SSS RFI_Web Hosting Services_03092026.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Selective Service System (SSS) Website Modernization

I. BACKGROUND:

Selective Service System (SSS) plays an important role in ensuring the Nation can rapidly mobilize personnel during a large-scale national emergency. The system is designed to provide a fair and just method of conscription, maintain a registry of males aged 18 to 25, and manage the induction process through a structured and transparent classification system.

Currently, SSS maintains a public facing informational, static website. There is limited user interaction centered on registration submission and verification. The SSS Website Modernization goal is to transition from a static website to comprehensive, modern web application designed for users to actively manage file claims, and volunteer applications. The web application is to provide as a new one stop common, centralized and authoritative source for conscription registration and classification system and application information that can be used by public and supporting agencies.

II. OBJECTIVE:

The Selective Service System (SSS) is seeking market research information from qualified vendors to design, develop, secure, host, and maintain a modernized, scalable, and compliant website platform with back-end data entry to SSS systems. The solution must support national-level operational demands, integrate with emerging federal digital identity standards, and provide a secure, user-friendly experience for constituents and benefit partners. The selected vendor will deliver a fully managed, cloud-hosted environment with robust security, high availability, and the ability to rapidly scale (increased web traffic) during national emergencies.

III. SCOPE OF WORK:

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and other items necessary to deliver a fully managed AWS hosting environment, modernized website platform, digital identity integration, and ongoing support services.

IV. REQUIREMENTS:

1. Cloud Infrastructure and Hosting

The Contractor shall provide a fully managed Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosting environment that includes, at a minimum:

a. Infrastructure

• Multi‑region AWS architecture supporting high availability and disaster recovery

• Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) configuration

• Web Application Firewall (WAF)

• VPN access for secure administrative operations

• Automated code build and deployment pipelines

• AWS services including Amazon S3, Amazon CloudWatch, and SSS.gov‑provided

SSL certificates and Certificate Manager

• Redirect support

• Security and Monitoring

• Data backups, log aggregation, and secure storage

• Continuous monitoring and alerting

• Regular security scans and vulnerability remediation

• Managed services for security posture

• Compliance with federal cybersecurity standards

• Agile Web Development: Iterative development, front-end and back-end development, API development, integrations, and feature enhancements

• Usability testing

• Analytics interpretation

b. Performance and Availability

• 24/7/365 uptime support

• Rapid scalability to support national emergency surges

• Optimization for performance across devices and bandwidth conditions

c. Website Platform Requirements

The Contractor shall support WordPress or an equivalent CMS, including:

• CMS and Plugin Security Management

• Operating system updates

• Patch management

• Performance optimization

• Scalable outreach or engagement campaigns, digital event coverage/hosting

d. User Experience and Accessibility

• The website shall be:

• Fully Section 508 compliant

• Mobile‑friendly and responsive

• Intuitive and user‑centered web design, i.e., User Experience (UX) and Design:

Human-centered design, UX/UI research and testing

• Designed for accessibility and usability across diverse populations

• Include an AI-powered conversational interface capable of conducting extensive, dynamic Q&A with users, providing accurate responses, guiding follow‑up questions, and adapting interactions based on user input

e. Development, Testing, and Deployment

The Contractor shall also develop a staging environment test website that fully mirrors the production backend and supports a complete, functional mock-up of the website. This environment must enable comprehensive testing, validation, and stakeholder review, and it shall support automated workflows for registration and verification processes for constituents and benefit partners.

This staging capability is essential because the Selective Service System’s operational mission will change in December 2026, requiring the agency’s internal teams to design, refine, and test the new website configuration prior to launch. Once these automated workflows and mission driven updates have been validated, the Contractor shall implement a controlled cutover process to transition the website into full compliance and full production status. The Contractor must ensure that this cutover minimizes downtime, maintains continuity of operations, and provides a seamless experience for all users during the transition.

