Request For Information - IT Research and Advisory Services
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)
123SAD119RFI0001-A
1.0 Introduction
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Department (RD) requires access to IT Research and Advisory Services to inform key decisions in planning and delivering IT services. The research and advice must be relevant to the requirements of USDA RD in support of strategic planning, cost reduction, understanding and optimizing software license pricing models, understanding and complying with recent legislation such as the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), risk mitigation and program interruption.
2.0 Scope
USDA RD requires research and advisory services for managerial levels within the Technology Office (TO) as follows:
• One (1) RD Technology Office (TO) Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO)
• One (1) RD TO Deputy Assistant Chief Information Officer (DACIO)
• Four (4) RD TO Division Directors
2.1 General Requirements
2.1.1. Given the rate of technology change, the complexity of USDA RD’s global use of IT, the contractor shall support this demand by providing new IT research documents and tool kits representing industry best practices annually. Research documents shall exclude tweets, blogs and other social media feeds.
2.1.2. The research agenda shall be driven by client needs and interest.
2.1.3. The contractor shall have experience in advising Department of Defense (DoD), Civilian, as well as Commercial Chief Information Officers (CIOs).
The research shall provide the insight and data to enable the Government to plan strategically, reduce IT costs, understand software licensing models, mitigate risk, successfully handle program interruption, and understand and comply with recent legislation including the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA).
• Provide Analyst driven perspective (research, analyst, events, and advisors) on the What & Why. Example; What does it mean to go Digital and why is it important to the organization.
• Provide Customer driven perspective (research, analyst, events, and advisors) on the How. Example; How digital, case studies of how other Clients have gone digital with ignition guides with step by step instructions
• Research documents produced specifically for the Banking and Investment Services industry over the past twenty-four (24) months, ensuing the depth and breadth of current, industry-specific research for Banking.
• Digital Banking Transformation, Banking Technology Initiatives, Forecast Overview, Banking and Securities IT Spending, Worldwide; Strategic Approaches to Digital Optimization and Transformation in Banking, Ignition Guide to Creating an Investment Business Case, Ignition Guide to Launching an IT Product Line
• Product Manager Role Description for Digital Business, and The Talent Implications of Adaptive IT.
• Toolkits shall include:
o Job Description - Chief Data Officer
o Job Description - Director, Project Management Office (PMO)
o Job Description - Chief Architect
o Job Description - Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
2.1.4. The contractor shall provide USDA RD the ability to attend at least five (5) technology and peer events, within a fifty (50) mile radius of USDA Headquarters, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250
2.1.5 The contractor shall provide on-line peer networking, to include the ability to work independent of the contractor.
2.1.6. The contractor shall provide unlimited access to Webinars for all subscribers as well as all members of the IT staff at no additional cost.
2.1.7. The contractor shall provide annual IT conferences.
ACIO-specific engagements
Public sector sessions
CIO peer networking opportunities
2.1.8. The Contractor shall offer a program that is completely objective. No research should be done on a “sponsored” basis, which could potentially compromise independent objectives.
2.1.9. The Government shall receive access to best practice and decision support content including peer benchmarks, best practices, case studies, tools and templates. Content shall be targeted to IT leader level implementation and include step-by-step guides for planning, building and monitoring projects.
2.1.10. The contractor shall provide an IT Research database, toolkits and metrics that are timely and relevant to the USDA RD staff. Contractor shall specify details surrounding the data collection including geography, number of responses and amount of IT spend represented, with emphasis on Government trends and implications.
2.1.11. The contractor shall provide access to current and industry-specific research dedicated to covering the Banking and Investment Services industry.
2.1.12 The contractor shall provide unlimited access to research and toolkits written exclusively for CIOs on topics surrounding the intersection of business and IT.
2.1.13. The contractor shall provide direct support to assist with any research or inquiry scheduling questions.
2.1.14. The contractor shall provide access to the DACIO and Division Directors for any of the ACIO sessions with expert analysts
2.1.15. The contractor shall provide access to audio commentaries on current IT topics that may be downloaded.
2.2. RD TO Division Directors
2.2.1. RD TO Division Directors require access to all requirements listed in Section 2.1 as well as unlimited access to IT role-based and Banking and Investment Services research.
