HSHQDC-15-R-00089_-_HSOAC_FFRDC_-_3_-_Final.pdf

(x)

HSHQDC-15-R-00089

x x

1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT

THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

Washington DC 20528-0115

DHS/OPO/S&T/S&T

245 Murray Lane, SW, #0115 S&T Acquisition Branch Office of Procurement Operations U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security

11/12/2015000003

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

09/15/2015

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

1. The purpose of this amendment 000003 to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Request for

Proposals (RFP) HSHQDC-15-R-00089 is to make changes to various sections of the Uniform

Contract Format (UCF) document, make changes to the UCF Section J task order attachments, and provide responses to offeror questions. The changes are made as follows:

a. Revisions and additions to the UCF document are marked by red text. Offerors are advised to review this document carefully in its entirety.

b. Remove bullet thirteen (13) from RFP UCF Section G.6.

c. The due date for proposals is extended from 23 November 2015 to 30 November 2015.

Continued ...

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

Shelby Buford, Jr.

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9 A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect .

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

2 105

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

HSHQDC-15-R-00089/000003

d. Delete the fourth paragraph from RFP Section

L.7.

e. Move the first sentence of the third bullet at paragraph M.3.1. to paragraph M.3.2.

f. Add the paragraph entitled “IDIQ Level of

Effort” to RFP UCF Section L.7. as subparagraph

7.3.3.3. and renumber subsequent subparagraphs.

g. Responses to offeror questions are included in this amendment.

2. Except as outlined herein, all other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

DO/DPAS Rating: NONE

NSN 7540-01-152-8067 OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

PIID: HSHQDC-15-R-00089/000003 Version 2.4

Section B. Services and Prices/Costs

B.1. Purpose

The purpose of this U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) single 1.1.

award Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) Contract Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID) (TBD) (hereafter “this Contract”) is to establish the Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) known as the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC, hereafter “the HSOAC FFRDC” or “the FFRDC”).

(TBD) (hereafter "the Contractor" or “the FFRDC operator”) shall provide 1.2.

studies and analysis services consistent with Section C of this Contract. The technical expertise including all management, labor, facilities, and materials necessary for performance shall be in accordance with task orders (TOs or “orders”) issued pursuant to the terms of this Contract in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section G of this Contract.

B.2. Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ)

(a) This HSOAC Contract is structured and managed in accordance with the rules for TO contracts. In particular, TO awards issued against this contract will be placed using procedures described in Section G. Contract Administration Data.

(b) The types of TOs issued against this Contract may be Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) or Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 16.5, Indefinite-Delivery Contracts, and as set forth in Sections G. and I.

(c) Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ), Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs), and Letter Contracts are not permissible TO types under this Contract.

Orders for which FFRDC services are not the principal purpose, and orders for which supplies or software/hardware are the principal purpose are also not permissible TO types under this Contract.

(d) Task Orders may include fully priced options as defined in FAR Part 17, Special Contracting Methods.

(e) Task Orders may be for any duration, subject to funding type, nature of the work, and other relevant considerations. Task Orders may not have a period of performance that extends for more than six (6) months past the end of this Contract’s ordering period.

B.3. Order Pricing

(a) All TOs issued will be subject to the pricing set forth in Section J. List of Attachments, Attachment 6, “Rate Schedule,” subject to any adjustments per Section H.3.

(b) For task order awards in excess of $700,000, the Task Order Contracting Officer (TO CO) will require certified cost or pricing data in accordance with FAR 52.215-20, “Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data or Data Other

Than Cost or Pricing Data.” In any case, proposed rates for TOs shall not exceed the ceiling rates established in this Contract.

B.4. Contract Line Items (CLINs)

Contract Line Item # (CLIN)

Subline Item #

(SLIN)

Description Contract

Type Not to Exceed

(NTE) Amount

Federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) studies and analysis projects in accordance with Sections C.1.3 and C.1.11.

awarded and administered by DHS components on a cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) basis.

CPFF

0001AA Total Estimated Cost CPFF $(TBD) 0001AB Fixed Fee $(TBD)

FFRDC studies and analysis projects in accordance with Sections C.1.3 and C.1.11.

awarded and administered by DHS components on a firm-fixed-price (FFP) basis.

FFP $(TBD)

FFRDC Core Research projects in accordance with Section C.1.8. and C.1.10. awarded and administered by DHS S&T on a CPFF basis.

CPFF

0003AA Total Estimated Cost CPFF $(TBD) 0003AB Fixed Fee $(TBD)

TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT $500,290,011

B.5. Minimum Dollar Guarantee and Maximum Contract Limitation

(a) Minimum. The minimum guaranteed award amount for this IDIQ Contract is $25,000.00 for the entire contract ordering period of performance (inclusive of fee). Orders beyond the minimum will be determined by user needs. The contract minimum will be satisfied by the first task order, which will be issued concurrently with the award of this IDIQ Contract.

