Amended Request for Quote IT Research Subscription.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS DIRECTORATE

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE GUNTER ANNEX ALABAMA

11 August 2020

MEMORANDUM FOR WOMEN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB) CONCERNS

FROM: AFLCMC/HICK

490 East Moore Drive, Bldg. 892; Room 130 Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex AL 36114-3000

SUBJECT: Amended Request for Quote FA8771-20-Q-0028

1. This Request for Quote is being issued for Information Technology Research Subscriptions. This order will be firm fixed price with a period of performance from 04Septermeber – 03 September 2021. The evaluation of your quote (offer) will be based on the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) procedures.

2. In accordance with (IAW) the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) specifically Section 889(a)(1)(B), effective on or after August 13, 2020, contracting officers shall not award contracts or issue task or delivery orders to an offeror that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, unless an exception at FAR 4.2102(b) applies or a waiver is granted.

a. Please complete provision at FAR 52.204-24 (attachment 1) and submit with quote.

**Please note that offerors who represent that they will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services etc. ONLY have to represent so by marking the appropriate box in section d of the provision. Offerors who represent that they will provide covered telecommunications equipment or services etc. will have to submit additional information as requested by the provision.**

3. IAW FAR 19.1503 Status, Offerors shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), self-certified as an WOSB concern in SAM, and have submitted documents verifying eligibility at the time of initial award to the WOSB Program Repository. verification of WOSB status upon contract award. Offerors that are not and or cannot verify WOSB status will not be eligible for contract award.

4. To be eligible for award offerors must address ALL requirements of this solicitation.

5. Please review the requirements list (Attachment 2) and the Statement of Objectives (SOO) (Attachment 3). The quote should reflect the unit and total cost for each product name listed on Attachment 2 to this RFQ.

6. Quotes are due no later than 1200 CST, Tuesday, 18 August 2020.

7. This RFQ is not an authorization to begin performance and in no way obligates the Government for any cost incurred by your company for this requirement. The Government reserves the right to cancel this RFQ at any time prior to award and is under no obligation to make an award as a result of this RFQ.

8. If you have any questions, please submit them by email to the Contracting Officer, Princess

Kendrick at princess.kendrick@us.af.mil with a courtesy copy to the Contract Specialist, Andrew Williams at andrew.williams.67@us.af.mil no later than this Thursday 13 August 2020.

Clause(s) and Provision Incorporated by Full Text:

FAR Provision 52.204-24 - Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (attached)

FAR Clause 52.204-25 - Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment

Princess J. Kendrick Contracting Officer

Attachment (3):

1. Provisions and Clauses

2. Requirements List

3. Statement of Objective (SOO) mailto:princess.kendrick@us.af.mil mailto:andrew.williams.67@us.af.mil

Attachment 1 FAR Provision 52.204-24 - Representation Regarding Certain

Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (AUG 2020)

The Offeror shall not complete the representation at paragraph (d)(1) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it “does not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services as a part of its offered products or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract, or other contractual instrument” in the provision at 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or

Services—Representation, or in paragraph (v) of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items.

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision- Backhaul, covered telecommunications equipment or services, critical technology, interconnection arrangements, reasonable inquiry, roaming, and substantial or essential component have the meanings provided in the clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video

Surveillance Services or Equipment.

(b) Prohibition. (1) Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for

Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2019, from procuring or obtaining, or extending or renewing a contract to procure or obtain, any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(2) Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract or extending or renewing a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(c) Procedures. The Offeror shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award

Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for “covered telecommunications equipment or services.”

(d) Representations. The Offeror represents that—

(1) It [] will, [] will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract or other contractual instrument resulting from this solicitation. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the Offeror responds “will” in paragraph (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) After conducting a reasonable inquiry, for purposes of this representation, the Offeror represents that— It [] does, [] does not use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or use any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(2) of this section if the Offeror responds

“does” in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) Disclosures. (1) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded “will” in the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained: Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the Product Service Code (PSC) of the service being provided;

and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(2) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded

“does” in the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the OEM or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained: Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the PSC of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

(End of provision)

FAR Clause 52.204-25 - Prohibition on Contracting for Certain

PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTING FOR CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

SERVICES OR EQUIPMENT (AUG 2020)

(a) * * *

Backhaul means intermediate links between the core network, or backbone network, and the small subnetworks at the edge of the network (e.g., connecting cell phones/towers to the core telephone network). Backhaul can be wireless (e.g., microwave) or wired (e.g., fiber optic, coaxial cable, Ethernet).

Interconnection arrangements means arrangements governing the physical connection of two or more networks to allow the use of another's network to hand off traffic where it is ultimately delivered (e.g., connection of a customer of telephone provider A to a customer of telephone company B) or sharing data and other information resources.

Reasonable inquiry means an inquiry designed to uncover any information in the entity's possession about the identity of the producer or provider of covered telecommunications equipment or services used by the entity that excludes the need to include an internal or third-party audit.

Roaming means cellular communications services (e.g., voice, video, data) received from a visited network when unable to connect to the facilities of the home network either because signal coverage is too weak or because traffic is too high.

