Attachment 1 - SPAS SME Course Instructors Draft PWS 6-23-25.pdf

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Attachment 1:

Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS)

The School of Professional and Area Studies (SPAS) Subject Matter Expert Course Instructors

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

1.2 Objective

2 GENERAL SCOPE

2.1 Period of Performance and Contract Type

2.2 Overview

2.3 Audience

2.4 Place of Performance

2.5 Training Format

2.6 Hours of Operation

3 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

3.2 Security Clearance

3.3 Reporting

3.4 Contractor Personnel, Disciplines, and Specialties

3.5 Sub-Contractor Personnel

3.6 Removal from Duty

3.7 Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

3.8 Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)

3.9 Data Rights

3.10 Adherence to NFATC Curriculum

3.11 Nonpayment of Unauthorized Work

3.12 Quality Control System

3.13 Technical Direction

3.14 Methods of Surveillance

3.15 Deliverables

4 SPECIAL CONDITIONS

4.1 Government Closure

4.2 Course Cancellations

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4.3 Inclement Weather and Its Effect on Performance

4.4 Delay of Service

5 KEY PERSONNEL

5.1 Required Professional Qualifications for Key Personnel

5.2 Highly Desired Professional Qualifications and Experience:

5.3 Key Personnel Responsibilities

6 PERFORMANCE AREAS

6.1 Performance Requirements Summary

6.2 Course Delivery (Course Instructors)

6.2.1 Minimum Course Instructor Requirements

6.2.2 Required Professional Qualifications for Course Instructors

6.2.3 Course Instructor Tasks

6.2.4 Existing Course Delivery Needs

6.2.4.1 Area Studies Division…………………………………………………………………………………………..27

6.2.4.2 Economic Division………………………………………………………………………………………………31

6.3 Honorarium Payment Support

6.3.1 Anticipated Needs

6.4 Design and New Course Content Development

6.4.1 Design and Course Content Development Scope

Anticipated Needs

7 Appendix A

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The United States Department of State’s (DOS) National Foreign Affairs Training Center (NFATC) is the U.S. government’s premier foreign affairs training provider, dedicated to providing career-long learning opportunities required to empower foreign affairs professionals in DOS and across the U.S.

government as they advance U.S. foreign policy to serve the American people. NFATC’s mission is to develop the foreign affairs professionals our nation requires to fulfill our leadership role in world affairs and to advance and defend U.S. interests.

The School of Professional and Area Studies (SPAS) is a community of foreign affairs professionals serving foreign affairs professionals, empowering, and training colleagues throughout their careers to advance U.S. interests and tackle the evolving challenges of 21st-century diplomacy by providing superior job-specific orientation, tradecraft, and area studies training.

SPAS provides training in Management, Communications, Orientation, Consular, Economics, Public

Diplomacy, Political and Area Studies. SPAS offers approximately 473 classroom and distance learning courses annually, logging more than 20,000 classroom enrollments and 77,000 Distance

Learning completions.

1.2 Objective

The objective of this Performance Work Statement (PWS) is to acquire the services of an experienced contracting company who will provide professional, qualified personnel that possess the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to perform the tasks outlined in this PWS. This training prepares U.S. foreign affairs professionals with the critical strategic, national security, regional, political, economic, commercial, energy, technology, health, sociocultural, and tradecraft knowledge needed to promote and advance U.S. interests worldwide.

2 GENERAL SCOPE

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2.1 Period of Performance and Contract Type

The Government anticipates awarding a single Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA) from this solicitation. Offerors are encouraged to form teaming and partnerships to fulfill BPA requirements.

The BPA shall consist of one (1) base year with four one (1) year option periods. Each request for service (BPA Order) shall consist of a fixed price using Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs). Orders shall be issued under the resulting BPA based upon the government's need and according to

NFATC’s determination of what is most advantageous to the U.S. government (USG).

Performance of these services shall occur only as authorized by a specific BPA Order. There shall be no limit to the number of Orders issued under the BPA. The Government may issue a BPA Order requiring services at multiple locations. There is no specific commitment by either party until dates, tasks, and schedules are mutually negotiated by individual BPA Order. NFATC does not guarantee any minimum level of work under any resultant BPA. This BPA is not for United States

Government Civil Service jobs.

2.2 Overview

Contractor resources shall augment Government resources to accomplish the SPAS mission. The

Contractor shall provide the following services, including, but not limited to:

Course Delivery (Course Instructors)

Honorarium Payment Support

Design and Develop New Course Content

Additional details on these tasks are highlighted under Section 6 – Performance Areas of the PWS.

