COOP site capability elsewhere. ATRRS is comprised of multiple racks of physical servers, network applications, storage arrays and switching. ATRRS maximized the capacity, effectiveness and reliability of the physical environment through redundancy, load balancing and virtualization. ATRRS is a multi-service environment encompassing web, reporting, business intelligence, workflow, email, secure transfer, interfacing and database technologies. ATRRS is secured through access rules, Host Intrusion Detection Services (HIDS), Group Policies, DOD Security Technical Information Guides (STIGs), and continual routine security scanning. The system is primarily accessed through standard web browser applications utilizing SSL over both the Internet and NIPRNet via TCP/IP. The ATRRS software configuration consists of CICS, COBOL, JCL, DB2, DB2 Stored Procedures, REXX, SAS, Mainframe FOCUS, WebFOCUS, Web Trends, Tumbleweed, Windows Server MS SQL Server, ASP.Net, ASP, COM Objects, Visual Basic, VBScript, XML, HTML/DHTML, Java-Script, ADOBE, MS Office, Surveys, Business Intelligence and system performance monitoring utilities. Operation and maintenance support are provided by contractor personnel who have knowledge and expertise in personnel and training management and are experienced in the design, development and use of enterprise systems, telecommunications, operating systems, Web environment, CICS, DB2 and related access methods, Job Control Language (JCL), computer graphics, and statistical programs and techniques. ATRRS has over 30,000 individual users world-wide with an estimated concurrent load of 1500 users. In addition, the ATRRS Application Suite currently supports over one million daily page views. The government is considering soliciting a contract for support services for the ATRRS project. The base period of performance is 16 February 2016 through 15 February 2017, with four one-year option periods. The contractor will need to have and maintain a TOP SECRET facility security clearance from the Defense Security Service. Contractor employees performing the work will have at least a SECRET clearance. A TOP SECRET facility security clearance will be needed for specific tasks. PROPOSED CONTRACTOR TASKS: 1. The contractor shall provide on-going operation and support for core ATRRS business processes which are key components of the G1 personnel input to training mission. Contractor support shall include providing subject matter expertise from key personnel to G1 personnel on the following major subsystems and modules of core ATRRS: 1.2.1.1 The Army Centralized Individual Training Solicitation (TACITS) is the mechanism for the identification, down to the unit level, of non-initial entry training requirements for Army components and all training requirements for all other agencies. 1.2.1.2 Quota Management System (QMS) is used to allocate and sub-allocate training quotas by class and redistribute those seats among components thereby minimizing unfilled training seats and conserving training dollars. 1.2.1.3 ATRRS Automated Training Application Module (AATAM) provides the process for submitting an automated application to attend any course requiring a DA 4187, DA 1058 or DD 1556 form. 1.2.1.4 ATRRS Internet Training Application System (AITAS) provides for the automated submission of Army requests for training seats by name and SSN for Defense Acquisition University (DAU) training. 1.2.1.5 Student Trainee Management System-Enlisted (STRAMS-E) manages initial entry training seats for Basic Training, One Station Unit Training, Advanced Individual Training, and any follow-on training (such as airborne or Additional Skill Identifier courses) and provides projected end of training and assignment availability dates to HRC. 1.2.1.6 Mobilization Planning System (MPS) provides the basis for planning individual training requirements for all courses upon mobilization. Processes supported by MPS include: the Mobilization Army Program for Individual Training (MOB ARPRINT) and the Mobilization Training Resources Arbitration Panel (MOB TRAP). 1.2.1.7 Structure Manning Decision Review (SMDR) is the process for reviewing training requirements and modifying them into executable and affordable training programs based on available resources. Training requirements are generated through various means, i.e. ASTRM/ARM-G/ARM-R and loaded into ATRRS for SMDR review. 1.2.1.8 Training Resources Arbitration Panel (TRAP) is used to adjust training programs during the budget and execution years. 1.2.1.9 U.S. Army Formal Schools Catalog (formerly DA PAM 351-4) is now the on-line collection of school and course information presented within the ATRRS Course Catalog. 1.2.1.10 ATRRS Manpower Staffing Standards model provides the ability to compute instructors required to support training at TRADOC installations. 1.2.1.11 Class Scheduling enables classes to be established and managed and supports recruiting, quota allocation and training seat management. 1.2.1.12 Student Seat Reservation processing occurs several ways: directly by quota manager or via various ATRRS interfaces such as with REQUEST, sub-systems or modules such as STRAMS-E, AATAM and BARS. 1.2.1.13 Student Class Management allows for management of student status, to include class input, output, and reason for output. 1.2.1.14 Training Attrition Management is the automated process used to calculate course attrition based on inputs and graduates posted to ATRRS by the schools. 1.2.1.15 Quarterly Training Utilization Module (QTUM) is the data tool used to conduct various analysis of training seat utilization. 1.2.1.16 ATRRS Home Page provides for select on-line and static ATRRS subsystems as approved by the ATRRS system proponent. 1.2.1.17 ATRRS Web Portals provides on-line access to perform all daily business management activities covered in AR 350-10. 1.2.1.18 Self Development Center allows students to self-register for online training opportunities and view their unofficial ATRRS transcripts. 1.2.1.19 BNCOC Automated Reservation System (BARS) provides an order of merit list of students eligible to attend the Advanced Leader Course (ALC), reserves seats for these students, and allows substitution of students, based on pre-defined rules. 1.2.1.20 ATRRS Optimal Scheduling Analysis Module provides consolidated training schedules for enlisted initial entry training courses for an entire fiscal year. 1.2.1.21 On-line Service School Academic Evaluation Report (DA Form 1059) allows the Army student to retrieve his form through use of his Army Knowledge On-Line (AKO) account. 1.2.1.22 Efficiency Performance Management Module (EPM2) provides on-demand data analysis to track and assess trends in holdover, recycled and discharged students by installation, course, training population and cause. 