DRAFT HCATS Dept of Education - PWS - May 9 2023 Final.pdf

HCaTS Performance Work Statement For

Department of Education Grants Management Policy Division (GMPD)

Grants Management Certificate Training Program

Task Order Request

May 22, 2023

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. AGENCY BACKGROUND

2. PROJECT BACKGROUND

3. OBJECTIVE

4. SCOPE

5. SPECIFIC TASKS

Task 1.a COURSE CUSTOMIZATION, MODIFICATION, AND/OR UPDATES

Task 1.b. COURSE DELIVERY

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

8. KEY PERSONNEL

9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

10. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

11. OTHER DIRECT COSTS

12. GENERAL

13. EVALUATION FACTORS

13.1. FACTOR 1 – KEY PERSONNEL AND STAFFING

13.2. FACTOR 2 – TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH

13.3. FACTOR 3 – RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

ATTACHMENT 1: QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

ATTACHMENT 2: SAMPLE COURSE EVALUATION ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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1. AGENCY BACKGROUND

The U.S. Department of Education’s (the Department) mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

Congress established the Department of Education on May 4, 1980, in the Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979). Under this law, the Department’s mission is to:

• Strengthen the Federal commitment to assuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual.

• Supplement and complement the efforts of states, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education.

• Encourage the increased involvement of the public, parents, and students in Federal education programs.

• Promote improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through Federally supported research, evaluation, and sharing of information.

• Improve the coordination of Federal education programs.

• Improve the management of Federal education activities; and

• Increase the accountability of Federal education programs to the President, the

Congress, and the public.

2. PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Department’s, Grants Management Policy Division (GMPD) is seeking a contractor to deliver a Grants Management Training Certificate Program for the Department’s Grants Management personnel. The Department does not own Grants Management courses for this Program. To align with the Department’s mission, processes, and grants’ cycle, the awarded contractor will be responsible for: (a) providing commercially available courses and (b) customizing those courses to meet the unique Department needs. To customize the courses, the awarded contractor must collaborate with the Department and analyze, design, and develop the content to match the unique needs of the Department. The contractor shall deliver, assess, and evaluate the customized courses delivered to the Department’s Grants Management employees throughout the project.

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) describes the objectives of the Grants Management Training Certificate Program and services to be provided by the contractor in support of this program. The contract will consist of a base and four option periods. For each period of performance, the contractor shall provide the series of courses and certificate of completion for a cohort between 15 and 35 participants (one cohort per year). Historically, under a previous contract, the Department provided 8 courses - 120 hours of training to each

Department of Education Page 4 of 20 cohort. Since the Department does not own any courses, the awarded contractor must perform the following duties listed below and further outlined in the PWS:

• Analyze how the Grants Management Training Certificate Program (Program) supports the successful achievement of the mission and objectives of the Department.

• Assess the current state of knowledge, skills, and expertise of participants based on the pre-test and post-tests administered by the contractor.

• Develop and propose program curriculum including the course content, objective measures of success, targets, sequencing, and timing.

• Customize the curriculum, instructor materials and student materials for the program to meet unique Department requirements.

• Deliver the customized courses for each cohort/program (one cohort/program per year) including student materials.

• Issue a certificate of completion to participants who successfully complete the program.

• Conduct a Kirkpatrick Level 3 assessment to determine the degree to which the participants demonstrate knowledge transfer.

• Provide a process for tracking and presenting quarterly assessment results to the Program leadership.

• Identify a process to improve the capability of learners throughout the annual grants’ cycle.

• Following each course presentation, the contractor will meet with the Department subject matter experts to review feedback from their course delivery and transfer of learning as input for revising and enhancing the course material for each subsequent offerings of the program.

3. OBJECTIVE

The Program will consist of a series of 8 customized commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) instructor-led, classroom-training courses (120 hours (plus or minus 5 hours) of training).

The purpose of this program is to develop broad-based expertise in the Department’s grant management that covers all key components of the grants administration process as applied to the Department’s competitive (discretionary) and formula grant programs, including planning, application/ plan review, pre-award, performance period, and post-award activities.