2.3 Audience

Students shall include direct hire employees ranging from General Schedule (GS) Grade 5 to Senior

Executive Service (SES), Personal Service Contractors (equivalent to GS-9 through GS-15), Foreign

Service Officers (equivalent to GS-7 through Senior Foreign Service or SFS), eligible family members

Unclassified 6 | P a g e including members of the Expanded Professional Associate Program, contractors, and English-speaking locally engaged embassy staff. Classes may also include students from other federal government entities. Students bring a significant level of experience and educational status into the classroom. Course Instructors are therefore expected to draw upon the prior foreign affairs experience and knowledge of students via interactive and dynamic adult learning instruction methodologies.

2.4 Place of Performance

The Contractor shall provide services utilizing various delivery platforms. This includes in-person, virtual, and blended learning environments where both virtual and in-person instruction and facilitation is required.

In-person services under this contract shall primarily be performed at the government’s facility located at The George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center at 4000 Arlington

Boulevard in Arlington, VA. Other locations may include the Harry S Truman Building (HST) at 2201

C St NW in Washington, DC, and other State Department Annexes in the Washington, DC metro area.

Courses may also be held in-person at any domestic office or abroad in any of the cities where U.S.

Embassies or Consulates are located (for a complete listing please see https://www.usembassy.gov/). In addition, courses may take place at one of the Department’s regional training centers: Ft Lauderdale, FL; Bangkok, Thailand; and Frankfurt, Germany.

Virtual services under this contract shall be performed through government-licensed platforms managed by SPAS staff. These may include, but are not limited to: WebEx, Zoom, Google Meet, or

Microsoft Teams. Course Instructors shall need to furnish their own computers or mobile electronic devices with which to access these platforms. If training sessions must be conducted via virtual platform due to any unforeseen circumstances, it must be approved by the COR in advance.

Any change to the primary location shall be identified at the BPA Order level.

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2.5 Training Format

SPAS may utilize a variety of training modalities such as instructor-led training, virtual learning, e-learning, mentorship, multi-modal approaches, and other formats to maximize participant learning outcomes. Course format shall be outlined at the BPA Order level.

SPAS courses prepare foreign affairs professionals to work effectively in the countries and cultures to which they are assigned. Designed for experienced, adult learners, courses therefore require instructional formats involving active participation of the students facilitated by the person coordinating the course. Instructional formats include some or all the following types of activities:

presentations, discussions, field trips, participatory activities by class members, readings, audio-visual materials, short student papers or presentations, interactive quizzes and independent study, in order to accomplish course learning objectives.

A course may also include invited guest presenters/speakers to speak on a specific topic during a course session with a typical duration of 1-2 hours. The number of guest speakers per course may vary from as little as 1-2 guest speakers to as many as 8-10 guest speakers. Course instructors are expected to be able to recommend appropriate guest presenters/speakers based on their professional network, drawing from academia, think tanks, and the U.S. government, and may also request recommendations from NFATC. For guest presenters/speakers not affiliated with the U.S.

or a foreign government, payments of honoraria and/or fees shall be authorized.

2.6 Hours of Operation

Normal workdays are Monday through Friday, except U.S. Federal Holidays. Classes are scheduled to begin between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM and run until 4:00 PM or 4:30 PM. Course Instructors may offer to meet with students to answer questions up until 5:00 PM.

Periodically, course hours may be adjusted to accommodate students in various time zones.

3 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

The Contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to effectively administer

Unclassified 8 | P a g e the requirements. The Contractor shall respond to Government requests for contractual actions in a timely fashion. The Contractor shall have a single point of contact (see Section 5 – Key Personnel) between the Government and Contractor personnel assigned to support contracts or task orders.

The Contractor shall assign work effort and maintain proper and accurate time keeping records of personnel assigned to work on the contract requirements.

The Contractor service requirements shall align with DOS policy regarding Attendance and

Customer Service. The primary duties of contract personnel are well documented within this PWS;

however, there may be situations that arise where other duties within the scope may be required.

3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

Contracting Officer (CO) - A Contracting Officer is an individual who has the authority to enter into, administer, or terminate task orders and make related acquisition determinations and findings. As a warranted government professional, the CO is the only person who can make awards and changes/modifications to the contract and legally bind the government.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) - This individual is assigned as the liaison to the CO for the contract. The COR performs day-to-day management of the program, ensuring that performance is done in conformance with the schedule and quality requirements within the scope of the contract. The COR’s responsibility is limited to technical direction, acceptance of deliverables, surveillance, monitoring, and recommending proposed changes in scope or provisions to the contract to the CO. More than one COR may be appointed, potentially one per SPAS

Division with an active order, or one per order depending on the needs of the Government.

