How to Win the OCIO Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Services Contract

Introduction

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking qualified contractors to provide support services for the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Cybersecurity and Information Assurance (CIA) program. The solicitation number for this contract opportunity is 15F06723RFIOCIO. The contract is expected to have a base period of one year and four option years, with a total estimated value of $60 million. The contract will support the DOJ’s mission of protecting its information systems and data from cyber threats and ensuring compliance with federal laws and regulations.

Historical Background

The OCIO CIA program is responsible for managing the DOJ’s cybersecurity and information assurance activities, such as:

  • Developing, implementing, and maintaining cybersecurity policies, standards, and procedures
  • Conducting risk assessments, audits, and reviews of information systems and networks
  • Providing cybersecurity awareness and training to DOJ personnel and contractors
  • Detecting, analyzing, responding, and reporting on cyber incidents and events
  • Implementing security controls and countermeasures to protect information systems and data
  • Coordinating and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders on cybersecurity issues and initiatives

The OCIO CIA program is a successor to the previous program called the Cybersecurity Services Staff (CSS), which was responsible for similar activities until 2021. The CSS issued several contracts under the solicitation number 15F06718R0000002 in 2018, which were awarded to contractors such as Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics, Leidos, ManTech, and SAIC.

RFP Description

The OCIO CIA contract opportunity is a multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that will provide a range of services, including:

  • Cybersecurity engineering and architecture
  • Cybersecurity operations and analysis
  • Cybersecurity governance and compliance
  • Cybersecurity testing and evaluation
  • Cybersecurity training and education
  • Cybersecurity program management

The contract will cover various information systems and networks under the DOJ’s purview, such as:

  • Justice Security Operations Center (JSOC)
  • Justice Security Tracking and Adjudication Record System (JSTARS)
  • Justice Management Division Network (JMDNet)
  • Joint Automated Booking System (JABS)
  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
  • Law Enforcement Information Sharing Service (LEISS)

The contract will require the contractor to adhere to the DOJ’s policies, standards, and best practices, as well as the federal acquisition regulations (FAR) and defense acquisition regulations system (DFARS).

The proposal due date is 08/2023. The anticipated award date is 10/2023.

Who Should Participate

The OCIO CIA contract opportunity is a great chance for qualified contractors that have experience and expertise in providing support services for complex information systems and networks in the cybersecurity domain. The potential contractors should have:

  • A proven track record of delivering high-quality services on time and within budget
  • A deep understanding of the OCIO CIA’s mission, vision, goals, objectives, requirements, challenges, risks, opportunities, and stakeholders
  • A strong team of qualified personnel with relevant skills, certifications, clearances, and experience
  • A robust infrastructure of facilities, equipment, tools, and software
  • A flexible and agile approach to adapt to changing needs and priorities
  • A competitive and innovative edge to offer value-added solutions

Challenges

The OCIO CIA contract opportunity poses some challenges for both the DOJ and the potential contractors. Some of these challenges are:

  • Managing the complexity and diversity of information systems and networks across multiple domains, locations, and platforms
  • Ensuring the security, reliability, availability, and performance of information systems and networks
  • Leveraging the emerging technologies and innovations in the cybersecurity domain
  • Balancing the competing demands and expectations from various users and stakeholders of information systems and networks
  • Securing the resources, capabilities, and capacities to deliver the required services within the budget and schedule constraints

Conclusion

The OCIO CIA contract opportunity is a significant opportunity for qualified contractors to provide valuable services to the DOJ in support of its mission of protecting its information systems and data from cyber threats and ensuring compliance with federal laws and regulations. The contract will require the contractor to demonstrate expertise, experience, and excellence in cybersecurity engineering and architecture, cybersecurity operations and analysis, cybersecurity governance and compliance, cybersecurity testing and evaluation, cybersecurity training and education, and cybersecurity program management. The contractor will also need to comply with the relevant policies, standards, guidelines, regulations, and best practices in the cybersecurity domain. The contract will present some challenges for both the DOJ and the contractor in terms of managing the complexity, diversity, security, reliability, availability, performance, innovation, demand, expectation, resource, capability, capacity, budget, and schedule aspects of service delivery.

If you are interested in pursuing this contract opportunity, you may need some professional assistance to prepare a winning proposal. GDI Consulting is a leading provider of proposal writing, capture management, price to win analysis, and grant writing services for government contractors. GDI Consulting has helped hundreds of clients win billions of dollars in government contracts. GDI Consulting can help you:

  • Conduct a thorough analysis of the solicitation and identify the key requirements, evaluation criteria, and win themes
  • Develop a compelling proposal strategy that highlights your strengths, differentiators, and value proposition
  • Write a clear, concise, and compliant proposal that addresses all the solicitation requirements and meets the DOJ’s expectations
  • Review and edit your proposal to ensure quality, accuracy, consistency, and readability
  • Submit your proposal on time and in the required format

If you want to learn more about how GDI Consulting can help you win the OCIO CIA contract opportunity, please visit us at [email protected] . We look forward to hearing from you soon.