SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- Data and Information Management Support - NIFA RFI
- Notice Date
- 12/24/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Agricultural Research Service - National Capital Region Business Service Center
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- RFI12242013
- Archive Date
- 2/24/2014
- Point of Contact
- Ericka Franklin, Phone: 3015041116
- E-Mail Address
-
Ericka.Franklin@ars.usda.gov
(Ericka.Franklin@ars.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Draft - Statement of Objectivies NIFA Data and Information Management Contract Support DRAFT STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES Table of Contents Overview.. 2 Food and Agricultural Science. 2 National Program Leadership. 2 Federal Assistance Administration. 2 NIFA Office of Information Technology. 3 Objectives. 3 Labor Categories. 3 Program Manager. 3 Project Manager. 4 Program Analyst. 5 Information Management Support Specialist. 5 Business Analysis Specialist. 6 Information Technology Specialist. 7 Senior Consultant. 8 Subject Matter Expert. 9 Technical Writer. 9 Meeting Facilitator. 10 Staffing Requirements. 10 Government Furnished Equipment. 11 Government Furnished Information. 11 Disclosure of Information. 11 Travel Requirements. 11 Deliverables. 11 Reporting. 12 Team Status Meeting. 12 Weekly Status Reports. 12 Monthly Progress Report. 13 IT Security Requirements. 13 Contract Type. 14 Period of Performance. 14 Task Order Administration. 15 Section 508 Accessibility Standards Notice. 15 Overview The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). NIFA is one of four USDA agencies that make up its Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area. NIFA's mission is to lead food and agricultural sciences to create a better future for the Nation and the world by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. NIFA primary functions are to fund research, education, and extension activities at the national, state and local level and provide program leadership in these areas. Food and Agricultural Science NIFA addresses challenges facing the nation through exemplary food and agricultural science, working with scientists, researchers, educators and practitioners throughout the US and across the globe. NIFA integrates research, education and extension to ensure that discoveries go beyond the laboratory and make their way into classrooms and communities where knowledge can be put into practice to improve lives. The research funded by the agency provides answers and solutions to complex agricultural issues. Education activities serve to strengthen schools and universities and train next generations of scientists, educators, producers, and citizens. Extension takes knowledge gained through research and education and puts it to work for the people who need it. The two key mechanisms NIFA employs to accomplish its mission are National Program Leadership and Federal Assistance Administration. National Program Leadership We help states identify and meet research, extension, and education priorities in areas of public concern that affect agricultural producers, small business owners, youth and families, and others. National program leadership at NIFA is comprised of four general process groups: •· Network and collaborate with partners and stakeholders to identify mission-relevant problems, opportunities, and issues requiring federal attention and support; •· Conceive, formulate, and direct programs and activities to respond to existing or emerging problems, opportunities, and issues through the development and application of science-based knowledge; •· Administer and manage programs and activities to develop and apply science and knowledge; and, •· Evaluate and assess the quality, outcomes, and impacts of these programs. Federal Assistance Administration NIFA administers federal assistance primarily through three basic funding mechanisms: Competitive Grants, Formula Grants, and Non-competitive Grants. The key process groups that comprise the administration of Federal Assistance at NIFA are: •· Program Formation and Planning - National emphasis areas, priority science areas •· Grant Application Receipt and Review •· Award Administration - From recommendation through closeout •· Financial Administration - Funding, financial oversight and key controls •· Oversight - Program leadership, progress reporting, financial reporting, outcome reporting NIFA Office of Information Technology The Office of Information Technology (OIT) is responsible for supporting the USDA science mission through NIFA scientific research, education and extension grants. OIT's mission is to provide cost-effective and quality business, mission, and customer-centric information management services to support food and agricultural science research, education, and extension initiatives. OIT strives to enable collaboration among the NIFA community by providing balanced innovation, manageability, and use of information resources across the agency. The OIT Applications Division (OIT AD) is a key enabler of NIFA's ability to fulfill its mission. By providing quality products and services and by efficiently advancing and applying technology, OIT AD supports the administration of Federal assistance and the leadership role of the agency. Objectives In support of OIT AD's mission, the contract is needed for a variety of management, research, and technical requirements to support the scientists, statisticians, economists, biologists, managers, staff and their programs within NIFA. Services provided shall not be construed as establishing any policy, procedure, or commitment of the Government. These requirements generally include but are not limited to: •· Organization, program and project level management •· Program evaluation including operational efficiency, resource planning, outcome identification and program performance matrix development •· Business and program analysis, technical requirements development, process analysis and engineering •· Technical