Virginia Contracting Activity, P.O. Box 46563, Washington, D.C. 20050-6563

D -- DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE GLOBAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS SUPPORT SERVICES (DIGIS3) SOL DP2/0313Z/98 DUE 032098 POC Ms. Ernestine Cooper, 202-231-8460 WEB: Defense Intelligence Global Information Systems Support Services (DIGIS3), http://www.dia.mil/vaca/dgis3.html. E-MAIL: Information Technology Acquisition Staff, AQrutra@dia.mil. The Defense Intelligence Agency is seeking qualified sources capable of providing the following information Systems (IS) services to develop a source list for future possible procurement. These services include the complete set of tasks related to operating and maintaining DIA system servers and clients plus the network they run on. The tasks required by DIA are of a local (Washington D.C., metropolitan area), Continental United States (CONUS), and global nature. Contractor personnel shall be required to be United States citizens that possess Secret and/or Top Secret, Sensitive, Compartmented Intelligence (TS/SCI) clearances. A U.S. security clearance is a condition of employment. The majority of DIA's requirement is for TS/SCI indoctrinated personnel. The successful service provider will be able to support local, CONUS, and global systems services with a high level of expertise and responsiveness. It is important to recognize that DIA's IT environment is a unified architecture. What is used in the Washington metropolitan area is also used at DIA sites elsewhere in CONUS and at Embassies and diplomatic facilities in over 110 foreign nations. Changes to one component of DIA's IT system at any single location may have significant effects across the global architecture. It is anticipated that a significant effort will be required over the next three years to upgrade DIA's Information Technology (IT) systems overseas. This is a requirement drawn about in part by the Year 2000 date phenomenon for IT systems and as the result of DIA's capital equipment replacement program. Support to our diplomatic facilities is a special challenge. Staff visits to our diplomatic sites must be well planned. Travelers will at times face long transits, the inconvenience of lesser-developed countries, and need to solve challenging technical issues without support from staff or resources in the United States. Setting up DIA's diplomatic systems demands that individuals possess strong competency in establishing local area networks, operating systems, personal computer applications and general trouble shooting. The target environment for these overseas diplomatic sites are Pentium processor-based systems running the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 operating system. Applications include Microsoft Office 97, Lotus-Domino E-mail. Communication protocols include X.25 and TCP/IP. Bandwidth ranges from 2.4 kbs to T1 speed. The majority of DIA's overseas network operates at the 2.4 kbs speed. The ability to support customer training in application use and basic trouble shooting is an added requirement. In order to establish diplomatic site system operations, DIA usually sends teams of 2 to 4 individuals (depending on the site's size and complexity) for 5 to 10 days per site visit. While overseas, the team may visit more than one site before returning to the U.S. On occasion it is necessary to divert travelers to different theaters or nations in the case of emergency. DIA has sites within the Continental United States (CONUS) that use both SUN Sparc andPentium processor-based equipment. Operating systems include Solaris 2.x, Microsoft Windows NT, and Windows 95. Applications include ApplixWare 4.3, Office 97, Netscape 3.0/4.0, and WINDD. Communications services include encryption devices, Network Encryption Service (NES), routers, gateways, Ethernet LANs (TCI/IP), and associated equipment/protocols. Services that are required include application installation, LAN configuration management, database administration (DBA), system tuning, trouble shooting and user training on applications. At DIA in the Metro D.C. area, systems services can be defined in classes of inseparable business functions due to the interdependent nature of IT systems. Responsiveness and timeliness are critical factors for these tasks. DIA serves as a United States national security activity that requires immediate and precise support services. While the majority of work is accomplished during regular duty hours (7:00am -- 5:00pm, M-F), DIA is an Agency that must operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. There is no time when systems services are not required. Nighttime and weekend/holiday recalls to duty stations are a routine process for DIA IT support staff. IT Systems Support Service contractors will be expected to provide support around the clock. The time required to be notified and have someone on station can range from one to 4 hours. Recall times are dependent on the problem at hand. Regardless of the required recall time for a given moment, there must always be personnel available during normal duty hours and on recall to resolve IT systems issues. Successful contractors will be able to demonstrate an