(b) Maximum. The maximum cumulative ceiling value of this IDIQ Contract is established at $500,290,011.00.

(c) The Government has no obligation to issue TOs to the Contractor beyond the amount specified in the minimum of this clause. Once the conditions of the minimum have been met, the Contractor will continue to have the opportunity to be issued TO(s) based on users’ needs and available funding.

(d) After meeting the above minimum, DHS reserves the right to establish, on an annual basis (and prior to each new fiscal year), a ceiling on the maximum number of STEs for DHS-funded FFRDC work (including work by DHS-sponsored FFRDCs, DHS work by FFRDCs under multiple agency sponsorship agreements, and DHS work by FFRDCs sponsored by other government agencies).

B.6. Indirect Costs

The Contractor shall be reimbursed for indirect costs consistent with 6.1.

forward pricing rates subject to appropriate adjustment when the final rate(s) are established. The Contractor is responsible for submitting approved Forward

Pricing Rate Agreements to the DHS Contracting Officer as they are approved by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) or the Contractor’s cognizant Government audit entity.

The Contractor shall submit final indirect rate documentation as it is 6.2.

agreed to and approved by DCAA or the Contractor’s cognizant Government audit entity.

B.7. Fixed-Fee

The maximum fixed-fee percentage to be utilized under all resultant Task 7.1.

Orders is (TBD) percent (TBD%).

If the cost of this Contract does not reach the maximum value contained 7.2.

in Section B.4, then the total contract fee shall be the sum of all fee dollars under issued tasks.

Under no circumstances will the total fee paid by the Government under 7.3.

this IDIQ Contract exceed $TBD. The fixed-fee withholding provisions contained in FAR clause 52.216-8, “Fixed-Fee,” are applicable to individual CPFF TOs.

B.8. Terminology Used in this Contract

This Contract utilizes certain terminology specific to DHS’s operation of 8.1.

its FFRDCs. These terms are defined in DHS Management Directive (MD) 143- 04 and its associated Instruction. The following terms and their associated meanings are used in this Contract:

Term Meaning

Core Statement The core statement describes the purpose and mission of the FFRDC, the nature of the strategic relationship between the FFRDC and DHS, the general scope of efforts to be performed for DHS, and core competencies the FFRDC is to maintain so that it can assist in accomplishing the DHS mission.

Core Work Core work is work appropriate for performance by the FFRDC because it is consistent with the mission, purpose, and competencies of the FFRDC, and draws on or sustains a strategic relationship between the FFRDC and its sponsor.

Parent Institution The parent institution is the entity that executes with the sponsor, or in the case of a Multiple Agency Sponsorship Agreement a primary sponsor, the sponsorship agreement to operate the FFRDC or a national laboratory. FFRDCs may be operated, managed, or administered by many different types of organizations, as described in paragraph IV.E.6 of MD 143. A parent institution may also be called a parent organization.

Primary Sponsor The primary sponsor is the lead agency responsible for managing, administering, or monitoring overall use of the FFRDC under a multiple sponsorship agreement on behalf of DHS. The Undersecretary for Science and Technology (US(S&T)) is the primary sponsor for DHS FFRDCs and is the lead DHS sponsor when a non-DHS FFRDC is sponsored by more than one Federal agency. Multiple agencies or multiple DHS directorate sponsorship is possible as long as one entity

Term Meaning agrees to act as the “primary sponsor.”

Sponsor A sponsor is an executive agency which manages, administers, monitors, and is responsible for the overall use of an FFRDC, other than the primary sponsor, that is party to a multiple agency sponsorship agreement. The US(S&T) is the DHS sponsor for DHS use of a non- DHS FFRDC under a multiple agency sponsorship agreement.

Sponsoring Agreement

The sponsoring agreement is a written agreement between the government (primary sponsor) and the FFRDC’s parent institution that is prepared when the FFRDC is established. The sponsoring agreement contains the core statement as defined herein, as well as other items identified in FAR 35.017.

Strategic Relationship

FFRDCs operate in a strategic relationship with its sponsor(s) and other users. This relationship enables FFRDCs to develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of the sponsor’s programs and operations; to maintain continuity and currency in its special fields of expertise with a high degree of competence in its staff and work; to operate in the public interest with objectivity and independence; to be free from organizational conflicts of interest, and to respond effectively to the emerging needs of the sponsor(s) and other users. To leverage opportunities and expand the benefits of operating an FFRDC for authorized users.

