HSICC solicitation 12-233-SOL-00174_amendment_1.docx

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COST

B.1 Consideration In consideration of performance of the work described in Section C, Description/Specifications/ Work Statement, the Contractor shall be reimbursed all reasonable, allowable and allocable costs for the Cost Plus Fixed Fee amount as follows:

Base Period (Award through __________)

Period of Performance: Six months from date of award

Option Period 1

Period of Performance: Twelve months

Option Period 2

Period of Performance: Twelve months

Option Period 3

Period of Performance: Twelve months

Option Period 4

Period of Performance: Twelve months

Unused funds from one period may not rollover for use in another period.

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 Purpose The purpose of this procurement is to continue to provide and mature specialized services in the areas of information communications and website design and management. The OHS requires the HSICC to manage communications with the Head Start and early childhood community through the provision of an expert contact center, the ongoing development and maturation of the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) and the ACF OHS website, and the provision of mass communications services including social media.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS) is the national agency responsible for awarding funding, providing policies, technical assistance and oversight for ensuring that Head Start programs deliver high quality services to fully prepare low income and vulnerable children and families for success in school and in life. As a federal to local program, OHS manages high volume, technically specific communications that cover a wide range of regulations, policies and technical assistance to oversee and support the success of these programs.

C.2 Background Since its beginning in 1965, Head Start has served more than 30 million children and their families. Head Start, in FY 2010, served nearly a million children, about a tenth of whom were served in Early Head Start programs. There are over 1,600 Head Start grantees, with many of these grantees providing Early Head Start. Head Start grantees range from small agencies serving less than 100 children to large agencies serving tens of thousands of children. A number of grantees also have delegate agencies which provide all or part of the required comprehensive services.

The Head Start Program is authorized by the Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C § 9831 et seq. The program is administered by the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. The Head Start program provides grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families. Head Start promotes school readiness by enhancing the social, cognitive, physical and emotional development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families. Head Start programs engage parents in their children's learning and help them in making progress toward their educational, literacy and employment goals. The Head Start Program also emphasizes the significant involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start programs.

Early Head Start was established in 1995 as a program for low income families with infants and toddlers and pregnant women. In creating Early Head Start, Congress acted upon evidence from research and practice which indicates that the time from conception to age three is critical for human development and that for infants and toddlers to develop optimally, they must have healthy beginnings and the continuity of responsive and caring relationships. Early Head Start programs provide family-centered services designed to promote the development of the youngest children, and to enable their parents to fulfill their roles as parents and move toward self-sufficiency.

Since the early 1990’s the Office of Head Start has contracted with small businesses who understand the workings of the office to help manage the ever-growing and changing volume of information necessary to continuously inform the field of the latest advances in early childhood policy and practice through the lens of Head Start, as well as maintain close linkages to the programs and to the federal staff that support them.

The Office of Head Start (OHS) currently operates, through the services of the current Contractor and under the project title of Head Start Knowledge and Information Management Services (HSKIMS), a customer service/call center that responds to approximately 1500 to 4000 inquiries per month via phone, ECLKC, ACF’s RightNow Web, fax, email and print, with the majority of inquiries from prospective parents and the public.

The Office of Head Start (OHS) also operates two primary websites;

· Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov)

· OHS website (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs) Customer Services/Call Center Using a toll-free number, the ECLKC and a custom knowledge base, over 30,000 inquiries are received from the public, early childhood professionals, the Head Start community, and OHS/Federal staff on an annual basis. The most frequently requested services are from families and parents seeking programs that will meet their unique needs. Approximately one third of these inquiries are from Spanish speaking inquirers. Tracking software is used to manage the volume, nature and languages of inquiries to inform the OHS and the development of training, technical assistance and ECLKC content.

