Attachment 02 Performance Work Statement.pdf

PWS Page 1 of 19

Source Selection Information FAR 2.101 & 3.104

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Interpreting Services for DFAS Cleveland

Background: The mission of DFAS is to deliver financial excellence and quality pay services to our customers. As one of the world’s largest finance and accounting operations, DFAS supports military and civilian customers. Our mission emphasizes the importance of DFAS’ role as a primary contributor in standardizing and improving finance and accounting activities across the DoD. Our strategy supports our efforts to provide superior services to our customers now and in the future.

Providing sign language interpreting services to the DFAS workforce is a crucial element in meeting the mission. Sign language interpreting services ensure effective communication, legal compliance, and a more productive work environment. It enables employees who are deaf or hard of hearing to fully participate in meetings, trainings, and daily interactions, contributing to a more efficient workplace and providing opportunities for cross training and career advancement.

It is the policy of DFAS to provide equal employment opportunities for all employees, former employees, as well as applicants for employment. For those employees who are deaf or hard of hearing, DFAS provides reasonable accommodations, including qualified interpreters, to ensure full compliance with the laws and regulations governing equal employment opportunity.

DFAS Cleveland currently has approximately eight deaf or hard of hearing employees in need of interpreting services on as needed basis. The number of employees requiring interpreting services may increase or decrease at any time. The Government estimates 400 hours of service per year, but does not guarantee these hours. The number of hours may increase or decrease based upon the number of deaf or hard of hearing employees and mission requirements. The Government is only responsible to pay for services provided. Unused quantities shall be considered cancelled and will be deobligated at no additional cost to the Government

Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The COR will act as the on-site technical point of the contact for the Government. The COR’s authority is limited to technical issues, and he/she is not authorized to make contractual decisions. The authority to resolve monetary issues, and contractual interpretation is the responsibility of the Contracting Officer. Upon contract award, a letter of designation will be issued to the COR and shared with the Contractor. The COR listed below is subject to change. The Contractor will be notified via written communication when a change is made.

Stephanie Fusco, DFAS Cleveland Office 1240 E. 9th St. Cleveland, OH 44119 Telephone: (216) 204-7152 Email: Stephanie.M.Fusco.civ@mail.mil

PWS Page 2 of 19

A.0 GENERAL CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

A.1 Description of Work

A.1.1. The purpose of this contract is to obtain onsite and virtual sign language interpreting services for various meetings, trainings, and other events for the deaf and hard of hearing employees (hereinafter referred to as deaf). The services are required on an as needed basis and shall include interpreting simultaneously from:

• American Sign Language (ASL)

• Pidgin Sign English (PSE)

• Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE)

• Signed English

• Signed Languages mentioned above (in reverse) to spoken English, The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to provide interpreting services as identified in this performance work statement (PWS).

A.1.2. A sample list of onsite interpreting events is provided below. This list is not all inclusive and is subject to change depending upon the mission requirements of DFAS-Cleveland:

• Staff meetings

• Commemorative programs

• Award ceremonies

• Safety talks

• Discussions on work procedures, policies, or assignments for formal and informal settings

• Quarterly performance discussions

• Annual performance appraisals

• Disciplinary discussions

• Basic staff training, classroom training

• Interviews

• All Hands meetings

• Other ad hoc assignments similar in nature on an as-need basis

A.2 General Operating Conditions

A.2.1 Place of Performance

A.2.1.a Onsite The Contractor shall perform onsite interpreting services for DFAS- Cleveland at 1240 E. 9th St. Cleveland, Oh 44119. Other facilities include but are not limited to the Bratenahl Facility located in Bratenahl, Ohio. Events may occur in offices, training rooms, warehouses, auditoriums, conference rooms, and other common areas. The conditions may be hot, cold, dirty, dusty, noisy, and involve hazards of working around material handling equipment and operations.

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Due to the need to coordinate requirements with limited notice, only service providers with scheduling staff located within the state of Ohio will be considered for award.

A.2.1.b Virtual The Contractor shall perform virtual interpreting services via a video conferencing platform by connecting securely to the established DFAS virtual environment. The platform currently used by DFAS is Microsoft TEAMS. This platform is subject to change depending on the agency’s information technology requirements. Virtual services will occasionally require telephone access to dial into a bridge line or conference call.

The Contractor shall use technological devices that best prevent disruptions when connecting to the virtual environment. During connection to the DFAS virtual environment, devices in use shall only be used for the interpreting session. The Contractor’s site shall be secure, private, and free of any visual and auditory distractions. No other persons shall be within listening distance or in the vicinity of the same space. All technology devices shall be supplied by the Contractor. All information and communication technology supplied by the Contractor shall comply with the Section 508 requirements identified in this PWS. If the Contractor is unable to connect or is having technology issues, the Contractor shall notify the COR immediately and seek alternative solutions to remedy the issue.

