CMS RFI.docx

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES

ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

General Information Document Type: Sources Sought Notice Title: Comptroller Mission Support (CMS) Blanket Purchase Agreement Sources Sought Post Date: December 20, 2023 Sources Sought Response Date: January 12, 2024 NAICS Code: 541211, Offices of Certified Public Accountants and/or 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services Product Service Code: R499, Support-Professional: Other Sources Sought Notice Information To facilitate market research, the Government is looking to identify qualified sources under all of the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS):

· 541211, Offices of Certified Public Accountants;

· 541219, Other Accounting Services;

· 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services;

· 541512, Computer System Design Services;

· 541519, Other Computer Related Services;

· 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services;

· 541990, All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; and

· 611430, Professional and Management Development Training.

Introduction In order to proactively plan for future requirements, the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Acquisition Directorate (AD) is conducting market research to identify qualified, experienced, and interested businesses who have the capability to support the Comptroller Mission Support Services.

Responses from “all” sources are requested including Other than Small Businesses, Small Businesses, 8(a) Small Businesses, HubZone Small Businesses, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Woman-Owned Small Businesses, and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses are encouraged to respond in providing Comptroller Mission Support Services.

This Sources Sought (SS) Notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall NOT be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government. This notice is for market research purposes only and is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quote (RFQ), nor does it restrict the Government as to the final acquisition strategy. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice. No reimbursement will be made for any cost associated with providing information in response to this notice. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation.

As a result of this notice, the Government MAY issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ). Should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against the Government will arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought Notice, nor the Government’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process, nor in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Any firm responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the firm’s qualifications to perform the work. At this time, no solicitation exists. Therefore, please do not request a copy of the solicitation. Responses in any form are not offers.

Background The Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer (USD(C)/CFO) is the Principal Staff Assistant and advisor to the Secretary of Defense for budgetary and financial matters. The USD(C)/CFO focuses on budgetary formulation and execution; financial management (FM) and oversight; improvement of the DoD financial management workforce; improvement and integration of performance and financial information and achievement of audit readiness; financial systems; accounting policy; contract audit administration; and financial management improvement programs.

DoD Directive 5118.03, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer, Department of Defense, identifies responsibilities and functions, relationships, and authorities of the USD(C)/CFO. In performing assigned responsibilities and functions, the USD(C)/CFO exercises authority, direction, and control over the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (DUSD(C)); the Director, Defense Finance and Accounting Service; and the Director, Defense Contract Audit Agency.

In March 2022 the USD(C) released the first-ever DoD FM Strategy to guide Department-wide priorities for the FM community. The Strategy defines the FM mission, vision, and guiding principles, and it identifies strategic goals and objectives. The Strategy is available at https://comptroller.defense.gov/Financial-Management/DoD-FM-Strategy/.

In August 2023 the Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform released an interim report addressing requirements Congress identified in Section 1004 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. The report is available at https://ppbereform.senate.gov/interimreport/.

Objective and Scope The Department is seeking a select number of firms to support the mission of the DoD Comptroller, promote achievement of the FM Strategy goals and objectives, address areas highlighted in the Commission on PPBE Reform August 2023 Interim Report, and assist Leaders with emergent DoD and Fourth Estate Comptroller requirements. Firms shall have successful experience in the areas of FM workforce development and management; FM reform and budget process optimization; financial operations and financial statement audit and audit remediation; business systems; data analytics; and management initiatives.

The scope of this requirement includes all the services and supplies necessary to carry out the mission of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller).

Critical Task Areas

1. FM Workforce Development and Management The contractor shall support the Department’s objectives to build and maintain a premier FM workforce, optimize and evolve FM training solutions, and foster an FM community of practice. The Department requires support for the recruitment, talent management, retention, training, and professional development of the DoD financial management workforce and strategic workforce planning.

2. FM Reform and Budget Process Optimization The contractor shall support the Department’s objectives to reform the DoD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process; optimize budget to execution; manage cost, performance, and risk; foster a high integrity funds control environment; and provide expertise with the DoD PPBE process. The Department requires support to achieve economy and efficiency in the operations of the Department through sound business judgment and effective fiscal planning and control using modern enterprise solutions.

3. Financial Operations and Audit Support The contractor shall support the Department’s objective to accelerate the path to obtaining an unmodified audit opinion of its financial statements and systems. The Department requires support for effective and efficient financial management operations; development and execution of financial improvement and audit remediation strategies, plans, and guidance; and post-audit sustainment.

4. Business Systems The contractor shall support the Department’s objectives to obtain a secure systems environment, leverage innovative digital and automation solutions, and simplify FM regulation and policy. The Department requires support that will optimize end-to-end business processes, streamline FM systems, and simplify regulations and policies.

5. Data Analytics The contractor shall support the Department’s objectives to drive universal use of secure, single-source reporting and instill confidence in FM data for decision-making. The Department requires support that ensures DoD leaders have access to high quality data analytics for decision-making through a business framework that simplifies processes, standardizes systems and information, and promotes financial policies and internal controls.

6. Management Initiatives The contractor shall support other tasks as needed to assist the Department in achieving goals and related emergent priorities. Examples include responding to an OMB Directive or recently enacted public law; providing data analytics support for a contingency such as a pandemic or armed conflict involving an ally; performing a DoD audit performance assessment; conducting a business process analysis of alternatives for the common budget line item structure for the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process; or developing and maintaining a cost model that employs DoD and Service cost factors to model military deployments with user-specified operating assumptions.

The Government anticipates requirements in each of the critical task areas similar to the following:

(Yearly Average)

4. Business Systems

Security Requirements All submissions *must include verifiable* information about the firm’s ability to comply with the security requirements for this effort:

· Facility Clearance Required: Top Secret

· Level of Safeguarding Required: Top Secret

Potential Proposed Personnel: Most of the personnel must possess an active Secret clearance; however, some task orders may require Top Secret clearances. The individual task order will identify the specific security requirements.

Due to the nature of the work, all contractors will be required to possess a TOP SECRET facility security clearance (FCL) and have TOP SECRET safeguarding capabilities. The Government anticipates access to classified data/information up to and including TS/SCI. The TS/SCI work associated with this contract may be performed within Government Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities or at the contractor’s facility. If required to be performed at the contractor’s facility, the contractor will be required to have an accredited Government Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF). Please describe personnel security policies and procedures used to propose personnel with current Secret and Top-Secret security clearances with Sensitive Compartmented Information eligibility. In addition, please describe the extent to which those procedures will ensure rapid replacement of individuals, should the need arise.

For interested Joint Ventures (JV), the firm shall indicate if the JV itself or the individual partner(s) to the JV hold the required security clearance.

Place of Performance Services associated with this effort will be performed On-site at Government facilities in the Washington, DC and surrounding metropolitan area and Off-site at contractor facilities and alternate work locations, if telework is authorized.

General Instructions All responses to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) no later than January 12, 2024 at 10:00AM EST only to Brandiss Smith at brandiss.r.smith.civ@mail.mil and Gervonna Crump-Williams at gervonna.b.crump-williams.civ@mail.mil. Subject Line: Response to Sources Sought: Comptroller Mission Support Blanket Purchase Agreement.

Capability statements will not be returned. Nor will an assessment of a firm’s response be returned. No telephone requests will be honored. Hard copy or facsimile submissions will not be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

Submissions to any person other than the ones listed above will not be considered. Submissions after this date and time will not be considered. Responses to this Notice will not be returned. No questions other than clarifying the information within the Source Sought Notice will be accepted. The Government will NOT accept phone calls, requests for meetings or briefings. All firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice are advised the Government will not provide or acknowledge receipt of the information received, provide feedback to firms with respect to any information submitted, or provide any follow-up information after the deadline of this sources sought notice.

Confidentiality Proprietary information and trade secrets shall NOT be submitted as part of a response. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All Government and contractor personnel reviewing Sources Sought responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is submitted, as it is clearly stated this type of information shall NOT be submitted.

Submission Instructions To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms must respond using the format requested in this Notice. Any deviation from this format may lead to the rejection of the response.

Response Format All interested firms having the experience, skills, and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements are requested to provide capability statements that do not exceed eight (8) single sided pages maximum in “Times New Roman” 12-point font on 8.5 x 11 paper that include the following information:

Do not submit pricing information in response to this notice.

Capability Statements To be considered capable of satisfying the Government’s requirement, interested firms must satisfy the following conditions:

· Demonstrate the ability to comply with all the requirements in this Sources Sought Notice.

· Possess GSA schedules that offer services in all the above NAICS (NAICS requirement can be met by a single firm, Joint Venture, or Contractor Teaming Arrangement).

