9 February 2014

DNI Investigating New Approaches to NSA Metadata Surveillance Program

February 6, 2014

The following Request for Information (RFI) has just been placed online by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Clearly DNI is concerned that it has to rapidly come up with a viable alternative to the current practice of NSA storing and databasing all the American telephone records metadata that the FISA Court authorizes. And in typical US Government fashion, DNI is asking the big American defense contractors to come up with some solutions. If you can’t do it yourself, contract it out.

Telephony Metadata Collection Program

Solicitation Number: ODNI-RFI-14-01

Agency: Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Office: ADNI Acquisition Technology & Facilities

Location: AT&F Buying Office

February 5, 2014

Solicitation Number: ODNI-RFI-14-01

Notice Type: Special Notice

Synopsis:

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is investigating whether existing commercially available capabilities can provide for a new approach to the government’s telephony metadata collection program under Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, without the government holding the metadata. Responses to this RFI will be reviewed and may help to shape the framework for the future telephony metadata program to include the potential for non-government maintenance of that data. 

RFI - Telephony Metadata Bulk Collection

Solicitation Number: ODNI-RFI-14-01

Notice Type: Special Notice

Synopsis: Added: February 5, 2014

Abstract:

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is investigating whether existing commercially available capabilities can provide for a new approach to the government’s telephony metadata bulk collection program under Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, without the government holding the metadata. Responses to this RFI will be reviewed and may help to shape the framework for the future telephony metadata program to include the potential for non-government maintenance of that data.

Background

In his remarks on 17 January 2014 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/17/remarks-president-review-signals-intelligence), President Obama announced a number of actions with regards to certain intelligence activities, including the bulk collection of telephony metadata under Section 215. As part of this effort, the President directed the development of “options for a new approach that can match the capabilities and fill the gaps that the Section 215 program was designed to address without the government holding this metadata”. Consistent with this direction the ODNI is seeking information about existing commercially available capabilities that can provide such a new approach.

Scope

This RFI is intended to obtain information on U.S. industry’s existing commercially available capabilities that could provide viable alternative approaches to the current Section 215 program without the government holding the metadata, while maintaining the current capabilities of that system and the existing protections for U.S. persons. Those approaches consist of (but are not limited to): 

The ability to accommodate access to and maintenance of a large quantity of data by a third-party (non U.S. Government) that can: 

Achieve near real-time access to data from original source 

Achieve correlation of data with varying provider data formats 

Achieve simultaneous or near-simultaneous real-time access to data across multiple provider stored data sets 

The ability to: 

Provide secure storage of and access to U.S. telephone metadata records for a sufficient period of time 

Meet rigorous security and auditability standards to ensure that no queries take place without appropriate authorization and no data is provided to the Government unless in response to an authorized query while maintaining 99.9% availability. 

This RFI is not soliciting information on research efforts nor is it soliciting bids from sources seeking to serve as third-party data storage providers. Any such submissions will be disregarded.

Preparation Instructions to Respondents

Interested parties are requested to submit responses related to this topic for use by the Government in formulating a telephony metadata program strategy. 

This announcement contains all of the information required to submit a response. No additional forms, kits, or other materials are needed. 

ODNI appreciates responses from all capable and qualified sources. 

Submissions must meet the following formatting and content requirements:

1. A one-page cover sheet that clearly identifies the title, organization(s), respondent’s technical and administrative POCs—including names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses—and clearly indicates its association with RFI-14-01;

2. A two (2) page description (in minimum 12-point Times New Roman font, appropriate for single-sided, single-spaced 8.5 by 11 inch paper, with 1-inch margins) that briefly and clearly describes the commercially available capability; describes the technology used in the proposed new approach; explains how the new approach provides, at a minimum, the items listed in the Scope section of this RFI; and comments on the expected performance and robustness of the proposed approach.

3. Submissions may include proprietary content, but such content must be clearly marked. Proprietary content is not required.

Submission Instructions to Respondents

Responses to this RFI are due no later than 4:00pm Eastern Standard Time on February 12, 2014. All submissions must be electronically submitted toRFI_FTMP@dni.gov as a PDF document. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.

DISCLAIMERS AND IMPORTANT NOTES

This RFI is issued solely for information and potential planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the ODNI is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI.

Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. It is the respondents’ responsibility to ensure that the submitted material has been approved for public release by the organization that funded whatever technology is referred to in their response.

The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited, nor is the Government obligated to issue a solicitation based on responses received. Proprietary concepts and information—should they be included in the submittal—will be protected appropriately. Input on technical aspects of the responses may be solicited by the Government from non-Government consultants/experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements.

Contracting Office Address:

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Assistant Director for Acquisition, Technology and Facilities

Washington, District of Columbia 20511, United States

Primary Point of Contact: Dr. David Honey

Contracting Office Address:

Office of the Director for National Intelligence

ADNI Acquisition, Technology & Facilities

Washington, District of Columbia 20511

United States

Place of Performance:

Contractor’s Facility


United States

Primary Point of Contact.:

David Honey, Dr.

davidh2@dni.gov

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