DANTES CLEP PWS (8-21-2026).pdf

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DEFENSE ACTIVITY FOR NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATION SUPPORT

COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1.0 INTRODUCTION The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support

(DANTES) requires a service that provides College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) testing for military personnel and eligible civilian groups, including Reserve Components, to support officer accession programs and to meet entrance requirements for postsecondary education.

2.0 BACKGROUND As mandated by Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 1322.25

(6.c.5a), DANTES actively supports the Department of War (DoW) Voluntary Education

Programs (VolEd) by offering the CLEP, a nationally recognized credit-by-examination initiative. It is imperative to the Warfighter that DANTES has access to these exams to further their educational goals, which is a critical requirement supporting the DoW Project Patriot

Pipeline in developing a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. These CLEP exams, evaluated for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE), enable military personnel and eligible civilians to effectively capture the investment made in their military training. By converting their existing knowledge from experience, training, and education into college credits, they are advanced towards associate or bachelor’s degrees that align with mission-critical fields and robust post-service career pathways within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). This not only saves service members valuable time, accelerating their transition into high-demand roles that support the nation's arsenal of freedom but also significantly reduces Tuition Assistance (TA) program costs. As the cost of these exams is substantially lower than equivalent college courses, DANTES estimates that each dollar invested in CLEP testing offsets more than three dollars of

TA. The College Entrance Examination Board has been a long-standing partner, providing CLEP testing services to DANTES’ customers since 1974.

The CLEP program offers 34 distinct exams, with each exam potentially awarding between three and twelve semester hours, effectively equating to one, two, or even three traditional classroom courses. This substantial credit potential provides a direct and significant benefit to the

Government, while students benefit from accelerated completion of their educational goals and save time. For instance, students who successfully pass two examinations, such as College

Composition, Natural Sciences, College Mathematics, or Social Sciences and History (each equivalent to six semester hours), can achieve a credit load comparable to that of a full-time, in-class student. Over 2,900 colleges and universities nationwide accept CLEP tests, basing their acceptance policies on ACE credit recommendations. To ensure their continued relevance, CLEP exams are developed based on comprehensive curriculum surveys, which gather data on current college curricula and trends in specific subject areas, typically conducted approximately every five years depending on the discipline.

3.0 SCOPE The Contractor shall provide the personnel, management and materials necessary to perform all support services and to provide CLEP exams. The contractor shall provide established technical and functional support across the functional areas below:

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3.1 The contractor shall support the DANTES Academic Information Management System

(DAIMS) for the CLEP testing program for the duration of this contract.

3.2 The contractor shall provide DANTES-funded CLEP test administrations to eligible personnel. In coordination with DANTES, the contractor shall support and coordinate

National/International Test Centers (NTCs) to expand access for DANTES-funded CLEP testing.

3.3 The contractor shall ensure test results for DANTES-funded administrations are included in one central transcript system for all DANTES-funded CLEP administrations. This central system, performed under a separate contract with DANTES, is known as the Consolidated

Military Transcript.

3.4 The contractor shall maintain the ACE credit recommendations for the current CLEP titles.

All 34 CLEP test titles shall be available for DANTES-funded candidates for the duration of the contract unless mutually agreed upon to discontinue. The contractor shall notify DANTES and the Contracting Officer at least three months in advance of the effective date for discontinuing or adding tests.

3.5 The Contractor shall work with DANTES to design, develop, and validate a comprehensive suite of standardized credentialing examinations and assessment instruments. These examinations must specifically support the DoW Project Patriot Pipeline (P3) initiative by effectively capturing Warfighter experience, training, and education, and directly aligning those competencies with high-demand, mission-critical occupational pathways within the DIB.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS The Contractor shall:

4.1 Conduct and be responsible for all Score Reporting Requirements.

4.2 DANTES Academic Management Information System (DAIMS) Inputs.

4.2.1 Provide accurate and timely transmission of DANTES-funded score data in accordance with the agreed upon file layouts for CLEP computer-based testing options, and for the computer-based SAT programs (See Attachments 1 and 4). The file shall contain all necessary transactions (Adds, Demographic Modify, Score Modify, and Delete) required to maintain the accuracy of data previously imported. Transmission of data will occur on a weekly basis with score data being provided to the DANTES-developed DAIMS, or successor system or method no later than 4:00 pm ET on Thursdays.

4.2.2 Provide official scores for the military services, to include Reserve components. Service members will be instructed to identify their records by using a specific Designated Institution

Code. The contractor shall ensure these score data records are transmitted to DAIMS, or successor system.

4.2.3 Provide a weekly electronic file of CLEP National Test Center (NTC) data to DAIMS (see

Attachment 2) to include Test Fee Only and Fully Funded National and International Test

Centers. This file will identify, by ID number, the institutions’ names and geographic locations.

