Request for Information for Restricted Housing Assessment 23Feb23 General.pdf

This Request for Information (RFI) is being released pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10 Market Research. The information collected through the process is market research as described by FAR 2.101 and in accordance with FAR 10.002. This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP), and nothing shall be construed herein or through the Sources Sought process to commit or obligate the Government to further action. In addition, vendors responding to this RFI shall bear all risks and expenses of any resources used to provide the requested information. The submission of capability information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is issuing this RFI to identify qualified and responsible businesses having an interest in and possessing the resources and expertise to provide the services listed in the tasks section below.

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to these proposed services is 541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. The anticipated contract type is Time & Materials. The anticipated period of performance is a base period of three (3) years commencing on or about July 21, 2023, through July 2026. The anticipated place of performance is performed remotely. There may be some time required in DC.

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Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

Draft Statement of Work

Assessment of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) Restrictive Housing Practices

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, technology and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to inform efforts to promote safety and advance justice.

As part of accomplishing its mission, NIJ competitively awards grants and cooperative agreements, and enters into contracts, for various research, development, and evaluation projects addressing criminal and juvenile justice issues in the social, physical, and forensic sciences.

NIJ is a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office for Victims of Crime, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), also within DOJ, is charged with protecting society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens. The BOP has 122 prisons of various security levels ranging from minimum to high security across the United States. The current total federal prison population is just under 160,000 and the mean sentence length is 140 months. Drug offenses are the most common reasons for confinement, followed by weapons/explosives/arson and sex offenses. The average person incarcerated in a federal prison is 41 and men represent 93% of the population.

NIJ, in collaboration with BOP, seeks to establish a contract to design and conduct a comprehensive review of restrictive housing practices within the BOP.1 Most BOP facilities include a restrictive housing unit referred to as the Special Housing Unit (SHU).

BOP also utilizes restrictive housing in other settings, including the Special Management Unit (SMU), the Special Confinement Unit (SCU), Female Administrative Unit and the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum (ADX). (See Program Statements 5217.02, Special Management Units, 5200.07CN-1, Female Offender Manual, and 5270.11, Special Housing Units.) In recent years, BOP has worked to reduce the use of restrictive housing and its negative impact through the creation of alternative units for incarcerated individuals who would otherwise be housed in restrictive housing settings.

Additionally, BOP has instituted policy changes to improve mental health screening and programmatic services. In 2021 the agency convened a task force on Reducing Restrictive Housing Populations which generated a number of recommendations to decrease the pipeline into restrictive housing and expedite removal of individuals from that setting.

BOP is in the process of implementing recommendations from that report. Despite efforts to reduce the use of restrictive housing across BOP, the number of individuals in SHU has increased.

This solicited assessment of BOP’s restrictive housing usage should include, but not be limited to, data analyses, site visits, staff interviews, and policy examination. In close coordination with the BOP, the assessment team will use these and other data collection methods, and the findings derived from analyses of them, to develop short- and long-term recommendations for BOP to implement to reduce the use of restrictive housing and the duration of time people are confined in it. Recommendations for conditions in restrictive settings may be part of this work. The assessment plan will estimate timeframes for completing data collection and analytic activities and developing both interim and final recommendations. It is expected that interviews with persons affected by BOP’s restrictive housing policies will be a component of this assessment, to include interviews with persons in restrictive housing, other incarcerated persons, families of people in restrictive housing, and facility staff, supervisors, and leadership. Their knowledge of and experiences with existing restrictive housing policies and practices are relevant to understanding its current use and informing potential changes to those policies and practices.

This assessment aligns with the purpose of President Biden’s May 2022 Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, which recommends that DOJ take steps to ensure restrictive housing is used rarely and that individuals in custody are housed in the least restrictive settings.

1 The restrictive housing practices subject to assessment include only those in use at BOP institutions. Restrictive housing practices in use in private or non-BOP facilities that house individuals under BOP custody would not be subject to assessment under the current task.

1.2. PROGRAM SPECIFIC INFORMATION

The First Step Act requires the Attorney General to “conduct ongoing research and data analysis on evidence-based recidivism reduction programs,” specifically those “most effective at reducing recidivism, and the type, amount, and intensity of programming that most effectively reduces the risk of recidivism” (See 18 U.S.C. § 3631 (b)(3)(C)). Given that restrictive housing may inhibit the ability of people confined there to participate in such programs, a review of BOP’s restrictive housing and recommendations to reduce its use can result in policy changes that align with First Step Act goals.

