APC-TPC Sources Sought 2022.docx

The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to accomplish market research pursuant to FAR Part 10, and to identify qualified and experienced small businesses capable of and interested in providing the services described in this notice. Responses received from large businesses will not be reviewed. Additionally, this notice seeks to determine if the services can be acquired using Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) or other Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC).

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a(n) Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP). Additionally, there is no obligation or commitment on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services described within this notice now or in the future. The Government does not intend to award a contract(s) based solely on the submissions of this notice. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for information submitted in response to this notice, nor will it compensate respondents for any costs incurred in the development/furnishing of a response. The Government will not entertain telephone calls or questions for this notice. Please note that a decision not to submit a response to this notice will not preclude a vendor from participating in any future solicitation.

1.0 Background

The Department of State (DOS), Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA), Passport Services Directorate (PPT), is seeking a Contractor with demonstrated experience and expertise in providing facility maintenance, IT equipment and maintenance, and personnel to conduct travel document personalization to include Passport Book personalization, Passport Card personalization, Consular Report of Birth Abroad personalization, Border Crossing Card personalization, and other future travel document personalization operations using new technology, processes and procedures.

In 2007 and 2008, the Passport Services Directorate opened two remote Book Personalization Facilities (BPF) to centralize and increase the overall U.S. Passport Book personalization capabilities and to have the infrastructure to add other travel document personalization capabilities. These two BPFs are the Arkansas Passport Center (APC) located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and the Tucson Passport Center (TPC) located in Tucson, Arizona. The two BPFs focus on core Passport Book and Passport Card personalization operations for domestic Passport Agencies and support U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas. The BPFs also personalize Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for U.S. citizens born outside of the United States, and Border Crossing Cards (BCC), a B1/B2 visitor’s visa, issued to qualifying Mexican citizens for travel in the United States. APC expanded in 2010-2011, which included the addition of a small counter operation to assist passport applicants with urgent travel needs. It is projected that during the base year and each option year of the Contract, the BPFs will personalize 18 million to 24 million Passport Books, 2 million to 3 million Passport Cards, 1.5 million to 2 million Border Crossing Cards, and 100,000 to 200,000 Consular Report of Birth Abroad. The BPFs are subject to expansion based on the needs of the U.S. Government. Depending on demand of travel documents and capabilities at the two BPFs, a third BPF may be required to meet demand.

During the lifetime of this contract, it is expected that the BPFs will be responsible for approximately 90 percent of U.S. Passport Book and Passport Card demand, 100 percent of CRBA demand and 100 percent of BCC demand and, as such, must be planned for, maintained and operated in a scalable and flexible manner

The BPFs may also be responsible for the personalization of other travel documents and integration of new technology, processes and procedures in the future. The personalization of these other travel documents and integration of new technology, new processes and procedures will be incorporated into the Book Personalization Facilities as the requirements are specified.

The incumbent contractor is CGI Federal, Inc., contract number 19AQMM18C0013. This contract is a bridge to contract SAQMPD07C0009 previously awarded to Stanley Associates, later acquired by CGI Federal, Inc.

2.0 Scope

The Contractor shall provide facility maintenance, IT equipment and maintenance, and personnel to conduct travel document personalization to include Passport Book personalization, Passport Card personalization, Consular Report of Birth Abroad personalization, Border Crossing Card personalization, and other future travel document personalization operations, new technology, processes and procedures.

Travel Document Personalization Services include but are not limited to:

Facility Acquisition, Maintenance, and Security

The Contractor shall be responsible for negotiating and securing a lease with the current lessor for each Book Personalization Facility (BPF) and ensuring that each BPF complies with all Diplomatic Security (DS) related facility security requirements. The Contractor shall obtain and maintain a SECRET facility security clearance issued by the Defense Security Service. Security of DoS information, all travel documents to include Passport Book, Passport Card, CRBA, BCC, and any future travel documents, and other secure materials is critical.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the development and implementation of a facility maintenance program to ensure continual travel document personalization operations at the BPFs. This includes, but is not limited to, housekeeping, recurring utility costs, external and internal building maintenance, utility and central systems maintenance, environmental systems maintenance, OSHA compliance, emergency and disaster planning, warehouse operations, disintegrator maintenance, and procurement, repair, and upkeep of furnishings.

The determination to open a third BPF and the location of a third BPF shall be made by CA/PPT. The Contractor shall be responsible for negotiating and securing a lease for the third BPF. The Contractor shall work with DOS to develop a sound implementation plan and shall perform all preparatory work, renovation work, IT implementation, and obtain facility and personnel clearance to establish the third facility.

Additionally, CA/PPT is considering potentially expanding the counter capacity in Arkansas by building on land that APC has an option to use that is located next to the BPF.

