FEMA_RFI_No._70FA3019I00000006__Virtual_Reality_Augmented_Reality_Solutions.pdf

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Request for Information

Logistics Supply Chain Management System

Virtual Reality/ Augmented Reality Solutions

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Logistics Management Directorate

Office of Response and Recovery

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1) Synopsis

This is a Request for Information (RFI) to gauge the market for Virtual Reality/Augmented

Reality (VR/AR) solutions. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of

Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is researching innovative solutions, technologies, and services for using VR/AR solutions to improve its logistics training program. FEMA is reaching out to industry to identify product and service offerings that may support the agency in achieving its objective.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 10.002(b)(2)(i) this notice is issued for the purpose of market research. This request is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or an indication the government will contract for the items contained in this notice. This notice is not to be construed as an acquisition Request for Proposal (RFP), nor is any commitment on the part of the government to award a contract implied, nor does the government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The government does not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this notice. Any response received will not be used as a proposal. FEMA is not, at this time, seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals.

After reviewing responses to this RFI, FEMA may allow respondees to provide a demonstration of their technology or solution.

2) Purpose

The purpose of the RFI is to acquire market research on availability, capability and functionality of (VR/AR) tools that can be used to create immersed environments to support Logistics

Systems positions. This includes: Field Operations, Transportation, Warehouses, Regions, and the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) roles. FEMA is seeking industry input on

VR/AR capabilities that could potentially enhance our future capabilities and provide improved training and exercise support functionality.

3) Background

FEMA’s Logistics Management Directorate (LMD) is the program office responsible for policy, guidance, standards, execution and governance of agency logistics support, services and operations. One of LMD’s function is to provide an effective training for the Logistics Supply

Chain Management System (LSCMS), a key supply chain management system utilized by

FEMA for managing the supply chain commodities to prepare for steady state, disaster and emergency situations.

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The LSCMS tracks and reports the location of commodities for real time management and provides real time visibility of inventory levels at all Distribution Centers (DCs), Incident

Support Bases (ISBs), and Transportable Temporary Housing Unit (TTHU) sites. Additionally, LSCMS provides visibility of materiel delivered to state staging areas and local Points of

Distribution (PODs).

The LSCMS Program completed the implementation of the Manhattan Associates (MA)

Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) 2016 version Software Suite in June of 2017 and migrated to the cloud in 2019.

Since 2017 the Logistics Systems Division (LSD) currently provides system training for all

LSCMS users. In 2019 the LSCMS began piloting role-based field training that included a small virtual VR/AR environment as a pilot to determine the success of the new vision of training.

The environment has been well received by LMD leadership. The training program would like to leverage new technology with what has already been created to provide the ability to send a secure program to a wider group of learners.

4) FEMA VR/AR Solution

Vendors capable of and interested in providing VR/AR capabilities should review and answer relevant questions in Section 4.1 of this document. Vendors are requested to provide a description of their capabilities or suggestions as they relate to the questions provided in Section

4.1. As a formal evaluation of the responses to this RFI will not be conducted, FEMA does not anticipate providing feedback and/or evaluation information to any firm responding to this RFI.

However, FEMA may request additional information or conduct open exchanges of information with RFI respondents as deemed necessary.

4.1 Capabilities

4.1.1 VR/AR Technology

1) Describe your VR/AR product (“product”).

2) Describe the interactive story elements (i.e: animations) the product provides.

3) Provide the names of other federal agencies you currently are working with or have worked with within the past three (3) years.

4) Which devices are compatible with your product?

5) Explain whether the product is required to use interactive VR goggles, or if it can be executed using only a laptop, tablet or mobile device.

6) How many users can access your product simultaneously?

7) Is your product Speech to Text/Text to Speech capable?

8) Explain your During/After Action Review Process.

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4.1.2 Interoperability/ hosting

1) Is your product compatible with any Learning Management Systems?

2) Is your company able to host (i.e. in the Cloud) the solution for FEMA for a period of time?

4.1.3 Security

1) What security features, if any, are included or available for the device and any associated software?

2) Is the product currently being used by other federal agencies?

3) Is the solution FEDRAMP certified and at what level (Medium or High)?

4.1.4 Training Design

1) Is your product primarily designed for soft-skills or technical ‘hard’ skills training?

2) Does your product allow for trainers to virtually advise/coach users during scenarios?

3) Does your product allow trainers to track analytics and report assessment data on users’ competency during scenarios?

4) Are the virtual characters nuanced enough to represent information such as cooperation level, mood, expressions, or nonverbal behavior to afford role-players interpersonal communication learning?

5) Does your product link other software training environments, such as LSCMS training software, into virtual reality in order to non-linearly influence scenario development?

6) Can Subject Matter Experts (SME), such as logisticians, easily and quickly adjust virtual reality scenario parameters and data in order to increase/decrease challenge difficulty?

7) How does your product simulate the way by which role-players communicate with and learn from each other when trying to solve a problem in the virtual environment?

4.2 Response Format Requested

Your answers must be provided in narrative or tabular format no later than 5:00 pm EST on Thursday, October 3, 2019 to Ms. Herma Banks at herma.banks@fema.dhs.gov.

Responses are limited to a maximum of 15 pages and no smaller than 12 font size.

In addition to responding to questions under Section 4.1 Capabilities above, if applicable, you are encouraged to provide any additional information on products that your company provides, along with a brief description of the approach your organization would take in providing the products contemplated in this RFI.

The responses to this RFI will be reviewed by staff from the FEMA Logistics Management

Directorate Logistics Supply Chain Management System Training Program and used to develop requirements for future acquisitions.

mailto:herma.banks@fema.dhs.gov

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4.3 Information for the Response

The release of this RFI does not guarantee that the government will complete an acquisition award. This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for bids, proposals, or quotes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the government to issue a request for proposal/quote or award of a contract as a result of this request.

This announcement is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quote (RFQ). The government will not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with information submitted in response to this request.

Small and 8(a) businesses are strongly encouraged to provide responses to this RFI, in order to assist FEMA in determining the potential levels of interest, competition, and technical capability within the Small Business community. In addition, the responses to this RFI will also be used to assist FEMA in establishing a basis for developing any subsequent potential subcontract plan small business goal percentages. Responses are encouraged from all groups such as:

· Small Business Community

· Service Disabled-Veteran Owned Small Businesses

· Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

· Women-owned Small Businesses

· HUBZone Small Businesses

· Small Disadvantaged Businesses

· Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions

· Small Business Joint Ventures, Consortiums and Teaming Partners

This request for information is issued to assist the agency in performing market research to determine whether there are qualified and capable Small Businesses to provide the aforementioned service.

4.4 How to Deliver the Response

• Questions and requests for clarifications on this RFI must be received no later than

5:00 pm EST, Wednesday, September 18, 2019 via email to herma.banks@fema.dhs.gov.

• Response to this RFI MUST be submitted via email to herma.banks@fema.dhs.gov.

• Response Due Date: Responses should be submitted no later than 5:00 pm EST on

Thursday, October 3, 2019.

mailto:herma.banks@fema.dhs.gov mailto:herma.banks@fema.dhs.gov

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Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and must be clearly marked. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information.