Attachment 1 PWS Digital Communication and Graphic Design Services 15APR26.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Digital Communication and Graphic Design Services

PART I GENERAL INFORMATION

General: This is a non-personal services contract to provide digital media strategy, digital media content creation, social media management, and graphic design services. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn, is responsible to the

Government. The Contractor, in turn, shall be accountable to the Government for Contractor or subcontractor personnel.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, subject-matter-expertise, and all other items or non- personal services necessary to perform social media management, executive communication strategies, and graphic design, as defined in this

Performance Work Statement (PWS). The Contractor shall perform in accordance with

(IAW) the terms and conditions of the contract and consistently with the established standards in this PWS and contract.

1.2 Goals: The goal of this contract is to support the I Corps Public Affairs Office in the planning, production, and assessment of digital communication activities that inform internal and external audiences, reinforce command messaging, and maintain awareness of the information environment. The contractor shall support the Public Affairs Office by producing and/or managing digital media products and analytical insights that contribute to the commander’s communication objectives and reinforce themes and messages originating from I Corps, U.S. Army Pacific, and Department of the Army guidance. The contractor provides technical and production support only. Final authority for messaging, content approval, and information release remains with the Government.

1.3 Services provided under this contract will be evaluated annually by the Government to assess the effectiveness of digital communication activities supporting the dissemination of official information. Performance evaluation may include comparison of digital communication metrics to recognized industry benchmarks and publicly available analytics standards in order to provide context regarding reach, visibility, and audience interaction across digital platforms.

1.3.1 Benchmarking information may be derived from recognized social media analytics and digital communications assessment sources; however, contractor performance will be evaluated primarily on the contractor’s ability to support the dissemination of accurate and timely information, monitor the information environment, and provide analytical reporting as required under this contract.

1.3.2 No specific commercial analytics provider or vendor shall be required for benchmarking or performance evaluation.

1.4 Objectives: The objective of digital communication activities under this contract is to support the I Corps Public Affairs Office in informing internal and external audiences about I Corps activities, operations, and priorities through official digital platforms.

1.4.1 Digital communication products shall communicate accurate, timely, and relevant information that supports the commander’s communication objectives and reinforces official Public Affairs messaging. The Contractor shall support the

Public Affairs Office in producing and distributing digital media content that increases visibility and understanding of official Army activities. Audience growth and engagement metrics may be monitored as indicators of information dissemination and audience awareness; however, these metrics are secondary outcomes and are not the primary objective of Public Affairs communication activities.

1.4.2 Sentiment analysis and other digital communication analytics may be used to assist the Public Affairs Office in assessing audience response, identifying emerging topics or concerns, and informing future communication planning.

Primary evaluation of digital communication activities shall focus on the effectiveness of disseminating accurate and timely information, maintaining compliance in operational security, and supporting the command’s communication objectives.

1.5 Background: Joint Base Lewis-McChord and America’s First Corps operate in an information environment where digital platforms are an increasingly important channel for communicating with Service Members, Families, and the public. Timely and accurate information distributed through official digital platforms enables personnel and their families to remain informed about activities, operations, and events affecting the command.

Effective digital communication also supports the commander’s ability to communicate priorities and maintain transparency with internal and external audiences.

1.5.1 America’s First Corps includes more than 40,000 personnel across multiple installations and operational locations. Given the scale and geographic distribution of the force, digital communication platforms provide an important mechanism for disseminating official information in a timely and consistent manner.

1.5.2 Enhancing and maintaining the command’s digital platforms will enable the

Public Affairs Office to more effectively distribute accurate information, support the commander’s communication objectives, and improve awareness of official

Army activities.

1.5.3 Effective digital communication also supports public understanding of the

Army’s mission, strengthens trust with communities and partners, and provides timely clarification of inaccurate or misleading information when it occurs.

1.5.4 Target Audience: Digital communication activities supported by this contract will address mission stakeholders associated with I Corps operations rather than demographic groups.

• Primary stakeholder audiences include:

• Internal Audiences

• Service Members assigned to I Corps and subordinate units

• Military families

• Department of War civilian employees

• Strategic Audiences

• Department of the Army leadership

• U.S. Army Pacific and Indo-Pacific command partners

• Allied and partner militaries

• Community Audiences

• Local and regional communities surrounding Joint Base Lewis-McChord

• Washington State civic leadership

• Public Audiences

• The American public

• Prospective military service members

1.5.5 Operational Context: Official digital platforms are a primary mechanism used by

Army Public Affairs organizations to communicate timely and accurate information to internal and external audiences.