IT Implementation and System Administration

The Contractor shall be responsible for procurement, maintenance, installation, upgrades, reconfigurations, and hardware refreshes related to information technologies and telecommunications used for Passport Book, Passport Card, CRBA, and BCC personalization operations at the BPFs. This includes, but is not limited to, personal computers (PC), PC accessories, network equipment, servers, telephones, switches, CAT 6e cable or higher, fiber optic cable, desktop and network printers. All equipment should be on the DoS Information Technology Configuration Control Board approved hardware and software baseline list. The Contractor shall be responsible for complying with 12FAM600 and all appropriate DSS and DS security requirements.

Travel Document Personalization Operations and Counter Support

The Contractor shall provide the personnel and operational support needed to conduct and manage:

Current book-print staffing is approximately 220 employees at APC and 245 at TPC .

The Government shall provide and maintain the passport printers, card printers, and autopen signature machines for CRBA personalization.

The Government shall provide blank U.S. Passport Books, Passport Cards, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and Border Crossing Cards for passport printers. The Government shall also provide blank travel documents and consumables needed to print other future travel documents.

Additional details can be found in the attached draft Statement of Work.

3.0 Period of Performance

The anticipated period of performance is anticipated to be for a one-year base period and four (4) one-year option periods.

4.0 Security Requirements

The Prime Contractor must be a U.S. company based in the United States and have a SECRET facility security clearance prior to contract performance.

All personnel performing on the contract will require either a SECRET personnel security clearance issued by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) or a Moderate Risk Public Trust (MRPT) determination conducted by DOS.

5.0 Instructions

5.1 Responses

Responses should be limited to twelve (12) pages or less and be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document (.doc or .docx) or Portable Document Format (.pdf) via the email address provided below. Submissions should include responses to the following categories: Company Profile, and Recent/Relevant Experience.

To the maximum extent possible, submit Non-Proprietary Information. All information received in responses to this notice that is appropriately marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly.

Company Profile, to include:

· A viable interested party shall demonstrate, in any capability statement submitted, the company's capabilities to meet the performance objectives and the customer’s requirements. A viable interested party shall provide relevant, applicable examples of previous work or solution implementations, to include client points of contact.

· General Business Information, completing the following table:

Company Name:

Company Point-of-Contact:

Email:

Phone:

DUNS Number:

CAGE Code, if applicable:

Socioeconomic Status under NAICS Code 541513*, *Or other relevant and appropriate NAICS code Example: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business; HUBZone; Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned; Service Disabled Veteran Owned; 8(a)

Applicable GSA Schedule Contracts or other GWAC (e.g., NASA SEWP V, CIO-CS, etc.):

Current CMMI Level, ISO certifications, or other industry certifications:

Recent/Relevant Experience, to include:

Capabilities: Business

· History and overview of your firm, indicating the general areas of focus for your business, and your years of relevant experience. Please highlight where experiences are recent, in support of U.S. Government programs, and/or providing management and operations support for mission-aligned business programs

· Experience transitioning large, complex service delivery operations in support of mission-aligned business programs from incumbent contractors, and perceived critical success factors for conducting such a transition for the program

· Specific experience and qualifications relevant to the suite of services and capabilities that the program requires, as outlined in scope included above. For each objective provide:

· Brief descriptions of successful recent projects similar in scope and complexity, citing references

· Operating models implemented and strategies employed to deliver these services effectively and efficiently under performance-based arrangements

· Corporate commitment and ability to deliver large-scale operations supporting a diverse set of global stakeholders, to include opportunities where existing organizational insights and capabilities would enhance program performance

Management and Technical Competencies:

· Approach to establishing and delivering large-scale service delivery operations in an integrated, interoperable fashion to balance workshare and capabilities across multiple sites and to ensure continuity of operations

· Your understanding of the challenges inherent to hiring, retaining, training, and supervising sizable numbers of on-site managers and staff, as well as the methodologies you have used on recent and similar projects to overcome these challenges

· Qualifications (e.g., training, competencies, similar projects) of the management personnel you would have available for this program

· Tactics for maintaining flexibility in executing standard operating processes and procedures with a need for judgement, discretion, and analysis to satisfy program requirements

Address the requirements contained in Section 2.0 Scope to include proposed technical concepts, products, and deliverables.

· Provide recent/relevant experience, capabilities, contracts, and customer information as you deem appropriate.

· For teaming strategies, please include details on how they would be implemented and any past experience with teaming/particular teaming successes

Companies are welcome to provide any brief concluding remarks, as deemed appropriate.

At this time, the Government will not entertain telephone calls or questions for this Sources Sought Notice. The Government may choose to reach out directly to vendors after reviewing and evaluating the submissions.

7.0 Point of Contact

Kathleen Mejia, Contracting Officer Email: MejiaKJ@state.gov