FY24_IO_Contract_ATLAS_RFI 05.20.24.docx

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Analytical, Technical, Logistical, and Administrative Support (ATLAS)

DRAFT

Purpose The purpose of this RFI is to obtain information on qualified professional contracting businesses on how they intend to implement support for the mission of the HSI International Operations (IO) in areas of analytical, logistical, administrative, and technical support for program specific initiatives to meet mission objectives.

Mission HSI International Operations protects the United States and its interests from illicit goods, people, and money by conducting multi-faceted, international law enforcement operations and removals. We partner with foreign and domestic counterparts to detect, deter, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and prevent terrorist activities. HSI International Operations:

· Supports domestic investigations and removals,

· Builds and maintains relationships, and

· Builds capacity through outreach and training.

Background HSI is the principle investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transitional criminal threats that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s mission is to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle terrorist, transnational, and other criminal organizations that threaten or seek to exploit the customs and immigration laws of the United States.

Purpose of Request for Information (RFI) This RFI is issued solely for market research, planning, and information purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a subsequent solicitation. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. HSI is not seeking proposals currently. Further, HSI will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this RFI. Participants in this market research are advised that the Government will not pay any costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense.

The purpose of this RFI is to identify vendors that have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet the requirements contained in the SOO for International Operations and determine if it is feasible to solicit this requirement as a Small Business Set-Aside.

Description/Scope of Work

1. The performance objectives HSI is seeking through this integrated contract solution will center on two core lines of effort: 1) Operational Support and 2) Management & Program Analytics Support. Required activities will predominantly occur within and in support of the following areas of IO’s organizational structure:

· Eastern Hemisphere Operations

· Western Hemisphere Operations

· International Programs

· Financial and Logistics Management

· Policy and Strategic Planning Within this framework, businesses should be able to demonstrate how they intend to maximize IO’s ability to successfully advance and achieve the following general objectives:

· Advance investigations conducted or supported by HSI attaché offices, through criminal and intelligence analysis and other operational support measures.

· Analyze information to identify and illuminate threats to national security and public safety.

· Support screening, vetting, and other efforts designed to identify and investigate terrorist and criminal threats and prevent their ability to enter the United States.

· Analyze data to identify and distribute leads for action across HSI.

· Support efforts to equip foreign partners with the capabilities needed to advance the HSI mission abroad.

· Support efficient HQ management of IO operations, programs, and initiatives.

· Create tools and platforms that automate and streamline management of organizational activities, processes, and personnel.

· Develop internal and external communications products relating to IO’s operations, programs, and initiatives.

· Enhance HSI and IO brand awareness through the implementation of a strategic communications plan and campaign across multiple communications platforms and targeted to key audiences and constituencies.

· Create and enhance performance management and analysis capabilities.

· Enhance financial management capabilities, such as budget planning and execution and the management of outside funding sources.

· Perform administrative and logistical functions required to execute the IO mission.

· Support strategic planning efforts designed to plan for and facilitate IO growth and adaptability and identify and implement short- and long-term organizational goals.

Specific Performance Objectives:

1. Operational Support IO’s screening and vetting efforts, investigative activities, criminal and intelligence analysis/support, and lead generation and development efforts are all components of IO’s operational mission set.

a. Screening and Vetting: IO plays an integral role in the nation’s multilayered screening and vetting process to identify and prevent threats to the homeland. To ensure the screening and vetting processes continue to address immediate challenges and remain ahead of evolving threats, IO requires skilled analysts to screen and vet various entities including but not limited to persons, businesses, and other entities of interest, criminal organizations, and other threat actors. The purpose of these activities is to assess the potential safety and security risks they pose and to use any identified derogatory or other information to disrupt threats, initiate investigations, or inform other potential actions. Due to the international nature and nexus of HSI’s screening and vetting actions, the process requires specific staffing and coordination outside of normal business hours. Additionally, at the start of contract, personnel must be able to obtain and maintain proper clearance to access and utilize law enforcement classified systems and information at the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) level. Additionally, the contractor must possess national American industry classification system (NAICS) for investigative services (561611) knowledge.

