SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- Request for Information - Managed Email Solution for Outsourced Email Messaging and Collaboration Services
- Notice Date
- 2/2/2006
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541512
— Computer Systems Design Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, SSMC4 - Room 7601/OFA61 1305 East West Highway, 7th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910
- ZIP Code
- 20910
- Solicitation Number
- RFI-135006
- Response Due
- 2/21/2006
- Archive Date
- 3/8/2006
- Description
- This is a Request for Information (RFI) for a managed email solution for outsourced email messaging and collaboration services for the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA). ITA is exploring options for outsourcing a managed solution that migrates the organization?s 4600 accounts from Lotus Notes to Microsoft Exchange email messaging and collaboration services capabilities and operations. The objective is to transition to a fully integrated, standards-based email system that utilizes Microsoft Outlook on the desktop and Outlook Web Access via a Web Browser. The following should be included and addressed as basic services or as options to basic services: - A managed, outsourced messaging solution that uses best-in-class operational procedures and teams to migrate, implement, upgrade, provide for day-to-day maintenance of email and collaborative services infrastructures, and to provide systems administration, account administration, user training, and customer support (help-desk). - Advanced security features that provide external email connectivity, and addresses concerns such as viruses, spam, and denial of service attacks. - Value added messaging capabilities such as secure messaging, mobile messaging, hosted messaging, email marketing services, and email retention and archival features. - Full Integration with BlackBerry handheld devices. - Remote access from telework or temporary duty locations. - Message system availability of 99.5% with failover and redundancy built-in. - Capability to provide full Continuity of Operations to include an immediate hot swap over to a site other than the primary operational site. - Capability to provide and maintain full Certification and Accreditation status to ITA in support of the system (Meets requirements of Federal Security Act, OMB Policies, and NIST Guidance) The scope of this request covers 4600 accounts for roughly 3000 user desktops at the Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Office 2000 levels. The current messaging client is Lotus Notes Domino version R6. Servers are currently at either the Windows 2000 or the Windows 2003 level. A rough breakdown of email accounts by major category for DC Headquarters (three locations), Domestic Field (eight regional hub locations), and foreign field (five geographic regions) is detailed as follows: Headquarters, Washington, DC Accounts: 2300 Average mail File Size for retention and archive: 500 MB per account Domestic Office (Outside DC) Accounts: 600 Average Mail File Size for retention and archive: 200 MB per account International Office (80 Countries) Accounts: 1700 Average Mail File Size for retention and archive: 200 MB per account Regarding average email messaging traffic estimates, inbound mail into ITA main email gateway total 50,000 - 60,000 emails per day while the average outbound email totals 20,000 - 30,000 emails per day. The ITA Organization The International Trade Administration (ITA) helps U.S. businesses participate fully in the growing global marketplace. ITA provides practical information to help select markets and products for exporting. See http://www.export.gov for more information on how we help exporters and foreign buyers. ITA ensures that U.S. businesses have access to international markets as required by our trade agreements. ITA also safeguards U.S. businesses from unfair competition from dumped and subsidized imports. ITA is headed by the Under Secretary for International Trade who oversees the operations of four ITA units: The Commercial Service is the primary point of contact for exporters and foreign buyers throughout the United States and the world. A global network of Commercial Officers helps to support and complete the export transaction at every stage of the exporting process. Manufacturing and Services is the Government's link to American industry. Industry sector specialists can help you identify trade opportunities for specific products or services. Market Access and Compliance keeps world markets open to your products. Country specialists can help you benefit from our trade agreements with other countries. Import Administration impartially enforces our Federal trade laws, ensuring that U.S. businesses face a level playing field in the domestic marketplace. For more information on ITA?s organizational role in promoting trade please visit our website at http://www.trade.gov. The ITA Employee Profile ITA has approximately 3,000 employees, almost half of which are in its Washington, DC Headquarters offices and the remainder of who are in about 108 domestic U.S. Export Assistance Centers and 170 overseas embassies, consulates and trade centers worldwide. ITA employees are categorized by user classes (categories of employees that share common information and/or work process requirements). In general, individuals in a user class use computer applications in similar ways even though they may be using the applications to access different data. An individual in ITA may belong to one or more user classes. ITA Customers, Products and Services, Delivery Channels Recent restructuring activities in ITA identified and defined three major types of ITA customers. They are respectively: Oversight Authorities or agencies that set goals, establish strategic direction, appropriate funds, establish statutes and/or monitor and/or govern ITA?s effectiveness. Examples include: White House, Congress (includes GAO), Department of Commerce, Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management/Foreign Service. Business Customers who are the users of ITA?s products and services: the entities around whom ITA organizes its processes and resources. Examples include: U.S. Businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. Representatives of U.S. Businesses including legal, trade associations, intermediaries, and other service providers. Foreign Importers; Foreign Participants to unfair trade proceedings. Partners who are agencies or entities external to ITA that ITA works with or through to meet Oversight Authority or Business Customer needs. Products and Services Offered to Customers ITA has over eighty existing products and services that fall into three major product and service families: Information and Education Navigating the Export Process, and Ensuring Fair Trade and Market Access Delivery Channels to ITA Customers The channels listed below represent the means of delivery of ITA products and services to its customers, whether business customers, oversight authorities, partners or internal employees, to fulfill specific needs and requests. Specific channels are identified below, along with examples of current use at ITA. Web Sites ? an automated form of delivery resulting from interaction of ITA customers or employees with ITA web sites such as Export.gov. ITA websites offer the opportunity to: Standardize information, e.g. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ?s) Personalize information based on type of ?customer?, e.g. Status of cases, Facilitate high-volume, simple transactions, e.g. filling the One-Stop registration form on Export.gov Support Form downloads, e.g. downloading PDF files for NAFTA Documentation of Origin Disseminate internal and external news quickly and broadly to a target audience, e.g. broadcast messages to employees on OurPlace Intranet E-mail - an automated form of message delivery, which supports: Asynchronous but ?threaded? communications over a period of time, e.g., correspondence relating to a trade event, trade mission, an anti-dumping or advocacy case. Complex, individualized information and communication among employees, other Federal agencies and customers. Telephone ? an automated form of communication making use of voice menus and keypad selections or supporting interpersonal communication, which facilitates: Transmittals of medium to complex information not covered by web site material, e.g., Trade Information Center assistance for exporting via new free trade zones Voice communications and services where there is poor web access, or where customers demand personal attention FAX ? an automated form of service delivery involving the delivery of document images over a telephone line to a customer?s FAX device, which supports: The need for hard copy information or where there is poor web access or no email, e.g. FAX campaigns to recruit prospects for export promotion Personal or Collaborative ? interactions between ITA?s customers and stakeholders with its trade specialists, commercial officers, trade policy experts, industry analysts and other key staff which facilitates: High-value interactions, e.g. counseling, strategy, or policy formulation sessions Foreign cases requiring intervention, detailed knowledge of foreign markets or industry sectors, e.g., USG advocacy of commercial opportunities overseas. Publication ? information published in hard copy form and delivered by physical mail or other means to the customer, which supports: In depth information tailored to a particular, market, industry, customer segment or issue. The dissemination of information that is too voluminous to be read effectively over the web. Publications may also available in downloadable versions to cut postage or other distribution costs. Additional RFI Context Considerations ITA is assessing the appropriate mix of automated versus interpersonal channels to satisfy customers at an affordable cost. Like many enterprises in the private sector, ITA is finding that channels are not a ?one-size fits all? problem. ITA?s higher value services, e.g., counseling, are not suited to automation. However, the web channel or the email channel can be used to filter requests for high-value services or to direct customers to the appropriate ITA resources. Cost per service or transaction is an important consideration for service delivery channels. A strategy to ?gravitate? customers towards the channels that provide the best quality of service for a particular type of service at the least cost can provide customers with better service while enabling ITA ?do more with less?. For example, educating customers to receive documents downloaded over the web, or to be able to check on the status of a request over the web could enable the customer to get the information on demand and less expensively, as opposed to dealing with an ITA trade specialist for mundane tasks. This frees up valuable human assets to provide better service in higher value transactions. RFI Response Requirements: ITA must accomplish its complex mission in an environment of increasing geopolitical, and global economic demands and a constantly changing technology. Therefore, the ITA enterprise planning and execution process must be broad, deep, and agile, and it requires the support of a highly developed and capable global email support system. Some of the existing Lotus Notes email and collaborative systems in use by ITA have been very effective at supporting their designated part of the overall process; however, they have evolved over the years as less than integrated systems and are running on hardware that is using older and out-of-date operating systems. Today, the email and collaborative systems in their current configurations are not able to provide the full range of capability that is essential for the effective and efficient communications and collaboration. Consequently, ITA wishes to review options for outsourcing, upgrading or replacing the existing systems and capabilities and requests responses to the following three items or categories of information: 1. Provide information on costs for migrating 3000 users and 4600 accounts from Lotus Domino to Microsoft Exchange, considering the requirements and the organizational, employee, and customer context presented above. 2. Provide per seat costs to operate and maintain the system at a service level of 99.5%. 3. Provide optional email and collaborative services and costs that you offer that are not included in your basic services for managed but complete messaging services. Request this information be provided by 21 February 2006. Important Notice ? In lieu of taking email or phone or fax questions on this RFI, please make assumptions based on the information provided herein and document them in your response. Electronic submissions by email are required. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. All responsible sources are invited to submit a description of their capabilities and experience. Additionally, information regarding type of business, i.e, Large, Small, Woman-Owned, or Disadvantaged business concern should be provided. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 541512, Computer Systems Design Services, $23M size standard applies. Comments, questions, and recommendations must be submitted by e-mail and must be received by 5:00pm EST on Tuesday, 21 February 2006. E-mail responses must be submitted to the following address: richard.parkerson@noaa.gov, with RFI-135006 noted in the subject header. This synopsis is for a Request for Information only and does not constitute a commitment on the part of the Government to purchase or acquire systems or services. The Government will not pay for data or time expended on this RFI and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a request for proposal or award a contract as a result of this request. This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Department Of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Washington, D.C.
- Zip Code: 20002
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 20002
- Record
- SN00978797-W 20060204/060202211745 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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