A02.12 PWS VTN Content Development and Web Maintenance dated 2025.07.23.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

VALUE TO THE NATION: CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND WEBSITE MAINTENANCE SUPPORT

1. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Institute for Water Resources (IWR), established in 1969, provides forward-looking analysis and research to support the Civil Works (CW) program and mission. IWR is a special element of USACE devoted to analyzing the changing water resources management conditions and developing planning methodologies and analytical tools to address the economic, social, institutional, and environmental needs for water resources planning and policy. IWR is located at the Humphreys Engineer Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, within the Washington DC National Capital Region (NCR). IWR has satellite centers in New Orleans, LA, Davis, CA, Golden, CO, and Pittsburgh, PA.

IWR is currently responsible for several water resources activities or programs, including the evaluation of CW strategic plans, CW policies and programs, investment and financial analysis, performance measurements and evaluations, infrastructure analysis, and other water resources-related activities. IWR provides technical assistance to USACE division offices, district offices, and laboratories, as well as other Federal agencies, international organizations, financial institutions, and foreign governments in a broad range of topic areas related to levee and dam safety, risk assessment, dredging requirements, port/waterway transportation, 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.

Among these various responsibilities, IWR has developed methods and frameworks for estimating the value—or contributions—of USACE CW mission to the Nation. Such methods and frameworks serve to quantify and communicate the national benefits of USACE-managed infrastructure and activities in Flood Risk Management, Navigation, Hydropower, Water Supply, and Recreation by demonstrating how these efforts strengthen national security, energize the economy, and enhance the quality of life across the United States. These values are expressed in terms of National Economic Development (NED) benefits and are made available to the public through the Value to the Nation (VTN) Benefits and Capital Stock Fast Facts, via the VTN website: https://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Value-to-the-Nation/.

Fast Facts reports are retrievable by selecting a given business line/category, then choosing the level at which a user would like to view the data. In general, these reports are available at the national, state, division, district, and district levels, with some business lines, additional levels, i.e., watershed and/or projects, are available.

The primary objective of this contract is for the Contractor to support the development, update, and maintenance of the contents of Value to the Nation narratives and Fast Facts reports on the VTN website.

2. SCOPE

The purpose of this contract is to recruit support for the development, update, and maintenance of the contents of Value to the Nation narratives and Fast Facts (benefits and capital stock) reports on the VTN website. Throughout the contract period of performance (POP)—as outlined in Section 3.3—the Contractor shall develop new Fast Facts and narratives for each business line using data and any additional information provided by the USACE Team. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide any support necessary in USACE Team’s efforts to improve and modernize the VTN website, including adding visualization, and any further support as may be reasonably required or determined necessary by the USACE Team to enhance the VTN website and/or VTN reporting process.

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor must possess intricate understanding and knowledge of the USACE CW mission (all major business lines), IWR work processes, IWR’s internet/intranet, and IWR’s VTN Program and its practices.

Additionally, the Contractor must possess knowledge of USACE policy and guidance on NED benefit estimation procedures, USACE data systems, and USACE Public Affairs Standards and Regulations.

The Contractor should also meet and comply with the following IT standards:

· Promote the use of plain language, in accordance with the Plain Language Act of 2010

· Use the USACE PAO branding guide and website visual

· Maximize the use of the government style guide as applicable (https://playbook.cio.gov/designstandards/)

· Ensure any newly created webpages meet digital government website requirements (https://www.digitalgov.gov/resources/checklist-of-requirements-for-federal-digital-services/)

3.1. NON-PERSONAL SERVICE

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. The Contractor personnel shall clearly identify themselves as contractor employees in all interactions during the contract performance.

3.2. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The work will be performed at the Contractor’s physical site.

3.3. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance (POP) shall commence upon issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) and shall continue for a duration of fifteen (15) months thereafter, unless extended via No-Cost Time Extension (NCTX).

Subject to satisfactory performance and fulfillment of all contractual requirements, the Government may, at its sole discretion, exercise an option to extend the contract for an additional fifteen (15) months.

