VSS 4.0 RFI.docx

Request for Information U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Visa Office Visa Support Services 4.0

1. Purpose The U.S. Department of State (State, or the Department), Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA), Visa Office (VO) seeks to build a collaborative relationship with industry to provide a top-notch customer experience in delivery of immigrant visa and non-immigrant visa processing support services crucial to U.S. national security, family reunification, and the U.S. economy. The Department requests information to identify best practices, lessons learned, and innovative ideas to help shape its contemplated Visa Support Services 4.0 (VSS 4.0) program requirements. This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued for informational and planning purposes only.

2. Draft Performance Work Statement & Industry Day A draft VSS 4.0 Performance Work Statement (PWS) is currently unavailable; however, the Government anticipates releasing one and conducting an industry day in early to mid-calendar year 2024 to:

· Provide greater insight into VSS 4.0 program requirements and promote two-way dialogue, including the use of a live question and answer session.

· Partner with industry to refine and enhance the VSS 4.0 PWS to more clearly articulate the Government’s desired outcomes, requirements, and performance metrics to hold vendor(s) accountable for delivering results.

· Identify and address any ambiguities or overly burdensome requirements and remove language that may impede innovative solutions.

3. Objectives The purpose of the VSS 4.0 effort is to obtain visa processing support services to execute national security requirements and goals, achieve a customer-centric model that meets the needs of external and internal customers, process visa application materials without delay, provide innovative solutions and nimble support for an ever-changing global environment, and fulfill the ongoing digital modernization requirements associated with visa services. The work will be operated out of two service centers (“the Centers”): the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, NH, and the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) in Williamsburg, KY. The contractor will work under the oversight and technical direction of onsite Department of State officials.

The VSS 4.0 objectives are as follows:

· Customer-Centric Focus, including multimodal world-class customer service practices commensurate with services offered by top private sector customer experience organizations, the ability to innovate with customer service methods, the ability to identify and serve varied, diverse customer groups simultaneously, immediately, and flexibly in response to changing customer service needs.

· Innovation, including creative solutions and entrepreneurial thinking to address a wide variety of known and emerging problems, policy changes, and process improvements. Innovations should span all resource areas including IT, process, personnel, space, etc., and enable nimble implementation.

· Flexibility, including enabling the Centers to maximize interoperability and be more agile and results driven while maintaining core on-site and hybrid staffing to address increasingly complex requirements and volatility in workload volumes.

· Automation and Digitalization, including implementing new service delivery models and approaches at all levels and across all work products. This includes supporting legacy (paper-based) processes while simultaneously implementing digitalization and enabling the Centers to automate processing with advancements in data sharing between agencies – in particular the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

· Problem-Solving, including critical thinking, the ability to critically analyze data, and working collaboratively within and across the Centers to identify risks, challenges, and opportunities for improvement and solutions to drive outcomes.

· Surge Capacity to successfully, quickly, and agilely address crises, conduct mass email or other communications, or fulfill other workload demands in the future as the Department must constantly address rapidly evolving global political situations that often require a surge in Consular services, including visa services and other crisis support requirements.

· Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), including serving as a model for DEIA within the Federal Government and complying with Executive Order 14035.

4. Scope The Government anticipates that VSS 4.0 will be comprised of five major service categories, including the following:

· National Security Services, including a broad range of domestic-based, consular pre-processing activities for visa operations at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad (“Posts”). This includes biometric validation support services for visa and passport operations, which will strengthen border security while facilitating legitimate travel, prevent fraud, and promote the integrity of consular services in accordance with existing procedures and business requirements. This also includes administrative case processing, such as data entry, review of cases for completeness and accuracy and other clerical activities.

· Customer Service, including a broad range of customer and stakeholder interaction, engagement, and coordination support services on behalf of VO. This includes delivering professional, accurate, and comprehensive information to customers and stakeholders, both one-on-one and en masse, regarding consular services and policies in accordance with existing and evolving procedures and business requirements. The Government requires contractor staff who use critical thinking skills, collaboration, and subject matter expertise to evaluate inquiries and provide holistic solutions based on immigration policy and regulations and Department priorities.

· Management Services, including oversight and management of all VSS business program and business enabling support services operations. This includes human capital and information technology resources and capabilities to achieve all VSS program goals and quality and performance objectives. The capabilities aligned to this service category shall help CA achieve business continuity and interoperability across the Centers and enable the U.S. Government (USG) to easily track performance.