1.2.1.23 Individual Ready Reserve Management (IRR) provides management of IRR training seats and class reservations in coordination with the Mobilization Training Resources Arbitration Panel (MOBTRAP) process. Data is exchanged between ATRRS, the Mobilization Manpower Analysis System (MOBMAN) and HRC. 1.2.1.24 Unit Automated Reservation System (UARS) Module is a training request module of ATRRS that allows Brigade (BCTs)/Brigade Level Commanders to request training into ATRRS-managed courses/classes for Soldiers in support of ARFORGEN reset cycle. 1.2.1.25 ATRRS Training Tracker allows Command Sergeants Major and First Sergeants to view the training records of individuals assigned to their UIC in the Total Army Personnel Data Base (TAPDB). 1.2.1.26 ATRRS Accession Analysis Model organizes data from ATRRS that is sent to the Recruit Quota System (REQUEST) to provide a month to month analysis of the training available for recruiting compared to the recruiting mission, for each Army component. 1.2.1.27 Basic Training Requirements Generator is a module of ATRRS that displays a comparison of BT seats scheduled each week (and sent to the Recruit Quota System (REQUEST)) against the total Advance Individual Training (AIT) scheduled the same week in ATRRS. The module also displays the scheduled OSUT seats by week. 1.2.1.28 Branch Officer Leader Course (BOLC) Scheduling Conference is the annual forum for distributing BOLC training quotas to component input agencies. PROPOSED SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR TASKS: 1. The contractor shall provide technical support and assistance to the ATRRS system and subsystems/modules to ensure smooth day-to-day operation. 2. The contractor shall provide maintenance support to include hardware, software, database support, quality assurance support and data continuity for the day-to-day operation of ATRRS. The contractor shall manage and support over 500 distinct software and hardware products to include maintaining multiple versions, upgrades, updates and new products as necessary. 3. The contractor shall continue to revise, update and enhance ATRRS, its subsystems and modules and make limited enhancements to ATRRS as directed by the government. Within the parameters of DoD directives governing Defense Business System Modernization thresholds for new development and certification of investments, the contractor shall perform requirements analysis, software design and development to translate functional or application requirements into operational capability. The contractor shall evaluate revision plans and milestones to determine feasibility, impact, cost effectiveness, and adherence to applicable DoD and DA standards. 4. The contractor shall develop, modify, enhance and adapt ATRRS software to facilitate interfacing with currently operational systems and systems under development so that interfaces are accomplished in a timely and efficient manner. The contractor shall ensure that data transfer is through appropriate means, to include electronic data transfer, diskettes, tapes, interactive exchange, FTP, XML, and other means and formats. The contractor shall: receive data, to include editing and updating the ATRRS data base with manpower, personnel, training, resource and other data for Active Army, Army National Guard, US Army Reserve, other Services and other categories of personnel; send data, to include manpower, personnel, training, resource and other data from the ATRRS data base to other agencies and activities; and maintain ATRRS and interface information on Army G-1 and DoD system databases, as required by the government. The contractor shall draft, staff and distribute finalized System Interface Agreements (SIA). 5. The contractor shall provide ATRRS user support to include responding to telephonic and email inquiries, providing ATRRS User's Help Documentation, providing ATRRS web announcements, providing and modifying reports, and attending planning meetings at the government's direction to lend technical assistance. 6. The contractor shall provide ATRRS training to the user community (users, managers and executives) and others, including agencies outside of Army. 7. The contractor shall maintain and revise system documentation to reflect current system operation and software maintenance and shall document the status of on-going initiatives. All ATRRS documentation is to be made available to the government, upon request. 8. The contractor shall operate, maintain and provide user support for all reporting and analytical capabilities across the environment. 9. The contractor shall provide support that ensures ATRRS complies with all security requirements and guidance provided by applicable Army and DOD regulations, ITA Security Office, the Privacy Act of 1974 5.1.9.13 Comply with DoD Directive 8570.1 -Information Assurance Training, Certification and Workforce Management. RESPONSES: The appropriate NAICS code is 541513 with a size standard of $27,500,000.00. Responses to this announcement must be received no later than 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time on Tuesday, 24 March 2015. Responses should be emailed to contact@example.gov. Responses shall include the following: 1. Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact, CAGE Code and/or DUNS number. 2. The facility security clearance of the respondee. 3. Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541513, Computer Facilities Management Services. quote mark Small business concern quote mark means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. Respondees are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at http://www.farsite.hill.af.mil. 4. Statement confirming the requirements of FAR 52.219-14 will be met should this acquisition be set-aside for small business (if applicable); 5. Companies capabilities statement must support its ability to reverse engineer support for ATRRS based on the tasks/specific tasks above. QUESTIONS: Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer, Leslie M. Vessels at email address: contact@example.gov. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions will be answered by posting answers to the ASFI/FedBizOpps websites; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 2:00 PM Eastern Time, 17 March 2015 will be answered. SUMMARY: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources and gather information in support for the Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS) project. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. This RFI is issued for maximizing competition. Should anything in the requirement be construed as limiting competition, please feel free to contact the MICC Advocate for Competition at contact@example.gov. Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from this FedBizOpps notice. Finally, please provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and your rationale.