The courses shall be scheduled by the contractor and delivered throughout the 12-month period of performance (approximately every 4 to 8 weeks). The customized course content will include government common rules affecting the Department’s grant management process and the unique rules, processes, procedures, practices, tools, and technology. As such, the content, examples, exercises, tools, and templates shall be customized based on the Department’s grant programs.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of each Program, participants will be able to identify the sources of grants administration policy and procedures and be able to apply them to the award and administration of the grants they manage. They will be able to demonstrate the following:

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• Identifying and understanding sources of underlying authority, including authorizing and appropriations legislation, program and administrative regulations and major ED grant policy documents.

• Identifying the basic features of grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and sub-awards, and the differences between discretionary (i.e., competitive) and formula grant programs.

• Drafting and publishing application packages and notices.

• Preparing information collection clearance documents required under the Paperwork

Reduction Act.

• Identifying and applying legal and regulatory requirements for grants, particularly those codified in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 Code of Federal Regulations.

• Developing eligibility requirements, reviewing criteria, and absolute, competitive, or invitational priorities for discretionary grant competitions.

• Planning and managing the process for reviewing grant application and State plans.

• Evaluating grant applications, to include such items as applicant eligibility, and responsiveness to the selection criteria and budgets.

• Applying the appropriate cost principles in reviewing applications and administering grant budgets to identify such items as allowable/unallowable activities, cost sharing/matching requirements, cash management practices, and correct indirect cost allocation.

• Planning and managing the evaluation of grantee and program performance the basis of performance measures and targets evaluations, grantee reporting and data analysis, with an emphasis on determining whether grantees have made substantial progress and/or present risk factors.

• Analyzing applicants’ and grantee’s financial management capability using basic accounting principles, audit data, historic information, and financial reports and other data.

• Planning and implementing oversight and monitoring of grants for such concerns as risk, compliance, progress, best practices, and results through strategies such as post award or annual directors’ conferences, routine communications, and site visits.

• Completing the grant closeout process.

• Identifying and describing to grantees the basics of grant audit procedures and common audit findings and participating in audit resolution.

• Identifying common ethics considerations and conflict-of-interest guidelines relevant to grants administration and apply ethics rules to their own work and to peer reviewers, grantees, subcontractors, grantee partners and evaluators.

4. SCOPE

The contractor shall provide commercially available courses and the services required to customize, modify, and/or update the commercially available courses to be consistent and in line with the Department’s mission, learning objectives, regulations, and policies. The COTS training must be designed to incorporate the Education Department General Administrative

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Regulations (EDGAR). EDGAR provides context of the Department’s specific grants management regulations and procedures. The contractor will use the following references when customizing the COTS product:

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/circulars

The contractor will supplement EDGAR specific references with the following: ED Grant policy documents, 2 CFR Part 200, pre-award risk assessment process, grant monitoring (i.e., highlighting exceptional projects, providing T/A, and enforcement actions), desk monitoring when site visits are not possible. The specific references, policies, and procedures are grant functions that are indigenous to the Department’s grants and processes that would not exist in a COTS course.

The contractor shall also deliver, assess, and evaluate the customized courses in support of the Department’s GMPD’s Grants Management Training Certificate Program for the Department’s Grants Management personnel.

5. SPECIFIC TASKS

Task 1.a COURSE CUSTOMIZATION, MODIFICATION, AND/OR UPDATES

PROGRAM CURRICULUM

The contractor shall analyze and decide upon commercially available courses that are most suitable for customization and alignment to Education’s mission. Using the Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate (ADDIE) model framework, the contractor and ED SMEs will work collaboratively in customizing the curriculum, courses, instructor materials and student materials to align with the requirements of the Department. In addition, the contractor shall customize the pre- and post-tests, and the final exam for the program. The curriculum and materials shall be based on standard courses or programs that the contractor provides commercially that can be customized, modified, and updated, to ensure accuracy in the context of the Department’s specific mission, regulations, and procedures. To tailor the program to the requirements of the Department, the contractor will have the following resources: ED grant regulations (e.g., “EDGAR”) and procedures documentation. The contractor will provide and execute according to a milestone chart of the key deliverables during the analysis, design, and development phases of the curriculum development with the Department. The Department will review and provide feedback within three business days according to the milestone chart. The contractor shall address and provide ED responses to all feedback within five business days as well.

COURSE/PROGRAM REVISIONS

The contractor will make appropriate improvements to the program materials and/or delivery of subsequent courses in the program based on feedback from the participants, participants’ supervisors, Department subject matter experts and the Grants Management Policy Division.