integrated support process that meets these technical areas: Direct, desk-side, customer training and support (Office 97 and DIA-specific intelligence applications) IT system problem solving for customers (telephonic and desk-side) Client optimization and administration Server optimization and administration Printer optimization and administration Network optimization and administration DIA requires a cadre of qualified support staff to handle a myriad of issues related to system operations. There is a daily requirement for highly skilled systems scientists, application specialists, and engineers. These personnel will augment DIA staff to solve the most complex integrated system problems. Such personnel need to be experts in Unix and certified in the NT operating system. While Unix (SUN Solaris 2.x) and MS NT 4.0 are the most prevalent environments, DIA also maintains IBM S/390 systems running modern IBM operating systems and services; Hewlett Packard servers and user agents for the Defense Message System (DMS); some Digital Equipment Corporation Unix servers and clients (Alpha class), Mackintosh PCs, and Silicon Graphics servers. Our Huntsville, Alabama site has a host of high performance computers to include Crays, and high end SGI systems in a clustered environment. Services for all of these systems is a requirement. All systems services must be coordinated with close precision. Any system change can have a dramatic impact on activities across the global network. Excellent services management, therefore, is fundamental to this task. Experience in a global U.S. intelligence systems support environment is highly desired. The ability to surge personnel from one global area to another is a requirement. The ability to rapidly surge resources and skills beyond the specific staff supporting DIA is critically important due to the rapidly changing nature of local and global situations. Flexibility, strong technical expertise across a broad range of skills, a deep pool of Secret and SCI-indoctrinated talent, exceptional management support, and the willingness to solve the problem -- get the job done -- is DIA's requirement. Submissions should be limited to 15 pages and should be pertinent and specific in the technical area under consideration, on each of the following qualifications: (1) Experience: an outline of previous projects, and specific work previously performed or being performed; (2) Personnel: Name, professional qualifications and specific experience of technical personnel, software development/maintenance personnel, configuration management personnel, and any other relevant personnel who would be performing the services listed above. Knowledge gained through training may be considered. Include any other specific and pertinent information as pertains to this particular area of procurement that would enhance our consideration and evaluation of the information submitted. It is the government's intention to include an Organization Conflict of Interest Clause in this effort. CONTRACTORS MUST IDENTIFY THEIR BUSINESS TYPE (i.e., small disadvantaged business, small business, 8(a) certified business, woman-owned business, etc.) and address whether they can handle some or all the requirements identified. This synopsis is for planning purposes only, and does not constitute a solicitation for bids/proposals. Responses will assist the Government in determining whether to set-aside/restrict competition in some way or solicit offers from all responsible sources. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this announcement. A Competition Advocate has been appointed to hear concerns from potential offeror or offeror's during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The purpose of this Competition Advocate is to receive and communicate serious concerns from potential offerors when established channels are not used to address concerns during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Potential offeror's should communicate first with the Contracting Officer (Mr. Carl Edwards, DAP-2, 202-231-2834) to request information, pose questions, and voice concerns before contacting the Competition Advocate. In those instances where potential offeror or offeror's cannot obtain resolution from the Contracting Officer, they are invited to contact the Defense Intelligence Agency Competition Advocate, Mr. Charles E. Keightley, 200 Mac Dill Blvd, Room F2-909, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, DC 20340-3342 or at 202-231-2821. For issues related to small businesses matters, please contact the Defense Intelligence Agency, Director for Small and Disadvantaged Business, Mr. Michael Earnhardt, (SD), 200 Mac Dill Blvd, Room F2-905, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, DC 20340-3342 or at 202-231-2822. For all other contracting issues, please contact Ms. Ernestine Cooper, Contract Specialist, and Virginia Contracting Activity at 202-231-8460, or fax 202-231-2831. Packages must be received not later than 2 p.m., 20 March 1998, at the Defense Intelligence Agency, Building 6000, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, DC 20340-3342.. (0061)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0042 19980304\D-0011.SOL)