These components are responsible for facilitating the end-to-end collection and distribution of data that is either entered or requested by a user. These components include all functions necessary to communicate in a client-server environment. Examples of these components include, but are not limited to, web browsers, Virtual Private Network (VPN), Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS), Peer-to-peer, Section 508 compliance, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).

These components include all functions necessary for processing and storing data. These components provide and manage the resources available for Application Services (C.3.2). Examples of these components include, but are not limited to, desktops, laptops, servers, mainframes, routers, switches, printers, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), T1, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Ethernet, Windows/UNIX, Java/.NET; web server/portal; database, data storage, data warehouse; software development tools: testing, modeling, versioning, configuration management.

These components consist of the design of application or system software that incorporates interfaces for interacting with other programs and for future flexibility and expandability. These components define higher level logical functions to provide services in a way that is useful and meaningful to users and other Application Services (C.3.2). Examples of these components include, but are not limited to, digital certificates, biometrics; business logic: JavaScript, Visual Basic; data interchange: Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Resource Description Framework (RDF); data management: Structured Query Language (SQL), Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC), and OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP).

These components define the discovery, interaction and communication technologies joining disparate systems and information providers. Application Services (C.3.2) leverage and incorporate these components to provide interoperability and scalability. Examples of these components include, but are not limited to: Messaging-Oriented Middleware (MOM), Object Request Broker (ORB), Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), EXtensible Markup Language (XML), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Web Services Description Language (WSDL), Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI).

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): All aspects of the CRM process, including planning, scheduling, and control activities involved with service delivery. The service components facilitate agencies’ requirements for managing and coordinating customer interactions across multiple communication channels and business lines.

Customer Preferences: Customizing customer preferences relative to interface requirements and information delivery mechanisms (e.g., personalization, subscriptions, alerts and notifications).

Customer Initiated Services: Initiating service requests and seeking assistance from government agencies via online communication channels (e.g., online help, tutorials, self-service, reservation/registration, multilingual support, scheduling).

Tracking and Workflow: Automated routing, tracking, and management of documents (e.g., process tracking, case management, conflict resolution).

Routing and Scheduling: Automated distribution and scheduling activities (e.g., inbound/outbound correspondence management).

Process Management: Development and implementation of standard methodologies and automated process management systems, to facilitate agencies’ requirements for managing and monitoring activities surrounding their core business operations (e.g., change management, configuration management, requirements management, program/project management, governance/policy management, quality management, risk management).

Organizational Management: Collaboration and communication activities (e.g., workgroup/groupware, network management).

Investment Management: Selecting, managing, and evaluating agencies’ investments and capital asset portfolios (e.g., strategic planning/management, portfolio management, performance management).

Supply Chain Management: All aspects of supply chain management, from the initial sourcing phase through customer delivery (e.g., procurement, sourcing management, inventory management, catalog management, ordering/purchasing, invoice tracking, storefront/shopping cart, warehouse management, returns management, logistics/transportation).

Content Management: Content development, maintenance, updates, and distribution (e.g., content authoring, content review/approval, tagging/aggregation, content publishing/delivery, syndication management).

Document Management: Capturing, indexing, and maintaining documents (e.g., document imaging, optical character recognition (OCR), document revisions, library/storage, review/approval, document conversion, indexing/classification).

Knowledge Management: Collecting and processing data from multiple sources and generating information to support business requirements (e.g., information retrieval, information mapping/taxonomy, information sharing, categorization, knowledge engineering, knowledge capture/distribution/delivery, smart documents).

Records Management: Administration of official government records (record linking/association, record storage/archival, document classification, document retirement, digital rights management).

Analysis and Statistics: Applying analysis and statistics to examine/resolve business issues (e.g., mathematical, structural/thermal, radiological, forensics).

Visualization: Transforming data into graphical or image form (e.g., graphing/charting, imagery, multimedia, mapping/geospatial/elevation/global positioning systems (GPS), computer-aided design (CAD)).

Knowledge Discovery: Identifying and extracting information from multiple data source containing files stored in various formats (e.g., data mining, modeling, simulation).

Business Intelligence: Collecting information relevant to historical, existing, or future business needs (e.g., demand forecasting/management, balanced scorecard, decision support planning).

Reporting: Generating reports derived from single or multiple data sources (e.g., ad hoc reporting, standardized/canned reporting, OLAP).

Data Management: Creating, using, processing, and managing data resources (e.g., data exchange, data mart, data warehouse, meta data management, data cleansing, extraction and transformation, data recovery). The data management services include support for agencies’ use of the FEA/DoDEA Data Reference Model (DRM). For more information about the FEA/DoDEA DRM, see Section J, Attachment 5.

Human Resources: Recruitment, training, and management of government personnel (e.g., recruiting, career development/retention, time reporting, awards/benefit management, retirement management, education/training, travel management).

Financial Management: Government financing and accounting activities (e.g., billing and accounting, credit/charge, expense management, payroll, payment/settlement, debt collection, revenue management, internal controls, auditing, activity based management, currency translation).