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/circulars

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Course Customization, Modification, and/or Updates: Based on the Department’s unique requirements, the contractor, during the first year, will identify the course content to customize, modify, and/or update averaging 15 to 20 percent of COTS existing instructor led course and materials. Course updates during each of the option periods will average 5 percent of COTS existing instructor led course and materials. Based on the Department’s requirements, the contractor shall analyze, customize, modify, and/or update commercially available curriculum that they will provide and deliver for instructor led training. Education must approve the customized courses before they are presented to students.

A designated U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Project Manager (PM) will lead each course customization. The ED PM will work closely with the contractor’s design and development team and ED subject matter experts (SMEs). ED shall have final approval on all deliverables as stated on the milestone chart.

The contractor’s design and development team shall adhere to all federal regulations, adult learning principles to ensure the course content and design supports the agreed upon learning objectives outcomes and shall be in alignment with the Department’s mission and goals.

Project deliverables shall include:

• Redesign of commercially available courses

• Draft course content

• Delivery protocol for the courses

• Instructional materials (e.g., instructor manual, student manual, exercises, scenarios, etc.)

• Training aids (e.g., classroom presentation, etc.)

• Course curriculum, tentative project schedule, including milestone chart for course analysis, design, development, customization, modification, and updates with milestones represented on the schedule within 30 days of contract award.

• Bi-weekly status reports - The report shall include at a minimum: identified resources for the project, timeline, work accomplished to date, projected end date, risks, mitigation strategies, projected cost, accumulated cost, and funding balance.

The contractor shall provide the following in their proposal:

1. List of 8 courses (120 hours (plus or minus 5 hours) of training)

2. Course length not to exceed 3 days per course

3. Tentative course sequencing during the year. Course sequencing shall not change from year to year.

4. Tentative course schedule that spreads throughout a period of performance.

5. A crosswalk to the Learning Objectives and Education’s mission

6. Tentative customization that will be needed to their COTS courses to match the

Education’s requirements.

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Task 1.b. COURSE DELIVERY

Contractors shall propose course curriculums that are aligned to the learning objectives and Education’s mission. Contractors will provide a mix of 1,2, and 3 day courses needed to cover the learning objectives that in total account for 120 hours (plus or minus 5 hours) of training.

The contractor staff will serve as the course instructor(s). However, the government will determine if ED provides an SME as guest speakers (no longer than 30 minutes per course)

The program shall be offered as a series of 8 courses sequenced over a number of months during a period of one year (on average every 4 to 8 weeks). One cohort of students will complete all the courses in the series together. The subsequent (contract option) years will offer the same series and same sequence of scheduled courses for a new cohort of students each option period.

Contractors should propose the number of hours and the organization of material for each course.

The program and courses shall be designed to promote applied learning, to present content relevant to the upcoming part of the annual grants cycle to the extent possible and be sequenced to give students the opportunity to apply content in their work systematically. At the end of the training program, the contractor shall create and administer a final exam. Each student must achieve at least 70% on the final exam to receive CEU and a certificate.

• Course Schedule. Contractor will propose a tentative planned course schedule, and sequencing. Schedule will be firmed up after award and based on facility availability.

The contractor will coordinate all scheduling and logistics with the ED’s Training Point of Contact (POC) and the Technical POC (TPOC). Contractor will interface with ED Training POC for any student inquiries. NOTE: Task Order award is anticipated to be on or about the end of January 2018, with the first class delivery desired by the Government to start no later than 30 calendar days after award.

• Course Enrollment. ED will be responsible for managing enrollment and communication with students. ED will provide the contractor with a roster of students no later than the first day of the class. The contractor shall send via email the official student signed attendance sheet to the ED Training POC no later than seven calendar days from the last day of class.

• Course Pricing. Course pricing shall include the following expenses:

Facilities for course delivery:

Virtual: ED’s telework, and remote work policies allow for staff to maximize off-site work options. While these policies are in place, course delivery will be virtual.

NOTE: If ED employees are required to return to an only in-person/on-site work schedule than the contractor will conduct the training locally.

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Local - in Washington, DC: The contractor shall arrange for and conduct training at the ED Headquarters in Washington, DC. However, when a course needs to be rescheduled and space is not available at the government’s site it may be necessary to hold a course virtually. The firm fixed price proposal for annual training should factor into it any costs associated with the possibility that one of the 8 courses will be delivered virtually.

