1. PWS - for Amendment 0003 8.27.24.pdf

SOP Number

ACF-GCS-S-0004-T01

Title/Subject

Tribal Home Visiting Resource Institute for Excellence (THRIVE) Revision #3

Effective Date

Approved By

Francine Lee Hemphill, Acquisition Director

Signature Approval Date

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Tribal Home Visiting Resource Institute for Excellence (THRIVE)

NOTICE: This is a non-commercial cost-plus fixed fee contract for professional services which do not include personal or consulting services. Furthermore, this contract is exempt from the requirements of Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) per 48 CFR 9903.201-1(b)(3). Finally, with consideration to inherently governmental functions, the contractor will not make any decisions or determinations when it comes to grantee awards or grantee compliance. The primary purpose of this PWS is to gather information, collaborate, and provide training and resources to grantees to further the execution of grants already awarded. All information received from the contractor will be reviewed and combined with other Government information, for Government personnel to make decisions and/or determinations that are or may be Inherently Governmental in nature.

1. General:

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance (TA) support for the Tribal Home Visiting Resource Institute for Excellence (THRIVE), a TA Center that will provide services for the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (Tribal MIECHV) Program, administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The THRIVE Center will provide guidance, leadership, and support to promote excellence in the implementation of evidence-based home visiting programs in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities across the nation. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over Contractor employees performing the services herein. TA services assist the Government in meeting the performance needs of grant recipients. In the case of the Tribal MIECHV program, the Contractor shall assist Tribal MIECHV grant recipients to meet the requirements of their cooperative agreements, a type of grant that involves more participation and oversight by the federal government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction:

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform for the THRIVE Technical Assistance Center, as defined in this Performance Work Statement, except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract. Specifically, the THRIVE Center will engage in activities to support the identification and development of effective practices and services through home visiting programs in tribal communities.

Activities shall include tasks to support Tribal MIECHV grant recipients meeting the requirements of the Tribal MIECHV program. TA provided through the THRIVE Center will build capacity and be relevant and responsive to the varying needs of grant recipients. The period of performance under this contract will commence upon the date of contract award and will terminate five (5) years or 60 months from the date of award.

Since 2014, ACF has provided Tribal MIECHV grant recipients with technical assistance in two streams: programmatic technical assistance, through Programmatic Assistance for Tribal Home Visiting (PATH), and data and evaluation capacity building, through the Tribal Home Visiting Evaluation Institute (TEI). With MIECHV reauthorization and the tribal set aside doubling as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328), there is an opportunity for the Tribal MIECHV program and ACF to consider a new approach to TA that combines programmatic and data and evaluation TA into one Center. ACF envisions a Center that merges all disciplines, is holistic and integrated in the TA services provided, and considers all that has been learned from the last decade of Tribal Home Visiting. The THRIVE Center shall expand upon past TA work through integrated and innovative strategies that will advance the field of home visiting. Consideration should be given to ways to promote equity, support the early childhood and home visiting workforce, and align with tribal early childhood systems coordination, all with the mission of supporting AIAN families and communities.

The Contractor implementing the THRIVE Center shall have expertise working with tribal communities across multiple disciplines to provide TA support on implementing culturally grounded evidence-based home visiting programs that incorporates adult learning principles and an active engagement approach that aligns with the goals and vision of the Tribal MIECHV program. ACF defines active engagement as the intentional involvement in all phases of the inquiry process of groups and individuals who are invested in the outcomes of Tribal MIECHV. To that end, ACF aims for practice and empirical knowledge to inform tasks that require a variety of skills and experience. The Contractor shall collaborate across disciplines related to implementation of evidence-based practices, support of adaptations and enhancements of interventions that reflect the culture, values, and priorities of communities, measurement choices, evaluation technical assistance, training and site support, and the contextualization of findings to broaden the field. (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/making-evaluations-rigorous-and-relevant-role-active-engagement-development-learning)

The Contractor is expected to work collaboratively across multiple disciplines in a seamless, coordinated way, and shall develop plans and implement strategies to maximize opportunities for active engagement within the THRIVE Center contract.

Groups and individuals to actively engage with service providers; home visiting model developers of interventions, innovations, or practices; program participants; subject matter experts; federal, grant recipient, or other program staff; tribal, federal, state, or local leadership; groups and individuals in programs’ communities; individuals with lived experience or expertise; and those in broader fields of human services practice, research, and evaluation. Opportunities to provide input shall be considered in all phases of the project.

