SEDAC_Draft__SOW.pdf

Attachment A

STATEMENT OF WORK

Socioeconomic Data and Applications

Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC)

For the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

July 2017

Table of Contents

1 Scope 2 Introduction

2.1 The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

2.2 The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project

2.3 The Socioeconomic Data and Applications Distributed Active Archive Center ... 5

2.4 Goals

3 Task Descriptions

3.1 Data Set Acquisition & Processing

3.2 External Interfaces

3.3 Information and Data System Management

3.4 Operations and Maintenance

3.4.1 Sustaining Engineering and Maintenance

3.4.2 Configuration Management and Testing

3.4.3 Metrics Gathering and Reporting

3.5 User Services

3.5.1 Science Support

3.5.2 Outreach Activities

3.5.3 Web Presence and Support

3.6 Special Projects Support

3.7 Institutional Support

3.7.1 Institutional Management and Systems Engineering

3.7.2 DAAC User Working Group

3.7.3 Travel Arrangements

3.8 Facility Services

3.9 Reporting

4 Applicable Documents 5 Deliverables

6 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

1 Scope

This Statement of Work (SOW) specifies the mission, performance objectives, and performance standards of the socioeconomic data and applications Distributed Active

Archive Center (DAAC), and the role of this DAAC as an institutional element within the

Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). It defines the tasks required to continue the operations and development of the supporting data and information system as an interoperable element of the distributed EOSDIS. Under the scope of this SOW, the contractor shall manage and operate the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC.

The tasks include systems engineering, operations and maintenance, development, user services, product generation, data and information management, archive and distribution, information technology security and related science support and research activities.

These tasks define the activities, which allow the DAAC to acquire, process, archive and distribute socioeconomic data and applications needed for NASA Earth science research, as well as related data products generated from Earth science instruments which are useful to the broader science community and educational institutions. Implementation also includes participation in the development of additional tools and capabilities needed to meet the EOSDIS requirements at all DAACs and to participate in the EOSDIS infrastructure.

Since these activities are essential to the success of a major NASA program, they must be performed by an entity with proven expertise in processing and analyzing satellite data useful in the specified discipline and with demonstrable capabilities for developing and operating a science data archive and distribution center.

2 Introduction

2.1 The Earth Observing System Data and Information System

(EOSDIS)

The EOSDIS is a key core capability in NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems

Program. It provides end-to-end capabilities for managing NASA’s Earth science data from various sources such as satellites, aircraft, field measurements, and other programs.

It provides the research and educational communities with easy and reliable access to the full suite of Earth science data from NASA instruments on U.S. and international platforms. It promotes an understanding of the physical, geological, and social processes that regulate the total Earth system.

As NASA's Earth science data system, EOSDIS provides data processing, data archiving and distribution services for the Earth Observing System (EOS) missions. The EOSDIS science operations uses a distributed architecture with functions performed at many interconnected nodes including Science Investigator-led Processing Systems and multiple

NASA Earth science Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAAC) located across the US with specific responsibilities for producing, archiving, and distribution of Earth-science data products.

2.2 The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS)

Project

The NASA Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project is a part of

NASA’s Earth Science Projects Division under the Flight Projects Directorate at the

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The ESDIS Project is responsible for:

The development and operation of the EOSDIS.

Processing, archiving, and distributing Earth-science satellite data (e.g., land, ocean, and atmosphere data products).

Providing tools to facilitate the processing, archiving, and distribution of Earth-science data.

Collecting metrics and user-satisfaction data to learn how to continue improving services provided to users.

Ensuring scientists and the public access to data to enable the study of Earth from space to advance scientific understanding and to meet societal needs.

2.3 The Socioeconomic Data and Applications Distributed

Active Archive Center

The Socioeconomic Data and Applications DAAC (SEDAC) is somewhat unique among the EOSDIS DAAC family. Most DAACs provide remote sensing data and higher level products from current and past NASA space borne missions, aircraft programs and field campaigns organized by scientific theme. The role of SEDAC, within this family, is to facilitate the analysis and portrayal of the “human dimensions of global change”. In that context, SEDAC must provide for both the archive of and access to relevant socioeconomic data sets and also function as the information gateway between the physical sciences and the social sciences with the goal of enabling greater public understanding of the impacts of global change and the generation of policy relevant information that can inform potential strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Implicit in the gateway function is providing for two-way traffic that both socializes the pixels of the physical science data and brings the information content of the physical science observations into the socio-economic domain.