architecture planning and implementation •· Software and database design, development, and integration •· Organization and management of scientific, technical, and required reporting documents •· Scientific journal editing and scientific paper publications •· A variety of tasks that require subject matter expert (SME) related research, consulting, technical services and administrative activities to support OIT mission goals, statutory mandates and dynamic scientific program and business requirements •· Facilitation Services to include organizing, recording, and hosting decision making meetings •· Survey Support Services to include conducting and analyzing the results of a number of surveys and data collections including those administered in person, via telephone, or through electronic and regular mail Labor Categories The labor category descriptions provided below are representative of the types of support that the Government anticipates will be needed in support of individual calls against this (type) contract. Program Manager A Program Manager serves as the primary point of responsibility for the contractor, performing overall contract oversight and task order management as needed. Only limited time is expected from this labor category and this will not be a full-time position. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to, support of the following: •· Management of contract level activities and monitoring of work products for quality, completeness, and ensure the projects that within the program are successful, on time, within scope, and budget •· Ensure that contract work conforms to program objectives and project requirements and complies with government standards, government rules, regulations, policies and practices •· Management of the contract task order portfolio, including responding to task order calls and coordinating resource allocation, schedule, budget and quality assurance across all task orders •· Support individual task orders within the contract by providing advice and guidance to Project Managers regarding task order governance, management and benefits realization •· Ensure the quality of the task orders and provide regular contract level and task order level status and financial reports •· Manage and maintain contractor interface with the senior levels of the customer organization Experience and education requirements: This labor category requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of program and project management experience, including management of Federal Government contracts. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. Project Manager A Project Manager is responsible for managing all aspects of one or more specific projects within a task order, ensuring that project deliverables are on time, within budget within the scope, and meet or exceed the quality standards identified in individual task orders. The contractor shall provide both the management skills and specific technical skills to perform project management activities. Related technical skills and background is required for qualified Project Managers. The Project Manager must ensure that all project related documents are delivered and user support and operation scenarios are developed and documented. Projects must follow Government processes, standards, rules and regulations. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to, support of the following: •· Definition of project scope, goals and deliverables that support business objectives •· Analysis of complex business problems, systems and solutions •· Development and execution of project communication plans •· Estimation of resource needs to achieve project goals •· Documentation of all project stages per standards •· Quality control of the projects, including the development of project quality control plans and test plans •· Development of project plans, schedules, methodologies, solution components, and milestones using appropriate tools •· Development of short and long-range plans for long and short-range plans for application selection, systems development, systems maintenance, and production activities •· Identifying project dependencies and critical path, and develop the project GANTT chart for each project •· Monitoring and reporting on project milestones and deliverables •· Proactive management of the project scope and change control process, identifying potential risks and devising mitigation and contingency plans •· Adhering government standard practices and procedures •· Communicating project status and progress regularly with the government management •· Produce required documentation and reports •· Deliver quality products defined in the project Experience and education requirements: This labor category may require varying levels of Project Management experience: •· Project Manager I requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 3 years of project management experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· Project Manager II requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 6 years of project management experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· Project Manager Ill requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of project management experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. Program Analyst A Program Analyst assists the government staff to evaluate and analyze effectiveness of program operations, management, efficiency and productivity. Program analysts also provide inputs to help with organizational initiatives surrounding enterprise architecture, all aspects of the SDLC, project management standards and practices. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to, support of the following: •· Supporting the evaluation and analysis of program and project effectiveness •· Helping government management staff to collaborate with customer management teams on Earned Value Management analysis and reporting •· Supporting customer management in identification, analysis and mitigation of program and project risks •· Under the directions of the government management, development of functional economic, life cycle, and cost/benefit analyses as appropriate to establish baselines; to evaluate alternatives in accomplishing objectives; and to evaluate the effectiveness of existing or projected programs and projects •· Assisting in the preparation of management plans and reports •· Identification of resource shortfalls and make corrective recommendations Experience and education requirements: This labor category may require varying levels of Program Analysis experience: •· Program Analyst I requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2 years of program analysis experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· Program Analyst II requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of program analysis experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· Program Analyst Ill requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of program analysis experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. Information Management Support Specialist An Information Management Support Specialist provides technical support services. Individuals must have sufficient technical background to support the work required by this contract. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to, support of the following: •· Assistance with technical paperwork, technical meeting minutes, manuals and spreadsheets •· Supporting the administration of collaboration web sites •· Development and implementation of improved methods to automate, simplify, or streamline administrative functions using the Microsoft Office Suite (including, Visio, and Project) •· Tracking of division projects, data calls and other project related tasks identified in the task order •· Provide data inputs, prepare financial reports/tables, and correspondence through the use of various database/spreadsheet software applications within established deadlines •· Maintain electronic and physical 'inventory of office supplies, equipment, and property •· Provide input on requirements to maintain and acquire supplies, materials, equipment, and services •· Assist in implementing efficient cost-documentation processes, tools, and methods •· Amend, revise or develop communications materials as needed; conduct research for communications materials; research and write articles for the web and newsletters •· Assist the client to maintain and/or build record management capabilities Business Analysis Specialist Business Analysis (BA) Specialists have a primary focus on the business processes that result in NIFA fulfilling its mission goals and objectives. Additionally, BA Specialists need to understand the business and program functions and are responsible for documentation, management, and continuous working to help improve business process within the agency. Under the direction of government management, working on project teams and with various stakeholders both within and outside of NIFA, BA Specialists discover and analyze business problems and needs leading to the translation of those needs into business requirements. BA Specialists should be adept communicators, able to provide various forms of knowledge transfer, such as group facilitation, interviewing, and training. These individuals often possess a mix of business and technical skills and experience through all SDLC phases that enable them to bridge communication gaps and play a variety of different roles within project teams. Business analysis specialties may include but are not limited to: •· Business problem and user need analysis •· Business, functional, and cross-functional requirements development •· Software Development Life Cycles •· Requirements management and traceability •· Verification and validation techniques, test planning and execution •· Structured Analysis techniques •· Agile development framework •· Data architectures and data modeling •· Cost and level of effort estimation •· Continuous process improvement and business process reengineering methods (Lean Six sigma, etc.) •· Business process analysis, modeling and automation •· Technical system analysis •· Configuration management •· Knowledge management •· Operational analysis •· Good (or Best) practice analysis •· Team and organization collaboration •· Performance metrics and measurements •· Earned Value Management, cost and economic analysis techniques •· Transition planning •· Group facilitation and knowledge transfer •· Knowledge of software integration, design and testing •· Customer advocacy and relationships Experience and education requirements: This labor category may require varying levels of Business Analysis experience: •· BA Specialist I requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· BA Specialist II requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· BA Specialist Ill requires a master's degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. Information Technology Specialist Information Technology (IT) Specialists are the principal actors in the process of transforming customer requirements into technology system solutions. Guided by a Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) teams of individuals bring specialized skills to provide inputs to customers of alternative approaches to meet requirements and solve problems; plan projects and estimate levels of effort to complete work; design architectures, data structures, applications, and components; develop software, integrate products and leverage reusable objects; validate, test, and verify throughout the SDLC; and Install, Implement, and maintain delivered systems. Strong technology hands on practices with variety technologies are essential for this kind position. Areas of specialty include, but are not limited to: •· Software engineering; architecture and design; Design methods and techniques; Design artifact creation; Application platforms; Cost and level of effort estimation; •· Database architecture and DBMS technology; Database design; Database administration and practices; Database