1.2 Background:

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, administered by Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) in collaboration with ACF, responds to the diverse needs of children and families in at-risk communities and provides an opportunity for significant collaboration and partnership at the federal, state, tribal, and community levels to improve health and development outcomes for at-risk children through evidence-based home visiting programs. The goals of the MIECHV https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/making-evaluations-rigorous-and-relevant-role-active-engagement-development-learning https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/making-evaluations-rigorous-and-relevant-role-active-engagement-development-learning program are as follows: (1) strengthen and improve the programs and activities carried out under Title V of the Social Security Act, Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant; (2) improve coordination of services for at-risk communities; and (3) identify and provide comprehensive services to improve outcomes for eligible families who reside in at-risk communities. Information about the HRSA MIECHV grants to states and territories can be found at http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/homevisiting/.

Congress increased the Tribal MIECHV set aside from 3 percent to 6 percent for FY 2023-2027 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328).

Section 511 of Title V of the Social Security Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to Indian tribes (or a consortium of Indian tribes), tribal organizations, or urban Indian organizations to conduct an early childhood home visiting program. The legislation sets aside 6 percent of the total MIECHV appropriation for grants to tribal entities and requires that the tribal grants, to the greatest extent practicable, be consistent with the requirements of the MIECHV grants to states and territories and include conducting a needs assessment and establishing benchmarks.

With MIECHV reauthorization, the Government anticipates the following funding schedule by FY, along with projections for increases in the number of grant recipients.

Tribal MIECHV Fiscal Year

(FY)

Estimated Funding by FY* Estimated Number of Grant Recipient Awards by FY

FY23 $30 Million 41 FY24 $33 Million Up to 48 FY25 $36 Million Up to 56 FY26 $39 Million Up to 64 FY27 $48 Million Up to 78

* The anticipated spending listed for each FY and grant recipient awards are estimates and represent the overall Tribal MIECHV program budget which includes administrative, grant award and other obligations. The information is for offeror assumption purposes only.

The Tribal MIECHV Program

Along with the goals of the overall MIECHV program, the Tribal MIECHV program has the following specific goals:

• Supporting the development of happy, healthy, and successful AIAN children and families through a coordinated home visiting strategy that addresses critical maternal and child health, development, early learning, family support, and child abuse and neglect prevention needs;

• Implementing high-quality, culturally relevant evidence-based home visiting programs in AIAN communities;

• Expanding the evidence base around home visiting interventions with Native populations; and

• Supporting and strengthening cooperation and coordination and promoting linkages among various programs that serve expectant families, young children, http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/homevisiting/ and families, resulting in coordinated, comprehensive early childhood systems in recipient communities.

The Tribal MIECHV program aims to provide critical maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting services to eligible families in AIAN tribal communities, including Indian tribes or urban Indian Centers (as defined by section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437). For generations, many AIAN peoples have taken care of and attended to the needs of young families in their communities through informal home visits as a traditional cultural practice. More recently, tribal communities have recognized the potential of more structured home visiting programs to support improved child and family outcomes in tribal communities and are implementing a variety of home visiting programs using diverse tribal, public, and private funding streams. Since 2010, tribal communities have been able to implement evidence-based home visiting programs through grants under the Tribal MIECHV program.

Grant recipients implementing home visiting as part of the Tribal MIECHV program are awarded cooperative agreements and are required to implement evidence-based home visiting models that have been selected through a community needs and readiness assessment process. In addition, Tribal MIECHV grant recipients are encouraged to consider model adaptations and enhancements that align with the cultural traditions and practices of the communities and families they serve.

More information about the Tribal MIECHV Program, current recipients, and the communities they serve can be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/tribal/tribal-home-visiting.

The activities recipients carry out throughout their grants support tribally and locally driven decision-making, development, implementation, and evaluation of grant-funded projects that are high-quality, evidence-based, and culturally grounded to the community.

The THRIVE Center is expected to provide technical assistance support so grant recipients can successfully meet the grant requirements of the Tribal MIECHV program, while respecting tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

Grant activities are introduced to grant recipients in stages that align with phases and associated drivers of high-quality program implementation. Required grant activities (e.g., needs and readiness assessments, comprehensive implementation plans, and program monitoring efforts) ensure implementation and sustainability of high-quality home visiting services. (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/tribal-home-visiting-report-congress)

Year one (1) activities are designed to support recipients in understanding the needs and capacities of their communities, and in designing and building capacity to implement and evaluate programs that meet these needs and fulfill requirements. In Year one (1), recipients must: (a) conduct a comprehensive community needs and readiness assessment; (b) build organizational and community infrastructure and capacity to implement high-quality evidence-based home visiting services, conduct performance measurement and CQI planning activities, and plan for participation in MIECHV-funded evaluation activities; and (c) develop an implementation plan that describes how the https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/tribal/tribal-home-visiting https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/tribal/tribal-home-visiting https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/tribal-home-visiting-report-congress https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/tribal-home-visiting-report-congress recipient will carry out these activities during Years 2-5. In Years 2-5 of the grant recipient’s cooperative agreement, they fully implement the various components of their approved implementation plan and work closely with ACF to ensure implementation of high-quality, culturally grounded, evidence-based home visiting programs in their community. This includes:

• Providing high-quality culturally grounded, evidence-based home visiting services to expectant families, and parents and primary caregivers of young children aged birth to kindergarten entry;

• Engaging in activities to support stronger early childhood systems and cross- program collaboration in tribal communities to maximize the success of home visiting programs and support the comprehensive needs of expectant families, parents and caregivers, and children from birth to kindergarten entry living in at- risk tribal communities;

• Supporting the mental health of children and families, including through infant and early childhood mental health consultation;

• Conducting performance measurement activities and developing a data system and mechanism to measure, track, and report on progress toward meeting legislatively mandated benchmarks for participating children and families;

• Engaging in CQI activities; and

• Participating in MIECHV-funded evaluation opportunities to promote learning and contribute to the MIECHV Learning Agenda.

It is expected the successful Contractor who manages the THRIVE contract will provide the necessary key personnel to assist grantees in the development of their implementation plans, along other critical technical assistance services. The information below is for offeror assumption purposes only and includes dates prior to the start of this contract.

1.3 Objectives:

The successful Contractor will have a comprehensive background to meet objectives providing TA support in areas such as:

• Community needs and readiness assessments;

• Implementing evidence-based home visiting models with fidelity;

• Cultural adaptations, enhancements, and supplements;

• Program development and implementation, including family engagement and workforce;

• Dissemination;

• Performance measurement and reporting;

• Development, management, and operations of data reporting systems;

• Continuous quality improvement; and

• Supporting activities related to knowledge building and promoting program evaluation.

In addition, the Contractor will have expertise and capacity in resource development, meeting planning, and operation of a federal data reporting system.

1.4 Scope:

The THRIVE Center is expected to contribute to the home visiting field through knowledge building and technical support to Tribal MIECHV grant recipients to support home visiting as a service delivery strategy in tribal communities that is innovative, culturally grounded, reliable, and responsive to families’ needs. The THRIVE Center will work closely with the Tribal MIECHV and the State/Territory MIECHV program at the HRSA, ACF’s Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) along with other TA and key partners, to identify priorities, learning needs, and opportunities for collaboration and efficiency.

1.5 Period of Performance:

The period of performance under this contract will commence upon the date of contract award and will terminate five (5) years or 60 months from the date of award.

2. Tasks

Task 1: Project Management and Team Communication

Subtask 1.1: Kick-Off Meeting Within fifteen (15) working days of the award of the services component, the Contractor shall initiate communication with the COR and other federal staff to discuss a range of topics, including clarification of ACF’s interests and objectives for the contract, conducting work on an efficient schedule and budget, coordination with other ACF program offices, methodologies to be employed, timelines for early deliverables, and the challenges anticipated and potential solutions. The Contractor shall send an agenda and any relevant materials to the COR no less than five (5) working days prior to the discussion. Within one (1) week of the discussion date, the Contractor shall submit to the COR a memorandum summarizing major decisions reached and follow-up issues identified during this discussion.

ACF Tech staff will provide an overview of Intake Request Form used to formalize/start the ACF Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Governance Framework requirements.

The Contractor shall complete an ACF OCIO Intake Request Form within 5 days after Kick- Off meeting and submit to Customer_Engagement@acf.hhs.gov.

Subtask 1.2: Project Management Work Plan Outline Development No later than two (2) weeks after the orientation discussion at contract award, the Contractor shall submit a draft Work Plan outline to the COR for review and approval.

The Contractor may propose changes in schedules or approaches for approval by the COR and/or to reflect changes that have been previously agreed upon after Task 1.1. The mailto:Customer_Engagement@acf.hhs.gov

Contractor shall submit a revised Work Plan outline if needed, to address comments received from the COR, within two (2) weeks of receipt of comments.