In this fashion, SEDAC plays a key role in realization of societal benefits from the NASA

Earth Science portfolio of space borne and airborne observatories.

Since the SEDAC service community includes social scientists, policy makers, the broader public, and the NASA Earth Science community, the SEDAC service themes should be socio-economically based and be adequately cross-referenced to the existing thematic structure of the NASA Earth Science Division to include both Research and Analysis and

Applied Science.

NASA Earth Science Program Themes SEDAC Themes (Current) R&A Applied Science

Atmospheric Composition Health & Air Quality

Weather Weather

*Disasters *Hazards

Climate Variability & Change Climate Climate

Oceans Marine & Coastal

Water & Energy Cycle Water Resources Water

*Conservation

*Disasters *Hazards

Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Ecological Forecasting *Conservation

Agriculture

Agriculture

Land Use

Earth Surface & Interior *Disasters *Hazards

Cross-cutting SEDAC Themes

**Remote Sensing

^Sustainability

^Urban

^Health (broadly defined)

^Infrastructure

^Governance

^Population

^Poverty *Indicates item is cross-cutting multiple themes in R&A

**Remote Sensing applies to all R&A and Applied Sciences theme areas

^SEDAC socio-economic themes

Earth science research results, often in the form of new derived science products (e.g., geo-referenced arrays of geophysical parameters), must be used in combination with socioeconomic data and information to analyze the effects of changing environmental conditions, “natural” or human-induced, on human activities such as agriculture, energy consumption, urban planning, etc. – in sum, the “human dimensions of global change”.

This requires an applications development effort oriented to policy formulators and decision makers to develop information products that synthesize Earth science and socioeconomic data. The effort must include development of ways of making Earth science data, socioeconomic data, and synthesized combinations of these data, or products derived from combinations of such data readily useful to fundamental and applied researchers, operational users, and decision makers. This applications development effort will lead to operational information services to support socioeconomic research and operational data users, including policy analysts and decision makers.

The socioeconomic data and applications DAAC combines Earth sciences with socioeconomics to develop products and services that enable policy formulation and informed decision-making. These information products and services are useful for scientific research and education concerning human interactions with their environment, remote sensing research and applications, as well as broad sets of decision-making and analysis applications. The socioeconomic data and applications DAAC contractor shall develop these data products, services and applications by working closely with the research community to define and test them. The contractor must work with the other

EOSDIS DAACs, which provide operational data and information services for other disciplines and are a source of products that may be useful for the socioeconomic research and applications.

The socioeconomic data and applications DAAC contractor shall manage data and applications in the following mission areas:

Population, Land Uses, and Emissions

Environmental Treaties and Resource Indicators

Model Visualization and Analysis

Environmental Health

Hazard Vulnerability Assessment

Poverty and Food Security

Environmental Sustainability

2.4 Goals

The contractor for the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC shall meet NASA and

EOSDIS program goals by:

Providing Earth science data and information services, particularly NASA remote sensing data, to the research and educational community engaged in the study of the effects of changing environmental conditions on human activities and the effects of human activities on environmental conditions

Providing access (e.g. discovery, search, browse and download) to socioeconomic data and applications services at the DAAC.

Maintaining and expanding the socioeconomic data collections and applications as recommended by the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC User Working

Group and approved by the ESDIS Project.

Meet the needs of the DAAC users, improving the exchange of data and information between Earth scientists and socioeconomic data and applications users, and sharing

DAAC expertise with the user community.

Development of algorithms (e.g. spatial processes to convert point and polygonal datasets, such as regions/jurisdictions, to standardized grids) and tools for the next generation of socioeconomic data and applications products.

Fostering strong ties and partnerships with a university or other academic institutions, particularly those engaged in the use of socioeconomic data and Earth Science data

(as well as derived or synthesized products) to study of the effects of changing environmental conditions on human activities and the effects of human activities on environmental conditions.

