SOLICITATION NOTICE
D -- USAC Request for Information for Schools & Libraries Information Technology System Integration Services
- Notice Date
- 11/7/2011
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541512
— Computer Systems Design Services
- Contracting Office
- Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Managing Director, Contracts and Purchasing Center, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20554
- ZIP Code
- 20554
- Solicitation Number
- USAC-SL-RFI-2011-11-07
- Archive Date
- 12/7/2011
- Point of Contact
- Jay H. Beard, Phone: 202-776-0200
- E-Mail Address
-
rfp@usac.org
(rfp@usac.org)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Base Notice: USAC Request for Information including for Small Business Consideration: Schools & Libraries Information Technology System Integration Services - USAC-SL-2011-11-07 INTRODUCTION The Universal Service Administrative Company ("USAC") is requesting information from system integrators, NAICS code 541512, capable of providing the services set forth herein inclusive of small businesses, including disadvantaged, woman-owned, HUB-zone, veteran-owned, and service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, (collectively, "small businesses"). The Federal Communications Commission ("Commission" or "FCC") appointed USAC the administrator of the Universal Service Fund ("USF") and the universal service support mechanisms- High Cost ("HC" Program"); Low Income ("LI Program"); Rural Health Care ("RHC Program"), including its pilot program; and Schools and Libraries ("SL Program"), also referred to as E-rate, as set forth in Title 47, Part 54, Section 701 of the Code of Federal Regulations. USAC administers, subject to FCC regulations, directives and oversight, the USF and the Programs. This request for information (RFI) pertains to a future requirement for the procurement of system integration services for an information technology solution to support the day-to-day SL Program operations and administration of applications and commitment processing, invoicing, and customer service/relationship management. The functions performed by USAC in conducting SL Program operations are similar in certain aspects to government grant application evaluation and management. USAC will be conducting a competitive procurement to contract with a systems integration vendor that will recommend/implement a solution to replace the current set of heavily customized IT computer systems and to expand its capabilities that will enhance our operations and customer experience. USAC desires a mainly commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based solution with limited customization that USAC will maintain and operate after deployment. USAC contemplates awarding a single firm-fixed-price contract of three years duration. USAC will use also the information received in response to this RFI to plan for small business participation in the competition for this contract. USAC is not a federal agency, a government corporation, a government controlled corporation or other establishment in the Executive Branch of the United States Government. USAC is not a contractor to the Federal Government. The contract awarded as a result of the RFP will not be a subcontract under a Federal prime contract. However, USAC conducts its procurements in accordance with the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with the FCC, which requires USAC, as a general matter, to apply designated provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulations ("FAR"), including requirements for full and open competition. SCOPE OF SERVICES The system integration services include, but are not limited to, the following primary functions: •(1) Designing and implementing an integrated information technology (IT) solution to support the day-to-day business operations of the Schools and Libraries Program utilizing COTS products with minimum customization; •(2) Integrating the financial transactions into USAC's existing financial and general ledger applications in compliance with federal financial management; •(3) Procuring the COTS product licenses; •(4) Conducting in-depth training on the newly developed IT solution to USAC IT and train-the-trainers for business operations; and •(5) Transitioning the IT solution to USAC IT for ongoing operations and maintenance. There are broad arrays of specific business functions that fall within the scope of these wide-ranging functional areas, each of which is governed by detailed operating procedures. Information about the SL Program is available at: http://www.usac.org/sl/. The high level business functions are as follows and many of the reviews and services vary for each program fund year: • •· Application intake (online and paper forms). •· Application review and decision (automated and manual multi-level reviews and varies based on service type requested). •· Budgeting/obligation of funds (commitment). •· Invoice payment intake and processing (automated and manual multi-level reviews). •· Post-commitment intake and processing such as appeals, audits, and commitment adjustments, etc. (automated and manual multi-level reviews) •· Manage status of participants in the SL Program. •· Provide customer service to participants in the SL Program. •· Manage mailing and letter retention. •· Manage eligibility of services supported by the SL Program. •· Manage business rules and user administration. •· Provide reports The capabilities that are envisioned to support the above business processes are: •· Customer relationship management (including customer service, contact management). •· Document/content management. •· Business rules management. •· Forms design and management. •· Workflow management. •· Data management (entry, retrieval, query, import, and export). •· Reporting. •· Search tools. •· Application level access control/security. •· Fulfillment/notification management. •· Online self-service/portals. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO BE MET •· Firm must demonstrate experience in performing similar system integration services supporting a state or federal governmental grant/funds distribution program. •· Firms must be capable of providing resources suitable to the level of effort required to complete all work efficiently, accurately and within the time required. •· Firms must have a satisfactory record of past performance in assignments of similar scope and complexity. •· Firms must not be barred from receiving federal government contracts. DESCRIPTION OF YOUR FIRM Please briefly describe your firm's ability to meet the needs of this future procurement. Your description should include: •· Your overall experience in performing services similar to those identified in this RFI; •· Your resources for meeting the staffing requirements for the services described above; •· Your experience with implementing solutions for grant-like application processing; •· Your experience in designing and implementing solutions to support the full life cycle of a grant-like program as described in scope of services section above; and •· List of contracts in previous three years conducting similar services specifying the solution provided, the scope of business processes implemented, the implementation phases, level of effort, duration of the implementation, the COTS products used, and any custom software developed in the solution. Indicate for the budgeting and payment functions whether these capabilities were provided within a grant management application or through integration with a financial management system. Provide the total dollar value of the contract and the dollar value details for each of these subareas: COTS licenses purchased (indicating the number of users), COTS implementation/configuration services, custom software developed, hardware purchased, and hosting services. •· The identity of your firm as a small business (e.g., small business, small disadvantaged, small woman-owned, small HUB-zone, small veteran-owned, or service-disabled veteran-owned businesses); and •· Your average annual revenues for the past three years. General This announcement is for information purposes only. This announcement shall not be construed as a commitment by USAC. This is not a request for proposals and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with the provision of the information requested in response to this announcement. Respondents will not be notified of the results of any evaluation. This is a Request For Information (RFI) only. Responses to the RFI should be emailed to Jay Beard at rfp@usac.org no later than 5:00pm Eastern Time on November 22, 2011. Submissions received after this date and time may be reviewed but may not be considered in contract planning or in the creation of a solicitation. Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future competition for this requirement.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/FCC/FCCOMD/FCCCPC/USAC-SL-RFI-2011-11-07/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, District of Columbia, 20036, United States
- Zip Code: 20036
- Zip Code: 20036
- Record
- SN02619227-W 20111109/111107234439-526c66c1ef2ff128289d7192789924ad (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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