DHS_Reverse_Auction_RFI-11-28-2018_(002)-latest-.pdf

DHS Reverse Auction Tool, Request For Information (HSHQDC-RFI-2019)

Request For Information (RFI) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Reverse Auction Tool

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). The applicable North American Industry Code System (NAICS) for this notice is 454110 Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses. The RFI will be used to evaluate the vendor(s) ability to meet the requirements outlined in this RFI. The Government will not pay for any response to this RFI. All costs incurred responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. 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 the DHS components.

Note: Based on the response received in response to this RFI, the Government may set-aside any future requirements for small business concerns.

BACKGROUND:

DHS is releasing this RFI to obtain current information regarding the capabilities of industry in providing a reverse auction tool to the Department. An RFI is being issued to gain information on the reverse auction tools in the commercial marketplace and to invite parties to submit a capability statement.

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. The Government may conduct one-on-one oral presentation 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 various reverse auctioning contractors.

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, Lowest Price Technically Acceptable 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 auctions among various vendors for a multitude of items and services.

DHS should have the option, at the auction level, to choose a full-service option or the option to utilize the web-based solution without assistance of the supporting contractor. As such, the fees paid for by the vendor may depend on the level of support chosen by the DHS for the specific acquisition.

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 Government 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 received for each auction, spend-savings calculations (which may vary depending on contract vehicle). A method to determine the reason why only one bid was received for an auction.

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, protection of sensitive information, and pricing structures;

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

4) Identify available Reverse Auction platforms and vendors in the commercial marketplace.

Areas to Address:

1. Technical Capabilities

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

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. What tools are in place to determine the reason why only one bid was received for an auction? What actions are taken to minimize only one bid?

d. Provide copies of the standard reports provided as part of your service and the medium through which your company provides it.

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

f. 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.

g. What type of help desk and support capabilities does your company offer and what are the help desk hours of operation?

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

i. Describe how suppliers are enrolled in the reverse auction and any fees that are charged to enroll.

2. Implementation

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

How is training provided during the implementation and when new accounts are established new buyers and sellers?

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, which is incorpated in its winning bid price? 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 other pricing structures available? 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’s 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 overall awarded bids dollar value, the fees charged 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 if applicable; 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.

SYSTEM QUESTIONS:

Are there any system controls in place to protect procurement sensitive data? As a result of this questions the following questions have been developed:

1. Where is your company’s tool hosted?

2. What processes / security controls does the tool provide to protect/safeguard procurement sensitive data?

3. Is your company’s tool FedRAMP Ready or Authorized?

4. Does the tool have a Web Service Definition Language (WSDL) capabilities for interfacing with

FBO.gov?

5. Is any portion of your tool accessed or administered by non-US citizens?

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 and “DHS Reverse Auction Tool” 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.

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 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, December 6, 2018.

Send all responses to Attn: Leila Hemenway at: Leila.Hemenway@hq.dhs.gov and Janeen Guest at:

Janeen.Guest@hq.dhs.gov.

mailto:Leila.Hemenway@hq.dhs.gov mailto:Janeen.Guest@hq.dhs.gov