Questions and Answers_BMeD DAMS.pdf

Digital Asset Management Platform for WeRemember.ABMC.gov and the Burial and Memorialization Electronic Directory Questions Answers

ABMCFY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management Systems RFI

Question ID RFI Document / Topic Page Question Answer 1 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets

Management RFI 1 Does ABMC require the proposed solution to be an established commercial digital asset management or archival product of record, or will ABMC consider a FedRAMP aligned, configuration driven governed platform that delivers the required portal, DAM, workflow, migration, integration, and security outcomes and that can incorporate a proven preservation grade archival component where deep OAIS preservation functions are required?

ABMC will consider any solution that demonstrably satisfies the required outcomes for portal, DAM, workflow, migration, integration, security, and long-term preservation. ABMC does not intend to prescribe a single product category at this stage; respondents should clearly describe whether the offering is a commercial product, configured platform, archival component, or integrated solution and identify any required third-party products.

2 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

3 For hosting, does ABMC require operation within an ABMC owned cloud tenancy, a vendor hosted FedRAMP environment, or either? Is FedRAMP High acceptable in place of the stated Moderate preference, and is a FedRAMP Ready posture with an agency ATO path acceptable, or is a completed authorization required at the time of any future award?

ABMC is evaluating hosting alternatives and may consider ABMC-owned cloud, vendor-hosted FedRAMP environments, or hybrid models. FedRAMP High would generally exceed Moderate baseline requirements, but respondents should identify authorization status, Marketplace listing, authorization boundary, control inheritance, and the path/timeline to ATO if not already authorized.

3 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

2 What are the approximate data volumes and formats in the current Knowvation and Microsoft SQL environment (record counts, total storage, and file types), and are a current data dictionary, metadata schema, and full export access available?

Current-state volume details, file inventories, data dictionary, metadata schema, and export access will be provided to the extent available during a future solicitation or discovery phase. Respondents should state assumptions and describe the information needed to validate migration scope, cost, schedule, and risk.

4 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

2 Will ABMC make the incumbent available for knowledge transfer and source data extraction, and are there contractual constraints on extracting data and metadata from the current environment?

ABMC will provide reasonable access to current system documentation, subject matter experts, and incumbent knowledge transfer as available and permitted by contract. Any known constraints on source data extraction, licensing, proprietary formats, or audit/history export will be identified during acquisition planning or in a future solicitation.

5 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

2 Does ABMC require integration with the VA Veterans Legacy Memorial, and if so, what interface specifications or data sharing agreements exist today? Are there other internal or external systems the platform must integrate with at go live?

Integration with the VA Veterans Legacy Memorial is a potential requirement. Available interface specifications, data sharing requirements, and other required integrations will be provided when confirmed. Respondents should describe API, data exchange, identity, and interoperability capabilities and identify assumptions.

6 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

2 What is the authorization boundary and data classification (for example FOUO, CUI, or PII) for the burial and memorialization records, and which records are scheduled as permanent records requiring NARA aligned preservation and eventual transfer?

The authorization boundary, data classification, privacy considerations, and permanent-records obligations are being evaluated.

Respondents should assume the solution must support federal security, privacy, records management, and NARA-aligned preservation requirements appropriate to the final data classification and records schedule.

7 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

2 Are there specific accessibility acceptance criteria (Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 AA) and a required VPAT version for the public portal?

ABMC expects the public-facing solution to meet Section 508 requirements and WCAG 2.1 AA or current applicable federal accessibility standards. Respondents should provide the most recent VPAT/ACR available and describe accessibility testing, remediation processes, and ongoing compliance support.

8 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

3 What is the anticipated period of performance, the expected go live window, and any constraints on maintaining WeRemember.ABMC.gov public availability during cutover?

The final period of performance, go-live window, and cutover constraints will be established in a future solicitation. ABMC expects respondents to propose an implementation approach that minimizes disruption to public availability and includes rollback, parallel operations, and communications planning as appropriate.

9 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

3 Does ABMC have a mandated security review or ATO process, continuous monitoring tooling, or SIEM that the solution must integrate with?

ABMC will identify required security review, ATO, continuous monitoring, logging, and SIEM integration expectations in a future solicitation. Respondents should describe standard support for federal ATO packages, vulnerability management, audit logging, dashboards, APIs, and integration with government monitoring tools.

10 FY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management RFI

2 Which configuration, metadata, and workflow changes does ABMC expect its own staff to perform without contractor support, so the administration and training plan can be sized accordingly?

ABMC expects the future solution to allow authorized staff to perform routine configuration, metadata, reporting, workflow, and content-management changes without code changes where feasible. Respondents should clearly distinguish user-configurable functions from changes requiring vendor, developer, or administrator support.

11 What is prompting this evaluation? The evaluation is prompted by the need to modernize and sustain the WeRemember/BMeD digital asset and burial memorialization environment, including legacy platform risk, migration needs, security compliance, public access, workflow efficiency, and long-term records preservation.