Please identify how you would be able to accomplish the following, with examples as useful:

· Please describe past performance in a national security screening/vetting environment or a large-scale law enforcement/financial investigative support contract where you supported transnational organized crime investigations?

· Use advanced data analysis techniques and access law enforcement and classified databases and networks to identify potential security threats and criminal actors/organizations and to develop quality work products based on that information.

· Employ sophisticated data aggregation and analysis tools to effectively identify and assess potential threats, ensuring scalability and adaptability to changing security landscapes.

· Integrate open-source and publicly available information into screening and vetting review processes for more comprehensive risk assessments, developing efficient methodologies to parse and utilize vast amounts of public data.

· Maximize existing screening and vetting processes as a way to identify and illuminate criminal actors and networks, develop investigative leads, share actionable information with stakeholders, and initiate and support investigations.

· Develop and maintain high standards in reporting accuracy through the intermittent review and revision of processes/procedures.

· Continually, but as needed, provide feedback and analysis on workflows and methods to improve efficiencies and target results.

· Establish comprehensive quality control protocols across operations to standardize excellence in analysis, resulting in reliable and accurate information and intelligence dissemination.

· Coverage for screening and vetting operations must include at least one person on-duty 27/7/365 and additional staffing (as listed in Screening and Vetting section below) six days per week (Sunday-Friday) at eight hours per day.

· Unless otherwise annotated- below, employees assigned screening and vetting duties would be required to possess TS/SCI level clearance and national American industry classification system (NAICS) for investigative services (561611) knowledge at the time they start working on the contract (government would not pay for vacant positions)

· Screening and Vetting activities are identified as:

· Visa Applications, National Security: In FY23 HSI International Operations manually vetted approximately 75,000 visa applications with a national security focus at an overall refusal rate of 14% (based on attributed derogatory information). Average time per routine application vetted is 10 minutes (30% of overall) and average time per complicated is one hour (70% of overall). The maximum turnaround time per application vetted is 10 days. The majority of work is conducted in a classified environment, with 95% of work conducted Monday-Friday with 5% of work conducted on weekends.

· Based on these totals please explain the total personnel commitment that would be contracted to maintain national-security focused visa screening and vetting operations.

· What is your plan to address any anticipated growth in total applications screened based on programmatic expansion?

· Visa Applications, Immigrant and Non-Immigrant: In FY23 HSI International Operations manually vetted 35,000 non-immigrant applications at an average time of six minutes per application. The maximum turnaround time per application is two days, and the majority of work is conducted in an unclassified environment, with analysts only needing standard clearances (TS/SCI not required), 100% of work is completed Monday- Friday.

· Based on these totals please explain the total personnel commitment that would be contracted to maintain Immigrant and Non-Immigrant screening and vetting operations?

· What is your plan to address any yearly growth in total applications screened based on programmatic expansion, which is currently estimated to grow to 75,000 applications in FY25?

· Visa Applications, Student and Researcher: In FY23 HSI International Operations manually vetted 68,200 student and researcher visa applications. Due to seasonal increases in volume, the program expects 90% of applications received during the months of May, June, and July (at an average monthly rate of 9,000 applications per month) to be opened and reviewed and 100% of applications reviewed all other months. The average review time anticipated is three to five minutes per routine application and 1.5 hours for complicated. 88% of the applications are considered routine and 12% are considered complicated. The expected turnaround time per application is three days. The program will expect 3% of manually vetted applications to be turned into actionable investigative leads.

· Based on these totals please explain the total personnel commitment that would be contracted to maintain student and researcher screening and vetting operations.

b. What is your plan to address any anticipated growth in total applications screened based on programmatic expansion? Intelligence and Investigative Analytical Support: Implementing a comprehensive e approach and methodology to support IO’s investigative mission through intelligence analysis is central to executing IO’s mission. Prioritizing investigations and criminal analysis requires skilled intelligence analysts to be able to compile, analyze, and synthesize information using threat detection methods that support and drive new and ongoing IO investigations.