The Contractor shall employ a virtual solution that does not require a reduction of the DFAS security posture to operate. The preferred solution is Internet portal based utilizing HTTPS over the standard TCP port 443. Use of other ports must be coordinated with the Government. Port solutions determined as not meeting the DFAS security/cybersecurity requirements will be determined unacceptable.

A.2.2 Period of Performance This anticipated period of performance is a one-year base period with four additional one-year option periods.

A.2.3 Closures

A.2.3.a Federal Holidays Interpreting services will not be required on federal holidays. A full list of Federal Holidays can be found at OPM.gov.

A.2.3.b Inclement Weather, Emergency or Unscheduled Closure Interpreters shall not report to an assignment if the Government is closed due to inclement weather, national or local emergencies, administrative closures, or other unscheduled closures.

No cancellation fee or other charges shall be assessed. The Contractor shall not bill the Government for services when the Government is closed. Delay and closure information will be announced on local radio and TV stations. In addition, the Contractor may call the DFAS-CL number for center wide information at (216) 902.6185. The COR or an approved DFAS-CL Interpreting Office designee will notify the Contractor via telephone, SMS text message, and/or email in the event the building is closed. Interpreters are expected to report to virtual assignments unless otherwise cancelled.

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In the event of delays or early releases due to inclement weather, national or local emergencies, administrative closures, or other unscheduled closures the contractor shall only bill the Government the lesser amount for either the time of the services actually provided or the cancellation fee established in this PWS.

A.2.3.c Inclement Weather - Non-Closures In the event of severe inclement weather or an emergency that does not result in closure, the Contractor is responsible for calling the on-site POC provided on their assignment document or the COR to determine if the assignment is still scheduled. If services have been cancelled with less than 24 clock hours’ notice, the Contractor may assess the cancellation fee established in this PWS. If services are still required and the Contractor is not able to provide the service, the Contractor shall not bill the Government for services that are not provided. Interpreters are expected to report to virtual assignments unless otherwise cancelled.

A.2.4 Current Duty Hours and Access to the Host Installation The Contractor shall perform services required under this PWS during the operating hours of the hosting Government activity. Normal operating hours for DFAS Cleveland are 0600 to 1800 hours, Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays.

For on-site requests, the Contractor must arrive no later than twenty minutes prior to the scheduled assignment to clear security. Upon clearing security, the COR or designee is responsible for ensuring that the Contractor is signed in upon arrival, escorted to the event location, and escorted back to the check-out location, as necessary. Sign in/out must include arrival and departure times.

For virtual requests, the Contractor must connect with the deaf employee no less than 5 minutes prior to the start time to ensure connection. Some events may require the Contractor to connect twenty minutes prior to the start time to ensure connection. The Contractor shall not bill the Government for any of the time described in this paragraph.

A.2.5 Parking Onsite parking is not available. The Contractor is responsible for payment of all parking fees.

Parking fees are not reimbursable.

A.3 Key Personnel

A.3.1 Primary Point-of-Contact (POC) The Contractor shall provide a primary POC. The name of the POC shall be provided to the COR within two business days of contract award. In the event that the POC changes, the Contractor shall notify the COR within two business days of the change.

The Contractor POC shall possess the basic knowledge and skills required to plan, control, manage, schedule, and ensure accomplishment of services. The Contractor POC shall have the authority to obtain maximum use of resources and prevent inefficient or wasteful methods. The Contractor POC submit accurate and timely reports, resolve problems, manage contractor and subcontractor personnel, and monitor operation performance to ensure successful completion of services.

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The Contractor POC shall attend meetings with the COR and other Government representatives to furnish input concerning the operation and management of the interpretation program. The Contractor POC may request meetings with the COR and other Government representatives to determine program requirements or discuss any concerns.

A.4 Personnel Qualifications and Certifications

A.4.1 Certification All interpreters shall have certification obtained from a recognized certifying organization.

Certification shall be obtained from organizations such as the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID, NIC, NIC Advanced, NIC Master, CI, CT, CI/CT or CSC), the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), or a recognized State Agency. All interpreters shall conduct themselves according to the NAD and/or RID Code of Ethics. The Contractor shall maintain updated copies of any certifications for all contractor and subcontractor personnel. The Contractor shall make certifications available to the Government upon request.

A.4.2 Special Qualifications Interpreters shall demonstrate fluency in expressive and receptive skills in oral spoken English into signed English and American Sign Language (ASL), Pidgin Sign English (PSE), Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE), Signed English and the reverse to spoken English. Interpreters shall have the ability to accurately interpret in a variety of settings and the ability to keep pace with communications at all scheduled events. Interpreters shall possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to produce complete, accurate, simultaneous translation/interpretation.