For informational purposes only, historically during the past five years, only one or two courses have had to be re-scheduled and provided at a contractor site because of weather.

• Course Materials, Aids, and Equipment. The contractor shall provide all required materials for virtual instruction and learning (such as textbooks, course materials, handouts, instructor tools, etc.), aids (such as flip charts, informational brochures, handouts, briefing packages, charts). The contractor will reproduce course material developed and provide copies to each program participant at no additional price to the Government (i.e., included in the annual firm fixed price).

If courses are held at ED HQ, all materials should arrive at ED at least 7 days prior to delivery. When the course is to be delivered virtually due to weather, space, or other causes the required materials (such as textbooks, course materials, handouts, instructor tools, etc.), aids (such as flip charts, informational brochures, handouts, briefing packages, charts) the contractor shall provide for the instruction and delivery of the course virtually.

• Course Evaluations. The contractor shall create and administer the end-of-course evaluations and a final exam at the end of the program. The contractor will also develop a pre- and post-test for all courses that will serve as the Level 3 evaluation.

The contractor’s instructor shall facilitate the pre- (at the beginning of the class) and post-test (at the end of the class). The contractor shall tabulate the raw score of each student using a template created by the contractor. The government must approve the proposed template. The completed template must be submitted to ED TPOC no later than seven calendar days from the last day of class. At the end of each class, the contractor shall prepare and issue certification to students who completes the course.

The contractor shall conduct Kirkpatrick Level 3 evaluations after each course and at the end of the Program. The contractor will provide a quarterly analysis of the results and recommendations to improve the transfer of knowledge from the course delivery. At the end of each course, the contractor shall create a consolidated report of the evaluation results.

At the end of the course, the contractor shall create, administer, and score a final exam. Each student must achieve at least 70% on the final exam to receive their CEUs, plaque with a mounted certificate for completing the program.

The contractor shall create, prepare, and issue CEUs for each course, and provide for those students that successfully passed the program, a certificate of completion that is

Department of Education Page 10 of 20 mounted on a contractor provided plaque at no additional costs to the Government (i.e., included in the annual firm fixed price).

Deliverables:

1. Quarterly report that includes:

a. List of courses delivered

b. Location

c. Number of attendees

d. Status of completed work

e. An excel spreadsheet listing students that have successfully completed the course(s) and a list with the missed requirements for students that have not successfully completed course(s).

f. List of students needing to re-take the final exam. (Only one re-test allowed. Students not able to pass the re-take exam, then that student can take the course(s) the following or subsequent year).

g. List of students that complete the program

2. Course evaluations:

a. Following each course, the contractor shall provide the evaluation results to the TPOC within five (5) business days after each course delivery.

b. The contractor shall provide the results of the final exam to the TPOC within five (5) business days at the end of each program.

c. The contractor shall provide the Level 3 plan and evaluation as denoted on the Milestone Chart.

3. A paper certificate mounted on a plaque that confirms the completion of the Grants Management Certificate Training Program.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The contractor’s period of performance will be for a 12-month base period and may be extended for four additional periods if award of the option(s) is determined to be advantageous to the Government. Each period of performance will start a new cohort. Each cohort will have the same courses and will all take each course at the same time. The total Contract period of performance shall be for 5 years if the Government awards all option years. The period of performance (PoP) shall be for the following:

Base Period: 1 year after the contract award (which includes the initial 30 day preparation period after Task Order award)

Option Period 1: 1 year following the Base Period Option Period 2: 1 year following the Option Period 1 Option Period 3: 1 year following the Option Period 2 Option Period 4: 1 year following the Option Period 3

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

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All pre and post course work shall be performed primarily online.

Instruction – Instructor led courses will generally be held virtually. However, if course delivery returns to in-person instruction then courses should be scheduled at ED’s facilities unless a course needs to be rescheduled and ED does not have space to conduct the course, the contractor shall conduct the course in a virtual environment as described under Task 1.b.

8. KEY PERSONNEL

The contractor shall provide qualified personnel to perform all requirements specified in this PWS. Key personnel are defined as individuals below. They are critical to the success of the project and ED’s Grants Management Certificate Program.