Subtask 1.3: Project Management Work Plan

The Contractor shall submit a concise Work Plan based on the technical proposal but refined and revised to reflect additional or clarifying information received during the initial discussion with the COR held under Subtask 1.1 and 1.2 or via other means. The Work Plan shall include the timeline for all tasks and subtasks listed below, activities, and products and identify lead personnel for the activities that reflect the requirements of the contract. The Contractor shall develop a standard method for providing TA to grant recipients through a relationship-based approach that is grounded in evidence-based adult learning principles and the implementation sciences through consultation with grant recipients and the federal team on the key requirements of the Tribal Home Visiting program. The Contractor shall provide the COR a plan within forty-five (45) days of award, on how the THRIVE Center will implement its stage-based approach, including assignments of Technical Assistance Specialist staff that should encompass the multiple skills and experience of staff to support all requirements of the Tribal MIECHV program in support of grant recipients. Included in the plan should be how the Contractor shall ensure there is collaboration across staff (and their respective disciplines) and processes to ensure collaboration and continuous consultation and engagement with the COR and the federal team are factored in. If the plan needs to be updated throughout the contract, the plan shall be updated as needed through findings from grant recipient TA requests, needs assessments, or as otherwise identified by the COR and federal team. The Work Plan shall be a concise, fluid document that is routinely updated as required to reflect changes, as agreed to by the COR.

Subtask 1.4: Ongoing Project Communication & Management

Team communication between the Contractor and the federal government will be coordinated through the COR. The need for communication begins at the very start of the contract. Given the multiple disciplines required under the THRIVE TA Center to address the various content areas listed under this contract, ongoing communication and coordination is necessary to ensure successful completion of this contract, and should be both verbal (e.g., regularly scheduled conference calls) and written (e.g., monthly progress reports). The Contractor shall propose a schedule for weekly COR calls and at the direction of the COR, bi-weekly or monthly meetings to update federal staff on progress and issues. Key Contractor personnel and staff, sub-Contractor staff, and/or consultants shall participate as needed to address progress and issues for discussion. The schedule for meetings may be changed as agreed upon by the COR. The Contractor shall submit a proposed agenda for each call at least five (5) working days in advance of the scheduled date to the COR for comment. If there are materials that federal staff will need to review prior to the call date, such materials shall be submitted at least five (5) business days in advance of the call date. The Contractor shall submit a summary of meetings including action items to the COR for review and approval no later than Five (5) working days after each regular meeting.

In addition to the ongoing conference calls, the Contractor shall submit written monthly progress reports throughout the period of the service component, which includes the following information: activities completed and progress on each task for the report month, including expenditure data by task, monthly and cumulative expenditures, and the balance remaining. All IT-related expenses should be highlighted for ease of reporting.

The Contractor reports shall include details related to project performance. Monthly progress reports shall be submitted to the COR monthly, on a regular schedule proposed by the Contractor and approved by the COR and before or concurrently with submission by the Contractor of invoices related to that period of performance.

Subtask 1.5: Plan for Implementation of Active Engagement and Collaboration Activities

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall develop a plan for incorporating active engagement and collaboration throughout project tasks and deliverables. The Contractor shall provide the plan to the COR no later than three (3) months after contract award. The plan should delineate the project tasks and activities where active engagement and collaboration will occur; demonstrate how active engagement and collaboration in these tasks and activities will meet specific goals of this project; identify the various individuals and groups who may be involved in the active engagement and collaboration, including convening an ongoing group of parents and providers to provide feedback on the program and TA and indicate why or to what end they will be engaged, how they will be engaged, and the timeline for when the project plans to engage them; describe the budget considerations associated with the proposed active engagement; and delineate how the plans for active engagement and collaboration will be refined throughout the project. The Contractor’s plan shall be updated throughout the project as necessary to document the decisions and agreements made around areas of active engagement.

Subtask 1.6: Technical Assistance Approach and Staffing

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall develop a plan to provide training and ongoing coaching to Technical Assistance Specialist staff across disciplines and develop a management approach that is consistent across Technical Assistance Specialists. The Contractor shall also ensure staff are provided training and ongoing coaching as needed and coordinate additional trainings in areas identified by the COR and federal team. Included in this plan shall be a process for providing onboarding training and support of new Technical Assistance Specialists and a transition plan that factors in the degree of grant recipient needs and supports associated with TA assignments and a process to ensure there are no disruptions to technical assistance that is being offered during staff transitions.

Subtask 1.7: Option Period Four Draft Transition Out Plan

Within three (3) months of the Option Period Four (OP4) time of award (TOA) the Contractor shall draft a Transition Out Plan that will include a detailed listing of all tasks and the plans for the Contractor to transition out services. Transition out services shall include a plan for how the Contractor shall engage with any contractor that receives a future TA contract related to the services provided under this contract. The Transition Out Plan should include a milestone schedule that ensures transition of services happen without interruption with any future contractors and how the Contractor shall engage with the COR and contractor on when to “hand off” deliverables under this contract that is detailed and within a reasonable timeframe.

