4. Visa-Statement Of Work 20240520-Final.docx

Statement Of Work For Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Refugee, Asylum, International Operations Directorate (RAIO) Resource Management Branch (RMB) Travel Section Visa Processing Support

1.0 Project Title

Foreign Entry Visa Processing Support Contract

2.0 Scope

The Refugee, Asylum, International Operations Directorate (RAIO), Resource Management Branch (RMB), Travel Section serves as the international travel office for USCIS and processes official and diplomatic international travel requests in support of the USCIS mission and operations in various foreign areas, including:

· USCIS Refugee International Operations Field Offices (8 to 11 countries)

· Refugee Processing Circuit Rides (across more than 50 countries)

· Participation in International Working Groups including:

· Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration Asylum and Refugees (IGC)

· United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

· Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEC)

· Department of State Bureaus (Population Refugee and Migration, etc.)

3.0 Objectives

The Contractor shall provide visa support services to USCIS/RAIO Headquarters (HQ) located at 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20588. Services will include the pick-up of visa applications from the RAIO, RMB Travel Section, located at HQ and deliver these applications to any embassy, consulate, or the Department of State, or any Special Issuance Agency within the Washington Metropolitan area as defined Section 7.0. The contractor shall be responsible for items identified in Section 4 below.

4.0 Contractor Tasks/Requirements

Foreign Entry Visa Processing Support and Services

The requirements identified in this SOW will be performed in accordance with all USCIS policies, and any other local and national policies and procedures, created during the performance of this contract.

4.1 Foreign Entry Visa Processing Support and Services (Firm Fixed Price (FFP))

The Contractor shall perform all tasks necessary for, or incidental to, the receiving, processing, securing, and delivery of incoming and outgoing foreign visa applications for USCIS RAIO Travel. Contractors will process visa applications that will contain Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information, including visas, visa applications, and passports. The Contractor shall track all applications and maintain daily manifests. All applications will be first processed by USCIS RAIO Travel and then delivered to and/or picked up by the Contractor from the RAIO Travel Unit. Contractor will provide daily, weekly and monthly piece counts of all application types.

4.1.1 The contractor shall have a minimum of five years of working knowledge and expertise in visa processing, with at least three years of experience processing visas for Federal Agencies.

4.1.2 The contractor shall have five years of working experience working with the Department of State Special Issuance Agency (SIA), embassies, and consulates.

4.1.3 USCIS/RAIO estimates that the contractor will provide courier support services for at least 750 visas for foreign countries annually.

4.1.3.1. There may be an increase in total required visas therefore optional quantities of 50 visas per option will be required for a maximum of 950 visas per period of performance (POP).

Base Period and First Option Year CLIN Structure (example only):

Example: BASE:

CLIN 0001: 12 Months Passport and Visa Processing Services for RAIO Travel Unit.

CLIN 0002: 750 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 0003 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 0004 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 0005 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 0006 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

Example: OPTION YEAR 1:

CLIN 1001: 12 Months Passport and Visa Processing Services for RAIO Travel Unit.

CLIN 1002: 750 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 1003 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 1004 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 1005 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

CLIN 1006 (Option): 50 each visa processing fees.

4.1.4 The Contractor shall communicate visa timelines and visa application requirements to USCIS/RAIO prior to the submission of all visa requests.

4.1.5. The contractor shall transport passports and visa applications in a secured heavy duty zippered pouch or lockable case to ensure the confidentiality of its contents. The contents shall be sufficiently sealed to prevent inadvertent opening and sealed in a manner that signs of tampering will be easily visible. (Privacy Incident Handling Guidance, DHS Instruction Guide 047-01-008; Published by the DHS Privacy Office December 4, 2017).

4.1.6 The contractor shall provide the government website address for travelers to obtain foreign visa applications and related forms.

4.1.7 The contractor shall maintain up-to-date visa requirements for all countries and shall prepare all correspondence for the Government’s review and signature required for obtaining a foreign visa.