Appropriateness Review

A review conducted by S&T to ensure all work performed by DHS and non-DHS laboratories or FFRDCs is appropriate for their purpose, mission, general scope of effort, and special competency.

B.9. Clause Applicability

The ordering activity may include additional contract clauses in orders 9.1.

other than those enumerated in this Contract such as: (1) optional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, (2) sponsoring activity-specific clauses,

(3) alternates to FAR clauses, and (4) order-specific clauses.

In the event of a conflict between clauses included in a specific task order 9.2.

and this IDIQ Contract, the IDIQ Contract shall control.

Nothing in this section will be construed as conflicting with any order of 9.3.

precedence stated elsewhere in this Contract.

(End of Section B)

Section C. Statement of Work

General 1.1.

1.1.1. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Section 305 of PL 107-296, as codified in 6 U.S.C. 185) (herein referred to as the “Act”), authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology (US(S&T)), to establish one or more Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) to provide independent analysis of homeland security issues, or to carry out other responsibilities under the Act.

1.1.2. Each FFRDC has a specific Government organization that is designated as its Primary Sponsor1, responsible for implementing FFRDC management policies and procedures. The Primary Sponsor is responsible for maintaining a Sponsoring Agreement2 with the FFRDC’s parent institution3, defining the core competencies or capabilities that the FFRDC must maintain, and ensuring that all work performed by the FFRDC is consistent with its core competencies. The Sponsoring Agreement lists the operational restrictions that the FFRDC must follow befitting its special relationship with the Government, including operating in the public interest with objectivity and independence, being free from real or perceived organizational and personal conflicts of interest, and having full disclosure of its affairs to its Primary Sponsor.

1.1.3. The nature of their mission requires that FFRDCs operate in a strategic relationship with their sponsors. FFRDCs and sponsors commit to a stable and long-term relationship. FFRDCs are responsive to evolving sponsor's needs, with a broad comprehensive knowledge of their sponsor's requirements and problems. FFRDCs accept stringent restrictions on their scope, methods of operations and the kinds of efforts they can undertake in order to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

1.1.4. DHS FFRDCs perform work that: (1) is consistent with their mission, purpose, and capabilities; (2) is consistent with DHS's needs as reflected in their core competencies; (3) is consistent with the strategic relationship with their primary sponsor; and (4) cannot be performed as effectively by existing in-house or contractor resources. DHS FFRDCs may perform work only for DHS, other Government entities, and not-for-profit

1 The primary sponsor is the lead agency responsible for managing, administering, or monitoring overall use of the FFRDC under a multiple sponsorship agreement on behalf of DHS. The US(S&T) is the primary sponsor for DHS FFRDCs.

2 The sponsoring agreement is a written agreement between the government (primary sponsor) and the FFRDC’s parent institution that is prepared when the FFRDC is established. The sponsoring agreement contains the core statement as defined herein, as well as other items identified in FAR Section 35.017.

3 The parent institution is the entity that executes the sponsoring agreement to operate the FFRDC with the primary sponsor. FFRDCs may be operated, managed, or administered by many different types of organizations. The parent institution may also be referred to in this Contract as “the Contractor” or “the FFRDC operator.”

activities. FFRDCs are restricted from performing commercial work. The Primary Sponsor must approve all work.

Background 1.2.

1.2.1. The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a requirement to establish a studies and analysis FFRDC on behalf of the Department to be known as the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC). The HSOAC FFRDC is intended to provide mission level technical and integration expertise to DHS leadership and managers that is normally not available within the Government. The HSOAC refocuses the existing Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute (HSSAI) FFRDC with comprehensive and renewed core competencies in operational analyses, but does not change the fundamental purpose or mission of the HSOAC as DHS’s sole studies and analysis FFRDC with continued support to all DHS components across the homeland security enterprise (HSE4).

1.2.2. The purpose of this FFRDC, through its special relationship with its Sponsor, is to provide special and independent studies and analysis expertise to Department mission owners to transform mission-level goals into strategies, operational requirements, and performance metrics, constrained by cost and schedule. The FFRDC will advise in core areas important to DHS users and will support policy development, decision making, the development of alternative approaches to achieving mission goals, and will develop new ideas on issues of significance. Through studies and analysis, the FFRDC shall provide recommendations for policy and operational changes, as well as technology insertion concepts, throughout the federal, state, local, tribal, public and private sector organizations that make up the homeland security enterprise. The FFRDC shall generally work on the most complex homeland security issues and problems.

