VOIndustryDay_SlidesFinal.pdf

Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA)

Office of Visa Services (VO)

Visa Headquarters Support Services

Solicitation Number SAQMMA14R0370

Industry Day (Pre-proposal Conference)

September 5, 2014

Agenda

Start Time Subject Lead

9:00 a.m. Introduction

- Industry Day Administration

- History of Procurement

- Procurement Timeline

Nicole Mazkour

9:30 a.m. Solicitation Overview Barbra Postell

10:30 a.m. High Level Presentation Of Various Units Within The VO

Daria Darnell

11:30 a.m. Break Daria Darnell

11:40 a.m. Facility Walkthrough

- Office Locations

Daria Darnell

12:15 p.m. Groups Return to the Conference Room

Daria Darnell

12:30 p.m. Adjourn Visit Nicole Mazkour

Nicole Mazkour, Acquisitions Support Contractor for CA/VO

Procurement POCs

Office of Acquisition Management (AQM) Barbra Postell, Contracting Officer PostellBJ@state.gov

Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization

(OSDBU)

Shapleigh C. Drisko, OSDBU Director DriskoSC@state.gov 703-875-6823

Judith Thomas, Senior Procurement Analyst OSDBU Veteran Advocate ThomasJE@state.gov 703-516-1953 mailto:PostellBJ@state.gov mailto:DriskoSC@state.gov mailto:ThomasJE@state.gov

Industry Day Administration

• Turn off all cell phones at this time.

• Refrain from spilling any food/drink.

• Restrooms are located on the left when exiting the auditorium room. There will be a 10 minute break prior to the walk-throughs.

• Questions specific to the Industry Day may be received, in writing, at the conclusion of the visit. Use your 5in x 8in cards to write questions legibly. RFP questions shall be received NLT 4:00 p.m., EST, on September 8, 2014 (RFP Section L.11).

• Q&As, slides, and a list of attendees will be posted to FedBizOpps (https:\\fbo.gov).

• Demonstrations/capabilities briefs of any kind are not allowed during the visit. One-on-one sessions will not be scheduled.

• The Government will not compensate industry participants for travel, lodging or any other expenses associated with Industry Day.

History of the Procurement

• Incumbent Contractor: Quality Support Inc. (QSI) ▫ Contract number SAQMPD06C0036.

▫ Awarded in 2006.

▫ Expires on December 12, 2014.

• The current contract has evolved from general administrative support to almost entirely professional-level consulting services. The VO revised the labor category descriptions to accurately reflect the staffing-level needs (reference RFP Attachment D - Labor Categories).

Procurement Timeline

Event Date

Pre-solicitation notice August 7, 2014

Request for Proposal (RFP) released August 27, 2014

Industry Day September 5, 2014

Questions due (RFP Section L.11) September 8, 2014

Proposals due (RFP Section L.16.1) October 8, 2014

Anticipated contract award date October 31, 2014

Kickoff meeting/contract start November 12, 2014

Transition period ends December 12, 2014

Barbra Postell, Contracting Officer, A/AQM

Solicitation Overview

• The following slides present highlights of the Request for Proposal

(RFP) Solicitation Number SAQMMA14R0370.

▫ Offerors are strongly advised to read the RFP and all attachments in detail prior to submitting a proposal.

▫ The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a contract based on initial proposals (RFP Section M.3 Evaluation Process).

▫ The Government expects to select one Offeror on the basis of its proposal providing the “best value” to the Government, all factors considered... For this solicitation, technical merit is more important than cost or price (RFP Section M.6 Basis for Award).

(Contract Type and Structure)

• Single award hybrid-type contract with CLINs for support under Fixed-Price fully loaded hourly labor rates and Cost-Reimbursable CLINs for Government-approved travel and other direct costs such as materials and/or supplies (RFP Section B.2 Contract Type).

▫ CLIN Structure:

CLIN 0001 through 4001 – Labor Support

CLIN 0002 through 4002 – Other Direct Costs

CLIN 0003 through 4003 – Travel

CLIN 0004 through 4004 – Additional Operational Support

CLIN 0005 through 4005 – Overtime Support

CLIN 0006 through 4006 – Interruption of Services

• Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside.

• The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is

541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. The

Small Business Size Standard is $15M (RFP Section K.1. Reps & Certs).

(Place and Period of Performance)

• The principal place of performance (RFP Section F.3 Place of Performance):

▫ Visa Office in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding metropolitan area, as well as the United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN) complex in New York, New York. Additional support locations may be added, as needed, in the future

(RFP Section F.3 Place of Performance).

