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Contract Opportunity

Request for Information (RFI)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking to conduct market research on a wide range of IT responsibilities, including Engineering, Operations, and Asset Management services.

The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code is 541519-Other Computer Related Services.

This RFI serves to conduct market research with industry to help shape the IT requirements for the potential acquisition. The scope of this RFI encompasses IT services across multiple customer groups within HHS. This request for information (RFI) is for informational purposes only. This is not a request for proposal. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the government. Responses in any form are not offers and the government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this notice is strictly voluntary.

As permitted by FAR Part 10, this is a market research tool being utilized for informational and planning purposes. Your responses will assist the Government in the development of its acquisition strategy for a possible Request for Proposal (RFP) to be issued at a later date.

This RFI shall not be construed as an RFP or as any commitment or obligation on the part of the Government to issue a solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request, so proposals will not be considered. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI or any follow-up information requests.

Background

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is an integral agency with the mission to provide the building blocks that Americans need to live healthy, successful lives. One of its key components, the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), advises the HHS Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) on all matters related to information and technology use for achieving departmental goals and objectives.

The OCIO's mission revolves around establishing and offering guidance on technology-supported business process reengineering, investment analysis, performance measurement, and integration of HHS stakeholder requirements. Its strategic development and application of information systems and infrastructure, along with policies for improved management of information resources and technology, aim to provide better and more efficient service to our clients and employees.

Within the OCIO, the Office of Operations (OPS) delivers efficient Information Technology (IT) services to its customers. OPS provides customer-driven, business-enabling technology and services to over 22 customer organizations, comprising more than 11,000 users, including all HHS Staff Divisions (StaffDivs) and participating Operating Divisions (OpDivs), across four functional divisions: Infrastructure & Engineering, IT Services and Operations, Telecommunications, and Business Operations.

Currently, OPS leverages the Next Generation IT Services (NGITS) Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) to provide contractor support services to HHS StaffDiv and small OpDiv customers. However, the current Engineering and Operations task orders awarded under the NGITS BPAs are expiring.

Given the increasing technological demands, including the adoption of modern systems and applications, the HHS OCIO is exploring options to optimize and enhance its existing IT infrastructure and support services. Therefore, HHS is seeking information for the potential acquisition of comprehensive IT services to develop the next evolution of follow-on task orders/contracts.

Purpose

This RFI serves to conduct market research with industry to help shape the IT requirements for the potential acquisition. The scope of this RFI encompasses IT services across multiple customer groups within HHS. The potential acquisition would cover a wide range of IT responsibilities, including Engineering, Operations, and Asset Management.

C.1 Engineering:

Engineering operates at the intersection of operations optimization and technical expertise. Tasked with ensuring adherence to HHS Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC) guidelines, Engineering manages task order outcomes in alignment with OCIO-Ops, manage technical customer service requests (CSR) and oversee accurate billing and invoicing. Engineering scope encompasses network engineering, security protocol implementation, endpoint integration, data center operations management, and disaster recovery planning. Through experience in virtualized test lab engineering and messaging system optimization, Engineering bolsters HHS' communication and operational efficiency, always maintaining compliance with federal acquisition standards and ensuring the infrastructure's secure and efficient function. Specific task areas within Engineering include:

Management: Encompassing a diverse range of responsibilities, from integrated reporting and customer service administration to configuration management, the goal is to seamlessly orchestrate all facets of operations in alignment with HHS EPLC policies.

Infrastructure Engineering: In compliance with HHS OCIO-Ops standards, this task area encompasses a range of services from comprehensive infrastructure engineering to endpoint integration, ensuring effective data transmission, security compliance, and efficient system operations.

Business Productivity: In alignment with HHS’s EPLC guidelines, this task area is dedicated to enhancing communication, collaboration, and operational efficiency through services ranging from messaging system optimization to the integration and support of cloud-based business collaboration solutions.

Engineering Test Lab: In alignment with HHS standards, this task area concentrates on delivering expert virtualized test lab engineering support, emphasizing design, testing, and user guidance to ensure optimal performance and efficacy.

Infrastructure Operations: Anchored in Federal and HHS directives, this task area focuses on ensuring seamless and secure infrastructure operations, from the robust management of OCIO-Ops production systems to comprehensive oversight of data center functionalities, while upholding data security, integration, and performance standards.

C.2 Operations:

Operations ensures the seamless management and support of HHS's technological and support infrastructure. This encompasses a range of functions from procurement and asset management to service desk and call center operations, all meticulously tailored to address the dynamic needs of HHS personnel and stakeholders. With a focus on remote management, security, and responsive support, Operations aims to guarantee efficient and secure technology integrations, while maintaining compliance with HHS protocols and Federal mandates. Additionally, Operations provides comprehensive lifecycle support for production systems, proactive monitoring, daily operations, system deployment, and integration, all aimed at aligning HHS's infrastructure with objectives and compliance standards. Operations’ endeavors culminate in enhancing cyber security measures, maintaining service reliability, and offering real-time alerts and comprehensive reports to ensure optimal operational performance. Specific task areas within Operations include:

Customer Support: This task area focuses on the comprehensive management of HHS's technological and support infrastructure, this task encompasses an array of services from general asset and procurement management to specialized service desk, call center, and security functions, all tailored to meet the dynamic needs of HHS personnel and stakeholders.

