Attachment 1-Performance Work Statement_Appeals Centralized Database System.docx

Performance Work Statement (PWS) Appeals Centralized Database System (ACDS) Cold Fusion Support Services

NOTE: Any references to Attachments are not included with this RFI and will be provided with the RFP.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Appeals Centralized Database System (ACDS) within the Compliance Domains is a critical tool used by Appeals Officers, Settlement Officers, managers, and technical analysts to track case receipts, record case time, document case actions and monitor the progress of the Appeals workload. It contains sensitive information, including Taxpayer identifier information, case status and case action items. It also contains Appeals staffing information, including demographic and experience summaries, time sheets and employee reviews. This system is part of Appeals Automated Environment (AAE), and its functionality is not available from any other system. It includes eCase which allows ACDS to electronically receive and store case data from the database of partner organizations. It also includes the Docket Information Management System (DIMS) which provides an automated listing of docketed cases. It also includes a Business Intelligence reporting subsystem component. ACDS Valuation is used by the Appraisers and the manager of the valuation section to track case receipts, record case time, document case actions and monitor the progress of the Appeals workload. It contains sensitive information, including Taxpayer identifier information, case status and case action items. It also contains Appeals staffing information, including demographic and experience summaries, time sheets and employee reviews.

Currently, the ACDS, particularly its ColdFusion-based application layer, is facing technological obsolescence risks. It is not compatible with the latest server technologies, posing a significant risk of being quarantined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and/or Cybersecurity protocols. There is an urgent need for modernization to ensure the system's security, efficiency, and functionality.

The IRS seeks contract support from a vendor with expertise in ColdFusion to provide comprehensive support and implementation services. The aim is to improve operational efficiency, refine customer engagement processes, and ensure system scalability and adaptability for future business needs.

The candidates must possess advanced proficiency in ColdFusion programming and have substantial experience with MS SQL Server and the Windows operating system. Their responsibilities will include ColdFusion development, system and database administration, assisting in the transition to MS SQL Server, and upgrading to Windows Server 2022. The objective is to successfully migrate from ColdFusion 2016 to ColdFusion 2023, transition from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2022, and address any issues arising during this process.

OBJECTIVES

This Request For Information (RFI) seeks information from vendors with a proven track record in ColdFusion development, system and database administration, particularly with MS SQL Server and Windows OS. The project will require expert-level skills in ColdFusion, along with strong competencies in MS SQL Server and Windows OS. The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel, technical expertise, and management oversight necessary to successfully execute the modernization, migration, integration, operations, maintenance, and sustainment requirements identified in this PWS. The primary objectives of this RFI are to:

· Update and Migrate ACDS Application: The Contractor shall migrate the ACDS application from Adobe ColdFusion 2016 to Adobe ColdFusion 2023 to ensure continued compatibility with current enterprise server technologies, supported software platforms, and IRS technical standards.

· Server Upgrade: The Contractor shall upgrade and transition the existing server infrastructure from Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 to Microsoft Windows Server 2022 to improve system security, stability, maintainability, and overall operational performance.

· Ensure System Integrity and Security: The Contractor shall identify, remediate, and mitigate system vulnerabilities and security deficiencies to maintain compliance with DHS, IRS, and Federal cybersecurity requirements and to safeguard sensitive taxpayer and operational data contained within ACDS.

· Troubleshoot and Resolve Issues: The Contractor shall resolve operational incidents, defects, and migration-related issues within Government-approved service level timelines to minimize disruption to Appeals operations.

· Operational Efficiency and Cost Reduction: The Contractor shall implement solutions that improve operational efficiency and reduce Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs by simplifying the existing technical environment, supporting the retirement of legacy technologies, and consolidating disparate programming languages, frameworks, and system components into a standardized and maintainable architecture.

· Framework Standardization and Modernization: The Contractor shall support the IRS modernization strategy by implementing standardized frameworks, enterprise cloud capabilities, and agile development best practices, including the use of modern software development methodologies, tools, and automated deployment processes.

· Streamlining O&M: The Contractor shall streamline O&M activities through the implementation of automation, system integration, and enhanced case management capabilities designed to improve reliability, reduce manual intervention, accelerate deployment and update activities, and increase overall operational efficiency.

