Draft RFP - 3.8.24.pdf

Internal Revenue Service Office of the Chief Procurement Officer

Acquisition Support and Professional Services

DRAFT Request for Proposal (RFP)

2032H8-24-X-XXXXX

Date Issued: March 8, 2024

Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO)

Table of Contents

Section B. SERVICES & PRICE/COSTS

Section C. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Section D. PACKAGING AND MARKING

Section E. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

Section F. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

Section G. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

Section H: SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Section I. CONTRACT CLAUSES/PROVISIONS

Section J. ATTACHMENTS

Section K. REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Section L. INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS OR RESPONDENTS . 81

Section M. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

Multiple-Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Request for Proposal

DISCLAIMER

This notice is a DRAFT Request for Proposal (RFP). It shall not be construed as a commitment by the government. Responses in any form are not offers and the government is under no obligation to award a contract or agreement because of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this DRAFT RFP is strictly voluntary.

Part I

Section B. SERVICES & PRICE/COSTS B.1 Type of Contract

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) intends to award a multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for administrative, technical, and support services. This procurement is 100% small business set-aside. The RFP will be solicited through FAR Part 12 – Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services and FAR Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation via SAM.gov. The current North American Industry Classification Code System (NAICS) codes are 541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services and 541512 Computer Systems Design Services.

Orders under this contract must be issued as firm-fixed-price for all tasks except transition in/out services and travel cost. Transition in/out services shall be ordered as a labor-hour. Travel will be cost reimbursable.

Evaluations will be conducted for each track under each functional category (FC). There will be three (3) separate and distinct competitions occurring simultaneously. Thus, one competition track for each FC.

Track 1: Functional Category 1 - Optimization Organizational Services Task Customer Experience Task Track 2: Functional Category 2 - Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task Acquisition Support Task Track 3: Functional Category 3 - Information Technology (IT) Data Management and Governance Task Automation Task

Point of Contact(s) Contracting Officer (CO), Sharrye Favron: sharrye.n.favron@irs.gov Contract Specialist (CS), Ronald Callender: ronald.a.callenderjr@irs.gov Contract Specialist, Davida Patton: davida.e.patton@irs.gov

All communications concerning the solicitation, including any of a technical nature, must be made through the CO. Questions concerning any aspect of the solicitation must be in writing.

mailto:sharrye.n.favron@irs.gov mailto:ronald.a.callenderjr@irs.gov mailto:davida.e.patton@irs.gov

If an Offeror believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the Offeror shall immediately notify the CO in writing with supporting rationale, as well as the remedies the Offeror is asking the CO to consider as related to the omission or error.

To ensure a timely response, questions shall be received by the Contracting Officer in accordance with the schedule due date for Q&A Submissions.

Answers to such questions will be provided via posting questions and answers (Q&A) and/or RFP amendments on the SAM website (https://sam.gov).

The award will be made based on a Best Value trade-off evaluation using the evaluation criteria stated in Section L and Section M of this draft RFP. The evaluation criteria technical factors are more important than price. As proposals become more equal in the technical merits, price becomes more important.

B.2 Price Schedule Line Item Table

Track 1: Functional Category 1 - Optimization Item No Schedule of Supplies/Services QTY Unit Unit Price Amount

0001 Organizational Services Task Base Period (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

0002 Customer Experience Task Base Period (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

0003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Base Period (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

0004 Post Award Conference The purpose of this line item is to provide the obligated Minimum Quantity Guarantee

Period of Performance:

Within one (1) year of IDIQ award Base Period (Firm-Fixed-Price)

1 EA $250.00 $250.00

1001 Organizational Services Task Option Period 1 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

1002 Customer Experience Task Option Period 1 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

https://sam.gov/

1003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46.

