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Performance Work Statement

Title: Technical Assistance for Program Implementation, Messaging, Evaluation, and Translation Services in Support of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention

Period of performance:

Base Period: September 15, 2027, to September 14, 2028 Option Period One: September 15, 2028, to September 14, 2029 Option Period Two: September 15, 2029, to September 14, 2030

SECTION 1 – BACKGROUND

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the primary federal agency aimed at protecting health and promoting quality of life through the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability.

CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) works with partners, including state and community recipients, to improve health and prevent chronic disease.

The Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) leads our nation's efforts to prevent chronic diseases by promoting good nutrition, regular physical activity, and healthy weight. DNPAO focuses on improving nutrition, supporting breastfeeding, increasing physical activity, reducing obesity, and making all Americans healthier.

DNPAO develops and promotes strategies based on the best available scientific evidence and works to design, adapt, and disseminate state and local practices and programs that work to improve nutrition and physical activity. DNPAO works with states to help provide a better understanding of how to support local communities and improve State policies and programs to ensure more meaningful implementation of CDC strategies and help sustain and expand successful practices into the future.

DNPAO works through seven major funding programs to implement evidence-based strategies at the state, local, Tribal, and community levels. DNPAO encourages recipients to use community-based participatory approaches that build on existing assets such as established coalitions, networked partnerships, and strategic plans to enhance program infrastructure and capacity for their areas. DNPAO collaborates with a variety of partners or strategic relationships from various sectors at all levels that are interconnected in ways that promote achievement of public health goals. DNPAO collaborates with partners such as the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), The Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN), The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), Prevention Research Centers (PRCs), the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA), Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network (NOPREN), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) (list not inclusive). These partners help enhance existing infrastructure and leverage capacity to further achievements in public health. They promote interconnected strategic relationships and strengthen the sustainability of program accomplishments. In turn, recipients develop stronger relationships and program infrastructure and become trusted messengers within their own communities and promote action.

DNPAO Strategic Priorities To reduce the risk of chronic disease, DNPAO undertakes crosscutting public health actions through five priority strategies:

1. Making physical activity safe and accessible for all

2. Making healthy food choices easier everywhere

3. Making breastfeeding easier to start and continue

4. Strengthening obesity prevention standards for early care and education (ECE) settings

5. Increasing the number of and access to family healthy weight programs

Given the breadth and complexity of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity’s (DNPAO) portfolio at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), external support is necessary to maintain high-quality performance across evidence-based strategic public health efforts. Contractor support will strengthen the evidence base and support the adoption, implementation, and expansion of policy, systems, and environmental strategies that promote healthy and active living.

The contract provides critical program translation, implementation science, evaluation, capacity building, and https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/divisions-offices/about-the-division-of-nutrition-physical-activity-and-obesity.html https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/hppa/24/1_suppl https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/hppa/24/1_suppl https://planning.org/publications/document/9252733/ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15248399221150781 https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity/media/pdfs/wai-508.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity/media/pdfs/wai-508.pdf https://healthykidshealthyfuture.org/about-the-technical-assistance-program-tap-2025/ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15248399221117477 https://www.sophe.org/news/sophe-announces-a-special-supplement-of-its-health-promotion-practice-journal/ https://www.cdc.gov/prevention-research-centers/php/special-interest-projects/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/prevention-research-centers/php/about/index.html#:%7E:text=Overview,PRCs%20in%2064%20schools%20nationwide.

https://paamovewithus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PAA-Immunity-05-2021.pdf https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12622977/ https://www.cdc.gov/dnpao-data-trends-maps/publications/index.html https://content.sph.harvard.edu/wwwhsph/sites/84/2012/09/nopren_2-pager__approved.pdf https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.109.192215 https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-places/php/key-topics/parks.html https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/media/pdfs/open-streets-wichita-508.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/media/pdfs/open-streets-wichita-508.pdf https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302033 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15248399221116090 https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/hppa/23/1_suppl https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15248399221120507 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15248399221120507 https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity/php/strategies/increasing-physical-activity-through-community-design-prevention-strategies.html https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/php/public-health-strategy/food-service-and-nutrition-guidelines.html https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/php/strategies/public-health-strategies-for-continuity-of-care-in-breastfeeding.html https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/php/public-health-strategy/voucher-incentives-produce-prescriptions.html#cdc_public_health_strategy_implementation-potential-state-activities https://www.cdc.gov/early-care-education/php/public-health-strategy/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/family-healthy-weight/php/recognized-programs/index.html health education and communication translation services that bridge the gap between research and practice.