Subtask 1.8: Transition Out Plan

Within two (2) weeks after COR approval of the draft Transition Out Plan, the Contractor shall submit its Transition Out Plan to the COR. The plan shall include all the elements listed in the draft Transition Out Plan for the Contractor to transition out services, including a table of contents, milestone schedule. The schedule should factor in 60 days before end of the task order period of performance.

Task 2: Coordination and Communication with the Federal Team

Subtask 2.1: Communication with the Federal Team

The Contractor shall communicate via a virtual platform with the federal team on at least a monthly basis in consultation with the COR and the rest of the federal team. The Contractor shall develop the agenda and receive approval by the COR five (5) days before. Agenda development should include opportunities for Center staff to engage with the federal team on approaches that address the varying needs and interest of grant recipients and engage in brainstorming, innovation and problem-solving activities. In addition, at the request of the COR, the Contractor shall also develop an agreed upon plan to engage in work groups with the federal team across specific priority topic areas recommended by the Contractor or otherwise identified by the COR. Areas and disciplines should reflect the key TA support areas provided by the Contractor and consist of those Technical Assistance Specialist and Center key personnel who are responsible for providing technical support.

Subtask 2.2: Coordination and Communication with Tribal MIECHV Federal Project Officers

Technical Assistance Specialists shall meet at least once a month or more frequently depending on the needs of grant recipients with individual Federal Project Officers to discuss the needs of grant recipients and determine the levels of support and the approach to be taken. The Contractor shall be prepared to engage in an approach that is team based and relationship-based and grounded in a parallel process with the intent to support the grant recipients most effectively, holistically, and efficiently.

Subtask 2.3: Regular Grant Recipient Calls

The Contractor shall participate in and take notes on regular (which may be monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly) teleconference/web conference calls between grant recipients, Federal Project Officers, and other stakeholders (when needed). The Contractor shall work with the Federal Project Officers on the agenda within five (5) days of the call and submit talking points to the Federal Project Officers. The purpose of the calls and expectation is to discuss ongoing project and grant recipient tasks, receive information on recipient priorities and activities, and resolve any current issues that may impact successful program implementation and recipient performance. The Contractor shall submit the notes from the monthly calls to the COR and Federal Project Officer within five (5) days.

Subtask 2.4: Plan for Feedback Loops and Continual Communication

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall propose a plan for continued communication and updates with the federal team to collect feedback on grant recipient needs to evaluate the effectiveness of TA and make ongoing changes as needed.

Quarterly summaries of work conducted will be provided in the corresponding monthly report. If any deficiencies or gaps in services are identified with Contractor work, the Contractor shall immediately follow-up with the COR with a plan to address and resolve the issue.

Subtask 2.5: Feedback on Universal Products and Approaches to TA

As part of the overall workplan, and at the request of the COR, the Contractor shall convene a workgroup to provide guidance on universal products and planned approaches to TA, including recommendations on the delivery modality of products for each topic identified, and to provide overarching feedback on the quality and usefulness of universal products throughout the base year and in subsequent years of the contract. The workgroup may convene virtually two or more times per year. One meeting may include the opportunity to provide feedback on the process for the annual assessment of grant recipient needs as identified in task 4.2. Agendas and meeting materials for review shall be sent to workgroup members at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting.

Meeting minutes shall be submitted to the COR within three (3) business days of the meeting.

Subtask 2.6: Supporting Data Driven Decision Making

As part of the overall workplan, and at the request of the COR, the Contractor shall engage with the federal team in supporting data analysis and data driven decision making for the Tribal Home Visiting program. Data analyzed may consist of grant recipient demographic and service utilization, performance reporting and quarterly reports along with other data to assist the federal team in utilizing data for policy and program support decisions and to support grantees incorporating data into their own decision-making practices.

Task 3: Coordination and Collaboration with Technical Assistance (TA) Provider and other Key Partners

Subtask 3.1: Coordination and Collaboration with Other TA Providers

The Contractor shall coordinate and collaborate with the broader home visiting and tribal early childhood TA network partners, (including OPRE and other ACF offices) to coordinate on tribal early childhood efforts, and with MIECHV-funded study to provide feedback to increase the clarity and relevance of TA resources under development, collaborate on MIECHV home visiting efforts with HRSA and ACF, and tribal early childhood programs to ensure that TA networks are engaged with one another and are collaborating across TA systems in a coordinated way. Coordination activities may include conference calls, meetings, participation in shared initiatives, development of shared resources, consultation on resources and coordinated development of materials for posting on program websites to the larger field. When appropriate, the Contractor shall seek opportunities to leverage other TA and resources being provided to all MIECHV grant recipients and other tribal early childhood program recipients.

