SOURCES SOUGHT
U -- Quantitative Analysis Training Center (QATC) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of University Programs (OUP) - RFI for DHS OUP QATC
- Notice Date
- 7/21/2015
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 611310
— Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
- Contracting Office
- Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Washington, District of Columbia, 20528, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20528
- Solicitation Number
- RFI-OUP-2015-QATC
- Archive Date
- 8/29/2015
- Point of Contact
- Jessica T. Wilson, Phone: 2022542274
- E-Mail Address
-
jessica.wilson@hq.dhs.gov
(jessica.wilson@hq.dhs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- RFI Quantitative Analysis Training Center for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of University Programs (OUP): INTRODUCTION: This notice is issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Office of University Programs (OUP) to solicit information about potential sources to establish a DHS Quantitative Analysis Training Center. This is a "sources-sought" Request for Information (RFI) synopsis only. This synopsis is a market research tool used to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources prior to determining the method of acquisition. All interested parties are encouraged to respond. This RFI is not a solicitation or request for proposals. A contract will not be awarded as a result of responses to this RFI. BACKGROUND Office of University Programs (OUP) engages the academic community to conduct research and analysis, and provide education and training to enhance the Department of Homeland Security's capabilities. OUP's three focus areas include: Centers of Excellence : The Centers of Excellence (COEs) are managed by OUP to perform research and development activities to provide critical homeland security tools, technologies, training, and talent (including over 100 tools, technologies, and knowledge products either in pilot studies or use). The COE network is an extended consortium of hundreds of universities, firms, research laboratories, and government agencies that generateground-breaking ideas for new technologies and critical knowledge. All COEs work closely with academia, industry, DHS components, and first-responders to develop customer-driven research solutions to operational homeland security challenges, as well as providing essential training to the next generation of homeland security experts. The COEs' research portfolio is a mix of basic and applied research addressing both short and long-term needs. The COEs' extended network is also available for rapid response efforts. Workforce and Professional Development : OUP's university-based network promotes education programs to develop essential scientific and technical expertise through a suite of scholarship, fellowships, courses of study, and research opportunities. These programs provide mission-critical training to homeland security practitioners around the country and prepare the next generation of scientific and engineering leaders. Minority Serving Institutions Programs: OUP has developed significant engagements with Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) on behalf of DHS and the broader HSE. OUP requires the participation of Minority Serving Institutions in the DHS Centers of Excellence Program both as lead and as partner institutions. MSI Scientific Leadership Awards (SLA) fund the development of homeland security science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (HS-STEM) teaching initiatives, curriculum, and scholarships at MSIs. The DHS Summer Research Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions engages early career faculty, along with undergraduate and graduate students, in research that will provide them opportunities to understand the mission and research needs of DHS. This RFI is to encourage private for-profit and non-profit entities to identify their capabilities to, and suggest how they would, help OUP transition the science, analytical and engineering knowledge and capabilities developed at the COEs and MSIs into the hands of DHS operators in usable formats. IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE RESPONDENTS: This Request for Information (RFI) is subject to the provisions of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3, and is issued solely for information/planning purposes. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation for proposals, a commitment to issue a solicitation for proposals, or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. This RFI shall not be considered as an obligation by the Government to acquire any products or services. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI. There is no entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government as a result of a Contractor submission of responses to this RFI or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any Contractor's input submitted in response to the RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. The Government recognizes that proprietary information and data may be part of this effort and, if so included, such data should be clearly marked. PURPOSE: This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only. Respondents will not be notified of the results. All responses to this sources-sought synopsis must also include a complete listing of contracts in which the submitting entity is performing training support services as described above, as either a prime contractor or subcontractor. OUP is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including Small Disadvantaged (SDB), 8(a), Woman-owned (WOSB), Veteran Owned (VOSB), Service Disabled Veteran Owned (SD-VOSB), and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) businesses, as well as any for-profit or non-profit educational institutions, and any U.S.- accredited institute of higher learning. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 611310. OBJECTIVE The services required will support the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE) through OUP in developing one or more pilot programs involving one to three DHS Components to determine specific academic-related quantitative capabilities each participating Component needs most., For example, components may need advanced (big) data analytical capabilities and tools, economic analysis, statistical analysis, risk analysis, modeling and simulation, etc. Based on the outcome of the pilot(s), by coordinating with the relevant existing Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Minority Serving Institutions, the selected contractor will: (1) Identify the type of training courses necessary to keep an analytical workforce current in capabilities to successfully perform demanding work assignments and challenges within a continuously evolving threat environment; (2) Design curricula for tailored professional training program(s) in various DHS Components, and develop methods for offering such training along with strategies and best practices for delivering such training to adult learners to enable the DHS Components to support continuing education for their employees; (3) Define classroom and online offerings, software, and using IT platforms compatible with DHS systems not only to deliver training, but to also allow students and supervisors to track current training status, program completion history. Provided training of end users for online portals with responsive Help Desk support; (4) Identify marketing and communications strategies to be used to develop ongoing outreach to the customer on training opportunities and: (5) Ability to create and execute a business plan for financial transactions to include, but not limited to issuing invoices and receiving payments for offering a training program over an extended period of years. DESCRIBE/PROPOSE/IDENTIFY: The capability statement shall address following capabilities for each of objectives listed above. Relevant experience shall be limited to the past three years, and include: • Conducting successful pilot programs and tools used to identify training gaps in a workforce that is established at a headquarters location as well as multiple field offices located domestic and international. • Building functional partnerships with academic institutions and federal agencies. • Establishing collaborative learning where individuals from multiple components train together. • Establishing successful training programs for customers with similar needs and backgrounds as DHS, to include but not limited to: developing curricula for data and mathematical analysis, adversarial behavior (e.g., game theory), economics, engineering, etc., and translate abstract thinking into plain language to decision makers. • Developing and using innovative training methods, strategies, and best practices for delivery of training to adult learners i.e. in a classroom setting, web base, faculty leading seminars, delivering simulations, case studies, lectures, etc., with the ability to adapt to the various levels of knowledge of the students. • Identifying training locations to train DHS workforce in addition to web-based or other distance learning. • Establishing successful website portals to include but not limited to: secure user accounts to access training opportunities, sign up for courses, track progress, and obtain verification of program completions/certification(s), as well as training history. • Demonstrating prior development of sustainable and user-friendly web-based portals, and providing Help Desk support to end-users. • Training end users for access to web-based portals. • Establishing IT platforms compatible to DHS systems. Additionally, the entity providing information in response to the RFI shall specify: • A proposed period of performance (POP) for the effort. • A proposed contract type. • An organizational chart with key personnel identified. • Proposed timeline with deliverables and milestones. • Proposed marketing and communication strategies • Relevant experience during the past 5 years (Contract number(s), contract type, and associated values) Provide a reference (Name, Phone Number, and Email). • A recent audit by a federal cognizant agency, if available, demonstrating understanding of federal contracting requirements. SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTATION: Interested offerors possessing capabilities that meet or exceed the above requirements should submit a capability statement of 10 pages or less (excluding the cover letter), demonstrating its ability to perform the effort described above. The submission shall be prepared in either PDF or Microsoft Word; Single spaced, with a minimum 12 point font, and one inch margins (PAGES IN EXCESS OF THE STATED REQUIREMENT WILL NOT BE REVIEWED). The cover letter shall include the following information: • Company or entity Name and Address • Business Size and Business Size Status (i.e. large, small, small disadvantaged, women-owned small, HUBZone, 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned, non-profit, e.g. (501)(c)(3).) • Affiliate information: (i.e. parent company, joint venture partners, potential team partners, prime contractor or subcontractors) • Point-of-Contact name, phone number, and email address. The Government reserves the right to contact some or none of the responders to this announcement. All material received will be kept by DHS and will not be returned. No information received will be shared by DHS to contractor support or competitors. No fees will be paid for submission to this announcement. This announcement also is being used to identify potential college/university submitters, therefore we used the NAICS of 611310, however; we will accept submissions from companies with the NAICS code of 611430. Submit your response in a Microsoft Word or compatible format document in no more than ten single-spaced pages, 12 point, Times New Roman font, using a minimum of one-inch margins. The due date for the submission of responses to this RFI is 2:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on August 14, 2015. The RFI response should be sent via email to Ms. Jessica Wilson, Contracting Officer at Jessica.Wilson@hq.dhs.gov. Any questions related to this RFI should be directed to the Contracting Officer at Jessica.Wilson@hq.dhs.gov. RFI-OUP-2015-QATC
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DHS/OCPO/DHS-OCPO/RFI-OUP-2015-QATC/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Contractor shall propose based on the RFI, United States
- Record
- SN03804228-W 20150723/150721234957-36cc5f2063fa3fcc3099b245345f08da (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |