06c_RFQ Attachment 2 - PWS - Final.doc

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Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)

Performance Work Statement (PWS) Pension Insurance Modeling System (PIMS) Peer Review 2024 – Parallel Testing

For the Office of Policy, Research, and Analysis Department (PRAD)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

41.

INTRODUCTION

42.

MISSION BACKGROUND

43.

SCOPE

44.

OBJECTIVE

45.

PERFORMANCE TASKS

66.

GENERAL INFORMATION

87.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

108.

DELIVERABLES

109.

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP).

1110.

CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL

1111.

ADMINISTRATIVE CONSIDERATIONS, CORRESPONDENCE

1112.

CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

1113.

LABOR MIX AND KEY PERSONNEL

1214.

TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL

1315.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION

1316.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

1317.

ATTACHMENTS

15APPENDIX 1

1. INTRODUCTION

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) protects the retirement incomes of over 33 million American workers in private sector defined benefit pension plans. A defined benefit plan provides a specified monthly benefit at retirement, often based on a combination of salary and years of service. PBGC was created by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to encourage the continuation and maintenance of private sector defined benefit pension plans, provide timely and uninterrupted payment of pension benefits, and keep pension insurance premiums at a minimum.

2. MISSION BACKGROUND

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21, Pub. L. No. 112-141) was enacted on July 6, 2012. Section 40233(a) of MAP-21 requires the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to contract with a capable agency or organization that is independent of PBGC to conduct annual peer reviews of the Single-Employer (SE) Pension Insurance Modeling System (PIMS) and Multiemployer (ME) PIMS. In practice, comprehensive reviews are conducted at least once every 5 years with targeted, more limited, reviews conducted in interim years. The focus of this PWS is in regards to a targeted review of SE PIMS to be conducted in 2024.

The PIMS models are used to develop PBGC’s annual Projections Report, a 10-year projection of the financial position of each of PBGC’s two insurance programs – the Single-Employer Program and the Multiemployer Program. PBGC also uses these forecasting models to analyze the potential effects of legislative proposals that impact private sector defined benefit plans and the insurance programs, as well as for additional budgeting and analysis internal to PBGC.

PBGC is currently engaged in a multi-year effort to update and modernize both the SE and ME PIMS models where the new models are referred to as “Transformational PIMS,” or “T-PIMS” and for purposes of this PWS, the current models are referred to as “Legacy PIMS.” The new T-PIMS models will provide more modeling flexibility and will use more sophisticated modeling techniques than the current legacy models.

3. SCOPE

In order to promote a seamless transition to the new models, both the Legacy and T-PIMS models will be run in parallel each year over a consecutive 3-year period and Annual Projections Report results produced by the two models will be compared, analyzed, and reconciled. SE T-PIMS is scheduled to be released during 2024 and ME T-PIMS is planned to be released during 2026. Parallel testing of SE T-PIMS will begin in 2024 whereas parallel testing of ME T-PIMS is planned for 2026. The purpose of this peer review is to provide analysis and recommendations in connection with the parallel testing of SE T-PIMS, as set forth in detail below. Although the scope of this peer review focuses primarily on the reconciliation of the SE models, the procedures, findings, and recommendations will be applied to the future reconciliation of the ME models. Parallel testing of ME T-PIMS is not a part of this peer review.

PBGC is seeking Contractor testing support in connection with two of the three years of SE PIMS parallel operations, which will both be conducted during the 6-month period of this project beginning in October 2024 and ending in April 2025. The two years of testing will encompass the SE-PIMS models used to develop projections for the FY 2022 and FY 2023 Projections Reports. The results from the Legacy PIMS models will be used in both reports. However, the Contractor shall review the results produced by each model, identifying and reconciling any material differences which may be associated with model differences on inputs, assumptions, or methodologies. Additionally, the Contractor shall identify any necessary or recommended changes to T-PIMS based on the analysis.

The initial release of the SE T-PIMS model is expected prior to the start of this engagement. Prior to the initial release of the model, PBGC will have already conducted its own parallel testing and analysis of the FY 2022 model results, with support from the contractor team supporting the T-PIMS development. Consequently, the reconciliation analysis of the FY 2022 model results under this engagement will encompass a review and any required follow-up analysis of the testing and reconciliation completed by PBGC in early 2024 rather than a de novo reconciliation analysis from scratch. However, PBGC expects that the reconciliation of the FY 2023 model results under this engagement will be fully developed from scratch by the Contractor.