standards; Data warehousing; Geographic Information System technology •· Software development; Software object reuse; Agile development techniques; Secure coding; Peer reviews of work products; Collaborative development techniques; Software development languages; •· Quality control methodologies; Quality metrics; Quality assurance; Independent verification & validation; Test planning; Debugging; Automated testing tools and techniques; Test case and test data development; •· Document imaging technologies; Document image creation, storage and archiving; Records retention and disposition automation •· Data security; Certification & Accreditation; Cyber security tactical advice, practices, and standards; Encryption technology; •· Communication skills; Structured analysis techniques; Reverse engineering of requirements; Requirements interpretation and traceability; Technical and user documentation; Software training development •· Identity management technology; Role-based access control; data modeling; Records management automation; •· Web presence technologies; Web software development; Web content management tools and technologies; •· ITIL framework; Application operation and maintenance; Configuration management; Change control; Production and operational control; Second tier service support; Monitoring tools and techniques •· Specific technologies may include, but are not limited to: •o Oracle database, PL/SQL, SQLPlus •o MySQL •o Java •o PHP •o Python •o GIS - ESRI •o... Experience and education requirements: This labor category may require varying levels of information technology experience: •· IT Specialist I requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· IT Specialist II requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· IT Specialist Ill requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. •· IT Specialist IV requires a master's degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience. Education may not be used to substitute for experience. Senior Consultant A Senior Consultant serves as an executive level resource providing insight, expertise and information to support OIT management. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to, support of the following: •· Assisting the government management staff or point of contact on organizational strategic planning, including defining organization level goals and objectives •· Program life cycle management, including defining purpose, scope, outcomes and performance metrics •· Scientific information processing, quality improvement, technical structure and process engineering •· Identified technical work and in depth of technology support. These may include, but not limited to: analysis, strategy, integration, information process and scientific data structure framework, scientific program and technical support, modeling, special tools development and research services •· Project life cycle management and process improvement for both technical and non-technical projects •· Coordinate exchange of scientific information with scientific and technical staff at NIFA and its partners •· Coordinate and participate in meetings and discussions with scientists and managers regarding topics such as food and agricultural assessment needs, ecosystem plans, climate change impacts, and collection of food and agricultural-dependent and -independent data •· Analyze local and national data confidentiality rules to identify minimum confidentiality criteria for NIFA •· Capital and budget planning •· Strategic plan development, goal setting and operational planning •· Strategic planning documentation and communication, including OMB Exhibit 300 Experience and education requirements: This labor category requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 8 years of consulting and/or directly relevant industry experience with strong management and technical experience, including executive level management and direction of an organization utilizing expert time-management and planning, problem solving and interpersonal skills. Extensive experience with a deep understanding of federal government regulations and information services structures and protocols is mandatory. Subject Matter Expert A Subject Matter Expert (SME) serves as a definitive source of highly specialized knowledge, techniques, or expertise in a specific subject area. Subject matter expertise needs at NIFA fall into three general categories: scientific expertise, business expertise, and technical expertise. Expertise in scientific subject matter is often critical in determining the scope, goals, and objectives of collaborative initiatives that seek to employ components of technology or technology solutions to assist NIFA in meeting its mission goals. Scientific subject areas include, but are not limited to: Agricultural Sciences, Food Security, Socioeconomics, Food Safety, Nutrition, Agricultural Systems, Plant & Animal Sciences, Biotechnology, Genomics, and Natural Resources. Business subject matter is focused on how the agency interacts with partners, constituencies, and other stakeholders. Business topics would consist of but not be limited to: Problem definition, Program analysis, Process modeling and engineering, Continuous Process Improvement, Analytic and metric design, Customer support, Training, Operational management and support, Continuity of Operations planning, Service level agreements, Strategic planning, and Statistical analysis. Technical subject matter relates primarily to making technology decisions in meeting the dynamic needs of the agency. A Technical SME would rarely be utilized in the delivery of a technology solution. Areas of technical expertise include, but are not limited to: Data analytics, Data integration, Software architecture, Software engineering methodologies, Software development life cycle, Hardware and software technologies and strategies, Cloud adoption strategies and tactics, Database technologies, Enterprise data management, Enterprise Architecture; Disaster recovery planning, Document imaging