The file shall not include a record for any NTC which is not open and available to DANTES-funded test takers. Transmission of data will occur on a weekly basis with score data being provided to the DANTES-developed DAIMS, or successor, system no later than 4:00 PM ET on

Thursdays.

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4.2.4 DANTES shall provide to the testing agency the import of weekly data and the transaction errors identified within DAIMS along with the following error feedback:

A. The data input file name

B. The data file upload date

C. The line number(s) of the failed record(s)

D. The error message (plain text) generated by the import process

E. The Error Return Tracking Number (ERTN) to be appended to the corrected record when it is re-submitted by the testing agency for import

4.2.5 Correct any failed records and resubmit the corrections within 14 calendar days after receiving the error feedback from DANTES. It is recognized that some data issues may require significant investigation with Service Members, DANTES, and subcontractors that may extend beyond the required 14 calendar day resolution window. In case of delay, the contractor shall notify the COR prior to the expiration of the 14-day window.

4.2.6 Attest to the validity of all score data submitted.

4.3 DANTES-Funded CLEP testing at NTC (Colleges and Universities) for military and eligible civilian personnel.

4.3.1 Test Fee Only (TFO) NTC Testing.

4.3.2 Coordinate implementation of DANTES-funded testing at “Open” national test centers. By definition an “Open” test center is one that will test examinees interested in taking CLEP examinations. These test centers operate under a “Letter of Agreement” between the contractor and the college or university. The contractor will identify those participating institutions on the contractor’s website in their directory of CLEP Test Centers and in other appropriate publications. The contractor shall work with their established network of NTCs to expand the number of test sites participating in the fully funded program.

4.3.3 By use of the DANTES-Funded registration functionality, the contractor shall authorize

Open NTCs to test military, eligible Reserve Component spouses and civilians, Air Force civilian examinees, and SpouseWorks military eligible spouses without charging the examinee the CLEP examination fee for the initial (first time) administration of a CLEP exam test title.

Examinees will be responsible for self-paying the institutionally-determined administration fee.

DANTES-funded eligibility shall be determined based on the presentation of an official Geneva

Conventions Identification Common Access Card (CAC) for military examinees. The CAC has

“Geneva Conventions Identification Card” across the bottom, “United States Government” in the upper left-hand corner, and, to the right of the photo, “Uniformed Services” with the branch of

Service (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy). For eligible family members of

Guard and Reserve, the DD Form 1173-1, Department of Defense Guard and Reserve Family

Member Identification and Privilege Card must be presented. For eligible Air Force DOD civilians, the DoD and uniformed services civilian employees card should be presented. For

SpouseWorks military eligible spouses, the DD Form 1173-1, Department of Defense Dependent

Identification and Privilege Card should be presented. Contract civilians will not be authorized.

The contractor will invoice DANTES for the examination fee on a monthly basis for these authorized DANTES-funded CLEP administrations.

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4.3.4 The government will not fund any “Test Fee Only” for Air Force DoW civilian test administered at Test Fee Only test centers.

4.3.5 The contractor shall not provide testing to MyCAA military eligible spouses unless

DANTES has notified the contractor that current fiscal year funding is available to support CLEP exams for SpouseWorks military eligible spouses.

4.3.6 Implement procedures at Test Fee Only NTCs to block examinees from retesting as

DANTES-funded candidates on previously funded exams of the same CLEP test title. The contractor shall not invoice DANTES the examination fee for exams administered as retests to examinees. In the event examinees desire to retest, the contractor will require examinees personally fund the administration of the same exam test title, after waiting the required 90-day waiting period. This waiting period may be adjusted to reflect the contractor’s policies; however, the contractor shall notify DANTES and the Contracting Officer at least three months prior to the effective date of any change to the waiting period. Testing on an alternate form of the same title does not change this personally funded retest requirement. To retest at Test Fee Only NTCs, examinees shall pay the examination fee required by the testing contractor and the administration fee required by the institution administering the exam.

4.3.7 The contractor shall ensure a “pop-up” address screen is provided for the “College

Composition” examination. The screen will allow military and other DANTES-funded client groups scores to be sent to the designated address within 3-4 weeks of test administration.

4.4 Fully Funded NTC Testing.

4.4.1 Coordinate implementation of this DANTES-funded testing option for CLEP administration at Fully Funded NTCs for eligible military, Reserve Component spouses/civilians, Air Force civilian examinees, and SpouseWorks military eligible spouses. Fully funded NTCs agree to administer CLEP exams to eligible DANTES-funded test takers.

