Attachment A NCSER Crowdsourcing Support PWS.docx

Version Date: 3/1/2024

Performance Work Statement (PWS) for

“NCSER Crowdsourcing Campaign Support” U.S. Department of Education (Department) Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

To be awarded under the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s Experimental Design and Advanced Research Projects Accelerator May 2, 2024

A. Background The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and non-partisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers and the public. Evidence on improving academic achievement is of particular interest to IES.

The U.S. is quickly approaching the 50-year anniversary of the first federal legislation to protect the education of students with disabilities (Public Law 94-142). It is long past time to take stock of how well special education is serving the needs of students with disabilities and their families. While we have some information about the challenges faced by these populations, the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) at IES seeks support for a crowdsourcing campaign to collect data, at a national level, on the current status of special education in this country. We seek to more fully understand how individuals with disabilities and their families have experienced special education, and their perspective on the pressing problems facing special education today. Answering such questions will provide essential information to NCSER as we examine the success of our funding to date and establish priorities for the Center moving forward. We also seek Contractor support to design and implement a challenge through Challenge.gov for the analysis of the information received through the crowdsourcing campaign using traditional qualitative methods or using more recent advances in machine learning such as natural language processing. An ancillary goal of this effort will be to raise the profile of almost 20 years of NCSER-funded research.

B. Legislative Authority

IES is the research arm of the Department of Education (ED). Established by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA, PL 107-279), IES’s mission is “to provide national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of education from early childhood through postsecondary study.” IES provides educators, administrators, researchers, policymakers, parents, students, and the general public reliable information about educational practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to educational opportunities for all students; the condition and progress of education in the United States; and the effectiveness of federal and other education programs. IES’s activities are accomplished through four research centers: the National Center for Education Research (NCER), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER).

On December 3, 2004, Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This reauthorization amended the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002 to establish NCSER within IES. NCSER sponsors rigorous research designed to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children with or at risk for disabilities. NCSER’s research efforts focus on improving (a) developmental outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities; (b) readiness for schooling; (c) academic outcomes in reading, writing, mathematics, and science; (d) student behavior and social interactions; (e) functional skills; and (f) educational attainment and transition to postsecondary settings. NCSER’s current standing programs of research are designed to address 11 topic areas: Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education; Reading, Writing, and Language Development; Mathematics and Science Education; Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning; Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students; Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education; Professional Development for Teachers and Related Services Providers; Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Technology for Special Education; and Families of Children with Disabilities. In addition, NCSER currently supports Special Education Research and Development Centers and Postdoctoral Research Training Programs. For more information about NCSER activities, please refer to the NCSER website at http://ncser.ed.gov.

C. Purpose and Objectives

IES will award a Contract to provide support to NCSER for a Crowdsourcing Campaign. This Contract supports NCSER’s efforts to conduct a crowdsourcing campaign to obtain information from a variety of stakeholders to increase our impact. We seek to more fully understand how individuals with disabilities and their families have experienced special education, and their perspective on the pressing problems facing special education today. We seek Contractor support to design and implement a challenge through Challenge.gov for the analysis of the information received through the crowdsourcing campaign using traditional qualitative methods or using more recent advances in machine learning such as natural language processing. We also seek to raise the profile of almost 20 years of NCSER-funded research.

IES will be using Research in Special Education (RISE) funds for this Contract.

The purpose of this investment is to engage a Contractor to assist IES/NCSER in designing and implementing the crowdsourcing campaign in three areas of work:

Task 1. Crowdsourcing campaign soliciting the voices of families and students

To increase the impact of NCSER research, we need to more fully understand how individuals with disabilities and their families have experienced special education, and what the pressing problems facing special education today are from their perspective. There’s no better way to engage with families and students with disabilities than to reach out to them directly. Recently, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy led the OSTP Year of Open Science Recognition Challenge as a crowdsourcing campaign to solicit stories of open science activities using Challenge.gov. Similarly, NCSER would like Contractor support for a crowdsourcing campaign to solicit direct input and foster engagement from families and students with disabilities across the country.

Optional Task 2. Developing and Implementing a Challenge to Analyze Feedback from families and students

IES will determine if sufficient responses are received to warrant a challenge to solicit teams to apply to analyze the feedback from families and students. If responses are sufficient, the Contractor shall design and implement a challenge through Challenge.gov for the analysis of the information received through the crowdsourcing campaign. This information will include primarily narrative text but may also include numerical and demographic information. Challengers will submit proposals to use traditional qualitative methods, more recent advances in machine learning such as natural language processing, or a combination of approaches where one approach informs the other. Interested applicants will specify the approach they plan to use and will be competing against others using the same approach for a prize.