Subtask 3.2: Use of Subject Matter Experts (SME) and Key Partners

The Contractor shall actively engage, as appropriate, subject matter expert (SME) and key partners in carrying out key activities. As part of the development of its Management Plan, the Contractor shall submit to the COR for review and approval a list of proposed experts, citing the specific activities and tasks for which they are proposed, the rationale for the recommendations (i.e., individual’s relevant knowledge and experience related to proposed assignments), and the total and by task number of hours proposed. A revised list shall be submitted within two weeks of receipt of comment. It is expected that experts identified would complement Contractor staff expertise and shall be integrated in most teams and tasks in the contract. The Contractor shall consult with and receive approval from the COR prior to engaging or scheduling discussions with the experts. Agendas, presentations, discussion guides and other materials needed to facilitate engagement of the experts will be developed by the Contractor in consultation with the COR. No less than one (1) week prior to sharing materials with the experts, the Contractor shall submit drafts of all materials for review by the COR. The Contractor shall be responsible for all consultation logistics, as necessary, including communication technology, space, lodging, transportation costs, per diem, and honoraria for all technical experts.

Subtask 3.3: Plan for Engaging with and Coordination with Home Visiting Model Developers

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall develop and carry out a plan for how they will coordinate and collaborate with home visiting model developers to support grant recipients. This plan shall be submitted to the COR within (45) days of contract award and shall include as part of the overall Work Plan: a plan for building and maintaining significant and up-to-date knowledge and understanding of model components, knowledge around model developer data requirements and data systems, implementation strategies and supports, quality assurance, and continuous quality improvement supports, adaptations, and enhancements; a plan for supporting effective grant recipient model implementation and addressing model fidelity, as well as a plan for conducting regular individual and group calls, webinars, and/or meetings with the developers of various home visiting models being implemented by grant recipients. The Contractor shall work with the model developers to ensure that program implementation support provided by the Contractor is coordinated with and not duplicative of support already being provided by the model developers.

Subtask 3.4: Plan for Engaging with and Coordinating and Collaborating with Tribal Early Childhood Efforts

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall develop and carry out a plan for engaging with, coordinating, and collaborating with ACF’s Tribal Early Childhood (TEC) efforts. This plan shall be submitted to the COR within (45) days of contract award and should include plans on logistical and content support for ECD’s Tribal Early Childhood Webinar Series and other efforts identified by the COR and the federal team.

Coordination may include efforts like the Tribal Early Learning Initiative (TELI).

Coordination activities may include conference calls, meetings, (meetings may include logistical support, including communication technology, space, lodging, transportation costs, per diem, and honoraria for all technical experts). The number of technical experts may vary by engagement. For planning purposes, no more than 9 technical experts are required for any single engagement. Participation shall also include shared initiatives, development of shared resources, and coordinated development of materials for posting on MIECHV program websites to the larger field.

Task 4: Technical Assistance to Grant Recipients

ACF is interested in universal, themed, and recipient-specific services to support and build capacity for grant recipients to meet the requirements of the Tribal MIECHV program. TA shall occur through support in the development of recipient implementation plans (Years 1 and 2), and throughout the implementation phases of grant recipients in (Years 2-5) of the cooperative agreements. The tasks related to recipient program requirements are designed to be relevant and responsive to build capacity in tribal communities to implement an evidence-based home visiting program.

Subtask 4.1: TA Transition Approach

During the base year, the Contractor shall provide a plan on how it will engage with both the Programmatic Assistance for Tribal Home Visiting (PATH) and Tribal Evaluation Institute (TEI), current Tribal MIECHV TA providers, on the transition of services to the THRIVE Center. In consultation with the COR, federal team and PATH and TEI, the Contractor shall submit a draft outline that shall include a timeline not to exceed fifteen

(15) business days on how the Contractor shall assess the immediate needs of grant recipients and the approaches the Contractor shall take to ensure there is a cohesive transition of services and without interruption.

Subtask 4.2: Plan for Assessing Grant Recipient TA Needs

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall develop a process within 90 days of contract award to assess the technical assistance needs of grant recipients by the end of the Base Year. The Contractor shall submit to the COR the methodology to be used and assessment questions to be considered, using existing data provided by the COR and federal team. The approach should factor in potential grant recipient burden and must include a plan for Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) approval, if needed, as part of the overall assessment design.