Alternate Contracting Officer’s Representative (ACOR) - This individual is assigned as the alternate liaison to the CO and the COR for the contract. The ACOR can perform day-to-day management of the program, ensuring that performance is done in conformance with the schedule and quality requirements within the scope of the contract. The ACOR’s responsibility is limited to technical direction, acceptance of deliverables, surveillance, monitoring, and recommending proposed changes in scope or provisions to the contract to the CO. More than one ACOR may be appointed, Unclassified 9 | P a g e potentially one per SPAS Division with an active order or one per order depending on the needs of the Government.

Government Technical Monitor (GTM) - A GTM is an individual designated and authorized in writing by the CO to perform: Specific technical or administrative functions; monitoring and reporting performance on a task; and coordinating with the COR to ensure appropriate task management.

More than one GTM may be appointed, potentially one per SPAS Division with an active order or one per order depending on the needs of the Government.

Contractor Program Manager (CPM) - This individual(s) interfaces with the government COR, ACOR, and GTM. The CPM’s primary job is to ensure that Contractor personnel provide quality and timely performance within the scope of the BPA. The CPM shall have responsibility for ensuring that all Contractor personnel issues are addressed in a timely fashion to ensure minimal operational disruptions to the BPA. These positions are listed as key personnel: Contractor

Program Manager and Alternate Key Contractor Program Manager. See full position description below.

Contractor – The company with which the government has contracted to fulfill the duties of this PWS.

The Contractor is responsible for the performance of the work.

3.2 Security Clearance

The requirement does not require a security clearance; however, the CPM and ACPM shall be asked to complete a public trust to gain access to government systems and NFATC facilities. Course

Instructors may be asked to complete a public trust if the need arises. Such need would be determined at the position level. The Government shall not sponsor Facility or individual clearances. The Contractor shall coordinate security-related paperwork (for all facilities in which the Contractor might be required to facilitate, including obtaining access to military installations) pertinent to this Performance Work Statement.

All contractors shall be vetted to ensure they meet the criteria listed in sections 5 and 6 as well as

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The Government may sponsor contractors for State Department badges or provide access to State

Department networks on a case-by-case basis. The Contractor shall manage and support badging and if needed account requests.

3.3 Reporting

The Contractor shall submit by the 10th of each month, a report for the prior month listing all pertinent contract activities/deliverables accomplished, planned activities for the following month, issues encountered, and any other information pertinent to the contract.

The Contractor shall establish weekly meetings based on the Government’s preferences to include the COR, CPM, and other personnel as needed to ensure alignment regarding course planning, undertake an after-action review of recently concluded courses for continuous improvement purposes, and discuss overall program management goals and alignment. Each division with an active order may require a separate meeting depending on the level of work. Additionally, the

Contractor shall review with divisions the course budget under each order to ensure the course operates within budget projections and discuss in advance any situation / request that does not conform to the course budget and obtain advance approval for any such requests. A meeting between the CPM and COR may take place as frequently as once a week.

On an annual basis, the Contractor shall submit a written annual status report about the fiscal year contractual progress and effort delivered to achieve programmatic outputs, and performance in the previous fiscal year.

3.4 Contractor Personnel, Disciplines, and Specialties

The Contractor shall accomplish the assigned work by employing and utilizing qualified personnel with appropriate combinations of education, training, and experience. The Contractor shall match personnel skills to the work or task with a minimum of under/over employment of resources. The

Contractor shall provide the necessary resources and infrastructure to manage, perform, and

Unclassified 11 | P a g e administer the contract. The Contractor shall have a robust network of Course Instructors and available guest speakers.

3.5 Contractor Personnel Notification

In addition to key contractor personnel described in Section 5, the Contractor will need to identify

Course Instructors as described in Section 6 that may be considered as sub-contractors. In the event that the performance of assigned contractor or sub-contractor personnel or any substitute(s) is determined by the Government to be unsatisfactory at any time during the life of the BPA, the

Government reserves the right to request and receive a proposed equal replacement for review by the Government from the Contractor within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of written notification from the Government. Notification shall include the reason for requesting replacement personnel. Following the resume submittal, the Contractor shall have an additional five (5) business days to present the actual person that shall fill the position(s). The Government must approve any proposed candidate(s). The timeline of twenty (20) total business days to supply actual personnel may be subject to change due to the nature of the situation.

3.6 Removal from Duty

The Government may direct that a contractor or sub-contractor be removed immediately from the work site(s) should it be determined that the person is unfit for the job. A determination of unfitness may be made from, but not limited to, incidents involving the most immediate identifiable types of misconduct or delinquency as set forth below:

Falsification or unlawful concealment, removal, mutilation or destruction of any official documents or records, or concealment of material facts by willful omissions from other documents or records.

Disorderly conduct, use of abusive or offensive language, quarreling, intimidation by words or actions, or fighting. Also, participation in disruptive activities which interfere with the normal and efficient operations of the Government.

Theft, vandalism, or any other criminal actions.

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Selling, consuming or being under the influence of intoxicants, drugs, or substances which produce similar effects.

