KCCSite_Visit_Tour_Talking_Points.pdf

Solicitation #19AQMM18R0428 KCC Site Visit

11/15 VSS 3.0 Site Visit Tour Talking Points

1. Facial Recognition – 1. National Security Services: 1.3 Biometric Validation

The Facial Recognition program is responsible for analyzing photos submitted with passport and visa applications against various photo databases as an additional biometric assessment for the benefit of processing at both U.S. Passport Centers and U.S. Embassy and Consulates around the world.

The first phase of the FR program began on October 26, 2004 to ensure compliance with the biometric screening requirements of the Patriot Act and the Border Security Act.

The initial phase required FR screening of all visa applicants who were exempt from fingerprint scans as well as all passport applicants.

The FR work is received for processing in the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) from the various offices and is processed seven days a week.

Processors receive a source photo and a gallery of potential matches and must pick potential matches from the gallery or identify that there are not potential matches present in the gallery.

Once the review is complete and submitted, the U.S. Passport office or U.S. Embassy or Consulate General that is processing the application will be able to view if that applicant has been matched to any other passport or visa applications via Facial Recognition reviews.

Both centers combined process an average of 40,800 passport photos and 32,600 visa photos every day.

Constant cross site communication between NVC and KCC managers and supervisors is critical for current workload management.

2. Diversity Visa – 1. National Security Services: 1.1. Case Fulfillment; 2. Customer Services: 2.1.

Inquiry Management; 3. Logistics and Administrative Services: 3.1. Intake

KCC administers, in coordination with VO and Office of Consular Systems and Technologies (CST), the DV program

There are nearly 14 million entrants for the 50,000 DVs made available each fiscal year

Tasks vary depending on the stage in the DV program cycle

i. Provide Public and Post Liaison support for applicants, selectees, and consular interview support. In Fiscal Year 2018, KCC handled 23,230 telephone inquiries and 61,430 written inquiries.

ii. Provide case management, case transfer, and applicant scheduling for around 70,000.

Beginning with DV year launch in October, all potential DV applicants apply online to be eligible for selection. DV provides public liaison to applicants during AES period

The Diversity Visa Program is fully electronic.

Always operating on a two (2) year DV calendar (current year and future year) in assisting with program administrations e.g. administrative disqualifications on applicants prior to selectee announcement

Selectee announcements occur in the following spring of AES. KCC employees provide public, USCIS, and post liaison efforts during ESC period.

During ESC period, selectees begin completing DS-260 applications online. KCC handles all case management by assisting with adjustments as needed for all active cases up to fulfillment.

Once case is current, KCC will assist in case management by providing case review and comparison, provide notes to case files for adjudicators, provide scheduling to post or transferring to USCIS for adjustment of status cases

Applicants selected in the diversity lottery program submit certain supporting documents electronically via a shared mailbox at KCC, before their immigrant visa interview is scheduled with a consular officer. Operators at KCC review the documents in order to verify bio-data and make the documents available in a SharePoint site for posts to access.

3. Non-Immigrant Visas – 1. National Security Services: 1.1. Case Fulfillment; 2. Customer Services: 2.1. Inquiry Management; 3. Logistics and Administrative Services: 3.1. Intake & 3.2.

Paper Handling

As of November 15, 2018 KCC receives, via mail carriers, physical non-immigrant petition based cases from four USCIS service centers: Vermont Service Center, Nebraska Service Center, Texas Service Center, and California Service Center.

When received, the petitions are unpacked, sorted by petition type, receipt numbers are entered into internal tracking system (ITS) and PIMS, and cover sheet is generated.

These files are prepped for scanning by placing the file in the proper scanning order then scanned. The scanned PDFs are optimized and split into manageable file sizes via an automated program which runs in the background.

The files are data entered, uploaded to PIMS and 100% peer-to-peer verification is performed.

After the verification step has been completed the files are destroyed and recycled.

KCC anticipates a remote scanning project to be fully operational by the beginning of VSS 3.0. Currently only copies of petitions submitted by petitioners are forwarded to KCC for processing, leaving about 30% of petitions never received. This creates a gap in KCC’s fraud prevention efforts.

The remote scanning initiative would move scanning operations to the USCIS service centers and a digital copy of every petition would be forwarded to KCC.

In the last fiscal year KCC processed 439,472 NIV petitions.

KCC manages a shared mailbox which handles inquiries from posts attempting to adjudication non-immigrant visas. Typically these requests are due to KCC not having received the duplicate petition; therefor it is not available in PIMS.

KCC handled 32,085 PIMS requests from posts in FY2018. With the remote scanning initiative, these requests will no longer be received or at a dramatically reduced rate.

