Attachment 1 Cognitive Training SOW.pdf

RFQ 70Z023-22-Q-RD000001

LAST UPDATED: 6/13/2022 PAGE 1/6

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

FOR

COGNITIVE TRAINING PROGRAM

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 BACKGROUND

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Research and Development Center (RDC), New London, CT gathered information from industry regarding commercial cognitive training programs to assess available cognitive training technologies and methods. Moreover, the RDC paid particular interest in response inhibition cognitive training programs to determine viability to improve Coast Guard (CG) personnel’s reaction times without degrading accuracy or improve accuracy without degrading reaction times for decisions made under pressure (e.g., go/no-go or stop signal decision-making under pressure).

RDC has determined that response inhibition cognitive training is a potential method to improve cognitive abilities and decision making. RDC has initiated a project to study the effectiveness of cognitive training in the USCG mission space. The RDC has a Lead USCG Researcher to design and conduct a pilot test of the cognitive training with CG personnel, as well as analyze and interpret the data.

The results of this project will inform management and assist trainers in developing unit or mission specific training programs. Further, it will serve as a framework for collecting empirical evidence of performance improvement, as well as help other agencies identify effective cognitive training programs appropriate to their missions. Lastly, the results will discuss recommendations for one or more cognitive training programs for evaluation in an operational setting.

1.2 SCOPE

The scope is to provide a turnkey response inhibition cognitive training program for 28 trainees.

The scope includes training configuration, briefings, and technical support.

1.3 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this order is to acquire a response inhibition cognitive training program for the Government to test to determine if it improves Coast Guard personnel’s cognitive skills and decision-making under pressure.

2.0 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS/TASKS

2.1 TASK ONE. Provide a Cognitive Training Program

The Contractor shall provide a response inhibition cognitive training program that meets the following requirements:

1. Be a fully developed and commercially available response inhibition cognitive training program that claims to improve reaction times without degrading accuracy or improve accuracy without degrading reaction times for decisions made under pressure (e.g., go/no-go or stop signal decision-making under pressure).

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2. Be supported by evidence of efficacy to improve reaction times without degrading accuracy or improve accuracy without degrading reaction times for decisions made under pressure (e.g., go/no-go or stop signal decision-making under pressure).

3. Supports 28 trainees by providing 14 turnkey cognitive training devices and 28 anonymous trainee accounts.

4. Be completed in less than the maximum allowable training intensity for measurable cognitive improvement of 40 hours training.

5. Be completed in less than the maximum cognitive training program duration of 9 weeks.

Standard licensing terms can be longer if that is the Contractor’s method of satisfying the requirement.

6. Turnkey Delivery Method

Delivery Approach

Delivery Hardware Hardware Provided by

Training Location

Training Delivered by

Internet Browser or Software

PC, Mac, Chromebook, or Extended reality headset technology

Contractor Government Facility with space limited to a single cubicle of 10’x10’

Government – Contractor devices are provided to trainees through Lead USCG Researcher who manages trainee training

7. Be fully functional when connected to the internet via a Verizon mobile hotspot.

8. Not collect Personally Identifiable Information. DHS defines personally identifiable information or PII as any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including any information that is linked or linkable to that individual, regardless of whether the individual is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, visitor to the U.S., or employee or Contractor to the Department. Solutions such as anonymizing trainees with unique identifiers or similar methods are acceptable.

9. Supports Lead USCG Researcher administrative duties to preview, test, troubleshoot use of fully functioning cognitive training and become a first level training support for the trainees. Provide an additional trainee account and cognitive training device for the Lead USCG Researcher.

10. Have some method or functionality to allow the Lead USCG Researcher to manage, monitor, and analyze trainee progress and performance both individually and for all trainees collectively. The cognitive training shall have robust documentation on how to configure, operate, deliver training, and download any information related to each trainee’s data from any cognitive training devices that may be used.

