SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Batch Location Services
- Notice Date
- 9/16/2024 3:41:20 PM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 513210
—
- Contracting Office
- RPO EAST (36C24E) PITTSBURGH PA 15212 USA
- ZIP Code
- 15212
- Solicitation Number
- 36C24E24Q0131
- Response Due
- 9/18/2024 2:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 11/17/2024
- Point of Contact
- Shannon Hukriede, Contracting Officer, Phone: (No calls shall be accepted)
- E-Mail Address
-
shannon.hukriede@va.gov
(shannon.hukriede@va.gov)
- Awardee
- null
- Description
- DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), and other Small Businesses interested and capable of providing services requested, as well as any large businesses relative to NAICS 513210 Software Publishers. The results from this sources sought notice will be used to determine set-aside. The agency is contemplating single award of a firm-fixed price requirements contract. Quantities are best estimates but not guaranteed. Responses to this sources sought announcement are not considered adequate responses to any future solicitation announcements. All interested offerors will have to respond to the solicitation announcement in addition to responding to this sources sought announcement. The Regional Procurement Office (RPO) East seeks BATCH LOCATION SERVICES sources of the following with delivery arrangements specified in the Statement of Work (SOW). Due to the need for Veteran status information, vendor s existing databases must have information on Veteran status. Vendors must be able to meet the necessary Security Requirements and Privacy Requirements in the SOW. Base Year: SOW Task# Deliverable Title Format Number Calendar Days After CO Start 1 Customize Output Format Government-specified format 10-300 3 weeks after search criteria submitted to contractor 2 Run Locator Batch Services Government-specified format Up to 300,000 24 hours after input file submitted to contractor Option Year 1: SOW Task# Deliverable Title Format Number Calendar Days After CO Start 1 Customize Output Format Government-specified format 10-300 3 weeks after search criteria submitted to contractor 2 Run Locator Batch Services Government-specified format Up to 300,000 24 hours after input file submitted to contractor Option Year 2: SOW Task# Deliverable Title Format Number Calendar Days After CO Start 1 Customize Output Format Government-specified format 10-300 3 weeks after search criteria submitted to contractor 2 Run Locator Batch Services Government-specified format Up to 300,000 24 hours after input file submitted to contractor Option Year 3: SOW Task# Deliverable Title Format Number Calendar Days After CO Start 1 Customize Output Format Government-specified format 10-300 3 weeks after search criteria submitted to contractor 2 Run Locator Batch Services Government-specified format Up to 300,000 24 hours after input file submitted to contractor Option Year 4: SOW Task# Deliverable Title Format Number Calendar Days After CO Start 1 Customize Output Format Government-specified format 10-300 3 weeks after search criteria submitted to contractor 2 Run Locator Batch Services Government-specified format Up to 300,000 24 hours after input file submitted to contractor STATEMENT OF WORK A. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Title of Project: VA Cooperative Studies Program Location Services 2. Background: The VA Office of Research and Development (ORD) Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) manages multiple research studies, research data repositories, and research registries whose mission is to advance the health and care of Veterans through cooperative research studies that produce innovative and effective solutions to Veteran and national healthcare problems. A key part of operations and maintenance for these resources is obtaining the best/most up-to-date names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and birth and mortality information on the human subjects included in these research resources. Obtaining updated information ensures the success of research efforts that require contact with these individuals, such as newsletter mailings and recruitment activities. Depending on the needs of a particular research effort, CSP may also request historic data that could date back as far as the mid-1980s. To supplement data from VHA resources, CSP obtains updated information by using a non-federal provider of location services. Location service providers - often affiliated with credit reporting agencies, manage comprehensive databases of public and proprietary records (e.g., USPS addresses and information, mailing lists, property and court records, loan information) that are refreshed daily - must be able to provide proven up-to-date names, contact information, birth and mortality information, and address histories. The location service provider s databases should contain data on all banked US adults (aged 18 years or older) due to the breadth and depth of their data sources; this must include information on Veteran status and Social Security numbers. To accomplish this, VA will securely submit an input finder file containing individuals study codes, names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, kinship data (for those whose family members are also human subjects), and last recorded addresses and phone numbers if available, to the location service provider. The location service provider will use the input finder file to accurately identify those individuals where VA needs additional data from the location specialist. The input finder file data is matched to the location specialist s data, and then that data, supplemented with location specialist data, is sent to VA. We need to establish a contract with a company that provides comprehensive location services. The cost for these services will be dependent on the number of input records and the search criteria. 3. Scope: CSP will submit requests as needed for names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, birth and mortality information, and address histories. The location services will be conducted in batches throughout the performance period and billed monthly, in arrears. 4. Period of Performance: The period of performance (PoP) shall be for a one (1) year base period plus four (4) possible option years. 5. Type of Contract: Requirements Firm Fixed Price Contract. Quantities are best estimates but not guaranteed. 