Without this support, DNPAO cannot effectively:

• Translate evidence into action for state, local, community, and Tribal recipients across the United States

• Evaluate program impact to demonstrate return on investment and inform congressional appropriations

• Apply implementation science frameworks and strategies to facilitate the systematic uptake, integration, and sustainability of evidence-based practices

• Build capacity among priority populations, particularly the Tribal Nations facing disproportionate chronic disease burden

• Develop messages about successful programs for various audiences

This contract will support DNPAO's administration of seven major Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) programs (state, local, Tribal, and community recipients):

• SPAN (State Physical Activity and Nutrition)

• HOP (High Obesity Program)

• REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health)

• TPWIC (Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country)

• TECPHI (Tribal Epidemiology Center Public Health Infrastructure)

• GHWIC (Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country)

• State Public Health Approaches to Addressing Arthritis (Funded State Arthritis Partners)

The Healthy Tribes Program represents CDC's largest investment focused on chronic disease prevention in Tribal communities, supporting culturally relevant and community-informed strategies for American Indian and Alaska Native populations.

The Healthy Tribes Program priorities include:

1. Reducing commercial tobacco use

2. Preventing type 2 diabetes

3. Preventing and controlling high blood pressure

4. Increasing health promoting behaviors, including physical activity, breastfeeding, and the consumption of healthy foods

This contract is designed to provide the CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) with specialized technical expertise to translate research into practice and strengthen the implementation of evidence-based strategies that prevent chronic diseases across the United States. The contract addresses DNPAO's expanded mission, which now includes the CDC Arthritis Program and the CDC Healthy Tribes Program serving American Indian and Alaska Native populations, by filling critical knowledge gaps in specialized areas including implementation science, program evaluation, health education and promotion, and culturally responsive approaches. The fundamental intent is to ensure that CDC's investments in nutrition, physical activity, obesity prevention, and breastfeeding support result in meaningful, sustained improvements in community health outcomes, particularly among Tribal Nations and other priority populations facing the highest burden of chronic disease.

The contract aims to accelerate the adoption and scaling of proven public health interventions by providing the technical assistance that CDC staff cannot deliver due to lack of specialized subject matter expertise. This includes supporting the implementation and evaluation of adaptations family healthy weight programs and early care and education programs, assessing barriers to physical activity in Native American communities, building evaluation capacity among funded recipients across multiple states and tribal jurisdictions, and developing data-driven health education and promotion products that demonstrate program impact to various audiences. Through services spanning strategy implementation, capacity building, evaluation and data analysis, and public health promotion, the contractor will help DNPAO recipients and funded partners— including state health departments, community organizations, and Tribal health programs—more effectively implement policy, systems, and environmental changes that make healthy living easier in the places where people live, learn, work, and play.

Ultimately, this contract is intended to strengthen the evidence base, improve program quality, and amplify the impact of DNPAO's work by ensuring that programs are rigorously evaluated, lessons learned are https://www.cdc.gov/span/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/hop/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/reach/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-tribes-tpwic/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-tribes-tecphi/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-tribes-ghwic/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/partners/funded-state-partners.html systematically captured and shared, and successful practices are translated into accessible tools and guidance that can be replicated across diverse communities. By providing integrated support across planning, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination functions, the contractor will enable DNPAO to demonstrate the value of its investments, support continuous program improvement among recipients, build trust and collaboration with Tribal partners through culturally appropriate approaches, and ultimately contribute to reducing rates of obesity, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes nationwide—particularly in communities most affected by chronic disease.

The contract will support health for all Americans, especially those most impacted by chronic diseases as well as optimal early life growth and development. This contract supports the implementation of evidence-based nutrition and physical activity strategies from a variety of publications and expert recommendations, including:

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation for Built

Environment Interventions to Increase Physical Activity Obesity in Children and Adolescents: Screening | United States Preventive

Services Taskforce Active People Healthy NationSM Arthritis - Healthy People 2030 | odphp.health.gov

Statutory authority for these strategies is authorized under sections 301(a) and 317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 241(a) and 247 (b)(k)(2), as amended.

