693JJ925RQ000408_DRAFT SOW Acquisition MGMT Support Services.pdf

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/ SPECIFICATIONS/ STATEMENT OF WORK- DRAFT

C.1 BACKGROUND

The mission of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is to reduce the number of injuries and deaths, as well as the economic loss due to motor vehicle crashes on our nation’s roads. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (NFO-010) supports this mission through its Offices of Acquisition Management (NFO-300), Budget (NFO-100), and Financial Management (NFO-200). Although not a part of the NFO structure, the Office of Administrative and Management Services (NAD-100) also provides direct support to NHTSA’s organization.

The Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) supports NHTSA’s mission by providing contracting services to fulfill the programmatic and administrative needs of the Agency. OAM performs contracting activities in compliance with applicable regulations (Federal Acquisition Regulation, Transportation Acquisition Regulation), laws, statutes, and policies while implementing Federal acquisition best practices and socioeconomic objectives. NHTSA’s contract types include Firm Fixed Price, Cost Reimbursement, Time and Materials and Labor Hour. In addition to contracts, OAM awards discretionary financial assistance (grants and cooperative agreements). By doing so, NHTSA is able to promote and support traffic safety missions of state and local governments, educational institutions, for-profit and non-profit organizations. Award and administration of financial assistance is conducted in accordance with applicable OMB Circulars and the Code of Federal Regulations. In Fiscal Year 2024, NHTSA OAM awarded 752 actions totaling approximately $335.4 million. Approximately 24% of those awards were for new contracts, orders, and financial assistance, and 76% were modifications.

C.2 SCOPE OF WORK

Under this Labor Hour contract, the Contractor shall provide professional services in support of NHTSA’s Office of Acquisition Management in accordance with the Specific Requirements specified in Section C.3 below and other sections of this contract.

The services provided in this Contract are not and shall not be performed in a manner which would result in a personal services contract.

Since the duties performed and decisions made by the NHTSA Office supported by this Task Order are inherently governmental in nature, the Contractor’s duties are therefore considered to be closely associated with inherently governmental functions.* However, the Contractor shall not perform any function considered to be inherently governmental in nature and contract responsibilities are considered assistance-based for the NHTSA office involved.

*An “inherently governmental function” is defined in FAR 2.101 as a function that is so intertwined with the public’s interest that it requires performance by government personnel. FAR

7.5 sets forth the federal policy on inherently governmental functions as it relates to contracts.

C.3 SPECIFIC TASKS

Note: Throughout this Section C.3 and other Sections of this Contract, the term “Government Customer” is used. For the purpose of this Contract, the “Government Customer” is the government employee serving as the Office Director or Team Lead to whom the Contractor is providing support on a day to day basis. The Government Customer may be someone other than the Contract’s Contracting Officer, COR or Alternate COR (ACOR). However, although the Government Customer is provided with some limited authority to approve some deviations to this Contract’s terms (e.g., short-term deviations to work schedules), the Contractor is responsible for notifying the CO, COR or ACOR (as appropriate) whenever these limited authority deviations are requested.

C.3.1 SUPPORT TO THE OFFICE OF ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT (OAM)

C.3.1.1 New Procurements and Agreements

New procurements and agreements are requirements that will result in the execution of contracts, task orders, delivery orders, purchase orders, cooperative agreements, grants, or inter/intra-agency agreements. It excludes all actions that will result in modifications to the preceding instruments. NHTSA programs and offices initiate procurements by submitting Procurement Request (PR) packages to OAM. PR packages include:

• Completed OAM-prescribed procurement action forms.

• Complete description or specifications for required services or products.

• Independent government cost estimates.

• Market research reports.

• Acquisition plans.

• Documentation of required internal reviews.

• Evaluation and source selection criteria.

• Certification of availability of sufficient funds; and

• Other documentation that might be required by federal regulations and agency policies.

C.3.1.2 Procurement Planning and Documentation

The Contractor shall be proactive in providing assistance to requesting programs and offices to ensure that PRs are complete and adequate for acceptance by OAM. The Contractor may be required to provide:

• Relevant historical procurement information and current market/industry information.

• Advice on the impact on requirements of applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Assistance in conducting and documenting market research activities.

• Assistance in developing independent cost estimates.

• Samples or templates of required documentation.

• Writing assistance in the preparation of Statements of Work, Performance Work Statements, Statements of Objectives, and other documents.

• Advice on appropriate acquisition strategies and other elements of acquisition planning, including assessments of alternatives and risks and consideration of sourcing priorities.

• Advice on establishing procurement milestones.

• Assistance with development of quality assurance surveillance plans.

• Assistance with obtaining requisite reviews and approvals; and

• Assistance with briefings to high-level DOT officials.

C.3.1.3 Solicitation and Evaluation of Offers or Quotes

The Contractor shall perform pre-award functions as stated in this Section.

