Performance_Work_Statement.pdf

Performance Work Statement (PWS) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

Study Fleet Program Administration Support

1.0 Background

The Study Fleet Program compensates participating commercial fishing vessels that collect information related to commercial fisheries catch, discards, fishing effort, and environmental data in support of fisheries science and management in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

NOAA is restructuring the Study Fleet Program by consolidating approximately 40 independent vessel agreements into a centralized administrative support contract to improve efficiency and consistency in participant onboarding, payment processing and invoice tracking, and program administration, while supporting continuity of existing Study Fleet operations and long-standing participant relationships.

Under this approach, all technical and scientific components of the Study Fleet Program, including participant eligibility, scientific direction, data collection requirements, technical support, data management, and overall program oversight, remain the responsibility of NEFSC.

2.0 Scope

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, and supervision necessary to perform the administration support services required under this contract, including:

● Onboarding:Supporting the administrative onboardingprocess for Study Fleet participants related to reimbursement eligibility, participant agreements, required documentation, and payment setup.

● Payment Processing:Administer participant reimbursementpayments in accordance with

Government-approved payment procedures and funding limitations.

● Coordination:Serve as the primary administrativepoint of contact between participating vessels and

NOAA program staff regarding participant support activities.

● Compliance:Manage record-keeping, payment tracking,participant documentation and other administrative records required for contract performance.

3.0 Tasks

3.1 Project Management

The Contractor shall provide overall project management necessary to perform all administrative support services required under this contract. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, systems, and administrative resources necessary to execute the requirements of this PWS.

The Contractor shall designate a primary point of contact responsible for overall contract performance, coordination with NOAA personnel, issue resolution, management of contractor personnel, and oversight of administrative support activities.

Deliverables:

1. Notify the Government of staffing changes or administrative issues affecting contract performance.

2. Participate in coordination meetings with the Government, as requested.

3.2 Participant Onboarding and Administrative Setup

The Contractor shall support onboarding and administrative setup of new and existing Study Fleet participants in accordance with Government-provided program requirements and administrative procedures.

The Contractor shall:

1. Coordinate onboarding of Study Fleet participants. Onboarding includes familiarizing participants with Government approved reimbursement amounts, data collection agreements, and reimbursement categories (e.g. daily data collection, training or travel reimbursement, or equipment purchases,).

2. Collect, review, and maintain required onboarding documentation.

3. Ensure completion of required onboarding documentation and obtain Government approval of participant agreements prior to participant reimbursement processing.

4. Maintain organized participant administrative files for active participants.

5. Serve as the administrative point of contact for participant onboarding support.

Required onboarding documentation shall include, as applicable:

● Attachment A – Study Fleet Participant Agreement

● Attachment B – Data Waiver Form

● Attachment C – Study Fleet Vessel Participant Information Template

● Payment authorization / EFT information

● Tax/payment documentation (e.g., W-9 or equivalent)

● Any additional Government-required administrative documentation

Deliverables:

1. Completed onboarding documentation for Study Fleet participants. Government approval is required prior to finalizing any participant agreement. Study Fleet vendors are not eligible for reimbursement without a Government-approved agreement.

2. Administrative onboarding support for new Study Fleet participants and updates to existing participant agreements during contract performance.

3. Current participant roster reflecting onboarding status, participant contact information, and payment setup status.

3.3 Payment Processing and Reimbursement Administration

The Contractor shall administer participant reimbursement payments in accordance with Government-approved reimbursement procedures.

The Contractor shall:

1. Receive and review reimbursement requests and supporting documentation from Study Fleet participants.

2. Validate reimbursement requests for completeness and compliance with approved reimbursement procedures.

3. Process reimbursement payments to participants in accordance with applicable approved participant agreements no later than 30 days after receipt.

4. Obtain Government approval prior to processing reimbursement requests for activities, costs, or reimbursement categories not included in the participant’s approved agreement.

5. Resolve administrative payment discrepancies with participants.

6. Maintain complete reimbursement payment records.

Payment processing shall be performed in accordance with:

● Attachment D – Approved Reimbursement Schedule and Payment Procedures

Deliverables:

1. Timely processing of approved participant reimbursements.

2. Payment tracking records documenting requests received, payments issued, pending reimbursements, and discrepancies.

3. Quarterly reimbursement status reports.

3.4 Coordination and Administrative Support

The Contractor shall serve as the primary administrative liaison between Study Fleet participants and NOAA program personnel.

The Contractor shall:

1. Respond to participant administrative inquiries related to onboarding, payment status, documentation requirements, and reimbursement processing.

2. Coordinate with NOAA personnel regarding participant administrative support activities.

3. Elevate issues requiring Government action in a timely manner.

4. Support continuity of existing Study Fleet participant operations during contract transition and performance.

Deliverables:

1. Ongoing administrative coordination support, including onboarding and invoicing.

2. Issue resolution support and escalation tracking, as needed.

3.5 Recordkeeping, Reporting, and Compliance

The Contractor shall maintain complete and accurate administrative records associated with participant support activities and provide required reports to the Government.

