Artificial Intelligence platform that includes tools to monitor and report events

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Artificial Intelligence platform that includes tools to monitor and report events

Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice

1. Overview

• United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requests that interested vendors provide evidence that they are capable of meeting or exceeding the task identified. 

• USCIS is issuing this Sources Sought, Request for Information (SS-RFI) for planning purposes, in support of USCIS market research. USCIS is seeking to gather information and capability statements to determine whether vendors have the experience (preferred) or the capability (required, if no experience) to meet or exceed the requirements. Vendors will need to demonstrate in their response that they have experience (preferred) or the capability (required if no experience) to meet or exceed the requirements.

• This notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting market research and does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposal, or Request for Quotations. No solicitation is being issued at this time and the Government makes no assertion that a solicitation will be issued. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract, nor do they affect a potential offeror's ability to respond to any future synopsis/solicitation which may or may not follow or restrict the U.S. Government's eventual acquisition approach.

• Additionally, the U.S. Government is not obligated to, and will not provide reimbursement for any information that may be submitted in response to this notice. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding.

2. Background

• The USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) Intelligence Watch's primary mission is facilitating a Watch and Warning function for FDNS and USCIS leadership.  To facilitate that mission, the Intelligence Watch has determined a need to procure an Artifical Intelligence (AI) platform that includes alert tools to monitor and report events that impact the immigration process related to national security concerns, criminal events, emerging threats, fraud, and force protection of USCIS personnel.  The Intelligence Watch’s two main priorities are to gain a capability of social media event-based monitoring that didn’t violate privacy or social media operational use policies and acquire a tool that focused on events or threats that impacted USCIS’ mission without violating applicants, petitioners, or US Citizens privacy rights.

3. AI Platform Requirements

• Cannot violate USCIS’s social media Policy, which would require a social media log in and account.  Must have a privacy policy that does not allow or require access to actual social media accounts and strictly monitors postings relevant to search parameters of relevant threats, events, and potential fraud to the immigration system.
• Has an established force protection capability by monitoring locations and regions of the world where USCIS personnel may be operating in.
• Allows a user to monitor and follow multiple timelines on a single screen of various tweets. The user would be able to track and organize content and engage with various Twitter communities in real-time.
• Monitors Twitter, blogs, forums, and other social platforms that use #hashtags rather than events.
• Collects, analyzes, and delivers threats to the data owner or subscriber.
• Focuses on cyber and physical threats to the private sector as opposed to a wide range of threats dealing with Immigration.
• Monitors all events and the need to shift from one event to the other.

4. Response Format and Guidelines 

• Responses to this RFI/Sources Sought Notice are due no later than 12:00 PM ET on June 23, 2023. Responses shall be submitted via email to both Waynette.A.Goodman@uscis.dhs.gov and Rhonda.l.Canell@uscis.dhs.gov and shall not exceed 10 pages in length (including the cover letter). Please include in the subject of your email, “RFI 70SBUR23I00000017 Response  - USCIS FDNS Artificial Intelligence platform."
• Vendors that believe they possess the expertise and experience necessary for this requirement are invited to respond with the following information:
  1. Provide a cover letter that includes company name, address, point of contact information, and Unique Entity ID (UEI) and CAGE code.
  2.  Address all requirments above and briefly describe the solution you would provide USCIS. Ensure you demonstrate whether you have experience (preferred) or the capability (required if no experience) for each question’s response.
  3. Please provide confirmation of entity registration on SAM.gov.
  4. Confirm whether your solution is currently available through a federal contracting strategic sourcing vehicle (i.e. GSA Federal Supply Schedule) or is available only through open market.
  5. The Government is considering NAICS code 519290 - Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services as the correct classification for this requirement. Please indicate if you concur with this 519290 NAICS code selection. If not, identify what NAICS code(s) you believe is the most appropriate for this requirement. Identify your company’s size/socioeconomic status as it relates to the NAICS codes indicated (both the one identified by the Government and any NAICS that you propose be used instead of the Government’s selection, if applicable). Identify the size/socioeconomic status of any subcontractors you propose to use to meet the requirements if not able to perform all seven major tasks as the prime contractor.
• Any information received in response to this RFI may be used by USCIS during its preparation of a subsequent RFQ/RFP including the specifications, instructions for proposal preparation, and evaluation criteria.

Proprietary Information should not be included in responses

• Responses to this notice will not be returned

Additional Information:

• There is no commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, to make an award(s), or to be responsible for any monies expended by any interested parties in support of any effort in response to this sources sought notice. Any information submitted in response to this sources sought notice is a strictly voluntary. This sources sought notice is for information planning purposes and the Government will not pay or otherwise reimburse respondents for information submitted. It is the responsibility of potential vendors to monitor for the release of any follow-on information. All documentation shall become the property of the Government. Unless otherwise stated herein, no additional information is available and any request for additional information will be disregarded.