Smart Safe

Added:
Mar 06, 2017 7:35 am 1) OVERVIEW

This Request for Information (RFI) is a request for interested parties to describe products, services, technical capabilities, and demonstrated experience relevant to satisfying all or part of the requirements stated herein. Responses to this RFI will provide essential information to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP" or "the Government") in planning one or more potential future acquisitions of an overall cash management solution that involves so called "smart safe" equipment and hardware that stores and secures currency, and also includes equipment and hardware installation and removal, maintenance and support services, courier services, and banking services. As a result of the RFI, CBP will determine the overall interest and capability of industry to support a CBP smart safe initiative.
This is an RFI only and is not a request for quote or an invitation to bid, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by the

Government to issue a formal solicitation or ultimately award a contract. This RFI will assist CBP in conducting market research to identify sources that can meet CBP's requirements. Information received is for internal CBP use only. Responses to this RFI are voluntary, and therefore, the Government is not liable to pay or reimburse any party that responds to this RFI. Any costs incurred by an interested party is solely the responsibility of that party. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude a party from participating in any future solicitation, if one is issued. CBP, at its discretion, may request RFI respondents to meet with CBP program and contracting officials to elaborate on information provided in that party's written RFI response. The information provided by CBP in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All responses to this RFI become the property of the Government and will not be returned.
2) BACKGROUND
CBP is responsible for collecting over $44 billion in duties, taxes, and fees annually. Of the $44 billion, CBP collects a significant amount of revenue in cash/checks at Ports of Entry (POEs) across the country.
The processing and handling of cash receipts at POEs results in inefficiencies and risks for CBP, which include but are not limited to the following:
• Significant time spent by CBP employees counting notes and coins;
• The potential for loss of cash through error, theft, or fraud; and
• Time spent by CBP employees transporting cash or checks to banks for deposit.
As a result, CBP is seeking a more efficient form of cash management that will leverage technology and services to increase efficiency and reduce risk in processing cash receipts at POEs, thereby permitting CBP employees to focus on mission critical duties that facilitate trade and travel.
3) REQUIREMENTS
Through this RFI, the Government seeks information on the following:
(1) A comprehensive cash management solution from the point of receipt by CBP to the point of reconciliation of bank deposits; and
(2) Options for a partial cash management solution, contrasted with a comprehensive solution, clearly delineating which products or services would be provided.
Cash management solutions should include the following:
• A single management point of contact, preferably under a single contract covering all related services, such as equipment and hardware installation and removal, maintenance and support services, courier services, and banking services;
• Utilization of "smart safe" equipment and hardware that stores and secures U.S. currency and checks. The solution may include a variety of smart safe models, which should at a minimum include a recycler model smart safe and/or a deposit-only model. Desired features include cash counters, coin counters, verification of the currency (i.e., counterfeit detection), capacity to store cash and coins, and direct electronic transmission of deposit details to an authorized Treasury General Account (TGA) bank for account settlement;
• Provision of equipment/hardware maintenance, help desk support, training for CBP employees, and training materials;
• Provision of courier services (access smart safe to count, transport, and deposit funds in bank); and
• Provision of banking services (change orders, vault services).
4 ) QUESTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Through this RFI, CBP wishes to establish a current baseline of industry capabilities and technology trends that meet CBP's operational objectives, and also to identify barriers to the successful implementation of cost effective technology solutions. Responders are encouraged to suggest additional objectives, challenges, and approaches that the Government should take into consideration.
The following questions are presented to assist in framing some important issues that should be considered in your response:
• What are the challenges (technical or non-technical) associated with designing, integrating, deploying, and maintaining your described cash management solutions?
• Are there any state and/or federal laws regulations that may prevent a comprehensive managed service?
• Will you own the smart safe equipment, or lease it on CBP's behalf?
• Does your firm have access to a design and test laboratory to develop and verify performance of smart safe solutions? If yes, please describe the facility's capability.
• In support of the requirements contained in the RFI, how would your company provide each of the following: (1) program/project management, (2) solution development, and (3) training to CBP?
• What, if any, pertinent pricing issues, contracting approaches, or cost control measures do you believe CBP should consider adopting for this effort?
• Given that CBP officers at large POEs regularly rotate duties or change their work locations, how many users can be assigned access for the smart safe in your proposed solution?
• Describe the minimum lead time you would need for the manufacture and delivery of smart safe equipment that meets CBP requirements to the sites identified.
• Describe your solution's area of coverage within the United States and its territories (e.g., local, statewide, regional, nationwide). Provide the geographic range of the courier services you would provide and whether any additional mileage costs apply over and above the managed service fee.
