Disabled Employees Support Acquisition Contract V

Request for Information - DISABLED EMPLOYEE SUPPORT ACQUISITION CONTRACT (DESAC) V This is a Request for Information (RFI) to be used for market research purposes only. The Government is conducting market research to assist in determining the appropriate acquisition strategy and potential set-asides for the DESAC V effort. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking responses from businesses capable of providing the products and services listed in the attached technical specifications document. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTE OR PROPOSAL. Responses to this announcement are not considered quotes or offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government shall not be held responsible for any costs incurred in the response to this request for information announcement. Background/Scope of Need: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires Federal agencies to consider the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities when it develops, procures or uses new Electronic Information Technology (EIT). The 1998 Amendments to Section 508 of the Act directed the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board), to develop technical and functional access standards for EIT that became part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). To comply with Section 508, all Federal agencies are required to incorporate these standards into their procurement policies and directives. The IRS Information Resources Accessibility Program (IRAP) Program Office manages and oversees a Service wide program to help make EIT systems accessible to employees and customers with disabilities. The IRAP's Program Office mission is to enable accessible information technology (IT) through integrated solutions, services and standards. IRAP Program Office Assistive Technology (AT) services include: - Evaluating the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities to determine the appropriate assistive computer technology to accommodate functional limitations. - Evaluating new AT for potential use within the IRS. - Purchasing AT with associated maintenance and training. - Assisting customers with AT features and functions. - Furnishing technical assistance to local Desktop Support staff to resolve complex assistive hardware and software issues. The IRS intends to solicit and award a contract to provide the necessary personnel, materials, products and services to perform the tasks below: 1. AT (hardware and software) with associated manuals/publications in an accessible format available from the manufacturer/supplier delivered to IRS within 15 calendar days of order. 2. Maintenance and repair for AT hardware Items. 3. Software Maintenance Agreements (SMAs) for AT software items, as available. 4. Technical support for AT software items from the product's vendor shall be available to assist the IRAP Program Office technical support staff with issue resolution. 5. Support training/troubleshooting on use of AT hardware and software products. 6. Travel required to support one-on-one and/or group client training for software and hardware products. Response Guidance: Responses should include a brief description of the respondent's company, to include relevant experience, services, business size, and points of contact, including name, address, telephone/fax number(s) and an e-mail address. Responses must be submitted by e-mail with all documentation provided in an MS WinZip file, and each section must be properly identified. While the IRS appreciates all responses, it will not respond to any questions regarding the information contained in this RFI. The information obtained in these responses will be used by the IRS to inform and shape subsequent documents related to this acquisition. For that reason, respondents should not divulge proprietary information or specific solution proposals in response to this RFI. Please be advised that all personnel reviewing these responses are bound by all nondisclosure regulations that govern Federal Acquisitions Regulations. Contact Information Responses must be submitted to the Business Operations Specialist within 10 calendar days after issuance of this RFI, or no later than 3:00 pm on June 10, 2013 at Traci.A.Brinkley@irs.gov.