3.4. MATERIALS

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

3.5. TRAVEL

The contractor shall provide the services necessary to plan and schedule travel and travel shall be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 31.205-46. The Contractor shall be reimbursed for actual allowable costs and not to exceed the amount allowed in the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). No fee is allowable on travel costs. One in-person meeting may be conducted, as needed, subject to mutual agreement.

3.6. SECURITY AND SAFETY

This work will be UNCLASSIFIED and facility access is not required.

3.6.1 General security requirements and guidance: 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.

3.6.2 Contract personnel requiring access to Government information systems: All contract personnel with access to a government information system (including USACE business systems and CAC-enabled websites) shall comply with applicable DoD and Army regulations and shall use the organization's UserID-Password Administration and Security System (U-PASS) at commencement of services to request network user accounts. Contract personnel shall complete DoD Information Assurance Awareness training prior to accessing information systems, and annually thereafter.

3.6.3 Training requirements for the protection of sensitive information: All contract personnel with access to critical information (as identified in the RA's OPSEC Program) shall complete initial and annual refresher OPSEC Level I Awareness training, which is available at the following websites: https://www.iad.gov/ioss/, or http://www.cdse.edu/catalog/operations-security.html (websites subject to change). All contract personnel with access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) shall complete initial and annual refresher CUI training in accordance with applicable Army policy.

3.6.4 Information Assurance (IA)/Information Technology (IT) requirements: All contract personnel performing IA/IT services must comply with DoD training and certification requirements specified in DoD 8570.01-M, Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program, and maintain required background investigations specified in RA policy. Contract personnel shall provide the Government representative with documentation of certification(s) prior to performing on the contract. In accordance with applicable DoD, Army, and USACE regulations, the Contractor shall ensure that all information systems (IS) and platform information technology (PIT) systems developed and/or supported under this contract comply with cybersecurity and architectural requirements, including, but not limited to: security technical implementation guides (STIG)(e.g., the current version of the Application Security and Development STIG, and the internet access point (IAP) demilitarized zone (DMZ) STIG), and the use of security controls developed under the risk management framework documentation for the system or platform. The Contractor shall address questions regarding these provisions to the Government representative, who will coordinate between the Contractor and the USACE Chief Information Officer (CIO).

4. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS (TASKS)

The purpose of this contract is to recruit support for the development, update, and maintenance of the contents of Value to the Nation narratives and Fast Facts (benefits and capital stock) reports on the VTN website. Throughout the contract period of performance (POP)—as outlined in Section 3.3—the Contractor shall develop new Fast Facts and narratives for each business line using data and any additional information provided by the USACE Team. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide any support necessary in USACE Team’s efforts to improve and modernize the VTN website, including adding visualization, and any further support as may be reasonably required or determined necessary by the USACE Team to enhance the VTN website and/or VTN reporting process.

4.1. Base Period Tasks

4.1.1. Task 1 – Base Period: Support for the development and update of the contents of VTN Fast Facts (Benefits and Capital Stock) This task includes support for developing and updating the contents of VTN Fast Facts – both VTN Benefits for each business lines (FRM, Hydropower, Recreation, Water Supply, Navigation) and VTN Capital Stock. The Contractor shall develop content and appropriate narratives, in accordance with the data and information provided by the USAVE VTN Team, and update and upload the latest information with appropriate links on the VTN websites. The Contractor shall ensure that downloadable links to the Fast Facts PDFs for each business line are made available on their respective webpages. Appropriate level of analysis – district, division, state, and national, and in some cases, project, and watershed – must be made available for each business line.

The updating process will be iterative and data for each business line will likely be ready and provided to the Contractor at various times.

Deliverable: Development of content and appropriate narratives of VTN NED Benefits estimates and Capital Stock estimates, and update/upload latest information with appropriate links (downloadable PDFs and spreadsheets) on the VTN websites. Deliverable is due no later than (NLT) twenty-one (21) calendar days after receiving the data from the USACE VTN Team.