As mentioned above, a primary use of the PIMS models is to prepare PBGC’s Annual Projections Report, a projection of the financial position of PBGC’s SE and ME insurance programs as well as to provide analysis of the effects of potential policy changes. PIMS results used to prepare the Annual Projections Reports for a given fiscal year, which are typically released in the middle (May-August) of the subsequent calendar year. As an example, the most recently issued report is the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Projections Report, which was issued in August 2023 and based on information made available from Legacy PIMS in May 2023. Similarly, PBGC anticipates that the Legacy PIMS results used for purposes of the FY 2023 Annual Projections Report will be available in mid-2024, and that comprehensive parallel testing can begin at that time. It is anticipated that the full transition from Legacy PIMS to T-PIMS as the primary model for purposes of the Single-Employer Program results in the Projections Report will be completed effective with Fiscal Year 2024. The below table summarizes the anticipated transition schedule:

Scheduled Transition and Parallel Testing: SE Legacy PIMS vs. T-PIMS

The above table shows that this peer review project relates to two of the three years of Legacy PIMS vs. T-PIMS parallel testing.

4. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this work…

(Summarize the work in a nutshell as if giving someone a 30 second elevator speech. What is the end goal?)

Attached to the end of this document are more detailed instructions to assist you in developing your objective. Please reference the Attachment at the end of this template.

5. PERFORMANCE TASKS

(Using descriptive words, in the below tasks write in complete sentences what is it that the contractor will do. Tasks must be written in active voice: “The contractor shall…” DO NOT USE: company name or state “contractor will…”)

Attached to the end of this document are more detailed instructions to assist you in developing tasks and requirements. Please reference the Attachment at the end of this template.

5.1 Task 1:

(Task areas should be one sentence and include why you’re doing this, why the requirement is important, what is the potential benefit, and what you are aspiring to do. Example: For Policy & Regulation Support, PBGC seeks high quality, unbiased, and cost-effective policy and regulatory support for effective rulemaking and public hearings, to support PBGC’s mission.

Example: For Transition Support, PBGC seeks a smooth transition of the contract to the next provider at the end of the contract period of performance (POP) with no loss in capability or data to avoid negative developmental or operational impact.)

Attached to the end of this document are more detailed instructions to assist you in drafting tasks and requirements. Please reference the Attachment at the end of this template.

Task 1 Requirements:

5.1.1 (Requirements under each task should include an ARC statement - Action (What do you want the contractor to do), Result (What result or outcome do you want?) and Context (What is it for? What mission? What program?) Example: The contractor shall develop[A] meeting materials [R] for public safety stakeholder engagements [C].)

5.1.2 5.1.3

5.2 Task 2:

Task 2 Requirements:

5.2.1

5.2.2

5.2.3

6. GENERAL INFORMATION

6.1 Contract Type The contract type for this purchase order is Firm Fixed Price.

6.2 Period of Performance

The period of performance is a 6-month base period:

September 1, 2024 - February 28, 2025

6.3 Place of Performance The place of performance for the work to be performed under this contract is PBGC Headquarters located at 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20554.

6.4 Business Relations The contractor shall successfully integrate and coordinate with the government all activity needed to execute the requirements specified herein. The contractor shall manage the timeliness, completeness, and quality of the contract deliverables. The contractor shall provide corrective action plans, timely contractor replacements with the approval of the government, timely identification of issues, and effective management of all contractor personnel (including subcontractors). The contractor shall seek to ensure customer satisfaction and professional and ethical behavior of all contractor personnel. The Contractor shall ensure staff is available during core business hours (9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday – Friday).

6.5 Removing Contractor Personnel for Misconduct or Security Reasons The Government may, at its sole discretion (via the Contracting Officer), direct the Contractor to remove any Contractor personnel from PBGC facilities for misconduct or for security reasons. Removal does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to continue providing the services required under the contract. The Contracting Officer (CO) will provide the Contractor with a written explanation to support any request to remove an employee.

6.6 Contract Management The contractor shall establish clear organizational lines of authority and responsibility to ensure effective management of the resources assigned to this requirement.

The contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to effectively administer this contract. The contractor shall successfully deliver and respond to government requests for contractual actions in a timely fashion.

The contractor shall have a single point of contact between the government and contractor personnel assigned to support this contract. The contractor shall assign work effort and maintain proper and accurate time keeping records of personnel assigned to work on this requirement.