4. CAT-I Files – 1. National Security Services: 1.1. Case Fulfillment; 3. Logistics and Administrative Services: 3.1. Intake & 3.2. Paper Handling

A CAT-1 file is a permanent refusal of an applicant. Posts that do not have the resources in house to handle these files, ship the files to KCC.

Limited Data Entry into the INK system and internal KCC CAT-1 database while scanning the file.

CCD ingests the data entry and scans so the files are available to post.

CAT-1 volumes are sporadic but low.

Files are destroyed after all quality control functions are performed.

5. Congressionals – 2. Customer Services: 2.1. Inquiry Management

KCC receives congressional inquiries via email. Typically a congressional office is inquiring about a case that one of their constituents has escalated to their office for assistance, and responses to congressional inquiries require faster response.

An operator will draft a response for clearance from the KCC Director. If/when cleared, the operator will respond to the congressional office.

KCC Congressional volumes are relatively low. In FY 2018 KCC answered 99 congressional inquiries.

6. 4. Management Services: 4.1 Service Management and Quality - Quality Control and Training Services (QCTS)

Under the current contract, there is a contingent ensuring compliance to timeliness and quality acceptance criteria outlined in the contract. The expectation is that an offeror would present how to ensure and measure adherence to the performance requirements as outlined in the RFP.

7. Management Services: 4.1 Service Management and Quality: Operations Excellence

Under the current contract, there is a contingent performing the programming requirements and process change requirements outlined in the contract. The expectation is that an offeror would present how to address these areas in their response.

8. Management Services: 4.2 Information Systems Management

Using a USG owned “trouble” ticket database, IT support at KCC ranges from basic machine setup and maintenance to more robust internal database development.

Databases are KCC specific and utilized by all employees for daily tasks such as workload management between units, case management in the FPU, internal error disputes, etc.

There are 35 databases currently maintained by KCC IT staff.

Additional functions:

o Virtual server support o SharePoint Administration and Development o Custom Scripting Development o Inventory Management o Various routine IT related support o Liaise with Information Resource Management (IRM) and Consular System and

Technology (CST) o Monitor network performance and report/escalate issues o Perform local systems administration and desktop support in OpenNet and ClassNet operating environments o Develop and administer automation solutions o Provide recurring and ad-hoc operational reporting

9. Fraud Prevention Unit – 1. National Security Services: 1.2. Investigation, Authentication, and Analysis

Prescreening and analyzing petitions o FPU is responsible for prescreening various visa categories, conducting research in support of consular adjudications overseas, identifying anomalous or fraudulent indicators, and liaising with interagency partners.

First-time NIV petitioner research o KCC researches all first-time NIV petitioners to create accurate PIMS records, identify fraud indicators, and document findings in a formal report.

End Client Verification o KCC contacts purported clients for all first-time petitioning H-1B petitions, and targeted newly approved petitions received at the center, to verify the contractual relationship and to ensure the client is expecting the services of the worker.

NIV application prescreening o KCC manages a list of “watch phrase” style alerts for H-1B and L-1 petitions and petitioners.

H/L Prescreening o KCC’s H-1B and L-1 prescreening program provides adjudicators worldwide with a snapshot of the petitioning company’s history, viability, and any identified fraud concerns.

Research o KCC conducts comprehensive research on petitioners at post request or through internal referral.

J-1 o In cooperation with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), KCC verifies all J-1 SWT program placements (including employment, housing, and transportation) to identify potential concerns which may adversely affect the participant’s health or safety while in the U.S., and to identify placements that violate program rules. KCC also conducts verification of ECA’s Intern and Trainee program, verifying the purported program does not violate program regulations.

Consular Returns o KCC reviews non-immigrant petition based consular returns for accuracy and corrects minor issues before forwarding to USCIS for adjudication.

E Visa Prescreening o KCC prescreens E-Visa applications for all of mission Canada. Analysts research the viability of both the intended employment/investment as well as the viability of the individual.

DOL

o KCC reviews financial documents in petitions for possible labor violations. If a violation is suspected, KCC is a named complainant on behalf of beneficiaries and will file a complaint with the department of labor.

10. Facilities Management Partners

There is a facilities management contractor responsible for cleaning and maintaining the KCC. The team operates under a contract overseen by the separate Administration Bureau of the Department of State.

The contractor staff interacts daily with KCC personnel across all contracts and the USG.

Communication and close coordination on project and maintenance scheduling is key to the successful continuity of operations.

The contractor personnel follow OSHA guidelines and their average daily work depends highly on the weather, current construction projects, or other ongoing activities at KCC.

The A Bureau offices are located in between the two loading docks.

There is a front loading dock and a back loading dock both used for mail intake and ship outs.