RFI 47HAA024N0008 Q and A -Government Respones - 06-03-2024.pdf

Questions and Answers for RFI 47HAA024N0008 Title: REIMBURSABLE WORK AUTHORIZATION PROCESSING REPLACEMENT

# Offeror's QuestionsSection # Government Response

Would you kindly confirm if this is an entirely new effort or is there an incumbent currently providing these services? If so, would you please provide the incumbent contract number?

4 Would you please provide an approximate timeline for the RFP release?

"The solution can comprise multiple applications and systems, but it shall provide an integrated user experience."How do you best define "integrated user experience"

"All interested parties shall furnish the following information: "High level description of client base for similar services Do you have one current client of similar services and size? Do you have one former client of similar services and size? Number of customers Geographic distribution of customers Who is your largest customer? Potentials for conflict of interest in the customer base." How many past performance references are desired for this response?

"The solution shall allow GSA customers to submit work requests, which are routed to various POCs for review, processing, and approval, resulting in a formal interagency agreement, an RWA, to execute the requested work." Could you please clarify the specific roles and responsibilities of the various points of contact (POCs) involved in the review, processing, and approval of work requests? Who are the GSA customer agencies?

Is a new requirement or if there is an incumbent that fulfilled the same/similar services?

please release the contractor's names and the contract numbers?

Modernization of the RWA process is a new effort. This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

Modernization of the RWA process is a new effort. This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

The government estimated timeframe to release a RFP is 3rd quater fiscal year 2025.

An Integrated user experience is defined as pulling in or pushing data from/to other systems using APIs, ETLS, etc, as to limit or eliminate redundant data entry.

Minimum of 3 past performance references are required.

Minimum of 11 various contacts involved in WR assignment and RWA review and approval. List and workflow becomes larger and more complex based on project parameters. There are over 330 Customer agencies:

federal agencies in addition to some non-government entities.

Introduction page 3

Section 4 page 9

Section 1. Introduction, Page 3

"The RWA system enables internal GSA and external customer agency users to initiate, amend, review, digitally sign, and submit work requests, Reimbursable Work Authorizations (RWAs or GSA Form 2957) and RWA cost estimates entirely online." Are there specifc compliance or regulatory requirements for digital signatures that we need to be aware of? Is there an existing, preferred, or pre-approved digital signature tool?

"The ability to create and maintain various templates of Cost Estimates for all RWAs, including application of a variable fee." Could you provide more details on the structure and calculation of the variable fee? Are there specific formulas or factors that need to be considered?

13 Is there a current contract through which this work is being performed?

14 Is there an incumbent? If so, can the government identify this entity?

15 What is the current Cost Model for maintaining the existing Application and Systems?

16 When is the anticipated RFP release date?

Section 2. Background, Page 4

Section 3.1 Functional Requirements, Page 6

Section 3.1 Functional Requirements, Page 6

Section 3.1 Page 6

Section 3.2 Technical Requirements, Page 8

Existing signature solution is an API connection to DocuSign.

Information on GSA's current RWA fee structure is available at

Calculations on how to derive the fee will be provided by GSA. The fee structure and application is subject to change and must be configurable within the application The system does not currently have a buisiness rules engine. Current business rules are defined and all existing business rules are currently hard coded into the application. Additional business rules are currently being developed and defined.

The existing application intends to use information from approximately 12 different GSA systems to validate data.

Business rules: there are approximately 700-1000 individual business processes, each process containsts of somewhere between 5 - 50 steps per process, and each step has can have up to 2-10 subprocesses.

GSA has a independent financial system which receives authorized amount (budget) agreement data from the application. The financial system manages obligations, committment, expenses, billing, and collections and provides information to the application for display and to utilize for calculations. The information is currently passed through a direct connection flat file.

GSA currently utilizes data from approximately 12 different GSA systems to validate data. Existing integrations utilize various data integrations e.g flat files, APIs and ETLs

This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

N/A. The RFI is for a new requirement.

See question 4 https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/real-estate-services/reimbursable-services-program/policy-and-guidance.

"Allow nearly all fields to be validated using complex business rules against data in other parts of the system and against data from other GSA systems." Could you clarify the types of complex business rules at hand? The external GSA systems that need to be integrated for data validation? How well are the business rules defined and documented?

What financial information is this, and where is it coming from?

Can you provide a list of the existing PBS systems and applications that require integration, along with their respective APIs or data formats?

What is the appetite for reusing all the COTS that are already present? Will a new solution that will encompass the responsibility of maintaining the old existing COTS be acceptable? Or is there a plan, say, to use Servicenow, more in future?

“It pulls the actual RWA financial results from the financial systems.” Is there a plan to consolidate Financial systems to one or a few?

19 Under Item 3: ● Provide data validation: Has the quality of data validation been acceptable

The system architecture shall allow changes to be made with ease, ensuring minimal impact throughout the system and minimal cost to implement.Is there a benchmark to grade this against? Any KPIs already thought of?

Per Apendix1, it is noted that the existing set of systems are mostly built on custom platforms using various technologies as on-premises solutions. Not knowing your current challenges on maintaining or upgrading all systems and applications to keep your ATO active, would you consider using commercial off the shelf products that can be highly configured to meet your functional requirements with a user license cost that may be comparable to your existing cost model of your current custom applications?

24 Who is the current incumbent (if any) related to the sources sought?

25 What is the incumbent's current project/job/contract number?

26 Is the agency open to placing the prospective requirement into the 8(a) program?

Yes The existing application will need to remain active while the new application is being developed and tested. This scope does not include maintaining the existing application.

1 (First paragraph), Page 5 No page 5 Yes. However business rules are currently in being modified and data validation rules are being redefined.

page 5 No. We expect a significant effort to improve automated communications and related workflows.

There is currently no benchmark or KPIs for this requirement. However, we welcome any suggestions from the vendor. The government requirement is for changes to the application to be made quickly using Agile processes with very little development time and cost.

page 6 The government will work together with the vendor to ensure all legal implications are addressed.

Appendix 1 Yes

This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

This is a new requirement and there is not an incumbent.

Yes, we are open. However, we are still in the market research phase.

Automated communications: Have the customer been happy with the quality and frequency of automated comms?

The ability to migrate all existing records into the new system even if they are incomplete or conflict with current business rules.Can we be sure that this may not have legal implications in future?