Draft Attachment_6 - Sample Task Order B PWS (SAGR2024) (1).pdf

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ANALYTICS SAMPLE TASK ORDER B

Military Service Academy Command Climate Assessment (CCA) Process Evaluation

INTRODUCTION. The objective of this effort is to conduct an evaluation of the Command Climate Assessment process, including the administration of the Defense Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS), any other data gathering activities conducted in support of a Command Climate Assessment (CCA), the reporting of DEOCS and CCA results within the Academy, and the development and execution of an action plan, at the three DoD Military Service Academies (MSAs).

2.0 BACKGROUND. Section 532 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2007 codified an assessment cycle at the three Service Academies that consists of alternating surveys and focus groups. During each academic program year, an assessment is to be administered by the Department of Defense to determine the effectiveness of the policies, training, and procedures of the Service Academies with respect to sexual harassment and sexual violence involving Academy personnel. Surveys are conducted in academy program years that begin in an odd-numbered calendar year, and focus groups are conducted in academy program years that begin in an even-numbered calendar year. Although there are surveys with some comparable measures going back to 2004, the 2006 survey was the first to use the current measure of unwanted sexual conduct. The focus groups started in 2007.

DoDI 1350.2 requires annual command climate assessments, and the DEOCS is the Department’s designated survey tool for CCA. The Academies historically relied upon the Military Service Academy DEOCS (or MEOCS) to conduct annual climate assessments of all students at the Academy. In 2021, the Academies began to use the DoD-wide DEOCS 5.0, which OPA has customized with additional Academy-specific items to meet the unique needs of the MSAs. In recent years the DEOCS has been administered by the Academies during the Fall semester.

Following an increase in the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact and sexual harassment at the MSAs in 2018, the Department made a number of recommendations to improve prevention and response efforts at the Academies. This included a recommendation to bolster CCA as a tool for prevention at the Academies. The Department further built on this recommendation in 2022. The pivotal role of CCA in prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment (as well as other forms of violence and harm) is in line with the updated integrated prevention policy 6400.eh. As such, it is

SAMPLE TASK ORDER B PWS - RFP 47QFPA23R0001 Attachment 5

T critical to understand how the Academies are implementing CCA in order to inform improvements to the CCA process that will make CCA most effective as a tool for prevention at the Academies. Complicating this effort, the CCA process will be undergoing a significant revision that will require close coordination with Department subject matter experts and other agencies supporting the revision. Given that the Academies are training some of the military’s future leaders, it is critical to maintain a healthy climate at the Academies and to ensure tomorrow’s leaders learn by observation how to conduct an effective CCA (something they will be expected to do when they assume command).

3.0 SCOPE.This effort consists of participant observation of the CCA process (including unstructured interviews) at the MSAs, identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and developing concrete strategies and recommendations to improve the implementation of CCA at the Academies as a tool for sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention.

The review will include in-person and virtual engagements with Academy personnel at multiple junctures throughout the CCA process; from initially setting up and registering a DEOCS, to encouraging cadet/midshipmen participation, to receiving and reviewing DEOCS results, to briefing DEOCS results to key stakeholders, and to developing and implementing an action plan. This task order includes the planning for this effort, as well as the visits, observations, interviews, focus groups and participation in the CCA process.

A follow-on task order will synthesize and analyze qualitative data collected throughout this effort, generate targeted recommendations for multiple stakeholder groups, develop a “CCA Guide” for the Academies, and produce an Overview Report describing this effort for Congress. Results will need to reflect the approaches used by the Academies, as well as feedback that will align their efforts with the new CCA process in development.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS. The contractor shall:

4.1 Provide all support activities required under the contract including monthly reports, preparation and updating of a Task Management Plan and required project-specific plans, and kickoff meeting via VTC or teleconference.

4.2 In collaboration with the OPA project manager, develop a research plan, outlining research questions and methodology for this approach, within 2 months of the PoP.

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4.3 Prepare the study protocol for submission to the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), coordinate the effort and obtain all necessary approvals within 3 months of the PoP.

4.4 Serve as the primary POC with the MSAs. Manage scheduling for all engagements.

Identify individual(s) responsible for executing CCA at the Academies, preferably having three dedicated POCs, one for each of the three MSAs.

4.5 Review relevant documentation on CCA at the Academies, including any Academy-specific policies, internal guides or how-to documents, and any other documents that are recommended by Academy personnel. This review will inform engagements with Academy personnel and (in future), any recommendations to improve these materials.

4.5.1 Engage with subject matter experts at OPA, DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, and Office of Force Resiliency Violence Prevention Cell to understand the current and future state Command Climate Assessment process, and how the DEOCS factors into the CCA.