4.1.8 The contractor shall ensure delivery of complete visa applications to the appropriate embassy or consulate.

4.1.9 The contractor shall provide expedited (1-2 business days) visa services when the purpose of travel is of an urgent business matter, where the travel requirement could not be predicted in advance. USCIS/RAIO will provide the Contractor correspondence attesting to the urgency of the planned visit, describing the nature of the business, and explaining why the applicant’s presence is essential.

4.1.10 The contractor shall pick up and deliver the visa applications from the USCIS Headquarters location – RAIO Travel Section (5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20529) daily (Monday – Friday) between the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, except for Federal holidays and facility closures. If this facility is closed on a non-federal holiday the contractor will be notified via email within 24 hours by the COR or the Government Program Manager.

4.1.11 The contractor shall ensure USCIS/RAIO representatives are informed within 1-2 business days of changes to all policies and process implemented by the embassies and consulates for foreign entry visas.

4.1.12 The contractor shall provide USCIS/RAIO representatives with reports for visa metrics, billing data, and other pertinent information concerning the processing of visa application packages as outlined in section 13.0. This includes monitoring and validating quarterly reports, cross-checking these reports with the USCIS detailed spreadsheet log of all visa actions (Attachment A).

4.1.13 The contractor shall provide USCIS/ RAIO Travel Section with restricted access to an internal automated/online visa tracking system to get up-to-date statuses on visa requests.

4.1.14 USCIS/RAIO will hold monthly meetings with the Contractor to discuss contract performance new procedures, and any problems, as outlined in section 15.0 below.

4.1.15 The contractor will be responsible for the cost of lost travel documents (such as visas and passports) and this cost will be credited to the monthly invoice at the rate of $158 per passport book for FY 2024. Rate may change and is dependent upon the annual cost set by the Special Issuance Agency for USCIS/RAIO. If rate changes are required, a contract modification will be issued.

4.1.16 The contractor shall monitor and safeguard all documents, such as visa applications and passports, and must obtain a GSA approved security container IAW 32 CFR, Part 2001.43(b) for visas, visa applications, passports, and other documents and packages up to the point of delivery.

4.1.17 USCIS/RAIO may request the Contractor to send a visa and/or passport directly to an USCIS employee by an overnight parcel carrier instead of delivering that visa to USCIS Headquarters. The DHS/USCIS RAIO Travel POC will provide the contractor with the UPS/FedEx shipping label, to deliver to the carrier to ship the visa and/or passport directly to the employee.

4.1.18 The contractor shall provide a daily email to USCIS/RAIO Travel POC and the COR indicating when visa applications are drop-off and pickup from DOS, the embassies, or consulates to USCIS/RAIO Travel Section representatives.

5.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance will consist of one (1), 12-Month base period plus an additional four (4) 12-Month option periods, which may be exercised at the sole discretion of the Government.

6.0 DELIVERABLES

Deliverable Table

7.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The principal place of performance for this contract shall be the United States Citizenship Immigration Services, 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20588. Additional locations where services will be provided include any embassy, consulate, or the Department of State, or any Special Issuance Agency within the National Capital Region.

8.0 HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday through Friday (8:30AM – 4:30pm), excepting Federal government holidays and during times of office closures. The contractor will be notified of any office closures via email by the COR or Government Program Manager. The contractor will not be required to work weekends or holidays.

9.0 GOVERNMENT HOLIDAYS

All Government offices will be closed for Legal Federal Holidays, any day specifically declared by an Executive Order from the President of the United States of America as a national holiday, or when the Office of Personnel Management closes federal offices in the National Capital Region.

When such holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday will be considered a holiday. When such holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be considered a holiday. Changes to the schedule of holidays shall be provided to the Contract Program Manager via email from the COR or Government Program Manager.

10.0 IDENTIFICATION OF CONTRACT EMPLOYEES

All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, using Government e-mail, 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 email correspondence, documents, or reports produced by Contractors are suitably marked as Contractor products or that Contractor participation is appropriately disclosed. Contractor personnel will be provided with building access passes which must be visible at all times, but these building access passes do not necessarily differentiate between federal and Contractor employees.

