U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Management, 441 G. Street N.W., Room 6851, Washington, DC 20548

99 -- PERSONNEL SECURITY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS SOL OAM-2000-N-0026 DUE 051200 POC Lourie Blount (202) 512-3714 Description: The U.S. General Accounting Office has a requirement for a contractor to conduct personnel security background investigations. We anticipate award of a contract for a base year (FY-2000) and four one-year option periods (FY-2001, FY-2002, FY-2003 and FY-2004. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation in accordance with the format in FAR subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. This is a Small Business Set-Aside. Proposals are not being requested. Solicitation OAM-2000-N-0026 identifies the Government's Request for Proposal (RFP). This combined synopsis/solicitation is organized in 5 parts: 1) General Requirement 2) Evaluation Criteria, 3) Format of Proposals 4) Applicability of FAR Provisions, and 5) Cost Proposals. I. General Requirement: The contractor will conduct personnel security background investigations. Definitions of Terms: 1) Corroboration -- confirmation through interviews or determination that another agency verified information. 2) Verification -- confirmation through record review. Investigative Requirements: All investigations shall meet and be conducted in accordance with the investigative requirements set forth in Executive Order 12968. The contractor shall handle all case coverage requirements including the submission of the paperwork for a National Agency Check. The contractor will comply with the following investigative requirements: Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) Applicability: Required level of investigation for: 1)Access to Top Secret information 2)Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) 3)"Q" access authorizations 4)Assignment to High Risk Public Trust position Investigative Coverage: 1)National Agency check (NAC) to include that of spouse or cohabitant and immediate family members if applicable. (NAC to be conducted by FBI) 2)Corroboration of date and place of birth when discrepancies exist. Standard requires corroboration at some point, not just when discrepancies exist. 3)Verification of U.S. citizenship of subjects born abroad and immediate family members (spouse, cohabitant, mother, father, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters) 4)Verification of all employment for the past seven years. Employment references interviewed at all places of employment of six months or more. Verification of prior federal employment and military service, including type of discharge. Corroboration of periods of unemployment exceeding 60 days. 5)Interviews of four references, at least two of which are developed who have knowledge of subject and collectively span at least the last 7 years or since the subject's 18th birthday. 6)Interview of any former spouse divorced within last ten years. 7)Confirmation of all residences for the past three years through interviews of neighbors and record reviews. 8)Review of criminal history record information maintained by state and local criminal justice agencies covering locations of subject's residences, employments, and school attendance of six months or more for the past ten years. 9)Verification of subject's financial status to include credit bureau checks covering locations of residences, employments, and school attendance of six months or more for the past seven years. 10)Search of Treasury's financial data bases consisting of currency transactions by financial institutions, international transportation of currency or monetary instruments, foreign banks and financial account, and transactions reported as possible money laundering violations. 11) Verification of divorces, bankruptcies, and other civil and criminal court actions involving subject. 12) An interview of subject. 13) Education -- corroboration of most recent or most significant claimed attendance, degree or diploma. Verification of education, if education was a primary activity during the most recent 3 years. 14) Thorough and complete development and resolution of all issues that arise during the course of the investigation. 15)Submission of such detailed documentationand records to support the investigative elements, as appropriate. SSBI-Periodic Reinvestigation (SSBI-PR): Applicability: Required level of reinvestigation for: Access to Top Secret Information, SCI, "Q" Authorizations, Other Trustworthiness determinations as authorized. Investigative Coverage: 1)National Agency Check (NAC) to include that of spouse or cohabitant if applicable. (NAC to be conducted by FBI) 2)Verification of all places of employment for the period of the investigation, and employment reference interviews at employments six months or more for the last 7 years. 3)Interviews of two references, at least one of which is developed.4)Interviews of neighbors in the vicinity of the subject's most recent residence of six months or more, and confirmation of current residence regardless of length. 5)Review of criminal history record information maintained by state and local criminal justice agencies, for the period covered by the reinvestigation, covering locations of subject's residences, employments, and school attendance of six months or more, including current residences regardless of length. 6)Verification of subject's financial status to include credit bureau checks, for the period covered by the reinvestigation, covering locations of residences, employments, and school attendance of six months or more. 7)Search of Treasury's financial data bases consisting of currency transactions by financial institutions, international transportation of currency or monetary instruments, foreign banks and financial account, and transactions reported as possible money laundering violations. 8) Interview of any former spouse divorced since the prior investigation. 9)Verification of divorces, bankruptcies, and other civil and criminal court actions involving subject since the prior investigation. 10)An interview of subject. 11) Thorough and complete development and resolution of all issues that arise during the course of the investigation. 12) Submission of such detailed documentation and records to support the investigative elements, as appropriate. National Agency Check with Local Agency Checks and Credit Check (NACLC): Applicability: Required level of investigation: Access to Secret and Confidential information. Investigative Coverage: 1) National Agency Check. 2) Verification of subject's financial status to include credit bureau checks covering locations of residences, employments, and school attendance of six months or more for the past seven years. 