A2SB_RFP_QTA0016GBA0002.pdf

Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC Solicitation No.: QTA0016GBA0002

SECTION A

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

THE OFFICIAL SF33 IS ATTACHED. THE SF33 MUST BE COMPLETED AS DESCRIBED IN L.5.1.1

SECTION B

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 GENERAL

The Alliant 2 Small Business Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) is a Multiple Award, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide information technology solutions through performance of a broad range of services which may include the integration of various technologies critical to the services being acquired.

The Contractor shall provide all management, supervision, labor, facilities and materials necessary to perform on a Task Order basis.

Hereafter, the Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC will be also referred to as the “Master Contract” while Task Orders issued under the Master Contract will be referred to as “Task Order(s)”, “TO(s)” or “Orders.

B.2 AUTHORITY

The Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is specifically authorized to purchase supplies and nonpersonal services on behalf of other agencies under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (40 U.S.C. 501).

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) as an Executive Agent for Governmentwide information technology (IT) acquisitions pursuant to Section 5112(e) of the Clinger-Cohen Act, 40 U.S.C. 11302(e).

The scope of this designation includes the award and administration of the Master Contract and delegation of authority for the award and administration of the Task Orders as set forth in Section G.2.

Through this GWAC, Federal government agencies can award Task Orders to acquire IT services based solutions.

B.3 ECONOMY ACT

The Economy Act does not apply to Governmentwide acquisition contracts (GWACs). GWACs are multiple award task order or delivery order contracts used by other agencies to procure information technology products and services outside of the Economy Act. (Refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101 and FAR Subpart 17.502-2(b)). The specific statutory authority 40 U.S.C. 11302(e) designates the head of one or more executive agencies, such as the US General Services Administration, as executive agent for Government-wide acquisitions of information technology.

B.4 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING AND MINIMUM CONTRACT GUARANTEE

(a) Maximum. The maximum contract ceiling value of all contracts in this multiple award procurement is established at $15 Billion dollars.

(b) Minimum. The minimum guaranteed award amount for this IDIQ contract is $2,500 dollars per Contractor for the full term of the Master Contract. The exercise of the option period does not re-establish the contract minimum.

Should the contract expire or be unilaterally terminated for convenience by the Government without the contractor receiving the minimum guaranteed award amount, the contractor may present a claim to the contracting officer for an amount not to exceed the minimum guaranteed award amount. The minimum guaranteed award amount is not applicable if the contract is terminated for default or is bilaterally cancelled by the parties. The contractor has one year after contract termination or expiration to submit their claim to the contracting officer or waives entitlement.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/40/11302#e

(c) The Government has no obligation to issue Task Orders (TO) to the Contractor beyond the amount specified in paragraph (b) of this clause. Once the conditions of paragraph (b) have been met the Contractor continues to be afforded fair opportunity, as per FAR 16.505(b)(1), to compete for Task Orders issued through the expiration of the Master Contract or termination of the Contractor’s Master Contract, whichever occurs first.

B.5 PERFORMANCE BASED PREFERENCE

Through the direction of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), performance-based contracting techniques will be applied to Task Orders issued under this contract to the “maximum extent practicable.” For information about performance based service contracts, refer to OFPP’s Best Practices Handbook located at www.whitehouse.gov/omb/.

Pursuant to FAR 37.102(a)(2), the Ordering Contracting Officer should use performance-based acquisition methods to the maximum extent practicable using the following order of precedence:

(1) A Firm-Fixed Price Performance-Based Task Order;

(2) A Performance-Based Task Order that is not Firm-Fixed Price;

(3) A Task Order that is not Performance-Based.

B.6 LABOR CATEGORIES (LCAT or LCATs)

B.6.1 Three Labor Category Types

To enhance the consistency of labor and service cost/price offers and reporting, the Master Contract provides the Standard IT Service Labor Categories (see Section J-3). These labor categories (LCATs), which are a subset of the Standard Occupational Classifications (SOCs) issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau, Labor Statistics Division, facilitate the standardization of labor types, descriptions, and rates across the entire contract vehicle. This approach provides the government more accurate cost forecasting, reporting, and tracking. Additionally, the Master Contract also provides for Non-Standard IT Service LCATs and Ancillary Service LCATs, as described below.

The Contractor is always bound by Maximum Rates on labor hours used in all Time-and material (T&M) and Labor Hour (L-H) Task Order contract types, including any T&M and L-H Contract Line Items (CLINS) that may be integrated into a single Task Order among Cost-type and/or Fixed-price CLINS. (See SubSection B.11.5.1 Maximum Rates for Time-and material and Labor Hour Contract Types).

Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC provides the following three (3) types of LCATs:

(1) Standard IT Service LCATs – This labor category type includes the defined IT Service LCATs (see Section J-3). Each of the defined Standard IT Service LCATs is further stratified to include four (4) skill levels. These may be modified through the term of this Master Contract to accommodate emerging IT Service LCATs as defined by the market. The Contractor shall utilize the Standard IT Service LCATs to the maximum extent possible. Additional Standard IT Service LCATs may be added over the term of this contract if the GSA GWAC Program approved and appended to the contract via modification by the GSA GWAC PCO. (See Section B.6.3).

(2) Non-Standard IT Service LCATs - This labor category type includes any IT Service labor category that is not listed within the Standard IT Service LCATs (see Section J-3). A Non-standard IT Service LCAT must be approved by the OCO at the Task Order level.

(3) Ancillary Service LCATs – This labor category type includes ancillary labor support, and does not include any of the defined Standard IT Service LCATs or Non-Standard IT Service LCATs. Ancillary Service LCATs may be used only when the principal purpose of the Task Order is to furnish IT services-based solutions.

The OCO will ensure that additional labor categories are in compliance with Service Contract Labor Standards and Wage Rate Requirements (Construction), and, where applicable, include appropriate clauses and wage determinations consistent with B.7 and/or B.8.

B.6.1.1 Standard IT Service Labor Categories (LCATs)

Standard IT Service LCATs are the labor categories referenced in Section J-3. They are presented as historically-based relevant positions that support Information Technology (IT) procurement requirements. IT is a dynamic discipline that will likely require additional uniquely defined IT Service labor categories that emerge at some point through the term of this Master Contract. Additional Standard IT Service labor categories may be added by the government via contract modification. The process to recommend the addition of new IT LCATs to the Master Contract is discussed in detail under section B.6.3, Process to add Standard IT Service LCATs to the Master Contract.

(i) The primary source of the Standard IT Service LCATs is the Department of Labor (DoL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Service Occupational System. The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is used by Federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.

(ii) The Standard IT Service LCATs (see Section J-3) contains the comprehensive IT Service LCATs required to meet all information technology service based requirements. Therefore, every effort shall be made by the OCOs and Contractors to use the Standard IT Service LCATs (see Section J-3)

B.6.1.2 Non-Standard IT Service LCATs

Any IT Services LCAT that does not fit within the Standard IT Service LCATs is not approved for use on task orders without approval of the OCO awarding the Task Order.

The Master Contract Standard IT Service LCATs are robust and were written to encompass the broad scope of information technology. Additional labor categories would need to bring to bear skill sets that are so specialized or rare that they are not already encompassed in any existing Master Contract labor category. OCOs may consider additional labor categories on task orders when deemed necessary to provide IT services or an IT services-based solution. OCOs will perform due diligence in determining that Non-standard IT service labor categories are required.

B.6.1.3 Ancillary Service Labor Categories

The GSA GWAC is to be used by agencies in meeting professional Information Technology service objectives. Use of the non-IT ancillary service LCATs must be (1) integral and necessary; (2) part of a total integrated solution within the scope of the Master Contract; and (3) not a labor category specified in the Master Contract. The Contractor should propose and identify each ancillary support service separately and the OCO should identify each ancillary support service by a separate CLIN on the task order award.

Included in ancillary services may be those LCATs covered under construction and service type employees identified by the Department of Labor wage determinations.

B.6.2 Applicability of Labor Category Types and Maximum Rates

a. T&M and L-H Task Orders or CLINS: All Labor Category Types indicated in Section B.6.1 (Standard IT Service, Non-Standard IT Service, and Ancillary Service LCATs) shall always apply to T&M and L-H contract type Task Orders and to any T&M and L-H contract type CLINS in Task Orders with multiple contract types. Maximum Rates for Standard IT Services LCATs shall only apply to T&M and L-H contract type Task Orders and to any T&M and L-H contract type CLINS in Task Orders with multiple contract types. Maximum Rates will not apply to any other contract types, including Cost-Reimbursement and Fixed-price Task Orders or Cost-Reimbursement and Fixed-price CLINS. Maximum Rates for Time-and Material and Labor Hour Contract Types is further addressed in Section B.11.5.1.

b. Other than T&M and L-H Task Orders or CLINS: At the full discretion of the Task Order issuing agency OCO, any Labor Category Type indicated in Section B.6.1 may be used and applied to all other contract types for any Task Order issued under this Master Contract, including Cost-Reimbursement and Fixed-price Task Orders or Cost-Reimbursement and Fixed-price CLINS in Task Orders with multiple contract types; however, the Contractor’s labor category’s Maximum Rates established from this Master Contract will not apply. Ceiling rates or fixed rates on individual labor categories within a Task Order will be established between the Contractor and the issuing agency OCO. Task Order Ceiling or fixed rates will not change the Contractor’s Maximum Rates in the Master Contract.

B.6.3 Process to add Standard IT Service LCATs to the Master Contract

GSA reserves the right to add new IT Service LCAT to the list of Standard IT Service LCATs when determined to be in the best interest of the Government.

