Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Q-A Responses .pdf

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

HQ0516-FY-25-0010

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services – FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES

ONLY

Business Type: NAICS code 541512, Computer Systems Design Services or contractor’s recommended NAICS

# Reference Question/Comment

Q: Given the anticipated scale of this requirement, does DMA anticipate setting subcontracting goals for SDVOSB participation, or potentially reserving specific areas such as accessibility compliance, content migration, or training for small business involvement?

A: This is a source sought notice for market research. Market research will dictate any involvement of small business.

Q: Does DMA anticipate a full lift-and-shift migration of existing content into the new platform, or will phased migration approaches be considered to minimize downtime and reduce transition risk?

A: DMA does not anticipate a full lift-and-shift migration of existing content. While DMA would expect a phased migration of key VIP sites, DMA would expect the vendor to present/demonstrate a solution that meets the requirements of the program.

Q: There are commercial web platforms (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, SalesForce) where we can build a well-designed website. The products already exist off-the-shelf commercially, the skill to deploy and meet the design and management needs is what I assume DMA is asking for?

A: The vendor is invited to propose the platforms they believe are best suited to deliver the desired objectives outlined in the Sources Sought.

Q: For the Industry Day presentation, are DMA looking for past examples of sites the vendor has created or for the vendor to provide a mock site of DMA?

A: The vendor has the discretion to present the materials they deem most effective for demonstrating the product's capabilities, allowing the team to gain a hands-on understanding and address any questions.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Would you kindly confirm if this is an entirely new effort or is there an incumbent currently providing these services? If so, would you please provide the incumbent contract details?

A: This is a new requirement.

Q: Would you please provide Set Aside for the opportunity?

A: This is a source sought notice for market research. Market research will dictate any Small Business Set Aside opportunities.

Q: What will be the contract value for this opportunity?

A: This will be determined at the time of solicitation after market research has completed.

Q: Would you please provide an approximate timeline for the RFP release?

A: There is no set timeline for release of the RFP. Timeline will be established when market research is complete.

Q: Has DMA considered making this opportunity a Competitive 8(a) set-aside to align with socio-economic goals, especially given the absence of an incumbent and the well-defined technical scope?

A: Any set asides will be determined after market research is complete.

Q: Is DMA open to early-stage vendor engagement (e.g., technical roundtable or Q&A) before finalizing the acquisition strategy, particularly to discuss cloud authority-to-operate (ATO), USWDS alignment, and DAMS integration specifics?

A: Yes. DMA will be hosting an in-person industry week at Ft. Meade, MD.

Q: Can you provide detailed technical information about the current website system architecture, CMS platform, and technologies in use?

A: Detailed technical information is considered proprietary and contract-sensitive and therefore cannot be disclosed. This will be a new solution.

Q: How many past performance examples should be included?

A: No more than three past performance examples.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Are there preferred AI tools, frameworks, or platforms that DMA expects or recommends reducing content management burdens?

A: The vendor is invited to propose the platforms, tools, and frameworks they believe are best suited to deliver the desired objectives outlined in the Sources Sought.

Q: What specific evaluation factors and their relative importance (e.g., technical merit, past performance, cost) will be considered in source selection?

A: Evaluation factors and relative importance are not finalized and will be provided when the RFP is released.

Q: What are the underlying technologies being used on the current DMA.mil site?

A: Government is not disclosing current technologies at this phase. Vendors should propose best-fit modern solutions meeting the RFI requirements

Q: Are there particular issues or deficiencies with the current DMA.mil site that the government is looking to solve with the potential new procurement?

A: The objective of this procurement this to modernize public facing websites across the enterprise by improving usability, accessibility, cybersecurity compliance, scalability, and content governance. Vendors should propose solutions that meet the requirements outlined in the Sources Sought

Q: Is there a current vendor providing the same or similar website development and/or maintenance services to DMA?

A: Not identifying any current vendor relationship at this stage of market research. Vendor should respond based solely on the requirements outlined in the Sources Sought

Q: Please describe any unique technical parameters that pertain to “operating in a DoW Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability commercial cloud service” environment.

A: Operating within a JWCC commercial cloud service environment requires the solution to be hosted on a DoW-authorized JWCC Cloud Service Provider and comply with the DoW Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG) at the required Impact Level. The proposed system must meet all applicable DoW Risk Management Framework (RMF) requirements, including security control implementation, evidence generation, and support to the Authorization to Operate (ATO) process. Vendors should assume a public-facing IL2 environment with DoW-approved identity, access control, logging, vulnerability management, and continuous monitoring practices. Any JWCC-specific landing zone, network boundary conditions, or enterprise integration details will be provided in the solicitation and/or during post-

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity award transition and discovery.