1.3. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

1.3.1. Executive Order 14074 ‐ Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, May 2022.

1.3.2. Office of the Inspector General, U. S. Department of Justice, Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Use of Restrictive Housing for Inmates with Mental Illness, July 2017.

1.3.3. U.S. Department of Justice, Report and Recommendations Concerning the Use of Restrictive Housing, 2016.

1.4. OBJECTIVES

Findings from the requested assessment will support an understanding of the factors that influence decisions to place people in restrictive housing, the intended duration of that placement, and what factors lead to the removal of individuals from restrictive housing.

This assessment should include data collection and analysis of restrictive housing practices used across all BOP facilities; an examination of existing restrictive housing policies and the degree to which they are followed; and an analysis of variations in the use of restrictive housing by facility and composition of incarcerated populations (e.g., security levels, rates of infractions and incidents of violence) within them. The assessment should also include an examination of what current policies and practices are effective in preventing both the real and perceived need to use restrictive housing and what new policies and practices hold promise in doing so.

Respondents will propose the criteria for selection of a subset of 12 to 15 institutions, subject to approval by NIJ in partnership with BOP, for site visits, policy review, and interviews with staff and people confined in them. The criteria for site selection should ensure a diversity of institutions by gender and security level, and inclusion of SHU locations and other restrictive housing units, including SMU, SCU, Female Administrative Unit, and ADX. In order to better understand alternatives to restrictive housing currently available across BOP the evaluators should also identify pre-existing BOP programs and strategies developed to address problematic behaviors that could lead to restrictive housing placements.

Findings from this assessment are expected to provide the following: (a) a detailed assessment of BOP’s current use of restrictive housing; (b) a summary of the degree to which institutions have implemented recommendations from the 2021 BOP Reducing Restrictive Housing Populations task force and variations in implementation by institution; (c) the development of both short- and long-term recommendations for reducing the number of individuals placed in restrictive housing and the number of days any one person is housed in this setting, including potential modifications to the operation of SHUs, SMU, SCU, and ADX; and (d) the identification of key populations overrepresented in restrictive settings and methods for improving equity in housing assignments. BOP will provide administrative, housing, and disciplinary data along with other data, as needed, in support of these efforts. BOP will also facilitate access to incarcerated populations and both facility and key headquarters leadership staff for interviews.

1.5. SCOPE

The scope of this effort includes an assessment of all BOP restrictive housing practices and a series of deliverables documenting assessment findings.

Assessment activities should include:

Data analysis of restrictive housing practices and policies in use across all 122 BOP facilities. This analysis should track monthly counts, document staff-to-inmate ratios as they pertain to high and low facility usage of restrictive housing, as well as other factors, and reflect changes in the use of restrictive housing practices over time, with special attention to the change in BOP leadership which began August 2, 2022; this analysis should track ongoing changes and shifts in priorities since this date.

An interim, standalone deliverable should document findings from the initial analysis of restrictive housing practices and policies in use across BOP.

Findings should be used to inform initial recommendations for site selection, site visits, and interviews.

A review of BOP’s restrictive housing practices and policies with an emphasis on the mechanisms by which people are placed in and released from these settings, the conditions of these settings, and the degree to which practices and policies are followed. The assessment should include an examination of what current policies and practices are effective in preventing both the real and perceived need to use restrictive housing and what new policies and practices hold promise in doing so.

Further, the assessment should determine the extent to which recommendations from the 2021 task force on Reducing Restrictive Housing Populations have been implemented to date.

Site visits and observations should be conducted to understand how BOP’s restrictive housing policies are applied in practice, the challenges staff face in their work as it relates to perceived need for restrictive housing usage, the various cultures of each facility that may encourage or hinder the use of restrictive housing, and whether issues of physical design have bearing on facility safety and the use of restrictive housing.

Regarding site selection, 12 – 15 BOP facilities should be represented in the final sample of facilities examined in the current assessment. The sites should include both facilities that have unusually high and unusually low restrictive housing usage, holding security level and infraction and violent incidents rates constant along with other factors. The following BOP restrictive housing units should be included in the final sample of facilities selected for this assessment:

USP Florence ADX.

USP Terre Haute.

FMC Carswell.

Specific tasks for this effort are detailed in Section 3 and will be managed by the Contractor. The Contractor will work closely with NIJ and interface with BOP to successfully implement the assessment.

