RFS 08-001
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE IT SUPPORT SERVICES
IT and COMPUTER NETWORK SYSTEMS Support for the
U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION
This document is a Request for Services (RFS) that prospective information technology or computer systems firms should follow in their bid to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) to perform the following technical support work:
Providing IT and computer network systems support for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
TYPE OF PROPOSAL
Responder to provide Estimated Time and Expenses, Hourly Rate(s)
DEADLINES
May 15 2008 5:30 p.m. Deadline to submit written questions to the USCC office.
June 13, 2008, 5:30 p.m. Deadline to submit formal proposals to the USCC office including three hard copies and one electronic copy
Additional deadlines as specified in the attached Statement of Work
SUBMITTAL ADDRESS
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 602
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: (202) 508-3840
Fax: (202) 624-1406
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS RFP CONTACT
Kathleen J. Michels at (202) 624-1409 or kmichels@uscc.gov
U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP 08-001)
INSTRUCTIONS
IT AND COMPUTER NETWORK SYSTEMS Support for the
u.s.-china economic and security review commission
SUBMITTAL DEADLINE AND REQUIREMENTS
The minimum requirements for consideration are that the services herein be provided by an IT/computer network professional or a firm which is to assign one or more IT/computer network system professionals to the work. The firm and/or any professionals providing services to the USCC via a contract resulting from this RFS must be Microsoft certified, and must be proficient with desk top PCs, laptops, PDAs, servers and hardware/software maintenance, installation and troubleshooting. The IT/computer network professional/firm (Contractor) must be available to practice in the District of Columbia, be in good standing and be properly insured. Contractor must be familiar with PC-based computer systems, and in particular Dell computer systems and equipment, all compatible software, and network systems.
Responses must be submitted to the USCC office by no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 13, 2008, and must include two hard copies of the proposal (double-sided if possible) and one electronic copy (in Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat PDF, or other common format acceptable to USCC). Responses received after this time shall be considered non-responsive and will not be considered.
SCOPE OF WORK
The attached scope of work should be used as the basis for developing services proposals.
CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION OF SERVICES PROPOSALS
Services proposals must contain the information described below. Proposals should be organized in numbered sections as outlined below. To be considered, the proposal must respond to all requirements in this part of the RFS. Any other information thought to be relevant, but not applicable to the categories enumerated below, should be provided as an appendix to the proposal. For example, qualifications including rate structure, personnel assigned, resumes, rates and proportion of time/labor hours to be dedicated to the project can be summarized in the appendix.
1. Statement of Work
State in succinct language your understanding of the work to be performed and the products to be delivered in response to this request for services.
2. Work Plan
Describe in detail and in narrative form your work plan for accomplishing the tasks in the Scope of Work. In your work plan, describe how you will accomplish all of the tasks and requirements outlined in the scope of work. Respondent must respond to the scope of work as presented, and if assumptions or qualifications are made regarding the response, these items must be clearly articulated. In addition, respondent is encouraged to describe any improvements, recommendations or deficiencies in the scope of work and provide a cost proposal for these proposed changes.
For each task: indicate the number of work hours of each person allocated to the task and cost estimate for the task. The work plan must also include a detailed work schedule for the tasks and the project as a whole. Proposals must clearly state whether the bidder will be able to meet the product submittal dates stated in this request for services. Bidders must clearly indicate what guidance and assistance they will need from USCC and when this guidance will be needed.
3. Work Activities Summary
For each task identified in the Scope of Work, provide a narrative description of the proposed effort, a list of the services to be provided, and the products to be delivered.
4. Prior Experience
In a narrative statement, describe in detail the experience your company and your staff have had in performing work similar to the work described in this RFS. Explain clearly how individuals assigned to provide these services have the knowledge, skills and abilities to complete the work successfully. At the close of the narrative statement, or in the appendix, list clients or examples of work similar to that for which proposals are solicited in this Request for Services that your company has successfully completed, preferably for organizations similar to USCC. In the list of prior experience, provide:
- A description of the services,
- The name of company, government agency or customer to whom services were provided,
- The name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the responsible official that represented the company, government agency or customer.
