Request for Information - Audit Remediation and Operations Support

1. Purpose 1.1. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, NGA is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. 1.2. This is a non-personal services contract to provide financial audit liaison, audit remediation, and certain financial operations and related services to the Financial Management Directorate Comptroller (FMC) and the Installation Operations (SIO) offices. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn, is responsible to the Government. 1.3. The purpose of this RFI is to determine those who can satisfy the requirements for a potential RFP. NGA is interested in feedback on the Audit Remediation and Operations RFI. Audit Remediation and Operations is the follow-on contract to the current EMERALD Task Orders 42 and 44. A draft statement of work for the Audit Remediation and Operations requirement is attached for industry review and comment. 1.4. The intent is for industry to share their experiences with similar efforts and to provide comments and suggestions on providing NGA's Audit Remediation and Operations requirements. The Government plans to use the information provided by industry to develop a comprehensive procurement strategy. Any information used will be on a non-attribution basis. 1.5. The Government is interested in industry ideas regarding acquisition approach, contract structure, and best practices that are conducive towards achievement and sustainment of an unmodified financial audit opinion and attainment of effective, efficient, and compliant commensurate business operations. The government is interested in offerors ability to leverage best federal, and where applicable, industry practices. 2. Contract Description The NGA Chief Financial Executive actively and closely collaborates with all NGA components to facilitate effective, efficient, and compliant management of NGA's finances, fostering continuous business process improvement to fuel and enable the global GEOINT enterprise. SIO develops, manages, and operates NGA's facilities management, property accountability and management, and logistics programs that directly enable proper financial reporting of NGA's capital asset programs and portfolio. Since fiscal year 2014, NGA has undergone annual full-scope financial statement audits by an Independent Public Accountant under NGA Office of Inspector General supervision. Each successive audit revealed additional conditions and internal controls requiring development and sustainment of corrective actions across NGA's lines of business. NGA recognizes continuous and focused management and functional due diligence is required to design and maintain progressed operations and a corresponding internal control system. For each functional service area, NGA is highly interested in responders: ? Employment of tools and methodologies, successfully implemented in financially auditable federal settings, for automating financial reports preparation and enhancing data analysis ? Use of industry subject matter experts to inform financial policy design; alignment of financial functions; and providing insight to emerging federal financial management and accounting requirements and trends ? Methodologies for preparation, execution, and evaluation of audit remediation plans, linking current and high-likelihood future findings ? Approaches, successfully deployed in other federal entities, for remediation of audit findings and performance and sustainment of efficient and compliant financial operations The Audit Remediation and Operations contract contains the following services: ? Agency-Level Financial Reporting. Collaboration with the government to devise, implement, enhance, and maintain methodologies, procedures, analytic techniques, and tools compatible with and which maximize use of NGA's Momentum configured core financial system; and preparation and submission of NGA's monthly Department of Defense (DoD) departmental financial reports; quarterly financial statements with footnote disclosures; and agency financial report. ? Internal Controls Over Reporting and Payment Integrity Improvement. Assist the government to devise, implement, enhance, and maintain the NGA internal control system over reporting to ensure internal controls within and across NGA corporate business functions provide efficient and effective mission operation; mitigate risks towards mission accomplishment; and provide compliance with fiscal laws and regulations. Collaboration with the government to devise, implement, enhance, and maintain methodologies and operations required to identify and mitigate risks of improper payments and fraud across all agency payment populations and programs. ? Capital Asset Financial Reporting. Collaboration with the government to devise, implement, enhance, and maintain methodologies and operations that provide guidance, oversight, and reporting of NGA's capital acquisition programs and asset portfolio in the agency financial statements and other financial reports. ? Financial Policy Development, Interpretation, and Maintenance. Assist the government to devise, implement, enhance, and maintain methodologies and operations to interpret federal statutes and regulations governing NGA budgeting, accounting, financial execution, and financial services operations and collaborate development and maintenance of NGA and FM-level fiscal policies. ? Financial