A02.12 PWS Logistics Support to MRC SVP Tool dated 2026.06.11.docx

11 JUN 2026

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

LOGISTICS SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF MRC SVP WEB TOOL

1. BACKGROUND

Institute for Water Resources (IWR) is a United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Field Operating Activity (FOA) located within the Washington, DC National Capital Region (NCR), in Alexandria, VA and with satellite centers in New Orleans, LA, Davis, CA, Golden, CO, and Pittsburgh, PA. IWR was created in 1969 to analyze and anticipate changing water resources management conditions, and to develop planning methods and analytical tools to address economic, social, institutional, and environmental needs in water resources planning and policy. IWR is currently responsible for a number water resources activities or programs, including evaluation of Civil Works (CW) strategic plans, CW policies and programs, investment and financial analysis, performance measurements and evaluations, infrastructure analysis, and other water related activities. IWR provides technical assistance to USACE divisions, districts, laboratories, Federal agencies, international organizations, financial institutions and other countries, in encompassing a broad range of topic areas related to levee and dam safety, risk assessment, dredging requirements, port/waterway transport, aquatic ecosystem restoration, environmental stewardship, flood and drought risk management, emergency preparedness, watershed planning, regulatory, multipurpose water resources including hydroelectric power, water supply and reallocation, recreation, and other water and related land resources issues.

IWR is supporting the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in the development of a Shared Vision Planning (SVP) webtool. This effort is being funded by the U.S. Department of State as a means for diplomacy through technical and scientific exchange.

The MRC is an intergovernmental organization for regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin, established in 1995 based on the Mekong Agreement between member countries - Cambodia, Laos, PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. The organization serves as a regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub of water resources management for the sustainable development of the region. USACE currently has a formalized agreement with the MRC to collaborate on a wide range of water resources management efforts. The MRC Secretariat (MRCS) is headquartered in Laos, and each member country has their own committee office within their countries’ borders (NMCs).

IWR seeks services to facilitate logistics for a 1-day regional meeting with the four member countries and a 2-day training on the use of SVP tool in Laos. The contractor is expected to support logistics in executing these workshops

2. SCOPE

The contractor shall coordinate with the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS) planning division team. IWR will make connections to establish a working relationship between the contractor and the MRCS. This will involve 2-3 calls at around 09:00 pm Eastern Standard Time with the MRCS.

Specific duties will include the following:

i. Coordinate with the MRCS and IWR for the execution of a 1-day ‘regional workshop’ for 30 participants to be held in Vientiane, Laos.

a. Five participants representing National Mekong Committees (NMC) will travel each from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam for a total of 15.

b. Five participants representing the Laos NMC will attend that do not require travel.

c. Nine participants from the MRCS will attend.

d. One participant from IWR will attend.

ii. Coordinate with the MRCS and IWR for the execution of a ‘two-day training’ course for 16 participants to be held in Vientiane, Laos.

a. Two participants representing NMCs will travel each from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam for a total of six.

b. Two participants representing the Lao NMC will attend that do not require travel.

c. Five participants from the MRCS will attend.

d. Three participants from IWR and Arizona State University will attend who do not need travel arrangements under this contract.

iii. Coordinate with the MRCS to fund a formal ‘meeting package’ that includes meeting space with food and drinks for coffee breaks and lunch. The conference rooms will be coordinated with the MRCS. It is preferable to utilize MRCS conference rooms if cost effective. The workshops will be held in Vientiane. The total meeting package for both events should be negotiated under $3,100 unless otherwise approved by IWR.

iv. Provide Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) based on UN rates to National Mekong Committee participants travelling from Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam as described below. The Contractor will coordinate with MRCS on attendees receiving DSA allowance during the events.

a. Participants travelling to the regional workshop representing Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand NMCs will receive allowance as follows: one day at 100% of DSA for the workshop, and two days at 88% of DSA for travel days. Participants traveling from Laos, NMC receive $15 for the day of their participation.

b. Participants travelling to the two-day training representing the Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand NMCs will receive allowance as follows: two days at 100% of DSA for the training, and two days at 88% of DSA for travel days. Participants traveling from Laos NMC will receive $30 total for the two days of their participation.

c. The total DSA allowance for both events is $12,189 unless otherwise approved by IWR.

v. Coordinate with MRCS to support transportation costs of participants to include a possible van, airfare and reimburse taxis. The contractor shall purchase airfare for Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand participants into Wattay international (VTE) airport.

a. Taxis shall be reimbursed for participants to go to their country airport and home. Maximum taxi reimbursed (roundtrip) for Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam are $36, $68, and $60 unless otherwise approved by IWR.

b. A van can be coordinated to transport participants in Vientiane from Wattay airport to hotel and to events for no greater than $1200 for both events unless otherwise approved by IWR.

c. Airfare shall be purchased for all Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam NMC participants for a total no greater than $13,500 unless otherwise approved by IWR.