Asset/Material Management: Acquisition and management of Federal government assets (property/asset management, asset cataloging/identification, asset transfer/allocation/maintenance, facilities management, computers/automation management).

Development and Integration: Development and integration of systems across diverse operating platforms (e.g., legacy integration, enterprise application integration, data integration, instrumentation/testing, software development).

Human Capital/Workforce Management Development and Integration: Planning and supervisory operations surrounding government personnel (e.g., resource planning/allocation, skills management, workforce directory/locator, team/organization management, contingent workforce management).

Security Management: Assuring desired levels of protection for Federal systems, data, and related assets are achieved (e.g., identification/authentication, access control, encryption, intrusion detection, verification, digital signature, user management, role/privilege management, audit trail capture/analysis).

Collaboration: Communications, messaging, information sharing, scheduling and task management activities (e.g., email, threaded discussions, document library, shared calendaring, task management).

Search: Searching, querying, and retrieving data from multiple sources (e.g., precision/recall ranking, classification, pattern matching) Communications: Voice, data, and video communications in multiple formats and protocols (e.g., real time chat, instant messaging, audio/video conferencing, event/news management, community management support, computer/telephony integration, voice communications).

Systems Management: All aspects of systems management (e.g., software distribution/license management, configuration/installation, remote systems control, enhancements/service updates, system resource monitoring, helpdesk support/issue tracking).

Forms Management: Creating, managing, and processing online forms to support business operations (e.g., forms creation, modification).

The Alliant Basic Contract provides support for the DoDEA reference models relating DoD’s specialized mission, business, and program areas. Though the DoDEA is an emerging standard, policy and procedures have been formalized for maintaining, evolving, and using the DoDEA reference models.

The DoDEA reference models leverage existing DoD standards and reflect the alignment with the FEA. The Alliant Basic Contract includes IT support services for DoD’s Global Information Grid (GIG) architecture, Business, Warfighter, Intelligence, and Enterprise Information Environment (EIE) mission areas. More detailed information about DoDEA may be found in Section J, Attachment 5.

Development and implementation of management controls and systems required by agencies to evaluate, manage, and monitor program performance relative to IT initiatives (e.g., agency, program, and project-level performance plans for IT initiatives; performance measures to support evaluation and reporting requirements for IT initiatives in compliance with FEA/DoDEA PRM standards, etc.).

Identification of risk and preparation of risk management plans for IT projects, initiatives, and ongoing operations. Contingency planning to ensure continuity of IT operations and service recovery during emergency events (e.g., risk assessments to determine contingency planning requirements for IT operating environments; develop/maintain contingency, Continuity of Operations (COOP), and disaster recovery plans for IT components, develop/implement emergency preparedness systems).

Facilitate the development of IT policies, guidelines and standards to facilitate implementation of Federal laws and regulations. The services include support for development, implementation and maintenance of systems to support agencies’ IT regulatory development, compliance, and enforcement activities (e.g., monitoring/ inspection/auditing of IT regulated activities to ensure compliance).

Facilitate the planning of IT investments, as well as determine and manage managing overall IT resources to efficiently and effectively support agencies’ mission operations. This service area includes, but shall not be limited to support for the following functions: Budget Formulation/Execution: Facilitate the integration of budgets and plans, at agency and departmental levels, to effectively link IT functions, activities, and resources with mission objectives.

Capital Planning: Facilitate the selection, management, and evaluation of IT investments relative to Federal government agencies’ overall capital asset portfolios.

Enterprise Architecture (EA): Development and use of EA work products to manage current and future needs of Federal government business operations (i.e., "baseline" and "target" architectures). The services include transition planning and migration support for all EA components (e.g., business, information, application, and technology architectures), to advance the development and implementation of "core EA capabilities." The services shall provide support relative to Federal government mandates for measuring and reporting on the completion and usage of EA programs, as well as evaluating results for E-Gov alignment and implementation of Federal lines of business and other cross-governmental initiatives (e.g., SmartBUY, IPv6, HSPD-12).

Strategic Planning: Facilitate the effective alignment of IT requirements/ Information Resource Management (IRM) plans with strategic business plans and program initiatives.

Management Improvements: Development and implementation of improved systems and business practices to optimize productivity and service delivery operations (e.g., analysis, and implementation of improvements in the flow of IT work and program processes and tool utilization, including business system analysis, identification of requirements for streamlining, re-engineering, or re-structuring internal systems/business processes for improvement, determination of IT solution alternatives, benchmarking).

Development and implementation of management, operational, and technical security controls required by agencies to assure desired levels of protection for IT systems and data are achieved (e.g., establishment of policy/procedures in support of Federal IT security requirements, conduct risk assessments to identify threats/vulnerabilities for existing/planned systems; support Federal mandates for measuring and reporting compliance, perform certification and accreditation (C&A) activities; provide training services to promote awareness and knowledge of compliance responsibilities for Federal IT security requirements).