Information/Library Services Master librarians monitor professional literature, reports and journals for new resources, assess whether new regulations and federal register postings affect the Head Start community, and assess emerging issues and trends in early childhood service provision. Spanish translation services, using a Head Start glossary of terms created through the services of this contract, are provided on an as-needed basis.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) The ECLKC website presents information and knowledge, provides a means of finding and connecting knowledge across programs, regions and states and offers different methods of accessing on-line learning and training. Numerous federal and contract staff contribute to the content, including seven large national centers, each with specific areas of expertise. A file sharing structure is used between the ECLKC and the OHS website in order to reduce duplication and maintenance. The ECLKC hosts over 6,000 pages with many file formats such as .pdf, video, webinars, and online lessons, and currently receives over 2 million visits per year. It hosts private communities with members varying from ten to one thousand. It is based on a customized Hyperwave content management platform with numerous linked databases and directories, link checkers, web trending, taxonomy management, and a robust search engine. The site is 508 compliant and meets all HHS technical requirements. Content coordinators and technical liaisons work with ECLKC contributors and OHS staff to assure content meets OHS and HHS requirements and is organized and presented to provide the greatest advantage to the broadest audience.

The OHS currently manages two additional contracts to support the ECLKC; a technical infrastructure contract that manages OHS-owned equipment at two separate locations and another to support the technical development and maturation of the site primarily using Oracle and Hyperwave. Hosting, production support and maintenance services for the ECLKC websites is performed off-site. The OHS-procured production and failover servers are located at a government approved facility that means all safety and security regulations in Virginia with a failover site in California. Our development and testing environments are housed with the Contractors at their off-site locations.

OHS Website A new family of ACF sites based on Drupal was recently released. The new site has approximately 100 or more pages and is targeted primarily to the general public and prospective grantees.

Mass Communications The current Contractor manages large email lists reaching tens of thousands of recipients and provides high-volume eblast services on a daily basis. The daily volume varies based on the needs of the OHS. Communications are also delivered and monitored via social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

NewsWatch A daily search of internet news across the nation based on thousands of specific and multiple search criteria informs the OHS of local best practices, activities and potential areas of concern.

The Contractor must be prepared to receive and respond to up to 50,000 inquiries per year through various methods such as phone, email, and ECLKC “Contact Us”, and other methods proposed and approved by OHS. The Contractor must provide services responsive to the needs of the inquirers, which may include live chat. Tracking software must be used to manage the volume, nature and languages of inquiries to inform the OHS and the development of training, technical assistance and ECLKC content. The Contractor must use a knowledge-base repository that will be made available to OHS for comments and periodic review. Inquiries and responses must be available in web-based library format to the OHS and to other National Centers to ensure consistency and continuity of message across all OHS assets.

The Contractor must staff and support call center operations for OHS. A no-charge telephone line for the public in all areas that Head Start services are provided, including outlying territories such as Puerto Rico and Guam must be provided. The public phone line must be open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for Federal Holidays, and must meet best in industry benchmarked standards of call center practice on a continuous basis. Other responses to inquiries, e-mail and other form of communication must be provided in a timely manner and exhibit a high level of accuracy, intelligibility, plain language, and must be in compliance with Industry and government in practice standards.

C.3.2 Task 2. Head Start Websites and Internet Presence The Contractor shall manage, maintain and enhance the ECLKC (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov) and ACF/OHS (www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs) web sites, basing its work on information technology industry standards; so that users and target audiences can use the technological facilities to meet their communication and information access needs. The Contractor shall employ a website editor as key staff. The Contractor shall comply with all industry and federal guidelines in maintaining .gov websites, including but not limited to HHS policies for Agency Public Web sites, (http://www.hhs.gov/policies/webpolicies); ACF Web Standards (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/guide/); ACF Internet Design Guide (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/guide/); usability standards (www.usability.gov), and all other applicable laws, regulations, policies, guidelines, and best practice www.webcontent.gov.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the management, ongoing maturation and maintenance of the OHS websites: ACF/OHS, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/ and the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC), http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov.

Develop and Maintain the OHS Web Site The Contractor shall work with OHS and ACF-identified Federal staff to manage the content and maintain the ACF OHS www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs web site so that the following objectives are achieved:

Adheres to all federal and industry requirements and guidelines regarding (federal) web sites; complies with ACF and Department web site style requirements; ensures currency, completeness and accuracy of the web site’s content, and the removal of out-of-date and obsolete material; maintains logical linkages to the ECLKC and other relevant web sites; formats web site documents appropriately for review, approval and final posting to the production web site.

