Attachment_A-_PWS-NEA_Evidenced_Based_Reporting_Center_Amendment_1_0001.pdf

RFQ 140D0422Q0533

National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

Performance Work Statement

U.S. Department of the Interior National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Overview. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was established by Congress in

1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The agency extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, regional arts organizations, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.

Research into the value and impact of the arts is a core function of the National Endowment for the Arts. Through accurate, relevant, and timely analyses and reports, the Arts Endowment’s Office of Research & Analysis (ORA) elucidates the factors, conditions, and characteristics of the U.S. arts ecosystem and the impact of the arts on other domains of American life.

For decades, the NEA periodically has aggregated, analyzed, and reported arts-related data from large, nationally representative surveys. Examples include the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) and the Arts Basic Survey (ABS)—both conducted as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey—and the NEA’s various reports on artists in the workforce, based on other federal data sources. In recent years, moreover, the NEA has partnered with the Bureau of Economic Analysis to create an Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA), both at the national and state/regional level.

Statistics and trend data from these and other sources appear in NEA-authored or commissioned research publications. Such findings also are featured in the agency’s “Arts Data Profile” series, an online collection of statistics, graphics, and summary results from data-mining about the arts. In addition, the NEA maintains a National Archive of Data on Arts & Culture (NADAC), a free online repository that facilitates research on arts and culture by acquiring and sharing data with cultural researchers, policymakers, arts practitioners, and the general public.

1.2. Non-personal Services. This is a non-personal services contract. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the service providers performing the services herein.

Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

1.3. General Description of Services. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items except for those specified as Government furnished property and services. The Contractor shall provide non-personal services necessary to perform professional services as identified in this Performance Work Statement (PWS).

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement

2. SCOPE OF WORK

2.1. General Scope. The NEA requires Contractor Support to establish and provide professional services for a National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC) and a Technical Working Group (TWG). The NASERC will analyze and report on national arts-related datasets according to a published schedule. The Contractor will work with the NEA to develop a schedule to produce evidence-based practice guides and topical reports (up to 20 pages in length, excluding appendices) for arts practitioners.

The Contractor shall produce rapid literature/field scans (research briefs of 5-10 pages) for the NEA, as may be requested on an asynchronous basis.

The technical working group (TWG) shall be comprised of 12-15 researchers, artists, arts administrators, and arts funders. The NASERC will work with the TWG to develop a set of up to 25 statistical indicators in the arts—along with a reporting schedule—that will inform arts researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the general public of key metrics and trends in the sector. The Contractor shall also consult with the TWG to develop a schedule of topical reports and evidence-based practice guides, to be released quarterly beginning in year 2.

The Contractor shall produce periodic updates of the chosen indicators, including narrative and tabular content and data visualizations to communicate changes over time and/or new baseline data. These updates shall be provided in accordance with the agreed upon statistical reporting schedule. Also, in consultation with the NEA and the TWG, the Contractor shall publish quarterly topical reports and evidence-based practice guides (up to 20 pages in length, excluding appendices) that are grounded in these data, according to the schedule developed in year one. The Contractor shall also provide up to 60 hours annually of technical assistance responding to public inquiries received from a dedicated email address maintained by the Contractor or referred to the Contractor by the NEA about the indicators or their underlying datasets. NASERC shall develop textual information and a static graphic illustrating each indicator, for publication on the NEA’s website. No more than three times a year, at the NEA’s request, NASERC will produce a literature or field scan of up to 15 pages, to assist the NEA ORA with analysis of a specific, policy-relevant topic in the arts (e.g., economic impact of arts participation). These literature/field scans will be delivered to NEA staff in 30-60 days. The Contractor will be responsible for facilitating quarterly meetings of the technical working group and or on an “as needed” basis.

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

2.2. Performance Task Areas. During the Base Year, the Contractor shall provide support for planning, design, implementation, and management of the following task areas below:

PWS Task Areas Section PWS Task Area Title

3.1 Task 1: Contract Management and Administration

3.2 Task 2: NASERC Support Project and Program Management

3.3 Task 3: Technical Working Group: Planning, Establishment, and Project Management Support

3.4 Task 4: ARTS INDICATORS PROGRAM Project Support and

Management

2.3. Work Location. Work performed for this contract will take place at the Contractor’s site.

2.4. Telework & Remote Work. Services under the terms of this PWS are to be conducted at locations to be determined at the discretion of the contractor, including remote or telework arrangements.

2.5. Cross-Cutting Principles. The following categories represent activities that span the full scope of the PWS. The vendor shall incorporate these principles in all work outlined in Section 3: Performance Requirements. These principles will guide the performance of all effort under this Contract.

