QAs.pdf
PDF 229 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 70US0926ES0001
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document for a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the United States Secret Service (USSS) under RFI number 70US0926ES0001 regarding 3rd Party Airline Travel Information access. The document clarifies Government requirements for a vendor-hosted database solution to replace an existing commercial database used for law enforcement travel data queries.
The USSS seeks a vendor that already possesses established data-sharing agreements with airlines and online travel agencies and maintains an existing database currently used for law enforcement purposes. The vendor must provide direct access to travel data covering major U.S. and international carriers, supporting fuzzy matching and alias searching capabilities. Data access must comply with the Privacy Act of 1974, applicable DHS/USSS law enforcement authorities, relevant federal regulations, and vendor-provided Systems of Records Notices and Privacy Impact Assessments. Near-real-time access is acceptable provided it meets operational law enforcement needs. The solution must be vendor-hosted (not requiring DHS enclave hosting or integration with existing USSS investigative systems) and deliver results via secure API-driven or portal-based solutions rather than encrypted email, with priority queuing mechanisms for exigent requests. All delivered data and investigative results must reside within Government-controlled infrastructure to maintain evidentiary chain-of-custody and retention requirements. USSS requires FIPS 140-2/140-3 encryption standards. The document indicates that examples of past law enforcement integrations may be requested as deliverables in a future RFQ, though not required for this RFI phase.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Party Flight Information RFI.docx | DOCX document |
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UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE
DHS/USSS 3rd Party Airline Travel Information (RFI) 70US0926ES0001 Questions & Responses:
1. Does the Government anticipate that vendors will already have established data-sharing agreements with airlines and online travel agencies, or is the Government considering facilitating access under existing authorities?
a. The Government requires that the vendor already possesses established data-sharing agreements with airlines and online travel agencies, and maintains a database currently used for law enforcement purposes. The vendor must be able to provide direct access to travel data without additional facilitation by the Government.
2. What statutory or regulatory authorities would govern access to passenger and ticketing data for this tool?
a. Access to passenger and ticketing data must comply with the Privacy Act of 1974, applicable DHS/USSS law enforcement authorities, and relevant federal regulations governing the use of dissemination of travel data.
3. Are there Privacy Act, SORN, or PIA considerations already established for this effort?
a. Yes, the vendor must demonstrate compliance with Privacy Act requirements, provide relevant System of Records Notices (SORNs), and have an established Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for their database and data delivery process.
4. Is real-time access required, or is near-real-time acceptable?
a. Near-real-time access is acceptable, provided the vendor’s database can deliver timely information to USSS to meet operational law enforcement needs.
5. Should the system support fuzzy matching or alias searching?
a. Yes, the vendor’s solution must support fuzzy matching and alias searching to enhance investigative effectiveness.
6. Are international carriers in scope?
a. Yes, the database must include data from both domestic and international carriers.
7. Will this integrate with existing USSS investigative systems?
a. No
8. Will hosting be required within a DHS enclave?
a. No
9. Is a pilot or a prototype phase included?
a. No, the government is looking for an existing database.
10. Is this a new requirement?
a. Yes, this is a new requirement to replace an existing commercial database used by the United States Secret Service for law enforcement travel data queries.
11. Does the Government envision this capability being delivered as a fully vendor-hosted SaaS solution, or as a government-owned capability deployed within a DHS-approved cloud environment (e.g., AWS GovCloud or Azure Government)?
a. The Government seeks a vendor-hosted solution with an existing database, capable of delivering travel data directly to United States Secret Service.
12. Is the Government’s preference to align this capability with existing DHS enterprise cloud environments and ATO frameworks to ensure integration with current security controls and identity management infrastructure?
a. No
13. Should all search results and derived investigative data reside within Government-controlled infrastructure to support evidentiary chain-of-custody and long-term retention requirements?
a. Yes, all delivered data, and investigative results must reside within Government- controlled infrastructure to support evidentiary chain-of-custody and retention requirements.
14. Would the Government consider a secure, API-driven or portal-based solution deployed within a government cloud enclave as an alternative to encrypted email delivery, to improve auditability and scalability?
a. Yes, secure API driven or portal-based solutions would be preferred.
15. Which specific airlines, travel agencies (beyond Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity), or Global
Distribution System (GDS) Systems are required for this tool to query?
a. Replacement must cover major U.S. and International airlines.
16. For exigent requests, how will priority queuing be managed?
a. The vendor must provide mechanisms for priority queuing and expediated delivery of information for demanding demands of exigent law enforcement requests.
17. Will there be options for API-based delivery or a web portal for results other than encrypted email?
a. Yes, API-based delivery and web portal access are required options for secure and efficient data delivery.
18. What encryption standards and delivery formats does USSS require?
a. USSS requires FIPS 140-2/140-3.
19. Could you please provide examples of past integrations with law enforcement for similar flight data queries?
a. No, however this may be a deliverable requested during a future RFQ and possibly provide examples of database’s integration with law enforcement agencies for flight and travel data queries demonstrating proven capability.
UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE
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