2.2 TASK TWO. Overview Briefing

The Contractor shall provide no more than an hour Overview Briefing (Deliverable 3) of the training concepts, training methodology, typical training schedule, overview of training portfolio, and measures of effectiveness collected within the cognitive training program suitable for leadership, researchers, or trainees. This will be delivered by videoconference.

2.3 TASK THREE. Set Up and Conduct of Training

The Contractor shall deliver the response inhibition cognitive training. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Lead USCG Researcher to create trainee accounts without the collection or

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use of PII. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Lead USCG Researcher to determine the specific training activates from the total available cognitive training program content.

The Contractor shall coordinate with the Lead USCG Researcher to define what metrics can be collected on the Contractor’s cognitive training and how the Lead USCG Researcher can manage, monitor, and analyze trainee progress and performance both individually and collectively. For the selected metrics, the Contractor shall provide a data dictionary (title and explanation of each data variable/metric) (Deliverable 4). The Contractor shall fully prepare and ship to USCG Research and Development Center, New London, CT a single fully functioning cognitive training system for the Lead USCG Researcher for testing of system for testing prior to study data collection (Deliverable 4).

The Contractor shall fully prepare the hardware for the training and ship all equipment to USCG Research and Development Center, New London, CT (Deliverable 5). The Contractor shall provide sufficient training to the Lead USCG Researcher to enable setting up the hardware/software to work on the Government’s network configuration, conducting basic troubleshooting, running the training program, collecting data, and managing any software or hardware updates. This will be delivered using a tele/video conference type method. If the Contractor’s cognitive training program collects data on the Contractor’s server, at the conclusion of the training, the Contractor shall deliver a full training data set and a data dictionary for the full data set variables (Deliverable 6). If the Lead USCG Researcher cannot access the trainee data using the congnitive training study management functionality, the contractor shall deliver incremental trainee data on a weekly basis during the conduct of the cognitive training. By the conclusion of the training or training license, the Government will ship the Contractor’s hardware back to the Contractor.

2.4 TASK FOUR. Technical Support

The Contractor shall provide technical support via phone or tele/video conference for issues that occur during the execution of the cognitive training program.

3.0 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

3.1 QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel to perform all requirements specified in this

SOW.

3.2 CONTINUITY OF SUPPORT

The Contractor shall ensure that the contractually required level of support for this requirement is maintained at all times. The Contractor shall ensure that all contract support personnel are present for all hours of the workday. If for any reason the Contractor staffing levels are not maintained due to vacation, leave, appointments, etc., and replacement personnel will not be provided, the Contractor shall provide e-mail notification to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) prior to employee absence. Otherwise, the Contractor shall provide a fully qualified replacement.

3.3 PROJECT MANAGER

The Contractor shall provide a Project Manager who shall be responsible for all Contractor work performed under this SOW. The Project Manager shall be a single point of contact for the Contracting Officer and the COR. The name of the Project Manager, and the name(s) of any alternate(s) who shall act for the Contractor in the absence of the Project Manager, shall be

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provided to the Government as part of the Contractor's proposal. The Project Manager is further designated as Key by the Government. During any absence of the Project Manager, only one alternate shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to work performed under this contract. The Project Manager and all designated alternates shall be able to read, write, speak and understand English.

3.4.1 The Project Manager shall be available to the COR via telephone between the hours of 1200 and 1600 EST, Monday through Friday, and shall respond to a request for discussion or resolution of technical problems within 24 hours of notification.

4.0 OTHER APPLICABLE CONDITIONS

4.1 SECURITY

The Contractor will not have access to sensitive or classified information.

4.1.1 FACILITY AND COMPUTER ACCESS

The Contractor will not have access to Coast Guard information technology. The Contractor will not have access to a Coast Guard facility.

4.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this contract is seven months from the date of award or until the end of the cognitive training license expiration date.

4.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The primary place of performance will be the Contractor’s facilities.

4.4 TRAVEL

Contractor travel shall not be required for this requirement.

