Notice2021-16581
Opportunity To Enter Into a Joint Venture Partnership With the National Technical Information Service for Data Innovation Support
Primary source
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Published
August 4, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Technical Information Service
Abstract
The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) requests proposals from interested private-sector organizations to assist Federal agencies in the development and implementation of innovative ways to collect, connect, access, secure, analyze, disseminate and enable effective and efficient use of data to address unique and complex national data priorities. Specifically, NTIS is interested in partnering with organizations that have specialized skills and capabilities in applied data science areas, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and cybersecurity, to assist the Federal government in leveraging data as a strategic asset to achieve Federal agency mission outcomes. Organizations that are selected in accordance with the evaluation criteria and selection process set forth in this notice will be invited to enter into a joint venture partnership agreement with NTIS to be eligible to compete for Federal data service opportunities identified by NTIS in cooperation with other Federal agencies. In accordance with the President's Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, E.O. 13985 of Jan 20, 2021, NTIS encourages all individuals and organizations to apply who meet the listed qualifications and requirements in this notice, including those who come from underserved communities, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality and the organizations that support these individuals and groups.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 147 (Wednesday, August 4, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41960-41963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16581]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Technical Information Service
[Docket No.: 191122-0088]
Opportunity To Enter Into a Joint Venture Partnership With the
National Technical Information Service for Data Innovation Support
AGENCY: National Technical Information Service, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) requests
proposals from interested private-sector organizations to assist
Federal agencies in the development and implementation of innovative
ways to collect, connect, access, secure, analyze, disseminate and
enable effective and efficient use of data to address unique and
complex national data priorities. Specifically, NTIS is interested in
partnering with organizations that have specialized skills and
capabilities in applied data science areas, such as artificial
intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and cybersecurity, to assist
the Federal government in leveraging data as a strategic asset to
achieve Federal agency mission outcomes. Organizations that are
selected in accordance with the evaluation criteria and selection
process set forth in this notice will be invited to enter into a joint
venture partnership agreement with NTIS to be eligible to compete for
Federal data service opportunities identified by NTIS in cooperation
with other Federal agencies. In accordance with the President's
Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
Communities Through the Federal Government, E.O. 13985 of Jan 20, 2021,
NTIS encourages all individuals and organizations to apply who meet the
listed qualifications and requirements in this notice, including those
who come from underserved communities, such as Black, Latino,
Indigenous and Native American, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with
disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise
adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality and the
organizations that support these individuals and groups.
DATES: Proposals will be received and evaluated on an ongoing basis.
Proposals will not be accepted after August 24, 2024. This Notice
replaces the notice published on December 13, 2019, 84 FR 68147.
Applicants that have already submitted proposals under the 2019 notice
do not need to resubmit under this notice.
ADDRESSES: Submit proposals electronically, with the subject line
``Opportunity to Enter into a Joint Venture Partnership with the
National Technical Information Service for Data Innovation Support'',
by emailing both <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5b142b2b34292f2e35322f221a3535342e35383e363e352f1b352f3228753c342d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="521d22223d2026273c3b262b133c3c3d273c31373f373c26123c263b217c353d24">[email protected]</span></a> and Randy Caldwell at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#522031333e3625373e3e123c263b217c353d24"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="304253515c5447555c5c705e4459431e575f46">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Caldwell at (703) 605-6321, or
by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#55273634393122303939153b213c267b323a23"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aad8c9cbc6ceddcfc6c6eac4dec3d984cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction/Background for Potential Joint Venture Partners (JVPs)
NTIS, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is seeking
proposals from potential JVPs that can work with NTIS to assist Federal
agencies to leverage innovative ways to collect, connect, access,
secure, analyze, disseminate and enable effective and efficient use of
data to address unique and complex national data priorities.
