B08_SOL_Attachment_1_-_Modernization_SOW.pdf

Statement of Work BEA Statistical Production Modernization Support

U.S. Department of Commerce

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for for the

BEA Estimation Information Technology System

(BEA-EITS)

1) Background

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is an agency of the Department of Commerce.

BEA is one of the world's leading statistical agencies and produces economic statistics that enable the government, economists, statisticians, and the public to understand the performance of the Nation's economy. BEA collects source data, conducts research and analysis, develops, and implements methodologies, and disseminates statistics to the public.

BEA produces some of the most closely watched economic statistics that influence decisions of government officials, business people, and individuals. Statistics are provided from four (4) program areas within BEA: National Economic Accounts, International Economics, Regional Economics, and Industry Economic Accounts.

BEA maintains a portfolio of estimation processing subsystems that form the technological foundation for the timely, accurate, and comprehensive release of BEA’s economic statistics.

The BEA Estimation IT System (BEA-EITS) is made up of these highly integrated and interdependent subsystems. The BEA-EITS supports the production of 15,000 time series each month and hundreds of thousands of other data produced quarterly and annually.

2) Objective

BEA’s modernization program continues to enable the Bureau to move resources from back-office functions to developing and disseminating new and updated statistics. The purpose of this agreement is to support BEA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in the ongoing maintenance and enhancement to existing modernized systems and continue the development of new statistical systems.

3) Scope of Work

BEA maintains a portfolio of estimation processing subsystems that form the technological foundation for the timely, accurate, and comprehensive release of BEA’s economic statistics.

This portfolio of highly integrated subsystems comprises the BEA Estimation IT System (BEA-

EITS).

BEA’s Statistical Production Modernization program supports the production of some of the nation’s most important economic indicators. The program supports efficient processing of millions of time series of economic data on a monthly, quarterly, annual, and benchmark (3+ years) schedule. To successfully support these processing demands, BEA has developed a “One BEA” database architecture that support the Bureau’s mission drivers of timeliness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness of its statistical releases. Several core databases have been deployed with this common architecture and several additional are under development. Existing databases using this architecture and operating in a production environment currently calculate key economic statistics for the United States including Gross Domestic Product, Personal Income and Outlays, Gross Domestic Product by Industry, Input-Output Statistics, GDP by State, among numerous other statistical series. These systems and subsystems must operate efficiently, predictably, and reliably; upgrades to these systems must be implemented with adherence to the bureau’s stringent release schedule with minimal downtime.

The Contractor shall provide full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) support for the BEA–EITS, its subsystems, and underlying IT architecture components. The contractor shall have demonstrated expertise and experience to support current applications and developing new applications which adhere to the OneBEA architecture, which include:

A. Creation of database table objects within SQL Server databases that comply with third normal form (3NF) database normalization.

B. Development and storage of business logic within exogenous metadata external to backend database objects and calculation engines.

4) Tasks

The Contractor shall:

A. Lead progressive prototyping development:

i) Underlining the OneBEA architecture is a progressive prototyping developing methodology aka “prototype spiral”. The contractor leads teams of subject matter experts whose output is the “discovery” of elements of required system functionality.

B. Develop Database Schemas and code that incorporate the technical standards of the

OneBEA architecture (described below)

C. Develop new statistical production applications using the OneBEA architecture (described below). This includes guiding the development process through the phases of the BEA SDLC.

D. Maintain and enhance current production applications that were developed in accordance with the OneBEA architecture (described below).

i) SQL-based application system that manages the creation, authorization, registration, execution, and monitoring, of data services. These data services facilitate the querying and processing of statistical data stored within BEA SQL databases and return data to upstream client applications in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) formats.

ii) Utility implemented into centralized statistical systems that enables users to select multiple dimensional data over a desired series of time. The utility provides analysis of data results via drill down methods, which return applicable relational and hierarchical data to expose the composition of retrieved statistical data

iii) Utility implemented to generate and store business logic into SQL database tables for interaction with the data services application system.

E. Test and migrate statistical production systems in the Azure cloud.

F. Provide a high-quality SQL training program for BEA Economists, Statisticians, and IT Specialists through a curriculum inclusive of Classical SQL courses, program style and advanced declarative techniques, tree and graph algorithms, and specialized courses focusing on BEA’s common utilities.

G. Develop secure gateways for R, Python, and other off the shelf software products to support querying and data transfers from existing Microsoft SQL server based statistical systems.

