AIE-ITS_CSO_W50NH9-26-S-0001.docx

AIE‑ITS Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Note: Proposed Solutions that may meet the needs of other members of the Intelligence Community may be shared, as appropriate.

1.0 Accelerating Innovation for Army Intelligence Enterprise IT Modernization The Army Intelligence Enterprise (AIE) is initiating long-term, competitive general solicitation for commercial solutions capable of enhancing, securing, sustaining, and modernizing the global Information Technology (IT) environment that supports Army Intelligence operations. This environment spans multiple classification domains and provides critical support to intelligence processing, cybersecurity operations, signals intelligence integration, and mission command functions. The Army Intelligence Enterprise- Information Technology Services (AIE‑ITS) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) establishes a mechanism for identifying, evaluating, and rapidly acquiring innovative technologies and commercial services on a Project, Activity, or Enterprise scale as IT capabilities that address operational needs, close capability gaps, or provide modernization pathways aligned with Army and Department of War (DoW) digital transformation initiatives. Through this announcement, the Government seeks solutions that can materially improve the reliability, security, scalability, and responsiveness of IT services required to support intelligence operations across Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) locations.

This CSO establishes a standing, agile framework to modernize AIE’s global IT ecosystem at the Project, Activity, or Enterprise scale. Rather than a traditional point-in-time procurement, this competitive general solicitation provides a persistent entry point for industry to present best-of-breed solutions that address emerging operational needs and close capability gaps.

It also expands access to nontraditional and small business vendors by reducing barriers to entry and enabling them to compete on the merits of their capabilities rather than on their ability to navigate complex acquisition processes.

The Government plans to have continuous industry engagement throughout the lifecycle of this CSO, to perform market research, engage in technical exchanges, and forecast possible closed Area’s of Interest (AOIs). Industry engagement sessions will be published on SAM.Gov interested companies are encouraged to frequently check www.SAM.gov for information on future industry engagement sessions.

All solutions submitted by vendors in response to any Open or Closed AOI should be designed to transition the enterprise away from rigid, labor-hour execution toward outcome-oriented service delivery.

All Written Communication for Information Sharing or General Submissions to the Open Area’s of Interest shall only be accepted through the AIE-ITS Mailbox: usarmy.belvoir.inscom.mbx.aie-its@army.mil This Mailbox is the Government’s dedicated communication channel for this CSO and asks Industry to only use this dedicated communication channel for any, questions, comments, technical exchange request, etc. Vendors should not try to contact any program manager, end-user, technical contact, or a member of the contracting workforce directly.

1.1 Authority

The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) established innovation as a central line of effort in the national defense strategy of the United States. The decisive military advantage of the United States over its adversaries and peer competitors is steadily eroding. Consequently, under 10 U.S.C. 3458, Contracting Officers may acquire innovative commercial items, technologies, or services using a competitive procedure called a CSO. Under a CSO, the Department of War may competitively select proposals received in response to a general solicitation, similar to a broad agency announcement, based on a review of proposals by scientific, technological, or other subject-matter expert peers. Use of a CSO in accordance with Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Overhaul Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (RFO DFARS) Subpart 212.70 is considered to be a competitive procedure for the purposes of 10 U.S.C. 221 and Federal Acquisition Regulations (RFO FAR) 6.101. Finally, Contracting Officers shall treat items, technologies, and services acquired using a CSO as commercial products and commercial services. Contracts or agreements under this authority shall be fixed-price, including fixed-price incentive fee contracts.

2.0 CSO Framework

AIE-ITS seeks to award the following, but is not limited to: FAR contracts under RFO FAR Part 12, Commercial Procedures; or non-FAR agreements such as transaction agreements under 10 U.S.C 4022; and Cooperative Agreements under 31 U.S.C. 6305 for AIE and/or its customers that are directly relevant to enhancing, securing, sustaining, and modernizing the global IT environment that supports Army intelligence operations to support Army modernization priorities and improve readiness.

This CSO may result in awards to proposals for innovative, commercial technologies through multi-phased, competitive processes through September 30th, 2036. The Government reserves the right to extend this CSO beyond the open until date by amendment if the authority is extended. This CSO may include awards for but are not limited to commercially available technologies immediately available, commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can incrementally improve commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad defense application.

The CSO solicitation process may include a multi-phased solicitation and peer-review approach that is dependent upon general Areas of Interest referred to as Open AoIs or Closed AoIs, referred to as Calls for Innovative Solutions. Neither this announcement nor any published Calls for Innovative Solutions request immediate, fully priced proposals. Instead, it serves as the governing architecture under which specific requirements will be competed. Vendors may submit a written solution brief (e.g. White Papers) at any time, in the form of General Submission to the stated Open AoI, in Section 6 which may result in the award of RFO FAR Part 12 Contracts or non-FAR agreements to address Enterprise, Activity, or Project Capability Gaps. Additionally, Vendors may submit written solution brief (e.g. White Papers) before the suspense date of any published Calls for Innovative Solutions that may result in the award of RFO FAR Part 12 Contracts or non-FAR agreements to address defined Enterprise, Activity or Project Capability Gaps.