A.4.3 Practicum Students Requests for practicum students/interns to accompany certified interpreters for training purposes shall be submitted to the COR at least seven business days in advance to the start date of the assignment. Requests will be approved at the discretion of the agency and on a case-by-case basis. Students/interns’ time is not billable under this contract.

A.4.4 Culture and Language Interpreters must have a familiarity with the culture and language of a DFAS Government installation or familiarity with Government finance and accounting operations. Knowledge of specific industry jargon and acronyms are essential to the quality of the interpretation services.

A.4.5 Interpreter Conduct Interpreters shall be dressed in business or business-casual attire. It is understood that the interpreters shall not act as an agent or employee of the Federal Government or DFAS. The interpreters shall not discuss personal business, distribute personal business cards or promotion of personal “cause” while on assignment in order to develop clientele from assignments originating from the Federal Government or DFAS. Interpreters shall adhere to the Federal Government’s rules of protocol, ethics, procedures and professionalism while on assignment at DFAS. Employee feedback or other observations that indicate less than satisfactory performance and/or citing instances of misconduct will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be reported to the Contractor. Within seven business days of the report, the Contractor shall

PWS Page 6 of 19 provide information on what action shall be taken to mitigate performance issues or address conduct concerns. If the Contractor fails to mitigate performance issues, DFAS may issue negative performance ratings, cure notices, and potential termination of the contract.

A.4.6 Licenses The Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary licenses and for complying with all applicable Federal, State and local laws. The Contractor shall maintain updated copies of any applicable licenses for all contractor and subcontractor personnel. The Contractor shall make licenses available to the Government upon request.

B.0 SPECIFIC TASKS

B.1 General The Contractor shall provide services for meeting the requirements as specified in the PWS.

Assignments may be cancelled or changed at any time due to mission requirements. In the event of changes or cancellations, the Contractor shall be able to be reassigned. In the event that the assignment concludes earlier than scheduled, the Contractor shall be able to be assigned to another event during the remaining time of the original number of scheduled hours.

Interpreters shall possess a high level of language proficiency in English and sign language.

Interpreters shall demonstrate competency in interpreting from spoken English into sign language and from sign language into spoken English. As appropriate, interpreters shall perform interpretations in the simultaneous, as well as consecutive modes and/or render sight translations with a high degree of accuracy.

B.2 Scheduling Requirements

B.2.1 Method of Requesting Services The COR or designee shall contact the primary Contractor POC primarily via e-mail, and secondarily via telephone or SMS Text Message, with requests for services, changes, or cancellations of services. Requests shall be sent to the Contractor during normal operating hours for DFAS Cleveland.

B.2.2 Request Notification Time Schedule For assignments that will be from nine hours to two weeks in duration, the Contractor shall provide services for requests received at least three business days in advance. For assignments that will be less than nine hours in duration, the Contractor shall provide services for requests received at least one business day in advance. Upon receipt of all requests, the Contractor shall provide to the COR or designee in writing (email is acceptable) receipt confirmation within one business day of receipt of request. For assignments that will be from nine hours to two weeks in duration, the name of the assigned interpreters shall be provided to the COR or designee in writing (email is acceptable) no later than one business days prior to start of assignment. For assignments that will be less than nine hours in duration, the name of the assigned interpreters shall be provided to the COR or designee in writing (email is acceptable) no later than one business day prior to start of assignment.

If, however, the Government should require services and is unable to meet the notice periods

PWS Page 7 of 19 specified above, the Contractor shall attempt to provide an interpreter, but the Government understands that the Contractor may not always be able to comply with such a request and therefore shall have the right to refuse the assignment. The Contractor’s acceptance must be given within two hours of the time the request was received. If the Contractor fails to accept within the time specified, the Government will consider the assignment refused. If the Contractor accepts the request, the agency shall be billed at the hourly rate established. No special rates shall be used for requests that do not meet notice periods specified above. For assignments that will be less than nine hours in duration and notice was not provided at least one business days in advance, the Contractor shall provide the COR or designee the names of the interpreters as soon as possible but no later than two business hours prior to the assignment. For assignments that will be from nine hours to two weeks in duration and notice was not provided at least three business days in advance, the Contractor shall provide the COR or designee the names of the interpreters as soon as possible but not later than two business days prior to the assignment.

B.2.3 Agency Provided Information at time of Request The COR or designee will provide the Contractor POC the following information at time of request:

• Type of interpretation required (i.e. ASL, Pidgin, etc.).

• Start/End Date to include daily start and end times and identified lunch break if applicable.

• On-site POC information if other than the COR to include office location, telephone number and email address. If no information is provided, it should be expected that the COR will be the primary point of contact for that request.

• Names of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Employees

• Description of event (i.e. staff meeting, appraisal meeting, one-on-one training, etc.).

