RFI 24-57-A-PMO-OITA-Enterprise Case Management Office (ECMO) Case Management Modernization.docx

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) TREAS - IRS ECMO Case Management Modernization Support BPA - Market Research Request for Information (RFI) August 16, 2024

Low-Code/No-Code Platform Delivery and Business Process Support RFI | ii Introduction This is a Request for Information (RFI) -- hereinafter Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, request for bids or quotations, nor a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. The purpose of this RFI is for the Government to obtain knowledge and information for project planning purposes only.

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in responses to this Notice, unless otherwise appropriately marked by the Respondent. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information received in response to this Notice in any resultant solicitation(s). Do Not Submit any Proposals / Offers / Quotes in response to this Notice.

At a summary level, the Government has interest in and is seeking information regarding the capability of firms who can provide services pertaining to Low-Code/No-Code Platforms.

Project Title / Short Description: TREAS - IRS ECMO Case Management Modernization Support BPA - Market Research PSC or FSC Code: DA10 IT and Telecom—Business Application/Application Development Software as a Service NAICS Codes:

54151 Computer Systems Design and Related Services Other considered NAICS: 518210 Data Processing, Hosting and Related Services

Release Date: August 16, 2024 Response Date: August 30, 2024 Primary Point of Contact and Contact Information:

Name: Erik Stephenson Title: Government Facilitator Email: erik.stephenson@irs.gov

Project Title TREAS - IRS ECMO Case Management Modernization Support BPA - Market Research The IRS is seeking vendors to provide the technical, management, and quality control processes required to enable the IRS to plan, design, configure, implement, deliver, operate, and enhance Low-Code/No-Code Workflows utilizing a business-led delivery methodology.

Description of Contemplated Services Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to improve business workflows through utilizing “Low-Code/No-Code” Platforms to enhance the delivery of modernized applications. As it relates to this requirement, Low-Code/No-Code Platforms are a software development environment that allows users to create applications without having to write code. This can be done by using a graphical user interface (GUI) to drag and drop components, or by using a visual programming language. This definition is Platform agnostic. Some historical examples of Low-Code/No-Code Platforms utilized to provide capability to the IRS are Palantir, Pega Systems, Power Apps, Salesforce, ServiceNow, UIPath, etc. These solutions are business-led with Contractor and IRS Information Technology (IT) support providing resources assisting on integration and implementation. Through this requirement, individual IRS business units will be able to rapidly access Contractors who can plan, design, and implement as well as provide Operations and Maintenance (O&M) support services. The initial priority for this requirement is to support Enterprise Case Management (ECM) use cases with other digitalization workflow use cases quickly following. The Contractor shall support the development and implementation of low-code Enterprise Platform Integrations to customize, adapt, and automate enterprise workflows. The platforms’ digital process automation will help to streamline business processes, automate repetitive tasks, and improve customer experiences. The low/no-code model will allow for faster application development and deployment, mapping and reusing multiple data sources in the workflow, as well as refining timely decision-making. By leveraging the integrated platforms’ capabilities, IRS can achieve greater efficiency, agility, and innovation.

RFI Instructions Responses to this RFI are requested in two (2) parts and must be submitted using Attachment 3 RFI Response Template.

Part I Company Profile Information - IRS seeks company profile information about the firms that provide services positioned to address the requirements discussed above.

Part II Capability - IRS seeks Industry responses to specific questions. Do not include any support documentation for any company other than your own. This is an analysis of your company’s abilities.

Part I: Company Profile Information Responders to this Notice must provide the following company information:

Company Name and Address Company technical Point of Contact (POC) information to include name, title, telephone number, and email address.

Applicable NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) Code List active governmentwide contracts that your company has been awarded (GWACs, IDIQs, and BPAs – include applicable SIN) Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status (e.g., large, small, 8(a), women owned, hub-zone, SDB, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned) Subcontracting / partnering / teaming possibilities Part II: Capability As indicated in instruction all responses are to be submitted via Attachment 3 RFI Response Template.