2.5.1. Quality. The Federal Government has mandated higher standards of quality through a series of initiatives. The contractor shall establish a quality control plan (QCP) within its organization that ensures compliance with applicable Federal mandates, Contract performance standards, and industry best practices. The vendor shall consider as part of its QCP, several standard approaches toward quality, such as the International Standards Organization (ISO).

2.5.2. Documentation. The contractor shall be responsible for the documentation of all efforts to include, any documentation associated with Section 3: Performance Requirements of this PWS.

2.5.3. Reporting. Reference 3.2

2.5.4. Regulatory and Compliance Framework. The contractor shall have practical knowledge of the following Departmental and Federal requirements:

2.5.4.1. For an example of federal evidence-based guides, see the U.S. Department of Education/Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guides, which present recommendations for educators to address challenges in their classrooms and schools and are based on reviews of research, the experiences of practitioners, and the expert opinions of a panel of nationally recognized experts. See https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguides.

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguides

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

2.6. Organizational Experience, Certification, and Accreditation.

The organization shall demonstrate the following experience and capacity:

2.6.1. The contractor shall have demonstrated experience and capability in conducting and publishing research on national arts and culture policy, practice, and indicators.

2.6.2. The contractor shall have in-depth knowledge, proven experience, and capability in the design and implementation of a statistical indicator system in the arts or social impact sector.

2.6.3. The contractor shall have demonstrated experience and capabilities in developing charters for, and recruiting and working with, technical working groups for research projects.

2.6.4. The contractor shall have demonstrated experience and capabilities in coordinating and fulfilling multiple customer requests simultaneously using project management skills and tools.

2.6.5. The contractor shall have demonstrated experience and capabilities in stakeholder outreach and communication plan development, including experience in communicating research findings in the arts or social impact sector to public audiences.

2.6.6. The contractor shall have demonstrated experience and capabilities in high level research and analysis, reporting, and presentation.

2.6.7. Experience rapidly synthesizing multiple sources of information into clear, accessible written material for a broad audience

2.6.8. Experience in preparing literature/field scans in the arts or social impact sectors using academic databases.

2.6.9. Experience conducting and transcribing interviews.

2.6.10. Experience preparing topical reports and syntheses of evidence-based best practices in the arts or social impact sectors.

2.6.11. Experience performing statistical analysis and trend analysis and experience analyzing national datasets that include arts and cultural variables, including but not limited to the American Community Survey and the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.

2.6.12. Ability to produce 508-compliant charts, graphs, and other static data visualizations

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement

2.7. KEY PERSONNEL: Key personnel is identified below; other staff positions and subcontracts may be assigned to this contract to meet the requirements. Vendors are strongly encouraged to partner or subcontract in order to offer the expertise needed for this contract:

Program Director Researcher

2.7.1. Key Personnel Qualifications and Requirements

Program Director

2.7.1.1. Ph.D. in a relevant field of study (e.g., economics, social sciences) and demonstrated history of publication of research and analysis in arts and culture policy, practice, and indicators.

Program Director and Researcher

2.7.1.2. Strong project management capacity, including communication and time management skills

2.7.1.3. Experience planning and facilitating remote meetings involving a diverse group of stakeholders

2.7.1.4. In-depth knowledge and demonstrated experience in the design and implementation of a set of statistical indicatorsin the arts or social impact sector.

2.7.1.5. Outstanding ability to communicate about research findings to diverse public audiences.

2.7.1.6. Experience in rapidly synthesizing multiple sources of information into clear, accessible written material for a broad audience; preparing literature/field scans in the arts or social impact sectors using academic databases; conducting and transcribing interviews; preparing topical reports and syntheses of evidence-based best practices in the arts or social impact sectors; performing statistical analysis and trend analysis and experience analyzing national datasets that include arts and cultural variables, including but not limited to the American Community Survey and the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts; and producing 508-compliant charts, graphs, and other static data visualizations.

2.7.1.7. Competence with the software necessary to complete the project activities, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; videoconferencing software;

and statistical software.

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement

3. PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. The following section specifies the Performance Objectives and Performance Elements for this PWS:

3.1. Task area 1 Contract Management and Administration

3.1.1. The Contractor shall provide management support under this Contract. This includes the management and oversight of all activities performed by Contractor personnel, including subcontractors, to satisfy the requirements identified in this PWS. The Contractor shall provide management, direction, administration, quality assurance, and leadership of the execution of this PWS.

3.1.2. The Contractor shall properly manage the tasks identified in the PWS. The Contractor’s management methods and processes shall enable clear communication between the Contractor’s single point of contact and the Government CO, COR, and Government Task Lead (GTL) regarding all tasks.

3.1.3. Reporting. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Government Task Lead on a mutually agreed upon information repository where program/project artifacts shall be stored and regularly updated. The Contractor shall develop program plans, establish and maintain a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), project plan and schedule, and monitor deliverables, performance, and burn rates against the budget and schedule for this PWS. The Contractor shall deliver monthly status reports on project milestones, progress, and burn rates as required in sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.