1.2.3. The FFRDC will promote fair and open competition for the development and delivery of HSE capabilities by providing independent and objective technical expertise in: cross-cutting mission analysis, strategic studies and assessments, modeling of operational concepts and policy trade-offs within and across mission areas, system simulations and technical assessments to evaluate mission trade-offs, creation and evolution of high-level concepts of operation, development of top-level system and operational requirements and performance metrics, operational analysis across the homeland security enterprise, and analytic support for operational testing and evaluation in tandem with the Government’s acquisition process. The FFRDC shall ensure a logical optimization of mission and system-of-system tradeoffs

4 DHS defines the homeland security enterprise as the federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, nongovernmental, and private-sector entities, as well as individuals, families, and communities, who share a common national interest in the safety and security of the United States and the American population (GAO, Department of Homeland Security:

Progress Made and Work Remaining after Nearly 10 Years in Operation, GAO-13-370T (Washington, D.C.: Feb.

15, 2013)).

from a long term perspective based on system/program lifecycle costs.

Overtime, the HSOAC will help the Department develop a homeland security enterprise “system of systems” approach that will promote efficiencies and synergies across all missions. Through its long term relationship with the Department, the FFRDC shall promote frameworks and strategies to enhance the general understanding of the trade-offs inherent in reducing our Nation’s risk to terrorism and catastrophic incidents through, among other things, improved interoperability and information sharing across the homeland security enterprise. Tasks will generally be sponsored by senior leadership and mission owners located throughout the Department and the HSE.

1.2.4. While the FFRDC’s work outputs are expected to help inform Government decision-making, the FFRDC shall not attempt to influence the Government’s decision-making processes, or attempt to influence changes in the outcomes of prior decisions made by the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity.

Scope 1.3.

The services provided by the HSOAC FFRDC operator are considered advisory and assistance services (A&AS) as defined at FAR Subsections 2.101(1) and (2).

The FFRDC shall provide independent and objective analyses and advise in core areas important to Department in support of policy development, decision making, alternative approaches, and new ideas on issues of significance. The FFRDC operator shall perform work within the following focus areas:

1.3.1. Acquisition Studies

The FFRDC Operator shall conduct assessments to support acquisition planning, performance evaluation, and decision making up to Acquisition Decision Event 2 (ADE 2). Documented analysis of acquisition-related strategy, methods, processes, implementation, metrics, and outcomes is expected using a variety of analytic techniques, data source types (e.g., structured interviews, data analytics) and measures of performance and effectiveness. Specific analytic tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assessment of acquisition process methodologies utilized by DHS Entities for the purpose of process improvement and documentation of lessons learned.

Assessment of DHS Entities’ missions and operational activities in order to characterize capability needs and deficiencies (i.e., gaps) to support the development of mission need statements, requirement specification, mitigation option development, acquisition planning, and to provide analysis support for the DHS Acquisition Life Cycle.

Aggregation and assessment of operational experimentation, modeling and simulation, and market research data to support the development and definition of acquisition requirements and procurement scope. Conduct trade-off studies of material and non-material solutions.

Development of documentation to support DHS Acquisitions including:

Mission Needs Statements (MNS), Operational Requirements Document (ORD), Concept of Operations (CONOPS), Capability Development Plan (CDP), Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) or Alternative Analysis (AA), Life Cycle Cost Estimate (LCCE), Integrated Logistics Support Plan (ILSP), Acquisition Program Baseline (APB), and Acquisition Plan (AP).

Development, documented analysis, and validation of business case justifications for potential acquisition programs.

1.3.2. Homeland Security Threat and Opportunity Studies

The FFRDC Operator shall conduct threat and opportunity analysis to support the planning and execution of its mission areas. A wide breadth of analytic techniques will be utilized, refined, and/or developed to support these analytic requirements (e.g., cause and effect, predictive, scenario, sociological, statistical). To iteratively improve the analytic relevance and accuracy, the accuracy of all analytic judgements will be tracked and scored as ground truth becomes available. Data sources utilized will range from public to highly-classified and from unstructured raw multimodal data to structured databases. Specific analytic tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis for the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE) or DHS Elements.

Economic and technical risk assessments in support of HSE responsibilities and missions.

Scenario, forecasts, threat, opportunity, or other relevant analysis of future geo-political or natural catastrophe events, technical capability or availability, or changes in intent, policy, or legal definitions.

Analyze DHS Component mission risk (threat, vulnerability, consequence) posed by capability gaps due to workforce and technological capability limitations and develop risk reduction recommendations.

Characterize vulnerabilities of DHS operational systems through assessment of system application, interoperability, and sustainment protocols that pose operational risks. Develop and document risk reduction recommendations.

Assess threat, vulnerability, and risk of events with national impact involving critical infrastructure of the United States resulting from proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

Assess threat, vulnerability, and risk involving national and international politics, human rights, economic strife, foreign military actions, terrorist trends, international terrorist cooperation, illicit drug smuggling, and human trafficking and religious practices that impact the security status of the United States.