Improper use of communications equipment or government property.

Violations of security procedures or regulations.

Unacceptable performance or statements as determined by the CO and COR.

The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of conduct and integrity.

The CO, acting on the advice of the COR, shall make all determinations regarding the removal of any contractor or sub-contractor from the work site(s).

3.7 Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

These programs shall be conducted primarily at NFATC and HST or virtually but may include other

State Department Annexes in the Washington, DC metro area. The Contractor is responsible for any transportation costs, including parking and travel between facilities. If a Contractor has personnel traveling to DC for the purposes of training or consultations or meetings with the

COR/Course Managers or SME’s, travel expenses shall not be reimbursed. The Washington DC metropolitan area is defined as any Department of State building and/or annex within a 50-mile radius of the NFATC campus in Arlington, VA.

Travel outside the primary locations of NFATC or HST shall be reimbursed in accordance with the

Federal Travel Regulations and must be approved by the COR in advance of travel.

3.8 Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)

The U.S. Government shall provide the following materials and supplies:

Existing course content that may include syllabi, lesson plans, and draft schedules/grids when available (See Appendix A for example).

Coordinate registration of all class participants and provide information on confirmed student enrollment.

Access to virtual government-licensed platforms shall be provided as needed and may

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Classroom space with tables, chairs and routine classroom supplies including flipcharts, markers, and erasers; and facility support.

Class feedback forms and electronic surveys.

3.9 Data Rights

All materials developed under this contract become the property of the U.S. Government. All materials developed and/or used by the Contractor remain the property of the Department of State and may not be published, shared, and/or used in any way outside of the authorized Department of

State training contexts. All material developed including but not limited to presentations, course schedules/course grids, syllabus, exercises, and assignments must be shared with the government in a digital/electronic format to allow the government team to store the material in a systematic manner in accordance with federal records management requirements.

3.10 Adherence to NFATC Curriculum

The Contractor shall liaise with the COR on all aspects of training to ensure training delivery is in accordance with NFATC curriculum standards. Additionally, the Contractor shall adhere to SPAS and DOS procedures/policies/guidance/restrictions regarding all copyright, language, and behavior.

The Contractor shall develop and provide a draft Course Instructor Handbook to the COR for review that explains the requirements of NFATC regarding adult teaching methods and curriculum standards. Once approved and finalized, the Contractor shall be responsible for distributing the handbook to all their Course Instructors, providing training, and ensuring instruction meets NFATC curriculum standards. The Contractor shall also be responsible for reviewing all training material produced by or used by Course Instructors to ensure they meet NFATC standards.

As directed, the Contractor is responsible for destroying or returning any and all excess training materials, including electronic or other media, and ensuring that all downloaded materials are deleted at the end of the course if requested by the COR. If it is not possible to destroy training materials then the media shall be returned to the COR.

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3.11 Nonpayment of Unauthorized Work

No payments shall be made for any unauthorized supplies or services, or for any unauthorized changes to the work specified herein. This includes any services performed by Contractor personnel of his/her own volition or at the request of an individual other than a duly appointed CO.

Only a duly appointed CO is authorized to change the specifications, terms, and/or conditions of the contract.

3.12 Quality Control System

The Contractor shall develop, implement, and maintain an effective quality control system that includes a written Quality Control Plan (QCP). The QCP shall implement standardized procedures and methodologies to include corrective actions to ensure all contract requirements are met. The

QCP, including future revisions, are subject to the Government’s approval and acceptance.

The final QCP shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) for review and approval no later than forty-five (45) calendar days after contract award. The CO shall review and approve/disapprove the QCP within thirty (30) calendar days of submission. All revisions shall be subject to written approval by the CO, upon receipt of which the Contractor shall document and record the plan number, distribute revised plans, and communicate changes to affected contractor and Government personnel. The Contractor shall furnish all changes to the CO and the appropriate

COR at least three (3) working days prior to the effective date of the change.

The Contractor shall implement the QCP at the beginning of the period of performance (POP) and maintain the plan throughout the POP. The Contractor’s QCP shall establish performance indicators (where necessary) to ensure deliverables are within established tolerance limits. Initial quality control requirements shall be administered by the Contractor Program Manager.

The QCP shall include:

Performance Indicators (e.g., management goals relative to cost, schedule, and quality of technical and administrative service provided)

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System for reviewing materials (e.g., techniques and procedures)

Deficiency identification (e.g., areas exceeding acceptable tolerance limits)

Deficiency correction (e.g., establishes and implements corrective actions)

Documentation and enforcement (e.g., document/enforce corrective actions)

Trend analysis (e.g., evaluates and record trends in performance results)

Surveillance methods (e.g., collect real time metrics on performance)

Complaint program (e.g., respond to valid complaints by the Government and students)

The QCP shall be the basis of the Contractor’s Quality Control (QC) Program, a basic tenet of which shall be continuous quality improvement. The QCP shall consider techniques such as:

Direct Observation – Monitor the work of contractors through direct observation that work is occurring according to agreed timelines and deliverables meet Government requirements (example: verify deliverable deadlines are being met by Course Instructors, materials submitted are checked for accuracy, instruction meets program objectives).