C.3.1.3.1 Activities Preceding Receipt of Offers or Quotes

a) Developing appropriate solicitation and associated supporting documents (i.e., Requests for Proposals, Requests for Quotes, Combined Synopsis/Solicitations, Request for Applications).

b) Assembling, tabbing, and indexing contract files.

c) Submitting pre-solicitation and solicitation notices to the Government

Customer for approval prior to publicizing those notices on SAM.gov, GSA eBuy, Grants.gov or other approved methods.

d) Submitting to the Government Customer all offering letters and associated documentation for requirements that are intended to be procured under the Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development Program and facilitating communication with the Small Business Administration.

e) Interfacing and facilitating communication with servicing agencies, as necessary, whenever requirements will be procured using government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs).

f) Assisting with the preparation and review of proposal/quote evaluation plans.

g) Obtaining appropriate reviews, concurrences, and approvals of solicitation packages.

h) Coordinating and facilitating communication with the vendor community.

i) Assisting with pre-proposal conferences and other meetings.

j) Providing guidance and instructions to evaluators.

k) Providing updated status to Program Office CORs on the progress of their requirements.

l) Ensuring all work products are submitted for review in final form (e.g., correctly formatted, free of grammatical and spelling errors, etc.).

The goal of subtask C.3.1.3.1 is to help ensure that the solicitation process for contracts and financial assistance meets all Federal and Departmental requirements.

C.3.1.3.2 Activities Following Receipt of Offers or Quotes

a) Providing assistance for controlling communications with the vendor community.

b) Assisting the program office with the evaluation of technical and cost portions of offerors’ proposals.

c) Performing analyses of business elements and pricing information of offers and quotes, identifying negotiation objectives, assisting with discussions and negotiations, and documenting findings and results.

d) Preparing pre-negotiation and award summaries.

e) Obtaining appropriate reviews, concurrences, and approvals of award packages.

f) Developing draft award and associated supporting documents;

g) Facilitating execution of awards and distribution of official copies.

h) Completing procurement data reports.

i) Ensuring award information is properly reported into DP2 PRISM, FPDS-

NG, and USASpending.

j) Publishing appropriate notices of award and coordinating and participating in debriefings of unsuccessful offerors.

k) Keeping Program Officer CORs up to date on the status of their requirements.

l) Ensuring all work products are submitted for review in final form (e.g., correctly formatted, free of grammatical and spelling errors, etc.).

The goal of subtask C.3.1.3.2 is to help ensure that the evaluation and award process for contract and financial assistance meets all Federal and Departmental requirements.

C.3.1.4 Contract Administration

Contract administration encompasses activities for ensuring that contractual obligations of Government and vendors are met. Contract administration begins with the execution of the contract and ends with administrative closeout. The Contractor shall perform contract administration for assigned contracts, financial assistance, and Inter/Intra-agency agreements. Contract administration activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Supporting post award orientation meetings with contractors/grantees, the Program Office COR and the Government Customer.

• Maintaining official contract files.

• Maintaining communication with the Program Office COR on matters of contractor performance and recommending appropriate actions in response to performance issues.

• Preparing administrative and other contract and task order modifications with associated supporting documentation in a timely manner.

• Recommending appropriate action on contractor/grantee claims and administrative requests.

• Ensuring the orderly and timely closeout of completed contracts and financial assistance.

• Keeping Program Office CORs up to date on the status of their procurements; and

• Ensuring all work products are submitted for review in final form (e.g., correctly formatted, free of grammatical and spelling errors, etc.).

C.3.1.5 Procurement Analysis

Procurement analysis involves the study of acquisition and grant laws and regulations and the appropriate application of those laws and regulations to OAM operations. It involves the drafting of policies, procedures, and work tools that increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of those operations. It also involves the collection of data in response to ad hoc reporting requirements.

Specific procurement analysis tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Staying up to date on changes to rules and regulations as they apply to OAM operations. Understanding and communicating those changes to the appropriate personnel.

• Developing and maintaining tools and other resources for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of OAM operations.

• Ensuring that information maintained in government-wide databases (e.g.

FPDS-NG, USASpending, CPARS, SAM.GOV, etc) is timely and accurate.

• Responding to numerous data calls originating from within NHTSA as well as from the Departmental and Federal levels.

• Responding to audit requests originating from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), OIG, and GAO.

• Reporting on A-123 internal control processes and procedures.

• Providing assistance to the Agency Career Manager for training and certification in support of NHTSA’s acquisition workforce.

• Assisting with the management of the NHTSA Government Purchase

Card Program.

• Disseminating information to the Acquisition Workforce either verbally

(through briefings) or in writing.

C.4 WORKING ENVIRONMENT

For the most part, the Contractor shall provide services on-site at NHTSA’s Headquarters located at the US Department of Transportation building, 1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington DC 20590. It is possible, however, that due to space limitations, the Contractor may need to secure off-site office space for some of its employees.

For both on-site and off-site, the government will furnish all necessary IT equipment and services. For on-site personnel, the government will also provide suitable workspace and furnishings. Off-site personnel will require that the contractor provide suitable workspace and furnishings.

C.5 TRAVEL

Travel is not anticipated at the time of award. However, if it is determined that travel is needed after contract award, the Contracting Officer’s Representative must approve in writing prior to the travel. The invoices shall be submitted and paid in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations at the time of approved travel.

(End of Section C)