Optional Task 3. Raising the profile of NCSER An ancillary goal of the crowdsourcing campaign will be to raise the profile of NCSER. Despite 20 years of research, NCSER is still a relative unknown entity beyond the community of educational researchers doing work in special education. Depending on the outcome of Task 1, NCSER will determine if this task is needed. If this option is requested, the Contractor shall build awareness of NCSER through a landscape analysis and communications and outreach strategy to build relationships with the nonprofits, associations and other organizations that support students with disabilities and their families, such as the Council for Exceptional Children, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and CAST, Inc., to name a few. Through these relationships, NCSER will have access to trusted intermediaries to introduce stories and perspectives of students and families, and through which NCSER can tell its story. In addition to strategic engagement of these critical stakeholders, NCSER is seeking Contractor support to identify speaking engagements and publication opportunities where NCSER can raise its profile by engaging in speaking opportunities at conferences, on podcasts, and guest editorials in key online publications.

Task 1 will occur in the first year with Task 2 and 3 as options, given availability of funds and alignment of the work with NCSER’s mission under a new Director of IES.

D. General Information

With logistical support from the contractor, IES will announce the crowdsourcing campaign in August 2024 and open the crowdsourcing campaign in September of 2024.

A general timeframe for the project is provided below:

Base Year- Task 1. Crowdsourcing campaign soliciting the voices of families and students

(Approximate)

Base Year: Optional Task 2- Analysis of Stakeholder Information from the Crowdsourcing Campaign

(Approximate)

Optional Task 3. Raising the Profile of NCSER

(Approximate)

The Contractor is encouraged to develop a plan that expedites the objectives of the project while maintaining quality and integrity of the processes.

E. Scope of Work and Period of Performance

The Contractor shall be responsible for carrying out all phases of work associated with the major activities under this firm fixed price Contract.

The period of performance for this Contract shall end on September 30, 2025.

All time periods in this PWS are provided in calendar days.

The Contractor is required to provide a work plan that details its approach to providing the services described in Section E. Tasks (see below) of this PWS. All tasks are to be interpreted with reference to the information provided in the Background and Purpose and Objectives sections of this PWS. The Contractor shall coordinate its work with the COR, especially during the development phase of all tasks, and the COR will review and accept all deliverables. All deliverables in this Contract shall be delivered within the timeframes specified in the Schedule of Deliverables at the end of the performance work statement (PWS).

This Contract conveys no new access to Department IT systems or Department data; or to minors. There is a need to collect personally identifiable information (PII) or sensitive information for the purpose of paying honorarium to judges. Therefore, at least one Contractor personnel will need moderate security clearance and comply with all rules and procedures for handling PII and securely storing it (See Appendix A for more information).

ANTICIPATED PRIZE SCHEDULE-

Task 1 - Crowdsourcing campaign soliciting the voices of families and students

Challenge.gov will be used to solicit feedback from families and students with disabilities.

IES will have no prizes for this crowdsourcing campaign but will review submissions internally and determine information that can be highlighted on the IES website and other dissemination approaches as appropriate (i.e., IES blog and social media).

Optional Task 2 - Analysis of Stakeholder Information from the Crowdsourcing Campaign

IES anticipates awarding prizes to encourage applicants for this Challenge to analyze information submitted from the Crowdsourcing Campaign. Contractors shall propose the recommended prize amounts and prize structure from their experience managing challenges of this type or based on review of similar challenges of this type.

Prizes. The task for award of prizes is anticipated as part of the Optional Task procurement. These prizes will be fully funded at the time of the award of the optional task. The prize structure listed below are offered as examples, and the specific prizes authorized at the time of award may differ based on offerors’ technical proposals. Post-award, other (or different) prizes may be authorized via Contract modification. The prize winners will be determined by a scoring rubric developed by the Contractor in collaboration with IES/NCSER and the judges.

Qualitative Analysis Approach

· Winner $

· Runner-Up $ Natural Language Analysis Approach

· Winner $

· Runner-Up $ Combined Qualitative and NLP Analysis Approach

· Winner $

· Runner-Up $

E. Base Tasks

The contractor, with approval from the COR, shall carry out the following tasks:

Task 1. Crowdsourcing campaign soliciting the voices of families and students

To increase the impact of NCSER research, we need to more fully understand how individuals with disabilities and their families have experienced special education, and what the pressing problems facing special education today are from their perspective. The Contractor shall support NCSER with a crowdsourcing campaign to solicit direct input and foster engagement from families and students with disabilities across the country.