SCOPE OF WORK AND DESCRIPTION OF TASKS

This Performance Work Statement details a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract aimed at delivering mission-oriented outcomes with performance measures and incentives to ensure project success within the Compliance Domain. It includes contractor support for project management, migration to modern development frameworks, implementation of ColdFusion solutions, and comprehensive technical integration services. The goal is to enhance operational efficiency, ensure seamless integration of new technologies with existing systems, and adopt agile methodologies for responsive and flexible project execution. The contractor shall be responsible for providing comprehensive ColdFusion contracting support, encompassing:

· ColdFusion Development:

· The Contractor shall modernize, optimize, test, and maintain the ACDS application environment to ensure compatibility with ColdFusion 2023, improve maintainability, and support secure operational performance.

· IOLA OIC:

· The Contractor shall support the development, integration, enhancement, testing, deployment, and maintenance of the IRA Individual Online Account – Offer in Compromise (IRA IOLA–OIC) Submission Tool capability (WR 978065). The Contractor shall implement functionality that enables taxpayers to electronically submit Offers in Compromise through the Individual Online Account platform, including the capability to upload and attach supporting documentation, submit payments, and view Offer and payment status information.

· The Contractor shall design, develop, and maintain the required interfaces and system integrations between the IRA IOLA–OIC Submission Tool and the Automated Offer in Compromise (AOIC) internal application to ensure secure, accurate, and timely transmission of taxpayer data, supporting documentation, and payment information in accordance with IRS security, privacy, and system integration standards.

· System and Database Administration:

· The Contractor shall provide system and database administration support required to facilitate the migration of the ACDS environment to Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and SQL Server platforms, including system configuration, installation, testing, deployment, performance tuning, and operational support. The Contractor shall ensure data integrity, system reliability, security compliance, and optimal application and database performance throughout all migration, transition, and post-implementation activities.

· Technical Support and Troubleshooting:

· The Contractor shall provide continuous technical support throughout all migration and transition activities, including the identification, troubleshooting, and resolution of system, application, and infrastructure issues, to maintain system stability, operational functionality, and uninterrupted support for business operations.

Tasks include, but are not limited to:

· Collaborating with existing system owners to define requirements.

· Analyzing systems for content and functionality.

· Developing and transitioning functionalities to the ColdFusion development platform.

· Testing and validating solutions to meet project requirements.

· Providing development services for retiring individual systems as the ColdFusion platform matures.

· Conducting Operations and Maintenance for developed solutions.

Contractor support is also required for technical integration services to manage the coordination and integration activities of IT projects affecting multiple IT domains or delivery partners for successful delivery.

The scope of work for this project includes the following tasks and the breakdown of CLINS as follows:

CLIN 0001

Task 1 - Orientation/Ramp-Up and Reporting

3.1 Task 1 - Orientation/Ramp-Up and Reporting

Sub-Task 3.1.1, Orientation Briefing Within one week of the task order award, the Contractor will conduct an orientation briefing for the Government. The Government does not desire an elaborate orientation briefing, nor does it expect the Contractor to expend significant resources in preparation for this briefing. Rather, the intent of the briefing is to initiate the communication process between the Government and Contractor by introducing key task order participants, explaining their roles, reviewing communication ground rules, and assuring a common understanding of award requirements and objectives.

The orientation briefing will be held at the Government’s facility or virtually and both parties will mutually agree upon the date and time.

The completion of this briefing shall result in the following:

· The Contractor and Government personnel who will perform work under this award will be introduced.

· The Government may provide information on how to obtain any GFP that will be issued to the contractor.

· Any issues concerning the Contractor clearances for Contractor personnel will be discussed.

· The Contractor shall demonstrate confirmation of their understanding of the work to be accomplished under this PWS.

· The Contractor shall provide the accounting period end dates to be used for the term of this award.

DESIRED OUTCOME - The objective of the briefing is to initiate the communication process between the Government and Contractor to assure a common understanding of award requirements and objectives. Contractor delivers Orientation Briefing Minutes to COR within 5 business days after Briefing. Contractor delivers Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to the COR within 30 business days after the Briefing.

