Sources Sought
Communications and Information Capabilities Secure Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Data Platform Support Services
Department of Homeland Security · U.S. Customs and Border Protection
AI summaryThis is a sources sought notice (a request for information, or RFI: market research, not a bid). U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is asking vendors to describe how they could run a secure software-as-a-service (SaaS: software the vendor hosts and runs) data platform for U.S. Border Patrol's Communications and Information Capabilities (CIC) Program. Responses are due November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern, by email, and no contract will come from this notice. More in the summary
Market research, not a bid. Replying is free and tells U.S. Customs and Border Protection who could do this work. Send a short reply to the contracting contact; no price is needed. See the contact
AI summary Beta
This is a sources sought notice (a request for information, or RFI: market research, not a bid). U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is asking vendors to describe how they could run a secure software-as-a-service (SaaS: software the vendor hosts and runs) data platform for U.S. Border Patrol's Communications and Information Capabilities (CIC) Program. Responses are due November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern, by email, and no contract will come from this notice.
Who can bid
- Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), which Attachment A says is required to be eligible for any future federal contract award
How to submit: Email to usbp.cic@cbp.dhs.gov. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (5)
From the version posted Oct 20, 2026.
- Worth checking: Market research only, no contract or payment. Responding costs the business time with no award or payment from this notice; it may shape a later solicitation.
- Minor: Strict 6-page limit. Pages beyond six, not counting Attachment A, are not reviewed, so the response has to be short.
- Minor: Strong security and DHS experience expected. The Government wants proof of Federal and DHS security work, such as FedRAMP-authorized (federal cloud security program) SaaS, which new small businesses may lack.
Show all 5Show fewer
- Minor: Draft statement of work adds HSIN integration. The notice text does not mention HSIN, but the draft statement of work includes HSIN integration support, so the scope may be wider than the notice says.
- Minor: Questions may go unanswered. Questions are due the same day as responses, and the Government may not answer them.
Read from the notice and 2 attachments. Show which files.
- PR 2017XXXX_(SOW) 10_19_26 Draft Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) _SaaS_Attachment B.docx (read)
- 2026-10-19 RFI - CIC Software_as_Service Platform Services ATTACHMENT A.docx (read)
Full summary
What they want
- Set up and configure a secure SaaS data platform: implementation planning, dashboards, reports, workflows, data models, user roles and documentation
- Run the platform day to day: user accounts and permissions, monitoring, releases and patches, and incident and change handling
- Build and maintain data pipelines, connectors and application programming interfaces (APIs) to bring in approved data sources
- Support data governance: cataloging, lineage (where data came from), data quality, handling labels, retention and records rules
- Support cybersecurity and privacy: access control, multi-factor sign-in, encryption, audit logging, vulnerability tracking and security authorization evidence
- Support secure information sharing, including links to the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN, the Department of Homeland Security's secure information-sharing system) where the Government authorizes it
- Provide Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 user support, training, recurring operational reports, and transition-in and transition-out services
- Place of performance
- Washington, DC, USA
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- How they'll choose
- None: this is market research, not a solicitation, and the Government does not intend to award a contract from it
- Offers due
- November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern
- How to submit
- Email to usbp.cic@cbp.dhs.gov
- Page limits
- Response: 6 pages, plus Attachment A; excess pages will not be reviewed
What to include when you submit
- Complete Attachment A, the vendor company data: contact details, SAM Unique Entity ID, CAGE code, SAM registration status, business size and socioeconomic status, manufacturer or reseller status, GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract number and NAICS code
- Submit in Microsoft Word, 12-point font, single line spacing; marketing material not specific to this RFI is discarded
- Include a capability statement describing the SaaS data platform and managed support relevant to the requirement
- Give up to three examples of comparable work, with scope, scale, outcomes, security and compliance environment, and lessons learned
- Describe the technical approach for implementation, operations, security, data integration, data governance and user support
- Describe security and compliance posture: available authorizations, certifications and assessments, and ability to support Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security authorization
- Describe the commercial model (licensing, subscription, managed service, implementation) and give rough order-of-magnitude cost ranges if feasible
- Describe the staffing model: labor categories, skills, staffing levels, onshore or offshore approach and key personnel qualifications
- Recommend service levels, describe data export and transition-out, and list risks and assumptions
- Give feedback on the draft statement of work (Attachment B) and answer the HSIN-specific questions in Attachment A
Not in the notice text
- Set-aside, NAICS code and PSC are not stated on SAM.gov or in the notice text
- Contract type, length, value and number of awards are not stated; the statement of work is a draft marked PR 2017XXX
- Whether a solicitation will follow: the notice says one would be posted on SAM.gov
- The notice text also describes autonomous surveillance and sensor systems, which differ from the SaaS data platform in the draft statement of work; ask which applies
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside. Any business can reply: this is market research, and no bid is being taken yet.
- To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- Air and Marine Contracting Division, Washington, DC
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice