DRAFT PWS - Performance Work Statement.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Title: Judiciary Printing/Mail Subject Matter Expert (SME)

1. BACKGROUND

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) is responsible for ensuring that all printing, publishing, mail management, and distribution activities comply with Title 44, Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) rules, Government Publishing Office (GPO) regulations, and judiciary policies governing mail and postage. The Printing and Distribution Branch (transitioning to PPS) provides printing, publishing, mail, and distribution services to the courts and AO components. The Printing Officer’s role is inherently governmental; therefore, the AO requires a subject-matter expert (SME) to provide advisory and analytical support without performing or certifying Printing Officer duties.

2. SCOPE

This is a non-personal services contract to provide expert-level printing officer support for the AO. The contractor shall furnish all labor and expertise necessary to evaluate, coordinate, document, and recommend improvements in printing operations in compliance with applicable federal, state, and agency regulations. The Government will provide working space, network access and necessary computer equipment and software. The Government will not exercise supervision or control over contractor personnel. The contractor shall provide professional printing management services, including but not limited to:

1. Advising on planning, scheduling, and coordinating all printing projects.

1. Evaluating operational compliance with branding, formatting, and quality standards.

1. Review and advise vendor relationships and procurement for printing supplies.

1. Advising on cost-effective printing solutions and emerging technologies.

3. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The contractor shall comply with:

1. Title 44 United States Codes

1. United States Postal Service rules and compliance

1. Rules of the Joint Committee on Printing

1. Government Printing Office (GPO) guidelines

4. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall provide:

4.1 Regulatory and Policy Advisory Support

Provide expert guidance on laws, rules, and regulations of Congress, the Joint Committee on Printing, and GPO regulations governing printing, publishing, postage, and expenditure of government funds.

Advise on judiciary policies governing mail management and USPS compliance.

Support AO staff in understanding mission, objectives, and policy requirements of the publishing and printing functions.

Review and advise on guidelines needed by courts to publish, print, duplicate, or distribute materials in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.

4.2 Workflow and Process Development

Recommend improved processes for routing, approving, documenting, and tracking printing and publishing actions across the AO.

Advise on long-range printing needs, modernization opportunities, and process improvements.

Provide technical recommendations related to printing specifications, including size, ink, binding, paper, and production methods.

4.3 Mail and Postage Advisory Support

Provide technical advice on printing and postage meters, USPS policies, and AO Guide requirements.

Support AO staff in preparing for transitions such as USPS eDOCs or other modernization initiatives.

Advise on coordination with AO mailroom contract staff to ensure adherence to USPS postage policies.

4.4 Special Projects Advisory Support

Provide subject-matter expertise for redesign or modernization of AO or court training materials, publications, or printed products.

Assist in developing printing and graphic specifications as well as consulting to furnish technical advice on matters of printing and graphic art design.

Support AO staff in preparing documentation or requirements for G-18 permit processes or USPS electronic documentation transitions.

Draft and recommend internal guidance documents (e.g. SOPs, checklists, routing procedures, publishing guidelines, etc.).

4.5 Training and Communication

Develop and deliver training materials or briefings for AO staff and courts on printing compliance, publishing standards, and mail management requirements.

Assist in drafting communication materials that explain AO’s printing and publishing mission, objectives, and compliance expectations.

Participate in meetings to plan methods, formats, and schedules for production by which forms, directives, training, and promotional materials and other publications are produced.

4.6 Coordination Support

Assist AO staff in preparing materials or responses for communication with GPO, USPS, or other federal entities, strictly in an advisory capacity.

Planning, coordinating and recommending the use of visual information through consultation and analysis to make recommendations for design, development, procurement, production, and reproduction of visual information products.

Coordinate with instructional systems specialist, instructional systems designer and course coordinators on all activities related to the full range of visual information products.

4.8 Quality Assurance

· Conduct pre-production proof reviews and Printing Requisition requests for content before submitting to the Printing and Distribution facility and perform post-production inspections.

· Provide a quality assurance and control plan along with projected surveillance measures to ensure all performance standards are met at the stated acceptable quality level.

4.9 Cost Control

· Track and report monthly printing expenditures with recommendations for savings.

4.10 Inherently Governmental Limitations – the contractor is prohibited from performing the following actions which are considered inherently governmental and therefore are not part of the scope. The contractor shall collaborate with the COR and Co if any tasks assigned are questionable or can be reasonably seen as performing tasks that involve discretionary authority, policy decisions, or the expenditure of public funds.

Making official determinations under Title 44.

Approving, denying, or certifying printing, publishing, or mail management actions.

Serving as the AO’s official Printing Officer or GPO liaison.

Interpreting federal law on behalf of the agency in an authoritative capacity.

Executing decisions that obligate federal funds or commit the AO to a course of action.

5. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

6. DELIVERABLES

Base Period and All Option Periods

7. SECURITY

All Contractor staff shall adhere to the requirements found in the AO Manual, Volume 4 (Human Resources), Chapter 5 found at: Chapter 5: Employment Suitability | AOWeb. Contractor staff shall have a favorably adjudicated background investigation that closed within the preceding two years and either meets or exceeds a Public Trust level prior to contract award.