The AoIs are focused topic(s)/categories specified in Section 6. The following phases may be used:

Phase 1 – Submission of written solution brief (e.g., White Paper), Phase 2 – Presentation/Pitch (if applicable and requested), and Phase 3 – Request for Commercial Solution Proposal (Request for CSP) The Government may add Open AoIs as an amendment to this announcement or as Closed AoI in the form of Calls for Innovative Solutions. Calls for Innovative Solutions will be published on the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) Solicitation module at any time throughout its duration a notice of this publication will be published on SAM.Gov. Interested companies are encouraged to frequently check www.SAM.gov for new Calls for Innovative Solutions.

If an AoI specifies a Not-to-Exceed (NTE) affordability cap, any submission (including solution briefs, presentations/pitches, or proposals) that exceed the specified affordability cap will be deemed unaffordable. Unaffordable submissions will not be peer-reviewed, advanced to the next phase, or considered for award.

The CSO outlines the procedures that are available for utilization by the Government for AoIs to ensure a competitive process is followed. The competitive process under this CSO may result in a two or three phase approach (written solution brief, presentation (if applicable), and a request for CSP proposal). Vendor’s will receive a response at each phase of the peer review process determining if their solution has been determined to be “of Merit” or “Not of Merit”.

NOTE: An “of Merit” determination at any phase does not guarantee contract award or an invitation to a subsequent phase. The following will be taken into consideration: program priorities, outcome of negotiations, and availability of funds.

Phase 1 Solution Briefs: A solution brief must be submitted as specified in Sections 5 of this CSO. The Government will peer-review solution briefs against the criteria stated in this CSO. The Government will not pay companies for the costs associated with solution brief submissions.

Phase 2 Presentations (if applicable): Companies whose solution briefs are peer-reviewed to be of merit may be invited to provide a Presentation following the instructions provided in Section 6 of this CSO. The Government reserves the right to limit the number of companies invited to this phase. As such, the company’s solution may be peer-reviewed to be of merit but not invited to the next phase. The Government may require a Demonstration in addition to a Presentation/Pitch. In the event that the Government requires a Demonstration in addition to a Presentation, additional information will be provided in the Invitation to Phase 2 highlighting those procedures; otherwise, Phase 2 will be comprised solely of the Presentation. The Government reserves the right to request additional technical information to determine if a company has a viable solution for the government’s specific AoI. The government will not pay companies for costs associated with Presentations or demonstrations, unless otherwise stipulated.

Phase 3 Request for Commercial Solution Proposal (Request for CSP): Those companies that are peer-reviewed to be of merit through Phase 1 or Phase 2 or a combination of Phase 1 and 2, may be invited via a Request for CSP to submit a full written proposal following the instructions provided in section 7 of this CSO. Additional instructions or information may be required and will be detailed in the Request for CSP. Companies who are invited to submit a CSP will be notified if the Government intends to utilize a RFO FAR Part 12 contract for commercial items or an OTA. Prototype projects awarded under the authority of 10 USC 4022 must meet one of the conditions at 10 USC 4022(d)(1). The government will not pay companies for costs associated with developing any general submissions, presentations or proposals regarding this CSO or resulting Calls for Innovative Solutions, unless otherwise stipulated within the Call for Innovative Solution Requests for a CSP and award under this CSO are stipulated to the availability of government funds.

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to forgo Phase 1 and Phase 2 based on individual merits of the solutions.

NOTE: During any step of the CSO, the Government may send written questions or comments for the vendors to address via email, or other suitable communication methods as determined by the Government.

NOTE: The Government may engage in exchanges with Companies during any phase of the process including development of the formal proposal phase.

3.0 Rules of Competition and Dual-Track Peer-Review

To ensure fairness, transparency, and statutory compliance, the Government will maintain a strict "Dual-Track" peer-review architecture under this CSO:

3.1 Track 1: General Submissions (Continuous Rolling Open):

This CSO allows for continuous "General Submissions" against any of the Open AoIs identified in Section 9 to proactively propose innovative solutions. The Government will peer-review these submissions on a Monthly basis (or as resources and operational interest dictates). General Submissions are peer-reviewed independently of any active, targeted Call for Innovative Solution on a rolling, ad-hoc basis for their unique technical merit and proactive innovation as detailed in the basis of evaluation for each phase of the CSO process in this announcement. A General Submission cannot be used to "bypass" an active Targeted Call for Innovative competition. If an active Call exists for a requirement, vendors must compete under Track 2 rules.

