S01 Attachment 1 Statement of Work-RCPP.pdf

RCPP in-Person Foundational Training And

NRCS National Leadership Team Meeting (NLT) Statement of Work Minneapolis, MN

November 13-17, 2023

1.Background The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service, FAPD- Projects Branch, is conducting a National In-Person Training (RCPP) (approx. 220 people) and concurrently will be hosting the National Leadership Team (NLT) (approx. 130 people) meeting and requires lodging, meeting space, and related services within a specific geographic area within a single or multiple facilities in Minneapolis, MN as defined in this document for approximately 350 employees.

2. Hotel/Facility Requirements The hotel and meeting facility shall meet the following requirements:

• Be in a secure location and all guest rooms shall have interior entry. Entrance doors that are not manned by hotel personnel are locked for security.

• Be on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) List of Approved Hotels and Motels for Federal Travelers (https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/hotel/) or provide certification that it offers the minimum level of fire safety by 1) having at least one, single-station, hard-wired smoke alarm in each guest room and 2) each room having additional protection provided by an automatic fire sprinkler system, if the building is four or more stories tall.

• Compliant with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C.

12101 et seq.).

• The hotel/meeting facility must be in the Minneapolis, MN area and within approximately a 5-minute walking distance of at least 10 restaurants.

3.Lodging The hotel shall block 350 sleeping rooms for the nights listed in Appendix A and hold the block for a minimum of 30 calendar days after award of the contract. The hotel will provide a room block name. The hotel is free to release the remaining rooms not reserved by the hold end date.

If fewer than 350 rooms are reserved by the hold end date, no additional fees will be assessed to

USDA.

Each employee will make their own lodging reservations using the room block name and pay for lodging rate using their government issued travel card or private credit card. The card will not be charged until the day of checkout. Lodging will not be paid for through the purchase order payment process.

Once a reservation is made by an employee, the hotel’s cancellation policy applicable for that reservation applies, should the individual not be able to travel and needs to cancel the reservation. If the employee does not cancel within the cancellation period, the employee is responsible for paying any cancellation fee and it will not be paid by USDA through a resultant contract for the services defined in this Statement of Work. The cancellation period shall not exceed three calendar days prior to arrival.

All sleeping rooms must be provided at the Federal government per diem rate published at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates for the relevant location and time period, which is currently $148.00. If the Federal government is not exempt from state and local sales tax, these are the only additional amounts that can be added to the nightly rate, if applicable.

If possible, the hotel should offer maximum flexibility on an earlier check-in time to accommodate early arrivals. The check-in and check-out times must be provided. Additionally, some employees may check out on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. These employees will only reserve a room for one, two, or three nights instead of four at the time they make their reservation. This potential reduction in the number of nights shall not impact the pricing for the other services required in this Statement of Work.

USDA is not authorized to pay for and is not liable for any additional lodging related costs (e.g., in-room movies, alcohol, or food and beverage). Any such costs must be paid for directly by the room occupant using a payment method other than a government travel card issued by USDA.

4. Dates of Training The Training dates are November 14 - 16, 2023.

Check-in on Monday November 13th, 2023 Check-out on Friday November 17th, 2023

5. Audio Visual (AV) Equipment Needs The hotel shall provide the AV equipment defined in Appendix A for the dates specified. Hotel provided equipment must be in good working order for the duration of the meeting. If the equipment fails, the hotel is responsible for immediately resolving the issue and providing working equipment (e.g., fix or replace).

The equipment must be set up, tested, and ready for use the evening before the meeting days to ensure it is ready. A USDA representative will be given access to the meeting space(s) the evening before the meeting, so they can ensure it is ready for the meeting and become familiar with its use. The equipment will be available from 7:00AM to 6:00 PM each meeting day.

USDA is permitted to use its own government-issued AV equipment at its discretion in the meeting space (e.g., external PC camera and microphone) at no additional cost.

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

The Federal government is exempt from sales and other taxes on the goods and services is acquires through contract and these taxes shall not be included in the cost for audio visual services.

6. Food and Beverage A sufficient supply of drinking water with ice available and cups/glasses must be provided for 350 people for the duration of the meeting time each day, as identified in Appendix A.

Food and Beverage will include a modest assortment of coffee, juice, tea, and/or sodas, as well as light snacks as defined in Appendix A, sufficient for 350 people. The listed beverages and snacks are examples of the types of beverages and light snack assortment that shall be included by the hotel. Beverages and snacks would be provided once during an AM break (e.g., coffee, juice, nuts, fruit, muffin, and Danish) and a second time during a PM break (e.g., tea, sodas, crackers, chips, and cookies) each meeting day.

The Federal government is exempt from sales and other taxes on the goods and services is acquires through contract and these taxes shall not be included in the cost for food and beverage.

APPENDIX A:

MEETING

NAME

RCPP in-Person Foundational Training And NRCS National Leadership Team Meeting (NLT)

MEETING DATES 11/14/2023-11/16/2023

Sleeping Room Requirements Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Date 11/12/23 11/13/23 11/14/23 11/15/23 11/16/23 11/17/23

Rooms Booked/Night

0 350 350 350 350 0

NOTES Room block requested may be amended slightly. If reservation comes under 350 people hotel agrees no fees will be assessed.

Function Space Requirements

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Date 11/12/2023 11/13/2023 11/14/2023 11/15/2023 11/16/2023 11/17/2023

General Session Mtg Room #1

None None Set for 350 participants 7:00am - 6:00pm

Set for 220 participants 7:00am - 6:00pm

Set for 220 participants 7:00am - 6:00pm

None

General Session Meeting Room #2

None None Set for 130 participants 1:00pm - 6:00pm

Set for 130 participants 7:00am - 6:00pm

Set for 130 participants 7:00am - 6:00pm

Breakout Rooms

None None 5 rooms set for 50 participants 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

5 rooms set for 50 participants 7:00am to 6:00pm

5 rooms set for 50 participants 7:00am to 6:00pm

None

Logistics Room

None 1 room set for 15 participants 1:00pm to 6:00pm

1 room set for 15 participants 7:00am to 6:00pm

1 room set for 15 participants 7:00am to 6:00pm

1 room set for 15 participants 7:00am to 6:00pm

None

Registration Tables

None 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm

7:00 am to 8:30 am

None None None

MEETING

ROOM SETUP

Registration Tables:

3 rectangular tables with seating for 3 people at each table. Two tables should be placed outside General Session Meeting Room #1 and 1 table should be placed outside General Session Meeting Room #2. Tables must have white tablecloths.

General Session Room #1 and #2:

The room must have a speaking area and podium in the front of the room. The rooms must not have any obstructions that impede the view of attendees to the speaker’s area. Seating for meeting participants will be in a banquet style layout with padded seating (multiple round or square tables that seats 5-10 people each and tables must have white tablecloths). Spacing between the tables will be sufficient so the space can also be used for smaller teams to have discussions within the same room without being too close to disturb another team. The speaker’s area will have a podium and small table with white tablecloth and chairs off to the side that can accommodate up to five people. Meeting spaces must include access to high-speed and reliable Wi-Fi service.

Will provide 2 trash cans in each meeting room.

Meeting room must be booked on a 24-hour hold beginning from day and time NRCS takes possession of function space.

Hotel to provide pens and writing pads (4x6) in meeting room for the duration of the meetings.

Breakout Rooms #1 - #5:

Each breakout room shall be set to accommodate 50 participants with tables and padded chairs.

Each of these rooms must have a speaking area and podium in the front of the room and support the necessary audio visual (AV) equipment defined in this document.

Breakout rooms must include access to high-speed and reliable Wi-Fi service and sufficient electrical power outlets to power 10 laptops brought by meeting participants and all hotel provided AV equipment.

Logistics Room:

The room must have a minimum of 3 tables with padded chairs to seat 15 people, wi-fi, and power outlets to power 10 laptops brought by meeting participants and all hotel provided AV equipment.

FOOD AND

BEVERAGE:

Water service, and candy (mints) in all meeting rooms.

AM and PM Breaks with refreshments: coffee, juice, muffins or Danish, in the a.m. and p.m. break should consist of iced tea, soft drinks, chips or cookies. Snack area must be centrally located to both general sessions rooms and set up for each group. Hotel must provide logistic how they plan to provide service to ensure all participants have close access to AM/PM Snacks.

IT

REQUIREMENTS

Wi-Fi needed in all meeting rooms.

Wi-Fi and Bandwidth to support Connection with Microsoft Teams to be projected on screen.

AUDIO VISUAL

REQUIREMENTS

General Session Room #1:

Speaker podium with mounted microphone connected to speakers in the room, sufficient for all in the room to hear clearly. Microphone must also be portable if speaker decides to move away from the podium.

Projector and screen that a laptop can be plugged into, a minimum of an 8 x 14 feet screen that can be seen easily by everyone in the room. Laptop audio must also be able to be played through speakers in the room. A variety of adapters monitor cables and adapters must be available for compatibility with USDA laptops (i.e., HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VDA). At least 10 Power strips and extension cords.

Two flip chart pads with Self-Adhesive and a marker set.

General Session Meeting Room #2:

Speaker podium with mounted microphone connected to speakers in the room, sufficient for all in the room to hear clearly. Microphone must also be portable if speaker decides to move away from the podium.

Projector and screen that a laptop can be plugged into, a minimum of an 8 x 14 feet screen that can be seen easily by everyone in the room. Laptop audio must also be able to be played through speakers in the room. A variety of adapters monitor cables and adapters must be available for compatibility with USDA laptops (i.e., HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VDA). At least 10 Power strips and extension cords.

Four flip chart pads with Self-Adhesive and a marker set.

3 portable microphones so questions and answers from the crowd can be heard.

Breakout Rooms #1 - #5:

Speaker podium with mounted microphone connected to speakers in the room, sufficient for all in the room to hear clearly. Microphone must also be portable if speaker decides to move away from the podium.

Projector and screen (minimum of a 6 x 8 feet) that a laptop can be plugged into the laptop and or TV/monitor that a laptop can be plugged into, so that a laptop screen or video can be played and seen easily by everyone in the room. Laptop audio must also be able to be played through speakers in the room. A variety of adapters monitor cables and adapters must be available for compatibility with USDA laptops (i.e., HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VDA). Power strips and extension cords.

Two flip chart pads with Self-Adhesive and a marker set.

Logistics Room:

Projector and screen (minimum of a 6 x 8 feet) that a laptop can be plugged into or very large TV/monitor that a laptop can be plugged into, so that a laptop screen or video can be played and seen easily by everyone in the room. A variety of adapters monitor cables and adapters must be available for compatibility with USDA laptops (i.e., HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VDA). Power strips and extension cords.

Two flip chart pads with Self-Adhesive and a marker set.

SHIPPING Meeting materials will be shipped to hotel no more than one week prior to the meeting date.

STORAGE Hold shipped materials and equipment in a secure area at the hotel and/or meeting facility up to one week prior to the start of the meeting at no additional cost. The volume to materials and equipment will be limited to 2-3 medium to large size boxes. The boxes must be made available upon arrival of the USDA representative organizing this meeting.

NOTES/ADDL

INFORMATION

Provide name of POC in charge of this requirement.