HSI IT Training and Communications Services (ITaCS) RFI.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION # RFI-ICE-HSI-ITaCS

HSI IT Training and Communication Services (HSI ITaCS)

1.0 Background

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ICE's primary mission is to protect national security, public safety and the integrity of the U.S. borders through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a critical asset in the ICE mission, is responsible for investigating a wide range of domestic and international activities arising from the illegal movement of people and goods into, within, and out of the United States. HSI uses its legal authority to investigate issues such as immigration crime, human rights violations and human smuggling; smuggling of narcotics, weapons and other types of contraband; and financial crimes, cybercrime and export enforcement issues. HSI special agents also conduct investigations aimed at protecting critical infrastructure industries that are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation.

HSI's Operational Technology and Cyber Division (OTCD) supports ICE and DHS by improving methods for managing different types of information and operational technology and directing how these tools are shared with other agencies and organizations. Programs and projects under OTCD focus on merging methods and technology that result in better law enforcement operations. OTCD manages information technology programs and initiatives, working with ICE's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), to ensure the best use of methods and technology throughout ICE and DHS. It directly supports HSI's law enforcement and mission support programs and helps develop major advancements in technology used to combat crime.

OCIO provides information technology services and products that enable ICE and DHS to meet their respective missions. In order to meet these goals, the OCIO has developed a number of critical IT initiatives that modernize HSI IT systems, adapt and conform to modern IT management disciplines, and provide IT solutions throughout ICE. The Solutions Delivery Division (SDD) provides development, modernization, and enhancement of all IT applications and infrastructure in support of the ICE mission. The SDD HSI Branch is responsible for oversight, support and delivery of information technology solutions and services that support the

HSI operational mission. The SDD HSI Branch works closely with HSI leadership, in conjunction with the HSI Executive Steering Committee, to align HSI IT priorities with current and future HSI IT investments, oversees and manages the implementation of new HSI IT investments and measures the performance of those investments relative to the missions they support.

2.0 Purpose of Request for Information

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) to identify sources (large or small business) that can provide HSI IT Training and Communication Services (HSI ITaCS) and to receive feedback on industry best practices, techniques, and recommendations available to support training and communications across a Federal Law Enforcement IT Portfolio.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, ICE will not accept unsolicited proposals. Interested parties are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If an RFP is released, it will be posted on Beta.Sam.

The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government.

All submissions become the property of the Government and will not be returned. Responses to the RFI may be used to develop Government documentation. DO NOT submit pricing information in response to this RFI.

3.0 Description of Requirements

ICE is exploring procurement strategies for training and communication services to support the HSI OTCD IT Portfolio. ICE seeks to better understand industry best practices, techniques, and recommendations available to support training and communications across a Federal Law Enforcement IT Portfolio.

The training and communications support services will assist OCIO and HSI management in the design and delivery of an effective approach to managing users across the IT Portfolio. Together, training and communications activities are intended to build change readiness by ensuring impacted stakeholders are ready, willing, and able to use the information technology systems in their daily operations.

This approach will:

• Build organizational awareness, understanding, alignment, and support for change.

• Identify and mitigate key change barriers and reinforce organizational change enablers.

• Facilitate user understanding of new tasks and revised operational processes for continuity of the day-to-day mission.

• Guide recommended strategies and actions to ensure successful deployment and end-user implementation.

• Incorporate proven training evaluation methodologies using metrics and analytics to drive continual improvement of training strategies and outcomes.

The successful execution of this contract will require the Contractor to perform in a dynamic Agile (development) environment, working seamlessly, interfacing and collaborating with other resources tasked with executing the agency mission. It is acknowledged that these evolving, and sometimes complex environmental factors may play a role in the integration and day-to-day workflow. However, the Contractor is expected to participate fully, and with best intent, to ensure transparency and information sharing with the members of government and other contractor project teams.

Based on current IT initiatives, ICE anticipates acquiring capabilities that meet the following high-level tasks:

Task 1: Training Assessment, Design, and Delivery

Training assessment, design, and delivery tasks are intended to accomplish the following objectives:

• Assess the IT systems to determine footprint, proposed changes in the short/long term, evaluate existing training and environment, and user community.

• Design training strategy and correlating materials that articulate how the IT systems positively impact the ICE/HSI mission by explaining the goals, capabilities and security of each system.

• Demonstrate navigation in the standard and enhanced functions of each system.

Facilitate user understanding of systems to complete critical tasks and activities essential to routine duties and responsibilities.

• Prepare users and leadership with a foundation of knowledge to operate the systems as efficiently as possible.

• Deliver training products that ensure a highly successful rate and scope of knowledge transfer.