All General submissions to the Open Area’s of Interest shall only be accepted through the AIE-ITS Mailbox: usarmy.belvoir.inscom.mbx.aie-its@army.mil Note: Due to Operations Security (OPSEC) and data aggregation sensitivities within the intelligence community, detailed localized baseline metrics (e.g., specific system counts, ticket volumes) will NOT be published in this announcement or the Call for Innovative Solutions. This data will be released to Vendors in Phase 2 or Phase 3 when Applicable.

3.2 Track 2: Calls for Innovative Solutions (Closed Deadlines):

Under this CSO, the Government reserves the right to issue targeted "Calls for Innovative Solutions" based on specific Enterprise, Activity, or Project requirements. Each Call for Innovative Solution will define:

The Operational Problem: The specific capability gap or modernization hurdle facing the Requiring Activity.

The Target Outcomes: The objective end-state and high-level performance goals (e.g., target system availability).

Targeted Calls for Innovative Solution issued under this CSO are closed, timed competitions. Vendors responding to a specific Call for Innovative Solution must submit their Phase 1 briefs by the strict date and time specified in that Call for Innovative Solution. Late submissions to a Call for Innovative Solution will be rejected. Interested companies are encouraged to frequently check www.SAM.gov for notice that a new Call for Innovative Solutions has been published in the solicitation module of PIEE.

Note: Due to Operations Security (OPSEC) and data aggregation sensitivities within the intelligence community, detailed localized baseline metrics (e.g., specific system counts, ticket volumes) will NOT be published in this announcement or the Call for Innovative Solutions. This data will be released to Vendors in Phase 2 or Phase 3 when applicable.

In response to a Call for Innovative Solution or to an Open AoI, Vendors are encouraged to propose diverse, commercially proven methodologies. The Government will not dictate the staffing mix. An "innovative" service offering is defined as any technology, process, or method that is new, or any new application of an existing process that materially improves performance, security, or cost efficiency over traditional level-of-effort contracting.

3.3 Establishment of the "Qualified Vendor Pool"

Vendors whose submissions are peer-reviewed and have been determined to be “Of Merit” at the end of Phase 1 or 2 but are not selected for invitation to a subsequent phase may be placed into the AIE-ITS "Qualified Vendor Pool" for up to thirty-six (36) months. The Government may extend an invitation to a subsequent phase or request a Phase 3 pricing proposal and transition directly to award with any vendor in the Pool if a matching requirement arises.

4.0 Definitions

“Area of Interest” (AoI) means an announcement posted on the GPE website or Solicitation Module of PIEE, which may result in the award of various types of contracts that will be dependent on the specific AoI requirement. AoI can be classified in two categories:

Open Area of Interest – a broadly defined areas of interest covering the full range of the agency's requirements, general submissions will be accepted for the life of this CSO and will be peer-reviewed on a rolling and periodic basis.

Closed Areas of Interest - describes the agency's interest for an individual program requirement published via a Call for Innovative Solution. Submission Deadlines will be provided in the Call for Innovative Solution, any submission submitted after the deadline will be rejected. Interested companies are encouraged to frequently check www.SAM.gov for new Calls for Innovative Solutions.

“Commercial Solutions Opening” (CSO) is a competitive procedure contracting officers may use to acquire innovative commercial items, technologies, or services.

“Commercial Solution Proposal” (CSP): is a commercial proposal that is submitted in response to an AoI that is governed by a CSO. CSPs may be requested as a result of solution briefs and/or presentations.

“Nontraditional Defense Contractor” is defined in 10 U.S.C. § 3014 as an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for a least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by the DoW for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the DoW that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to 41 U.S.C. § 1502 and the regulations implementing such section. This includes all small business concerns under the criteria and size standard in 13 C.F.R. § 121.

“Nonprofit Institution” as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 3703 as an organization owned and operated exclusively for scientific or educational purposes, no part of the net earnings of which ensures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

“Small Business Concerns” is defined in the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C 632).

“Innovative” means —

a. any technology, process, or method, including research and development, that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal; or

b. any application that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal of a technology, process, or method existing as of such date.

5.0 Guidelines for Solution Briefs, Presentations, and Proposals

5.1 General Guidelines and Phase 1

NOTE: The following Information is related to General Submissions in response to an Open Area of Interest. Each Call for Innovative Solution may have different requirements that will be defined in the Call for Innovative Solution.

Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or proposals are not desired. When applicable, use of a diagram(s) or figure(s) to depict the proposed solution is strongly encouraged.

