SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- Litigation Case Management System
- Notice Date
- 3/30/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541512
— Computer Systems Design Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Procurement Services Staff (PSS), 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. National Place Building, 10th Floor, Washington, DC, 20530
- ZIP Code
- 20530
- Solicitation Number
- DJJU-05-RFP-0332
- Response Due
- 4/22/2005
- Archive Date
- 5/7/2005
- Description
- LITIGATION CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Purpose This is a Sources Sought announcement for a planned upcoming DOJ solicitation to acquire the Litigation Case Management System (LCMS) described below. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Specifically, this RFI is seeking submission of descriptions of IT product/solution and consulting services that provide functionality needed by DOJ to support common litigation case management business needs in the 94 U.S. Attorneys Offices and the six other major DOJ litigating divisions, and share information across organizational boundaries. The emphasis of this RFI is to identify a wide range of possibilities that would support the initial phase of the LCMS functional requirements. Background The Department of Justice (DOJ) is in the process of developing an enterprise architecture for the Department using a common solutions approach. Common solutions are business solutions that support two or more organizations, and help the Department achieve interoperable systems that exploit economies of scale. Case Management has been identified as an area of opportunity for common solutions within DOJ and across the federal government. Under the guidance of the OMB?s Lines of Business (LoB) Program to develop business-driven, common solutions across agencies, DOJ leads the Case Management Common Solutions Program. LoB solutions address distinct business improvements to enhance the government's performance and services for citizens. The objective of all LoB efforts is to save taxpayer dollars, reduce administrative burden, and significantly improve service delivery to citizens. The Case Management Common Solutions Program Vision: Using common solutions and data standards, case management information is easily and appropriately shared within and across federal and other government agencies, and with citizens. Through the Case Management Common Solutions Program, DOJ seeks to develop and implement an enterprise architecture for sharing case-related information within and between DOJ components, partner agencies, and the public. The architecture will effectively capture information once, and make it available to all authorized users. The current litigation case management environment at DOJ does not support efficient, automated information sharing or streamlined reporting abilities. Far from acting like a unified law firm in support of a central mission, Justice litigation divisions (or ?components?) are highly decentralized, and information is stored in numerous disconnected systems. For example, when a case is turned over from a litigating division to a U.S. Attorney?s Office (USAO), copies of the paper case files are made and are sent via mail or courier. As case information is received from the division, the USAO creates their own independent case file, and re-enters case data into their own case management system. Once the USAO takes the lead on the case, the originating division no longer has the ability to monitor case status or view updated case information in their own system(s). Litigation Case Management System This announcement is focused on litigation case management, in particular the Litigation Case Management System (LCMS). LCMS is the first specific investment to emerge from the Case Management Common Solutions Program. Litigation case management systems serve three levels of business needs: At the legal professional level, case management systems allow legal professionals to track and manage information about, and in support of individual cases. At the supervisory level, case management systems allow supervisors to track and report performance, and balance case workload across their organization. At the executive level, case management systems provide organizational performance data to support executive level decision-making, including recognizing trends and allocating resources in support of mission and strategic goals. The initial set of LCMS functionality falls primarily within the supervisory and executive levels of the three levels of case management needs described above. Litigation support tools, used by attorneys to organize and manage individual cases, as well as new document and records management functionality, are not part of the initial scope. Phase 1 of LCMS is expected to include general functional capabilities such as case information management and reporting, caseload and performance reporting, and attorney time reporting. Specific Litigation Case Management Services are described in the next section. The LCMS program will use a phased, incremental approach to transition over time to the target architecture consisting of a suite of configurable and extensible IT solutions built upon a common foundation. LCMS will be required to provide an interface or integration with certain current applications and databases for other functionality. Examples of such functions are: debt collection, records, and document management, electronic case filing, and other capabilities to be determined. The primary customers for this investment are the seven DOJ litigating component organizations: the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (representing the 94 US Attorneys? Offices), the Antitrust Division, the Criminal Division, the Civil Division, the Civil Rights Division, the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and the Tax Division. Litigation Case Management Services The essential IT services currently planned for inclusion in LCMS Phase 1 include the following: Forms Management- These services facilitate the creation, modification and usage of electronic forms used to capture case-related information in a structured format. These services, limited to case management support needs, assist with the management of electronic forms containing blank fields that users can fill in with data. An important aspect of automated data exchanges, the use of electronic forms allows case-related information to be captured in a standard format for database entry. Reports Generation - Many kinds of reports need to be generated from a case file, including periodic case status reports, which can be shared with supervisors, managers, and clients. Reports generation services support the organization of data into useful information. Reports need to be generated using either a pre-defined format or a user-defined (ad hoc) format. Reports generation tools should provide an intuitive user-interface and a capability to access a variety of data sources. Reports generation also supports multiple output formats, as well as the conversion of data into graphical form, to include presentation of information in the form of diagrams, tables, charts and graphs. Search and Query ? These services include ad hoc searches, to allow users to browse through the internal database