The Healthy People 2030 topic area(s):

Arthritis Cancer Diabetes Heart Disease and Stroke Neighborhood and Built Environment Nutrition and Healthy Eating Overweight and Obesity Physical Activity Social and Community Context Transportation

SUBSECTION A – [GLOSSARY]

Acronym Definition AAEBI Arthritis-appropriate, evidence-based interventions AES Advanced Encryption Standard AHA American Heart Association AI/AN American Indian and Alaska Native AMA American Medical Association APR Annual Performance Report ASPHN The Association of State Public Health Nutritionists ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry CBPR Community-Based Participatory Research CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CEO Chief Executive Officer CFIR Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/ https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/physical-activity-built-environment-approaches https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/physical-activity-built-environment-approaches https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/physical-activity-built-environment-approaches https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/obesity-in-children-and-adolescents-screening https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/obesity-in-children-and-adolescents-screening https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/obesity-in-children-and-adolescents-screening https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/arthritis https://health.gov/healthypeople https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/arthritis https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/cancer https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/diabetes https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/heart-disease-and-stroke https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/neighborhood-and-built-environment https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/nutrition-and-healthy-eating https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/overweight-and-obesity https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/physical-activity https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/social-and-community-context https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/transportation

AAEBI Arthritis-appropriate, evidence-based interventions CLIN Contract Line Item Number CMS Content Management System CO Contracting Officer COR Contracting Officer's Representative CPG Clinical Practice Guideline CQI Continuous Quality Improvement CV Curriculum Vitae DNPAO Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity DrPH Doctor of Public Health DUA Data Use Agreement ECE Early Care and Education EIT Electronic and Information Technology EPIS Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (framework) FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation FHWP Family Healthy Weight Program FISMA Federal Information Security Management Act GFI Government Furnished Information GHWIC Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HOP High Obesity Program HTML Hypertext Markup Language IN Interchange Notice IRB Institutional Review Board MS Microsoft NACDD National Association of Chronic Disease Directors NCCDPHP National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity NOPREN Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network NRPA National Recreation and Park Association NTE Not To Exceed OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest ODC Other Direct Costs OMB Office of Management and Budget PAA Physical Activity Alliance PhD Doctor of Philosophy PII Personally Identifiable Information PIP Performance Improvement Plan POC Point of Contact PRA Paperwork Reduction Act PRC Prevention Research Center PRISM Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model PWS Performance Work Statement

AAEBI Arthritis-appropriate, evidence-based interventions QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan RE-AIM Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (framework) REACH Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health RFP Request for Proposal SCORM Sharable Content Object Reference Model SEO Search Engine Optimization SME Subject Matter Expert SOP Standard Operating Procedure SOPHE The Society for Public Health Education SOW Statement of Work SPAN State Physical Activity and Nutrition TA Technical Assistance TECPHI Tribal Epidemiology Center Public Health Infrastructure TEP Total Evaluated Price TPWIC Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country WCAG Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

SECTION 2 – PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this contract is to secure technical, professional, and scientific subject matter expertise to:

1. Translate research into practice for DNPAO programs and recipients

2. Apply implementation science frameworks and strategies to facilitate the systematic uptake, integration, and sustainability of evidence-based practices

3. Evaluate program effectiveness and assess outcomes for priority populations

4. Build capacity among state, local, Tribal, and community recipients

5. Message impact through audience-appropriate materials and dissemination strategies

SECTION 3 – SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 Contractor General Responsibilities

The contractor shall:

1. Provide all labor, materials, equipment, and expertise necessary to perform services described in this

SOW

2. Schedule and attend a virtual kickoff meeting with the COR within 10 days of contract award to discuss requirements, timelines, and protocols

3. Provide technical, professional, and scientific subject matter expertise across all task areas

4. Work closely with the COR and designated CDC project leads to refine task assignments, prioritize activities, and adjust work plans as program needs evolve

5. Participate in strategic planning, coordination, and implementation activities with DNPAO staff, partners, and recipients

6. Provide project management and technical assistance on managing processes, tasks, schedules, roles, and approvals

7. Ensure all deliverables are reviewed and approved by the COR before public distribution or release

8. Utilize qualified subcontractors as necessary to meet the specialized requirements of this contract, particularly for Tribal engagement, implementation science expertise, and health education capabilities

3.2 Minimum Qualifications and Experience Requirements

3.2.1 Tribal/Native American Engagement (Critical)

• Minimum 5 years' experience working with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native communities, or urban Indian organizations https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/mar/10_0012.htm

• Demonstrated cultural competency in Tribal consultation, data sovereignty, and community-based participatory research

• Understanding of federal trust responsibility and Tribal sovereignty principles

