FMC-SS-15-0002_Questions_and_Answers.docx

Source Sought: FMC-SS- 15-0002 – Questions and Answers

1. The Xerox WorkCentre 7665 maximum duty cycle can scan 200,000 to 300,000 pages per month. If providing, the office equipment would it be one?

RESPONSE: The FMC initially provided the alternative of the Contractor to use the Xerox WorkCentre 7665. However, the FMC now intends to withdraw this alternative and not offer the Contractor to use the equipment. Therefore, the Contractor must provide its own scanning equipment, which will in turn be connected to our internal system to “save” all documents to be scanned.

1. How soon would you like the project to be done?

RESPONSE: 6 months.

1. What are the other 10 -15 different categories?

RESPONSE: One word descriptions describing the types of documents within the folders.

1. Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this? (From India or Canada). RESPONSE: No

1. Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

RESPONSE: Visitors are welcome. The FMC highly encourages and highly recommends on site visits prior to bidding.

1. Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA? (From India or CANADA) RESPONSE: No

1. Can we submit our proposals via email?

RESPONSE: Yes

1. Are we able to get some clarification on whether or not you are looking for a vendor to also provide a repository?

RESPONSE: No. We do not seek a repository.

1. Do the individuals working on the project need a federal clearance or is the understanding and adherence to the Privacy Act and other acts and signing an NDA sufficient?

RESPONSE: Active Federal clearance is required.

1. Can the indexing and quality control be performed at our headquarter office?

RESPONSE: No

1. Please clarify the term categories--- 10-15 categories is mentioned---does categories mean document types or does categories mean fields to be indexed?

RESPONSE: One word descriptions describing the types of PDF documents (names) within folders and subfolders.

1. Would FMC consider an option to have the vendor provide scanning services in our secure production facility?

RESPONSE: No

1. Should we assume that electronic documents will match the physical document unitization found in the files? Meaning, a stapled group will yield one PDF? Or will each manila file represent one PDF?

RESPONSE: We envision that in some cases a staples group will yield one PDF and in some cases it will not yield one PDF. One manila file will not represent one PDF. Each category will yield a PDF. These categories in total will comprise the entirety of the manila folder.

1. What is the file naming convention or file naming requirements for this project?

RESPONSE: Name of files will be a list of metadata concatenated. In other words, each master folder contains sub-folders. Sub-folders contain PDFs.

1. Will the file folders themselves need to be scanned?

RESPONSE: No

1. How will any indexed meta-data be delivered? Delimited text file? Excel file?

RESPONSE: Delimited text file.

1. What is the target imaging system or database system to be used by the end users?

RESPONSE: Internal SQL database.

1. If the scanning is required to be done on-site how much space is available for scanning and indexing on-site? How many workstations can we fit in the work space?

RESPONSE: The workspace the FMC is able to provide is approximately 75 square-feet in area.

1. If the scanning is required to be done on-site, will the contractor have to connect to the FMC network or will we maintain our own sep network from FMC. What requirements does the contractor have to meet in order to bring equipment on-site or to connect to the FMC network?

RESPONSE: FMC network only. Our Office of Information Technology will provide assistance in setting up to the FMC network. Our Office of Management Services can assist in logistical questions.

1. What level of clearance is required for the staff? How long will it take for the clearances to be processed? Can staff begin work with a preliminary clearance/adjudication?

RESPONSE: The vendor must already have an active security clearance. The FMC will not pay for any background check or any clearance.

1. Is there a specific deadline for completion of the scanning project?

RESPONSE: After a meaningful training is administered to the Vendor, the FMC expects the project to be completed at the end of 6 months.

1. Can indexing be performed off-site at the vendors secured facility-this assumes that indexing will be done from images scanned on site and copies of those images would be brought to the vendors facility?

RESPONSE: No

1. Are the files to be scanned active files? Will the contractor be allowed to restrict access to files that are in the scanning queue or that have been scanned and delivered? We would prefer that once files are scanned the files are not altered (pages added or removed).

RESPONSE: The documents are active files. Contractor will not be allowed to restrict access to file. In addition, Contractor will not be responsible for scanning and indexing on new information that comes in on a particular manila folder.

1. Will the vendor be required to pick up the files around FMC offices or are these files all located in one or two file rooms? Or will FMC personnel deliver the material to be scanned to the scanning center?

RESPONSE: RESPONSE: Approximately 99% of the files are all found in a central file room. The remaining 1% is scattered across a dozen offices.

1. The Sources Sought mentions that the vendor will have to report on tasks assigned and tasks completed…besides scanning and indexing…what other tasks does FMC anticipate assigning?

RESPONSE: One other task is Quality Control. The FMC expects to receive weekly reports on what has been scanned and indexed. Any binds may be clipped, so long as the data is maintained and scanned.