• Digital communication products produced under this contract support the

Public Affairs mission to inform audiences about I Corps activities, operations, training, and events.

• Digital media products may include imagery, video, graphics, and written content that depict Army personnel, operations, and activities occurring within the I Corps area of responsibility.

• These communication products contribute to public understanding of Army missions and provide information about the activities of Soldiers and units assigned to I Corps.

• All information released through official digital platforms must be accurate, appropriate for public release, and approved by the Government prior to publication

1.6 Scope: The contractor shall support the I Corps Public Affairs Office in planning, producing, and coordinating digital communication activities that inform internal and external audiences about I Corps operations, training, personnel, and significant events.

1.6.1 The contractor shall assist the Public Affairs Office in translating command priorities, themes, and operational messaging into coordinated digital communication products and activities across official digital platforms.

1.6.2 Support activities under this contract include development of multimedia communication products, coordination of digital communication plans associated with command events and operations, and assistance in distributing official information through approved digital channels.

1.6.3 The contractor shall not independently determine official messaging or release information without Government approval.

1.7 Period of Performance:

Phase-In Period: A phase-in period for this contract would be a transition where the contractor gradually assumes responsibility for the digital media and design services. Key activities would include knowledge transfer of existing digital assets and accounts, securing access for all contractor personnel, and establishing workflows with the I Corps Public Affairs Office. This process ensures a seamless handover of duties, allowing the new team to achieve full operational capability without disrupting ongoing communication efforts.

Phase-In Period: June 18, 2026 – June 30, 2026

Base Year: (1) 12-month Period: July 1, 2026 – July 1, 2027

1- Option Year: (1) 12-month Period: July 1, 2027 – July 1, 2028

2- Option Year: (1) 12-month Period: July 1, 2028 – Jun. 1, 2029

1.8 Quality Control: Quality Control is entirely the responsibility of the Contractor.

The Contractor is responsible for the delivery of quality services/supplies to the

Government (see FAR 52.246-1 Contractor Inspection Requirements).

1.9 Quality Control Program: The Government is committed to a highly interactive relationship between quality control by the Contractor and quality assurance by the government recipient of services. This relationship shall be achieved through an effective Prevention Based

Quality Control Program dedicated to ensuring the best possible products and services to end users. The Contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and the

Contracting Officer (KO) with a final written Quality Control Plan (QCP) no later than (NLT) ten

(10) business days after contract award, and within five (5) business days of any proposed changed.

1.10 The Contractor's quality program shall demonstrate its prevention-based outlook by meeting the objectives stated in the PWS throughout all areas of performance. The QCP shall be developed to specify the Contractor's responsibility for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract. The QCP at a minimum shall address continuous process improvement; procedures for scheduling, conducting and documentation of inspection;

discrepancy identification and correction; corrective action procedures to include procedures for addressing Government discovered non-conformances; procedures for root cause analysis to identify the root cause and root cause corrective action to prevent re-occurrence of discrepancies; procedures for trend analysis; procedures for collecting and addressing customer feedback/complaints.

1.11 The Contractor shall provide, within 24 hours, all reports generated as a result of the

Contractor's quality control efforts. This shall include any summary information used to track quality control, including any charts/graphs.

1.12 Proposed changes made after KO acceptance shall be submitted in writing through the

COR to the KO for review and acceptance prior to implementing any revision. The

Contractor's QCP shall be maintained throughout the life of the contract and shall include the

Contractor's procedures to routinely evaluate the effectiveness of the plan to ensure the

Contractor is meeting the performance standards and requirements of the contract.

1.13 Contractor Discrepancy Report (CDR): When the Contractor's performance is unsatisfactory, a CDR will be issued. The Contractor shall reply in writing within five (5) work days from the date of receipt of the CDR, giving the reasons for the unsatisfactory performance, corrective action taken, and procedures to preclude recurrence.

1.14 Quality Assurance: The COR will evaluate the Contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the COR must do to ensure that the Contractor has performed 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). When an observation indicates defective performance, the COR will require the Contractor or designated on-site representative to initial the observation to acknowledge the defective performance. The acknowledgement of the observation does not necessarily constitute Contractor concurrence with the observation, only that the Contractor has been made aware of the defective performance.

