DHS/CBP Commercial Solutions Opening - General Solicitation Release - Illegal Transshipment Pilot - CSOP-BP-GS-26-0001

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the Illegal Transshipment Pilot CSOP (CSOP-BP-GS-26-0001).

• Business Participation: CBP encourages participation from both large and small businesses, including through teaming arrangements.
• Multiple Awards: CBP may make multiple awards for parallel pilot participation.
• Solution Briefs: Prime offerors proposing a team may submit one integrated solution brief, and responsibilities can be shared among team members.
• Data Format & Delivery: Manifest data will be provided in a password-protected Excel file via email, approximately 1500 records daily, Monday-Thursday.
• Follow-on Acquisition: The results of this pilot may inform a future enterprise-wide procurement, but no follow-on work is guaranteed.
• Accuracy Measurement: Accuracy is calculated based on the percentage of CBP-actioned referrals that result in successful enforcement outcomes. Referrals not investigated by CBP are excluded from this calculation.
• Security: Vendors will operate in their own computing environments. No connection to CBP systems is required during the base period, and security authorization is not required for this phase.
• Intellectual Property: CBP generally seeks rights to use, reproduce, and modify deliverables for government use, while vendors may retain ownership of pre-existing IP. Specific terms will be negotiated.
• Base Period: The 180-day base period is a "no-cost" period to the government, meaning vendors bear all associated costs.
• High-Risk Countries: A list of approximately 5 high-risk countries will be provided at contract award and will remain the same for the base period.

These clarifications provide further detail on requirements, evaluation, data handling, and contract terms, which may influence vendor proposals. No changes to submission deadlines were announced.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for an "Illegal Transshipment Pilot" under the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) procedure, authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA 880). The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aims to competitively procure innovative commercial items, technologies, and services to detect and prevent illegal transshipment of goods. This pilot program is designed to be outside normal Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements, encouraging competition from traditional and non-traditional contractors, including startups and academia. The goal is to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven solutions to identify high-risk imports and enhance enforcement efficiencies.

• Vendors must propose AI-driven commercial solutions to identify imports posing a high risk for illegal transshipment.

• Solutions should enable CBP to inform enforcement actions and prevent high-risk imports or identify additional duties owed.

• Vendors will deliver insights via "referral packages" articulating specific risk factors and methodologies.

• A no-cost, 180-day base period of performance is required to prove scalability and accuracy.

• Scalability is measured by actionable referral packages; accuracy by the percentage of packages leading to prevention or duty identification.

• Vendors must be willing to conduct technical demonstrations.

• The contract type is intended to be Firm Fixed Price.

• The base period of performance is 180 days.

• Up to two option periods may be exercised.

• Proposed pricing for each option period must not exceed $1,250,000.

• The total contract duration, including options, shall not exceed 60 months.

• Phase 1: Submission of a written Solution Brief (max 20 pages) by April 24, 2026.

• Phase 1 (Optional): Technical Demonstration and/or Oral Presentation upon notice.

• Phase 2: Full Proposal submission (max 25 pages) for viable candidates, due 2 weeks after notice.

• Evaluation is based on individual merit, focusing on "innovative commercial items."

• Key evaluation criteria include Capabilities Approach, Transition Approach, and Submitter's Related Experience.

• Oral presentations and technical demonstrations may be requested.

• No specific set-aside is mentioned; the program aims to engage traditional and non-traditional contractors.

• Questions or requests for clarifications are due by April 7, 2026.

• Vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award.

• Specific FAR and HSAR clauses are incorporated by reference, covering areas like conflicts of interest, whistleblower rights, security, privacy, and safeguarding controlled unclassified information.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This Statement of Work (SOW) outlines a pilot program by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven commercial solutions to identify imports that pose a high risk for illegal transshipment. The goal is to leverage cutting-edge technologies to inform enforcement actions, prevent high-risk imports, and identify potential additional duties owed.

• Vendors will develop and implement AI-driven solutions to identify imports at high risk for illegal transshipment.

• Solutions will provide insights via "referral packages" to CBP, articulating specific risk factors.

• Referral packages must identify or trace to imports currently in transit and not yet arrived in the U.S.

• Vendors may receive manifest information (Port of Unlading, Port of Lading, Arrival Date, Bill Number, HTS Code, Shipper, Consignee, Cargo Description, Declared Country of Origin) up to 72 hours before import arrival.

• The pilot aims to identify AI-driven solutions that can accurately detect illegal transshipment at a rate of 90% or higher, without exposing CBP's sensitive targeting models or data.

• A no-cost, 180-day base period of performance is included to prove scalability and accuracy.

• Scalability is measured by the number of actionable referral packages submitted.

• Accuracy is measured by the percentage of referral packages leading to prevention of high-risk imports or identification of additional duties owed.

• Milestone schedule for the base period includes increasing thresholds for actionable referral packages per week/day and accuracy percentages (10% to 50% or higher).

• Option periods (up to two) may be exercised if performance milestones are met, with higher accuracy thresholds (70% to 90% or higher).

• CBP may issue a stop work order if vendors fail to meet scalability and accuracy thresholds.

• Base period of performance: 180 days.

• May include up to two option periods.

• Place of performance is not explicitly defined but implies integration with CBP systems and data.

• Contract Type: Non-FAR Contract through the DHS Commercial Solution Opening Pilot Program (CSOP).

• IT Security Compliance: Adherence to all DHS and CBP IT security policies, including DHS 4300A, Management Directive 140-01, and CBP Information Systems Security Policies.

• Security Authorization: Required for infrastructure supporting the DHS information system.

• Encryption: Compliance with FIPS 197 Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256 and NSA Type 2 or Type 1 encryption where required.

• Data Handling: Strict adherence to applicable federal laws, regulations, and CBP policies regarding data privacy, security, and retention. All CBP data must be securely deleted upon contract expiration or termination, with written certification provided.