RFI QA.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 14 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 20084401
- Issued by
-
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers (QA) document from a Request for Information (RFI) regarding DFAS's digitization of approximately 5.91 million microfiche sheets from three locations: Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Texarkana. The work will be performed at contractor-owned facilities within the continental United States, with all services sourced domestically. The government anticipates awarding a firm, fixed-price contract and is still conducting market research on acquisition strategy, including whether to pursue single or multiple awards. Teaming arrangements between prime contractors and specialized digitization providers are not prohibited, though the PWS refers to a single contractor responsible for all requirements.
The digitization must comply with FADGI 3-Star metrics, with scanners producing both Preservation Master files (uncompressed TIFF) and Access Copies (compressed PDF/A). Contractor-generated DICE target reports and calibration documentation will suffice for compliance validation without requiring independent third-party certification. Delivery will occur in batches with government quality assurance sampling based on ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 standards, using illustrative Acceptable Quality Levels (1.0% critical, 2.5% minor) subject to finalization with the selected vendor. The government will provide representative pilot samples of approximately 1,000 microfiche sheets from each collection for the pilot project, which will establish validated baselines for file sizes and total data volume estimates. Digital files will be delivered to a government cloud environment, with a separate RFI/PWS anticipated for an IL5 Cloud-based Document Management System utilizing the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract vehicle. Personnel must be U.S. citizens with Tier 3 or higher background investigations and Common Access Cards. Destruction authorization will be issued batch-by-batch following successful QA validation and acceptance once the DMS becomes operational, with no additional NARA approvals required.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| RFI_Enterprise Document Management Platform_CEDMS Modernization.docx | DOCX document | |
| Request for Information_Enterprise Document Management Platform_CEDMS Modernization.docx | DOCX document |
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| Question | Answer |
| Does DFAS anticipate a single-award contract vehicle for the entire requirement, or would multiple awards be considered for separate collections, locations, or phases of performance? | The PWS (Section 2.5) specifies that the government anticipates awarding a 'Firm, Fixed Price contract. At this time we are still doing market research and the acquisition strategy has not been determined. |
| Is DFAS open to Prime Contractor/Teaming Partner arrangements where specialized digitization providers support portions of the effort? | The provided documents do not prohibit teaming arrangements. However, the PWS consistently refers to 'The Contractor' as the single entity responsible for fulfilling all requirements. |
| Has DFAS established a desired project completion timeline for the full 5.91 million-sheet collection? | The documents do not specify a desired project completion timeline for the entire collection. Vendors should provide their estimates based upon their industry expertise, resources, and throughput. |
| Is phased delivery by collection or location acceptable, or is DFAS seeking completion of all collections under a single production schedule? | The PWS (Section 7.1) requires the contractor to deliver records in logical 'Batches' and outlines a batch-by-batch Quality Assurance and acceptance process, indicating that a phased delivery approach is expected. |
| May the digitization activities be performed at a contractor-owned secure facility, or is DFAS considering any on-site scanning requirements? | The PWS (Section 2.4) states, 'The primary place of performance will be by remote working or teleworking at the Contractors location,' indicating work is to be performed at a contractor-owned facility. |
| Are there restrictions regarding geographic location of the scanning facility within the continental United States? | The PWS (Section 2.1) requires that 'all services are sourced from within the United States.' No other geographic restrictions other than within the continental U.S. as mentioned. |
| Will DFAS require independent third-party validation of FADGI 3-Star compliance, or will contractor-generated DICE target reports and calibration documentation be sufficient? | The PWS requires contractor-generated documentation (DICE target reports) to prove compliance. Independent third-party validation is not a requirement. |
| Has DFAS established any preferred scanner manufacturers, equipment standards, or existing validation methodologies beyond those identified in the draft PWS? | The PWS (Section 5.2) mandates that scanners must be capable of meeting FADGI 3-Star metrics but does not specify any preferred manufacturers or equipment. |
| Beyond header indexing, does DFAS anticipate any future requirement for structured data extraction or field-level indexing from individual records? | The PWS (Section 6.0) explicitly states, 'The Contractor is not required to perform advanced, structured data extraction from within individual document frames.' |