1.15 Place of Performance: Performance under this contract shall primarily occur at the I

Corps Public Affairs Office located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The contractor will have allocated and assigned office space co-located with the I Corps Public Affairs Office to support the Public Affairs mission and coordinate directly with Public Affairs personnel on communication products, digital media activities, and other tasks described in this

Performance Work Statement. Workspace, computing equipment, and network access necessary to support connectivity will be provided by the Government within the Public

Affairs Office area. The contractor provides services in support of the I Corps Public Affairs

Office and the communication objectives of the command. Tasking and work priorities associated with this contract will originate from the Public Affairs Office and will be coordinated through the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) in accordance with the terms of the contract. Other staff sections, directorates, or organizations may coordinate with the Public Affairs Office regarding communication support requirements. However, tasking of contractor personnel shall occur only through the COR assigned to the Public Affairs

Office and within the scope of this contract. Contractor personnel shall not be reassigned, relocated, or directed to perform duties without coordination through the COR and approval from the Contracting Officer. Remote work is authorized when it does not interfere with performance of contract requirements or the Public Affairs mission.

1.16 Minimum Qualifications: The Contractor shall meet or exceed the minimum qualifications of being a digital media engagement, graphic design, and content management firm with proven experience and a track record of success in private, public, and government sectors. Minimum qualifications include the following:

1.16.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring all personnel performing work under this contract possess and maintain current certifications as indicated in this PWS.

1.16.2 Contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language to effectively carry out all contract requirements. They shall have a command of both the written and spoken English language to properly, clearly, and effectively communicate in person or via electronic devices

(telephone or e-mail) with co-workers, customers, and the general public.

1.16.3 Contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall be U.S. citizens unless the provisions of Army Regulation 25-2, Information Assurance have been fully completed, and approval has been granted by the Government for the non-U.S. citizen to perform the required support.

1.16.4 Contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall have working knowledge and require five years of experience using the Adobe Creative Suite, as well as

Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X, Sprinklr, LinkedIn and/or other emerging social media platforms. Industry standard certifications are acceptable.

1.16.5 Contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall have at least three years’ experience in public relations, marketing, communications or related fields.

1.16.6 Contractor personnel performing work under this contract requires a U.S. Security clearance (SECRET) to access certain intranet websites.

1.16.7 Contractor personnel shall have familiarity with Army and DOW regulations governing social media and external official presence, including but not limited to: FM 3-61, Public Affairs Operations; JP 3-61, Public Affairs; DODI 5040.5, Alteration of Official DOD

Imagery. 6 June 2006; The contractor personnel will be required to be trained in ARMY

OPERATIONS SECURITY (OPSEC) TRAINING FOR EXTERNAL OFFICIAL

PRESENCE (EOP) OPERATORS; Army Social Media Handbook

1.16.8 Contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall possess familiarity with the Department of War communication environment and a basic understanding of military organization, customs, and operational activities to accurately represent military operations and events in digital communication products.

• Contractor personnel shall demonstrate the ability to coordinate with military units and staff organizations to obtain information, imagery, and other media necessary to produce digital communication products supporting the Public Affairs mission.

• Contractor personnel shall also demonstrate an understanding of operational security considerations and the requirements associated with producing publicly releasable communication products within a military operational environment.

1.16.9 For all contractors with security clearances. Per AR 381-12 Threat Awareness and

Reporting Program (TARP), contractor employees must receive annual TARP training by a CI agent or other trainer as specified in Chapter 2-4b.

1.16.10 Contractor shall comply with FAR 52.204‐2, Security Requirements. This clause involves access to information classified “Confidential,” “Secret,” or “Top Secret” and requires contractors to comply with (1) The Security Agreement (DD Form 441), including the National Industrial Security

Program Operating Manual (DoD 5220.22‐M); (2) any revisions to DOD 5220.22‐M, notice of which has been furnished to the contractor.

1.16.11 The Contractor will comply with DFARS Clause 252.204-7012 Safeguarding Covered

Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting.

1.17 Service Contract Reporting (SCR): The contractor shall provide the following management and support as required. The contractor shall provide for employees during designated Government non-workdays or other periods when Government offices are closed due to weather or security conditions.

1.17.1 The contractor shall maintain the currency of its employees by providing initial and refresher training as required to meet the PWS requirements.

