Attachment 1 - SOW - Executive Training Class.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) SERVICES

Executive Level Project Management Training

1. Introduction

The National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS) manages over $2.0 billion dollars of health care research annually through variety of grant mechanisms and contracts.

NINDS staff use variety of program management skills and resources to manage these grants and contracts to make sure projects are set up and completed efficiently within timelines and budgets.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation’s leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency whose mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability, conducting, supporting and making medical discoveries that improve people’s health and save lives.

NINDS scientific management staff:

Annually manage research grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts at approximately $2.0 billion;

Develop programmatic initiatives to fulfill future NINDS requirements in an array of neurological diseases;

Develop and manage systems to evaluate research proposals;

Assist in the development of NINDS strategic plans and its sub-components;

Oversee and coordinate various projects, products, and other strategic initiatives across the organization

Some challenges NINDS staff face include, but are not limited to:

1. Managing Milestones – How to use, set, manage, and communicate?

2. Project Timeline - Is project moving along in a timely manner to meet goals by end of the project period? How are delays handled?

3. Facilitating Meetings – Such as regulatory pathways (including FDA)

4. Communication- Managing top-down communication

5. Project Planning/Management – Initiatives, workshops, and management of both internal and external stakeholders

6. Time Management/Workload – Techniques for delegation

7. Multitasking and Managing Multiple Simultaneous Priorities – Tools for time management

8. Pre-Clinical and Early-Clinical Project Management – Management of projects with regulatory approvals (Investigational New Drug (IND), Investigational Device Exemption (IDE), etc.)

9. Coordination of Grants - Principle Investigator (PI) resources with government resources and contractors

3. Purpose and Objectives

2. Background

The purpose of this requirement is to procure Executive Level Project Management training for established scientific management staff (“participants”). The majority of our participants are Ph.D. level scientists with leadership roles in both project and program management.

Therefore, the primary objective is to obtain project management training appropriate for executive level project managers targeting the unique problems they face. A successful course will address NINDS’ specific challenges while engaging participants who may not be interested in becoming project management certified and are interested in improving their processes within their individual roles. Therefore, it is essential the curriculum furnished by the Contractor balances the needs to meet the NINDS specific challenges while also allowing for some participants to meet the training requirements to attempt PMP Certification upon successful completion of the executive level project management training. Again, training should not merely target PMP certification, however Contractor should be prepared to train knowing that approximately 10-20% of the participants will attempt for Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification upon successful completion of training under this contract.

NINDS’ objectives are to seek specialized training for managers and non-managers in project management with the goals to 1) offer participants “real life” project management case studies and scenarios and obtain diverse perspectives from instructors, other participants, and other practical resources and tools and 2) provide participants scenarios involving other sectors’ (public and private) outlining the issues or challenges faced, how they addressed them, the final outcome, and how it may relate to participants. Areas that training shall include NINDS specific executive level training topics and the Project Management Professional (PMP) knowledge areas and processes including, but not limited to: fundamentals of project management, project management tools and application, risk assessment and management, leading project teams, team and conflict management, negotiation skills, cost estimate and control, and practical solutions to complex issues that participants may face at NINDS.

4. Period of Performance:

Two separate cohorts will occur within each performance period and will cover approximately 52 hours each. Cohorts will include approximately 25 participants each, with the Government having the option to increase the quantity of participants.

The estimated period of performance will be on or about the following:

Base Period: August 15, 2020 through August 14, 2021.

Option Period One: August 15, 2021 through August 14, 2022.

5. Place of Performance

The place of performance shall be at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852 which is a leased U.S. Government facility. Alternate location, if necessary, will be within the local area and contractor will be advised in advance. Additionally, virtual training opportunities will be needed in the event the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Operating Status* does not allow for in-person training, such as with Covid-19 that makes in-person training impractical or unsafe. Therefore, the Contractor must have the capability to host the class virtually with a minimum of 48 hours notice, if needed.