Option Period 1 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2001 Organizational Services Task Option Period 2 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2002 Customer Experience Task Option Period 2 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 2 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

3001 Organizational Services Task Option Period 3 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price List)

0 JB 0 0

3002 Customer Experience Task Option Period 3 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(See Price List)

0 JB 0 0

3003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 3 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

4001 Organizational Services Task Option Period 4 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price List)

0 JB 0 0

4002 Customer Experience Task Option Period 4 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price List)

0 JB 0 0

4003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 4 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

Track 2: Functional Category 2 - Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services Item No Schedule of Supplies/Services QTY Unit Unit Price Amount

0001 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task Base Period (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

0002 Acquisition Support Task Base Period (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

0003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Base Period (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

0004 Post Award Conference The purpose of this line item is to provide the obligated Minimum Quantity Guarantee

Period of Performance:

Within one (1) year of IDIQ award Base Period (Firm-Fixed-Price)

1 EA $250.00 $250.00

1001 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task Option Period 1 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

1002 Acquisition Support Task Option Period 1 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

1003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 1 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2001 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task Option Period 2 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2002 Acquisition Support Task Option Period 2 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR

31.205-46 Option Period 2 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

3001 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task Option Period 3 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

3002 Acquisition Support Task Option Period 3 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

3003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 3 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

4001 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task Option Period 4 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

4002 Acquisition Support Task Option Period 4 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

4003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 4 (12 months)

Track 3: Functional Category 3 - Information Technology (IT) Item No Schedule of Supplies/Services QTY Unit Unit Price Amount

0001 Data Management and Governance Task Base Period (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price List)

0 JB 0 0

0002 Automation Task Base Period (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price List)

0 JB 0 0

0003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Base Period (12 months)

0004 Post Award Conference

The purpose of this line item is to provide the obligated Minimum Quantity Guarantee

Period of Performance:

Within one (1) year of IDIQ award Base Period (Firm-Fixed-Price)

1 EA $250.00 $250.00

1001 Data Management and Governance Task Option Period 1 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

1002 Automation Task Option Period 1 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

1003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 1 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2001 Data Management and Governance Task Option Period 2 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price List)

0 JB 0 0

2002 Automation Task Option Period 2 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

2003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 2 (12 months) (Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

3001 Data Management and Governance Task Option Period 3 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

3002 Automation Task Option Period 3 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

3003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46

Option Period 3 (12 months)

4001 Data Management and Governance Task Option Period 4 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

4002 Automation Task Option Period 4 (12 months) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ)

(Reference Attached Price Template)

0 JB 0 0

4003 Travel (Reimbursed at cost) Travel will be reimbursable in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and FAR 31.205-46 Option Period 4 (12 months)

B.3 IDIQ Maximum and Minimum Amounts

The maximum value (total of the base and all option periods) of each contract awarded because of this solicitation is:

Functional Category 1 (Optimization): Est. $98M Functional Category 2 (Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services): Est. $205M Functional Category 3 (Information Technology (IT)): Est: $50M

Each contract awarded will contain a guaranteed minimum amount of $250.00 for the base period only.

Section C. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

C.1.0 INTRODUCTION

C.1.1 Background:

The mission of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is to provide America’s taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and enforce the law with integrity and fairness to all. The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) provides acquisition life-cycle support for the IRS, the Department of Treasury Departmental Offices (DO), and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). On average, each year, the IRS executes 1,900 contracts with a total contract value under $10M; 60 contracts with a total contract value over $10M and under $100M; and 15 contracts with a total contract value over $100M. OCPO is comprised of the following divisions:

1. Acquisition Management & Planning (AMP) – Proactively engages customers and stakeholders to deliver effective, advanced acquisition planning services and drive innovative, optimal acquisition solutions. AMP’s acquisition professionals offer the highest level of customer service and consult on technical and administrative processes throughout all stages of the acquisition life cycle.

2. Office of Analytics, Research, & Technology (ART) – Provides program management support for procurement data systems, maintains data repositories, and conducts advanced data analytics.

Additionally, ART leads the identification, testing, and implementation of tools and technologies to support an efficient, data-driven workforce and the improvement of processes and controls.

ART applies best practices in change management and quality assurance to deliver the right solutions to achieve data-informed, technology-assisted performance improvement.

3. Office of Business Solutions Acquisition (OBSA) – Plans, negotiates, executes, and manages the procurements of non-information technology products and services nationwide for the IRS and Treasury.

4. Office of Information Technology Acquisition (OITA) – Plans, negotiates, executes, and manages the procurements of information technology (IT) products and services for IRS, Treasury, and BEP.

5. Office of Resource Planning (ORP) – Coordinates internal processes, resources, procedures, and collaboration tools to keep functioning at peak performance. ORP manages business operations, organizational strategy and evaluation, budget planning and execution, human resources, communications, and risk management activities.

