Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) services

This is a Request for Information (RFI) as identified in FAR 15.201 (c)(7). This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). A solicitation is not being issued at this time, and this notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This RFI is being published to identify potential sources capable of providing comprehensive and cost effective IV&V services in support of DHS financial management systems modernization governance. The DHS Office of the Chief Financial Officer is committed to providing standards, policy, governance, and partnership to DHS Components as they undergo changes to their financial management systems including implementation of new financial management systems, substantial system upgrades, or ongoing sustainment activities. Background: The objective of the IV&V support is to assist the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) in ensuring the Office of Financial Management (OFM) Financial Management Systems Branch (FMSB) accomplishes the objectives for which it was established through analysis of the strategies, processes and plans developed by the Program Office. The IV&V Contractor will also support the Program Office in the oversight and analysis of financial system modernization activities performed by DHS and its Components. Description of Services: The IV&V Contractor shall participate in program office development meetings regarding methodology, strategy and approach as an independent entity reporting findings, recommendations and observations through weekly and/or monthly reports to the Program Director, the CFO and the CIO. The Contractor may also be required to conduct research on similar efforts undertaken in the public and private sectors to provide the CFO and CIO with benchmarks to which the programs can be measured against. The goal for the IV&V support services includes: - Project Management and Scheduling - Status Reporting - Risk Analysis - Ongoing Program Audit - Ongoing Assessments Contractors will require access to sensitive but unclassified information. Interested parties are requested to submit a statement of capability outlining past work that is related to this requirement as stated above. The vendor should be aware that the type of work required by this procurement may give rise to an Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) that may restrict the Contractor's ability to compete for or perform work related to financial systems modernization activities within DHS and its Components. This procurement is considered to create an "impaired objectivity" OCI, in which a vendor is asked to perform tasks that require objectivity, but another role the vendor plays could cast doubt on the vendor's ability to be truly objective. This type of OCI does not generally lend themselves to successful mitigation (see FAR 9.5, Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest).