R -- Outsourcing Request for Information

Request for Information (RFI)June 21, 2005 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, in Clarksburg, West Virginia, provides identification services based on fingerprints, and maintains a national criminal and civil history repository of fingerprint identification information. Since 1999, the FBI has performed identification services using the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). The IAFIS is designed to process fingerprint information electronically in a paperless manner. The National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Act of 1998 (Compact) (title 42, United States Code, sections 14611-14616) provides a legal framework for the cooperative exchange of criminal history records for noncriminal justice purposes. The Compact established a fifteen-member National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Council (Council), whose members are appointed by the United States Attorney General, to promulgate rules, procedures, and standards governing the use of the Interstate Identification Index (III) criminal history record information (CHRI) for noncriminal justice purposes. Accordingly, the Council published the "Outsourcing of Noncriminal Justice Administrative Functions" Interim Final Rule (IFR) and the related "Security and Management Control Outsourcing Standards" Notice in the Federal Register on December 16, 2004. The intent of the IFR is to permit an Authorized Recipient of CHRI to outsource noncriminal justice administrative functions relating to the processing of CHRI to a third party, subject to appropriate controls. The IFR states that contracts or agreements providing for the outsourcing authorized by the rule "shall incorporate by reference a security and management control outsourcing standard approved by the Compact Council after consultation with the United States Attorney General." The Security and Management Control Outsourcing Standards (Outsourcing Standards) are the standards referenced in the Outsourcing Rule. The Council developed two Outsourcing Standards B one for contractors having access to CHRI on behalf of an Authorized Recipient for noncriminal justice purposes and one for contractors serving as Channelers of noncriminal justice criminal history record check requests and results. The terms Authorized Recipient, Channeler, and Contractor are defined in the Security and Management Control Outsourcing Standards. The purpose of this RFI is to gather information on the number and capabilities of contractors interested in serving as Channelers pursuant to the Council's Outsourcing Rule and Standards. No new Channelers will be selected/approved based upon responses to this RFI. Contractors interested in becoming an approved Channeler (including existing private entities and regulatory agencies that currently serve as Channelers in some capacity and are interested in expanding their customer base) are requested to respond to this RFI. The FBI will review the responses and anticipate publishing a future request for interested parties to apply to become a Channeler. The number of Channelers that will eventually be approved is unknown at this time, not to exceed 50; however, the FBI will strive to strike a balance between the number of Channelers it has the capability to administer and the number needed to effectively and efficiently serve the needs of Authorized Recipients. The FBI will provide the approved Channelers access to the CJIS Wide Area Network (WAN). For information, during Fiscal Year 2004, regulatory agencies that served as channelers forwarded to the FBI approximately eight hundred thousand statutorily authorized applicant submissions; additionally, federal agencies forwarded directly to the FBI approximately four million applicant submissions. In responding to this RFI, an interested party should consider and provide information concerning its capability to perform the requirements listed below. An approved Channeler shall: (1) Agree to receive authorized noncriminal justice applicant fingerprint (applicant) submissions, which the Channeler will process and transmit to the FBI as digitized electronic records in the Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Specification (EFTS) format. Channelers must process at least three thousand applicant submissions annually. (2) Ensure that all fingerprint submissions are properly and adequately completed and are being submitted in accordance with a legally authorized noncriminal justice purpose. (3) Charge and collect the FBI fee for the processing of noncriminal justice applicant submissions. Channelers may charge an additional fee for Channeler services. (4) Submit payment of the FBI fee to the FBI within thirty (30) calendar days from the date upon which it receives a bill from the FBI for those fingerprint submissions processed during the preceding month. (5) Agree to receive fingerprint search results and disseminate the results timely and appropriately. (6) Pay for all equipment (including maintenance) and telecommunication network costs. (7) Assume responsibility for all necessary labor, equipment, computers, scanners, printers, storage devices, supplies, consumable materials, and facilities. (8) Abide by the Council's Outsourcing Rule and Channeler Outsourcing Standard which requires the Contractor to maintain a security program to include, among other things, consideration of site security, dissemination restrictions, personnel security, system security, and data security. (9) Execute the CJIS Systems User Agreement and the Technical Memorandum of Understanding. (10) Ensure Contractor personnel are trained and comply with all federal and state laws, regulations, and standards (including the CJIS Security Policy) as well as rules, procedures, and standards established by the Council and the United States Attorney General. (11) Make its facilities available for announced and unannounced security inspections and audits by the Authorized Recipient and the FBI. (12) Maintain operations within any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Interested parties, including existing Channelers and those interested in becoming a Channeler, are requested to respond to the following: (1) Years and breadth of experience as a Channeler, if applicable, and the number of fingerprints the entity/agency is capable of submitting and the number it expects to submit, to the FBI annually. (2) A detailed description of how you plan to facilitate the handling and prompt electronic submission of applicant fingerprints to the FBI. (3) Whether you plan to service the channeling needs of a specific industry to which you are affiliated or plan to pursue expanding your service to other industries that submit fingerprints to the FBI. (4) List of potential customers. (5) The Channeler's ability to perform basic processing functions such as screening, fine sorting, batching, distribution, and the proper handling, deposit, and disbursement of funds. (6) Plans for the development of instructions and information for dissemination to participating Authorized Recipients regarding the procedures to be followed to ensure the adequacy of the channeling system. This would involve the creation of strategies for the resolution of problems relating to: (a) Incomplete or missing data on the applicant submissions, and/or illegible (i.e., unclassifiable) fingerprints; (b) Payment of fees, i.e., no payment, overpayment, underpayment, credit memorandums, etc.; (c) Reasonable inquiries by agencies and applicants regarding processing status of an applicant submission; and (d) request for special or expedited processing based on extenuating circumstances. Parties with the capability and/or interest in serving as a noncriminal justice outsourcing Channeler to the FBI are requested to respond (at no cost to the government) with a capabilities statement. Interested parties are encouraged to include in your responses any criteria/qualifications you would like the FBI to consider when Channelers are eventually selected/approved. An original and two copies of the response must be submitted by COB July 21, 2005. Responses should be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Information Technology Contracts Unit, Attention: Kathrina L. Sliger, Module E-3, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, West Virginia, 26306 or faxed to +1 (555) 000-0000. NOTE: This RFI is for information-gathering purposes only; no Channelers will be selected or approved based upon responses to this RFI.