23-RFI-001-MC-RA_IdentityVerificationServices (FINAL).pdf

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 1 of 10

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Information Acknowledgement Form

Page 1 of 10 pages SUBMIT REPLY TO:

Department of Economic Opportunity Purchasing Office 107 East Madison Street, B-047 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4128 Telephone Number: 850-245-7455

AGENCY RELEASE DATE:

August 29, 2022

SOLICITATION TITLE: SOLICITATION NO:

Identity Verification Services 23-RFI-001-MC

RESPONSES WILL BE OPENED: September 9, 2022

This is a Request for Information (RFI) as defined by section 287.012(22), Florida Statutes (“F.S. or “Fla. Stat”). Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot not be accepted by DEO to form a binding contract. §287.012(22), Fla. Stat. (2022). Information received in response to this RFI, however, may be used to develop future procurements. Respondents to this RFI will not be prohibited from submitting bids to such future procurements based solely on having responded to this RFI.

§287.057(19)(c), Fla. Stat. (2022). Vendors, then, are encouraged to respond with solutions that meet all or part of the specified requirements listed in greater detail in Section B of this RFI.

RESPONDENT NAME:

RESPONDENT MAILING ADDRESS:

CITY – STATE – ZIP:

*Authorized Representative’s Signature

PHONE NUMBER:

TOLL FREE

NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER: *Name and Title of Authorized Representative

EMAIL ADDRESS:

FEID NO.: *This individual must have the authority to provide this Response.

TYPE OF BUSINESS ENTITY (Corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.):

RESPONDENT CONTACTS: Please provide the name, title, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the official contact and an alternate, if available.

PRIMARY CONTACT: SECONDARY CONTACT:

NAME, TITLE: NAME, TITLE:

ADDRESS: ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER: PHONE NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER: FAX NUMBER:

EMAIL ADDRESS: EMAIL ADDRESS:

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 2 of 10

SECTION A

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

The instructions for this RFI have been designed to help ensure all responses are reviewed in a consistent manner, as well as to minimize costs and response time. INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN VARIANCE WITH THESE

INSTRUCTIONS MAY NOT BE REVIEWED.

A.1

A.2

A.3

SOLICITATION NUMBER

SOLICITATION TYPE

PROGRAM OFFICE

23-RFI-001-MC

Request for Information (RFI)

Reemployment Assistance

A.4 PURCHASING OFFICE Michelle Currie/Vincent McKenzie

Procurement Officer/Purchasing Manager 107 East Madison Street, B-047 Tallahassee, Florida 32399

(850) 245-7472/(850) 245-7463 (Office Number) Michelle.Currie@deo.myflorida.com Vincent.McKenzie@deo.myflorida.com

A.5 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Listed below is the calendar of important actions and dates/times by which the actions must be taken or completed. If DEO finds it necessary to change any of these dates/times, it will be accomplished by addendum.

All listed times are local in Tallahassee, Florida.

Estimated Calendar of Events Date and

1 Date of Issuance and publication on the Florida Vendor Information Portal (VIP)website at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

8/29/2022

2 Technical Questions Regarding this RFI shall be from prospective Respondents. (NOTE: only email inquiries will be accepted.)

9/6/2022 by 3:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time)

3 Anticipated posting of DEO responses to technical questions to the Florida Vendor Information Portal website (via addendum) at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

9/13/2022 By 5:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time

4 Responses Due 9/15/2022TBD By 3:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time

Addenda or clarifications to this RFI Form will be posted on the Florida Vendor Information Portal (VIP). It is the Respondent’s responsibility to monitor the Florida Vendor Information Portal for any updates to this RFI.

A.6 Questions

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 3 of 10

Any questions from Respondents concerning this RFI shall be submitted via email, identifying the submitter, to Michelle Currie and Vincent McKenzie at Michelle.Currie@deo.myflorida.com and vincent.mckenzie@deo.myflorida.com by the date and time specified in section A.5, Calendar of Events. All questions and/or changes to the RFI will be posted on the Department of Management Services (DMS) Florida Vendor Information Portal (VIP) as an addendum. It is the prospective Respondent’s responsibility to periodically check the VIP for any RFI updates. DEO bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a prospective Respondent’s failure to obtain the information made available through the VIP. Respondent’s questions should be submitted as an attachment via email in the format included in Attachment A– Technical Questions Submittal Form.

Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank mailto:Michelle.Currie@deo.myflorida.com mailto:vincent.mckenzie@deo.myflorida.com

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 4 of 10

SECTION B – INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

B.1 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

Pursuant to Rule 60A-1.042, F.A.C., an agency may request information by issuing a written Request for Information (RFI). Agencies may use a RFI in circumstances including, but not limited to, determining whether or not to competitively procure particular commodities or contractual services, determining what solicitation process to use for a particular need, or research general, special, and/or technical specifications for a solicitation.

The State of Florida, Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), Reemployment Assistance, is requesting information to assist in the identity verification services for the Reemployment Assistance Program’s authentication processes and to secure the customer experience in DEO’s Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits Information System (System). This shall include a full authentication process that identifies a person based on information provided and facial recognition. DEO is seeking information on identity verification solutions and services that deliver:

1. Improved security to address identity verification of users;

2. Adaptability in response to changing needs of DEO;

3. Ensured Reemployment Assistance Program integrity and reduction of fraud risk;

4. Improved services and service delivery;

5. Minimized process complexity and service delivery time;

6. Improved quality of services;

7. Increased transparency levels;

8. Reduced administrative burden and cost; and

9. Adoption of best practices from similar environments.

B.2 BACKGROUND

DEO is seeking information on identity verification services that utilize best practices and provides confidence that the person using the System is the actual person seeking Reemployment Assistance services. This RFI is requesting information on identity verification solutions and services that:

1. Leverage methods where appropriate to reduce risk and lower both short- and long-term costs;

2. Leverage application programming interface (API) based solutions to promote efficient integration, reduce risk, and lower both short- and long-term costs;

3. Follow applicable state and federal requirements for security and compliance;

4. Leverage a sustainable and extensible platform that promotes scalability by using innovative concepts that are suitable to a government setting with funding constraints; and

5. Follow an industry-accepted software engineering methodology, or a hybrid methodology based on industry accepted methodologies and proven best practices, from requirements gathering through deployment to production and during warranty period.

B.3 SPECIFICATIONS

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 5 of 10

DEO seeks information on a solution and the implementation of identity verification services required by a new system to deliver a modern customer-centric solution. Specifically, DEO is seeking information on identity verification solutions and services that:

1. Verify users prior to account creation and login.

2. Verify that the user is human.

3. Verify the user without identification.

4. Allow users to verify their identity with or without using facial recognition.

5. Allow person-to-person identity verification.

6. Provide the results of the identity verifications to a third-party system in real time.

7. Allow users to verify their identity in person.

8. Resist common identification forgery, abuse, and bypass techniques, including, but not limited to, masks, coverings, makeup, another person, or photographs.

9. Allow users to choose person-to-person or self-serve identity verification.

10. Remove users’ images of verification once the verification process is complete.

11. Never share user information to any third parties without documented authorization from DEO.

12. Integrate with Microsoft Azure B2C for the purposes of System authentication.

13. Allow the use of multiple identification documents, including state issued identification cards.

14. Offer other methods of verification, such as knowledge-based authentication.

15. Provide reporting on utilization, including but not limited to successful and failed verifications, suspected fraud, and abandoned sessions.

16. Allow DEO to access verification results as well as the ability to run reports for analytical purposes.

17. Provide fraud reporting to DEO.

18. Provide metrics reporting to DEO.

19. Provide, in real-time, logging and alert data associated with DEO’s environment, in a standard format compatible with common logging and security information and event management (SIEM) products.

20. Allow authentication of identities for people under the age of 18.

21. Ability to use OAuth2.0 and OpenID Connect (OIDC) for authentication.

22. Follow National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines and NIST

800-171 Identification and Authorization controls, where applicable.

23. For any cloud-based technologies utilized in execution of service,

a. Possess Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) authority to operate (ATO) at the “Moderate” impact level or higher.

24. Encrypt all data at-rest and in-transit, using Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3 compliant cryptographic modules.

25. Report any confirmed impact to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of DEO information or services to DEO.

