SWAT Transition Out Plan 10.24.22.pdf

1 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan

What Works Clearinghouse Statistics, Website, and Training Transition-Out Plan

Alicia N. Garcia, J. D., Director

October 2022

AIR® Headquarters 1400 Crystal Drive, 10th Floor Arlington, VA 22202-3289

+1.202.403.5000 | AIR.ORG

2 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan

Purpose The purpose of this document is to provide a plan for transitioning assets of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Statistics, Website, and Training (SWAT) to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) or a contractor, as directed by IES. The plan applies to assets that are necessary for the continued operation of the four primary components of the SWAT contract: (1) website, (2) online study review guide, (3) online training, and (4) help desk. This transition plan presents schedules and procedures for transfer the of resources, information, and intellectual property.

Transition Overview AIR anticipates the transfer period will begin upon receipt of instructions from IES to transfer assets to it or a contractor. The transfer period will continue from notification through the end date of the current SWAT contract, which is May 17, 2023. The goals of the current transition-out plan are as follows:

1. To provide support to ensure that the work of the SWAT contract is not interrupted during this period;

2. To share knowledge and documentation related to SWAT with appropriate parties to support IES; and

3. To establish a clear schedule for transferring and/or returning documents and records to IES and other identified parties.

Upon instruction from IES to transfer assets to IES or a contractor, AIR will create a SharePoint site where SWAT materials in electronic format will be placed for retrieval. Other electronic materials will be provided via password-protected zip files. AIR is in possession of the assets requiring transfer and anticipates that transfer will be low risk. All these assets are currently in use to perform work required under the SWAT contract or stored at secure facilities. A list of the identified assets is provided in the Materials and Assets section of this plan. AIR has identified Marshal Conley as the primary point of contact for the transition process. Conley brings deep knowledge of the processes, documentation, and protocols for the assets relevant to the transition.

Transition Tasks, Activities, and Schedule

AIR will engage in a series of transition activities and meetings to ensure a smooth and successful transition of assets. During the transition process, AIR will engage in transition meetings, create an inventory of SWAT resources that will be shared with IES, and provide a

3 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan final transition summary memo. The final transition deliverable will document the process and will demonstrate that AIR has fulfilled its responsibilities, achieved its transition goals, and provided all necessary documentation, knowledge, and materials to the identified parties. Table 1 identifies the anticipated transition activities, deliverables, and timeline.

Table 1. Transition Activities, Deliverables, and Timeline

Activity Deliverable Completion Date

Conduct inventory of all SWAT materials relevant to the operation of the identified components

Inventory of materials No later than 90 days prior to the end of the contract.

Conduct initial transition meeting with IES and appropriate parties.

Agenda No later than 75 days prior to the end of the contract.

Organize and prepare files. All completed materials will be ready and included in a checklist describing the files, their format, and their location on AIR’s SharePoint site and/or secure server

No later than 45 days prior to the end of contract.

Complete secure delivery of documentation and files.

Password-protected zip files and/or SharePoint file transfer

No later than 30 days prior to the end of the contract.

Conduct final transition meeting with IES and appropriate parties.

Meeting agenda No later than 10 days prior to the end of the contract.

Compile and deliver transition summary memo to IES.

Memo No later than 5 days prior to the end of the contract.

Provide certification of data destruction resident on AIR and AEM systems

Required ED form Within one month of the end of the contract.

Throughout the transition process, AIR will continue to perform routine Help Desk support and routine web publishing. If IES identifies a contractor to which AIR will transition assets, AIR will engage the new contractor in these routine processes as an opportunity for demonstration and to answer questions and facilitate the transition.

Transition Meetings

If directed by IES to transition assets to a contractor, AIR will have meetings with the new contractor on a bi-weekly basis for a series of eight weeks beginning February 17, 2023, or upon

4 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan notification from IES to begin the transfer process. Additional ad hoc meetings or subject-specific meetings will be scheduled by the AIR primary contact as appropriate.

For each task under the SWAT contract with assets to be transitioned, AIR will engage in 60-minute bi-weekly meetings for AIR to share the assets to be transitioned and the anticipated transition schedule for each asset. After the first month, AIR and the new contractor will co-develop agendas for the bi-weekly meetings to cover new topics, issues, and questions that arise for the new contractor. Attendees for these meetings will include appropriate AIR staff and appropriate staff from the new contractor. IES staff will also attend as appropriate.