Federal agencies are currently addressing national issues in such
areas as fraud detection, improper payments, public services, health
and safety, cybersecurity, technology transfer, supply chain
optimization, and internal requirements to operate more effectively and
efficiently. Addressing these mission-critical data issues requires new
capabilities in machine learning, artificial intelligence, predictive
analytics and other advanced data science expertise. See OMB M-19-18
\1\ and Executive Order 13859.\2\ Federal agencies that need the data
services of NTIS and its JVPs require holistic solutions that may
require the application of multiple data and technological capabilities
in new and innovative ways in order to support the agencies' strategic
plans and mission-critical priorities. Many of the challenges facing
Federal agencies are at the intersection of data science and
information technology (IT) modernization. Solutions often require
related capabilities in emerging technologies, innovation, change
management, and agile delivery methods. Mission areas that NTIS
supports include, but are not limited to, fraud detection, public
services, health and safety, technology transfer, and national
security.
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\1\ <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/M-19-18.pdf">https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/M-19-18.pdf</a>.
\2\ <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/14/2019-02544/maintaining-american-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/14/2019-02544/maintaining-american-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence</a>.
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Activities conducted by NTIS and its JVPs in support of other
Federal agencies may include: (1) Designing, testing, analyzing, or
demonstrating the application of Federal data and data services, either
alone or in combination with non-Federal data; (2) based on Federal
data or the use of Federal data in some combination with open Federal
data and non-Federal data, facilitating the creation of suites of
products, platforms, and services that assist Federal agencies in
meeting the needs of businesses, innovators, government agencies, and
others; and (3) otherwise enhancing data discovery and usability, data
interoperability and standards, data analytics and forecasting, or data
infrastructure and security. Projects that can be accomplished by a
Federal agency via a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) procurement or
acquisition action will not be conducted by NTIS with its JVPs.
Organizations that enter into joint venture partnership agreements
with NTIS, pursuant to this notice, will have opportunities to engage
in early discussions about projects with NTIS and the sponsoring
Federal agencies and may subsequently compete for the opportunity to
work with NTIS to provide data services on specific projects under a
merit-based selection process established by NTIS.
Under a separate notice that will be published in the Federal
Register (``assistive technologies JVPs notice''), NTIS will accept
proposals from interested private-sector organizations to become a JVP
eligible to work with
[[Page 41961]]
NTIS on projects involving assistive technologies. JVPs selected under
the instant notice will not be eligible to compete for assistive
technology project opportunities with NTIS unless they also apply and
are selected under the assistive technologies JVPs notice.
Organizations that enter into JVP agreements with NTIS pursuant to the
assistive technologies notice will not be eligible to compete for data
innovation opportunities with NTIS unless they also apply and are
selected under the instant notice. Organizations selected under the
instant notice will be eligible to work with NTIS on projects involving
the types of data innovation described in this notice.
The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) has delegated to NTIS
authority to operate as a permanent clearinghouse of scientific,
technical, and engineering information and to collect and disseminate
such information. 15 U.S.C. 1152. The National Technical Information
Act of 1988, codified at 15 U.S.C. 3704b, additionally accorded the
Secretary, acting through NTIS, the authority to enter into joint
ventures, and declared the clearinghouse to be a permanent Federal
function that could not be privatized without Congressional approval.
The National Technical Information Act of 1988 was amended by section
506(c) of the American Technology Preeminence Act of 1991 (Pub. L. 102-
245), which directed NTIS to focus on developing new electronic methods
and media for information dissemination.
As the nature and scope of information and data dissemination have
changed, NTIS has continued to focus on innovations to address these
changes. New capabilities are available in application program
interfaces (APIs) as conduits for data dissemination that have
significantly improved data use, interoperability, and accessibility.
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics are
transforming how data are analyzed and managed to support national
priorities in fraud detection, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity,
citizen services, and in promoting health and public safety.
Using its joint venture authority, NTIS has established a unique
joint venture partnership program that has resulted in a number of
innovative data service projects across the Federal government that
allow other Federal agencies to address national priorities more
efficiently and effectively.