Vendors may submit multiple solution briefs in response to any single Open AoI if each submission represents a separate and distinct concept. Individual solution briefs may only address one concept based on the stated Open AoI. Vendors may also submit a single solution brief of a single concept that encompasses multiple Open AOI. The solution brief must identify which single AOI or which of the multiple AOIs their submission is in response to.

Technical data with military application may require approval, authorization, or license for lawful exportation. Vendors are responsible for complying with all export laws and regulations, including obtaining such approval, authorization, or licenses.

All solution briefs should be Unclassified. The Government is actively trying to maintain this process at the unclassified level, however due to the nature of the requirement, the Government may provide Classified data for a vendor to develop a Phase 2 Presentation or a Phase 3 Commercial Solutions Proposal in which case instructions will be provided in the Invitation of each respective phase. Instructions will be given at the time of Request CSP if the need for classified proposals is required.

DO NOT mark any documents as “CONFIDENTIAL”. Solution briefs, presentations, and proposals containing data that are not to be disclosed to the public for any purpose or use by the government except for peer-review purposes shall include the following general disclaimer on the cover page:

“This [select one: Solution Brief, Presentation, or Proposal] includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the government, except to non-government personnel for peer-review purposes, and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed - in whole or in part - for any purpose other than to peer-review this submission. If, however, an agreement is awarded to this company as a result of - or in connection with - the submission of this data, the government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent agreed upon by both parties in the resulting agreement. This restriction does not limit the government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]” Each restricted data sheet should be marked as follows:

“Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title Page of this select one: Solution Brief, Presentation, or Proposal.”

Recommend marking (header or footer) for portions of business plans and/or technical information that are to be protected for a period of five years from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) disclosure. Codified at 5 U.S.C. §552, FOIA provides that disclosure of certain types of information (i.e. trade secrets and commercial or financial information) is not required, and may not be compelled, for five years after the date on which the information is received by the Department of War.

NOTE: Foreign-Owned businesses may independently submit a solution or do so as part of a teaming arrangement with one or more United States-owned businesses. However, the ability to obtain an agreement based upon a submission may depend upon the ability of the Foreign-Owned business to obtain necessary clearances and approvals to obtain proscribed information.

Questions regarding the objectives or preparation of the solution brief should be addressed to the AIE-ITS Mailbox: usarmy.belvoir.inscom.mbx.aie-its@army.mil. Vendors should not try to contact any program manager, end-user, technical contact, or a member of the contracting workforce directly.

5.1.2 Outcome Notifications

Vendors will be notified of the outcome of each phased peer-review in writing detailing if their submission has been determined to be “of Merit” or “Not of Merit”. Vendors will either be invited to a subsequent phase or notified that their submission is not being invited to the subsequent phase. Vendors not invited to a subsequent phase will be provided with feedback on reasons for not being invited. Further verbal or written feedback may be provided, upon request, at the Contracting/Agreements Officer’s discretion.

Additional feedback request should be addressed to the AIE-ITS Mailbox: usarmy.belvoir.inscom.mbx.aie-its@army.mil. Vendors should not try to contact any program manager, end-user, technical contact, or a member of the contracting workforce directly.

5.1.3 Mandatory Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for consideration for an award from the AIE-ITS CSO, vendors must meet all of the following non-negotiable security requirements. Submissions from vendors who do not meet these requirements will be deemed ineligible:

a) Facility Clearance: The vendor must possess a valid Top Secret Facility Clearance (FCL) issued by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) at the time of white paper submission.

b) Personnel Clearance: The vendor must certify their capability to provide personnel who are U.S. citizens and are eligible to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI). As work under this vehicle will be performed in facilities requiring TS/SCI access, this is a material requirement for any potential award.

c) Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI): The vendor must certify that they are not under FOCI in a manner that would preclude them from holding a Top Secret FCL and accessing classified information as required by any potential award.

d) Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI): The vendor must provide a statement disclosing any known potential OCIs related to the AIE-ITS mission or, if none exist, affirmatively state that they have no known potential OCIs.

NOTE: The Government recognizes the financial burden of obtaining and maintaining Facility and Personnel Clearances, especially for the Small Business and Non-Traditional Defense Community and the risk to the vendor if there is no clear reward for this investment. The Government encourages submissions of Phase 1 Solution Briefs of vendors that do not currently possess Facility Clearances or can certify their capability to provide TS-SCI cleared Personnel. These submissions will be determined ineligible for award; however, at the Contracting Officer’s description, the Government will provide feedback on the submission if requested see section 5.1.2. The objective of this action is to encourage vendors to make investment in obtaining and maintaining Facility and Personnel Clearances. The Government will not pay for or sponsor any facility/personnel clearances contingent upon award of any action procured via this CSO. All Facility and Personnel Clearances are prerequisites for awards.