| Does DFAS have a preferred metadata schema, document management system, or ingestion format currently under consideration? | The PWS (Section 6.1) requires the contractor to deliver a formal 'Ingestion Manifest Schema' during the Pilot Project for government approval (e.g., CSV, JSON). A separate RFI/PWS to build a new IL5 Cloud-based Document Management System for storage and retrieval of the digital files is anticipated to be executed in parallel to the digitization effort. The requirements for that DMS include the ingestion of both the Preservation Master (uncompressed TIFF) and the Access Copy (compressed PDF/A), based on the mandated FADGI 3-Star parameters, and the ability to Ingest the Manifest Schema delivered by the Microfiche digitization vendor (e.g., CSV, JSON). |
| Does DFAS anticipate contractor-hosted delivery, physical media transfer, direct cloud upload, or another mechanism for digital file delivery? | The RFI (Area of Inquiry #5) asks vendors to describe their process for delivering files 'to a government cloud environment.' A separate RFI/PWS to build a new IL5 Cloud-based Document Management System for storage and retrieval of the digital files is anticipated to be executed in parallel to the digitization effort. The requirements for the Digitization vendor includes the creation of both the Preservation Master (uncompressed TIFF) and the Access Copy (compressed PDF/A), based on the mandated FADGI 3-Star parameters, and an a formal Ingestion Manifest Schema document (e.g., CSV, JSON). |
| Has DFAS identified a target cloud environment (AWS, Azure, Government Cloud, etc.) for final repository storage? | The PWS (Section 5.3) mentions 'AWS S3 and Glacier Deep Archive' as examples for storage forecasting but does not formally identify a final target cloud environment. This will be determined through a separate RFI/PWS to build a new IL5 Cloud-based Document Management System utilizing the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract vehicle to determine the best cloud-based fit (i.e., AWS GovCloud, Azure, Oracle, ?) |
| Can DFAS provide additional information regarding the anticipated batch sizes that will be used for Government QA review? | The documents do not specify anticipated batch sizes. The PWS (Section 7.2) states the government's sampling size will be determined based on the size of the delivered batch using ANSI/ASQ Z1.4. |
| Has DFAS finalized the Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) referenced in the draft PWS, or are these values still under evaluation? | The PWS (Section 7.2) provides example AQLs (e.g., 1.0% for critical, 2.5% for minor), but these values are for illustrative purposes and are not finalized. The Government would work with the vendor to determine an ideal range based upon Operational needs and vendor capabilities. |
| Will destruction authorization be issued on a batch-by-batch basis following successful QA validation? | The timing is dependent upon another project (i.e., a new IL5 Cloud-based Document Management System for storage and retrieval of the digital files which is anticipated to be executed in parallel to the digitization effort). Once the DMS is operational and can begin ingesting the digital files, the government will issue a written 'Certificate of Destruction Authorization' upon successful validation and acceptance of a digital batch. |
| Will DFAS require any additional NARA approvals or records management certifications prior to authorizing destruction of accepted batches? | No additional NARA approvals required. The process is being handled between the contractor and DFAS. |
| Will detailed inventories be provided prior to contractor pickup at each location? | The documents do not state whether detailed inventories will be provided by the government prior to pickup. The PWS (Section 8.0) requires the contractor to maintain an item-level Chain of Custody log from the moment of pickup. At this time, we are still looking at what areas within DFAS have inventory spreadsheets and which areas do not . This will have to be later determined. |
| Are there any special handling, security clearance, escort, or facility access requirements anticipated for the Indianapolis, Cleveland, or Texarkana collections? | Yes. The PWS (Section 3.0) contains extensive security requirements, including the need for personnel to be U.S. citizens and to undergo a Tier 3 or higher-level background investigation to obtain a Common Access Card (CAC). |
| Will the Government provide the representative pilot samples, or will the contractor be responsible for selecting the sample population? | The PWS (Section 9.1) provides guidance that a representative sample of [e.g., 1,000] microfiche sheets from each of the three identified collections (Army, Retiree/Annuitant, and NAF). The government would provide the representative sample of [e.g., 1,000] microfiche sheets from each collection. |
| Does DFAS anticipate the Pilot Project serving as a basis for final production pricing and storage estimates? | Yes, the PWS (Sections 5.3 and 9.2) confirms that the Pilot Project will be used to establish a 'Validated Baseline' for average file sizes and the 'total estimated data volume' for the full collection. |
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