• If available, copies of speeches, documents, program specific acronym lists, training materials that will be used during the event in advance of the event. However, there will be occasions when it is not possible for the Government to provide these materials in advance.

The Contractor POC is responsible for ensuring contractor and subcontractor personnel have complete and accurate job information prior to the scheduled assignment.

B.3 Cancellations/Reassignments

B.3.1 Cancellations The Contractor shall keep all assignments. Canceled assignments are not tolerated except for true emergencies. If the scheduled interpreters cancels an assignment, the Contractor shall provide a substitute interpreters and notify the COR or designee within 24 clock hours of the change. If the Contractor is not able to provide interpreters, the Contractor shall inform the COR or designee as soon as possible but not later than 24 clock hours of the change. If the interpreter does not meet qualifications or fails to appear at the event location within twenty minutes of the scheduled assignment start time, the assignment may be cancelled. The Government shall not incur any charges associated with such cancellations.

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The Government may cancel the services no less than 24 clock hours in advance with no penalty or charges assessed. If the Contractor is notified of a cancellation less than 24 clock hours prior to the scheduled assignment but before the interpreters arrival, the Contractor may invoice for a two hour minimum. In lieu of assessing a cancellation fee, the COR or designee and the Contractor may mutually agree to reassign the interpreters to another service request covered by this PWS without incurring cancellation charges at the hourly rate established. No special rates shall be used for requests accepted as described in this paragraph.

B.3.2 Reassignments If upon arrival to the assignment and service is no longer required or the assignment ends early, the Contractor must notify the COR or designee for reassignment. The COR or designee has the option to reassign the interpreters without an additional charge/cancellation fee with the stipulation that if the new assignment runs over the original number of hours of the scheduled assignment, the difference will be an allowable charge.

If the Contractor cannot reach the COR or designee and the original scheduled time expires or the two-hour minimum passed (whichever occurs first), the interpreters may leave. For assignments where no service was provided, the Contractor may invoice for a two-hour minimum. The two-hour minimum does not apply if the interpreter leaves prior to notifying the COR (or designee) or before the times stated above. For assignments concluded earlier than scheduled time, the Contractor may invoice in accordance with this PWS.

B.4 Kept Appointments Billable Service Hours

Regardless of assignment duration, the Contractor shall be reimbursed for a minimum of two hours.

Assignments lasting more than two hours shall be invoiced in half (½) hour increments for the actual duration of the assignment, not the estimated duration requested by the COR or designee when coordinating and scheduling the request.

The assignment is considered complete when the later of the following occurs: 1.) conclusion of event equals or exceeds the estimated duration specified when scheduling the request or 2.) the COR or designee releases the interpreters.

For any assignment over six hours in duration, lunch breaks are offered for the deaf employee and the same lunch break applies to the interpreters. Time taken for meals as described in this paragraph shall not be billed. Other breaks are billable.

For example, if the COR or designee coordinates and schedules a request for an assignment that is anticipated to last from:

• 8:00 am – 2:00 pm but the assignment actually lasts from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, the

Contractor shall bill the Agency for three and one-half hours (3.5) of service.

• 8:00 am – 10:00 am but the assignment concludes at 9:00 am and the COR releases the

PWS Page 9 of 19 interpreter; the Contractor shall bill the Agency for two (2) hours of service.

• 8:00 am – 4:00 pm but the assignment actually last from 8:00 am to 4:20 pm and includes a one (1) hour lunch break offered during the assignment to the deaf employee, the Contractor shall bill the Agency for seven and one-half hours (7.5) of service.

The Contractor shall provide for any/all necessary travel arrangements. Travel and/or per diem are not reimbursable.

B.5 Evaluation of Services

Recipients of interpretation services may provide feedback on the quality of the services received to the COR. This feedback will be provided to the Contractor POC within seven business days of receipt of feedback. The Contractor shall take appropriate action based on the feedback and provide the COR with a written response to the feedback within seven business days of receipt of feedback.

The COR and the Contractor POC will meet every six months, unless mutually agreed to otherwise, to conduct a quality review of services being provided by the Contractor.

B.6 Number of Interpreters Required Per Assignment

The number of interpreters required is subject to the approval of the COR. In general, two interpreters shall be required for assignments lasting more than two hours.

B.7 Teaming

The practice called team interpreting is a necessary part of interpreting. Some assignments may require teaming with interpreters from other agencies.

Reference to RID Standard Practice on Teaming:

(http://www.rid.org/userfiles/File/pdfs/Standard_Practice_Papers/Team_Interpreting_SPP.pdf. ), and the RID Code of Professional Conduct which outlines the respect for colleagues and professional conduct (http://www.rid.org/ethics/code/index.cfm).

In the instance where the teaming partner is with a DFAS interpreter, the DFAS interpreter shall be the primary interpreter and the contract interpreter shall be the supporting interpreter.