2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

This section describes the general requirements for this effort. The following sub-sections provide details of various considerations.

2.1. NON-PERSONAL SERVICES

The services and performance required under this contract are determined to be not inherently governmental. The Contractor shall not perform or give the appearance of performing inherently governmental functions as described in FAR Part 2 and Subpart 7.5, and all applicable DOJ policy. The government shall neither supervise contractor employees nor control the method by which the Contractor performs the required tasks.

All contractor personnel shall identify themselves as contracted support personnel in all forms of communication with all entities with whom OJP has business dealings. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to manage its employees and to guard against any actions that are of the nature of personal services or give the perception of personal services. If the Contractor believes that any actions constitute or are perceived to include personal services, it shall be the Contractor's responsibility to notify the Contracting Officer (CO) immediately.

2.2. BUSINESS RELATIONS

The Contractor shall successfully integrate and coordinate all activities needed to execute the requirements specified herein. The Contractor shall manage the timeliness, completeness, and quality of the contract deliverables. The Contractor shall provide corrective action plans, proposal submittals, timely identification of issues, and effective management of all contractor personnel (including subcontractors). The Contractor shall seek to ensure customer satisfaction and professional and ethical behavior of all contractor personnel.

2.3. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall establish clear organizational lines of authority and responsibility to ensure effective management of the resources assigned to this requirement. The Contractor must maintain continuity between the support operations at OJP Headquarters and the Contractor's corporate offices.

2.4. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

The Contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to administer this contract effectively. The Contractor shall respond to Government requests for contractual actions in a timely fashion. The Contractor shall have a single point of contact between the government and contractor personnel assigned to support this contract. The Contractor shall assign work effort and maintain proper and accurate timekeeping records of personnel assigned to work on this requirement.

2.5. PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

The Contractor shall provide the following management and support as required. The Contractor shall provide for employees during designated Government non-workdays or other periods where Government offices are closed due to weather or security conditions.

The Contractor shall maintain the currency of its employees by providing initial and refresher training as required to meet the SOW requirements. The Contractor shall make necessary travel arrangements for employees. The Contractor shall provide administrative support to employees in a timely fashion (timekeeping, leave processing, pay, emergency needs).

2.6. SUBCONTRACT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall be responsible for any subcontract management necessary to integrate work performed on this requirement and shall be responsible and accountable for (subcontractor performance) subcontractor performance on this requirement. The prime Contractor will manage work distribution to ensure there is no Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) considerations. Contractors may add subcontractors to their team after notification to the Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

2.7. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL, DISCIPLINES, AND SPECIALTIES

The Contractor shall accomplish the assigned work by employing and utilizing qualified personnel with appropriate combinations of education, training, and experience. The Contractor shall ensure the labor categories, labor rates, and person-hours used in the performance of each requirement issued hereunder will be the minimum necessary to accomplish the task.

The Contractor shall provide the necessary resources and infrastructure to manage, perform, and administer the contract.

2.8. TRAINING

The Contractor shall provide training, as necessary, for their personnel to ensure that personnel are trained on the common suite of Microsoft Office tools (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other applicable programs. The Contractor shall also ensure that all of its employees have been properly trained and are qualified to perform assigned tasks under this order. The government will provide or coordinate training on any new Government-provided equipment or government-directed training (e.g., Information Assurance). If such training requires travel on the part of contractor employees, local travel costs (i.e., Metro) shall be borne by the Contractor.

2.9. HOURS OF WORK

Work will primarily be performed at the contractor site.

2.10. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor will require access to information that deems a public trust investigation, such as a Moderate Risk or T2 background. No less than an MBI (Moderate Risk Background Investigation) for contractor staff will be required due to the handling of the personally identifiable information and sensitivity of issues disclosed. The Contractor agrees to comply with all DOJ IT Rules of Behavior, confidentiality practices, and any third-party non-disclosure agreements as needed to fulfill the requirements of this position. The Contractor must be a U.S. citizen and meet the Department of Justice Residency Requirement in accordance with the security clauses in the Basic Contract. Network access and access to required computer applications will be provided, if and as needed, pending the successful completion of the OJP security background checks, and the applicant is cleared to begin work with OJP.

3. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

For each task area described, the Contractor shall provide descriptions of specific strategies and approaches that are part of the Contractor’s work to complete the task; describe and demonstrate capabilities and expertise enabling them to complete the task successfully; and provide detailed cost estimates for performing the work, using the parameters described.