4.4.2 Participating NTCs located on military installations are defined as On-Base Fully Funded

NTCs. These NTCs must operate under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the academic institution and the local military installation for providing DANTES-funded CLEP testing for the initial (first time) administration of a CLEP test title to eligible examinees. NTCs located at disestablished Navy College Offices or at a military base without a DANTES test site will function under the approval of the base Military Commander. Such NTCs will not require the MOU, although the base Commander may require a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the academic institution and the testing agency.

4.4.3 Participating off-base NTCs (located outside of military installations) are eligible to participate in the fully funded option, and will be defined as Off-Base Fully Funded NTCs.

These NTCs do not require an MOU with a local military installation. The contractor will ensure that the CLEP software can distinguish between test administered at Test Fee Only and at Fully

Funded NTCs.

4.4.4 Ensure all Fully Funded NTCs (on-base and off-base) do not charge to test military, or eligible spouse/civilian examinees the CLEP test fee or the institutional administration fee for the initial (first time) administration of a CLEP test title. The contractor shall notify the DANTES

COR of all new NTC establishments under the Fully Funded program, on-base and off-base.

4.4.5 DANTES-funded eligibility of test takers shall be determined based on the presentation of an official Geneva Conventions Identification Common Access Card (CAC) for military

5 Ver: AUG 2026 examinees. The CAC has “Geneva Conventions Identification Card” across the bottom, “United

States Government” in the upper left-hand corner, and, to the right of the photo, “Uniformed

Services” with the branch of Service (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy).

For eligible Reserve Component family members, the DD Form 1173-1, Department of Defense

Guard and Reserve Family Member Identification and Privilege Card must be presented. For eligible Air Force DoD civilians, the DoD and uniformed services civilian employees card should be presented. For SpouseWorks military eligible spouses, the DD Form 1173-1, Department of Defense Dependent Identification Care should be presented. Contract civilians will not be authorized.

4.4.6 The contractor shall not provide testing to Air Force DoW civilians unless DANTES has notified the contractor that current fiscal year funding is available to support CLEP exams for

Air Force DoW civilians.

4.4.7 Implement procedures at all fully funded NTCs to block examinees from retesting as

DANTES-funded candidates on previously funded exams of the same CLEP test title. The contractor shall not invoice DANTES for exams administered as retests. In the event examinees desire to retest, the contractor will ensure examinees personally fund the administration of the same exam test title, after waiting the required 90-day waiting period. This waiting period may be adjusted to reflect the contractor’s policies; however, the contractor shall notify DANTES and the Contracting Officer at least three months prior to the effective date of any change to the waiting period. Testing on an alternate form of the same title does not change this personally funded retest requirement.

4.4.8 Maintain a system for identifying and paying Fully Funded NTCs’ administration fees for

DANTES-funded CLEP administrations on a monthly basis.

4.4.9 Explore and propose technological solutions to expand access to testing and providing options for service members otherwise not supported.

4.5 Support Services.

4.5.1 The contractor shall provide CLEP outreach support through social media content sharing.

4.5.2 Identify and propose methods to capture the impact of test preparation behavior on CLEP success.

4.5.3 Evaluate the effectiveness and performance of the fully funded National Test Center

(NTC) network through the delivery and review of a survey of participating academic institutions. The NTC survey shall be conducted prior to the completion of Contract Year 3.

Vendor may repurpose existing survey vehicle used to assess NTC network.

4.5.4 Coordinate with all participating state departments of higher learning, academic institutions, and state systems to promote the acceptance of CLEP test titles for DANTES-funded candidates.

4.6 Support Materials.

4.6.1 Provide the COR with electronic copies of the “Official Guide for CLEP Examinations” and individual “CLEP Sample Tests” titles, all in Portable Document Form (PDF) format. The content will be provided only to authorized Education Office personnel for possible local reproduction of the CLEP sample tests, and for inclusion on installation level Intranet education sites. The Government shall have the right to use, reproduce, and distribute for its purposes or to

6 Ver: AUG 2026 conduct missions related to this contract, any deliverable or material transmitted to the

Government created, modified, or otherwise generated in performance of this contract. The

Contractor shall not include any limitations or restrictions on the Government’s ability to use the material to conduct these testing and support programs.

4.6.2 The official guides shall be provided not later than 1 December, each year, as follows:

4.6.3 For each sample test, the contractor shall lead and embed fonts in the PDF to permit viewing using Acrobat Reader.

4.6.4 The contractor shall separate and add answer keys to the individual test files so that sample questions and keys are together.

4.6.5 The contractor shall review all files in Acrobat Exchanges for readability and general page composition and verify all files before sending them to DANTES.

4.6.6 The contractor shall separately price the rights for the Department of War to use “The

Official for the CLEP Examinations” by individual sample test title for a period of 12 months.

