D -- Two-Factor Authentication Tools

The Two-Factor Authentication project to expand the Department of Education Federal Student Aid (FSA) Security Architecture (SA) will be evaluating and selecting a tool to incorporate into the SA environment. The goal of the project is to select a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solution that allows FSA to quickly and efficiently deploy Two-Factor authentication for multiple applications. Also, the Two-Factor solution will be used only for Internet/Intranet enabled applications. ClienTwo server or mainframe applications will not be considered. The product selected will be the enterprise standard for implementing Two-Factor authentication. In FSA's mixture of legacy and target state vision (TSV) applications, a future component of the solution will be the ability to integrate with applications via web service enabled technologies or the equivalent. FSA Two-factor Implementation strategy The initial installation of a Two-Factor solution will likely be for the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS) web application access for employees and contractors. The Two-Factor application would control the request for a 2nd Factor Authentication and only make the request when the employee or contractor is accessing the application outside of EDNET. EDNET includes the Department of Education's network security, network and telecommunications design and operations, end user services, production server hosting services, and ED's intranet and Internet services (www.ed.gov) as well as maintains and operates ED's disaster recovery facility. FSA's SA and applications will be able to interface directly with the Two-Factor tool. The total population of employees and contractors for FSA is approximately 5,000 individuals. In the future, Two-Factor authentication will be added to other applications with secure data such as social security numbers, loan information, and financial information. In addition to employees and contractors, this will include other trading partner users such as school users, financial partner users, servicers, etc. The total estimated population of trading partner users is 55,000. The details of which applications will require Two-Factor authentication and how they will be phased in will be outlined in the coming months. Response Dates: Questions due by 5:00 p.m. on 02/06/08 to the Contracting Officer, Robert St. Germain, via email. Quotes are due to the Contracting Officer, Robert St. Germain via email by 5:00 p.m. on 02/11/08. Additional Point of Contact: Bill Levenson, Contracts Specialist bill.levenson@ed.gov 202-377-3746 To receive the requirements document as a word document attachment (three pages), please email the Contracting Officer, Robert St. Germain, or bill.levenson@ed.gov .