3 Task Descriptions

3.1 Data Set Acquisition & Processing

3.1.1 The socioeconomic data and applications DAAC Contractor shall acquire new data sets to further the goals and objectives of NASA and the ESDIS Project.

Acquisition of new datasets includes development of documentation, guides, metadata and incorporation of the data sets into the DAAC holdings for archive and distribution, as well as populating the EOSDIS Common Metadata

Repository (CMR).

3.1.2 The contractor shall provide configuration control of the data set baseline. The contractor shall provide data system enhancements as required, including but not limited to product reformatting and data quality assessments to support the acquisition of new datasets.

3.1.3 The contractor shall provide access to or create combinations of NASA EOS and other Earth science products and socioeconomic data.

3.1.4 The contractor shall acquire and/or develop a limited number of applications and provide the resulting operations data and information services to the fundamental and applied research, operational, decision-making community. These applications (including specialized services and tools) would assist potential users in discovering and developing uses for NASA Earth science data.

Applications acquisition/development entails activities that demonstrate the range and potential of advanced information systems technology to the basic and applied research and development, operational, and policy-related activities of the socioeconomic community. This requires the contractor to determine how socioeconomic and Earth science data should be used together to provide meaningful information in the form of new information products and supporting software services to the policy formulators and decision makers. These products and services shall make use of products available from the other EOSDIS DAACs in conjunction with socioeconomic data. The contractor is expected to provide innovation in topical and/or spatial coverage and integration of Earth science and social science data. Some of these efforts may be short term, on the order of several months, while others may require years of effort.

Important application services and research tools include:

Thematic search tools specialized for the types of socioeconomic data and information that are held by the DAAC or by other organizations and institutions.

Mapping tools and standard services (e.g., Open Geospatial Consortium web services) useful for application of socioeconomic datasets with

NASA’s Earth science datasets and/or Earth data from other sources.

Important types of socioeconomic data include:

Natural resources (land, air, freshwater, marine, biotic)

Environmental indicators (land use/cover, air/water quality, biodiversity), Population dynamics (e.g., population density, age distribution, migration);

Economics (e.g., industry, commerce, energy, agriculture);

Public health (e.g., births, mortality, morbidity);

Policy and institutions (e.g., treaty tests, conventions, protocols, ratification status).

3.2 External Interfaces

3.2.1 The contractor shall coordinate with other organizations, agencies, DAACs, NASA Centers, and institutions in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of this contract. This task includes developing and maintaining interfaces with other

EOSDIS organizational elements, other agencies with which EOSDIS must cooperate, and NASA’s international partners with whom EOSDIS will be interoperable, and a broad variety of international organizations and working groups.

3.2.2 The contractor shall provide leadership in the socioeconomic data and applications community on data formats, strategic services, data interoperability, data usability, and data capabilities.

3.3 Information and Data System Management

The contractor shall manage the information and data collection of the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC. The contractor shall conduct software and system development activities necessary to support the DAAC’s capabilities. Specific contractor efforts shall include the following:

3.3.1 The socioeconomic data and applications DAAC contractor shall manage the information, data and applications collection of the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC.

3.3.2 The contractor shall conduct software and system development activities necessary to support the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC’s capabilities. The contractor shall integrate new versions or enhancements of common software components, such as updates provide by CMR and software from Earthdata systems.

3.3.3 The contractor shall develop DAAC-resident software and system components needed for the interoperability of socioeconomic data and metadata with that of other DAACs.

3.3.4 The contractor shall provide all metadata in the approved standard formats, including the EOSDIS Core metadata format, the ISO 19115 format, and GCMD

DIF format.

3.3.5 The contractor shall perform approved EOSDIS-wide prototyping activities, such as activities for enhancing the quality of data products and the performance of the data system and increasing access to data and information.

3.3.6 The contractor shall collaborate with ESDIS, as directed, in the definition and implementation of EOSDIS standard data formats and developing format conversion software to transfer existing socioeconomic data into adopted formats.