1. How are the documents being scanned: Black & White or Color Grade of Work

0. Percentage of Intervention

0. Light intervention

0. Med intervention

0. Heavy intervention

0. Glasswork RESPONSE: The documents must be scanned in color. We believe there will be heavy intervention (ex: an indeterminate amount of paper is stapled and require detachment. An indeterminate amount of paper is double-sided. Some of the older paper contain carbon copies which may not be scanner-feeder friendly. We do note that all is not heavy intervention, but a substantial amount is however.

1. Are there any oversize documents large than 11 x 17? Books? Binds?

26. What size is the oversize documents

26. Can binds be broken on books

26. Binds – do we have to replace or can we just clip RESPONSE: It is highly unlikely to have documents that are 11 x 17 or greater. We anticipate a substantial number of paper to be the standard 8½ x 11 or a minority in the legal size.

1. Are documents being scanned at 300 DPI the NARA Standard?

RESPONSE: 400 DPI.

1. Will the final deliverable be a PDF?

RESPONSE: Yes – many PDFs.

1. Is there any 508 Compliance required?

RESPONSE: Yes.

1. Will the documents be required to be re-assembled as originals?

30. If documents on prongs (acco folders) can we just replace on acco prongs no staples, clips within or can we just place in folder with barcodes loose.

RESPONSE: Paper must be replaced on prongs in a reasonable chronological order.

1. What level of QC is required?

RESPONSE: The Contractor is expected to have Quality control and the FMC reserves the right to inspect the work being done.

1. Post-it Notes are noted and will scan one with it on and once with it off and/or put Post-it Note on plain sheet of paper and scan in front of document it came off of. What about Flags?

RESPONSE: Post-it notes do not require scanning.

1. What is the disposition of these documents once they are scanned?

RESPONSE: Paper records will continue to be maintained at FMC’s discretion.

1. Will the documents be shredded and destroyed securely?

RESPONSE: Paper records will continue to be maintained at FMC’s discretion.

1. What is the FMC’s Electronic Document Management System?

RESPONSE: FMC’s internal SQL database.

1. What type of document management system will these documents be loaded into?

RESPONSE: FMC’s internal SQL database.

1. What is FMC’s retention policy for their documents?

RESPONSE: 10 years after inactivity.

1. Clarify security clearance requirements. Will Federal background checks and finger printing be sufficient?

RESPONSE: The vendor must already have an active security clearance. The FMC will not pay for any background check or any clearance.

1. Will FMC pay for the cost of background checks?

RESPONSE: No

1. What is the age of the documents, oldest, etc.?

RESPONSE: A substantial majority of the paper is from 1984 until present day. We do have records that also go back as far as the late 1940’s.

1. Are there any documents that require special handling due to their fragile nature?

RESPONSE: Yes, older documents

1. Is BCL?

RESPONSE: Bureau of Certification and Licensing

1. Does FMC have vacant space to accommodate an On-Site Scan center?

RESPONSE: The office space we have available is about 75 square-feet.

1. How much space can FMC provide for an On-Site Scan center to include production area and storage for box inventory both completed boxes and boxes waiting to be scanned?

RESPONSE: The office space we have available is about 75 square-feet.

1. What exactly are the 10-15 categories for indexing?

45. Is the indexing at the category level or is it actual individual docs types?

0. If individual doc types, what about the category is that needed

45. Is the document types noted on tabs within folders?

45. How will we know the categories (off first page?)

RESPONSE: Indexing is at the category level and not at the actual individual document type. Specifics of these categories and its indexing will be shared with the awarding contractor. Not all documents are noted within the tabs. Some requires interpreting the document and categorizing it accordingly. The contractor will be provided further information.

1. How does FMC expect to search for each document, name, item number, etc.?

RESPONSE: Once the documents are scanned, the PDFs will be incorporated into our internal SQL database.

1. How are the documents getting to the scanning location within facility?

1. Who is boxing them up

1. Who will put together box manifest

1. Who will transport the boxes to the scanning center RESPONSE: All tasks mentioned above are the Contractor’s responsibility.

1. Based on the scope it appears that indexing will consist of approximately 10-15 different categories.

48. Will each category have multiple index fields?

48. Will the multiple index be unique that that specific category?

RESPONSE: Each category will have multiple index fields. Further clarification is needed on the latter inquiry.

1. Can indexing be completed offsite via a citrix portal or can the scanned data leave the facility and be indexed offsite and returned in the proper output format?

RESPONSE: No

1. What size space will be provided for working: prepping, scanning, etc. onsite?

RESPONSE: The office space is approximately 75 square-feet.

