GISF (Global Information Assurance Certification Information (GIAC) Security Fundamentals)

Title: GISF (Global Information Assurance Certification Information (GIAC) Security Fundamentals) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is solicitation number HQ0423-09-T-0010: The solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular, FAC 2005-29, Effective 19 Jan 2009 & FAC 2005-30, Effective 15 Jan 2009. This requirement is UNRESTRICTED in regard to business size. The NAICS code is 611430 and the small business size standard is $7,000,000.00. Items: 0001 - Training to meet the requirements of the SOW. 0002 - Travel. Travel costs should be estimated to Indianapolis, IN. Travel costs will not be evaluated. Quantity: See details in the SOW below. Unit of Measure: Each for Training, Cost for Travel Description of items/services: Statement of Work STATEMENT OF WORK SCOPE: The vendor(s) shall provide training and other relevant instructional support for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Technology Services Organization (TSO) Indianapolis. The primary objective of this requirement is to gain security certification required by DOD Instruction (DODI) 8570.01 and maximize the passing rate for employees completing the Global Information Assurance Certification Information (GIAC) Security Fundamentals (GISF) certification examination administered by the SANS Institute. Services to be provided include the delivery of instructor-led, on-site training by qualified instructor(s), the provision of training materials, and the provision of post-training support. Global Information Assurance Certification BACKGROUND: DFAS provides full service finance and accounting services to the Uniformed Military Services and other Department of Defense (DoD) activities. These services include accounting, military and civilian payroll, contract payment processing, travel reimbursement and payments, and many other services directly related to the financial management of the DoD workforce. DFAS operations are worldwide. Major business functional processing centers are located in Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Rome, New York; and Limestone, Maine. DoD and DFAS senior management are placing increased emphasis on the workforce attaining professional certifications relevant to the organization. For government security and information technology professionals, the DODI 8570.01 has identified certifications of particular importance that are mandatory to retain employment in that field. DFAS has required that the certifications be completed by December 2010. Examination preparation training and other support provided by the contractor will be an important component in ensuring the employees success. REQUIREMENTS: Availability of Training Course, Materials, Instructors and Other Support DFAS's objective is for all student participants to pass the GISF Certification Examination within 4 months of the training. In support of this objective, the contractor will have available and be authorized to deliver in an instructor-led, classroom environment, a commercial off-the-shelf training course to prepare students to take and pass the GISF Certification Examination. DFAS recognizes each student will need to spend considerable time on individual study in addition to time spent in the classroom. Therefore, DFAS is interested in the following information being provided with your quote (in support of classroom and self study training): - Describe in detail how you would deliver training to support DFAS's objective; including post-class support (format, length of course, hours of training involved, non-classroom support such as: on-line support, software, simulations, sample test questions, practice exams, etc.) . - Describe if lectures/classes are available for a period of time before and/or after the class and, if so, for how long and in what format, e.g., on-line, video, CD. This item includes access to GISF On Demand training to complete the exercises required prior to attempting the examination for a period of up to four months and two weeks after the instructor-led training. - Describe the provisions that you will make for remedial training when students fail to pass an examination. Describe any provision that you make for a student to repeat a class and/or examination. Indicate where remedial training will be provided, e.g., at the DFAS site where the original training was conducted or at another site in the local community. - Describe your success rate and how you determined it. - Describe any guarantees that you provide for success. - Instructors should be subject matter experts in the areas of instruction. They should also have considerable experience in successfully facilitating GISF examination preparation training. - Describe how the instructor(s) who will be delivering the training meet these requirements. The use of subcontractor(s) requires prior approval by the DFAS Contracting Officer. The government will make every effort to provide as much advance notice of the required class as possible. However, the contractor must be capable of facilitating training no later than thirty calendar days following notice of a need to conduct a training class. The government may cancel a class within 14 calendar days from the scheduled convening date without incurring additional costs. DELIVERABLES (1) - (3): (1) Delivery of Instructor-Led Training During the lifecycle of this contract, it is anticipated that instructor-led training will be presented at DFAS at Indianapolis, Indiana. The contractor shall deliver instructor-led training scheduled as requested by DFAS in accordance with its quote. The contractor