Attachment_02_PWS.docx

AG-4568-S-17-0004

EAZ

IDIQ STAFFING SUPPORT SERVICES

ATTACHMENT 2

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

USDA FOREST SERVICE

SRS HEADQUARTERS ASHEVILLE, NC

FOR

EASTERN ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE (EAZ)

STAFFING SUPPORT SERVICES

Table of Contents

22.0 Definitions and Acronymns………………………………………………………………………

1.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW

In an effort to provide a more comprehensive and structured approach to further improve the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS)’s Eastern Administrative Zone (EAZ) Support Staffing needs for daily operations. The states included in the EAZ are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. In realizing this goal, our envisioned approach includes:

(1) Increased productivity based on need.

(2) Strengthened capability of the EAZ to provide the support in accordance with Agency Missions.

(3) Delivery of quality requirements for the EAZ.

The Contractor shall provide all labor, supplies, supervision, tools, materials, equipment, and transportation necessary to provide Support Staffing Services in accordance with this Performance Work Statement (PWS).

The resultant contract will consist of an ordering period from January 01, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

2.0 BACKGROUND

Established in 1905, the USDA FS is a Federal Agency that manages public lands in national forests and grasslands under a founding principle, "To provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run". The agency’s mission is to “sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations”. The FS has the responsibility for stewardship of more than 193 million acres of the nation’s forests and grasslands; for developing and communicating scientific knowledge through research and Support that leads to informed natural resource decision-making; for delivering technical assistance through state and private forestry programs; and for sharing knowledge and experience with others in the global community through international forestry.

2.1 Applicable Documents

In addition to requirements contained in the PWS, the following documents are applicable.

Document Title

Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)

Department of Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR)

SCA Service Contract Act- Wage Determination (Location to be identified on each Order)

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of this requirement is to procure non-personal services through qualified contractor staffing with the expertise necessary and ready to support this PWS in its entirety on date of award of each Task Order. The contractor shall assist the USDA Forest Service in the required tasks as determined by all applicable laws, regulations, and USDA Forest Service policies and procedures. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential. The work detailed in the resultant Task Orders shall identify specific tasks required.

The prime contractor is responsible and accountable for all performance under this contract whether through use of prime contractor employees, subcontractor employees, or similar means.

The intent of this contract is to procure services from various occupations identified under a standard Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determination (WD).

4.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

The following high-level performance standards shall apply to the Task Order and shall be used as a key performance indicators:

All tasks are completed accurately, on-time and within budget.

Establish and maintain sound practices for budgeting, tracking and managing contract costs.

No more than two (2) of the deliverables may be completed and submitted beyond the due date without prior COR/designee Coordination. No tasks may be completed more than 5 business days past the due date.

No deviation.

COR/designee review of deliverables.

100% COR/designee review/inspection.

Periodic/random inspection by COR/designee.

communications and cooperation.

Communication is effective and provides required information about technical, business and operational issues and status. Contractor works cooperatively with Government and other Contractors by proactively identifying and resolving issues, prompting attention to faults and failures, and prompting effective dialogue through appropriate lines of communication.

Observations and interactions

All staff is in place for all required tasks at the end of the Transition Period.

Staff skill sets match position requirements to achieve PRS and PWS objectives No deviation

No deviation Monthly and annual staffing levels and changes are documented monthly.

COR/designee review of reports.

COR/designee review/inspection.

INCENTIVES:

1. Past performance documentation and future positive Government feedback on contract performance.

2. Positive Contractor Performance Assessment Ratings

3. Exercise of option periods

DISINCENTIVES:

1. If performance does not meet the required performance standard, more frequent reporting is required, as directed by the COR.

2. Rework required for unsatisfactory performance or deliverables shall be done at no expense to the government.

3. Rework required for unsatisfactory performance or deliverables shall be done at no expense to the government. (Hourly tasks)

4. Negative Contractor Performance Assessment Ratings

5. Failure to exercise option periods

5.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Base Ordering period from January 01, 2017 through December 31, 2017 Option 1 Ordering Period January 01, 2018 through December 31, 2018 Option 2 Ordering Period January 01, 2019 through December 31, 2019 Option 3 Ordering Period January 01, 2020 through December 31, 2020 Option 4 Ordering Period January 01, 2021 through December 31, 2021

6.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE/CONTRACTOR AVAILABILITY

EAZ will provide work space in government facilities as stated in each individual task order. EAZ Support Staffing needs for daily operations. The states included in the EAZ are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Contractor management staff shall be available via both telephone and email to answer CO or COR questions during the agency core hours (10AM to 2PM). Initial responses must be provided within one (1) business day with the final closure response coming no more than three (3) business days from date of the request.

