CONTRACT FOR A NEW PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (PACS) THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) INTENDS TO AWARD A BPA FOR THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THE STATEMENT OF WORK (SEE ATTACHED, SECTION I.D). SSA WILL REVOEW A;; QIPTATOPMS AMD REFERENCES AND MAKE AWARD BASED ON PAST PERFORMANCE, EXPERIENCE AND PRICING. JUSTIFICATION: THE NEW SSA/AFGE CONTRACT CALLS FOR AGENCY WIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW PACS. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED 10/01/06. ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES WORK COLLABORATIVELY IN SETTING GOALS AND PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS IS A KEY COMPONENT OF PACS. TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION, THE AGENCY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING MANAGERS WITH TRAINING IN BOTH THE TECHNICAL (PERSONNEL POLICY REGULATIONS) AND NON-TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE NEW THREE-TIER RATING SYSTEM. INCORPORATING VENDOR TRAINING INTO THE OVERALL TRAINING PLAN WILL ENSURE THAT INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES IN THE NON-TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ARE DISCUSSED AND APPLIED TO OUR NEW PROCESS. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERACTION BETWEEN AGENCY PERSONNEL AND THE EXPERTS. IT IS THE EXPECTATION THAT THIS TRAINING WILL PROVIDE MANAGERS WITH A PRACTICAL FRAMWORK FOR INTEGRATING REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW PACS INTO THEIR DAILY WORK ENVIRONMENT.