Sub-task 1.1: Kickoff Meeting

The Contractor shall conduct a kickoff meeting with Department staff. Department staff will include the Contracting Officer (CO), the Contract Specialist (CS), the COR, and other project staff identified by the COR. The COR will assume responsibility for inviting relevant Federal staff.

The purpose of the meeting will be to review the objectives of the Contract and to provide the Contractor with an opportunity to ask questions and clarify potential issues related to implementation of the tasks. Fourteen (14) days after the kickoff call, the Contractor shall submit a Draft Work Plan and timeline that incorporates the decisions from the meeting, feedback from the COR, and any other agreements made during the meeting.

The COR will review the Draft Work Plan and Timeline and provide feedback. Seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the COR on the Draft Work Plan and Timeline (1.1a), the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide to the COR an updated work plan and project timeline, which establish the project baselines.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.1:

0. Draft Work Plan and Timeline

0. Baseline Work Plan and Timeline

Sub-task 1.2: Biweekly Meetings, Monthly Progress Reports and Timeline Updates

The Contractor shall manage the project and update the project timeline and work plan as needed.

The Contractor shall meet with the COR biweekly, submitting a proposed agenda three business days prior to each scheduled meeting.

Monthly progress reports shall include a summary of project management activities conducted each month, including updates to the baseline version of the work plan and timeline submitted under Sub-task 1.1 showing progress on each task. If problems are encountered or discovered that impact the timeline or work plan, the Contractor shall include in the monthly report a description of the problem and how it was addressed. Should a significant problem arise, the Contractor shall notify the COR via email not later than three (3) days after discovering the issue. Monthly progress reports shall be submitted monthly starting the month after the kickoff call, and should also include brief summaries of biweekly meetings held with the COR.

The Contractor shall use an online collaboration environment to maintain a timeline of tasks and deliverables. The online system shall be password-secured and accessible to the COR and others designated by the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.2:

a) Summary of project management activities

b) Monthly timeline and work plan updates, as necessary

Sub-task 1.3: Design the crowdsourcing campaign plan

The Contractor shall submit a Draft Crowdsourcing Campaign Plan using Challenge.gov within sixty (60) days after the kickoff meeting. The crowdsourcing campaign plan shall include a problem statement, a detailed plan for conducting the crowdsourcing campaign, a detailed plan for conducting a landscape analysis, and recommendations for the design, pilot testing, and administration of a survey to collect information from individuals with disabilities and their families about their experiences with special education, and what they consider to be the pressing problems facing special education today.

The crowdsourcing campaign will be open to all interested participants. The Contractor shall use Challenge.gov to administer the survey and collect responses. The Contractor shall describe in the Crowdsourcing campaign plan what data will be stored there.

The COR will review the Draft Crowdsourcing Campaign Design and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Crowdsourcing Campaign Design to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.3:

a) Draft Crowdsourcing Campaign Design

b) Final Crowdsourcing Campaign Design

Sub-task 1.4: Survey Design The Contractor shall work with the COR and IES/NCSER leadership and staff to draft a survey of individuals with disabilities and their families about their experiences with special education, and what they consider to be the pressing problems facing special education today. This sub-task will involve up to three (3) calls with IES/NCSER leadership/staff to draft items, and review and respond to feedback on previous drafts to be completed within twenty-one (21) days after the Final Crowdsourcing Campaign Design is approved.

Within thirty (30) days after the Final Crowdsourcing Campaign Design is approved, the Contractor shall develop the survey in a digital platform/tool that is FedRAMP approved for IES/NCSER leadership/staff to pilot internally. The Contractor shall use feedback from the pilot from the COR to revise the survey to pilot a second time. The Contractor shall use feedback from the COR from the second pilot to revise and finalize the survey for OMB Review within seven (7) days after COR approval of the final survey content. The COR will submit the final survey for OMB approval before it can be administered. The COR will share any feedback from OMB to the Contractor to make any additional revisions before the Survey is finalized and ready to be disseminated broadly through Challenge.gov.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.4:

a) Conduct up to three (3) meetings with IES Leadership/staff to draft survey items

b) Create Draft Survey (digital version)