Responses to this Notice must include the following:

1. Does your company have the capability to perform all required services in the Draft Requirements Document?

Yes/No

1a. Does your company have Low-Code/No-Code platform experience and capabilities for the following?

a. Pega

b. Salesforce

c. ServiceNow

d. UIPath

e. PowerApps

f. Palantir

g. Other (Any Other relevant Low-Code/No-Code platform(s) experience and capabilities you have) 1b. Describe your company’s respective Low-Code/No-Code platform experience and capabilities for applications selected above. (Note: it is not expected that vendors will have experience and capabilities for all products listed above.)

Yes/No

Does your company have similar previous experience with the type of work outlined in the Draft Requirements Document?

Yes/No

Does the Draft Requirements Document contain the sufficient information that would enable you to adequately respond to an RFP? If “No,” please identify what areas within the SOO need to be refined, expanded upon, or otherwise clarified for your company to better propose on any resulting solicitation. (Your response should indicate, where applicable, the specific paragraph, page, or identifying element.)

Yes/No

Are there any additional services/service areas you would suggest the SOO should include, highlight, or expand upon?

Yes/No

Are the SLAs in your SOO Attachment D – Service Level Agreements, sufficient for the services required for your company to provide the services and have the recognized accurately?

Yes/No

Are the SLAs in SOO Attachment D – Service Level Agreements realistically measurable from your experience?

Yes/No

Do you recommend the Government add, remove, or alter any specific SLAs/Metrics?

Yes/No

7a. If yes, please provide additional details that describe and ensure any suggested SLAs/Metrics are measurable from your experience.

What methods of incentives and/or disincentives would you recommend, in addition to or in replacement of those described in the SOO, so the government can receive high levels of service to ensure SLAs are met throughout the life of the orders?

Do you foresee notable risks under the proposed BPA strategy?

Yes/No

9a. Under the proposed SOO and any resulting BPA for Low-Code/No-Code platform support services, do you foresee a potential for Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)?

Yes/No

9b. If yes, please describe the potential conflicts and associated risks.

9c. If yes, please provide ways to mitigate or prevent such OCIs and risks.

9d. If yes, what are the risks and what processes you have utilized under previous efforts to mitigate these risks?

What benefits and risks do you foresee with the BPA approach to Low-Code/No-Code platform support services? If applicable, please share a different or modified approach to improve the construct and concept of the BPA.

What pros and cons do you foresee with the BPA approach to Low-Code/No-Code platform support services? If applicable, please share a different or modified approach?

Are there any software-infrastructure dependencies or specialized integration software required for the installation / deployment that should be addressed in the SOO or resultant PWS (e.g., Operating System)?

12a. Are there any additional services/service areas you would suggest the SOO should include, highlight, or expand upon?

Yes/No

12b. If yes, please describe.

12c. As written, what questions or comments do you have on the provided draft SOO?

List possible solutions and approaches that may currently exist in the marketplace based on the attached SOO.

In your estimation, how much of this potential requirement would your company need to subcontract to other companies?

a. None

b. Less than 15 percent

c. Between 15 and 30 percent

d. Between 30 and 50 percent

e. More than 50 percent

How much lead time would your company need from notification of award to start of contract performance – or delivery, if product(s) only?

f. None

g. 30 days or less

h. 30 – 60 days

i. 60 – 90 days

j. 90 days or more

Does your company have Low-Code/No-Code platform experience and capabilities for the following?

(Please describe your company’s respective Low-Code/No-Code platform experience and capabilities for applications selected in the ‘Optional Feedback’ space below or in your attached Capabilities Statement. Note: it is not expected that vendors will have experience and capabilities for all products listed below.)

k. Pega

l. Salesforce

m. ServiceNow

n. UiPath

o. PowerApps

p. Palantir

q. Other (Any other relevant Low-Code/No-Code platform(s) experience and capabilities you have)

Do you provide this service and/or product commercially? (optional) (In accordance with FAR Part 12: Subpart 12.1 – Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services, this question is to support DoD with commercial items and commercial determination) Yes/No

Please choose the NAICS code(s) you determine are appropriate for this requirement. (Choose all that apply)

r. 541511

s. 518210

t. Other –Please indicate NAICS codes

What pricing/contract type (FP, LH, etc.) would you recommend for the services described in the SOO and why?