6. Place of Performance: The work will be performed at the contractor s site. B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Specific Tasks. CSP will provide the location service provider with (1) an input finder file that contains the records of selected individuals and (2) the search criteria that includes the requested data elements (variables) to conduct the search for the requested information. CSP will submit multiple input finder files with varying search criteria to the contractor for location services within the performance period. Task 1 Customize Output Format The location service provider will customize the output format and run a test of the locator batch services to ensure that results (matches) are presented in a format that meets the needs of CSP; for example, a fixed width text file or delimited text file. A delimited text file is one in which each line of text is a record and the fields are separated by a known character; the character used to delimit the data should be one which does not appear in the data (e.g., pipe symbol). The output format will need to include all input fields (e.g., study code, Social Security number) of all input records, regardless of whether the search yields a match, and disposition. The output format will need to clearly label and define the variables. The contractor will provide CSP with a data dictionary. The turnaround time to build and test a batch should be less than three weeks. The test batch may contain 10-300 input records. The names, contact information, birth and mortality information, and address histories returned from the test batch will not be considered final data for those records that were input; these records will be input again under Task 2. Multiple test files and search criteria may be submitted. Task 1 Deliverables: Sample of matches presented in customized output format within 3 weeks of submission of the input file and search criteria to the contractor by CSP and data dictionary. Task 2 Run Locator Batch Services The location service provider will input the records of the selected individuals and run locator batch services to obtain the most current names, contact information, and birth and mortality information available. Addresses and phone numbers must be ordered in most recent/likely to least likely/previous. Some requests may ask for historic data that could date back as far as the mid-1980s; for example, historic address information that includes dates from 1987 to the present. The output from searches may include the following variables: Mailing addresses (multiple returns) Address, including unit number, or PO Box City State ZIP Code Address match indicator (flag) Dates associated with address (e.g., date last seen, date first seen) Phone numbers (multiple returns, maximum of 3) Area code (3-digit) Local number (7-digit) Phone number match indicator (flag) Dates associated with phone number (e.g., date last seen, date first seen) Phone type (e.g., home/landline, work/office, cell/mobile) Email addresses Deceased indicator (flag) Date of death Date of birth All matches will be presented in a customized output format specified by CSP (see Task 1). Task 2 Deliverables: Matches presented in customized output format within approximately 24 hours of submission of the input file and search criteria to the contractor by CSP. 2. Performance Monitoring. The location service provider will return results in the customized output format via HTTPS (web portal), encrypted email, portable encrypted electronic media, or other VA-approved method per VA security standards (see 8. Security Requirements). Upon receiving the output file from the contractor, CSP will review the file to verify that (1) the number of input records matches the number of output records, (2) the unique identifiers submitted to the contractor matches those returned by the contractor, and (3) the output format matches what was specified by CSP. 3. Security Requirements. C&A requirements do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required. Work does not involve contractor access to VA systems. The location specialist will not collect, process, or store VA sensitive information. The vulnerability lies in the data transmission process. Information will be transmitted via VA-compliant methods where only VA staff will be able to initiate file transfers and connections. These methods will include HTTPS (web portal) and as needed for short-term back-up needs, methods may include encrypted email, portable encrypted electronic media, or other VA-approved methods. For this SOW, encrypted means encryption that meets NIST FIPS-140-2 standards or later/higher. The location specialist will automatically delete the input finder file data provided from VA from their systems at least every 120 days. Data Transmission: The security of the system used to transmit VA information must meet VA standards. Data provided by CSP will be partitioned from the rest of the data used by the location service provider, if possible. The contractor must be able to clearly identify data provided by CSP. Transmission of data will be by HTTPS (web portal) with an associated VA Memorandum of Understanding-Interconnection Security Agreement (MOU-ISA) or other VA-compliant agreement in place. For transmission of data by HTTPS (web portal), the contractor must have a secure website that utilizes HTTPS, a secure login with username and password, and an Internet Protocol (IP) restricted to only allow authorized traffic from whitelisted IP addresses. For transmission of data, the contractor must have an IT system capable of hosting an HTTPS server. The Operating System (OS) of the system hosting the server and the server itself must meet NIST FIPS-140-2 standards or higher/later (i.e., transmission of files must use FIPS-140-2 or higher/later compliant settings). As a backup, encrypted email or portable electronic media may be used. If portable electronic media are used, security requirements include (1) encrypted portable media (e.g., encrypted files on portable hard drive), (2) placing a HIPAA Alert notice with the material (see VA Directive 6609, Appendix A), and (3) shipping via an express tracked mail service. Report of known or suspected security/privacy incident: The location service provider shall report all actual or suspected security/privacy incidents and report the information to the VA Contracting Officer and the COR by telephone or email within one hour of discovery or suspicion of a security/privacy incident. Establishment of a VA Memorandum of Understanding and Interconnection Security Agreement or other VA-compliant Agreement: Location specialist provider will execute VA-compliant Agreement to document the terms and conditions for transmitting data and information resources in a secure manner. The purpose of the Agreement is to establish a management agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the location services provider regarding the development, management, operation, and security of a system interconnection between VA and the location services provider. Technical details on how the interconnection is established or maintained will be included within the Agreement. A system interconnection is a direct connection between two or more information technology (IT) systems for sharing data and other information resources. The VA uses an Agreement to formally document the reasons, methodology, and approvals for: interconnecting IT systems; to identify the basic components of an interconnection; to identify methods and levels of interconnectivity; and to discuss potential security risks associated with the interconnections. Privacy Requirements a. Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data- General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1). b. VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/subcontractor s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA s information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements. c. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract. d. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract. e. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed. 4. Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE)/Government-Furnished Information (GFI). The contractor will not be supplied with GFE. The contractor will be transmitted GFI. The input files will be named as such: {STUDY ID}_{BATCH DESIGN NAME}_n{NUMBER OF RECORDS}_To{CONTRACTOR NAME}-YYYYMMDD_{DF ID} The input files will contain the individuals study codes, names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, kinship data for those whose family members are also human subjects, and last recorded addresses and phone numbers if available. Additional input files will contain the same variables for the same or different individuals. The file names will be identical except for the study code, batch design name, number of records, date submitted, and DF ID ( data file ID ; a CSP tracking number that identifies the file). 5. Other Pertinent Information or Special Considerations. The location service provider must have extensive experience in large-scale data management and query processing. The location service provider must maintain a comprehensive database of public and proprietary information, using advanced technology to quickly and efficiently deliver specific, in-depth information gathered across thousands of unique data sources. Identification of Possible Follow-on Work: We would like to have the option of four Option Years. Identification of Potential Conflicts of Interest (COI): None. Identification of Non-Disclosure Requirements: During contract performance, the contractor will have access to sensitive information, including individuals names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, kinship data for those whose family members are also human subjects, and last recorded addresses and phone numbers if available. Packaging, Packing and Shipping Instructions: Information will be transferred via HTTPS (web portal), encrypted email, portable encrypted electronic media, or other VA-approved method. Inspection and Acceptance Criteria: The location service provider will return results in the customized output format via HTTPS (web portal), encrypted email, portable encrypted electronic media, or other VA-approved method. Upon receiving the output file from the contractor, CSP will review the file to verify that the number of input records matches the number of output records, the unique identifiers submitted to the contractor matches those returned by the contractor, and the output format matches what was specified by CSP. 6. Risk Control. All safety issues are addressed under item 8 (Security Requirements). Responses must be emailed to shannon.hukriede@va.gov no later than 5:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Please reference 36C24E24Q0131 in the subject line of your email when responding to this notice. Your response should include both the STATEMENT OF CAPABILITY and BUSINESS SIZE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS information as explained below. This notice is to assist the RPO - East with determining sources only. If a solicitation is issued it will be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. Required Information in Your Response to Sources Sought: In order to be considered a valid source that can impact the set-aside determination of a possible future solicitation, potential contractors shall provide, at a minimum, the following information: 1) Company name, address, and point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, and UEI. 2) Please identify your company s size in comparison to the anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 513210 Software Publishers, size standard $47.0 Million. This notice is to determine the marketplace for this specific requirement. Please check one of the following: [ ] yes [ ] no Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) [ ] yes [ ] no Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) [ ] yes [ ] no All other Small Business (SB) [ ] yes [ ] no Other than Small Business 3) Any Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses that respond to a solicitation on this project must provide a SBA certification and be registered with U.S. Small Business Administration Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) located at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/. 4) If possible, please provide unofficial pricing in response to this request to evaluate price reasonableness for any set-aside determination. The Government is not obligated to, nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought notice. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. Notice to Potential Offerors: All Offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System Award Management (SAM located on the web at www.sam.gov). It is desirable that any Offeror to have completed their business Online Representations and Certifications Application in the System for Award Management (SAM).
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/91dc13acafd44e73ac614b0dcba65d1a/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: See Details in Statement of Work
- Record
- SN07213101-F 20240918/240916230119 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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