OOB Replacement Solution PWS DRAFT 20241003.docx

Performance Work Statement (PWS) TITLE: Out-of-Band (OOB) Replacement Solution

1. BACKGROUND:

The Judiciary is a highly distributed environment with over 550 distributed courts and probation and pre-trial offices. The enterprise network comprises two Judiciary-controlled data centers connected via a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

The Judiciary has procured and maintained the dial up Baytech modems for OOB access for all the Judiciary locations that have DCN equipment. The Judiciary has been using Baytech modems as a OOB solution since at least 2008. Each Baytech modem is configured to have two ports connected to the DCN routers, two ports connected to the DCN switches, two ports connected to the Palo Alto firewalls, and one port connected to the NETSCOUT probe.

The current OOB solution requires a POTS line that is procured by each court unit. The court units are responsible for the POTS line connectivity and costs. Across the Judiciary, court units are being advised by their internet and telephone service providers that analog services may be phased out. There has also been an increase in analog service prices which also has an impact on the court unit’s ability to procure analog services (POTS) due to shrinking budgets.

2. SCOPE:

The Judiciary seeks to procure a new OOB access management solution to replace the current solution to allow for scalability, increased security, modernization, Long Term Evolution (LTE) services, and dependable availability for access to network devices. Through a secure and seamless method for OOB access that does not compromise the existing solution and provides cybersecurity protections, the solution should incrementally replace the current OOB access management solution. The process to replace the current hardware and procure new hardware is estimated to take at least 2.5 years due to how fully Baytech modems are integrated and utilized within the Judiciary.

3. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:

a. The OOB access management solution shall include LTE services as the primary connectivity method for administering DCN network devices at approximately 550+ Judiciary sites across the country and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) territories.

b. The LTE services plan shall be managed by the contractor.

c. The new OOB access management solution shall have a portal allowing the DCN engineers to connect into the solution endpoints installed throughout all the Judiciary sites as a single point of entry.

d. The solution endpoints shall come in various sizes to support at least eight USB or RS-232 (RJ-45) network console devices.

e. The solution shall provide multi-factor-authentication (MFA) to access the portal.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise in this document, the solution provider shall perform all the tasks and submit all the deliverables as described in these sections. The Judiciary will supply the authentication services if required for the solution to be implemented which will be Microsoft Active Directory.

3.1 – PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

The contractor shall provide program management support to accomplish the administrative, managerial, logistical, and integration aspects of the award. The contractor shall assign a POC who shall serve as the primary point of contact to ensure compliance with all contract requirements and the work to be performed. All deliverables and issue management/resolution will be coordinated through the program management POC. The program management POC shall have sufficient corporate authority to direct, execute, and control all elements of the Contractor’s services to ensure all deliverables meet the required quality standards and are delivered within the established performance requirements.

3.2 – TASKS

Task 1 – Hardware and Software Delivery The contractor shall deliver any required hardware and software to implement deployment and meet Requirements. The software, license keys, technical documentation, user manual, installation scripts, and configuration guides shall be formal deliverables.

Task 2 – Training and Education The contractor shall provide training for operational, engineering, and support staff so that standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be created by the NOC network engineers.

Task 3 – Technical Support, Software Maintenance, and Upgrades The contractor shall offer technical support, available during AO core work hours (7AM ET – 8PM ET) Monday - Friday, with the initial call directed to a dedicated support engineer. Additionally, the contractor is responsible for notifying the AO of software updates when they are made available to address security vulnerabilities and functional issues.

Task 4 – Deployment Schedule The contractor shall develop and execute against a schedule of the devices that will be sent to the locations according to the list provided by the Judiciary POC in the bi-weekly meetings.

4. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

· Quality Standards

· Condition: All hardware and software delivered must be in optimal condition, free from defects or damage.

· Error Rates: Zero critical errors during installation or deployment

· Accuracy: Ensure when applicable accurate installation and configuration of software.

· Form/Function: Hardware and Software must function as intended.

· Reliability: Hardware and software should operate reliably without unexpected failures.

· Maintainability: Provide clear documentation for maintenance and troubleshooting.

· Ensure training materials are comprehensive and accurate.

· SOPs should be clear and well-documented.

· Technical support should be knowledgeable and responsive.

· Software updates must address security vulnerabilities and functional issues.

· Quantity Standards

· Deliver the required quantity of hardware and software components as specified in the deployment plan/schedule.

· Timeliness Standards:

· Response Times: Promptly address any issues related to delivery.

· Response Times: Address training-related queries promptly.

· Response Times: Promptly address support requests during core work hours.

· Delivery: Within the agreed-upon timeframe specified in the deployment plan/schedule.

· Milestones: Meet project milestones related to delivery.

· Completion Times: Conduct training sessions as scheduled.

· Software Updates: Notify AO promptly when updates are available.

5. DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE:

All written deliverables shall be submitted to the COR and the respective Program Manager with an email describing the deliverable product. All deliverables shall be submitted for review and comment in draft form using Microsoft Office applications unless otherwise directed in writing by the CO and/or the COR. Final copies shall be delivered electronically to the COR within three (3) working days after Contractor’s receipt of Government’s comments, unless otherwise stated in the deliverable tables under each Task. In certain cases, deliverables may require multiple rounds of revisions before a final product is accepted by the Government. Where multiple revisions are necessary, the contractor is responsible for speaking to the COR about the deliverables and timeframes required.

All written deliverables shall be quality products; they shall be complete and thorough; structured in clear, logical fashion, they shall use grammatically correct English and in a proper, accepted writing style.

All deliverables covered under this PWS shall be sent to the COR and respective Program Manager or as directed by the EOC/IOD Program Manager. Other deliverables recipients may be designated by the COR as required. Unless otherwise directed, all deliverables shall be sent through Judiciary email.

Data provided to the Contractor or collected by the Contractor in support of or as a result of work performance shall not be used for purposes other than in the performance of the duties in this contract. Unless additional instructions are received from the CO and the COR, at the expiration of the contract, the Contractor and all subcontractors shall return all materials received or generated under this contract and destroy additional copies of the data files (to include both hard copies and electronic copies).

The Contractor shall submit all written deliverables under the schedule in the tables for each task listed above.

6. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Work performed on this task can be performed remotely. The AO core work hours are 7am to 8pm ET. Due to the nature of the work, the contractor shall support the Government work hours within this window.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance shall be five years from the date of award; consisting of a four-year solution implementation period allowing for a staged solution implementation across 585 sites; and an additional one-year period for any related licenses, maintenance and support related to solution.

8. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN: See attached QASP.