This was released on eBuy – Date of Release: August 12, 2024
Calendar Appointment Requests due no later than 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time (ET) on August 14, 2024
I. INTRODUCTION
The General Services Administration (GSA), Assisted Acquisition Service (AAS) is releasing this Market Assessment Discussion (MAD) notice on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (ODASD), Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP). The purpose of this notice is to assist the Government in conducting market research regarding the subject requirements, promote competition, and garner high-quality proposals.
As provided by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 10.002 and 15.201, the Government anticipates conducting one-on-one phone conversations with respondents to this notice in an effort to promote competition in a potential future acquisition. The Government is particularly interested in the kind of information, documents, or similar data that industry would need to facilitate a bid/no bid decision. This information will be used for market research only and any information provided by an Industry Partner as a result of these conversations will not be shared with any other Industry Partner. The Government is not obligated to release a future solicitation.
The MAD is a market research method utilized by AAS to determine the extent of interest in a specific acquisition. The MAD methodology allows for a one-on-one exchange between the AAS Contracting Officer (CO) and any interested Industry Partner early in the acquisition process. In this process, the Government requests only a minimum amount of information necessary to gauge industry interest. The Government may consider the responses within these exchanges in the future determination of an appropriate acquisition strategy for the program.
This MAD does NOT constitute a Request for Proposal and is not to be construed as a commitment, implied or otherwise, by the Government that a procurement action will be issued. Response to this notice is not a request to be added to a bidders list or to receive a copy of a solicitation. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of the requested information. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow up information requests. The Government may not respond to any specific questions or comments in response to this notice or information provided as a result of this request. Participation in the MAD process and any information submitted to the Government is strictly voluntary.
II. BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
The MC&FP is directly responsible for programs and policies that establish and support community quality of life programs for service members and their families worldwide. The MC&FP Casualty and Mortuary Affairs (CMA) Directorate is responsible for leading, developing, and executing casualty and mortuary affairs to support DoD-directed missions for present and past conflicts, and serving as lead agent for the Defense Casualty Information Processing System (DCIPS).
DCIPS is a web-enabled database which processes CMA reports, provides case management of casualties, and allows for the interactive exchange of data between the military services’ CMA Offices, their regional centers, and the military commanding units responsible for the reporting of service member casualties.
The system also provides DoD with official casualty statistics. A casualty can be defined as any person who is lost to an organization by reason of having been declared beleaguered, besieged, captured, deceased, detained, or Duty Status – Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). Data within the system includes personnel (HR) and personal data about the casualty, the cause/circumstances of the casualty, information about the Next of Kin (NOK) and other interested parties, information about the disposition of the decedents’ remains, personal effects, (processing of personal effects, location and status of remains), and the issuance and tracking of claims and reimbursement of expenses for transportation and burial costs. DCIPS allows CMA Offices within each of the military services to enter and retrieve information about occurrences of injuries, illnesses, wounded in action, missing, deceased, killed in action, repatriated, and other categories of personnel, as defined in DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1300.18 and applicable military service regulations, and provides for the associated reporting capabilities.
Several years of conflict and subsequent legislative initiatives to provide increased support to service members and survivors has highlighted numerous deficiencies in the current capabilities of DCIPS. DCIPS does not have a standardized, comprehensive case management tracking system and therefore contains no way to ensure process flow or timely delivery of services across the DoD. Additionally, DCIPS business processes designed to support families are antiquated and divorced from current technological advancements and automation. The DCIPS business processes also do not support the mobile platforms that users expect. These technology limitations create the potential for high levels of human error, inefficient use of time and resources, and delayed service provisioning in an activity where there is statutory zero-tolerance for failure, inaccuracy, or delays.
III. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES
The objective of this requirement is to architect, develop, deploy, enhance, and sustain a future DCIPS application (referred to as DCIPS Future) with the capacity to adapt to needs as they change. The contractor shall develop and deploy a DCIPS Future Beta during the base period of performance. Subsequent to beta deployment, the contractor shall further develop and deploy a fully operational DCIPS solution during Option Period One. DoDI 1300.18, Incorporating Change 2 (March 29, 2023), “DoD Personnel Casualty Matters, Policies, and Procedures,” serves as a core foundation for DCIPS. In support of DoDI 1300.18, and the family members that are served by its outcomes, DCIPS Future must be designed with a focus on continual evolution of business processes and technology and system quality of service.