4.6.7 Contractor shall make available online copies of the CLEP brochure “Achieve Your

College Goals with CLEP”, updated to reflect the current CLEP test titles, all posters, and information flyers for on-base education centers to download and/or order for free. Prior review and approval by the COR is required before release of the brochure. In addition, contractor will submit a digital (.PDF) copy of all brochures and posters to DANTES, for upload to the

DANTES website.

4.7 Test Scoring Services the contractor shall:

4.7.1 For CLEP, the contractor shall provide DANTES-funded examinee information, score results, voucher number and NTC information as identified in the CLEP File Layout

(Attachments 1 and 2) for transmissions through DAIMS.

4.8 Records

4.8.1 Support DANTES by providing consolidated transcript data to Prometric, or successor, to include both historical paper-based and computer-based CLEP results. This Consolidated

Military Transcript provides service members access to their official records on a self-funded basis, and is performed under a separate contract with DANTES.

4.8.2 Maintain computer-based files for all DANTES-funded examinations.

4.9 Customer Services

4.9.1 Provide an information services for military personnel and Service education center personnel in response to queries related to past and present testing matters, procedures, and scores. The contractor shall provide telephone, facsimile, email, and correspondence capabilities for program support.

4.9.2 From time to time the contractor may be requested to conduct or participate in training or informational activities regarding the CLEP program (e.g., webinars, conferences, and presentations.). Such participation shall be at the mutual concurrence of the contractor and the

COR.

4.9.3 Provide detailed responses to all Contractor Incident Reports (CIRs) within 10 business days of submittal. Responses shall include processes put in place to resolve current issues and

7 Ver: AUG 2026 avoid future issues. If a resolution requires technology changes that cannot be resolved within 10 business days, the Contractor shall return the CIR within 10 business days and include the results of its investigation(s) along with a schedule for its technological resolution to be implemented and completed expeditiously.

4.9.4 Provide data related to military personnel and Service education personnel inquiries received. The data collected shall be analyzed and reported each month, identifying trends by inquiry type and branch of Service.

4.10 Report Requirements

4.10.1 In an effort to reduce workload associated with preparing, consolidating, and analyzing the monthly reports, all reports shall be prepared in spreadsheet format using tabs for each month, plus quarterly and annual tabs. Each tab shall be formatted similarly (same order, same fields, etc.), so that the month-to-month data fields presented for each report does not vary between tabs. Samples of each required report are included in Attachment 4.

4.10.2 CLEP Transcript Report - Quarterly. The contractor shall provide a report based on transcripts processed by the consolidated transcript system via Prometric. The quarterly, cumulative, transcript report shall reflect the number of CLEP transcripts requested by the government and the number of transcripts requested by the candidate. The report will list transcripts issued to Test Control Officers (TCOs), to include the DANTES ID number and transcripts sent directly to service members, to include the Service members’ names. Other fields include payment, date request received and date transcript delivered, as identified in Attachment

4.

4.10.3 Status and Data Reports – Required reports include, but are not limited to, monthly reports (Coast Guard data report (to include examinee’s name, test number, date of exam, status

(active duty, reserve, guard), branch, pay grade, test center ID, location and cost), Fully Funded and Test Fee Only NTCs, ITC Report, quarterly reports (Pass Rate by Exam (Civilian, Military), Pass Rate by Service, and Retest Data by Branch), annual (VEMIS report, eGuides report, Pass

Rates for website, and Pass Rate by Test Title report). Tabs should be included on reports to reflect monthly, quarterly and annual consolidated data. Required fields are identified in

Attachment 4.

4.10.4 The contractor shall provide status and data reports, upon request, during significant and short-fused reporting requirements initiated by DANTES management and higher headquarters.

The contractor shall provide all status and data reports upon request when DAIMS reporting is not available.

4.11 CLEP Examination Voucher Ordering and Management

4.11.1 The Contractor shall issue CLEP examination vouchers to DANTES at the commencement of each funding Period of Performance (PoP). The total quantity of issued voucher codes shall not exceed the total number of examinations procured by DANTES. The

Contractor shall ensure vouchers remain valid solely during the specified start and end dates of the corresponding PoP.

4.11.2 The Contractor shall ensure vouchers are valid exclusively for CLEP examinations administered at authorized CLEP testing centers. This includes DANTES-funded National Test

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Centers (NTCs) located within the Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the

Continental United States (OCONUS), as well as authorized remote proctoring platforms.

4.11.3 The Government will determine the distribution of CLEP vouchers among the Military

Services based on historical usage data. The Contractor shall ensure the specific voucher code utilized by each Service member is captured and reported as a discrete data field in the corresponding DAIMS score report.

4.11.4 The Contractor shall configure its CLEP registration system to include a designated input field for the voucher code. The Contractor shall ensure this system feature positively identifies and tracks candidates whose examination fees are funded by DANTES.