Proposals must include a complete Key Personnel Qualification Matrix (KPQM) for each proposed Key Personnel individual. The KPQM for each Key Position shall clearly state why and how (especially involving stated years of experience) the proposed individual meets all “Must Have” and “Preferred” (if applicable) requirements. Although no resume is being required nor requested, the offeror is responsible to include all pertinent Resume information supporting proposed qualifications and experiences in the submitted KPQM.

The ED GMPD considers the following as key personnel:

• Program Manager (PM) for overall contract

• All Instructors - Subject Matter Experts (SME) must be provided to cover the proposed courses.

• Instructional Systems Designer (ISD)

Program Manager (PM)

Roles and Responsibilities The Contractor Program Manager (PM) is a critical part of this project. The contractor shall provide a Program Manager (PM) for all tasks under the contract. The PM who shall be the single point of contact responsible for managing contractor personnel, tasks, workflow, and deliverables described in the PWS. The PM shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract.

The PM shall be the single point of contact for the COR. The PM shall be one of the senior level employees provided by the contractor for this work effort. The name and Key Personnel Qualification Matrix of the PM shall be provided to the Government as part of the contractor's proposal. The PM shall be able to read, write, speak, and understand English.

The PM shall create and articulate a communication infrastructure to help streamline dialogue and decipher the appropriate level of communication. The PM should institute a plan that provides clear guidelines and expectations for communication and shall continue to build and improve on said plan.

Qualifications

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Required qualifications for the Program Manager include:

Must Have Preferred to Have

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited academic institution recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education.

Master’s Degree or higher from an accredited academic institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Experience in managing training contracts such as experience and knowledge in financial analysis that is sufficient for maintaining records, accurate invoicing, and preparing reports and deliverables balance.

Five or more years of experience in managing training contracts such as experience and knowledge in financial analysis, that is sufficient for maintaining records, accurate invoicing, and preparing reports and deliverables balance.

Experience in Learning and Development. Five or more years of experience in Learning and Development.

Experience in project management and change management skills.

Five or more years of experience in project management and change management skills.

Active Project Management Professional (PMP), or Program Management Professional (PMP) certification

The PM should have strong written and verbal communication skills, experience in strong problem-solving and organizational skills, as well as solid customer service and interpersonal skills.

The PM shall be available to the COR, ED’s TPOC, and ED’s PM via telephone between the hours of 8:30 am through 4:30 pm EST, Monday through Friday, and shall respond to all requests for discussion or resolution of technical problems within 48 hours of notification. A Key Personnel Qualification Matrix must be submitted with the proposal.

Instructors

Roles and Responsibilities All instructors are considered Subject Matter Experts (SME) and are identified as Key Personnel.

The contractor shall provide SME Instructors for all courses proposed in the offeror’s proposal. A KPQM shall be submitted for each proposed SME Instructor. It must be clear in the proposal which course(s) each of the proposed instructors are being proposed to teach.

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At least one (1) Subject Matter Expert (SME) Instructor name per course shall be provided to the Government as part of the contractor's proposal.

(One instructor may be the instructor for multiple courses.)

Qualifications Required qualifications for SME Instructors:

Must Have Preferred to Have

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited academic institution recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education.

Master’s Degree or higher from an accredited academic institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Practitioner knowledge and experience in the functional discipline(s) the instructor will be teaching. Expertise and experience shall be commensurate with the course level of difficulty and complexity, as well as the skill and experience level of students attending the training. Practitioner knowledge and expertise are derived from a combination of training, education, and job experience in the functional discipline and is maintained by a regimen of continuous learning for instructor currency.

Specialized experience in instructional delivery of training. All instructors must have a mastery of basic instructor competencies, including knowledge and application of adult learning principles;

electronic learning and other delivery mechanisms; classroom facilitation; control;

safety and management; learning assessment and feedback methodologies; curriculum evaluation; presentation skills integrated with appropriate teaching methods; and methods for facilitation of student learning transfer through lecture/discussion; role-playing; case study; simulations and small group learning.

Five or more years of specialized experience in instructional delivery of training. All instructors must have a mastery of basic instructor competencies, including knowledge and application of adult learning principles; electronic learning and other delivery mechanisms; classroom facilitation;

control; safety and management; learning assessment and feedback methodologies;

curriculum evaluation; presentation skills integrated with appropriate teaching methods; and methods for facilitation of student learning transfer through lecture/discussion; role-playing; case study;

simulations and small group learning

Instructor Currency and Proficiency - Instructors shall maintain currency and proficiency in skills for the subject matter being taught.