Q: Does the government have an estimated schedule for a potential procurement? For instance, Q4 of GFY 2026, sometime in GFY 2027, etc.

A: A timeline will be decided when market research is completed.

Q: Please clarify that the government is looking for a vendor to design, migrate, and train users NOT to provide ongoing maintenance and operations.

A: No standardized template is provided. Vendors should itemize costs by major phases (design, platform/config, migration, security/RMF, training, and optional O&M).

Q: Will the government provide a template for the budgetary estimate requested? Specifically, what are the components that the government would like to see estimated separately?

A: There is no template. Please provide your company’s standard estimate documentation.

Q: Is the budgetary estimate part of the 10-page response page count?

A: Yes. The estimate is included in the response package.

Q: Do you have any reference websites (from government or private sector) that showcase the design, structure, or functionality you expect?

A: No, however the website's development will prioritize the design principles and innovations established in Executive Order 14338, Improving Our Nation Through Better Design.

Q: Is the expectation to rebuild existing websites (like defense.gov, branch websites) or create a new central platform that hosts them all?

A: The intent is an enterprise CMS/framework that can host and consolidate multiple public sites under a common platform.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Will this platform replace the current CMS & infrastructure, or will it co-exist with legacy systems for a while?

A: The new platform is expected to replace legacy CMS capabilities over a phased transition period; coexistence details

TBD.

Q: Can you provide documentation of your current system architecture, so we know what we are migrating from?

A: Detailed technical information is considered proprietary and contract-sensitive and therefore cannot be disclosed.

Q: Do you already have a preferred CMS (Drupal, WordPress GovCloud, Sitecore, Adobe AEM, etc.), or are you open to vendor recommendations?

A: There is no preferred CMS, and the organization expects the vendor to make recommendations. As mentioned in the scope, the proposed services will conform to the DoW’s Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide, as well as meet all DoWDoWDoWDoWDoWDoW Risk Management Framework (RMF) requirements and provide website administrators and content managers authenticated access per DoW requirements.

Q: Are there any commercial tools (for CMS, migration, DAMS integration) that you are already licensed for, or should we factor in licensing cost?

A: The vendor should factor in license costs based for their given proposal.

Q: You mentioned AI features for content editing — do you have a reference tool in mind (e.g., GovCMS AI extensions, Microsoft Copilot, Adobe Sensei), or should vendors propose options?

A: Vendors should propose options.

Q: Regarding USWDS (U.S. Web Design Standards): Do you expect strict compliance or flexibility with modern UX best practices layered on top?

A: USWDS compliance is required. Modern UX enhancements are allowed as long as they support USWDS principles and accessibility.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: How many websites, pages, and digital assets (videos, photos, PDFs) need to be migrated?

A: Exact inventory of sites/pages/assets is not released at this phase; vendors should propose scalable migration approaches.

Q: Do you have taxonomy/metadata standards for digital content, or do you expect the vendor to design them?

A: Vendors should propose taxonomy/metadata solutions aligned to federal/DoW best practices.

Q: Should the migration include SEO preservation (redirects, metadata, link structure) to avoid loss of search visibility?

A: Yes—migration plans should preserve SEO (redirects, metadata, URL mapping) to the maximum extent feasible.

Q: Which cloud provider(s) do you currently use under JWCC (AWS, Azure, Oracle, Google)?

A: Specific JWCC CSP(s) in use will not be disclosed; vendors should assume any JWCC provider may be used.

Q: Do you expect the vendor to also provide cloud hosting, or will DoW provide the environment?

A: Contractors should propose hosting as part of the JWCC-compliant solution unless the RFP identifies a government-furnished environment.

Q: For Zero Trust Architecture, do you already have a framework/toolset in place (Okta, Microsoft Entra, Palo Alto, etc.), or should we propose?

A: Vendors should propose Zero Trust-aligned tools that integrate with existing DoW identity/logging where feasible;

exact enterprise services TBD.

Q: What are the security clearance requirements for vendor personnel (Secret, Top Secret, none)?

A: Clearance requirements TBD; expect at least Public Trust/DoW screening, with any Secret needs stated when the RFP is released.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: How many administrators and content managers need training?

A: Training audience size TBD; vendors should plan for scalable, role-based training for admins/content managers.

Q: Do you expect onsite training, virtual training, or both?

A: For government administrators and content managers, virtual training would be expected.