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/current-status/

* OPM Operating Status URL: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/current-status/

6. Contract Type

Firm fixed price with options to increase the quantity of participants.

7. Contract Scope:

The purpose of this requirement is to procure high level executive training in project management for the types of challenges faced by NINDS scientific management Ph.D. scientific staff. Training shall include the necessary knowledge areas and qualifying hours for PMP certification for the interested participants. Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the Statement of Work below.

8. Tasks:

The Contractor shall:

TASK 8.1: Provide approximately 52 hours of executive level project management training for 25 participants (with options for up to 40 participants) per cohort, with two separate cohorts per performance period(i.e., two classes in Base Period, two classes in Option Period 1) which includes:

SUB-TASK 8.1.1: 4-hour blocks once a week, held at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852. Dates and times of class subject to prior NINDS COR approval.

NINDS will provide room and furniture to conduct in-person training;

Contractor to provide training materials Days and times of training subject to prior NINDS COR approval;

SUB-TASK 8.1.2: Provide a training continuity plan in the event of a pandemic such as COVID-19 that may necessitate training to be conducted virtually with the following caveats:

Contractor shall have the ability to coordinate and host a high level, executive training online in real time by using video, audio, and text resources;

Days and times of training subject to prior NINDS COR approval;

SUB-TASK 8.1.3: PMP Certification is described below into major and minor tasks. “Major” is most focused on teaching NINDS scientists how to manage projects and “minor” would be to prepare small portion of participants for PMP certification.

Major tasks of this training have the following expectations:

Provide appropriate training and hours to meet the requirements of the new PMP exam content;

Ensure that training is tracked per participant at the start and conclusion of training;

Vendor shall demonstrate they are capable of providing a high level executive project management course such as being a Registered Education Providers (REPs) with the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Curriculum needs to be tailored and target high level executive audience relevant to the participants

TASK 8.2: Provide high level executive training addressing NINDS specific challenges and all project management knowledge areas and process groups such as:

SUB-TASK 8.2.1: Fundamentals of project management to include, but not limited to:

Skills, concepts and techniques unique to the challenges faced by NIH executive level scientists with leadership roles to effectively manage complex projects;

Identifying techniques, tools, and resources to create an effective PM program that may consist of and not limited to in combination of lectures, discussions and dialogues build around real-life cases.

SUB-TASK 8.2.2: Identify challenges and opportunities of organization dynamics, to include and not limited to:

Current best practice tools and techniques used in a broad spectrum of project management tools and techniques unique to the challenges faced by NINDS;

Learn to adapt to the anticipated changes and align critical resources for project implementation;

Planning techniques to manage project budget and scope Learn how to document lesson learned as a reference guide for future project planning.

SUB-TASK 8.2.3: Leading Project Teams, to include and not limited to:

Learn to effectively communicate and collaborate;

Accept and manage problems;

Recognition and Reward.

SUB-TASK 8.2.4: Managing Projects, to include and not limited to:

Use high level planning to establish project requirements and deliverables;

Use a detailed project plan to identify all tasks for project completion;

Understand how to manage quality and delivery of the project.

SUB-TASK 8.2.5: Negotiation and Dispute Management, to include and not limited to:

Understanding and managing disputes in a project environment;

Tools to choose best negotiating approach and art of active listening.

SUB-TASK 8.2.6: Risk Management, to include and not limited to:

Recognize and mitigate risks in the project life cycle;

Create a reliable project control and monitoring mechanisms;

SUB-TASK 8.2.7: Scheduling, to include and not limited to:

Project schedules to set a practical milestone;

Understand to break complex projects into manageable sub-projects.

SUB-TASK 8.2.8: Team Management (including Conflict Management), to include and not limited to:

Learn to communicate effectively with team while addressing conflict resolution;

Bring all the project management techniques together to recognize and use key performance metrics for project success criteria to the project objectives;

5 Modes of conflict resolution (CR) - Confronting, Compromising, Smoothing, Forcing, and Avoiding;

Approaches to resolving disagreements.