6. Office of Procurement Policy (OPP) – Conducts pre-award, post-award, compliance, and quality assurance reviews and assists in formulating and implementing processes and procedures that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement operations. OPP also develops and maintains procurement policies, monitors small business utilization, manages, and monitors Delegations of Procurement Authority, oversees the restricted purchase list, and ensures ratifications of unauthorized commitments are supported and properly documented. Additionally, the OPP identifies and delivers developmental opportunities and manages acquisition training and certification programs.

C.1.2 Scope:

The Contractor shall provide all necessary qualified personnel and services as described in this Performance Work Statement (PWS) and specified through individual orders.

The Contractor shall provide a range of support to include but not limited to consulting, program management, communications, organizational effectiveness (OE), strategic planning, acquisition support services, acquisition pre-planning activities, enterprise lifecycle, data analysis, data visualization, Microsoft support services, and robotic process automation. The Contractor shall provide dedicated staff with relevant expertise within the task area supported.

Due to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) the IRS expects to see an increase in the volume of contracts executed. The Contractor shall support the IRS in execution, tracking, reporting, and managing IRA related actives in support of IRA spend and strategy execution. The Contractor shall provide consultants to assist with the ability to optimize, modernization, process improvement, and the creation of new tools/processes for tracking, reporting, auditing, executing, and validating IRA related activities.

These services may be used by other IRS Business Units for program/project management, stakeholder engagement including facilitation, data analysis and visualization, governance, communications, automation, tracking, gap analysis and recommending, reporting, auditing, user experience/change management, and strategy updating as it pertains to the optimization of the IRS.

The Contractor shall ensure alignment with IRS and Treasury strategic goals and objectives as well as government-wide policies/procedures/Executive Orders, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Department of the Treasury Acquisition Regulation (DTAR), Department of the Treasury Acquisition Procedures (DTAP), and other IRS procurement specific policies/procedures. The Contractor shall utilize industry best practices and lessons learned to minimize risk and improve efficiencies within each task area.

This is a non-personal services IDIQ contract. As such, the Government will not exercise any supervision or control over Contractor employees performing the services herein. Such Contractor service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor(s), who is in turn responsible to the Government.

C.2.0 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

C.2.1 Performance Summary

Contractor personnel shall perform assigned tasks within established deadlines, attend and participate in formal and ad hoc meetings, draft and review documents, schedules and related items, maintain accurate work products and documentation, follow and adhere to applicable IRS policies and procedures, meet and correspond with other IRS and Government personnel, including other Contractor personnel, and provide services and support to successfully satisfy the requirements of this IDIQ contract and its orders.

C.2.2 Approved IRS Software and Languages

The following are currently approved IRS software, tools, and data coding used to support this IDIQ contract. Over the life of this IDIQ, this list may change as the IRS optimizes and modernizes:

• Microsoft 365 Suite – PowerBI, Power Automate, SharePoint Online, PowerApps, DAX, PowerQuery, and Excel for Data Analytics

• Languages – RSstudio, Python, and Jupyter Notebook Colbolt

• Survey - Qualtrics

• Oracle - SQL

• Systems Applications and Products (SAP)/Procurement Public Sector (PPS) - Procurement

Writing System

• Visual Basics for Applications

C.2.3 Specific Functional Categories and Tasks

The Contractor shall provide the services necessary to meet the scope of the contract and the individual orders, as related to the Functional Categories and PWS Tasks reflected in the below table:

Functional Category 1 - Optimization Organizational Services Task - PWS para C.2.4.1 Customer Experience Task - PWS para C.2.4.2

Functional Category 2 - Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services

Acquisition Lifecycle Planning Task - PWS para C.2.5.1 Acquisition Support Task - PWS para C.2.5.2

Functional Category 3 - Information Technology Data Management and Governance Task - PWS para C.2.6.1

Automation Task - PWS para C.2.6.2

C.2.4 Optimization

The Contractor shall support a full range of procurement organizational management services, that are required for on-going and emerging activities. The Contractor shall develop methods to track and implement, the current and emerging activities. Services include effective business process optimization and creation, audits, policy assessments, analyzing data, consulting, planning, and facilitation. The Contractor shall also develop and maintain tools and templates for new processes, to include leveraging lessons learned and audit findings for improved processes to minimize risk and improve efficiencies.