Random Sampling – Occasionally engage in random sampling of quality through unscheduled site visits to the classroom to ensure Course Instructors are meeting the requirements (example: in-person or online site visits to classrooms to observe teaching and student reaction).

Periodic Inspection – The CPM shall hold at least weekly conference calls or an in-person meeting with the COR from each active order to review project plans and ensure that timelines and deliverables are on track. Course Instructor performance can also be reviewed to receive quality feedback during the weekly conference calls or in person meetings with the COR. Course Instructor performance must be included as an agenda item during the quarterly meetings with the COR, Course Chairs/Coordinators, and Deputy

Course Chairs/Coordinators.

Course Evaluations – Review and analyze data captured through formal course surveys after each class to evaluate performance and consider areas for improvement.

Validation and Correction of any Complaints – Immediately investigate and address/correct any complaints from the COR, Course Chairs/Coordinators, and Deputy

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Course Chairs/Coordinators, Program Coordinators, students, or NFATC staff during the contract period of performance in order to achieve a mutually agreeable solution that is compliant and does not impede contract delivery (example: reports from Course

Chairs/Coordinators and Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators of unsatisfactory Course

Instructor performance).

3.13 Technical Direction

Guidance and specific direction in carrying out the stated requirements within the context of the

BPA Order shall be provided by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or in the absence of the COR, the Alternate Contracting Office Representative (ACOR) on an ongoing basis. Course

Instructors shall receive technical guidance from the CPM.

3.14 Methods of Surveillance

The Contractor’s performance shall be evaluated using periodic, random inspections performed by the Government. The Government reserves the right to perform inspections on services provided to the extent deemed necessary to protect the Government’s interests. The Quality Assurance

Surveillance Plan (QASP) shall define the metrics used to measure performance by the Contractor.

3.15 Deliverables

The Contractor shall provide deliverables in support of the specific tasks described throughout this

PWS.

Key deliverables include a contract management plan that shall describe how the

Contractor shall implement the PWS including recruiting and training Course Instructors and preparing to deliver courses, a Quality Control Plan, a course instructor handbook, and an annual report.

Oversee the quality of course instruction, maintain an open feedback loop with SPAS via routine meetings, analyze course reviews, and seek to clarify policies and procedures when appropriate.

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Identify potential Course Instructors and arrange a meeting to include the Contractor, the

Course Instructor candidate, the COR or A/COR, and the relevant program Course

Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators. The Contractor shall ensure the proposed Course Instructor meets the required qualifications, including observing a teaching demonstration.

Administratively manage a community of instructors to include recruitment, subcontracting, onboarding, monitoring deliverable progress, supporting course materials production and editing, course observation, and performance counseling if required.

Onboard and maintain the community of Course Instructors with at least one primary and one backup for each SPAS class the Contractor is regularly requested to support. Course

Chairs/Coordinators and Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators may have input on which instructor from this community to select for any given cycle pending their availability.

Coordinate with Course Instructors to support guest speakers by submitting all proposed guest speakers to SPAS for review and approval before drafting invitation letters that confirm the time and date of their presentation and if appropriate, obtain information to provide honorarium payments. Ensure the letters are sent to guest speakers after SPAS provides approval.

Deliverables and delivery schedules are subject to change. Modifications to the BPA shall capture changes to the original requirement(s).

4 SPECIAL CONDITIONS

4.1 Government Closure

Should the Federal Government or the Department of State, or NFATC close for any reason (e.g., weather, security threat, emergency situation, lapse in funding, etc.) resulting in the cancellation of classes, and the contractor is unable to deliver services, the Contractor shall be paid for any preparatory work but not paid for the missed day(s) unless the Government is able to re-schedule the missed days.

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4.2 Course Cancellations

If training is cancelled for the convenience of the Government (due to low enrollment, schedule change, or other reason), the contractor shall be given a minimum of ten calendar days’ notice prior to the scheduled start of the course and in case of cancellation, shall be paid for actual documented costs incurred in preparation for the course. In the case of postponement, the

Contractor shall be reimbursed only actual documented costs that cannot be deferred until the rescheduled session(s). If the course is rescheduled, the Contractor shall be given the opportunity to provide services on a new date.

