Attachment 1 - DOE PAS SOW_v2.pdf

Personal Assistant Services

Department of Energy

Statement of Work

Purpose

The Department of Energy (DOE) has a requirement to attract applicants, and to retain and support employees with targeted disabilities. DOE is hiring, promoting, and retaining qualified people with targeted disabilities into competitive employment opportunities within the agency. As a model employer in the Federal Government, DOE is looking to exceed expectations in the provision of employee care so employee’s talent can soar while successfully accomplishing the mission. With this effort comes the responsibility to provide services to applicants and employees with targeted disabilities to enable concentration on duties and responsibilities.

DOE requires contractor support for Personal Assistant Services (PAS) in the Washington DC metro area. These services include, but are not limited to, reader services, scheduling services, and other general related services stated within the contract. Certifications associated with this service are Certified Medical Assistant or a Certified Nurse’s assistant.

Background

On January 3, 2017, the EEOC published a Final Rule on Affirmative Action for Individuals with Disabilities in Federal Employment. This rule requires Federal agencies to provide PAS as a form of affirmative action to employees with targeted disabilities.

PAS can be provided both onsite and/or offsite for the teleworking employee.

Description of Needs

PAS provides aid with performing activities of daily living that an individual would typically perform if they did not have a disability; these services are like home caregivers or paraprofessionals. Examples include assistance with removing and putting on clothing, eating, using the restroom and pushing a wheelchair or assistance with getting into or out of a vehicle at the worksite.

PAS may only be provided to those individuals with a “targeted disability.” The U.S.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) list includes the following targeted disabilities:

deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, convulsive disorders, intellectual disabilities, mental illness, and distortion of limb and/or spine.0F

1 This SOW is in compliance with The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm).

Employees receiving Personal Assistance Services under the ADA current DOE employees who need assistance in performing activities of daily living during work hours and when on work-related travel.

PAS do not help individuals with disabilities perform their specific job functions, such as reviewing documents or answering calls; and differs from services that assist an individual to perform job-related tasks, such as sign language interpreters.

Terminology

• AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA): A law which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities involving employment and other areas.

• ADA PERSONAL ASSISTANCE: The ADA requires employers to provide PAS to an applicant or employee with a disability so long as the services are job-related and are not primarily for the personal benefit of the individual with a disability. See: https://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm

• CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO): The person who can bind the Federal Government of the United States to a contract that is greater than the Micro- Purchase threshold of $3,000. This is limited to the scope of authority delegated to the Contracting Officer by the head of the agency.

• CONTRACT SPECIALIST: A Contract Specialist is responsible for every phase of contract development from researching the legal regulations to negotiating the terms and preparing the print document.

• CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR): A person who ensures Contractors meet the commitment of their contracts. CORs ensure proper development of requirements and assist Contracting Officers in managing their contracts. An alternate COR has the same responsibilities in the absence of the

COR.

1 PAS does not include, performing medical procedures (e.g., administering shots) or medical monitoring (e.g., monitoring blood pressure) (see https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/questions-answers-federal-agencies-obligation-provide-personal-assistance-services).

http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm https://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/questions-answers-federal-agencies-obligation-provide-personal-assistance-services https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/questions-answers-federal-agencies-obligation-provide-personal-assistance-services

• CONTRACTOR POC: The lead communicator between the COR, the POC for reasonable accommodations and the designated Agency POCs who serve as liaisons within the Departmental Element.

• REASONABLE ACCOMODATION (RA): Include "modifications or adjustments to the work environment, or to the manner or circumstances under which the position held or desired is customarily performed, that enable an individual with a disability who is qualified to perform the essential functions of that position."

• EMPLOYEE WITH DISABILITY (EWD): DOE employee who has been granted PAS as a RA.

• PERSONAL ASSISTANT (PA): A trained and certified individual who assists an individual with a physical, sensory, mental, or cognitive disability to perform tasks the individual would perform for themselves if they did not have a disability.

Typical certification would be Certified Medical Assistant or Certified Nurse’s.

Assistant o Certified Medical Assistant (CMA). Skills range from administrative to patient care duties. Certified through an accredited educational institution.

o Certified Nurse’s Assistant CNA: Assists with daily patient care tasks such dressing, bathing, feeding and transferring. Certification through a recognized educational institution.

• PERSONS REQUIRING ASSISTANCE (PRA): An individual who requires assistance with a physical, sensory, mental, or cognitive disability with tasks that the individual would perform for themselves if they did not have a disability.

• PERSON WITH A DISABILITY: A person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability.