The Contractor shall develop a staging environment that:

• Mirrors the production backend

• Supports a fully functional mock‑up of the website

• Enables comprehensive testing, validation, and stakeholder review

• Supports automated workflows for registration and verification

• Cutover and Go‑Live

• Upon validation of automated workflows, the Contractor shall:

Implement a controlled cutover process

• Transition the site into full compliance and production status

• Minimize downtime and ensure continuity of operations

• Restrict access to the staging site to the SSS <-> AWS VPN

f. Security, Compliance, Analytics and Cybersecurity

The Contractor shall:

• Ensure compliance with federal cybersecurity requirements, and implement best security practices

• Coordinate with the SSS Cybersecurity team

• Maintain continuous security posture monitoring

• Provide documentation required for audits and compliance reviews

g. Data Tracking and Analytics

• Implement data tracking and analytics protocols

• Ensure compliance with OPM standards

• Integrate Google Analytics or a federal‑compliant equivalent (we already have an existing SSS account)

• Provide dashboards and reporting capabilities

h. Website Backend Portal / Government Content Management System (CMS)

The Contractor shall provide a secure, user‑friendly backend portal that enables authorized Selective Service System (SSS) personnel to manage website content and perform administrative functions necessary for daily operations, transparency reporting, and official government publications.

i. Access and Authentication

The Contractor shall ensure the backend portal:

• Integrate with fed id standards

• Access the system themselves with MFA. That does not have to be a fed system like login.gov, but could be commercial like authenticator or duo, etc.

• The backend portal shall require MFA to access

• Is accessible only to authenticated SSS employees and designated government personnel

• Supports role‑based access controls (RBAC)

• Integrates with federal identity standards (e.g., Login.gov, PIV/CAC, or other approved authentication mechanisms)

• Logs all administrative actions for audit and compliance purposes

j. Content Management Capabilities

The backend portal shall allow authorized SSS personnel to:

• Create new web pages

• Edit existing web pages

• Delete or archive web pages

• Upload and manage documents, images, and multimedia

• Modify menus, navigation elements, and page hierarchy

• Update homepage content, alerts, and announcements

• Manage metadata, tags, and search engine optimization (SEO) fields

• Publish, schedule, or unpublish content

• Webpage needs to provide the ability to wrap an external iFrame on the webpage

These capabilities must be available without requiring Contractor intervention for routine updates.

k. Design and Layout Tools

The Contractor shall provide tools within the backend portal that allow SSS personnel to:

• Modify page layouts using templates or drag‑and‑drop components

• Insert or update design elements such as banners, tables, call‑out boxes, and content blocks

• Manage reusable components (e.g., headers, footers, sidebars)

• Apply approved branding, color palettes, and typography

l. Reporting and Transparency Requirements

The backend portal shall support SSS’s statutory and administrative reporting obligations by enabling:

• Exportable logs for oversight and record keeping, in a format suitable for SIEM ingestion

• Posting of official government reports

• Publication of accounting, transparency, and compliance documents

• Version control and audit trails for all published materials

• Exportable logs for oversight and record keeping

2. Training and Documentation

The Contractor shall provide:

• Administrator and editor training for SSS personnel

• Written user guides and quick‑reference materials

• Ongoing support for backend portal functionality throughout the period of performance

3. Accessibility and Digital Experience Compliance

The Contractor shall ensure that all website components, digital services, content, and backend administrative tools developed or provided under this contract comply with applicable federal accessibility and digital experience requirements, including but not limited to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA).

