IT Acquisition Support Services

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Although - proposal and - offeror are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. This request for information issued only to conduct a market research study for an anticipated requirement expert IT-Acquisition support services. Participation in this request for information is voluntary. 1. PURPOSE This is a Department of State (DOS) Sources Sought only. Non-profit organizations are requested to read and respond to the below accordingly. The responses from this notice may be used as market research to determine an acquisition strategy for an anticipated competitive acquisition. The Department is seeking information from all offerors that can provide the capabilities below in Section 2. ALL RESPONSES SHOULD BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING VIA EMAIL TO dicksonms@state.gov with copy t ziembade@state.gov AS DETAILED IN SECTION 4. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL ANY RESPONDENT CONTACT ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT OF STATE PERSONNEL REGARDING THIS NOTICE. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY; NO QUESTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. NO AWARD WILL BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF RESPONSES RECEIVED TO THIS NOTICE. 2. RESPONSE CONTENT Overview The Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Information Resource Management (IRM) Office of IT Acquisitions (ITA), and the BMP front office are actively engaged in obtaining support for the development of requirements documents and assist in source selection for the Evolve procurement. Background The Evolve contract effort for the Department seeks to overhaul the approach to how the Department contracts and administers IT specific services and functions. To generate the required documentation aligning with the acquisition lifecycle processes and procedures for this effort, services are needed in developing the language and documentation required. Within these specific IT requirements, there is a need to engage specific technical expertise to aid in the source selection process and the QA process for deliverables of a highly technical nature. The Department requires expert IT-Acquisition support with the proposed areas as listed below: Expertise in the areas of: Engineering, Software Intensive System, Networks and Communication Engineering, Modern Systems Engineering tools and methodologies in the acquisition of new systems. Development and review of technical performance indicators, measures, and metrics Identification and development of technical standards, specifications, and outcomes Development and review of best practices, procedures, guides, and handbooks for CORs related to highly technical subject matter Development and review of system quality control and assurance, reliability, sustainment, and cybersecurity considerations Identification of inherent technical risk and mitigation strategies of a highly technical nature. Analysis and evaluation of systems and enterprise resource operating performance (not for organizational performance analysis) IT- acquisition requirements development, alternative solutions, trade-off studies and other acquisition decision related documents (i.e., alternatives analysis, trade-off studies, market research, technology evaluations, mission needs statement, operational requirements document, etc.) Complex IT-acquisition planning and strategy development assistance including development of formal acquisition documentation in support of an Acquisition Decision Event (ADE)/ Key Decision Point (KDP) or other milestone determination Technical input and review of Request for Proposal (RFP); Request for Information (RFI); technical documentation (i.e., work statements, specifications, test, and evaluation plans, etc.) Technical review of proposals, as well as technical recommendations in support of source selections Independent testing or evaluation to ensure quality deliverables by programs as related to their stated goals and missions and contractual requirements. Audits of contracts for adherence to established standards, processes, and procedures and validate conformance with generally accepted business practices. Evaluating contractor cybersecurity standards, protocols, vulnerability and threat identification and mitigation. Development of concepts, models, simulations, tools, and metrics to evaluate system tradeoffs and integration strategies and support critical decision making in writing IT-requirements. Application of statistical analysis and evaluation techniques in relation to IT-requirements. Development of prototypes and proof-of-concept demonstrations to determine the correct contract requirements. Design, development and establishment of development environments. Evaluation of current networking, telecommunications, and communications technology in relation to DOS technologies. Review of integrating architectures and frameworks for existing and emerging systems and applications for requirements development. Review of enterprise systems engineering principles to overall systems integration and aggregation considerations for requirements development. Systems Engineering for acquisition of new systems: Concept Development, Requirements Engineering, System and Enterprise Architecture, System Design and Development, System Integration, Test and Evaluation, and Transition to Operations and Maintenance. Design, development, and validation of integrating architectures, frameworks and technology roadmaps for existing and emerging systems and applications Application of system of systems and systems engineering principles to portfolio management, integration and aggregation of mission related systems and technologies 3. OTHER INSTRUCTIONS Interested firms must demonstrate in their qualifications statement that they are qualified to perform the work outlined in the chart as detailed in section 2. This should be demonstrated by providing no less than 3 past performance examples of providing this expertise in the federal space. Interested firms are advised that proposed contract services will include services and actions that are not considered to be inherently governmental functions but may approach being in that category because of the nature of the function, the manner in which the contractor performs the contract, or the manner in which the Government administers contractor performance. The contract will be subject to the following regulatory requirements: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-48/part-3/subpart-3.11 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-48/part-7/subpart-7.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-48/part-9/subpart-9.5 4. SUBMISSION DETAILS Interested businesses shall submit electronic responses; responses must be received by dicksonms@state.gov with copy to ziembade@state.gov no later than 4:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time on August 15, 2022. Please submit all responses electronically to dicksonms@state.gov with copy to ziembade@state.gov at Department of State Office of Acquisition Management prior to submittal date. No phone or email solicitation with regards to the status of the RFP will be accepted prior to its release. Responses must be submitted electronically, formatted in Microsoft Word. Margins must be 1 on all sides, to print on 8 x 11 paper. Typeface must be Times New Roman, 12-point font. The page limitation shall be four (4) pages total, with one cover page providing high level organization details, follow by three (3) pages/ one (1) page per example; but respondents are cautioned to keep marketing materials and non-specific information to a minimum. No responses shall be accepted via US Mail or Fax. All responses shall include the company name, address and DUNS Number. The response shall also include the point-of-contract (POC) including name, phone number and e-mail address. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned.