A17_A1_PWS.docx

Performance Work Statement

CHILDCARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FOR THE

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGOUND

The Office of Human Resources manages the Agency’s Childcare Subsidy Program in support of applicable Agency employees. On November 12, 2001, the President signed H.R. 2590 entitled, "Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act" into Public Law 107-67 which includes permanent legislation authorizing the use of appropriated funds by executive agencies to provide childcare services for federal civilian employees. This legislation provides agencies with the authority to use appropriated funds to improve the affordability of childcare for lower income Federal employees using or seeking to use childcare services. Tuition assistance can reduce the amount of tuition parents pay for childcare by providing subsidies directly to the childcare provider. To be eligible to participate, a childcare provider must be a family childcare home or childcare center. Both types of care must be licensed and/ or regulated by the state and/ or local authorities where the service is provided.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is committed to providing childcare subsidies for lower income federal employees. The program is consistent with P.L 107-67 and 5 CFR Part 792.

1.2 PURPOSE

The purpose of this procurement is to award a contract for the administration of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Childcare Subsidy Program which includes the disbursement of payments to licensed childcare providers who have provided childcare services for approved employees in the program.

1.3 SCOPE

The scope of this requirement includes providing Childcare Subsidy Program administration and related support services. The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, and equipment required to disburse funds to licensed childcare providers who have provided childcare services to NLRB approved employees participating in the Childcare Subsidy Program. The Contractor shall submit quarterly invoices to the NLRB to receive funds for disbursement to the licensed childcare providers. Funds for the Contractor to provide childcare subsidy to licensed childcare providers for approved employees will be paid to the Contractor in advance of three months as outlined below under “Deliverables”.

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. 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 the NLRB 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 constitute personal services, it shall be the contractor's responsibility to notify the Contracting Officer immediately.

2.2. BUSINESS RELATIONS

The contractor shall successfully integrate and coordinate all activity 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 NLRB Headquarters and the contractor's corporate offices.

2.4. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

The contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to effectively administer this contract. 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 time keeping records of personnel assigned to work on this requirement.

2.5. 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 match personnel skills to the work or task with a minimum of under/over employment of resources. The Contractor shall provide the necessary resources and infrastructure to manage, perform, and administer the contract.

2.6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The performance period will be one 12-month base period, plus four 12-month option periods. The estimated award effective date is October 1, 2018.

2.7. LOCATION OF WORK

Work will be performed at the contractor’s location. The contractor may be required to attend meetings at NLRB Headquarters in Washington, DC.

3. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

The following section specifies the Performance Objectives and Performance Elements for the contract:

· Perform all administrative tasks associated with the Childcare Subsidy Program;

· Process tuition assistance applications and make a determination of eligibility and the amount of tuition assistance based on the tuition assistance determined by the Childcare Subsidy Program.

· Issue written acknowledgement of receipt, and approval or disapproval of acceptance into the program to employees.

· Provide the reasons for any denials that may occur and report denials at the same time an employee is notified of such denial;

· Obtain appropriate tax income information annually from existing participants sufficient to recertify the participants' continuing eligibility to receive subsidies.

· Notify employees in writing of their approval or disapproval of program acceptance. If approved, notify the parents and the childcare provider of the amount of the tuition assistance that each family will receive and the effective dates;

· Notify NLRB Program Coordinator in writing (within 10 calendar days of the employee's removal) when any participant is removed, voluntarily, or involuntarily from the program;

· Ensure that the childcare provider is licensed and/or regulated by the State and/or local authorities where the service is provided.

· Ensure that licensed childcare providers understand that if, for whatever reason, the provider is no longer licensed and/or regulated by the state and/or local authorities, the provider will immediately notify the Contractor (the administrator of the Childcare Subsidy Program) and employee whose child is enrolled in the childcare program. In such cases, the provider will no longer be permitted to receive the funds;

· Receive monthly invoices for the tuition assistance amounts from the childcare providers; verify that services were received; and provide payments based on the invoiced amount no later than 30 days from the date of the invoice.

· The Contractor will pay the tuition assistance directly to the childcare provider, and not to the federal employee. The Contractor shall adhere to the following:

· Ensure that the childcare provider submits a written invoice, on a monthly basis, to the Contractor. Both the childcare provider and the parent must certify on the invoice that the services were provided;

· Tuition assistance will be quoted in weekly expense amounts and the invoices must be prepared using full week amounts unless services for the child end during a particular week;

· Submit quarterly invoices which shall reflect the estimated total amount required to fund the Childcare Subsidy Program to pay for the childcare. Invoices shall be submitted in advance to allow the Agency to ensure that funds are provided timely to the Contractor prior to services being provided;

· Upon receipt of funding, distribute payments to licensed childcare providers who have provided services as required;

· Obtain new income eligibility guidelines (as applicable) from the NLRB Program Coordinator by January of each calendar year and apply the new income eligibility guidelines as soon as they become effective;

· Maintain copies of all employee documentation that shall be made available upon request to the Agency.