4.3 Inclement Weather and Its Effect on Performance

If the Government has a delayed opening, the beginning of class shall be delayed the same amount of time (i.e., if there is a 2-hour delay in opening, a class regularly scheduled to begin at 8:30 am shall begin at 10:30 am).

If the Government is closed for a full day or longer, the COR shall discuss options with the

Contractor about rescheduling, condensing material into the remaining days, or cancelling the course.

4.4 Delay of Service

Excusable delays shall be governed by FAR 52.249-14. The Contractor shall not be in default because of any failure to perform this contract under its terms if the failure arises from causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. Examples of these causes are (1) acts of God or of the public enemy, (2) acts of the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, (3) fires, (4) floods, (5) epidemics, (6) quarantine restrictions, (7) strikes, (8) freight embargoes, and (9) unusually severe weather.

5 KEY PERSONNEL

The Contractor Program Manager (CPM) and Alternate Contractor Program Manager (ACPM) are considered the key personnel by the Government for this BPA. The Contractor shall provide a full-

Unclassified 19 | P a g e time CPM who will be physically present at NFATC no less than twice a week during planning phases and up to five days a week during week-long in-person courses. Exact dates and times for in office presence shall be coordinated with the BPA Level COR. In addition, an ACPM shall be identified in the event that the CPM is unavailable. The Contractor agrees that Key Personnel may not be removed from the contract work or be replaced without compliance with paragraphs (a) and

(b) of this section.

(a) The Contractor agrees that a partial basis for award of this contract is the list of Key

Personnel proposed. Accordingly, the Contractor agrees to assign to this contract those key personnel whose resumes were submitted with the proposal necessary to fulfill the requirements of the contract. No substitution shall be made without prior notification to and concurrence of the Contracting Officer. During the first ninety days of performance, the

Contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment.

(b) All proposed substitutes shall meet or exceed the qualifications of the person to be replaced. The Contracting Officer and COR shall be notified in writing of any proposed substitution at least forty-five days, or ninety days if a security clearance is to be obtained, in advance of the proposed substitution. Such notification shall include:

(1) an explanation of the circumstances necessitating the substitution;

(2) a complete resume of the proposed substitute; and

(3) any other information requested by the Contracting Officer to enable them to judge whether or not the Contractor is maintaining the same high quality of personnel that provided the partial basis for award.

The CPM or ACPM shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The CPM or ACPM shall be available during NFATC’s core hours of 10:00 am to 3:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays or when the

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Government facility is closed for administrative reasons.

Qualifications for all key personnel are listed below. The Contractor shall submit documentation of the qualifications of the CPM(s) and ACPM(s) for Government approval, which may include resumes and/or curriculum vitae.

5.1 Required Professional Qualifications for Key Personnel

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.

Minimum five (5) years of experience managing a federal contract or six (6) plus years of progressively increasing management responsibilities within a government agency setting.

Demonstrated experience in an educational or training context with an emphasis on adult learning.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

Proficiency using Microsoft Office Suite programs sufficient to perform assigned CPM duties.

Demonstrated leadership skills and experience to coordinate with various organizational stakeholder CORs /ACORs/GTMs.

Ability to discern priorities.

Ability to multi-task and deal with time constraints effectively.

5.2 Highly Desired Professional Qualifications and Experience:

Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.

Prior experience working with Foreign Affairs agencies (e.g., Department of State, USAID, and Intelligence agencies).

Specific knowledge of embassy operations overseas, understanding of a global workforce, and cross-cultural understanding living and/or working outside of the United States.

5.3 Key Personnel Responsibilities

Ensure that Course Instructors meet and/or electronically communicate with the Course

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Chairs prior to and upon completion of courses to discuss arrival times and any other essential course administrative information which may include pre-course meetings, after-hour discussion of course activity and student course evaluations.

Review courses taught by contracted Course Instructors, monitor Course Instructor preparation and performance, and make recommendations for improvement, as needed, incorporating student course evaluations.

Ensure that Course Instructors have a working computer that is loaded with and able to run all presentations as well as any needed virtual teaching platforms.

6 PERFORMANCE AREAS

6.1 Performance Requirements Summary

The Contractor, not the Government, shall exercise supervision and control over the Contractor’s personnel. The Contractor shall successfully integrate and coordinate all activity needed to execute the contractual requirements specified herein. The Contractor shall manage the timeliness, completeness, and quality of services provided. The Contractor shall seek to ensure customer satisfaction and professional and ethical behavior of all contractor personnel.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the health and safety of its employees and for any injury or damage to them. The Contractor shall be responsible at its own expense for loss and/or damage to government property or personnel resulting from Contractor fault or negligence or from the fault of its employees and subcontractors.

6.2 Course Delivery (Course Instructors)

The Contractor shall provide Course Instructors with subject matter expertise to deliver course instruction and update existing course content.