Specifically, through NTIS' joint venture partnership program, NTIS
will (1) accelerate private-sector use of Federal government data,
either alone or in combination with non-Federal data, for the
development and use of new and improved data products and services, and
(2) accelerate the Federal government's use of data to improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of Federal programs and thus improve
mission outcomes.
The NTIS joint venture partnership program enables NTIS to
structure joint venture partnership agreements with the private sector
and interagency agreements with Federal agencies that offer the best
combination of speed, agile applications development, and performance
for delivering integrated innovative data services and solutions. NTIS
manages joint venture projects in a highly flexible, interactive, and
collaborative manner with its customer Federal agencies and JVPs
throughout the project lifecycle.
Joint ventures are not procurements or acquisitions and do not
result in contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Joint ventures involve the investment of resources by NTIS and its
JVPs, with a formal agreement for the sharing of revenues associated
with the venture. The joint venture partnerships provide data services
that allow customer Federal agencies to accelerate the time it takes to
achieve mission outcomes. The joint venture partnerships accomplish
this by using innovative and creative methods of collecting,
connecting, accessing, securing, analyzing, disseminating and enabling
effective and efficient use of Federal data and non-Federal data.
II. General Scope
Technical Requirements
Proposals must address at least one of the following two technical
requirements by demonstrating the proposer's capabilities to deliver
data-driven innovations. The proposer must explicitly state in the
proposal which area(s) are addressed.
1. Innovations in the use of data and data services to leverage
data as a strategic asset to improve business processes and mission
outcome. The proposal must include a description of how the proposer
would contribute innovations in the use of data and data services. The
scope of this area includes data science and engineering innovations
and the ability to integrate and deliver complete data-driven solutions
associated with (a) making it easier to use data through data cleansing
and improved interoperability; (b) searching, discovering, combining,
analyzing, disseminating, and using Federal government data, either
alone or in combination with non-Federal data, in new ways; and (c)
implementing innovative and secure data infrastructures to advance
artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for enabling
cybersecurity, and creating cloud based analytic data platforms that
deliver capabilities for data analytics through highly scalable
infrastructure.
2. Analysis, interpretation, and understanding of data, as well as
meaningful application of the analysis and interpretation, to automate
business processes, predict future events and prescribe potential
solutions. The proposal must describe how the proposer would use AI,
machine learning, and robotics to improve the analysis, interpretation,
understanding, and application of either static or real time data to
achieve innovations in business processes automation, supply chains,
and overall mission outcome.
Additional Requirements
NTIS will enter into joint venture partnership agreements in
accordance with all relevant provisions of applicable Federal law. Any
proposal that has the appearance of circumventing the FAR or other
agency acquisition requirements will be determined to be non-responsive
to this notice during the initial phase of the selection process and
will not be considered further. Proposers must acknowledge and address
the following terms in their proposals:
<bullet> Data received from a Federal agency and from non-Federal
organizations as part of a project performed by NTIS with a JVP may
only be accessed and utilized for project purposes consistent with all
applicable statutory and regulatory provisions and all relevant
agreements.
<bullet> Federal agencies and private-sector organizations that
provide data as part of a project performed by NTIS with a JVP will
retain ownership of the data rights. Federal agencies and private-
sector organizations may be requested to provide licenses to use the
data for the purposes of a project.
<bullet> At a minimum, systems, programs, and applications included
in the proposal must comply with the documented security assessment and
authorization (A&A) policies issued by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), standards and guidance issued by the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Federal Information
Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) (44 U.S.C. 3551 et seq.),
before the systems, programs, and applications are offered to Federal
agencies under a joint venture partnership.
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<bullet> JVPs who are selected and enter into joint venture
partnership agreements pursuant to this notice will be eligible to
submit proposals for specific project opportunities. Eligible JVPs
interested in such opportunities will be required to submit a proposal
in response to an opportunity announcement for specific projects within
a short time period, typically two to three weeks.
<bullet> Proposers must have the ability to accept electronic fund
transfers.