C.2.4.1 Organizational Services

The Contractor shall create solutions for projects that require consultative and analytic expertise to achieve strategic outcomes. Support includes expertise in a broad range of services to include:

• Policy optimization and streamlining

• Organizational change management

• Design and transformation support

• Developing career models

• Assisting in talent management and recruiting strategies

• Developing workforce plans

• Experience in organizational communications

• Strategic planning

• Developing and analyzing performance metrics

• Coaching and mentorship

• Recommend techniques to implement organizational change

• Compile findings, briefings, narrative summaries/briefs, and statistical analysis into complex written reports

C.2.4.2 Customer Experience

The Contractor shall provide expertise in Customer Experience (CX) methodologies and improvement strategies for the acquisition lifecycle. The support services shall include:

• Journey mapping

• Story boarding

• Process and tool mapping

• Provide customer research

• Conduct stakeholder interviews

• Perform surveying

• Recommend mapping tools and processes

C.2.5 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services

The Contractor shall provide a broad range of acquisition support. Services include supporting all phases of the acquisition lifecycle involving planning, requirements definition, category management, solicitation development, evaluation, award, post-award management, contract closeout, and other administrative support. The Contractor shall also provide analysis and execution of strategic activities in support of sourcing goals.

C.2.5.1 Acquisition Lifecycle Planning

The Contractor shall provide expert facilitation services and subject matter expertise to execute goals within the acquisition lifecycle and Category Management, innovation, and strategic sourcing functions.

Support all phases of the acquisition lifecycle to include:

• Subject matter expertise in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) category management principles, policies, and executive orders

• Perform short- and long-range forecasting

• Requirement writing and development

• Conduct procurement package triage

• Supplier/industry engagement activities

• Utilize industry best practices to innovate the acquisition lifecycle

• Knowledgeable in federal government procurement practices and innovative planning activities

• Analysis and execution of strategic activities associated with the acquisition of specific commodities, and services in support of strategic sourcing goals. The strategic sourcing goals include, but are not limited to:

o All acquisition components of the strategic sourcing process such as consulting, facilitating, category/commodity profiling, and market and trend analysis.

C.2.5.2 Acquisition Support

The Contractor shall provide a full range of acquisition lifecycle support services (i.e. acquisition planning, market research, pre-solicitation, solicitation, cost and price/audit analysis, pre-award, award, contract administration and management and contract close-out) to include:

• Tracking and reporting acquisition actions

• Prepare contract documents in SAP/PPS, Procurement Request Information System Management

(PRISM), Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), or other procurement writing systems

• Create Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) - Next Generation records

• Route procurement documents through Acquisition Workflow Approval Routing Efficiency

(AWARE) or other review/routing tools for internal procurement reviews

• Ensure procurement files are stored appropriately in document repository

• Assist in the training of customers on the different acquisition strategies and approaches to enable them to make decisions based on desired mission outcomes that are aligned to the FAR, Treasury Regulations, IRS policies and procedures.

All acquisition lifecycle support shall be in accordance with all Government regulations and policies including the FAR, DTAR, DTAP, and other IRS procurement specific policies/procedures.

C.2.6 Information Technology

The Contractor shall provide a full range of technical support and solutions to achieve organizational efficiency. To support the agency mission, projects and system requirements, the Government requires information technology services such as data processing, analyses, and automation. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide services for various applications and systems in support of ongoing operations.

C.2.6.1 Data Management and Governance

The Contractor shall perform automated data processing, and any other reports or analyses directed toward improving the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of management and general administrative operations. Tasks to include:

• Assist with the analysis of workload and workflow

• Provide technical support services necessary to deliver and ensure ongoing operations of M365 applications and SharePoint Online environment which include but not limited to:

o SharePoint design, information security, data and application integration o Web parts, data workflow, forms, web content management, data and SharePoint libraries o System integration and data connection, data ingestion and analysis o Data tracking, customer consultation/coordination, briefings o Requirements specification analysis, data analysis, reporting, planning, and technical services

• Design, development, integration, and maintenance of tools and subsequent data governance

• Development and maintenance of SharePoint sites to include but not limited to:

o Support for the development, maintenance, and user training of workflow and document management o Design, build, expand and maintenance of data warehouse o Development, and maintenance of operational & project visualizations and dashboards o Inclusive of charts and graphs for improved decision making

