Attachment A_SOW_Communicating Scientific Concepts Training (002).pdf

Attachment A

Statement of Work

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Communicating Scientific Concepts Training

Background

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in USDA whose mission is to protect the public’s health by ensuring the safety of the Nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and processed egg products. The FSIS 2020 Annual Plan focuses on implementing science‐based recommendations from program evaluations to drive sampling programs for microbiological and chemical hazards. The Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) within FSIS provides leadership and assures the establishment and support of scientifically sound food safety programs and policies to reduce or eliminate foodborne illness.

As a program primarily composed of scientific professionals, OPHS staff are accustomed to technical writing and technical oral presentations. However, there is a frequent need to communicate to diverse audiences with varying degrees of technical backgrounds.

Scope of Work

To support continuing education, FSIS is seeking hands on training for approximately 300 FSIS employees in effectively communicating scientific concepts both orally and in writing. Beyond strictly communicating highly complex technical data and/or concepts, the training should focus on skills in developing compelling narratives and honing key messages to facilitate Upper Management decision making.

Contractor Required Tasks

The contractor shall provide training in support of the scope of work where at the end of the training, the employees need to be able to translate complex subjects into key messages that allow leaders to understand the problem(s) to be solved. For example:

‐ FSIS has plans to launch an internal agency blog this year; OPHS staff will be challenged with developing content. Key to the blog’s success is content that has a compelling narrative structure, with easy‐to‐assimilate takeaway messages. The audience for the blog will be diverse in both role and educational background, ranging from doctoral‐level staff (e.g. field veterinarians) to staff with high school diplomas (e.g. entry‐level administrative professionals and inspectors).

‐ Training in effective oral presentations is also needed. Increasingly, OPHS staff are being asked to brief FSIS leadership to facilitate decision‐making. Staff need to be able translate complex subjects into key messages that allow leaders to understand the problem that needs to be solved.

FSIS Responsibilities

Provide the number of employees slated to receive training prior to the actual enrollment date if the number stated changes

Provide a room with table, chairs and applicable support equipment and or/ audio visual if necessary at the training location.

Arrange for internet connectivity for the training

Arrange for an escort to access facilities

Contractor Responsibilities

Coordinate with the FSIS technical representative for updates, schedules and employee count

Coordinate with on‐site personnel at the training location

Responsible for their own travel, hotel and rental car scheduling and costs (reimbursable)

Will be restricted to the current GSA Per Diem rates in accordance with Federal Regulations

(CFR), Chapters 300 through 304, for statutory requirements and Executive branch policies for travel by federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at government expense as they apply for each training venue

Assume responsibility for the safekeeping of all government‐furnished equipment while in contractor possession

Provide feedback on any issues with enrollments, activations, names, work locations, etc.

Bring training products, handouts and training materials.

Government Furnished Equipment

FSIS provides the Contractor with the appropriate room; any required audio visual, if required, a computer and any other required materials if necessary to perform the required training. Any requested material provided by the government to the contractor shall be the contractor’s responsibility until the training is complete.

Deliverables/Schedule

Project schedule to be developed within Five (5) working days of award with the FSIS representative

Contractor Key Personnel

The Contractor shall provide appropriate labor category and resume of the representative providing the training. Individual should meet the minimum criteria of:

• Has some form of multifaceted competencies in teaching about writing/speaking around plain language in the realm of marketing or journalistic skills to teach how to share messages to a broad audience.

• An understanding of what public health specialists, such as epidemiologists, chemists typically do.

Period of Performance

Date of Award for Six (6) months with an option to extend for up to six (6) additional Months to support scheduling.

Place of Performance

The intent will be to provide onsite training at multiple locations to include:

• DC Metro Area – Training approximately 60 staff in 2 separate 8 hour classes

• Albany, CA – Training approximately 50 staff

• St. Louis, MO – Training approximately 60 staff

• Athens, GA – Training approximately 135 staff

Following the onsite training, one web‐based session will need to be available for those individuals that were not able to attend the in‐person sessions.

Evaluation Criteria

The award will be made to the Offeror who proposal provides the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA). Though cost or price is an important factor, more significance will be given to non‐cost factors which allows the Government to accept other than the lowest price proposal or the highest technically rated proposal. However, the Government will not make an award at a significantly higher overall cost to the Government to achieve what it deems to be slightly superior performance.

Volume I – Technical Proposal:

The technical proposal shall explain the Offeror’s technical capabilities and approach, staffing and past performance. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price alone.

The offer that best meet the requirements of the Government will be considered for award.

The Government will use the following criteria to evaluate the Offeror’s proposal based on the requirements specified above.

I. Technical Capabilities and Approach:

The Offeror shall address the following topics as applicable to their overall approach, and the Government will consider the offer incomplete if all are not specifically addressed:

(1) Proven experience with projects of similar size and complexity;

(2) Proven experience with the product(s) being recommended as part of the proposal;

(3) Proven experience for planning and providing user and train‐the‐trainer training, including real time support;

(4) Proven experience in project planning and implementation with similar projects

II. Staffing:

Each Offeror will be evaluated on their approach to staffing and recent expertise and experience illustrated in the resumes of the Key personnel proposed for the effort.

Key Personnel will be evaluated based on the requirements specified in the SOW.

III. Past Performance:

Each Offeror will be evaluated on its knowledge and experience along with its capability and capacity to effectively deliver high quality solution. The Offeror will demonstrate its ability to deliver the services as contracted.

This would encompass, for example, experience with past efforts similar in size, scope and complexity, as well as the current availability of resources (i.e. personnel) needed to perform required tasks.

Each Offeror shall submit at least two (2) reference contacts at companies or government agencies with which it has conducted a significant amount of business within the last two (2) years as well as a brief description of the work performed. Each Offeror will be evaluated on its ability to successfully address the service requirements of the two (2) companies/agencies it submits, and on how its service requirements compare to the needs of the Government.

The Government may also contact the reference point of contact (POC) for verification. POC contact information shall be accurate and current.

Volume II – Business and Cost/Price Proposal

The Price/cost will be evaluated based upon the pricing information by the Contractor. The level of effort, which includes all labor categories are based on reasonable assumptions. The evaluation of each price proposal will include accuracy, completeness, cost realism, and reasonableness.

FSIS Points of Contact

Technical Representative: Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR):

Daniel J. Smigal, Director Tracy Legall, Management Analyst

Resource and Program Management Staff Resource and Program Management Staff

202‐690‐4678 202‐690‐6369 daniel.smigal@usda.gov tracy.legall@usda.gov