H. Create and provide documentation to BEA for all activities associated with tasks a through g above.

5) Requisite Functional Experience:

BEA has utilized several contractors over the last 15 to 20 years to provide the types of applications development services and support described in this SOW with varying degrees of success. Based on this history, BEA has determined that due to the unique nature of developing and supporting applications that process economic accounts and socio-economic statistics that significant prior specialized experience providing federal statistical system support to BEA is desired.

The Contractor proposal must demonstrate significant prior specialized experience providing technical support to an agency within the federal statistical system.

Specific areas of expertise that are required at BEA to support its modernization program include:

A. Proven experience developing complex econometric calculations (i.e., multi-dimensional aggregation, primary and secondary suppression, chain-type price indexes, etc.)

performed in SQL utilizing multi-dimensional tree and graph processing.

B. Proven experience developing metadata-driven systems in a relational database management system (RDBMS). The calculation engine code must operate over taxonomies, graph relationships, and formulas provided via an exogenous metadata file.

The metadata file must be maintained in a format easily read and modified by non-technical analyst.

C. Proven experience developing high-performance SQL-based systems that process (i.e., perform the calculations described above) very large datasets (i.e., from 100’s of gigabytes to N terabytes in size) in minutes if not seconds.

Applications that support the production of some of the nation’s most critical economic statistics, especially in this time of responding to the impact of the pandemic, must be able to leverage efficiencies and easily respond to changes in available source data, modifications to tree and graph structures, and produce new review and analysis tables without modifications to the underlying source code.

The contractor must possess the experience and expertise to recognize commonalities in statistical methodologies across program area processes and to leverage existing components of the BEA portfolio across multiple applications.

One of the major applications that reside within the BEA Estimation IT System processes base level source data (surveys). The application supports vital statistics on Direct Foreign Investment across multiple surveys and unites processing of multiple surveys under one technical umbrella. The contractor must possess experience and expertise with survey processing.

6) Requisite Technical Capabilities

The contractor shall provide evidence that demonstrates expertise and experience in the following technical components of the OneBEA architecture:

A. Structured Query Language (SQL) B. Microsoft SQL Server (SQL 17, SQL 19, SQL 22) C. Extended Markup Language (XML) D. Java Script Notation Language (JSON) E. Azure DevOps F. Git G. Erwin data modeling software H. SQL Server Management Studio software I. Metadata driven database systems:

i) Business functionality of the system is not programmed into the system’s code but is instead represented by configuration/control data (called metadata). This metadata is combined with the regular data at run-time to achieve desired results.

J. Graph Data Structures:

i) In BEA’s OneBEA architecture, computational efficiency has been achieved by modeling using graph data structures (more specifically, weighted directed acyclic graphs - wDAGs) in a relational database environment. In BEA’s application architecture time series data is modeled as multi-dimensional nodes.

K. User tools/auditing:

i) Incorporating multidimensional drill down capability in the database applications that enables audits from source data to output.

L. Other tools:

i) maintaining within the database the history of database content and configuration management data that maintains an audit of code/schema changes.

M. System monitoring:

i) Incorporating and maintaining command and control capabilities within a database application.

N. Migrating high performance database systems to the Azure cloud.

7) Contractor Personnel

The Contractor will be responsible for managing and overseeing the activities of all Contractor personnel, as well as subcontractor efforts used in performing this effort. The Contractor's management responsibilities must include all activities necessary to ensure timely and effective support, performed in accordance with the requirements contained in the statement of work and tasks. Resumes submitted for employees assigned to perform under this statement of work must contain documented and demonstrated experience directly applicable and of sufficient variety and sufficient duration demonstrating that the employee is able to effectively and efficiently perform the functions assigned.

A. Project Manager

The Contractor must provide a Project Manager to oversee the Contractor’s overall effort and to facilitate Government-Contractor communications. The Project Manager will be the Contractor’s primary technical and managerial interface with the Contracting Officer (CO) and the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) located at Bureau of Economic Analysis, 4600 Silver Hill Rd, Suitland, MD. The name of this person, and an alternate or alternates, who shall act for the Project Manager when he/she is absent, must be provided in writing to the CO. The Project Manager or alternate will have full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operations.

The Project Manager or alternate must be available during normal duty hours, as specified herein, and to meet with Government personnel within 24 hours to discuss problems.