Q: What format should the knowledge base take? (e.g., wiki, AI chatbot, video library, PDF manuals).

A: Vendors should propose the KB format (wiki/video/chatbot/etc.) best meeting requirements.

Q: Should the knowledge base integrate with existing DoW learning platforms, or be standalone?

A: Integration with DoW learning platforms is desired when feasible; vendors may propose either integrated or standalone solutions.

Q: What’s your timeline expectation for Phase 1 (MVP launch) and full implementation?

A: Phase timelines (MVP and full implementation) are not fixed; the Government will evaluate realistic schedules proposed by industry.

Q: Will this be a multi-phase contract (Design → Migration → Security → Training), or do you expect a one-time turnkey delivery?

A: A phased approach is expected; vendors should propose logical phases with outcomes and exit criteria.

Q: Do you have KPIs for this program (e.g., time to update content, uptime %, ADA compliance score, cybersecurity audit pass rate)?

A: Government KPIs are not finalized; vendors may propose KPIs aligned to uptime, accessibility, publishing efficiency, and security compliance.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Should vendors include a long-term maintenance/monitoring contract in the proposal, or only initial implementation?

A: The Government is open to optional long-term O&M/monitoring CLINs; structure TBD in RFP.

Q: Do you require a performance monitoring dashboard (analytics, uptime, accessibility compliance tracking)?

A: Performance dashboards/analytics are desired; vendors should propose capabilities.

Q: Is there a target launch date? Is it tied to an event or some sort of date deadlines like a fiscal year or event?

A: The timeline will be established when market research is complete.

Q: How will the winning vendor be selected? Is there a scoring matrix or something similar?

A: This will be annotated in the solicitation.

Q: Is there an incumbent? Will they be bidding? Is there any preference for local vendors?

A: This is a new requirement.

Q: What is the budget for this project?

A: This will be determined when market research is complete.

Q: What is your current annual spend on CMS, hosting, and related support?

A: This is a new requirement.

Q: Who built the current websites - your internal team or a vendor? If it was a vendor, who was it? If you used an outside vendor, how much did you spend on the implementation of your current sites?

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, with specifics addressed during post-award discovery.

Q: How many websites are in-scope for this project? Is there a plan (or desire, if it's easy to do so) to create more sites in the future?

A: Exact number of in-scope sites will be provided when the RFP is released; vendors should assume an enterprise-scale footprint with growth potential.

Q: Are there any sites (or web apps) that are not directly referenced in this RFP that the county would benefit from consolidating into this new platform? If so, approximately how many?

A: Additional sites not explicitly listed may be considered for future onboarding; scope will be clarified in the solicitation.

Q: Is there an organizational preference for open source vs. a proprietary CMS?

A: No preference for open-source vs proprietary at this stage; evaluation will consider security, scalability, UX, and cost.

Q: Will single-sign-on be used to control administrative access to the site? If yes, please elaborate.

A: Yes, SSO/CAC-based admin access is expected; details in RFP.

Q: Please confirm that the awarded vendor will primarily work remotely, with regular web conference meetings as needed.

A: This will be included in the PWS at the time of solicitation.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Do different teams/departments manage their own sites? Or does one team own all web work?

A: Governance may be distributed across components; solution must support enterprise multi-tenant/site governance.

Q: Are there any AI related policies that we should be aware of?

A: Vendors must comply with DoW/federal AI policy in effect at time of award; specifics will be referenced in

RFP.

Q: Are you interested in website tools that will enhance the user experience (search, chatbots, etc) using AI?

A: Yes the Government is interested in AI-enabled tools that improve usability, search, and overall user experience

Q: How do you envision the relationship with the developer post-launch? Do you need a maintenance contract to keep sites patched and secure?

A: The Government anticipates sustainment needs post-launch; O&M may be required and will be clarified in

Q: What is the existing capability being replaced by this effort and what major products are part of its architecture?

A: Existing capability description will be provided at a high level in RFP without proprietary architecture.

Q: What is the volume of content expected to be migrated?

A: Content volume TBD; vendors should assume large-scale, multi-site migration.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Should the budgetary estimate include annual O&M costs?

A: Budgetary estimates should include both one-time implementation and annual O&M as separate line items unless otherwise directed in the RFP.

Q: Who is the incumbent capability provider?

A: This is a new requirement.

Q: What are the performance requirements (e.g., Operational availability, etc.)?

A: This will be included in the PWS at the time of solicitation.

Q: What is the maximum number of concurrent users? Anonymous and authenticated (e.g., content managers)

A: Concurrent user requirements TBD; vendors should architect for high public concurrency plus authenticated admin usage.

