Data Mesh and Catalog RFI v10.25.pdf

FEDERAL BUREAU OF

INVESTIGATION

FINANCE AND FACILITIES DIVISION |

PROCUREMENT SECTION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) 05292024

CJIS Data Modernization and Data Mesh

05/13/2024

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

According to FAR 15.201, requests for information (RFIs) may be used when the government does not presently intend to award a contract but wants to obtain price, delivery, other market information, or capabilities for planning purposes.

Responses to these notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. There is no required format for RFIs.

DISCLAIMER:

THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR

PROPOSAL OR QUOTE. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT

BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY

FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO

AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE

AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL

DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.

INTRODUCTION

Responses to this RFI may be used to formulate final requirements and/or to identify qualified vendors capable of meeting those requirements. The description below outlines preliminary requirements envisioned for the FBI/CJIS Data Modernization Initiative and for the Data Mesh architectural approach within FBI/CJIS. The information gathered may be used to formulate acquisition strategies for competitive solicitations.

BACKGROUND

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal

Justice Information Services (CJIS) is embarking on a strategic initiative to unlock the full potential of its data assets and empower informed decision-making across the organization to the benefit of our law enforcement partners. This Data Modernization Initiative will leverage a Data Mesh architectural approach, fostering a decentralized environment where individual domains own, manage, and curate their data.

FBI/CJIS is seeking a transformative approach to data management and unlocking significant benefits for a variety of stakeholders. Outcomes will include breaking down data silos and placing ownership with domain experts, while empowering data scientists and business analysts with easier access to relevant datasets, accelerating analysis and time to insights. FBI/CJIS will benefit from a data-driven culture where data is accessible, understandable, and actionable.

The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division acts as a central hub for critical law enforcement data in the United States. FBI/CJIS maintains a vast array of resources to support investigations and promote public safety. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) serves as a central repository for real-time information sharing on stolen property, wanted persons, and missing persons, allowing coordinated efforts across jurisdictions. The FBI's National Threat Operations

Center (NTOC) fields phone calls and electronic tips from the public. NTOC threat intake examiners rapidly evaluate each lead to determine the best course of action. For fingerprint identification, the

Next Generation Identification System (NGI) offers a comprehensive database that expedites suspect identification through fingerprint analysis. Additionally, the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program provides a national picture of crime trends by collecting and publishing data submitted by law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System

(NICS) is a vital tool for firearms dealers to verify an individual's eligibility to purchase a firearm.

The Law Enforcement National Data Exchange (N-DEx) facilitates secure information sharing across federal, state, and local agencies, fostering collaboration in criminal justice efforts. These data capabilities and others of the CJIS Division are instrumental in supporting law enforcement and public safety initiatives throughout the country.

As part of an Agile methodology, FBI/CJIS has aligned resources and established an agile Value

Stream, the Data Services Value Stream, dedicated to this Data Modernization effort. This Value

Stream will bring together cross-functional teams across FBI/CJIS to ensure a smooth and collaborative implementation.

CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

This RFI is open to vendors who sell/resell software and platforms related to the categories described in the BACKGROUND and CONTEMPLATED REQUIREMENT Sections and deployable in government cloud environments. FBI/CJIS prioritizes COTS that reside in a Government Cloud and that adheres to stringent security, compliance, and data protection standards. This RFI is for market research only to request input from potential providers of platforms/software with the stated requirements.

The Government would like to know which firms can provide products and services for this contemplated requirement by identifying themselves and responding to this RFI. The Government requests the following information:

1. Company name and business size.

2. Provide evidence to show that your company can provide the requested products and/or required resources (i.e. technical ability, personnel, and experience). Information provided shall be succinct and related to the requested information in this RFI. All submissions shall be unclassified. Submissions shall be no longer that 15 pages in length.

3. Address whether your company has a GSA Schedule. If able to provide the services on schedule, provide the schedule and SIN. Please list any additional Government Wide

Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) your company can provide these services on.

4. Provide licensing/subscription models with pricing structure associated with your response, to include estimated cost of these structures for government assessment of budget impacts.

5. Is your product available via test license on a not to exceed timeframe of 120 days for the

Government to assess in a non-operational environment?

6. Any terms and conditions applied to test licenses shall be provided as a separate file, not included as part of the page limitation.

7. Any other assumptions, comments, concerns, and/or questions relating to the contemplated services.

CONTEMPLATED REQUIREMENT

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal

Justice Information Services (CJIS) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to:

• Gather industry information on the enclosed requirements.

• Gather pricing and cost information for software, licensing, deployment support and training.

• Request information on any improvements that the FBI should consider when looking to achieve capabilities that meet requirements.

• Request information on potential barriers to obtaining solutions that meet objectives needed to accomplish stated requirements. The areas of interest for contemplated requirements and scenarios are addressed below.