1.17.2 The contractor shall provide necessary infrastructure to support contract tasks.

1.17.3 The contractor shall provide administrative support to employees in a timely fashion

(timekeeping, leave processing, pay, emergency needs).

1.17.4 The contractor shall manage employee consolidated leave.

1.18 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor shall attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 42.5. The post award conference will also be utilized to ensure the contractor understands all HSPD-12 requirements.

The COR (and other government personnel) will hold a quarterly progress meeting with the

Contractor to review the Contractor's performance. At these meetings the COR will apprise the

Contractor of how the Government views the Contractor's performance and the Contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the

Government.

1.19 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): The COR will be identified by a separate letter of appointment. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: Assures that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract; performs inspections necessary in connection with contract performance; maintains written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract; issues written interpretations of technical requirements, including government drawings, designs, specifications; monitors

Contractor's performance and notifies both the KO and Contractor of any deficiencies;

coordinates availability of government- furnished property, and provides site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR, a copy of which is sent to the Contractor, states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates.

1.20 Key Personnel: Key personnel shall not be added to or removed from the contract without express acknowledgement of the contracting officer. Any changes to the working status of these key personnel shall be transmitted (in writing) to KO/COR within five (5) work days of the proposed change. If, for any reason, any of the key personnel becomes, or is expected to become, unavailable for work under this contract for a continuous period exceeding 30 work days, the contractor shall promptly replace personnel with personnel who possess qualifications equal to or better than that of the original employee.

1.20.1 The Contractor shall ensure all key personnel terminated or released from employment under this contract are replaced within five (5) work days of the termination. The Government considers key personnel for this contract to be the

Contractor's Project Manager (PM). Project Manager (PM): The Contractor shall provide a PM who shall be responsible for the performance of the work under this contract. The name of this person, and an Alternate PM (APM), who shall act for the

Contractor when the PM is absent, shall be designated in writing to the KO at the post award conference. The PM or APM shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The PM or APM shall be available between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday (Pacific time-zone), except federal holidays, days of no scheduled activities or when the government facility is closed for administrative reasons.

1.21 Qualifications for Key Personnel: The PM shall meet or exceed the following minimum qualifications: Social media engagement and content management firm with proven experience and a track record of success in private, public, and government sectors. The APM shall meet or exceed the same qualifications as the PM.

1.22 Data Rights: The government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract to the extent permitted by the data rights clauses. The parties mutually acknowledge their understanding that this is the government's intent. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this task order 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 or sold 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.

1.23 Copyrights: The Government owns all copyrights and retains the right to independently reproduce any and all communications assets or materials that the Contractor produces for the

Government in the fulfillment of this contract.

1.24 Organizational Conflict of Interest: In the consideration of Contractor(s) or bids from

Contractor(s) to perform this services outlined in this contract or in the award of this contract to a

Contractor, the Government is to ensure: (1) The Contractor does not obtain an unfair competitive advantage by establishing the ground rules for a future competition; (2) The

Contractor's objectivity and judgment are not biased because of its present or future interests

(financial, contractual, organizational, or otherwise) which relate to work performed under this contract; (3) The Contractor does not obtain an unfair competitive advantage by virtue of its access to non-public or proprietary information belonging to others.

1.25 General Constraints. The provisions of FAR Subpart 9.5, Organizational and Consultant

Conflicts of Interest, concerning organizational conflicts of interest govern this contract.

Potential conflicts may exist in accordance with FAR 9.505- 1, Providing Systems Engineering and Technical Direction, through 9.505-4, Obtaining Access to Proprietary Information. In this regard, the Contractor is responsible for identifying any actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest to the KO that arise as the result of performance under this contract. To avoid or mitigate a potential conflict related to performance under this contract, the KO will impose appropriate constraints such as the constraints discussed below.

Since it is impossible to foresee all of the circumstances that might give rise to organizational conflicts of interest, the constraints discussed below are not all inclusive and the KO may impose constraints other than, or in addition to, the constraints listed below.

1.26 The Contractor agrees that if it provides, under a contract or task order or delivery order, systems engineering and technical guidance for systems and programs, but does not have overall contractual responsibility, it will not be allowed to be awarded a contract or task or delivery order to supply the system or any of its major components or be a subcontractor or consultant to a supplier of the system or any of its major components (FAR 9.505-1).