Infrastructure: This task area focuses on the comprehensive support and management of HHS's infrastructural assets. It encompasses total lifecycle management, daily operational activities, system deployments, and integration efforts, ensuring alignment with HHS's objectives and compliance with Federal mandates.

C.3 Asset Management:

Asset Management, aligned with Operations, oversees and manages customer technological equipment. This includes keeping an inventory of GFE and distributing to HHS personnel. Asset Management conducts project initiations, resource management, and prioritize customer support. Ensuring that equipment setups follow specific guidelines and making note of any equipment changes are essential aspects of the role. Asset Management’s ultimate objectives are to use technology assets efficiently, comply with all guidelines, ensure user satisfaction, and support smooth operations. Part of the role also includes assisting with remote access and offering administrative support as needed to enhance HHS's overall operational success. Specific task areas within Asset Management include:

Management: This task area focuses on overseeing the efficient execution and management of various tasks, ensuring comprehensive project oversight and strict adherence to established standards.

Customer Support and Service: This task area includes comprehensive hardware and software management, providing user support across HHS locations, and upholding HHS protocols, all while ensuring consistent service and addressing critical events.

Infrastructure Operations: This task area includes end-to-end support for specified production systems managed by HHS/OCIO-Ops, including monitoring, maintenance, compliance, deployment, testing, integration, and service operations. Ensure system availability, security, and reporting while supporting Video Teleconference (VTC) equipment inventory and verification at HHS/OCIO managed locations.

More information about support to these task areas, including specific requirements and performance metrics that may fall under each task area, can be found in the attached Draft Requirement Matrices and Draft Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Please note that these task areas, requirements, and SLAs are Draft only at this point and are provided for industry to better understand the potential scope of the IT services that HHS OCIO may seek in the future.

RFI Topics

HHS OCIO seeks industry input on the following topics and questions that will help shape the future IT services contract(s). We acknowledge the comprehensive nature of our request and encourage participants to furnish information on as many items as they deem suitable. Any information, irrespective of its extent, will be valued and will help HHS OCIO develop an acquisition strategy, evolve task areas and requirements, and better understand industry capabilities and the market for the provision of these services.

1. Cost Drivers

• For each division (ENG, OPS, AM) outlined in this RFI, please explain which Service Level Agreements (SLAs), task areas, sub-tasks, or individual requirements, would be the main cost drivers, and why, if you were to provide any of the specified services that HHS is seeking.

2. Transition In / Transition Out Plan

• (A) Detail a proposed timeline/plan from award to initiation, including key milestones. (B) Highlight any previous large-scale turnover(s) that you have been part of for a similar scope of services, including any best practices. (C) Outline strategies for smooth contract transitions and enumerate crucial tasks for both transition phases.

3. Call Center Facility

• (A) Describe your ability to manage multiple time-zones and call volumes, and how you would offer concurrent support across various sites.

4. Software, Deployment, Asset Management (SAM), and Maintenance

• (A) Share your strategy for streamlined deployment of software, images, and patches in line with governmental directives. (B) Discuss your approach to deploying unique software image builds for specific departments while ensuring consistency with licensing and security standards. (C) Describe your approach for enterprise-level Software Asset Management (SAM), including any best practices, processes, and tools you would recommend utilizing. (D) Additionally, explain your management plan for software maintenance agreements.

5. Product and Service Catalog

• (A) Describe how you would align user request types to user persona. (B) Provide any industry best practices for handling product and service requests.

6. Security Operations

• (A) Discuss your approach to addressing and measuring security incidents, including the use of customer service portals for incident management. (B) Provide examples and suggestions on forensic incident response processes and tools.

7. Cloud Services & Storage Utilization

• (A) Share your approach for calculating costs and managing growth in cloud storage during a transition from a hybrid model to a secure full cloud solution suitable for a large-scale enterprise government environment. (B) Detail any key personnel certifications that would aid in providing these services and discuss your compliance with relevant executive orders and policies.

8. Desktop Virtualization

• (A) Present your views on cost considerations and offerings for customers in relation to desktop virtualization solutions. (B) Compare the supportability of your solution with alternative options such as Azure credits.

9. Zero-Trust

• (A) Summarize your company's zero-trust philosophy based on the CISA's Zero Trust Maturity Model Version 2.0. (B) Discuss any challenges faced during implementation and successful mitigation strategies used.