Within 24 hours, the Contractor shall return any expired USCIS issued identification cards and building passes, or those of departed employees.

11.0 BADGING (as applicable)

USCIS requires all Contractor employees be designated differently than USCIS employees. This may be accomplished via a different style or color ID badge provided by USCIS. ID badges are to be worn, conspicuously at all times while contract employees are on site at USCIS facilities. Should a badge be lost, damaged, or destroyed, the Contractor shall notify the local office COR immediately upon discovery of the loss so that the badge can be replaced by the Government.

12.0 CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE TERMINATION/POSITION VACANCIES

In the event the Contractor terminates associated contract employees, or any contract employee resigns, the Contractor is obligated to inform the COR, in writing, within one business day of the of Contractor’s knowledge of an impending termination/resignation.

The Contractor shall notify the COR of position vacancies within one business day of Contractor’s knowledge of an impending vacancy and provide a plan for immediate workload transition. The Contractor shall submit to the COR, a completed and accurate suitability clearance package for the replacement no later than 20 business days from the date the Contractor receives notice of a vacancy. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this SOW when the Government facility is not closed for the reasons listed below in section 9.0.

13.0 Status Reports

The Contractor shall submit an electronic copy of the monthly and quarterly status report to the COR(s) by the 10th calendar day following the end of each month for review, processing, and acceptance. The report shall provide the following information:

A. Heading

a. Contract Number

b. Name of Contractor

c. Name and phone number of Contractor Program Manager

d. Period of Performance

e. Total Dollar Value; and

f. Title of Project B. Management Summary

a. Any major problems or issues and any significant progress or events by task.

C. Staffing Table

a. Name of individual in each position

b. Labor category of person occupying each position

c. Date each individual was assigned to their position; and

d. Annotation of any changes in staffing, the date a position became vacant, and the date the complete security package was submitted to the COR(s).

D. Description of Work Performed during the reporting period, including the following:

a. Number of visa applications

b. Number of deliveries

c. Number of embassies delivered to

d. Number of applications held overnight; and

e. Number of applications unable to be delivered

14.0 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN (PMP)

The Contractor shall deliver a PMP containing the following sections within 30 calendar days after award of the contract.

The Contractor shall maintain and update the PMP to ensure that it reflects any:

The Contractor shall notify the COR and CO of any changes to the Project Management Plan within five calendar days of the change. This notification shall be submitted, in writing, via e-mail.

15.0 POST AWARD CONFERENCE / MEETING

The Contractor shall meet with the Government no later than ten (10) calendar days after award. The date and time will be determined by the Contracting Officer. The purpose of the meeting will be to identify primary points of contact, discuss scope, tasks, invoicing, and understanding of the technical approach. The Contractor shall prepare and submit a written report of the Post Award Conference within five (5) calendar days that outlines the understanding of the requirements.

16.0 CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

The COR and the Government Program Manager (PM) will evaluate the manner in which the Contractor performs in accordance with the SOW requirements. The Contractor shall meet with the COR, Program Manager, and the designated RAIO Travel Unit POC (either virtually via Microsoft Teams or in person) on or before the 20th calendar day of each month to review and discuss:

A. Overall Contractor activities and performance B. Compliance with performance requirements and deliverables C. Identification of issues that could impact (positively or negatively) the mail and file room operation support.

Attendees to the meeting should include the Contractor Program Manager, COR, Government Program Manager, and the RAIO Travel Unit POC. The CO may participate in these monthly progress meetings. Representatives from the contract office may be invited to participate in these meetings as well. Meetings will be scheduled for approximately one hour. USCIS will monitor, track, assess, and report on project progress based on:

A. Timely submission of each deliverable B. Quality and completeness of each deliverable C. Compliance with the requirements of each task D. Cooperation and professionalism of contract employees

USCIS reserves the right to assess any work product or services, to use that assessment as input into the Contractor's performance evaluation, and to determine whether to exercise available option periods.