Obligation Review and Reporting. Collaborate with the government to devise, implement, enhance, and maintain policies, procedures, and operations to administer NGA's DoD Dormant Account Review-Quarterly internal control to report, support, and certify unliquidated obligations balances. ? Audit Liaison. Assist the government with managing agency-wide support for NGA's annual full-scope financial statement audits and develop, coordinate, and conduct activities to remediate financial statement audit findings as approved by senior leadership. Provide support to financial topics associated with internal audits and inspections. ? Capital Asset Monitoring and Valuation. Collaborate with the government to enhance, implement, and maintain an agency-wide internal control environment to monitor NGA capital acquisition programs for all capital asset classes to provide for accurate, complete, timely, and fully supported capital and expense costs reporting on the agency financial statements. 2.1. Planned Acquisition: The acquisition objectives are to provide the FM Comptroller and Installation Operations offices with methodologies, tools, innovative solutions, and requisite expertise to enable NGA financial management, accounting, facility management, property accountability, and logistics operations to produce accurate, timely, relevant, and complete financial information for NGA's stakeholders and customers. 2.2. Place of Performance: The primary work locations for this contract are NGA Campus East in Springfield, VA and NGA Campus West in Arnold, MO. Work may also occur in St. Louis, MO and at other NGA and mission partner sites as required and approved by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). Unclassified work may be performed via telework as authorized by the COR. 2.3. Period of Performance: Anticipated to be a 12-month base period plus four (4) 12-month option periods. 2.4. Constraints and Limitations: The following are anticipated to apply to this acquisition: The company must: ? Adhere to the requirements of the DD 254, Contract Security Classification Specification, and DoD, ODNI, and NGA security policies for the protection of NGA sensitive and collateral information, and sensitive compartmented information (SCI). The vendor must possess a current Top Secret Facility Security Clearance. All contract personnel must possess a current Top Secret Personnel Security Clearance and be eligible with favorable adjudication to SCI. ? Furnish qualified personnel as described in statement of work Appendix A (Labor Categories) and in the quantities described in Section 3 (Staffing and Level of Effort). 3. Requested Information 3.1. Administrative Information to include the following as a minimum: Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, company website, and e-mail of designated point(s) of contact. Business Type: Based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541219, Accounting Services, applicable to this acquisition, the responder is to provide answers to the following questions: To be considered for a Small Business set-aside, at least 50 % of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the responder. (FAR 52.219-14, Limitation of Subcontracting) ? Are you a Small Business? (FAR 19.102), If so, which type: ? Small Disadvantaged small business? (FAR 19.304) ? Service-Disabled small business? (FAR 19.14) ? 8(a) Small Disadvantaged small business? (FAR 19.8) ? HUBZone small business? (FAR 19.13) ? Woman-Owned Small Business? (FAR 19.15) ? Involved in a mentor and/or prot'g program? (DFARS 219.71) ? Recommendation for another NAICS Code? Provide rationale for any NAICS Code applicable to the planned acquisition. ? Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code: ? Defense facility security clearance? What type? What level? ? Accounting system? Date of last audit? Who performed? Determined adequate/inadequate? ? Are you interested in: Prime contract? Teaming to include Joint Venture? Subcontractor opportunities? ? Include additional details that are not already requested based on the constraints of the information request. 3.2. Experience Commercial - Provide relevant details of the same or similar service offered or made to the general public or to non-government entities for purposes other than governmental work in the last three (3) years. Relevant details to NGA's proposed acquisition should include, but not be limited to: ? Information regarding the size and length of the effort; ? Ability to perform as a prime or subcontractor; ? Customary practices (warranty, financing, discounts, contract types, etc.) under which the sale of the service(s) is made; ? Security details; ? The customary practices regarding customizing, modifying, or tailoring of a service(s) to meet customer needs and associated costs; ? The kinds of factors that were used to evaluate performance; the kinds of performance assessment methods commonly used; ? The common qualifications of the people performing the services; and ? Requirements of law and/or regulations unique to these service(s) that can demonstrate the responder's abilities and capacity to meet NGA's statement of work. Government - Provide relevant details of the same or similar service offered or made to the government entities in the last three (3) years. Relevant details to NGA's proposed acquisition should include, but not be limited to: ? Information regarding the size and length of the effort; ? Ability to perform as a prime or subcontractor; ? Customary practices (warranty, financing, discounts, contract types, etc.) under which the sale of the service(s) is made; ? Security details; ? The customary practices regarding customizing, modifying, or tailoring of a service(s) to meet customer needs and associated costs; ? The kinds of factors that were used to evaluate performance; the kinds of performance assessment methods commonly used; ? The common qualifications of the people performing the services; and ? Requirements of law and/or regulations unique to these service(s) that can demonstrate the responder's abilities and capacity to meet NGA's statement of objectives. 