Interpreters shall meet prior to the scheduled event to determine their placement, language, signaling, continuity, and turn-taking.

B.8 Invoicing

The Contractor shall submit invoices for payment monthly. Invoices shall be submitted no later than ten business days following the previous month’s end. Invoices shall be submitted in accordance with DFARS 252.232-7006 Wide Area Workflow Payment Instructions. Payment will be made in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act. Invoices shall include a detailed list http://www.rid.org/userfiles/File/pdfs/Standard_Practice_Papers/Team_Interpreting_SPP.pdf http://www.rid.org/ethics/code/index.cfm

PWS Page 10 of 19 of each event. The detailed list shall include at a minimum the following:

• Sequential invoice number

• Date and hours expended for each assignment to include start and stop times

• Description of the event

• Status of the event (completed, cancelled, late cancel, etc.)

• Number of interpreters

• Name of interpreters

• Cumulative totals

• Remarks: any specific/pertinent information

B.9 Weekly Status Report

The Contractor POC shall submit a weekly status report to the COR no later than the close of business (COB) on the first workday following the previous week, unless mutually agreed otherwise.

The weekly status report shall identify an accurate record of all events, including:

• Date and hours expended for each assignment to include start and stop times

• Description of the event

• Status of the event (completed, cancelled, late cancel, etc.)

• Number of interpreters

• Name of interpreters

• Remarks: any specific/pertinent information

C.0 SECTION 508 COMPLIANCE

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L.

105-220) requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use information and communication technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to, and use of, information and data that is comparable to people without disabilities.

Unless the Government invokes an exemption, all Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) products and services proposed shall fully comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, per the 1998 Amendments, and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board’s Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards at 36 CFR 1194. The contractor shall identify all EIT products and services proposed, identify the technical standards applicable to all products and services proposed and state the degree of compliance with the applicable standards. Additionally, the contractor shall clearly indicate where the information pertaining to Section 508 compliance can be found (e.g., web page location). The contractor shall ensure that the list is easily accessible by typical users beginning at time of award.

The contractor shall ensure that all EIT products and services proposed that are less than fully compliant are offered pursuant to extensive market research, which ensures that they are the most compliant products available to satisfy the solicitation’s requirements.

If any such EIT product or service proposed is not fully compliant with all of the standards, the

PWS Page 11 of 19 contractor shall specify each specific standard that is not met; provide a detailed description as to how the EIT product or service does not comply with the identified standard(s); and shall also indicate the degree of compliance.

Prior to acceptance, the government reserves the right to perform testing on required ICT items to validate the offeror’s Section 508 conformance claims. If the government determines that Section 508 conformance claims provided by the offeror represent an inaccurate level of conformance than what is actually delivered to the agency, the government shall, at its option, require the offeror to remediate the delivered item to align with the required Section 508 conformance claims prior to acceptance.

The following 508 standards apply to requirement and will ensure the services provided will support DFAS’s ability to comply with the Section 508 law:

E206 Hardware

• E206.1 General. Where components of ICT are hardware and transmit information or have a user interface, such components shall conform to the requirements in Chapter 4.

E207 Software

• E207.1 General. Where components of ICT are software and transmit information or have a user interface, such components shall conform to E207 and the requirements in Chapter 5

• Exception from E207.1 General: Software that is assistive technology and that supports the accessibility services of the platform shall not be required to conform to the requirements in Chapter 5.

• E207.2 WCAG Conformance. User interface components, as well as the content of platforms and applications, shall conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1).

• Exceptions from E207.2 WCAG Conformance:

o Software that is assistive technology and that supports the accessibility services of the platform shall not be required to conform to E207.2.

o Non-web software shall not be required to conform to the following four Success Criteria in WCAG 2.0: 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks; 2.4.5 Multiple Ways; 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation;

and 3.2.4 Consistent Identification.

o Non-Web software shall not be required to conform to Conformance Requirement 3 Complete Processes in WCAG 2.0.

E302 Functional Performance Criteria

• 302.1 Without Vision. Where a visual mode of operation is provided, ICT shall provide at least one mode of operation that does not require user vision.

• 302.2 With Limited Vision. Where a visual mode of operation is provided, ICT shall provide at least one mode of operation that enables users to make use of limited vision.

• 302.3 Without Perception of Color. Where a visual mode of operation is provided, ICT shall provide at least one visual mode of operation that does not require user perception of color.

• 302.4 Without Hearing. Where an audible mode of operation is provided, ICT shall provide at least one mode of operation that does not require user hearing.

• 302.5 With Limited Hearing. Where an audible mode of operation is provided, ICT shall

PWS Page 12 of 19 provide at least one mode of operation that enables users to make use of limited hearing.