3.2.2 Implementation Science

• Advanced degree (PhD, DrPH, or equivalent) in implementation science, public health, behavioral science, or related field

• Minimum 5 years of experience applying implementation science to public health programs, preferably in nutrition, physical activity, or obesity prevention

• Expertise in multiple implementation science frameworks (e.g., RE-AIM, CFIR, PRISM, EPIS) and their practical application

• Strong understanding of evidence-based interventions for nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention

• Experience conducting implementation evaluations using mixed methods

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex scientific concepts for diverse audiences

3.2.3 Program Evaluation

• Minimum 3 years' experience co-creating and implementing evaluation frameworks, processes, and plans with Tribal communities

• Familiarity with CDC Evaluation Framework for Program Evaluation

• Demonstrated experience analyzing qualitative and quantitative data (work samples, conference presentations, publications)

3.2.4 Health Education and Promotion Messaging and Dissemination

• Minimum 5 years' experience with public health education and promotion messaging and data visualization techniques

• Demonstrated experience writing in plain language

• Demonstrated experience and understanding and application of digital messaging, marketing, and/or health education for professional and public audiences.

• Minimum 5 years' experience developing culturally competent, research-informed messaging

• Experience applying professional writing styles (AMA, Chicago, etc.)

3.2.5 Technical Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Illustrator.

Familiarity with collaboration technologies (MS Teams, Zoom, SharePoint)

• Experience with tools supporting virtual participant engagement (Miro, Mural Board, Mentimeter, etc.) preferred

• Understanding of search engine optimization and the use of AI is desired

• Knowledge of adult learning principles for training development

3.3 Key Personnel

The contractor shall designate the following key personnel:

• Program Manager - Overall contract integration and COR interface

• Implementation Science Lead - Minimum 5 years implementation science experience

• Evaluation Lead - Minimum 3 evaluators/consultants

• Messaging Lead - 2-3 messaging experts and/or scientific writers/editors/

• Tribal Engagement Specialist - Minimum 5 years Tribal experience

Key personnel may not be removed or substituted without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

3.3.1 Subcontractor Management Requirements

Subcontractor Utilization Given the breadth and specialized nature of this contract's requirements, the contractor is expected to utilize subcontractors to ensure access to the full range of expertise necessary for successful performance. The contractor shall:

1. Identify and engage qualified subcontractors with demonstrated expertise in:

o Tribal consultation and community-based participatory research with American Indian and

Alaska Native populations o Implementation science frameworks and methodologies o Public health program evaluation https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/rr/rr7306a1.htm?s_cid=rr7306a1_w o Health messaging and scientific writing/editing o Data visualization and analytics o Meeting facilitation and capacity building o Physical activity measurement, referral, and reimbursement in healthcare o Active transportation and physical activity o Pediatric clinical obesity care o Lifestyle intervention programs that address pediatric obesity or arthritis

2. Maintain subcontractor relationships throughout the period of performance to ensure continuity and quality of services

3. Ensure subcontractor compliance with all contract requirements including:

o Security and privacy requirements (Section 3.5) o Quality standards and compliance (Section 3.6) o Organizational conflict of interest provisions (Section 3.7) o Intellectual property and data rights (Section 3.8)

Subcontractor Identification and Approval Within 20 days of contract award, the contractor shall submit a Subcontractor Management Plan that includes:

• List of all proposed subcontractors (prime and first-tier)

• Scope of work for each subcontractor aligned to functional areas

• Qualifications and relevant experience of each subcontractor firm

• Key personnel from subcontractor organizations

• Percentage of contract work to be performed by each subcontractor

• Subcontractor oversight and quality assurance approach

• Inter-subcontractor communication and coordination protocols

The contractor shall obtain written approval from the Contracting Officer before adding, removing, or substituting any subcontractor performing more than 5% of the contract value.