Anticipated Risks and Challenges

AIR will report progress and issues related to the activities delineated in this plan to the SWAT COR during their bi-weekly. AIR will provide the COR with a bi-weekly Transition Status Report, which will be used to document risk management activities related to the transfer. This report will include for the risks/challenges:

• Identification (known and potential)

• Analyses (estimated quality, cost, and schedule impacts)

• Planning (alternative strategies to avoid or to control impact of each risk)

• Mitigation (taking planned actions to contain impact of occurred risk to acceptable levels)

• Monitoring (status review of existing risks and identification of any new risks)

• Reassessment (reassessment and update of mitigation strategies)

Materials Transfer and/or Access

All relevant SWAT materials will be transitioned through password-protected zip files and/or SharePoint to ensure the security of files and personally identifiable information for certified reviewers. Table 2 provides an overview of the proposed materials that will be transferred.

Table 2. Proposed materials to be Transferred

Task Task Description Type of Material/Content

Task 2. WWC Website

2.1 Continuity of Service • None anticipated

2.2 Maintain, Update, and Improve the

WWC Website

• Website data and underlying code

5 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan

Task Task Description Type of Material/Content

• Procedures and guidelines documents for website maintenance and updates, including programming information

• Website Request Templates

Task 3. Maintain and develop WWC Tools and Databases

3.1 Maintain Existing WWC Tools and

Databases

• Online study review guide (SRG) and underlying coding

• Procedures and guidelines documents for OSRG maintenance and updates

• Memos to IES documenting decision points

• WWC 606 Resources

• Requirement forms

• ESSA Tier 3 tagging history

• OSRG user account information

• SRG feature demos

3.2 Develop a System to Identify Studies

Under Review

• Code for system monitoring studies that are under review by WWC

• Documentation of intervention naming decisions

• SRG rating standards

3.3 Develop a Plan to Enhance and Improve

Tools

• See Task 14

Task 7. Provide Training on WWC Standards and Procedures

7.1 Maintain a System for Training • Slide decks and scripts for online group design training

• Slide decks and scripts for online single case design training

7.2 Conduct In-Person Training to Certify

Reviewers

• Training slide decks (regression discontinuity design and single-case design) used for in-person trainings delivered under 4.1

6 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan

• Excel-based master SRG for regression discontinuity designs

• Excel-based master SRG for single case designs

7.3 Certify Reviewers • Certification exams and answer keys

7.4 Conduct Technical Assistance Trainings • Webinar recordings, scripts, and slides

Task 9. Maintain and Improve the Help Desk

9.1 Maintain and Improve the Help Desk • Procedures and Guidelines documents for responding to Help Desk inquiries.

Please see Section 3.0.

• Help Desk Standard Language Template

• A log of help desk tickets and responses from each year of contract

9.2 Maintain and Improve the Directory of

Frequently Asked Questions

• FAQs and tracked information about updates to FAQs

• Procedures and guidelines for updating FAQs on the website

Task 14. Implement Plan to Enhance and Improve Website Tools

14.1 Implement Plan to Enhance and Improve

Tools

• Description of OSRG Context Fields

• Guidance around updating and scheduling the implementation of the reconciler view

• SRG Resource Library, including documentation, memos, or other materials on the SRG processes

• SRG user guide and additional documentation, memos, and materials regarding user experience

• Version 5.0 update materials, including documentation, memos or other materials on the Version 5.0 processes

7 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan

• Description of completed OSRG enhancements

14.2 Update WWC Website Based on

Decision-Making Process Report

• Redesign requirement documents

• Memos to IES documenting decision points

Task 16. Enhance the WWC to Maximum Usability

16.1 Certify Reviewers and Update Training

Materials

• Recertification video

• Questions used for recertification knowledge checks

• Memo summarizing training revisions to align with v4.1

16.2 Move the Online SRG • Procedures and guidelines for how

reviewers get access to the OSRG

16.3 Adding ESSA Filters to Help Website

Users Find Evidence

• Documentation of updates that were made to add the filters

8 | AIR.ORG SWAT Transition-Out Plan

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AIR® Headquarters 1400 Crystal Drive, 10th Floor Arlington, VA 22202-3289

+1.202.403.5000 | AIR.ORG