6.2.1 Minimum Course Instructor Requirements

The Contractor shall accomplish the assigned work by employing and utilizing qualified personnel as

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Course Instructors with appropriate combinations of education, training, subject matter expertise, and experience. The Contractor shall match personnel skills to the work or task. Upon submission of the materials listed below, the Contactor shall discuss each candidate with the COR and Course

Chairs/Coordinators and Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators as appropriate, and a decision shall be made on the rank order of Course Instructors that are deemed qualified by the Government.

SPAS may have a number of fixed dates assigned to various courses and programs which SPAS intends to offer throughout the fiscal year. A tentative schedule with an estimate of how many courses the Contractor shall provide will be given at the time of BPA Order award. The Government reserves the right to make changes to the schedule at any time based on the need. The COR shall provide the Contractor with authorization to proceed at least twenty (20) business days in advance of the start of a course.

All Course Instructors must meet the following minimum criteria. Additional requirements may be identified at the BPA order level.

6.2.2 Required Professional Qualifications for Course Instructors

Master’s degree required; PhD preferred.

Minimum of 5 years’ experience and substantive expertise and recognition as an expert in their area of expertise, as evidenced by published works, experience working in an international or non-governmental organization, employment with the U.S. or a foreign government, media appearances, and past teaching or professional training experience or similar.

Minimum of 5 years of experience with instructional design, professional training, or academic teaching and delivery of engaging training for experienced, adult learners, including demonstrated evidence of dynamic and interactive instruction approaches and capabilities within their area of expertise. In addition to in-person instruction, experience designing and delivering online courses is also preferred.

Ability to work independently, under deadline pressure, with diverse teams, and effectively

Unclassified 23 | P a g e liaise with multiple State Department and USG personnel for course inputs.

Ability to provide print-ready course materials that are free of grammatical errors and contain consistent formatting, using NFATC and Contractor provided templates by the required deadlines.

Must be available to fulfill pre-established course schedule according to NFATC requirements.

Proficient in Microsoft Office - PowerPoint, Word, Excel.

Experience with online/remote learning platforms.

Understanding of the United States Government, the U.S. Department of State, and U.S.

foreign affairs.

Fluent English required.

6.2.3 Course Instructor Tasks

A course equals the number of class days plus the preparation and administrative time that accompanies them. Some offerings shall require more preparation and administrative time than other offerings. However, on average we anticipate preparation time shall be 1-2 times the amount of class time. For example, a one week-long course would require 40-80 hours of preparatory or administrative time. Bid rates for courses shall be fully loaded and preparation time shall be built into this rate.

Course Instructors shall be prepared to complete the following tasks:

Pre-Course Preparation

Maintain regular communication with the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course

Chairs/Coordinators for content guidance on course development and delivery and the

Contractor for technical guidance.

Review existing course guidance, course design/lesson plan, course syllabus, course schedule (also called a course grid) to incorporate adult learning principles and interactive methods that build on participants' professional experience and knowledge. Update

Unclassified 24 | P a g e existing materials or create new materials based on research and expertise and submit to the Contractor for technical review and the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course

Chairs/Coordinators to review for content and approval.

Ensure all materials created meet NFATC and U.S. Government standards, including

Section 508. Guidance on Section 508 can be found at https://www.section508.gov and many commercial products such as MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel run compliance reviews.

Send a list of proposed guest speakers to the Contractor and the Course

Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators for finalization.

Review all materials before final submission to the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy

Course Chairs/Coordinators ensuring they are error free and are properly formatted.

Once proposed guest speakers, course materials, and course grid/schedule are approved by Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators, coordinate with the

SPAS division staff to send a welcome email to students that provides material for the students to read and view before the course starts. The pre-reading/viewing material shall serve as the basis for class discussion that potentially could be part of the course syllabus. The final course schedule/grid shall also be included in the welcome email.

Ensure any planned independent activities and assignments during a class are short and focused (generally no more than one hour), are linked to or followed by a discussion or expert-led session that covers the assigned reading or activity and are not scheduled concurrently with other independent activities.

Identify and invite (when approved) guest subject matter experts that have specialized knowledge or experience on a topic being addressed in class and be prepared to facilitate their discussion, ensuring the presenter remains on topic, covers the appropriate learning points and objectives, and there is sufficient time for student questions and interaction.

Coordinate presentations by guest lecturers, ensuring they are informed as to the necessary scope and objectives for their presentations to fulfill the requirements of the course design, suggest using slides for visuals but with limited text, and confirm their

Unclassified 25 | P a g e discussions shall be interactive with sufficient time for student questions and dialogue.

For in-person classes, submit guest speaker information at least one week before the course begins to ensure their registration with the Visitor Access Requests and Parking

Office to have access to the NFATC campus.

Advise the CPM and the SPAS division staff immediately when there is a change of guest speakers.

