Warehouse Scanner_RFI.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Department of Homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency Logistics Management Directorate / Office of Response and Recovery

Logistics Supply Chain Management System Warehouse Scanning Devices

RFI # 70FA3125I00000001

October 3, 2024

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SUMMARY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is researching innovative solutions for modernizing its handheld scanning devices used within climate controlled and unconditioned warehouse environments. As part of the research, FEMA is issuing this RFI to gather vendor information pertaining to availability of devices that will meet our requirements. FEMA is reaching out to industry to identify product offerings that may support the agency in achieving its modernization objective.

This notice is not a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Quotation (RFQ), an Invitation for Bids, a Solicitation, or an indication that the Government will contract for the items contained in this notice. This RFI is part of government market research efforts to determine the scope of industry capabilities and will be utilized for informational and planning purposes only.

The purpose of this RFI is to receive responses to the list of questions provided by FEMA.

Information regarding this specific requirement is included in this notice for reference.

Interested parties must submit sufficient documentation in accordance with the instructions in this RFI and current industry best practices and standards, demonstrating their ability/experience to meet or exceed the Government’s requirements listed in this notice. FEMA is not, at this time, seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals.

GENERAL INFORMATION: In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responses to this RFI are strictly voluntary and the Government will not pay respondents for information provided in response to this RFI. 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. Respondents will not receive additional information in response to their submittal and respondents will not be notified of the results of the review. If a solicitation is issued, the Government does not guarantee that it will be issued to RFI respondents. Please note that this RFI does not restrict the Government's acquisition approach on a future solicitation.

Small businesses are encouraged to provide responses to this RFI, to assist FEMA in determining the potential levels of interest, competition, and technical capability within the Small Business community.

After reviewing responses to this RFI, FEMA may allow responders to provide a demonstration of their devices for the purpose of market research.

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMERS: Respondents shall identify any proprietary information in its RFI response. Information submitted in response to this RFI will be used at the discretion of the Government. Further, the information submitted will remain confidential insofar as permitted by law, including the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts.

FEMA reserves the right to utilize any non-proprietary technical information in the anticipated requirements document or solicitation.

Although it is not necessary to address in their response, respondents shall be aware of any potential, actual, or perceived organizational conflicts of interests. Any real or potential conflicts must be sufficiently mitigated prior to a contract award. For further guidance, refer to the FAR Part 9.5.

RFI OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of the RFI is to acquire market research on rugged wireless device availability, capability, and functionality in support of FEMA warehouse operations.

Devices will be used in FEMA Distribution Centers and enduring sites as handheld warehouse scanners. Scanners will be used to scan linear barcodes (font 3 of 9 extended / 39) on pallets and barcoded rack locations to conduct processes in the Warehouse Management system, including receiving, inventory management, and shipping. Communication between each scanner and server is an SSH session with a curses interface. Currently preparing for Zero trust planning support by integration of a CAC/PIV reader to the device to authenticate with our IFEMS zero client solution.

Warehouse racking will have the highest pallet barcodes at approximately 28 feet high, and the highest rack location labels shall be approximately 25 feet high. Warehouse aisles will be approximately 9-10 feet wide.

Minimum Requirements: Viable devices would need required FIPS 140-2 certification for use in government systems and would also require PIV access.

Preferred: Among viable options, FEMA would also prefer to minimize the need to use a scissor lift at warehouse facilities and maximize barcode scanning heights from the ground level. A long-range scan engine would be preferred in order to maximize scanning distance. Use would be primarily indoors, but indoor/outdoor use capability would be preferred.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ESTIMATED NEED BY: March 2025

RFI RESPONSE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested contractors shall submit their RFI responses electronically in narrative or tabular format to Staciellyn Chapman, staciellyn.chapman@fema.dhs.gov by November 4, 2024, 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST). No phone calls will be accepted or returned. All RFI submissions shall be sent with “RFI Response for FEMA Warehouse Scanning Devices” as the email subject. RFI responses shall include the following information in the order below:

A. Cover Page

• Company Name/Division, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number and website

• Company Point of Contact name, title, telephone number and email address mailto:staciellyn.chapman@fema.dhs.gov

• UEI Number, Cage Code, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.) Please note that companies must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) to receive an award from federal agencies.

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

• Applicable NAICS codes under which the company customarily does business

• Company size and socioeconomic status, including one or more of the following:

o 8(a) firm (must be certified by SBA) o Small Disadvantaged Business (must be certified by SBA) o Women-Owned Small Business o HUB-Zone firm (must be certified by SBA) o Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business o Large Business

• GSA Schedule Number, Contract Number, and Period of Performance and/or DHS Strategic Sourcing Vehicle Category Name and Contract Number, if applicable

B. Capability Statement

As applicable, describe 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.

C. Responses to Questions

The responses received will assist FEMA with identifying the number and nature of the entities that consider themselves potential providers. Each respondent, by submitting a response, agrees that any cost incurred in response to this RFI, or in support of activities associated with this RFI, shall be the sole responsibility of the respondent. FEMA shall incur no obligations or liabilities whatsoever, to anyone, for any costs or expenses incurred by the respondent in responding to this

RFI.

All responses shall be unclassified, with proprietary information clearly marked. The document format shall be either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) formats. Pages shall be 8.5 by 11 inch and shall use a type of pitch that is no smaller than a standard 11-point font type, except for charts, graphs, or tables, which shall use a pitch not smaller than 10-point font. Responses shall not exceed ten (10) pages in length including images, displays, charts, graphs, and tables. Page limitation does not include: one (1) cover page. Do not include promotional materials.

QUESTIONS FOR INDUSTRY

Interested parties are requested to submit responses to the following questions with sufficient information to facilitate FEMA’s understanding of industry and technology capabilities and shortcomings.

1. Please identify the devices and the specifications of those devices that you believe would meet FEMA’s needs.

2. What operating system is used on those devices?

3. Are those devices FIPS 140-2 compliant?

4. What hardware maintenance support plans are available for those devices?

5. What peripherals are available for those devices?

6. What is the anticipated end of life date for those devices?

7. Does your device meet the specifications in the chart on page 3?

8. Describe your experience authenticating to a secure federal network (802.11 wireless configured to use WPA-2).

9. Regarding security:

a. Do you or the manufacturer have a dedicated team to assess and respond to security vulnerability reports in your/their products?

b. What is your or the manufacturer’s vulnerability response process?

c. What process improvements have you or the manufacturer made as a result of vulnerabilities reported in your product?

d. What is your or the manufacturer’s patch release strategy?

e. What training do you or the manufacturer’s development and testing groups receive on security?

f. What percentage of your or the manufacturer’s test team is focused on security?

g. Do you or the manufacturer’s company monitor the latest attack trends in the underground community and consider how those trends may affect the product?

h. Do you or the manufacturer patch all currently supported and vulnerable versions the platform at the same time?

i. What are the terms and period of the security support agreement?

The responses to this RFI will be reviewed by staff from the FEMA Logistics Management Directorate Logistics Supply Chain Management Systems Program Management Team and might be used to develop requirements for future acquisitions. After reviewing responses to this RFI, FEMA may allow respondents to provide a demonstration of their devices for the purpose of market research.

DHS/FEMA intends to assess submittals in response to this RFI/Sources Sought Notice;

however, this RFI is for market research purposes only. Any questions submitted along with your response may or may not be answered.