Analyze risk (threat, vulnerability, consequence) posed by policy, fiscal, workforce, technological, regulatory limitations impacting United States border security and develop DHS focused risk reduction recommendations.

1.3.3. Organizational Studies

Conduct assessments and make recommendations to strengthen DHS Component public relations and influence in politically sensitive subjects such as border security, use of unmanned aerial vehicles, domestic surveillance, human trafficking, illicit drug smuggling, and immigration reform.

Conduct business assessments to develop budget and resource requirement forecasting and allocation strategies, enhance program performance measurement and effectiveness, strengthen integration strategies, and use tabletop exercises to conduct mission trade-off studies.

Analyze organizational alignment to improve workforce capabilities and effectiveness as well as determine the impact of budget reductions across the department.

Assess the impact on human capital issues across the department as a result of budget fluctuations, staff retirement, reduction in force, changing DHS Component leadership, and Component reorganization. Develop and document strategies to minimize negative impacts to the DHS workforce.

Conceptualize, characterize, and document compelling value propositions for improving business processes in areas of critical need such as acquisition, program/project management, infrastructure investments, technology investments, etc.

1.3.4. Regulatory, Doctrine, and Policy Studies

Examine and assess the impact of changing regulations, doctrine, and policies on DHS Component business (organizational, procurement, financial, human capital, and training) practices and develop strategies to affect required changes.

Assess the impact and risk resulting from changing regulations, doctrine, and policies on operational missions throughout the Homeland Security Enterprise.

Examine and assess the impact of changing regulations, doctrine, and policies on law enforcement, privacy, cyber security, critical infrastructure protection, immigration services, domestic surveillance, and other developing issues that impact operational missions. Develop strategies and documentation to affect required changes.

Examine and assess domestic and international trade and technology cooperation with potential to impact the economic or technological security of the United States including applicable regulations, treaties and controls to include vulnerability and risk.

1.3.5. Operational Studies

Assess and develop recommendations to grow DHS Component capabilities needed to accomplish new and evolving DHS Component mission requirements. Including the establishment of novel non-material capabilities to provide and promote security, privacy, and the protection of civil rights and civil liberties.

Assess and formulate recommendations to strengthen critical national response strategies including multi-agency collaboration and coordination and interoperability with state, local and tribal government personnel and systems.

Conduct assessments of non-material operational process and procedure effectiveness, usability, performance, workforce training, and make recommendations for improvement.

Design and provide support for the conduct of security-related exercises, games and simulations, including the examination of past incidents, tabletop and operational exercises, and nominal operations to determine lessons learned and the implications for homeland security planning.

1.3.6. Research and Development (R&D) Studies

Conduct assessments and make recommendations to strengthen DHS R&D capability that enables the department to determine, prepare and grow a HSE of tomorrow.

Includes analytical studies and operational analysis on the departments R&D portfolios, identifying new areas of focus and/or future developmental areas with recommendations on positioning of R&D portfolios on a HSE level.

Conduct operational analysis to identify user R&D requirements and operational deficiencies.

Analyze DHS Component fiscal alignment and risk (threat, vulnerability, consequence) posed by constrained resources resulting from budget reduction across the department and develop risk reduction recommendations, maximizing the impact of the HSE R&D portfolio.

Conduct analytical studies and analysis on Components existing R&D capital investments with recommendations to align with future R&D investments.

1.3.7. Innovation and Technology Acceleration

Apply operational analysis to bridge user requirements and create a framework to optimize and accelerate technology.

Conduct analyses and assessments that allows the HSE to support the rapid understanding and planning necessary to transition technologies into integrated operational systems through actionable recommendations.

Conduct R&D program planning and analysis on current and future technology solutions that may include unique or game changing technologies, necessary to enable high value change and fill capability gaps.

Conduct and assess the technology readiness and recommendations for a successful technology transition.

Conduct forward looking analysis to identify, recommend, and ultimately leverage any potential results utilizing Prize Competitions to accelerate technology or concepts to fill capability gaps as authorized under the America Competes Act.

1.3.8. In addition to the above focus areas the HSOAC FFRDC operator must possess and maintain expertise that includes specialized technical operations analysis, strategic assessments, lifecycle-based trade-off studies for initial technical concept definition, operational test and evaluation planning and analysis, and mission analysis to evolve strategic agency-level concepts with a familiarity of the broad HSE. Leveraging the Contractor’s expertise, the operations analysis center FFRDC shall promote best practices and lessons learned with respect to planning, strategy, requirements development, and measures of performance and effectiveness across the Department to enhance system of system interoperability and information sharing.

Out of Scope Work 1.4.