3.1. TASK AREA 1: Assessment Plan Development, Review, and Adjustment

In support of this effort, the Contractor is expected to provide a detailed workplan and timeline that identifies key milestones, the timing of data collection and relevant analyses including expected completion dates and expected product delivery. This includes outlining key activities to achieve the assessments goals and objectives, the timeframe for completion, intermediary steps, associated deliverables, and key personnel. The Contractor will work closely with NIJ and BOP to review and update the workplan following the project kickoff and throughout the life of the contract, as needed. Before work can begin, the final assessment plan must be approved by NIJ and BOP and submitted for review and approved by the appropriate institutional review board(s).2

2 See additional requirements and information in Task Area 6.

Support for this task area includes the following:

Participating in a kickoff meeting within ten (10) business days of the award date to present and discuss the goals, objectives, and anticipated challenges of the assessment.

Reviewing background documents provided by NIJ and BOP that may inform proposed adjustments to the study plan, as needed.

Creating and documenting all assessment protocols and data collection instruments.

Confirming the timeline for successful completion of the assessment on or before

[WILL BE DETERMINED AT TIME OF AWARD] including any revisions to subtasks needed in order to comply with that deadline.

Submitting a revised workplan and timeline incorporating feedback from NIJ and BOP within ten (10) business days of the kickoff meeting.

3.2. TASK AREA 2: Review of Empirical Literature in Support of BOP Restrictive Housing Assessment

In support of this effort, the Contractor is expected to conduct a review of the empirical literature on restrictive housing to include alternatives to its use. The focus of the review is to provide an understanding of the purpose of secure housing; the intended and unintended outcomes of such practices; and strategies employed in both BOP and other correctional systems to reduce their use.

Support for this task area includes the following:

Conducting a scan of the empirical literature on restrictive housing, relevant policies, practices, and available data related to these policies and practices.

Conducting an analysis of current BOP practices, including policy standards for placement in restrictive housing, to inform efforts in Task Area 3.

Conducting a comparison of promising and evidence-based practices to reduce restrictive housing use to currently documented BOP policies and practices.

3.3. TASK AREA 3: BOP-Wide Data Collection and Analysis and Site Selection

The Contractor will collect and analyze all existing administrative data available on restrictive housing practices in all of BOP’s 122 facilities, to include data on institution population demographics, security levels, historical infraction and violent incident rates, region, and any other relevant data. The purpose of this analysis is to describe the degree of restrictive housing use and identify reasons for and variations in its use by facility. This analysis will serve as a baseline from which BOP can measure the impact of changes in policies and practices as well as to inform the selection of a subset of at least 12-15 facilities for a more thorough quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Facilities with only one restrictive housing unit should not necessarily be excluded from the site visit plan, and selected facilities should include at least some representation of

SMU, SCU, Female Administrative Unit, and ADX. The final number of sites selected will be reviewed and approved by NIJ and BOP. Beyond that, at least 12 - 15 facilities must be included to ensure coverage of male and female facilities, variations in region and population, and their associated security levels.

Support for this task area includes the following:

Collaborating with BOP for administrative data collection purposes, including establishing data transfer agreements required by BOP.

Analyzing data to establish a baseline of restrictive housing use by facility along with cross-site comparisons including the preparation of an interim summary report for submission to NIJ and BOP and potential public dissemination on the current state of BOP’s use of restrictive housing.

Determining criteria for selection of a subset of 12-15 facilities for site visits, interviews, and policy review.

Identifying sites recommended for inclusion with consideration in accordance with the identified criteria.

Providing a list of and justification for recommended sites for NIJ approval.

Selecting replacement sites for consideration, as needed.

3.4. TASK AREA 4: Facility interviews, site observations, and policy review

The contractor will collect and analyze detailed qualitative and quantitative data on restrictive housing usage in selected BOP institutions to identify the degree to which existing alternatives (i.e., mental health treatment programs, incentivizing prosocial behaviors) can be used with greater frequency; identify the need for new alternatives; and assess what policy changes and accountability mechanisms might reduce the use of restrictive housing while maintaining the safety of correctional populations and staff. This analysis will both inform development of short-term recommendations and the content for an interim report of findings and recommendations.

The contractor will produce a final report that includes analyses of interview data, site observations, and policy review in combination with the initial data analysis of all BOP institutions to align current practices with longer-term recommendations derived from the literature review referenced in Task Area 2.

