Attachment 1 AbilityOne Career Planning Support PWS Aug 10 2023.pdf

950441-23-Q-0012 Attachment 1

Contract # AbilityOne Career Planning Support

ATTACHMENT C

U.S. ABILITYONE COMMISSION

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

ABILITYONE CAREER PLANNING SUPPORT

US AbilityOne Commission

1. Introduction.

1.1. Scope. The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, facilities, materials, and equipment to develop and recommend career planning support resources for nonprofit agencies (“NPAs”) participating in the AbilityOne Program. The work shall include developing the necessary components of the employment supports of job individualizations, person-centered employment plans, and career advancement programs (as defined below) to be implemented by AbilityOne-participating NPAs, and in identifying the necessary qualifications of professionals engaged in the development and delivery of such employment supports. The work also includes identifying qualified professionals, funding streams, and community partners to assist in providing such employment supports by the AbilityOne-NPAs.

1.2. Background. The enactment of 41 U.S.C. 8501-8506, Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Act, established the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (operating as the AbilityOne Commission). The AbilityOne Commission (“Commission”) is the Federal agency responsible for administering the congressionally mandated employment program now known as the AbilityOne Program (“Program”). The AbilityOne Program leverages the Federal acquisition system to create job opportunities for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. The mission of the AbilityOne Program is to tap America's underutilized workforce of individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities to deliver high quality, mission-essential products and services to Federal agencies in quality employment opportunities.

Since its FY2022-2026 Strategic Plan was published in June 2022, the Commission has been working to ensure that all jobs in the AbilityOne Program meet the Commission’s criteria for “good jobs.” Good jobs pay competitive wages and benefits, they afford every person working on an AbilityOne contract protection under U.S. employment laws with equal standards under those laws, they ensure that each employee’s job desires and needs for supports and accommodations are met through a job individualization, and they ensure that each employee has a person-centered employment plan that is implemented through the NPA’s career advancement program

1.3. PURPOSE. The Commission requires AbilityOne Career Planning Support to refine the appropriate components of job individualizations and person-centered employment plans, to assist NPAs in establishing, implementing, and/or improving career advancement programs, and to help identify qualified professionals, funding streams, and community partners to assist in the provision of employment supports by NPAs. The Commission will use the deliverables developed by the contractor to assist NPAs in creating and sustaining good jobs across the AbilityOne Program, including through support that will be provided by the central nonprofit agencies designated by the Commission to assist in the Program. The deliverables will also help position the AbilityOne Program as an onramp to career pathways for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities and will provide roadmaps for individuals who earn skills and experience in AbilityOne jobs to consider all potential career pathways.

1.4. Objectives. The key objectives of this requirement are:

US Ability One Commission

• Develop components of a job individualization. Job individualization is a flexible process designed to personalize the employment relationship between a participating employee and an NPA to meet both needs. This involves an interactive process that identifies the individual’s capacities, interests, and goals, as well as reasonable accommodations and/or significant job supports that may be necessary for the individual to be successful on the job.

• Develop components of a person-centered employment plan. A person-centered employment plan is a written plan that involves the participating employee in the development of the plan; identifies the employee’s strengths, goals, needs for employment services, and desired outcomes with respect to employment. A person-centered employment plan includes benefits counseling if necessary. Benefits counseling implementation (including SSDI, SSI, VA, work incentives and tax incentives, etc.), including financial literacy for people with disabilities, and capacity building for providers in this area.

• Develop components of a career advancement program. A career advancement program is a program designed to implement an employee’s person-centered employment plan that supports the upward mobility of employees within an AbilityOne employer and/or outward mobility of employees, including through the use of talent acquisition portals and other technology solutions.

• Develop a methodology for qualified evaluators to work with employees who are blind or who have significant disabilities in developing their person-centered employment plans and implementing such plans as part of a career advancement program, resulting in data evidence of effective and timely conversations with such employees.

• Identify the necessary qualifications of professionals who will provide the job individualizations, the development of person-centered employment plans, and the implementation of such plans through a career advancement program;

• Identify sources (companies, nonprofit organizations, academia, etc.) of qualified professionals, and identify government or other funding for the hiring of such qualified professionals; and

• Identify potential community partners that can facilitate and provide expertise in developing and implementing the employment supports of job individualizations, person-centered employment plans, and career advancement programs for AbilityOne employees nationwide or in particular regions across the country.

