IDENTIFICATION ACCESS CONTROL HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM AND ANNUAL MAINTENANCE

**** The solicitation has been amended to incorporate responses to offerors' questions. Please see the attached Amendment. **** The United States Department of Education (Department), Office of Finance and Operations (OFO), Security Services administers the personnel, physical, information and continuity of operations of the Department's Security Services Program. The Department provides Security Services for the above government-owned facilities and facilities leased from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) or private commercial property management companies. Security Services has a requirement to ensure installation and maintenance of access control systems and equipment for identification of all individuals into all future facilities. The Department has a continuous requirement for the installation and maintenance of security systems at its facilities that are fully compatible with the current existing infrastructure to ensure proper monitoring and access control in accordance with the following Federal laws, directives, and policies: The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) addresses the problem of ongoing backlogs and timeliness delays in the process for background investigations and granting of security clearances. The purpose of the IRTPA is to reform the intelligence community and the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12: Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors (HSPD 12) requires all Federal agencies to complete background investigations prior to issuance of the HSPD 12/Personal Identity Verification Identification (PIV ID II) credentials to enhance security, increase Government efficiency, reduce identity fraud, and protect personal privacy by establishing a mandatory, Government-wide standard for secure and reliable forms of identification issued by the Federal Government to its employees and contractors (including contractor employees). HSPD 12 mandates a Federal standard for secure and reliable forms of identification. National Security Presidential Directive-51/Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20 (NSPD-51/HSPD-20), National Continuity Policy emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive national program involving all government levels and the private sector for integrated and scalable continuity planning. NSPD-51/HSPD-20 prescribes continuity requirements for all executive departments and agencies, and provides continuity guidance for the states, territories, tribal and local governments, and private sector organizations. National Continuity Policy Implementation Plan (NCPIP) directs Federal agencies to implement Continuity of Operations (COOP), Continuity of Government (COG) and continuing performance of National essential functions. COOP is an effort within organizations to ensure that Mission Essential Functions continue to be performed during a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies. The purpose of COG is a coordinated effort within each branch of government to ensure that national essential functions continue to be performed during a catastrophic emergency. It provides directive guidance to assist federal organizations in developing continuity plans and programs, to include the identification of Mission Essential Functions (MEFs) and Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs), that support the eight National Essential Functions (NEFs)the most critical functions necessary for leading and sustaining our Nation during a catastrophic emergency. Federal Information Processing Standards 201 (FIPS PUB 201: Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors) specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identification standard for Federal employees and contractor employees pursuant to the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002. The overall goal is to achieve appropriate security assurance for multiple applications by efficiently verifying the claimed identity of individuals seeking physical access to Federally controlled Government facilities and electronic access to Government information systems to include the operability of US Access PIV cards.