Opportunity To Enter Into a Joint Venture Partnership With the National Technical Information Service for Data Innovation Support, 41960-41963 [2021-16581]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 4, 2021 / Notices
planned to hold in person. When the
notice was issued, NOAA included a
caveat to the in-person meetings stating
‘‘A virtual meeting platform may
substitute if public safety concerns
remain to prevent the spread of COVID–
19.’’
NOAA has determined that the two
meetings previously scheduled for
August 18, 2021 and August 19, 2021
will now be conducted virtually.
Interested parties should register to
attend a virtual meeting via the
information provided in the DATES
section of this notice or at https://
sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lake-ontario/.
(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.)
Rebecca R. Holyoke,
Acting Director, Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
National Technical Information Service
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.
[Docket No.: 191122–0088]
ADDRESSES:
DATES:
[FR Doc. 2021–16639 Filed 8–3–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Opportunity To Enter Into a Joint
Venture Partnership With the National
Technical Information Service for Data
Innovation Support
National Technical Information
Service, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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
SUMMARY:
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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.
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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
OpportunityAnnouncement@ntis.gov
and Randy Caldwell at rcaldwell@
ntis.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Randy Caldwell at (703) 605–6321, or by
email at rcaldwell@ntis.gov.
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
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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 missioncritical 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.
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
1 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/
uploads/2019/06/M-19-18.pdf.
2 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/
2019/02/14/2019-02544/maintaining-americanleadership-in-artificial-intelligence.
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 4, 2021 / Notices
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
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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 datadriven 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
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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:
• 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.
• 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 privatesector organizations may be requested to
provide licenses to use the data for the
purposes of a project.
• 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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• 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.
• Proposers must have the ability to
accept electronic fund transfers.
• NTIS will not guarantee that any
revenue will be generated for the JVP
merely by entering into a joint venture
partnership agreement with NTIS.
• 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 nonFederal 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 startups 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
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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
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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 privatesector 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
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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
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No. PTO–C–2021–0036]
Performance Review Board (PRB)
United States Patent and
Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In conformance with the Civil
Service Reform Act of 1978, the United
States Patent and Trademark Office
announces the appointment of persons
to serve as members of its Performance
Review Board.
ADDRESSES: Office of Human Resources,
United States Patent and Trademark
Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA
22313–1450.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lari
B. Washington—Acting Director,
Human Capital Management at (571)
272–5187.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
membership of the United States Patent
SUMMARY:
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and Trademark Office Performance
Review Board is as follows:
Coke M. Stewart, Chair, Performing the
Functions and Duties of the Deputy
Under Secretary of Commerce for
Intellectual Property and Deputy
Director of the United States Patent
and Trademark Office
Frederick W. Steckler, Vice Chair, Chief
Administrative Officer, United States
Patent and Trademark Office
Andrew I. Faile, Acting Commissioner
for Patents, United States Patent and
Trademark Office
David S. Gooder, Commissioner for
Trademarks, United States Patent and
Trademark Office
Dennis J. Hoffman, Chief Financial
Officer, United States Patent and
Trademark Office
Henry J. Holcombe, Chief Information
Officer, United States Patent and
Trademark Office
David L. Berdan, General Counsel,
United States Patent and Trademark
Office
Mary Critharis, Chief Policy Officer and
Director for International Affairs,
United States Patent and Trademark
Office
Gerard F. Rogers, Chief Administrative
Trademark Judge, United States
Patent and Trademark Office
Scott R. Boalick, Chief Administrative
Patent Judge, United States Patent and
Trademark Office
Bismarck Myrick, Director of the Office
of Equal Employment Opportunity
and Diversity, United States Patent
and Trademark Office
Cara Duckworth, Acting Chief
Communications Officer, United
States Patent and Trademark Office
Alternates:
Richard Seidel, Deputy Commissioner
for Patents, United States Patent and
Trademark Office
Greg Dodson, Deputy Commissioner for
Trademark Administration, United
States Patent and Trademark Office
Andrew Hirshfeld,
Commissioner for Patents, Performing the
Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary
of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2021–16586 Filed 8–3–21; 8:45 am]
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Publication of FY 2018 Service
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41960-41963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 [email protected] and Randy Caldwell at
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Caldwell at (703) 605-6321, or
by email at [email protected].
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\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/M-19-18.pdf.
\2\ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/14/2019-02544/maintaining-american-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence.
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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:
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.
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.
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.
[[Page 41962]]
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.
Proposers must have the ability to accept electronic fund
transfers.
NTIS will not guarantee that any revenue will be generated
for the JVP merely by entering into a joint venture partnership
agreement with NTIS.
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
[[Page 41963]]
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