<bullet> NTIS will not guarantee that any revenue will be generated
for the JVP merely by entering into a joint venture partnership
agreement with NTIS.
<bullet> Proposers must have the ability to fund their portion of
any projects commenced pursuant to a joint venture partnership
agreement for a period of time, which may differ for individual
projects, due to Federal accrual accounting practices. NTIS does not
allow (and has never offered) financial incentives for entering into
joint venture partnership agreements. NTIS will not provide advance
payments to JVPs.
III. Requested Response
NTIS seeks to enter into joint venture partnership(s) with one or
more partners to assist Federal agencies in furthering their missions
in innovative and creative ways by enabling government agencies and the
public with improved access to, or analysis, collection, or use of
Federal data and data services, either alone or in combination with
non-Federal data. NTIS and its JVPs provide data services for speedy
execution of innovative projects, typically involving one or more of
the following attributes: (a) First or early use of emerging
technology; (b) complexity of solution architecture, interoperability,
and/or security; (c) agile applications development and systems
operations, which require adaptive scoping; or (d) custom solutions to
meet unique requirements without COTS solutions.
Proposers are encouraged to include proposed teams of private-
sector organizations, which may include small and medium-size
enterprises and start-ups that bring unique and innovative capabilities
for delivering data science capabilities. Proposals should describe any
proposed teaming arrangements and solution integration capabilities,
including the relationships among the parties, how the team would
function, and how the team may be augmented to fill missing
capabilities. Although teaming arrangements are encouraged, the JVP
itself will be expected to provide at least 50 percent of the labor on
each project for which it is selected. NTIS will evaluate each proposal
and may solicit oral presentations from some or all proposers. Where
appropriate, NTIS, in its discretion, may reach out to selected JVPs
for teaming arrangements on future projects that involve emerging and/
or cutting-edge capabilities that fall within NTIS' mission.
Proposal Submission Information
The proposal is a word-processed document of no more than fifteen
(15) single-spaced pages responsive to the evaluation criteria set
forth below. Any pages submitted beyond the 15-page limit will not be
considered. Each proposal page layout should be 8.5 inches by 11 inches
with 1-inch margins. The font for the proposal should be Times New
Roman 12 point or similar font in readable size (no less than 10
point). All submissions must be made in electronic format and submitted
in accordance with the ADDRESSES section above. All proposals are
subject to the False Claims Amendments Act of 1986, 31 U.S.C. 3729 and
18 U.S.C. 287, as well as the False Statements Accountability Act of
1996, 18 U.S.C 1001. In accordance with Federal appropriations law, an
authorized representative of the selected proposer(s) may be required
to provide certain certifications regarding Federal felony and Federal
criminal tax convictions, unpaid Federal tax assessments, and
delinquent Federal tax returns.
Proposal Technical, Administrative and Business Information
The proposal must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth
in the following section and should include all of the information set
forth in this section in a manner sufficient to allow each section to
be reviewed against the evaluation criteria set forth below. Each
section of the proposal should include a brief title or description of
its content.
(1) The proposal to become a JVP must include a capability
statement that describes the nature and scope of the organization's
expertise to perform data services to address mission-critical Federal
data requirements. The proposal must include: (a) A description of
technical capabilities in each area of data innovation that the
proposer and, where applicable, its team, will address; (b) examples of
up to three major projects where the proposer and, where applicable,
its team, have demonstrated data innovations using the technical
capabilities; if the proposer and, where applicable, its team, have not
conducted projects in which they have demonstrated data innovations
using the technical capabilities, the proposer should include instead a
description of how it would go about doing so; (c) a description of the
professional accomplishments, skills, certifications, and training of
the personnel proposed to provide the technical capabilities and
perform the work proposed in the proposal, including each individual
whose innovative technical capabilities are critical to the development
or execution of joint venture projects in a substantive and measurable
way; and (d) a description of the resources, such as staff,
partnerships, integration and project management capabilities,
contracts, or technologies, that the proposer would use to achieve
these innovations. This information will be considered against
evaluation criteria 1 through 3 below.