Subcontractor Reporting The contractor shall include subcontractor performance in all monthly status reports and quarterly performance reports, specifically addressing:

• Subcontractor deliverable status and quality

• Any performance issues or concerns

• Subcontractor personnel changes

• Coordination effectiveness between prime and subcontractors

Prime Contractor Responsibility The prime contractor retains full responsibility for all work performed under this contract, including work performed by subcontractors. The contractor shall:

• Ensure seamless integration of subcontractor deliverables

• Maintain quality control over all subcontractor work products

• Serve as single point of contact for CDC

• Resolve any subcontractor performance issues promptly

• Ensure no duplication or gaps in service delivery across subcontractor teams

3.4 Government Responsibilities

3.4.1 Government Furnished Information (GFI)

Within 10 days of contract award, CDC shall provide:

• DNPAO Strategic Plan and program guidance

• Prior contract deliverables and evaluation data

• CDC Evaluation Framework

• Access credentials to recipient data systems

3.4.2 Government Furnished Tools and Software

Within 15-45 days of award, CDC shall provide:

• Microsoft 365 licenses (Teams, SharePoint, Office Suite) for up to 25 contractor personnel

• CDC approved webinar licenses for meetings up to 500 participants

• Access to CDC Design Services for up to 10 high-profile products per year as needed and approved by COR (45-day lead time and approval by COR)

3.4.3 Data Access

Within 45 days of award, CDC shall provide:

• Secure portal access to recipient Annual Performance Reports

• Training session (2 hours) on CDC data systems and tools

3.4.4 Decision-Making and Approvals

CDC shall:

• Assign COR and Technical Monitors within 5 days of award

• Respond to contractor requests for clarification within 5 business days

• Review and approve/reject deliverables within timelines specified in Deliverables Register

• Coordinate recipient introductions and site visit access

3.5 Data Security and Privacy Requirements

3.5.1 Security Standards

• Comply with FISMA Moderate controls for all government data

• Encrypt all data at rest and in transit (AES-256 or equivalent)

• Implement multi-factor authentication for all systems accessing government data

• Maintain access logging and audit trails

3.5.2 Data Use Agreement

Execute Data Use Agreement (DUA) within 10 days of award for access to data containing PII or sensitive information.

3.5.3 Personnel Security

All contractor personnel accessing sensitive data shall:

• Complete HHS Security Awareness Training (annually)

• Be U.S. persons (citizens or permanent residents) if handling PII

• Acknowledge data security requirements in writing

3.5.4 Incident Reporting

Report any suspected data breach, unauthorized access, or loss within 1 hour of discovery to COR and HHS

CISO.

3.5.5 Tribal Data Sovereignty

• Obtain informed consent specifying data ownership, use, and sharing

• Comply with Tribal IRB requirements and data governance policies

• Provide Tribes with opportunity to review and approve publications using their data

• Return or destroy Tribal data upon request or contract completion unless Tribes consent to government retention

3.6 Quality Standards and Compliance

All deliverables shall:

• Meet CDC/ATSDR message guidelines

• Comply with CDC clearance processes

• Meet 508 accessibility standards and compatibility with the CDC website and CDC branding

• Use plain language (8th-10th grade reading level for public materials)

• Include proper citations and references for all data and statistics

• Be delivered in source, editable formats along with final versions

3.7 Organizational Conflicts of Interest

3.7.1 Prohibited Activities

The contractor shall not:

• Evaluate its own work products or technical assistance

• Develop specifications/requirements favoring its commercial interests

• Use non-public information for competitive advantage

• Recommend procurement of its own products/services to CDC or recipients

3.7.2 Organizational Firewalls

Maintain organizational separation between:

• Personnel providing technical assistance/capacity building AND

• Personnel conducting evaluation/assessment

3.7.3 Disclosure Requirements

Disclose quarterly:

• New contracts with HHS agencies or DNPAO recipients

• Commercial products/services launched relevant to contract scope

• Personnel conflicts of interest

• Requests for information that could create competitive advantage

3.8 Intellectual Property and Data Rights (FAR 27.409, FAR 52,227-14, FAR 52.227-17)

3.8.1 Government Ownership

All deliverables, data, work products, tools, frameworks, curricula, templates, and materials created under this contract shall be the sole property of the U.S. Government with unlimited rights (FAR 52.227-14).

3.8.2 Deliverable Formats

Deliver all materials in source, editable formats including:

• Documents: MS Office formats (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

• Graphics: Adobe Creative Suite source files, editable vector formats

• Videos: High-resolution, uncompressed formats with source footage

• Data: Raw datasets, analysis-ready datasets, complete codebooks

• Software/Scripts: All source code with documentation

3.8.3 Pre-Existing Contractor IP

If using pre-existing proprietary methodologies or tools:

• Disclose within 30 days of award

• Government receives unlimited rights in all outputs/results

• Contractor grants perpetual, non-exclusive license for Government to access/modify deliverables

• All data must be exportable to non-proprietary formats

3.8.4 Artificial Intelligence Use

Any uses of artificial intelligence tools or technology to support the completion of these tasks should follow CDC's Guidance for Generative Artificial Intelligence. CDC data cannot be stored in non-CDC tools with AI capabilities. Contractors may not use AI technology to transcribe calls with CDC staff. Contractors may use CDC AI products to conduct CDC sponsored activities if approved by CDC.