4.11.5 The Contractor shall automatically render all vouchers remaining unused upon the expiration date of the applicable PoP as null, void, and non-redeemable.

4.12 New Examination Development

4.12.1 The Contractor shall, upon request by DANTES, develop and introduce new examination titles for use by DANTES-funded candidates. Such titles shall be made available no later than a time agreed upon by the contractor, Contracting Officer, and the government.

4.12.2 The Contractor shall collaborate with DANTES to prioritize the development and incorporation of new examination titles, with prioritization aligned with the DoW Project Patriot

Pipeline initiative and the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

4.12.3 DIB Competency Mapping: The Contractor shall conduct a comprehensive needs analysis in coordination with DoW stakeholders and DIB industry partners to identify critical skill gaps (e.g., advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, systems engineering, supply chain logistics). The Contractor shall map these specific DIB industry standards and requirements to corresponding military training and occupational specialty codes.

4.12.4 Examination Development: Based on the competency mapping, the Contractor shall develop rigorous, psychometrically sound, and legally defensible test blueprints, examination forms, and item banks. The assessments must accurately evaluate a service member's acquired experiential learning against the identified DIB industry standards.

4.12.5 Accreditation and Articulation Alignment: The Contractor shall design all examinations to meet the rigorous standards required for external academic and industry validation. This includes structuring the assessments to facilitate successful review by the American Council on

Education (ACE), ensuring the exams can be converted into applicable college credits or direct industry certifications.

4.12.6 Pilot Testing and Validation: The Contractor shall conduct pilot testing of all developed examinations with a representative sample of military personnel. The Contractor shall perform statistical item analysis to ensure validity, reliability, and fairness, removing any bias and calibrating the exams to accurately reflect readiness for DIB integration.

4.13 Participate in a Post-Award Conference

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4.13.1 This meeting shall provide an introduction between the Contractor personnel and

Government personnel who will be involved with the contract. The meeting shall provide the opportunity to discuss technical, management and security issues. The Post Award Conference will aid both the Government and Contractor in achieving a clear and mutual understanding of all requirements, and identify and resolve any potential issues. The Contractor shall be prepared to discuss any items requiring clarification and gather information as necessary to support each deliverable.

4.14 Section 508 Requirements

4.14.1 The Contractor shall comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29

U.S.C 794) and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board’s (U.S. Access

Board) information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility standards at 36 CFR

1194.1 for requirement deliverables. The applicable standards are available at https://www.access-board.gov/ict/. The following standards have been determined to be applicable to this contract:

Technical Standards

E205 – Electronic Content

E207 – Software

E208 – Support Documentation and Services

5.0 DELIVERABLES The Contractor shall provide the deliverables in a format mutually agreed upon by the Government and the Contractor. All deliverables will be reviewed for timeliness, accuracy and format. If a deliverable due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the Contractor shall submit the deliverable on the last workday prior to the due date.

In fulfillment of this effort, the Contractor shall provide the following deliverables to the

COR.

Deliverable PWS

Ref.

Delivery Date

Error Return Transaction Number

(Score data rework)

4.2.4, 4.2.5

Within 14 calendar days after error message generation in

DAIMS

NTC Survey 4.5.3 Contract Year 3

CLEP Study Guides, annual updates 4.6.2 Not later than 1 December

Test Center File 4.10 NLT 4pm ET each Thursday

Monthly Reports 4.10 15th day of each month

Quarterly Reports 4.10 January 10th, April 10th, July

10th, October 10th

Annual Reports 4.10 October 10th https://www.access-board.gov/ict/

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5.1 The contractor shall report contractor labor hours (including subcontractor labor hours) required for performance of services provided under this contract via the System for Award

Management (SAM) (https://sam.gov) in accordance with DFARS 252.204-7023.

5.2 The contractor shall submit an annual report in the contractor’s format to demonstrate the progress towards small business subcontracting stated in the Small Business Participation

Commitment Document (SBPCD) submitted with the contractor’s proposal. The report is due no later than 30 days after the end of each period of performance, and shall be submitted to the CO and COR. Additionally, the contractor shall submit the report via email to the DHRA Office of

Small Business Programs at dodhra-small-business@mail.mil.

5.3 The goals for small business subcontracting at DHRA are 30% of total contract value. The contractor shall submit a copy of its plan to meet the subcontracting goals for this contract, within 30 days after award. The goals shall be submitted to the COR, CO and via email to the

DHRA Office of Small Business Programs at dodhra-small-business@mail.mil. The contractor shall submit an annual report in the contractor’s format to demonstrate its small business subcontracting towards its goals. The report is due no later than 30 days after the end of each period of performance, and shall be submitted to the CO and COR. Additionally, the contractor shall submit the report via email to the DHRA Office of Small Business Programs at dodhra-small-business@mail.mil.