c) Final Survey (digital and print version) for OMB Review

d) Final Survey ready for administration

Sub-task 1.5: Landscape Analysis Within ninety (90) days after the kick-off meeting, the Contractor shall complete a landscape analysis that builds on information IES/NCSER has already collected on stakeholders and amplifiers in the special education space to reach individuals with disabilities and their families with the survey. The landscape analysis should include nonprofits, associations and other organizations that support students with disabilities and their families. The landscape analysis can also include media outlets that can support dissemination of information once the Crowdsourcing Campaign is launched. The landscape analysis should be an Excel file that includes the organization name, url of any relevant website for the organization, the name of the contact and email address for that contact, and a notes field describing in what way(s) they are a resource for the crowdsourcing campaign. There should also be a column that can be sorted that identifies what specific disability type(s) (IDEA disability categories) are relevant for the organization. The landscape analysis should be complete so that all IDEA disability categories are addressed by at least one listed organization.

The COR will provide the Contractor with a list that IES/NCSER has generated as a starting point. The COR will review the Draft Landscape Analysis and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days after receiving COR feedback, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Landscape Analysis to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.5:

a) Draft Landscape Analysis

b) Final Landscape Analysis

Sub-task 1.6: Produce Communications Plan and Outreach Materials

Within thirty (30) days after the Final Crowdsourcing Campaign Design is approved, the Contractor shall develop a Communications Plan to increase awareness of, and encourage participation in, the NCSER Crowdsourcing Campaign. The plan should include a strategy for communicating for the duration of the Campaign.

The Communication Plan should be reflective of “new media” strategies. Critical content includes details about the Crowdsourcing Campaign, details about what is required to participate, and information about selection of winners. All communications activities must take place using Contractor systems; no access to government IT systems will be provided. IES newsflash, IES website, IES blogs, and IES social media outlets can be considered in the plan.

As part of the plan, the Contractor shall include a timeline, new media mockups and content, draft media releases, talking points, treatments, presentations, social media, collateral items, graphics, multimedia assets, local media engagement strategies, a list of targeted audiences and media outlets, and any additional information and materials necessary to increase awareness and participation in the NCSER Crowdsourcing Campaign.

If relevant, the Contractor shall include in the Communications Plan recommendations for events in which the Department should participate, registration costs for Department staff, rationale for attending, and deadlines to register to promote the Crowdsourcing Campaign.

The COR will review the Communications Plan and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the COR, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Communications Plan to the COR. Within seven (7) days after approval of the Final Communication Plan, the Contractor shall electronically deliver all graphic designs and support materials in both native and finished formats. All outreach materials shall be approved by the COR prior to release.

The Contractor shall implement the Communications Plan once it is approved by the COR. Approval of the plan may come in phases as the task is accomplished. The Contractor may propose an apportionment of the deliverable in phases based on performance of the task and receipt of approvals. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR, as needed, throughout the implementation of the plan and report on the outcomes and effectiveness of the plan.

NOTE: All communications (such as newsflashes, social media posts) will go through the IES Communications. The Contractor should allow for up to two (2) weeks (10 business days) for review of communication materials by the IES Communications office prior to release. The Crowdsourcing Campaign will be announced through Challenge.gov and not the Federal Register.

At the end of the project, at least seven (7) days prior to the end of the performance period for Task 1, the Contractor shall archive all communications content, including any related digital assets, in its native form (e.g., .jpg, .gif., .doc, .pdf, .html, .css), and provide it to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.6:

a) Draft Communications Plan

b) Final Communications Plan

c) Final Graphic Designs and Support Materials

d) Archive of communications materials

Sub-task 1.7: Launch Crowdsourcing Campaign

The Contractor shall launch and conduct the Crowdsourcing Campaign according to the Crowdsourcing Campaign Design. Within seven (7) days after approval of the Final Communications Plan (1.6b), the Contractor shall prepare media releases, talking points, and collateral material to support the launch. All outreach materials shall be approved by the COR prior to release. The Contractor shall draft the Federal Register notice and the Challenge.gov notice and deliver a draft within seven (7) days after the approval of the Crowdsourcing Campaign Design by the COR. The exact date of the launch will be determined by the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.7:

a) Draft Federal Register Notice and Challenge.gov notice

b) Outreach Materials and collateral for Crowdsourcing Campaign launch

Sub-task 1.8: Summarize Information Collected

The Contractor shall close the Crowdsourcing Campaign on the date designated by the COR.