3.8.5 Procurements Requiring Information Security and/or Physical Access Security

Baseline Security Requirements

1) Applicability. The requirements herein apply whether the entire contract or order (hereafter

“contract”), or portion thereof, includes either or both of the following:

a. Access (Physical or Logical) to Government Information: A Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee will have or will be given the ability to have, routine physical (entry) or logical (electronic) access to government information.

b. Operate a Federal System Containing Information: A Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) will operate a federal system and information technology containing data that supports the HHS mission. In addition to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 2.1 definition of “information technology” (IT), the term as used in this section includes computers, ancillary equipment (including imaging peripherals, input, output, and storage devices necessary for security and surveillance), peripheral equipment designed to be controlled by the central processing unit of a computer, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources.

2) Safeguarding Information and Information Systems. In accordance with the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS)199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

a. Protect government information and information systems in order to ensure:

• Confidentiality, which means preserving authorized restrictions on access and disclosure, based on the security terms found in this contract, including means for protecting personal privacy and proprietary information;

• Integrity, which means guarding against improper information modification or destruction, and ensuring information non-repudiation and authenticity; and

• Availability, which means ensuring timely and reliable access to and use of information.

b. Provide security for any Contractor systems, and information contained therein, connected to an

HHS network or operated by the Contractor on behalf of HHS regardless of location. In addition, if new or unanticipated threats or hazards are discovered by either the agency or contractor, or if existing safeguards have ceased to function, the discoverer shall immediately, within one (1) hour or less, bring the situation to the attention of the other party.

c. Adopt and implement the policies, procedures, controls, and standards required by the HHS Information Security Program to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of government information and government information systems for which the Contractor is responsible under this contract or to which the Contractor may otherwise have access under this contract. Obtain the HHS Information Security Program security requirements, outlined in the HHS Information Security and Privacy Policy (IS2P), by contacting the CO/COR or emailing fisma@hhs.gov.

d. Comply with the Privacy Act requirements and tailor FAR clauses as needed.

3) Information Security Categorization. In accordance with FIPS 199 and National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-60, Volume II: Appendices to Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information Systems to Security Categories, Appendix C, and based on information provided by the ISSO, CISO, or other security representative, the risk level for each Security Objective and the Overall Risk Level, which is the highest watermark of the three factors (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) of the information or information system are the following:

Confidentiality: [X] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High Integrity: [X] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High Availability: [X] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High Overall Risk Level: [X] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High

Based on information provided by the ISSO, Privacy Office, system/data owner, or other security or privacy representative, it has been determined that this solicitation/contract involves:

[X] No PII [ ] Yes PII Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Per the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “PII is information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, either alone or when combined with other information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual.” Examples of PII include, but are not limited to the following: social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, biometric records, etc.

PII Confidentiality Impact Level has been determined to be: [X] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High

4) Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CUI is defined as “information that laws, regulations, or Government-wide policies require to have safeguarding or dissemination controls, excluding classified information.” The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must comply with Executive Order 13556, Controlled Unclassified Information, (implemented at 3 CFR, part 2002) when handling CUI. 32 C.F.R. 2002.4(aa) As implemented the term “handling” refers to “…any use of CUI, including but not limited to marking, safeguarding, transporting, disseminating, re-using, and disposing of the information.” 81 Fed. Reg. 63323. All sensitive information that has been identified as CUI by a regulation or statute, handled by this solicitation/contract, shall be:

a. marked appropriately;

b. disclosed to authorized personnel on a Need-To-Know basis;

c. protected in accordance with NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal

Information Systems and Organizations applicable baseline if handled by a Contractor system operated on behalf of the agency, or NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations if handled by internal Contractor system; and

d. returned to HHS control, destroyed when no longer needed, or held until otherwise directed.

Destruction of information and/or data shall be accomplished in accordance with NIST SP 800- 88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

5) Protection of Sensitive Information. For security purposes, information is or may be sensitive because it requires security to protect its confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall protect all government information that is or may be sensitive in accordance with OMB Memorandum M-06-16, Protection of Sensitive Agency Information by securing it with a FIPS 140-2 validated solution.

