NAICS: 811212 , Computer Peripheral Equipment Repair and Maintenance The Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of Acquisition and Grants (OAG), in conjunction with its customer, the Office of Telecommunications and Systems Operations (OTSO), is currently performing market research to determine the availability of sources to provide SSA Assistive Technology (AT) employees with disabilities. Over the past decade, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has become a leader, among Federal agencies, in the areas of hiring, retaining, and accommodating employees with disabilities (EWD). SSA currently has approximately 1,600 EWD working in offices nationwide. Each employee has a LAN attached workstation and various AT devices and/or software. There are approximately 4,900 AT devices and almost 2,300 pieces of software installed nationwide. The Agency has been able to provide exemplary service to the EWD with the assistance of contractors. SSA requests information from Small Disadvantaged Businesses only that hold a GSA Federal Supply Schedule. In order for SSA to continue to provide stellar customer service, the new contractor must continue to provide assistance in the following areas: 1) Purchase of specific Assistive Technology (AT) hardware and software - The currently deployed assistive software (Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Duxbury, JAWS, J-Say Pro, Kurzweil 1000, Kurzweil 3000, MAGic, MyTTY, and NexTalk VM) and assistive hardware (Braille embossers, Braille notetakers, CCTVs, specialized headsets, microphones, specialized keyboards, specialized input devices/mice, and other assistive devices, such as phone strobe flashers ) must be available for deployment within 20 business days.. 2) Managed storage space for storing assistive technology hardware for shipping and maintenance purposes - Contractor must be able to manage and supply assistive technology hardware and software. The Contractor must be able to deliver hardware/software devices to the Government with twenty (20) business days of receipt of order. 3) Hardware Refreshments - Contractor must be able to perform hardware refreshments activities to include engineering, configuration, delivery and installation and setup. The Contractor must be able to document and report to the Government the shipping and tracking of hardware devices to end-users. 4) Maintenance of AT hardware and software including next business day return to service - The Contractor must be able to provide hardware maintenance for all hardware obtained through the contract, as well as any Government-furnished equipment (GFE). The contractor must be able to provide on-site response with return-to-service by the close of the next business day. The contractor must be able to provide all necessary maintenance labor, documentation, repair parts, maintenance supplies, tools and test equipment to ensure that the workstation and AT devices are in good operating condition. The contractor shall also be able to obtain software licensing agreements for all AT software. Software licensing agreements shall include maintenance and unlimited upgrades (at no additional cost) throughout the life of the contract. 5) Help desk and hours - The Contractor must be able to provide nationwide AT Help Desk support for EWD. The Help Desk must be available 6am EST to 7pm EST. The Help Desk support covers areas of basic phone/desktop support through basic setup and configuration and advance or difficult AT requests. 6) Engineer support services - The Contractor must be able to provide an Engineering Support Center (ESC). The ESC will assist with testing, configuring and supporting application-specific issues relating to AT issues on the workstation image or with other desktop applications. The ESC also provides support to the help desk. (Note: The AT Help Desk, Engineering Support Center and Storage Depot for AT equipment must to be located at a contractor-provided site(s). SSA will provide GFE, including workstations, servers, standard LAN equipment, along with Agency network connectivity.) 7) Program manager - The program manager (PM) has responsibility for all resources and the accomplishment of all work assigned under this contract. The PM should also have experience and knowledge as an AT engineer. [CM1] 8) Installations, re-installations and relocations - The Contractor will need to be able to install all AT hardware and software, onsite at any location nationwide, or to assist SSA personnel in installation. In the case where an EWD is moving from one office to another, but not their entire site, the Contractor must be able to relocate the user. The "relocation" process includes de-installing equipment, possibly packing and shipping it to another site, unpacking and re-installing at the next site. Interested sources must provide evidence that it currently provides the services described above for current government [CM2] clients (include contract/delivery order number, date of award, dollar value and a brief statement of work). Include your GSA Schedule number and DUNs Number that shows your Small Disadvantage Business status under NAICS Code 811212 with your submission. [CM3] Interested sources shall limit the information provided to five pages or less, not including a cover sheet. Interested sources that believe they have the bona fide capability to perform these services described above should submit a the information requested, in writing, to Ed Casswell, Contracting Officer, Social Security Administration, OAG/DITEM, 7111 Security Boulevard, First Floor-Rear Entrance, Baltimore, MD 21244. SSA will accept responses submitted electronically via email at
[email protected] . You may fax information to (410) 965-9560. Please reference SSA-RFI-13-0021 in the email subject line. SSA must receive all responses by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 22, 2013. Synopsis Terms and Conditions: This is a sources sought announcement, a market survey for written information only. This is not a solicitation announcement for proposals and the Government will not award a contract from this announcement. The Government will not reimburse for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. The Government will not accept any telephone calls, or requests for a bid package or solicitation. There is no bid package or solicitation. In order to protect the procurement integrity of any future procurement, if any, that may arise from this announcement; the Government will not give information regarding the technical point of contact. The Government will not make appointments for presentations. This synopsis is for planning purposes only, not a commitment by the Government. The Government will use responses to this sources sought/market research notice to make appropriate acquisition decisions.