Q: Is there an incumbent currently performing these services? If so, can you provide the company name and contract number?

A: This is a new requirement

Q: Can the Government clarify if prior JWCC-specific past performance is a mandatory requirement, or if equivalent secure federal cloud hosting experience (e.g., FedRAMP High or IL5/6 environments) will be considered acceptable?

A: If your company does not have JWCC past performance, you may submit past performance information on projects that are in similar size and scope to this requirement.

Q: The PWS requires compliance with IDEA, EO 14338, and USWDS standards. Can the Government confirm if the contractor is expected to modernize existing templates, or develop entirely new web templates aligned to USWDS?

A: This will be in the PWS at the time of solicitation.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Can the Government provide additional detail on the expected use cases for the AI-enabled knowledge base (e.g., administrator training, end-user support, technical troubleshooting)?

A: AI KB use cases include role-based admin enablement, troubleshooting, and content workflow guidance;

vendors should propose details.

Q: What is the estimated volume of content (pages, documents, multimedia) to be migrated into the new platform?

A: Exact content volume TBD; propose scalable tooling

Q: Does DMA intend to host all services within a single JWCC cloud service provider’s environment or is there a strategy to distribute services across the different JWCC CSPs?

A: Single-CSP hosting is acceptable if JWCC-compliant; multi-cloud is not required unless proposed as value-add.

Q: Will DMA provide access to the current hosting environment, including system architecture diagrams and other documentation to understand the existing platform, CMS configuration, etc.?

A: Government will not provide detailed hosting diagrams; vendors should plan discovery during transition-in.

Q: Are current DoW/DMA sites maintained using a singular CMS provider or are there multiple CMS providers supporting the different DoW divisions?

A: Multiple CMS instances exist today; goal is convergence to an enterprise framework.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Other than DAMS, are there platforms that the CMS will need to integrate with (e.g. USA.jobs, DVIDS, military recruitment engines)?

A: Additional integrations may include DVIDS/DAMS, feeds, identity services, analytics, and other public-facing systems; full list when the RFP is released.

Q: Is the Knowledge Base Platform intended to be comprehensive and shared by all DoW/DMA hosted websites, or does each site require its own platform?

A: KB is intended to be shared/common across the enterprise where feasible.

Q: Is the existing CMS platform built to meet Zero-Trust standards or is that a unique requirement for the new solution?

A: Current Zero Trust maturity varies; new solution must meet Zero Trust requirements at delivery.

Q: Please confirm that the Itemized Budgetary Estimate does not count towards the 10 page-limit of the White Paper submission?

A: Yes. Estimates are included in the 10-page response guidelines.

Q: Please confirm that manufacturer cut sheets and/or system block diagrams do not count towards the 10 page-limit of the White Paper submission?

A: No, these will not count in the 10-page response guidelines.

Q: With regard to the migration operations, does the Government have a target date for completing the migration from the legacy system to the new solution?

A: If required it will be included in the PWS.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Given the requirements associated with EO 14338 and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (Public Law 115-336), how will the government prioritize and evaluate proposals that integrate user-centered design, accessibility standards (e.g. Section 508), and modern technology adoption (e.g. mobile optimization, agile methodologies). Are there specific weighting factors or compliance thresholds for these elements in the evaluation criteria?

A: Evaluation factors will be listed at the time of solicitation.

Q: For Risk Management purposes, is there a specific type of ATO required for the DoW Public Website Program (e.g. Full, Ongoing)?

A: ATO type will follow DoW RMF guidance for the system; specifics in RFP.

Q: Can the Government describe the current public website infrastructure (e.g., existing CMS, hosting environment, key integrations, number of web pages/applications) and its anticipated transition path?

A: Government will describe current infrastructure at a high level only; transition path expected to be phased.

Q: What are the current average monthly page views, unique visitors, and anticipated growth over the next 3-5 years for the public website? Are there specific target demographics?

A: Traffic metrics are not released during market research; vendors should plan for large public-web scale.

Q: What is the expected volume and frequency of content updates, and will content be provided by the Government, or is content creation/curation expected from the contractor as part of the turnkey solution?

A: Government provides most content; contractor may support remediation, structuring, and migration;

content creation scope TBD

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: The RFI asks for past performance "similar in size and scope." Can the Government provide specific metrics or examples that define this for the DoW Public Website Program (e.g., number of user accounts, specific technologies, traffic volume, required security posture)? Additionally, can the government clarify how many websites are being considered for migration during this phase?