3.3.7 The contractor shall coordinate user services with other NASA Earth science archive centers and other ESDIS contractors including defining and standardizing user services provided across all EOSDIS active archive centers, communicating user- and user-services-related issues to the ESDIS Project, and developing recommendations for policies and procedures relevant to user services.

3.3.8 The contractor shall coordinate operations with other elements of EOSDIS, which includes participating in working groups who define and standardize operations required across all the EOSDIS DAACs, communicate operations-related issues to the ESDIS Project, and develop recommendations for policies and procedures relevant to DAAC operations.

3.3.9 The contractor shall collaborate with other DAACs and ESDIS contractors in development of EOSDIS-wide capabilities, including development and implementation of common user interfaces, web services and search and browse functions. Where specifically requested, the contractor shall implement, integrate and operate Earth Science software systems prepared by external projects, such as the NASA ACCESS program.

3.4 Operations and Maintenance

3.4.1 Sustaining Engineering and Maintenance

3.4.1.1 The contractor shall perform all network administration and data system operations (e.g., computer and peripheral device operations, system backups) and any related operations associated with data acquisition, data maintenance, maintaining and updating metadata, and other data and information services for users.

3.4.1.2 The contractor shall be responsible for the sustaining engineering and maintenance of all DAAC-developed or procured hardware, software, operational components and processes that are required to perform the work covered by this contract.

3.4.1.3 The contractor shall acquire the data storage media and consumables required to operate the DAAC

3.4.1.4 The contractor shall plan, manage, and implement hardware and software systems maintenance activities (including fixing software errors, applying system maintenance patches, updating vendor software and other related activities) on a routine basis to ensure system security, increase user satisfaction, improve reliability, increase system availability and reduce costs.

3.4.1.5 The contractor shall ensure the long-term integrity and viability of the data products and applications it holds.

3.4.1.6 The contractor shall document design and software systems for the DAAC operational system and provide them to the COR.

3.4.1.7 The contractor shall be able to encrypt information as necessary and be able to provide the COR encrypted IT security plans and other related documents.

3.4.1.8 The contractor shall support security initiatives including onsite systems inspections and data calls issued from ESDIS Project Office.

3.4.2 Configuration Management and Testing

3.4.2.1 The contractor shall develop, document, and implement a configuration management plan for all systems. This plan shall be used to control changes to

DAAC systems and functional requirements. This plan shall be kept current and provided to the NASA COR upon request.

3.4.2.2 The contractor shall manage the configuration for all DAAC subsystems using standardized configuration management systems and processes. The contractor shall manage, collect and address problem reports. These reports shall be made available for review by the COR.

3.4.2.3 The contractor shall develop and maintain a systems test plan. This test plan shall describe procedures to be taken when testing new software and hardware components at the DAAC. These tests shall be made available for review by the

COR.

3.4.2.4 The contractor shall participate in all external NASA integration tests as required as a DAAC, e.g. Mission Operations End-to-End tests.

3.4.3 Metrics Gathering and Reporting

3.4.3.1 The contractor shall maintain the DAAC system extensions and components necessary for collection and reporting of user access and dataset statistics including parameters that measure system performance such as when a dataset is acquired, when it is archived, when products are generated, when users access the user interfaces at the DAAC, products requested and delivered, date of product delivery, internal quality assessments, user reported issues and comments, etc.

3.4.3.2 The contractor shall provide all metrics in electronic form as defined by the

EOSDIS Metrics System (EMS) processes.

3.4.3.3 The contractor shall report on the performance of the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC using collected metrics on a monthly basis and provide the

ESDIS project with any information regarding differences in interpretation, variances or discrepancies between metrics reported and those available from the

EMS.

3.4.3.4 The contractor shall provide, within 15 days of request by the COR, a listing of citations of publications and presentations referring to the use of socioeconomic data, applications and services available from and provided by the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC in pursuit of NASA related research.

3.5 User Services

The contractor shall perform and manage several user services activities at the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC. In order to best support and encourage scientific research, education outreach and other academic involvement, the contractor facility should be resident at a university and/or have strong partnerships in place with academic institutions. Specific contractor efforts shall include the following:

3.5.1 Science Support

3.5.1.1 The contractor shall provide scientific expertise to support the needs of the socioeconomic data and applications user community, and shall provide scientific and technical data management support for the socioeconomic data products and applications held by the DAAC.

