OneRD Guaranteed Loan Program

As discussed in the attached “OneRD Guaranteed Application Needs Statement”, USDA, RD, vision is to create a cutting-edge, Guaranteed Loan Application Service. RD has determined the need for understanding an approach to provide both Business Process Reengineering Efforts and Solution Design, Development, and Implementation of the OneRD Guaranteed Loan Program. USDA RD mission area is implementing a single (One RD) regulation for four commercial guaranteed loan programs: 1) Water and Waste Disposal (WWD); 2) Community Facilities (CF); 3) Business and Industry (B&I); and 4) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The new regulation will encompass the policies and procedures for guaranteed loan application, issuance, and servicing, lender approval and reporting, and overall program monitoring. RD is seeking information on a holistic IT solution to enable RD to simplify, improve, and enhance the delivery of these four guaranteed loan programs, and better manage the risks inherent with issuing and servicing guaranteed loans. This will result in an improved and consistent customer experience for lenders trying to access these programs. The proposed project will be divided into two components: Component 1 will focus on developing new processes to support the implementation of the Guaranteed Loan Application and implementation of a single regulation to support the One RD Guaranteed Rule(s) across all four programs. The three major activities will include 1) Analysis and documentation of organization roles and responsibilities. 2) Analysis and documentation of new and/or reengineered business processes 3) full diagnostic assessment of current relevant IT systems used by RD with recommendations for improvement that will allow automation and standardization of One RD Guaranteed loan processes and data through the reuse, modernization, and optimization of the current technology architecture and/ or solution building blocks. Component 2 will focus on the implementation of Guaranteed Loan Application, Review, and Servicing system to account for the Modernization and Transformation of the submission, review, approval, issuance of loan note guarantee, servicing and reporting of the Guaranteed Loan Program. In order to see RD’s vision to fruition, the Agency is seeking industry’s input as part of acquisition planning and market research (Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 7 Acquisition Planning and FAR Subpart 10, Market Research at www.acquisition.gov. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) – CAPABILITY STATEMENTS** The USDA RD is requesting that all interested vendors provide information regarding their experience and capability to perform Business Process Reengineering Services and Solution Planning, Development, and Implementation of the OneRD Guaranteed Application. “Do not send marketing materials , brochures, pamphlets, etc.” This Request for Information (RFI) solicits information on options for innovation, products, technology, and data to facilitate the development and implementation of an automated system to accept, process, service, monitor and report performance of OneRD Guaranteed loans. Through this RFI, USDA RD seeks input from the public, including but not limited to a) A cloud-based solution, certified by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)[1]. Cloud Service Providers must provide proof of the FedRAMP certification for the recommended cloud platform or cloud services as part of the vendor response; b) A “hybrid” IT solution, on-premise with partial FedRAMP certified, Cloud Services; or c) An on-premise IT solution. Please review the FedRAMP Policy Memo for FedRAMP Requirements https://www.fedramp.gov/assets/resources/documents/FedRAMP_Policy_Memo.pdf . This RFI is intended to inform notable gaps, vulnerabilities, and areas to promote an automated system to support application intake, review, processing, and loan guarantee issuing and servicing under the OneRD Guaranteed Loan Program Regulation. The information can include suggestions on those areas of greatest priority within the OneRD Guaranteed Loan Program, as well as past or future Federal government efforts to build, promote, and sustain guaranteed loan process. The public input provided in response to this RFI will inform USDA as well as private sector and other stakeholders with interest in and expertise relating to such a promotion. [1] FedRAMP is a unique government program that is at the epicenter of cloud technology, cybersecurity, and risk management. FedRAMP provides a standardized framework to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. This framework uses a “do once, use many times” approach that saves an estimated 30-40% of government authorization costs, by reducing both time and staff required to conduct Agency security assessments. FedRAMP maintains a Marketplace of all vendors that hold a FedRAMP designation, as well as a Secure Repository for all of the authorization packages for FedRAMP Authorized vendors.