As the information technology market evolves, GSA encourages the Contractor and ordering agencies to recommend new IT Service LCAT that they believe should be added to the list of Standard IT Service LCATs. With any new IT Service LCAT, GSA requests a justification narrative be included to provide the rationale for adding the new IT Service LCAT. If approved by the GSA GWAC PCO, the newly adopted IT Service LCAT will be added to the Standard IT Service LCATs and each contract holder will be afforded the opportunity to submit and negotiate labor hour pricing for the new IT Service LCAT. Ultimately, for those Contractors who establish pricing with the GSA GWAC PCO, a contract modification will be executed to add the new Standard IT Service LCAT.

B.7 LABOR SUBJECT TO THE WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS (CONSTRUCTION)

The Master Contract does not include wage determinations or all applicable clauses for labor categories subject to the Wage Rate Requirements (Construction). Each Task Order must be tailored to include the appropriate clauses and wage determinations. To the extent that construction, alteration, and repair are subject to the wage rate requirements and within scope of a Task Order and the Master Contract, the OCO must identify such work under a separate CLIN on the Task Order and incorporate the appropriate wage determinations in accordance with FAR 22.4, Labor Standards for Contracts Involving Construction.

Any construction, alteration, and repair are only in scope as necessary to offer an integrated information technology solution provided that it is integral to and necessary for the effort stated in the Task Order; and shall be firm fixed price, even if other aspects of the Task Order are of another Task Order type.

B.8 LABOR SUBJECT TO THE SERVICE CONTRACT LABOR STANDARDS (SCLS)

The Master Contract labor categories are considered bona fide executive, administrative, professional labor and generally exempt from the SCLS if used to perform professional IT services, except as noted in Attachment J-3. The Master Contract does not include wage determinations or all applicable clauses for labor categories subject to the SCLS. Each Task Order must be tailored to include the appropriate clauses and wage determinations.

To the extent that any labor is subject to the SCLS and within scope of a Task Order and the Master Contract, the OCO must identify such work under a separate CLIN on the Task Order and incorporate wage determination in accordance with FAR 22.10, Service Contract Labor Standards.

B.9 TASK ORDER CONTRACT TYPES

The GSA Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC is a Multiple Award, Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (MA- IDIQ) Master Contract for Government-wide information technology service-based requirements that allows the use of most contract types in Task Orders. Task Order contract types permitted include FAR

16.2 Fixed-price Contracts; FAR 16.3 Cost-Reimbursement Contracts; FAR 16.4 Incentive Contracts;

FAR 16.601 Time-and-materials; and FAR 16.602 Labor-hour Contracts. Task orders may also incorporate FAR 17.1 Multi-year Contracting and FAR 17.2 Option periods procuring Commercial-items or Non-commercial items. These contract types can be used singly or in combination within a single Task Order comprising multiple Contract Line Items (CLINS).

B.10 ORDER TYPE PREFERENCE

The Ordering Contracting Officer should determine the Task Order type using the following order of precedence:

(1) Fixed-Price (all types)

(2) Cost-Reimbursement (all types)

(3) T&M or L-H

B.11 TASK ORDER PRICING (ALL ORDER TYPES)

The issuing agency will negotiate cost or pricing with the Contractor and make the determination for cost or price reasonableness for each Task Order type. Adequate price competition at the task order level, in response to an individual requirement, establishes the most accurate, fair, and reasonable pricing for that requirement.

The OCO should identify the applicable contract type for all CLINs in each Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC task order.

When adequate price competition exists (see FAR 15.403-1(b)(1)), generally no additional information is necessary to determine the reasonableness of cost or price. If adequate price competition does not exist and no other exceptions apply (see FAR 15.403-1(b)), the OCO must request a Certificate of Current Cost and Pricing Data in accordance with FAR 15.403-4.

If a Contractor does not have an approved purchasing system, the Contractor shall request and receive OCO consent to subcontract in accordance with FAR 44.201-1(b) Consent to Subcontracts, and FAR 52.244-2, Subcontracts.

B.11.1 Fixed Price

The OCO must determine fair and reasonable pricing for all Fixed-Price Task Orders in accordance with FAR 15.4, Pricing, and FAR 16.2, Fixed-Price Contracts.

B.11.2 Cost Reimbursement

The OCO must determine fair and reasonable pricing, analyze and negotiate profit for all Cost- Reimbursement Task Orders, in accordance with FAR 15.4, Pricing, and FAR 16.3, Cost-Reimbursement Contracts.

Contractors are required to have an adequate cost accounting system for Cost Reimbursable type Task Orders in accordance with FAR 16.301-3(a)(1). Contractors will be required to submit a cost proposal with supporting information for each cost element, including, but not limited to, Direct Labor, Fringe Benefits, Overhead, General and Administrative (G&A) expenses, Facilities Capital Cost of Money, Other Direct Costs, and Profit consistent with their cost accounting system, provisional billing rates, and forward pricing rate agreements.