5.2 Phase 1: Solution Briefs (e.g. White Paper) Submission

Phase 1: White Paper Submission Instructions: Vendors shall submit a White Paper for each distinct commercial solution they wish to have considered for the AIE-ITS CSO. The purpose of the White Paper is to provide a concise technical description of the solution for the Government to peer-review its potential merit and mission alignment.

5.2.1 Solution Brief Format and Page Limit

1. Solution Brief must not exceed five (5) single-sided pages, excluding the cover page. Alternatively, solution briefs may take the form of briefing slides which shall not exceed fifteen (15) slides. Slides must abide by the formatting restrictions below.

1. Font must be 12-point. Pages should be 8.5 x 11 inches with 1-inch margins.

1. A cover page or title slide must include the company name, address, CAGE code, a technical point of contact, and the Area of Interest (Closed or Open) the solution aligns with and does not count against page/briefing slide limit.

1. Submissions must be unclassified and publicly releasable. Do not include proprietary information, CUI, or export-controlled material.

5.2.2 Solution Brief Content

The Solution Brief must address the following sections in the order presented:

1 Area of Interest and Problem Statement: Clearly identify the primary (or multiple) Area of Interest the solution addresses from the AIE-ITS CSO announcement or the Call for Innovative Solution. Describe the specific operational problem, capability gap, or modernization challenge your solution is designed to solve.

2 Proposed Solution Overview: Provide a clear and concise technical description of your proposed solution. Explain the underlying technologies, methodologies, or service models. Describe how the solution would be applied within the AIE-ITS environment.

3 Mission Impact and Feasibility: Describe the anticipated impact on AIE mission performance, cybersecurity, efficiency, or cost savings. Provide qualitative or quantitative evidence (e.g., case studies, performance metrics from other deployments) to support these claims. Discuss the operational feasibility and technical maturity (TRL) of the solution.

4 Innovation and Differentiation: Explain what makes your solution innovative. Differentiate it from commonly available alternatives or existing government solutions. Highlight unique features, proprietary processes, or novel applications of technology.

5 High-Level Pricing Model: High-Level Pricing Model: Describe the high-level pricing model for the solution (e.g., per user, per device, fixed-price SLA, consumption-based). Do not provide specific pricing or labor rates. The overall quality, clarity, and professionalism of the submission will also be assessed under this factor. This information will allow the government to get a better understanding of the affordability of this solution.

5.2.4 Initial Eligibility Screening (Pass/Fail)

The Government will first conduct an eligible/ineligible screening of all submissions. A vendor must be determined "eligible" for all Screening Criteria to be eligible for peer-review.

NOTE: An OCI disclosure does not automatically result in ineligibility. The Government will review the disclosure to determine if the potential conflict is significant enough to warrant immediate disqualification.

5.3 Phase 1 Solution Brief Basis of Peer-Review

Solution Brief submissions that pass the initial eligibility screening will then be peer-reviewed by a panel of Government subject-matter experts. The Peer-Review Criteria listed below are of equal importance. Individual written solution briefs will be peer-reviewed against the peer-review criteria described below:

1 Mission Relevance & Problem Understanding: The extent to which the Vendor clearly identifies a relevant operational problem or capability gap within one or more of the AIE-ITS Open AoIs and demonstrates an understanding of its impact on Army Intelligence missions.

2 Technical Merit & Feasibility: The soundness, credibility, and technical feasibility of the proposed solution, including underlying technologies, methodologies, or service models, and its applicability to the AIE-ITS environment.

3 Innovation & Differentiation: The degree to which the proposed solution offers meaningful innovation, novel approaches, or significant advantages compared to existing or commonly available alternatives.

Solution briefs will be peer-reviewed based on the peer-review criteria listed above, not against other solution briefs submitted in response to the same AoI. The Government may elect to use external market research in the peer-review of a company’s viability.

5.4 Notification and Next Steps

Vendors will be notified that their solution has been determined to be “of Merit” or “Not of Merit” based on the results of the Phase 1 peer-review at the conclusion of the assessment period. Vendors will either be invited to Phase 2 or notified that their submission is not being invited to Phase 2. Vendors not invited to Phase 2 will be provided with feedback on reasons for not being invited. If a Vendor’s Solution is determined to be “Of Merit” but an invitation to Phase 2 is not extended due to various reasons, that Vendor’s Solution will be added to the AIE-ITS Qualified Vendors Pool and may receive an Invitation to Phase 2 or a Request for CSP in the future.

6.0 Phase 2: Presentation

6.1 AIE-ITS CSO Phase 2 – General Instructions

This applies to vendors who receive an invitation to participate in Phase 2. This phase consists of a live or virtual Oral Presentation, which may incorporate a Scenario Exercise. The purpose of this phase is for the Government to assess the Vendor’s service delivery methodology, problem-solving approach, and team expertise in a dynamic setting. Additional logistical information and technical data to facility this Presentation will be provided to the vendor with the Invitation to Phase 2. The Government may request an additional written submission to supplement or clarify the information provided in the Phase 1 solution brief.

