Offutt Air Force Base - 55th CONS - IT Services Reverse Industry Day

Title:  Offutt Air Force Base - 55th CONS - IT Services Reverse Industry DayDescription:Introduction: The way we work is rapidly changing, and the impact of this change is being felt across all aspects of the public and private sectors. Technology and data-use continue to evolve at an ever-increasing rate; computer systems are becoming more complex and situationally driven; and real-time IT service delivery demands are driving the need for an agile and more resilient Government acquisition workforce.The acquisition workforce at 55th CONS services the following customers and assists them with acquiring IT Services: United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM), 557th Weather Wing, and the 55th Wing.Purpose: The purpose of this request for information (RFI) is to announce that the 55th CONS at Offutt Air Force Base (AFB) will host its first virtual IT Services Reverse Industry Day training event for 55th CONS Government acquisition employees the week of 16 May 2022, and to request industry

input as outlined in this RFI.Please note that this is not a traditional industry engagement event where the audience will be comprised primarily of industry attendees. The audience for this Reverse Industry Day will be made up primarily of Government attendees, and registration will not be available for industry attendees. The intent of this Federal Business Opportunities notice is to inform the public of internal activities the 55th CONS is implementing to foster greater collaboration with our industry partners and improve how 55th CONS does business.This learning event is designed to increase transparency, hear industry’s perspectives and experience in working with 55th CONS (and government as a whole), and understand how levels of industry engagement affect prices, innovation, and competition. The event will provide the 55th CONS acquisition workforce an opportunity to learn about the issues that are most important to industry partners providing IT Services when doing business with 55th CONS.NOTICE: This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and is not to be considered an invitation for bid, request for quotation, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI or any follow up information request. Respondents will not be individually notified of the results of the evaluation of the information they provide. No contract award will be made based on responses received. After review of the submission, the Government may invite select vendors to further engage with the Government in presentations, panel discussions, or one-on-one sessions during the Reverse Industry Day planned for the week of 16 May 2022. All submission costs or other associated costs relating to the presentation of information in response to this RFI will be at the vendor’s expense.Stakeholders: Contracting Officers, Contract Specialists, Program Managers, and Acquisition Managers will be participating in this Reverse Industry Day event.The stakeholders above are expected to engage, in varying capacities, throughout every phase of this RFI and virtual Reverse Industry Day process. They will:Have access to information from the RFIs received, including excerpts and summarized excerptsSelectively choose which direct follow-up discussions (virtual Industry Day sessions with RFI respondents) they wish to participate in and provide questions forMake requests for selected RFI respondents to present to the acquisition workforce, participate in panel discussions, or engage in one-on-one sessions.Receive summarized outputs from each of the aboveTwo Phase RFI and IT Services Reverse Industry Day ApproachFor this RFI, the Government intends to engage with interested parties in a two-phase approach:Phase I: The Government will distribute this RFI. Interested respondents will electronically submit their written responses to this RFI for consideration by the Government by 5pm CST on 9 March 2022.Phase II: The Government will review RFI inputs received, evaluate them, and potentially select some respondents, chosen based on the level of knowledge and expertise demonstrated within the RFI, to engage virtually with Government stakeholders. The purpose of these sessions would be one or a combination of the following:Respondents engage in a one-on-one virtual Q&A about the material submitted for Phase II.Respondents present information to the acquisition workforce in a virtual environment.Respondents participate in virtual panel discussions.This RFI seeks to gather input from consulting firms, universities, non-profits, associations, private sector companies, or other relevant entities on topics listed below. We are seeking the most impactful best practice insights, technology recommendations, and suggested optimization strategies around the following areas—referred to hereafter as the “IT Services Topic List”:IT Services Topic ListRequirements Development/Contract Formation for IT ServicesIndustry perspective on contract formation in an environment of uncertainty surrounding future IT architecture (cloud implementation, hybrid cloud approach, enterprise level services for IPR, SIPR)Effective requirements development strategiesIndustry perspectives or suggestions on highly regarded, highly effective 3rd party IT Services requirements developers.Industry perspective on how to effectively engage industry partners in requirements development.Contract Methodologies for IT ServicesIndustry perspectives on successful methodologiesIndustry perspectives on successful CLIN structuresIndustry perspectives on successful incentive methodologiesIndustry opinions on managed services, traditional IT services, etc.Industry perspectives on multiple smaller contracts vs one overarching contractEffective Service Level Agreements (SLA) strategiesIndustry perspectives on preferred timelines for IT Services acquisitions to allow for effective decision-making and proposal preparationContract Oversight of IT ServicesIndustry perspectives on successful oversight/surveillance methodsIndustry opinions on innovative surveillance methods.This RFI, while not for a direct procurement, seeks public and private sector input as 55th CONS stakeholders develop future contract strategies/plans for IT Services contracts. We very much hope that potential respondents will view this RFI and Virtual Reverse Industry Day request as a true opportunity to help significantly shape the thinking, processes, and practices of 55th CONS stakeholders relative to innovative acquisition strategies for IT Services contracts.Phase I InstructionsThe Federal Government has published this RFI document. We ask that potentially interested respondents review this document and the IT Services Topic List outlined above. Submission Instructions are provided below.Deadline for Response: 5pm CST on 9 March 2022. File Format: Searchable Word document with 1-inch margins.Font: 12-point Times New RomanPage Limit: 15 pages. Title page, cover letter, table of contents, and appendix are not included in the 15-page limit.Submission Instructions: The response should be submitted to Cynthia.Szponder@us.af.mil with the email subject header of “55th CONS IT Services Reverse Industry Day Submission.”Response Content Instructions: Respondents are to use the attached response format for use with this RFI submission. Respondents may add a title page, cover letter, table of contents, and appendix.The appendix has a 5-page-count limit and should only include additional context about your organization and its services. Additionally, if you elect to put forward speakers for any of the IT Services Topic List areas identified above (areas 1, 2, or 3) please provide a relevant bio that we can use in order to consider proposed speakers. Proposed speaker bios, within the appendix section, are not subject to the appendix page-count restrictions.Phase II Information – 55th CONS IT Services Virtual Reverse Industry Day SessionsIn this second phase, the Government will review the RFI responses submitted for Phase I and, based on that review, will invite selected RFI respondents to participate in a Virtual Reverse Industry Day event. The format for the virtual reverse industry day will be determined later; however, the format of these sessions would be one or a combination of the following:One-on-one virtual Q&A about the material submitted for Phase I.Presentations to the acquisition workforce in a virtual environment.Virtual panel discussions.It is anticipated that the Virtual Reverse Industry Day Sessions will be held the week of 16 May 2022. Additional information will be provided once a format and schedule for the Reverse Industry Day has been established. The Government will contact respondents directly with this further information if they are selected for participation.Participation, or lack thereof, in this RFI process, to include the Virtual Reverse Industry Day, has no bearing on a party’s ability or option to choose to participate in or receive an award for any future solicitation or procurement resulting from this or any other activity.ConclusionThis request for information (RFI) is for planning purposes and is not to be considered an invitation for bid, request for quotation, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI or any follow up information request. Respondents will not be individually notified of the results of the evaluation of the information they provide. No contract award will be made based on responses received. After review of submission, the Government may invite select vendors to present their solutions at the 55th CONS IT Services Virtual Reverse Industry Day the week of 16 May 2022. All submission costs plus other associated costs relating to the presentation of information in response to this RFI will be at vendor’s expense.