6.0 CONTRACTOR TRAVEL

Travel is not anticipated for this requirement.

7.0 RECORDS MANAGEMENT

7.1 Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36

CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion.

7.2 In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation.

7.3 In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for

Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law.

Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data.

https://sam.gov/ mailto:dodhra-small-business@mail.mil mailto:dodhra-small-business@mail.mil

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7.4 Defense Human Resources Activity and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of Defense Human Resources Activity or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to the COR and the Defense Human Resources

Activity Component Records Management Officer at dodhra.mc-alex.dhra-hq.mbx.records@mail.mil so DHRA may report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR

1230.

7.5 The Contractor shall immediately notify the COR upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment.

Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know in accordance with all applicable privacy, security, and information protection policies. The

Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government’s behalf, without the express written permission of the COR.

When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to DHRA control or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed.

Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the COR. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (7.4).

7.6 The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts.

The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and Defense

Human Resources Activity guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information.

7.7 The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with Defense Human Resources Activity policy.

7.8 The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public Defense

Human Resources Activity information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

7.9 The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

mailto:dodhra.mc-alex.dhra-hq.mbx.records@mail.mil mailto:dodhra.mc-alex.dhra-hq.mbx.records@mail.mil

12 Ver: AUG 2026

7.10 The Defense Human Resources Activity owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. The contractor shall not include any contractor markings on deliverables created under the contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S.

Government for which Defense Human Resources Activity shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest.

The contractor shall not use or disclose any data or deliverables under this contract for any purposes other than performing the contract, unless expressly approved by the Government.

8.0 SECURITY

8.1 Personnel Security. Overarching security requirements are unclassified. Contractor and subcontractor personnel require unclassified access to commercial Information Technology (IT) systems which will contain CUI/PII within the contractor’s own corporate network.

8.1.1 The Contractor and Subcontractor personnel on this contract will be designated performing in noncritical-sensitive positions with unclassified access. Personnel assigned to this contract are required to obtain and maintain a Tier 1background investigation (BI) and adjudication or suitability determination. This designation aligns with investigative requirements outlined by Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) and is in accordance with the DoD Personnel Security Program, as defined in DoDI 5200.02, DoDM 5200.02. Specifically, Title 32, Code of Federal Regulations Part 156 applies to unclassified contracts, and Part 117 applies to contracts covered by the National Industrial Security Program (NISP).

8.1.2 No employee may perform under this contract or have access to DoD information or systems under this contract until they have completed a Tier 1or higher Tier background investigation (BI) that meets the requirement or be in the process of a Personnel Security

Investigation (PSI) with a minimum of interim eligibility approval.

8.2 Staffing. Contractor personnel requiring access to DHRA-sponsored resources (e.g., DHRA-sponsored credentials, DoD networks, DoD IT systems, DoD Information Systems (IS), CUI/PII data, or federally controlled facilities) must be citizens of the United States. This citizenship requirement also applies to personnel assigned to or working on the contract at any remote site.

8.3 Onboarding. All Contractor personnel working on behalf of DHRA contracts, regardless of their access level, must be processed using the DHRA onboarding system (EAFi or DoD

Service Center). They must also provide a completed Defense Logistics Agency Headquarters

(DLAH) Form 1728, Request for HQC Contractor Badge and/or Information Technology (IT)

Access, using a secure method (e.g., encrypted email or DoD SAFE). The DHRA Security and

DLA Personnel Security (PERSEC) offices will then validate that the contractor meets DoD background investigation requirements.

8.4 Listing of employees & Clearance Documentation. The Contractor shall maintain a current listing of employees. Within 10 calendar days of contract award, the Contractor shall provide the COR with a list of all personnel assigned to the contract or task order. The personnel list must include the following information: contract number, contract expiration date, employee

13 Ver: AUG 2026 information (full legal names), DHRA center/office, location of performance, clearance level needed (e.g., Top Secret, Secret, Confidential or None [for unclassified access]), and IT access needed (e.g., privilege, authorize or other). The Contractor shall provide the COR and DHRA

Security with an updated list whenever personnel status or information changes.

8.5 Access to Sensitive Information. To the extent that the work under this contract requires the Contractor to have access to DoD sensitive information, the Contractor shall, upon receipt, treat such information as sensitive and safeguard it from unauthorized use and disclosure. The

Contractor shall not appropriate such information for its own use or disclose such information to third parties unless specifically authorized by the Government in writing.

8.5.1 The Contractor shall only allow access to sensitive information to those employees who need it to perform services under this contract and who have acknowledged that it shall be used solely for that purpose. The Contractor shall prevent its employees from discussing, divulging, or disclosing any sensitive information to any person or entity except those within the Contractor’s organization directly performing the contract.