· Logistics, including mail management, financial tracking, file shipment, and distribution. This includes receiving, sorting, and filing petitions, supporting documents, and written correspondence associated with visa applications, with a focus on facilitating case fulfillment; logging, tracking, and reconciling all funds received; transmitting case records to Posts, USCIS, and the Department of Labor; and managing domestic and international shipment preparation and delivery activities for completed cases.

· Site Support, including safety and security coordination with State Diplomatic Security-contracted personnel and USG officials, facilities support (e.g., supply management, loading dock support, moving furniture and boxes, transporting files between the Centers’ buildings), equipment maintenance (e.g., preserve, maintain, and detail government vehicles, mail machines, etc.), and general administrative support activities.

Figures 1 and 2 on the following pages provide a high-level work breakdown of the anticipated required services for each major service category.

· Yellow boxes represent visa services currently performed at NVC and KCC

· Blue boxes represent visa services currently performed at NVC only

· Green boxes represent visa services currently performed at KCC only

Please note that the figures represent the current state of visa operations, and the Government seeks, and expects successful partners to instigate positive change, including creative solutions to enhance Center interoperability, drive operational efficiencies, enhance the customer experience, and any other associated benefits that can be achieved by the VSS 4.0 implementer.

Figure 1: Anticipated National Security and Customer Service Work Breakdown Structures

Figure 2: Anticipated Management, Logistics, and Site Support Services Work Breakdown Structures

5. Background & Modernization of Visa Services

5.1. Background

CA is the Department’s public face for millions of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals around the world, operating as a service-oriented global enterprise and policy partner. CA is responsible for the welfare and protection of U.S. citizens abroad, issuing passports and other documentation to U.S. citizens and nationals, and facilitating legitimate travel to the United States. CA has a significant domestic presence, most notably the 29 Passport Agencies and Centers and two Visa Centers that deal directly with the U.S. public.

These far-reaching consular activities have broad foreign policy and domestic political implications and involve serious legal, humanitarian, and management concerns. Responsibility for these functions is vested within the Department of State in the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs and for their implementation abroad in consular officers assigned to Foreign Service posts (U.S. embassies and consulates). Given its role, the VSS 4.0 contractor will share in this national security responsibility and should expect heavy scrutiny of its performance from members of Congress, the White House, the general public, and the media.

Each year, millions of people desiring permission to enter the United States legally as immigrants or for temporary stays apply for visas in consular sections at over 240 posts abroad. A visa permits an approved applicant to travel to a port of entry and request admission to the United States from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Immigrant visas (IVs) lead to permanent residence in the United States and possibly citizenship, while non-immigrant visas (NIVs) are intended for shorter stays for many reasons, such as tourism, business, study, research, and temporary work.

CA supports overseas posts in the adjudication of both IV and NIV applications abroad. The domestic-based services provided by the Centers support CA’s strategic priorities and enable the Bureau to satisfy its mission-critical national security and customer service objectives. VSS 4.0 contractor staff will be integral members of the visa processing team and will be critical to ensuring that State’s policy objectives are met.

Many NIV applications and all IV applications are petition-based and entail CA collecting, reviewing, and processing sets of civil and financial documents and data received from U.S. petitioners and foreign beneficiaries (e.g., spouses, children, siblings, or employees). The Centers conduct other related functions such as facial recognition reviews for visa and passport services and special projects in support of posts worldwide. The Centers also provide communications and customer support, responding to inquiries from the public, attorneys, other Government agencies, overseas posts and Congress via email, letter correspondence, and telephone. Underpinning both Centers is a requirement to serve numerous “customers” including, but not limited to, providing processing support and efficiencies to overseas posts; transparency, guidance, case status, and case-specific problem-solving solutions to visa applicants; and process insights, data, and policy options to policy makers at the highest levels of U.S. government.

Global events and U.S. foreign policy priorities may compel the Centers to rapidly scale up their workforce, to send mass email or other communications to visa applicants or others, or to provide other crisis support services. Further, the VSS 4.0 contractor must be aware of and able to quickly adapt to shifting workloads. These shifts are often difficult to predict. Incoming USCIS petition volumes, which is the basis of much of the Centers’ work is dynamic and can vary drastically at any given point, creating significant risk of backlogs and related workload management challenges.

Currently, work is divided between staff assigned to the NVC and KCC as described below; however, the Government seeks innovative solutions to improve interoperability and maximize efficiencies through workload management.