3.5.1.2 The contractor shall interact directly with users, such as, taking requests for data and information, checking on the status of pending requests, resolving any problems with requests, gathering and documenting feedback from users.

3.5.1.3 The contractor shall advise on the interpretation and use of data products, quality assessments and applications.

3.5.1.4 The contractor shall provide information regarding dataset applicability to science studies for the science community.

3.5.1.5 The contractor shall prepare and review DAAC system documentation including search and download user interfaces, data formats, on-demand sub-setting, reformatting, any other data services and other related documents.

3.5.2 Outreach Activities

3.5.2.1 The contractor shall support NASA outreach activities, such as staffing of booths at major conferences, preparation and distribution of brochures and other methods of publicizing socioeconomic data and applications DAAC activities as requested by the ESDIS Project.

3.5.2.2 The contractor shall develop socioeconomic data and information products targeting specific segments of the user community, such as the education community.

3.5.3 Web Presence and Support

3.5.3.1 The contractor shall design and maintain a website for the DAAC. At a minimum, the website shall describe all of the services provided by the DAAC, provide contact information, describe the data products and applications available from the DAAC, and provide a access to a DAAC-developed search, browse and order interface that can be used to access data archived at the DAAC.

3.5.3.2 The contractor shall provide textual updates to the NASA ESDIS coordinated websites (e.g. Earthdata).

3.5.3.3 The contractor shall develop a web-accessible search, browse and order system that provides users access to all data and products archived at the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC. The contractor shall use the EOSDIS Common

Metadata Repository to provide the base information (as appropriate) for data and products presented on the website.

3.6 Special Projects Support

3.6.1 The contractor shall provide support, as directed, to special projects that utilize socioeconomic data products and applications. This may include but is not limited to:

a) Competitively awarded NASA ACCESS, AIST, MEaSUREs, ROSES or

Earth Ventures (EV) proposals.

b) Supporting other projects as directed, including the development of new websites, new user interfaces, new datasets, advances in techniques in data management and data stewardship, as requested.

c) Ingesting, archiving and distributing MEaSUREs products as requested.

d) Supporting other projects as directed, including the development of new websites, new user interfaces, new datasets, advances in techniques in data management and data stewardship, as requested.

3.7 Institutional Support

3.7.1 Institutional Management and Systems Engineering

3.7.1.1 The contractor shall operate and maintain DAAC facilities, systems, hardware and software systems, components and processes. This includes:

a) Operating within an established budget and funding (which may fluctuate).

b) Providing project management.

c) Providing plans, schedules, and cost projections.

d) Managing and documenting configuration changes.

e) Adherence to NASA and ESDIS Earth science data policies, specifications, standards, and requirements.

f) Tracking user requests and user needs to assess resources in greatest demand, and to identify resources and capabilities needed for future operations.

g) Managing and maintaining the existing socioeconomic data collections.

3.7.1.2 The contractor shall provide the line management and technical staff to effectively and efficiently manage and operate the DAAC. This includes personnel necessary to interact with other institutions and agencies involved with

EOSDIS, to coordinate with the DAAC’s user community, to provide scientific support to the user community on the use of the DAAC’s data, and to conduct the system engineering tasks required to ensure that all of the DAAC’s systems are functional and properly enabled.

3.7.1.3 The contractor shall provide management and technical staff to manage and maintain the DAAC facilities and institutional services.

3.7.1.4 The contractor shall provide the science oversight and system engineering for the

DAAC, including the coordination of software, hardware, network and science infrastructure work between other EOSDIS elements and the DAAC.

3.7.2 DAAC User Working Group

3.7.2.1 The contractor shall participate in the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC

User Working Group (UWG) activities. The contractor arranges regular meetings of the UWG. The contractor participates at the meeting by preparing status information for the group, addressing issues raised by the group, and preparing meeting minutes for the group. The UWG meets no more than twice a year at a site selected by the chairman of the UWG, the DAAC Manager and the COR.