The contractor shall provide an estimate of their labor and travel expenses necessary to support the execution of these logistics and costs.

The contractor is expected to provide participant per diems, travel and other expenses as listed on items iii-v prior to or during the workshop. USACE will reimburse the contractor for all these expenses with vouchers / receipts. These expenses will be coordinated with USACE and will not exceed a total budget of $31,000. The contractor will work with MRCS and USACE to keep expenses within budget. Any additional expenses over the $31,000 maximum will need to be approved by IWR/USACE.

The contractor shall have knowledge and experience working with government and non-governmental organizations and universities; however, USACE will introduce the contractor to MRC and be involved in all logistic planning.

The contractor will also have excellent communication skills to facilitate workshop planning activities with the MRC. All correspondence is in English, so there is no need for additional languages, although experience working with Southeast Asian agencies is preferred.

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Offerors must demonstrate experience with facilitating logistics for workshops and training, and providing airfares in developing countries. They must show experience in supporting technical meetings that require proper protocol expected in diplomatic engagements. The offeror must have the financial strength to fund purchases upfront prior to reimbursement.

The following sub-sections provide details of various general requirements for this effort.

3.1. Non-Personal Services

The contractor shall provide strictly non-personal services and contractor employees are not subject to direct supervision and control by the Government. The contractor shall advise and support the Government but shall not make final decisions or certifications on behalf of the Government nor perform any inherently governmental functions. The contractor and its employees shall not represent the government nor appear to represent the government in performance of these contract services. Contractor personnel shall clearly identify themselves as contractor employees in all interactions during contract performance.

3.2 Contract Administration

The contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to effectively administer the requirement. The contractor shall respond to Government requests for contractual actions in a timely fashion. The contractor shall have a single point of contact between the Government and Contractor personnel assigned to support contracts or task orders. The contractor shall assign work effort and maintain proper and accurate time keeping records of personnel assigned to work on the requirement.

The contractor shall accomplish the assigned work by employing and utilizing qualified personnel with appropriate combinations of education, training, and experience. The contractor shall maintain the technical competency of their employees by providing initial and refresher training as required to meet the task order PWS requirements. The contractor shall be responsible for any subcontract management necessary to integrate work performed on this requirement and shall be responsible and accountable for subcontractor performance on this requirement. The contractor shall also be responsible for insuring timely payment to subcontractors. The prime contractor will manage work distribution to ensure there are no Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) considerations.

3.3 Place of Performance

All work will be performed at the contractor’s site, and as needed at the workshop and training site in Laos. No work will be performed at a US Government office.

3.4 Period of Performance

The period of performance is six months from the date of contract award. The regional workshop will be scheduled in coordination with the MRCS after award of contract within the six-month performance period. The two-day training event will be executed 30 days of the regional workshop. However, delays are expected due to approval among MRC country representatives.

3.5 Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

3.5.1 Materials

All materials, minus expendable supplies, purchased by the contractor with funds from this task order and used under this task order, become and remain the property of the Government.

3.5.2 Travel

The contractor shall provide services necessary to plan and schedule their own travel and travel shall be reimbursed at actual cost in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulation and the limitations set forth in FAR 31.205-46 (Commercial Organizations). The appropriate Government Official, Quality Assurance Personnel or Contracting Officer will approve travel. All invoices for travel shall be accompanied by supporting receipts. The Contractor shall not assess profit or fee against other direct costs and/or travel.

Travel and lodging costs by contractor shall be included as part of proposal. Two trips by contractor are expected to Vientiane, Laos in support of this contract. However, the contractor may find alternatives to travel for the execution of the contract.

3.5.3 Funding workshop and training logistics

The contractor must be able to fund each task as described below. Reimbursement of contractor labor and logistics support is provided upon completion of each task. This means that the contractor must show capability to have the access to funds necessary to support activities in each task. The US Government will not provide funds before delivering a task. The contractor will only be reimbursed for expenses to support travel, logistics and labor after the task is completed.

4. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS (TASK AREAS)

4.1. Task 1 Develop Cost Estimates for Workshop and Training: The contractor will coordinate with the MRCS and USACE to provide cost estimate for logistical support, and secure any time sensitive bookings, such as the meeting package and airfare. Total estimates must be below $30,640. Any amounts above must be approved by IWR/USACE or negotiated with the MRCS. A cost estimate worksheet will be provided to IWR/USACE for approval.