• Describe the process by which the smart safe installed in CBP locations will transmit and receive data. Explain communication types and frequency, which part of the solution initiates the communication, the encryption or other security features protecting the communication, and what information or data may be stored on a device and for how long.
• Describe whether CBP may expect to enter into a single agreement for a managed comprehensive service (including the equipment and all ancillary services as described) or whether multiple documents or agreements may be required.
• Describe the smart safe equipment options offered with your solution and the key features associated with each.
• Describe the types of payments that can be processed by your smart safe solution (i.e., notes, coins, checks), how those payment types are processed, and how your solution provides provisional credit.
• Do you offer an option to acquire a smart safe as a stand-alone purchase that would allow CBP to manage separate service contracts with a courier and a bank, as opposed to providing a comprehensive managed service?
• In your proposed cash management solution, which party bears the risk of loss and at what points in the process does that risk shift from one party to another?
• Would you maintain liability insurance that would protect CBP against all loss and damage to smart safe equipment, and their contents, while located at a CBP facility?
• What solution do you provide for currency rejected by the currency acceptor of the smart safe equipment, including securing and reconciling the currency at the CBP facility, and during courier transit, and at the bank?
• If you have a GSA schedule that addresses the requirements, do include the Schedule and Special Item Number.
• The Government may ask vendor (s) to provide limited product/services demonstration to CBP at no cost to the Government to assist the agency to consider the capabilities of your products/services as part of what is currently available on the market.
5) RFI RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS
Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Electronic files larger than 5 MB shall be broken down into multiple files with no one file exceeding 5 MB. Each electronic submission shall include the RFI number in the subject line. Subject line must include "[Company Name] Response to Smart Safe Services RFI [or RFI Number]" and the message number (for example, 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3).
• The maximum number of pages per submission shall be limited to 30 pages including title page, table of contents, and reference materials, if attached.
• Comments that contain references to studies, research, or other materials that are not widely published should include links to the referenced materials with the submitted comments.
• Include the file number and total files being submitted (e.g., File 1 of 4, File 2 of 4, etc.) in the subject line, if submission includes more than one electronic email.
• Provide Point of Contact (POC), phone number, and email address of the person to be contacted regarding any correspondence between the Government and the respondent. In addition, the company's website, if available, should be provided. The POC shall be capable of addressing questions or issues associated with the submission and content of the RFI.
Responses to this RFI shall be sent via email to the following:
Email:
joseph.ohene@cbp.dhs.govContracting Officer
Email:
Jenne.Tillman@cbp.dhs.gov
All responses shall be submitted no later than 5:00 pm EDT on March 20, 2017.
Questions and requests for clarifications on this RFI must be sent via email to joseph.ohene@dhs.gov and Jenne.Tillman@cbp.dhs.gov no later than 5:00 pm EDT on March 20, 2017. In the subject line of your email when submitting questions, include the following: "RFI-CBP-Smart Safe Questions".
Do not submit any information that might be considered proprietary or confidential. Please be advised that all submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and will not be returned. Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by technical experts drawn from staff within CBP. This action will be governed under DHS law enforcement sensitive information guidelines.
Attachment to RFI
1) Smart Safe Draft Statement of Work
NOTE: While vendors can anticipate meeting all requirements as set out in the Draft Statement of Work attached to this RFI, vendors are highly encouraged to provide alternate options to meeting the SOW requirements.
The DRAFT Statement of Work for Smart Safe Services is provided solely for the purposes of conducting market research in conjunction with the associated RFI pursuant to FAR Parts 10 and 15.201. Accordingly, CBP reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change, modify, amend, or revise the DRAFT Statement of Work, in whole or in part, and interested parties shall not rely on the DRAFT Statement of Work beyond the market research purpose for which it is intended. Moreover, neither the DRAFT Statement of Work, nor the RFI to which it is included as an attachment, constitute a solicitation of any kind by CBP, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by CBP to issue a formal solicitation or award a contract."


Added:
Mar 20, 2017 7:49 am
The purpose of this amendment to the RFI is to extend industry's response closing date from March 20, 2017 to March 27, 2017- 5:00pm EDT.

Added:
Mar 27, 2017 7:32 pm
The purpose of this amendment to the RFI is to post questions submitted by industry and the responses to the questions.

Added:
May 09, 2017 10:04 am
The purpose of this notice is to post the solicitation for the Pilot Smart Safe Services.
The following documents are posted by this notice:
RFP HSBP1017R0030-Smart Safe Service
RFP HSBP1017R0030 Attachment 1-Smart Safe Service Statement of Work
RFP HSBP1017R0030 Attachment 2-Smart Safe Service Price Sheet
RFP HSBP1017R0030 Attachment 3 -Smart Safe Past Performance Questionnaire

Added:
May 09, 2017 10:26 am
The purpose of this notice is to correct the FedbizOpps Response date for the solicitation from
May 26, 2017 11:59pm to May 30, 2017 5:00pm Eastern Daylight Time