20260504 QandA for COOP RFI_final.pdf

This is a Questions and Answers document for a Request for Information (RFI) regarding Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) support services issued by the USPTO on 5/4/2026.

The RFI solicits support for COOP planning and modernization efforts, requiring a team of four emergency management specialists and one supervisor to work for 13 months. The primary place of performance is Alexandria, Virginia, with regional offices in Detroit, Dallas, and San Jose. The majority of work is anticipated to be completed remotely with occasional onsite meetings approximately every 2-3 months. The contract will be a labor hour contract with pre-negotiated, firm-fixed hourly rates and will not be a Time and Materials contract. Offerors should assume 2,080 productive hours per FTE per year for pricing purposes, though hours can be broken down by specific contract aspects.

Key deliverables and activities include conducting 4-6 tabletop exercises annually (with approximately 1 functional or full-scale exercise every other year), validating and revising MEFs (Minimum Essential Functions) and business impact analysis documentation, gathering and analyzing current COOP plan documentation, updating plans to align with 2024 Federal Continuity Directives, and designing the Testing, Training, and Exercises (TT&E) program. The contractor is expected to deliver a single COOP plan incorporating all regional offices and provide an extensive briefing detailing the current state of the COOP program. The current COOP program maturity level is outdated and requires MEF revision. All contractors must be registered in SAM prior to award, and personnel requiring site access will be screened by USPTO security. The RFI is for market research purposes with no page limits or formal evaluation rubric established at this stage.