Subtask 4.3: Assessing Grant Recipient TA Needs

At the end of the Base Year and annually thereafter, the Contractor shall conduct an annual TA needs assessment and produce one aggregate data report along with a high-level data dashboard identifying the top TA priorities across all grant recipients. The report shall provide a detailed analysis of the top priorities, including barriers and challenges; primary TA needs specific to each topic; and potential TA activities to support each area. The report shall be submitted to the COR within sixty (60) days of the end of the Base Year and each Option Period of the contract and should include recommendations on the methods of TA to be used based on the findings. The Contractor shall include the modality of delivery, key background resources, SMEs, proposed grant recipient examples, the resources to improve grant recipient performance and whether the TA approach is for individual, thematic, or universal TA.

Subtask 4.4: Grant Recipient Implementation Planning Support

In Year 1, recipients must: conduct a comprehensive community needs and readiness assessment; build organizational and community infrastructure and capacity to implement high-quality evidence-based home visiting services, conduct performance measurement and CQI activities, and participate in MIECHV-funded evaluation activities; and develop an implementation plan that describes how the recipient will carry out these activities during Years 2-5.

As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall execute a coordinated approach to assist Tribal MIECHV grant recipients in conducting needs and readiness assessments, building capacity to implement their programs, and develop their implementation plans (IP) in accordance with the IP Guidance. The plan should factor in all areas within the IP

Guidance and the type of services and supports to meet the requirements of the Tribal MIECHV program.

The approach should be comprehensive and factor in time for Federal Project Officers and federal team review, and activities of TA staff who will be assigned based on the requirements outlined in the IP Guidance. Contractor staff must work together across disciplines based on the priority areas and engage with grant recipients, as well as Federal Project Officers.

Subtask 4.5: Home Visiting Program Implementation Support to Grant Recipients

In Years 2-5 of the cooperative agreement, recipients will fully implement the various components of their approved implementation plan and work closely with ACF to ensure implementation of high-quality, evidence-based home visiting programs in their community. Tribal MIECHV Implementation and Expansion grant recipients will also be implementing ongoing home visiting services during Year 1 of their grants. As part of the overall Work Plan, the Contractor shall execute a coordinated approach to assist Tribal MIECHV grant recipients in implementing evidence-based home visiting programs. The Contractor should refer to grant recipient individual implementation plans, and work with the federal team and Federal Project Officers. Contractor staff must work together across disciplines based on the priority areas of the needs assessment findings on an annual basis and use a variety of modes to engage with grant recipients. The Contractor should also incorporate ad-hoc TA throughout the contract, as it relates to responsive and tailored TA based on a recipient’s specific needs.

Subtask 4.6: Performance Measurement Planning and Reporting Support

The Contractor shall execute a coordinated approach to assist Tribal MIECHV grant recipients in building capacity to collect and report Tribal MIECHV required performance measures. The Contractor shall engage in activities related to supporting grant recipients to develop performance measurement plans that meet ACF requirements, and which align with local data needs. The Contractor shall update, expand, and disseminate performance measurement planning resources for grant recipients and federal staff to reflect the most current federal guidance. The Contractor shall use the most efficient and effective means to maintain performance measurement planning resources developed through the contract and update them as needed through the current contract.

Subtask 4.7: Performance Data Review

The Contractor shall execute a coordinated approach to provide TA to grant recipients on their performance reports by reviewing, providing feedback on, and re-reviewing annual recipient performance reports (including demographic and service utilization reports).

Reviews shall consist of checks for data quality, accuracy, and completeness. The purpose of the reviews is to identify opportunities to build the technical proficiency of grant recipients and ensure the data is of highest quality for approval by Federal Project Officers. Annual performance reports from grant recipients are due by October 31 each year. The Contractor shall provide feedback on data quality, accuracy and completeness to the COR within 15 days of submission, or a timeline established with the COR.

Technical Assistance Specialists may join in calls with Federal Project Officers and should expect to join at least two calls with grant recipients to discuss necessary revisions to the reports.

The Contractor shall provide a summary and synthesis of comments and feedback provided to grant recipients during each annual performance report review. The purpose of the synthesis shall be to identify areas of common challenges across grant recipients and inform the development of future TA topics or products. Each synthesis shall consist of a brief report (no longer than 5 pages). Each summary report should be completed no later than 30 days after the end of each review period. A total of one synthesis shall be completed in each service component.

Subtask 4.8: Ongoing Individual Grant Recipient Data System Improvement Support

The Contractor shall execute a coordinated approach to provide TA to support grant recipients in developing or improving their data systems. The Contractor shall utilize and update resources developed under the contract to support recipient data system needs.

The Contractor shall propose the most efficient and effective means to support recipient data system improvement efforts. Data system improvements include improving data system processes, working with model affiliate data systems, data ownership, data systems integration, and interoperability.