4.6 Conduct virtual observations.

4.6.1 Observations shall include Academy survey planning meetings and survey administration tasks. Review messaging strategies to encourage student participation. Provide note-taking for all observations. The project team must be knowledgeable regarding the DEOCS system and process for CCA to be able to answer questions and provide advice if solicited, including understanding before arriving at each location how each Academy currently employs and applies the CCA process, as well as any changes developed subsequent to Feb 2022 USD P&R https://www.sapr.mil/sites/default/files/public/docs/reports/MSA/DoD_Actions_to_Add ress_Memorandum_to_the_Military_Departments_MSA_APY20-21.pdf direction to update reporting and use of results. Additionally, the project team will develop and use a conversation guide to help steer these conversations in order to gain insight into contemporary and historical DEOCS process at the Academies. Project team shall answer questions via email and phone from the Academy, and document the questions that arose throughout the process.

4.6.2 Provide the Government with weekly summaries of meetings, notes, and remarks from Academy observations. Facilitate weekly meetings covering these summaries with all assigned staff to ensure collaboration across the MSAs.

SAMPLE TASK ORDER B PWS - RFP 47QFPA23R0001 Attachment 5 https://www.sapr.mil/sites/default/files/public/docs/reports/MSA/DoD_Actions_to_Address_Memorandum_to_the_Military_Departments_MSA_APY20-21.pdf https://www.sapr.mil/sites/default/files/public/docs/reports/MSA/DoD_Actions_to_Address_Memorandum_to_the_Military_Departments_MSA_APY20-21.pdf

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4.7 Review the results from each of the Academies, ensure the project team is familiar and can answer questions about the results from Academy personnel.

4.8 Assist the Government in conducting on-site observations. Observations will include meetings to discuss survey results, briefings of survey results to leadership, briefings of survey results to cadets/midshipmen, meetings to develop action plans, and implementation of action plans (to the extent this can be observed). Provide note-taking for all observations. Observations may also occur virtually, to accommodate the Academy’s schedules (we expect not all CCA activities will occur during the site visit).

One on-site visit, 1 work-week in duration, must be conducted per Academy. The project team must be knowledgeable regarding the DEOCS system and process for CCA, as well as the DEOCS results for the Academy, to be able to answer questions and provide advice if solicited. Answer questions via email and phone from the Academy, and document the questions that arose throughout the process.

4.9 Support on-site interviews with Academy leadership. Government personnel will lead these interviews. Support the government in setting up and scheduling the interviews, developing a set of questions, and provide a note-taker during the meetings.

4.10 Conduct virtual focus groups focused on DEOCS and CCA at the Academies, including how the process went and, importantly, what can be improved. Focus groups will be recorded and transcribed for future analysis of themes.

4.10.1 Virtual groups shall include Academy personnel who administer CCAs and/or work in prevention of violence and harm (included SAPR, MEO, and/or integrated prevention);

these groups can include personnel from multiple Academies within the same session and may include students if the MSAs include them in the administration process.

Conduct 3 total groups with CCA staff/personnel.

4.11 Analyses

4.11.1 Content code transcripts from focus groups using at least two raters and conduct qualitative analysis of interview sessions by identifying major themes and ideas conveyed across the sessions. Provide an analytic plan for government review and approval prior to commencing qualitative analysis. For each theme, include supporting comments from the interview participants.

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4.11.2 Analysis will be conducted on notes from daily observations and briefings that can take the shape of summaries or narratives that do not require interrater reliability. Overall, these analyses will result in a synthesis that summarizes contemporary DEOCS use at the Academies in terms of 1. Administration, 2. Outreach, and 3. Results Communication.

This analysis will include recommendations for improvement of each of these stages crafted with collaborative consultation with the Academy DEOCS team. This analysis will include at least three graphic components which represent the DEOCS process at the Academies that will highlight opportunities for improvement in the process. Finally, this analysis will be conducted with assistance of Academy DEOCS personnel so that the academy staff understands they have a stake in the process and outcome of the effort.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

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Title Ref. Delivery Date Post-Award Kickoff Meeting 4.1 No later than (NLT) 5 calendar days after date of award

Task Management Plan 4.1 NLT 2 weeks after date of award

Project-specific Plans 4.1 The later of 2 weeks before first scheduled activity for a project and 2 weeks after date of award

Monthly Progress Reports 4.1 One week before the last Tuesday of the month following the month reported upon.

Documented timelines and deadlines

4.1 NLT one week after kickoff

meeting and weekly thereafter

Research plan 4.2 2 months after award HRPP and coordination package

4.3 3 months after award

Virtual observations 4.8 On or about July 1, 2023 In-Person Visits 4.9 On or around the

September 2023 timeframe Virtual Focus Groups 4.10 On or around the October

2023 timeframe Coding/Analysis 4.11 By end of PoP

6.0 CONTRACTOR TRAVEL

Some travel will be required to each of the DoD Service Academies.

7.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE.

The place of performance will be virtual and at the three DoD Service Academies.

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8.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.

The period of performance shall be twelve (12) months.

9.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP)

As specified in the contract.

10.0 SECURITY CLEARANCE.

No classified work shall be done under this delivery order.