1.27 The Contractor agrees that if it prepares complete specifications for non-developmental items or assists in the preparation of work statements for a system or services under a contract or task order or delivery order, it will not be allowed to furnish these items, either as a prime

Contractor, a subcontractor or as a consultant (FAR 9.505-2).

1.28 The Contractor agrees that it will neither evaluate nor advise the Government with regard to its own products or activities. The Contractor shall objectively evaluate or advise the

Government concerning products or activities of any prospective competitors (FAR 9.505-3).

1.29 The Contractor agrees that if it gains access to proprietary information of other companies, it will exercise diligent effort to protect such proprietary information from unauthorized use or disclosure (FAR 9.505-4). In addition, the Contractor agrees to protect the proprietary information of other organizations disclosed to the Contractor during performance of this contract with the same caution that a reasonably prudent Contractor would use to safeguard highly valuable property. The Contractor also agrees that if it gains access to the proprietary information of other companies it will enter into written agreements with the other companies to protect their information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and to refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. The Contractor shall provide copies of such agreements to the KO.

1.30 If the Contractor, in the performance of this contract, obtains access to plans, policies, reports, studies, financial plans, data or other information of any nature which has not been released or otherwise made available to the public, the Contractor agrees that without prior written approval of the KO, it shall not: (a) use such information for any private purpose unless the information has been released or otherwise made available to the public, or (b) release such information unless release is otherwise authorized under the contract or such information has previously been released or otherwise made available to the public by the Government.

1.31 Non-Disclosure Agreement(s). The Contractor shall provide the Government with a written and signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) which shall, in substance, provide that all direct employees and sub-contracted employee for this contract shall not, during his/her employment by the Contractor or thereafter, disclose to others or use for their benefit, information received in connection with the work under this contract, that is controlled, secure, or proprietary to the Government. The Contractor will educate its employees regarding the restrictions imposed by FAR 9.505-4, so that they will not use or disclose proprietary information or data generated or acquired in the performance of this contract, except as provided herein.

1.32 Training. The Contractor shall effectively educate its employees, through formal training, company policy, information directives and procedures, in an awareness of the legal provisions of FAR Subpart 9.5 and its underlying policy and principles, so that each employee will know and understand the provisions of that Subpart and the absolute necessity of safeguarding information from anyone other than the Contractor's employees who have a need to know, and the U.S.

Government.

1.33 Conflicts Involving Future Procurements. The award of this contract to the Contractor for the Contractor's performance of services hereunder shall not constitute or be interpreted as a determination that the Contractor is eligible to participate in future procurements, developmental efforts, implementation efforts, or related activities. Only the KOs for such efforts, applying the rules, principles, and procedures of FAR Subpart 9.5, have the authority to determine whether a conflict exists, in connection with such procurements.

1.34 Representations and Disclosures. The Contractor represents that it has disclosed to the

KO, prior to award of this contract, all facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflict of interest as that term is used in FAR Subpart 9.5.

1.35 The Contractor further represents that if it discovers an organizational conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest after award of this contract, a prompt and full disclosure shall be made in writing to the KO. This disclosure shall include a description of the action the Contractor has taken or proposes to take in order to avoid or mitigate such conflict.

1.36 Remedies and Waiver. For breach of any of the above restrictions or for non- disclosure or misrepresentation of any relevant facts required to be disclosed concerning this contract, the

Government may terminate this contract for cause/default, disqualify the contractor for subsequent related contractual efforts, and pursue such other remedies as may be permitted by law or this contract. If, however, in compliance with section 1.19, the Contractor discovers and promptly reports an organizational conflict of interest (or the potential thereof) subsequent to contract award, the KO may terminate this contract for convenience, if such termination is deemed to be in the best interest of the Government. All parties recognize that this clause has potential effects, which will survive the performance of this contract, and that it is impossible to foresee each circumstance to which it might be applied in the future. Accordingly, the

Contractor may at any time seek a waiver from the cognizant KO by submitting a full written description of the requested waiver and the reasons in support thereof (FAR 9.503).

PART II DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

2.1 Contractor. A supplier or contractor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the Government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.2 Contracting Officer (KO). A person with authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts, and to make related determinations and findings on behalf of the Government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the Government.

2.3 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor, as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.4 Contractor Personnel. Contractor and subcontractor employees performing work under this contract.

2.5 Defective Service. A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

2.6 Deliverable. Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-physical things, such as meeting minutes, special graphics, daily social media posts and engagements, and other reports or projects as required.

