HR PEHCE - Request for Information_15 Oct 24.pdf

Background

The DEA was established in 1973 as the federal organization in charge of enforcing the controlled substances laws of the United States. Today thousands of DEA employees located in hundreds of offices across the country and around the world are dedicated to fulfilling DEA’s mission and to continuing our Tradition of Excellence. DEA employs experts in drug law enforcement: Special Agents, Diversion Investigators, Forensic Scientists, Intelligence Research Specialists and highly trained support staff working together as one team to keep Americans safe from dangerous drugs and those that traffic them. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) utilizes the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) USA Staffing recruiting system to advertise position opportunities. USA Staffing is a product of the OPM, which means it’s designed by the federal government for the federal government, to accommodate the unique requirements of federal recruitment and staffing.

OVERVIEW

Introduction

The DEA is currently conducting market research to gather information for the development and implementation of a Pre-Employment Processing & Hiring Center of Excellence. The intent of the Pre- Employment Processing & Hiring Center of Excellence is as a one-stop location where all pre-employment testing and assessments will occur, with the goal of streamlining the time to complete this stage of the hiring process.

DEA is seeking a contracted solution that will provide pre-employment processing actions for potential applicants across the Special Agent, Chemist, Diversion, Intelligence, and Professional, Administrative, Technical, Clerical Occupation (PATCO) career fields. DEA averages 903 Tentative Offers accepted per year with an average of 539 hires per year. (SA: 214, Intel: 33, Diversion: 36, Chem: 16, PATCO: 240). A suitable solution shall meet the critical operational pre-employment requirements outlined below. DEA’s goal is to enhance the agency's hiring and staffing efficiency, compliance, and security with a comprehensive pre-employment processing solution. This request is made in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10, Market Research, and is intended to help DEA gauge market capability and establish pricing parameters for purposes of budgeting for our potential requirement for budgeting purposes.

Drug Enforcement Administration Pre-Employment Processing & Hiring Center of Excellence

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Special Agent: DEA Special Agents pursue the most notorious trafficking and narco-terrorist organizations that threaten our country. Special Agent duties include:

• Gathering and processing evidence to help prosecute major violators of U.S. drug laws

• Partnering with other law enforcement agencies to target violent drug offenders in local communities

• Arresting subjects and seizing assets connected to illicit drug trafficking

• Working with officials in foreign countries to share intelligence and target international criminal organizations

• Protecting against diversion of controlled substances into the illicit market

• Engaging with communities to support public health and safety

Chemist: The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Forensic Sciences is to provide quality scientific, technical and administrative support to the law enforcement and intelligence communities and to the criminal justice system at large, to assist with the enforcement of controlled substance laws and regulations of the United States

Diversion: DEA Diversion Investigators enforce the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act (CDTA) regarding the manufacture, distribution and dispensing of legally produced controlled substances and listed chemicals in order to prevent diversion of controlled substances and listed chemicals into the illicit market, while ensuring an adequate, uninterrupted supply of pharmaceutical controlled substances and listed chemicals to meet the legitimate medical, commercial and scientific needs of the public

Intelligence: Intelligence Research Specialists support counter drug investigations – within the U.S. and abroad – working behind the scenes to protect their communities. Intelligence Research Specialist duties include:

• Analyzing information

• Organization and pattern analysis

• Oral and written communications

• Cyber investigations

PATCO: DEA offers professional and administrative career opportunities in a variety of occupations. DEA PATCO positions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Administrative and Support

• Attorney

• Facilities Management

• Finance and Acquisition

• Human Resources

• Information Technology

• Interns

Operational Requirements

A. Location: DEA is seeking one location to execute pre-employment hiring activities that would streamline and expedite pre-employment processing of DEA applicants. DEA is requesting that industry provide information concerning best practices for hiring centers, location(s), centralization of activities, etc., where this goal can be accomplished. DEA Headquarters is located in Arlington, VA with field locations around the United States and Internationally. The location of the Pre-Employment Processing & Hiring Center of Excellence is intended to support hiring activities across the DEA enterprise and for multiple occupational series and therefore should be in an appropriate location or locations to support the outlined pre-employment events.

B. Required Staffing and Management: DEA is seeking a solution providing the appropriate staffing mix required to manage the location and all scheduling testing and assessment, bursar, management, and tracking requirements listed below. The Government is seeking information including the use of Government and/or Contractor personnel, on-site versus remote activities, subcontracting/partnering/teaming opportunities, and best practices supporting an industry solution to the DEA’s requirement that is in the best interest of the Government.