The Contractor shall continuously evaluate and propose solutions to the COR and OHS-identified staff, intended to improve the clarity, navigation, popularity and/or accessibility of the OHS websites.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) The Contractor shall provide technical and administrative support, in consultation with the development team, to manage and maintain the ECLKC using a content management system that will serve as the backbone of its resource structure for the website, library, content management, workflow, and all other services, as requested by OHS. The Contractor shall continue to advance the ability and ease for distributed users such as the National Training and Technical Assistance Centers, the OHS monitoring Contractors, and OHS designees to post content to the site and manage subportal content. These users will be able to customize pages and post content without highly specialized knowledge of the platform and taxonomy, and through use of a workflow management system.

The Contractor shall continue to mature the ECLKC website using methodology that meets the needs of the Head Start and early childhood community, including a large Spanish-speaking base. Through its strong knowledge of Head Start policies, regulations, and comprehensive services, the Contractor must manage the content, taxonomony and usability to provide maximum benefit to the community for which it is designed, including translation services as necessary. The Contractor will provide excellent, succinct web writing skills (clear, short, simple and necessary) and apply these best practices to the sites and communications.

The Contractor must routinely demonstrate that the site is current, relevant, and error free, and that the site provides optimal access, navigability, search ability and ease of use for the content provided.

The Contractor is responsible for the continued maturation, administration (shared with the hosting/technical contractor) and utility of private communities hosted through the ECLKC. The Contractor shall manage usage and trend data to continually inform management of the ECLKC and provide routine reports to the OHS and its designees with recommendations for improvements based on analysis of this data.

Projects will follow a developmental life cycle release schedule methodology designed in partnership with and approved by OHS. The Contractor shall review and evaluate the web site overall on a regular basis and make recommendations to the COR regarding how the web site might be enhanced to take advantage of new technologies that will improve performance and conform better to the guidelines and best in industry standards and practices. New methods of reaching the user community, such as proposing “apps”, must be suggested and leveraged as they become available, as approved by OHS.

Hardware and Software – Applications and Platform Management The Contractor shall, together with OHS Contractors responsible for data and information systems, maintain a complete inventory of hardware, software, licenses, certificates, accounts, and other configuration items necessary for the operation of the ECLKC. The Contractor shall define and perform software deployment and configuration management, test and acceptance procedures that are controlled and demonstrably repeatable between test and production environments. When applicable, the Contractor shall perform infrastructure software/firmware updates as needed to provide a current, supported, secure application platform, and install necessary license keys and certificates to avoid interruptions in service.

All hardware and software shall conform in all respects to all ACF and HHS information technology hardware and software standards and security standards.

The Contractor shall assure that technology solutions and proposals for such will be consistent with ACF standards, OHS enterprise activity, and be approved by the COR in advance of purchase, including procuring products or services to achieve these goals.

The Contractor shall manage a growing library of audio and visual materials including streaming video.

C.3.3 Task 3. Mass Communications Services The Contractor shall manage and extend numerous large email lists reaching tens of thousands of recipients and provide high-volume eblast services on a daily basis. The system used must be of sufficient capacity and quality to monitor delivery, provide subscriptions services and feeds (i.e. RSS), etc., consistent with industry standards. The daily volume will vary based on the needs of the OHS. The Contractor will be responsible for the management of the OHS social media Facebook and Twitter accounts and other potential outlets as they become available, adhering to and informing OHS policies for these types of communications. All products and deliverables produced must be provided in a timely manner and exhibit a high level of accuracy, intelligibility and must be in compliance with industry and government best in practice standards. One staff person shall be designated as the communication liaison and may be stationed within the immediate Office of Head Start.

C.3.4 Task 4. NewsWatch Service The Contractor shall provide a daily search of internet news across the web using thousands of specified search terms to inform the OHS of local best practices, activities and potential areas of concern relevant to the Head Start and early childhood community. The search must be current and must include as many local outlets as possible using program names and other key words, and results reported to OHS electronically as specified. The internet new stories will be presented to OHS in an easy to read e-mail format and shall identify the specific source of each story. All news stories will include clickable links that will allow the readers to view the original stories as they exist on the source’s own website, unless prohibited by law. All products and deliverables produced must be provided in a timely manner and exhibit a high level of accuracy, intelligibility and must be in compliance with industry’s best in practice standards.