4.2. Task 2 Execute regional workshop logistics: Complete execution of a 1-day regional workshop in Vientiane consistent with tasks i-v. Successful execution of this task requires completion of the duties described in the scope.

4.3. Task 3 Submit invoices related to execution of Task 2: Payment for DSA, travel by participants and reimbursement follows completion of workshops and delivery of invoices related to workshop expenses.

4.4. Task 4 Execute two-day training logistics: Complete execution of a 1-day regional workshop in Vientiane consistent with tasks i-v. Successful execution of this task requires completion of the duties described in the scope.

4.5. Task 5 Submit all remaining invoices: Payment for DSA, travel by participants and reimbursement follows completion of workshops and delivery of invoices related to workshop expenses.

The contractor shall provide the cost estimate and invoices with receipts to the Project Manager (PM), Technical Point of Contract (TPOC) and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

5. DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE

The Contractor shall provide reports and other print deliverables in publication quality format and provide web publishable versions of such deliverables. The table below identifies a set of deliverables that are required under this task order.

In compliance with Department of Defense Issuances (DoDI) 8500.01 (2014) section 3.c.2, DoDI 8510.01 (2016) section 3.d, and USACE ER 25-1-112 (2014) section 7.1.3; all information systems (IS) and platform information technology (PIT) systems developed and/or supported under this contract shall comply with all DoD, DISA, Army, and USACE cybersecurity and architectural requirements. This includes IS/PIT compliance with DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIG) and being categorized IAW CNSSI 1253 using security controls developed in accordance with (IAW) the risk management framework (NIST SP 800-53). STIG compliance includes, but is not limited to most current version of the DISA published Application Security and Development STIG and the internet access point (IAP) demilitarized zone (DMZ)

STIG.

6. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS): Performance Standards

The following is a table of potential performance standards and the relevant task statements. Individual task order PWS’s may also contain specific Standards, Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) and Incentives/Remedies.

Any additional cost in logistics due to contractor negligence could be borne by the contractor.

7. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFE)

Not applicable.

8. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

8.1 Identification of Contractor Employees

All Contractor personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their Contractor status is not obvious to third parties must identify themselves, to include proper marking of signature blocks in correspondence, to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. The Contractor shall ensure that all documents or reports, produced by Contractors are suitably marked as Contractor products or that Contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

Contractor employees shall identify themselves by name and company affiliation when answering the telephone, presenting briefings, conducting or attending meetings, and seminars. All Contractor correspondence (written, facsimile, and email display) shall include their company name.

8.2 Disclosure of Artificial Intelligence

The contractor shall fully disclose all uses (including proposed used of AI) of chat bots, large language models, neural networks, deep learning models, and/or other artificial intelligence code, applications, or services (collectively referred to as “artificial intelligence”), including integrated artificial intelligence features in commercial products, used during development, testing, and/or delivery of any proposals, services, or products developed in response to this contract and affiliated task orders.

Such disclosures shall include: complete identification information of the artificial intelligence used, including name, version, and release information; a description of the specific service or product on which the artificial intelligence was used; and a description of the specific role(s) and purpose(s) served by the artificial intelligence during development, testing, and delivery of services and products, and phase(s) and component(s) thereof. Any service or product delivered to the government shall be free of any constraints, conditions, and limitations on uses unless otherwise specified in subsequent task orders.

8.3 SECURITY & SAFETY

8.3.1 Security:

The security requirements described below apply to all contract personnel (including employees of the prime Contractor (“Contractor”) and all subcontractor employees) supporting the performance requirements of this contract. The Contractor is responsible for compliance with these security requirements. Questions regarding security matters shall be addressed to the designated Government representative (e.g., Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Requiring Activity (RA) representative, or Contracting Officer (if a COR or other RA representative is not appointed)). Contract personnel are critical to the overall security and safety of US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) installations, facilities and activities, and security awareness training contributes to those efforts. The Department of Defense (DoD) and Army security training requirements specified below, if applicable, are performance requirements; all applicable contract personnel shall complete initial training within 30 days of contract award or the date new contract personnel begin performance on the contract. Within five business days from the completion of training, the Contractor shall provide written documentation (e.g., email or memorandum) to the Government representative. The documentation shall include the names of contract personnel trained and which training they completed; the Contractor shall maintain training records as part of their contract files and be prepared to provide copies of training certificates to the Government representative. Contractor personnel and vehicles are subject to search when entering federal installations. Additionally, all contract personnel shall comply with Force Protection Condition (FPCON) measures, Random Antiterrorism Measures (commonly referred to as “RAMs”), and Health Protection Condition (HPCON) measures. The Contractor is responsible for meeting performance requirements during elevated FPCON and/or HPCON levels in accordance with applicable RA plans and procedures --this includes identifying mission essential and non-mission essential personnel. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the FPCON or HPCON levels at any individual facility or installation change, the Government may implement security changes that affect contract personnel. The Contractor shall ensure all contract personnel are aware of their security responsibilities, including any site-specific requirements identified in local policies or procedures.