A: Similar size/scope” means enterprise public sites with multi-tenant CMS, large migration, and strict security/accessibility; exact metrics in RFP

Q: Is there a preferred or existing Content Management System (CMS) or specific technology stack (e.g., programming languages, frameworks, databases) that the Government intends to use or expects contractors to propose?

A: No preferred stack; vendors propose.

Q: Can the Government provide examples of current or anticipated web applications that the public website will need to integrate with, and what are the typical data exchange requirements or APIs involved?

A: Integration examples and data-exchange patterns will be described in RFP at releasable detail levels.

Q: What development methodology (e.g., Agile, DevOps, Waterfall) is preferred or currently in use for similar projects within DoW?

A: Agile/DevSecOps is preferred; vendors should propose an approach aligned to iterative delivery and RMF.

Q: What development methodology (e.g., Agile, DevOps, Waterfall) is preferred or currently in use for similar projects within DoW?

A: Agile/DevSecOps is preferred; vendors should propose an approach aligned to iterative delivery and RMF.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: What is the anticipated Impact Level (IL) for the data processed and stored by the public website (e.g., IL2, IL4, IL5)?

A: IL2

Q: What is the current Authorization to Operate (ATO) status for existing systems, and what is the contractor's expected role in obtaining and maintaining ATO for new or migrated systems?

A: Existing ATO status not being disclosed; contractor will support RMF/ATO artifacts for new system.

Q: Can the Government provide specific guidelines, existing architectural principles, or reference designs for the expected Zero Trust Architecture implementation?

A: Zero Trust reference principles will align to DoW guidance; exact design references TBD in RFP

Q: Are there specific Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools, Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS), vulnerability management platforms, or incident response protocols currently in use or mandated by DoW that the contractor must integrate with or utilize?

A: Required integrations with SIEM/IDS/vuln tools will follow DoW enterprise mandates in effect at award.

Q: Can the Government elaborate on the "public website program support" requirements? Does this include strategic planning, user experience (UX) research, analytics reporting, SEO, or digital marketing support?

A: Program support includes UX, analytics, SEO hygiene, governance enablement, and platform strategy— final scope in RFP.

Q: While market research, will the eventual solicitation prioritize or require specific contract vehicles (e.g., GSA schedules, GWACs, IDIQs)?

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

A: The Government has not determined required contract vehicles; full and open competition is anticipated unless otherwise stated later.

Q: Given that the Industry Days are scheduled for November 4 and 5, 2025, which is after the response due date of October 24, 2025, can the Government clarify the purpose of the Industry Day in relation to the submission of RFI responses? Will there be an opportunity to amend responses after the Industry Day, or is the Industry Day intended for a different phase of this acquisition?

A: Industry days have been converted to industry week. This will give you the opportunity to talk about your product and provide a quick demonstration. Please see the amended sources sought notice 0002 for details on industry week.

Q: To better understand the existing program landscape and assist with our planning, can the Government indicate if there is a current incumbent contractor providing public website program and services for the Department of War? If so, is this anticipated to be a recompete or a new requirement for these specific services?

A: This will be a new requirement for these specified services.

Q: To ensure our proposed solutions effectively address potential historical challenges and lessons learned, can the Government indicate if there have been previous projects related to the DoW Public Website Program and Services that were cancelled or significantly altered, and if so, what were the primary reasons for such actions?

A: This is a new requirement.

Q: Given the requirement for a “turnkey solution” and in light of current federal acquisition guidance emphasizing efficiency and proven solutions, can the Government indicate its preference or requirements regarding the use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products versus custom-developed solutions for meeting the DoW Public Website Program and Services requirements?

A: The Government prefers COTS based solutions where feasible; custom development may be used only to meet specific DoW requirements.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: To ensure comprehensive cybersecurity compliance, can the Government clarify if all contractor-proposed tools, applications, and third-party services utilized in the development, deployment, or operation of the DoW Public Website Program and Services solution are required to possess an active FedRAMP authorization at a specified baseline (e.g., Moderate or High), or meet an equivalent DoW accreditation, commensurate with the data Impact Level?

A: Contractor-proposed tools must meet FedRAMP/DoW SRG baselines aligned to IL2 and RMF; details in

Q: Does DoW maintain an existing repository system (SharePoint, etc.) that could be leveraged to fulfill this requirement using existing platforms currently in use by the government?

A: The combination of IL2 security requirements and public accessibility introduces unique considerations that must be addressed in order to successfully meet the program objectives.

Q: What is the anticipated period of performance for this contract, including the length of the base period and the number and duration of any option periods?