B.11.3 Incentive

Incentives are defined under FAR Subpart 16.4, Incentive Contracts, and other applicable agency-unique regulatory supplements. The OCO must determine fair and reasonable pricing for all Incentive Task Orders and develop a plan to implement and monitor an Award-Fee, Incentive-Fee, or Award-Term result in accordance with FAR 15.4, Pricing.

B.11.4 Award Fee

Award fees may be applicable to the Contractor’s performance on individual Task Orders. Should an award fee-type Task Order be issued, the total amount of award fee the Contractor may earn over the period of performance will be negotiated before award. The amount of award fee that the Contractor actually earns will be based on an evaluation, as specified in the Task Order, by the Government of the evaluation factors specified in each individual award fee type Task Order. The evaluation of the Contractor’s performance on the Task Order and the determination of Task Order award fees will be accomplished with an Award Fee Plan. The Fee Determination Official (FDO) will unilaterally determine the amount of award fee for performance on individual Task Orders.

B.11.5 Time-and material and Labor Hour Contract Types

Time and Materials (T&M) and Labor Hour (L-H) is defined under FAR Subpart 16.6, T&M and L-H Contracts, and other applicable agency-specific regulatory supplements. The Contractor may provide separate and/or blended loaded hourly labor rates for prime Contractor labor, each Subcontractor, and/or each Division, Subsidiary, or Affiliate in accordance with the provisions set forth in FAR 52.216-29, DFARs 252.216-7002 (for DoD Task Orders), FAR 52.216-30, or FAR 52.216-31. The OCO will identify which provision is applicable in the task order solicitation and the Contractor will comply with the provision. T&M and L-H task orders require the Master Contract IT Standard LCATs and their associated rates to be identified in the task order award document. Ancillary subcontract labor shall be proposed and awarded as Materials in accordance with FAR 52.232-7, Payments under Time-and-Materials and Labor-Hour Contracts.

B.11.5.1 Maximum Rates for Time-and-Material and Labor Hour Contract Types

Maximum Rate Definition: “Maximum Rate” is a term that applies at the Master Contract level, and is not necessarily a term used at the Task Order level. It represents and establishes maximum allowable labor rates in the form of burdened rates for all IT Standard Service LCATs indicated in this Master Contract. The burdened rates include the direct labor cost, G&A, O/H, fringe benefits, and profit. These Maximum Rates apply exclusively to T&M and L-H contract type orders and proposals. The Master Contract’s Maximum Rates are not typically the same rates as the fixed-price labor rates or ceiling labor rates that are established between the Contractor and issuing agency at the Task Order Level.

Based on the specific Task Order requirements, only the agency OCO is authorized to exceed the Master Contract maximum rates for those labor categories if necessary, for example, Top Secret/SCI labor and/or OCONUS locations, etc. The Maximum Rates already include the U.S. Government security classification up through the Secret level. The Contractor shall always provide to the agency OCO the detailed rationale in all instances if and when the Maximum Rates of labor are exceeded.

The burdened T&M maximum rates awarded at initial contract award shall serve as the basis for all future year pricing for those maximum rates. In order to determine future year maximum rate pricing, the originally awarded rates will have an escalation factor applied. This escalation factor will be the average annual Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment Cost Index (ECI), “Table 5: COMPENSATION (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED) for total compensation for private industry workers, by occupational group and Industry, Professional, scientific, and technical services” - for the previous three years. In Year 5 of the Master Contract, if the average annual ECI for the previous three years is higher than at time of the Master Contract award, the maximum rates for Years 6 through 15 will be adjusted by the difference of percentage increase. For example, if the BLS ECI index was 2.23% at time of proposal submission and the BLS ECI index is 3.16% in Year 5 of the Master Contract, the maximum rates for years 6 through 15 will be adjusted by 0.93% per year on a cumulative basis. If BLS ECI index in Year 5 of the Master Contract is equal to or below the BLS ECI index at time of award, the maximum rates will remain unchanged. In Year 10 of the Master Contract, if the previous three year average annual BLS ECI index for the previous three years is higher than Year 5 of the Master Contract, the maximum rates for Years 11 through 15 will be adjusted by the difference of percentage increase in accordance with the example above. If the average index in Year 10 is equal to or below the average index in Year 5, the maximum rates will remain unchanged.

The Master Contract Maximum Rates that are in effect at the time a Task Order is awarded shall remain with the Task Order award during the entire term of the Task Order, including Task Orders with option periods.

See Section F.3 Task Order Period of Performance.

B.11.5.2 PAYMENTS UNDER TIME-AND-MATERIAL AND LABOR-HOUR ORDERS

Payments under T&M and LH terms (including matters related to subcontractors, materials, indirect costs, etc.) are governed by the applicable Payments Clause in this contract.