C.3.5 Task 5. Head Start Expert Knowledge The Contractor shall provide Head Start expert knowledge to inform the call center, communications services, and the websites. This knowledge shall include specialized expertise in content areas such as cultural and linguistic diversity, quality teaching and learning, Early Head Start, health (including oral, nutritional, dental and mental), family and community engagement, program management and fiscal operations, and state systems. Experts shall apply their understanding to the various services of the Center, particularly in relation to the taxonomy and organization of the website. These experts shall serve as liaisons to the National Centers, OHS and its designees to facilitate the effective and timely design and posting of content.

C.3.6 Task 6. User Feedback and Analysis To increase the effectiveness of all OHS products and services, the Contractor shall develop and implement surveys of system users regarding service and product satisfaction and impact, including the customer service/call center. Survey instruments shall be reviewed and approved by the COR prior to their use. At the end of each surveying period, the Contractor will compile findings and generate a summary report to be delivered to the OHS COR.

In addition, the Contractor shall use feedback from a variety of sources to validate practices where appropriate, conceptualize new practices, develop new ways of putting products and services to work, and modify existing services and product lines as the need becomes apparent. All changes shall be discussed with, reviewed and approved by OHS. All products and deliverables produced must be provided in a timely manner and exhibit a high level of accuracy, intelligibility and must be in compliance with industry’s best in practice standards.

C.3.7 Task 7. Project Management, Work Plan, and Project Reports The Contractor shall attend a project orientation meeting within five (5) days of contract award. The orientation meeting shall be held in Washington, D.C. to review and discuss tasks, timelines and potential challenges.

Project Management The Contractor’s Project Management Team shall review and improve current practices and where appropriate, develop new practices and ways to improve products and services, monitor tasks and timelines, and modify ongoing services and products as needed. All members of the Project Management Team shall be considered key personnel. In addition, at least one member of the Contractor’s management team shall be proficient in Spanish. The Key Management personnel must be located within close proximity to the Office of Head Start’s Washington DC office (not greater than 35 miles).

Work Plans Transition Plan The Contractor shall develop an expedited Transition Plan to lead the transition activities from the current contractor, if applicable. The Contractor shall provide a lead staff for this activity. The initial plan outline must be available for the orientation meeting and contain sufficient understanding of the scope and depth of the project to assure successful transfer of activities and knowledge in a tightly compressed timeframe. The plan must be a working document, reflect actual tasks determined in collaboration with the outgoing contractor, and receive approval of the COR.

Base Year Work Plan The Contractor shall prepare a Work Plan for the base period of the contract. The Work Plan shall describe the Contractor’s allocation of personnel and other resources and discuss methods for staffing activities across each of the task areas. The plan shall further describe the Contractor’s organizational resources and management controls to be employed to meet the cost, performance, and schedule requirements of the contract.

The Contractor shall provide ongoing management and quality control for the Transition and Base Period Work Plans that includes:

· The formation and implementation of a Management Team;

· Specific activities and timelines for implementing quality assurance processes, including reporting to the COR;

· Specific activities and timeline for on-boarding and orientation of staff;

· Specific activities and timeline for transition of the project from the current Contractor, as applicable;

· Process and specific strategies to be used for the ongoing supervision and support of staff, including oversight of the quality and content of work produced.

Both the COR and the Contractor shall review activity during the base period and revise, refine, or otherwise modify specified projects.

In the remaining contract years, the Contractor shall review activity over the prior year and make recommendations to the COR for revising, refining or otherwise modifying projects to reflect users’ suggestions and needs, the Contractor’s experience with the project and the requirements of OHS.

C.4 Estimated Level of Effort The Government estimates a level of effort of 31,720 hours for the base period (6 months) and an estimate of 63,440 hours for each option period (12 months). Since this is an estimate, offerors should base their budgets on what they judge to be the appropriate mix/ratio of labor hours and labor categories for successfully completing the task described in the SOW.

C.5 Government Furnished Property The Contractor is responsible to furnish all property necessary for contract implementation, other than OHS-owned hardware and software supporting the ECLKC, which will be transferred.

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:

(a) To perform the work specified herein, Contractor personnel are expected to have routine (1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; (2) logical access to an HHS-controlled information system; (3) access to sensitive HHS data or information, whether in an HHS-controlled information system or in hard copy; or (4) any combination of circumstances (1) through (3).