8.6 Operations Security (OPSEC) Requirements. The Contractor is not required to develop an OPSEC Plan. However, the Contractor shall comply with DoD Directive 5205.02E and the requiring activity's OPSEC program. Contractor employees must complete Level I OPSEC

Awareness training. New employees must be trained within 30 calendar days of their reporting for duty and annually thereafter. The Contractor shall maintain all OPSEC training records and shall provide copies to the COR upon request.

8.6.1.1 Contractor personnel in positions with significant involvement in life-critical or mission-critical systems pose a relatively high risk of causing grave damage to National Security.

8.6.1.2 All personnel identified in one or more of these roles above must complete a Tier 5 (T5) or Tier 5 Reinvestigation (T5R), an equivalent or higher BI to meet the Special-

Sensitive/Critical-Sensitive role. In accordance with the Department of Defense Cloud

Computing Security Requirements Guide, all Contractor personnel requiring privileged user access to DoD impacted infrastructure on this contract must either have a T5 or T5R, or have a

T3 or T3R and documentation defining "work is carried out under technical review of a person with a T5 or T5R."The Contactor will maintain at least one senior person with technical review responsibilities for all personnel with privileged access to DoD impacted infrastructure.

8.6.2 Other Access – Low Risk: This access level applies to all other non-sensitive determined low risk and involved in computer activities. It also applies to positions designated by the

Agency head that involve a degree of access to a system that creates minimal to low damage, less than that in Authorized positions. These designations require at least a favorable Tier 1 (T1), or higher Background Investigation (BI).

8.7 Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Tier Investigations. All personnel supporting this contract must protect PII data according to the Privacy Act of 1974. Personnel requiring access to Information Technology (IT) or access to DoD Information Systems that contain military active duty, guard, or reservists’ PII or information pertaining to Service members that

14 Ver: AUG 2026 are otherwise protected from disclosure, where such access has the potential to cause serious damage to national security, must be vetted accordingly and protect the data. Background

Investigations (BI) levels required for each job function or necessary access include, but are not limited to, the following:

8.7.1 Tier 5/Tier 5R for Special-Sensitive/Critical-Sensitive – High Risk: All personnel with administrative capabilities in a system storing PII, personnel security investigations, or adjudication determinations require a Tier 5 (T5) BI.

8.7.2 Tier 3/Tier 3R for Noncritical-Sensitive – Moderate Risk: All personnel with the ability to aggregate or extract military PII en masses from an automated records repository require, at a minimum, a favorably adjudicated Tier 3 (T3) BI or equivalent.

8.7.3 Tier 1 for Non-Sensitive – Low Risk: All Personnel whose access to military PII is limited to data entry or singular search capability require, at a minimum, a favorably adjudicated

Tier 1 (T1) BI.

8.7.4 The Contractor shall report any privacy breach immediately to the DHRA Privacy Office and secondly to the COR.

8.8 Controlled Unclassified Information Requirements for DoD Contractors. The following procedures will be used to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) documents and materials:

8.8.1 HANDLING: Access to CUI material shall be limited to those employees needing the material to perform their duties. The CUI marking is assigned to documents and material created by a DoD User Agency. CUI is not a classification, but requires extra precautions to ensure it is properly safeguarded and disseminated and is not released to the public without government authorization.

8.8.2 MARKING: The Contractor shall mark unclassified documents containing CUI as follows: “CUI" at the top and bottom of each page, include the CUI warning box, and the CUI

Designation Indicator Block as required in DoDI 5200.48

8.8.2.1 Mark other records such as computer print outs, photographs, films, tapes, or slides in accordance with DoDI 5200.48 so the receiver or viewer knows that it contains CUI material.

8.8.2.2 Mark a message containing material in accordance with DoDI 5200.48. Unclassified messages containing CUI material must show the abbreviation (CUI) before the text begins.

8.8.2.3 Ensure documents transmitting CUI material call attention to any attachments containing

CUI.

8.8.2.4 CUI material released to a contractor by a DoD user agency must have the following statement on the front page or cover:

15 Ver: AUG 2026

THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CUI MATERIAL AND MUST BE REVIEWED BY A

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS OF DODI

5200.48, DODI 5230.09, and DODI 5230.29.

8.8.3 STORAGE: The Contractor shall, place CUI material in an out-of-sight location during normal work hours, if the work area is accessible to persons who do not have an authorized government purpose for access to the material. After normal duty hours, the Contractor shall store CUI material to prevent unauthorized access by filing it with other unclassified records in unlocked files or desks when internal building security is provided and the file is marked as CUI.

