Sources Sought Notice_SAM - SAM.gov 12.10.24.pdf

Sources Sought Notice The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and capable of performing services related to address the agency’s need for Software Asset Management (SAM). These needs are described in the Statement of Need below. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the agency’s method of procuring such services in the future. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code tentatively assigned to this procurement is 541512 “Computer Systems Design Services.” The Government anticipates the place of performance to be anywhere within the United States (not Government office.) There are no specific security requirements anticipated. There is no solicitation / request for quote or proposal / fair opportunity notice at this time. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for proposals. Submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary. CMS assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. Any information that the responder considers proprietary should be clearly marked as such. No submissions will be returned and any non-proprietary information will become the property of CMS.

CMS is principally interested in determining whether there are any small businesses that are capable of providing the services set forth in the corresponding Statement of Need. If your organization has the potential capacity to perform such services, please provide the following information: 1) organization name and UEI, point of contact email address and telephone number; 2) responses to the five questions in the Statement of Need; and 3) an affirmative statement verifying that your company does not anticipate having a conflict of interest. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

CMS will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to determine whether there are small businesses capable of supporting the services outlined in the Statement of Need.

CMS will use responses to this notice to inform any decision to set-aside the procurement contemplated herein for small businesses and the channel through which to acquire the services. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the services necessary to address the needs described herein are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by the following date: December 24, 2024 at 12:00 PM, Baltimore, MD prevailing time. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be via email with the subject “SAM Market Research” to the Contract Specialist, Jonathan Swain, at the following email address: Jonathan.Swain@cms.hhs.gov, and cc’d to the Contracting Officer, Benjamin Stidham, at the following email address: Benjamin.Stidham@cms.hhs.gov.

mailto:Jonathan.Swain@cms.hhs.gov mailto:Dorota.Horton@cms.hhs.gov

Software Asset Management (SAM) Statement of Need Background: Multiple contractors support the Marketplace and operate in a multi-cloud environment that spans multiple domains. Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) seeks to minimize the cost of licensed assets and reduce duplicate licenses used by the contractors by implementing software asset management (SAM) to reduce waste in software license utilization. The SAM Program provides visibility into license usage and cost, projected software demands, spending trends, vendor patch notifications, software license distribution, and re-distribution.

The Division of Program Control and Budget Management (DPCBM) within Marketplace Innovation and Technology Group (MITG) collaborates with CMS business owners to develop more effective information technology (IT) procurement strategies while complying with CMS and HHS architectural policies and standards. DPCBM manages the SAM Program consisting of people, processes, tools, and technology for the management of software (1) demands, (2) requests, (3) inventory, (4) reporting and compliance, and (5) portfolios. Currently, MITG is utilizing Smartsheet to manage its software. A brief summary of the main three Performance Work Statement (PWS) tasks are listed below:

1. Task 1: Operate the Software Asset Management Program: The Contractor shall manage and operate the SAM Program, which includes a set of processes for the effective management and optimization, purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications and associated infrastructure within CCIIO. The SAM Program supports the needs of CMS MITG, which includes the primary contractor, designated MITG support contractors, and any other entities designated and approved by CMS. Incorporating CCIIO contractor software licenses into the SAM Program may be a future option to expand SAM support. The Application Development Organizations (ADO) have needs that span a variety of technologies currently categorized as Application, Cloud Infrastructure, Core Software, Database, Infrastructure, Operating System (OS) Software, Professional Service, Security, and other. The SAM Contractor shall work collaboratively with ADOs and CMS to provide licenses in a timely manner.

2. Task 2: SAM Program Transformation Services: CCIIO MITG wants to continuously improve and mature the existing SAM Program, people, processes, and technologies. CCIIO MITG uses the Smartsheet collaboration and work management tool for SAM activities. CCIIO MITG is, however, open to other solutions to achieve improvement objectives. CCIIO MITG expects the Contractor to develop proficiency in the base year of the contract and increase capabilities in Option Year 1.

3. Task 3: Program Management: The Contractor shall perform program management (PM) to accomplish all required efforts under this task order. PM functions include management, direction and oversight, administration, quality assurance, and leadership for the execution of the Contractor’s technical, cost, and schedule performance. The Contractor’s Project Manager shall provide the principal interface between the Contractor and the government. The Contractor shall coordinate with other Marketplace support contractors for licensing requirements to carry out the overall project management tasks for the Marketplace system integration efforts.

Problem: MITG seeks a contractor to operate the SAM Program, research and assess emerging technologies to transform the Marketplace, and implement approved transformations for the SAM Program. Additionally, the contractor will be tasked with centralized purchasing to improve contractual costs and overall management of government licenses and providing good customer service to the other marketplace ADOs.

Desired Results: The principal outcome CMS is seeking to achieve is improve functionality, reduce risks, and reduce licensing costs through bulk purchasing. Additionally, CMS is interested in learning more about industry’s experience on the following questions (1/2 page response limit per question):

1) What specific features of Smartsheet do you find most useful for tracking software licenses and renewals? How do you ensure that licenses are purchased in a timely manner?

2) Can you provide an example of a project where you used Smartsheet to manage software assets effectively?

3) What strategies do you use within Smartsheet to ensure data accuracy and compliance with software licensing agreements?

4) How do you handle reporting and analytics in Smartsheet for software asset management?

5) Describe your company’s approach to assessing the current technical landscape and processes to find areas for enhancements and improve effectiveness and efficiencies in the SAM processes employed by

MITG.