3) Corroboration of date and place of birth when discrepancies exist. 4) Review of criminal history record information maintained by state and local criminal justice agencies covering locations of Subject's residences, employments, and school attendance within the last five years. Special Investigative Inquiry (SII): Applicability: To prove or disprove allegations developed subsequent to a favorable clearance, access or trustworthiness determination. 1) GAO reserves the right to cancel an investigation. Payment for work conducted will be pro-rated and paid by GAO. Reportsof any interviews conducted shall be forwarded to GAO. 2) An adjudicative determination must be decided based on consideration and assessment of all available information, both favorable and unfavorable. Therefore, the factors the contractor investigator must search for and report in a personnel security investigation are: a) Allegiance to the United States b) Foreign influence c) Foreign preference d) Sexual behavior e) Personal conduct. f) Financial considerations g) Alcohol consumption h) Drug involvement i) Emotional, mental, and personality disorders j) Criminal conduct k) Security violations l)Outside activities m)Misuse of Information Technology Systems. Contractor Responsibilities: 1) The contractor shall maintain records of actual time and expense for each investigation and shall submit vouchers to GAO upon completion of individual case assignments. 2) The contractor shall assign, direct, supervise, and monitor the progress of each investigation to assure adequacy, accuracy, and timeliness of completion. The contractor must provide to GAO evidence of its quality assurance procedures. (GAO reserves the right to review, examine, and participate in the contractor's quality assurance process) 3) The contractor shall coordinate activities with the GAO Project Officer throughout the performance of this contract and shall be prepared to consult, brief, and furnish interim status reports as may be requested. Investigative Reports: 1) The contractor shall provide a complete detailed report of interviews conducted for each investigation, including all pertinent facts both positive and negative aspects of behavior. 2)The contractor shall design the format of the investigative report and offer an explanation and example of the format in its proposal. The format will be subject to GAO approval. 3) The contractor shall provide detailed instructions on report preparation to the investigators and to GAO. These instructions shall address issues such as format, use of terms, slang, jargon, abbreviations, and use of proper grammar. 4)The contractor shall summarize noteworthy information on the investigation coversheet, or highlight this information in an otherwise appropriate manner. 5) If the investigative coverage is not complete for any reason, the investigator shall provide an explanation, including a description of attempts made to fulfill the requirement, in the investigative report. 6)All information collected on behalf of GAO, relative to the investigation of individuals, is the property of GAO. It must be retained by the contractor for a period of 90 days but may be held no longer than 180 days. 7)Investigative reports and information are the property of GAO and shall not be used for any purpose other than the investigation authorized by the GAO. 8)Unclassified investigative notes and case materials maintained by the contractor shall be destroyed by the investigator or the contractor in a manner that precludes access to the information by unauthorized personnel. Conduct of the Investigation: 1) The investigator will contact the subject prior to initiating any investigation to determine whether investigative forms are still accurate. This contact may be made telephonically. 2)Investigators shall conduct all portions of the investigation in person, unless use of the telephone is warranted by exigent circumstances or a source's insistence. The fact of and reasons for any telephonic interviews shall be provided within the investigative report. 3)Investigators shall be persistent in seeking pertinent details, examples, and justification for comments made by sources or the subject and shall not leave obvious questions unanswered. 4)The contractor will conduct the subject interview portion of the investigation. If significant issues are developed during the investigation, GAO will be contacted prior to the contractor investigator initiating a personal interview to resolve significant adverse information or inconsistencies. 5)The contractor shall report to GAO, within 24 hours, information discovered during the normal course of the background investigation that indicates the subject of the investigation may be involved in felony criminal activity or any activity that may pose a threat to other persons or the national security. 6)GAO will be immediately notified if, during the course of the investigation, information is developed which indicates the Subject may have close or continuing associations with foreign nationals. Investigators Qualifications: 1) The qualification for a contract investigator shall include extensive (5 years or more) experience as a local, state, or federal personnel security investigator. Local or state experience refers to individuals who have served in a law enforcement role at the state or local level, such as detectives. 2) Contract investigator personnel shall be the subject of a background investigation which meets the scope of an initial SSBI. 3)GAO has the authority to review the qualifications of any investigator involved in the performance of this contract. 4)The contract investigator must be politeand cordial in all contacts, yet act with firmness, circumspection, and steadfastness of purpose. 5)A fair, impartial, and objective attitude must be maintained toward the person or matter being investigated. 6)The contract investigator must resist being influenced by political, religious or racial considerations, and shall avoid the forming of an opinion or theory. 7)The contract investigator must not express a personal opinion of the person being investigated nor indicate personal interest in the outcome of the investigation. 8)The contract investigator must exhibit proper behavior, good grammar and vocabulary, and good grooming and appearance. Contractors Investigator Prohibitions: The contract investigator is prohibited from; 1 Investigating any case for GAO without proper authorization. 2) Falsifying, manufacturing or enhancing testimony, or in any way misrepresenting any information collected from sources, or not reporting potentially actionable or serious information when obtained, or attempting to influence the outcome of any investigation. 