• EATING/FEEDING: Placing food on a utensil and placing it in the person’s mouth, prompting chewing and swallowing. For example, the Personal Assistant may cut, cook, watch, and otherwise prepare an entire meal for the person who is physically/mentally incapable of assisting in the preparations.

• DRINKING: To assist the individual with liquid consumption.

• DRESSING: Assistance in dressing, grooming, etc., provided to persons with a disability, or individuals who are unable to care for themselves. The act or process of dressing or grooming oneself.

• RESTROOM/TOILETING: Assistance in using a toilet. Encourage patterned urge response toileting, which is a technique for bladder training, especially in patients with functional incontinence; the patient is prompted to urinate based on results of a voiding diary that indicates maximum functional capacity.

• TRANSFERRING: Physically lifting and assisting an individual in moving from one location to the next, including, but not limited to, assistance with travel.

• WALKING/MOBILITY: To move at a normal or slow pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once. Assisting an individual with walking on their own or with some type of walker or other mobility equipment.

Scope

Specific Work Tasks: The Contractor is responsible for providing any additional assistance needed to perform “activities of daily living” (ADL). ADL include, but are not limited to the following:

• eating

• drinking

• dressing

• toileting transferring

• walking/mobility

PRAs may require the following types of services, including, but not limited to:

• transferring in and out of a restroom stall or on and off a toilet,

• assisting with toileting,

• transferring in and out of vehicles and mobility devices (e.g. cars, busses, airplanes wheelchairs, scooters, etc.); this may include lifting and carrying the

PRA,

• removing and putting on clothes, outwear and accessories,

• packing or unpacking and retrieving items,

• adjusting, manipulating, or operating the PRA’s workstation and government equipment/technology

• accompanying the PRA to walk with a service animal or navigate the facility,

• turning and positioning of the PRA (e.g., in a wheelchair or desk chair.

General Work Tasks

• familiarity with assistive technology software applications such as, but not limited to, ZoomText, JAWS, Kurzweil, and Dragon Naturally Speaking

• excellent oral and written communication skills

• strong interpersonal skills

• ability to effectively read aloud technical and non-technical documents to, consumers while paying attention to pacing, pronunciation, and enunciation

• ability to organize files and assist with light filing

• ability to orient and provide sighted guidance to blind and low vision EWDs

• ability to lift or transfer the EWD’s weight, without assistance

• provide wheelchair assistance1F

2,

• retrieval of work materials that are out of reach, packing and unpacking

• adjusting, manipulating, or operating a workstation and government, equipment/technology (e.g., inserting PIV card, retrieving documents from a copier, etc.),

• assisting with tasks that are considered benefits and privileges of employment including physical access to spaces available to all employees (such as cafeterias or break rooms), employer-sponsored training, and employer-sponsored social events

• assisting with clothing or eating (to include feeding), if needed. Providing other PAS, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

Hours of Work

The Contractor, must schedule PAS between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

unless otherwise directed by the COR. PAS may be provided between 6:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday when serving the EWD at their primary duty location (which may be the employees telework location) unless requested outside the stated hours. PAS hours will coincide with the EWD time zone. There is one 30-minute unpaid lunchbreak for the Contractor POC and/or PA who work 8 hours or more. Work will be completed in the Washington DC Metro area unless the Contractor is traveling with the employee.

Minimum Requirements for Personal Assistant:

• The Contractor must have at least two years of related professional work

2 Under the new rules, covered entities must allow people with disabilities who use wheelchairs (including manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and electric scooters) and manually-powered mobility aids such as walkers, crutches, canes, braces, and other similar devices into all areas of a facility where members of the public are allowed to enter (see: https://www.ada.gov/opdmd.htm).

https://www.ada.gov/opdmd.htm Guy.Cholmondeley Cross-Out experience, or a combination of experience and related credentials.

• The Contractor must have excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.

• The Contractor must maintain confidentiality of all interactions and materials handled by the employee (e.g., PII information, government documents, specific PAS tasks, etc.).

• The Contractor must be able to lift and carry 75 pounds.

• The Contractor must have the ability to use their feet, legs, hands, wrists, and fingers.

• The Contractor must be able to perform movements such as stooping, crouching, bending, kneeling, climbing, and reaching.

• The Contractor must be able to assist an employee with their service animal.

• The Contractor must make appropriate professional judgments with respect to the employee and coworkers, taking into consideration the role, responsibilities, and tasks associated with working with persons with disabilities.