The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 42.5. The Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) shall meet periodically with the Contractor to review the Contractor's performance. At these meetings the Contracting Officer will apprise the Contractor of how the Government views the Contractor's performance and the Contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues.

6.7 Disclosure and Avoidance of Inherently Governmental Functions.

The contractor shall not perform or give the appearance of performing inherently governmental functions as described in FAR 2.101 and Subpart 7.5, and all applicable agency policy. All contractor personnel shall identify themselves as contracted support personnel in all forms of communication with all entities in the performance of this contract. The contractor shall:

· Answer all telephone calls and have a personalized voice message with an introductory statement that includes the individual is contracted support.

· Include a title block in all emails that states the person is contracted support.

· Ensure all those with whom the person interacts in any face-to-face dealings while supporting the Government understands that the person is contracted support.

Moreover, all contractor personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression that they are Government officials. All documents or reports produced by the contractor shall be marked as contractor products or otherwise indicate that contractor participation is disclosed.

7. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Performance Management and Quality Assurance. In the following table, the contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items. The performance threshold briefly describes the minimum acceptable levels of service required for the significant performance requirements of this contract. These thresholds are critical to mission success. The contractor shall ensure its performance under the subject contract meets the quality standards identified in the Performance Summary Requirements and acceptance criteria specified in the PWS. The contractor shall perform monitoring and evaluation of its employees’ contract actions and interfacing with the Government’s Team Leads, their staff and supported clients.

(Please modify the table below to meet the demands of this requirement. The information provided in the table are examples.)

· If vulnerabilities identified, coordinate with CO and COR prior to documenting.

· Report is submitted on the same day each month; unless submittal date falls on a holiday or weekend, then the following business day is acceptable.

· Reports are grammatically correct and professional in appearance.

· 100% marked unless vulnerability.

· Deviation with COR or designee approval.

· Deviation with COR or designee approval.

· Draft documents contain minor typographical errors; Final documents are error free.

· COR review or Program Area Lead’s concurrence with COR’s review.

· Meeting minutes taken and delivered within 5 business days.

· No Deviation.

· Draft documents contain minor typographical errors; Final documents are error free.

· COR review or Program Area Lead’s concurrence with COR’s review.

· Briefings are thorough, accurate and well organized; articulate clear conclusions and/or recommendations, as appropriate; are comprehensive, coherent and conducted with skill and competence; and are developed and formatted with professionalism reflecting Government guidance as appropriate.

· Draft reports are comprehensive, coherent, accurate, and submitted for inspection/review by Government chain of inspection.

· Timeliness – deviation with Program Lead’s advanced approval.

· Quality – any errors in draft documents are resolved in final submission.

· Other Performance Standards – Deviation with COR or designee approval.

· COR review or Program Area Lead’s concurrence with COR’s review.

· Deliverables are timely in accordance with agreed upon schedule and/or project plan.

· Processes and procedures are fully documented and coordinated with stakeholders and are accurate, clear and error free.

· Draft documents contain minor typographical errors; Final documents are error free.

· Deviation with COR or designee approval.

· Draft documents contain minor errors; Final documents are error free and fully coordinated with stakeholder.

COR review or Program Area Lead’s concurrence with COR’s review.

Incentive / Disincentives:

· Less than total satisfaction with quality of work products will adversely impact past performance rating.

· Consistent satisfaction will favorably impact past performance rating.

· Late submission of any report or deliverable will adversely impact past performance rating,if contractor causes delay.

8. DELIVERABLES

All deliverables must be reviewed by the designated government personnel before customer delivery. Deliverables that do not meet specifications or standards are subject to rejection and re-dos with no cost to the Government. Profit may be reduced on re-dos if T&M or LH contract type.

(Please fill in the deliverables table.)

Deliverable Name

(e.g., Monthly Progress Report) Description of Deliverable

(e.g., if deliverable is a monthly report summarize what the report should report on. Give contents of the report) Frequency

(e.g., monthly every 2 weeks or months) Format

(e.g., power point, MSWord, etc.)

PWS Reference

(reference the task number)

9. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP).

The Government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

10. CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL

The Contractor shall prepare and adhere to a Quality Control Plan (QCP). The QCP shall document how the Contractor will meet and comply with the quality standards specified in the PWS, and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). At a minimum, the QCP must include a self-inspection and follow-up inspection plan, self-identification and problem-solving and correction plan, an internal staffing plan with QC inspector back-up, and an outline of the procedures that the Contractor will use to maintain quality, timeliness, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and any other requirements set forth in this PWS. NOTE: Contractor shall notify the Government of any and all problems encountered.