Sub-Task 3.1.2, Ramp-Up Knowledge Transfer Ramp-Up Knowledge Transfer is defined as the Contractor acquiring and understanding the necessary documentation, information, and processes related to any work in progress. This task includes meeting with the IRS Subject Matter Experts frequently to gather any tacit knowledge related to the ACDS application support tasks or programs in development. The government estimates this task will take approximately three months to complete after award.

The Contractor shall appoint a knowledge transfer manager to oversee the transfer of knowledge and ensure all areas are accounted for. Prior to the transfer of knowledge, the Contractor shall develop a draft Knowledge Transfer Plan (KTP) and present it to the Government within the first 15 business days after award. The KTP shall identify the Contractor resources and roles involved in the transfer process, provide a list of risks and mitigation strategies for the transfer, and contain a detailed resource balanced project schedule developed with Microsoft Project. The project schedule shall identify tasks, dependencies, deliverables and milestones. The project schedule shall be at a sufficient level of detail to track progress on a bi-weekly basis, (i.e., all tasks will be detailed to a level such that no task has duration of more than ten workdays).

The Government shall have 10 business days to review the draft KTP plan and provide comments to the Contractor. Government and Contractor representatives will then meet to discuss the comments after which the Contractor shall incorporate the agreed-upon changes and deliver a final KTP within 5 business days of the government’s feedback.

The contractor shall meet with the IRS bi-weekly (twice a month) to discuss the progress of the knowledge transfer. The Contractor shall show an updated MS Project Schedule and discuss any risks or concerns at this time.

DESIRED OUTCOME - The Contractor shall provide a Knowledge Transfer Plan that is accepted by the Government and successfully completes knowledge transfer in accordance with the plan and no later than three months after Government acceptance of the Knowledge Transfer plan.

Sub-Task 3.1.3, Period of Performance Summary Report The contractor shall provide a Period of Performance Summary Report to the Government which summarizes the work performed, including a list of deliverables, and a list of government furnished property possessed by the contractor during the one (1) year period, Period of Performance (POP) for the award.

Contractor activities shall include the following:

The Contractor will provide a Period of Performance Summary Report which list all deliverables completed/submitted to the Government for the reporting period. Period of Performance Summary reports must be separated by PWS Task/CLIN.

The Government also reserves the right to request this report at any point during the performance of the award at the discretion of the Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). This ad hoc report, if desired, will not be requested more than twice per year during the life of the award and is in addition to the regularly scheduled Period of Performance Summary report.

DESIRED OUTCOME - The Contractor shall provide complete and accurate Period of Performance Summary Reports, Monthly Status Reports, Cost Performance Reports, and Contractor Status Reports.

3.2 Task 2 – ColdFusion Design, Development, Operations, and Maintenance Support The contractor staff will be integrated into an IRS-led team, contributing to the Appeals Centralized Database System (ACDS) modernization projects and associated interfacing applications under the IRS schedule. The contractors are expected to provide continuous programming development and maintenance support for designated components of the ACDS modernization efforts. They will act as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and mentors, facilitating the transfer of system knowledge to IRS employees. Additionally, contractors will engage in meetings, conduct research, resolve issues, and contribute to presentations, inputs for ELC technical documentation, and other communications as required.

The ColdFusion contractors will play a crucial role in the following areas: understanding, reviewing, and analyzing work requests; designing and developing programming/application changes; conducting iSAT Testing of the application to ensure readiness for Final Integration Testing (FIT) as necessary; supporting FIT code defect remediation; deploying code changes to the production environment; and assisting with post-implementation activities.

Specifically, the ColdFusion contractors will support the ACDS modernization project and related interfacing applications by providing:

· IT expertise and in-depth knowledge of the ACDS and its functionalities.

· Advanced proficiency in ColdFusion coding, with a strong background in MS SQL Server, Windows OS, and integration with other IRS systems.

· The ability to troubleshoot and resolve problems efficiently and effectively.