C.2.6.2 Automation

The Contractor shall perform tasks that automate repetitive contracting activities and extract high-definition information from Government contract files. Tasks to include:

• Running robotic processes automation bots (e.g., UiPath, Power Automate)

• Running algorithms to extract text from documents, validation of information, developing code

(e.g., R, Python), delivering automated solutions, and natural language/ large language capabilities to search text

• Provide skilled personnel with experience to assist with robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, and building natural language processing solutions. Provide trustworthy artificial intelligence reporting (e.g. Executive Order 13960). Ability to identify and suggest process improvements, and the creation of new tools for digitalization of new and existing processes.

• Usability testing and provide technical documentation for all their work

C.2.7 Travel

Contractor personnel may be required to travel to support services required under individual orders. All travel shall be in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR). All travel requires Government approval/authorization and notification to the order level Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

Contractor personnel who travel in support of orders issued will be held to the same standard and requirements Government personnel are required to adhere to. Examples include, but are not limited to renting economy cars, staying at hotels only at the Government per diem rate (if the Government per diem rate is not offered, a cost comparison needs to be completed and approved by the Contracting Officer (CO) in advance of the travel occurring), utilizing the cheapest form of parking at airport locations (i.e.

long term or extended parking), and purchasing airline tickets at the lowest possible rate (if the lowest rate is not selected, reasons for a higher rate will need to be documented and approved prior to travel occurring).

C.3.0 DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

C.3.1 Transition-In/Transition-Out Plan

There may be a need for a Transition-In or Transition-Out Plan at the order level. The Contractor shall facilitate the transition of contracted activities and services to the appropriate Government personnel and from/to a follow-on Contractor in accordance with the Government approved plan. The transition duration and reporting requirements will be identified at the order level.

C.3.2 Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan for each order that describes the application of the appropriate methodologies for accomplishing performance expectations and objectives. The Contractor’s plan is the means by which the work complies with the stated requirements and ensures non-recurrence of defective services. The Contractor shall identify and implement its approach for providing and ensuring quality to meet the requirements in the order level PWS.

C.3.3 Reports

Reports may be identified and required at the order level.

C.4.0 MEETING REQUIREMENTS

C.4.1 Post Award Conference

The Contractor shall participate in an IDIQ post award conference. The exact day, time, and location of the conference is to be determined, but contractors will be notified at least 10 (ten) calendar days in advance of the scheduled conference. The purpose of the post award conference is to aid both the Contractor and the Government in achieving a clear and mutual understanding of contract requirements and identify and resolve potential problems.

A post award Conference may also be required at the order level, the meeting requirements will be determined at that time.

C.4.2 Additional Meetings

The Contractor may be asked to attend or conduct meetings, provide meeting minutes, prepare agendas, and participate in ad hoc communications. The meeting requirements will be identified at the order level.

C.5.0 KEY PERSONNEL

Key personnel will be specified at the order level.

C.6.0 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Orders issued under this IDIQ will be performance-based. Each order will have a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan with specific performance standards and measures.

C.7.0 DELIVERABLE TABLE

Deliverables PWS Sections Frequency Formats Submit To

Transition In/Out Plan C.3.1 Determined at order level

Determined at order level

Order Level

CO/CS

Quality Control Plan C.3.2 Determined at order level

Determined at order level

Order Level

CO/CS

C.7.1 Other Deliverables

Additional deliverables will be identified and required at the order level.

C.8.0 GENERAL PWS INFORMATION

C.8.1 Government and Contractor Furnished Property, Materials, or Information

The need for Government Furnished Property (GFP), Materials (GFM), or Information (GFI), will be determined at the order level.

C.8.2 Place of Performance

Work performed under this IDIQ may be at any location where the U.S. IRS operates.

Each order under this IDIQ will have a designated place(s) of performance. Individual orders may allow for work at the Government’s site, pre-approved remote locations, or telework. If the contractor chooses to perform work at a location other than the Government facility, the resulting travel to and from the Government’s facility would not be reimbursable as a direct charge under this contract.

However, the place of performance may not change on any orders without the written approval of the CO.

Any work performed at a location other than the previously approved place of performance will not be accepted.

Telework: Contractors may be allowed to telecommute (see FAR 7.108), under certain circumstances, pending the current policy regarding this subject and the approval of the COR.

Work performed at a remote location (i.e., telework) utilizing Government provided laptops and access to Government/IRS systems shall be billed at the Government site rates on invoices submitted on all orders.

Place of performance will be identified in each resulting order.

C.8.3 Hours of Operation

The hours of operation shall be determined at the order level.

The Contractor shall not perform any services on the following Government recognized holidays, unless authorized in advance by the COR:

1. New Year’s Day

2. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday

3. President’s Day

4. Memorial Day

5. Juneteenth

6. Independence Day

7. Labor Day

8. Columbus Day

9. Veteran’s Day

10. Thanksgiving Day

11. Christmas Day

The U.S. Government also observes the following:

Any day designated by Federal Statute Any day designated by Executive Order Any day designated by Presidential Proclamation

These parameters may be altered in each order.

C.8.4 Non-Disclosure Agreements

All Contractor personnel (to include subcontractors, teaming partners, and consultants) who will be personally and substantially involved in the performance of the orders issued which require the Contractor to act on behalf of or provide advice with respect to any phase of an agency procurement, as defined in FAR 3.104-4, shall execute and submit an “Employee/Contractor Non-Disclosure Agreement” Form. This is required prior to the commencement of any work on such order and whenever replacement personnel are proposed under an ongoing order. Any information obtained or provided in the performance of any order is only to be used in the performance of that order.

C.8.5 Disclosure and Avoidance of Inherently Governmental Functions

The Contractor shall not perform or give the appearance of performing inherently governmental functions as described in FAR parts 2 and 7. All Contractor personnel shall identify themselves as Contractor support personnel in all forms of communication with all entities with whom the IRS has business dealings. The Contractor shall:

• Answer all telephone calls and have a personalized voice message with an introductory statement including the fact the person is Contractor support personnel.

• Include a title block in all emails stating the person is Contractor support personnel. For example:

Jane Doe, Professional Services Unit, Contractor Support to the IRS.

• Ensure those persons with whom the Contractor interacts with in any face-to-face, or video teleconferences, understands the person is Contractor support personnel.

Section D. PACKAGING AND MARKING

Packaging and marking required under this IDIQ contract will be specified at the individual order level.

Section E. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE Inspection and inspection of service required under this IDIQ contract will be specified at the individual order level.

Section F. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 Period of Performance The period of performance for the IDIQ will include a 12-month base Period and four (4) 12-month option periods.

Base Period Award Date Anticipated FY24 3rd Quarter Option Period 1 TBD Option Period 2 TBD Option Period 3 TBD Option Period 4 TBD

The period of performance of each order will be specified at the individual order level.

F.2 Place of Performance The place of performance will be specified at the individual order level.

F.3 Delivery Schedule The delivery schedule will be specified at the individual order level.

Section G. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 Accounting and Appropriation Data

G.2 Identification of Government Personnel

The Government reserves the right to administratively substitute any of the points of contact listed below at any time. The CO is the only person authorized to change this contract or orders issued.

thereunder. The Contractor shall not comply with any order, direction, or request of Government personnel-that would constitute a change - unless it is issued in writing and signed by the CO or is pursuant to specific authority otherwise included as part of this contract. If, in the opinion of the contractor an effort outside the existing scope of this contract is requested, the contractor shall promptly comply with the Notification of Changes clause of this contract.

Contracting Officer Name: TBD Contracting Officer Email Address: TBD

IR1052.201-70 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) appointment and authority (APR 2015)

(a) The COR is TBD [insert name, address and telephone number].

(b) Performance of work under this contract is subject to the technical direction of the COR identified above, or a representative designated in writing. The term “technical direction” includes, without limitation, direction to the contractor that directs or redirects the labor effort, shifts the work between work areas or locations, and/or fills in details and otherwise serves to ensure that tasks outlined in the work statement are accomplished satisfactorily.

(c) Technical direction must be within the scope of the contract specification(s)/work statement. The COR does not have authority to issue technical direction that:

(1) Constitutes a change of assignment or additional work outside the contract specification(s)/work statement;

(2) Constitutes a change as defined in the clause entitled “Changes”;

(3) In any manner causes an increase or decrease in the contract price, or the time required for contract performance;

(4) Changes any of the terms, conditions, or specification(s)/work statement of the contract;

CLIN/SLIN/SC

Accounting Code

Obligation Amt

Period of Performance

(5) Interferes with the contractor's right to perform under the terms and conditions of the contract; or

(6) Directs, supervises or otherwise controls the actions of the Contractor's employees.

