Sources Sought Synopsis (Security Support_CI Services).docx

SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS

Security Support and Counterintelligence Services

This SOURCES SOUGHT announcement is to request information and is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) anticipates a continuing need for both Security Support and Counterintelligence services. These requirements are currently being fulfilled by the following direct award 8(a) contracts:

Current Security Award Information:

Vendor: Akima Data Management, LLC Contract Number: HDTRA1-22-C-0026 Contract Value: $61,875,000.00 Contract Completion Date: 28 February 2027

Current Counterintelligence Award Information:

Vendor: D7, LLC (“Dawson”) Contract Number: HDTRA1-22-C-0020 Contract Value: $20,352,842.77 Contract Completion Date: 28 February 2027

DTRA is seeking responses from industry regarding the benefits/risks of combining these two requirements under one definitive contract. This will help determine whether the up-coming requirements should be awarded together or separately. The draft Performance Work Statements (PWS) for both efforts are included with this notice. The anticipated Cost-Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) follow-on award(s) is projected to begin on/around January of 2027 with an initial base year and four (4) optional years.

The NAICS/PSC/Size Standard information for a combined contract will be:

NAICS Code: 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services) Product Service Code (PSC): R408 (Support- Professional: Program Management/Support) Size Standard: $19.5 Million

The NAICS/PSC/Size Standard information for each contract, if separated, will be:

NAICS Code: 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services) Product Service Code (PSC): R408 (Support- Professional: Program Management/Support) Size Standard: $19.0 Million

Acquisition strategy for this requirement has not been finalized. The follow-on contract(s) will remain within the 8(a) Program and could be directly awarded or competed. Accordingly, the U.S. Government highly encourages all capable 8(a) offerors to respond to this Sources Sought. Interested vendors are asked to submit their company’s capability statement (.pdf format), providing clear and convincing evidence of their qualifications and/or capabilities. In addition to the capability statement, interested offerors are asked to address the below questions in their response to this sources sought:

1. What is your company’s primary NAICS code?

2. Would you categorize the required security services as commercial or non-commercial? (support your response)

3. Would you categorize the required counterintelligence services as commercial or non-commercial? (support your response)

4. Can your company perform as the Prime vendor for a combined contract? Yes / No

5. What would your estimated percentage of subcontracted labor be if these requirements are combined?

6. How much of that subcontracting percentage could be fulfilled with a similarly situated offeror? (If unknown, respond “Unknown”)

7. In a consolidated award under 541990, would your firm perform CI services in house or via a subcontractor? If via subcontractor, explain how the government avoids the additional administrative overhead and “pass through” costs associated with a multi-tiered management structure compared to a direct award for separate CI services.

8. What risks do you foresee if the requirements are combined? (If there are none, respond “None”)

9. Describe the operational risks of managing Counterintelligence – specifically the detection and neutralization of Foreign Intelligence Entities (FIE) threats under a general Security Support Services umbrella (NAICS 541990). How does combining these requirements under a single 8(a) firm impact specialized “Firewall” required to ensure that FIE focused disruptive tradecraft is not diluted by, or conflicted with, the administrative and physical security protocols of a general security contract?

10. Provide a technical justification for why NAICS 541690 is more appropriate for the CI mission than the broader NAICS 541990. Does the use of 541990 for CI services create a risk of “Labor Category Dilution”, where high end CI disciplines are misclassified under lower-tier security roles, thereby impacting the quality of FIE threat reporting?

11. Given the 2025/2026 enhancements to Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence CI (FOCI) mitigation requirements, how does separating CI from Security services improve the Agency’s ability to maintain a “Clean room” for supply chain audits? Would a combined award increase the “Surface Area” for a foreign adversary to target the 8(a) prime’s corporate infrastructure?

12. Under the “Once 8(a), Always 8(a)” reforms of 2025, how would consolidating these requirements impact the 8(a) industrial base’s ability to provide best value competition? Specifically, would a combined requirement exceed the capacity of specialized 8(a) firms, thereby forcing a direct award that might otherwise benefit from the cost-reduction effects of a competitive 8(a) set-aside for two smaller separate requirements?

13. Under the 2026 SBA “Race Neutral” standards, does a combined requirement create a “Barrier to Entry” for specialized 8(a) firms that possess CI expertise but lack the massive scale required for general security services? Would this consolidation result in a reduction of the competitive pool, contrary to the goal of maximizing 8(a) competition?

14. What are the anticipated benefits of consolidation? (If there are none, respond “None”)

15. If your company cannot act as the Prime for a consolidated effort, does your capability statement support acting as Prime for the Security or the Counterintelligence requirement?

16. What would your estimated percentage of subcontracted labor be for that requirement?

17. How much of that subcontracting percentage could be fulfilled with a similarly situated offeror? (If unknown, respond “Unknown”)

In addition to the above, Vendors must include the following information somewhere in their response: 1) name of the firm, 2) point of contact, 3) phone number, 4) email address, 5) UEI number, 6) CAGE code and 7) 8(a) graduation date.

Responses shall be sent via email to the Contract Specialist of record for this requirement by/before Tuesday, 14 April 2026 at 1200 EST (Ft. Belvoir local time):

Sharon Lightfoot (Sharon.c.lightfoot.civ@mail.mil). Vendor qualifications, attested capabilities, and submitted answers will be used solely for the purpose of determining potential requirement consolidation and inform acquisition strategy.

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. This notice does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) nor a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought. The U.S. Government will not pay for the provided information, nor any administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. A determination to consolidate these requirements is solely within the discretion of the Government. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE) as required by FAR 5.2. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the GPE for additional information pertaining to this requirement.