11. ADMINISTRATIVE CONSIDERATIONS, CORRESPONDENCE

Technical correspondence (where technical issues relating to compliance with the requirements herein) shall be addressed to the COR with an information copy to the CO. The Contracting Officer will intervene as deemed necessary and appropriate.

12. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

The COR shall be the focal point for all contract administration matters related to performance of this PWS. Only the Contracting Officer can make changes to the contract or this PWS, and any such changes are not effective unless directed in writing by the Contracting Officer. A COR for this contract will be nominated after or at contract award. Please see clause PBGC 52.210-7000: “Contracting Officer’s Representative” for more information.

13. LABOR MIX AND KEY PERSONNEL

The contractor shall provide qualified personnel for all positions under this contract.

During the first 90 calendar days of performance, the contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel without the approval of the Contracting Officer, unless illness, death, or termination of employment necessitates the substitution. The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer as soon as possible after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required below.

After the initial 90 calendar day period, the contractor may propose a substitution in accordance with clause PBGC 52.237-7001: “Key Personnel.” Please see clause PBGC 52.237-7001: “Key Personnel” for a list of all key personnel under this contract.

14. TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL

Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel in support of this contract may be required as contractor personnel may expected to attend meetings, industry conferences and site visits. All travel must be pre-approved in writing by the COR prior to purchase of any tickets and commencement of travel. The contractor shall be reimbursed for actual allowable, allocable, and reasonable travel costs incurred during performance of this effort in accordance with FAR 31.205-46 “Travel Costs”. Thus, travel shall be in accordance the terms and conditions of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) and reimbursement of cost shall not exceed the prevailing applicable per diem rates and limitations specified in the FTR. Local travel within the National Capital Region (NCR) will not be reimbursed. The Government is not responsible for, nor will it reimburse, normal commuting costs and contractor parking arrangements in order to perform work at the Government site.

14.1 Travel Documentation Requirements

Separate worksheets shall be submitted for each traveler. The travel documents shall delineate at a minimum and as applicable the following information:

· Name of Individual(s) traveling

· Current invoice period

· Persons travelling

· Days of travel

· Travel dates

· Number of days being charged per diem

· Per diem rate used

· Total per diem charged

· Transportation costs

· Other costs

· Total costs

14.2 Trip Reports

The contractor shall submit a summary of each TDY trip to include dates and times for travel and work, meetings attended, activities performed, and personnel visited with contact information provided, as required by the Government and in a format designated by the Government. Trip reports are due no later than five business days after travel.

15. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION

The Government will provide all necessary information, data and documents to the Contractor for work required under this contract.

The Contractor shall use Government furnished information, data and documents only for the performance of work under this contract and shall be responsible for returning all Government furnished information, data and documents to the Government at the end of the performance period. The Contractor shall not release Government furnished information, data and documents to outside parties without the prior and explicit consent of the Contracting Officer.

The Contractor shall possess the capability to store and safeguard from unauthorized disclosure the Government Furnished Information and Data required for this effort. The Contractor shall maintain effective security (e.g. encrypted files, limited personnel access to data files) to prevent the unauthorized release of data provided under this contract. The Contractor shall not release any information, text, images, or video associated with this contract unless written Government approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer.

The Contractor shall notify both the CO and COR of unauthorized disclosure or access, including actual or suspected unauthorized attempts to penetrate the Contractor's or information systems through the remote workstation or remote functions.

16. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

PBGC has determined Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) is not applicable for this requirement”.

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APPENDIX 1

Samples to assist in developing program office objective(s), tasks, and task requirements.

OBJECTIVE(S)

Defines WHAT the acquisition will do, WHY we’re doing it, for WHOM it’s being done, and what the BENEFIT is.

Examples:

· A contract vehicle that provides the NASA Enterprise a world class logistics solution that effectively and efficiently enables stakeholders to achieve their mission.

· Deliver a single, shared, travel and expense service to support the missions of government agencies through an intuitive, streamlined, and secure customer experience that mitigates transition costs and risks.

· Establish a sustainable, adaptable agency-wide solution for NASA and its stakeholders that provides agile, impactful, innovative and cost-effective strategic communications products and services.