· Familiarity with Rational Collaboration Lifecycle Management (CLM) Tool Suites, such as JIRA, Rational Team Concert (RTC), DOORS Next Generation (DNG), and Rational Quality Manager (RQM), as well as Eclipse.

· Experience with Agile project management methodologies to ensure dynamic and flexible project execution.

· User stories for defining requirements.

· Comprehensive understanding of IRS data systems and the secure handling of sensitive taxpayer information.

· Knowledge of IRS production environment control processes, ticketing systems, and deployment procedures.

· Development and testing of ColdFusion applications, ensuring best practices in security, performance, and usability.

· Creation of best practices guides and documentation to standardize ColdFusion development processes across the IRS.

Desired Outcomes: The ACDS modernization project contractors will gain a thorough understanding of the application landscape, enabling them to analyze work requests, design, develop, test, and deploy changes to the production environment effectively. The ColdFusion developers will also provide timely support for resolving production-related issues.

System coding documentation and support deliverables will include:

· Computer Operators Handbook (COH) tailored for ColdFusion applications.

· Detailed Programming Requirements Package for ColdFusion development.

· Compliance with IRM 2.5 System Development standards, ensuring all ColdFusion code and documentation meet IRS guidelines and best practices.

3.3 Task 3 - Support for ColdFusion Application and Infrastructure Modernization The contractor's efforts will be instrumental in transitioning ACDS off legacy platforms and into a modernized, cloud-compatible environment, aligning with the IRS's strategic vision for future-ready infrastructure and applications. The contractor shall provide critical support for the modernization of the ACDS specifically focusing on its ColdFusion application components and associated infrastructure. This effort is in line with the overarching goal of updating and maintaining software and infrastructure currency, ensuring the ACDS' alignment with current technological standards and security requirements.

Key Areas of Support Include:

· ColdFusion Application Modernization: Assist in updating the ACDS from ColdFusion 2016 to ColdFusion 2023, ensuring the application leverages the latest features and security enhancements of the ColdFusion platform.

· Infrastructure Upgrade: Support the migration of the ACDS infrastructure from Windows 2012r2 to Windows 2022, enhancing system security, performance, and compatibility with modern cloud environments.

· Database Migration: Facilitate the transition of ACDS' databases to SQL Server, optimizing data storage, access, and security within a modernized infrastructure framework.

Desired Outcomes: The contractor is expected to deliver specialized technical support for the ACDS modernization initiative, focusing on:

· Seamless Application Transition: Ensure that the updated ColdFusion application retains all functionalities of the legacy system while incorporating improved features and performance enhancements.

· Infrastructure and Database Modernization: Successfully migrate ACDS infrastructure and databases to up-to-date platforms, improving system reliability, scalability, and cloud readiness.

· Expert Analysis and Review: Provide expert technical reviews of work requests, conducting thorough system and application requirement analyses for all assigned modernization projects.

3.4 Task 4 - Technical Documentation Support

The Contractor shall contribute to the development of documentation and design specifications for the ACDS project, assisting with all aspects of the development schedule, including Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), product backlog, sprint schedules, and work assessments. They will also ensure timely updates to critical Enterprise Lifecycle (ELC) documentation and facilitate knowledge sharing through notes, group sessions, and individual training. The contractor's responsibilities will encompass the following critical activities:

· ELC Technical Documentation for ACDS: Engage in the creation of necessary ELC technical documentation for the ACDS modernization project, particularly focusing on its transition to ColdFusion 2023 and infrastructure upgrades.

· Ad Hoc Documentation for ColdFusion Projects: Provide tailored support in crafting ad hoc technical documents for ColdFusion-based applications, addressing specific project needs and challenges.

· Collaboration Across Teams: Foster productive relationships with IT, stakeholders across ACIOs, and IRS employees at all levels, ensuring smooth collaboration on the ACDS project.

· ColdFusion Technical Guidance: Conduct in-depth research and offer authoritative guidance in developing, validating, and documenting ColdFusion-specific technical materials such as Knowledge Articles, ColdFusion Operator Handbooks, and System Manuals. These documents are intended for use by IRS system analysts and DBAs engaged in the ACDS project.

