RFI_HQ002124Q0009 CDSE VENUE.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Requirement Title: Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency, Venue for DoD Security Conference

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) has a need for a venue with meeting and other event space, food, beverage, and audio-visual equipment services for attendees of the DoD Security Conference. This four and a half-day event will take place Monday through Friday, August 5-9, 2024.

Location: Linthicum, MD (or within 20 miles of Linthicum, MD)

Response Deadline: 5 PM EST on Tuesday, February 20, 2024

GENERAL INFORMATION:

1. This request for information (RFI) is published FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, pursuant to FAR 15.201(e) Exchanges with industry. No solicitation is available. Responses to this notice are NOT offers and CANNOT be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

2. This RFI is a tool to perform market research being utilized by DCSA for a potential requirement for a conference venue. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. Market research is being performed to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources for planning purposes only.

3. North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS): 721110 – Hotels (except Casino Hotels)

4. Size Standard: $40M

REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

The purpose of this RFI is to seek information on sources (venues) that have the capacity and capability to host a conference. This RFI is for a venue/facility capable of meeting the requirements listed below.

RESPONSES due via email to paulette.r.poole.civ@mail.mil by 5 PM EST on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Documents shall be in electronic format in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and/or Adobe format. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Responses to this RFI are not offers for contract and will not be used by the Government to form a binding contract.

Specifically, the information provided should highlight your organization’s offerings by identifying and distinguishing your conference service capability and availability for the mailto:paulette.r.poole.civ@mail.mil following:

Capacity of 300 participants Date availability: August 5-9, 2024, preferably Note: Most attendees will attend from the National Capital Region (NCR) and be at the venue from Tuesday – Thursday. Those outside of the NCR will arrive on Monday and depart Thursday and Friday.

Venue space must be within 1-3 miles of lodging with government rates and available ADA compliant rooms. FY 2024 Per Diem Rates | GSA Venue must have proximity to restaurants (within walking distance - no more than 5 min walk; 0.2 miles) or offer free shuttle to large restaurant area.

If venue is a hotel, lodging and taxes will be billed to room and paid by participants.

Meeting/Conference Rooms Requirements: (dates, room sizes, quantities)

1) Conference space is required for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of conference week. Monday and Friday are for set-up and tear down.

2) Meeting space shall include one dual-purpose general/breakout session room and five (5) separate breakout rooms.

3) Breakout rooms should be near the plenary/general session ballroom, and there should be adequate space in the rooms for audiovisual.

4) DCSA requires that all meeting room space be made available on the day before the room is needed to allow for the setup and testing of audiovisual.

5) All meeting rooms should be supplied with water.

6) General session and breakout sessions room needs are as follows:

Qty and Room Function

Setup # of people to

Accommoda te

Days Needed Notes

1 General Session Room

Theatre 300-320 Monday - Friday

Need to setup and test AV capability and virtual broadcast on the day before the conference kicks off

5 Breakout Rooms Classroom 50-75 Monday - Friday

Need to setup and test AV capability and virtual broadcast on the day before the conference kicks off

7) General session conference room:

o Requirements include podium, two (2) large screens, AV set-up and tear down, round table set-up for approximately 250 people, seating 8-12 per table.

o This room needs to be large enough to accommodate aisles and adequate spacing between tables to maneuver.

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

8) Five (5) breakout rooms o Requirements include AV set-up, podium, one (1) large screen, projector, and table round style set-up for ~40 people in each room.

9) In addition to general and breakout rooms, the following rooms are required. Alternate configurations may be considered if a venue cannot provide the exact specifications listed below.

Room Function Setup # of People to Accommodate

Days Needed

Notes

Pre-function/ check-in area custom 4-6 Monday- Friday

• Dual-purpose on-site check-in and information desk

• Immediately outside of Ballroom or within close proximity to meeting space.

• Need four 6’ tables and 2 chairs per table

Storage Room n/a n/a Monday- Friday

• Controlled, limited access secure room;

• store government property

• Minimum 10’x10’ space

1 Speaker Prep Room

Rounds 4-6 Tuesday- Thursday

• Four (4) tables with chairs

• Several Electrical outlets for laptops

• Podium for presentation practice 1 Staff Office Custom 20 Monday -

Friday

• Additional tables and chairs requested.