2.7 Government-Furnished Property (GFP) Or Government

Property (GP). Property in the possession of or directly acquired by the Government and subsequently made available to the Contractor.

2.8 Key Personnel. Contractor employees who are critical for achieving PWS objectives. Key personnel shall meet position qualification and experience requirements indicated in the PWS. When key personnel qualifications are used as an evaluation factor in "Best Value" procurement, the Contracting Officer is the only one authorized to concur with key personnel replacement after award of the contract. When proposed key personnel resumes are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, a letter of commitment may be required from the individual whose resume is provided.

2.9 Performance Requirement Summary (PRS). A listing of the

service outputs under the contract that are to be evaluated by the COR on a regular basis, the surveillance methods to be used for these outputs, and the performance requirement of the listed outputs.

2.10 Quality Assurance. A planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide confidence that adequate technical requirements are established; products and services conform to established technical requirements; and satisfactory performance is achieved. For the purposes of this document, quality assurance refers to actions by the Government.

2.11 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). The

Government's organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of Contractor performance.

2.12 Quality Control. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.13 Subcontractor. One that enters into a contract with a prime

Contractor. The Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.14 Proprietary Information. The term "proprietary information" for purposes of section 1.24, Organizational Conflict of Interest, means any information considered so valuable by its owners that it is held secret by them and their licensees. Information furnished voluntarily by the owner without limitations on its use, or which is available without restrictions from other sources, is not considered proprietary.

2.15 Organic. The term "organic" referenced throughout this Performance Work

Statement (PWS) e.g., as in "organic reach" or "organic post", shall refer to the number of people who come view a posting on social media without any form of paid distribution.

2.16 Contracting Acronyms:

AFARS Army Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement AR Army Regulation

CCE Contracting Center of Excellence

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CONUS Continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii)

COR Contracting Officer’s Representative

COTS Commercial-Off-the-Shelf

DA Department of the Army

DD250 Department of Defense Form 250 (Receiving Report)

DD254 Department of Defense Form 254

DD1466 Building Pass

DFARS Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation

Supplement

DMDC Defense Manpower Data Center

DOW Department of War

FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation

HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act of 1996

KO Contracting Officer

OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest

OCONUS Outside Continental United States

(includes Alaska and Hawaii)

ODC Other Direct Costs

PIPO Phase-In/Phase- Out

POC Point of Contact

PRS Performance Requirements Summary

PWS Performance Work Statement

QA Quality Assurance

QAP Quality Assurance Program

QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

QC Quality Control

QCP Quality Control Plan

TE Technical Exhibit

2.17 Private Sector Acronyms for Business, Marketing, and Social Media:

API Application Programming Interface

B2B Business to Business

B2C Business to Consumer

CMGR Community manager

CMS Content Management System

CPC Cost per Click

CPM Cost per Thousand

CR Conversion Rate

CTA Call to Action

CTR Click-through Rate

KPI Key Performance Indicator

PPC Pay per click

PV Page Views

ROI Return on Investment

SEM Search Engine Marketing

SEO Search Engine Optimization

UGC User Generated Content

UI User Interface

Ux User Experience

PART III GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED ITEMS

3.1 Access: Government will provide access for existing social media channels that are under the control and purview of I Corps/JBLM, to include Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The Government will provide final approval of all content and materials produced for this contract and will provide operational support to the Contractor to ensure accurate representation of Government's interests.

3.2 Materials: Government will provide the Contractor access to digital files for all pertinent Government marks, indicia, graphics, images, existing copy and content, and original creative files along with access to an onsite office with computer and other required information communications equipment so as to enable the Contractor to apply proper branding, imagery, messaging, lexicon and nomenclature when deploying content for this

PART IV CONTRACTOR- FURNISHED ITEMS

4.1 General: Contractor shall provide to the Government all personnel, management, equipment and any other items or services necessary to research, develop, deploy, and maintain content for all media channels, web pages and campaigns, and in API advertisements, so as to meet the goals outlined in 1.1 – 1.3 of this document.

• The contractor shall provide a high-performance workstation capable of supporting the latest version of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.

• Workstation computer must meet or exceed Adobe’s “Recommended” requirements.

• Peripherals: Color-accurate monitors (99% sRBG/Adobe

RGB coverage) to ensure brand consistency across digital and print media.