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The contractor is responsible to ensure all instructors are prepared and will provide timely and successful course delivery.

Instructional Systems Designer (ISD)

Qualifications:

Required minimal qualifications for the Instructional System Designed (ISD):

Must Have Preferred to Have

A Bachelor’s degree in from an accredited academic institution recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education.

Master’s degree or higher from an accredited academic institution recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education.

Experience in providing instructional system design for adult learning

Five or more years of experience in providing instructional system design for adult learning

Experience in Instructional Systems Design of on-line and instructor-led courses.

Five or more years of experience in Instructional Systems Design of on-line and instructor-led courses.

At least one (1) ISD name and Key Personnel Qualification Matrix shall be provided to the Government as part of the contractor's proposal.

The contractor will identify all personnel and their functions/responsibilities as they relate to this contract. The roles and responsibilities of the program manager, proposed instructors, and ISD(s) shall be defined, including the education, training, skills, experience, identity, background, and work experience.

9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

Facilities/Equipment: The government will provide the space and equipment for the courses located in ED’s facility should in-person courses be scheduled.

10. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The contractor shall provide the curriculum, course, instructor materials, pre and post-tests, final exam, student materials for the program and certificates. The curriculum and materials shall be based on a standard course or program that the contractor provides commercially, but must be customized, modified, updated, and ensure accuracy in the context of Education Department-specific regulations and procedures.

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The contractor shall provide all required materials (such as textbooks, course materials, handouts, instructor tools, certificates, pre and post-test, final exam, etc.), aids (such as flip charts, informational brochures, handouts, briefing packages, charts). When the course is held at an offsite (Not at ED), the contractor shall provide the necessary equipment for course delivery (projectors, screens) in addition to an appropriate space for instruction. The contractor will reproduce course material and provide copies to each program participant at no additional costs to the Government (i.e., already included in the annual firm fixed price). All course material will be delivered to ED 7 days before the start of each class.

11. OTHER DIRECT COSTS

Travel – No long-distance travel will be paid.

12. GENERAL

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) describes the technical requirements necessary to procure services for the Department of Education. The Government shall not exercise direct supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government for the accomplishment of the work. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and services necessary to perform the training support services as defined in this PWS except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards stated in this PWS.

1. Contract Management: The contractor shall be responsible for total management during the performance of this contract; administration of the contract requires maximum coordination between the Government and the contractor. The contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to administer the requirements effectively.

The contractor shall respond to Government request for contractual actions in a timely fashion. The following individuals shall be the Government point of contact during the performance of this contract:

a) Contracting Officer (CO). All contract administration shall be affected by the CO. Communications pertaining to the contract administration shall be addressed directly to the CO. No changes to the performance work statement are authorized without a written modification to the contract executed by the CO. If at any time the contractor believes any person other than the CO has given direction that changes the performance work statement, the contractor shall immediately inform the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and CO by the most expeditious means.

b) Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is the contractor’s primary point of contact. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions ensures the contractor performs the technical

Department of Education Page 16 of 20 requirements of the contract; performs inspections necessary in connection with contract performance; maintains written and oral communications with the contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract; monitors contractor's performance; and notifies both the CO and contractor of any deficiencies. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order.

2. Technical Approach/Management Plan: The Contractor shall develop a Technical Approach as part of the proposal package. Upon award, the contractor shall work with ED to incorporate the Technical Approach into a management plan that outlines and/or reiterates the deliverables that are necessary to meet the Government’s specific requirements as defined in the PWS and proposal documents. It should include a project timeline of deliverables and expected completion dates. The Management Plan shall be delivered 30 days after award.

o NOTE: The Management Plan is a supplemental document that will serve as the “roadmap” or “blueprint” for the conduct of all other project tasks. The Management Plan will not authorize or provide approval for any task; only the Task Order shall authorize performance. In the event there is conflict between the Management Plan and the Task Order, only the Task Order shall take precedence.

• Quality Assurance: The Government will evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s). See the attachment for the QASP.

Curriculum content will be reviewed by ED subject matter experts for accuracy of content. Curriculum content will be updated by contractor to meet ED specifications.