The Contractor's Project Manager will meet with the CO/COR as necessary to maintain satisfactory performance and to resolve other issues pertaining to Government/Contractor procedures. The Project Manager or alternate must be available during normal duty hours to meet with Government personnel within 24 hours of a request by the CO or COR. At these meetings, a mutual effort will be made to resolve any identified problems. Written minutes of these meetings shall be prepared by the Contractor, signed by the Contractor's designated representative, and furnished to the Government within two (2) workdays of the meeting.

8) Deliverables/Deliverable schedule

All deliverables will be submitted to the COR in writing, unless otherwise agreed upon. The Contractor will submit draft deliverables to the Government for review and comment. Unless otherwise specified, the Government will have a maximum of ten (10) working days from the day the draft deliverable is received to review the document, provide comments back to the contractor, approve or disapprove the deliverable(s). The Contractor will have a maximum of ten (10) working days from the day the Government provides its comments to revise the draft deliverable, incorporate all changes and submit the final version to the Government.

A. Project Plan

The Contractor shall prepare a Project Plan in Microsoft Word format, to the COR in writing.

The project plan shall describe the technical approach, organizational resources, and management controls to be employed to meet the cost, performance, and schedule requirements for each project under this contract. The Project Plan shall detail the key activities and milestones, distance learning technology, allocation of staff and other resources necessary for successful completion of this effort. The Contractor will not proceed on any activity until the Project Plan applicable has been approved by the COR in writing. The Contractor shall request to the COR in writing prior approval on any change to the project plan after COR approval has been given.

B. Monthly Status Report

i) Reporting Requirements

Earned Value Management: The Contractor and all subcontractors shall use program management methods and earned value reporting that meet best business practice guidelines provided in the Electronic Industries Alliance standard, “ANSI/EIA-748, Earned Value Management Systems.” The ANSI/EIA-748, Earned Value Management Systems standard is available from Global Engineering Documents and may be purchased either online at http://global.ihs.com/ or by phone at 1-800-854-7179.

The Contractor shall document efforts performed in completing each task in a detailed Monthly Status Report due on or before the 10th of each month. The Status Report shall include, at a minimum:

• Progress for the period: Summary, by task, of work accomplished during the reporting period and percent complete followed by a detailed progress report of significant findings, activities, and accomplishments during the reporting period.

• Activities planned for the next reporting period: Planned activities, as well as the status of any/all deliverables, including actual and planned delivery date(s)

• Problems encountered: Identification of any problems, issues or delays and recommendations as to their resolution, and any corrective action taken to correct identified problems.

• Strategy revisions: Recommended changes to include any lessons learned.

• Contract Details: Contract number and reporting period

• Summary of Work: Summary of work accomplished during the reporting period and percentage complete. Additionally, a detailed progress report of findings shall be included, providing activities and accomplishments during the reporting period.

• Summary of Planned Work: Summary of planned activities for the next reporting period, as well as the status of work products, including planned delivery dates (actual or estimated).

• Strategy revisions: Provide change recommendations, to include any lessons learned.

http://global.ihs.com/

• Expenditure Plan and Status: Provides COR-approved expenditure plan and actuals, indicates current funding level, and highlights the expected date at which 75% of funds will be expended. Any deviations greater than 5% must be explained. The expenditure plan, once approved by the COR, cannot be changed without justification and COR approval.

• Invoice Status: Provides a summary listing of invoices. The listing shall include invoice #, date, period of performance, amount, and payment status.

C. Deliverable Table

Milestone/Deliverable

Responsibility Date

Contract Kick Off Government/Contractor Within 14 days of Contract Award

Final Quality Assurance Plan Contractor Within 30 days of Kick Off

Project Plan for each Project Contractor Mutual agreement of the parties

Monthly Status Report Contractor

By the 10th day of the month.

Final Report for each Project Contractor Project Completion

Final Report for Contract Contractor Contract Completion

9) Inspection and Acceptance Criteria

Final inspection and acceptance of all work performed, reports and other deliverables will be performed at the place of performance by the COR.

A. General Acceptance Criteria

General quality measures, as set forth below, will be applied to each Contract deliverable.

• Accuracy: Deliverables must be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

• Clarity: Deliverables must be clear and concise. All diagrams shall be easy to understand and relevant to the supporting narrative.

• Consistency to Requirements: Deliverables must satisfy the requirements of this statement of work.

• File Editing: All text and diagrammatic files shall be editable by the Government.

• Format: Deliverables must be submitted in hard copy (where applicable) and in an appropriate Microsoft Office application, except where mutually agreed to prior to submission. Hard copy formats shall follow any specified Directives or Manuals.