What labor categories do you recommend that align with the scope of work outlined in the SOO? What labor categories have you previously utilized on alike services?

How would you structure the team members needed to successfully deliver on this potential requirement?

What level of expertise would those resources have?

What hourly rates would your company charge for the different levels of expertise needed?

What is a ballpark estimated price to successfully deliver these requirements?

Describe your company’s experience using Agile iterative methodology and approach to maximizing re-use in application development of similar size, scope, and complexity to the SOO objectives.

During the course of the multiple award BPA, the government reserves the right to issue requests for call order proposals that are:

· Platform Agnostic in that BPA holders may base their proposed technical approaches on a platform they identify (for their approach) to meet the call order requirements.

· Platform Specific in that the call order request for proposal would specify what platform the technical approach/proposal must be based on Please provide suggestions, if any, for an efficient call order request for proposal process.

Describe your company’s ability to create new solutions quickly, securely, and consistently by leveraging cloud infrastructure software, such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) to provide efficient, cost-effective, secure, and scalable technologies. Examples can include replacing custom-built legacy applications with industry-standard, modern technologies to reduce the technology footprint and operating costs.

Describe your company’s level of experience and qualifications to provide the services in the attached Statement of Objectives (SOO) (i.e., business-led delivery methodology, user centered design, configurations, testing, implementation, training etc.)

Describe your company’s ability to meet the requirements in the attached SOO. Specifically, are you able to provide solutions to the Strategic and Operational Objectives stated in the SOO?

Provide three examples of your company’s experience with projects similar in size, scope, and complexity to the work outlined within the SOO. The examples can be government or relevant commercial experience.

Provide up to three hyperlinks to examples of relevant agile iterative solutions your team has developed and implemented in the last 3 - 5 years. These can be publicly facing web portals, software demonstrations, or videos of working software.

Include an overview of your company, not to exceed four pages, that addresses your company’s:

· History, mission, and values

· What differentiates your company from your competitors?

· Approach to recruiting, hiring, staffing, and retaining highly qualified contractor personnel

· Approach for implementing applicable security procedures and data integrity/protection

· Approach to program/project management including cost, schedule, scope, and quality management and control, as well as the project management tools utilized

· Managing risk within your contracts/orders for commercial/government customers, including quantitative risk management

Provide comments, suggestions, and/or any insights not already requested herein that would benefit the IRS as related to this RFI.

In your estimation, is it reasonable to have these separate requests (new training, training assessment, advisory services) on a single Performance Work Statement (i.e., is it likely that your company or any company could perform well on each of them)?

In your estimation, is it reasonable to have these separate requests (new training, training assessment, advisory services) on a single Performance Work Statement (i.e., is it likely that your company or any company could perform well on each of them)?

Does this request lend itself to a contractor that is a large business or small business? Does business size matter when it comes to meeting this requirement?

What is your company’s prior experience with developing, assessing, and delivering complex technical tax training or providing strategic advisory in these IRS high-priority areas (large partnership structures and tax strategies, high income and high wealth tax strategies, economist transfer pricing issues)?

What level of education or certification (CPA, J.D., LLM in Taxation) would your team members offer?

What are the average years of experience of the team members your company would assign to this potential contract?

Please provide any additional insights that would help us craft the requirement(s) to best meet our needs to provide the contemplated services.

If you have a Capability Website, please provide the link. (optional)

Please provide a Capability Statement.

Optional Feedback: Please provide any feedback or questions you may have related to this requirement and the Draft Requirements Document. This section is only for questions or feedback to the Agency about this requirement and to further expand on any responses provided above.

Terms and Conditions regarding this Notice This Notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. All costs associated with responding to this Notice are solely at the responding party's expense. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Further, the Government may contact the vendor for additional information regarding the information submitted as part of this market research effort. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Government Point of Entry or other similar source (e.g., GSA E-buy). However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative as a result of this notice. Responses to the notice will not be returned. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future solicitation if one is issued.

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in responses to this Notice, unless otherwise appropriately marked by the Respondent. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information received in response to this Notice in any resultant solicitation(s).

Do Not Submit any Proposals/Offers in response to this Notice.

Thank you for your response to this Request for Information.

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