Typically, the site of the meeting will be at the contractor’s site, near the Goddard

Space Flight Center, at one of the UWG member’s institutions, at another DAAC, or at the site of a national/ international conference. The number of members on the UWG will vary from year to year, but will not exceed twenty members.

3.7.2.2 The contractor shall review and report on all recommendations made by the UWG and NASA personnel.

3.7.3 Travel Arrangements

3.7.3.1 The contractor shall provide the travel arrangements required by the DAAC staff to interact with the NASA ESDIS Project and the other groups involved with the operation and development of the EOSDIS. This includes travel to institutions and agencies where users reside, as well as travel to other sites to perform other defined tasks, such as user outreach. The contractor shall provide travel arrangements for non-government UWG members in conjunction with the UWG activities.

3.8 Facility Services

The contractor shall perform several facility services activities at the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC. The facility where work is to be performed should already exist with high-speed data networks and communications systems already in place. Specific contractor efforts shall include the following:

3.8.1 The contractor shall provide all facility preparations including space, power and air conditioning required to accommodate the DAAC systems, including the existing socioeconomic data and applications DAAC equipment.

3.8.2 The contractor shall maintain an inventory of NASA-owned equipment and its configuration so that they may be easily transitioned to other archives or other contractors prior to the completion of the contract.

3.8.3 The contractor shall provide both high-speed local networking and connections to the appropriate high-speed national networking infrastructure to provide needed connectivity to other elements of EOSDIS and to support user access to socioeconomic data, applications and information services.

3.8.4 The contractor shall provide office space and furnishings for the DAAC staff.

The contractor shall ensure that the DAAC facilities (including the security, electrical, cooling and network infrastructure) are properly managed and effectively accommodate the full complement of socioeconomic data and applications, DAAC staff and computer systems.

3.8.5 The contractor shall provide office space and furnishings for visiting scientists and engineers that are temporarily assigned to the DAAC. This requirement will not exceed five full-time equivalents at any given time.

3.8.6 The contractor shall provide necessary measures to insure the safety and security of the NASA assets at the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC.

3.9 Reporting

3.9.1 The DAAC Manager assigned by the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC contractor shall provide the primary point-of-contact between the contractor and the COR designated under this contract. The DAAC Manager shall provide overall coordination of the entire contract effort. The contractor's performance of the services described herein shall be subject to the technical direction and monitoring of the COR and monitoring by any assigned Assistant Technical

Representatives (ATRs).

3.9.2 The contractor shall effectively communicate the operational status to the COR.

3.9.3 The contractor shall integrate and coordinate task schedules with overall ESDIS

Project schedules.

3.9.4 The contractor shall electronically submit a weekly and monthly status report of accomplishment highlights, work planned for following period, user outreach, and any issues that arise.

3.9.5 The contractor shall maintain the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC data set and applications baseline. The data set baseline includes currently supported data sets, future data sets for which funding has been identified, and candidate data sets for which funding has not yet been identified, as well as applications and services provided for each data.

3.9.6 The contractor shall submit an annual report and work plan following guidelines presented by the ESDIS Project. The document shall include:

3.9.6.1 A summary of the technological and scientific accomplishments (with respect to the SOW) achieved at the socioeconomic data and applications

DAAC that have contributed to NASA’s Earth science goals, as well as, the programmatic and technical issues that confront the DAAC.

3.9.6.2 An outline of activities planned for the next year, including the DAAC’s updated long-term planning schedule, as well as a discussion of requirements, implementation approach, manpower allocation, and delivery schedule. The socioeconomic data and applications DAAC contractor shall submit a separate seven-year operating budget projection for the socioeconomic data and applications DAAC that reflects overall program guidance for sustaining NASA’s data archival and services needs.

4 Applicable Documents

Requirements for Archiving, Distribution and User Services in EOS Data and

Information System (Earth Science Data Information System Project CCR #423-

10-69, dated March 2017).

NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) 2810.1A for the Security of Information

Technology, dated May 16, 2006.