of case files to find all the records entered by a certain attorney, or cases that were decided in a particular jurisdiction, or records that contain a particular term. Database search functionality also allows the retrieval of case-related information within the bounds of user-selected parameters such as a subject category, date range, etc. Also included is the ability to search against information within and across cases searching on multiple keys. Security and Privacy - This group of LCM support services defines capabilities needed to support effective measures to protect and safeguard information and systems from inappropriate or unauthorized use, alteration, loss, or destruction. Safeguards must also be implemented to assure that case management data is collected, stored, and managed in ways that assure the continuous protection of personal information within the constraints of the Privacy Act and other applicable policy. Reliable and secure communications links must also offer adequate protection against unauthorized access to case information and case files. Two types of IT services are included in this group: a. Security Management and Monitoring ? These services are used to ensure continuous observation of security rules and regulations; ensure appropriate level of protection for case related information and data; ensure data is protected against unauthorized modification, use, destruction, or disclosure; and assure confidentiality, integrity, and availability. b. Privacy Assurance ? These services assure adherence to rules and regulations concerning the safeguarding of sensitive information covered by the Privacy Act and other applicable policy. Case File Data Management ? Case File data management services determine what data elements should be captured and how data should be used and stored. These services facilitate the storage, processing, exchange, and general administration of case-related data in the case file. The case file is utilized to provide management oversight to litigation or administrative activity, e.g. management of case-related resources, assignments, authorizations and status changes, including metrics and accomplishments. The case metadata includes the access controls applied to the case, the individual or organizational unit assigned primary ownership of the case, the individuals? or organizational unit?s assigned co-ownership of the case, the organizational unit directly managing the case, and the case classification under which the case file is categorized. The service will maintain the history of all case metadata. Data access controls are based on statutory and other component-specific policy constraints. Automated Data Exchanges - Support for automated data exchanges between case management activities is needed to facilitate the timely exchange of case related information with other entities. During Phase 1, this service will support the exchange of case information with DOJ?s litigating divisions. Long-term, this service will be expanded to include information exchanges with investigative and other partner agencies such as the IRS, the EPA, and the U.S Courts. Data Aggregation/Synthesis - Data aggregation and synthesis support services address the need to reconcile data from various sources to ?normalize? the perspective of summary views or reports. These services support the aggregation of data collected from multiple sources or at different time intervals, typically to support roll-up reporting needs at the Component or Department level. Information can be summarized in a manner that reconciles inconsistent data points to create a synthesized view of aggregated data that accurately projects an enterprise view of the current status as well as performance progress. By making data aggregation and synthesis services part of the LCM solution, better decision-support services can be provided. Managers will still have access to details behind the aggregated results, for verification and validation purposes. Synthesized views of case information will be based upon unified business rules that can eliminate the ?double counting? of reported cases and also help to reconcile conflicting reports that result from local variations in business rule applications. Client Management - This group of LCM services considers the need for IT services to support the management of day-to-day client relationships. Clients include partner agencies of DOJ litigation components such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Clients also include federal investigative agencies (such as ATF, DEA, FBI, and certain divisions of DHS). Victims of crime are also treated as LCM clients, for witness notification and/or witness protection purposes. These are the types of IT services included in this group: a. Client Relationship Management - These services provide capabilities needed to plan, schedule and control interaction between a client and DOJ attorneys both before and after a service is provided. DOJ must maintain contact information with the customer points of contact starting with basic information such as addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses. b. Calendaring and Event Scheduling ? These services include the need to maintain a calendar and to schedule entries for upcoming court appearances, filing deadlines, meetings, and hearings. c. Alerts and Notifications - These services relate to capabilities needed to allow someone to be contacted in response to ad hoc matters or events of interest. For example, when hearings and docket-driven events are about to occur, notifications can be sent to alert various external points-of-contact as well as internal members of a litigation team. Performance Measurement - These services are concerned with the development, refinement, and usage of performance metrics. These services support the planning, scheduling, capturing, and validation of metrics used for measuring performance effectiveness, in the context of Component?s mission goals and objectives. Business Rules Management - Business rules are reflected in locally determined practices or procedures that govern the way business activities are routinely performed. For example, the business rule governing the closing of a case file in one litigating component might be ?when the courts have rendered a final judgment?; in another component, the same rule may be ?when all residual activities (such as debt collection) have been completed.? Business rules management services are applied at both the Department and Component levels to normalize enterprise reporting on the performance of business activities across organizations, and to allow for controlled flexibility in local applications of common business rules. These services support the ongoing refinement and consistent application of case management business rules by automating the process of maintaining records of the applicable rules, which can be changed by (authorized) users when circumstances require modifications to be made to existing business rules. Resource & Assets Management - This group of LCM services covers the collection of capabilities needed to support the management of resources and assets. The following types of services are encompassed by this group: a. Workforce Management - These services are used by supervisors and managers faced with the challenge of supplying