(b) To gain routine physical access to an HHS facility, logical access to an HHS-controlled information system, and/or access to sensitive data or information, the Contractor and its employees shall comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors; Office of Management and Budget memorandum (M-05-24); and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) Number 201; and with the personal identity verification and investigation procedures contained in the following documents:

(1) HHS Information Security Program Policy.

(2) HHS Office of Security and Drug Testing, Personnel Security/ Suitability Handbook, dated February 1, 2005.

sensitivity level(s): Level 5.

(d) The personnel investigation procedures for Contractor personnel require that the Contractor prepare and submit background check/investigation forms based on the type of investigation required. The minimum Government investigation for a non-sensitive position is a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) with fingerprinting. More restricted positions--i.e., those above non-sensitive, require more extensive documentation and investigation. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in advance when any new personnel, who are subject to a background check/investigation, will work under the contract and if they have previously been the subject of national agency checks or background investigations.

(e) Investigations are expensive and may delay performance, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. Delays associated with rejections and consequent re-investigations may not be excusable in accordance with the FAR clause, Excusable Delays--see FAR 52.249-14. Accordingly, the Contractor shall ensure that any additional employees whose names it submits for work under this contract have a reasonable chance for approval.

(f) Typically, the Government investigates personnel at no cost to the Contractor. However, multiple investigations for the same position may, at the Contracting Officer's discretion, justify reduction(s) in the contract price of no more than the cost of the additional Investigation(s).

(g) The Contractor shall include language similar to this ``HHS- Controlled Facilities and Information Systems Security'' language in all subcontracts that require subcontractor personnel to have the same frequency and duration of (1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; (2) logical access to an HHS-controlled information system; (3) access to sensitive HHS data/information, whether in an HHS-controlled information system or in hard copy; or (4) any combination of circumstances (1) through (3).

(h) The Contractor shall direct inquiries, including requests for forms and assistance, to the Contracting Officer or designee.

(i) Within 7 calendar days after the Government's final acceptance of the work under this contract, or upon termination of the contract, the Contractor shall return all identification badges to the Contracting Officer or designee.''

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 Marking

All information and deliverables shall be delivered to the Contracting Officer’s Representative and shall be marked as follows:

1. Name and address of the Contractor

2. Contract Number: to be inserted at award

3. Description of item contained therein; and

4. Consignee’s name and address

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The COR, as a duly authorized representative of the Contracting Officer, shall assume the responsibilities for monitoring the Contractor’s performance, evaluating the quality of services provided by the Contractor, and performing final inspection and acceptance of all deliverables.

E.2 FAR 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE. (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: http:/www.acqnet.gov/far

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall be 6 months from the date of award with four 12 month option years.

F.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Places of performance include, but are not limited to, the Contractor’s place of business, the Office of Head Start, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20024 and other places identified by the Government. The Key Management personnel must be located within close proximity to the Office of Head Start’s Washington, DC office (not greater than 35 miles).

Ongoing

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Full text may also be accessed electronically at http:/www.acqnet.gov/far

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1. INVOICING AND PAYMENT

The Contractor shall submit invoices once per month. A complete invoice with all required back-up documentation shall be sent electronically, via email, to:

1. Contract Specialist via DAM mailbox: pscsas.invoices@psc.hhs.gov.*

2. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR):

3. Financial Management Service (FMS): psc_invoices@psc.hhs.gov.*

* No other non-invoice related documents (i.e. deliverables, reports, balance statements) shall be sent to the DAM and FMS mailboxes. Invoices Only.

The subject line of your email invoice submission shall contain the contract number, contract line item number, the order number, if applicable, and the number of invoices. The Contractor shall send one email per contract per month. The email may have multiple invoices for the contract. Invoices must be in the following formats: PDF, TIFF, or Word. No Excel formats will be accepted. The electronic file cannot contain multiple invoices; example, 10 invoices requires 10 separate files (PDF or TIFF or Word).

Invoices shall be submitted in accordance with the contract terms, i.e. payment schedule, progress payments, partial payments, deliverables, etc.

All calls concerning contract payment shall be directed to the COR.

In accordance with FAR 52.232-25 Prompt Payment, a proper invoice must include the following items:

(i) Name and address of the contractor.

(ix) Electronic funds transfer (EFT) banking information.