3.1.4. Copies of project management artifacts shall be stored and regularly updated in a Government repository created as part of this PWS to facilitate timely communication of project progress. The Contractor shall use applicable program/project management methods to ensure successful performance of the performance task areas.

Program/project management artifacts shall include all deliverables.

3.1.5. Communications Plan. Establish and maintain a communications plan to keep the CO, COR and GTL informed of progress and any issues that need to be addressed.

Establish team operating procedures and protocols.

3.1.6. Meeting Support. Scheduling (including verifying attendee availability, sending meeting invites, scheduling conference rooms as necessary, etc.), logistical set up for meeting areas (set-up laptop, projectors, etc.), prepare meeting materials (agendas, copies of presentations, etc.), and documenting meeting minutes (follow-on action items, decisions, etc.).

3.1.7. Staffing Plan. Create and maintain a robust and comprehensive staffing plan that identifies which personnel are assigned to what tasks, when they are scheduled to work on the tasks, and what the percentage of their effort will be on the task(s).

3.1.8. Transition Planning Support. The Contractor shall prepare a plan for transitioning

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 out upon completion of this requirement. The Transition-Out Plan shall be due NLT 90 calendar days prior to the end of this requirement. Upon Government approval, the Contractor shall implement its Transition-Out Plan.

3.1.9. Kick -Off Meeting. The Contractor shall schedule and coordinate a Kick-Off Meeting after the award of this contract at the location approved by Government. The meeting will provide an introduction between the Contractor personnel and Government personnel who will be involved with the management of the contract. The meeting will provide the opportunity to discuss technical, management, subcontractor, and security issues, and reporting procedures. At a minimum, the attendees shall include vital Contractor personnel, relevant Government personnel, and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The Contractor shall prepare a Kick-off Agenda for the meeting that includes at a minimum the following information:

3.1.9.1.1. Roles and responsibilities

3.1.9.1.2. Government-furnished information

3.1.9.1.3. Monthly meeting dates

3.1.9.1.4. POCs

3.1.9.1.5. Performance metrics/SLAs

3.1.9.1.6. Security requirements

3.1.9.1.7. Prioritization of Contractor activities

3.1.9.2. During the Kick-off meeting, the Contractor shall review the project purposes, tasks, and timeline. The Kick-off meeting shall be scheduled within ten

(10) business days of contract initiation. This kickoff meeting shall not exceed two (2) hours, and it shall take place remotely via videoconference or teleconference.

The Contractor shall provide a draft memorandum of the Kickoff meeting within 3 business days of the kickoff meeting, the Contractor shall send a draft memorandum to the COR summarizing the discussion. Within 2 business days, the COR will send the Contractor any feedback or clarifications, as applicable.

This feedback should be incorporated into the final version of the memorandum.

Table 1: Deliverables for Task area 1: Contact Management and Administration

Item Section # Deliverable Frequency/Timeline Provide Deliverable To:

1 3.1.3 Reporting

Monthly, via the information repository, as agreed upon between

Contractor and NEA

COR, GTL

2 3.1.5 Communications Plan

Within 30 days of contract initiation COR, GTL

3 3.1.6 Meeting Support As agreed upon between Contractor and NEA COR, GTL

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

Item Section # Deliverable Frequency/Timeline Provide Deliverable To:

4 3.1.7 Staffing Plan Within 30 days of contract initiation COR, GTL

5 3.1.8 Transition-Out Plan 90 Days Prior to end of COR, GTL

6 3.1.9.2 Schedule Kick- Off Meeting

Within five days of award COR

7 3.1.9.3 Draft Memo of Kick-Off meeting

Within 3 days of kick-off meeting CO, COR, GTL

3.2. Task 2: NASERC Support Project and Program Management. The NEA NASERC requirements are composed of six overarching performance requirements to include Technical Working Group Planning, Establishment of TWG, TWG Project Management Support, Statistical Arts Indicator Program Planning, Establishment of Statistical Arts Indicators, and Statistical Arts Indicators Project Management.

The Contractor shall provide project management and administrative support through action item and activity tracking techniques, e.g. coordinating meetings with NEA points of contact, subject matter experts, contracting officers/specialists and NEA program teams.

NASERC’s Program Management is comprised of the following performance requirements:

3.2.1. Finalize project workplan and timeline: The Contractor shall provide a final project workplan and timeline.

3.2.1.1. The work plan shall provide narrative detail of all activities included in the draft timeline, including personnel involved.

3.2.1.2. In the first month of the contract, the Contractor shall work with the COR and GTL to finalize this document.

3.2.1.3. Within 10 business days of the meeting, the Contractor shall submit a revised project timeline and workplan to the COR and GTL. The COR and GTL shall review this deliverable for up to 5 business days, providing written feedback at the end of the review period.

