FEC IT Support Services - Enterprise Architecture

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 1A - FEC Searchable Legal Systems Contracting Requirements," outlines the technical requirements for several Federal Election Commission (FEC) applications. It serves as a detailed specification for potential contractors involved in maintaining, upgrading, migrating, or re-architecting these systems.

This attachment covers the contracting requirements for the following FEC systems:

• Federal Election Online Searchable Electronic Rulemaking System (FOSERS): Used for text searching of FEC's rulemaking documents.
• Federal Election Online Rulemaking Comment Entry System (FORCES): An online system for the public to submit comments on Commission rulemakings.
• Federal Election Rulemaking Administration and Publishing System (FRAPS): Publishes rulemaking documents to the FEC website and is interconnected with FOSERS and FORCES.
• Advisory Opinion (AODES): Used for drafting and publishing advisory opinions and related legal documents.
• Searchable Matters Under Review (SMUR): An internal application used by Public Disclosure and Staff Director staff to manage and publish case files.

For each system, the document details:

• Application Overview: Purpose and user base.
• Maintenance Specifications: Requirements for handling unscheduled requests.
• Architecture: Cloud location (Amazon Cloud) and three-tier design (Database, Application, Web).
• Software: Technologies used (Java, J2EE, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Jenkins, Spring framework, RESTful web services, Angular, JSP).
• Development and Deployment Approach: Requirements for bug fixing, feature modification, software updates, performance optimization, SDLC, agility, issue tracking (Jira, GitHub), code quality, code deployment (CI/CD, SAST), integration testing, UAT, change management (RFC, CAB), documentation, and version control.
• Availability and Service Level Agreement (SLA): Uptime requirements, maintenance scheduling, and response times for critical issues.
• Recoverability: Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO).
• Compliance & Data Sovereignty: Adherence to standards (SOC1, SOC2, etc.), data classification (Public), and encryption requirements.
• Application Security: Protocols (HTTPS), data handling, and user authentication.
• Monitoring: Use of AWS monitoring and alerts.
• Backup and Restore: Daily snapshots retained for 7 days.
• Environment and Shared Responsibilities: Server management, patching, staging environments, and contractor privileges.
• Technical Support: Channels for reporting maintenance issues.

This document is crucial for bidders to understand the technical landscape, development processes, quality standards, security protocols, and support requirements for maintaining and potentially enhancing these critical FEC systems. It provides a comprehensive overview of the technologies, methodologies, and operational expectations for any contractor seeking to support these applications.

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to gather market research information regarding potential contractors for securing a commercial vendor to operate, maintain, and update several applications and systems. The specific requirements are detailed in Attachment 1: IT Support Services Draft Requirements. This RFI is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Quotations (RFQ) or a commitment to award a contract.

• Response Deadline: March 13, 2026, by 12:00 PM ET.
• Questions Deadline: March 11, 2026, by 12:00 PM ET.
• Submission Method: Electronically to Raven Childs (rchilds@fec.gov).
• Format: Microsoft Word or searchable Adobe .pdf, not exceeding 25 pages.

Respondents are requested to provide information in five sections:

1. Business Information: Company name, address, POC, phone, email, website.
2. Contract Information: Available purchasing schedules (GSA, NASA), recommended contracting strategy, suggested SINs, and NAICS Codes. Bidders should also indicate their company's status (Small Business, WOSB, SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) and SAM registration.
3. Technical Response: A high-level technical approach, including comments on Attachment 1.
4. Related Experience: Description of recent and relevant projects similar to those in Attachment 1.
5. Price Estimate: An estimated price to perform the services described in Attachment 1.

• Anticipated Period of Performance: 60 months (12-month base period + four 12-month option periods).

• Attachment 1: IT Support Services Draft Requirements

• Attachment 1A: Searchable Legal Systems

• Attachment 1B: FEC Disclosure Suite

• Attachment 1C: RAD Modules

• Responses to this RFI are not offers and will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the review results.

• All information received will be protected if marked "Proprietary."

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

To operate, maintain, and update the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Applications Branch's applications and systems, ensuring the agency has the necessary software and technology to perform its duties in administering and enforcing campaign finance law. The branch supports analytic reporting tools and public access to campaign finance legal resources.

• IT Support Services: Operate, maintain, and update applications and systems. This includes managing Java/Apache Tomcat and .Net applications, ensuring they have the latest software and security patches. Applications are deployed in the FEC's AWS cloud environment and require regular updates due to changing legislative, regulatory, and policy requirements.

• Informatica Tool Expert: Provide expertise to patch and upgrade Informatica servers, and maintain, modify, and create new mappings.

• Application Maintenance: Maintain Searchable Legal Applications, Disclosure Applications, and Reports Analysis (RAD) Modules. This involves ensuring applications are up-to-date with patching and resolving critical and high security tickets.

• Database Management: Support applications using a mix of Oracle and PostgreSQL.

• Searchable Legal Applications: Java, Apache Tomcat, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Spring Framework, Angular, SQL, SecDevOps, AWS.

• Disclosure Applications: Java, Apache Tomcat, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Informatica, Crystal Reports, .Net, SecDevOps, AWS.

• Reports Analysis (RAD) Modules: .Net, Oracle, Java, Apache Tomcat, COTS (Informatica, Crystal Reports), SecDevOps, AWS.

• Database: Oracle, PostgreSQL.

• Reporting: Crystal Reports.

• General Performance: Utilize commercial, innovative, and state-of-the-art practices. Provide necessary management, supervision, labor, and administrative support. Plan, schedule, coordinate, and ensure effective and economical performance.