and management strategies, Cyber security. Experience and education requirements: This labor category may require varying levels of Subject Matter Expert experience: •· Subject Matter Expert I requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant subject matter experience. •· Subject Matter Expert II requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of relevant subject matter experience. In some cases, specialized experience may be substitute for the degree requirement. ' •· Subject Matter Expert Ill requires a bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant subject matter experience. In some cases, specialized experience may be substitute for the degree requirement. •· Subject Matter Expert IV requires a master's degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant subject matter experience. In some cases, specialized experience may be substitute for the degree requirement. •· Subject Matter Expert V requires a PhD and a minimum of 15 years of relevant subject matter experience. In some cases, specialized experience may be substitute for the degree requirement. Technical Writer A Scientific Editor/Technical Writer provides writing and editing services to translate complex scientific and technical information into user-friendly text for print and electronic publications, such as technical journals, websites and podcasts. Additional services may include, but not be limited to: •· Scientific publication layout design •· Technical document authoring, editing & publishing •· Business proposal development •· User manual development •· Briefing and presentation preparation •· Collaborative document development and review •· Research and identification of information resources Meeting Facilitator A Meeting Facilitator shall work with the client in planning meeting schedules and agendas, developing background and guidance materials, and defining goals and objectives. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to, support of the following: •· Team-building exercises •· Application of proven problem-solving techniques to reach consensus and ensure that goals are met •· Scripting session opening and closing activities to ensure consistency •· Documentation of milestones, action items, and outcomes in expertly written summary documents. •· Pre- and post-meeting and onsite support •· Requirements review with the client •· Cost and labor analysis •· Contract negotiations •· Procurement of venue providers •· Handling of participant travel, honoraria, and documentation. Staffing Requirements Government requests that the Contractor will present resumes for pre-screened candidates prior to making final selections after their internal interview process. The government may request "meet-and-greet" session(s) to meet the potential candidate(s) before the contractor makes the final offer to the candidate. This would allow the government project team to be able to have a chance to meet the individual(s) from an overall project integrity perspective. Under certain circumstances, the government project team may provide comments for the contractor to consider, and may decline the candidate. All contractors brought on board would be on to up to 90-day probation period. Initial key personnel may be brought on board up to six months or a year period. The new candidate/replacement may be brought on board based on the government review and approval. The contractor shall provide the consultant and/or staff support necessary to accomplish the objectives detailed in this document. Unless otherwise specified at the task level, services shall be provided on site between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Government core hour policy must be observed. All contractor telework agreement must be set between contractors and the contract company, and telework instances must be approved by project managers, the project monitor, or the designated COTR. National Institute of Food and Agriculture Office of Information Technology 800 9 th Street SW Washington, DC 20024 Government Furnished Equipment The Government shall provide to the Contractor user identifications and passwords to access the NIFA computer systems upon completion of the required data access forms, clearances, and training. NIFA shall provide computers, office space, and routine office supplies at its facilities. Government Furnished Information Technical data, reference material or computer software provided to the Contractor as Government-furnished information (GFI) under this contract may be subject to restrictions on use, modification, reproduction, release, performance, display, or further disclosure. GFI pertinent to the estimation or performance of specific tasks will be made available to the Contractor verbally, electronically, or in hardcopy, as necessary. Disclosure of Information Any GFI made available to the Contractor for the performance of this contract shall be used solely for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without written authorization by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall be required to execute standard NIFA non-disclosure statements as required for any Contractor personnel who may have access to GFI in the course of their duties. Travel Requirements The contractor may be required to travel locally or to other domestic locations depending on the specific project. The purpose of the travel may be for reporting task progress, coordinating research and analysis efforts, or participating in workshops or meetings. The contractor shall be responsible for arrangements such as airline, hotel, and car rental reservations. Only actual travel costs will be paid and any such costs must be paid in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation. All reimbursable travel expenses require prior written approval from the COR (Contract Officer's representative). Deliverables NIFA shall retain unlimited rights to all work products and work papers created in the performance of this contract. NIFA requires that all work products and work papers