Please identify how you would be able to accomplish the following, with examples as useful:

· Develop comprehensive and in-depth evaluations on subjects of interest in support of IO using classified, law enforcement sensitive, and unclassified/open-source data.

· Collaborate with international and domestic HSI offices to provide support and analysis on investigations and threats across the entirety of HSI’s investigative portfolio.

· Utilize geospatial analysis to deliver actionable insights for IO using various technologies and software.

· Develop standardized reporting methodologies to address ad hoc requests and quickly produce qualitative reports of analysis ensuring timely response for stakeholders.

· Enhance the precision and speed of data ingestion processes to efficiently identify and analyze information. This will involve data cleansing and deploying advanced data processing techniques to ensure rapid and accurate assessments of potential national security risks.

· Define, manipulate, aggregate, and use both structured and unstructured “big data” in order to support law enforcement investigations.

· Continually provide feedback and analysis on workflows and methods to improve efficiencies and target results.

· Establish comprehensive quality control protocols across operations to standardize excellence in analysis, resulting in reliable and accurate intelligence dissemination.

· Conduct comprehensive criminal analysis utilizing network analytic techniques to include but not limited to social network analysis, financial analysis, or supply chain analysis.

· The program expects .007% of national security vetting and 3% of student and researcher vetting to be developed by contractor into viable investigative leads (via one-page leads or enhanced intelligence reports) in support of advanced visa investigations initiatives. One-page leads are to be produced within two business days and intelligence reports to be completed within five business days. It is anticipated that approximately 75% of referrals by the contractor will turn into investigative leads (one page leads to field or enhanced intelligence reports). Of that 75%, we predict a number of investigative leads will require advanced ongoing investigative support.

· Based on these totals, what is your plan to achieve these target goals?

· Employees assigned intelligence and investigative analytical support duties would be required to possess TS/SCI level clearance and national American industry classification system (NAICS) for investigative services (561611) knowledge at the time they start working on the contract (government would not pay for vacant positions).

c. Surge Task Support for Dynamic Operational Needs: In an environment in which security demands are constantly evolving, the ability to dynamically scale and adapt operational capabilities is key. This task focuses on enhancing the operational flexibility and responsiveness of IO, particularly during periods of heightened activity or emergent challenges. This task underlines the necessity for a flexible and scalable approach to operational management, ensuring IO is equipped to meet both current and future challenges effectively.

Please identify how you would be able to accomplish the following, with examples as useful:

· Resource Management: Efficient allocation of resources to address fluctuating operational demands, ensuring consistent performance levels.

· Operational Scalability: Capability to expand or contract operational efforts in line with shifting requirements, maintaining quality and effectiveness.

· Responsive Deployment: Quick mobilization and deployment of resources to effectively handle sudden increases in workload or emerging threats.

· Integrated Coordination: Seamless integration and coordination of efforts, both internally and with external entities, to support the overarching mission goals.

· Continuity and Improvement: Emphasis on sustaining long-term operational effectiveness and contributing to the continuous enhancement of IO strategies and capabilities.

d. Travel Requirements: Operational support may require occasional and specific domestic and international travel. Travel would be situational and considered short-term temporary duty (TDY) no to exceed 30-days at a time. Please identify how you would be able to ensure at least some staff assigned operational support would be able to obtain a U.S. passport, requisite visas, and complete any specified medical requirements (such as receiving vaccines) sufficient to travel globally.

2. Management and Program Analytic Support:

Positioning HSI with a robust management and programmatic support element is crucial to enable HSI to successfully accomplish its operational mission and effectively navigate the dynamics of its global investigative and security requirements. By investing efforts into several core initiatives, IO will enhance the efficacy of its global operations, initiatives, and programs and enable IO to meet its strategic priorities while improving security measures and strengthening relationship with other law enforcement and intelligence communities.

Please identify how you would be able to accomplish the following, with examples as useful:

· Analytics and Performance Management

· Utilize data-driven methodologies to enable IO to make more informed expansion decisions that are rooted in data and strategic priorities. This will need to incorporate financial impact assessments, resource levels, and law enforcement and open-source data sets at a minimum.

