FedBizOpps/CBD

Notice Type: Sources Sought Notice

Posted Date: 25-AUG-10

Office Address: Department of Homeland Security; Transportation Security Administration; Headquarters TSA; 601 S. 12th StreetTSA-25, 10th Floor Arlington VA 20598

Subject: Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System

Classification Code: 63 - Alarm, signal & security detection equipment

Solicitation Number: TSA-Enterprise-Alerts-and-Warnings-System

Contact: Kristin S Fuller, Phone 571-227-2740, Email [email protected]

Setaside: N/AN/A

Place of Performance Country: US

Description: Department of Homeland Security

Transportation Security Administration

Headquarters TSA

This is a Request for Information (RFI) and is not a Request for Proposal/Request for Quotation (RFP/RFQ) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations System (FAR) 15.201(e). This information is being sought for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of TSA. No official solicitation exists; therefore, please do not request a copy of a solicitation. If in the future an official solicitation is released, there is no guarantee that sources responding to this RFI will be included on the source list. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. Purpose:

The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential suppliers of Alerts and Warnings Systems that meet the requirements for a TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings Systems Background:

TSA's alerting systems were designed to support the TSA mission ( Protect the Nation's transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce) and the TSA Vision (Continuously set the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes, and technology). At this time, TSA utilizes multiple electronic alerting and notification systems which provide robust alerting, information broadcast and reporting capabilities. TSA wants to determine if an enterprise system can provide the capabilities needed by their varied organizations.

Functional Requirements: Overall Functionality Cross Organizational Administration: To the extent that 'typically' recipients/end-users AND events 'belong' to organizational business units, the consensus appears to be that each of the units does not want the other unit, without permission, to a) send alerts to its recipients, and b) send alerts using its events. Thus, the system should: a) Allow organizational business unit "A" to authorize subscription to "A's" events by members of organizational business unit "B." b) Allow organizational business unit "B" to selectively offer subscription to "B's" members, to "A's" events. c) Allow any organizational business unit to assign the production rights to any other organization's APs The TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System (AWS) shall: 1.1 Provide the ability to create, deliver and monitor alerts. 1.2 Support sending alerts to different transmission modes (e.g., SMS/text, email, phone, computer, pager, etc.) 1.3 Allow for optional receipt confirmation from multiple transmission modes. 1.4 Provide different administrator levels and rights up to "super user." 1.5 Abide by TSA Information Assurance security policies in accordance to TSA Information Assurance Division Management Directive (MD) 1400.3 and DHS Sensitive Systems Policy Directive 4300A. All systems and applications must go through a formal Certification and Accreditation (C&A) by TSA before being put into production as required by Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 End User Administration The TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System (AWS) shall: 1.6 Allow for creation, modification and deleting of lists and/or individuals on the lists. 1.7 Allow for attribute-based rules. 1.8 Allow for users to self-subscribe to events. 1.9 Ability to call into the system and access a bulletin for additional information (menu) 1.10 Ability to access the system via Blackberry App Event Administration The TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System (AWS) shall: 1.11 Provide the ability for self-subscriber to set timeout values for the system to wait for a response before sending the message to the next device. 1.12 Enable self-subscribers to manage their own accounts, or "contact profiles." 1.13 Allow self-subscribers to select events as allowed by their pre-defined user group (subscriber-based option). 1.14 Provide the ability to create alert content and send the alert. 1.15 Provide the capability to categorize event lists and to manage events by these categories. 1.16 Provide the ability to create different alerts for each device type within any alerts. 1.17 Provide a workflow approach for important alerts with a configurable option for approvals prior to sending. 1.18 Provide the capability to configure events by level of importance (priority). 1.19 Provide an option to restrict self-subscription capability. Production The TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System (AWS) shall: 1.20 Provide options for real-time monitoring of alert receipt and confirmation. 1.21 Provide the ability to store and send pre-recorded alerts. 1.22 Provide capability to add attachments to email alerts. 1.23 Provide the ability to automatically convert text to speech alerts. 1.24 Send alerts to the specified recipients appropriate devices, based on the priorities set at either the site or contact level. 1.25 Send alerts either simultaneously to all recipients' devices or sequentially to recipient devices if a recipient cannot be reached. 1.26 Have the capability to set up workflow approval for important messages 1.27 Have the capability to identify carriers 1.28 Have the capability to group geographical areas - world-wide. Reporting Requirements The TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System (AWS) shall: 2.1 Provide for a comprehensive reporting capability. 2.2 Provide the option for a "print and save" feature. 2.3 Have the capability to set up workflow approval for important messages 2.4 Have the capability to identify carriers 2.5 Have the capability to group geographical areas - world-wide. Technical Requirements The TSA Enterprise Alerts and Warnings System (AWS) shall: 3.1 Provide capability to send up to 50,000 alerts simultaneously. 3.2 Be operational 24 hours a day; 7 days a week, and provide monthly availability at 99.99%. 3.3 Include an audit log. 3.4 Support a web-based system verse a traditional windows based system and use to fulfill the high-level requirements within this document 3.5 Support Active Directory for TSA users (User authentication to Active Directory). 3.6 Support single sign-on capability. 3.7 Give the users the ability to send alerts, manage contact data and administer the application from the TSA Network. 3.8 Have a user interface to import and export data files. 3.9 Single interface for administration and for users. 3.10 Provide user defined database fields. 3.11 Detect live vs. voice mail / answering machine and provide different options. 3.12 Provide "desktop" alert capability. 3.13 Support a minimum of five (5) receiving devices (pager, cell phone, email, etc.) per subscriber 3.14 Have the capability to be able select either Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and Short Message Service (SMS). RFI Submission Instructions: TSA will not award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation and submission of any information. Responses will be separated from, and have no bearing on subsequent evaluations of proposals submitted in response to any resulting formal RFP or RFQ. Eligibility in participating in a future acquisition does not depend upon a response to this notice. Proprietary information is not being solicited. Information considered proprietary, if any, should be identified as such. Responses will be reviewed only by TSA personnel and will be held in a confidential manner. Responses shall be submitted addressing each part as follows:

Part A. Technical Specification: Describe your product offerings including services. Provide published product literature, electronically.

Part B. Corporate Experience: Provide background information on your company.

Part C. TSA is interested in understanding the models under which products and/or services are offered. Provide the information for each function as in Exhibit A (Function / Feature Table). Please describe each feature included in Exhibit A in a separate document as in Exhibit B (Feature Descriptions). If the feature has limitations, it should be explained. For example: If the number of "Administrative Accounts" is limited to 5 and there is an additional charge for more than 5, please indicate so in the appropriate column, but do not include the charge itself.

Part D. State if either on-line or on-site demos are available and provide any additional information needed.

Part E. Small Business - Although not a requirement but if applicable describe your ability to meet the requirements in accordance with Title 48: FAR, PART 52-SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES, Subpart 52.252.219.14 - Limitation on Subcontracting.

Responses shall be:

* Identified with the RFI Number: TSA-Enterprise-Alerts-and-Warnings-System; * No more than thirty (30) pages in length; * Submitted to the Contracting Officer the email address indicated above.

TSA makes no implied or in fact contract by issuing this RFI. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the TSA's view of the information received. Do not send any material that requires a non-disclosure agreement or that may be business sensitive. Responses received that include a non-disclosure agreement or identify information that is business sensitive will not be accepted. Responses to this notice will not be returned. This is for informational and market research purposes only.

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DHS/TSA/HQTSA/TSA-Enterprise-Alerts-and-Warnings-System/listing.html