Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 28, 2008 FBO #2467
SOLICITATION NOTICE

70 -- IT Service Managament System

Notice Date

8/26/2008
 

Notice Type

Modification/Amendment
 

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, Maryland, 20910
 

ZIP Code

20910
 

Solicitation Number

NCNA2400-8-40884
 

Response Due

9/3/2008 12:00:00 PM
 

Archive Date

9/18/2008
 

Point of Contact

Robert M McNamara,, Phone: 301-713-0820x144
 

E-Mail Address

robert.mcnamara@noaa.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

SOLICITATION NCNA2400-8-40884 - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Below are Qs and A's pertaining to the solicitation. They are in no particular order. Numbering is redundant. No additional questions will be entertained. Reference: Combined synopsis/solicitation. Text: Entire passage 1. Question: Expected Award date is not provided. Please help us understand your expectations. Award is expected by September 20, 2008. Reference: 5.3 Professional Implementation Services Text: Entire section 2.Question: It is not clear how pricing of professional implementation services will be evenly evaluated for all responders. Is the vendor to estimate hours and labor categories over the planning period ? Or will all vendors be evaluated against the same number of hours ? The vendor should estimate the hours to implement the customized system over the planning period and price it. Multiple References: Paragraph 1 Background: "The system will initially support 15 concurrent service desk analysts supporting approximately 100 customers. It is anticipated that the system will grow to support approximately 20 distinct service desks, 100 service desk analysts, and 2200 end-user customers." Paragraph 4.2 System Requirements: "System must support up to 60 simultaneous agents and while supporting 2,500 end-users (120 simultaneously)." Paragraph 5.1.2 Client Licenses: "The contractor will provide user licenses to support: • Fifteen (15) concurrent-use service-desk analysts • Five (5) Service Level Managers • Unlimited number of end-user self-service/self-help customers" 3.Question: From the above references, a multitude of configuration scenarios and assumptions may be presented to National Ocean Service. So that vendors are evaluated evenly, please clarify the minimum requirements so that the software licensing estimates are appropriately matched. The initial implementation must support 15 concurrent-use service desk analysts, 5 service level managers, and up to 2200 end-users. The implementation must be sized to support the potential addition of 85 service desk analysts operating out of 20 distinct service desks supporting a grand total of 2200 end-users. Reference: 5.2.2 Technical Support Text: The first bullet; "24x7x365 telephone emergency problem resolution." 4. Question: How long is the contractor expected to provide technical support? Is the vendor to be evaluated on 90 day support requirements, one year support requirements, or other time frame? The vendor is expected to provide one year of technical support along with maintenance. Will the agency require 5.2.2 support to be performed onsite ? No. Can we assume that the technical support will begin after the implementation phase and will be extended for one year? Yes. Reference: Combined synopsis/solicitation. Text: Entire passage 5.Question: Expected contract duration is not referenced. Please define. Vendor is expected to provide professional services to implement the software per stated requirements. Vendor is expected to provide one year of maintenance and technical support. Future service is not assured Reference: 5.2.2 Technical Support Text: 24x7x365 telephone emergency problem resolution. 6.Question: Software support via email, telephone, and through the internet is included with the software maintenance. Are there support requirements beyond what is typically provided through software maintenance? If so, please clarify any additional requirements. No. 1. Is this RFQ going to result in a procurement this FY, i.e.-by end of September 2008? Yes. 2. Are there any current management tools (such as network fault mgmt or enterprise systems management tools) that need to be integrated into the ITSM solution? In addition to Active Directory, NOS would like to integrate Microsoft Systems Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007, Systems Center Operations Manager 2007 (SCOM), and RightAnswers Knowledge management solutions. 3. Is the desire of this procurement to procure a software change management tool as an integrated piece of the ITSM solution or is there an existing software change management tool currently implemented that would need to be integrated? If the latter, please name said technology. Yes. NOS would like to have an Change Management solution as an integrated piece of the ITSM solution. 4. Are there any other software packages/technologies that we need to integrate with in support of NOS enterprise services such as desktop services and security services? Not at this time. 5. The SOO indicates that the ITSM solution needs to support a single sign on capability. Is that with respect to the ITSM solution itself or does that imply that there are currently NOS applications that require an integrated single sign on capability? The proposed ITSM solution should integrate with an existing Active Directory domain allowing single sign-on with AD credentials. 6. Is this project directed towards software vendors only, or can small consulting firms bid the work whom have a working relationship with an appropriate vendor? No. Small consulting firms can bid the work as long as they can demonstrate that they can satisfy the requirements. 7. 2. Can I use subcontractors under my company to help me complete the implementation? Yes. 8. 3. Will NOS have an assigned technical team to assist in the software implementation? NOS will have an assigned technical team to assist in the implementation. 9. 4. Can you confirm that the schedule is for the software to be implemented and complete within 90 days? Does this include applicable training? The expectation is that the software will be implemented within 90 days. This includes applicable training. 10. Are you leaning toward a particular product? (Looks like BMC Remedy... please confirm) 11. We have evaluated a number of products. We are asking vendors to propose a solution that satisfies our stated requirements. 12. 2. What system are you currently using? What version? 13. We do not currently have an ITSM system implemented in NOS. 14. 3. In addition to the standard out of the functionality, what integrations and customizations are you expecting in the first 90 days? 15. We expect to integrate with Active Directory, Systems Center Configuration Manager, Systems Center Operations Manager, and RightAnswers. 16. 4. What are the integrations points and what systems are going to give a onetime feed? 17. To be determined. We would like to limit the number of one-time feeds. 18. 5. How many CI's are you managing from SMS? 19. Currently approximately 2600 computers and 50 applications. 20. 6.Is SMS the only tool used for CI's or will there be others? 