Desired Outcomes: The contractor's mission involves providing specialized product and technical assistance for the ACDS initiative within the IRS Data Services IT team. This encompasses ensuring the timely delivery of ACDS-specific ELC technical documentation that is in line with project timelines and the ColdFusion modernization efforts. The contractor is also responsible for the development of high-quality ELC technical documentation for both ACDS and ColdFusion projects, with a focus on addressing and rectifying any defects swiftly as per IRS standards. Additionally, the contractor is expected to compile monthly reports that highlight the progress, challenges, and mitigation plans for the documentation of the ACDS and ColdFusion projects. Finally, the contractor must efficiently prepare and submit ACDS project ELC artifacts to DocIT, following IRS-recommended guidelines to facilitate continuous product and technical support, with the IRS providing the necessary documentation framework.

DESIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

The Contractor shall provide resources with the skills and expertise in the following project management and technical integration support areas:

· ColdFusion

· XML

· HTML

· Java

· JSP

· JavaScript

· SQL

· Transact-SQL

· Windows

· Linux

· CI/CD

· Oracle

· Shell Script

· Selenium

· ELM

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS, STANDARDS AND SURVEILLANCE

Contractor performance shall be assessed based on achievement of defined operational outcomes, service level requirements, deliverable quality standards, modernization milestones, and system performance objectives identified in Attachment 1

6.1 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Performance requirements include the Desired Outcomes and Required Services and are defined by the Government. Attachment 1 defines the desired outcomes as successfully completing specified tasks including all deliverables, work products and support as indicated in Attachment 1. This aligns the Contractor’s objectives with the Government objectives, which are to successfully complete tasks and deliver value-added products and services to the end users.

6.2 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Performance Standards have been identified in Attachment 1 for each of the tasks.

6.3 SURVEILLANCE

The surveillance process has two interrelated parts: The Monitoring Method identified in ATTACHMENT 1: PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY and the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) included as Attachment 2. The Contractor shall establish and maintain a complete Quality Control Plan (QCP) in accordance Attachment 3 -SAMPLE QUALITY ASSURANCE MONITORING FORM This links the Government and Contractor’s quality assurance efforts into an integrated package with shared objectives.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP)

GFP (to include material, equipment, and/or information) may be provided in the performance of this award. The following GFP will be provided to the contractor:

ITEM

ITEMS

QUANTITY

Upon completion of any resultant GSA order, disposition of GFP shall be in accordance with FAR 52.245-1.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION (GFI)

The following GFI will be provided to the contractor upon task order award.

INFORMATION ITEMS

1) All application user and administrator guide available

2) All technical guides for tools and processes available

3) All technical documentation for system and applications available

At the end of this task order, disposition of GFI shall be in accordance with FAR 52.245-5.

TRAVEL

No travel funds allocated/Not Applicable

ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND FACILITIES

All work shall be performed via remote access. This may consist of the contractor site or telework. The contractor is allowed limited access to the government's facility located at the following address:

New Carrollton Federal Building 5000 Ellin Road, B6-220 Lanham, MD 20706

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

10.1 INSPECTION

The Contractor shall ensure that all deliverables are clearly marked with the award number and visible on all shipping/service documents, containers, and invoices. Inspection will be at the same place as performance and delivery, unless otherwise specified.

10.2 GENERAL ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The general quality measures as set forth below will be applied to each work product received from the contractor under this contract and any resulting awards.

· Accuracy - work products shall be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

· Clarity - work products shall be clear and concise; engineering terms shall be used, as appropriate. All diagrams shall be easy to understand and relevant to the supporting narrative.

· Specifications Validity - All work products must satisfy the requirements of the Government as specified herein.

· Format - work products shall be submitted in hard copy (where applicable) and in media defined in the PWS/SOW. The work product format may be different in each award order. Hard copy formats shall follow Department of the Treasury and IRS Directives and shall be consistent with other similar efforts. All text and diagrammatic files shall be editable by the Government.

· Timeliness - work products shall be submitted on or before the due date specified in the award order, or submitted in accordance with a later, scheduled date determined by the CO.