4.1.2. Task 2 – Base Period: Support for VTN website analytics, maintenance, improvements, and modernization efforts This task includes support for ongoing maintenance as well as support for improvement and modernization efforts. The Contractor shall provide ongoing routine maintenance support for the duration of the POP, ensuring that all contents on the website are accurate and up to date, as appropriate. Critical site errors (i.e., broken links, downtime, missing data/information, incorrect information, etc.), once notified, must be addressed/fixed within twenty-four (24) hours from notification.

Additionally, the Contractor shall provide a response to any ad-hoc inquiries and requests related to improvement and modernization efforts within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt. Following an agreement on path forward, the Contractor shall make implementation for the website to reflect the agreed-upon changes within fourteen (14) calendar days from date of agreement.

Lastly, the Contractor shall provide website analytics (i.e., traffic data) once per quarter.

Deliverable 1: Website analytics data once at the conclusion of each fiscal year quarter (Q1, December; Q2, March; Q3, June; Q4, September).

Deliverable 2: Responses to any ad-hoc requests related to improvement and modernization efforts. The responses are expected to be within seventy-two (72) hours or receipt, and if it is reasonable and feasible, following mutual agreement on the path forward, implementation of the agreed-upon changes. The changes are expected to be reflected on the website within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the agreement.

Deliverable 3: Ongoing maintenance support for the duration of the POP. Critical site errors must be resolved within 24 hours.

4.1.3. Task 3 – Base Period: Detailed documentation of VTN website maintenance, update, and reporting processes This task includes the development of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), documenting detailed step-by-step process and all phases undertaken to complete the work, including Fast Facts Report update and uploading process. This documentation shall serve as a technical reference guide, outlining methodologies, tools used, decision points, and implementation procedures, and should be formed to function as a user manual for replication or future reference.

Upon receipt and review of this document by the USACE Team, additional clarification may be requested. Additionally, as needed, a virtual meeting may be requested for a walkthrough of parts of the process.

Deliverable: SOP documenting a detailed process of all work undertaken must be provided NLT month twelve (12th month) of the POP, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Government.

4.2. Option Period Tasks

4.2.1. Task 1 – Option Period: Support for the development and update of the contents of VTN Fast Facts (Benefits and Capital Stock) This task includes support for developing and updating the contents of VTN Fast Facts – both VTN Benefits for each business lines (FRM, Hydropower, Recreation, Water Supply, Navigation) and VTN Capital Stock. The Contractor shall develop content and appropriate narratives, in accordance with the data and information provided by the USAVE VTN Team, and update and upload the latest information with appropriate links on the VTN websites. The Contractor shall ensure that downloadable links to the Fast Facts PDFs for each business line are made available on their respective webpages. Appropriate level of analysis – district, division, state, and national, and in some cases, project, and watershed – must be made available for each business line.

The updating process will be iterative and data for each business line will likely be ready and provided to the Contractor at various times.

Deliverable: Development of content and appropriate narratives of VTN NED Benefits estimates and Capital Stock estimates, and update/upload latest information with appropriate links (downloadable PDFs and spreadsheets) on the VTN websites. Deliverable is due no later than (NLT) twenty-one (21) calendar days after receiving the data from the USACE VTN Team.

4.2.2. Task 2 – Option Period: Support for VTN website analytics, maintenance, improvements, and modernization efforts This task includes support for ongoing maintenance as well as support for improvement and modernization efforts. The Contractor shall provide ongoing routine maintenance support for the duration of the POP, ensuring that all contents on the website are accurate and up to date, as appropriate. Critical site errors (i.e., broken links, downtime, missing data/information, incorrect information, etc.), once notified, must be addressed/fixed within twenty-four (24) hours from notification.

Additionally, the Contractor shall provide a response to any ad-hoc inquiries and requests related to improvement and modernization efforts within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt. Following an agreement on path forward, the Contractor shall make implementation for the website to reflect the agreed-upon changes within fourteen (14) calendar days from date of agreement.

Lastly, the Contractor shall provide website analytics (i.e., traffic data) once per quarter.