The Contractor shall:

1. Maintain current participant administrative records.

2. Maintain payment processing documentation and reimbursement records.

3. Track contract expenditures associated with participant reimbursement activity.

4. Prepare and submit recurring reports to the Government.

5. Maintain confidentiality of participant administrative and payment information.

6. Make records available for Government review upon request.

Deliverables:

1. Monthly participant roster/status report.

2. Quarterly reimbursement/payment status report.

3. Quarterly funding/expenditure tracking report, if required by the Government.

4. Administrative records maintained throughout contract performance.

Table 1: Schedule of deliverables

Item Description Frequency Deliver to Reference

1 Designate a Project Manager and provide primary contract point of contact information

Once, within five

(5) business days of contract award

CO, COR, TPOC 3.1

2 Complete participant onboarding activities accurately and within required timeframe

As needed COR, TPOC 3.2

3 Quarterly reimbursement status report summarizing reimbursement requests received, payments processed, pending reimbursements, discrepancies, and issues requiring Government attention

Quarterly COR, TPOC 3.3

4 Maintain a shared Government-accessible Google Drive (or Government-approved equivalent shared workspace) containing current participant onboarding records, reimbursement expenditure tracking, payment status, and supporting contract documentation

Continuous / Updated as transactions occur

COR, TPOC 3.5

5 Notification of administrative issues, payment discrepancies, or participant matters requiring Government action

As needed COR, TPOC 3.4

4.0 Performance Requirements Summary and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan(QASP)

This contract includes a Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). The PRS plays an integral role in the administration of the contract. In addition to any applicable inspection clauses or other related terms and conditions contained in the contract, the PRS shall serve as a primary tool for inspection and acceptance of services as facilitated by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Evaluation of the Contractor’s overall performance shall be in accordance with the performance standards set forth in the PRS, and will be conducted by the COR. The PRS constitutes a material aspect of the contract and will not be changed or otherwise modified without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

If the COR receives complaints from Government personnel, the complaint will be passed to the contractor’s quality control inspector (QCI) for correction. A customer complaint will not be recorded if proper and timely correction of the unacceptable condition(s) is accomplished. The QCI shall return the written customer complaint document, properly completed with actions taken, to the COR, who will file the complaint for monitoring future recurring performance.

The PRS establishes key elements of Contractor performance that represent “mission essential” service requirements, which are identified in the table below in the “Service Output” column. The “Performance Objective” column represents the standard against which Contractor performance will be measured in relation to accomplishment of the corresponding service output. The performance objective or “standard” describes the minimum acceptable level of service by the Contractor for satisfactory performance. The “Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)” column displays the maximum allowable deviation from the performance objective, which, if exceeded, evokes the negative incentive specified in the table below.

Table 2: Acceptable Quality Level of Services

Service Output

Performance Objective

Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL)

Surveillance Method

Outcome of AQL Performance

Participant Onboarding

Complete participant Onboarding activities accurately and within required timeframe

95% COR/TPOC review of onboarding records (monthly)

Meets AQL: Participant onboarding activities are completed accurately and within the required timeframe.

Fails to Meet AQL:

Participant onboarding activities are not completed accurately and/or within the required timeframe.

The contractor shall correct deficiencies identified by the TPOC. Continued failure to meet the AQL may result in contract remedies in accordance with Section 5.0

Payment Processing / Reimbursement Administration

Process approved participant reimbursements accurately, within 30 days of invoice receipt

95% COR/TPOC review of invoices and tracking (quarterly)

Meets AQL: Approved participant reimbursements are processed accurately and within 30 days of invoice receipt.

Fails to Meet AQL:

Reimbursement processing exceeds 30 days or contains processing and accounting errors. The contractor shall correct deficiencies identified by theTPOC.

Continued failure to meet the AQL may result in contract remedies in accordance with Section 5.0.

Participant Coordination

Provide timely and effective administrative communication and coordination with Study Fleet participants and NOAA personnel

99% TPOC feedback and coordination checks (monthly)

Meets AQL: Administrative communication and coordination with the Study Fleet are delivered in a timely, clear, and effective manner.

Fails to Meet AQL:

Coordination or communication is untimely, ineffective, or fails to adequately support participant needs. The contractor shall correct deficiencies identified by the TPOC. Continued failure to meet the AQL may result in contract remedies in accordance with Section 5.0.

Recordkeeping / Compliance

Maintain accurate and up-to-date participant

95% COR/TPOC review of reports (monthly)

Meets AQL: Participant records, contract documentation, and records, contract documentation, and compliance records compliance files are maintained accurately, securely, and completely in accordance with program standards.

Fails to Meet AQL:

Documentation is inaccurate, outdated, missing required compliance elements, or fails to meet audit standards. The contractor shall correct deficiencies identified by the TPOC. Continued failure to meet the AQL may result in contract remedies in accordance with Section 5.0.

Reporting / Expenditure Tracking

Submit accurate, complete, and timely expenditure reports and supporting documentation

99% COR/TPOC review of records (quarterly)

Meets AQL: Expenditure reports and all required supporting documentation are submitted accurately, completely, and within the designated quarterly timeframe.

Fails to Meet AQL:

Expenditure reports are delayed, incomplete, or contain accounting discrepancies and calculation errors. The contractor shall correct deficiencies identified by the TPOC.

Continued failure to meet the AQL may result in contract remedies in accordance with Section 5.0.

5.0 Removing Contractors for Misconduct or Security Reasons

The Government may, at its sole discretion (in coordination with the Contracting Officer where practical), direct the Contractor to remove any Contractor employee from participation under this contract for misconduct, security concerns, or failure to perform assigned duties in an acceptable manner.

Removal of Contractor personnel does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to continue performing the requirements of this contract without interruption.

The Contracting Officer will provide written notice supporting any request for personnel removal, as appropriate.

6.0 Confidentiality and Data Privacy

This contract may require that services contractors have access to Privacy Information. Service contractors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of all subjects and materials and may be required to sign and adhere to a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).

7.0 Government Furnished Resources

The Government will provide access to information, documentation, program guidance, and other materials reasonably necessary for performance of this contract.

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, systems, software, and other resources necessary to perform the requirements of this contract unless otherwise specifically identified herein.

Attachments

Attachment A – Study Fleet Participant Agreement Attachment B – Data Waiver Form Attachment C – Study Fleet Vessel Participant InformationTemplate Attachment D – Approved Reimbursement Schedule andPayment Procedure