reside on Government furnished or approved equipment. The contractor shall be compliant with all applicable standards, protocols, guidelines, and processes within the NIFA Software Development Life Cycle. The contractor shall provide electronic monthly reports that clearly and concisely correlate the level of effort expended during the reporting period, along with the specific activity and effort supported and accomplishments. The contractor shall also provide the number of hours that are associated with each task and/or deliverable. Additional deliverables will be identified in call orders. Performance measures shall include, but are not limited to, routine elements such as specific project deliverables and all objectives and desired outcomes above. All services shall be provided in a timely manner and at a level of quality that consistently meets or exceeds customer satisfaction and/or expectations. Some high level and general deliverable examples include: •· Work reports and status of the work progress •· Monthly spending status and cost schedules •· Documentation of work results and analysis •· Issue tracking and constraints that will prevent timely completion of projects •· Monthly progress reports, to include at minimum: accomplishments, the number of hours expended by associated personnel to accomplish those tasks, any project delays (including causes and recommended plan for resolving), and an updated Gantt chart for the entire project •· Documentation of project requirements, model design, and any related documents •· Business processes and workflow diagrams •· Project risk assessment and management plan •· Quality control plans •· Documentation of proposed business workflow between the data providers and the government systems •· Technology recommendations and analysis results •· Documentation of issue resolution action plans •· Transition plans to ensure continuity as task orders end and new tasks begin and to facilitate a complete, timely and orderly transfer of knowledge. Each Individual task order will specify the exact nature of deliverables in detail, along with a corresponding schedule for delivery. Reporting Team Status Meeting The Contractor shall participate in Team Status Meetings, conducted by the COTR or designated team leader, usually weekly or as needed, to provide an opportunity to discuss issues and review status, workload and balancing of resources. The Contractor shall: •1. Speak to the status of active work assignments for each team member. •2. Discuss any business, technical, or personnel issues that are relevant to making expected progress on work assignments. •3. Highlight progress toward milestones and/or deliverables. •4. Review of all assignments in all phases of the Software Development Life Cycle. In any project initiative, work assignments may include, but are not limited to the following: •a. Project management •b. Business process decomposition •c. Requirements analysis and specification •d. Software design •e. Software development •f. Unit and integration testing •g. Production implementation Weekly Status Reports The Contractor shall submit to the COTR a Weekly Status Report by no later than COB each Friday. Reports shall include the following: •1. Name; Date prepared; Period of performance (week ending) •2. Work accomplished during the week •a. A short name identifying each work assignment. •b. A summary of what was accomplished during the period. •c. Clear identification of any task completed or terminated during the period. •3. Work planned for the next week providing for each project and task: •a. A short name identifying each work assignment. •b. Description of activities planned. •c. Estimated completion date of task. •4. Issues that impact ability to complete assignments as expected •a. Clear description of the issue. •b. Recommended corrective action planned to resolve the issue. Monthly Progress Report The Contractor shall submit a monthly progress report no later than the fifth business day of each month to the Contract Administrator, government management, and COTR. The report shall include the following information: •1. A cover page containing: •a. Contract number and title •b. Type of report, sequence number of report, period of performance •c. Contractor name and address •d. Author(s) •e. Date of report •2. A description of current technical or substantive performance by task/work product and any problems which may impede performance, along with proposed corrective action. •3. A workload summary for the month, including: a) number of trouble tickets; b) number of work tickets handled; c) number of software modifications implemented into production; d) number of database modifications; and e) reference to all system documentation produced. •4. The number of hours worked during the reporting period by labor category. •5. A summary of hours worked to date for the entire period of performance. •6. Performance Measurement information that demonstrates how the performance standards were met. Include: a) the number of trouble tickets and % of resolution rates; b) any deadlines established for individual tasks and when those tasks were completed; c) how unscheduled downtime standard was met; and d) the number of deficiencies identified by the CO/COTR to the contractor - those corrected within 24 hours, those where a corrective action plan was submitted within 24 hours and those where the standard was not met. Note: The Contractor shall ensure that all elements of the Monthly Progress Report are derived from details provided in the corresponding Weekly Status Reports. The Contractor shall have available for review data/documentation needed to support any percentages or numbers presented in the Performance Measurement section. IT Security Requirements The activities and reports required to perform tasks in this contract may contain unclassified "Sensitive Security Information" (SSI) that could act as a guide for hostile entities to cause harm to the Department's critical infrastructure. USDA Departmental Regulation, 