shall be responsible for providing all course materials. The contractor shall also be responsible for bearing any costs associated with the reproduction/distribution of student materials. A minimum of 15 students and a maximum of 25 students will participate in this requirement. It is anticipated that class size will be twenty five students. The contractor shall provide a laptop computer for the instructor to facilitate the presentation of instructional materials. Access to DFAS computer equipment and/or operating systems will not be needed. The contractor shall be responsible for distributing a class roster (provided by DFAS) to enable students to formally document their attendance. (2) Delivery of On Demand Training On Demand training will be available for students to access for a period of four months after the registering for the On Demand exam. The students should register for this training within two weeks of completing the instructor-led training. The registration should also simultaneously include registration for the four month examination preparation period. Students will have access to the On Demand training from both DFAS and alternate sites using conventional Internet access and should be able to complete the exercises required as a prerequisite to the examination. Those students who do not register for the On Demand training must register for the four month examination preparation period within two weeks of completing the instructor-led training. All On Demand training, tools, and help will be available for those who have registered for it. This online aid includes a virtual mentor, exercises, pre-assessment tests, and web based courseware. This is more than just reviewing briefing charts. The On Demand training account will be deleted after the student has successfully completed the GISF examination. The contractor shall be responsible for providing all course materials. The contractor shall also be responsible for bearing any costs associated with the On Demand training. (3) Delivery of Certification Examination During the lifecycle of this contract, it is anticipated that the students will complete the GISF certification examination. The timeframe for the examination is that it will be available immediately after the expiration of registration for the four month examination preparation period. The contractor shall also be responsible for bearing any costs associated with the examination. If subsequent examinations are required due to unsuccessful attempts, the vendor needs to make the examination available; however, the student would bear any additional fees. Two additional examination attempts may be made, with each attempt having a thirty day extension from the original registration expiration (not of the registration purchase). (4) The contractor shall deliver an additional pre-assessment test before the exam. REQUIRED STANDARD OF WORKMANSHIP: Unless otherwise specifically provided in this contract, the quality of all services rendered hereunder shall conform to the highest standards in the relevant profession, trade, or field of endeavor. All services shall be rendered by or supervised directly by individuals fully qualified in the relevant profession, trade or field, and holding any licenses required by law. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED RESOURCES: Government Furnished Training and Education Space - DFAS will provide access to a traditional training classroom for delivery of the course. The classroom will contain appropriate audiovisual equipment, chalkboards, and supplies necessary to instruct the class. Coordination for access to the facility will be facilitated between the contracted trainer and the Government Point of Contact (GPOC). No training is anticipated in contractor-owned facilities. Government personnel will provide assistance with coordinating receipt of training materials, preparation of the classroom, and any other necessary liaison functions. The government shall be responsible for providing the contractor with pertinent contact information for on-site personnel (name, phone number, etc.). This information will be provided prior to performing work under the contract. HOURS OF WORK: Contractor personnel are expected to conform to normal operating hours at the DFAS operating site in which training is being conducted. SECURITY AND PRIVACY ACT REQUIREMENTS: All work performed, relative to the tasking identified in the SOW, is unclassified or carries a Privacy Act Classification. System security shall be in accordance with DoD directive 8500.1, Information Assurance. SECURITY INVESTIGATION REQUIREMENTS: (a) Investigation. Contractor personnel performing under this contract may be required to have a personnel security investigation. Investigative requirements for the contractor's personnel will be in accordance with DoD 5200.2-R, - DOD Personnel Security Program. If adverse information is reflected as a result of these investigations, the contractor must provide an employee that is suitable for working under these provisions. (b) Security Regulations. The contractor shall comply will all applicable DoD security regulations and procedures during the performance of this contract. Employees shall protect privacy data and other data required in the performance of work. (c) Government Facility Entrance. All contractor personnel or any representative of the contractor entering any government facility or government leased facility shall abide by all security regulations and be subject to security checks. When security access is required, the contractor will abide by the facility's regulations and procedures for entry. Privacy Act. Work on this project may require that personnel have access to Privacy Information. The contractor shall adhere to the Privacy Act, Title 5 of the U.S. Code, Section 552a and applicable agency rules and regulations in their performance under this SOW. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The location of the class is DFAS, Indianapolis, Indiana. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The instructor-led training will be one week in duration. The On Demand training will be available for four months after registering for the GISF examination. The examination will be available to the students after expiration of the four month examination preparation period. If subsequent examinations are required, each extension will occur after the expiration of the four month examination preparation period in thirty day extension(s). TRAVEL: Performance under this contract may require travel by contractor personnel. If travel, domestic or overseas, is required, the contractor is responsible for making all needed arrangements for their personnel. This includes but is not limited to the following: - Medical Examinations - Immunization - Passports, visas, etc. - Security Clearances - Country Clearances Travel required for tasks assigned under this contract shall be governed in accordance with (IAW) the FTR/JTR/SR per FAR 31.205-46. The contractor may be reimbursed for actual allowable, allocable, and reasonable travel costs incurred during the performance of this class in accordance with the applicable travel regulations in effect at the time of the travel. Private Automobile. The use of privately owned conveyance within the continental United States by the traveler will be reimbursed to the contractor at the mileage rate allowed IAW the FTR/JTR/SR per FAR 31.205-46. Authorization for the use of privately owned conveyance is allowable for contractor personnel performing the training. Distances traveled between points shall be shown in standard highway mileage guides. Any deviations from distance shown in such standard mileage guides shall be explained by the traveler on his expense sheet Car Rental. The contractor shall be entitled to reimbursement for car rental, exclusive of mileage charges, when the services are required to be performed outside the normal commuting distance from the Contractor's facilities. Car rental will be limited to the reasonableness criteria set forth at FAR 31.201-3. POINTS OF CONTACT: Name: Nancy Keaton Organization: Defense Finance and Accounting Service, TSO-IN Address: 8899 East 56th Street Column 241-Y Indianapolis, IN 46249-0301 Phone Number: 317-510-6310 E-mail Address: nancy.keaton@dfas.mil Name: Don Nester Organization: Defense Finance and Accounting Service, TSO-IN Address: 8899 East 56th Street Column 235-DD Indianapolis, IN 46249-0301 Phone Number: 317-510-6797 E-mail Address: don.nester@dfas.mil Performance Periods: Date of award through 31 Dec 2009. It is anticipated that the one week of instructor led-training will occur in February 2009 or March 2009. Place of Performance is: Indianapolis, IN. FOB Destination. The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, applies to this acquisition. FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items, is applicable. As prescribed in 12.301(c), the Contracting Officer may insert a provision substantially as follows: Evaluation -- Commercial Items (Jan 1999) (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Price and Past Performance. Offerors should address the following: - PAST PERFORMANCE: Offerors are allowed to submit up to a maximum of 5 pages of relevant, and recent (within the last 3 years), past performance information for work and experience in similar training/projects (similar scope of work, similar magnitude of effort, similar complexity, etc. - as that of this requirement/SOW) - including references. All pages after the first 5 pages, regardless of whether they are title pages, tables of content, etc., will not be evaluated. The Government reserves the right to obtain information for use in the evaluation of past performance from any and all sources - including sources other than those provided by the offeror. - PRICE: Vendors shall provide a total fixed price quote to meet the requirements of the SOW. Travel costs should be estimated; however, they will not be evaluated in making the award decision. Total Fixed Price Quote: $___________________ Estimate for Travel Costs: $__________________ Offerors are allowed to submit up to a maximum of 1 page of supporting information on their price; however this is not required. All pages after the first page, regardless of whether they are title pages, tables of content, etc., will not be evaluated. Quotes should NOT include more than 10 total pages of information - five (5) pages for past performance, one (1) page for support pricing information, and four (4) pages will be allowed for miscellaneous information. (b) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. Offerors are to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with their offer. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes Or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Any additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions: Quotes are due by 1:00 p.m. EST on 18 February 2009. Facsimile and e-mail quotes are acceptable and preferred Quotes may be submitted by mail and forwarded to: Point of Contact: Richard D. St.Clair DFAS Contract Services Directorate 3990 E. Broad Street Bldg. 21, Room 2B218 Columbus, OH 43213-1152 Phone Number: 614-693-1910 Fax Number: 614-693-1808 e-mail address: Richard.Stclair@dfas.mil Furnish quotes to this POC on or before the closing time listed in this RFQ.