In accordance with OMB Memorandum, M-11-32, Agencies shall make payments to small businesses as soon as practicable, with the goal of making payments within 15 days of receipt of a proper invoice. If a small business contractor is not paid within this (15 day) accelerated period, the contractor will not be given a late-payment interest penalty. Interest penalties, as prescribed by the Prompt Payment Act, remain unchanged by means of this memorandum. All small businesses shall label all invoices as “Small Business.”

In accordance with the requirements of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, all payments under this order will be made by electronic funds transfer (EFT). The Contractor shall provide financial institution information to the Finance Office designated above in accordance with FAR 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer – Central Contractor Registration.

G.2. MINIMUM COST INFORMATION

The Contractor’s monthly billings must be submitted in a format showing expenditures for that month, as well as contract cumulative amounts.

1. Direct Labor – include all persons listing the person’s name, title, number of hours worked, hourly rate, the total cost per person and a total amount for this category;

2. Fringe Costs – show rate, base and total amount;

3. Overhead or Indirect Costs - show rate, base and total amount;

4. Consultants (if applicable) – include the name, number of days or hours worked daily or hourly rate, and a total amount per consultant

5. Travel – include for each airplane or train trip taken the name of the traveler, date of travel, destination, the transportation costs including ground transportation shown separately and the per diem costs. Other travel costs shall also be listed;

6. Subcontractors (if applicable) – include, for each subcontractor, the same data as being provided for the prime Contractor

7. Data Processing – include all non-labor costs, i.e., computer time

8. Other Direct Costs – include a listing of all other direct charges to the contract, i.e., office supplies, telephone, duplication, postage;

9. G&A - show rate, base and total; and

10. Fee - show rate, base and total.

G.3 TRAVEL COSTS

The Contractor will be reimbursed for travel to provide support at a Government site or other site as may be specified and approved by the COR under this effort. All travel shall be approved, by the COR, prior to 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 the Federal Travel Regulations in effect on date of travel.

The Contractor shall provide supporting documentation and a detailed breakdown of incurred travel costs with each invoice.

G.4 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO DIRECT COSTS

Notwithstanding Clause 52.216-7 "Allowable Cost and Payment" and Clause 52.244-2 "Subcontracts", of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, unless otherwise expressly provided elsewhere in the contract or in any modification thereto, the cost of the following items or activities shall be unallowable as direct costs:

1. Acquisition by purchase or lease, of any interest in real property.

2. Special rearrangement or alteration of facilities;

3. Purchase or lease or rental of any item of general purpose; office furniture or office equipment (including data tapes);

4. Travel to foreign countries; and

5. Food and beverage costs unless part of per diem expenses paid in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations.

Any equipment having a unit acquisition cost in excess of $1,000.00, of which the Contractor wishes to be reimbursed as a direct item of cost, shall not be acquired by the Contractor without the specific advance written approval of the Contracting Officer.

G.5. NEGOTIATED OVERHEAD RATES

Pursuant to the provisions of FAR 52.216-7 "Allowable Cost and Payment", indirect costs under this contract shall be obtained by applying the final rate or rates negotiated, subject to the approval of the Contracting Officer. Reimbursement for indirect costs shall be made on the basis of the following rates:

(Note: Final negotiated rates under this contract shall not exceed the ceiling rates.)

It is further agreed that, unless the prior approval of the Contracting Officer is obtained, the Contractor shall not change its methods of accounting under this contract in such a manner as to account for any item of cost on a direct-cost basis if such item of cost was previously considered as an indirect charge.

G.6 AUTHORITIES OF GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL

Notwithstanding the Contractor's responsibility for total management during the performance of this contract, the administration of this task order will require maximum coordination between the Government and the Contractor. The following individuals will be the Government's points of contact during the performance of this contract:

G.6.1 CONTRACTING OFFICER

The Contracting Officer for this contract is Dawn Gresham, Branch Chief Division of Acquisition Management - A. All communications pertaining to contractual and/or administrative matters under the contract shall be addressed to Fred Thomas, at PSC/SAS/DAM A, Parklawn Building, Room 5-95, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Mr. Thomas can be reached on 301.443.8303 or electronically at Frederick.Thomas@psc.hhs.gov.