Within fourteen (14) days after the survey closes, the Contractor shall submit a short (5-10 page) Survey Summary Report, which includes information on the number of respondents overall and by type of respondent (individuals with disabilities, family members, and other types of respondents). The Contractor shall provide descriptive statistics of any survey items that can be summarized quantitatively.

The COR will review the Draft Survey Summary Report and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the COR, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Survey Summary Report to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.8:

a) Draft Survey Summary Report

b) Final Survey Summary Report

Optional Task 2: Develop a challenge to analyze information received from the crowdsourcing campaign

As needed, the government may order the design of a challenge through Challenge.gov to analyze the information collected from the survey using either qualitative methods or natural language processing to summarize themes and information to inform the work of NCSER. There would be an option for competing for a prize for qualitative analysis, a prize for natural language processing analysis (NLP), and a prize for integration of both qualitative and NLP approaches.

Sub-task 2.1: Kickoff Meeting

The Contractor shall conduct a kickoff meeting with Department staff. Department staff will include the Contracting Officer (CO), the Contract Specialist (CS), the COR, and other project staff identified by the COR. The COR will assume responsibility for inviting relevant Federal staff.

The purpose of the meeting will be to review the objectives of Task 2 and to provide the Contractor with an opportunity to ask questions and clarify potential issues related to implementation of the tasks. Within fourteen (14) days after the kickoff-call, the Contractor shall submit a Draft Work Plan and timeline that incorporates the decisions from the meeting, feedback from the COR, and any other agreements made during the meeting.

The COR will review the Draft Work Plan and Timeline and provide feedback. Within seven (7) days after receiving COR feedback on the draft work plan and timeline (2.1a), the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide to the COR an updated work plan and project timeline, which establish the project baselines.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.1:

0. Draft Work Plan and Timeline

0. Baseline Work Plan and Timeline

Sub-task 2.2: Biweekly Meetings, Monthly Progress Reports and Timeline Updates

The Contractor shall manage the project, update the project timeline and work plan as needed.

The Contractor shall meet with the COR biweekly, submitting a proposed agenda three (3) business days prior to each scheduled meeting.

Monthly progress reports shall include a summary of project management activities conducted each month, including updates to the baseline version of the work plan and timeline submitted under Sub-task 2.1 showing progress on each task. If problems are encountered or discovered that impact the timeline or work plan, the Contractor shall include in the monthly report a description of the problem and how it was addressed. Should a significant problem arise, the Contractor shall notify the COR via email not later than three days after discovering the issue. Monthly progress reports should be submitted monthly starting the month after the kick-off call and include brief summaries of biweekly meetings held with the COR.

The Contractor shall use an online collaboration environment to maintain a timeline of tasks and deliverables. The online system shall be password-secured and accessible to the COR and others designated by the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.2:

a) Summary of project management activities

b) Monthly timeline and work plan updates, as necessary

Sub-task 2.3: Develop the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge Design

The crowdsourcing analysis campaign will be open to all interested participants. Submissions received will be evaluated on criteria identified by the Judges (reviewed by the Contractor and approved by IES) and the winning submission will be announced publicly on the IES website and social media. Within sixty (60) days after the kickoff meeting, the Contractor will develop the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge Design to include the Challenge.gov notice content and submission guidelines.

Challenge.gov is to be used to manage the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge. The Contractor shall support the judging by providing judges with the submissions using a secure process. This can include password protected files or any form of secure file transfer approach. Please note that any platform used during the competition needs to have an existing FISMA compliant ATO (e.g., is hosted on a FedRAMP certified cloud) and a clear description should be provided as to what data will be stored there.

As part of the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge design, the Contractor shall draft the rules, terms, and conditions by which the competition will be conducted, including intellectual property provisions. The Contractor shall also include in the competition design the required non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for (1) the Contractor itself, (2) Contractor and subContractor personnel with access to challenge.gov submissions that may have proprietary information, and (3) any third parties included in the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge (e.g., judges). The COR shall provide the NDA to be used in the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge. As part of its competition administration duties, the Contractor shall ensure that any Department-mandated rights clauses and NDAs are included in the competition design and execution. After authoring the initial drafts of the rules, terms, and conditions, the Contractor will need to engage in a collaborative process with the COR to develop the clauses, terms, and conditions that will become final once approved by the COR and CO.