B.12 TRAVEL PRICING (ALL ORDER TYPES)

Contractor personnel may be required to travel to support the requirements of this contract and as stated in individual TOs. Long distance and local travel may be required both in the Contiguous United States (CONUS) and Outside the Contiguous United States (OCONUS). For those TOs requiring travel, the Contractor shall include estimated travel requirements in the proposal as required by the OCO.

If authorized in the task order, travel will be reimbursed at actual cost in accordance with the limitations set forth in FAR Subpart 31.205-46, Travel Costs. Profit shall not be applied to travel costs. To the extent authorized by the task order, contractors may apply indirect costs to travel in accordance with the Contractor’s usual accounting practices consistent with FAR 31.2.

The OCO must identify a not-to-exceed travel ceiling under a separate CLIN on the Task Order.

B.13 WORK OUTSIDE THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES (OCONUS)

Contiguous United States (CONUS) means the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia.

OCONUS includes:

1) OCONUS. Outside of the contiguous United States

2) NON-FOREIGN OCONUS AREA. The states of Alaska and Hawaii, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. territories and possessions.

It is anticipated that there may be Task Orders under this contract for work outside the United States. The Contractor will be compensated for work performed OCONUS pursuant to the Task Order. Standard references for OCONUS pricing include:

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Administration, Office of Allowances, (https://aoprals.state.gov/) publishes quarterly report indexes of living costs abroad, per-diem rate maximums, quarter’s allowances, hardship differentials, and danger pay allowances for Contractors to follow when proposing on OCONUS efforts. No allowances, other than those listed by the U. S.

Department of State, shall be allowed on Task Orders.

The Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) are the controlling regulations for allowances and benefits available to all U.S. Government civilians assigned to foreign areas; however, for Task Orders issued under the Master Contract, Contractor civilians assigned to foreign areas shall not exceed the allowances and benefits in the DSSR as well.

For OCONUS Task Orders where costs are not specifically addressed in the DSSR, the Government will reimburse the Contractor for all reasonable, allowable, and allocable costs in accordance with FAR 31, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

B.14 GWAC CONTRACT ACCESS FEE (CAF)

GSA’s operating costs are reimbursed through a Contract Access Fee (CAF) charged on orders placed against the Master Contract. The CAF is paid by the ordering agency, but remitted to GSA by the Contractor. GSA maintains the unilateral right to establish and change the CAF rate. GSA will provide at least a 60 day notice prior to the effective date of any change to the CAF payment process. Changes to the CAF only apply to orders awarded after the change is announced.

The CAF rate, which is 0.75% at time of Master Contract Award, is applied to the total amount reported on each invoice.

Based on the established CAF rate, the Contractor shall include the CAF in each proposal. The Contractor shall include the CAF as a separate cost element on all proposals to the government, regardless of contract type. The CAF shall never be treated as a negotiable element between the Contractor and the ordering agency.

If a customer organization has negotiated a CAF rate based on a special written agreement and/or Memorandum of Agreement by the GWAC Program that is other than the established CAF rate, GSA will provide advance notification.

The Contractor remits the CAF to GSA in accordance with Section G.21.

(END OF SECTION B)

SECTION C

CONTRACT SCOPE OF WORK/PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

C.1 SCOPE OF WORK OBJECTIVE

The Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC will provide Federal Government agencies with integrated Information Technology (IT) solutions for evolving needs on a global basis. This Master Contract allows for the application of technology to meet business needs including the ability to perform all current, leading edge and/or emerging IT services required to satisfy all IT services requirements anywhere and anytime worldwide.

Integrated IT solutions are comprised of IT components described below in Section C.4, and may be tailored in Task Order Requests to meet agencies’ mission needs. Work may be performed at Government and Contractor facilities located throughout the world, as specified in each Task Order, to provide a variety of IT solutions and support services. IT services and solutions within scope of this Master Contract include new, leading edge and emerging technologies that will evolve over the life of the Master Contract as supported by the Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA), Department of Defense Information Enterprise Architecture (DoD IEA) Reference Models, and the associated reference models.

C.2 SCOPE OF WORK OVERVIEW

The Master Contract provides maximum flexibility in acquiring an IT services-based solution for any conceivable IT services-based requirement driving government savings through efficiencies and improved reporting data with greater integrity while maintaining an “Anything IT Anywhere” philosophy.

The Master Contract scope includes any and all components of an integrated IT services-based solution, including all current leading edge technologies and any new technologies which may emerge during the

Master Contract period of performance. The Master Contract scope also includes IT services-based support of National Security Systems, as defined in FAR 39.002. The Master Contract provides IT

Solutions through performance of a broad range of services which may include the integration of various technologies critical to the services being acquired. The foundation of the Scope of Master Contract is built on the most current FEA and DoD IEA Reference Models. (See links under Resources Section

C.10). As the definition of IT changes over the lifecycle of the Master Contract with the evolving FEA and

DoD IEA models, the scope of the Master Contract will be considered to coincide with the current IT definition at any given time.