• Evaluate training products on a regular, recurring basis to ensure effectiveness of delivery.

The Contractor will be required to support new initiatives within the IT Portfolio that may require travel to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) or other external facilities to develop training classes. This may include support with the creation and management of training data, such as case examples utilized by FLETC students to facilitate understanding of the products’ operations, stripped of Personal Identifiable Information (PII).

Training design and delivery will include the preparation of written instructions for Government staff on utilizing the training data, delivery of “train-the-trainer” course at FLETC headquarters and or other external locations, and the collection and review of feedback from Government staff regarding the training event.

Delivery of training and training products may include, but is not limited to:

• Connect the concepts to the ICE work environment through scenario-based training.

• Provide ICE-specific interactive exercises and activities that reinforce the learning.

• Test participant knowledge through appropriate tests and/or knowledge checks prior to and subsequently upon course completion (where applicable).

• Work with the government to ensure training products are made available to users;

including access to on-line help.

• Ensure appropriate products are available via the ICE Content Management Portal (HSInet, OCIO SharePoint, and other single access point solutions) for widespread distribution and re-use throughout the system deployment.

• Develop training materials for any future system deployments or enhancements.

• Develop resource guides for National and Local System Control Officers (SCOs).

• Accompany the Government and system development teams on field training events to facilitate current training and develop new training requirements for the field.

• Conduct evaluations after field training events and develop requirements for future training topics.

• Provide users with training materials to effectively use new functionalities and workflows.

• Utilize modern technology for computer-based and web-based training courseware, to include courses developed for the ICE Performance and Learning Management System (PALMS).

• Continue to refine and update training courses via the collection and review of feedback.

Task 2: Communications Assessment, Design, and Delivery

Communications are intended to focus on organization change management and support services needed within ICE to best support the IT Portfolio. The Contractor will be required to develop a method to evaluate the communications delivery and ensure the tools, channels and delivery methods are successful and effective. Key themes and messages need to be multi-directional, promoting communications flow: up, down and between/across different audiences, timely and meaningful, and consistent and relevant to appropriate stakeholder groups.

Delivery of communications products may include, but is not limited to:

• Assess metrics from field communications and adjust strategies to support best practices.

• Design a medium for soliciting input and feedback that will be used to make improvements to training.

• Develop comprehensive communication plans to increase system user adoption in the field.

• Communicate with system users and other key stakeholders to maintain consistent messages, including key achievements and benefits of new functionalities.

• Keep stakeholders and executive leadership informed throughout the program and system lifecycle.

The Contractor will be required to develop a Communications Strategy and Project Plan based on the Communications Assessment that defines the program’s communications needs, vehicles/channels, and timing.

The Contractor will also be required to design targeted communications to engage key stakeholders at the right time, in the right manner, and with the right responsiveness to achieve program and training objectives. Communications design should employ best practices, include a variety of messages delivered to ensure stakeholders have a solid understanding of systems, and drive stakeholders from awareness to acceptance of the changes inherent to any new IT system, as well as inform and support the development and deployment approach. Methods used to publicize information needs to be clear and have maximum visibility to reach all target audiences, providing timely and effective dissemination of information.

Task 3: Content Management Portal

Configuration and maintenance of a comprehensive, online user portal for training content will be required to house all program training and communications artifacts intended for the user community (referred to as the ICE Content Management Portal). The ICE Content Management Portal today includes legacy content on both HSINet and the OCIO SDD HSI Branch SharePoint. ICE is open to new technology solutions to better house and integrate the ICE Content Management Portal to provide the most robust training solution possible.

The Contractor will need to create and prepare, in a compatible format for hosting on the ICE Content Management Portal, the content of all training deliverables, such as training video files, reference guide files, and other documents, whether in document or presentation format (such as Adobe PDF, PowerPoint, or other compatible format). Once the training content is housed on the ICE Content Management Portal, it is expected that users will be able to access the training materials through an embedded link. Additionally, the ability to automatically gather and report on feedback, metrics, and analytics to further improve the training content and delivery is required.

The Contractor will need to design and configure a solution that will allow users a single point of access to training and communications content in a searchable and easy to navigate format, including mobile devices.

4.0 RESPONDING TO THIS RFI

Sources able to satisfy all aspects of the above requirements are invited to submit information describing their ability to meet the requirements. Responses must be submitted in size 12 Times New Roman font with single spacing and 1” margins.

Please limit submissions to a maximum of 17 pages (max 2 cover page, max 5 white paper, max 10 RFI questions).