• Timeliness: Deliverables must be submitted on or before the due date specified in section 8 or in accordance with a later scheduled date determined by the Government or an earlier mutually-agreed-to date.

B. Performance Measures

Contractor performance will be considered fully successful as follows:

• 100% of assigned tasks completed on or before assigned due dates. This will be measured through close monitoring by the BEA COR and the monthly status reports.

If slippage occurs, it will be documented and brought to the attention of the Contractor.

• 100% compliance with functionality. This will be measured through review and test by the BEA COR (and others deemed appropriate) of all deliverables to ensure that they function properly based on the specifications of the contract

• Unless explicitly directed otherwise by the BEA COR, the Contractor shall endeavor to follow all BEA standard operating procedures, documented best practices, and utilize BEA-approved software tools for all deliverables.

• Documentation is comprehensive, clear and without errors. The documentation will be assessed through a review by the BEA COR. Applicable documentation will be compared against the application/system to ascertain if it fully describes all aspects of the application/system, is easy to comprehend, accurately reflects the application/system, and follows industry best practices. Any identified deficiencies will be documented and brought to the attention of the Contractor for resolution.

C. Quality Assurance

The BEA COR will review, for completeness, accuracy, and quality, preliminary or draft documentation that the Contractor submits, and may return it to the Contractor for correction.

The absence of any comments by the BEA COR will not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility for complying with the requirements of this work statement. Final approval and acceptance of deliverables required herein shall be by letter of approval and acceptance by the BEA COR. The Contractor shall not construe any letter of acknowledgment of receipt of material as a waiver of review, or as an acknowledgment that the material is in conformance with this work statement. Any information, advice or approval provided during preparation of the deliverables, or approval for shipment shall not guarantee final acceptance of the completed item.

10) Administration Consideration

A. BEA Points of Contact

BEA Program: To be added at contract award

11) Invoicing

The Contractor shall bill no more than once per month. Invoices must include, at a minimum, the following information:

• Name of personnel

• Time Period Covered

• Invoice Number

• Productive Direct Labor Hours for the current contract period

• Cumulative Direct Labor Hours to date for the current contract period

• Total current contract period amount for labor category

• Total cumulative amount for each labor category for the current contract period

• Labor Categories

• Hourly Rate

• Any Travel or Other Direct Costs (ODCs) incurred (including supporting documentation/receipts for all charges) for the current contract period and cumulative to date

• Total obligations to date for the current contract period

• Total amount invoiced for the current contract period

• Total remaining obligations for the current contract period

12) Travel

All travel shall receive government approval by the COR prior to funds being expended.

Arrangements for and costs of all travel, transportation, meals, lodging, and incidentals are the responsibility of the Contractor. Travel costs shall be incurred and billed in accordance with FAR Part 31. Costs for these expenses will be reviewed and certified by the COR and approved by the Contracting Officer. All travel and transportation shall utilize commercial sources and carriers provided the method used for the appropriate geographical area results in reasonable charges to the Government. The Government will not pay for business class or first-class travel.

All travel shall be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.

All travel for contractor personnel shall be invoiced with receipts for airfare, hotel, rental car, and any other expenditure that exceeds $75.00. The Government will not reimburse the Contractor for local travel expenses to, from, or parking at, the BEA facility.

13) Section 508 Compliance

All Electronic and Information Technology (EIT), as defined at FAR 2.101, supplied under this contract, must conform to the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards (36 CFR Part 1194). The applicable standards are available at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm.

The following standards have been determined to be applicable to this contract:

__X__1194.21 Software applications and operating systems __X__1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm

_____1194.23 Telecommunications products _____1194.24 Video and multimedia products _____1194.25 Self contained, closed products _____1194.26 Desktop and portable computers

The Contractor should review the following websites for additional 508 information:

http://www.section508.gov http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources

14) Physical Security

The Contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all Government property provided for Contractor use. At the end of normal duty hours or after normal duty hours, all Government facilities, equipment, and materials must be secured.

15) Government Furnished Items

The following are limitations established for providing on-site working space to the contractors:

• The Government will provide PCs, desks, and telephones for each contract employee.

The Government will also provide access to printers, FAX machine and photocopiers.

• The Government will provide the software development tools required to support this Statement of Work.

• The Government will provide the Contractor all necessary information to include documentation, data, and materials necessary to support this Statement of Work.

http://www.section508.gov/ http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources