Background Screening for Volunteers and Cadets

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) outlines the requirements for a contractor to conduct background screening services for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (CGA) in New London, Connecticut. The contractor will perform background investigations on prospective cadets, Admission Partner program volunteers, Cadet Sponsor Family program volunteers, and other campus personnel. The scope of work requires the contractor to process approximately 700 background checks annually, with an estimated 1,200 additional checks in the first year for the Admission Partner program. Investigations must include Social Security Number (SSN) validation, address verification, a national criminal file search, a 5-year felony check, and a 50-state sex offender registry check. All screenings must comply with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and relevant federal, state, and local regulations. Key technical requirements include providing a secure, 24/7 online portal for applicants to submit information and access results, delivering completed background checks within 72 hours of request, and maintaining archived records. Individual interviews are not required. The contract structure consists of a one-year base period starting September 15, 2026, followed by four one-year option periods. Performance will take place at the contractor's facility, and travel is not required. The contractor must attend a virtual post-award conference within seven business days of award.

This federal Request for Quote (RFQ #70Z03926QCGA00038) is a 100% Small Business Set-aside solicitation issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. The objective is to secure a contractor to provide remote background screening services for U.S. Coast Guard Academy volunteers, prospective cadets, sponsor families, and campus-related personnel. The selected contractor must deliver all labor, secure online systems, and materials to perform background checks, including SSN validations, address verifications, national sex offender searches, and five-year felony checks across county, state, and federal records. All screening results must be delivered within 72 hours of request via a secure, 24/7 accessible online portal. The acquisition will result in a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract. The contract structure includes a one-year base period starting September 15, 2026, followed by four subsequent one-year option periods extending through September 14, 2031. Proposals will be evaluated using the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection process. To be deemed technically acceptable, offerors must demonstrate full capability to meet all Performance Work Statement (PWS) requirements, including online data entry, data security compliance (NDAA and state/federal privacy laws), and participation in a post-award conference. Questions regarding this RFQ must be emailed to Jerome.R.Manuel@uscg.mil by September 22, 2026, at 8:00 AM EDT. Final quotes are due via email by September 24, 2026, at 8:00 AM EDT.