Subtask 4.9: Individual Support to Utilize Performance Data

The Contractor shall execute a coordinated approach to provide TA to grant recipients on using data collected as part of the ACF requirements to inform decision making and sustainability efforts. The Contractor shall propose the most efficient and effective means to support grant recipients to more readily utilize their performance data to make improvements and to communicate about their programs.

Subtask 4.10: Individual Continuous Quality Improvement Support

The Contractor shall provide guidance and support to grant recipients to implement their own continuous quality improvement projects. Such guidance shall include providing foundational training and resources in quality improvement processes and methods, reviewing and providing feedback on grant recipients’ CQI plans, support for grant recipients in implementation of CQI projects (e.g., completing Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles), providing forums for collaborative learning across grant recipients, and helping grant recipients disseminate successes and lessons learned through individual CQI projects.

Subtask 4.11: Continuous Quality Improvement Collaborative Efforts

Under TEI3, Tribal MIECHV grant recipients participated in Continuous Quality Improvement Collaboratives (CQIC), an approached adapted from the Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) model. The Contractor shall build upon lessons gathered through the CQIC approach to support grant recipients in a similar CQI collaborative approach. Supports may include developing culturally relevant and evidence-informed materials for the Tribal CQIC, including key driver diagrams, change packages, and PDSA templates, and identifying relevant data to track progress toward the collaborative aim. The Contractor shall provide technical assistance related to improvement methodology and data processes for the collaborative.

The Contractor shall provide ongoing support for grant recipients participating in these collaborative efforts. The support shall include facilitating collaborative learning sessions and virtual collaborative check-ins, providing individualized coaching, reviewing and providing feedback on grant recipient teams’ progress, and analyzing and reviewing progress across the collaborative.

Subtask 4.12: Support for Tribal MIECHV Participation in MIECHV Learning Agenda

ACF aims for Tribal MIECHV grant recipients to make use of findings from the continuous program of research and evaluation that has been underway since the beginning of the MIECHV Program. Additionally, ACF wants to ensure that Tribal MIECHV perspectives, contexts, and strengths are represented in the ongoing MIECHV Learning Agenda. Therefore, Tribal MIECHV grant recipients are expected to participate in MIECHV-sponsored evaluation opportunities to promote learning and contribute to the overall MIECHV Learning Agenda https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/programs-impact/miechv-learning-agenda-overview.pdf.

For an overview of MIECHV-funded research and evaluation questions and recent and ongoing ACF research and evaluation projects, see (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/Home%20Visiting%20%28S napshot%29-508_0.pdf).

Examples of activities grant recipients may participate in include:

• Serving as collaborators/ subject matter experts for MIECHV evaluation projects that are underway

• Contributing to the ongoing MIECHV learning agenda planning (listening sessions)

• Participating in data collection activities (e.g., completing surveys, phone interviews, focus groups)

• Participating in dissemination activities

• Participating in activities of the Center for Indigenous Research Collaborations and

Learning in Home Visiting (CIRCLE-HV) https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/programs-impact/miechv-learning-agenda-overview.pdf https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/programs-impact/miechv-learning-agenda-overview.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/Home%20Visiting%20%28Snapshot%29-508_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/Home%20Visiting%20%28Snapshot%29-508_0.pdf

The Contractor shall work in partnership with federal staff to facilitate recipient participation in MIECHV Learning Agenda activities. The Contractor shall provide support to grant recipients as they identify opportunities of greatest interest and feasibility to contribute to the MIECHV Learning Agenda. This support includes 1) working with federal staff on webinars introducing grant recipients to the Learning Agenda; 2) supporting grant recipients in developing plans for participation; 3) developing webinars, potential products and other peer learning and participation opportunities in coordination with study teams, that facilitate reflection/application of study findings; 4) offering professional development/TA on how to use data/evidence for program.

Task 5: Crosscutting Capacity Building Activities

Subtask 5.1: Communities of Learning

The Contractor shall facilitate up to five (5), as determined by the COR, Communities of Learning (CoL) for grant recipients each year. They shall meet via a virtual platform with in-between communication possible via email or other methods. All CoLs shall have a clear schedule, focus on defined group of grant recipients, foci, goals/outcomes, as well as strategies to engage recipients in meeting the defined goal/outcome. CoLs shall be narrow in scope to support the achievement of each goal/outcome. The Contractor shall prepare any materials and agendas for the virtual meetings and facilitate the planning of the next meetings, as well as evaluate the CoLs and incorporate feedback into future meetings. Summary reports of the CoLs’ progress shall be submitted to the COR.

Subtask 5.2: Tribal Home Visiting Peer Learning and Leadership Network

During the base year of the contract, the Contractor shall develop a plan to facilitate a Tribal MIECHV recipient peer learning and leadership network (PLLN) to…