As required, the Contractor shall comply with IRS Enterprise Standards, Enterprise Architecture, Cyber Security, IRM and other IRS Governance standards.

The Contractor shall comply with the following standards, policies, and guidelines:

· Enterprise Architecture (EA) standards and guidelines

· Business Rules and Requirements Management (BRRM) standards and guidelines

· Knowledge, Incident/Problem Service, and Asset Management System (KISAM) or other IRS help desk and defect tracking system standards and guidelines

· Item Tracking Reporting and Control System (ITRAC) – Risk/Issue Tracking) standards and guidelines

· Configuration Management, including Configuration Identification Index Assignment and Change Request procedures, standards and guidelines

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 2.5.3 - Programming and Source Code Standards

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 2.25.4 – Accessibility Guidelines for the Web

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 2.5.2 – Testing Procedures for Systems Developers

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 10.4.1 – Assistive Technologies

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 10.8 – Information Technology Security (including relevant sub-sections)

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 10.8.6 – Secure Application Development

· Law Enforcement Manual (LEM) 10.8.3 – Information Technology Security, Audit Logging Security Standards (previously IRM 10.8.3)

· Submission Processing (SP) Domain Coding Standards Version 2

· Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, including but not limited to sections 1194.21a-l, 1194.22a-p, 1194.24c-e, 1194.31a-f, and 1194.41a-c

· Treasury EVM Guidance under Policy links found at: http://op.ds.irsnet.gov/sites/MITS/ES/BI/PCPDM/PE/EVM/default.aspx

· Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 2.8.1, THE SECURITY MANUALS.

The Contractor shall ensure that all work under this PWS is performed in compliance with applicable Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 2.5.3 Programming Techniques and Source Code Standards dated 04-01-2005 (or latest update).

The Contractor shall certify adherence to IRM 2.5.3 standards and guidelines with each build. Any deviation from the IRM standards shall require compliance with IRM 2.5.1 Systems Development waiver documentation procedures.

The Contractor shall use IRS tools as listed in the Enterprise Standards Profile of the IRS Enterprise Architecture. Any deviation from the IRS Tools will require prior written agreement by the Director of Submission Processing or the EMS Program Manager.

The IRS requires contractors developing software for the agency to perform their tasks in accordance with IRS rules and policies as recorded in the Internal Revenue Manuals (IRMs). Below, are some of the key IRMs:

10.3 SPECIFIC DELIVERABLE ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

10.4 REVIEW OF DELIVERABLES

1. The Government will perform an initial review of deliverables, and if problems are encountered during the review, the contractor must correct them. If necessary, a meeting may be convened to resolve any differences. The contractor shall make all required changes to achieve an acceptable deliverable. The Government will perform its review within approximately 15 calendar days from receipt of the deliverable or as otherwise specified in each award order.

1. When the review of a deliverable results in necessary modifications, the Government will, in accordance with the approved award order schedule, provide the necessary documentation to correct the deliverable. It will then be the responsibility of the contractor to properly and consistently incorporate the comments in the final product.

1. These procedures shall not be construed to constitute a waiver on the part of the Government of its rights under FAR Subpart 49.4, entitled “Termination for Default”, nor of any other rights or remedies provided by law or under this contract.

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

11.1 AWARD PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Period of Performance (PoP) for this requirement includes a 1-year base period and one 3-month option period. The base period will start from January 15, 2027, to January 14, 2028. The option period will start from January 15, 2028, to April 14, 2028.

11.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

☐Government’s site ☒Contractor’s site, with reasonable access to government site (contractor personnel can travel to government site for meetings within two hours’ notice and at reasonable travel costs.)

Note: The contractor staff may be permitted to work off site (telework or contractor site) when viewed as advantageous to the Government.

11.3 SHIP TO

Unless otherwise specified below, all deliverables/ work products shall be provided to the COR no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard time on the date(s) specified in the order.

11.4 DELIVERABLES

Unless otherwise requested in writing by the COR, work products shall be produced using Microsoft Office 2010 or later Professional products and delivered in accordance with the deliverable schedule at (See 9.4). If it is required that deliverable(s) be submitted in media storage form all devices must be scanned and certified as virus free.