12 What is the current OEM spend for this platform? Current OEM spend has not been provided in the RFI materials.

ABMC may provide budgetary or historical spend information in a future solicitation if it determines that information is necessary and releasable.

13 What's the traffic volume for the website (average, spikes)? Website traffic metrics have not been provided in the RFI materials. ABMC may provide average, peak, seasonal, and search-volume data in a future solicitation. Respondents should state assumptions and describe scalability and performance thresholds supported by their solution.

14 What is the number of content management systems currently in use for this (and other websites)? The number of current content management systems has not been specified. ABMC may provide current-state architecture details in a future solicitation or discovery phase. Respondents should identify how their solution can consolidate, integrate with, or coexist with existing CMS platforms.

15 How many developers (website, others) and admins are devoted to this project (FTE)? Current project staffing levels have not been specified. ABMC may provide expected government and contractor roles in a future solicitation. Respondents should propose staffing assumptions, administrative burden, training needs, and knowledge-transfer requirements.

Digital Asset Management Platform for WeRemember.ABMC.gov and the Burial and Memorialization Electronic Directory

ABMCFY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management Systems RFI

16 1. Data Migration & Legacy Database Specifications

Can ABMC provide quantitative metrics on the current legacy environment? Specifically, what is the total size of the existing database (in gigabytes or terabytes), the estimated volume of unstructured media files (such as scanned documents and photographs), and their average file sizes?

ABMC has identified approximately 250,000 records in the RFI, but detailed database size, unstructured media volume, and average file size metrics have not been provided. Respondents should provide scalable migration approaches and request the detailed inventory needed for firm pricing.

17 1. Data Migration & Legacy Database Specifications

Does ABMC possess an up-to-date data dictionary, schema diagram, or metadata mapping documentation for the legacy Knowvation and Microsoft SQL databases?

ABMC will provide available data dictionaries, schema diagrams, metadata mappings, and sample exports to the extent they exist and are releasable during a future solicitation or discovery phase. Respondents should identify minimum documentation required for migration planning.

18 API & Interoperability Architecture Are the connection specifications, data schemas, or API endpoints for the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Veterans Legacy Memorial publicly available or shareable with RFI respondents?

VA Veterans Legacy Memorial interface details are not included in the RFI materials.

ABMC will share available connection specifications, schemas, endpoints, and data-sharing requirements if integration is confirmed as in scope and releasable to respondents.

19 API & Interoperability Architecture Is ABMC currently utilizing a specific metadata schema standard (e.g., Dublin Core, MODS) for its public dataset and OAI- PMH publishing, or is the agency looking for the vendor to propose a standardized model?

ABMC has not mandated a specific metadata schema in the RFI materials. Respondents may propose standards-based approaches, such as Dublin Core, MODS, or other appropriate models, and should explain mapping to OAI-PMH, public search, preservation, and records-management needs.

20 Hosting, Security, & FedRAMP Compliance

For SaaS offerings, does ABMC require the proposed platform to have an active Agency or Joint Authorization Board (JAB) Authorization to Operate (ATO) listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace at the time of proposal submission, or will the agency sponsor a FedRAMP Moderate ATO during the implementation phase?

ABMC is evaluating FedRAMP and ATO options. Respondents should identify whether the SaaS offering has an active FedRAMP authorization, FedRAMP Ready status, or agency-sponsored ATO path, including expected timeline, shared-responsibility model, and required government support.

21 Hosting, Security, & FedRAMP Compliance

If a customer-hosted or hybrid hosting model is proposed, will the application run within ABMC's existing cloud enclave, and what security tools, continuous monitoring agents, and encryption standards must the platform natively support?

If a customer-hosted or hybrid model is proposed, ABMC will define enclave, tooling, encryption, monitoring, and control-inheritance requirements in a future solicitation. Respondents should specify supported deployment models and compatibility with common federal cloud security tooling.

22 Portal Frontend & Headless Architecture

Is ABMC planning a "headless" DAM architecture where the new platform serves as an API-first backend repository feeding a separate web front-end, or does the agency prefer an all-in-one platform that hosts both the digital asset repository and the public-facing WeRemember.ABMC.gov portal?

ABMC has not specified a required architecture. The agency may consider API-first/headless, all-in-one, or hybrid approaches if they meet public portal, repository, workflow, records, security, and integration requirements. Respondents should explain tradeoffs and implementation implications.

23 Procurement Strategy & Vehicles What is the anticipated acquisition timeline for any subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP), and does ABMC intend to utilize a specific contracting vehicle (e.g., GSA MAS, NASA SEWP, open market) for this procurement?

The acquisition timeline and contracting vehicle have not been finalized. ABMC will communicate any future RFP schedule, set-aside decision, and intended vehicle through official acquisition channels.

