USDA, Rural Development, Operations & Management, Procurement Management Division, NASA Stop 0741, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-0741

D -- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DUE 060499 POC Steven Rubin, Voice: 301-504-4159, Fax: 301-504-4103, or e-mail: steven.rubin@ponrcs.usda.gov or Alternate: Sonya Kimberlin, Voice: 812-752-2269 E-MAIL: Steven Rubin, Technical Point of Contact, steven.rubin@ponrcs.usda.gov. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Service Center Initiative (SCI) provides leadership for customer service improvements that cut across all aspects of current USDA modernization efforts. The SCI activities include reorganizing and streamlining the field office structure, reengineering and integrating the business processes of service center agencies, expanding partnerships, introducing shared information technology, and improving outreach to underserved individuals, groups, and communities. One of the most important missions of the more than 2,500 USDA service centers is to ensure that underserved groups have equal access to programs and services. In accordance with this mission, the SCI will provide tools to service center agencies (i.e., Farm Service Agency, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Rural Development) to improve the delivery of information, programs, and services to the underserved rural community. Through this delivery system and in cooperation with a multitude of partner organizations, USDA will be able to increase awareness for programs that benefit limited resource, socially disadvantaged and remotely-located communities, groups, and individuals. The SCI is interested in two aspects of outreach initiatives with the commercial sector: mobile tools and training. Mobile tool information should address industry's use of fully equipped mobile offices to disseminate information and deliver products/services to persons in geographically remote locations. Specifically, mobile office information should address the ability to provide: o Remote computing capability to replicate the service center environment o Telecommunications capability o 2-3 workstation configuration o Lavatory facilities o Rough terrain operation The best practices collected will then be evaluated for possible implementation in USDA service centers where applicable. In addition, information is requested for training on the following subject areas: strategic planning; cultural diversity and sensitivity; and community development. Training information should include a general outline of the topics to be covered for each subject area and describe available training methods and media. Information pertaining to your firm's capability should include, but not be limited to goals and objectives, corporate financial data, past performance information, the type of work performed, and any additional information which demonstrates the ability to meet this requirement. This notice is for information and planning purposes only. It shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government. If the Government decides to purchase a particular best practice or training package, a solicitation for detailed technical and price proposals will be issued at a later date. No project support or facilitation from contractors is requested. All responses sh should be received by June 4, 1999. Send requested information to: USDA, Service Center Implementation Team, ATTN: Steven Rubin, Beltsville Office Facility,5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Room 2-1250, Beltsville, MD 20705. Posted 05/14/99 (W-SN331697). (0134)

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