7.0 TRAVEL

Costs for transportation, lodging, meals and incidental expenses are allowable subject to the limitations contained in the Federal Travel Regulations and/or Joint Travel Regulations. These costs should not be included in proposed prices, as they are to be coordinated at the order level. All travel must be approved in writing by the COR/CO prior to performance. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that travel time is kept to a minimum and verifying expenses incurred are for official Government travel only. Local travel for day-to-day activities in support of contract performance may be reimbursed if distance required to travel exceeds Federal Travel Regulation mileage limits. The Government will not reimburse the Contractor for any relocation expenses for contractor employees. The contractor shall complete a Trip Report within 3 work days upon return. Typical travel could include attendance at meetings and conferences.

8.0 REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

The Contractor must adhere to all agency information, regulations, and procedures. Best professional and industry practices must be used during the conduct of all work conducted under this contract.

8.1 EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

· Additional Task Orders may require additional Experience, Education, and Certifications

Admin Assistant – Office Services Proficient in Microsoft Office 2013

Computer Operator III A Computer Science degree related to web and social media management, familiar with good web practices, use of HTML, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Acrobat; multimedia digitization and conversion processing.

Technical Writer III Education: Master’s degree in Agricultural Science (or related life sciences) Experience writing scientific research paper drafts Experience interpreting research papers and data Experience in writing science-related technical reports Experience in laboratory research methods development Experience operating complex lab research equipment Lab experience working with pathogenic microorganisms Knowledge of biological control systems and microbes Knowledge of plant pathology, microbiology, mycology, molecular biology, and nematology Experience using specialized scientific software/programs

9.0 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor is to submit all deliverables per requirements detailed in each Task Order to the COR. The Government does not waive its right to request deliverables under the order/call, even if such requirements are not specifically listed in the tables. Deliverables will vary by individual Task Order.

10.0 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The Government will perform Inspection and Quality Assurance (QA) in accordance with the contract QASP. The Government has the right to perform surveillance of the Contractor to ensure that the Contractor’s work products and Quality Control (QC) processes are in Conforming with the contract requirements. Certification by the Government of satisfactory services provided is contingent upon the Contractor performing in accordance with the terms and conditions of the referenced contract, the Task Order, and all amendments. The following Inspection and Acceptance Criteria are to be used to determine acceptance of all deliverables under this effort:

1. All deliverables must contain technically correct information.

2. All deliverables must adhere to all applicable USDA and Forest Service standards.

3. The Contractor shall document and apply QC procedures used throughout the performance of this contract for itself and any Subcontractors, in accordance with its Quality Control Plan (QCP). The Contractor shall document and conform to quality standards and best practices and identify and remedy quality issues in a timely manner. The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with 52.212-4 – Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items (a) Inspection/Acceptance.

11.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP)

The Government may provide the equipment, materials, and/or services to include, but is not limited to laptops and desktops. All GFP will be provided to the Contractor at a mutually agreed to time and location.

The items may be available for use on an as needed basis: scanner, printers, and plotters; Computer systems hardware used in task performance include, but are not limited to, servers, Network Addressable Storage (NAS), and enterprise servers, including, but not limited to products developed by or compatible with IBM, Dell, HP, Apple, and other vendors common to USDA Forest Service and cooperating state and Federal agencies

For onsite requirements, all utilities in the facility will be available for the Contractor’s use in performance of duties outlined in this PWS. The Contractor shall instruct employees in utilities conservation practices and be responsible for operating under conditions that preclude the waste of utilities. The Contractor shall return the facilities to the Government in the same condition as received, fair wear and tear and approved modifications excepted. These facilities shall only be used in performance of this requirement. All Government property, data, information, etc., used by the Contractor in conjunction with performance of the work under this contract, whether furnished by the Government to the Contractor or acquired by the Contractor with Government funding shall be delivered/transmitted to the COR within 30 calendar days of completion of the applicable effort or per instructions from the COR. In lieu of any other warranty expressed or implied herein, the Government warrants that any programming aids and/or software packages supplied for Contractor usage as Government-furnished property will be suitable for their intended use on the system(s) for which designed. In the case of programming aids and/or software packages acquired by the Government from a commercial source, such warranty is limited to that set forth in the contractual documents covering the product(s). Should Government-furnished programming aids and/or software packages not be suitable for their intended use on the system(s) for which designed, where such property is furnished “as is”, the Contractor shall notify the CO and supply documentation regarding any defects and their effect on progress under this contract. The CO, upon receipt of such written request, shall consider equitably adjusting the delivery or performance dates or contract price, or both, and any other contractual provision affected by the Government-furnished property in accordance with the procedures provided for in the contract.