Primary address:

State Annex (SA-17) 600 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20431.

Remote addresses, subject to change:

1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20004 (DHS/CBP)

799 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York 10017 (USUN).

12379 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20191 (NTC).

• Contract period of performance:

▫ Base year period of twelve (12) months from date of contract award, and up to four

(4) additional twelve (12) month option year periods (RFP Section F4. Contract

Term).

(Management Plan- Evaluation Factor #1)

• The Government will assess the comprehensiveness and likely effectiveness of the Offeror’s proposed management plan for addressing the requirements of the contract.

• Proposal organized in tabs (A though H):

TAB A. Organizational Structure.

TAB B. Approach to augmenting staff and assigning work.

TAB C. Staffing Plan.

TAB D. Staff Table.

TAB E. Recruitment.

TAB F. Training.

TAB G. Processes and procedures.

TAB H. Approach to Transition.

(RFP Section L.19.2 Volume II, Tab B, Factor 1: Management Plan)

(Key Personnel- Evaluation Factor #2)

• RFP Section L.14. Resumes:

▫ Resume format provided in RFP.

▫ Letters of commitment shall be signed within thirty (30) days prior to the original date for submission of proposals.

▫ Each resume must clearly demonstrate the years of relevant experience in all areas required by the position qualifications.

▫ Offeror must substantiate that the individuals proposed meet all requirements.

• RFP Section H.4. Key Personnel:

▫ Provide resumes only for:

One (1) Contract Program Manager

One (1) Training Coordinator

Five (5) Management Consultants

• Labor category qualifications are described in RFP Attachment D - Contract

Labor Categories.

(Past Performance- Evaluation Factor #3)

• Recent & Relevant Performance

• Relevant contracts are contracts that include managing professional consulting support services similar in scope to this contract (M.5.2. Past Performance Factor 3).

• Performance that took place greater than 5 years from the proposal due date will not be considered “recent” therefore not evaluated under this factor (M.5.2. Past Performance Factor 3).

• Submit demonstrated past performance for the Prime Contractor only (RFP L.19.4 Volume II, Tab D, Factor 3: Past Performance).

(Special Contract Requirements)

• A facility security clearance at the TOP SECRET level is required for contract performance (RFP Section H.8.2.

Facility Clearance).

Daria Darnell, Director of Domestic Operations

Intro to Visa Services (CA/VO)

• Following regulations established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act, consular officers overseas, under the guidance of the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Office of Visa Services, are responsible for issuing all non-immigrant and immigrant visas.

• The Office of Visa Services provides several important functions, including:

▫ Develops visa policy and guidance in coordination with the

Department of Homeland Security.

▫ Serves as liaison with the Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. government agencies on visa-related matters.

▫ Provides guidance and serves as liaison between the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad on visa matters.

▫ Interprets visa laws and regulations and acts as a point of contact for the public.

Consular Leadership Tenets

1. Inspire

2. Model Integrity

3. Develop the Next Generation

4. Delegate Authority - But Not Responsibility

5. Communicate

6. Build Great Teams

7. Lead by Example

8. Follow Courageously

9. Learn Constantly

10. Practice 360-Degree Diplomacy

CA/VO Structure

• Six offices and two visa-processing centers currently comprise VO:

1. Front Office

2. Domestic Operations

3. Field Operations (VO/F)

4. Information Management and Liaison (VO/I)

5. Legal Affairs (VO/L)

6. Public and Diplomatic Liaison (VO/P)

7. National Visa Center (VO/NVC in Portsmouth, NH) (not supported under the scope of this contract)

8. Kentucky Consular Center (VO/KCC in Williamsburg, KY) (not supported under the scope of this contract)

• The Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA), Office of Visa Services (VO), currently employs over 900 people in various capacities. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services leads CA/VO with the assistance of the Managing Director, a senior consular officer who oversees day-to-day operations.

Daria Darnell, Director, Domestic Operations

Front Office

• The VO Front Office (FO) represents VO at the senior level to other parts of CA, the Department, and other U.S. government agencies on a full range of VO issues. The DAS advises the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs and other State officials on visa policy and directs the work of the Visa Office. The FO is also responsible for making decisions on resources (staffing, budget, space) required to allow VO to perform its mission of providing policy, procedures and information related to U.S. visa issuance to foreign nationals applying for visas at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.