· Establish a flexible, accessible, and scalable acquisition vehicle that provides reliable solar PV O&M solutions for federal agencies in support of federal goals and requirements related to clean energy and resilience.

TASKS

Tasks should be written in the following format:

For _____ (task area), _____ (organization) seeks…

i. why are you doing this?

ii. why is it important?

iii. what is the potential benefit?

iv. what are you aspiring to?

The sample below incorporates the answers to the color-coded questions above:

For Media and Entertainment Relations, NASA seeks to transparently provide an accurate representation of NASA's work that earns positive media coverage in a timely manner.

Examples

For Data Analysis & Modeling, OAR seeks the highest scientific integrity in its data analysis and modeling to support OAR programs and EPA's mission.

For Media and Entertainment Relations, NASA seeks to transparently provide an accurate representation of NASA's work that earns positive media coverage in a timely manner.

For Enterprise Service Desk Support, USMS HQ OPS seeks timely resolution of issues; a one-stop shop for IT user support regardless of staff location or technology boundaries.

· For Transition Support, NTIA seeks a smooth transition of the contract to the next provider at the end of the contract period of performance (POP) with no loss in capability or data to avoid negative developmental or operational impact.

· For Policy & Regulation Support, EPA seeks high quality, unbiased, and cost-effective policy and regulatory support for effective rulemaking and public hearings, to support EPA’s mission.

· For Digital Media & Oversight, NASA seeks to grow agency audiences using innovative technologies, creating a continuous cycle of engagement and feedback consistent with agency messaging.

TASK REQUIREMENTS (ARC Statements)

ACTION:

What do you want the contractor to do?

RESULT:

What result or outcome do you want?

CONTEXT:

What is it for? What mission? What program?

The Contractor shall develop [A] meeting materials [R] for public safety stakeholder engagements. [C]

· Historically meeting materials have included agendas, presentations, talking points, and facilitator guides.

This ARC statement has a clear action, result and context. The context may be limiting for other business units to be able to use it, is that ok?

Consider creating separate tasks with the “approved” dependency…

ORIGINAL:

The contractor shall create and execute a ___ plan for ___

REVISION:

The contractor shall create [A] a ____ plan [R] for _____ [C] The contractor shall execute [A] an approved ____ plan [R] so that ____ [C]

ORIGINAL:

Benefits are calculated using a web-based calculation program called Benefit Calculation and Valuation (BCV). The contractor shall input customer data into BCV to generate benefit calculations to send to the customer upon request. Any customers that are not located in BCV shall be referred to the Government to calculate benefits.

REVISION:

The Contractor shall generate [A] benefit calculations [R] for customers using customer data and inputting it into the BCV in accordance with TP20 and PBCG Policy 5.2.4. [C]

· Benefits are calculated using a web-based calculation program called Benefit Calculation and Valuation (BCV).

· Any customers that are not located in BCV shall be referred to the Government to calculate benefits.

ORIGINAL:

The contractor shall follow pre-approved call scripts to provide the following customer services over the telephone. Each call requires the customer identity be verified prior to disclosure of any personal information or changing of any personal data.

REVISION:

The Contractor shall update [A] customer data [R] in the accounts of verified participants [C].

The Contractor shall draft [A] script adjustments [R] and submit them to PBGC [C].

The Contractor shall incorporate [A] approved adjustments [R] into the script [C].

ORIGINAL:

The contractor shall review requests for powers of attorney, guardianships, and conservatorships to make routine determinations using a checklist within the procedures, collect additional information as needed, and notify applicants of the results. Interpretation questions and all rejection determinations are escalated to the Government. The contractor shall update PBGC systems with approved authorized agent designations. The contractor shall review and update PBGC systems for prior approved powers of attorney, guardianships, and conservatorships received as part of the benefits administration transition of newly trusteed plans.

REVISION:

· The Contractor shall make determinations of acceptability of requests for powers of attorney, guardianships, and conservatorships (see TP49).

· The Government will provide a checklist for the Contractor to use in both making determinations of acceptability and documenting the results of the determination in accordance with TP49

· Determinations that cannot be made using the provided checklist will be escalated to the Government for review in accordance with TP49

· Historically, the Government has received approximately 5,000 requests for powers of attorney, guardianships, and conservatorships per year.

· The Contractor shall review submissions for powers of attorney, guardianships, and conservatorships to…

· The Contractor shall identify and collect additional information from the submitter for incomplete submissions.

· The Contractor shall notify applicants of the results.