• Analyze existing training sources; evaluate the content and quality of such training;

determine and recommend a program-specific training program and components for qualified professionals and NPAs to implement job individualizations, PCEPs, and career advancement programs.

2. General Requirements.

2.1. Project Management. The Contractor shall provide all necessary personnel and supervision to deliver technical services in response to the AbilityOne Career Planning Support requirements identified in this PWS. The Contractor shall designate a Project Lead responsible for managing the performance of the work. The Project Lead shall be the single point of contact between the Government and Contractor personnel to support the AbilityOne Career Planning Support effort.

The identity of the Project Lead shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall obtain the Contracting Officer’s written consent before making any substitution for the Project Lead. In the event of such substitution, the individual proposed to fill the Project Lead shall possess equivalent or superior qualifications to the original individual. The Project Lead shall have the authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to the daily operation under this contract.

2.2 Key Personnel.

Within 30 days of the contract award date, the Contractor shall provide a Project Management contact list. The SME contact list shall be updated quarterly. Within 90 days of the contract award date, the Contractor shall submit final forecasts to include specific SME roles and responsibilities and program metrics for the implementation of Capacity Building State plans.

The Contractor shall attach credentials for key staff and all proposed SMEs to the staff plan. The personnel specified below are considered to be essential to the work being performed herein and must possess the qualifications described below:

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): The Contractor shall include in its proposal a list of SMEs who have agreed to participate in the Contractor’s proposed scope of work either as technical advisors or policy advisors. The list should outline the specific areas of expertise for each proposed SME to respond to the requirements of AbilityOne Career Planning Support. In an appendix to their proposal, the Contractor shall include a letter of intent from each proposed SME indicating their willingness to work on this contract and a copy of each SME’s resume and relevant credentials.

The skills of the proposed SMEs will be one of the evaluation criteria in comparing the quality of the proposals submitted. The U.S. AbilityOne COR will approve all SMEs in consultation with U.S. AbilityOne Commission leadership.

All Key Personnel must be approved by U.S. AbilityOne Commission Contracting Officer Representative (COR) in consultation with U.S. AbilityOne Commission leadership. Prior to diverting, removing, or replacing any of the specified individuals to other programs, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer (KO) and COR in writing no less than 14 business days in advance (or as soon as the Contractor is informed that an employee is leaving if given less than 14 business days’ notice) and shall submit justification (including the names and qualifications of the proposed substitute(s)) in sufficient detail to permit evaluation of the impact on the services rendered under this contract.

The proposed substitute(s) shall possess qualifications equal to or superior to those of the Key Personnel being replaced. The Contractor shall make no substitutions without the approval of the COR and U.S. AbilityOne Commission leadership and the written consent of the KO. The list of Key Personnel may be amended from time to time during the course of the contract to either add or delete personnel as appropriate.

2.3. Period of Performance. The period of performance for the contract is as follows:

One year.

2.4. Hours of Operation. All work under this PWS will be accomplished remotely. However, AbilityOne and stakeholders are available to support the Contractor during the core operating hours of 0800 to 1700 ET Monday through Friday, except U.S. Federal Holidays.

2.5. Recognized Holidays: The Contractor is not required to perform services on the holidays listed below.

Recognized Holidays New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day President’s Day Veterans Day Memorial Day Juneteenth

Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day

Independence Day

2.6. Travel

2.6.1 Infrequent Travel may be required. All travel will be within the Continental United States (CONUS) in accordance with the Joint-Travel Regulations (JTR).

2.6.2 The Contractor shall ensure that all travel is in accordance with (IAW) the Department of Defense (DOD) Joint Travel Regulation (JTR) and Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), FAR 31.205-46. All travel must be approved by the Contracting Officer (KO) or designated Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) in writing prior to departing on travel. All invoices for travel shall be accompanied by supporting receipts.

2.7. Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

The COR will be identified by a separate letter with a copy to the Contractor. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The letter of designation issued to the COR states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR regarding this contract. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting contract. A warranted Contracting Officer is the only entity with authorization to negotiate and make changes to this contract.

