The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Compliance Assurance Program Office (CAPO) has a continuing requirement for a comprehensive Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulatory compliance, treaty compliance, and export controls compliance program, as well as Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) reviews.

Support services are required to provide the requisite technical expertise and programmatic assistance to ensure DHS’s compliance with applicable federal laws, regulations, and guidelines, with a focus on compliance with federal regulation, standards, and guidelines for biosafety, biosecurity, and Biological Select Agents and Toxins (BSAT), animal care and use (ACU), the protection of human subjects research (HSR) (Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects aka the Common Rule), life-sciences dual-use research of concern (DURC), and other legal and/or policy initiatives or developments in the area of life sciences. Additionally, compliance with U.S. arms control agreements, in particular, the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and compliance with multilateral and U.S. export controls, such as the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) administered by the Department of Commerce; the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) administered by the Department of State; the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations administered by the Department of Treasury; and various multilateral regimes.

DHS is committed to using cutting-edge technologies and scientific talent in our quest to make America safer. The DHS Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate is tasked with researching and organizing the scientific, engineering, and technological resources of the United States and leveraging these existing resources into technological tools to help protect the homeland. Central to the integrity and advancement of these endeavors is the need to ensure DHS compliance with applicable federal laws, regulations, and guidelines. CAPO performs compliance support and oversight functions to ensure DHS-conducted/-funded/-sponsored activities are compliant with relevant U.S. laws and regulations, international agreements, federal and Departmental policies, and related standards and guidance. CAPO compliance support helps facilitate DHS efforts that are critical to national security. CAPO is housed within the S&T Directorate, but is responsible for DHS-wide compliance with:

• U.S. arms control agreements (Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions);
• U.S. export control laws and regulations;
• Federal regulations, standards, policies, and guidelines for:
  • biosafety and biosecurity;
  • animal care and use;
  • the protection of human research subjects in research; and
  • dual-use research of concern; and
• Other legal and/or policy initiatives or developments in the area of life sciences.
• Intra-Departmental reviews of CFIUS cases
• Compliance with associated DHS policies and procedures

The scope of this effort will be to support the operation of a centralized, comprehensive export controls compliance program to be managed within S&T, to ensure that all activities conducted or sponsored by the Department shall comply fully with:

• U.S. export control laws and regulations,
• (Surge Position) Intra-Departmental reviews of CFIUS cases.

In fulfilling these oversight functions, the program will also ensure compliance with associated DHS policies and procedures.

PROGRAM TASKS:

• TASK ONE – PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
  • The Contractor shall provide programmatic and task management support to DHS/S&T. Effectively support a comprehensive DHS export controls compliance program. As a priority, the Contractor shall support the development of the administrative policy, structure, and processes necessary to maintain a DHS compliance program. The Contractor shall support and facilitate DHS program management meetings, maintain communications with compliance offices in other executive departments and agencies as well as external export controls compliance stakeholders in the Federal, academic, non-profit, and private sectors.
  • The Contractor shall provide technical support for DHS/S&T reviews of CFIUS cases.
• TASK TWO – INFORMATIONMANAGEMENT
  • The Contractor shall collect, analyze, track, store, and archive compliance program information through a database and/or other means deemed acceptable by the Government.
  • The Contractor shall provide information management support, to include development and maintenance of DHS compliance review database(s) for departmental review, meetings, oversight, and administrative recordkeeping.
  • The Contractor shall develop and then maintain a system to track, manage, audit, and respond to ECG metrics.
• TASK THREE – PROGRAMCOMPLIANCE
  • Contractor shall facilitate DHS efforts to ensure export controls compliance by:
  • Informing program managers and investigators of applicable regulatory compliance issues, federal laws, regulations, and related DHS requirements, policies, and procedures.
  • Providing guidance and support to DHS Components, as well as DHS-sponsored and funded entities, in their efforts to achieve export control compliance.
  • Acquiring relevant information; preparing documentation, including but not limited to self-classification assessments, license requests, commodity jurisdiction determination requests, commodity classification requests, technical assistance agreements, advisory opinion requests, etc.; and maintaining records on DHS conducted, sponsored, or funded activities to ensure export control compliance.
  • Acquiring relevant information, preparing a compliance assessment, and maintaining records on relevant DHS conducted, sponsored, or funded activities in the area of export control compliance.
  • Reviewing activities for export controls compliance in accordance with departmental policy. Contractor shall provide programmatic, policy, and administrative support to relevant DHS staff in fulfilling the export control compliance program task areas. Contractor shall document compliance review findings for DHS certification and Page 3 of 19 communicate outcomes to program managers as appropriate. When necessary, Contractor shall recommend actions to resolve deficiencies and achieve compliance. Contractor shall develop, upon request, reports and briefings pertaining to DHS compliance status and activities. Contractor shall serve as the focal point to support export control compliance guidance, requirements, policies, and procedures. Contractor shall develop processes to provide technical and instructional support and products in order to establish and maintain departmental awareness of export control compliance requirements.
  • Maintain export control compliance reviews, related documentation, and databases for relevant DHS conducted, sponsored, or funded activities.
• TASK FOUR – TRAINING ANDOUTREACH
  • Contractor shall develop processes to provide technical and instructional support and products and/or procure training and instructional products in order to establish and maintain departmental awareness of initiatives noted in Scope (section 1.2). Training and outreach programs shall be implemented in accordance with federal regulations, standards, and guidelines.
  • The Contractor shall support and facilitate outreach and training events to include materials, briefings, instructional media, training programs, curricula, and schedules.
  • Historical records indicate that ECG conduct approximately 10-20 training and outreach events per year. These events include internal S&T trainings, trainings for other DHS Components, and outreach/trainings to extramural performers of DHS-sponsored work.
• TASK FIVE – POLICY SUPPORT
  • The Contractor shall support DHS policy development and initiatives in export control compliance areas, including support for DHS participation in interagency and/or international meetings, preparation of briefing materials, technical assessments of commodity jurisdiction requests, support for departmental/other data calls related to export controls compliance, and providing alerts, substantive analysis, and recommendations to address current issues and emerging trends in export.
  • The Contractor shall generate directives, instructions, guidance, briefing materials, presentations, reports, analysis, meeting notes, and other material to support federal and DHS policies, to include draft, interim, and final documents and related coordination history for Government approval and acceptance.
• TASK SIX – OPTIONAL – SURGE
  • The ECG has traditionally provided in-depth analysis of technologies with a homeland security nexus including providing export classifications. The ECG has also been the lead for CFIUS reviews for S&T as well as providing expert analysis of technologies to support the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.
  • Additional funding would be used to support technical analysis and CFIUS reviews. All of these positions require a Top-Secret clearance with SCI eligibility. CFIUS responsibilities require an active TS/SCI.
  • The technical background and expertise of the SMEs for this effort shall include senior expert with deep knowledge of export control regulations (ITAR, EAR, OFAC) and technical relevance in export compliance and analysis. Leads complex regulatory and technical analysis of cutting-edge technology and commodity jurisdiction requests. Classifies products, technology, and software per U.S. export regulations; and knowledge and expertise in conducting technology reviews in CFIUS cases.