The COR will review the Draft Challenge Design, Challenge.gov notice content, and submission guidelines and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the COR, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge Design to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.3:

a) Draft Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge Design

b) Final Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge Design

Sub-task 2.4: Recruit and Vet Judges

IES/NCSER anticipates that one panel of up to 5 judges will be used to determine Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge winners. Within thirty (30) days prior to the Challenge launch date, the Contractor shall identify subject matter experts to serve as judges for the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge that may include Federal staff from agencies other than the Department of Education. The Contractor shall deliver a list of judges to the COR to review prior to the launch of the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge. The Contractor shall include short biographies for the candidates and a rationale for including each judge and ensure judges do not have direct or perceived conflicts of interest with people submitting to the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge. Should a conflict of interest arise, the Contractor shall identify an alternate judge to serve as a replacement. The Contractor shall conduct an ethics survey of the selected judges within fourteen (14) days of the COR accepting the preliminary list of judges (reliant on judges returning papers). The Contractor shall confirm participation of each judge and deliver a final list of confirmed judges to the COR with executed Conflict of Interest statements from each judge within fourteen (14) days after COR approval of the preliminary list of judges (reliant on judges returning papers). Judges who are not federal employees are to be paid an honorarium at the end of the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge at the approved rate of GS Pay Schedule Grade 15 Step 10 ($87.93 per hour, $703.44/day). In assembling the panel of judges, the Contractor shall ensure the diversity of the panel in terms of demographics, areas of experience, and expertise in disability areas.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.4:

a) Preliminary List of Judges

b) Completed Ethics Surveys for All Judges

c) Final List of Confirmed Judges

d) Conflict of Interest Statements for All Judges

Sub-task 2.5: Produce Communications Plan and Outreach Materials

Within thirty (30) days after the Final Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge Design is approved, the Contractor shall develop a Communications Plan to increase awareness of, and encourage participation in, the NCSER Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge. The plan should include a strategy for communicating for the duration of the Challenge.

The Communication Plan should be reflective of “new media” strategies. Critical content includes details about the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge, details about what is required to participate, and information about selection of winners. All communications activities must take place using Contractor systems; no access to government IT systems will be provided. IES newsflash, IES website, IES blogs, and IES social media outlets can be considered in the plan.

As part of the plan, the Contractor shall include a timeline, new media mockups and content, draft media releases, talking points, treatments, presentations, social media, collateral items, graphics, multimedia assets, local media engagement strategies, a list of targeted audiences and media outlets, and any additional information and materials necessary to increase awareness and participation in the NCSER Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge. The Communication Plan should include text for an announcement in the Federal Register and one to the Challenge.gov community (if appropriate).

If relevant, the Contractor shall include in the Communications Plan recommendations for events in which the Department should participate, registration costs for Department staff, rationale for attending, and deadlines to register to promote the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge.

The COR will review the Communications Plan and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days after receiving COR feedback, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Communications Plan to the COR. Upon approval of the Final Communication Plan, within seven (7) days the Contractor shall electronically deliver all graphic designs and support materials in both native and finished formats. All outreach materials shall be approved by the COR prior to release.

The Contractor shall implement the Communications Plan once it is approved by the COR. Approval of the plan may come in phases as the task is accomplished. The Contractor may propose an apportionment of the deliverable in phases based on performance of the task and receipt of approvals. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR, as needed, throughout the implementation of the plan and report on the outcomes and effectiveness of the plan.

NOTE: All communications (such as newsflashes, social media posts) will go through the IES Communications. The Contractor should allow for up to 2 weeks (10 business days) for review of communication materials by the IES Communications office prior to release. The Crowdsourcing Campaign will be announced through Challenge.gov and not the Federal Register.

At the end of the project, at least seven (7) days prior to the end of the performance period, the Contractor shall archive all communications content, including any related digital assets, in its native form (e.g., .jpg, .gif., .doc, .pdf, .html, .css), and provide it to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.5:

a) Draft Communications Plan

b) Final Communications Plan

c) Final Graphic Designs and Support Materials

d) Archive of communications materials

Sub-task 2.6: Conduct Online Collaboration Event for the Challenge

The Contractor shall organize and conduct an online public event for the Department to present the specifications for the Challenge and to provide interested participants an opportunity to ask questions and exchange ideas. As of the writing of this PWS, the government requires the use of WebEx or Teams for this purpose.