1.4.1. The DHS’s systems engineering FFRDC5 will generally provide program level concept evolution, system and sub-system modeling and simulation, system engineering and program management best practices, sub-system standards frameworks focused particularly on interface management and interoperability, independent verification and validation (IV&V), as well as development test and evaluation analysis for the programs.

1.4.2. Other DHS and national laboratory FFRDCs will generally provide system and component prototypes and threat analysis support that is not normally available in the private sector.

Other Services 1.5.

1.5.1. Services identified as Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) support services are outside of the scope of this Contract.

SETA services are a type of A&AS as defined at FAR Subsection 2.101(3) and are different from the A&ASs outlined at FAR Subsections 2.101(1) and (2). SETA services are further delineated for this Contract as continuous, 5 The Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute (HSSEDI) routine, ongoing support of a program or office (i.e., mission sustainment or maintenance) without set work outputs or with ad-hoc work outputs.

1.5.2. Acquisition support services where FFRDC operator employees, subcontractors, or consultants are expected to perform day-to-day contracting office functions (e.g., soliciting, awarding, administering, modifying, and/or closing out contracts, etc.) are also outside of the scope of this Contract.

1.5.3. The HSOAC will not engage in activities that support technology development, such as prototype system design, fabrication, software development or test and evaluation as such work will be directed to the HSSEDI FFRDC, other non-DHS FFRDCs, or competitive contractors as appropriate.

FFRDC Management, Operation, and Oversight 1.6.

1.6.1. S&T FFRDC Program Management Office (PMO)

The role of the S&T FFRDC PMO is to conduct an appropriateness review in accordance with DHS MD 143-04 of all work proposed for performance by the HSOAC. The S&T FFRDC PMO will also provide support to the FFRDC in terms of developing long-term and short-term strategies for reaching across the Department to negotiate task order projects in support of the most critical and strategic issues and problems. The PMO is the focal point for establishing guidance, policy, and assisting Department mission owners in funding task order projects via direct ordering to engage the HSOAC. If needed, the S&T PMO may assist in negotiating issue resolutions between the Department mission owners and the FFRDC at any point prior to the award, or during the performance, of a task order project. Primary direction and technical feedback on specific task orders will come from the Department mission owners’ contracting offices and requiring officials. The S&T PMO will provide additional guidance on technical quality and consistency throughout the term of the contract; the PMO will also provide Government contract administration support for S&T requirements to include administration and funding of Core Research projects. The S&T PMO may not make any changes to the scope, terms and conditions, or requirements of this Contract.

Management Plan 1.7.

1.7.1. The Contractor shall develop and deliver a Management Plan that describes how it intends to operate the HSOAC FFRDC as a trusted agent on behalf of DHS. The Management Plan must portray the overall style of administration, and how the Contractor intends to operate the HSOAC FFRDC and must provide details in the following areas at a minimum:

The HSOAC chain of command and management structure;

Policies and procedures regarding internal decision making process(es) for the HSOAC;

Project staffing and resource planning methodologies;

Internal quality assurance measures and processes for HSOAC work products at the task order project and IDIQ Contract levels;

The Contractor’s process and basis for attracting and retaining new employees to including training process(es) and policies, and incentive or reward programs

The Contractor must include a Compensation Plan for employees at all organizational levels, whether classified as professional employees or not, that meets the standards identified in FAR provision 52.222-46, “Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees”;

How the Contractor will engage in efforts to exercise sound financial control over the FFRDC’s resources;

How the Contractor will liaison with the PMO to leverage PMO-led FFRDC outreach activities to the Department and other stakeholders; and, How the Contractor will enhance and/or mature its capabilities to deliver on the core capabilities of the FFRDC mission areas.

1.7.2. The Management Plan is due annually and may be updated throughout the performance of this Contract and in coordination with the PMO. Revisions to the Management Plan may be directed and/or initiated by the PMO at any time during the performance of this Contract, but shall occur no less frequently than annually to ensure consistency with the DHS’s mission and philosophy. Final approval of the Management Plan is at the sole discretion of the PMO and the S&T Contracting Officer (CO).

1.7.3. As part of its management of the FFRDC, the Contractor shall develop and deliver a set of materials designed to inform various parties (e.g., DHS components, members of the HSE, and other government entities) of the FFRDC’s capabilities and areas of expertise. These materials shall be informational in nature and shall not suggest DHS’s endorsement of the Contractor’s services, or those of the Parent Institution. The FFRDC PMO will review these materials and request updates or revisions as necessary to accurately convey the FFRDC’s capabilities. The FFRDC PMO is the only party authorized to disseminate the materials to internal and external parties on the FFRDC’s capabilities and methods for engaging the FFRDC’s services.

Research Plan 1.8.