When there is no internal security, locked buildings or rooms usually provide adequate after hours protection. For additional protection, store CUI material in locked containers such as file cabinets, desks, or bookcases.

8.8.4 TRANSMISSION: CUI documents and materials may be transmitted via first class mail, parcel post or, for bulky shipments, fourth class mail. Within the CONUS discussion of CUI material on the telephone is authorized if necessary for the performance of the contract and no alternative is available. Electronic transmission of CUI (voice, data, or facsimile) should be by using approved and secure communications systems whenever practical. If there is a fax transmission, the sender must ensure the intended receiver is available to receive it or a cover sheet will be used to allow carrying it to the final recipient to avoid unauthorized disclosure of the CUI.

8.8.5 RELEASE: CUI material shall not be released outside of the contractor’s facility except to the representative of DoD or DHRA.

8.8.6 DESTRUCTION: When the CUI material no longer meets the threshold for safeguarding and dissemination, the Contractor shall immediately decontrol it, process it through the records management process, and destroyed by the approved methods identified in DoDI 5200.48 to preclude its disclosure to unauthorized individuals by rendering it unreadable, indecipherable, and irrecoverable.

8.9 Position of Trust (POT) Requirements. The Contractor shall provide the COR with a list of personnel requiring unclassified access no later than 5 business days after contract award and within 3 business days of any change.

8.9.1 Reciprocity Consideration. In accordance with DoD standards outlined in Executive

Order E.O 13488, existing Personnel Security Investigations (PSIs) for contractor personnel will be validated or assessed for reciprocity. Contractor personnel shall provide additional information if requested by the DHRA and DLA Security office for DCSA re-adjudication or eligibility assessments. PSI equivalency will be determined according to the investigative alignments provided by DCSA. Reciprocity considerations include verifying any break in federal service (e.g., U.S. Military, U.S. Civilian or U.S. Contractor) exceeding 24 months since the last favorable investigation.

8.9.2 Government Responsibilities. The Government is responsible for funding Contractor personnel PSIs or sponsoring a DoD-determined equivalent background check when eligibility is

16 Ver: AUG 2026 required for Position of Trust without access to classified information. The Contractor shall ensure the COR and Government Security Office are informed of Contractor personnel requiring sponsored PSIs.

8.9.3 Tier Application Requirements. DCSA offers three-tier Personnel Security Investigations

(PSI): Tier 5 (High Tier), Tier 3 (Moderate Tier) and Tier 1 (Low Tier). Contractor personnel requiring a Tier PSI shall provide an FBI fingerprint check, proof of U.S. Citizenship, and a

Personnel Security Questionnaire (PSQ). The Standard Form (SF) SF86 must be used for High or Moderate Tiers, and SF85 for Low Tier, using the National Background Investigation

Services (NBIS) electronic Application (eApp). Contractor personnel shall provide all requested information pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 when requested by the Government. The

Government Security Office will provide instructions, specific to the individual case and designated Tier, on how to access the NBIS system. For information, visit NBIS website at https://www.dcsa.mil/is/nbis/

8.9.4 Interim Determinations. DLA Security will assess each Tier PSI application package, including FBI fingerprint check results, Proof of U.S. Citizenship, and PSQ for interim eligibility. The Contractor shall not assign personnel to duties supporting the Government contract before interim approval is granted. To maintain interim Position of Trust eligibility, personnel must:

8.9.4.1 Comply with all personnel security requirements specified by DHRA and DLA Security;

8.9.4.2 Obtain and maintain favorable FBI fingerprint results.

8.9.4.3 Comply with all investigative and adjudicative requirements, including responsiveness to time-sensitive requests (e.g., interviews, additional information, or clarification) from DHRA or

DLA Security, a DCSA investigator, or the adjudicative agency.

8.9.4.4 Obtain and maintain favorable eligibility for the Tier background investigation.

8.9.5 Continuous Vetting (CV) for Positions of Trust. In accordance with the DoD Continuous

Evaluation (CE) Program and Trusted Workforce 2.0, all personnel must comply with Continues

Evaluation (CE) enrollment and re-enrollment requirements upon request to maintain their eligibility.

8.10 Controlled/Restricted Areas. The Contractor shall comply with local procedures for entry to all DoD/DHRA controlled or restricted areas where Contractor personnel will be working.

8.11 Physical Security. The Contractor shall safeguard all Government property and controlled forms provided for Contractor use and shall adhere to the Government property requirements outlined in this contract. At the conclusion of each workday, all Government facilities, equipment, and materials must be secured.

17 Ver: AUG 2026

8.12 Pass and Identification Items. The Contractor shall ensure that all necessary passes and identification items required for contract performance are obtained for employees and non-government owned vehicles.

8.13 DoD Credentials/Common…