Section 1: Cover page (maximum 2 pages)

• Contact and company information o Name o Title o Company Name o Intent to Partner or Subcontract any of the work o Number of years in business o Brief overview of company history o Number of employees o Location o Mailing address o Phone number o Website address o Note: that RFI respondents shall designate a single Point of Contact for receipt of all information pursuant to this RFI.

• List any pertinent Federal government schedule currently listed on (HUBZone, SDVOB, etc.)

• Define capabilities and resources available to provide a solution.

• Current Information Technology contract vehicles that your company holds such as

EAGLE II, Alliant, Alliant SB, GSA Schedule, etc.

• Business type based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code

541512, Computer Systems Design Services (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, etc.)

Section 2: White Paper Submission (maximum 5 pages)

Vendors responding to this notice are requested to provide ICE with a statement of capability or non-capability. Responses to the RFI shall be limited to five (5) pages or less (three (3) pages for the capability statement, and two (2) pages for past performance information and teaming arrangements). Responses should clearly and specifically outline the company’s existing experience in relation to the tasks specified in this RFI, as well as past performance on similar efforts and any teaming arrangements.

• Description should include a proposed approach, and methods for satisfying the needs of the requestor and accomplishing the tasks outlined in the Tasks section of this RFI.

• Past performance information provided should include the agency, contract number and description of tasks performed which are relevant to the Task section of this RFI.

• Include any teaming arrangements as part of your capabilities statement.

Section 3: RFI Questions (maximum 10 pages)

Interested parties shall address all the questions outlined below:

1. Can you perform the work as a prime or would you need a subcontractor? Would the subcontractor be a large business or another small? What percentage of the work would be performed by the subcontractor?

2. Do you currently have subcontracting arrangements to perform work on existing contracts?

3. List contracts where you have been a prime contractor, or a subcontractor with more than 50% of the workshare, on an IT Training and Communications project as described in Section 3.0, within the last three (3) years, including:

a. Name of the Agency

b. Contract Name

c. Contract Number

d. Total Awarded Amount (Contract Value with Options)

e. Period of Performance

f. Description of Work Performed, specifically which of the tasks in Section

3.0, were you performing?

g. Percentage of Work Performed

4. Based on the work described in this RFI in Section 3.0, and similar work you have performed on existing contracts, what type of performance measures would you recommend in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

5. What metrics and analytics are available to gather from training and communications products? Is there a method to evaluate the training delivery to ensure the tools, channels, and delivery methods are successful and effective? Can any of this data be used to build performance measures?

6. How do you propose to integrate organizational change management methodologies into an environment with emerging IT initiatives?

7. Based on the work described in this RFI in Section 3.0, and similar work you have performed on existing contracts, what training strategies and modalities would you recommend?

8. Based on the work described in this RFI in Section 3.0, and similar work you have performed on existing contracts, what communication strategies would you recommend?

9. Based on the work described in this RFI in Section 3.0, and similar work you have performed on existing contracts, what software tools/products would you recommend to help manage/deliver this scope?

10. Based on the work described in this RFI in Section 3.0, and similar work you have performed on existing contracts, what required skills/experience would you recommend/propose?

a. Position Description / Labor Category?

b. Skill / Experience?

c. Industry Certifications?

11. Based on the work described in this RFI in Section 3.0, and similar work you have performed on existing contracts, how would you ensure consistency, while avoiding redundancy, in messaging and deliverables?

12. Based on industry best practices and your organization’s experience, how do you see the training and communications field evolving in the next 5 years? Are there emerging technologies or approaches that could benefit training and communication services of an IT Portfolio within a Federal Law Enforcement environment in the short/long term?

5.0 Vendor Questions to RFI

Questions and requests for additional information must be sent to DHS/ICE via e-mail to:

Contracting Officer Heather.Cauthinn@ice.dhs.gov by Monday, April 13, 2020 at 9:00 AM. All submissions shall include in the subject line “Questions for HSI IT Training and Communication Services (ITaCS) – (Company’s Name).” Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after the due date deadline will be answered.

6.0 Submission Instructions

Please include the RFI Title “RFI-ICE-HSI-ITaCS” in the subject line of your response and provide one electronic submission in PDF format.

Submissions must be received no later than Friday, April 17, 2020 at 2:00 PM and submitted only to: Heather.Cauthinn@ice.dhs.gov. Early submissions are encouraged. ICE reserves the right to review late submissions but makes no guarantee to the order of, or possibility for, this review.

Any company proprietary information, performance capabilities, and/or future modification should be clearly identified and marked; please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Unsolicited proposals in response to this RFI will not be considered.

mailto:Heather.Cauthinn@ice.dhs.gov mailto:Heather.Cauthinn@ice.dhs.gov