70RSAT26RFI000015 AIMLDS Support RFI .pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 70RSAT26RFI000015

Title: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science (AI/ML/DS) Technical Support Services

NOTE: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and market research planning purposes. This RFI shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government. This is NOT a Request for Quotations or Proposals. No solicitation document exists, and the Government may or may not issue a formal solicitation as a result of the responses received to this RFI.

The Government will not pay for any response or demonstration expenses. All costs incurred responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Failure to respond to this RFI will not preclude participation in any future solicitation. Any information received will become the property of the Government and will not be returned to the submitter. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or sensitive information.

The Government’s explicit intent, in this request for information, is to not receive from respondents any proprietary data, trade secrets, business sensitive information, or information considered CONFIDENTIAL under 18 U.S.C. §1905. The Government’s constraint does not in any way relieve contractors from their responsibility to properly mark proprietary data when it is provided, nor does it alleviate any requirement for the Government to protect marked data. The Government is not obligated to protect unmarked data.

The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government and will not be returned.

DESCRIPTION

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) requires professional scientific, technical and programmatic assistance services to support development of advanced passenger and baggage screening technologies and automated image analysis software for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA projects passenger screening throughput will increase over the next decade from 3 million to 10 million passengers per day, which will require new and advanced passenger and baggage screening technologies to handle these projected loads while simultaneously improving passenger experience. The overall intent of this technical effort is to provide artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science expertise and experience for research, development, and assessment of technologies for improving the security, throughput, and passenger experience at airport checkpoints and similar environments. The specific intent of this technical effort is to apply artificial intelligence, machine learning (AIML), and data science (DS) expertise and experience towards supporting, developing, and delivering various AIML and DS tools to improve checkpoint screening throughput and related equities. This includes conducting and providing independent evaluations, supporting testing, validation, and standards development, evaluating and analyzing AIML and DS tools, developing and evaluating automated image analysis software and algorithms, supporting development and interpretation of open architecture data and metadata standards, and supporting and creating algorithm training, validation, testing and assurance tools for advanced screening and related technologies.

The S&T Office of Mission and Capability Support (MCS) currently oversees S&T’s Research and Development (R&D) programs. Task Order 70RSAT23FR0000088 provides AIML technical support for the Office of Mission and Capability Support’s R&D programs. It has a ceiling value of $5,906,107 with a period of performance through 6/2/2026. The NAICS code for the task order is 541611 with a PSC of R408.

PURPOSE OF THIS RFI

The purposes of this RFI are:

1) To gain an understanding of the capabilities of small businesses to support DHS S&T’s AI/ML/DS requirements.

2) To gain an understanding of Industry’s capabilities to support DHS S&T’s AI/ML/DS requirements.

3) Conduct market research for a potential task order under the GSA OASIS+ contract vehicle.

INFORMATION REQUEST

Interested parties should submit responses addressing the following:

1. Describe your experience as it relates to research and development, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing of actions associated with various project management knowledge areas including project integration, scope management, project resource management, and project stakeholder management.

2. Describe your understanding, experience, and show examples in providing AIML and DS technical support, expertise, and deliverables specifically in support of AIML and DS advanced passenger and baggage screening technologies and similar environments.

3. Describe your scope and experience in attaining and maintaining the volume and expertise levels of staff associated with this prospective acquisition. Specifically, address your capability to provide including specific technical experience with the application, testing, and validation of AIML and DS techniques to algorithm development, testing and evaluation to advanced passenger and baggage screening technologies and similar environments. Include examples of how you have successfully supported similar requirements in the past.

4. If your company currently lacks the capability or experience in any of the three areas above, provide a plan describing how your company would address and remedy such capability gaps. Include strategies for acquiring necessary expertise, resources, or partnerships to ensure successful performance and compliance with all requirements

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Interested parties are invited to address the questions pertaining to ST support services identified in this RFI. The total submission page count shall not exceed 4 pages (one page per question), Times New Roman, Font Size 11, excluding the cover page. Only one submission will be reviewed per vendor for this RFI. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Emails with attachments larger than 5 MB shall be broken down into multiple emails with no one attachment exceeding 5 MB. Each electronic submission shall include:

- RFI number 70RSAT26RFI000015 and “S&T ST AI/ML/DS Technical Support Services” in the Subject Line

- If the submission includes more than one electronic email, please include the file number and total files being submitted (e.g., File 1 of 4, File 2 of 4, etc.) in the Subject Line

- Responses must have a cover letter that includes the following information:

o Company Name o Company Address o Point of Contact, phone number, and email address of the point of contact regarding any correspondence between the Government and the vendor o SAM Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number o Company’s Size and Socio-Economic Status information for NAICS code 541611 o Technical Point of Contact(s) (Name, title, email, and phone number) o Contracting Point of Contact(s) (Name, title, email, and phone number) o GSA contract(s): contract numbers and contractor’s socioeconomic status

• If OASIS+ contracts are held, list of domains where the contractor has contracts

Submissions containing sensitive or proprietary information are discouraged unless excluding such information would inhibit vendors’ ability to provide a complete submission. Only unclassified submissions will be accepted. Submitters are cautioned that AI responses will not be reviewed or considered capable of fulfilling the Government’s requirements. Likewise, responses that are merely capability statements that do not respond to the four questions in the Information Request will not be reviewed or considered capable of fulfilling the Government’s requirements.

All Responses shall be submitted to the Office of Procurement Operations (OPO) at the following email addresses: Jennifer.Koons@hq.dhs.gov no later than NOON Eastern Time, May 12, 2026.

The Government reserves the right to hold one-on-one meetings as a result of responses received from this RFI as part of its market research. Meetings may be held in particular with vendors who provide comprehensive responses to the questions posed.

mailto:Jennifer.Koons@hq.dhs.gov