Reverse_Auction-HSHQDC-RFI-2016.pdf

DHS Reverse Auction Tool, Request For Information (HSHQDC-RFI-2016)

Request For Information (RFI)

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Reverse Auction Tool

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) and an opportunity to provide demonstrations during the RFI period. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government. This is NOT a Request for Quotations or Proposals. No solicitation document exists, and a formal solicitation may or may not be issued by the Government as a result of the responses received to this RFI. The Government will not pay for any response or demonstration expenses. Vendors are required to sign a gratuitous services agreement (see attachment). All costs incurred responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Failure to respond to this RFI will not preclude participation in any future solicitation. Any information received will become the property of the Government and will not be returned to the respondent. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. To aid DHS, please mark any proprietary information.

Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by Government technical experts drawn from staff within DHS and other federal agencies. The Government may use selected support contractor personnel to assist in the review of the RFI responses. These support contractors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary information.

BACKGROUND:

DHS released a Request for Information on www.fbo.gov in May 2013 (RFI-13-0510) requesting information from industry regarding its capabilities to provide a Reverse Auction tool that will be used to support acquisition personnel across DHS to conduct procurements amenable to reverse auctions. DHS is releasing this RFI to get updated, current information regarding the capabilities of industry in providing a reverse auction tool to the Department.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this RFI is to acquire information regarding the potential options and strategies that are currently available in the commercial marketplace for electronic bidding and reverse auction services. It is anticipated, but not guaranteed, that the Government will use the information received from this RFI to develop a future procurement for these services. In addition, the Government may conduct one-on-one market research sessions with respondents to this RFI to further understand market capabilities.

FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “Reverse Auction Tool” is envisioned as a web-based solution that assists the DHS Procurement Offices and customers in soliciting, evaluating, and awarding multiple contract types for supplies and select services from established networks of vendors (GWACs, DHS Multiple Award IDIQs, BPAs and others).

The web-enabled reverse auctioning tool shall permit DHS, which includes both federal and support contractor employees, to conduct real-time competed auctions for different contract vehicles (e.g., Department-wide vehicles, GSA Schedule, Open-market, etc.). The tool will allow employees to post online reverse auctions formatted as Request for Quotations (RFQs), utilize best value award criteria, and establish auction start and end times. The system shall be versatile to allow buyers to have complete and independent control of the bidding process to post auctions, modify auctions, cancel auctions at any time if it is in the best interest of the Government, and award to any vendor providing a quote in accordance with the established evaluation criteria. The reverse auction system website must be capable of simultaneous transactions in support of over two hundred (200) users (buyers) creating and conducting numerous http://www.fbo.gov/ auctions among various vendors for a multitude of items and services.

The reverse auction tool shall also be capable of registering eligible vendors within the tool to be able to receive auctions and submit quotes to the Government. Vendors shall also be able to submit questions directly to the buyer regarding the RFQ; the contracting staff shall also be able to respond to one or all quoters with answers to questions and comments to statements.

The reverse auction tool shall also be capable of delivering reporting data so that DHS can track spend and savings data for procurements completed using the tool. Some reporting that might be required or requested includes, but is not limited to, number of auctions conducted by buyer/DHS Component/contract, number of bidders, number of bids, spend-savings calculations (which may vary depending on contract vehicle).

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of this RFI are to:

1) Develop a general understanding of industry’s current capabilities;

2) Obtain industry feedback regarding operating models, best practices, and pricing structures; and,

3) Solicit industry perspectives on the future direction of technology in the area of online bidding and reverse auctions.

Areas to Address:

1. Technical Capabilities

a. Identify and describe the types of reverse auction applications available through your company.

Please include details about how it meets the minimum functionality as established in the description above. Describe which functionality cannot be met and why.

b. Describe licensing requirements. Is licensing sold by user? Are enterprise licenses available?