Summarize the experience and qualifications of any subcontractor involved in this project.
5. Personnel
In your proposal, include the name of each staff member and labor category, including executive, professional, technical personnel, administrative and subcontractors, if any, who will be engaged in the work. Explain where these personnel will be physically located during the course of the contract. Provide biographies or narrative resumes for each person who will work on the contract. Biographies or narrative resumes should include contact information and detailed education and experience information for each staff member. Indicate the responsibilities each staff person will have on this contract and how long each staff member has been with your company.
6. Minority-Owned Business Enterprise/Women-Owned Business Enterprise
Indicate the percentage of Minority-Owned Business Enterprise/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) participation.
- Affirmative Action/Non-Discrimination Policies
Provide your company’s Affirmative Action and Non-Discrimination policies and the policies for any subcontractors.
- Contract Term
USCC seeks to obtain these services for a period of two (2) years from the date of execution, with the possibility of up to a two (2) year extension, subject to agreement between USCC and the Contractor as to any changes in the scope of services or rates. As with all USCC contracts, the contract negotiated between the USCC and the selected Contractor will be subject to the receipt by the USCC of appropriations for each federal fiscal year of which the contract covers all or part.
9. Acceptability of the Contract Provided
Provide a statement of Contractor’s willingness to execute the contract provided as written with no changes – or, if with exceptions, specify precisely the objection and alternative that would be satisfactory.
CONTENT AND FORMAT OF FINANCIAL PROPOSALS
Financial information in support of your proposal must be bound and sealed separately from the remainder of the proposal. Three copies of the financial information must be provided with your response. Proposals must provide detailed financial information by task. Bidders should identify hours by labor category (or staff member), average labor rates per category (loaded), other direct costs, and the labor rates of specific individuals. Costs must be shown separately for each task identified in the Scope of Work, and totaled for the project. This total will represent the firm’s estimated cost for each year of the contract. If costs are to escalate during the two-year life of the contract, all proposed escalations should be noted. Participating Minority-Owned Business Enterprise/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) firms should be identified.
TIMELY SUBMITTAL OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES
It is critically important that the Contractor selected to perform the work described in this RFS meet the deadlines stated in the attached Scope of Work.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Selection criteria are as follows:
- Qualifications and prior experience of the firm, individual professionals and staff in performing IT and computer network services and consulting;
- Proposed timeliness in meeting contract deliverable dates;
- Experience and expertise of the staff who will work on the contract;
- Quality and quantity of the services and deliverables proposed;
- Cost;
- Clarity and detail of the proposal and its cost estimates;
- Willingness to execute contract provided;
- Experience performing work when oversight is provided by government agencies with oversight committees; and
- Percentage of MBE/WBE participation (should be identified in the financial proposal).
Price will be an important, but not the only, factor in selecting a Contractor for this work. In the event that similar prices are provided by competing bidders, preference will be given to the proposal that is ranked highest taking into account the above criteria, and that is clear, complete, describes in detail the work that will be performed, demonstrates knowledge of the subject, describes how technical obstacles will be overcome, and shows innovation and resourcefulness.
USCC reserves the right to negotiate final rates and to refine and revise the scope of work and a not-to-exceed price with qualified firms prior to execution of a contract.
Contract Management
The USCC Deputy Director for Administration will manage this contract as the project leader with input and guidance from the USCC Executive Director and with assistance from the USCC Executive Committee including the Chairman and Vice Chairman and such other Commissioners as they may from time to time designate to participate. The Contractor will meet or teleconference with the USCC Deputy Director to discuss the project’s schedule, deadlines and deliverables; discuss other contract and work plan issues; and obtain feedback. The USCC Deputy Director will serve as liaison between the Contractor and the USCC Executive Director and Program Officials.