The event shall be held after the launch of the Challenges. The Contractor shall broadcast the event online and record, transcribe, and summarize the event. The event shall be close-captioned if requested by an audience member. The Contractor shall deliver all event recordings, transcriptions, and summary materials according to Department Publishing Guidelines within fourteen (14) days after the event. All materials shall be approved by the Department prior to release. The Contractor shall work closely with the COR to schedule the event at a date and location to maximize attendance.

Within twenty-one (21) days prior to the online collaboration event, the Contractor shall produce a “save-the-date” notification, an invitation to be emailed, an announcement for the IES Newsflash, presentation materials, and provide technical assistance for internal and external users of the online event platform. Seven (7) days prior to the online collaboration event, the Contractor shall apply its professional expertise to produce original designs as well as reformat presentations and materials provided by the Department. Planning shall include one rehearsal session within three (3) days prior to the event, which shall include at least one remote user connected during the rehearsal to test connectivity and audio and visual functionality of the webinar platform.

The Contractor shall provide technical assistance to participants while Department staff lead the event. The Contractor shall have at least one staff member available to assist the Department during the event.

The Contractor shall ensure the event is recorded, transcribed, closed captioned and prepared for uploading to YouTube without the need for an external transcription file. The file shall comply with ADA Section 508 standards for accessibility as required under Department Publishing guidelines. Within fourteen (14) days after the online collaboration event, the draft transcript and video file should be delivered for COR review.

The Department will review draft deliverables to ensure they meet the needs of the Department. The Contractor is expected to discuss the contents of the pre-event deliverables (save the date, blog, and social media) with the COR to minimize the number of revision cycles. The Contractor should expect at least one review for accuracy and compliance with Department publishing standards. The COR will approve the contents of the communications.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.6:

a) Save the Date and Draft Invitation and Materials

b) Final Invitation and Materials

c) Blog and Social Media Announcements

d) Rehearsal Session

e) Transcript

f) Video File

Sub-task 2.7: Launch the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge

The Contractor shall launch and conduct each Challenge according to the Challenge Design. The Contractor shall prepare media releases, talking points, and collateral material to support the launch. All outreach materials shall be approved by the COR prior to release. The Contractor shall draft a notice for the purpose of publication in the Federal Register and also draft the Challenge.gov notice and deliver draft versions within seven (7) days after the approval of the Challenge Design by the COR. The exact date of the launch will be determined by the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.7:

a) Draft Federal Register Notice and Challenge.gov notice

b) Outreach Materials and collateral for Challenge launch

Sub-task 2.8 Screen Submissions for Compliance

The Contractor shall provide all logistical support necessary to conduct a fair and objective evaluation of all submissions. Within fourteen (14) days after the closing of the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge, the Contractor shall screen submissions for compliance with the rules of the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge and identify any submission not in compliance. The Contractor shall provide a list of the noncompliant submissions and the reason(s) for noncompliance to the COR after the close of the open submission period. The COR will review the list and make final determinations of eligibility for each of the submissions on the list. The Contractor shall also identify potential conflicts of interest with judges. The COR will return the list of the submissions with eligibility determinations for each of the submissions within twenty-one (21) days after the closing of the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.8:

a) List of Potentially ineligible submissions

b) List of Potential conflicts of interest

Sub-task 2.9: Coordinate and Monitor the Rating Process for Winners

The Contractor shall ensure all eligible submissions are rated according to the judging process established in the Crowdsourcing Analysis Challenge and provide biweekly progress updates to the COR during the judging process as part of their regularly scheduled check-ins. Judges shall select up to three (3) winners (or other number as determined by recommendation in the Contractor technical proposal under prizes). Winners shall be announced on the IES website, through an IES Newsflash, and through IES social media as IES leadership determines appropriate. Within seven (7) days after the conclusion of judging, the Contractor shall produce a Slate of Winners. The Slate shall list teams that are recommended as winners. The COR shall review and approve the slate following internal review and approval processes.

Within seven (7) days after approval of the award slate, the Contractor shall produce outreach and collateral materials that provide details about the award recipients.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.9:

a) Slate of Winners

b) Outreach Materials and Collateral

Sub-task 2.10: Disburse Prizes

Upon approval of the Slate of Award Recipients for prizes for each phase, the Contractor shall disburse funds (see “ANTICIPATED PRIZE SCHEDULE” above) as authorized by the COR. The Contractor shall provide the COR evidence of disbursement and receipt after the awards are disbursed. The Contractor shall disburse awards, produce a List of Disbursements, and confirm receipt of awards.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.10:

a) List of Prize Disbursements

b) Confirmation of Receipt from award recipients

Sub-task 2.11: Disburse Honoraria for Judges

The Contractor shall provide the COR evidence of disbursement and receipt of honoraria after they are disbursed. The Contractor shall disburse honoraria, produce a List of Disbursements, and confirm receipt of honoraria by judges. The Contractor shall arrange for each participant to complete a W-9 and a 1099-MISC form that they shall receive at the end of the tax year for the honorarium. Please see Appendix A for requirements for managing personally identifiable information.