3.2.1.4. The Contractor, GTL, and COR shall meet as needed to discuss and clarify feedback. The Contractor can expect up to 2 formal rounds of feedback on this deliverable; the Contractor may consult with the NEA team in between rounds

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 for clarification.

3.2.2. Project meetings/reporting: The Contractor shall provide meeting support, scheduling (including verifying attendee availability, sending meeting invites, scheduling videoconferences as necessary, etc.), prepare meeting materials (agendas, copies of presentations, etc.), and documenting meeting minutes (follow-on action items, decisions, etc.) for the duration of the contract.

3.2.2.1. The Contractor shall schedule and coordinate one meeting per month with the NEA project team to report project status to update the COR and GTL about the project.

3.2.2.2. The Contractor shall provide meeting minutes of each project status meeting within three business days from the meeting date.

3.2.2.3. The Contractor shall provide a monthly written report describing project status in accordance with 3.1.3 Reporting and the draft workplan and timelines developed in Task 1. The monthly reports shall include:

3.2.2.3.1. Regular progress updates on art indicators developed or being developed in Tasks 1-4.

3.2.2.3.2. Regular progress updates on the Technical Working Group meetings for the duration of the contract and shall report any proposed changes relating to the TWG, prior to making the changes

Table 2: Deliverables of Task area 2: NASERC Support Project and Program Management.

Item Section # Deliverable Frequency/Timeline Provide Deliverable To:

1 3.2.1.3 Draft Workplan and timeline

10 days after kick-off meeting GTL, COR

2 3.2.1 Finalized Project Workplan and Timeline

Within 30 days of contract initiation GTL, COR

3 3.2.2.1 Project Status Meetings Monthly, as agreed upon between Contractor and

NEA

GTL, COR

4 3.2.2.2 Meeting Minutes Within three business days from status meeting

GTL, COR

5 3.2.2.3 Written Monthly Status/Progress Reports

Monthly, as agreed upon between Contractor and

NEA

GTL, COR

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement

3.3. TASK AREA 3: Technical Working Group: Planning, Establishment, and Project Management Support The role of the Technical Working Group (TWG) is to develop a set of statistical indicators in the arts—along with a reporting schedule—that will inform arts researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the general public of key metrics and trends in the sector.

The TWG shall review the Contractor’s key deliverables and shall offer ideas and feedback on topics for evidence-based practice guides and special reports. The Contractor is responsible for developing, recruiting, and convening the TWG across the contract period.

3.3.1. TWG Planning

3.3.1.1. The Contractor shall develop and recruit a Technical Working Group comprised of a minimum of twelve (12) individuals NLT three months after kickoff.

3.3.1.2. The TWG shall:

3.3.1.2.1. Serve 1-year terms that may be renewed based on the needs of the

Government.

3.3.1.2.2. Shall possess a knowledge and expertise in the arts and culture sector.

3.3.1.2.3. Reflect a diverse set of individuals required to implement an evidence-based skills, including but not limited to, researchers, analysts, artists, art administrators, and art funders.

3.3.1.2.4. Prepare for and attend all scheduled meetings.

3.3.1.3. The Contractor shall provide a draft roster and charter of the members of the Technical Working Group selected outlining roles, duration of service, meeting cadence and expectations from the TWG participants. The draft charter shall be submitted to the COR and GTL for review and approval of technical working group members individuals.

3.3.1.4. The Contractor shall work with the Arts Endowment to finalize a diverse list of invitees for the technical working group (TWG), to include a list of alternate members

3.3.1.5. This list shall include up to 15 individuals that meet the requirements specified in 3.3.1.2.

3.3.1.6. To ensure relevance to the field, the Contractor shall work to ensure that the list represents individuals with a range of backgrounds within the arts and culture and other relevant sectors.

3.3.2. Establishment of TWG

3.3.2.1. The Contractor shall draft, for NEA review and approval, a charter outlining

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 roles, duration of service, the meeting cadence, and expectations from the TWG participants. Conditions of participation include attendance at all quarterly meetings, preparation for all meetings, which may include reading background materials or reviewing deliverables, and willingness to commit to at least one year of service.

3.3.2.2. The Contractor shall send formal invitations on behalf of the NEA to invite prospective members of the TWG. The invitation shall clearly communicate expected involvement, tenure, and time commitments of the TWG, commitment during the first year.

3.3.2.3. The contractor shall convene a technical working group within three (3) months of kickoff for the purposes of reviewing the charter and presenting the workplan for the remainder of the performance year. The initial meeting of the TWG may be a videoconference, not to exceed 2 hours.

