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THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This Request for Information (RFI) supports the Department's efforts to conduct market research in support of the comprehensive review of the use and need of the Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute (HSSEDI) FFRDC in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 35.017 (see attached draft Statement of Objectives (SOO)).

This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government. This is NOT a Request for Quotations or Proposals. No solicitation document exists, and the Government may or may not issue a formal solicitation as a result of the responses received to this RFI. The Government will not pay for any response or demonstration expenses. All costs incurred responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Failure to respond to this RFI will not preclude participation in any future solicitation. Any information received will become the property of the Government and will not be returned to the submitter. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or sensitive information.

Government technical experts drawn from staff within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies may review responses. The Government may use selected support Contractor personnel to assist in the review of the RFI responses. These support Contractors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary information.

I. Introduction

The purpose of this RFI is to identify:

a) qualified and interested sources with the capability to provide the services identified in the draft SOO included in the RFI attachment. Responses to this RFI will be used to assist the Government in completing a comprehensive review of the HSSEDI FFRDC and resulting acquisition strategy;

b) opportunities in which the FFRDC can continue to evolve, proliferate, and demonstrate solutions to address increasingly complex needs of the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE); and

c) emerging and potential capabilities that can be deployed in support of the HSE in the future.

II. Scope

The HSSEDI FFRDC shall provide specialized independent and objective technical and systems engineering expertise to Department Components, program managers (PMs) and operating elements in addressing national homeland security system development and integration issues through the following but not limited to focus areas and core competencies:

1. Acquisition Planning and Development


2. Emerging Threats, Concept Exploration, Experimentation and Evaluation


3. Information Technology, Communications


4. Cyber Solutions/Operations


5. Systems Engineering, System Architecture, and Integration


6. Technical Quality and Performance


7. Independent Test and Evaluation

See the draft SOO for further details.

III. Questions for Industry

Responses to this RFI should address the following questions:

1. What experience does your organization have in the development of Acquisition Program Baselines (APB) and Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), development test and evaluation plans, and other milestone decision documentation in accordance with the DHS Systems Engineering Life Cycle (SELC), to support the HSE's most critical and complex programs?


2. What is your organization’s experience to developing functional analysis models, component tradeoff simulations? What tools and metrics are used to assess system tradeoffs and integration strategies?


3. Describe your organization’s experience with developing unique testbeds, critical lab experiments, and assessment techniques to support the evolution of system concepts?


4. What is your organization experience with ensuring interoperability with Homeland security systems software development models, standards, and protocols interoperability and spiral developments?


5. What is your organization’s experience with developing complex integration descriptions for system and sub-system technical data packages, particularly critical functional, physical, logical and operational interface protocols and standards?


6. Explain organization’s experience with development and implementation of standardized, effective, and efficient system engineering best practices in homeland security program development to integrate the system with the user community through analysis and planning for: configuration management, deployment logistics, manufacturability, training, operations and maintenance, infrastructure, safety and environment, and disposal. Also address developing and promoting standardization of technical data package elements to promote cross-program synergies over time?


7. Explain your organization’s experience with identifying critical capability gaps particularly in areas where technology may be expected to contribute substantially to solutions?


8. Explain your organization’s experience providing support and service to the DHS Enterprise for an urgent requirement to address a natural disaster, cyberattack, a foreign and/or domestic act of terrorism, or supply chain resiliency issue?


9. Explain your organization’s experience and current efforts with leading edge technologies and solutions with Block Chain; Digital Transformation (digital twin/digital thread); Augmented Reality; Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning; and Quantum Computing. Note: If there are other technologies that the Contractor is currently researching that would be of benefit to and in support of the focus areas, they are encouraged to provide those technologies recommendations in the response.


10. Describe your organization’s experience identifying and implementing technical standards, prototypes, systems engineering, and system/sub-system technical data packages which address the need for solutions to new and evolving systems requirements?


11. Most support staff positions require security clearances up to the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalize Information (TS/SCI level). Address if your staff already have these clearances, and if not, explain your organization’s capacity to ensure that staff can get these clearances?

IV. Submission Requirements

Responses from all interested sources with previous experience operating as a FFRDC are encouraged to respond. Responses shall be a maximum of 20 pages and include the following information:

1. Company Legal Business name and Physical address


2. Business size/socio-economic category under NAICS Code 541715, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)


3. Company points of contact including phone numbers and email addresses


4. A comprehensive response that addresses the 11 questions delineated above.


5. Identify if you firm currently holds any Best-in-Class (BIC) vehicles (e.g. OASIS, GSA GWAC, GSA MAS contracts, etc.), to include the applicable contract number.


6. Identify if your company has experience operating as FFRDC and if your company would be interested in competing for this requirement as prime contractor or subcontractor, if solicited. If subcontracting, identify any joint ventures or teaming arrangements that would be pursued.

Submissions shall me made using Microsoft Office applications. Font shall not be smaller than 12-point Times New Roman. Please provide your response to this RFI no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, September 8, 2023 to the DHS Headquarters Office of Procurement Operations (OPO) Contracting Officer LeShanna Calahan; leshanna.calahan@hq.dhs.gov, Contract Specialist Donna Wright, donna.wright@hq.dhs.gov and ST.FFRDC@hq.dhs.gov.

Any questions and inquiries must be submitted to the email addresses above.

V. Industry Day

The Government may hold an Industry Day for this requirement. Details regarding an Industry Day will be provided at a later time.

Note: The Government reserves the right to hold one-on-one meetings as a result of responses received from this RFI as part of its market research. Meetings may be held with companies who provide comprehensive and relevant responses to the topic and questions in this notice.

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