G.6.2 CONTRACTING OFFICERS’ REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORITY

*designation of the COR shall be identified at time of award

(a) Performance of work under this contract must be subject to the technical direction of the Contracting Officer’s Representative identified above, or a representative designated in writing. The term “technical direction” includes, without limitation, direction to the contractor that directs or redirects the labor effort, shifts the work between work areas or locations, fills in details and otherwise serves to ensure that tasks outlined in the work statement are accomplished satisfactorily.

(b) Technical direction must be within the scope of the specification(s)/work statement.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative does not have authority to issue technical direction that:

(1) Constitutes a change of assignment or additional work outside the specification(s)/statement of work;

(2) Constitutes a change as defined in the clause entitled “Changes”;

(3) In any manner causes an increase or decrease in the contract price, or the time required for contract performance;

(4) Changes any of the terms, conditions, or specification(s)/work statement of the contract;

(5) Interferes with the contractor's right to perform under the terms and conditions of the contract; or

(6) Directs, supervises or otherwise controls the actions of the contractor's employees.

(c) Technical direction may be oral or in writing. The Contracting Officer’s Representative shall confirm oral direction in writing within five work days, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

(d) The contractor shall proceed promptly with performance resulting from the technical direction issued by the Contracting Officer’s Representative. If, in the opinion of the contractor, any direction of the Contracting Officer’s Representative, or his/her designee, falls within the limitations in (b), above, the contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer no later than the beginning of the next Government work day.

(e) Failure of the contractor and the Contracting Officer to agree that technical direction is within the scope of the contract shall be subject to the terms of the clause entitled “Disputes.”

G.7 CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT

The Contractor’s performance shall be evaluated annually. This evaluation shall become a part of the contract file and shall be used as past performance information in evaluating the Contractor’s and any significant subcontractors’ or affiliates’ past performance on future contracts. The Contractor shall be given a minimum of 30 days to submit comments, rebutting statements, or additional information. The Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) will be utilized for these reviews. Information on CPARS can be located at http://www.cpars.csd.disa.mil/cparsmain.htm.

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 HHSAR 352.239-73(b) Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (January 2010)

(a) Pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, all electronic and information technology (EIT) products and services developed, acquired, maintained, or used under this contract/order must comply with the “Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Provisions” set forth by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also referred to as the “Access Board”) in 36 CFR Part 1194. Information about Section 508 is available at http://www.section508.gov/. The complete text of Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm.

(b) The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract/order are identified in the Statement of Work/Specification/Performance Work Statement. The Contractor must provide a written Section 508 conformance certification due at the end of each contract/order exceeding $150,000 when the contract/order duration is one year or less. If it is determined by the Government that EIT products and services provided by the Contractor do not conform to the described accessibility standards in the Product Assessment Template, remediation of the products or services to the level of conformance specified in the Contractor’s Product Assessment Template will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its own expense.

(c) In the event of a modification(s) to this contract/order, which adds new EIT products or services or revises the type of, or specifications for, products or services the Contractor is to provide, including EIT deliverables such as electronic documents and reports, the Contracting Officer may require that the contractor submit a completed HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template to assist the Government in determining that the EIT products or services support Section 508 accessibility standards. Instructions for documenting accessibility via the HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template may be found under Section 508 policy on the HHS Office on Disability website (http://www.hhs.gov/od/).

H.2 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WAGE DETERMINATION

1. The Department of Labor Wage Determination listed below is incorporated into the contract effective at the date of contract award.

Wage Determination 05-2103 (Rev. -11) States: District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia

Upon Request, the Contracting Officer will make the full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: http://www.wdol.gov/archsca.aspx

2. The Contractor is put on notice that after performance begins, the Contractor is responsible for paying employees at least the applicable wage determination rate, if one exists, for the place of performance. The Department of Labor strictly enforces the Service Contract Act (SCA) for all service employees covered by the SCA.

H.3 PRINTING AND DUPLICATION

The Contractor may duplicate or copy less than 5,000 production units of only one page, or less than 25,000 production units in aggregate of multiple pages for the use of a department or agency. A production unit is defined as one sheet, size 8.5 x 11 inches, one side only, and one color. This page limit is per requirement and not per contract. These pages may not exceed a maximum image size of 10-3/4 by 14-1/4 inches. Any requirements for duplication in excess of these requirements shall be obtained by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) through the Government Printing Office.

No printing by Contractor or any subcontractor is authorized under this contract. All printing required hereunder must be performed by the Government Printing Office,…