12.0 PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION

This contract does not involve Personally Identifiable Information (PII). The agency has a policy of not collecting, processing, or disseminating PII. The agency has taken steps to periodically screen Government computers for PII.

13.0 CONTRACTOR TRAINING

Training costs for individual Contractor employees shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. Technology conferences, online training, classroom training, and symposia costs, including travel, per diem, and registration, are borne by the Contractor.

The contractor shall provide and maintain a qualified staff of personnel to meet the requirements of the PWS. The contractor shall provide training to keep its personnel abreast of changes to the science and/or technology associated with the requirements of the contract. In addition, the contractor shall ensure that its personnel receive appropriate safety, health and environmental training in accordance with Federal, state and local requirements prior to assigning any task that require such training. The contractor shall provide documentation of such training upon the request of the COR and/or CO.

14.0 POST AWARD CONFERENCE/PERIODIC PROGRESS MEETINGS

The Contractor shall attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The CO, COR, and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the Contractor to review the Contractor's performance. At these meetings the CO will apprise the Contractor of how the Government views the Contractor's performance and the Contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the Government.

15.0 IDENTIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES

All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their Contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves, to avoid creating an impression that they are Government employees. They must also ensure that all documents, presentation materials, and reports presented by Contractors are suitably marked as Contractor products or that Contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

All contractor/subcontractor employees are required to wear a badge/name-tag/embroidered shirt which readily identify the individual as a contract employee.

Contractors that have access to a Government e-mail account shall utilize a signature block that represents their status as a contractor employee.

16.0 SECURITY TRAINING

The Contractor and other external organizations will ensure that its employees performing under this contract fulfill all Forest Service requirements for mandatory security awareness and role-based advanced security training in accordance with OMB Circular A-130, FISMA, and NIST requirements, and sign all applicable FS statements of responsibilities.

17.0 KEY CONTROL

The Contractor shall establish and implement methods of making sure all keys/key cards/key fobs issued to the Contractor by the Government are not lost or misplaced and are not used by unauthorized persons. The Contractor shall prohibit the use of Government issued keys/key cards by any persons other than the Contractor’s employees. The Contractor shall prohibit the opening of locked areas by Contractor employees to permit entrance of persons other than Contractor employees engaged in the performance of assigned work in those areas, or personnel authorized entrance by the Contracting Officer. In the event keys, other than master keys, are lost or duplicated, the Contractor shall, upon direction of the Contracting Officer, re-key or replace the affected lock or locks; however, the Government, at its option, may replace the affected lock or locks or perform re-keying. When the replacement of locks or re-keying is performed by the Government, the total cost of re-keying or the replacement of the lock or locks shall be deducted from the monthly payment due the Contractor.

In the event a master key is lost or duplicated, all locks and keys for that system shall be replaced by the Government and the total cost deducted from the monthly payment due the Contractor.

NOTE: All references to keys include key cards and/or key fobs. No keys issued to the Contractor by the Government shall be duplicated. The Contractor shall develop procedures covering key control that shall be included in the Quality Control Plan. Such procedures shall include turn-in of any issued keys by personnel who no longer require access to locked areas. The Contractor shall immediately report any occurrences of lost or duplicate keys/key cards to the Contracting Officer.

18.0 HOURS OF OPERATIONS

Individual task orders/calls may identify specific fixed or flexible hours of operation outside of the regular working hours identified below. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for Federal holidays or due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings.

Regular Working Hours. The Contractor will perform the required services during the Government's regular (normal) working hours of 07:00am to 5:00pm Mondays through Fridays except (a) Federal Holidays and (b) other days specifically designated by the Contracting Officer.

*If the date falls on a Saturday, the Government holiday is the preceding Friday. If the date falls on a Sunday, the Government holiday is the following Monday.

Regular time is NTE 40 hours per week and 80 hours per two week period. Overtime, when required, must be approved in writing by the Contracting Officer prior to performance.