3) Investigating any case where there is any doubt about the contractor maintaining a fair, impartial and objective attitude (such as relatives, friends, acquaintances, or anyone with whom the contractor has a personal involvement). 4) Furnishing information to, or asking questions of, sources that would indicate to them the contractor is in possession of derogatory information. 5) Expressing opinions about the person under investigation or about controversial matters. 6) Intentionally developing and reporting only negative or unfavorable information or only positive and favorable information. 7) Divulging or otherwise releasing any investigative information outside approved GAO channels. 8) Using techniques or devices such as: surveillance; polygraph; firearms or other weapons; phone or wire taps; concealed recording devices; paid informants; searches and seizures and mail covers. Classified Materials: It is expected that investigations can be accomplished without generating classified material. If classified material is developed during the investigation, GAO will be immediately notified. Credentials: 1) Contract investigators shall conduct Government-sponsored investigations using United States GAO credentials, unless otherwise directed by GAO. 2) GAO shall furnish investigators with appropriate Government credentials. These credentials remain GAO property. 3) Credentials shall be strictly controlled and protected. Upon issuance, accountability of credentials is assumed by the contractor. 4) Individual contract investigators shall be issued credentials on a case-by-case basis at GAO's discretion. Investigators actively working on the contract on a regular basis may retain the credentials. The credentials shall be surrendered immediately upon GAO's request or when an investigator is no longer actively working on the contract. 5) Credentials shall be used only for the purpose of conducting background investigations requested by GAO. 6) Credentials are not transferable. If credentials are lost, this fact must be reported within 24 hours to GAO and to local police. 7) Credentials shall not be photocopied for any reasons. Case Deadlines: Most cases provided to the contractor will have a deadline of 45 working days, calculated from the date the case is received by the contract representative until the complete investigative packet is received by GAO. Cases will be sent via certified mail. The contractor shall ensure that all cases are completed within this period or provide notification by phone, as early as possible if this deadline will not be met. GAO reserves the right to request an investigation be completed in less than 45 working day. II. Evaluation Criteria: FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -Commerical Items. This is a best value procurement. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the government, price and other factors considered. The following factors will be used to evaluate offers: 1) past performance and contractor qualifications (60 points) and 2) responsiveness to technical requirements identified above (40 points). For this solicitation, technical quality is more important than cost or price. As proposals become more equal in their technical merit, the evaluated cost or price becomes more important. The following questions will be asked when checking your references, to determine past performance and contractor qualifications: 1) Are the investigations completed in the agreed upon time schedule? If not, is the requester notified that the time schedule cannot be met? 2) Is the quality of the reports sufficient? 3) Is adverse information immediately brought to the requester's attention? 4) Has the requester received any adverse information concerning the investigators professional behavior? 5) Would you hire the firm again? III. Format of Proposals: Proposals are due in this office no later than 2:00 PM Friday, May 12, 2000. The point of contact for this requirement is Lourie A. Blount (Business Analyst) telephone number is (202) 512-3714. Submit Proposals (if mailed) to U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Office, Acquisition Management Room 6B46, 441 G Street N.W., Washington, DC 20548, Attn: Lourie A. Blount or (if handicarried) to U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Management, c/o OGC Correspondence Control Team, 441 G Street N.W., Washington D.C., Attn: Lourie A. Blount. Proposals may also be submitted via e-mail to blountl.gsc@gov.gov or faxed to (202 ) 512-2658 or (202) 512-2879, Attn: Lourie A. Blount. IV. Applicability of FAR Provisions: The following Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provisions and clauses apply to this solicitation and are incorporated by reference. Federal Provision 52.212-1 -- Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. Offerors must include a completed copy of FAR provision 52.212-3 -- Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with their offer. The following clauses also apply to this synopsis/solicitation: FAR 52.212-5 -- Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, 52-212-4 -- Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, Conditions. Offers will be evaluated in accordance with FAR Provisions 52.212-2, Evaluation of Commercial Items, price and other technical factors considered. FAR Provision 52.212-5, a facsimile proposal applies. V. Cost Proposals: The following fixed rates shall apply for payment purposes for the duration of the contract. Period of Coverage and Proposed Rates: Present date to September 30, 2000: 1) Single Scope Background Investigation -- Qty1 @ $ ___________ (per investigation) = $ __________ 2) Periodic Reinvestigation -- Qty 10 @ $___________ (per investigation) = $ __________ 3) National Agency Check w/Local Agency Checks and Credit Checks-Qty 10 @ $___________ (per investigation) = $ _________________ Period of Coverage and Proposed Rates: October 1, 2000 to September 30, 2001: 1) Single Scope Background Investigation -- Qty1 @ $ ___________ (per investigation) = $ __________ 2) Periodic Reinvestigation -- Qty 10 @ $___________ (per investigation) = $ __________ 3) National Agency Check w/Local Agency Checks and Credit Checks-Qty 10 @ $___________ (per investigation) = $ _________________ Period of Coverage and Proposed Rates: October 1, 2001 to September 30, 2002: 1) Single Scope Background Investigation -- Qty1 @ $ ___________ (per investigation) = $ __________ 2) Periodic Reinvestigation -- Qty 10 @ $_______ Posted 05/04/00 (W-SN451489). 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