• 302.6 Without Speech. Where speech is used for input, control, or operation, ICT shall provide at least one mode of operation that does not require user speech.

• 302.7 With Limited Manipulation. Where a manual mode of operation is provided, ICT shall provide at least one mode of operation that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous manual operations.

• 302.8 With Limited Reach and Strength. Where a manual mode of operation is provided, ICT shall provide at least one mode of operation that is operable with limited reach and limited strength.

• 302.9 With Limited Language, Cognitive, and Learning Abilities. ICT shall provide features making its use by individuals with limited cognitive, language, and learning abilities simpler and easier.

501 General

• 501.1 Scope. The requirements of Chapter 5 shall apply to software where required by 508

Chapter 2 (Scoping Requirements), 255 Chapter 2 (Scoping Requirements), and where otherwise referenced in any other chapter of the Revised 508 Standards or Revised 255 Guidelines.

• Exception from E501.1 Scope: Where Web applications do not have access to platform accessibility services and do not include components that have access to platform accessibility services, they shall not be required to conform to 502 or 503 provided that they conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1).

502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology

• 502.1 General. Software shall interoperate with assistive technology and shall conform to

502.

• Exception from E502.1 General: ICT conforming to 402 shall not be required to conform to

502.

D.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE

D.1 Quality Control Plan (QCP)

The Contractor is responsible for the quality of all work performed. The Contractor measures that quality through the contractor’s own Quality Control Program (QCP). Quality Control is work output, not workers, and therefore includes all work performed under this contract regardless of whether the work is performed by contractor employees or by subcontractors. The Contractor’s QCP will set forth the staffing and procedures for self-inspecting the quality, timeliness, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and other performance requirements in the PWS. The Contractor shall develop and implement a performance management system with processes to assess, track, and report performance.

Within ten business days of award, the Contractor shall provide the QCP to the COR. The QCP shall be maintained throughout the life. Any changes to the QCP shall be provided to the COR as soon as possible but not later than five business days after the change.

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D.2 Inspection/Acceptance

The COR is designated as the point of final inspection and acceptance by the Government of all items and services.

D.3 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

The Government will utilize a QASP to monitor and provide feedback on contractor performance. The services will be performance-based with measurable performance standards that define what is considered acceptable performance. The measure of successful performance outcomes in the QASP are in the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS).

D.4 Performance Requirements Summary

This summary identifies critical success factors for the contract. It identifies both the performance outcomes for those factors and the acceptable quality level required for each performance objective. The Government reserves the right to survey all services called for in the contract to determine whether the performance objectives and goals were met. The absence of any contract requirement from the PRS table shall not detract from its enforceability nor limit the rights or remedies of the Government.

The PRS will be used by the Government as the baseline to develop a QASP and will identify the surveillance methods the Government will use to evaluate the Contractor’s performance. The COR will use the surveillance methods outlined in the PRS to closely monitor the services along with any other pertinent deliverables to ensure timely delivery and quality.

When performance fails to achieve acceptable quality levels, the Government will issue a deficiency report to the Contractor. The Contractor will be given reasonable time to correct the deficiency. The length of time allowed will depend upon the requirement, complexity of the corrective actions and the deficiency. The Contractor shall notify the Government if the time allowed for correction is not adequate. Contractor non-responsiveness, deficiencies not adequately addressed, or corrections not completed by the date of completion are unacceptable and may result in negative performance ratings, cure notices, and potential termination of the contract.

Payment is authorized only upon successful completion of the contract terms and conditions.

Performance Requirements Summary

PWS

Task Objective Performance Outcome Acceptable Quality Level Method of

Surveillance

A.3.1 Primary POC The Contractor shall provide a primary POC. The POC shall submit accurate and timely

The name of the POC shall be provided to the COR within two business days of contract award.

100% Inspection

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Task Objective Performance Outcome Acceptable Quality Level Method of

Surveillance reports, resolve problems, manage contractor and subcontractor personnel, and monitor operation performance to ensure successful completion of services. The Contractor POC shall attend meetings with the COR and other government representatives to furnish input concerning the operation and management of the interpretation program.

In the event that the POC changes, the Contractor shall notify the COR within two business days of the change. The Contractor POC shall attend all meetings.

A.4.1 Certification All interpreters shall have certification obtained from a recognized certifying organization.

Certification shall be obtained from organizations such as the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID, NIC, NIC Advanced, NIC Master, CI, CT, CI/CT or CSC), the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), or a recognized State Agency. The Contractor shall make certifications available to the Government upon request.

Random Monitoring

A.4.2 Special Qualifications

Interpreters shall demonstrate fluency in expressive and receptive skills in oral spoken English into signed English and American Sign Language (ASL), Pidgin Sign English (PSE), Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE), Signed English and the reverse to spoken English.