1.8.1. A portion of the Contractor’s operation of the HSOAC FFRDC will be based on a Research Plan that will identify areas and items the Contractor believes are of enduring, long-term concern to the DHS and the HSE (also “Core Research”). The FFRDC operator shall develop the Research Plan based on an understanding of the Department’s requirements and as a result of insights from tactical projects.

1.8.2. The Research Plan’s areas of interest may also be determined by direction from the PMO and the FFRDC Advisory Group. Core Research areas identified in the Research Plan must be of concern to multiple DHS organizational elements, or areas of concern for the Department/HSE as a whole. The work outlined in the Research Plan must not overly benefit one particular organization over another as determined by the FFRDC Advisory Group and the PMO in consultation with the S&T CO. The Research Plan must describe the overall strategic vision and a high level strategy for achieving an end result for each proposed Core Research area.

1.8.3. The Research Plan must be a flexible and dynamic document that will be periodically reviewed with the Advisory Group and revised as necessary to meet the DHS’s needs and mission areas. The FFRDC operator must identify the origin of its proposed Core Research areas in the Research Plan. For example, the FFRDC operator must identify a proposed research area as originating from 1) inside its organization, 2) insights from tactical projects, and/or 3) direction from the PMO/Advisory Group.

1.8.4. Input and review of the Research Plan shall occur primarily through the FFRDC Advisory Group, which is chaired by the DHS US(S&T) or their designee, and is comprised of the PMO, senior leadership6 from throughout the Department, and the S&T CO. Final approval of the Research Plan is at the sole discretion of the PMO and the S&T CO in consultation with the FFRDC Advisory Group.

1.8.5. The following are examples of areas that may be addressed in strategic research:

Work on special projects to compliment tactical projects and provide analytic support for integrating strategic assessments, mission analyses, operations research, and operational test support standards, best practices and lessons learned across the HSE;

Research and development on evolutionary, cross-cutting concepts, simulations and models necessary to provide a forward-looking perspective to major homeland security goals and missions to anticipate problems and issues;

Consulting with representatives from other DHS FFRDCs, private industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit institutions, and/or private industry on topics important to the HSE at all levels.

1.8.6. The Contractor shall use their extensive research capabilities to generate ideas in order to fill gaps, stimulate thinking on state-of-the-art solutions or develop game-changing improvements to enhance existing capabilities. The Contractor shall conduct advanced research to include, but not limited to, leveraging, refocusing, or redeveloping work performed for

6 Senior leadership is defined as members of DHS organizational elements’ staff at the Senior Executive Service (SES) level or higher.

others (i.e., work performed for another Federal customer that may have DHS applications); conducting innovative and leading edge high-risk/ high-payoff research and analysis aligned with the focus areas.

1.8.7. The Research Plan should incorporate the typical critical questions for research proposals (e.g. the “Heilmeier Catechism”) and at a minimum address the following questions:

1. What are you trying to do? Articulate objectives using absolutely no jargon. What is the problem? Why is it hard?

2. How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?

3. What's new in the proposed approach and why will it will be successful?

4. Who cares?

5. If successful, what difference will it make? What impact will success have? How will it be measured?

6. What are the risks and the payoffs?

7. How much will it cost?

8. How long will it take?

9. What are the midterm and final "exams" to check for success?

How will progress be measured?

10. Any other pertinent information requested by the S&T PMO, or other information relevant to the Research Plan.

1.8.8. Based on the S&T PMO’s selection of research areas, the Contractor shall prepare a presentation and present it to the Government. The presentation shall provide the overview of key concepts with a logical connection to the end result, summarize the research areas and the questions addressed in the Research Plan, and set the strategic framework for a potential but viable and realistic requirement. The Government will further evaluate the proposed research areas as they are presented, and down select a handful of research areas from which meaningful requirements may be generated as separate core projects to be issued as task orders under this Contract.

1.8.9. The Contractor shall provide a Core Research Status Report highlighting each requirement issued as a separate Core Research task order.

The Core Research Status Report shall be a high level overview of all Core Research task orders generated, and shall at a minimum contain the following:

Task order number and title

Brief purpose, as a reminder

Principle Researcher

The overview of cost, schedule and performance.

Highlight of major risks and issues with the status of those issues.

Highlight of any major milestone achieved

Brief forecast of subsequent month

Status of funding availability

FFRDC Projects 1.9.

1.9.1. The HSOAC FFRDC shall engage in two separate levels of work in support of the Department: tactical projects (also “task order projects”), which will be funded by mission owners for research requirements related to that DHS organizational element’s specific mission and needs; and strategic projects (also “Core Research projects”), which involve research directed toward problems/requirements of the HSE and will address operational issues of enduring concern to the Department and the HSE. All projects must be reviewed as part of the requirements development phase by the PMO for appropriateness in accordance with FAR Subsection 35.017-3 and DHS-wide policies and procedures including MD 143-04.