A: This will be included in the solicitation.

Q: In the event of a new contractor being selected, what is the government's expectation for a transition-in period, including the type of documentation and access that would be provided by the incumbent? Similarly, what are the requirements for a transition-out plan?

A: This will be in the PWS at the time of solicitation.

Q: Beyond cloud access, what Government Furnished Information (GFI), Equipment (GFE), or Software (GFS) will be provided to the contractor (e.g., software licenses, specific security tools, access to internal systems)?

A: Government-furnished licenses/data/access TBD; assume vendor provides required commercial tooling unless stated otherwise.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Are there any requirements for personnel security clearances (e.g., Secret, Top Secret) for contractor staff supporting this program? Additionally, what is the anticipated place of performance (e.g., government site, contractor facility, remote)?

A: Clearances and place of performance are TBD; likely unclassified, primarily remote, with clearance needs identified in the RFP when released.

Q: Can the Government specify the required level of conformance for Section 508 accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA) and the expected validation process for ensuring compliance?

A: Section 508 conformance at WCAG 2.1 AA minimum is expected; validation via automated + manual testing.

Q: What is the Government's anticipated timeline for releasing a draft RFP, a final RFP, and awarding the contract?

A: This will be determined after market research is complete.

Q: Will the final award be a single award or a multiple-award contract?

A: This will be determined after market research is complete.

Q: What are the anticipated evaluation factors and their relative order of importance?

A: This will be in the solicitation.

Q: Will the Government require an oral presentation or a technical demonstration as part of the evaluation process?

A: No. Industry week is being held during the market research phase.

Q: Are performance-based incentives or award fees being considered for meeting or exceeding key performance indicators?

A: If any, they will be included in the solicitation.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Will DMA mandate a specific cloud provider under JWCC, or is contractor discretion permitted?

A: Contractors will leverage JWCC cloud services to meet program requirements, with the flexibility to select the most appropriate service based on their individual needs and technical approach.

Q: Can DMA provide current API documentation, data formats, and performance requirements for DAMS integration?

A: Detailed DAMS API documentation will be provided to the awardee during performance, not in market research.

Q: What level of AI assistance (content tagging, accessibility checks, personalization) does DMA envision as “required” versus “desired”?

A: Vendors should distinguish “required” vs “desired” AI features in their proposals; Government will finalize requirements in RFP.

Q: Does DMA expect a fully operational Zero Trust environment at delivery, or is a phased adoption plan acceptable?

A: Phased Zero Trust adoption is acceptable if end-state requirements are met within agreed milestones.

Q: Does DMA intend to align with WCAG 2.2 AA (recent update) in addition to 2.1 AA?

A: WCAG 2.2 AA alignment is desired where practical; minimum compliance will be stated in RFP.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Can DMA clarify the number of websites/pages and estimated data volume for migration?

A: Migration counts/volume will be provided in RFP at releasable level.

Q: What depth of training (basic admin vs. technical developer) is expected, and should we provide ongoing virtual training beyond initial rollout?

A: Training should be role-based (basic admin and advanced technical). Ongoing optional training may be proposed.

Q: Does DMA anticipate using a particular contract vehicle (e.g., GSA, CIO-SP4), or will this go to full/open competition?

A: This will be decided when market research is complete.

Q: What success metrics will DMA use to evaluate contractor performance (e.g., uptime %, content publishing turnaround, accessibility scores)?

A: They will be included in the solicitation.

Q: Beyond WOSB/SDB set-asides, is DMA open to Mentor-Protégé/JV arrangements for meeting both small business and enterprise-scale needs?

A: This will be determined when market research is complete.

Q: Should proposed solutions be architected for eventual multi-agency/public website integration under a single CMS framework?

A: Yes.

Q: Will DMA provide its own Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring, or should the contractor provide continuous monitoring and incident response as part of the contract?

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

A: Government SOC provides enterprise monitoring; contractor may need to integrate logs/alerts and support remediation.

Q: Can you provide more detailed functional requirements for the Content Management System (CMS), including clarification on which CMS capabilities are considered most critical for success? For example, are there priorities around content workflow and approvals, multilingual/multisite support, content scheduling/publishing automation, personalization, version control, or analytics?

A: Vendors should propose functional CMS requirements covering workflow, multi-site, versioning, scheduling, analytics, personalization, and multilingual support

Q: Could DMA clarify the authentication and access control requirements for the administrative users – for instance, will the solution need to integrate with DoW CAC/PIV login or single sign-on per DoW security policies?