3.3.3. TWG Project Management Support

3.3.3.1. The contractor shall facilitate discussions with the TWG about the broad categories of key statistical indicators that should be developed in the arts and about related measurement needs and challenges.

3.3.3.2. The Contractor shall provide a prioritization of key arts indicators and related datasets during this discussion and shall present these arts indicators as a part of performance requirements described in Tasks 1-4 to the GTL and COR.

3.3.3.3. Correspondence related to the initial meeting, including any presentation slides, will be developed by the Contractor and shared with the NEA for approval at least four weeks prior to sending.

3.3.3.4. The Contractor shall plan and schedule subsequent quarterly TWG meetings for the review of key deliverables and to solicit ideas and feedback on topics for evidence-based practice guides1 and special reports.

3.3.3.5. For all TWG meetings, the Contractor shall be responsible for meeting facilitation, coordinating logistics, and note-taking.

3.3.3.6. Meeting minutes shall be submitted for NEA review prior to distribution to TWG members within five (5) business days of meetings. Agendas, presentation slides, and other meeting materials shall undergo no more than 2 rounds of revision with the NEA.

3.3.3.7. Maintain TWG roster: TWG members shall serve 1-year terms that may be renewed. The Contractor shall maintain a confidential, up-to-date list of TWG members along with current contact information. Names and affiliations of TWG members will be listed on the NASERC website.

1 For an example of federal evidence-based guides, see the U.S. Department of Education/Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guides, which present recommendations for educators to address challenges in their classrooms and schools and are based on reviews of research, the experiences of practitioners, and the expert opinions of a panel of nationally recognized experts. See https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguides.

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

3.3.4. Deliverables. The Contractor shall provide the deliverables in the below table:

Table 3- Deliverables of Task area 3: Technical Working Group: Planning, Establishment, and Project Management Support

Item Section Deliverable Frequency/Timeline Provide Deliverable To:

1 3.3.1.3 Draft List of TWG Members

6 weeks following initiation of contract

COR, GTL

2 3.3.1.4 Final List of TWG Members

5 days after receipt of NEA feedback on draft list of TWG members

COR, GTL

3 3.3.2.3 Convene a TWG Within 3 months of Kickoff COR, GTL

4 3.3.3.3. Correspondence related to the initial meeting

Four weeks prior to initial TWG Meeting

COR, GTL

5 3.3.3.4 TWG Meetings Quarterly COR, GTL

6 3.3.3.6 Meeting Minutes Within 5 Business Days of meetings

CO, COR, GTL

3.4. TASK 4: ARTS INDICATORS PROGRAM Project Support and Management

3.4.1. Arts Indicators Program Planning

3.4.1.1. The Contractor shall review literature about arts and cultural statistical indicators in the U.S. and internationally, the NEA’s current statistical data holdings (as reflected in NADAC), the NEA’s Arts Data Profile series, and NEA research publications.

3.4.1.2. Conduct up to nine 1-hour consultations by telephone or videoconference with arts and cultural researchers, practitioners, funders, and policy-makers, to understand and account for key statistical needs and measurement challenges in the arts sector. The Contractor shall produce detailed notes of these consultations to share with the NEA and submit detailed notes as an addendum to the 3.4.1.3 deliverable.

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

3.4.1.3. The contractor shall produce a literature review and data asset map, along with a proposed arts-indicators framework. The framework will consist of 3-5 categories of key indicators. Each indicator will draw exclusively on publicly available data sources recommended by the Contractor. Those categories may include: arts participation; artists and other cultural workers; arts organizations and arts industries; and arts funding, among other possible categories. This deliverable is anticipated to go through no more than 1 round of revision with the NEA and shall continue to be refined throughout the life of the contract upon successful completion of the task, the contractor shall ensure the final draft is approved by the GTL before submission of final deliverable.

3.4.1.4. Based on the framework established above, the contractor shall recommend 3-5 key indicators in each category, identify the underlying data source/s and related variables of interest; the unit/s of measurement; the lowest geographic level for which such data can be reported; the periodicity of data collection and reporting; and contextual factors that will guide interpretation of the metric.

3.4.1.5. Final Statistical Indicators and related deliverables shall be approved by the

NEA COR.GTL.

3.4.2. Establishment of Arts Indicators

3.4.2.1. The Contractor shall produce a public-facing final narrative report no less than 35 and no more than 50 pages in length, describing the proposed arts indicators, data sources, and methodology, and grounding it in current and historical practice among arts funders, cultural policymakers, and arts managers.

The report will include an executive summary, tables, graphs, and/or other data visualizations. The report will be distributed widely to launch the arts indicators series.

3.4.2.2. The Contractor shall develop a full draft of the indicators: “sample” indicators that are produced to show statistical estimates for each indicator; static data visualization for each of the statistical indicators in the arts; and design templates for reporting narrative and/or tabular content (approximately 2-3 pages of content).