NASA Earth Science Data Policy found at:

o http://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/earth-science-data/data-information-policy/

Common Metadata Repository (CMR) information can be found at:

o https://earthdata.nasa.gov/about/science-system-description/eosdis-components/common-metadata-repository

ESDIS Metrics System (EMS) Guideline and Informational Documents which can be found at:

o http://earthdata.nasa.gov/about-eosdis/system-description/esdis-metrics-system-ems/documentation http://earthdata.nasa.gov/about-eosdis/system-description/esdis-metrics-system-ems/documentation http://earthdata.nasa.gov/about-eosdis/system-description/esdis-metrics-system-ems/documentation

5 Deliverables

DR No. Deliverable Date

DR-1 Data Center Metrics

(Per SOW Section 3.4.3)

Weekly, monthly and quarterly throughout the contract performance period

DR-2 Status Reports (per SOW Section

3.9.4)

Weekly and the 15th of every month

DR-3 Annual Report, Work Plan and

Budget (per SOW Section 3.9.6)

January 15 annually

DR-4 Data Set Baseline Updates

(Per SOW Section 3.9.5)

January 15 annually

6 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

The contractor is required to comply with all standards and guidelines as addressed by the

US Access Board issued under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act. Please see https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it . The contractor should be aware of the planned refresh of the ICT rules and guidelines as specified in https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/overview-of-the-final-rule

Since this contract will require electronic and information technology in the course of completing tasks, the contractor should review all chapters, revisions, and refresh plans to ensure compliance. As new requirements are provided in 508, this section of the SOW will be changed.

Background

On January 18, 2017, the U.S. Access Board published a final rule updating accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) covered by Section

508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act.

The Board’s Section 508 Standards apply to electronic and information technology procured by the federal government, including computer hardware and software, websites, phone systems, and copiers. They were issued under section 508 of the

Rehabilitation Act which requires access for both members of the public and federal employees to such technologies when developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies.

The Section 508 Standards are part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and address access for people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. They contain https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/overview-of-the-final-rule https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/overview-of-the-final-rule https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule technical criteria specific to various types of technologies and performance-based requirements which focus on functional capabilities of covered products. Specific criteria cover software applications and operating systems, web-based information and applications, computers, telecommunications products, video and multi-media, and self-contained closed products.

In performance of this effort, the following standards are applicable and should be especially noted:

Subpart B -- Technical Standards

§ 1194.21 Software applications and operating systems.

(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually.

(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer.

(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that assistive technology can track focus and focus changes.

(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to assistive technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.

(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance.

(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.

(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.

(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.

(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided.

(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.

(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).

(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Note to §1194.22: 1. The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1 Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility

Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5, 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium:

Section 1194.22

Paragraph WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint

(a) 1.1

(b) 1.4

(c) 2.1

(d) 6.1

(e) 1.2

(f) 9.1

(g) 5.1

(h) 5.2

(i) 12.1

(j) 7.1

(k) 11.4

2. Paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section are different from WCAG 1.0. Web pages that conform to WCAG 1.0, level A (i.e., all priority 1 checkpoints) must also meet paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section to comply with this section. WCAG

1.0 is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505.

§ 1194.24 Video and multimedia products.

(a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer equipment that includes analog television receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not later than July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television (DTV) displays measuring at least 7.8 inches vertically, DTV sets with conventional displays measuring at least 13 inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners, whether or not they are marketed with display screens, and computer equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals.

(b) Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in computers, shall be equipped with secondary audio program playback circuitry.

(c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed captioned.

(d) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be audio described.

(e) Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or audio descriptions shall be user-selectable unless permanent.

§ 1194.26 Desktop and portable computers.

(a) All mechanically operated controls and keys shall comply with §1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).

(b) If a product utilizes touchscreens or touch-operated controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with §1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).

(c) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.

(d) Where provided, at least one of each type of expansion slots, ports and connectors shall comply with publicly available industry standards.

Subpart C – Functional Performance Criteria

§ 1194.31 Functional performance criteria.

(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.

(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for assistive technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.

(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided.

(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided.

(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.

(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.

Subpart D -- Information, Documentation, and Support

§ 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support.

(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.

(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.

(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.