The selected Contractor must submit a detailed work plan before work commences. The contractor must review progress against this work plan every two weeks, alert the USCC project leader to work plan changes, and revise the work plan as necessary. The Contractor will monitor the contract’s budget and schedule and alert the USCC Deputy Director to any revisions that may be necessary while the contract is in place.
The Contractor may be asked periodically to participate in conference calls with the USCC Deputy Director and Executive Director and/or to provide information to the the Commission’s Chairman and Vice Chairman and, in some cases, to all Members of the Commission.
CONTRACT AWARD AND PROVISIONS
USCC reserves the right to award any, none, or all of the work requested in this RFS as it deems to be in the best interest of USCC. USCC also reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received as a result of this request, or to negotiate separately with competing contractors.
Respondents to this RFS must express their willingness to sign the contract attached as written, or note the exceptions and acceptable substitute language they are willing to execute (see item 8 above).
REQUEST FOR SERVICES (RFP 08-001)
SCOPE OF WORK
IT AND COMPUTER NETWORK SYSTEMS Support for the
U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION
Background
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), created by Congress in 2000, is an organization whose main purpose is to monitor, investigate, and submit to congress an annual report on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, and to provide recommendations, where appropriate, to Congress for legislative and administrative actions.
Congress directed the Commission to focus its work and study on the following eight areas: proliferation practices, economic transfers, energy, U.S. capital markets, regional economic and security impacts, U.S.-China bilateral programs, WTO compliance, and the implications of restrictions on speech and access to information in the People’s Republic of China.
The Commission is composed of 12 members, appointed for two-year terms by the leaders of both political parties in the House and Senate.
The USCC is an independent agency established in October 30, 2000 under authority of § 1238, Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for 2001, Pub. L. No. 106-398, 114 STAT. 1654A-334 (2000) (codified at 22 U.S.C. § 7002 (2001). The USCC has a staff consisting of about thirteen full time employees and 5 part time interns and fellows, and operates from its offices on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
ObjectiveS
The overall goal of this effort is to provide the information technology and computer network systems services and support needed to efficiently and effectively manage USCC’s daily work activities. The objectives of this contract are to:
- Identify, assess, and revise (upon approval) USCC’s IT and computer network systems to make office operating and daily work activities more efficient and effective.
- Identify IT security needs
- Effectively manage and perform troubleshooting for USCC’s IT and computer network systems in a timely manner that allows for a smooth and uninterrupted work flow and adheres to applicable Federal requirements and USCC’s policies.
- Provide real-time help and user support quickly and with clear, concise and informative instructions and explanations that can be understood by USCC staff and management in the operation of the organization.
- Identify and recommend offsite storage and remote backup of data; secure remote user access; and enhanced availability file storage.
KEY TASKS
Task 1: Re-engineering of USCC IT and Computer Network Systems
The Contractor will examine USCC’s current IT and computer network systems and prepare a written evaluation of how they are functioning and the extent to which the systems are secure and meet applicable Federal government standards for IT security, and develop a set of recommendations for re-engineering the current systems. The goal is to make USCC’s IT and computer network systems as user-friendly and efficient as possible while also maintaining adequate security, including compliance with Federal government IT security standards.
The Contractor will be expected to work with USCC’s current equipment and software, but may make recommendations on how the components can function more effectively together and how tools and functions available in the USCC’s systems and software can be applied most usefully and effectively in the management of USCC’s work.
Currently the USCC runs Windows Server 2003 for the main file and user authentication server; 23 desktop computers; and 2 laptops for use on travel. All USCC computers run with Microsoft XP Professional. Email services are provided by bizatlarge.net. Virus protection is provided by TrendMicro. All USCC desktop computers have Microsoft Office 2003 and Adobe Acrobat Standard deployed. All computers have the logmein.com remote access product installed. Server level data is backed up using SyncBackSE to external hard drives. A UPS is in place in case of a power outage. Security audit of current systems should be performed.