· NVC: IV pre-processing (case creation, document review), IV case scheduling, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) processing, overseas post support duties, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

· KCC: Diversity Visa (DV) and NIV pre-processing (case creation, document review, case management) and DV case scheduling.

· Both Centers: Biometric validation (facial recognition), Fraud prevention units (FPUs), and inquiry management (written and telephone – public and Congressional).

Figures 3 and 4 on the following pages provide a high-level overview of visa support service processes and the required skills to perform each major VSS 4.0 service area, respectively. Innovation, operations excellence, interoperability, and customer service are all key tenets of the VSS 4.0 program and capabilities required to perform the work.

Figure 3: High-Level Overview of Visa Support Service Processes

Figure 4: Required Visa Support Service Skills

5.2. Modernization of Visa Services

Internal and external forces constantly influence global visa operations. For example, the global roll-out of the Modernized Immigrant Visa (MIV) initiative in 2018 shifted global visa operations from a primarily paper-based model to a predominantly digital model with integrated national security and customer-focused operations. The current visa services contract (VSS 3.0) has involved significant process and technology changes, including a push from the USCIS to digitalize many categories of petitions it sends to the Centers. USCIS has already digitized I-130 (family-based) petitions and NVC has switched to digital processing for these cases. As USCIS continues to digitalize, the Centers will need to respond effectively to ensure optimal processing and data transfers. During this process, however, the Centers will still be required to handle multiple streams (paper, direct ingestion, email) of incoming petitions and must staff and organize accordingly.

Modernization is not limited to digitization of files. The Centers are currently updating inquiry management systems, the provision of information to the public (using collaborative work management software), the use of phone communications, how to manage projects (using programs like Smartsheet), how to analyze data-based reporting, making improvements in scheduling, fraud analyses/reporting, and other initiatives. Other communications modalities may be required in the future, to include but not limited to, Live Chat, Chat Bots, and other technologies as they become available. As such, the Government seeks contractors with flexibility, a customer-service-oriented approach, and an outside-the-box way of thinking when it comes to modernization of services.

6. Historical Visa Support Services 3.0 Data This section provides historical VSS 3.0 data for calendar years (CY) 2019 through 2023 to help provide greater visibility into the volume of work performed and the size and complexity of the current contract. Tables 1 through 3 on the following pages include:

· KCC VSS 3.0 Processing Statistics

· NVC VSS 3.0 Processing Statistics

· KCC and NVC VSS 3.0 Contractor Staff Headcount and Total Cost Statistics

The Government anticipates similar or greater processing volumes for the contemplated VSS 4.0 effort and seeks innovative solutions to drive cost savings or avoidance without sacrificing quality. However, please note that processing volumes are not predictable, and the Centers cannot always accurately predict the amount of incoming work packages they will receive from USCIS or facial recognition review cases.

Table 1: KCC VSS 3.0 Processing Statistics

Table 2: NVC VSS 3.0 Processing Statistics

Table 3: KCC & NVC VSS 3.0 Contractor Staff Headcount and Total Cost Statistics

7. Information Request The CA VO is committed to establishing a collaborative relationship with industry partners. This effort aims to leverage innovative solutions and industry best practices to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of visa processing services. We are particularly interested in approaches that align with our strategic objectives of ensuring national security and promoting a positive customer experience. We encourage potential vendors to share their experiences and insights in delivering similar services, especially those that demonstrate a commitment to security, efficiency, and customer service excellence. This collaboration is an integral part of our ongoing efforts to evolve and improve our visa services.

Interested parties shall respond no later than 12:00 PM EST on March 1, 2024. All responses shall be submitted via email to Kathy Mejia, Contracting Officer, at MejiaKJ@state.gov.

Interested parties shall include RFI number RFI-2024-VSS, use 15-pt Calibri font, and adhere to the page limits noted in the sub-sections below. A cover page will not count against the page limit. Appendices, or any other information beyond that which is requested as part of this RFI, are not permitted.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It is not a solicitation and does not constitute a request for quotations or proposal. The Government does not intend to award a contract or contracts on the basis of this RFI and will not reimburse any costs associated with the preparation of responses to this RFI. Vendors should mark all business-confidential and/or proprietary information in the response as applicable.

7.1. Question 1: Company Information

Please provide the following company information:

· Business name and address

· Company representative and their contact information

· CAGE Code and DUNS Number

· Type of business (e.g., large, small, socio-economic status, etc.)