4.2 Labor: Contractor shall provide the labor and manpower for services outlined in 4.3, to effectively manage the development and deployment of all copy and content to include the community management and moderating of communications to include but not exclusively limited to those within Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, a website.

4.3 Services:

4.3.1 Writing and Editing: Contractor shall provide copywriting, editing, and proofreading support for all materials and communications produced in meeting the requirements of this

4.3.2 Design: Contractor shall provide graphic design for all materials and communications produced in meeting the requirements of this contract for the I Corps

Public Affairs Office and the I Corps Communication strategy. This could include print media design (trifolds, glossies, handouts, posters), presentations designed for external engagements, and other possible support for emerging visual communication platforms.

4.3.3 Analysis and Reporting: The contractor shall configure and maintain a digital communication analytics dashboard that provides the Public Affairs Office with automated visibility into the dissemination of official I Corps digital communication products.

• The dashboard shall aggregate analytics from official I Corps digital platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube and present standardized performance indicators related to the reach and dissemination of official Public Affairs information.

• This dashboard shall rely on automated analytics generated by the contractor’s digital media management and monitoring platform.

• System Configuration Requirements

• The contractor shall configure and maintain the analytics platform to perform the following functions:

• Aggregate analytics from all official I Corps digital media accounts

• Provide a unified dashboard accessible to the Public

Affairs Office

• Automatically update platform metrics and indicators

• Enable automated export of standardized reporting outputs

• The contractor shall ensure platform configuration supports continuous analytics monitoring and reporting across all supported platforms.

• Automated Metrics

• The dashboard shall automatically generate standardized performance indicators across the following categories.

• Information Reach

• Total impressions, total reach, and video views associated with official digital communication products.

• Audience Growth

• Net follower growth by platform across all official digital accounts.

• Information Visibility

• Post reach and platform impressions reflecting the visibility of official information within digital feeds.

• Content Dissemination

• Shares, reposts, and cross-platform distribution of official content.

• Audience Engagement

• Reactions, comments, and engagement rate associated with official posts.

• Public Mention Volume

• Number of public mentions referencing I Corps across monitored digital platforms.

• Response Timeliness

• Average response time to public inquiries or direct messages on official accounts.

• These indicators shall be automatically aggregated across all official I

Corps digital platforms.

• Dashboard Access

• The contractor shall ensure that the Public Affairs Office has access to the analytics dashboard for real-time viewing of communication performance indicators.

• Reporting Requirements

• The contractor shall export dashboard metrics into a standardized report delivered to the Public Affairs Office on a monthly basis.

• The report shall be generated directly from the analytics platform and shall include aggregated metrics across all official digital platforms.

4.3.4 Content: Contractor shall perform research required to recommend addition or deletion of content to I Corps communications platforms to include, but not exclusively limited to, those within Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, LinkedIn and web pages.

4.4 Equipment: Contractor shall supply, at no additional cost to the Government, all photographic, video, and audio recording and editing equipment, and all graphics, animation, photographic, video, audio, analytics tracking, and media buying software, licensing, or memberships needed to fulfill the requirements of this contract.

4.5 Hard Drive and Files: At the conclusion of each year of this contract, the Contractor shall supply, at no additional cost to the Government, a hard drive containing:

4.5.1 All the packaged files for the content deployed in the fulfillment of this contract.

Packaged files include but not exclusively limited to INDD, PDF, PSD, EPS, PDF, HTML, ASP, PHP, PREL, FCPx, MOV, MP4, JPG, DOCx, xLSx, PPTx, and all associated and nested files and folders.

4.5.2 All the native files used in the creation of copy and content for this contract.

Native files to include but not exclusively limited to INDD, PDF, PSD, EPS, PDF, HTML, ASP, PHP, PREL, FCPx, MOV, MP4, JPG, DOCx, xLSx, PPTx, and all associated and nested files and folder.

PART V SPECIFIC TASKS

5.1 Execution of PAO Doctrine and Policy: All contractor personnel shall execute tasks in support of the I Corps Public Affairs Office in accordance with

FM 3-61 (Communication Strategy and Public Affairs Operations) and DoD

Instruction 5400.17 (Public Affairs Operations). In doing so, contractor personnel shall:

5.1.1 Synchronize communication activities with operational objectives, ensuring alignment across public affairs, military information support operations, and other information-related capabilities.