6.2 Scenario Exercise

At the time of the Phase 2 invitation, the Government will provide a concise, unclassified mission or operational scenario relevant to the Area of Interest for which the Vendor was selected.

The Vendor will have a total of sixty (60) minutes for their presentation, which must be structured to address the scenario provided. The presentation should focus on the Vendor's process and methodology, not on generic corporate capabilities brief.

The session will be structured into time-boxed segments for presentation and Government Q&A.

6.3 Presentation Format and Content

6.3.1 Participants

The Vendor is required to have their proposed Program Manager and at least one senior technical lead for the relevant service area present and participate. Additional detailed instructions/procedures on participants will be provided prior to or in the Phase 2 invitation.

6.3.2 Content

The presentation must address the following in the context of the scenario provided:

1 Methodology & Approach: Walk the Government through your step-by-step process for analyzing, managing, and resolving the challenges presented in the scenario.

2 Talent Management & Expertise: Describe the roles and expertise of the team you would assign to this challenge. Explain your process for recruiting, clearing, and retaining the necessary talent.

3 Governance & Quality Control: Explain how you would monitor performance, manage risk, and ensure quality delivery for this type of service. Provide examples of the metrics you would track and the types of reports you would provide.

6.4 AIE-ITS CSO Phase 2– Basis for Peer-Review

Unless otherwise specified in the AoI, individual presentations/pitches will be reviewed against the peer-review criteria below and not against any other presentations/pitches submitted under the same AoI. The Government will peer-review Phase 2 Oral Presentations to determine which Vendors possess the most credible methodology and expertise to warrant advancement to Phase 3. The peer review will be based on the Vendor's response to the provided Scenario Exercise. Closed AOI’s may or may not incorporate a Scenario exercise, any deviations from the below Phase 2 Basis of Peer-Review will be defined in the Closed AOI.

6.5 Phase 2 – Oral Presentation Peer-Review Criteria

The peer-review will be performed by a panel of Government subject-matter experts. The Peer-Review Criteria listed below are of equal importance.

1 Service Delivery Methodology & Approach: The Government will peer-review the clarity, maturity, and effectiveness of the Vendor's proposed process for managing the challenges in the scenario.

2 Talent Management & Expertise: The Government will peer-review the credibility of the Vendor’s team and their plan for providing qualified personnel.

3 Governance, Reporting & Quality Control: The Government will peer-review the Vendor’s approach to performance monitoring and quality assurance.

6.6 Notification and Next Steps

Vendors will be notified of the outcome of the Phase 2 Peer-Review. Vendors who solutions are determined to be “Of Merit” may be invited to participate in Phase 3, which will involve the submission of a full technical and price proposal. An invitation to Phase 3 does not guarantee a contract award. Vendors not invited to Phase 3 will be provided with feedback on reasons for not being invited. If a Vendor’s Solution is determined to be “Of Merit” but an invitation to phase 3 is not extended due to various reasons, that Vendor’s Solution will be added to the AIE-ITS Qualified Vendors Pool and may receive an Invitation to Phase 3 or Request for CSP in the future.

7 Phase 3 Commercial Solution Proposal (CSP) The third and final Phase of the CSO process is the CSP. Through a Request for CSP, vendor(s) will be invited to submit a CSP based on the defined CSO phased approach that will be utilized, which may revise or include information learned from Phase 1 or 2 reviews. Vendors must ensure that the CSP is valid for at least 180 days from the submission date. If necessary, Vendors invited to submit a CSP may be advised to schedule a meeting with the Government to address any feedback contained in the request for CSP. The CSP must be prepared in two separate Volumes as follows: Volume I Technical and Volume II Price. Each volume will have its separate related attachments.

7.1 Phase 3 Proposal Content

Based upon Government market knowledge, the results of Phase 1 and/or Phase 2 peer-review(s) above, the Government may Request a CSP. If that occurs, a Vendor or Vendors will be invited to develop and submit a written proposal. The Vendor may propose terms and conditions including but not limited to Service License Agreements (SLA) and/or User License Agreements (ULA) governing the requirement for the Government’s consideration and negotiation. At this stage, the Government will provide directions with an Invitation to Phase 3 to schedule a site visit and/or provide technical baseline data. The selected vendors may discuss proposal development details during the proposal writing process with their assigned Government expert(s) or Government teaming partner(s).

Vendors should note that there are certain terms and conditions the Government may be unable to accept. However, projects awarded through the CSO may provide flexibility to adopt customary industry standards where it is otherwise legal and meets the Government’s general public responsibility.