This Section outlines the technical requirements for implementing a Data Mesh architecture within the FBI/CJIS. This approach prioritizes domain ownership, self-service data access, and decentralized governance. To achieve this vision, solutions should address five key categories: 1) Data Ingestion &

Integration, ensuring seamless data movement between domains and sources. 2) ETL & Data

Pipelines, enabling efficient data transformation and preparation for analysis. 3) Data Storage &

Management, providing secure and scalable storage options for domain-owned data assets. 4) Data

Governance & Quality, establishing best practices for data management, access control, and quality assurance across the mesh. 5) Self-Service Analytics, empowering users with tools to explore and analyze data products exposed by domains, fostering a data-driven culture within FBI/CJIS.

The Data Mesh should incorporate real-time data ingestion capabilities to capture and analyze data streams for near-instantaneous insights and proactive decision-making. The architecture should empower data scientists within each domain to leverage their domain expertise and readily available data to build and deploy models into production. Traceability of data used in model development and a clear audit trail will promote transparency and compliance.

The implementation will leverage a staged, SAFe Agile approach and will focus on one or two domains at a time, collaboratively defining use cases that deliver immediate value. An iterative approach prioritizes the delivery of quick wins and tangible results within each domain. By showcasing the benefits early on, FBI/CJIS can build momentum and stakeholder buy-in for the broader Data Mesh vision. This phased rollout allows for continuous learning and adaptation, ensuring the long-term success of the Data Mesh across the entire organization.

DISCLAIMER and RESPONSES

THERE IS NO COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A SOLICITATION

AS A RESULT OF THIS RFI. THIS IS BEING ISSUED SOLEY FOR INFORMATIONAL

AND PLANNING PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICTIATION. IN

ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 15.202(e), RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE ARE NOT OFFERS

AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FORM A BINDING

CONTRACT. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR QUOTE. IT DOES NOT

CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A

COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT

OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A

CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE

TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY

INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL

DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.

WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR RESPONSE

1. All interested parties shall submit capability packages in response to this notice.

2. Do submit succinct, thoughtful responses to the requirements/questions listed in this RFI.

3. Do submit comments that address the FBI's requirements, assumptions, conditions or contemplated approaches to this future acquisition.

4. Do submit information and suggestions that may encourage new, different, or innovative approaches that would result in products, solutions, and direct savings to the FBI.

WHAT SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN YOUR RESPONSE

1. Do not submit proposals or offers.

2. Do not submit past performance information or general descriptions of corporate experience.

3. Do not submit requests to be considered for award or to be notified of a future solicitation.

4. Do not submit requests to be added to a mailing list or distribution list.

5. Do not submit questions or comments not related to this RFI.

6. Do not respond via telephone.

RFI SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested companies are requested to submit their responses to the Contracting Office addressing all requirements of this RFI. Submissions shall be provided in Word, Excel or PDF searchable format 8

½ x 11 page size, no more than 15 pages (includes cover page) in length, single spaced, 12 point font, one-inch margins, Times New Roman Font, demonstrating ability to meet the FBI’s requirements.

Any terms and conditions applied to test licenses shall be provided as a separate file, not included as part of the page limitation.

The documentation must include as part of the response an introductory page outlining the below information.

Contractor Legal/DBA Name:

Address:

Point of Contact:

Telephone:

Email Address:

UEID Number:

Cage Code:

Facility Clearance (if applicable):

Applicable NAICS Codes:

Standard Business Size:

GSA Schedule:

NASA SEWP Contract:

*If the vendor is a small business, an explanation of the vendor’s ability to perform at least 50% of the tasking described in this SOW

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

FINANCE and FACILITIES DIVISION | PROCUREMENT SECTION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Additional information augmenting the required business data and response outlining capabilities and answers to all 7 items under Contractor Qualifications shall include:

• The type of work the vendor has performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirement to include the type of contract and method of contracting (GSA, GWAC, other contracting vehicle).

• The specific technical skills the vendor possesses which ensures capability to meet the objectives and requirements.

The completed package shall be sent via email to tbcutright@fbi.gov. Submissions must be received no later than 12pm Eastern Time on November 15th, 2024. Questions or comments regarding this notice may be addressed to Contracting Specialist (CS) Tyler Cutright via email at tbcutright@fbi.gov by November 1st, 2024. All questions received prior to the November 1st deadline shall receive a response by November 8th, 2024. All correspondence shall take place in writing. No phone calls will be accepted regarding this RFI. Feedback regarding your response will not be provided. The Government reserves the right to engage responding companies with clarification questions or direct follow-up on product capabilities or information to further understand a response. The Government reserves the right to test products, should that be provided as an option in response. This outreach will be at the Government’s discretion.

This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as a request for proposal or an obligation on the part of the FBI to acquire and products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the FBI will arise because of contractor submission of responses to this RFI or the FBI’s use of such information. The FBI reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor’s input resulting from this RFI. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. All questions regarding the RFI shall be in writing prior to submission date. The cost of responding to this RFI shall be exclusively borne by the contractor and no costs will be reimbursed by the FBI.

mailto:tbcutright@fbi.gov.

mailto:tbcutright@fbi.gov