10. Metrics

• Describe your approach for tracking metrics (Average issue handle times, mean time between failures (MTBF), Server downtime and uptime, etc.), including any customer UI or executive dashboards to facilitate user reporting and automate metrics reporting.

11. SLAs

• (A) Provide a review of the Draft SLAs shared in Attachment 2, highlighting any gaps, missing elements, and general feedback on the specific Draft SLAs. (B) Highlight any cost-performance trade-offs that the Government should consider related to the Draft SLAs. (C) Specify any key SLAs that are not included but should be considered for inclusion. (D) Describe your perspectives on the usage of automation tools, systems, and/or processes to ensure effective management, compliance, reporting, analytics, and governance of the SLAs. Provide any corresponding Experience Level Agreement (XLA) metrics to the draft SLAs.

12. Innovation

• (A) Communicate your leading best practices, technologies, processes, benefits, and capabilities related to SaaS, Automation, AI, including your experiences with these innovative technologies. (B) Explain how you would securely incorporate AI-based services like Azure or OpenAI into your offerings.


• Describe if/how you would restructure bodies of work to create efficiencies, such as alternatives to separate Operations and Engineering etc and include any examples of that framework being used across the Government.

13. Deskside Support

• (A) Detail your approach to supporting personnel ratios in regional locations as per J-Table 10. (B) Discuss your strategy for providing coverage at local, regional, and national levels for continuous operations.

14. Hardware Maintenance

• Explain your approach and share best practices for hardware lifecycle management.

15. Infrastructure Operations - General Support

• (A) Outline your strategy for ensuring comprehensive lifecycle support for all production systems, including email. (B) Discuss your approach to determining and allocating the necessary labor, management, configuration, and supervision resources to effectively support production systems. (C) Give details on your plan to design, engineer, implement, and support the network infrastructure for sites in various geographic locations, both regional and non-regional.

16. Infrastructure Operations – Operations and Maintenance

• (A) Outline your approach to ensuring maximum availability of production systems in line with SLAs. (B) Provide examples of adherence to SLAs regarding system availability and explain how you would address potential deviations, including corrective actions to bring operations back within SLA boundaries.

17. Systems Engineering – Test and Evaluation

• Describe how you would propose to conduct adequate, efficient, well-planned, developmental, integrated, and operational testing designed in collaboration with cross-functional system test teams, leveraging all available sources.

18. Infrastructure Operations – Asset Management

• Describe how you would conduct efficient, well-planned, hardware (laptops, mobile devices) and software (software licenses) asset management designed to capture the benefits of just-in-time inventory management with the flexibility to handle surges in asset demand. Describe methods and technologies for tracking, managing and accounting for inventory and installed equipment/software.

19. Engineering and Operations – Surge to Demand

• (A) Describe your strategy for maintaining steady-state operations and rapidly responding to time-sensitive customer needs. (B) Detail how you adapt to changes in customer demands in a timely and cost-effective manner.

RFI Attachments

1. Requirement Matrices (Drafts)


2. SLAs (Drafts)


3. J-Tables (Drafts):
   
   
   
   • J-10: Number of Service Locations
   
   
   • J-11: Services by OpDiv and StaffDiv
   
   
   • J-42: Infrastructure Ticket Severity Report (Tier 3)
   
   
   
   

Submission Instructions

Interested parties are invited to submit their responses in accordance with the instructions below. Again, we acknowledge the comprehensive nature of our request and encourage participants to furnish information on as many items as they deem suitable. Any information, irrespective of its extent, will be valued.

F.1 Information Requested

Please include a cover letter with the following:

• 
  
  
  
  • Company/Vendor Name
  
  
  • Company POC (name, email address, phone number)
  
  
  • Socioeconomic Status
  
  
  • Awarded Government Contract Vehicle(s) and Contract Number(s)
  
  
  • Period of Performance of the Awarded Contract Vehicles
  
  
  
  

F.2 Page Formatting / Page Limitations

Interested parties shall submit no more than 10 single-sided pages in response to the RFI, inclusive of text, tables, and graphics, not including the Cover Letter. Text must be 12-point Times New Roman font. Margins must be set at one (1) inch on top, bottom, left, right of each page.

All responses should be submitted as a PDF document

F.3 Attachments

Attachments shall be limited to relevant information only.

F.4 Deadline

Responses related to this RFI should be submitted no later than Friday, December 22, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time via email to all Point of Contact(s) listed below:

Direct Email To:

Name: Charde Newton and Darnell Harkless

Email: Charde.Newton@psc.hhs.gov and Darnell.Harkless@psc.hhs.gov

CC on Email:

Name: Jennifer Browning

Email: Jennifer.Browning@psc.hhs.gov

Note: Please include RFI 75P00124B00001 (NGITS) in the subject line.

Attachments/Links