The development and deployment objectives shall be achieved using an Agile approach. The enhancement and sustainment support includes overall program management, business analysis, user training, helpdesk support, and continual system enhancements to ensure DCIPS Future meets functional and regulatory requirements. The contractor shall provide support for the information technology (IT) and cybersecurity activities that are necessary to ensure the continuity and security of DCIPS Future. This requirement does not include support of the legacy DCIPS application
IV. SCOPE SUMMARY
As a modernization of the legacy DCIPS application, DCIPS Future must be fully developed and deployed as a high impact information system in MC&FP’s AWS GovCloud. The MC&FP AWS GovCloud currently has an active Authorization to Operate (ATO) and supports DoD Cloud Computing (CC) Security Requirements Guide (SRG) Impact Level 2 (IL2), IL4, and IL5 information system operations. MC&FP’s AWS GovCloud also supports the following environments:
● Test and Development
● Pre-production
● Production
● Non-Production Management through a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
● Production Management through a VPN
The MC&FP AWS GovCloud environment is currently managed by the Government and its AWS GovCloud support contractor. Accordingly, close coordination and collaboration between parties will be required throughout performance of this requirement.
In many cases, open-source, freemium database platforms do not support the hardening requirements that are identified in the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and Security Recommendation Guides (SRGs). Accordingly, the contractor’s solution must ensure that any proposed database platforms are bound to vendor-supported enterprise licenses, vice open-source, freemium, or similar non-supported license models.
This MAD supports the requirement to provide potential support to five different task areas, as detailed below:
Task 1: Provide Program Management
The contractor shall provide program management support under this requirement. This includes the management and oversight of all activities performed by contractor personnel, including subcontractors, to satisfy the requirements identified in this Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contractor shall be responsible for the technical and management direction over multi-disciplined teams supporting this requirement.
Task 2: DCIPS Development and Deployment
The contractor shall develop and deploy DCIPS Future in MC&FP’s AWS GovCloud IL4/IL5 infrastructure. The contractor shall develop and deploy a DCIPS Future Beta with the Baseline Functions and Modules during the base period of performance. The contractor shall deploy DCIPS Future Beta to the pre-production environment. With the beta deployed, the contractor shall further develop and deploy a fully operational DCIPS solution during Option Period One. The contractor shall leverage innovative approaches and built-in quality controls to ensure that the activities performed by the CMA offices and users in DCIPS are streamlined/optimized and contain validated information. The contractor shall use Agile development principles including the integration and interoperability of all current and future software and hardware. The contractor shall develop software in active collaboration with end users and provide the Definition of Done for all Agile program artifacts, including user stories, epics, features, themes, initiatives, and product increments. The contractor shall transfer DCIPS Future source code to AWS CodeCommit, MC&FP’s officially authorized code repository. The contractor shall ensure that the mission functions associated with the legacy DCIPS modules, UI screens, and data fields are integrated, tested, and validated throughout DCIPS Future and that the integration is cohesive with the data and workflow elements of the CMA Offices’ checklists, user guides, and nomenclatures. In developing both the Baseline DCIPS and all subsequent development efforts, the contractor shall ensure that DCIPS meets the hardening requirements that are identified in DISA’s STIGs and SRGs as well as the associated Trust Levels for the specific users. The contractor shall further ensure that the DCIPS Future application is not limited by user counts, time based licensing, or fee-based licensing models.
Task 3: Casualty Assistance Mission-Specific Modules
Each military service has a CMA Office and case managers to assist the families of its service members. Their primary goal is to provide prompt reporting, dignified and humane notification, and efficient, thorough, and compassionate assistance to those family members. The contractor shall develop the mission-specific DCIPS modules and workflows for each of the military services and provide for continuous enhancements to enable case managers to meet mission needs.
Task 4: Operational Sustainment
Subsequent to DCIPS Future development and deployment, the contractor shall enhance the established business rules of DCIPS Future over the system lifecycle. The contractor shall utilize agile methodologies to sustain and enhance DCIPS, to maximize its effectiveness and functionality based on evolving CMA requirements. The contractor shall consider the DCIPS database(s), system, application, network, and application programming interface (API) performance and capabilities while sustaining DCIPS and developing enhancements. The contractor shall provide user training support for all aspects of DCIPS future by developing DCIPS SOPs, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), end-user documentation, quick reference guides, and training videos. Additionally, the contractor shall develop and support a Multi-Tier Helpdesk to troubleshoot and provide resolutions to any problems that DCIPS users may encounter.