5.1.2 Develop and disseminate command information products that inform internal audiences about policies, events, and issues affecting the command.

5.1.3 Support planning and execution of communication strategies that reinforce the commander's intent, themes, and messages using multimedia products and coordinated messaging.

5.1.4 Coordinate all content for release through official DoW channels and ensure all information meets the standards of accuracy, timeliness, and propriety defined in DoDI 5400.17.

5.1.5 Implement risk-informed operations security (OPSEC) during content creation and event coverage.

5.1.6 Comply with the principles of transparency, accountability, and accuracy, including the obligation to avoid misinformation and maintain public trust, in accordance with DoDI 5400.17.

5.1.7 Monitor and incorporate themes, messages, and priorities from HQDA and

U.S. Army Pacific into I Corps digital content and campaign planning, ensuring alignment with national and theater-level strategic communication.

5.2 Project Management: The Contractor shall be responsible for the overall project management of this contract and for providing the Government with a service solution that is complete and ready for use e.g., "turnkey."

5.3 Digital Communication Strategy: Within fifteen (15) business days of contract award, the contractor shall provide a Digital Communication Strategy outlining recommended messaging themes, digital campaign opportunities, and content approaches aligned with Public

Affairs objectives.

The strategy shall at a minimum include:

• Command communication objectives supported by digital communication activities.

• Identified stakeholder audiences for official digital communication.

• Approved themes and messages provided by the government for use in digital products.

• Platform-specific use considerations for Facebook, Instagram, X, Linkedin, Youtube, and other approved platforms.

• Content categories supporting command information, operational updates, training, leader engagement, community information, and significant events.

• A proposed publishing and coverage battle rhythm aligned to command priorities and public affairs requirements.

• Procedures for content coordination, review, approval, and release through official government channels.

• Procedures for integrating imagery, video, graphics, and written products into digital communication efforts.

• Procedures for responding to public inquiries using government-approved information and response guidance.

• Analytics and reporting procedures for assessing dissemination of official information across digital platforms.

• Procedures for periodic review and update of the strategy based on command priorities and platform performance.

The strategy shall be reviewed by the Public Affairs Office and approved by the Government prior to implementation. The contractor shall update the strategy as directed by the Government to reflect changes in command priorities, platform use, or Public Affairs requirements.

5.4 Digital Communication Support Planning: The contractor shall assist the Public

Affairs Office in planning and coordinating digital communication activities supporting command priorities, exercises, operations, leader engagements, and significant events.

Digital communication planning shall ensure that official information about I Corps activities is communicated to internal and external audiences through approved digital platforms. The contractor shall support the Public Affairs Office in developing structured digital communication plans that align with command themes, messages, and

Public Affairs objectives. Each digital communication plan shall, at a minimum, include:

• The command priority, event, or activity being communicated.

• The informational objective of the communication effort.

• Identified stakeholder audiences to be informed.

• Approved themes and messages provided by the government.

• Recommended digital communication products including imagery, video, graphics, and written content.

• Recommended publishing sequence and timing aligned with the event or activity.

• Coordination requirements with units or staff sections providing content.

• Procedures for review, approval, and release of communication products.

• Recommended methods for assessing dissemination of official information.

Web page content management: The contractor shall deliver professional grade content for use on the I

Corps website; https://army.deps.mil/army/cmds/ICORPS/SitePages/Home.aspx. We do not require any ad buys.

5.5 Publishing Schedule: The contractor shall maintain and manage a digital content publishing schedule aligned with Public Affairs communication priorities, command activities, and operational events. The publishing schedule shall support timely dissemination of official information about I Corps personnel, operations, training, exercises, and significant events through approved digital platforms and the official I Corps website. Digital content produced under this contract may include written, graphic, photographic, and video communication products appropriate to the informational objectives identified by the Public Affairs Office.

• The contractor shall coordinate the publishing schedule with the Public Affairs

Office to ensure digital communication products support command priorities, operational event coverage, leader engagements, and ongoing command information requirements. The publishing schedule shall provide a structured content battle rhythm that supports regular communication while allowing flexibility to respond to operational events and emerging communication requirements.

• All content published through official digital platforms shall be reviewed and approved by the Public Affairs Office prior to release.

5.5.2 Facebook and Instagram: The contractor shall maintain a regular posting schedule of one post per day and one “reel” per month on Facebook and Instagram through the creation of unique posts or shared content from down…