• Limited number of keys issued 1 Information Desk

Custom 2 Monday- Friday

• Dual-purpose on-site check-in and information desk

• Immediately outside of Ballroom or

• within close proximity to meeting space

• Need four 6’ tables and 2 chairs per table

Room Specifications and Audio-Visual Support Requirements:

1) Technical services will only be required for set-up, troubleshooting, and breakdown.

2) DCSA will provide laptops, laptop power cords and clickers for the meeting and other event space rooms.

3) The venue shall provide Wi-Fi access that is restricted to this event’s attendees in the meeting and other event spaces.

4) General Session room: A total of one General Session room is necessary and will be used for breakout sessions.

a. The overall room specifications are as follows:

o Raised stage with skirted dais.

o Dark blue pipe draping backdrop.

o Long narrow room is not acceptable.

o Proper lighting o Adjustable HVAC

b. The AV requirements are as follows:

o 42” Confidence monitor for the speaker o 1-2 LCD projectors appropriate for the size of the room and audience o 1-2 screens appropriate for the size of the room and audience o 1 podium sized to fit a laptop with a microphone.

o 6 total handheld microphones and receiver (2 with floor stands for audience questions) o A sound mixer board with at least 4 separate channels, each with the ability, whether native or via adapters, to receive audio via XLR cable, ¼ inch TS audio cable, 1/8-inch TRS audio cable, and RCA audio cables, and with multiple outputs to facilitate room audio and broadcast to the phone system.

o Sundry XLR, RCA, TS and TRS cables of various lengths o Internet connection

5) Breakout rooms: A total of five break out rooms minus the general session room are necessary. The AV quantities are as follows:

a. 1 LCD projector appropriate for the size of the room and audience

b. 1 screen appropriate for the size of the room and audience

c. 1 podium with a microphone

d. 1 lavalier microphone

e. 1 wireless handheld microphone for audience questions

f. In one (1) breakout room:

g. A sound mixer board with at least 4 separate channels, each with the ability, whether native or via adapters, to receive audio via XLR cable, ¼ inch TS audio cable, 1/8-inch TRS audio cable, and RCA audio cables, and with multiple outputs to facilitate room audio and broadcast to the phone system.

h. Sundry XLR, RCA, TS and TRS cables of various lengths

6) Venue shall provide 8-10 easels, or alternative, for signage.

7) Able to accommodate external vendor to broadcast each day general and breakout sessions.

Food and beverage Requirements:

1) The contractor shall provide daily break packages that are in close proximity to the meeting space.

2) Two (2) coffee breaks with light snacks and water in the AM and PM.

METHOD OF SUBMISSION:

System for Award Management (SAM): Vendors must be registered in the SAM database to be considered for award. Registration is free and can be completed on-line at http://www.sam.gov/.

Submission Instructions:

RFI respondents are asked to provide a short capabilities statement that address the requirements above (no more than 5 pages) including the following areas:

1) Details/Marketing Information on venue capacity, capability, and amenities.

2) Drawings of conference space configuration or details on space.

3) Shuttle Schedule / Details on Shuttle.

4) Restaurant Information.

5) A copy of any agreement required by the venue.

RFI respondents are asked to provide pricing information (not counted against the page count).

Pricing for meeting space, and any other relevant pricing that may apply.

RFI respondents are asked to provide name and address of the facility and principals to contact, including title and phone number.

RFI respondents are required to state whether your organization utilizes Third Party vendors to secure spacing, A/V equipment or food & beverage services.

FEEDBACK REQUEST

1. Price: Vendors are asked to review the RFI and provide a Rough Order of Magnitude which outlines the fully burdened prices of the services outlined in the tasks above.

2. Capabilities Statement: All vendors responding to this RFI shall provide a capabilities statement which outlines the vendor’s ability to meet the requirement.

3. Feedback/Suggestions: Vendors are encouraged to provide any feedback and propose suggestions regarding this requirement.

All responses shall be sent to paulette.r.poole.civ@mail.mil by 5 PM EST on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: THIS RFI IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) AND IS NOT TO

BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A

SOLICITATION OR ULTIMATELY AWARD A CONTRACT. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE

http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:paulette.r.poole.civ@mail.mil

CONSIDERED AS PROPOSALS NOR WILL ANY AWARD BE MADE AS A RESULT OF

THIS SYNOPSIS.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. 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.

Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced as required under the FAR section used for this procurement. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

All information contained in the RFI is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. FAR clause 52.215-3, Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes is incorporated by reference in this RFI. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this RFI. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This RFI will be the basis for collecting information on services available. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Responses to the RFI will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).