3.4.2.3. Final Statistical Indicators and related deliverables shall be approved by the

NEA COR.GTL.

3.4.3. Arts Indicators Program Support

3.4.3.1. Starting in the first option year, the Contractor shall update some or all indicators, including analyzing the underlying data, conducting third-party verification of analyses, and reporting the indicators to the general public.

3.4.3.1.1. By the end of the base year, the Contractor shall develop an annual schedule for updating some or all indicators.

3.4.3.2. The Contractor shall provide four evidence-based guides or topical reports

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 annually beginning in the first option year. The Contractor shall develop a project workplan at least 2 months prior to beginning work on each product.

3.4.3.2.1. The Contractor shall work with NEA to develop a schedule for proposed quarterly evidence-based guides or topical reports based on the indicators system and on literature reviews or field scans, to be produced in years 2-5 of the project.

3.4.3.2.2. The Contractor shall produce a plan for distributing the quarterly evidence-based guides or topical reports prior to the first option year.

3.4.3.3. The Contractor shall maintain and annually update the 9-25 statistical indicators, along with accompanying text and graphics starting in the first option year.

3.4.3.4. Final Statistical Indicators and related deliverables shall be approved by the

NEA COR.GTL.

3.4.3.5. Starting in the first option year, the Contractor shall also provide up to 60 hours annually of technical assistance responding to public inquiries received from a dedicated email address maintained by the Contractor or referred to the Contractor by the NEA about the indicators or their underlying datasets.

3.4.3.5.1. The Contractor shall respond to inquiries withing one (1) business day of receipt.

3.4.3.5.2. The email account can be monitored by other staff, with technical questions referred to the researcher as needed.

3.4.3.6. The Contractor shall also provide up to 3 literature scans per year (in the form of research briefs of up to 15 pages each), as requested by the NEA, during the base year and option years.

Table 4: Deliverables for Task area 4: ARTS INDICATORS PROGRAM Project Support and Management

Item Section Deliverable Frequency/Timeline Provide

Deliverable To:

1 3.4.1.3 Literature Review and Data Asset Map Draft Within 8 months of Kickoff COR, GTL

2 3.4.1.4 Proposed Indicators Within 8 months of Kickoff COR, GTL

3 3.4.2.1 Narrative Report Draft Within 9 months of Kickoff COR, GTL

4 3.4.2.2 Full Draft of Indicators Within 10 months of Kickoff COR, GTL

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

Item Section Deliverable Frequency/Timeline Provide

Deliverable To:

5 3.4.2.1 Final Narrative Report Within 10 months of Kickoff COR, GTL

6 3.4.3.1 Indicators Updating

Annually, as agreed upon between Contractor and NEA, starting in Option Year 1

COR, GTL

7 3.4.3.2 Evidence-based Practice Guides and Topical Reports

Quarterly, starting in Option Year 1 COR, GTL

8 3.4.3.4 Technical Assistance As needed, starting in Option Year 1 COR, GTL

9 3.4.3.5 Literature Scans As requested by the NEA COR, GTL

Table 6 –Performance Measures

The objectives set out above will have the following performance standards and expectations:

Performance Standards Quality Expectations

Completeness All submissions will be 100% complete and compliant with all applicable regulations.

Accuracy All information submitted will be 100% accurate.

Effectiveness All deliverables must contribute to the overall success of the PWS.

Timeliness All deliverables will be on time and within schedule.

4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS. This section describes the special requirements for this effort.

The following subsections provide details of various considerations.

4.1. On Boarding of Contractor Personnel. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR regarding onboarding of Contractor personnel who have been identified to work on this Task. This includes coordination of forms and documentation required to conduct

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 background investigations, any required forms and approvals, and any other actions identified by the COR as necessary to complete personnel onboarding. Note that any new or replacement Contractor personnel coming on board must have a background investigation performed prior to beginning work, and that there is a lead time in to complete each investigation.

4.2. Security. This section describes the security and safety for this effort. The following subsections provide details of various considerations.

4.2.1. Data Handling Requirements. This section describes the Contractor’s responsibilities pertaining to Data Handling during performance of this requirement.

The following subsections provide details of various considerations.

4.2.1.1. Confidentiality. All information regarding the procedures developed under this Task will be regarded as sensitive information by the Contractor and not be disclosed to anyone outside the Contractor’s organization without the written permission of the CO. All Contractor employees supporting the Government on this project will be required to sign a statement of non-disclosure.

4.2.1.2. Release of Data. The Contractor and/or Contractor personnel shall not divulge or release any data or information developed or obtained in performance of this effort without written approval of the CO. The Contractor shall not use, disclose, or reproduce proprietary data that may or may not carry a restrictive legend, other than as required in the performance of this effort.