(b) Prohibition. (1) Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year

2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2019, from procuring or obtaining, or extending or renewing a contract to procure or obtain, any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. The Contractor is prohibited from providing to the Government any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, unless an exception at paragraph (c) of this clause applies or the covered telecommunication equipment or services are covered by a waiver described in FAR 4.2104.

(2) Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L.

115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract, or extending or renewing a contract, with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, unless an exception at paragraph (c) of this clause applies or the covered telecommunication equipment or services are covered by a waiver described in FAR 4.2104. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract.

Attachment 2

Requirements List (Brand Name)

CLIN/QUANTITY DESCRIPTION PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

0001/1 Information Technology Research Subscription Enterprise wide

04 September 2020 - 03 September 2020

Attachment 3 Statement of Objectives (SOO)

1. GENERAL

Acquiring an enterprise-wide Information Technology Research Subscription to support the ~1150 General Schedule (GS) and military personnel executing the acquisition and subsequent continuous delivery of capabilities for ~156 Defense Business Programs supporting 70+ stakeholders.

2. INTRODUCTION

Regardless whether a government organization or commercial company, the business system sector is facing extremely rapid technological changes and widespread disruption of the traditional development models and a much tighter technology cycle. Successfully transforming an organization such as the AFLCMC Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) Directorate to keep pace requires provisioning the civilian service and military workforce with access to a continuous flow of research and virtual events to educate personnel, embolden innovation at all levels, and support the development of viable/comprehensive courses of actions essential to decision-making.

3. OBJECTIVES

a. Provision BES personnel with a readily accessible source of research material and subject matter expertise related to emerging practices and technologies with potential applicability to Defense Business Systems.

Though subject to change, topics should include subjects such as:

(1) Agile Transformation

(2) Emerging Software Engineering Practices

(3) Enterprise Architecture

(4) Advanced Analytics

(5) Cloud Services/Migration

(6) Business Intelligence

(7) Data Mining

(8) Business-Technology Strategy

(9) Risk Management

(10) Digital Transformation

b. Provide web-access to a database of IT written and multimedia research products (to include archived and current content) on a wide-range of IT related topics relevant to business systems.

c. Access to virtual events (e.g. webinars, Q&A, etc.) for BES personnel to interact with experts on key topics listed above.

d. Unlimited phone inquiries with analysts to assist personnel interpretation of how the respective research and underlying technologies could be integrated into the business systems.

e. Four 1-2 hour virtual strategy sessions on topics deemed pertinent by AFMCLC/HI in relation to the above topics.

f. Consultative Support such as workshops, coaching, and mentoring engagements deemed necessary by the government to further explore subject areas covered under the subscription as listed in para 3.a. (unfunded

CLIN NTE $50K).

KENDRICK, PRINCESS J GS-12 USAF AFMC AFLCMC/HIK

If this training needs to be or will be relevant to the topics listed above then fine. On the other hand, if these topics are unknown how can the vendor appropriately price for the expertise necessary? Is this the Cost Re-imbursEable CLIN mentioned over the phone? If so then I can understand this being a requirement that will need to have a not to exceed amount on the CLIN. The details can be determined at the time the training may be needed.

MATTHEW DOLAN

This option is for expanded Analyst calls not the training listed in sub para f. The past year we used the Strategy sessions for the BES Offsite in Oct 19 and the Product Management aspects of BES 2.0. The normal analyst calls are limited to 30-45 minutes and don’t allow sufficient time to adequately cover some of the topics.

KENDRICK, PRINCESS J GS-12 USAF AFMC AFLCMC/HIK

Could (e) above fit into this section?

MATTHEW DOLAN

This is the training we discussed on the phone I believe requires a NTE CLIN and not the strategy sessions which are included in the subscription.

4. SCOPE

a. In terms of this requirement, the “enterprise” includes all military, civil service, and contracted personnel assigned to the AFLCMC/HI Directorate. Though subject to periodic vacillations the enterprise is comprised of approximately 1100 contractors, 800 Civilians, 280 Enlisted, and 90 Officers.

b. The exact number of personnel of the licenses will fluctuate in response to common personnel actions. Any increase in the total number of personnel will not incur a proportional increase in the price of the enterprise license.

5. PERIOD OF PERFOMANCE

a. The enterprise license will cover 12-months...

6. HOURS OF OPERATION

a. Contractor shall provide access to the database of IT written and multimedia research products 24 hours a day, seven (7) days per week.

b. Analyst phone inquiries will be conducted during normal business hours 7:30AM-4:30PM Central Standard Time and coordinated on a case-by-case basis.

WILLIAMS, ANDREW T GS-11 USAF AFMC AFLCMC/HIK

For the sake of this requirement is there a set number of licenses you want to acquire in the base year of the contract seeing that the number may fluctuate?

MATTHEW DOLAN

Our approach centers on an Enterprise-wide license that covers all BES personnel. The market research conducted in 2019 indicated cost would scale with the number of active users…quickly becoming cost prohibitive.

KENDRICK, PRINCESS J GS-12 USAF AFMC AFLCMC/HIK

May want to define normal business hours.

MATTHEW DOLAN

Agree