Based on the information provided above, each responder should include in its proposal an initial recommendation for the re-engineering of USCC’S IT and computer network services. This recommendation will be reviewed at the contract kick-off and modified as needed once the Contractor has examined USCC’s systems in person.
Task 2: Maintaining and Upgrading USCC IT and Computer Network Systems
On an as-needed basis, the Contractor will provide assistance to USCC to help maintain and/or upgrade USCC systems. The assistance will include, but is not limited to:
- Networking all the USCC’s computers and laptops, possibly including computers used by USCC personnel from remote locations for USCC official work under USCC’s “Remote Access” program and policy;
- Maintaining up-to-date anti-virus software on all USCC computers and laptops and those used by USCC personnel from remote locations for USCC official work, and other data devices used by USCC personnel that connect to the USCC systems;
- Setting up a file synchronizing function for the laptops;
- Reviewing current backup methodology and either implementing approved revised backup or maintaining current backup systems;
- Setting up remote access capability for the Contractor to USCC’s network;
- Maintaining remote access capability on USCC desktops and laptops and ensuring security of this capability;
- Establishing a schedule and performing preventative maintenance for desktop PCs, laptops, and servers according to that schedule including but not limited to: license renewals; audit of installed software and removal of unapproved applications; standardized desktop maintenance program (patch level, defragmentation, and outlook pst size quotas); maintenance of hardware and software inventory; desktop backup procedures, as approved; schedule of decommissioning of obsolescent equipment; and review of user account security and integrity;
- Providing support and troubleshooting for Blackberry devices used by USCC Commission members and staff;
- Providing advice regarding selection and purchase of hardware and software for a complete “overall and replace” of USCC’s computers, software and systems;
- Installation of hardware, software and peripheral devices;
- Providing 24 hour/day, 7-day/week on call support for USCC’s IT/computer systems;
- Keeping USCC apprised of software and system upgrades as they are available and/or need to occur.
- Reviewing current user-account and desktop image policies and implementation, with development and implementation of new policies as approved;
- Developing security practice guidelines and auditing compliance with such guidelines; and
- Recommending an organization structure for saving documents in the shared files;
- Providing advice, guidance and recommendations for offsite storage of data
The Contractor will work with the USCC’s designated Administrative Staff Member responsible for day to day computer operations and the Deputy Director for Administration in carrying out these and other contract responsibilities. The designated Administrative staff member will communicate with the Contractor on a day-to-day basis on IT and computer network system support activities. The Deputy Director will be responsible for the execution of the contract, making any changes to the contract as negotiated between USCC and the Contractor, financial management of the contract, and other oversight duties. The Deputy Director will work with the Contractor to oversee how the Contractor sets up remote access to USCC’s IT and computer network systems in order to appropriately limit the Contractor’s access/administrative rights to the system for security purposes.
The Contractor will be available for additional troubleshooting assistance and user support as requested by USCC. Once a request for assistance is made and it is deemed the problem can not be taken care of remotely, USCC will request a time estimate from the Contractor prior to approving the service. In the event that the server will be down more than 24 hours, a written explanation will be submitted explaining when the service will be performed, what will be done, and what the actions will achieve.
DETERMINE REQUIREMENT TO ADD IN WRITTEN RFS:
USCC will request a time and materials estimate from the Contractor prior to approving the service, once the technician has been made aware of the problem or issue. Once a timeframe has been agreed upon, the Contractor must provide the approved services within four hours of the agreed time; or 10 percent (10%) of the contractor’s estimated cost will be deducted from the USCC’s payment.
Deliverables & Schedule
Date |
Deliverable |
Comments |
June 30, 2008 |
Selection of Contractor |
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July 15, 2008 |
Target date to execute contract with USCC |
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August 15, 2008 |
Contractor completes in-house examination of USCC systems and provides recommendations |
|
September 30, 2008 |
Execution of agreed upon revisions from recommendations |
|
Ongoing |
Maintenance and upgrade activities |
|
Ongoing |
Troubleshooting and user support |
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