Federal Contract Opportunity for Test and Evaluation Independent Verification & Validation and Technical Support

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), Request for Quotation (RFQ) or a promise to issue a solicitation. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. DHS CWMD is not seeking proposals at this time. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay any cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation. In order to receive an award from any resultant solicitation, should one be issued, the successful offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). The SAM website is https://sam.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor the website for any information that may pertain to this RFI. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government and will not be returned. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organizations capabilities. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. 1.0. PURPOSE The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) is seeking technical information responses to determine if viable Algorithm Test Bed (ATB) maintenance and support, independent Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) detector test and evaluation (T&E), independent data verification and validation (IV&V), system engineering and assessment, rad/nuc source handling, technical assessments and studies, modeling and simulation, test support detector development and sustainment, classified data processing and analysis, and test data management and archival expertise exist in a single organization to support CWMD T&E requirements. A rigorous IV&V effort, in accordance with standard industry best practices, is an essential aspect of establishing the confidence that CBRN detector test data are valid and usable for interested parties who have a need to know. These efforts will be ongoing activities to ensure the test campaigns and test data validity is achieved. 2.0 BACKGROUND CWMD is committed to using cutting-edge technologies and scientific talent in its quest to make America safer. CWMD's mission is to improve the nation's capability to detect and report unauthorized attempts to import, possess, store, develop, or transport CBRN material for use against the nation, and to further enhance this capability over time. CBRN detector test and evaluation (T&E) is an integral part to affirm the efficacy of detection instruments, which will be used by DHS components and external agencies at the Ports of Entry (POEs) and other places in the United States. This RFI requests information on capabilities associated with providing modeling and simulation, CBRN detector, operational and analytic expertise, and data management needed for conducting IV&V of the test data. 3.0 INFORMATION SOUGHT WITH THIS RFI The government requests information pertaining to the capabilities across each of the following activities: 3.1 Independent Test Data Verification and Validation The government requests information to determine if the contractor can support CWMD in the verification and validation of CBRN detector test data collected during CWMD test events. The contractor shall also assist CWMD with independent technical studies and the evaluation and assessment of programs. 3.2 Independent Test and Evaluation The government requests information on the contractor's capability to conduct independent quantitative performance evaluation of complex operational systems, sub-systems and components; evaluation of alternatives and modified systems; development of metrics and evaluation criteria; collection of requisite data; and development and maintenance of testing instrumentation, databases and procedures as appropriate. 3.3 System Engineering and Assessment The government requests information on the contractor's capability to assist with developing systems engineering methods, processes, engineering-analysis tools, models and simulations, and engineering-analysis capabilities needed to support the life cycle development of CWMD systems, as well as the ability to assess the system requirements, architectures and concepts of operations required to accomplish sponsor missions. 3.4 Rad/Nuc Source Handling and Shipment The government requests information on the contractor's ability to provide technical and operational support to fissile material handling efforts including, but not limited to, Special Nuclear Material sealed sources, and Radiation Signature Training Devices (RSTD). Does the offeror have the capability to host on-site tests and also transport offsite radiological sources up to and including Category III quantities of SNM? 3.5 Bio Safety Level 3 Facility The government requests information on the contractor's ability to provide a Bio Safety Level 3 Facility to study and test detection methods for infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infections. 3.6 Modeling and Simulation The government requests information on the contractor's ability to develop a framework for the various levels of modeling required to support CWMD customers that would feed a model-test-model implementation. This includes the ability to provide engineering and technical support for verification and validation of CWMD developed simulations and models. 3.7 Technical Assessments and Studies The government requests information on the contractor's capacity to independently conduct and support required technical studies, analysis, performance assessments, evaluations, and special studies for the CWMD at the unclassified or classified (SECRET/CNWDI) level. Using available models and the ATBs enables the assessment of the mathematical performance of candidate algorithms and novel scientific approaches to radiological identification and detection. 3.8 Maintain Archive and Retrieval Management System (ARMS) The government requests information on the contractor's capacity to maintain integrity, security, storage and tracking capability of a central T&E data repository and distribution of unclassified and classified CWMD test data. 4.0 INSTRUCTIONS All written submissions become the property of the United States Federal Government and will not be returned. In addition, if the contractor requests it, the government will issue an acknowledgment receipt of the submission but will not provide any other response or feedback. The government also reserves the right to review late submissions but makes no guarantee to the order of or possibility for review of late submissions. 4.1 Content At a minimum, contractors responding to this RFI shall submit a white paper that must be in English, in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word compatible format. 4.2 Format 4.2.1 At a minimum, response packages should include the following identifying information: a. The title of the RFI to which the package applies. b. The company name, address, telephone number, UEI number, e and website address, if available. c. Type of business, NAICS Code - 541715 - Research and Development (e.g., large or small standard is 1,000 employees,). Small businesses should specify if they are a Small Business (including Alaska Nature Corporation and Indian tribe), Veteran-Owned Small Business, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZone Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business (including Alaska Native Corporation and Indian tribes), or Women-Owned Small Business. NAICS Code - 541715 - Research and Development d. The name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with Government representatives. 4.2.2 In order to simplify the evaluation review process, the Program encourages contractors to adhere closely to the following instructions when preparing their technical submission: a. All responses shall be unclassified. b. Prepare the document in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) using a 12 pt. font on 8.5" by 11" paper with 1" margins. c. Responses shall not exceed twenty (20) pages in length. This restriction does not include appendices containing: 1.Relevant experience/drawings/test reports (up to 10 pages) 4.2.3 Each respondent shall submit their response via email in an electronic format compatible with the Microsoft Windows 11 operating system (e.g., Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Adobe PDF). 5.0 RESPONSE SUBMISSION Interested parties must submit responses to the point(s) of contact identified below: Contracting Officer, Jennifer D'Addio, at jennifer.daddio@hq.dhs.gov and Contract Specialist, Ronald Miles III at ronald.miles@hq.dhs.gov no later than 5:00pm (Eastern) on January 06, 2023. The subject line of the email should contain the RFI number 70RWMD23RFI00000003. Proprietary information shall not be included in this RFI response. Please be advised that all submissions become government property and will not be returned. 6.0 SUMMARY CMMD Test and Evaluation Division conducts test campaigns and pilots to evaluate CBRN detection technologies or systems and to ensure that the U.S. maintains and improves capabilities to detect CBRN threats. DHS/CWMD will review the provided information, however, there is no guarantee that this RFI will be followed by a solicitation for services or products.