3.3. Recommendations The Government is interested in industry ideas regarding acquisition approach, contract structure, and best practices that are conducive to today's environments & technologies that best meet the requirements. The government is interested in offerors ability to leverage industry best practices. The government is interested in the capabilities of potential offers to provide personnel with the skill set and expertise and to deliver this requirement based on the DoD and NGA standards. Industry is encouraged to identify any additional desired outcomes as they deem appropriate or beneficial to the NGA. The responder should provide information and recommendations for fashioning this proposed acquisition. Recommendation areas may include: ? The government is interested in the capabilities of potential offers to provide personnel with the skill set and expertise and to deliver this requirement based on the DoD and NGA standards. What skillsets/expertise is recommended? ? Information regarding Performance Requirements - WHAT to evaluate, HOW to evaluate, and the performance standards with acceptable quality levels that are similar to those utilized in similar efforts ? How can NGA incorporate agility and flexibility into the contract? Technology and teaching methods and tools are constantly changing. Over a 5-year contract, NGA desires to be at the cutting edge. How can this type of anticipated change and growth be incorporated into the contract? ? The Government is interested in the offerors ability to leverage industry best practices. Through your experience, are there other ideas not included in the statement of work that NGA should consider? What best practices can be incorporated? ? What environments and technologies should be included? ? Industry is encouraged to identify additional desired outcomes as they deem appropriate or beneficial to the NGA. ? Type of contract. The current contract is Firm Fixed Price for labor and Cost Reimbursement for travel and other direct costs. ? Anticipated contract terms & conditions, incentives, variations in delivery schedule, price and/or cost proposal support ? Evaluation criteria ? Data requirements ? Contract pricing ? Other areas that the responder believes is relevant for the Government to achieve its stated objectives. ? The responder may recommend how small business participation can be increased and what portion of the work could be set-aside for small businesses if all the required work cannot be provided by a small business. Details to support any recommendations for partial small business set-asides should be included. 4. Responses Interested parties shall respond to this RFI with a white paper and include the following: ? Response to Section 3, Requested Information. ? Written responses shall not include proprietary information. Any responses that are marked proprietary will not be considered. ? Responses to this RFI shall be marked UNCLASSIFIED. Classification markings shall be on every page of the response. NO CLASSIFIED responses are allowed to be submitted. ? To aid in the Government review, the Capabilities and Qualifications white paper shall be in Microsoft Word for Office or compatible format and shall not exceed 15 pages (Cover Sheet not included in count). Pages shall have a one (1) inch margin on all sides. Font type shall be Times New Roman 12 point. ? The first page of the submission must state the RFI title and provide the name, mailing address, phone number, fax number, company website, and e-mail of designated point(s) of contact. The first page shall also provide a short description of the company to include capabilities, company size and category (e.g., large, small, small disadvantaged). ? Responses to this RFI and any questions shall be emailed to the points of contact listed below no later than the specified deadline. 5. Meetings and Discussion The Government representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential RFI service providers. Such meetings and discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability, especially any development and certification risks. 6. Questions The Government will make every attempt to answer all questions regarding the RFI on the BETA SAM website. Any questions regarding the requirement may not be answered but could be used in further development of the requirement. 7. Summary This RFI is only intended for the Government to identify sources that can provide the needed services and determine the best way forward. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. The Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the RFI requirements discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.