3_2 SOW Final.docx

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS)

U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) FOR

VENUE RENTAL TO HOST QUARTERLY NATURALIZATION CEREMONY

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 BACKGROUND

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is an administrative federal agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. The agency is a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

USCIS is responsible to administer and determine the eligibility of individuals who wish to become U.S. citizens through the naturalization process. Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). If approved, USCIS will schedule the individuals to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America at an administrative naturalization ceremony.

The agency has multiple field offices nation-wide which process the applications of individuals who wish to become U.S. citizens. Portland Field Office (POO) is a component of USCIS. The office is located at 1455 NW Overton St. Portland, OR 97209 and has jurisdiction in Southwest Washington and all of Oregon

1.2 SCOPE

The Portland Field Office serves a diversified population of the State of Oregon. Each month, the field office naturalizes approximately 500 individuals at the naturalization ceremony. It is the Portland Field Office’s goal to conduct the naturalization ceremony to preserve the importance, dignity, and solemnity of the occasion. The scope of this goal includes all aspects of a standard administrative naturalization ceremony program:

· Play “Faces of America;”

· Play the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, instrumental or vocal version;

· Deliver opening (welcome) remarks by Master of Ceremonies—a USCIS federal employee;

· Announce the “call of countries;”

· Administer the Oath of Allegiance to the naturalization candidates;

· Deliver keynote remarks (USCIS leadership or guest speaker);

· Play Presidential, DHS Secretary’s, or Director of USCIS’ congratulatory remarks;

· Recite the Pledge of Allegiance;

· Deliver concluding remarks (Master of Ceremonies or USCIS field leadership); and

· Present the Certificate of Naturalization by USCIS officers.

**The Contractor is not responsible for the development of a standard administrative naturalization ceremony program; conducting the program; videotaping the ceremony, or providing the printed materials and publications used during the ceremony:

· U.S. Citizenship Welcome Packet (including the President’s Congratulatory Letter);

· American flags;

· Citizen’s Almanac;

· Pocket-size Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States.

1.3 OBJECTIVE

Portland Field Office is committed to elevating the importance of the naturalization ceremony’s venue to recognize the rights, responsibilities, and importance of citizenship and provide access to services for new citizens. The naturalization ceremony is the culmination of the naturalization process. Portland Field Office aims to make administrative naturalization ceremonies positive and memorable moments in the lives of the participants. Portland Field Office honors the Oath of Allegiance with policies and practices that reflect the importance of the occasion.

The Portland Field Office is seeking quotations from a venue that has the capacity to host up to 1500 individuals, including USCIS personnel, for its once a quarter administrative naturalization ceremony. The Portland Field Office prefers to conduct the naturalization ceremony in one single event, without splitting the ceremony into multiple events, on the same date to accommodate the capacity above.

Additionally, this venue shall have the ability to provide and/or house lighting system, audiovisual system, and sound system. The venue shall be located within a 20-mile radius from the Portland Field Office located at 1455 NW Overton St #1, Portland, OR 97209.

Accessibility: The venue shall have either onsite parking spaces available; have parking lots/garages within a quarter mile of the venue; and/or be within a two-block radius of mass transit (bus, train).

Affiliation: USCIS strives to create an atmosphere of neutrality and inclusion at our Naturalization Ceremonies. Venues with religious or political affiliations or are associated with organizations practicing immigration law or involved in immigration legislation will not be considered.

Capacity: To allow new citizens and their guests to fully participate in the ceremony, separate viewing areas/rooms will not be considered in order to reach the requested capacity of 1500 attendees.

2.0 GOVERNMENT TERMS & DEFINITIONS

2.1 CO – Contracting Officer

2.2 COR – Contracting Officer’s Representative

2.3 DHS – Department of Homeland Security

2.4 USCIS – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

2.5 POO – Portland Field Office

2.6 SOW – Statement of Work

2.7 INA – Immigration and Nationality Act

3.0 APPLICABLE CONDITIONS

3.1 PROTECTION OF INFORMATION

Contractor access to unclassified and/or classified information is not currently required under this SOW. However, the Contractor and all employees shall make all possible effort to safeguard the government information against unauthorized disclosure or dissemination.