For in person classes, coordinate with SPAS division staff to ensure appropriate classroom set-up, that the necessary audiovisual equipment is present and working, and that classroom materials (maps, artwork, handouts, etc.) are present in the classroom for the start of class.

Establish a method for verifying student attendance courses with SPAS division staff.

Day 1 of Delivery

For in-person classes, arrive one hour early to ensure that all audiovisual equipment is in proper working condition and that their personal device is connected to the system.

For virtual classes, ensure you can log in at least one business day prior to the start of class and on the first day of class, log in at least 15 minutes prior to the start of class.

Ensure that students have access to adequate resource materials such as student handouts, maps, videos, and readings as appropriate for both in-person and virtual classes.

During Course Delivery

Attend all in-class activities. Lead sessions and present material for approximately half of the allotted course time.

Teach and engage students in a variety of sessions including lectures, discussions, and interactive activities including presenting a variety of guest speakers while maintaining an overarching framework for the course that pulls all the material together in an organized manner.

Unclassified 26 | P a g e

Advise students on information sources and other matters related to their thematic or geographic interest.

Link course content to course objectives, learner needs and key issues.

Use formative assessments (e.g., quizzes, group exercises, reflections) and real-time feedback to monitor student understanding and adjust instruction during the course.

Track daily student attendance for each class day.

Manage the classroom to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for all participants.

Ensure NFATC classroom norms of safety, respect, and professionalism are observed.

Address any deviations from the norms including harassing or discriminatory comments immediately and as soon as possible report student discipline problems to the Course

Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators or Division Director or Deputy

Director.

Be familiar and in compliance with the DOS policies and instructions that deal with civil rights, equal opportunity and affirmative employment, equal opportunity for persons with disabilities, sexual harassment, and harassment and retaliation, internet security, and physical security protocol.

Last Day of Course Delivery

Ensure that each student has time to complete an end-of-course student evaluation prior to course conclusion and explain the importance of completing and submitting the survey since NFATC factors in the anonymous input towards course improvement.

Explain to students how to access their record of course completion.

Return all reusable course materials for which the Course Instructor has responsibility, and report equipment damage, loss or inoperability to the Chairs.

Coordinate with SPAS Division staff to ensure excess papers, used easel pad chart paper, and tape on walls or boards are removed and classrooms are left in a neat and orderly condition.

Unclassified 27 | P a g e

Provide confirmation to the Contractor that guest subject matter experts attended their scheduled session to enable prompt payment of honoraria and/or other fees as authorized.

Submit a fully completed Sign-In sheet listing each class participant’s name and signature for in-person courses, or an accounting of daily student participation for virtual classes, to the designated SPAS Division staff at the conclusion of each course offering.

Post Course Delivery

Meet or discuss in person or virtually with the CPM and Course Chairs/Coordinators or

Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators and provide initial observations and recommendations concerning the course, materials, equipment, facilities, etc., as needed.

After receiving student evaluation, analyze the feedback to guide recommendations for future improvements.

6.2.4 Existing Course Delivery Needs

Below is a list of the current courses in need of course instructors. SPAS reserves the right to add courses and/or change the length of existing courses to meet the needs of SPAS and the

Department.

6.2.4.1 Area Studies Division

Background and Objectives

The Area Studies Division's courses cover history, governance, politics, civil society, economics, human geography, religion and culture, with an emphasis on the history and development of countries and regions; how current global/thematic issues impact countries, regions, and the world;

and corresponding U.S. foreign policy interests and challenges.

The Area Studies Division has seven programs, including six regional and one global issues program, each led by a Program Chair that teaches courses in their portfolio. Typically, a Chair shall teach

Unclassified 28 | P a g e one regional and one sub-regional standalone course during each of the three annual standalone delivery cycles and one or more offering of a course that is integrated into the corresponding language training class (referred to as a language-integrated course). The language-integrated courses run at least once a year with some reaching four offerings a year. Each program typically has a Deputy Chair or other NFATC personnel (direct hire, contractor, reemployed annuitant (REA), etc.) that teach courses as well as a Program Coordinator who assists with managing class and student logistics.

The seven programmatic areas are: Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, South and Central

Asia, Near East/North Africa, Europe and Eurasia, the Western Hemisphere, and Global Issues. For the foreign affairs professional engaged in protecting U.S. citizen lives and national interests abroad while shaping, explaining, and advancing U.S. diplomatic priorities in a whole of government approach, Area Studies courses objectives serve to:

Provide explanations of critical historical, geopolitical, economic, strategic, and socio-cultural factors of foreign actors and organizations to ensure U.S. foreign affairs professionals effectively advance U.S. foreign policy objectives;

Support effectively advancing U.S. national security interests and America’s safety by providing U.S.