2.3. RD TO Deputy Assistant Chief Information Officer (DACIO)
2.3.1. DACIO requires access to all requirements listed in Section 2.1 and 2.2, including unlimited access to IT role-based and Banking and Investment Services research.
2.3.2. The contractor shall provide unlimited inquiry to expert IT analysts that are specialists in specific expertise to include but not limited to Banking and Investment Services; Microservice Strategy and Implementation; IT Infrastructure; Organization Change Management; CIO and Peer Education; IT Governance; DevSecOps; Capital Planning and Investment Control; and Data Intelligence and Analytics.
2.3.3. The contractor shall provide research and advisory services to generate cost savings within IT through contract pricing, terms and conditions, consolidation, portfolio management and hardware.
2.4. RD TO Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO):
2.4.1. ACIO requires access to all requirements listed in Section 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3, including unlimited access to research and analysts.
2.4.2 The contractor shall provide a senior advisor, with a minimum of 20 years of experience in IT, at least 5 years of IT Executive experience in the Federal Government or the Commercial sector and must possess a Master’s degree in business administration, a Master’s/Bachelor’s degree in a hard science (e.g., computer science, mathematics, physics, engineering) or have at least five years of experience supporting IT executives in this capacity.
2.4.3 The contractor shall provide the opportunity for the ACIO to engage on a monthly basis in Executive Debriefings within a 50-mile radius of USDA Headquarters.
2.4.4. The contractor shall provide access to annual IT compensation data, including trend reports, to provide insight into the existing competitive staffing market conditions.
3.0 Delivery Period and Conditions
The Delivery period would be for a Contract with 4 option periods in the future.
4.0 Limitations
Not specified at this time.
5.0 Security Requirements
Not specified at this time.
6.0 Requested Information
The requested information is for the Governments knowledge of the Industries available IT Research and Advisory service providers, that would be interested competing in the future for a possible contract award to USDA-RD-Technology Office.
7.0 Responses
Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a whitepaper. The whitepaper should outline your company's depth, reach out capability through the industry, and the ability to meet the requirements listed in this RFI.
7.1 The whitepaper should be in Microsoft Word for Office compatible format and due NLT April 1, 2019, 1600 EST. The whitepaper response is limited to 10 single-sided pages and submitted via e-mail only to the Government Point of Contract (POC): Robert Cortez, Contract Officer, Robert.Cortez@usda.gov. Proprietary information, if any, should be kept to minimum and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. The whitepaper needs to answer the Training/Mentoring requirements addressed in this RFI. To aid the Government, segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. If any responder does not currently have a Proprietary Data Protection Agreement (PDPA) that would permit the Government's personnel to review and evaluate the submitted whitepaper in response to this RFI, the responder should request to sign PDPAs with the Government. The following is the list of Government Point of Contact (POC) for the evaluation of the RFI whitepaper:
• Robert Cortez, Robert.cortez@usda.gov.
The RFI whitepaper should provide the following information:
1. Company Information. Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact.
2. Proprietary Information. Identify and handle of responder's company proprietary information should include one of the following:
• Copies of executed NDAs with the Government
• A statement stating the responder will not allow the Government to release its proprietary data for the RFI whitepaper evaluation.
8.0 Meetings and Discussions
The Government representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential RFI service provider. Such meetings and discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability, especially any IT Research and Advisory services.
9.0 Questions
Questions on the RFI and your submission of the whitepaper should be submitted in writing by e-mail to Robert Cortez at Robert.cortez@usda.gov .
10.0 Summary
This RFI is only intended for the Government to identify sources that can provide IT research and advisory services to USDA-RD-Technology Office. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. The Government has made no commitment to procure any of the RFI requirements discussed. This RFI release should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions to this RFI become Government Property and will not be returned.
Robert Cortez, Contracting Officer, Email Robert.Cortez@usda.gov - Derrick Riddle, Contract Specialist, Email Derrick.riddle@wdc.usda.gov