24 Other All The Questions and Answers template references RFI Attachment 1 (RFI Questions), Attachment 2 (Draft Statement of Objectives), Attachment 3 (Draft Evaluation Process), and Attachment 4 (Draft SBPCD). Will ABMC confirm where these attachments can be obtained? The RFI narrative was the primary document available to us.

These items were not on the RFI as stated. Please make sure you are referring to the DAMS RFI.

25 RFI Language 4 The RFI limits responses to 20 pages excluding product literature. Does the 20 page limit include the cover page, table of contents, and case study or past performance pages, or only the narrative responses to the topics?

Unless otherwise stated, the 20-page limit should be interpreted as applying to the substantive response narrative, with product literature excluded as stated.

26 RFI Language 4 Should responses be submitted as a single PDF by email to youngj.ctr@abmc.gov, and is there a maximum email or file size for submission?

Responses should follow the submission instructions in the RFI.

27 RFI Language 1 Beyond the roughly 250,000 records, can ABMC provide the approximate total volume and storage size of unstructured content such as photographs, scanned documents, and historical materials to be migrated?

Beyond the approximately 250,000 records cited, ABMC has not provided total unstructured content volume or storage size. ABMC may provide available inventories or sample datasets during a future solicitation or discovery phase.

28 RFI Language 2 What is the current Knowvation version, and can ABMC export records, metadata, and audit history in full from Knowvation and the Microsoft SQL database, including attachments and record relationships?

ABMC may provide system version, export format, metadata, attachment, relationship, and audit-history export details during future acquisition activities.

29 RFI Language 2 In what form does audit history currently exist, and what specific audit history must be preserved through migration? The form and required scope of audit history preservation have not been specified. ABMC should identify the audit events, timestamps, users, chain-of-custody fields, and retention expectations that must be migrated or retained.

30 RFI Language 1 Approximately what portion of the scanned document collection is not yet OCR processed and would require OCR during migration?

ABMC may provide OCR status, image quality, language, format, and accuracy expectations during discovery or in a future solicitation.

31 RFI Language 3 Does ABMC expect the platform vendor to provide the FedRAMP Moderate hosting environment, or will ABMC provide a hosting environment such as an agency or government cloud? Who is expected to hold the Authority to Operate?

ABMC is evaluating whether the vendor or Government will provide the FedRAMP Moderate hosting environment and who will hold the ATO. Respondents should describe options, responsibilities, dependencies, and cost/schedule impacts for each model.

32 RFI Language 3 What is the data classification of the records and content, for example Controlled Unclassified Information or personally identifiable information, and is there an existing Authority to Operate for the current environment?

ABMC will define applicable CUI, PII, privacy, records, and authorization requirements in a future solicitation or through controlled discovery as appropriate.

33 RFI Language 3 Are there specific federal records management standards the platform must meet, for example NARA records guidance or DoD 5015.02 records management certification?

ABMC expects compliance with applicable federal records-management and preservation requirements. Any mandatory standards or certifications, including NARA guidance or DoD 5015.02 if applicable, will be specified in a future solicitation.

34 RFI Language 1 Is the public facing WeRemember.ABMC.gov user interface in scope to be replaced or redesigned, or is the effort focused on the back end digital asset management and records platform with the existing public experience preserved?

The public WeRemember.ABMC.gov interface will be replaced.

35 RFI Language 2 For compatibility with the VA Veterans Legacy Memorial, is there an existing integration specification, and what is the expected direction of data exchange?

Data flow is currently one-way and batch driven.

Digital Asset Management Platform for WeRemember.ABMC.gov and the Burial and Memorialization Electronic Directory

ABMCFY27_BMeD Digital Assets Management Systems RFI

36 RFI Language 2 Approximately how many internal records and administrative users will require access, and how many distinct user roles does ABMC anticipate?

The number of internal users, administrative users, and roles has not been specified. Respondents should state assumptions for licensing and training.

37 RFI Language All How does this RFI (ABMCFY27_BMeD_DAMP_RFI) relate to the companion RFI titled Burial and Memorialization Electronic Directory Commercial Off-the-Shelf Platforms (ABMCFY27_BMeD_COTS_RFI)? Will responses be considered together, and may a respondent reply to both?

This RFI is for a commercial over the shelf digital assets management solution. The other RFI is for a custom developed solution.

38 RFI Language 4 Does ABMC anticipate a small business set aside for the future procurement under NAICS 518210? Any set-aside decision will be communicated through official acquisition notices.

39 RFI Language 4 Does ABMC have an anticipated budget range or period of performance for the eventual implementation and ongoing support?

ABMC has not provided an anticipated budget range or final period of performance.

40 RFI Language 1 Can ABMC share any current state metrics, such as public search volume or internal staff request volume, to help respondents focus the modernization on the highest value improvements?

Current-state usage metrics such as public search volume, internal request volume, peak traffic, and operational workload have not been determined as part of this RFI.