Deliverable 1: Website analytics data once at the conclusion of each fiscal year quarter (Q1, December; Q2, March; Q3, June; Q4, September).

Deliverable 2: Responses to any ad-hoc requests related to improvement and modernization efforts. The responses are expected to be within seventy-two (72) hours or receipt, and if it is reasonable and feasible, following mutual agreement on the path forward, implementation of the agreed-upon changes. The changes are expected to be reflected on the website within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the agreement.

Deliverable 3: Ongoing maintenance support for the duration of the POP. Critical site errors must be resolved within 24 hours.

4.2.3. Task 3 – Option Period: Detailed documentation of VTN website maintenance, update, and reporting processes This task includes the development of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), documenting detailed step-by-step process and all phases undertaken to complete the work, including Fast Facts Report update and uploading process. This documentation shall serve as a technical reference guide, outlining methodologies, tools used, decision points, and implementation procedures, and should be formed to function as a user manual for replication or future reference.

Upon receipt and review of this document by the USACE Team, additional clarification may be requested. Additionally, as needed, a virtual meeting may be requested for a walkthrough of parts of the process.

Deliverable: SOP documenting a detailed process of all work undertaken must be provided NLT month twelve (12th month) of the POP, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Government.

5. DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE

5.1. Base Tasks:

Task 1: Support for the development and update of the contents of VTN Fast Facts (Benefits and Capital Stock)

(55%)

Task 2: Support for VTN website analytics, maintenance, improvements, and modernization efforts

(15%) Website analytic data.

Frequency: Once at the conclusion of each fiscal year quarter.

Q1 – December Q2 – March Q3 – June Q4 - September

Response to any other requests related to improvement and modernization efforts.

Implementation of requested changes/updates.

Frequency: As-requested Basis (based on Ad-hoc Requests).

Response is expected within seventy-two (72) hours of request receipt.

Following the agreement on the path forward, implement the agreed-upon changes within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of agreement.

Ongoing maintenance support for the duration of the POP, ensuring that all contents on the website are accurate and up to date, as appropriate.

Addressing all critical site errors (i.e., broken links, downtime, missing data/information, incorrect information, etc.) .

Frequency: Ongoing support.

*For All critical site errors, resolution is expected within twenty-four (24) hours from notification.

Task 3: Detailed documentation of VTN website maintenance, update, and reporting processes

(30%)

For any additional correspondence (feedback and/or request for clarification), response is expected within fourteen (14) calendar days from receipt.

5.2. Optional Tasks:

Optional Task 1: Support for the development and update of the contents of VTN Fast Facts (Benefits and Capital Stock)

(60%)

Optional Task 2: Support for VTN website analytics, maintenance, improvements, and modernization efforts (20%) Website analytic data.

Frequency: Once at the conclusion of each fiscal year quarter.

Q1 – December Q2 – March Q3 – June Q4 - September

Response to any other requests related to improvement and modernization efforts.

Implementation of requested changes/updates.

Frequency: As-requested Basis (based on Ad-hoc Requests).

Response is expected within seventy-two (72) hours of request receipt.

Following the agreement on the path forward, implement the agreed-upon changes within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of agreement.

Ongoing maintenance support for the duration of the POP, ensuring that all contents on the website are accurate and up to date, as appropriate.

Addressing all critical site errors (i.e., broken links, downtime, missing data/information, incorrect information, etc.) .

Frequency: Ongoing support.

*For All critical site errors, resolution is expected within twenty-four (24) hours from notification.

Optional Task 3: Detailed documentation of VTN website maintenance, update, and reporting processes (20%)

For any additional correspondence (feedback and/or request for clarification), response is expected within fourteen (14) calendar days from receipt.

6. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS)

On time 95% of the time

Re-perform/correct at no cost to the government.

On time 95% of time

Re-perform/correct at no cost to the government.

On time delivery 100% of time

Re-perform/correct at no cost to the government.

Deliverables completed in accordance with Schedule

7. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

N/A

8. CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR) AND/OR TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT (TPOC) A Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and/or technical point of contact (TPOC) will be appointed for this contract. 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 this contract.