· Existing contract vehicles available to the Government for the procurement of products and services similar to the VSS 4.0 effort.

Please be concise and limit your response to this question to one (1) page.

7.2. Question 2: Best Practices, Lessons Learned, and Innovative Ideas Within the framework of the VSS 4.0 objectives, scope, and workload volumes as outlined in this document, we seek your expert recommendations on best practices, lessons learned, and innovative ideas. Your insights will be instrumental in shaping the VSS 4.0 requirements. Please provide a comprehensive yet concise response, limited to twenty (20) pages, addressing each of the following key areas:

· Customer Centric Focus: Suggest best practices for the Visa Office to enhance the visa customer experience. Focus on customer service interactions and overall process improvements.

· Interoperability: Recommend strategies to improve interoperability between the NVC and KCC for increased operational efficiency and resource optimization.

· Automation & Digitalization: Propose best practices and technologies to digitalize and automate business processes at the Centers.

· Telework and Hybrid Work Environments: How can we optimize telework and hybrid work structures for maximum performance in relevant workstreams?

· Case Fulfillment: Suggest best practices for effective case fulfillment, timely visa services processing, and collaborative risk mitigation strategies.

· Best Practices: Share best practices and lessons learned from other government agencies or commercial firms that could help achieve VSS 4.0 objectives, reduce costs, or yield other benefits.

· Innovative Solutions and Technology Integration: What innovative solutions and ideas should be considered for the VSS 4.0 requirement? Can you describe your company's experience in integrating innovative technologies and processes in large-scale government projects, specifically in areas related to visa processing or similar services? Please provide examples of past projects and the impact of these innovations.

· Incentives & Disincentives: Propose methods for incentivizing and disincentivizing vendors to align with VSS 4.0 objectives, reduce costs, and support USG priorities.

· CLIN Structure: Recommend appropriate Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) structures for pricing VSS 4.0 work.

· Labor Categories: Suggest suitable labor categories and labor mix for performing VSS 4.0 tasks.

· Contract Type: What contract types are most appropriate, and why? Discuss the potential for unit-based pricing, including benefits and drawbacks.

· Performance Metrics: Propose metrics to measure vendor performance and ensure accountability. How can these metrics be balanced to prevent negative behaviors like compromising quality for timeliness (e.g., quality sacrificed for timeliness)?

· Key Differentiators: What criteria should be used to differentiate offerors’ solutions and ensure the best value for the Government in the VSS 4.0 work?

· Continuous Improvement and Adaptability: What methodologies does your firm employ to ensure continuous improvement and adaptability in large-scale projects? Please share examples of how you have adapted to changing requirements or unexpected challenges in previous similar projects, and how those experiences could be applied to the VSS 4.0 program.

· Customer Service and Efficiency: What strategies or methodologies does your company employ to enhance customer service and operational efficiency in large-scale service environments? Please provide examples or case studies where these strategies have been successfully implemented, particularly in scenarios analogous to visa services.

Your detailed responses to these areas will significantly contribute to the development of a robust and effective VSS 4.0 program.

1. National Security Services

Case Fulfillment

Immigrant Visa

File Management

Case Creation

Document Review

Special Immigrant Visa / Chief of Mission

Child Status Protection Act

Scheduling

Diversity Visa

Document Review

Adjustment Of Status Verification

Scheduling

Non-Immigrant Visa

Fraud Prevention

Non-Immigrant Visa

Immigrant Visa

Facial Recognition

2. Customer Service

Public Communications

Diversity Visa - Written Correspondence

Immigrant Visa - Written Correspondence

Fee Verification

FOIA

Modernized Customer Service (Outbound phone)

Other Communications

Congressional

Post Liaisons

Overseas Post Inquiry - Written Correspondence

3. Management Services

Operational Excellence

Operations Management

Workload Management

Contract Management

Operations Reporting

Data Integrity

Innovation

Training

Quality Management

AQL Monitoring / Reporting

Information Systems

IT Administration & Security

Database Administration

Network Administration

IT Project Management

Government Technology Liaising

Government Asset Management

Help Desk Support

Personnel

Recruiting and Retention

Performance Management

Labor Management

Security Clearance Management

4. Logistics

Mail Management

Mail Processing

Money Tracking

File Shipment

5. Site Support

General Site Support

Equipment Maintenance

Safety and Security Coordination

Administrative Support

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