Interviews may be conducted virtually as needed for staff. Persons in custody will be interviewed during site visits.

Support for this task area includes the following:

Developing cross-site protocols to support the assessment.

Determining appropriate data collection efforts and assessment methodologies for each type of restrictive housing, facility, and population. The assessment plan should include process, outcome/impact and cost studies, and other relevant assessments, as appropriate. A discussion of anticipated challenges and plans to mitigate the challenges should be included.

Working with BOP to determine the appropriate staff to interview. The contractor will then follow similar procedures to those described above to analyze results.

3.5. TASK AREA 5: Reporting and Dissemination

In support of this effort, the Contractor is expected to develop three reports to document and share assessment findings with BOP and NIJ. The first administrative data analysis report will be submitted to NIJ no later than 12 months from the project start date and should detail variations in use and duration of restrictive housing by institution, demographics of incarcerated population, security levels, region, and any other relevant factors.

The second interim report on short-term recommendations should be submitted to NIJ no later than 24 months from the project start date and should rely on preliminary data collection and analyses to identify areas for short-term improvements within BOP. The third comprehensive recommendation report will be delivered no later than 30 months from the project start date and include all findings and recommendations over the course of the assessment. The final technical report should detail all aspects of the assessment, including but not limited to the research questions or objectives, methods, and analytical techniques of the study and the findings, limitations, recommendations, and conclusions.

The contractor should anticipate the need for time and resources with which to respond to NIJ and BOP (and potentially peer review) of final report findings and submit a reviewed report no later than 36 months from the project start date.

The findings of all three reports may be used internally to further BOP’s housing and programming practices and to develop NIJ’s programs of research and evaluation. The contractor is also encouraged to develop other avenues for disseminating the study results to criminal justice stakeholders and the public, subject to approval by NIJ and BOP. The project timeline and proposed budget should allocate resources for these dissemination purposes.

Support for this task area includes the following:

Developing and submitting outlines describing the content of each of the three required reports to NIJ for review and approval.

Developing drafts of each of the three required reports for review by NIJ and BOP and revision and resubmission by the contractor.

Developing a separate draft and final executive summary of no more than 20 double-spaced pages to describe the assessment findings and recommendations in a concise and accessible manner for broad audiences including practitioners and policymakers.

The executive summary should include sections that state the purpose, project design and methods, data analysis, findings, and implications for restrictive housing practices.

Developing a presentation of the study findings and recommendations to be delivered at a webinar to be hosted by the government, if requested and approved by NIJ and

BOP.

Assisting with dissemination of the study findings and recommendations, if requested and approved by NIJ and BOP.

3.6. TASK AREA 6: Project Management and Related Tasks

In support of this effort, the Contractor is expected to establish and manage a multidisciplinary research team to implement an efficient and effective project management approach, and to meet administrative reporting and other requirements related to NIJ-funded research.

Support for this task area includes the following:

Submitting monthly progress reports that describe accomplishments of the preceding month, planned activities for the following month, problems encountered and resolutions, and ongoing consultations and communications activities.

Convening monthly meetings with NIJ and BOP and submitting meeting notes with a list of after-action items no later than three (3) business days after each meeting.

Preparing and/or participating in briefings and meetings, as requested by NIJ.

Complying with DOJ human subjects protection regulations 28 CFR Part 46 and providing compliance documentation to NIJ.

Complying with DOJ confidentiality regulations 28 CFR Part 22 and providing Privacy

Certificate to NIJ.

Completing and submitting DOJ background investigation materials as required. A background investigation is required in order to access data required to complete the assessment. Access to data shall be limited to the minimum number of persons necessary.

Further, no work on assessment activities may begin until key personnel – those individuals who will have access to non-public data or information – have cleared DOJ’s background investigation.

Complying with data security protocols as required by NIJ and BOP.3 Complying with the Paperwork Reduction Act by preparing an Information Clearance

Request for Office of Management and Budget review and approval, as applicable.

4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

3 NIJ and BOP will collaborate with the Contractor in order to provide access to relevant administrative and programmatic data and information required for the assessment. Data access shall be limited to the minimum number of persons necessary. Data may not be shared, archived, or otherwise made public.

This section describes the special requirements for this effort. The following sub-sections provide details of various considerations on this effort.

4.1. KEY PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel for the key leadership positions under this contract. The key leadership positions are detailed in the matrix below. The Contractor shall ensure that all positions possess the skills, knowledge, training, expertise, and certification(s) required to perform all services required by the contract satisfactorily.

