FINAL - Amendment 000002 - Q As OIG Responses 06-18-10.doc

Amendment 000002 – Q&As

Q1.

Will the resumes of foreign personnel be admitted and qualified with the same standards as those of American citizens? (Question related to “Factor B – Personnel”)

A1.

All personnel proposed to work on this project must be U.S. citizens.

Q2.

Do the customers and points of contact need to be within the United States? (Question related to “Factor B – Personnel” and “Factor C – Past Performance”)

A2.

Yes.

Q3.

What is the definition of wireless? Is WIFI available at all locations?

A3.

Wireless is not available at all locations. Wireless means the ability to operate the scanner detached from the workstation (in memory mode) or in locations where an access point is available.

Q4.

What is the tagging strategy? Is there a legacy tagging scheme?

A4.

The tagging strategy/scheme involves affixing bar code labels to accountable property such as computers, monitors, etc. based on internal policies established by the Facilities and Asset Management Division, as well as the Information Technology Division.

Q5.

How many assets are to be tagged?

A5.

The number of current assets are 5,000 and may range upwards to 10,000 over time.

Q6.

What is the anticipated maximum number of simultaneous users?

A6.

Initially, approximately 10-50; however, over time, when the system is integrated with other enterprise applications, such as an Investigative Case Management System, this number may range from 100-350 users.

Q7.

How many different formats is the existing data stored in? Data which is stored in similar medium (e.g. Excel) but stored with different data structures should be counted as unique formats.

A7.

An answer will be provided in a future Amendment.

Q8.

How much existing data is in paper records?

A8.

Less than 100 legacy one-page property forms and/or approximately 10 GB (paper and electronic records).

Q9.

Would you please list which technical requirements apply to the handhelds?

A9.

There are no specific technical requirements defined for the handhelds. The minimum requirements are outlined in Section 2. “Equipment Needs and Software Licensing” of the Performance Work Statement.

Q10.

Will the Contractor have access to OIG’s servers during testing?

A10.

Yes – contractors will have access to OIG servers via OIG Network Administrators.

Q11.

In Section 7, initial training is described. Is subsequent training to be priced separately as options in the response?

A11.

If the contractor is able and willing to provide additional training above what is required in the Performance Work Statement, it should be priced separately as an option.

Q12.

What Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) resources will be provided?

A12.

The Government will provide the contractor with the necessary access and equipment to facilitate development of the proposed solution within the OIG’s test environment in coordination with OIG Information Technology staff.

Q13.

Numerous references are included in the specifications to evidence and case tracking. This reads as if it is a set of specifications from the Evidence Tracker software, rather than a set of specifications for an asset system. For example are references to evidence concepts, e.g. “chain of custody” and “case” and the specific use of the word “evidence” and “evidentiary.” Specific examples include:

“Standardization—drop down menus for evidence categories” bottom of page 16

“1) Unique number for each document produced by cases(s)” middle of page 17

“13) Description of Property/Evidence . . .”

“ . . . ability to document the ‘chain of custody.’” Near Bottom of page 17

“5) Property moved in and out of storage for evidentiary purposes” second to last line page 17

Is it intended that the system be used to track evidence or government equipment or furniture?

A13.

The references to certain requirements and functionality outlined in the Performance Work Statement are not based on any specific software vendor, solution or application. Although the reference to chain-of-custody typically refers to managing evidence inventories, in this context it is being used to refer to the ability of the proposed solution to account for the entire lifecycle of all property items tracked by the system. However, over time, the system is expected to track assets, property, equipment and evidence if and when it is integrated with other enterprise applications such as the agency’s Investigative Case Management System.

Q14.

On Page 15 under “The specific objectives of the project,” it states that OIG wants “to replace the current manual means of managing accountable property.” However, at the bottom of that page it discusses the need to “import data (including images) . . . from the PIMS” Moreover, on Page 18 it mentions that “the contractor shall import approximate 10GB of property data . . .” It appears that the text about “manual means of managing accountable property” under represents the degree of automation. Can you confirm this? That notwithstanding, can OIG provide a list of the files to be imported and for each the file format and the approximate number or records including the data and image formats from PIMS? This is important in estimating the effort involved.

