NextGen Sources Sought - Tracked Changes.docx

CORRECTED COPY – 8/14/2023

TRACKED CHANGES

1.0 Purpose

This is a Sources Sought/Request for information (RFI) as outlined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201. The purpose of this notice is to accomplish market research pursuant to FAR Part 10, and to identify qualified and experienced large and small businesses capable of and interested in providing the services identified in the Statement of Work (SOW) attached herein.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a(n) Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP). Additionally, there is no obligation or commitment on the part of the Government to acquire the products or services described within this notice or to conduct a solicitation for the listed services now or in the future. The Government does not intend to award a contract(s) based solely on the submissions of this notice. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for information submitted in response to this Sources Sought notice, nor will it compensate respondents for any costs incurred in the development/furnishing of a response. The Government will not entertain telephone calls or questions to this notice. The Government may choose to reach out directly to vendors after reviewing and evaluating the submissions. Please note that a decision not to submit a response will not preclude a vendor from participating in any future solicitation.

2.0 Background and Statement of Need

The mission of the U.S. Department of State (DOS or State Department) is to shape and sustain a peaceful, prosperous, just, and democratic world and foster conditions for stability and progress for the benefit of the American people and people everywhere. The Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) is charged with protecting and assisting United States (U.S.) citizens abroad, issuing passports to U.S. citizens, and issuing immigrant and non-immigrant visas to foreign nationals according to the laws of the U.S. Government.

The Office of Consular Systems and Technology (CST) is tasked with providing CA’s mission critical information technology (IT) resources to support 300+ Consular locations including approximately 230 overseas posts, 29 domestic Passport agencies, 2 domestic Visa processing centers, and an array of information, book/card print, passport centers, DOS annexes, and Contractor sites. CST supports approximately 10,000 worldwide clients, to include 1,200 CA customers at various locations in the National Capitol Region (NCR).

Within CA/CST, the Service Delivery & Outreach Division (CA/CST/SDO) provides training, deployment, and communication services to all domestic and overseas consular operations, including passport agencies and visa centers which implement cross-cutting functions that have an enterprise-wide impact. The division is organized into two branches: the Deployment Branch and the Training Branch, and two teams: the Special Assistant Team and the Communications Team.

3.0 Scope of Work

The U.S. Department of State (DOS or State Department) Consular Affairs (CA) has personalized U.S. passport books since 1998 using color thermal ink-transfer printers. Currently, DOS personalizes electronic passports (e-passports) on passport book printers and has customized Next Generation (NextGen) Passport Personalization Printers as the new solution for printing passport books replacing the existing legacy passport book printers at all CA passport locations and labs. The specialized NextGen Passport Personalization Printers have been uniquely customized to the Department’s requirements of hardware, printer configuration, enhanced security features, steganography software, and software for image enhancement/ personalized masking enhancements for the new passport books.

To enhance security, durability, and quality of future passport books, it is necessary for DOS to continue to provide and support systems with the NextGen Passport Personalization Printers. Personalization Printers support automated laser engraving on a polycarbonate data page, color printing on the endorsement page, embedded chip personalization consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9303 (Machine Readable Travel Documents) for travel documents, and inline automated quality inspection. Specialized Personalization Printer models will continue to include both High-Capacity and Low-Capacity Passport Personalization Printers with the option to acquire additional printers for the CA Enterprise Operations.

The contractor shall install and provide support for laser engraving Personalization Printers at Domestic Passport Sites, of which the Office of Consular Systems and Technology (CA/CST) and Passport Services Directorate of the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA/PPT) may designate additional sites to meet public issuance demand during the contract period. The contractor shall provide printers that integrate into existing DOS technology environments based on an Interface Control Document (ICD). All Personalization Printers shall incorporate full compatibility with the ICD.

The Contractor shall provide and support the CA/CST NextGen Passport Personalization Printers at all Domestic Passport Sites (27 domestic passport Agencies, two domestic Passport Centers, and other domestic support sites as required), Personalization Printer consumables, Transition in with installation and setup of new printers at DOS Domestic Passport Sites, Printer integration with computerized passport issuance system, Training, Operational availability, Maintenance control and warranty (including replacement parts), and Transition Out/Disposal of Printers.

The scope will include the following services:

· Program Management and Support Services

· Transition Support

· Consumable Materials

· Warranty

· Support Services at Passport Site Locations

· Support Site Location for Labs

· Enhancement Software

· Relocation for Agency Moves (Low Capacity)

The scope will include the following optional services:

· Optional Consulting Services

· Personalization Printers

· Shipping with or without storage

· Installation, Integration and Training

· Support Site Locations for Warehouse and Security Augmentation

· Relocation for High Capacity Agency Moves (Hight Capacity)

· Decommission of Printers

See attached DRAFT Statement of Work (SOW) for further details.

4.0 Period of Performance

The period of performance is anticipated to be for a 12 month base period and four (4) one-year option periods.

5.0 Security Requirements

The Prime Contractor must have a TOP SECRET facility clearance.

Personnel clearance requirements will primarily be SECRET, however, some may require a TOP SECRET.

6.0 Instructions

6.1 Responses

A viable interested party shall demonstrate, in any capability statement submitted, the company's capabilities to meet the performance objectives and the customer’s requirements. A viable interested party shall provide relevant, applicable examples of previous work or solution implementations. Responses should be limited to twelve (12) pages and must be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document (.doc or .docx) or Portable Document Format (.pdf) to the Contracting Officer Kathleen Mejia at mejiakj@state.gov. To the maximum extent possible, submit Non-Proprietary Information. All information received in response to this notice that is appropriately marked “Proprietary” will be handled accordingly. Submissions should include responses to the following categories:

· Company Profile

· Recent/Relevant Experience

· Questions for Industry

Submissions should include responses to the following categories: Company Profile, and Questions for Industry.

6.1.1 Company Profile:

1) Provide a summary of your technical capability to meet the SOW requirements.

2) General Business Information, completing the following table:

Company Name:

Company Point-of-Contact:

Email:

Phone:

Prime Contractor Address:

DUNS Number:

CAGE Code, if applicable:

Socioeconomic Status under any of the following NAICS Codes: 334118*, *Or other relevant and appropriate NAICS code Example: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business; HUBZone; Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned; Service Disabled Veteran Owned; 8(a)

Applicable GSA Schedule Contracts or other Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) (e.g., NASA SEWP V, CIO-CS, etc.):

6.1.2 Recent/Relevant Experience:

1) Provide at least 3 examples of current contracts, government preferred, for which you supported IAI BM One and BM Pro passport printers to include Print Controller and Chip Encoder software.

· Confirm whether you are the prime, subcontractor, and/or a consultant

· Name the clients for whom you conduct this work

2) Provide confirmation you are authorized to provide, install, support the technical development and maintenance required for the NextGen Passport Personalization Printers to include the Print Controller and Chip Encoder software.

3) Describe your ability to meet the SOW requirements.

4) For performance cited, include a POC at the Government Agency or business at which work was performed.

6.1.3 Questions for Industry:

In order to foster the maximum amount of competition, the Government would like to solicit industry feedback on how to better develop its requirements. To do so, the Government welcomes responses to the following questions:

1) What type of performance standards would be appropriate for this type of requirement?

2) Are there any questions/feedback on the attached draft Statement of Work (SOW)?

3) Does the attached SOW provide sufficient information to understand the level of effort and staffing that will be required?

Companies are welcome to provide any brief concluding remarks, as deemed appropriate.