· Maintain confidentiality of all of the information contained in the Childcare Subsidy Program applications; and,

· Administer program in accordance with the following guidelines:

· All full-time and regular part-time employees with Total Family Incomes within the schedule are eligible to participate. The benefit will be available to subsidize childcare expenses of the children, from birth through age 13, and disabled children through age 18, of Agency employees;

· "Child" is defined in 5. C.F.R. 792.215;

· "Disabled child" is defined in 5 C.F.R. 792.217;

· Children who are enrolled in year-round programs, school year programs, summer care programs, and part-time programs are eligible;

· The benefit will be available to subsidize childcare expenses of children of eligible employees who are enrolled in federally-sponsored childcare centers, non-federal childcare centers, and care in family childcare homes. The childcare provider must be licensed and/ or regulated by the state and / or local regulating authorities in the area of the childcares services. Agency payments for employees' childcare expenses may be made only to such licensed childcare providers, rather than directly to employees;

· When more than one parent works for the federal government, childcare tuition assistance cannot be awarded for the child / children by more than one federal agency;

· To obtain the subsidy, employees will submit a completed Childcare Tuition Assistance Application Form (OPM Form 1643) and submit the following documents with the application to the Contractor:

· Leave and Earnings Statement for the most recent 2 pay periods for each parent or guardian;

· A copy of the most recent federal and state income tax returns;

· Written acknowledgement of receipt and approval, or disapproval, of acceptance into the program will be issued to employees. Denial letters will state the reason for such denial;

· A completed Childcare Provider Information form (OPM Form 1644), which includes appropriate license information or a statement of compliance with state and/ or local childcare regulations. License/compliance information will be needed for each child receiving a subsidy;

· The employee and childcare provider must certify monthly that childcare services were rendered. The Agency will provide appropriate forms for this purpose;

· The childcare provider must submit an invoice for payment to the Contractor based on information name and address as provided by the Contractor. All childcare provider invoices shall include:

· Name of the childcare provider

· Address of the childcare provider

· License number

· Date of invoice

· Service Dates

· Child’s name

· Total Invoice Amount

· The subsidy will be based on Total Family Income as follows:

· Total Family Income" is the current combined income of both of the child's parents/ guardians (listed on their IRS tax forms as Adjusted Gross Income), reduced by any current state and/ or local childcare subsidy the parents / guardians currently receive;

· The Agency's payment will be offset by current childcare assistance amounts received by the child's parents or guardians from local, state, or federal government sources. The subsidy may not exceed the actual amount of the employee's childcare expenses.

Historical program data:

4.

DELIVERABLES

4.1 INVOICES

The contractor shall submit quarterly invoices in accordance with the below schedule:

· January 10th for the period of October - December

· April 10th for the period of January – March

· July 10th for the period of April – June

· October 10th for the period of July – September

To constitute a proper invoice, the invoice must include the following information and/or attached documentation:

(1) Name and address of the contractor

(2) Date of invoice

(3) Unique Vendor Invoice Number

(4) Remittance Contact Information

(5) Shipping Terms, Ship to Address

(6) Payment Terms

(7) Total Invoice Amount

(8) Description of the services rendered for each CLIN

(9) The name and DUNS of the contractor on the invoice must match the information indicated on the award for proper payment.

4.2 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

4.2.1. Monthly Reports

The Contractor shall provide monthly status reports on the Childcare Subsidy Program to the NLRB COR or Agency Program Contact by the 10th of each month for the previous month’s activity. The following information will be included in the monthly report:

· The number of employees who qualified for tuition assistance, name of the employee, grade level, adjusted gross income, the number of children enrolled for each employee, the age of the child, as a result of receiving subsidy;

· The approved employee’s name, child’s name, amount of tuition assistance each recipient is qualified to receive, and the amount dispersed to the childcare provider, and;

· The name and location of childcare providers receiving funds for tuition assistance

4.2.2. Quarterly Reports

The Contractor shall provide a quarterly report to accompany the quarterly invoice based on the aforementioned quarterly schedule. The following information will be included in the quarterly report:

· The amount of funding received from the Agency;

· The remaining balance of the Agency's funds;

· The amount of funding needed for the next quarter to cover projected disbursements and administrative fees;

· A summary of the number of applications received and indicate the status as pending, rejected, and approved during the quarter.

4.2.3. Annual Reports

The Contractor shall provide an annual summary report for tax purposes by January 31st for the previous tax year. The annual report will include the name of each employee, the employee’s social security number, and the total amount of tuition assistance received by the employee's childcare provider.

All deliverables must be provided in PDF format, password protected to protect Personal Identifiable Information (PII), and sent electronically.

4.2.4. Deliverable Schedule

Monthly Report

April 10th for the period of January – March

July 10th for the period of April – June

October 10th for the period of July – September Program Coordinator and COR

Annual Report

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