Deliverables for Sub-task 2.11:

a) List of disbursements of honoraria to judges

b) Confirmation of honoraria receipt from judges

Optional Task 3: Raising the Profile of NCSER

The goal of this task is to raise the profile of NCSER. Despite 20 years of research, NCSER is still a relative unknown entity beyond the community of educational researchers doing work in special education. The Contractor shall support this goal by updating the Landscape Analysis from Task 1 and creating a communications and outreach strategy and plan.

Sub-task 3.1: Kickoff Meeting

The Contractor shall conduct a kickoff meeting with Department staff. Department staff will include the Contracting Officer (CO), the Contract Specialist (CS), the COR, and other project staff identified by the COR. The COR will assume responsibility for inviting relevant Federal staff.

The purpose of the meeting will be to review the objectives of the Contract and to provide the Contractor with an opportunity to ask questions and clarify potential issues related to implementation of the tasks. Within fourteen (14) days after the kickoff call, the Contractor shall submit a Draft Work Plan and timeline that incorporates the decisions from the meeting, feedback from the COR, and any other agreements made during the meeting.

The COR will review the Draft Work Plan and Timeline and provide feedback. Within seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the COR, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide to the COR an updated work plan and project timeline, which establish the project baselines.

Deliverables for Sub-task 3.1:

a) Draft Work Plan and Timeline

b) Baseline Work Plan and Timeline

Sub-task 3.2 Landscape Analysis An ancillary goal of the crowdsourcing campaign will be to raise the profile of NCSER. Despite 20 years of research, NCSER is still a relative unknown entity beyond the community of educational researchers doing work in special education. Within ninety (90) days after the kick-off call, the Contractor shall complete a landscape analysis to raise the profile of NCSER that builds on the Task Order 1 Landscape Analysis and includes information about nonprofits, associations and other organizations that support students with disabilities and their families. Through these relationships, NCSER will have access to trusted intermediaries to introduce stories and perspectives of students and families, and through which NCSER can tell its story. In addition to strategic engagement of these critical stakeholders, NCSER is seeking Contractor support to identify speaking engagements and publication opportunities where NCSER can raise its profile by engaging in speaking opportunities at conferences, on podcasts, and guest editorials in key online publications. The landscape analysis can also include media outlets that can support raising the profile of NCSER. The landscape analysis should be an Excel file that includes the organization name, url of any relevant website for the organization, the name of the contact and email address for that contact, and a notes field describing in what way(s) they are a resource for the crowdsourcing campaign. There should also be a column that can be sorted that identifies what specific disability type(s) (IDEA disability categories) are relevant for the organization. The landscape analysis should be complete in ensuring organizations listed address all IDEA disability categories.

The COR will provide the Contractor with a list that IES/NCSER has generated as a starting point. The COR will review the Draft Landscape Analysis and provide feedback to the contractor. Within seven (7) days after receiving COR feedback on the Draft Landscape Analysis, the Contractor shall incorporate any revisions resulting from the COR review and provide a Final Landscape Analysis to the COR.

Deliverables for Sub-task 3.2:

a) Draft Landscape Analysis

b) Final Landscape Analysis

Sub-task 3.3: Develop communications and outreach strategy

Within thirty (30) days after COR approval of the Landscape Analysis (3.2b), the Contractor shall develop a communications and outreach strategy to raise the profile of NCSER based on information gained from the Landscape Analysis and the Crowdsourcing Campaign. The Contractor shall generate a list of speaking engagements and publication opportunities that NCSER can engage in over the next 12 months. The Contractor shall have a call with NCSER leadership to review the communications outreach and strategy and alignment with the mission/vision of NCSER and its leadership. The Contractor shall use this information to develop an outreach plan for NCSER for the next 12 months. Within twenty-one (21) days after COR approval of the Communications and Outreach Strategy, the Contractor shall develop the Draft Outreach Plan for NCSER.

The COR will review the Draft Outreach Plan and…