Proposals containing data that is not to be disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for peer-review purposes shall include the following sentences on the cover page:

“This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government, except to non-government personnel for peer-review purposes, and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed -- in whole or in part -- for any purpose other than to peer-review this proposal. If, however, an agreement is awarded to this Company as a result of -- or in connection with -- the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent agreed upon by both parties in the resulting agreement. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]” Each restricted data sheet should be marked as follows:

“Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title Page of this proposal.”

7.2 Section 1 Technical Proposal Volume

The technical volume shall include a detailed work plan indicating how each aspect of the objectives is to be accomplished. The technical volume should be in as much detail as the vendor considers necessary to fully explain its proposed technical approach or method, including all assumptions utilized to develop its proposed solution and associated costs. The technical volume should reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken. The technical volume must include information on how the solution will be organized, staffed, and managed. Information should be provided that demonstrates the vendor’s understanding and management of important events or tasks. The technical volume must include a list of suggested deliverables and deliverable dates.

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to further define the required technical proposal content based upon the specific AoI requirements.

7.3 Section 2 Price Proposal Volume

The price volume must contain sufficient detailed information to allow the Government to perform an analysis of the proposed costs and/or prices of the work to be performed in response to the Areas of Interest (AOI) under this CSO. If the proposal is based on labor, the proposal must include labor categories and corresponding numbers of direct labor hours; hourly rates that include wages, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit. If the proposal includes material, proposed material costs must be supported by vendor quotes, supplier agreements, or other bases of estimate. Other pricing approaches such as parametric methods must include sufficient detail for the Government to analyze the reasonableness of the vendor’s parametric models or cost-estimating relationships used to develop the total proposed price(s). All information provided must clearly correlate to the contractor’s proposed prices. Other examples of supporting information can include, but is not limited to, commercial price catalog(s), previous commercial sales receipts, and/or other proprietary information to help the Government determine reasonableness of the proposal for the AOI. The Government reserves the right to request any other price data or supporting cost information the Government deems necessary to determine whether the total overall price is fair and reasonable.

The Government will evaluate the reasonableness of the proposed price using the information provided in the vendor’s proposal. The Government may employ any cost or price analysis techniques deemed necessary, including but not limited to price analysis, cost analysis, and technical analysis, to determine the reasonableness of the proposed price. ACC-DTA may consult Governmental subject matter experts to aid in the evaluation. The vendor carries the responsibility to submit a clear, complete, and reasonably priced proposal in response to this CSO. The Government may request a proposal walkthrough to clarify the proposal, address any omissions, or request further explanations if necessary.

NOTE: The cost of preparing proposals in response to this CSO is NOT considered a direct charge to any resulting AoI award or any other contract.

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to further define the required price proposal content based upon the specific AoI requirements.

7.4 Proposal Basis of Peer Review

Proposals will be reviewed as received by a Government subject matter expert(s). In all cases, proprietary information shall be protected from competitors. The CSP will be evaluated in the order described below. The Government subject matter expert(s) will first review the proposal for adequacy and eligibility to determine the extent to which the following requirements are met:

1 Technical Solution / Contractor PWS: The soundness, feasibility, innovation, and completeness of the Vendor’s proposed technical solution and Contractor-developed Performance Work Statement in meeting the objectives of the SOO.

2 Project Management and Execution Approach: The realism and effectiveness of the Vendor’s management plan, including an Integrated Master Schedule, risk management, quality control, staffing approach, and ability to successfully execute a Firm-Fixed-Price.

3 Key Personnel: The qualifications, relevant experience, and demonstrated capability of the proposed Program Manager and Primary Technical Lead in performing similar requirements in cleared intelligence environments.

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to further define the basis for evaluation based upon the specific AoI requirements.

7.5 Proposal Peer Review Rating:

The Peer-Review Criteria listed below of both the Technical Proposal and Price Proposal are of equal importance.

The Technical Proposal Volume will be peer-reviewed and assigned to one of the following ratings:

Of Merit: The proposal has been peer-reviewed and deemed appropriate for additional consideration and discussion. An Of Merit proposal is generally considered well-conceived, scientifically or technically sound, and important to program goals and objectives. An Of Merit proposal may proceed into negotiations or directly to the award process.

NOTE: An Of Merit rating does not guarantee contract award. The following will be taken into consideration: program priorities, outcome of negotiations, and availability of funds.

Not of Merit: The proposal has been evaluated and deemed inappropriate for additional consideration. A Not of Merit proposal is generally considered not well-conceived, scientifically or technically unsound or does not meet program priorities.