A: Admin authentication must integrate with DoW CAC/PIV/SSO where available; exact interfaces in RFP.

Q: The scope indicates the software will operate in one of the DoW CCSPs within JWCC. Is the requirement for it to be deployed as a single enterprise system serving all DoW public websites or will multiple independent system instances be required (e.g., per department, agency, website, etc.).

A: Expect a single enterprise CMS with multi-tenant/site segregation rather than multiple independent stacks.

Q: There is a requirement for artificial intelligence (AI). Are there requirements or restrictions for a specific AI solution or can any cloud-based AI service accessible via the JWCC be used?

A: Vendors may propose any JWCC-accessible AI service that meets IL2/RMF and DoW AI policy; no single mandated AI tool.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: There is a requirement for artificial intelligence (AI). Are there requirements or restrictions for a specific AI solution or can any cloud-based AI service accessible via the JWCC be used?

A: Vendors may propose any JWCC-accessible AI service that meets IL2/RMF and DoW AI policy; no single mandated AI tool.

Q: Should a specific file name be used on the document that is provided for the response?

A: No required file name at this stage; follow solicitation instructions.

Q: Is the “itemized budgetary” estimate included in the 10-page count limit or as a supplemental attachment?

A: Yes. This is included in the 10-page response package.

Q: Are there specific API protocols or documentation available for integrating the proposed CMS with the DoW Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) for media upload and playback?

A: DAMS integration standards/protocols will be provided to awardee; vendors should assume RESTful APIs with secure auth.

Q: Beyond stating that the solution must comply with Section 508 of the ADA and support USWDS, are there specific standards or evaluation criteria we should follow?

A: Beyond 508/USWDS, follow federal digital policy, EO14338 principles, and DoW branding guidance.

Q: The RFI references the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA) but notes that DMA is “not seeking information on digital services as defined in the 21st Century IDEA”. To confirm our scope, should we assume that transactional digital services or citizen engagement features (beyond content presentation) are out of scope for this solution?

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

A: Transactional “digital services” are largely out of scope; focus is public content delivery with optional light engagement features as allowed.

Q: The solution must operate in a DoW-approved JWCC cloud and meet DoW security guidelines. Is there a designated Impact Level for the cloud environment (e.g., IL2 for public data or IL5 due to integration needs), and will DMA sponsor the Risk Management Framework/Authority to Operate process for this system?

A: Production IL is IL2; Government will sponsor RMF with contractor support for evidence/controls.

Q: DMA requires a “zero trust architecture” including identity verification, network segmentation, and access control. Are there existing DoW enterprise identity or security services that the solution should integrate with (e.g., single sign-on via DoW CAC, enterprise logging/SIEM tools for threat detection), or should the contractor’s solution include all necessary zero trust components?

A: Where DoW enterprise services exist (identity/logging), solution must integrate; vendors should propose remaining ZT components.

Q: What are DMA’s expectations for training and knowledge transfer to government personnel?

A: Expect robust knowledge transfer, playbooks, and admin enablement sufficient for Government sustainment.

Q: The Sources Sought states that 12-point type should be used in the response. Can a smaller font size be used in graphics, charts, diagrams, tables, headers, footers, and captions? Can a larger font size be used for headings and the cover page?

A: Yes. The 12-point font is for the majority of the document. Larger or smaller fonts can be used for headers or captions

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: The Sources Sought states, "Specific support is required to ascertain industry’s ability to furnish a turnkey solution for public-facing websites to operate in a DoW Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability commercial cloud service." Is the goal to redesign existing websites into the recommended CMS, host the newly redesigned sites in the recommended cloud environment, migrate the content from the original sites into the newly designed sites, and train users to support the new CMS?

A: Yes—that is the intended turnkey scope.

Q: Is the intention of the Creation/Design requirements to redesign existing websites into the recommended CMS?

A: Yes—existing sites will be redesigned/modernized into the new CMS framework.

Q: What, if any, CMS is currently being used?

A: Current CMS tooling is not being disclosed; assume multiple legacy solutions.

Q: What tool is currently being used to scan for section 508 compliance?

A: Current 508 scanning tools are not being disclosed; vendors should propose compliant testing.

Q: Does DMA use a current KMS and LMS solution? Will existing content, courseware, and training records be available? Will the incoming support contractor be able to leverage existing courseware and content?

A: Existing KMS/LMS specifics are internal; vendors should propose KB/LMS approach and migration support.

Q: Is this requirement meant to augment or replace the existing DMA contract, HQ051622C0007?