A14.

An answer will be provided in a future Amendment.

Q15.

“Generate a property receipt . . . with a unique numbering system” (fifth bullet from top). Is this the Hand Receipt often used in the Army? Can OIG explain the purpose of and when a “property receipt” needs to be generated?

A15.

A hand receipt may need to be generated to account for property transfers or dispositions when hard copy documentation (with signatures) may be required. For example, when property items are transferred to other agencies requiring a hard copy record or authorization.

Q16.

Provide a log system to track common inventory management duties such as property acquisitions, transfers, dispositions, etc. (sixth bullet from the top). What does OIG intend with a “log system to track inventory management duties” differ from the chain-of-“custody tranactions?”

A16.

An audit trail (asset/property item) log that may be used to track the status of the transactions for all (or specific) assets/property items (other than evidence). This log may contain information different than generally used in chain-of-custody type records.

Q17.

“Electronically transmit documents using internet/communications including but not limited to VPN technology” (seventh bullet from the top). Can OIG explain what types of documents may need to be transmitted, when they would be generated and transmitted, and from whom and to whom would they pass?

A17.

Property receipts or reports sent between field office locations and headquarters by property custodians and managers on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis.

Q18.

“Support digitized/electronic signature technology with password protection for access control for transactions requiring signed authorizations” (tenth bullet from the top). Can OIG indicate what transactions require signed authorizations? Who would be involved in the transactions? Is access control for “transactions that require certification in addition to the access control desired by the Active Directory that is required?

A18.

Transactions involving the transfer or disposal of certain types of assets or property that requires supervisory/management approval. This is a separate level of administrator customizable control established for specific users within the application separate from the control (user privileges) controlled via Active Directory.

Q19.

“Support data entry using laptop computers for both remote locations and office use”(thirteenth bullet from the top). How does the government envision the laptop computers be connected to the server?

A19.

End user workstations that are integrated with the OIG’s enterprise network are connected either through a wired connection or wireless connectivity via VPN.

Q20.

“Allow bulk scanning of labels to perform operations such as disposition/destruction and reporting” (seventeenth bullet from the top). Can the government be more explicit about “bulk scanning” and what it means by this term?

A20.

Bulk scanning means the ability to process multiple items in batch mode (assigning bar codes to multiple items so they can be processed as a single transaction in lieu of having to scan multiple or hundreds of individual items).

Q21.

“System generated alert functions to notify users of specific property actions that are generated via mail clients such as Microsoft Outlook. The alert actions could involve email and/or on-screen notifications” (third bullet from the bottom). Can OIG explain what are the “user specific property actions” and provide some examples pertinent to property management?

A21.

User-specific property actions include transactions that may require authorizations from supervisors or management that require specific users to be notified via e-mail that a required action is pending; it may include an on-screen message or an e-mail to property custodians that action(s) are required for certain transactions (e.g., reminders to conduct monthly or annual inventories); or it may be system-generated messages alerting users (such as property custodians) of actions taken by other users.

Q22.

“Standardization—drop down menus for evidence categories and item descriptions” (last bullet on p[age”. What does the government mean by “evidence categories?”

A22.

Evidence categories refer to specific types of evidence such as paper documents, currency, etc.

Q23.

“Support “Tickler” capabilities that can be set to follow internal policy requirements

(e.g. 30 days, 60 days, etc.)” (sixth bullet from the top). Can the government explain what types of events it envisions would involve ‘ticklers’ and some examples of the internal policy requirements that might be followed?

A23.

Types of events that may involve these types of reminders may be notifications sent to users when specific timeframes need to be followed that accompany certain property transactions such as requirements to dispose of property within specified timeframes. This function could be incorporated into the system’s alerting and notification capabilities.

Q24.

“Unique number for each document produced by cases(s). Unique property identification number may be generated based on current date/time stamp”. Can the government explain what documents are “produced by case(s)?” Can the government explain what is meant and intended by the sentence: “Unique procedures identification number may be generated based on current date/time stamp?”

A24.