A. Travel/Lodging: The Government is seeking a solution for travel and lodging accommodations for DEA applicants. This may include:

o Local hotels including regular/recurring room holds.

o Transportation to and from the pre-employment location (airfare, train, gas, metro/subway, shuttle).

B. On-site pre-employment Activities: DEA is seeking information concerning vendor[s] who can perform the below activities on site at the Hiring Center of Excellence location.

i. Medical Activities:

1. Medical Exams (Special Agents, Chemists and Diversion only)

ii. Drug Testing:

1. Required for all applicants

iii. Assessments:

1. Physical Task Assessment (Special Agents only) – current PTA: 1.5-mile run, sit-ups, push-ups, step test

2. Competency-based/Occupational Assessments Psychological Assessment -

(Special Agents only) Oral Psychological - (Special Agents only) Structured Interview Panel -

iv. Inspections:

1. Fingerprinting – all applicants

2. Suitability Pre-Assessment (reviewing Drug use before eAPP)

3. Polygraph (Special Agents, Intel, and Diversion only)

DEA Pre-Employment Process

Job Series Fingerprintin g eAPP Submission

Competency Based Assessment

Psychological Assessment

Polygraph Exam

Medical Exam Drug Test

Special Agent ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Chemist ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Intelligence Analyst ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Diversion ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

PATCO ✓ ✓ ✓

Candidate Selection Decision

Fingerprinting eAPP Submission

Competency Based

Assessment

Written and Oral

Psychological Assessments

Polygraph Examination

Medical Examination Drug Test Final Job

Offer

INDUSTRY RESPONSE

DEA requests vendors provide as detailed information as possible concerning industry’s understanding of DEA’s Pre- Employment Processing & Hiring Center of Excellence requirement. The Government is seeking responses concerning industry’s solution for the following key program elements and based on the identified Operational Requirements:

Vendor Particulars

Please include the following with your submission:

1. Company Name

2. Company Address

3. Company Point of Contact

4. UEI number

5. Cage Code:

6. NAICS Code(s)

7. Business Size

Technical Approach/Solution

Describe details of how the subject project would be approached or solution applied to meeting the Government’s requirement from start to finish. Industry may include methodologies, tools, techniques, project management plans, risk mitigation, quality assurance, etc. Industry may address the following areas to the extent practicable to assist the Government in market research and understanding vendor capabilities.

Resources

1. Staffing

2. Management

3. Quality Control

4. Property/leasing

5. Technology (Internet/Wi-Fi connection, printers, mounted TVs/screens, computer monitors, etc.)

6. Business Office

7. Applicant data processing, tracking, and updates to the Government

8. Information Security (Application information must be maintained as confidential

9. Applicant Travel

10. On-Site Pre-Employment activities

11. Recruitment communications and scheduling

Project Deliverables

Provide industry expected deliverables of project-related efforts. What would industry recommend the Government establish as contract deliverables to ensure successful completion of the contemplated requirement.

Timeline for Execution

Provide industry expected timelines and/or key project dates of project-related events from start to finish. This may include, but is not limited to, securing space, staffing and training, and full performance.

Required Materials

Provide industry expected materials, both Government and Contractor provided, required to meet the anticipated project from start to finish. This may include, but is not limited to, equipment to meet all management, technology, data collection and processing, on-site pre-employment activities, communications, and scheduling.

EXPECTED RESULTS

Based on Industry best practices and industry experience in Human Resource, hiring, staffing, and on-boarding activities, the Government requests information concerning anticipated results and/or benefits realized from executing a requirement as outlined in this RFI. Results/benefits may be financial, technical, process improvement, or other in nature.

ROUGH ORDER MAGNITUDE (ROM)

The Government requests that industry provide a rough order magnitude, as detailed as possible, concerning the understood scope, effort, magnitude, resources, materials, management, quality, and general and administrative expenses associated with the requirement as outlined in this RFI.

ACQUISITION PARTICULARS

A. What NAICS does Industry recommend this requirement align to?

B. Is this requirement most appropriate for Small Businesses, Large Business, or a Combination?

C. Teaming/subcontracting/partnering

D. Acquisition strategy

E. Contract type

F. CLIN/Contract structure

G. Security requirements

CONCLUSION

The DEA appreciates Industry’s involvement in the market research for the contemplated Pre-Employment Processing & Hiring Center of Excellence in support of the DEA’s mission. This request for information closes on 25 OCT 2024 at 4:00PM EDT. Submissions in response to this request for information shall be emailed to the Contracting Officer, Laura Over, at laura.e.over@dea.gov NLT the established close date and time.

Thank you for your interest in doing business with the DEA.

Laura E. Over DEA Contracting Officer mailto:laura.e.over@dea.gov