4.2.1.3. Disclosure of Information. Information made available to the Contractor by the Government for the performance or administration of this effort shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the written agreement of the Contracting Officer. The Contractor agrees to assume responsibility for protecting the confidentiality of Government records, which are not public information. Each Contractor or employee of the Contractor to whom information may be made available or disclosed shall be notified in writing by the Contractor that such information may be disclosed only for a purpose and to the extent authorized herein. Contractor employees who have access to DOI information must sign a non-disclosure agreement and provide a copy to the

COR.

4.2.1.4. Limited Use of Data. Performance of this effort may require the Contractor to access and use data and information proprietary to a Government agency or Government Contractor which is of such a nature that its dissemination or use, other than in performance of this effort, would be adverse to the interests of the Government and/or others. Contractor and/or Contractor personnel shall not divulge, or release data or information developed or obtained in performance of this effort, until made public by the Government, except to Authorized Government personnel upon written approval of the Contracting Officer. The Contractor must report computer security incidents affecting DOI data or systems

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 immediately to the Government Team Lead (GTL).

4.2.2. Organizational Conflict of Interest. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to assure the Government that there are no relevant facts or circumstances which would give rise to an organizational conflict of interest, as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5.

Per FAR 9.5, organizational conflicts of interest may result when factors create an actual or potential conflict of interest on a contract, or when the nature of the work to be performed on the contract creates an actual or potential conflict of interest on a future acquisition.

The Contractor agrees that if an actual or potential OCI arises prior to or after award, the Contractor will make a full disclosure in writing to the Contracting Officer. This disclosure shall include a description of actions which the Contractor has taken or proposes to take, after consultation with the Contracting Officer, to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the actual or potential conflict. All actual or potential OCI situations shall be handled in accordance with FAR 9.5.

5. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT. The Government will not provide workspace or equipment for this project. The Government will provide access to a secure cloud-based platform for file exchange use during the contract period.

6. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE. All work performed and end products provided under this Contract shall be subject to inspection and acceptance by the COR or a duly authorized representative at any time during performance.

6.1. One iteration of each deliverable (draft and final will include one iteration each), shall be delivered unless as mutually agreed to by the Contractor and Government that additional iterations are required due to quality or the deliverable is unacceptable to the PWS requirement. If there is not a meeting of the minds between the Contractor and Government, the contracting officer shall make the final decision. The maximum review in working days may be increased/decreased as mutually agreed to between the Government and Contractor in writing and on a case-by-case basis.

6.2. Deliverable items rejected shall be corrected and will be accepted when all discrepancies, errors or other deficiencies identified in writing by the Government have been corrected by the Contractor.

6.3. If the draft deliverable is adequate, the Government may accept the draft and provide comments for incorporation into the final version. All of the Government's comments to deliverables must either be incorporated in the succeeding version of the deliverable or the Contractor must demonstrate to the Government's satisfaction why such comments should not be incorporated. If the Government finds that a draft or final deliverable contains spelling errors, grammatical errors, improper format, or otherwise does not conform to the requirements stated within this Contract , the document may be immediately rejected without further review and returned to the Contractor for correction and resubmission. If the Contractor requires additional Government guidance to produce an acceptable draft, the Contractor shall arrange a meeting with the GTL and COR.

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

6.4. Deliverable Inspection and Acceptance Criteria. Final inspection and acceptance of all work performed, reports, and other deliverables will be performed at the place of delivery by the COR with input from the GTL. The general quality measures are set forth in the Performance Measures Matrix for each performance area. Additionally, the following will be applied to each work product received from the Contractor.

6.4.1. Accuracy - Work products shall be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

6.4.2. Clarity - Work products shall be clear and concise. Any/all diagrams shall be easy to understand and be relevant to the supporting narrative.

6.4.3. Consistency to Requirements - All work products must satisfy the requirements of the PWS.

6.4.4. File Editing - All text and diagrammatic files shall be editable by the Government.

6.4.5. Format - Work products shall be submitted in media as specified in the PWS unless mutually agreed upon prior to submission.

6.4.6. Timeliness - Work products shall be submitted on or before the due date specified or submitted in accordance with a later scheduled date determined by the Government.

6.5. Non-Conforming Services. Non-conforming services and or deliverables will be rejected.

Deficiencies will be corrected by the Contractor within ten (10) business days of receipt of the rejection notice. If the deficiencies cannot be corrected within ten (10) business days, the Contractor will immediately notify the GTL, the COR and the CO of the reason for the delay and provide a proposed corrective action plan within ten (10) business days.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. The period of performance for this requirement is One (1) twelve (12)-month base period and four (4) twelve (12)-month Option Periods.

