Notice of Intent to Sole Source - The ESCAL Institute of Advanced Technologies, Inc (SANS Institute)

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS 1. Contracting Agency and Activity: The United States Coast Guard, HQ Contracting Division (CG-912), intends to award a sole source Firm-Fixed Price IDIQ contract with a three year base ordering period and 1 (two year) optional ordering period to The ESCAL Institute of Advanced Technologies, Inc (SANS Institute) - SAM UEI NA37S3SKQW65. The anticipated period of performance is September 2024, to September 2029. 2. Description The purpose of this acquisition is to prepare members of the Cyberspace workforce to pass industry certification exams, to meet mandated continuing education requirements, and for professional development in accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) policy. RC3 is set to be the primary resources for the USCG cyber workforce in the acquisition of work role Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Tasks (KSATs) that align with the DoD 8140 Policy Set. KSAT's are the attributes needed to perform a job, typically demonstrated through qualifying experience, education, or training. 3. Statutory Authority. 10 U.S.C. - 3204(a)(1) implemented by the FAR 6.302-1 entitled - Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. 4. Reasons for Authority Cited: Certification and knowledge requirements for the Cyberspace workforce were introduced in December 2005 through DoD Manual 8570.01-M, establishing the Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program for all members working primarily in cyberspace rolls. DoD Directive 8140.01, Instruction 8140.02, and Manual 8140.03 establish policy, assign responsibilities, and provide guidance for the identification, tracking, data collection, and reporting requirements of DoD Cyberspace Workforce Framework (DCWF) work roles. The DCWF, a derivative of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework, is the authoritative reference for the identification, tracking, and reporting of DoD cyberspace positions and the foundation for developing enterprise baseline cyberspace workforce qualifications. In accordance with the Commandant's priority to cultivate a mission ready total workforce, CG-791 has been working to professionalize the Cyberspace workforce by providing access to an online learning platform, since June 2019. CG-791 assumed oversight of the Coast Guard Information Assurance (IA) Professional Certification Voucher Program from the Office of Cybersecurity Program Management (CG-62) in January 2019. It has been determined that SANS Institute is the only provider capable of delivering specialized cybersecurity training for USCG Cyberspace workforce. The unique nature of this acquisition is driven from the USCG and DoD policy regarding the certification standard, mandated continuing education requirements, and professional development of USCG Cyberspace workforce. In addition, GIAC is the highest standard of Cyber Security Certifications in the industry and is required by USCG and DoD policy that all Cyberspace workforces obtain these certifications. It was identified through market research that SANS Institute is the only provider of GIAC courses. The technical expertise and specialized knowledge offered by SANS Institute in cybersecurity training are not adequately captured by standard technical data packages, specifications, or purchase descriptions. SANS's training programs address the unique challenges and requirements of USCG Cyberspace workforce, making them the only provider for this specific training. The USCG requires support to prepare members of the Cyberspace workforce to pass industry certification exams, to meet mandated continuing education requirements, and for professional development in accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) policy and USCG COMDTINST 2620.2B. DCWF describes the work performed by the full spectrum of the cyber workforce and serves as the DoD and Coast Guard cyberspace coding structure for authoritative manpower and personnel systems. The USCG requirement involves procuring a comprehensive portfolio of commercially available cyber security courses for both on-site and virtual instruction. Additionally, the contractor must offer certification testing aligned with DoD 8140, CG CYBER Job Qualification Requirement (JQR), and Competency Coding. The curriculum content and the number of courses may evolve over time to meet the changing demands of CSSP Analyst, Infrastructure Support, and Incident Responder roles as outlined in CYBER policy 2620.2B. The following Global Information Assurance Certifications (GIAC) are required by USCG and DoD policy: GCIA GCIH GSEC GCFA GFACT GCFE GPEN GSLC GDSA GCSA GCIA GRTP GWAPT GCTD it has been determined that SANS Institute is the only provider capable of delivering specialized cybersecurity training for USCG Cyberspace workforce. The unique nature of this acquisition is driven from the USCG and DoD policy regarding the certification standard, mandated continuing education requirements, and professional development of USCG Cyberspace workforce. In addition, GIAC is the highest standard of Cyber Security Certifications in the industry and is required by USCG and DoD policy that all Cyberspace workforces obtain these certifications. It was identified through market research that SANS Institute is the only provider of GIAC courses. The technical expertise and specialized knowledge offered by SANS Institute in cybersecurity training are not adequately captured by standard technical data packages, specifications, or purchase descriptions. SANS's training programs address the unique challenges and requirements of USCG Cyberspace workforce, making them the only provider for this specific training. No solicitation is available for this requirement. However, any firm that believes it can meet the requirements can submit a capability statement, which will be considered by the agency. Responses to this notice must provide clear and convincing evidence that competition would benefit the government, would not be prohibitively expensive or time-consuming, and that interested parties would be likely to participate. If a competitive procurement is to be conducted, the information obtained will be considered. It is entirely up to the Government to decide whether to compete the proposed procurement based on responses to this notice. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred. Responses must be received via email at Joel.M.Gibney@uscg.mil and Adam.F.Petty1@uscg.mil by July 11, 2024. Responses sent via other means (i.e., via telephone call, facsimile transmission, etc.) will not be considered. All responding vendors must be registered to the System for Award Management (SAM). Information can be found at https://www.sam.gov. Complete SAM registration means a registered Unique Entity ID and CAGE.