By nature of the alignment to FEA and DoD IEA, the Master Contract includes any and all emerging IT components, IT services, and ancillary elements as they arise as required to successfully achieve the agency’s mission. Therefore, because technological advances over the term of this Master Contract are inevitable, the scope of this Master Contract takes into consideration that Task Order Requirements are permitted to include any future IT services with their integral and necessary Ancillary IT components and services as they arise during the entire term of this contract.

The scope of the Master Contract includes every conceivable aspect of IT Services, including but not limited to:

3-D Printing Integration

Big Data

Cloud Computing

Context-aware Computing

Critical Infrastructure Protection and Information Assurance

Cyber Security

Data-Centers and Data-Center Consolidation

Digital Government

Digital Trust and Identity Integration and Management

Digitization and Imaging

Energy and Sustainability Measurement and Management

Enterprise App Stores and Mobile Security

Enterprise Resource Planning

Integration Services

Internet of Things

IPV6 migration & upgrades

IT Helpdesk

IT Operations and Maintenance

IT Services for Healthcare

IT Services for Integrated Total Workplace Environment

Mobile-Centric Application Development, Operations and Management

Modeling and Simulation

Network Operations, Infrastructure, and Service Oriented Architecture

Open Source Integration and Customization

Outsourcing IT Services

Sensors, Devices and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

Software Development

Virtualization

Voice and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

Web Analytics

Web Application & Maintenance

Web Services

Web Hosting

C.3 FOUNDATION OF THE SCOPE OF WORK

Overview of Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) and Department of Defense Information Enterprise Architecture (DoD IEA)

(1) Solutions to Integrated IT requirements are comprised of some or all components and functional areas associated with FEA and DoD IEA and may be tailored to meet agency needs. By aligning the scope of the Master Contract to FEA/DoD IEA users have access to the entire spectrum of current and emerging IT service, all ancillary services, products and personnel required to successfully meet the agency mission.

(2) The Contractor shall promote IT solutions that support Federal government operational requirements for standardized technology and application service components. This shall facilitate integration requirements for broad Federal IT and e-Gov Initiatives, as well as promote the sharing, consolidation, and “re-use” of business processes and systems across the Federal government. The Contractor shall promote the use of open source solutions and open technology development where practicable to enable this “re-use” in accordance with the underlying tenets of FEA/DoD IEA and to address any number of areas of interest within the limits of IT and supporting services and disciplines.

Figure 1 - Federal Enterprise Architecture

The Master Contract leverages the existing FEA and the DoD IEA version 2.0 as the basis of its IT scope.

FEA & DoD IEA represent a well-defined practice for conducting enterprise analysis, design, planning, and implementation, using a holistic approach at all times, for the successful development and execution of strategy. Enterprise architecture applies architecture principles and practices to guide organizations through the business, information, process, and technology changes necessary to execute their strategies. This includes everything from a small mobile application development project to the design, installation and migration to a complex network serving hundreds of thousands of users. These practices utilize the various aspects of an enterprise to identify, motivate, and achieve these changes.

Each reference model represents and includes a number of functional areas required to meet an objective.

C.3.1 FEA REFERENCE MODEL DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS

Enterprise Architecture (EA) supports planning and decision-making through documentation and information that provides an abstracted view of an enterprise at various levels of scope and detail. The Common Approach to Federal Enterprise Architecture, released in May 2012 as part of the federal CIO’s policy guidance and management tools for increasing shared approaches to IT service delivery, presents an overall approach to developing and using Enterprise Architecture in the Federal Government. The Common Approach promotes increased levels of mission effectiveness by standardizing the development and use of architectures within and between Federal Agencies. This includes principles for using EA to help agencies eliminate waste and duplication, increase shared services, close performance gaps, and promote engagement among government, industry, and citizens.

The Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework v2 describes a suite of tools to help government planners implement the Common Approach. At its core is the Consolidated Reference Model (CRM), which equips OMB and Federal agencies with a common language and framework to describe and analyze investments. It consists of a set of interrelated “reference models” that describe the six sub architecture domains in the framework:

● Strategy

● Business

● Data

● Applications

● Infrastructure

● Security

These are designed to facilitate cross-agency analysis and the identification of duplicative investments, gaps and opportunities for collaboration within and across agencies. Also, by applying all six reference models, agencies can establish a line of sight from the strategic goals at the highest organizational level to the software and hardware infrastructure that enable achievement of those goals. Collectively, the reference models comprise a framework for describing important elements of federal agency operations in a common and consistent way.

To apply the framework to an agency’s specific environment, the agency should develop a set of “core” artifacts to document its environment within the framework presented by the CRM. Each subarchitecture domain represents a specific area of the overall framework and has particular artifacts, based on EA best practices, which are described and recommended in the Framework and Artifacts document. The type and depth of documentation actually used by the agency should be guided by the need or detail and answers to questions about requirements, applicable standards, timeframes, and available resources.