Period of Performance Date

Base Period 12 Months from Date of Award

Option Year 1 12 Months from Option Exercise

Option Year 2 12 Months from Option Exercise

Option Year 3 12 Months from Option Exercise

Option Year 4 12 Months from Option Exercise

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement

8. WORK SCHEDULE. The Contractor shall adhere to normal business schedules. The Government business hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday (excluding Federal Holidays). The Contractor must be available to the Government during government business hours. Work schedules will be agreed upon with the GTL. After acceptance of this schedule, the COR and the Contractor must mutually agree upon all permanent changes. The Contractor shall notify the COR by email of any temporary deviations from the schedule as they occur. Contractor personnel shall keep a daily log of their work starting time, ending time, and hours worked. This log shall be provided as the supporting document for their monthly hour report.

9. FEDERAL HOLIDAYS. The following federal holiday’s, and any other day designated by Federal Statute, Executive Order and/or Presidential Proclamation, are normally observed. The following holidays provided below are legal public holidays set by law in accordance with USC Title 5 Section 6103. If any public holiday falls on a Saturday, then Friday shall be observed as a holiday. Similarly, if one falls on a Sunday, then Monday shall be observed as a holiday.

Holiday Date

New Year's Day January 1

Martin Luther King's Birthday Third Monday in January

Washington's Birthday Third Monday in February

Memorial Day Last Monday in May

Independence Day July 4

Juneteenth June 19

Labor Day First Monday in September

Columbus Day Second Monday in October

Veterans Day November 11

Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday in November

Christmas Day December 25

10. CONTRACT TYPE. It is anticipated that this will be a Time and Materials (T&M) Contract

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1

11. TRAVEL. Travel is not required for this project.

12. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL. The following applies to all Contractor personnel performing under this Contract.

12.1. Key Personnel Definition. Key Personnel are identified as being essential for accomplishing the work to be performed. Substitution of individuals in Key Personnel roles shall only be accepted if in compliance with “Key Personnel Substitution” provision identified below. The Government requires that the Contractor identify individuals by name who will fill each Key Personnel role for the total period of the project.

12.2. Key Personnel Substitution. Except in cases of sudden illness, death, or termination of employment, all Contractor requests for approval of Key Personnel substitutions shall be submitted in writing to the COR and the CO at least twenty five (25) calendar days in advance of the effective date, and shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution, a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any other information requested by the Contracting Officer necessary to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. The COR and the CO will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the Contractor of approval or disapproval in writing.

12.3. Identification of Contract Personnel. All contract 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 in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

12.4. Training. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all Contractor personnel are adequately trained for the tasks that they perform under this contract. The cost of all training shall be the responsibility of the Contractor and are not reimbursable. On occasion, the Government may provide training to Contractor employees for its unique information technology systems or business processes, policies, and procedures. The Contracting Officer must approve all other exceptions in writing in advance.

12.5. Personnel Performance/Replacement. The Government reserves the right to reassess the technical skill and competence of Contractor personnel. If the Government determines the qualifications or performance of Contractor personnel is deficient, the Government shall have the right to require the replacement of Contractor personnel upon written notification to the vendor. The Government reserves the right to reassess the qualifications and acceptability of Contractor personnel proposed by the Contractor for any position and may require the Contractor to replace an individual whose qualifications are deemed deficient upon written notification by the Government to the Contractor.

12.6. Contractor Standards of Conduct. The Contractor will be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, appearance, and integrity. Each employee or supervisor of the Contractor is expected to adhere to standards

Evidence-based Reporting Center Attachment A Performance Work Statement Amendment 1 of behavior that reflect credit on themselves, their employer, and the Federal Government.

The Contractor will be responsible for taking such disciplinary action with respect to its employees, as may be necessary to enforce those standards. Where applicable, the requirements of this clause must be expressly incorporated into subcontract(s) and must be applicable to all subcontractor employees who may perform recurring services as part of the work of this requirement.

12.7. Unsuitable/Unfit Contractor Personnel. The Government retains the right to permanently remove any employee of the Contractor from performing duties assigned under this Contract should the employee's performance so warrant. The Government will request the Contractor to immediately remove any employee of the Contractor from the federal building/work-sites, if applicable, should it be determined by the Contracting Officer that the individual employee of the Contractor is "unsuitable" for security reasons or for otherwise being found to be unfit for performing his assigned duty. The following areas (not all-inclusive) are considered justification for requesting the Contractor to immediately remove an employee from performance on this requirement:

12.7.1. Neglect of assigned duty and refusing to render assistance or cooperate in upholding the integrity of the security programs at the worksite;

12.7.2. Falsification or unlawful concealment, removal, mutilation, or destruction of any official documents or records, or concealment of material facts by willful omissions from official documents or records;

12.7.3. Disorderly conduct, use of abusive or offensive language, quarreling, intimidation by words or actions, or fighting; participation in disruptive activities which interfere with the normal and efficient operations of the…