The Price Proposal Volume will be evaluated as follows:

Affordability: The proposed costs must also be affordable to the Government to be considered for award. A fair and reasonable price determination will not be made for each CSP if multiple vendors are invited to Phase 3 and does not guarantee contract award. The technical merit will dictate the level of scrutiny required for a price analysis. The following will be taken into consideration: program priorities, technical review, and availability of funds. A fair and reasonable determination will only be made for a vendor being selected for an award.

The Contracting Officer reserves the right to negotiate directly with the company on the terms and conditions prior to execution of the resulting contract or agreement, including payment terms, and will execute the contract or agreement on behalf of the Government.

8.0 Awards

8.1 General Guidelines

Upon favorable review and funds availability, the government may choose to make a fixed price award using RFO FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Items or other authority such as 10 U.S.C. 4022.

In order to receive an award –

1. A company must have a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to receiving an award. Companies are advised to commence SAM registration upon perusing an AoI announcement.

2. A company must also register in the prescribed government invoicing system (ex. Wide Area Work Flow).

3. A company must be determined to be responsible by the Contracting Officer and must not be suspended or debarred from award by the Federal Government nor be prohibited by Presidential Executive Order and/or law from receiving an award.

Receipt of a request for CSP does not guarantee that a company will receive an award and the Government reserves the right, at any point prior to award of a contract or agreement, to cancel the Request for CSP. The Government reserves the right to make awards to all, some, or none of the selected solutions.

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to amend this CSO solicitation as necessary amendments for emerging requirements and changes in authority occur. Amendments to this CSO will be posted via SAM.gov.

8.2 Procurement Integrity Act (PIA)

The CSO solicitation process for FAR contracts is covered by the Procurement Integrity Act (PIA). PIA is implemented for FAR contracts through RFO FAR part 3.104. Accordingly, the CSO competitive solicitation process and awards made thereby must adhere to the ethical standards required by the PIA.

9.0 Open Areas of Interest (AoI)

The following AoIs are of continuous interest for the AIE. All solution briefs received under these AoIs will be peer-reviewed IAW section 6.0 above.

Training and Knowledge Transfer Applicability Across AoIs Training, documentation development, and knowledge transfer are essential components of solution delivery across all AOIs. Although these activities are formally aligned under Program & Project Management Services, every proposed solution must include the necessary training and knowledge sharing required to ensure that Government personnel can effectively operate, sustain, and evolve the capability. Vendors should incorporate domain specific training strategies within their solutions to support smooth transitions, reduce operational risk, and promote long term enterprise readiness.

9.1 Enterprise IT Operations & Service Delivery

This Open AoI includes capabilities that sustain and enhance the daily operation of largescale IT environments. Solutions may involve network and system administration, continuous monitoring, configuration management, performance optimization, and service desk or field support functions. Vendors should demonstrate the ability to maintain high availability and reliability across globally distributed environments, including locations that require special access or operate under bandwidth constraints. Submissions may include automation, analytics driven operations, and tools or services that improve responsiveness, efficiency, and user experience across enterprise networks and systems.

9.2 Cybersecurity, Zero Trust & Defensive Cyber Operations

This Open AoI encompasses solutions that strengthen cybersecurity posture, support defensive cyber operations, and enable Zero Trust architecture implementation. Examples include vulnerability assessment, compliance automation, continuous monitoring, cyber threat detection, incident response, forensics, identity management, and secure access capabilities. Vendors should demonstrate how their solutions reduce cyber risk, enhance threat detection and response, or improve authorization and compliance processes across multiple security domains. Solutions that apply innovative defensive techniques, analytics, or automation to accelerate cybersecurity outcomes are highly relevant.

9.3 Engineering, Architecture & Modernization

This Open AoI seeks solutions that plan, design, and modernize enterprise IT ecosystems. Capabilities may include systems engineering, architecture development, modernization road mapping, technology insertion, prototype development, cloud or hybrid‑cloud design, and integration engineering. Vendors should demonstrate experience developing scalable, secure, and interoperable architectures that support evolving mission needs. Solutions may contribute to modernization through improved system designs, enhanced resilience, better interoperability, or new technical approaches that advance the overall enterprise architecture.

9.4 Application, Software & Data Services (DevSecOps)

This Open AoI includes application development, modernization, sustainment, secure software delivery, and enterprise data services aligned with modern DevSecOps practices. Relevant solutions may involve containerization, CI/CD pipelines, software assurance, application hosting, data management, metadata tagging, API integration, or platform‑focused engineering. Vendors should highlight how their solutions improve software delivery speed, enhance data accessibility and quality, modernize legacy applications, or strengthen the security and automation of development pipelines. Solutions that enable better use of data across the enterprise are particularly valuable.

9.5 Infrastructure Deployment, Integration & Technical Installations This Open AoI includes the deployment and integration of IT infrastructure across globally dispersed…