6) Confidentiality and Nondisclosure of Information. Any information provided to the contractor http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-60-rev1/SP800-60_Vol2-Rev1.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-60-rev1/SP800-60_Vol2-Rev1.pdf

(and/or any subcontractor) by HHS or collected by the contractor on behalf of HHS shall be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this contract and shall not be disclosed or made known in any manner to any persons except as may be necessary in the performance of the contract.

The Contractor assumes responsibility for protection of the confidentiality of Government records and shall ensure that all work performed by its employees and subcontractors shall be under the supervision of the Contractor. Each Contractor employee or any of its subcontractors to whom any HHS records may be made available or disclosed shall be notified in writing by the Contractor that information disclosed to such employee or subcontractor can be used only for that purpose and to the extent authorized herein.

The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of such information shall be protected in accordance with HHS and CDC policies. Unauthorized disclosure of information will be subject to the HHS/CDC sanction policies and/or governed by the following laws and regulations:

a. 18 U.S.C. 641 (Criminal Code: Public Money, Property or Records);

b. 18 U.S.C. 1905 (Criminal Code: Disclosure of Confidential Information); and

c. 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, Subchapter I (Paperwork Reduction Act).

7) Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). All procurements using Internet Protocol shall comply with OMB Memorandum M-05-22, Transition Planning for Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6).

8) Government Websites. All new and existing public-facing government websites must be securely configured with Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) using the most recent version of Transport Layer Security (TLS). In addition, HTTPS shall enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to instruct compliant browsers to assume HTTPS at all times to reduce the number of insecure redirects and protect against attacks that attempt to downgrade connections to plain HTTP.

For internal-facing websites, the HTTPS is not required, but it is highly recommended.

9) Contract Documentation. The Contractor shall use provided templates, policies, forms and other agency documents to comply with contract deliverables as appropriate.

10) Standard for Encryption. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

a. Comply with the HHS Standard for Encryption of Computing Devices and Information to prevent unauthorized access to government information.

b. Encrypt all sensitive federal data and information (i.e., PII, protected health information [PHI], proprietary information, etc.) in transit (i.e., email, network connections, etc.) and at rest (i.e., servers, storage devices, mobile devices, backup media, etc.) with FIPS 140-2 validated encryption solution.

c. Secure all devices (i.e.: desktops, laptops, mobile devices, etc.) that store and process government information and ensure devices meet HHS and CDC-specific encryption standard requirements. Maintain a complete and current inventory of all laptop computers, desktop computers, and other mobile devices and portable media that store or process sensitive government information (including PII).

d. Verify that the encryption solutions in use have been validated under the Cryptographic Module Validation Program to confirm compliance with FIPS 140-2. The Contractor shall provide a written copy of the validation documentation to the COR and ISSO within 30 days of contract award.

e. Use the Key Management system on the HHS personal identification verification (PIV) card or establish and use a key recovery mechanism to ensure the ability for authorized personnel to encrypt/decrypt information and recover encryption keyshttp://csrc.nist.gov/publications/.

Encryption keys shall be provided to the COR upon request and at the conclusion of the contract.

11) Contractor Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Each Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee having access to non-public government information under this contract shall complete the CDC non-disclosure agreement. A copy of each signed and witnessed NDA shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) and/or CO Representative (COR) prior to performing any work under this acquisition.

12) Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA)/Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) – The Contractor shall assist the CDC Senior Official for Privacy (SOP) or designee with conducting a PTA for the information system and/or information handled under this contract to determine whether or not a full PIA needs to be completed.

a. If the results of the PTA show that a full PIA is needed, the Contractor shall assist the CDC SOP or designee with completing a PIA for the system or information within 30 days after completion of the PTA and in accordance with HHS policy and OMB M-03-22, Guidance for Implementing the Privacy Provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002.

b. The Contractor shall assist the CDC SOP or designee in reviewing the PIA at least every three http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips140-2/fips1402.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/ years throughout the system development lifecycle (SDLC)/information lifecycle, or when determined by the agency that a review is required based on a major change to the system, or when new types of PII are collected that introduces new or increased privacy risks, whichever comes first.

Training

1) Mandatory Training for All Contractor Staff. All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees assigned to work on this contract shall complete the applicable HHS/CDC Contractor Information Security Awareness, Privacy, and Records Management training (provided upon contract award) before performing any work under this contract. Thereafter, the employees shall complete CDC specific Information Security Awareness, Privacy, and Records Management training at least annually, during the life of this contract. All provided training shall be compliant with HHS training policies.