scarce resources to satisfy a fluctuating demand for those resources. These services support the planning and supervision of a Component?s personnel, with an emphasis on the allocation of resources to satisfy constant changes in caseload demands. Tools are needed to assist with the monitoring and assessment of current caseloads as well as the projections of future caseloads. b. Conflicts Checking - Automated support is needed to enable managers to access knowledge management support for conflicts checking, which provides powerful search capability for probing case information stored in the case-file database, to detect potential conflicts of interests with respect to intended case?related work assignments. c. Time Reporting - These services support the preparation, submission, approval and adjustment of hours worked by a Government employee and tracking that time to specific case, matters, or programs. To ensure continued reliability of online time reporting processes, tools are needed to enable the efficient tracking and reporting employee work hours. Key Considerations Key considerations that will influence the LCMS Phase 1 acquisition include the following: Scalability and Flexibility: The solution must be scaleable and tailorable across a broad spectrum of organizational structures, geographically dispersed locations, and diverse organizational requirements. DOJ is an organization with over 10,000 users in multiple litigating divisions, and 94 U.S. Attorneys? offices located across the 50 United States and Territories. Non-exclusivity: The solution must preserve benefits of competition. Furthermore, since virtually all organizations will need to apply an incremental deployment strategy to successfully transition their environments, robust interoperability capabilities designed for open systems and industry standard platforms are required. Interfaces: The solution must interface with e-government initiatives and program support systems including, but not limited to document management, records management, and debt collection. Section 508 Requirements: All electronic and information technology procured must meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36 CFR 1194, unless an agency exception to this requirement exists. 36 CFR 1194 implements Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and is viewable at http://www.accessboard.gov/sec508/508standards.htm. Security: The solution must comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Sharing of Information: Consistent with recent Executive Orders, the solution shall be extensible to support common standards for information sharing, such as the Global Justice XML Data Model and the National Information Exchange Model. RFI Questionnaire Interested companies are requested to answer the following questions within the page limits indicated: Questions related to your company. 1) Briefly tell us about your company and case management product and service lines and those of your partners and value-added resellers 2) Identify the principal customers that currently use your products and services. For federal/state/local government customers, provide primary points-of-contact. 3) What is the largest or most complex implementation you have completed? 4) Are your solutions operational and proven? 5) How do you approach and solve scalability issues? 6) How did you determine or measure customer return on investment and performance improvements? 7) Describe how you have integrated stand alone or disparate case management systems into an enterprise capability that allowed sharing of information. 8) What were the toughest problems you have encountered and how did you overcome them to deliver a successful case management capability? 9) Describe your experience in implementing case management systems in large organizations with multiple independent business units and geographically dispersed offices. 10) Describe your approach to data conversion and data quality. 11) How do your solutions allow flexibility to accommodate changing business requirements? 12) Describe your approach for interfacing/integrating with other applications (e.g. Document Management, Records Management, Debt Collection, etc.) 13) Describe how your solution meets government security and privacy requirements. Questions related to the case management marketplace. 1) Who are the major case management vendors and what integrators have successfully completed large-scale implementations of these products? 2) Who are your main competitors? 3) What information assurance capabilities are available (e.g., Public Key Infrastructure, access control, roles and permissions, Continuity of Operations, etc.)? 4) Where do you see the case management marketplace going in the future? Questions related to the DOJ LCMS program. 1) If you were the Department of Justice, how would you approach the challenges as presented in this RFI? 2) What are the top five things we should look for in a good case management capability (technical and operational)? 3) What are the top five concerns we should look out for (program management, cost, technical, and operational risks)? 4) What are the advantages and disadvantages of contracting directly with a case management vendor vs. contracting through a third party integrating contractor? 5) How would you approach a solution to our scalability problem (10-15,000 users in more than 100 sites worldwide)? 6) Do we need a litigation-specific solution, or a more general solution that can be configured to litigation and individual DOJ component needs? What tailoring mechanisms are necessary and effective? 7) What evaluation factors would you use for source selection? 8) What performance measures would you use for implementation and O&M? 9) What kind of incentive plan would you recommend we implement? Instructions to Respondents Responses to the RFI must be electronically submitted to the Department of Justice in care of Pragmatics, Inc. no later than 12:00 PM EDT April 22, 2005. Email soft-copy of all response files to LCMSRFI@pragmentics.com. The Pragmatics point of contact is: Thomas F. Thoma Pragmatics, Inc. 7926 Jones Branch Dr. Suite 711 McLean, VA 22102 Ph: (703) 761-4033 ext 113 Fax: (703) 761-4089 Please respond in a Question/Answer format for each question in the RFI Questionnaire (pages 7 & 8). If you choose not to respond to a question, indicate ?no response? and identify the rationale. Responses must be submitted in Microsoft Word 2000 or later. Responses shall be in contractor format printable on plain bond paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches with one-inch margins with print size no smaller than 12 point Times New Roman for narrative and 10 point for tables and graphics. The total file shall not exceed 20 pages. Please answer the questions in the order presented. Original Point of Contact Gregory Newsom, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 307-1962, Fax (202) 307-1933, Email gregory.l.newsom@usdoj.gov. The best way to reach the POC is via email and not via phone.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, DC and other US States and Territories
- Zip Code: 20530
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20530
- Record
- SN00778484-W 20050401/050330211819 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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