Interpreters shall provide accurate and current interpretation tailored to the individual needs of the employee and the agency.

Interpreters shall have the ability to accurately interpret in a variety of settings and the ability to keep pace with communications at all scheduled events.

Random Monitoring

A.4.5 Interpreter Conduct

Interpreters shall adhere to the Federal Government’s rules of protocol, ethics, procedures and professionalism while on assignment at DFAS. Employee feedback or other observations that indicate less than satisfactory performance and/or citing instances of misconduct will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be reported to the Contractor.

Within seven business days of any reported misconduct, the Contractor shall provide information on what actions shall be taken to mitigate performance issues or address conduct concerns.

100% Inspection

B.2 Scheduling Requirements

For assignments that will be from nine hours to two weeks

For all assignments, the name of the assigned interpreters shall be

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Task Objective Performance Outcome Acceptable Quality Level Method of

Surveillance in duration, the Contractor shall provide services for requests received at least three business days in advance. For assignments that will be less than nine hours in duration, the Contractor shall provide services for requests received at least one business day in advance provided to the COR no later than one business day prior to start of assignment.

B.3.1 Cancellations The Contractor shall keep all assignments.

Canceled assignments are not tolerated except for true emergencies. If the scheduled interpreters cancel an assignment, the Contractor shall provide substitute interpreters and notify the COR or designee within 24 clock hours of the change. If the Contractor is not able to provide interpreters, the Contractor shall inform the COR or designee as soon as possible but not later than 24 clock hours of the change.

100% Inspection

B.8 Invoicing The Contractor shall submit invoices for payment monthly.

Invoices shall be submitted no later than ten business days following the previous month’s end. Invoices shall include a detailed list of the assignment.

100% Inspection

B.9 Weekly Status Reports

The Contractor shall provide a weekly status report. The report shall identify an accurate record of all events.

The weekly status report shall be received no later than the close of business on the first workday following the previous week.

100% Inspection

D.1 Quality Control Plan (QCP)

The Contractor shall develop and implement a performance management system with processes to assess, track, and report performance.

Within ten business days of award, the Contractor shall provide the QCP to the COR.

E.0 SECURITY

E.1 General Requirements. Contractor personnel must meet the following conditions of employment.

1. Possess a REAL ID.

2. 18 years or older.

3. U.S Citizen or National (Verification documents required if foreign born).

4. Social Security Number.

5. Selective Service Registration (males born after 12-31-1959). A Status Information Letter is

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6. Reside in the United States.

7. This is a national security position which requires a favorable fitness review and background investigation as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain security eligibility may result in termination.

E.2 Personnel Security Investigation (PSI) Requirements.

Contractor personnel working on this contract will require a favorably adjudicated Tier 3, or equivalent Noncritical-Sensitive (formerly IT-II) or higher-level Investigation granting National Security eligibility. Contractor personnel must also have current enrollment (within 5 years) in the Continuous Vetting program, in accordance with Trusted Workforce 2.0 standards. No access to classified information is required. In accordance with standard DFAS Personnel Security policy, ALL incoming contractors must submit a new set of fingerprints (taken within the last 30 days) *.

Contractor personnel must apply for a fingerprint appointment immediately (the next business day) upon award date.

Contractor personnel shall submit the Contractor Request for Investigation (CRI) (DFAS Form 9035) immediately (the next business day after providing fingerprints) to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The information needed in the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-

306) shall also be submitted to the COR by contractor personnel.

The COR will submit the OF-306, DFAS Form 9035, and proof of fingerprints to DFAS Personnel Security all at once. Under no circumstances should this documentation be submitted less than fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the intended performance start date. DFAS Personnel Security will review all submitted documentation to validate whether contractor personnel meet personnel security requirements to perform work on the contract or if a new background investigation is required.

Contractors obtaining favorable security evaluations and DoD CACs for required contractor employees performing on this contract is a prerequisite for contractor performance and invoicing.

Also, the failure of a contractor to provide employees who can obtain a favorable security adjudication and a DoD CAC in a timely manner may be considered negatively when assessing contractor performance, termination, or other.

*New fingerprints are not required if any of the following apply:

1. The person has been fingerprinted for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) within the past 30 days.

2. The person is currently undergoing a background investigation, or reinvestigation, by DCSA or any other Federal agency.

3. The person has a background investigation currently being adjudicated by the DCSA Adjudication and Vetting Services (DCSA AVS) or another AVS.

4. The person has been favorably adjudicated within the past 30 days by the DCSA AVS or a AVS from any other Federal agency: or

5. The person is coming directly from another DoD agency, with no break in service. This includes any of the military branches as well as the U.S. Coast Guard; however, service members in an inactive reserve status are not included.

6. The DFAS Personnel Security Office otherwise determines that no new fingerprints are required.

E.3 Incident Reporting Requirements.