Task 5: Survivor Web Portal
The Government anticipates this requirement to be initiated in Option Period One. The contractor shall develop a Survivor Web Portal that is securely isolated and distinct from the primary DCIPS platform. The contractor shall ensure that the Survivor Web Portal is implemented with features and capabilities that allows the survivors to securely and effectively view and process the necessary documentation and information.
V. ANTICIPATED CONTRACT DETAILS
The primary place of performance where the contractor will perform the work is the contractor’s location but may also include temporary support at MC&FP space in the Washington D.C. metro area and mission partner sites depending on specific project taskings.
The Government anticipates awarding a cost reimbursable Task Order (TO). The Period of Performance is anticipated to be a one-year base period and four one-year option periods with an estimated ceiling value to be determined (TBD) inclusive of labor, long-distance travel, materials and equipment, and Other Direct Costs (ODCs).
VI. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
Security clearances will be in accordance with the most current version of the DD254. All contractor personnel with duties and responsibilities that include System Administration, Network Administration, and Cybersecurity that requires root-level permissions and/or the ability to modify the security or operational controls of an information system will be categorized as “Critical Sensitive” and require a favorably adjudicated Tier 5 investigation before performing any work under this TO. Contractor personnel with all other IT, Cyber, or programmatic duties and responsibilities may also need access to classified information in the performance of their duties and will be categorized as “Non-Critical Sensitive” and require a favorably adjudicated Tier 3 investigation before performing any work under this TO.
The personnel security investigations are required to determine suitability for performance of the duties, responsibilities, and tasks associated to and support of this TO, which include access to and handling of DoD CUI, PII, and/or Privacy Act information or data. Accordingly, the contractor will be required to possess a minimum of a Top-Secret Facility Clearance (FCL) at the time of proposal submission.
VII. MARKET ASSESSMENT DISCUSSION MEETING
During the MAD meeting, the Government will ask respondents a predetermined set of questions regarding the type of information, documents, and/or data that industry would request from the Government to provide a robust proposal in the future if a Task Order Request (TOR) is released.
For planning purposes, the Government intends to pose the following questions to IPs:
1. Please explain your experience with a large data migration and validation.
2. Please explain your experience with preparing a Risk Management Framework (RMF) based system security authorization package in the DOD Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) system.
3. Please explain your experience developing an application utilizing Agile methodologies through application deployment.
4. What is your experience with AAS pre-award acquisition? What information and/or details, beyond what is typically provided in an AAS TOR solicitation, would your organization need to provide a highly competitive proposal?
5. Could you articulate whether the DCIPS Future requirement should be considered non-commercial or commercial services per the FAR 2.101 definition? Please provide reasons for your position.
6. What risks or other factors does your company foresee that may deter your company from bidding on this requirement? Other factors could include contract type, security considerations (Personnel and Facility clearances), scope, or skilled personnel.
7. Is there anything else the Government should consider as it continues to develop the acquisition strategy for this requirement?
VI. INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS
Respondents that wish to schedule a MAD meeting with the Government are asked to respond to this notice as follows:
MAD calendar appointments should be scheduled electronically via Google Calendar using the following link (CTRL+ Left Click), MAD Calendar Appointment. Additional calendar appointments will be released if needed once the available appointments have been utilized.
Respondents are encouraged to provide written answers to the questions listed above via Google Forms using the following link (CTRL+ Left Click), MAD Responses by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 14, 2024. This will give the Government time in advance of the meeting to consider the answers and develop any follow-up questions. During the MAD meeting, the IP may alter or supplement its previously submitted answers, if needed.
MAD calendar appointments must be scheduled by August 14, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. ET; calendar appointment requests received after that time may be considered at the Government’s discretion.
The Government anticipates these MAD meetings will take place on Monday, August 19, 2024, and Tuesday, August 20, 2024. It is anticipated that sessions will be scheduled for 30 minutes during regular business hours. If the POC does not respond to the Government’s attempt to schedule a MAD meeting, or if the respondent is unable to accommodate the MAD meeting time(s) offered by the Government, the Government reserves the right to not hold a MAD meeting with the requesting vendor. If the POC cannot schedule a session or has technical difficulties, please contact the AAS CS below.
Questions regarding this notice may be submitted to the AAS CS, Dennis Chae (dennis.chae@gsa.gov) and AAS CO, Denise VonDibert (denise.vondibert@gsa.gov), using the email subject line “Question – MAD Meeting for DCIPS Future – [Company Name]” (e.g., “Question – MAD Meeting for DCIPS Future – ABC Company”).
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