· Develop and manage products, tools, and other capabilities designed to document, track, analyze, and report the outputs and outcomes of IO investigations, programs, initiatives, and operations.

· Analyze programs and operations through the lens of agency and departmental strategic mission and goals to produce streamlined reporting and analysis of accomplishments and highlights as digestible executive leadership and annual reporting requirements. This will include coordination with high level executive and support staff, official records management team(s), and other agencies as necessary.

· Budget, Finance, and Logistics

· Support management of the entire portfolio of interagency agreements to include forecasting, budgeting, managing reimbursements, reporting, communications, and other logistical elements.

· Create, manage, and utilize tools to support IO accounting needs.

· Conduct analysis on current and projected budgetary allocations to utilize and forecast annual budgets and proposals.

· Increase collaboration and efficiency between HQ budgeting staff and operational and programmatic areas.

· Ensure efficient and effective management of all IO budget and funding needs across all operational and programmatic aspects of IO.

· Support IO logistical and administrative needs involving travel processes and management and property management.

c. Communications and Training:

· Create or improve upon communications through the development of standardized materials for both internal and external stakeholders.

· Work with stakeholders to identify areas of improvement in current training curricula and provide tailored support based on programmatic areas.

· Utilize multiple forms of media including but not limited to video, photography, and webpage content to improve IO’s image to government and public audiences.

· Deliver training and guidance to IO on product, tool, and application use as requested or as tools/platforms are developed.

· Create library of up-to-date training materials, presentations, and guidance.

· Create and develop professional communications and reporting products for multiple audiences (i.e. Leadership, Congressional, Media, etc.).

· Develop a strategic communications plan and campaign to highlight HSI and IO mission and value across multiple platforms and directed towards multiple audiences. Advance the initiative through data analysis, creation of communication products, videos, social media campaigns, and website development, and provide recommendations on best practices including content, usability, and design.

d. Executive Strategic Policy and Planning

· Support services to help develop a strategic communications plan and campaign to increase awareness of HSI and its mission by the public, private sector, and key governmental entities. This will include, but not be limited to, strategy development and production of multi-media content.

· Support services will maintain close collaboration with HSI to produce content that connects with target audience(s) using an evolving branding strategy. The branding strategy will be guided by data analytics created, analyzed, and maintained by support services as well as input from HSI, identified industry best-practices, and user/consumer feedback to ensure maximum outside engagement.

· Support services will develop impactful communication materials, including but not limited to, video content, social media initiatives, presentations, talking points, and a user-centric website.

· Support services will need to assist in the adherence to and creation of relevant policy. This will include establishing a cadence for review and updating documents to ensure they remain current and creating system workflows to standardize work and results.

· Support services must provide personnel with branding, writing/editing, graphic design, web design, photographic, videographer subject matter expertise.

e. Web-Based Application and Utility Support

· Manage and maintain large scale web-based platforms which are utilized by operations and programs across IO. This includes processing and input of small to large data sets, roster management, access controls, design and content development, maintaining proficiency and institute regular program feedback.

· Promote coordination and collaboration across operational and program areas to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency.

· Integrate analytic data collection for existing and new operational and programmatic tools, workflows, and data sets to create or produce executive level review summaries.

· Establish predictive analytics to better prioritize large datasets and identify critical problem sets and/or threats based on operational and programmatic areas of responsibility.

· Consolidate information across various storage methods (i.e. individual emails, shared drives, printed materials, etc.) through web-based platforms which provide access control as determined by associated program. Recommend best practices to improve efficiencies throughout.

Responding to this RFI

Interested vendors should submit a response (Capability Statement) to the contracting officer via email at muharrem.sayan@ice.dhs.gov no later than 05/27/2024 at 12pm (EDT). Responses should be limited to a MAXIMUM of eight (8) pages.

Please include “RFI RESPONSE HSI International Operations and the ATLAS (Company Name)” in the subject line of your email and provide your electronic submission in Microsoft Word or PDF Format.