· Have recent and relevant experience as a prime contractor in all six of the critical task areas. “Recent” means within the past three years. “Relevant” means performance as a prime for requirements with similar average annual dollar value and involving subject matter expertise similar to the above critical task areas.

· Interested firms should submit their response to include a capabilities statement covering experience, staffing and technical capabilities. The capabilities statement should address each of the critical task areas and demonstrate how the firm’s recent past performance (last 3 years) is similar in size, scope, and complexity to each critical task area.

· Responses must identify recent past performance and corporate experience as a prime contractor with projects similar in size, scope, and complexity and must describe the ability to provide sufficient numbers of cleared personnel with requisite expertise to accomplish all the critical task areas.

1. General Information

1) Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.

2) CAGE Code and Unique Entity Identifier.

3) Business size status (business size/socio-economic category must be submitted to be used) in each of the following NAICS.

(Business Size / Socio-Economic Category)

541211, Offices of Certified Public Accountants

541219, Other Accounting Services

541511, Custom Computer Programming Services

541512, Computer System Design Services

541519, Other Computer Related Services

541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

541990, All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

611430, Professional and Management Development Training

4) GSA schedule numbers offering services in each of the above NAICS.

2. Security Capability

1) Provide verifiable evidence to comply with the Security Requirements mentioned above in this Sources Sought Notice to include Vendor Facility Clearance, Vendor Level of Safeguarding, number of Vendor staff members holding a current Secret and Top-Secret clearance with SCI eligibility, and other information demonstrating the Vendor’s ability to satisfy the security requirements described above.

3. Technical Capability

1) Describe your firm’s capabilities regarding each of the six (6) critical tasks described above. Describe your firm’s ability to provide sufficient numbers of personnel with required skills and clearances.

2) Describe Corporate Experience and Past Performance Information for similar contracts and/or projects accomplished within the last 3 years. This information must demonstrate how the firm’s recent Corporate Experience and Past Performance (last 3 years) is relevant to the Comptroller Mission Support requirement. The experience description must include the following information for each contract, task order or project:

a. Contract number and title

b. Role played on contract, i.e., prime or subcontractor

c. Average annual dollar value

d. Period of Performance

e. Where, when, and for whom each contract and/or project was performed

f. A brief description of the support provided and how it is similar to the above critical task area(s)

4. Small Business

1) Indicate if your firm’s interest is in proposing for Prime Contracting, teaming agreement or Joint Venture

2) If applicable, identify any proposed small business (SB) teaming arrangements and types, to include business size and socioeconomic category for each team member: Prime, Subcontractors, MPP, JV (managing partner and protégé), etc.

3) For each task shown below, indicate any Small Business Subcontracting opportunities, as applicable.

4) Identify in each task the percentages for Self Performance, and teaming partner’s performance, as applicable. Please use the sample table below to provide your respective proposed workshare arrangement for any potential small business (SB) teaming partners: Subcontractors, MPP, JV (managing partner and protégé), etc.

3. Financial Operations and Audit Support

4. Business Systems

5. Data Analytics

6. Management Initiatives

5) For all respondents, indicate the minimum quantitative requirement (MQR) (ex: Out of 100% of the total contract value, the prime will utilize 30% for small business participation), if utilizing small businesses.

6) For Other than Small business firms, please indicate if there are no small business subcontracting opportunities and provide rationale as to why.

5. Additional Information

1) Indicate whether or not your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued.

2) Indicate if your firm’s interest is in proposing for Prime Contracting, teaming agreement or Joint Venture.

3) Validation of or recommended NAICS codes for this effort.

4) Validation of or recommended contract type(s).

5) Validation of or recommended Federal Supply Schedules: GSA vehicles or any other Government-wide Acquisition Contracts.

6) Provide any information that would provide a better understanding of the effort desired, to include missing information or restrictive language in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

7) Provide comments on the appropriateness of the labor categories, i.e., suitability of use for CMS requirements.

8) Submit any other questions or comments seeking clarity of this effort along with your response using the below format, no later than January 12, 2024 at 10:00AM EST.

Question/Comment Number

State your question/comment here

State your question/comment here

POINTS OF CONTACT

Contracting Officer:

Brandiss Smith Email: brandiss.r.smith.civ@mail.mil

Contract Specialist:

Gervonna Crump-Williams Email: gervonna.b.crump-williams.civ@mail.mil

Small Business Specialist:

Tara Upchurch Email: tara.n.upchurch.civ@mail.mil

End of Notice