3440-2 "Control and Protection of "Sensitive Security Information" provides minimum protection requirements and guidance to be followed when handling SSI. Such information will not be divulged or made known in any manner to any person. The contractor will immediately notify the COR upon discovery of any inadvertent disclosures of information. All information arising from this contract, both hard copy and electronic, will be returned to the government at the completion of this contract. The contractor will not disclose sensitive or proprietary information of, or in the possession of, the United States Department of Agriculture or any of its operating units, contractors or business partners to unauthorized persons. The contractor will be subject to any and all penalties imposed by law for unlawful disclosure of Departmental information. All contractor and sub-contractor personnel shall comply with the USDA established security policies and procedures. The contractor will be responsible for insuring that all contractor and sub-contractor personnel undergo security background checks and complete the specified USDA Security Awareness and Privacy training. System administrators and database administrators are subject to "Modified Background Investigations" for moderate risk personnel at the cost of the contractor. The contractor shall comply with all requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Computer Security Act of 1987. Anyone handling sensitive or USDA Departmental priority applications or systems must be able to pass the equivalent of a Secret Security Level Background Check. Applicable personnel also includes: systems administrators, network administrators, database administrators, field security officers, and others who have the potential to adversely affect security of agency information. The contractor shall: •1. Comply with all security requirements pertaining to the information resources they use; •2. Refrain from using trivial and obvious passwords; •3. Ensure that passwords are held in strict confidence and properly safeguarded from unauthorized access and use; •4. Employ available and approved safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data, applications, and information resources; •5. Comply with all licensed software agreements; and •6. Report any suspected security incidents observed to the Information Systems Security Officer, the COR and their immediate supervisor. Facility Security Requirements: Due to security requirements, pre-notification of all visitors to the NIFA Waterfront Centre facility is required. Anyone requiring access must notify the COR prior to arrival at this location. The notification must include the names of all visitors, who they are visiting, dates, times, and nature of visit. Visitors that have not notified the COR prior to their arrival on-site may be turned away at the entrance to the facility. Contract Type This contract will be a Multiple Award BPA contract with a base period and four (4) option years. Period of Performance The contractor shall provide mission support for a period of performance of (1) one year from the first of the month immediately following award. Staff provided will be expected to work 40 hours per week on-site rate on a mutually agreeable schedule developed by the contractor and the Government. The government shall conduct periodic reviews of the contractor's performance. Task Order Administration Task Manager: Tina Chang COR: <Name> •· Task Order Monitor <Name> (COR) Applications Division Office of Information Technology National Institute of Food and Agriculture 800 9 th Street SW Washington, DC 20024 (202) 555-5555 •· Invoices Invoices shall be submitted to the COR for processing. Section 508 Accessibility Standards Notice This contract is subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (the Act) of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) Electronic and Information Accessibility Provisions (36 CFR Part 1194). Section 508 of the Act requires that, unless an exception applies, all communications products and services that require a contractor or consultant to produce content in any format that is specifically intended for publication on, or delivery via, a federally owned or federally funded website permit the following: (1) Federal employees with disabilities to have access to and use information and data that is comparable to the access and use of information and data by federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities. (2) Members of the public with disabilities seeking information or services from a federal agency to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use of information and data by members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities. (Note: Information about Section 508 of the Act is available at http://www.section508.gov/. The complete text of Section 508 can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/provisions.htm.) Accordingly, regardless of format, all web content or communications materials specifically produced for publication on, or delivery via, HHS websites, including text, audio, or video, under this contract shall conform to applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. Remediation of any materials that do not comply with the applicable accessibility standards of 36 CFR Part 1194 as set forth herein shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. The following Section 508 accessibility standards apply to the content or communications material identified in this SOW or PWS: Software Applications and Operating Systems (1194.21) Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (1194.22)
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- Place of Performance
- Address: Applications Division, Office of Information Technology, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 800 9th Street SW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20024, United States
- Zip Code: 20024
- Zip Code: 20024
- Record
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