1. What form of deliverable does the FMC anticipate will be the outcome of the project? Is the FMC interested in a hosted database including the PDF files with accompanying metadata and index information, or are you seeking just a collection of the scanned PDF files with accompanying index (e.g. in a spreadsheet, CSV, load file format)? If not a database, where will the images be loaded or stored, and what type of media would the FMC like to receive (hard drive, DVD, delivery on FTP site for download, etc.) 6 months to 1 year RESPONSE: The end result is that we are seeking to scan paper documents into PDF. The PDF documents need to be categorized and indexed. The data is to be saved in our internal SQL database. We will not be needing a host.

1. Can you provide more details on the index you are looking to have created?

52. On what level will the documents be indexed – page level, folder level or other?

52. What types of categorizations does the FMC anticipate adding to the documents in Phase 2? Are these the same categorizations already contained in the post-it notes that are currently physically on the documents? Will the categorizations capture only document type, or is there other information to be collected? If possible, please provide a list of the categorizations sought.

52. Are all categories file level or a mix of file and document level? If a mix, please provide detail.

52. What type of metadata is the FMC seeking to capture on each document?

RESPONSE: The specific categorization details can be provided when a Contract is awarded. The categories are mixed, meaning some documents are sandwiched between two categories and require extraction. The metadata seeks indexing for specific search parameters. All documents are to be scanned into the FMC network. For example, the indexing may consist of the following algorithm: Agency ID Number, Category, Date Received, Type, Subfolder.

1. Once the Stage 1 scanning is completed, may the electronic files leave FMC premises for completion of Stage 2? For example, may we load the electronic files into a SaaS database, hosted in our secure data center for review and processing as needed to meet FMC requirements in Stage 2? Would the FMC be interested in continuing hosted services once the scanning and categorization is completed?

RESPONSE: Electronic files may not leave the premises. The FMC is not interested in hosted services.

1. Can you provide clarification on the following requirement? “Vendor shall provide support contractors that currently hold an active Federal Government security clearance.”

RESPONSE: Contractor and all employees must have active Federal government security clearance.

1. Has the population of documents for scanning already been identified, or will review be required to determine which documents need to be scanned?

RESPONSE: Yes.

1. Are vendors expected to bid on the entire RFP, or may a vendor bid on only one portion of the project?

RESPONSE: No. Contractor must bid on entire project.

1. Would FMC consider allowing the documents to be scanned off site at the scanning vendor’s facilities?

RESPONSE: No.

1. Do ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) requirements apply to the files in the scope of this RFP?

RESPONSE: Not applicable.

1. Can you provide any more information on the characteristics of the documents to be scanned, including:

59. Age of the documents

59. General condition of the documents [good (less than 10 years, properly stored); marginal; poor (damaged, improperly stored, poor quality original)]

59. Approximate percentage of irregular documents

59. Approximate percentage of documents with binding elements (staples, paper clips, binder clips, etc.). Can binding elements be removed from scanning? Do they need to be rebound after scanning?

59. Following scanning, will documents be returned to the original location or shredded?

RESPONSE: A substantial majority of the documents derive from 1984 to present day. There is a minority of documents that date as far back as the late 1940’s. We are unable to provide a statistic on irregular documents. Detached documents do not require re-attachment. All scanned documents must be returned to the original location. All documents must be re-assembled on prongs in a reasonable chronological order.

1. Can you provide us with the following information to assist us with determining your scanning needs?

60. Document Preparation:

0. Light (Documents lightly fastened 1 fastener per 20 pages; 99% letter size; 0.1% repair/mounting of carrier sheet; separator sheets if required)

0. Standard (Documents moderately fastened 1 fastener per 5 pages); 95% letter size; 1% repair/mounting of carrier sheet; separator sheets if required.)

0. Heavy (Medium - Documents moderately fastened 1 fastener per 5 pages); 80% letter size; 20% repair/mounting of carrier sheet; separator sheets if required.)

60. QC – statistical or 100% of each image

60. Document reassembly required – no reassembly, light reassembly (return files loosely or location), or full reassembly (reapply all fasteners and return as found)

60. DPI 200, 300?

60. What percentage of documents will require Black and White scans?

60. What percentage of the documents will require color scans?

60. Half/full duplex? What %?

60. Approximate percentage sizes 8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 14, 8.5 x 17, or other?

60. Will document separation be determined by physical lowest binding element or other criteria?

RESPONSE: The documents must be scanned in color. We believe there will be heavy intervention (ex: an indeterminate amount of paper is stapled and require detachment. An indeterminate amount of paper is double-sided. Some of the older paper contain carbon copies which may not be scanner-feeder friendly. We do note that all is not heavy intervention, but a substantial amount is however.)

1. What software will be provided with the Xerox WorkCentre 7665?

RESPONSE: The FMC initially provided the alternative of the Contractor to use the Xerox WorkCentre 7665. However, the FMC now intends to withdraw this alternative and not offer the Contractor to use the equipment. Therefore, the Contractor must provide its own scanning equipment, which will in turn be connected to our internal system to “save” all documents to be scanned.