4. Section 508 Compliance

• Ensure all public‑facing and internal‑facing website components meet Section 508 accessibility standards

• Conform to WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines or the most current standard adopted by the U.S. Access Board

• Provide accessible alternatives for all media, documents, and interactive elements

• Ensure forms, verification tools, document upload features, and AI‑driven self‑help tools are fully accessible

• Conduct accessibility testing using both automated and manual methods, including assistive technologies

• Deliver a 508 Compliance Report and remediation plan prior to go‑live

5. 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA) Compliance:

The Contractor shall ensure the website and digital services comply with the requirements of the 21st Century IDEA, including:

• Modern, mobile-friendly design

• Consistent visual standards aligned with federal digital design guidelines

• Secure digital forms that replace paper-based processes where feasible

• Digital-first workflows that support online completion of tasks

• User-centered design practices, including usability testing with representative users

• Search engine optimization and discoverability

• Performance optimization to ensure fast load times and efficient operation

• Analytics integration to measure user behavior, service performance, and compliance

6. Documentation and Verification

The Contractor shall provide:

• A 508 Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) using the latest VPAT template

• A 21st Century IDEA Compliance Checklist

• Testing results, remediation actions, and verification artifacts

• Ongoing monitoring and updates to maintain compliance throughout the period of performance

7. Schedule/Milestones:

The project plan should be completed within 60 days of the SSS issuing the contract award and approval of the project plan.

8. Acceptance Criteria:

To be considered acceptable, the Contractor shall:

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of federal government agency websites, including the standards, regulations, and compliance requirements that govern their design, development, security, accessibility, and ongoing maintenance.

• Show familiarity with federal digital service mandates, including Section 508 accessibility requirements, the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA), cybersecurity and privacy regulations, and any applicable agency‑specific policies.

• Provide evidence—through technical approach, staffing qualifications, documented methodologies and past performance, that they can successfully implement, manage, and maintain a government‑compliant website environment in accordance with the specified standards.

9. Other Requirements/Claims/Conditions:

o All material will be the property of the SSS.

o The SSS has full copyright ownership of produced material.

o No material may be reused for future projects (for the SSS or other entities) without the written consent of the SSS.

o SSS can request all data (database schema and data, WordPress data, AWS configuration, three months before the close of the contract.

10. NOTE TO VENDORS:

This RFI is issued solely for conducting market research and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), or a Request for Quote (RFQ) and does not obligate the Government to any current or future commitments. The Government will not pay/reimburse any costs or charges resulting from contractors’ responses to this

RFI.

The Government greatly appreciates a vendor’s response, which will be used for planning purposes to enhance the Government’s requirements formulation and further acquisition development. When a solicitation is released, we will send your designated point of contact a link to the solicitation.

The anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services. The SSS expects to award one contract for the potential requirement and options may be considered. The place of performance is CONUS. The requesting organization address is: Selective Service System, National Headquarters/Arlington, Virginia 22209-2461.

11. INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND TO THE RFI:

If your firm is interested, capable and qualified to provide the Government’s requirements described herein, please submit written information supporting this capability. Capability statements and answers to the Government questions below shall consist of no more than 30 pages.

The suspense date for vendor’s responses to this RFI is: 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on 20 March 2026. Please email your capability statement, information and responses to the questions to:

Georgette Hendricksen, Contracting Officer, at georgette.hendricksen@sss.gov by the suspense date or sooner. The vendor’s email subject line shall state: “SSS Website Modernization.”

Telephone calls regarding this RFI will not be accepted.

12. RFI GOVERNMENT QUESTIONS FOR VENDORS RESPONSES:

mailto:georgette.hendricksen@sss.gov

1. Is your business listed and certified in SAM.gov?

2. What is the range of services your business can cover?

3. Would you meet a small business set-aside for Website Modernization?

4. Would you be able to provide advisory website services for an agency?

5. What type and level of customer service/system support (operations and maintenance and training) would be required after development and deployment?

6. Are there any requirements in this RFI that conflict or create ambiguity with information provided?

7. What requirements are needed for creating connections to federal approved two-factor authentication services i.e., Login.gov, ID.me, …?

13. REMINDER - CLOSING DATE FOR VENDOR SUBMITTALS:

The RFI closes at 2:00 PM EST on 20 March 2026.