ED course evaluation forms will be distributed by the contractor and delivered to ED personnel upon the completion of a course offering. Contractor must obtain an average course satisfaction rating of ‘3 out of 4’; if course evaluation averages fall below ‘3’, the contractor will make the necessary improvements to achieve satisfactory ratings for future course offerings.

Interim Project Reviews - The contractor shall provide Interim Project Reviews (IPR) on a quarterly basis to ED and the COR. Interim Project Reviews will be used to manage and report on project schedule, budget, risks, and invoices. This will coincide with Task 2 quarterly reports. A template will be provided following the project kick-off meeting.

13. EVALUATION FACTORS

13.1. FACTOR 1 – KEY PERSONNEL AND STAFFING

The Government will evaluate Key Personnel based on the demonstrated experience and qualifications in performing work similar in, scope and complexity to their proposed duties

Department of Education Page 17 of 20 and responsibilities in the PWS; and qualifications and experiences presented in the KPQM as compared to the qualifications described under Key Personnel qualifications. The proposal shall clearly state which Key Personnel instructors are being assigned to instruct which class(es).

13.2. FACTOR 2 – TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH

The proposed Technical and Management approach should provide a project roadmap that documents the contractor’s assumptions and decisions; how the contractor will facilitate communication among stakeholders; and the proposed project schedule/baselines. The Government will evaluate based upon the extent to which the proposal including the Technical and management approach demonstrates the following:

• The manner and extent to which the contractor’s technical proposal demonstrates a clear understanding of the requirements to include Project plan with a program milestone chart which details the lists of tasks and subtasks and the duration of each.

Knowledge of the subject matter.

Crosswalk from the proposed courses to ED’s Learning Objectives Tentative sequencing of courses Tentative course schedule

• These milestones should include the tentative timeframes for preparation, delivery, review, and approval of all updates to course materials, draft and final reports, as appropriate.

• The completeness, instructional design techniques, feasibility, practicability, and innovativeness of a written technical approach should allow the Government to understand the methods to be used to meet the requirements.

• The quality of the contractor’s demonstration of the contractor’s:

Capabilities to perform the work, Approach to meeting the requirements, Understanding of the project, and Methodology that would ensure the successful, efficient and effective performance of the required services.

13.3. FACTOR 3 – RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

The Government will evaluate the contractor’s relevant experience. The contractor shall describe two (2) past or ongoing projects of significant relevance to the effort requested by this solicitation. The description for each relevant experience shall not exceed two (2) pages/slides. Cited projects shall:

• Be currently underway or completed within the past three (3) years.

• Be of similar scope, size, subject matter, and complexity to the work required by the

PWS.

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• Have involved efforts where significant collaboration as to requirements and design was required.

Any similar experience information provided by the contractor is subject to verification and validation by the Government. The Government reserves the right to contact the government/ commercial points of contact provided by the contractor, and any project officials and/or other persons who have been involved in any of the contracts listed by the contractor to verify information about similar experience and to obtain past performance information.

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ATTACHMENT 1: QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Task(s) Deliverables Acceptable Quality Level

Monitoring Method

Incentive/Price Reduction

Task 1: Course Customization, Modifications, and/or Updates;

Course delivery

Deliverables must be timely and accurate.

Deliverable quality must be consistent with those presented to the ED.

Contractor must be courteous and professional in all interactions.

Contractor must manage task effectively.

Achieve 90% or better satisfactory trainee rating (ratings of 3 or better) and post training evaluation rating.

Post-test ratings will show an overall increase of improvement in scores from the pretest.

95% of students will pass the final exam.

ED will review, approve, and will have the final acceptance.

Receipt of deliverables and services.

Review of products.

Pre and Post test scores.

Final exam rating.

Participant Evaluations

Results of Kirkpatrick Level 3 evaluation

Incentive: If Contractor performs in accordance with performance standard/AQL, favorable comments will be documented on Contractor's Past performance and CPRs.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor's past perform.

Submit required Reports to the

COR

Reports shall be delivered on time and complete*

No more than one report submitted late per contract period.

ED verification, periodic inspection

Incentive: If Contractor performs in accordance with performance standard/AQL, favorable comments will be documented on Contractor's Past performance and CPRs.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor's past perform.

*Means free of typos, spelling and grammatical errors, consistent formatting, etc. to include accuracy in support of technical efforts.

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ATTACHMENT 1: QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)