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In all cases, whenever a DFAS contractor displays conduct, or is involved in any incident, which is in violation of any of the thirteen National Security Adjudicative Guidelines*, the contractor must immediately report the incident to the contractor company Security Office/Facility Security Officer, the DFAS Manager of the area to which they are assigned, the CO, the COR, the Director, Force Protection, and the DFAS Personnel Security Office. Reporting to DFAS Personnel Security may be made by phone to (317) 212-7888, by email to dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.dfas-inhrsecurity@mail.mil, or, in the case of personnel physically located at DFAS Indianapolis Center, in person to the DFAS Personnel Security Office located on the third floor center hallway at Column 320T.

All incidents will be investigated by DFAS Personnel Security and, depending on the date of the subject’s most recent investigation, may need to have an updated background investigation initiated.

Those that do not require a new investigation will have all relevant information regarding the incident forwarded to the DCSA AVS for review and re-adjudication.

*The thirteen National Security Adjudicative Guidelines are:

1. GUIDELINE A: Allegiance to the United States

2. GUIDELINE B: Foreign Influence

3. GUIDELINE C: Foreign Preference

4. GUIDELINE D: Sexual Behavior

5. GUIDELINE E: Personal Conduct

6. GUIDELINE F: Financial Considerations

7. GUIDELINE G: Alcohol Consumption

8. GUIDELINE H: Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse

9. GUIDELINE I: Psychological Conditions

10. GUIDELINE J: Criminal Conduct

11. GUIDELINE K: Handling Protected Information

12. GUIDELINE L: Outside Activities

13. GUIDELINE M: Use of Information Technology

Some Examples of Incidents That Require Reporting to DFAS Personnel Security:

a) An arrest for any criminal offense, not including minor traffic violations, by any law enforcement agency. This DOES include the traffic offenses of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs, and Reckless Driving.

b) Violation of any court order.

c) Civil judgements.

d) Delinquencies on any debt for 180 days or longer.

e) Federal, State or Local tax issues or delinquencies.

f) Delinquencies on any Federal debt (including Federal Student Loans and Federally backed home mortgage loans).

g) Child Support delinquencies.

h) Filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in any Federal Bankruptcy Court.

i) Foreign Travel.

j) Marriage or Cohabitation with a Foreign National (person from a foreign country).

k) Having a close personal friendship with a Foreign National with regularly occurring contact.

l) Ownership of property or financial accounts in a foreign country; and mailto:dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.dfas-inhrsecurity@mail.mil

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m) Being approached by a person know to be, or suspected to be, working as an agent of a foreign government or terrorist organization, or any other person, who seeks any information about DFAS, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government, especially if the person offers money or something of value to the contractor employee.

It should be noted that a person’s delinquency on Federal debt of any kind may not obtain or maintain favorable personnel security adjudication or be considered for a contractor position with DFAS unless they can provide documentary proof that a payment plan has been established with the Government agency to whom the debt is owed, and that regularly recurring payments are being made. Contractor personnel who cannot obtain and maintain a favorable personnel security adjudication may not have access to government data, facilities, and/or equipment required under the contract.

NOTE: This list does not cover every potential incident or offense; any incident in which a contractor is involved, and a question exists as to whether it should be reported, should report the incident to DFAS Personnel Security, who will then determine if further action is warranted. Failure to report an incident is, in and of itself, an incident involving personal conduct, and may, in some cases, be more serious than the original incident.

E.4 Foreign Travel by DFAS Contractor Personnel Official and Unofficial (Personal) Travel: Official U.S. Government Business: persons employed as contractor employees with DFAS, to include those with Noncritical Sensitive (formerly IT-II) access, Critical Sensitive (formerly IT-I) access, access to critical program information (related to Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation), sensitive compartmented information, and/or special access program information, in accordance with DoD Directive 5240.06, are required to complete a DFAS Form 9133, Notification of Foreign Travel, not less than 30 calendar days prior to the scheduled travel.

One copy shall be sent the DFAS Personnel Security group box at dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.dfas-inhrsecurity@mail.mil and one copy shall be turned into the Site Force Protection Office of the DFAS site where they are stationed. Site Force Protection POC information:

https://dfasportal.dfas.mil/ddss/force_protection/Pages/SiteSpecificForceProtectionSecurityServices.

aspx Upon receipt of the completed Form 9133, the Site Force Protection Office will contact the contractor employee to validate training, complete the country/theater clearance package, as required, and schedule a Foreign Travel briefing. Immediately prior to travel, contractor employees will check with the State Department at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html.html for any travel advisories for the country or region being traveled to and take the appropriate steps to ensure their safety for any location covered by a travel advisory or warning.

E.5 Access To, Accountability For, and Safeguarding of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The DFAS manager of the requiring office will determine what CUI contractor personnel are given access to.