The real value to the agency of developing an Enterprise Architecture is to facilitate planning for the future in a way that transforms the government while making it more efficient. The agency can use the EA process to describe the enterprise as it currently is and determine what the enterprise should look like in the future, so that it can make plans to transition from the current state to the future state. The Collaborative Planning Methodology provides steps for planners to use throughout the planning process to flesh out a transition strategy that will enable the future state to become reality. It is a simple, repeatable process that consists of integrated, multi-disciplinary analysis that involves sponsors, stakeholders, planners, and implementers.

The agency will create an Enterprise Roadmap to document the current and future architecture states at a high level and presents the transition plan for how the agency will move from the present to the future in an efficient, effective manner. The agency’s Enterprise Roadmap combines the artifacts developed for the EA, both current and future state versions, with a plan developed through the Collaborative Planning Methodology. This creates awareness, visibility and transparency within an organization to facilitate cross-organization planning and collaboration. It maps strategy to projects and budget and helps identify gaps between investment and execution, as well as dependencies and risks between projects.

All in all, the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework v2 helps to accelerate agency business transformation and new technology enablement by providing standardization, analysis and reporting tools, an enterprise roadmap, and a repeatable architecture project method that is more agile and useful and will produce more authoritative information for intra- and inter-agency planning, decision making, and management.

Overview of the Collaborative Planning Methodology (CPM)

Planning is done to affect change in support of an organization’s Strategic Plan, and the many types of planners (e.g., architects, organization and program managers, strategic planners, capital planners, and other planners) must work together to develop an integrated, actionable plan to implement that change.

Planning should be used to determine the exact changes that are needed to implement an organization’s

Strategic Plan, enable consistent decision-making, and provide measurable benefits to the organization.

In short, an organization’s Strategic Plan should be executed by well-rounded planning that results in purposeful projects with measurable benefits.

In today’s environment, which demands more efficient government through the reuse of solutions and services, organizations need actionable, consistent, and rigorous plans to implement Strategic Plans and solve priority needs. These integrated plans should support efforts to leverage other Federal, state, local, tribal, and international experiences and results as a means of reusing rather than inventing from scratch.

Plans should be consistent and rigorous descriptions of the structure of the organization or enterprise, how IT resources will be efficiently used, and how the use of assets such as IT will ultimately achieve stated strategies and needs.

Consolidated Reference Models

The Consolidated Reference Model of the FEAF equips OMB and Federal agencies with a common language and framework to describe and analyze investments. It consists of a set of interrelated “reference models” designed to facilitate cross-agency analysis and the identification of duplicative investments, gaps and opportunities for collaboration within and across agencies. Collectively, the reference models comprise a framework for describing important elements of federal agency operations in a common and consistent way. Through the use of the FEAF and its vocabulary, IT portfolios can be better managed and leveraged across the federal government, enhancing collaboration and ultimately transforming the Federal government.

The five reference models in version 1 the FEA have been regrouped and expanded into six in the current version of the FEA.

With edits for brevity, the following reference model summarized descriptions were taken from OMB’s FEA Consolidated Reference Model Document Version 2. dated January 29, 2013.

Significantly more detail about the structure, taxonomy, and associated methods of the reference models is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/egov_docs/fea_v2.pdf

The motivating purpose of adopting The FEA as scope guidance is to help establish business driver alignment with any number of the reference models which support all possible underlying technologies required to meet an agency objective as well as offering the baseline for the technical vocabulary required in any given task.

Performance Reference Model (PRM)

The PRM is designed to provide linkage between investments or activities and the strategic vision established by agencies and the Federal government. Historically, linking information management investments and activities has been anecdotal due to a lack of standard approach to describing Agency and cross agency performance attributes. The GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 requires the government to publish performance information through a central web site and make strategic plans and performance reports available in machine readable formats. This advance enables more comprehensive and consistent linking of investments and activities to Agency strategic goals and objectives, Agency priority Goals, Cross Agency Priority goals and management areas of focus. The PRM leverages the requirements of the GPRA Modernization Act to establish mechanisms to link directly to the authoritative performance elements published in compliance with the law and provides the means for use of future developments in the mandated central performance website Performance.gov.

There are three areas to the Performance Reference Model. The first is the Goal. This enables grouping of investments and activities through a common and authoritative framework established by agencies in compliance with OMB direction and the GPRA Modernization Act. It allows the identification of common performance elements across investments or activities, and in the future will enable cross platform information linkages between systems such as Performance.gov and the IT Dashboard.

This linkage provides the logical relationships necessary to consistently provide much richer insights into details of the supported performance areas than previously feasible.

The second area of the Performance Reference Model is Measurement Area. This describes the manner in which the investment or activity supports the achievement of the supported performance element identified by the Agency Goal. Measurement Areas apply to the more detailed performance indicators associated with the investment of activity rather than the functions of the investment or activity.

Investment or activity performance indicators should have a clear linkage to the activities, of course, but it is important to recognize that investments or activities may align to multiple measurement areas.

