USSOCOM Tactical Biometrics Event 2020

1. General: a. This Request for Information (RFI) is not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, quotations or obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services, but for planning purposes only. The RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and to explore industry capabilities. Your response to the RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission to the RFI or the Governments' use of such information. The information provided may be used by the USSOCOM in developing its acquisition strategy, statement of work/statement of objectives, and performance specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. b. Responses to this RFI will be used by USSOCOM Special Operations Force Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) Directorate, the Program Executive Office - Special Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Exploitation (PEO - SRSE), and the Program Manager - Sensitive Site Exploitation (PM-SSE) to identify potential methodologies for evaluation of next generation capabilities for multi-modal biometrics identification including but not limited to the collection and on-board storage of a subjects facial photograph, iris, fingerprints and voice capture. The methodologies should include the potential for the transmission of the information in a DoD Electronic Biometric Transaction (EBT) file format to an onboard or national database and receive a "match or no match" response for use by the SOF Operator conducting the biometric collection activity. c. The Tactical Biometric Event 2020 is scheduled for April of 2020 in or around Tampa, Florida or other USG designated location. Any costs incurred by Manufacturers / Vendors in participating in TBE-20 shall be the sole responsibility of each Manufacturer / Vendor, and such costs shall not be reimbursed by the Government. The purpose of TBE-20 is to evaluate hardware and equipment submitted for the evaluation of next generation capabilities for multi-modal biometrics identification, as described above. The hardware and equipment shall be production models and capable of performing specific core missions sets conducted by Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) operators either on a tactical objective or at a forward operating base-like environment for biometric collection and identification of personnel. d. While un-released devices intended for the commercial market that meet the majority of the capabilities listed in paragraph 1.b. are allowed, all devices will be final product versions and meet the capabilities detailed in the future provided Evaluation Criteria / Requirements and Use Case Scenarios. e. Once the information is received, USSOCOM may publish a synopsis requesting further information and industry comments on a refined set of requirements along with a draft acquisition strategy and milestone schedule. 2. Evaluation: The evaluation will consist of two independently conducted events: a. Operational Test (OT) - to evaluate the quality and accuracy of device performance and output. OT is conducted with production representative models in the same hardware and software configuration as intended to be fielded and operated during an Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E); b. OT&E - to evaluate training and determine usability and suitability for SOF Operators. OT&E is conducted in a simulated realistic operational environment, using production representative equipment and trained SOF Operators in a mission representative scenario(s). 3. Schedule: The preliminary schedule of events (subject to change) is as follows: a. NLT 25 Oct 2019 - Interested Manufacturers / Vendor respond to this RFI. Responses should be submitted directly through the USSOCOM TILO portal not through the FEDBIZOPS web page and must include: (1) identification of the Manufacturers / Vendor primary point(s) of contact with phone and e-mail information; (2) proposed existing or near term devices meeting Tactical Biometric Event (TBE) guidelines as described in this RFI. Please contact the TILO office through the TILO Portal; to coordinate information submittal and request specific TILO briefing dates and times. b. 13 Nov 2019 - Concept TILO presentations. Manufacturers / Vendors present their proposed white papers, equipment and demonstrate the equipment's capabilities of interest. TILO presentations will be conducted in Tampa, FL. Specific coordination information will be provided when TILO briefing times are scheduled. c. 2 Dec 2019 - Invitations to select Manufacturers / Vendors to participate in TBE 20. While HQ USSOCOM will provide feedback to all Manufacturers/Vendors who participated in the TILO presentations, only those devices that USSOCOM judges to have the best potential to meet the Evaluation Criteria / Requirements will be invited to participate in TBE-20. d. 9 Dec 2019 - Manufacturer / Vendors accept invitations. Deadline for Manufacturers/Vendors to notify USSOCOM SOF AT&L PEO-SRSE-PM-SSE of their intent to participate in the TBE and return the completed Vendor Loan Agreements for their devices and any associated items. e. 14 Jan 2020 - Manufacturers / Vendors deliver (on-loan) fully functional devices and associated items for OT. Manufacturers/Vendors also provide necessary technical information to support USSOCOM's safety review process. f. 15 Jan thru 16 Jan 2020 - Manufacturers / Vendors train USSOCOM testers and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) on the use of their device(s) to support technical evaluation of their device(s). Training will be limited to a maximum of eight hours per device and must include proper use of the device and troubleshooting. Vendors will be expected to train the USSOCOM evaluators and SMEs to the point where the evaluators and SMEs can determine expected levels of performance. Manufacturers / Vendors will be offered the opportunity to conduct the same training for operators participating in the OT&E portion of TBE-20. g. 15 Jan thru 28 Feb 2020 - OT for TBE-20. USSOCOM evaluators will conduct a technical evaluation of the Manufacturers / Vendors devices to ensure they perform to the standards and levels as presented. Manufacturers / Vendors may be asked to provide reach back support during technical evaluations. h. 6 Mar 2020 - Invitations to select Manufacturers / Vendors to participate in the OT&E for TBE 20. i. 6 Apr thru 17 Apr 2020 - OT&E for TBE-20. USSOCOM evaluators and SMEs will conduct the OT&E with the participation of SOF operational personnel. Vendors will be asked to conduct training of their capabilities / devices during the first week but will not participate in the actual operator driven events conducted jointly by USSOCOM and the TBD test agency, but may be asked to address questions or issues by phone or e-mail during the evaluation. j. NLT 1 Dec 2020 - All Manufacturer/Vendor equipment returned. 4. Points of Contact: Questions outside of the instructions above should be submitted to the Test Director, Mr. Nicholas D. Anderson at [email protected] with information copies to Mr. Charles A. Colletti at [email protected] and Mr. Jason Billstein at [email protected]. This announcement is an RFI / comment only and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP). An RFP may be posted on FedBizOpps at some future time. However, the Government does not guarantee any action beyond this RFI.