Schedules will be identified in individual task orders for when on-site performance is required. Flexibility is required to allow for minor adjustments to the schedule to allow for appointments, sick days, etc.…, as long as the total hours worked per week do not exceed 40 hours.

19.0 ADMINISTRATION

Contracting Officer: Takele K. Woldu. Tel: 828.257.4205 email: twoldu@fs.fed.us

COR: Designation shall be stated on each Task Order.

The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract: perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance: maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract: issue written interpretations of technical requirements to the Contracting Officer, including Government drawings, designs, specifications: monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property, and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR, a copy of which is sent to the Contractor, states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting contract or order.

20.0 BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS

All non-government employees with unescorted access to FS facilities, computer systems and/or FS information must have background investigations commensurate with the level of risk and magnitude of loss or harm. The FS will determine the level of background investigation and position classification needed.

The Contractor is responsible for completion of a law enforcement background check for all contractor/subcontractor employees performing on-site under this contract. Documentation of these checks will be made available to the COR upon request.

21.0 PERSONAL IDENTITY VERIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by its employees with all applicable federal regulations, to include those of GSA, NIST, USDA, FS and HSPD-12. Contractors and their employees are subject to all Federal laws applicable to Government installations and are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Protective Service (FPS). The Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs; also known as Contracting Officer Technical Representatives), or other designated program/project officers, in conjunction with the FS HCM HSPD-12 staff, will assist the Contractor in processing the required Security Background Investigations/Clearances.

(1) The Contractor shall comply with the personal identity verification (PIV) policies and procedures established by Department of Agriculture (USDA) Directives 3800 series.

(2) Should the results of the PIV process require the exclusion of a Contractor’s employee, the Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor in writing.

(3) The Contractor must appoint a representative to manage this activity and to maintain a list of employees eligible for a USDA PIV ID Badge required for performance of the work.

(4) The responsibility of maintaining a sufficient workforce remains with the Contractor. Employees may be barred by the Government from performance of the work should they be found ineligible or to have lost eligibility for a USDA PIV ID Badge. Failure to maintain a sufficient workforce of employees eligible for a USDA PIV ID Badge may be grounds for termination of the contract.

(5) The Contractor shall insert this clause in all subcontracts when the subcontractor is required to have access to a federally controlled facility or information system.

(6) The PIV Sponsor for this contract is the COR, unless otherwise specified in this contract. The PIV Sponsor will be available to receive contractor identity information from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Monday through Friday at 200 WT Weaver Boulevard, Asheville, NC 28804. The Government shall notify the Contractor if there is a change in the PIV Sponsor, the office address, or the office hours for registration.

(7) The Contractor should be aware of any of its employees possibly having had a background investigation through another government agency. The investigation that was conducted, if verifiable by the FS HSPD-12 staff, and if it was completed within the last 5 years, can be accepted by the Government in lieu of a background check.

(8) The Contractor shall comply with any facility badging requirements for the issuance of building access, badges, etc.:

· Ensure the safekeeping, wearing, and visibility of Government-furnished badges.

· Immediately return all badges and permits to the Government when such need ceases to exist.

(9) The Contractor shall comply with any facility security requirements for access to the facility.

(10) The Contractor shall comply with all applicable rules governing parking at USDA locations.

22.0 DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS

DEFINITIONS:

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): A representative from the requiring activity assigned by the Contracting Officer to perform surveillance and to act as liaison to the Contractor. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

Defective Service: A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with it in the PWS.

Quality Control: Those actions taken by a Contractor to control the performance of services so that they meet the requirements of the PWS.

Quality Assurance: Those actions taken by the government to assure services meet the requirements of the PWS.

Firm Fixed Price: A firm-fixed-price contract provides for a price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the contractor’s cost experience in performing the contract. This contract type places upon the contractor maximum risk and full responsibility for all costs and resulting profit or loss. It provides maximum incentive for the contractor to control costs and perform effectively and imposes a minimum administrative burden upon the contracting parties.

Fixed Price level of Effort: A fixed-price contract type where payment is based on the effort expended rather than on the results achieved. This contract type may be appropriate when the work required cannot otherwise be clearly defined, the required level of effort is identified and agreed upon in advance, and there is reasonable assurance that the intended result cannot be achieved by expending less than the stipulated effort. The contractor provides a specified level of effort, over a stated period of time, on work that can be stated only in general terms; and the Government pays the contractor a fixed dollar amount based on the level of effort dictated in the contract.

ACRONYMS:

ATTACHMENT 02

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