The third area, Measurement Category, refines Measurement Area. Any Measurement Category may be applied to any Goal.

The PRM, like all other reference models, is intended to work in concert with other reference models. The combined descriptive qualities of the multiple perspectives afforded by assigning different reference model perspectives to investments or activities can provide rich insights into what, why and how the investments or activities are undertaken. Previous versions of the PRM included mission function characteristics that were redundant to the BRM. In this version of the PRM the Measurement Category codes have been streamlined to better identify the means by which performance is achieved. Including BRM and PRM mappings with an investment or activity provides information about the strategic basis (why) through the Agency Goal, the means (how) through the measurement category, and the mission functions involved (what) through the BRM taxonomy. Additional mappings to other reference models provide further context for the investment or activity with the SRM providing information about risk, the DRM about the information involved and the ARM and IRM providing the technical details about the implementation.

The PRM, like all other reference models, is intended to work in concert with other reference models. The combined descriptive qualities of the multiple perspectives afforded by assigning different reference model perspectives to investments or activities can provide rich insights into what, why and how the investments or activities are undertaken. Previous versions of the PRM included mission function characteristics that were redundant to the BRM. In this version of the PRM the Measurement Category codes have been streamlined to better identify the means by which performance is achieved. Including BRM and PRM mappings with an investment or activity provides information about the strategic basis (why) through the Agency Goal, the means (how) through the measurement category,and the mission functions involved (what) through the BRM taxonomy. Additional mappings to other reference models provide further context for the investment or activity with the SRM providing information about risk, the DRM about the information involved and the ARM and IRM providing the technical details about the implementation.

Business Reference Model (BRM)

The BRM is a classification taxonomy used to describe the type of business functions and services that are performed in the Federal Government. By describing the Federal Government using standard business functions rather than an organizational view, the BRM promotes cross-government collaboration. It enables business and IT leaders to discover opportunities for cost savings and new business capabilities that help to achieve strategic objectives. The BRM describes the “What we do” of the Federal enterprise through the definition of outcome-oriented and measurable functions and services.

While the BRM provides a standardized way of classifying government functions, it is only a model; its true utility and value is realized when it is applied and effectively used in business analysis, design and decision support that help to improve the performance of an agency, bureau or program.

BRM is informed by the PRM and informs the other reference models. At the high level, the BRM relationship and tie-in to the other reference models is illustrated in the following table:

The BRM forms a key part in delivering expected outcomes and business value to an organization. By using a standard taxonomy to classify functions, investments, programs,services and other elements across the Federal Government, the BRM is useful in identifying opportunities for cost reduction, collaboration, shared services, and solution reuse in agency IT portfolios and intra- and inter-agency collaboration.

Data Reference Model (DRM)

The DRM’s primary purpose is to promote the common identification, use, and appropriate sharing of data/information across the federal government. The DRM is a flexible and standards-based framework to enable information sharing and reuse via the standard description and discovery of common data and the promotion of uniform data management practices. The DRM provides a standard means by which data may be described, categorized, and shared, and it facilitates discovery and exchange of core information across organizational boundaries.

As a reference model, the DRM is presented as an abstract framework from which concrete implementations may be derived. The DRM’s abstract nature will enable agencies to use multiple implementation approaches, methodologies and technologies while remaining consistent with the foundational principles of the DRM.

The DRM is closely linked with the other five reference models of the Consolidated Reference Model Framework. At the high level, the DRM relationship and tie-in to the other reference models is illustrated in the following table:

The DRM provides guidance for agencies to leverage existing Data Assets across the government. The DRM increases the Federal government’s agility in drawing out the value of information as a strategic asset. This reference-able, conceptual approach facilitates information sharing and reuse across the Federal government.

Application Reference Model (ARM)

The purpose of the ARM is to provide the basis for categorizing applications and their components. As agencies map their current and planned Information Systems to the ARM categories, gaps and redundancies will become evident, which will aid in identifying opportunities for sharing, reuse, and consolidation or renegotiation of licenses. This information may be used in conjunction with the other Reference Models to identify these opportunities.

For the purposes of the CRM, Application is defined as: Software components (including websites, databases, email, and other supporting software) resting on Infrastructure that, when aggregated and managed, may be used to create, use, share, and store data and information to enable support of a business function.

The ARM is a categorization of different types of software, components and interfaces. It categorizes software that supports or may be customized to support business. It does not include operating systems or software that is used to operate hardware (e.g. firmware) because these are contained in the IRM. It also does not contain mission-specific categorizations for systems because that information can be obtained from mappings to the BRM.

The ARM is closely linked with the other five reference models of the Consolidated Reference Model Framework. At the high level, the ARM relationship and tie-in to the other reference models is illustrated in the following table:

Infrastructure Reference Model (IRM)

The IRM is the taxonomy based reference model for categorizing IT infrastructure and the facilities and network that host the IT infrastructure.