General Services Administration, Federal Technology Services, Office of Information Security (TIB) Acquisitions, 7th & D. Sts., SW, Room 5060, Washington, DC 20407

48 -- COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE SERVICES, ELECTRONIC ACCESS, ACCESS AMERICA, ACES, COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATE SERVICES SOL TIBA98003 DUE 021398 POC Jon Faye, Contract Specialist, 202-708-6099 E-MAIL: Office of Information Security, jon.faye@GSA.GOV. Notice of intent to issue Access Certificates for Electronic Services Request for Proposals. The General Services Administration, Federal Technology Service (FTS), Office of Information Security (OIS) intends to request proposals for providing Access Certificates for Electronic Services (ACES) support to the Federal government. The Federal government is striving to increase efficiency, productivity, and citizen access to government information and services through the introduction of modern information technologies. This presents new challenges relating to the integrity and availability of information gathered, stored, processed, and transmitted by the government. One such challenge is to ensure that access to an individual's personal information is restricted to the individual in question, and that the integrity of the information is protected when transmitted using public networks like the Internet. It is therefore necessary that the individual citizen and the government be able to mutually authenticate each other's identity, and ensure the integrity of the information being transmitted and received. One way to do this is by issuing digital signature public key certificates to participating individuals, businesses, and government agencies. These certificates can then be used during electronic communications to mutually authenticate identity and ensure the integrity of the information. The government believes that ACES-type support is commercially available from multiple sources, and intends to procure such services for use by select government agencies and the citizens who wish to communicate with them electronically. The Proof of Concept service procured will include: verification of certificate applicants identity; registration of certificate applicants who have successfully completed the identity verification process; a robust means for generating and protecting applicants private keys; a means of providing and issuing certificates; marketing of the services; on-line validation of certificates 24 hours per day and 7 days per week; renewal of certificates; suspension and revocation of certificates; billing of participating government agencies by registered application (on the basis of a cost per certificate validated); and maintenance of a customer service center that will operate 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. In addition, all offerors will be required to offer systems integration and end-to-end communications support, as requested by government agencies on a delivery order basis. All offerors are also required to propose development of a software-based Certificate Arbitrator Module (CAM) that will be used by the participating government agencies to receive incoming access requests and route them to the appropriate certificate authority for validation. Multiple awards of an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity firm fixed price type contract are contemplated with one of those awards being reserved for a capable small business. Each award is intended to have a base period of performance not to exceed two years and three one-year option periods. Small businesses are encouraged to participate. The solicitation is anticipated in the February, 1998 time frame. ACES services are intended to commence within six months of a contract award. To be placed on a bidders mailing list and receive a copy of the Request for Proposals, please transmit a request to the attention of the General Services Administration, FTS, Office of Information Security, Center for Business Services (TIB) Acquisitions, 7th & D Sts., SW, Room 5060, Washington, DC 20407. Attention: Jon Faye (ACES). Requests may also be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 708-7027. The Request for Proposals will be available in Microsoft Word 7.0 format on GSA's Internet mail address at http://www.gsa.gov/aces. GSA will also make available electronic copies of the Request for Proposals in Microsoft Word 7.0 format on 3.5-inch diskettes to all parties on the bidders mailing list that request a copy. GSA will reserve a limited number of hard copies of the Request for Proposals. All bidders list requests should include company name, point of contact name and title, address, telephone number, fax number, and Internet E-mail address. Companies should also provide their DUNS number and business size, according to the size standard for Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code 4899 -- Communications Services Not Elsewhere Classified, which is $11,000,000 per year average revenues over the past three years. Comments should be addressed to General Services Administration,. Federal Technology Service. Office of Information Security, Center for Business Services (TIB) Acquisitions, 7th & D Sts., SW, Room 5060, Washington, DC 20407, Attention: Jon Faye. (0358)

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