Are licenses required for both buyers and sellers (vendors)?

c. Provide a description of the reporting capabilities and analysis tools that exist with use of the reverse auction tool.

d. Describe any additional services/software module(s) and interface(s) required to implement the described electronic bidding and reverse auction tool across DHS.

e. Describe whether your company’s reverse auction tool can be integrated into an agency’s contract writing system. Describe examples of instances in which you have done such integration.

f. What type of help desk and support capabilities does your company offer and what are the hours of operation in support of a proposed system?

g. Describe how your company has security safeguards in place to detect and prevent intrusions.

h. Describe how suppliers are enrolled in the reverse auction and do you charge a fee?

2. Implementation

a. What is the average implementation time for your application(s) (including training)?

Provide a sample implementation timeline.

b. Describe in detail the role of your company in both the reverse auction and electronic bidding processes. Include the level of involvement and control of the buyer in your response.

c. Describe any problems or issues you have encountered when implementing and using your application. How were you able to resolve those issues?

3. Pricing

a. Describe the pricing structure for implementing and maintaining your reverse auction tool.

Are services priced on an annual basis, monthly basis, per auction, per value of purchase?

Who would pay for the reverse auction services you provide? Would the Government be charged according to some sort of pricing structure? Would the winning vendor be assessed a fee, separately stated with its winning bid? Would the Government be able to separately see the fee per order and in a monthly report? Are both of these pricing structures available from your company? Any others? Are the fees capped based on at any given point? Please explain.

b. Are discounts offered? For example, per order and/or cumulative, etc. Please explain.

c. Explain the invoicing process for your services.

4. Other Relevant Information

a. Do you currently hold a GSA Schedule which covers your reverse auction product(s)? If so, please provide the schedule number and expiration date.

b. Please provide a narrative of your company’s relevant experience with the Federal Government, state and local governments, and commercial customers, in implementing and maintaining a reverse auction tool within the past three (3) years. Include size, scope, complexity of the project, that is number of users, number of vendors, number of reverse auctions annually. Include customer point of contact information.

c. Please provide additional information about your products and services that you perceive as relevant to DHS’s objectives that was not covered in the above questions.

Standard Vendor Requirements:

Responses to this RFI should include a narrative identifying: 1) the vendor’s scope of past and present relevant services within the last three (3) years (include dollar value, complexity and point of contact; 2) a description of capabilities to perform the subject effort; 3) any comment(s) on the list of high-level requirements that can better clarify the subject requirements; and 4) interested parties should submit example(s) of how they would apply the pricing structure(s) as describe in item 3 above. All interested parties shall specify the North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code and Federal Supply Classification (FSC) used; and the current business size of their company. The statements cited below have been provided for the vendors’ use in responding to this section of the RFI.

RESPONSE:

Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Electronic files larger than 5 MB shall be broken down into multiple files with no single file exceeding 5 MB. Each electronic submission shall include:

• The RFI number shall be placed in the subject line;

• The maximum number of pages per submission shall be limited to 15;

• The file number and total files being submitted, such as “File 1 of 4” or “File 2 of 4”” shall be placed in the subject line, if submission includes more than one email;

• A Point of Contact (POC), with accompanying phone number and email address shall be placed in the body of the email. The POC to be contacted regarding any correspondence between the Government and the Respondent. The POC shall be capable of addressing questions or issues associated with the submission and content of the RFI response; and,

• A brief summary of email content, vendor name, and the firm’s mailing address.

• Vendor availability dates to conduct a demonstration: February 16 through February 26, 2016.

Please advise of your requested date(s).

Responses should also include the company profile including, but not limited to, history, business size and socioeconomic category, applicable NAICS, and primary line of business.

Interested vendors are invited to submit detailed information regarding the aforementioned requirements and any additional capabilities via email to the email addresses below. Responses are due no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 29, 2016.

Send all responses to Attn: Kino Keo, Contract Specialist, email: Kino.Keo@hq.dhs.gov Phone: (202) 447-0753; and Janice Brinkley, Contracting Officer, email: Janice.Brinkley@hq.dhs.gov Phone: (202) 447-0884.

mailto:Kino.Keo@hq.dhs.gov