SUB-TASK 8.2.9: Other curriculum topic(s) that address NINDS specific challenges of high level executive decision makers/project managers

TASK 8.3: Meet Other Requirements, that includes:

SUB-TASK 8.3.1: Instructors shall have a minimum of 20 years combined academic teaching with significant hands on commercial work experience in the field that they teach;

SUB-TASK 8.3.2: Each segment of training shall be taught by experts in that segment or field;

SUB-TASK 8.3.3:Training shall be geared towards the challenges faced by high level executive decision makers. Both are required elements of a successful training program.

SUB-TASK 8.3.4: Training shall be engaging to encourage participation. In the event that class instruction is done virtually, providing an engaging class is essential.

SUB-TASK 8.3.5: Shall arrange for participants to obtain continuing learning points (CLP’s) or professional development units (PDUs) to all participants who meet requirements defined by the Contractor which can be used towards Contracting Officer’s Representative [COR] certification or maintenance, if possible.

SUB-TASK 8.3.6: Shall coordinate with the NINDS COR on live streaming of classes to accommodate any participants who may be teleworking on days classes are held in person. For live streaming classes held at NIH arranged space, the NINDS will provide audio video tools needed to live stream. In the event that the class is needed to be hosted virtually due to pandemic related telework, Contractor shall have the capability to deliver a virtual class. For any participant who missed a class or classes within their cohort shall be able to make up the missed class(es) within the next cohort, if possible.

9. Government Responsibilities

NINDS will be responsible for providing access to Contractor staff as required.

10. Quantity Options

(a) The Government will have the option to extend the term of the contract with one additional optional period in accordance with FAR 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract.

(b) The Government will have the option to increase the number of participants in class under FAR 52.217-7 – Option for Increased Quantity, Separately Priced Line Item:

Base Period Quantity Option –– additional 5 participants (can be exercised up to 3 times per Cohort for a total cohort ceiling of 40 students)

Option Period 1 Quantity Option –– additional 5 participants (can be exercised up to 3 times for a total cohort ceiling of 40 students)

11. Key Personnel

Contractor providing services for this acquisition shall be considered Key personnel. Key Personnel requirements are as follows:

General requirements

Contractor staff must have extensive managerial experience in academia and / or industry at senior executive levels.

Contractor staff should be experienced or capable of teaching appropriate training material to classes of at least 25 or more students.

Training should show appropriate balance between depth and breadth.

12. Information Systems Security

N/A

13. Deliverables

8.1 - Provide 104 hours of executive level project management training in two separate sessions (52 hours each) per performance period – dates and times subject to COR approval.

• 8.1.1 Provide Course Schedule – within 15 calendar days after agreement with COR on start date

• 8.1.2 Final Continuity plan for training – within 7 calendar days after award

• 8.1.3 PMP Certification Training Plan and Accreditation – by award issuance date

8.2 - Conduct Project Management Training

8.3 Other Requirements

• 8.3.5 Provide CLPs and/or PDU’s – within 15 days after Cohort completion

14. Data Rights FAR clause 52.227-15, Rights in Data General, Alternate II (Dec 2007).

15. Intellectual Property

None

16. Section 508—Electronic and Information Technology Standards

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that Federal agencies’ electronic and information technology (EIT) is accessible to people with disabilities. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Final Rule for Section 508 (EIT Accessibility) can be found at www.section508.gov and at the Access Board’s Web site at https://www.access-board.gov/508.htm. The contractor must state that they will comply with the requirements of Section 508 or cite a justifiable reason for an exception.

17. Confidentiality of Information

Confidential Information means information or data of a personal nature about an individual, or proprietary information or data submitted by or pertaining to an institution or organization.

Confidential Information or records shall not be disclosed by the Contractor without written authorization from the Contracting Officer. Whenever the Contractor is uncertain regarding the confidentiality of or a property interest in information under this contract, the Contractor should consult with the Contracting Officer prior to any release, disclosure, dissemination, or publication.

https://www.section508.gov/ https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-section-508-standards https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-section-508-standards