Special_Notice_(RKSA).pdf

PRESOLICITATION NOTICE

Recordkeeping Services Acquisition (RKSA) (Formerly known as RKSDMA and ExPRESS)

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB and “The Agency”) is proceeding to secure a commercial recordkeeper or systems integrator to:

(a) Manage and operate recordkeeping processes including the IT infrastructure and applications, call centers and processing centers,

(b) Discontinue the FRTIB’s practice of serving as integrator and owning hardware and software in support of recordkeeping, and

(c) Provide additional services that allow Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) participants to make more informed choices and feel more confident about their retirement security.

Therefore, recordkeeping for this procurement refers to the people, processes, and technology needed to deliver all of the in-scope TSP operational services. In-scope operational services will be described in more detail in the Advisory Multi-Step Process.

The principal expected outcomes are achieving an enhanced participant customer service experience and addressing key issues identified in the FRTIB 2017-2021 Strategic Plan published September 2016, including, 1) eliminating an inflexible legacy IT architecture, and 2) hardening IT security against increasing cybersecurity threats.

The TSP is a defined contribution retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees and members of the uniformed services. It was authorized by the United States Congress in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 (FERSA). The TSP provides Federal employees and members of the uniformed services with a savings and tax benefit similar to what many private sector employers offer their employees under 401(k) plans. The TSP serves more than 5 million active and retired participants and beneficiaries and the participant and beneficiary count is expected to grow significantly over the next 5 years.

The TSP plan summary is available at https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tspbk08.pdf and additional information is available at https://www.frtib.gov/ReadingRoom/index.html .

Additional information will be made available at a later date in the solicitation and a Solicitation Library on www.FBO.gov.

The Agency is publishing this notice to describe in more detail the acquisition process that will ensue, based in part on results of interviews conducted with industry during pre-solicitation market research.

This notice is intended to aid industry’s understanding of the process, the terminology used, as well as the Agency’s rationale for this approach. This notice is not a request for proposals.

The Agency intends to use Performance Based Acquisition as the acquisition approach for this requirement.

What Do We Mean by A Performance Based Acquisition?

https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tspbk08.pdf https://www.frtib.gov/ReadingRoom/index.html http://www.fbo.gov/

A Performance Based Acquisition does not incorporate a listing of requirements, prescribing how the Agency wants work to be completed. The basic intent of a Performance Based Acquisition is to describe the Agency’s desired objectives or outcomes in terms of “what” needs are to be achieved and allow industry to propose solutions or “how” best to meet the stated objectives. This approached is incorporated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 37.6 (Performance-Based Contracting). The FRTIB intends to partner with an experienced provider that incorporates industry best practices and provides the solution that best meets the FRTIB’s desired outcomes.

Why a Performance Based Acquisition approach?

The Agency wants to allow for the flexibility of alternative approaches or solutions. Performance Based Acquisition encourages industry to be creative in determining the best solution for the Agency within the bounds of stated outcomes and constraints. In addition, Performance Based Acquisition allows the Agency to have exchanges with Offerors during the Solicitation phase in order to:

• Share more details about how the TSP works, including potential latitude about approach, solutions and hard constraints

• Share ideas to guide proposed solutions developed by industry.

These exchanges should assist Offerors with producing a better and well-informed Performance Work Statement.

How Is This Acquisition Approach Different?

FRTIB will not issue a standard Request for Proposals (RFP). RFPs generally provide specific Agency-defined solutions detailed in a Statement of Work and asks all interested parties to respond with technical and cost proposals addressing a specific Work Breakdown Structure. Alternatively, a Performance Based Acquisition for services involves performance requirements and acquisition strategies that describe and communicate measureable outcomes, rather than direct specific performance processes, as in the case with a Statement of Work. In addition, the Agency plans to leverage FAR 15.202 (Advisory Multi-Step). The Advisory Multi-Step process is conducted to allow potential prime contractors to submit qualifying documentation demonstrating corporate qualifications that will allow the government to advise them about their potential to be a viable competitor.

The Advisory Multi-Step process is a voluntary submission and is entirely independent of the subsequent source selection process for the acquisition. The outcome of the Advisory Multi-Step process does not preclude any interested Offeror from submitting a proposal for the subsequent solicitation. The intent is to save the Agency and interested parties both time and money in the development and evaluation of proposals. (Note: Interested parties determined to be non-viable may opt to respond despite the Agency’s determination.) The Agency will not publish the resultant viable and non-viable determinations. Each interested party will be notified by the Agency of their determination.

How Will the Agency Apply Performance Based Acquisition?

After the Advisory Multi-Step viability assessment, the Agency will release a Solicitation containing the Statement of Objectives (SOO) which will describe the Agency’s goals and objectives and also list any constraints (policies, regulations, etc.) that must be addressed/factored into the Offeror’s proposed solution. At that time, the Agency will make available a library of current practices and processes as background information that prospective Offerors may refer to while developing their proposed solutions.

How Will Interested Parties Respond To The Solicitation?

After release of the solicitation and before development of proposals, the Agency will hold exchanges (discussions) and possibly conduct site visits with prospective Offerors. These interactions will be aimed at promoting the exchange of vital information between the parties toward improving the Offeror’s understanding of the Agency’s requirements and current operations, and the Agency’s understanding of the Offerors’ capabilities as outlined in FAR 15.201(b). Interested parties will be treated fairly and impartially. During such interactions, the Agency will adhere to the standards of procurement integrity per FAR 3.104.

Once exchanges (discussions) conclude, prospective Offerors will be asked to submit their written technical, management and cost proposals. Their solutions will be expected to be documented in the form of a Performance Work Statement that describes how they will provide their solution to meet the Agency’s desired outcomes.

The Agency believes that this collaborative approach will result in better proposals and a more informed award decision.

Current Recordkeeping Services Acquisition Procurement Schedule.

An outline of procurement activities for this acquisition, which is subject to change, is as follows:

Pre-Solicitation Invitation to participate in the Advisory Multi-Step Process - September 2017 posted at www.FBO.gov Advisory Multi-Step process complete/potential Offerors notified - December 2017 of their viable/non-viable determination

Solicitation Phase Solicitation posted at www.FBO.gov - December 2017 Discussions with Offeror(s) - February 2018 – October 2018 Anticipated Award - April 2019

All interested parties are encouraged to monitor this site for additional announcements.

Questions regarding this notice.

Any questions regarding this notice may be sent to RKSA@tsp.gov and are due no later than 3:00PM EST, Monday, 28 August 2017. All questions will be posted anonymously with associated responses at www.FBO.gov.

http://www.fbo.gov/ mailto:RKSA@tsp.gov