When the PIMS is integrated with other enterprise applications such as an Investigative Case Management System, each document type entered (uploaded) to the system must have a unique identifier assigned to it along with the date/time. The assignment of a unique system-generated identifier and date/time stamp is also required for all property items/assets in the system.

Q25.

In the middle of page 17 there is a list of “must have . . . fields.” At the top of page 18, there is another list of fields. The latter include two sets of signatures, which appear to be duplicative.

a. The use of this second list is not clear. Can OIG indicate how the two field lists relate. Can OIG explain how the two relate? What are the differences?

A25.

There may be some overlap in the lists due to fields or requirements unique to certain property types. For example, the second list includes additional fields unique to capturing information specific to property such as registered mail (and the ability to upload signatures which refer to the individual that sent the package and the individual that received it). Overall, the lists are an example of the types of information (fields) and functionality that the proposed system should be able to incorporate.

b. May we get copies of the “various forms” mentioned on page 17 (first bold face type An answer will be provided in a future Amendment.

c. What does the OIG intend by “Registry Number?” What is its function? (Pag3 17, 15.d.)

The registry number is the unique system-generated property/item number stored in the system.

d. What is “check off transfer” on page 18 3)?

A system function that mirrors a ‘Check Box’ denoting transfer or reassignment of property that may or may not trigger the requirement for an electronic receipt by the individual receiving the property.

e. We note that there is no provision for procuring signature capture pads attached to PCs. Is it OIG’s intention that the “portable handheld barcode scanners” capture signatures?

No. See answer A18 of this amendment.

f. When will the signatures called for on both pages 17 and 18 be captured?

At the time certain transactions (receipt of certain types of mail or other property items) are processed.

g. The requirements call for “tracking accountable property” including “other sensitive items such as registered mail.” What is the process OIG anticipates for tracking registered mail? What other sensitive items might be tracked?

When registered mail is delivered, it is anticipated that bar codes will be affixed to acknowledge receipt and internal delivery of these items to OIG staff. Other sensitive items may include classified documents and reports.

Q26.

Might we obtain a copy of the RFP and the Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Item form, for ease of response without a typewriter?

A26.

The clauses and Performance Work Statement will be uploaded in a .doc format. The Standard Form 1449 is only available in a .pdf format.

Q27.

For the barcode label printers, what size label is preferable?

A27.

The barcode label printers shall have the capability of printing the following label sizes: 1.5” x 1.0”; 2.0” x 1.0”; 2.0” x 2.0” and 3.0” x 3.0”.

Q28.

For the barcode label printers, what kind of durability are you looking for? Printers vary widely and some will be more acceptable for indoors and some will be better suited to outdoors.

A28.

No specific durability standard has been established. The majority of the printers will be used in a standard office environment; however, in some limited circumstances, the printers may be used in the field such as in warehouse-type environments.

Q29.

Will the location and asset labels be printed directly from the database or will labels be printed directly from the scanner using Bluetooth technology?

A29.

Labels will be printed directly from the data base.

Q30.

Will the barcodes need to be printed in 1D or 2D?

A30.

1D Q31.

Will the scope of asset tracking extend to vehicle tracking?

A31.

At this time, vehicle tracking is not anticipated.

Q32.

“Document chain-of-custody transactions using a tamper-proof time/date stamp technology using AES/256 bit file encryption.” Can you provide a narrative explaining the process in which the signature is captured?

A32.

The proposed solution should have the ability to capture and store images of digitized signatures within a specified field(s) within the database. For example, the capture of digital signatures similar to those generated and used by applications such as Adobe Acrobat. The system should have the ability for these types of digital signatures to be captured and embedded in specific records that may require this function. In addition, if the proposed solution is able to generate digital certificates (signatures) from the database, the level of functionality will also satisfy the requirement.

Q33.

Amendment 1 of the above referenced RFP under Section 5.3 indicates that “Anyone handling sensitive or OIG priority applications must undergo security screening . . . All personnel must be U.S. citizens.” Some staff are not citizens but they would not be involved in this project. Does the term “All personnel” apply to the full company or only those involved in this project?

A33.

The term “all personnel” means only those personnel who will be involved in work under this solicitation.