• Quality Assurance: Adhere to a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) including tested code (minimum 85% test coverage), properly styled code (100% readability, maintainability, consistency), web content accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508), source control management, code build and deployment (CI/CD pipeline), documentation, security (OWASP ASVS 4.0), user interface design and usability, performance, accepted features, User Acceptance Test (UAT), and production release procedures.

• Meetings: Participate in an initial Kick-off Meeting, weekly meetings, monthly planning and status meetings with COR and business owners, and document meeting minutes.

• Reporting: Submit bi-weekly status reports and a Project Contact Directory.

• Unscheduled Requests: Demonstrate flexibility to manage critical, unscheduled requests for data, changes, or enhancements without impacting normal maintenance.

• Knowledge Transfer: Provide technical coaching and advice to FEC staff.

Not explicitly stated in this section, but implies ongoing operational support.

• Key Personnel: Must designate a project manager.
• Security: Adhere to FEC data security policies and resolve critical/high security tickets.
• Environment: Applications are deployed in the FEC's AWS cloud environment.
• Shared Responsibilities: Contractor manages the application layer (development environment, code deployment, table creation); FEC manages server-level maintenance (patching).

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 1B - FEC Disclosure Suite Contracting Requirements," outlines the technical and operational requirements for the Federal Election Committee's (FEC) Disclosure Suite Application. It details the scope of work, maintenance specifications, architecture, software, development and deployment approach, and availability and service level agreements (SLA) for the application.

• Application Overview: Describes the Disclosure Suite's components, including Administrative Fines, Debt Settlements, Information Management, NonFilers, RAD Reports, and Track Committees.
• Maintenance Specifications: Requires the contractor to manage unscheduled requests for data, changes, or enhancements flexibly and without impacting normal maintenance.
• Architecture: Specifies a three-tier application design hosted on Amazon Cloud, utilizing Oracle database, Java on Apache Tomcat, and JSP/GTW web tiers.
• Software: Lists required technologies such as Java, Oracle stored procedure, Informatica, and Crystal report.
• Development and Deployment Approach: Outlines requirements for bug fixing, feature modification, software updates, performance optimization, adherence to SDLC and Agility best practices, issue tracking (Jira, GitHub), code quality standards, security scans, integration testing, change management, and documentation.
• Availability and SLA: Defines application availability (daily running, weekend maintenance), critical bug response times (2-hour acknowledgment, 12-hour resolution/workaround), maximum tolerable downtime (12 hours), and recovery point objectives (12 hours).
• Compliance & Data Sovereignty: Mandates adherence to SOC1, SOC2, SOC3, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 9001, PCI, and FedRAMP standards. Data classification is Public, with no end-to-end encryption required.
• Application Security: Requires user authentication for access.
• Monitoring: Specifies an AWS monitoring solution.
• Backup and Restore: Details daily snapshots retained for 7 days.
• Environment and Shared Responsibilities: Clarifies responsibilities for application installation, patching, testing, and distribution of changes.

This document is crucial for potential bidders as it defines the technical environment, development standards, security requirements, and operational expectations for maintaining and potentially enhancing the FEC's Disclosure Suite. It provides insight into the technologies used, the development lifecycle, compliance obligations, and performance metrics that any contractor would need to meet. Understanding these requirements is essential for developing accurate proposals and assessing the scope of work.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 1C - FEC Reports Analysis (RAD) Modules Contracting Requirements," outlines the technical and functional requirements for the maintenance, upgrading, migration, or re-architecting of the Federal Election Committee's (FEC) RAD Modules Application. It serves as a detailed specification for potential bidders.

• Application Overview: Describes the RAD Modules as the main workload tool for the Reports Analysis Division (RAD), critical for reviewing campaign finance reports and ensuring compliance with the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA).
• System Functions: Details four main functions: Committee and Entity Information, Dashboard and Workload Queue, Letter Generation System, and Review Tools and Management Reports.
• Maintenance Specifications: Outlines requirements for handling unscheduled requests for data, changes, or enhancements, emphasizing flexibility and resource availability.
• Architecture: Specifies the application is cloud-based (Amazon Cloud) with a three-tier design (Database, Application, Web tiers) and runs on an EC2 Linux OS.
• Software: Lists technologies used, including Java, Oracle stored procedure, and Crystal Reports.
• Development and Deployment Approach: Details requirements for bug fixing, feature modification, software updates, performance optimization, SDLC/Agility best practices, issue tracking (Jira, GitHub), code quality standards, security scanning (CI/CD, SAST), integration testing, change management, and documentation.
• Availability and Service Level Agreement (SLA): Defines availability requirements, acknowledgment and resolution times for critical issues, and recoverability objectives (MTD and RPO).
• Compliance & Data Sovereignty: Outlines adherence to various standards (SOC, ISO, FedRAMP) and data classification (Public).
• Application Security, Monitoring, Backup and Restore: Specifies user authentication, AWS monitoring, and daily snapshots for backup.
• Environment and Shared Responsibilities: Describes desktop installation, monthly patching by FEC Helpdesk, and testing procedures.
• Technical Support: Defines channels for reporting maintenance issues.
• SMTP Gateway: Details requirements for a separate SMTP Gateway utility used for tracking emails related to RAD Modules and for notification emails sent by the Information Division.

This document is crucial for bidders to understand the full scope of work, technical environment, development processes, compliance requirements, and service level expectations for the RAD Modules application. It provides the necessary detail to formulate a comprehensive and compliant proposal.