The objectives and tasks of this requirement must be met by personnel who are highly skilled and experienced in conducting evaluations within secure correctional settings (prisons) and have documented expertise related to restrictive housing reduction and programmatic alternatives to restrictive housing. The Contractor shall ensure that the proposed consultants or subject matter experts are identified by name and affiliation. The resumes for proposed key personnel must describe the expertise and value they would contribute.

Labor Category Labor Category Description Minimum Qualifications

Project Director (Key) Provides overall direction of study activities. Leads the project team in planning, conducting, monitoring, and evaluating all aspects of the study.

Serves as the primary point of contact to the CO and COR on the technical and administrative performance of all required tasks.

Develops and reviews task plans and deliverables, ensures conformance with task schedules, costs, and contractual obligations.

Establishes and maintains technical and financial reports to show the status of the study. Organizes and assigns responsibilities to subordinates and oversees the successful completion of all assigned tasks. Ensures quality control of all final written

Ph.D. in social or behavioral sciences.

A minimum of 10 years of work experience demonstrating successful management and oversight of national or multi-site social or behavioral science research, evaluation, and/or data collection programs.

Experience conducting correctional evaluations.

Highly preferred experience includes:

Prior work on restrictive housing, whether as a scientist or practitioner.

Experience using quantitative and qualitative data in research inquiries, public presentations, scholarly articles, and other forums.

Experience leading and managing diverse teams of scientists and other program staff.

deliverables and other required products.

Lead Research Analyst (Key)

Performs research design, development, data collection, and analysis activities. Conducts key informant interviews, facilitates focus groups, and administers surveys, as required. Analyzes information from data collection activities, including analysis of documentation, statistical data, and qualitative information collected during the assessment.

Ph.D. in social or behavioral sciences, public health, or similar discipline.

A minimum of 7 years of work experience demonstrating ability to develop study protocols and procedures, collect data, conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis of data, write technical reports, and deliver presentations.

Experience as a scientist or practitioner in a correctional setting.

Knowledge of restrictive housing.

Study Site Coordinator(s)/Liaison(s)

Leads work with sites participating in the multi-site assessment. Assists in the development and management of study protocols conducted at multiple sites.

Oversees site recruitment and participation for the Project Director. Coordinates communication and updates between the Project Director/team and sites. Facilitates submissions by sites of required research items not limited to documentation and administrative data, as appropriate.

Coordinates scheduling of key informant interviews and other site research activities (e.g., surveys, focus groups).

Master's Degree in social or behavioral sciences, public policy or administration, public health, or similar discipline.

A minimum of 5 years of work experience demonstrating project management experience in efforts involving multiple practitioner partnerships and sites.

Knowledge of project management.

Experience conducting evaluations and/or research in a correctional setting.

Senior Scientist/Study Advisor

Provides technical advice on the study design and the application of qualitative and quantitative methods. Ensures proposed methods are appropriate and that analyses are performed accurately and completely. Performs complex

Master’s Degree (Ph.D. highly preferred) in statistics, social or behavioral sciences, or similar discipline.

A minimum of 10 years work experience leading and advising on quantitative and/or qualitative analyses, as needed.

Contributes to developing the final research report and other deliverables.

research design and the application of qualitative and quantitative methods within the social sciences.

Experience conducting evaluations and/or research in an institutional setting.

Experience advising and supervising research analysts.

Policy Analyst Contributes to the project design.

Collects and compiles information (e.g., through document review and interviews); analyzes legislation, administrative policy and procedure, and program materials;

identifies trends and relevant themes to support the development of recommendations for practitioner-focused and evidence-based policy. Works with others across the organizations to identify and solve a problem or achieve a common goal that is mutually beneficial.

Master’s Degree in social or behavioral sciences, public policy or administration, public health, economics, or similar discipline.

A minimum of 2 years’ experience demonstrating the ability to analyze policy and legislation, conduct document reviews, and deliver assessments of findings.

Experience assisting and conducting research and/or evaluation in institutional corrections and/or criminal justice settings.

Experience advising and developing criminal justice policy.

Research Assistant Performs library research on specified topics and synthesizes material as needed; processes data from various sources using statistical analysis software;

analyzes primary and secondary data using basic quantitative and/or qualitative methods; performs administrative tasks.

Bachelor’s Degree in social science or related discipline.