1.9.2. The default position for all work performed under this Contract will be at a minimum to make final products, reports, and analysis available for DHS wide use via the DHS PMO internal library website. Exceptions will be granted for sensitive analysis (e.g. DHS reorganization structure) and analysis done that are Law Enforcement Sensitive (LES), or at the Secret level and above. The Contractor is encouraged to identify work products that can be transitioned out to the public sector to educate (e.g. universities centers of excellence) and benefit stakeholders (federal, state, local, and tribal) and further enable DHS to deliver on its mission.

1.9.3. The FFRDC Operator must prepare a project kickoff briefing for any project, i.e. tactical or strategic, awarded pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Contract. The briefing shall be conducted by the FFRDC operator’s staff responsible for the technical execution of the project with the COR and CO for the project in attendance. The briefing shall be held within the first thirty (30) days of performance for a given project at a time and place mutually agreeable to the parties.

Strategic Projects 1.10.

1.10.1. Strategic projects may comprise up to five (5) percent of the total estimated costs of the HSOAC operator’s tactical project portfolio that is currently under performance. For the life of the Contract, the total dollar value of the budget for strategic projects will not exceed five (5) percent of the total estimated costs of that part of the Contract ceiling allocated to tactical projects. The amount allocated for the award of strategic projects is not an entitlement or guarantee that the total amount funded by the Government will reach the levels set forth here, but is provided for planning purposes.

1.10.2. Strategic projects will be selected from the areas outlined in the HSOAC FFRDC’s Research Plan (See Section 1.8) by the FFRDC PMO or the FFRDC Advisory Group. Not all proposed strategic projects will be selected or approved for performance.

1.10.3. Once strategic research topics have been identified by the FFRDC PMO or the FFRDC Advisory Group (see process outlined at Section 1.8), the HSOAC operator must further define the parameters of the work in the selected area in sufficient detail to allow S&T to obligate funding for performance via a task order approved and signed by the S&T CO in accordance with applicable procurement laws and regulations. All Core Research projects will be reviewed, negotiated, awarded, and administered by

DHS S&T.

Tactical Projects 1.11.

1.11.1. Tactical projects are the specific, time-limited, deliverable-oriented efforts funded via task orders from various DHS organizational elements. The work funded by task order projects must contain, as a minimum, the following information based on the requirements particular to that project provided by the Government:

Subject and description of objectives including deliverables, milestones and their associated delivery dates;

Discussion of the major study questions and issues to be addressed;

Special modeling or simulations required;

Recommended approach for performing the work;

Estimate for the total level of effort in terms of staff years of technical (STE)7, labor categories, and total estimated costs to perform the task;

Estimated period of performance, including start and end dates;

and, Reporting requirements, and other relevant information as applicable.

Periodic/monthly status reports must include the follow information at a minimum:

1. Task order number

2. Period of Performance

3. Charts showing actual cost, schedule compared to plan

4. Status of progress, milestones, deliverables, and outstanding issues.

7 Equal to 1810 labor hours.

1.11.2. Upon the award of a task order project, the operator must develop and deliver a plan for how the project’s technical effort will be tracked and managed (e.g., a work breakdown structure) to the CO and COR at the DHS organizational element that awarded the task order.

Other Contract Details 1.12.

1.12.1. Contract Ordering Period

(a) The contract ordering period (COP) is for five (5) years from the date of contract award.

(b) Any project awarded at any time during the COP may continue performance for no more than six (6) months past the COP end date.

Any extension to the COP does not automatically extend the period of performance for any project.

(c) This is not a multi-year contract as defined in FAR Subpart 17.1.

1.12.2. Place of Performance

(a) Unless otherwise provided for under a funded project, the FFRDC operator is responsible for providing the necessary space, equipment, support, and technical personnel to establish, set up and manage the FFRDC. A substantial effort is expected to be deployed on-site at DHS locations. Other staff may be assigned to field offices, including Contractor activities, to provide independent analysis in support of project efforts.

(b) Contractor management must be available for in-person meetings in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

(c) The FFRDC operator must provide, at their location within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, a room furnished with two desks, phones, computers, and open internet access to facilitate remote connection to the DHS network for DHS PMO officials and other DHS officials that may accompany them.

1.12.3. Transition

(a) The FFRDC operator shall identify those actions, plans, procedures, and timelines necessary to ensure a smooth transition from contract and or task order project start date to full operational status by the Contractor. The Contractor must also identify those actions, plans, procedures, and timelines necessary to ensure a smooth transition- out to a follow-on contractor.

(b) Task order projects issued under the Contract may include transition…