A: This will be a new requirement.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Can you quantify the scope of the project in terms of website count, page count, etc.?

A: Scope quantification will be in RFP; assume multi-site enterprise migration.

Q: How many websites will be hosted, and of those, how many will be migrated from your existing environment?

A: Scope quantification will be in RFP; assume multi-site enterprise migration.

Q: Are there specific DoW-approved Cloud Service Providers (AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, Oracle, Google) that DMA prefers and is there a target landing zone/environment identified, or is contractor discretion acceptable as long as JWCC compliance is met?

A: No preferred CSP; any JWCC provider acceptable if compliant.

Q: What specific role will the November 4–5 Industry Days play in the overall acquisition process? Are these sessions intended for general market research only, or will feedback from these sessions influence which vendors are invited to the January product demonstrations?

A: Industry week will be for product demonstrations; there will be no more separate product demonstrations.

All vendors signing up for industry day are welcome to do a product demonstration during their assigned time slot. Industry week is during the market research phase.

Q: What criteria will the Government use to determine which vendors, after submitting white papers and/or participating in Industry Day, are invited to provide product demonstrations in January 2026?

A: Industry week will be for product demonstrations; there will be no more separate product demonstrations.

All vendors signing up for industry day are welcome to do a product demonstration during their assigned time slot.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: During Industry Day, will vendors be expected to present live demonstrations of their solutions, or will the sessions be limited to capability overviews and Q&A?

A: During industry week, there will be capability overviews, potential Q&A as well as live product demonstrations.

Q: Regarding DAMS integration: Can DMA clarify which APIs are currently available for ingest, playback, and upload, and whether vendors are expected to build custom middleware for these functions?

A: DAMS API details will not be released during market research. Vendors should assume secure, documented APIs will be available during performance.

Q: Can DMA confirm that the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) APIs required for photo/video upload and playback are fully documented and supported for external integration?

A: DVIDS APIs used for upload and playback are documented. Full integration details will be provided to the selected contractor

Q: Should the CMS support bi-directional synchronization with DAMS (e.g., metadata updates and asset changes), or only push/upload content and call playback APIs?

A: The CMS must at minimum support ingest/upload and playback via DAMS/DVIDS APIs. Additional sync requirements will be clarified in the solicitation.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: For migration operations, what is the approximate scale of content (number of sites, pages, and digital assets) expected to be migrated, and will DMA provide a standardized taxonomy to align to?

A: Migration scale and taxonomy will be clarified in RFP; vendors should propose a standards-based taxonomy solution.

Q: For JWCC deployment, does DMA require multi-cloud capability (supporting all JWCC providers) or will a single provider (e.g., AWS GovCloud, Azure Gov) be acceptable?

A: Single JWCC CSP acceptable; multi-cloud optional.

Q: Does DMA anticipate awarding a single comprehensive contract or multiple awards/task orders for different components of this requirement?

A: This will be determined after market research is complete.

Q: Can DMA clarify the expected scope of “AI” capabilities for content management (e.g., automated tagging of media, content/layout recommendations, workflow automation), and confirm whether commercial AI services are permissible within the JWCC security framework?

A: AI scope includes tagging, accessibility checks, workflow aids, and content recommendations; commercial AI OK if JWCC/RMF-compliant.

Q: What content management systems are currently in use across all DoW public websites, and what are the primary limitations or pain points you experience with these platforms?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, with specifics addressed during post-award discovery.

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: How many distinct public websites does DoW currently operate, and are they managed centrally or distributed across different teams/organizations?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: Do you currently have established design systems or brand guidelines, and how consistently are they applied across your digital properties?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: Does DoW have any existing experience with Adobe products (AEM, Experience Cloud, Creative Cloud), and if so, what has been your experience?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: Are there any specific technology platforms, programming languages, or architectural approaches that DoW prefers or requires for this modernization?

Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: How do your content creators currently prefer to work - through traditional web-based editing interfaces, document-based authoring (like Microsoft Word), or other methods?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: What is your current content creation and approval workflow, and how many people are typically involved in getting content from draft to published?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: How much content overlap or shared content exists across your current websites, and do you envision opportunities for content reuse and syndication?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Sources Sought Notice for Department of War (DoW) Public Website Program and Services Defense Media Activity

Q: Are there different content management needs or requirements across different organizational units within DoW?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research. Vendors should propose best-practice content strategy and governance approaches, Q: What are your current content governance policies and who has authority to approve different types of content (public affairs, legal, technical, etc.)?

A: The Government cannot release internal content governance, taxonomy, metadata, or workflow details during market research.