(2) The proposal may include any other information that the
proposer thinks will assist reviewers in their evaluation of the
proposal against the evaluation criteria described below.
To the extent permitted by law, including the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, NTIS will not disclose
confidential or proprietary information provided and clearly marked in
any proposal submitted in response to this notice without providing the
organization that submitted such information the opportunity to object
to the potential release of the information. If NTIS receives a request
for disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, it will
promptly notify the submitting organization in writing and give it an
opportunity to demonstrate that NTIS should withhold the information in
accordance with Department of Commerce FOIA regulations (15 CFR part
4).
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria for the proposals are as follows:
(1) Rationality (0-35 points).
The extent to which the logic and soundness of the proposer's
approach to enable data innovations that will address Federal data
priorities by (a) advancing the use of data as a strategic asset to
achieve mission outcome and support evidence-based policies; (b)
transforming and optimizing supply chains through the use of data
science capabilities; (c) promoting data governance and
standardization; and (d) creating new capabilities for data discovery,
data set search, and interoperability to connect and derive new
insights for predictive analytics and prescriptive actions.
(2) Technical Merit of Contribution (0-30 points).
The technical effectiveness and innovation of the proposed
capabilities
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and past work or plans for providing such capabilities described in the
proposal and the extent to which they would contribute to the fields of
data science, AI, engineering, or best practices relevant to the
services to be provided by NTIS and its JVPs as described in the
General Scope section of this announcement.
(3) Organizational Qualifications and Resource Availability (0-35
points).
The likelihood that the professional accomplishments, data services
and solution integration delivery experience, skills, certifications,
and training of the personnel proposed to provide the technical
capabilities and perform the work proposed in the proposal, including
all individuals whose innovative technical capabilities are critical to
the development or execution of joint venture projects in a substantive
and measurable way as identified in the proposal, will contribute to
the successful execution of projects; and the extent to which the
proposer has access to the necessary equipment, tools, facilities,
technologies, and overall support and resources to accomplish proposed
objectives and work jointly with NTIS to accomplish project goals.
Evaluation and Selection Process
All proposals received before the end date set forth in the DATES
section of this notice will be reviewed to determine whether they are
submitted by a private-sector organization (eligible), contain all
required technical, business and administrative information (complete),
and are responsive to this notice. Proposals determined to be
ineligible, incomplete, and/or non-responsive based on the initial
screening will be eliminated from further review. However, NTIS, in its
sole discretion, may continue the review process for a proposal that is
missing non-substantive information that can easily be rectified or
cured.
All proposals that are determined to be eligible, complete, and
responsive will proceed for full reviews in accordance with the review
and selection process set forth below.
At least three (3) objective individuals, knowledgeable about the
particular technical areas described in the proposal, will review the
merits of each proposal based on the evaluation criteria. The reviewers
may discuss the proposals with each other, but scores will be
determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus. NTIS may solicit
oral presentations from some or all proposers.
The Selecting Official, who is the NTIS Deputy Director or
designee, will make final proposal selections, taking into
consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, relevance to
the scope and objectives described in this notice, the distribution of
proposals across technical areas, and the distribution of proposers
among a diverse set of qualified organizations. A diverse set of
qualified organizations would include large, medium, and small
organizations that may be for-profit or non-profit and that have both
unique and discrete data science capabilities and specialized expertise
and experience in integrating such capabilities for holistic, complete
solutions.
Notification of Results
Unsuccessful proposers will be notified in writing. Proposers whose
proposals are selected will be notified and will be provided with a
standard NTIS joint venture partnership agreement for execution. Each
joint venture partnership agreement entered into between a selected
proposer and NTIS will incorporate the selected proposer's proposal by
reference. NTIS will not be responsible for any costs incurred by any
proposer prior to execution of a joint venture partnership agreement.
Dated: July 30, 2021.
Gregory Capella,
Deputy Director, National Technical Information Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-16581 Filed 8-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-04-P
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