2) Role-based Training. All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees with significant security responsibilities (as determined by the program manager) must complete role-based training annually commensurate with their role and responsibilities in accordance with HHS policy and the HHS Role- Based Training (RBT) of Personnel with Significant Security Responsibilities Memorandum.

3) Training Records. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall maintain training records for all its employees working under this contract in accordance with HHS policy. A copy of the training records shall be provided to the CO and/or COR within 30 days after contract award and annually thereafter or upon request.

Rules of Behavior

1) The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall ensure that all employees performing on the contract comply with the HHS Information Technology General Rules of Behavior, and any CDC-specific rules, as applicable.

2) All Contractor employees performing on the contract must read and adhere to the Rules of Behavior before accessing Department data or other information, systems, and/or networks that store/process government information, initially at the beginning of the contract and at least annually thereafter, which may be done as part of annual CDC Information Security Awareness Training. If the training is provided by the contractor, the signed ROB must be provided as a separate deliverable to the CO and/or COR per defined timelines above.

Incident Response The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall respond to all alerts/Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) provided by HHS Computer Security Incident Response Center (CSIRC)/CDC CSIRT teams within 24 hours, whether the response is positive or negative.

FISMA defines an incident as “an occurrence that (1) actually or imminently jeopardizes, without lawful authority, the integrity, confidentiality, or availability of information or an information system; or (2) constitutes a violation or imminent threat of violation of law, security policies, security procedures, or acceptable use policies. The HHS Policy for IT Security and Privacy Incident Reporting and Response further defines incidents as events involving cybersecurity and privacy threats, such as viruses, malicious user activity, loss of, unauthorized disclosure or destruction of data, and so on.

A privacy breach is a type of incident and is defined by Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) as the loss of control, compromise, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized acquisition, or any similar occurrence where (1) a person other than an authorized user accesses or potentially accesses personally identifiable information or (2) an authorized user accesses or potentially accesses personally identifiable information for an other than authorized purpose. The HHS Policy for IT Security and Privacy Incident Reporting and Response further defines a breach as “a suspected or confirmed incident involving PII”.

In the event of a suspected or confirmed incident or breach, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

1) Protect all sensitive information, including any PII created, stored, or transmitted in the performance of this contract so as to avoid a secondary sensitive information incident with FIPS 140-2 validated encryption.

2) NOT notify affected individuals unless so instructed by the Contracting Officer or designated representative. If so instructed by the Contracting Officer or representative, the Contractor shall send CDC approved notifications to affected individuals following CDC’s designated process.

3) Report all suspected and confirmed information security and privacy incidents and breaches to the CDC’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) [CSIRT@CDC.gov], COR, CO, CDC SOP (or his or her designee), and other stakeholders, including incidents involving PII, in any medium or form, including paper, oral, or electronic, as soon as possible and without unreasonable delay, no later than one (1) hour, and consistent with the applicable CDC and HHS policy and procedures, NIST standards and guidelines, as well as US-CERT notification guidelines. The types of information required in an incident report must include at a minimum: company and point of contact information, contract information, impact classifications/threat vector, and the type of information compromised. In addition, the Contractor shall:

a. cooperate and exchange any information, as determined by the Agency, necessary to effectively manage or mitigate a suspected or confirmed breach;

b. not include any sensitive information in the subject or body of any reporting e-mail; and

c. encrypt sensitive information in attachments to email, media, etc.

4) Comply with OMB M-17-12, Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information HHS and CDC’s incident response policies when handling PII breaches.

5) Provide full access and cooperate on all activities as determined by the Government to ensure an effective incident response, including providing all requested images, log files, and event information to facilitate rapid resolution of sensitive information incidents. This may involve disconnecting the system processing, storing, or transmitting the sensitive information from the Internet or other networks or applying additional security controls. This may also involve physical access to contractor facilities during a breach/incident investigation.

Position Sensitivity Designations

All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees must obtain a background investigation commensurate with their position sensitivity designation that complies with Parts 1400 and 731 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The following position sensitivity designation levels may apply to this solicitation/contract: Not Applicable and Level 1: Non-sensitive, depending on roles and responsibilities.

Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12 The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees shall comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors; OMB M-05-24; FIPS 201, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors; HHS HSPD-12 policy; and Executive Order 13467, Part 1 §1.2. For additional information, see HSPD-12 policy at: https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-presidential-directive-12) Roster.