Electronic Systems Center, Specialized Contracting Branch (ESC/PKOB), 104 Barksdale St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806

B -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION DIVISION, 66TH AIR BASE WING, HANSCOM AFB, MA POC Lt. Trevor Haak, Contract Specialist, 617-377-2447; Ms. Janice Book, Contracting Officer, 617-377-4592. The Communications and Information Division provides life cycle management of Communication -- Computer Systems (C-CS) to over 6,000 users and controls $50M C-CS inventory. This synopsis constitutes an RFI for informational and planning purposes only. The responses to this RFI shall address the applicability of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. Contractors who feel that this acquisition can meet the definition of a Commercial Service found in FAR 2.101 should provide the following: Customary practices regarding customizing, modifying or tailoring of services to meet customer needs and associated costs, customary practices, including warranty, buyer financing, discounts, etc., under which commercial sales of the services are made, the requirements of any laws and regulations unique to the services being acquired, size and status of potential sources, customary practices regarding quality assurance procedures, and any other terms and conditions that would govern this type of acquisition. On February 28, 1997 it was announced, under the direction of HQ/AFMC that the 66th Air Base Wing, Communication and Information Division was to be the subject of an A-76 Cost Comparison/Direct Conversion Study. The Federal policy for the performance of recurring commercial activities was established in the 1983 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-76, "Performance of Commercial Activities". The intent of the program is to determine the most efficient and effective method of providing service. The study will determine whether commercial activities should be performed under contract with commercial sources, or in-house, using Government facilities and personnel. Any resultant solicitation may include the following, subject to change depending on varying mission requirements. Functions performed include: Planning and Implementation, Systems Support, Systems Maintenance, Program Control, and Support to sustain the Communications and Information Division at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA. (1) Planning and Implementation includes: providing short and long term technology, planning, design, testing, and integration, defining and satisfying C-CS requirements and processes for customers and utilizing the best, most cost-effective solutions, and providing software training to approximately 4,000 personnel annually, resource management to over 3,000 C-CS manpower authorizations, and frequency management support for over 800 requests per year. (2) Systems Support for 24 hours a day operation of computer systems and distributed network environment as well as remotely monitoring and troubleshooting over 70 computer system servers resources. Services include: managing and securing local and wide area and DoD networks for processing classified and unclassified messaging, providing guidance and establishing policy pertaining to official mail, correspondence management, electronic mail management, and facsimile mail, and managing and operating the Base Personnel Locator and the Base Information Transfer Center (BITC), which is responsible, in part, for the pick-up and delivery of official mail, classified and unclassified, to on and off base organizations. (3) Systems Maintenance includes: overseeing repair of all Information Technology Equipment (ITE), including mainframes, network hardware, fiber optics, and data connections, maintaining base-wide sound system, UHF ground-to-air radios for the Command Post and Flight Operations, and mobile public address (PA) support, and processing over 1,200 requests annually for telephone requirements and serves as the single focal point interfacing with the Army's Boston-Defense Metropolitan Area Telephone Service (DMATS), which provides telephone switch and dial tone. (4) Program Control provides oversight to support contractor under Management Information System Technical Services (MISTS) contract and managing all related budgetary actions for the Communications and Information Division, including staff element requirements for ITE, training reimbursements, development requirements, and equipment purchases. (5) Support includes: providing guidance and establishing policy for records management, managing large printing requirements, copying requirements, distribution of publications and forms, and critical documents, and providing proficiency development of all clerical personnel resources. These functions are integrated to provide complete communications and information support to Hanscom's customers while focusing on quality filled practices. The duration of this contract, with all options, is anticipated to be five years. The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notification or otherwise pay for any information or inquiry. This synopsis does not constitute a request for proposal, and is not considered to be a commitment by the government. A Separate Sources Sought Synopsis requesting the capabilities of respondents capable of satisfying the requirements stated herein will be published at a future date. All respondents that can provide the any of the requested information should reply in writing within 30 days of this publication to Lt Trevor Haak, ESC/PKOB, 104 Barksdale St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806. (0176)

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