26. Not allow DEO data to traverse networks outside the United States.

27. Allow flexibility for DEO to verify, if needed, customers on their own.

28. Provide technical support 24 hours per day, seven days per week, including holidays.

29. Provide customer helpdesk support 24 hours per day, seven days per week, including holidays.

30. Extensive self-service options for users.

31. A secure customer interface.

32. Accessibilty that provides a user experience with intuitive and easy-to-use features that meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, provides meaningful access in accordance with 29 CFR Part 38, and complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 6 of 10

Act, as amended, and all other applicable state and federal laws and guidance.

33. Optimized for mobile devices (either through responsive design or mobile applications).

34. Accept information from B2C to establilsh the same user among DEO’s various solutions supporting the

System.

B.4 GOALS

DEO’s goal is to gain Information on the implementation of an identity verification service and solution compatible with Microsoft’s B2C solution for multi-factor authentication.

B.5 OBJECTIVES

To use the results from this RFI to determine whether or not to competitively procure particular commodities or contractual services, determine what solicitation process to use for this particular need, and to research general, special, and/or technical specifications for a solicitation, per Rule 60A-1.042, F.A.C.

B.6 PROCESS

Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by DEO subject matter experts for informational purposes only and will not result in the award of a contract. This is an RFI as defined by section 287.012(22), F.S.. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by DEO to form a binding contract. §287.012(22), Fla. Stat. (2022).

Information received in response to this RFI, however, may be used to develop future procurements.

Respondents to this RFI will not be prohibited from submitting bids to such future procurements based solely on having responded to this RFI. §287.057(19)(c), Fla. Stat. (2022). DEO will review responses received from this RFI to determine the feasibility of issuing a competitive solicitation for services or commodities. Any request for cost information is for budget purposes only.

B.7 INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

The instructions for this RFI were designed to help ensure all responses are reviewed in a consistent manner.

The response must include:

1. Information Acknowledgement Form

Respondents are required to complete, sign, and return the “Information Acknowledgment Form” with their submittal. This form must be completed and signed by a representative who is authorized to provide information on behalf of the Respondent.

If a Respondent fails to submit a signed Information Acknowledgment Form with their reply, DEO reserves the right to contact the Respondent by telephone to inform the Respondent to submit this document by email, which is then followed by a submission through the mail. This right may be exercised when the Respondent has met all other requirements of the RFI.

In the event more than one Respondent submits a joint response, each Respondent of the joint response must complete and sign a separate Information Acknowledgement Form.

2. Details

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 7 of 10

Interested Respondents must include the following information in their responses:

1. A description of the solution the Respondent is proposing and how that solution meets the requirements and specifications described in sections B.1, B.2, and B.3.

2. The estimated cost, duration, and State resource levels necessary to successfully implement the proposed identity verification solution.

3. The estimated annual costs for ongoing identity verification services.

4. Respondent’s history with all similar systems, organizational structure, and contact information for each reference: Name, title, phone number, and email address;

5. Respondent’s experience with contemporary technology that can be applied to the Reemployment

Assistance System processes to create a more flexible and responsive environment; and

6. Any other information that Respondent wishes to supply in response to this RFI.

B.8 RESPONSE

RFI responses are to be submitted electronically via email to the address(s) specified in Section A.4, Purchasing Office. Responses should be prepared in accordance with the instructions provided in this RFI. DEO is not responsible for and will not reimburse any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of information in response to this RFI.

This is strictly a RFI, and in no way does this RFI bind DEO to solicit bids or proposals in the future. However, in no way does submittal of information pursuant to this RFI give any Respondent any advantage in any solicitation if DEO elects to solicit bids/proposals in the future.

B.9 ORAL PRESENTATION AGENDA

Based upon the completeness of the response, DEO, at its sole discretion, may invite Respondents for an oral presentation. Each presentation will be scheduled from one to two hours depending on the response and should include the following:

1. A high-level overview of the solution highlighting the core agency processes the product addresses, including customer references for the product where it is currently installed;

2. The Respondent should be prepared to discuss its experience and competency in the design, development, and support of their identity verification solution, training and knowledge transfer activities, operations and maintenance of the proposed identity verification solution, and, if applicable, any additional vendors the Respondent partnered with to provide a complete solution;

3. A discussion about the approach taken in previous implementations, challenges and risks encountered, and mitigating factors taken into consideration; and

4. Opportunities for Questions and Answers.

B.10 RESPONSE DATE

RFI responses are due, via email, at the time and date specified in Section A.5, “Calendar of Events” in the Purchasing Office, 107 East Madison Street, Room B-047, Caldwell Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.