If applicable, Contractors will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

If the contractor inadvertently encounters unclassified and/or classified information, they will immediately report the discovered material to the CO and/or COR immediately and secure the material until the CO/COR retrieves the information. When reporting the incident, it should include the following:

The Contractor must provide a written report to USCIS immediately (within two hours) of discovering the information:

a. Narrative, detailed description of the events surrounding the suspected loss/compromise.

b. Date, time, and location of the incident.

c. Type of information compromised.

d. Contractor's assessment of the likelihood that the information was compromised or lost and the reasons behind the assessment.

e. Names of person(s) involved, including victim, Contractor employee/sub-Contractor and any witnesses.

3.2 DOCUMENT FORMAT

The Contractor shall provide all written reports, important communications, invoices, and receipts in electronic format using applications that are compatible with USCIS workstations (Window XP, Window 10, Microsoft Office applications, Adobe PDF).

3.3 HEALTH & SAFETY

During the COVID-19 pandemic, USCIS will strictly adhere to all local and state health guidelines and requirements. All USCIS personnel, naturalization candidates, and their guests will wear face mask when accessing the Contractor’s facilities. Any person without a face mask shall not be admitted into naturalization ceremony. This requirement also applies to all Contractor personnel whenever applicable. At the ceremony, USCIS will require all naturalization candidates and their guests to maintain at least 6 feet social distance at all times, unless they are from the same household.

The Contractor shall be responsible to provide supplies (i.e. masking tape, floor stickers, etc.) to assist with social distancing requirement. Additionally, the Contractor shall make hand sanitizers and/or washing stations with hand soap available to USCIS personnel and its guests during the ceremony.

3.4 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The primary place of performance will be the Contractor’s facility where the naturalization ceremony will be held.

Due to the average weather in the area, Portland Field Office prefers to host its administrative naturalization ceremony indoors, with a large space to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Thus, this SOW is written for an indoor ceremony. All terms and conditions, as outlined in this SOW, shall be applied to any proposal for an indoor ceremony.

3.5 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this contract is a total of twelve (12) months from the start of the contract.

The duration of the ceremony is estimated to last approximately five (5) hours which also accounts for ceremony check-in process, distribution of ceremony materials, and preparation of the ceremony program. The venue shall be accessible to USCIS personnel on the day of the naturalization ceremony, at minimum, from 6:00 AM PST to 12:00 PM PST, in order to set up and close out the ceremony program.

Portland Field Office will provide the Contractor with three (3) preferred dates for each Quarter. The dates to be tentatively scheduled. The Contractor shall make all effort to secure the first option whenever possible. If the date needs to be changed after the contract is awarded, it shall be mutually agreed upon between USCIS field leadership and the Contractor. Additionally, the Contractor shall not schedule any conventions or conferences in conjunction with the ongoing naturalization ceremony.

Thursday March 31, 2022

Thursday June 17, 2022

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Thursday December 15, 2022

March 17, 2022

June 31, 2022

September 29, 2022

December 22, 2022 April 14, 2022

July 28, 2022

October 20, 2022

December 29, 2022

3.6 TRAVEL

Contractor travel shall not be required for the requirements under this SOW.

4.0 PERSONNEL

4.1 USCIS PERSONNEL

Only USCIS officers shall perform the ceremony check-in process before the start of the ceremony. Additionally, only USCIS leadership and officers may present the Certificates of Naturalization to the naturalized U.S. citizens. Portland Field Office shall determine the ceremony program, including the order of events, the order of speakers, and the seating arrangement of the speakers on stage.

4.2 CONTRACTOR PROJECT MANAGER

The Contractor shall provide a Project Manager who shall be responsible for all Contractor work performed under this SOW. The Project Manager shall be a single point of contact for the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The name, email and phone number of the Project Manager, and the name(s) of any alternate(s) who shall act for the Contractor in the absence of the Project Manager, shall be provided to the USCIS as part of the Contractor's proposal. The Project Manager is further designated as Key by the Government.

