Attachment 1 - DCSA Questions for Industry.pdf

I. General & AcquisiƟon Strategy

These quesƟons focus on the overall contract structure, scope, and business model.

1. The DraŌ AcquisiƟon Strategy outlines a two-track acquisiƟon framework (Track 1: IniƟal Veƫng and Track 2: Other Veƫng Scenarios). The draŌ strategy reflects awards of up to three Track 1 vendors which may expand into Track 2, while up to two separate awards may be made exclusively for Track 2.

a. Briefly describe your company's capabiliƟes and experience (i.e., size, scope, and complexity) performing the Personnel Veƫng work idenƟfied under each of these tracks.

b. Would requiring naƟonwide coverage under Track 1 limit compeƟƟon or feasibility?

c. Does the acquisiƟon structure allowing vendors to propose on Track 1, Track 2, or both impact your company’s interest level? Can you idenƟfy posiƟves and/or negaƟves with this approach?

2. The Ordering Guide defines workload share logic for two and three vendor models for Track 1, and two, three, four, and five vendor models for Track 2. Would such workload distribuƟon allow your company to maintain economic viability and sustainment?

3. PWS SecƟon 1.17.1 uƟlizes a dynamic, performance-based workload distribuƟon model based on price, Ɵmeliness, quality, and capacity (inventory age). Workload distribuƟon is evaluated on a 125-point scale: Price (50 pts), Timeliness (25 pts), Quality (25 pts), and Inventory Age/Capacity (25 pts). This model will be used to determine workload distribuƟon for each six-month period. (However, the Government ulƟmately reserves the right to distribute workload in any way that is deemed to be in the best interest of the Government and its mission).

a. Please provide feedback on this point system and its impact in determining workload allocaƟon.

b. Are there alternaƟve approaches DCSA should consider?

c. Does this impact the likelihood that your company will propose?

d. Is the six-month cycle reasonable for stabilizing your company’s operaƟonal workforce, invesƟgator staffing, and case throughput?

4. The Government is considering a priced five-year base period with five one-year priced opƟon periods.

a. Provide feedback on the ten-year Ɵmeframe to include pricing/escalaƟon risks and perceived benefits.

b. Are there other mechanisms or structures that your company recommends?

5. PWS SecƟons 1.17 and 1.20 reference a ramp-up period of three months between base contract award and the start of case assignments. Is three months sufficient to meet all the ramp-up requirements?

6. Per PWS SecƟons 1.17 and 1.20, a three-month phase-in period will commence (at the conclusion of the ramp-up period) during which the Government may limit workload assignments unƟl it has full confidence in the Contractor. Is a three-month phase-in period sufficient?

7. There is a potenƟal in-person requirement for all case-level and item-level products (see Technical Exhibit K). For in-person services, the Government is considering having vendors propose a flat surcharge/percentage to base virtual rates. Please provide input on the validity and viability of this method, vs establishing separate pricing for each delivery method (i.e., High Tier – Virtual and High Tier In-Person, etc.).

II. Technical Performance & Quality

These quesƟons address the core invesƟgaƟve tasks, quality assurance, and emerging methodologies.

1. The government plans to introduce new methodologies such as "e-Interview" (PWS 5.9).

What is your company's experience with automated or digital plaƞorms for collecƟng invesƟgaƟve informaƟon directly from subjects? What capabiliƟes do you have to support or integrate with such a system?

2. The requirement for Time-Based Law Checks (PWS 5.2.7) involves managing discrete "Lots" of subjects and maximizing efficiency through "lead stacking" for in-person searches. Describe your capabiliƟes and experience in managing high-volume, geographically dispersed record-checking tasks of this nature.

3. The performance standards for Ɵmeliness and quality (PWS SecƟon 6) include specific elapsed-day targets and quality raƟng calculaƟons.

a. Is your company able to meet these proposed standards?

b. Please provide any feedback or concerns regarding these metrics and the associated disincenƟve structure.

III. InformaƟon Technology & Cybersecurity

These quesƟons focus on the significant IT and security requirements detailed in Technical Exhibit A.

1. Technical Exhibit A may require CMMC Level 2 Third-Party (C3PAO) Assessment at the Ɵme of award.

a. What is your company's current CMMC status?

b. What is your strategy and Ɵmeline for achieving and maintaining this cerƟficaƟon for the duraƟon of the contract?

2. The IT architecture requires contractors to provide their own computers to connect to the DCSA network using a government mandated Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) soluƟon. What is your experience with ZTNA and managing a fleet of devices compliant with stringent government endpoint security specificaƟons (e.g., EDR, disk encrypƟon, OS versioning)?

3. The PWS states contractors are authorized to use external Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) that meet FedRAMP Moderate or DoD Impact Level 5 (IL5) equivalency. Describe your experience with uƟlizing and managing compliant cloud environments for storing or processing Controlled Unclassified InformaƟon (CUI).

4. The contract requires the uƟlizaƟon of a Case Management System (CMS) to support operaƟons. Contractors may uƟlize NBIS directly or they may integrate their proprietary CMS with NBIS via an ApplicaƟon Programming Interface (API). Describe your company's technical capability and experience with uƟlizing government case management systems, or with developing and maintaining API integraƟons with systems like NBIS.

a. Would you uƟlize NBIS as a CMS or integrate via API with NBIS?

IV. Other Feedback

Please provide other feedback and submit quesƟons on any topic related to this requirement/acquisiƟon on the QuesƟon and Answer Template (AƩachment 7).