Experience assisting in the administration of research and/or evaluation projects.

Demonstrated knowledge of criminal justice research and methods, theory, and statistics.

Consultants Provides specialized expertise and support in one or more subject

Master’s Degree (Ph.D. highly preferred) with 3 years’ experience.

matter areas and project tasks.

Advises on study design and strategy and helps to resolve project issues. Reviews and contributes to deliverables, as required. Performs a variety of tasks that require both practical experience and theoretical, state-of-the-art, technical knowledge in specialty area. Understands overall purpose of the study and tasks.

Demonstrated expertise in restrictive housing and correctional intervention programs.

Experience conducting evaluations and/or research in an institutional setting.

Technical Writer/Editor Supports program activities related to writing, editing, and developing technical materials for publication.

Coordinates and tracks the composition, editing, and review of the final research report and other products.

Bachelor's Degree in English or relevant field, for example, linguistics.

A minimum of 5 years work experience related to writing and editing complex scientific and technical material.

Experience working with closely with researchers and subject‐matter specialists on written products.

Experience developing statistical tables, figures, and other presentations of analytical findings for publications.

Administrative Support Provides administrative, product assistant, and administrative oversight support. May provide secretarial, word processing, graphics, desktop publishing, and editing support.

High School Diploma, 5 years’ experience.

Experience preparing documents, coordinating calendars, organizing and maintaining information, and providing general project support.

Publication/Editorial Services

Supports multiple editorial initiatives. Manages document quality assurance and quality control procedures and works with staff to improve writing flow and layout.

Bachelor’s Degree with 5 years’ experience.

Experience planning and creating written materials, oversight of writing projects, reviewing written work for accuracy, content, readability, and making suggestions for improvement.

The Contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel without approval of the Contracting Officer. The Contractor may propose a substitution by notifying the Contracting Officer in writing at least thirty (30) days in advance of the proposed substitution, unless illness, death, or termination of employment necessitates the substitution. In such cases, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer as soon as possible after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required below.

The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall, prior to making any substitution permanent, demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer that the qualifications of the proposed substitute personnel are equal to or better than the qualifications of the personnel originally identified for the position. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on proposed substitutions.

4.2. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED MATERIALS

The government will provide information, material, and equipment for supporting the task when required. All Government unique information related to this requirement, which is necessary for contractor performance, will be made available to the Contractor. The COR will be the point of contact for identification of any required information to be supplied by the government.

4.3. QUALITY CONTROL PLAN

The Contractor shall prepare and adhere to a Quality Control Plan (QCP). The QCP shall document how the Contractor will meet and comply with the quality standards specified in the SOW and Performance Requirements Summary (see Section 5). At a minimum, the QCP must include a self-inspection plan, an internal staffing plan, and an outline of the procedures that the Contractor will use to maintain quality, timeliness, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and any other requirements set forth in this SOW.

4.4. DOCUMENTATION

Documents, data files, reports, correspondence, and all other documents and writings, together with any charts, graphs, tables, illustrations, photographs, images, and other illustrative, explanatory, historical documents related thereto or independent thereof, regardless of the medium (or media) by which they were produced, preserved, stored, or created in connection with or for purpose(s) of work performed under this SOW and contract, are property of the government and shall be delivered to the COR promptly, upon request.

The Contractor agrees to assume responsibility for protecting the confidentiality of Government records, which is not considered 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 purposes and to the extent authorized herein. The Contractor shall not release (e.g., posting information to a public website) any information related to this contract to the public, media, or other unauthorized persons or organizations unless the government has conducted the appropriate security review and granted written approval.

5. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Requirements Performance Standards Acceptable Quality Level Method of Surveillance

Provide support personnel to meet SOW requirements

All contractor personnel possess the skills needed to perform the required tasks and work products as specified in the SOW.

All contractor personnel possess the needed skills upon processing at OJP. (Note:

Clearance process may take up to three months.)

The Contractor's work products are suitable to support the full range of analysis as specified in the

SOW.

The Contractor's personnel are qualified and adept at presenting clear, concise, factual reports free from political conclusions or any judgment of individual(s).

COR review/ government personnel feedback

Submit a Monthly Status Report

The Monthly Status Report accurately reflects the progress and status of work assignments.

The report shall include:

accomplishments of the preceding month, planned activities for the following month, problems encountered and resolutions, and ongoing consultations and communications activities.