11.5 DELIVERY SCHEDULE

Please refer to Attachment 2 “Deliverables” of the PWS.10.6 RAMP-UP PERIOD Work under this PWS may require a ramp-up period at the initial start of the period of performance for the Contractor to recruit and hire personnel specifically for this PWS. If needed, the ramp-up period specifics shall be identified in the Contractor’s proposal.

Note: Refer to Ramp-up Knowledge Transfer Task.

AWARD ADMINISTRATION DATA

12.1 IDENTIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT AWARD PERSONNEL

The COR designation will be identified by the CO’s written designation memo. The CO will identify the (COR/LCOR) via e-mail to the Contractor.

SPECIAL AWARD REQUIREMENTS

13.1 KEY PERSONNEL

The offeror shall identify, (in their proposal based on information provided in the table below), certain positions or roles and associated labor categories considered to be Key Positions. The Contractor shall submit the name and resume of the Contractor employee proposed in each Key Position.

Contractor employees identified as Key Personnel shall be dedicated to this project. If any changes in proposed key personnel become necessary during actual performance, the contractor shall provide written notification 60 days in advance. In the event of a sudden change in key personnel (death, incapacitation, immediate termination, etc.), the contractor shall provide written notice to the CO within 3 calendar days of the event. For any substitution, the contractor shall submit justification with a proposed substitute whose qualifications are equal to or greater than the person being replaced, along with a 1 to 2-page introductory summary, in sufficient detail to permit evaluation within 10 calendar days of notification of a substitution.

Contractor Labor Category or Role

IT – Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Senior IT Specialist

The Contractor shall submit the resumes (certified by their respective manger) of the contractor employee(s) that will fill the position(s) identified in the table above.

All proposed Key Personnel must submit a Letter of Commitment for this requirement

13.2 PERFORMANCE REQUIRED BEYOND STANDARD WORKDAY

If needed, performance shall be required beyond the standard workday. A standard workday is defined as any eight hours of productive labor during the core business hours of 7:00 AM through 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Should performance outside of the standard workday become necessary the CO will notify the contractor in writing.

SECURITY

The Contractor Officer will ensure contractor personnel are in compliance with IRS HSPD-12 PIV Procedures Manual. This manual will be provided to the awardee.

14.1 PERFORMANCE AT GOVERNMENT SITES

The Contractor Officer will ensure contractor personnel are in compliance with IRS HSPD-12 PIV Procedures Manual. This manual will be provided to the awardee.

14.2 IDENTIFICATION/BADGES

The applicable contractor employees shall not begin working under this PWS until all security forms have been properly completed and submitted. All contractor employees shall be required to wear identification badges when working in government facilities.

14.3 PERSONNEL REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT

The applicable contractor employees are subject to investigation by the government. Applicable contractor employees who undergo contractor clearances that reveal, but are not limited to, the following, may be unacceptable under this contract: conviction of a felony, a crime of violence or a serious misdemeanor, a record of arrests for continuing offenses, or failure to file or pay federal income tax. The government reserves the right to determine if a contractor employee assigned to a task shall continue with the task. The contractor shall agree to remove the person assigned within one day of official notification by the government and provide a replacement within five days. New hires or substitutions of personnel are subject to the contractor clearance requirement.

14.4 DELIVERABLES/WORK PRODUCTS

All contractor deliverables or work products shall remain categorized as "Official Use Only.” The release of any portion must be authorized in writing by the government.

“The contractor shall adhere to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires access to the Federal Government electronic and information technology.

The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Federal agencies must ensure that this technology is accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities. http://www.section508.gov/.

Each Electronic and Information technology product or service furnished under this PWS shall comply with the Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility Standards (29 U.S.C. 87794(d)).

For every EIT product or service accepted under this contract by the Government that does not comply with (29 U.S.C. 87794(d)), the contractor shall at the discretion of the Government, make every effort to replace or upgrade it with a compliant equivalent product or service, if commercially available and cost neutral, on either the planned refresh cycle of the product or service, or on the order renewal date, whichever shall occur first.”