1. Post prep required?

RESPONSE: Paper documents must be placed back on prongs.

1. Is there a DPI requirement?

RESPONSE: 400dpi.

1. Document to be scanned as black and white, color, or grayscale?

RESPONSE: Color

1. Any photos needing to be scanned?

RESPONSE: No.

1. Can scanning be done on-site but can the QC’ing of documents be done off-site?

RESPONSE: No.

1. Will FMC consider office scanning as an alternative processing center/contingency location?

RESPONSE: No.

1. It is noted that there are between 7,000 – 8,000 folders and between 2.5M – 3M pages of paper records. Would you be able to provide your best estimate on the average number of pages per document within each folder?

RESPONSE: We are unable to provide an approximate statistic.

1. Does any of the work require “color”?

RESPONSE: All of it should be scanned in color.

1. How do you want the imaged PDF files transferred to FMC? Do you want them on CDs or DVDs, servers, or uploaded directly into your existing content management systems. If so, what content management system are you using today?

RESPONSE: The FMC itself will upload the data directly into its existing content management system. Our Office of Information Technology will be of assistance in this matter. For Quality Control, we may be asking for a weekly update on all files complete in DVD format.

1. It is noted that there are 10 – 15 different categories for indexing. How many characters are there per index category?

RESPONSE: Minimum 2. Maximum 20.

1. Will the indexing be at the file level ie… 7,000-8,000 files each are indexed by category?

RESPONSE: Yes, but not limited to it.

1. Would you like the paper documents shredded once they have been converted to digital images?

RESPONSE: No.

1. Any information on the timeline of the Project you could provide would be helpful?

RESPONSE: We expect the project to be completed within 6 months.

1. Documents once being scanned and Indexed, do they need to be uploaded to any repository or just need to provide the output on Electronic Media?

RESPONSE: Our internal network.

1. Can we do a Free Needs Assessment or Site Visit to Check the Paper files? We might be able to provide better solution to have the documents scanned which might be Cost and time saving to FMC?

RESPONSE: Yes. The FMC highly encourages and recommends on site visits.

1. The scanner FMC is providing (Xerox WorkCenter 7665) is not a dedicated high speed scanner. Are there any other alternate options?

RESPONSE: The FMC initially provided the alternative of the Contractor to use the Xerox WorkCentre 7665. However, the FMC now intends to withdraw this alternative and not offer the Contractor to use the equipment. Therefore, the Contractor must provide its own scanning equipment, which will in turn be connected to our internal system to “save” all documents to be scanned.

1. After scanning is completed where will the data be stored? (How will they be transferred?)

RESPONSE: Data will be stored in our network.

1. Is this an entirely new opportunity or a re-compete opportunity?

RESPONSE: This is a new opportunity.

1. Who is currently performing this work as a Prime?

RESPONSE: This is a new opportunity.

1. Would the government share with industry the (POP) for this opportunity?

RESPONSE: The FMC expect this project to be completed within 6 months.

1. What level of security clearances shall contractor staff possess to handle documents on this contract?

RESPONSE: Contractor and all its employees must have an active security clearance.

1. Will the government be holding an Industry Day for this opportunity?

RESPONSE: No

1. Can the government provide a timeframe on when the RFP will be released and a due date for proposals?

RESPONSE: We cannot. Please continue to check the website for updates.

1. Has the government previously identified any Key Personnel for this requirement?

RESPONSE No

1. What level of experience shall all contractor staff possess for this effort?

RESPONSE: Prior experience is a plus although not required.

1. How many staff will be required for this effort?

RESPONSE: We would recommend a minimum of 2.

1. Will this effort lead to any follow on work with your agency?

1. Do you currently have a vendor who is providing these types of services? If so, how long?

91. Will FMC entertain alternative pricing programs on a monthly fee type basis?

RESPONSE: It depends on what is offered.

92. How old is the oldest document(s), Where have they been warehoused and are they in a single current location? Or multiple sites, offices, supply rooms, etc.?

RESPONSE: Documents can be as old as the late 1940’s, though this is a minority. A substantial majority of the documents are dated between 1984 to present day. The documents are found in our main file room.

93. Will this project handle all conversions for new documents created and submitted to the agency?

RESPONSE: No. The conversions will be limited to historical.

94. Would the Agency consider alternative pricing proposals versus the per piece approach?

RESPONSE: It depends on what is offered.

95. Does the Agency have space available to set up the digital conversion center to ensure the work is completed securely?

RESPONSE: A 75 square feet office space will be provided.

96. Will the agency accept alternative scanner options to speed up the conversion process?

RESPONSE: The FMC is willing to consider alternatives.