DESCRIPTION
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Trade (OT) is seeking information from interested vendors as part of an acquisition to establish a contract for role players to support CBP’s Detecting Deception and Eliciting Responses (DDER) training courses.
CBP will use the information from this RFI for future acquisition plans.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. It is for informational purposes only. A solicitation is NOT being issued. This Request for Information (RFI) from industry will allow the Government to identify interested sources capable of meeting all requirements. The information sought will be used for planning purposes only.
THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. The Government will not award a contract based on this RFI, nor will the Government pay for any information submitted by respondents. All proprietary or sensitive corporate information must be clearly marked.
This announcement in no way obligates or commits the Government to acquire any product or service. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government, as a result of information submitted in response to this RFI.
BACKGROUND
CBP’s mission is to safeguard the American homeland at and beyond our borders. As a result of the war on terrorism, CBP’s goal was to build a comprehensive and robust training curriculum that would allow the U. S. to continue our vigilance in fighting terrorism.
CBP determined that it had a need for improved interviewing techniques for the purpose of intelligence-gathering in 2004. This need was most needed in the area of interdicting terrorists and weapons of mass effect. OTD was tasked with obtaining appropriate training in this area. OTD reached out to the Office of Personnel Management and via an Inter-Agency Agreement obtained curriculum development services, instructors, and role-players/cultural experts. The training program that was developed, Detecting Deception and Eliciting Response (DDER), was first delivered in 2005. DDER was designed as a 3-day training program.
The focus of DDER is to enhance interviewing techniques when confronting potential terrorists. This course specializes in non-coercive interviewing techniques (rapport- based interviewing) and includes classroom lectures on such topics as Behavioral Analysis, Interviewing Strategies, and the comparison of High-Context and Low- Context Cultures.
REQUESTED INFORMATION
CBP seeks information from vendors that can provide commercially available capabilities and services that satisfy the attached draft Statement of Work. Citing examples, please describe your capabilities and experience meeting requirements similar in scope and complexity to the requirements of the SOW. Specifically, CBP is interested in your firm’s ability to provide role-players/cultural experts needed for this training program with an extensive knowledge of the cultures, customs, religions, and languages from a country in North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, or the country of Somalia.
RESPONSE FORMAT AND LIMITS
Interested parties should submit a written response, maximum of 5 pages in length single sided; no less than font size 12 that:
- Demonstrates the respondent’s ability to meet or exceed the capability requirements;
- Addresses each of the requests for information;
- Provides the company name and address, point of contact with phone number and e-mail, business size, UEI number, and available contracting vehicles;
- Cost/price estimates and an identification of potential cost drivers, tradeoffs, and/or savings; and,
- Any other pertinent information such as assumptions made relating to the ability to satisfy specific requirements or questions regarding ambiguous or poorly defined requirements.
All responses shall be submitted electronically (Adobe PDF format). Responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite to bid on a subsequent solicitation, if one is issued.
Responses are due no later than August 9, 2024, at 12:00 pm ET. Responses must be submitted via e-mail, if possible, to the contract officer: jared.a.tritle@cbp.dhs.gov
SUMMARY
THIS IS ONLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI).
The information derived from this RFI will assist CBP in identifying sources that can satisfy the requirements of the SOW. The information and specifications provided in the RFI are subject to change and are not binding on the Government. CBP has not made a commitment to procure any of the items presented, and release of this RFI should not be construed as a commitment or authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