The Monthly Report is due by the 10th of every month. Should the 10th fall over a weekend or holiday, the report is due on the next business day. Reports are grammatically correct and professional in tone and presentation.

Deviation with COR or designee approval.

Draft documents contain minor typographical errors; Final documents are error-free.

COR review

Hours of Work/Workload Management

The Contractor ensures that sufficient staff is available during core business hours (i.e., 09:00 – 15:00 EST) to support assigned requirements. The Contractor shall ensure its personnel accomplish the assigned tasks within agreed-upon schedules and at an acceptable level of quality.

The Contractor ensures that sufficient staff is available during core business hours (09:00 – 15:00 EST) to proactively interact with clients and complete the requirements specified in the

SOW.

The contractor also ensures the COR is informed of developments with assigned actions.

COR review

Services and Deliverables

The Contractor provides the full range of services required to support the requirements addressed in Section 3 of the

SOW.

Deliverables are factual, well-written, 99% free of grammatical errors or misspellings, and free from political conclusions drawn by the analyst or any judgment of individual. Writing meets college Baccalaureate degree standards for English grammar, spelling, and

Random review of work products by the COR.

composition. Deliverables are accomplished by the due date/time specified in Section 6 of the SOW.

6. DELIVERABLES

Deliverables shall be submitted to the COR designated in the COR Appointment letter. All deliverables shall be submitted using Microsoft Office suite of tools (for example, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint), or Adobe PDF format, unless otherwise specified by the COR.

Electronic submission shall be made via email, unless otherwise agreed to by the COR.

The COR has the right to reject or require correction of any deficiencies found in the deliverables. In the event of a rejected deliverable, the Contractor will be notified in writing by the COR of the specific reasons for rejection. The following table specifies the deliverables for this requirement.

SOW

Reference

Deliverable Title Delivery Time Frequency

3.1 Kickoff Meeting Within two weeks

of Contract Award

Once

3.1 Revised Workplan and Timeline

Within two weeks of Kickoff Meeting

3.4 Outline of interim administrative

data analysis report

9 months from start date

3.4 Draft administrative data analysis

interim report

10 months from

3.4 Revised final administrative

interim data analysis report

12 months from

3.4 Outline of interim report on short-

term recommendations

20 months from

3.4 Draft interim report on short-term 22 months from Once

recommendations

3.4 Revised final interim report on

short-term recommendations

24 months from

3.4 Outline of comprehensive

recommendation report

26 months from

3.4 Outline of executive summary

describing assessment findings and recommendations

26 months from

3.4 Draft comprehensive

28 months from

3.4 Draft executive summary

28 months from

3.4 Revised final comprehensive

30 months from

3.4 Revised final executive summary

30 months from

3.4 PowerPoint/Webinar of study

findings (if requested and approved)

To be proposed by Contractor

3.5 Monthly Status Report

To be proposed by Contractor

Monthly

3.5 Monthly Meeting Notes

Within 3 business days of each meeting

Monthly

3.5 Human subjects research and

privacy documentation (Privacy Certificate and approved Institutional Review Board package)

Prior to initiating any research activities

Once (renewal annually, as required)

3.5 Information Clearance Request for

Office of Management and Budget

Prior to initiating any information collection

As applicable review and approval, as needed subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act

INFORMATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

In addition to addressing the items above, the response should also include the following information:

1. Vendor’s name, address, points of contact information, website, UEI, and cage code

2. Vendor’s current business designation and socioeconomic status

3. Vendor’s tailored capability statements explaining the complexity and amount of effort expected of this task and addressing the tasking areas of this requirement with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability.

4. Vendor’s Past Performance – Provide a list of previous contracts where similar services were provided. Provide customer/Government Agency contact information where these services were provided including: contact name and organization, telephone number, and email address.

5. Available Contract Vehicles that could be used for this requirement (i.e. GSA Schedules).

All responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to Mrs. Yolanda Brown, Contracts Specialist (Contractor), at Yolanda.Brown2@usdoj.gov.

The response to this notice is limited to 15 single sided pages (including all attachments, charts, etc.). Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. Interested vendors should monitor a government point of entry site for further information. Your firm’s response to this RFI is appreciated.

SUBMISSION TIME AND DATE

Interested businesses who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed services are invited to submit a response to this RFI Notice by responses to the information provided above are due no later than Friday, March 10, 2023, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Responses received after this date and time may not be considered.

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and shall NOT be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response.