RFI responses received by DEO are subject to production, disclosure, inspection, and copying, in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 8 of 10

B.11 DISCLOSURE AND OWNERSHIP OF RESPONSES BY DEO

A Respondent’s response shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection, and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

B.12 RESPONDENT’S DUTIES TO ASSERT EXEMPTION FROM DISCLOSURE AS A PUBLIC RECORD

Any response content submitted to DEO which is asserted to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record shall be set forth on a page or pages separate from the rest of the reply and clearly marked “exempt,” “confidential,” or “trade secret” (as applicable), with the state (Florida) or federal statutory basis for such claim of exemption specifically identified in writing on each and every such page. Failure to segregate and so identify any such content shall constitute a waiver of any claimed exemption as applied to the portion of the response or other document in which the content is set forth.

Any claim of exemption from public disclosure is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth above.

DEO will attempt to afford protection from disclosure of any trade secret as defined in section 812.081(1)(f), F.S., or section 688.002, F.S., where identified as such in the response, to the extent permitted under section 815.045, F.S., or section 288.075, F.S., and Chapter 119, F.S. Each Respondent acknowledges that the protection afforded by section 815.045, F.S., is incomplete, and hereby agrees that no remedy for damages may arise from any disclosure by DEO.

DEO takes its public records responsibilities under Chapter 119, F.S., and Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution, very seriously. If a Respondent considers any portion of the documents, data, or record submitted in response to this RFI to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record, the Respondent must also provide DEO with a separate Redacted Copy of its response, in hard copy and on compact disk, at the time of reply submission.

This Redacted Copy shall contain DEO’s RFI name, number, and the name of the Respondent on the cover, and shall be clearly titled “Redacted Copy.” The Redacted Copy shall be provided to DEO at the same time the Respondent submits its reply to the RFI and must only exclude or obliterate those exact portions which are exempted by law from public disclosure. Each individual portion of the Redacted Copy that Respondent asserts is confidential must contain a citation to the specific Florida or federal law making the content of the redacted portion confidential.

If it is determined the response does not contain any information which is exempted by law from public disclosure, Respondent shall provide as part of the response, a written statement to that effect which is executed by an authorized representative of the Respondent’s company with legal authority to make this determination on behalf of the Respondent.

Respondent shall protect, defend, and indemnify, save and hold harmless, DEO from any and all claims, demands, liabilities, and suits of any nature arising out of, because of, or due to the failure of, DEO releasing information redacted by the Respondent, and to further indemnify DEO for any other loss DEO incurs due to any claim being made against DEO regarding portions of its Redacted Copy being confidential, proprietary, trade secret, or otherwise not subject to disclosure. DEO expressly retains all rights, benefits, and immunities of sovereign immunity in accordance with section 768.28, F.S., and nothing in this RFI shall be deemed a waiver of sovereign immunity or limits of liability beyond any statutory waiver.

B.13 RIGHTS TO DATA AND COPYRIGHT

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 9 of 10

Writings, publications, films, videos, technical reports, equipment, computer hardware and software, recordings, computer programs, computerized data bases, data processing programs, pictorial reproductions, maps, drawings, specifications, graphical representations, and works of similar nature (whether copyrighted or not copyrighted), which are submitted with a response or specified to be delivered under a project contract shall be maintained by DEO and may be released as public records. Additionally any writings, publications, films, videos, technical reports, equipment, computer hardware and software, recordings, computer programs, computerized data bases, data processing programs, pictorial reproductions, maps, drawings, specifications, graphical representations, or works of similar nature (whether copyrighted or not copyrighted), which are developed or produced and paid for in whole or in part by contract funds become the property of DEO except as may otherwise be provided in the contract.

Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

DEO Solicitation No.: 23-RFI-001-MC, Page 10 of 10

ATTACHMENT A

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS SUBMITTAL FORM

Respondents shall complete this form based on their questions relating to this RFI. The completed form shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided in A.6. The electronic response must be submitted as a Microsoft Word file format. This form may be expanded as needed to facilitate responses to this requirement.

Respondent’s Name: ________________________________________

Respondent Question Number*

RFI Page Number, Section

Number, Subsection Reference*

Question*

*Add rows as necessary.

**Authorized Representative’s Signature

**Typed Name and Title of Authorized Representative

**This individual must have the authority to provide this Response.