During any absence of the Project Manager, only one alternate shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to work performed under this contract. The Project Manager and all designated alternates shall be able to read, write, speak and understand English.

Additionally, the Contractor shall not replace the Project Manager without prior notification and approval from the Contracting Officer.

The Project Manager shall be available to the COR via telephone and/or email between the business hours of 8:00 and 17:00 PST, Monday through Friday, and shall respond to a request for discussion or resolution of technical problems within four (4) hours of notification.

4.3 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel to perform all requirements specified in this SOW.

The Contractor shall ensure that the contractually required level of staffing for this requirement is always maintained. The Contractor shall ensure that all contract support personnel are present for all required hours of the workday. If for any reason the Contractor staffing levels are not maintained due to vacation, leave, appointments, etc., and replacement personnel will not be provided, the Contractor shall provide e-mail notification to the COR prior to employee absence. Otherwise, the Contractor shall provide a fully qualified replacement.

The Contractor shall ensure Contractor employees always present a professional appearance and that their conduct shall not reflect discredit on the United States or the Department of Homeland Security or Citizenship and Immigration Services.

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS

5.1 TASK ONE – AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEM / SOUND SYSTEM / LIGHTING SYSTEM

The Contractor shall have capability to provide audio-visual equipment, sound system, lighting system, and any relatable services to enhance the ceremony program with video and musical elements. The Contractor is responsible to set up the stage, video screen, podium with microphone, headset with microphone, sound system, a CD player hooked up to the sound system, and up to two (2) additional free-standing microphones.

5.2 TASK TWO – SEATING

Contractor shall be responsible to provide seating for up to 1500 capacity, which includes naturalization candidates, their guests, and USCIS personnel. This requirement may be temporarily waived by the COR in order to adhere to all State of Oregon mandates and public health guidelines related to COVID-19 pandemic.

As a substitution, the Contractor shall be responsible to provide masking tape or adhesive stickers to assist with social distancing requirement. Before each scheduled ceremony date, the Contractor shall consult with COR to finalize the seating / standing layout prior to setting up.

5.3 TASK THREE – TABLES & STANCHIONS

The Contractor shall be responsible to provide eleven (11) 6 ft. rectangular tables for USCIS personnel to conduct the check-in process. Additionally, the Contractor shall be responsible to provide at least 25 crowd control stanchions with retractable belts.

5.4 TASK FOUR – EARLY ACCESS TO THE VENUE

The Contractor shall grant early access to the venue to the USCIS personnel. USCIS employees will provide proper identification when requesting access to the Contractor’s venue. Generally, USCIS personnel will need access to the venue 2 hours before the start of the naturalization to drop off ceremony supplies and set-up.

5.5 TASK FIVE – HOUSE STAFF

The Contractor shall provide sufficient house staff to assist USCIS personnel with crowd control and help directing the attendees and their guests around the venue.

5.6 TASK SIX – SECURED SPACE

The Contractor shall provide a secured space (e.g. room with lock capability) for the USCIS personnel to drop off ceremony supplies (i.e. pens, staplers, markers, etc.) on the day before the scheduled ceremony.

USCIS personnel shall not store secured forms (i.e. Naturalization Certificates, green cards, etc.) or sensitive properties (i.e. adjudication stamps, dry impression seals, etc.) in this space.

5.7 TASK SEVEN – SIGN DISPLAY

The Contractor shall allow USCIS personnel to post paper signs around the venue to help directing the crowd whenever deemed necessary. USCIS personnel will remove the signs after the conclusion of the naturalization ceremony.

5.8 TASK EIGHT – Public Safety and Other Event Services

The Contractor shall coordinate the any necessary permits such as a Fire Permit for each events

6.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY

The Contractor shall furnish all facilities, materials, equipment and services necessary to fulfill the requirements of this contract.