8.3.2 Security requirements for contract performance outside the US:

For contract performance requirements that involve services or delivery in a foreign country, the Contractor shall comply with the requirements of DFARS clause 252.225-7043. For performance requirements that involve contract personnel accompanying or supporting US Armed Forces deployed outside the US, the Contractor shall comply with the requirements of DFARS clause 252.225-7040. Contract personnel accessing DoD or other federal facilities outside the US shall comply with applicable Status of Forces Agreements and Geographic Combatant Command requirements. Prior to contract personnel traveling outside the US, the Contractor shall provide documentation of AT, OPSEC, and other required training to the Government representative. Additionally, contract personnel shall comply with requirements specified in the DoD Foreign Clearance Guide, including country and theater clearance processes.

8.3.3 Suspicious Activity Reporting Training:

All contract personnel shall receive initial and annual refresher training from the RA representative on the local suspicious activity reporting program. This locally developed training provides contract personnel with general information on suspicious behavior, and guidance on reporting suspicious activity to the project manager, security representative or law enforcement entity.

8.3.4 Contracts requiring delivery of food and water:

The supplies delivered under this contract shall be transported in delivery conveyances maintained to prevent tampering with and/or adulteration or contamination of the supplies, and if applicable, equipped to maintain a prescribed temperature. All delivery vehicles and storage locations are subject to inspection at any time by the COR, Post Veterinarian, law enforcement officers, or other RA representatives authorized to conduct such inspections. When the sanitary conditions of the delivery conveyance have led, or may lead to product contamination, adulteration, constitute a health hazard, the delivery conveyance is not equipped to maintain prescribed temperatures, or the transport results in product “unfit for intended purpose,” supplies tendered for acceptance may be rejected without further inspection. As the holder of a contract with the DoD, the Contractor shall ensure that all products and/or packaging have not been tampered with or contaminated. The Contractor shall ensure all delivery conveyances are always locked or sealed, except when actively loading or unloading. Unsecured vehicles shall not be left unattended. All incoming truck drivers shall provide adequate identification upon request. In the event of an identified threat to a delivery location, or a heightened force protection/Homeland Security threat level, the Contractor may be required to adjust delivery routes to minimize vulnerability risks and enable direct delivery to DoD facilities.

8.3.5 Safety

Contractor Compliance: The contractor and its subcontractors shall comply with Public Law 91-596 (Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)) and the Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health (ESOH) (DODD 4715.1E). These requirements shall be incorporated into the contractor’s safety and health program. The Department of Defense (DoD) participates in the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Contractor personnel performing services on a DoD installation shall participate in the local VPP. Information on the VPP is available at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/all_about_vpp.html.

8.4 QUAILITY CONTROL/QUALITY ASSURANCE

8.4.1 Quality Control (QC)

The Contractor shall develop a quality control plan (QCP) and implement a quality control program to satisfy the specific requirements of this contract. An optimal QCP shall identify potential problem areas and evolve over the life of the contract. The Contractor shall provide the QCP to the KO and COR for approval no later than 30 calendar days after contract award. The Contractor shall update the QCP as required and provide copies to the KO and COR for approval.

8.4.2 Quality Assurance (QA)

The Government will monitor the Contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Government’s quality assurance surveillance plan (QASP). The QASP defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the acceptable quality levels (performance thresholds). The Government has the right to conduct inspections and performance evaluation at any time and at any place where contract performance occurs. If any aspect of the performance is not in conformance with the requirements of this contract, the Government has the right to issue to the Contractor a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR). The Contractor shall explain in writing why performance was not in conformance with the requirements of the contract, how performance will be returned to conformance, and how recurrence of the problem will be prevented in the future. The Contractor shall complete and return the CDR to the Contracting Officer and COR within five workdays after receipt of the CDR. The Contractor shall maintain copies of all inspection and evaluation reports. Government review of contractor deliverables will be guided by the QASP. The QASP will be based on the requirements and acceptance criteria in the PWS and aligned with the design, implementation and testing plans in coordination with the contractor.

9. CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE AND/OR TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT (TPOC)

A contracting officer representative (COR) and/or technical point of contact (TPOC) will be appointed on each task order. The COR and TPOC have no authority to direct the contractor in any way to alter the contractual obligation. The contracting officer is the only individual authorized to make changes to the contract.

Invoices upon completion of a deliverable should be copied to the COR.