High Level Model

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY (IAW FAR 52.215-3). 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 or Broad Area Announcement (BAA). This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Secure Border Initiative (SBI) is not at this time seeking proposals. The issuance of this RFI does not obligate DHS in any way to issue an RFP for goods and services described in this RFI. 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 interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP or BAA. If a solicitation is released, it will be via the Federal Business Opportunities (http://www.fedbizopps.gov). It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these websites 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. 1.0 BACKGROUND The Secure Border Initiative (SBI) is a comprehensive multi-year plan established by DHS to secure America's borders and reduce illegal migration. CBP supports the SBI through law enforcement programs within several program offices - SBI Systems Project Office (SBI SPO), Office of Border Patrol (OBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO), the Office of CBP Air & Marine (A&M) and Office of Intelligence and Operations Coordination (OIOC). In addition, SBI is charged with integrating and responding to requirements of operational mission elements outside of CBP'including but not limited to the USCG, ICE, and the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Continually striving to optimize the alignment of its resources the SBI SPO is establishing a unique organizational element that is conceptually new to CBP and DHS, the Directorate for Operational Integration. The Directorate for Operational Integration will ensure that SBI programs are responsive to the needs and requirements of the CBP operational mission components, OBP, OFO, A&M, and Office of Intelligence and Operations Coordination and the operational mission elements outside of CBP'including the USCG, ICE, and the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis that share responsibility for the security of the Nation's borders. The Directorate for Operational Integration does not determine operational requirements; however it does have responsibility to facilitate the synthesis and integration of those requirements on behalf of the operational mission elements. Facilitation and documentation of activities like mission analyses, Analysis of Alternatives (AoAs), operational assessments, and quantification of operational requirements are conducted as a part of operational integration activities. Two examples of the type of trade studies that might be addressed through this modeling capability involve; 1) At a Port of Entry trading-off pedestrian and vehicle wait times (facilitation) versus security (opportunity to gather advance information); 2) Between the Ports of Entry analyzing the use of Tactical Infrastructure (fence) versus more surveillance equipment and/or agents. In addition to addressing materiel solutions to improving Border Security the Operational Integration Directorate will support the operational components in their development of comprehensive approaches that optimize border security effectiveness through a combination of materiel and non-materiel solutions. Non-materiel solutions to border security will include changes to Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel and Facilities (DOTMLPF), Concepts of Operations (CONOPs) and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs). It is critical that the new Directorate for Operational Integration have the modeling and simulation capability necessary to address and make trade-offs among the full range of material and non-material options that are available to the operational components that are responsible for securing our borders. Prior to beginning a substantial effort to develop a high-fidelity, comprehensive modeling and simulation capability; CBP is interested in identifying opportunities to demonstrate and practice with quick, low cost, rudimentary models. This early activity would be intended to: - Enable the operational mission elements to conduct low-fidelity - war-gaming and high order mission area analyses - Provide rough quantification of DOTMLPF trade-offs in support of CBP investment decisions - Enable CBP to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities offered by mission modeling and simulation - Support development of lessons learned (based on experience with the low cost, rudimentary model(s)) to advise development of acquisition strategy for follow-on modeling and simulation tools The program is interested in determining which vendors have visualization capabilities to display the results of the models and analyses described above. This capability does not have to be bundled with the modeling capacity, but it should be able to provide user friendly visualization of the results of the models and trade-off analyses. In short, the initial effort would enable CBP to gain experience and practice from a low-cost capability for modeling and simulation. 2.0 OBJECTIVE DHS CBP is soliciting information on capabilities to provide the quick, low cost, rudimentary model described above. Such capabilities would include, but are not necessarily limited to, high level models that exist or could be modified to support border security mission analyses, AoAs, operational assessments, and quantification of operational requirements including trade-offs among materiel solutions and non-materiel solutions (DOTMLPF). The modeling capability must be provide a - war gaming capability to allow users to visualize the impacts of allocating different mixes of resources (materiel solutions) versus different methods of applying these resources (non-materiel solutions). Initially, the modeling capability should be rudimentary and should be available for CBP use within 6 months from initiation of effort. It would be useful, but not required, for the rudimentary capability to be extensible in the future. Extensibility encompasses both breadth (moving from internal CBP components to components outside of CBP) and depth (increased capability, fidelity, and accuracy). Vendors interested in submitting information may be asked to provide a demonstration of their existing model(s) (if there are existing models) at a venue to be determined. DHS will not pay for any costs related to a vendor's preparation, delivery, or participation in the demonstration. 3.0 RFI SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS The submissions must consist of a 3- to 5-page response detailing the modeling capability that would meet the needs described above. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541330. The response shall describe the modeling approach, and its maturity, and its development pedigree. A major obstacle to previous border security modeling efforts has been the availability of data required for modeling. The submission must include discussion of the data that will be required by the vendor's model, how the vendor proposes to obtain the needed data, or how the vendor proposes to provide for the interests described above in the absence of good data. Vendors should be aware that Law Enforcement Sensitive data requires special protection and will not be releasable to non-US Citizens. CBP is interested in a broad set of options and responses'so this RFI is not limited to those potential respondents who already have a demonstration model. However, CBP would especially value responses from vendors willing to provide a demonstration unit for evaluation purposes at a location yet to be determined. Include the following on the cover page of your response: 1) State the name, size classification (Small/8A/etc), and principal place of business of the vendor. 2) State the name, address, email address, telephone number of the vendor representative to contact regarding all matters concerning this RFI. 3) CAGE Code and DUNS Number. Business type by the associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). 4) Confirm whether or not it is registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. Responses must be in Microsoft Word 2003 or earlier format, or Portable Document Format (PDF) compatible with Adobe Acrobat 7.0 or Reader 8. Please submit responses electronically to mario.dizon@dhs.gov. All submissions are due electronically no later than 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 27 February 2009. The response must be sent with RFI HSBP0109RHLM clearly displayed on the subject line. DHS reserves the right to review late submissions but makes no guarantee to the order of or possibility for review of late submissions. Responders will be permitted to ask a single round of questions on this RFI. Questions must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST on 2 February 2008 to mario.dizon@dhs.gov and merv.leavitt@dhs.gov. 4.0 PROTECTION OF RESPONSES RFI responses will not be returned. Depending on the markings on the responses, the DHS will adhere to FAR policy on handling source selection information and proprietary information. It is the policy of the DHS to treat all RFI information as sensitive competitive information. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED PROPRIETARY. To aid DHS, please segregate proprietary information. DHS, other Federal agencies, or their support contractors cannot sign submitter nondisclosure agreements. Note: Be advised that all submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and cannot be returned. Responses to this RFI may be evaluated by Government technical experts drawn from staff within DHS and other Federal agencies. The Government may use selected support contractor personnel to assist in the evaluation. These support contractors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary and source-selection information.