21. Currently SCCM -- there may be others as we evaluate solutions for managing non-Windows systems and applications. 22. 7. Is there going to be a reconciliation process included with the integration points for CI's? 23. If necessary 24. 8. Are we connecting to a people database such as Peoplesoft for dynamic updates? 25. No 26. 9. Is all your data cleaned and ready for importing into the system? If you think it is ready, what system did you get it from and is it aligned with ITIL processes? Please describe. 27. No 28. 10. Are we creating reports as part of the project or just showing your team how to get the data? 29. It is anticipated that the contractor will provide sufficient training so that NOS personnel can create reports and retrieve the data themselves. 30. 11. What type of federated data is expected to be integrated within the tool? 31. TBD 32. 12. How many people and in what roles will NOAA assign to the project to work with the contractor? 33. NOS has a team of 4 who will be working with the contractor in various capacities (technical, oversight, engineering). 34. In the Notice on FBO it states that the system will grow to 2200 end user but in the Statement of Objectives it says must be able to support up to 2500 end users. Which number should we base our technical requirements from. Please use 2200 end users. Sorry for the confusion. 35. 2. The requirement also asks for the ability for 60 simultaneous agents to be on at the same time. Is that broken down into Tiers of support (Tier 1- Call Center, Tier 2 -System Administrators, Tier 3- Developers or SME) and how many of the 60 are dedicated Tier 1 support needing access all the time. The requirement does not distinguish between Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 agents simultaneously access the system. Please assume an appropriate mix of 60 call center, SAs, Engineers accessing simultaneously. 36. 3. In section 5.1.2 it asks for 5 Service Level Managers to have access how many are going to actively 100% of the time on the application verses intermittent logging on the application. All Service Level Managers will use the system intermittently. 37. 4. Section 4.3.8 Knowledge Management also talks about the integration with existing Right Answers product. Is it fair to assume the Right answers is already operational in production and the product and development will be already established prior to the ITSM integration or will new development have to be included in our proposal. Also are we trying to use the ITSM (Remedy) Knowledge Management functions or will it be either (Right Answers or the BMC Knowledge Management product if selected). It is fair to assume that RightAnswers is already operational. 38. 5. What reporting tool in section 4.3.1.1 will be used in conjunction with the selected product (Business Objects, Crystal, Reportal) If reporting is not a core component of the ITSM solution, the vendor should propose an appropriate tool. 39. 6. Is the planned testing period for all users and user training on the 75th Day Yes 40. 7. How many users on the 90th Day will be using the system via web/client tool At initial implementation: 100 end-users and 15 agents. 41. 8. How will the customer handle delays not in the Vendor control that may occur. Customer will work with the vendor to adjust the schedule appropriately to accommodate government-caused delays outside of the control of the vendor. 42. 9. Will there be any preferences given to businesses with set-asides standards of (Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business or any ) even though this is an open small business requirement. The requirement is a small business set-aside. 43. What Service Desk utility is NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) currently running? Please provide version #. NOS is currently running a few different service desk applications: Heat, Track-It, and home-grown. 44. Does NOS expect infrastructure architecture and pricing for HW and HW licensing to be included as part of this bid? Or will NOS provide the necessary HW infrastructure for a development/test and production ITSM system environments? NOS will provide the necessary H/W infrastructure for the development and production ITSM system environments -- bids should not include H/W pricing or H/W and operating system licensing costs. 45. Would NOS provide copies of its existing processes identified in Section 4.3, which would be the basis for our solution? Processes referred to in section 4.3 are still under development and revision. 46. Are these processes compliant with and map to the ITIL V2 or V3 framework? If so would you be able to provide a matrix mapping them? Processes will be ITIL v3 compliant. 47. What are the personnel security requirements for this RFP? U.S. Citizen and or public trust?No specific personnel security requirements. 48. No where in the document does it identify whether pricing is CPFF or T&M with allowable ODC's. Please provide clarification. The RFQ states that the award will be fixed price 49. RFQ page 3, Section 4.2. Please provide further definition of minimal. Doe sit mean minimal HW footprint, minimal management, or both?Minimal H/W footprint. 50. Will this system be deployed in a virtual server environment? If so, which Virtualization toolset will be used?System will not be deployed in a virtual server environment initially. Proposed solution should support running in a virtual environment for potential deployment in the future. 51. What components of RightAnswers does NOS currently use?Self-service, Support Analyst, and Solution Manager. 52. Does NOS require formal training to be provided at NOAA facilities in Silver Spring, MD, Washington, DC metro area, or first commercially available training in the U.S.?No specific training-venue requirements have been identified. Vendors should propose a training solution that will be evaluated along with all other factors to determine best value to the government. 53. Would NOS evaluate Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for ITSM equally with a locally installed and run ITSM solution? NOS is not considering Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions at this time as it has determined that these solutions introduce significant IT Security concerns with regard to Certification and Accreditation of systems outside the boundary of our security systems and third-party access to government data. 54. Has NOAA NOSS engaged a ITSM consultant to develop ITSM process or modify existing processes to be complaint with ITIL v2 or v3 guidance? Specific to the processes identified in Section 4.3 of the RFQ? If not has NOAA NOS included this level of effort in it basis of estimate for the project cost and duration? Yes, NOS has engaged an ITIL/ITSM consultant.
 

Web Link

FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f597e8e435d552e48da2ea31e735058f&tab=core&_cview=1)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, United States

Zip Code: 20910
 

Record

SN01651624-W 20080828/080826225705-f597e8e435d552e48da2ea31e735058f (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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