4.5 POST AWARD CONFERENCE

The Contractor shall attend a Post Award Conference (Deliverable 1) with the Contracting Officer and the COR no later than 10 business days after the date of award. The purpose of the Post Award Conference, which will be chaired by the Contracting Officer, is to discuss technical and contracting objectives of this contract and review the Contractor's draft project plan. The Post Award Conference will be held via tele/video conference.

4.6 PROJECT PLAN

The Contractor shall provide a draft Project Plan (Deliverable 2) at the Post Award Conference for Government review and comment. The plan, at a minimum, shall include: (a) list of work to be performed; (b) project schedule; (c) description of intended work results; and (d) how quality of service (cognitive training program) will be maintained throughout life of contract. The Contractor shall provide a final Project Plan to the COR not later than 5 business days after the Post Award Conference.

4.7 PROGRESS MEETINGS

The Project Manager shall be available to meet with the COR upon request to present deliverables, discuss progress, exchange information and resolve emergent technical problems and issues. These meetings shall take place via tele/video conferencing.

4.8 GENERAL REPORT REQUIREMENTS

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The Contractor shall provide all written reports in electronic format with read/write capability using applications that are compatible with DHS workstations (Windows and Microsoft Office Applications).

4.9 Data Rights

The Contractor shall have no rights to the trainee data to include the specific training activates provided to the USCG and individual and collective trainee performance data. At the end of the period of performance, the Contractor shall delete all USCG trainee data.

5.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED RESOURCES

The Government will not furnish any resources to the Contractor in support of this contract.

6.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY

The Contractor shall furnish all facilities, materials, equipment and services necessary to fulfill the requirements of this contract, except for the Government Furnished Resources specified in SOW 2.0 and SOW 5.0.

7.0 GOVERNMENT ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

The COR will review deliverables prior to acceptance and provide the Contractor with an e-mail that provides documented reasons for non-acceptance. If the deliverable is acceptable, the COR will send an e-mail to the Contractor notifying it that the deliverable has been accepted.

7.1 The COR will have the right to reject or require correction of any deficiencies found in the deliverables that are contrary to the information contained in the Contractor’s accepted proposal. In the event of a rejected deliverable, the Contractor will be notified in writing by the COR of the specific reasons for rejection. The Contractor may have an opportunity to correct the rejected deliverable and return it per delivery instructions.

7.2 The COR will have 5 business days to review deliverables and make comments. The Contractor shall have 5 business days to make corrections and redeliver.

7.3 All other review times and schedules for deliverables shall be agreed upon by the parties based on the final approved Project Plan or DUE BY in SOW 8.0 Deliverables. The Contractor shall be responsible for timely delivery to Government personnel in the agreed upon review chain, at each stage of the review. The Contractor shall work with personnel reviewing the deliverables to assure that the established schedule is maintained.

8.0 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall consider items in BOLD as having mandatory due dates. Items in italics are deliverables or events that must be reviewed and/or approved by the COR prior to proceeding to next deliverable or event in this SOW.

ITEM

SOW

REFERENCE

DELIVERABLE /

EVENT

DUE BY

DISTRIBUTION

1 4.5 Post Award Conference

No later than 10 days after award

N/A

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ITEM

SOW

REFERENCE

DELIVERABLE /

EVENT

DUE BY

DISTRIBUTION

2 4.6 Contractor Project Plan

Draft: At Post Award Conference Final: 5 days after Post Award Conference

COR,

Contracting Officer, Lead

USCG

Researcher

3 2.2 Overview Briefing At Post Award Conference

COR,

Contracting Officer, Lead

USCG

Researcher

4 2.3

Single Fully Functioning Cognitive Training System (Device & Trainee Account) and Metrics Data Dictionary

October 24, 2022

COR

5 2.3

14 Complete Cognitive Training Systems with 28 Trainee Accounts

November 28, 2022

COR

6 2.3 Full Training Data with Data set Data Dictionary

Incremental:

Weekly during conduct of Cognitive Training.

Full Training Data Draft: Per Project Plan Government Review: 14 days Final: 7 days

COR, Lead

USCG

Researcher