Qualifications – Personal Assistant Must:

• Have at least two years of experience working with people with disabilities

• Become familiar with various DOE software applications that customers may use,

• Become familiar with Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and should also be comfortable with using Microsoft Teams and Zoom,

• be familiar with assistive technology software applications (e.g. ZoomText, JAWS, Kurzweil, and Dragon Naturally Speaking)

• Demonstrate ability to read aloud technical and non-technical documents to the employee while paying attention to pacing, pronunciation, and enunciation.

• Have ability to organize files and assist with light filing

• Have ability to orient and provide sighted guidance to blind and low vision PRAs.

• Use various lifting techniques to transfer the employee of varying weights safely

• Have ability to lift, pack, and unpack work materials

• Exhibit cultural sensitivity, experience, and knowledge of working with people with disabilities,

• Have experience guiding people who are blind and those with low vision.

• Know the proper techniques for providing services and stay current in the techniques of the profession.

• Complete all DOE required trainings for Contractors.

Period of Performance

The period for service is one year, with an additional four-year option from date of contract.

Place of Performance

The place of performance is within the Washington DC metro area either at the DOE facilities or the employee’s home when they are teleworking.

Documents Delivery

Unclassified document deliverables or correspondence must be delivered to the Contracting Officer’s Representative. Delivery of articles, other than documents, must be specified in the approved project plan.

Scheduling Personal Assistance Services

The Contractor will provide PAS within the Washington DC metro area. The Contractor must strive to provide continuity and consistency of services using a core group of PAs whenever possible. The Contractor must use a DOE system/method (e.g., MS Outlook) for processing PAS requests, and must be prepared to accept and fulfill requests on the effective date of the contract.

Scheduling Requirements

Due to the nature of the services under this Statement of Work, the following is required:

• The Contractor must have the ability to provide services for both long-term and ad-hoc needs.

• The Contractor must provide an agency approved contingency plan,

• The Contractor must have the ability to respond to emergency and short notices of required assistance,

• During scheduled work hours, the Contractor must acknowledge receipt of all requests for services within two hours of receipt of request,

• The Contractor must be able to provide same-day services for some locations,

• Upon request, the Contractor must submit a capabilities statement to support the need.

Cancellations/Additional Pricing Considerations

• DOE will provide a minimum payment for cancellations made with less than two business days for the PAs scheduled hours if they cannot be re-deployed to other assignments. Cancellations occurring within 48 hours of the date services were to be performed, are charged a cancellation fee of $250.

• When official travel is involved, the Contractor’s lodging/hotel accommodations will be billed at cost and not exceed the Federal Travel Regulation guidelines.

• PAs will stay at the same location as the PRA.

Security Clearance

All Contractors must meet the criteria to obtain access to DOE facilities. This may require a security clearance to obtain a DOE badge. To obtain a DOE badge and network access, Contractors must complete requisite Security and Privacy Awareness Training.

Confidentiality and Privacy

All financial, statistical, personal, technical, and other information relating to this SOW and/or contract relating to the PAS daily operations must remain confidential.

Information regarding individuals, and requests for reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities made available to the Contractor to carry out the contract, or that becomes available to the Contractor in carrying out the contract, must be kept private and confidential by the Contractor.

The Contractor must not be required to keep confidential any public information, legally in the Contractor's possession, is independently developed by the Contractor outside the scope of this contract or is rightfully obtained from third parties.

Insurance GSA vendor Pricelist ceiling rates must include malpractice insurance. If not included, vendor pricelist must specifically state malpractice insurance.

Additionally, vendor must provide their Medical Liability Insurance, per occurrence, and aggregate limit.

Reporting Requirements

The Contractor must prepare a performance report each month. This report must describe the services rendered, including the following information:

• location

• number of hours worked

• PAS cost/fees per PA per event

• hours of PAS per assignment

• start/end time

• date of requested service

• travel and mileage charges

• number of cancellations and cost

• late requests

• unfulfilled requests

Each report must provide the name of PRA using the service and the name of the requestor. Information will be compiled by DOE (who/what office?) as well as the Departmental Elements.

The report must contain the contract number on the cover page. The monthly report must be sent in electronic format to the COR prior to the last day of each month. If services are used on the last day of the month, the report is due the following business day no later than10am.

Quarterly Reports- 508 Compliant

The Contractor must prepare four quarterly reports. All reports must be 508 compliant.

Reports are due within five business days of the last day of each fiscal quarter (September 30, December 31, March 31, and June 30).

Each quarterly report must include the following information:

• total amount of customer requests received; (format of report may change and require a breakout by departmental elements)

• total number of customers served

• total hours of support provided

• total ad hoc hours of support provided

• total contract expense