• The VO Front Office Mission

▫ The FO mission is to ensure that VO employees have the guidance, resources, and support needed to carry out their mandate of providing policy, procedures and information related to U.S. visa issuance to foreign nationals applying for visas at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, and to represent VO interests and policies at a senior level.

Domestic Operations

• This office’s focus is on directing the domestic operations of VO, including oversight of the National Visa Center (NVC) and the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC).

• The office handles contractor and human resources issues, OIG and GAO coordination, emergency planning, strategic planning, budgeting, liaison with the CA Comptroller’s Office (CA/C) on the Economy Act and the Cost of Service Model, and training.

Field Operations (VO/F) The Office of Field Operations serves as VO’s policy and procedural guidance hub. Our work is divided between two divisions: F/P, which handles visa operations and policy, and F/I, which oversees numerical controls and visa statistics.

• Post Operations Division (VO/F/P)

F/P provides operational and procedural guidance to overseas posts on visa matters. This office also plays a major role in the formulation and implementation of visa policy. F/P serves as the Department’s primary point of contact with other agencies and the National Security Council on a wide array of visa and immigration matters, including the Visa Waiver Program, the Diversity Visa program, the Special Immigrant Visa program, and in the interagency coordination of parole issues. The division coordinates with other CA directorates, other Department bureaus, and the interagency on the development and implementation of visa policy.

• Immigrant Visa Control Division (VO/F/I)

F/I administers the complex series of annual numerical limitations on immigrants, subdivided by preference category and country, which are set by the Immigration and Nationality Act. The division provides statistical data in response to inquiries from congressional offices, offices within the State Department, other governmental agencies, and the general public. The division issues the Report of the Visa Office, a yearly compilation of statistical data on visas issued at consular offices around the world. On a monthly basis, F/I also issues the Visa Bulletin, which summarizes the availability of visas numbers for the coming month, as well as other visa related information.

Matthew Gillen, Chief VO/L/C

Legal Affairs (VO/L)

The Office of Legal Affairs comprises four divisions, described below. Visit 1 FAM for official information regarding this office.

• Advisory Opinions Division (VO/L/A)

The Advisory Opinions Division renders advisory opinions to posts abroad on questions involving proper visa classification, specific grounds of visa ineligibility under 212(a) (other than security), and other legal issues concerning immigrant and nonimmigrant visa classifications, including diplomatic visas (other than issues relating to procedures and fees). VO/L/A also ensures compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act relating to visa records. The division reviews legal aspects of consular decisions on individual visa cases, as appropriate. VO/L/A will also provide assistance, in coordination with the Office of the Legal Adviser’s division that supports CA (L/CA), on litigation matters involving visas, including requests for witnesses. The division exercises Departmental authority in recommending to DHS that they grant waivers of ineligibility to certain aliens to permit their temporary admission to the United States.

• Coordination and Screening Division (VO/L/C)

The Coordination and Screening Division responds to all Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) requests, coordinating with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Department bureaus, and other U.S. government partners on visa matters involving national security. The division takes action on all Visas Bear, Donkey, Mantis, and Merlin SAO requests, including DEA and INTERPOL hits. This division renders opinions on the visa eligibility of aliens falling within the security and related grounds of the INA found in section 212(a)(3) [other than organized crime under 212(a)(3)(a)(ii), which is handled by VO/L/A] and foreign policy related grounds in section 212(a)(3)(C) and 212(f) of the INA. L/C also prudentially revokes visas as necessary, coordinates the Visas Viper program, recommends waivers for security-related ineligibilities, and provides guidance to the field on security issues as they concern visa issuance and denial.

• Legislation and Regulations Division (VO/L/R)

The Legislation and Regulations Division reviews and prepares for publication all visa regulations and general instructions, including 9 FAM revisions, which interpret provisions of immigration law relating to issuance and refusal of visas. It is the VO division responsible for recommending or commenting on amendments to existing immigration laws. VO/L/R prepares reciprocity schedule provisions for posting online. Additionally, VO/L/R is responsible for updating forms related to visa applications.

• Waiver Review Division (VO/L/W)

The Waiver Review Division responds to advisory opinion requests concerning J-1 exchange visitors and the two-year foreign residence requirement of INA Section 212(e). VO/L/W also makes recommendations to DHS on applications from J-1 exchange visitors who seek a waiver of their two-year foreign residence requirement. Although DHS is the final waiver authority on 212(e) cases, it cannot grant a waiver unless VO/L/W makes a favorable recommendation on a waiver application based on policy, program, or foreign policy considerations in the case.

http://arpsdir.a.state.gov/fam/01fam/01fam0250.html

Jill Esposito, Director

Public and Diplomatic Liaison (VO/P) VO/P acts as the Department's point of contact for Congress and the public on issues relating to visa cases. It also houses a visa-processing office. This office also serves as the visa & web content manager. Visit 1 FAM for official information regarding this office.