2.8. Quality Control.

The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and execute an approved Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure services are satisfactorily performed under this contract. The QCP plan shall define the processes to monitor Contractor performance and ensure compliance with the requirements of this contract and applicable regulations. The Contractor’s QCP shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The Contractor shall electronically submit a comprehensive, written QCP to the COR and the Contracting Officer within 15 calendar days of contract award. The Government shall review the QCP before acceptance. After review of the quality control plan, the KO will provide the Contractor with written acceptance or rejection of the QCP and any proposed changes.

2.9. Quality Assurance.

The Government will evaluate the Contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). The QASP is the method by which the Government will measure Contractor performance in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

2.10. Data Rights.

The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract. All documents and materials, to include the source code of any software produced under this contract, shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used, sold, or published by the Contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights. The Government has unlimited rights in accordance with FAR Clause 52.227.14.

2.11. Copyright.

Any information provided under this contract pertaining to the AbilityOne Career Planning Support requirement is intended for use by the Commission, by designated CNAs, and by NPAs in the AbilityOne Program. The information is not available for redistribution unless authorized by the Contracting Officer in writing. The Contractor agrees to assign all copyrights to the Government for any new materials or modifications to existing materials that are produced by the Contractor during the term and in the scope of this contract.

3. Government Furnished Property/Contractor Furnished Property.

The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, materials, facilities, and equipment required to develop AbilityOne Career Planning Support in accordance with this PWS.

4. Technical Requirements.

All documents and deliverables, including proposals, prepared for or provided to U.S.

AbilityOne Commission for the AbilityOne Career Planning Support shall be accessible and fully compatible with all assistive and adaptive technology for people with disabilities.

Specifically, documents and any graphic user interface must be accessible to users of technologies for people who are blind or visually impaired to include the latest version of Job Access with Speech (JAWS) as required by FAR 39.2

Accessibility Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. §794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220) August 7, 1998, applies to Federal Departments and Agencies. Section 508 requires that when Federal Agencies procure, develop, maintain, or use Electronic and Information Technology (EIT)/Information and Communication Technology (ICT), they will ensure this technology allows both Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data comparable to that accessed and used by Federal employees and members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities unless one or more exceptions apply.

EIT/ICT greatly affects how federal agencies, and their employees achieve agency goals, do their daily work, and serve the American people. EIT/ICT is also a major gateway to employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors, and it is key to how information is shared with employees, how employees are productive in the workplace, and how they advance in their careers. U.S.AbilityOne Commission is a Federal agency devoted to increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to the compliance with and implementation of Section 508, which is critical to ensuring equal access to EIT/ICT.

5. Qualification Requirements.

The Contractor shall provide:

A) Demonstrated research and practical experience in developing job individualizations for people with disabilities.

B) Demonstrated research and practical experience in developing person-centered employment plans.

C) Demonstrated research and practical experience in developing career advancement programs.

D) Demonstrate knowledge and experience in developing employer engagement strategies for the delivery of career planning support resources.

E) Demonstrated knowledge and experience in utilization of technology in the development of a web-based platform in the development of a job individualization and person-centered employment plans and the implementation of career advancement programs.

F) Demonstrate knowledge of and practical experience in developing and implementing a program-wide training program for a career advancement program to include job individualization and person-centered employment planning for people who are blind or have significant disabilities.

6. List of deliverables

a) Description of the components of a job individualization, including data evidence that should result from such individualizations and the supporting justification of such components.

b) Description of the components of a person-centered employment plan, including data evidence that should result from such plans and the supporting justification of such components.

b) Description of the components of a career advancement program, and the supporting justification of such components.

c) Identification of sources for qualified professionals to perform job individualizations, develop person-centered employment plans, and assist with career advancement efforts.

d) Identification of government and community funding streams and community partners to assist in hiring such qualified professionals. Funding alignment across systems, including strategies for leveraging and braiding of public funds to assist providers in transforming their business model from placements to career advancement programs.

e) Identification of means by which technology can be leveraged in providing job individualizations and person-centered employment plans, and in the development and implementation of career advancement programs via web-based platform, websites or other data-collection formats.

f) . Develop an effective practices and training program in service delivery that leads to career advancement outcomes, in best practices for securing PCEPs for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities (with a particular focus on staff and management development in the delivery of job individualization, person-centered employment planning and financial capability strategies)

1. Introduction.