• Leadership and Organization of VO/P

The Office of Public and Diplomatic Liaison (VO/P) consists of two divisions and a Web and Customer Service Unit.

• Diplomatic Liaison Division (VO/P/D)

VO/P/D is one of two non-immigrant visa processing units in the United States (the other is the U.S. Mission to the United Nations). CA/VO/P/D issues and revalidates visas for diplomatic missions (A visas), international organizations (G visas), and NATO. In addition, it processes applications for change into and out of diplomatic status, and coordinates with DHS on extension and replacement of I-94 forms for the diplomatic community.

• Public Inquiries Division (VO/P/I)

VO/P/I responds to visa inquiries received by telephone, e-mail, and regular mail. The office uses an interactive voice response (IVR) system and maintains separate phone lines to manage congressional inquiries and to respond to U.S. companies needing visa information regarding Visitor (B-1) visas. VO/P/I also maintains a number dedicated email boxes for specific issues. The office responds to inquiries from the general public and members of Congress, as well as referred inquiries originally addressed to the White House, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, and U.S. Government principals. VO/P/I also maintains and supports CA’s outreach efforts on visa issues. In FY 2015 the routine telephonic and email inquiries currently processed in this Division will be transferred to the National Visa Center.

• Website and Customer Service Unit

The Website and Customer Service Unit is VO's web content manager and the lead on web policy matters, including maintaining up-to-date and accurate content for the directorate's visa-related portions of both travel.state.gov and the internal CAWeb. The unit also manages and maintains Website Content Guidelines for VO. Additionally, the unit coordinates within VO and with other bureaus and government agencies regarding their visa-related website information, policies and procedures.

http://arpsdir.a.state.gov/fam/01fam/01fam0250.html

Dave Franz, Acting Director

Information Management and Liaison

(VO/I)

• This office coordinates and directs VO policy on automated systems, data integrity, and interagency data exchange.

Information Management and Liaison (VO/I)

• VO/I coordinates Visa Office policy on automated systems, data integrity, and interagency data exchange.

The office establishes policies regarding the content of the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) and classified consular website, coordinates with CA’s Directorate of Consular Systems and Technology (CST) on the technical maintenance of the consular systems, and serves as a contact point for queries from other agencies regarding specific entries in the system. VO/I coordinates VO’s working relationship CST, particularly with respect to business requirements and change requests for consular systems, datasharing initiatives, and deployments, and works with other CA business offices on IT issues of enterprise-wide consequence. Additionally, it coordinates access to the Consular Consolidated Database and data exchange with other member agencies in the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) and represents the Department of State in the DHS/State Datashare program, which exchanges data on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa cases.

The Communication and Records Division (VO/I/CR)

• VO/I/CR maintains Visa Office files and records, and retrieves stored visa applications from the National

Archives and Records Administration in Suitland, MD. VO/I/CR acts as the custodian for all CA/VO MOUs and letters of intent.

Please enjoy a 10-minute break and then return to the auditorium for the facility walk-through instructions.

Facility “Walk-Through” Rules

• Rules:

▫ Do not touch files & equipment.

▫ Quiet please.

▫ No pictures/recording of any kind.

▫ Stay with the group.

• Return to this meeting hall after walk through for a formal adjournment of the Industry Day.

Work Locations for Reference

• Neon yellow-colored signs identifies the site walk-through route.

Offices visited at 600 19th Street NW, Washington DC (SA-17):

• 11th Floor

▫ Offices: VO/P, VO/L/C, VO/L/W, VO/I

• 12th Floor

▫ Offices: Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS), Managing Director, Domestic Operations, VO/F, VO/L/A, VO/L/R

• Note that the Diplomatic Reception Desk (VO/P/D) is located on the ground floor at SA-17, but will not be visited during the walk-through.

Nicole Mazkour, Acquisitions Support CA/VO

Conclusion

• Questions?

• Submit legible questions in basket before exiting the conference room.

▫ Use the 5in x 8in cards to submit questions.

▫ Indecipherable questions cannot be answered.

• If you do not have a DOS badge with access, please wait to be escorted in groups of ten.