(d) Technical direction may be oral or in writing. The COR must confirm oral direction in writing within five workdays, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

(e) The Contractor shall proceed promptly with performance resulting from the technical direction issued by the COR. If, in the opinion of the Contractor, any direction of the COR or the designated representative falls within the limitations of (c) above, the Contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer no later than the beginning of the next Government workday.

(f) Failure of the Contractor and the Contracting Officer to agree that technical direction is within the scope of the contract shall be subject to the terms of the clause entitled “Disputes.”

(End of clause)

IR 1052.232-9001 Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements for the Invoice Processing Platform

(IPP) (JUL 2019)

(a) Definitions:

"Short payment" as used in this clause means the partial payment of an invoice for goods/services actually rendered at the time of payment when the invoice includes additional goods/services that have not yet been provided/rendered.

“Short payment” example: The contract requires the delivery of a set number of items, with the price, delivery location, and delivery due date also specified. The vendor delivers 50% of the items as specified but invoices for 100% of the items. Before implementation of the IPP, the IRS would have paid the vendor for the items delivered and instructed the vendor to re-invoice the IRS when the balances of the items were delivered. In other words, the IRS would "short pay" the invoice since the IRS did not remit payment for the full invoice amount. With implementation of the IPP, the IRS can no longer do this because the IRS cannot accept an electronic invoice that includes items not yet received. The IRS will reject the invoice. The vendor needs to submit an invoice for only the items received by the IRS (in this case, 50%), and, if these items meet all other contract terms and conditions, the IRS will pay the invoiced amount. The vendor submits subsequent invoice(s) for items as they are delivered and accepted.

(b) The Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) is a secure Web-based electronic invoicing and payment information service available to all Federal agencies and their suppliers. Effective October1, 2012, invoicing for payment through the IPP will be mandatory for all new contract awards. Additional information regarding the IPP may be found at the IPP website address https://www.ipp.gov. Contractors must complete the contractor POC information below and submit it with their proposal submissions.

Contractors may contact the IPP Helpdesk for assistance via e-mail at ippgroup@stls.frb.org or via phone at (866) 973-3131. Once a contract award has been made, the contractor will be contacted by the IPP via e-mail to set-up an account. It will be necessary for contractors to login to their IPP accounts every 90 days to keep their IPP accounts active.

(c) Contractor POC Information

Contractor Name: _________________________________________ Contractor IPP POC Name: _________________________________ Contractor Phone Number: __________________________________ Contractor E-mail Address: __________________________________

(d) Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements

Vendor invoices submitted electronically through the IPP should be in the proper format and contain the information required for payment processing. To be approved for payment, a “proper invoice” must list the items specified in FAR 52.232-25 (a)(3)(i) through (a)(3)(x), or in the case of a Commercial Item Contract, the items included in 52.212-4(g)(1)(i) through (g)(1)(x).

http://www.ipp.gov/ mailto:ippgroup@stls.frb.org

If the vendor is offering a discount via the IPP, the discount must be reflected on the invoice. The vendor will select 'Create Invoice'. The IPP system will default to ‘Net 30 Prompt Pay’ under the Payment Terms dropdown box. The vendor will select from 54 different discount options for the invoice that is being created.

If the vendor chooses to offer a discount on the invoice screen, the information will interface to the payment system for processing. Discounts that are offered on attachments rather than the invoice itself cannot be accepted.

Under this contract, the following documents are required, at a minimum, to be submitted as an attachment to the invoice:

Contractor shall submit one (1) invoice per month to include all costs for both the Prime and any Subcontractors. The Contractor shall invoice for CAF funding per monthly invoice.

Please do not submit into IPP any documentation/attachments that conflict with what is stated on the invoice.

Payment and Invoice Questions:

For payment and invoice questions, contact the Ancillary Systems at (304) 254-3372 or via e- mail at cfo.fm.ipp.customer.support@irs.gov.

(e) Waiver If the Contractor is unable to use the IPP for submitting payment requests starting on October 1, 2012, then a waiver form must be completed and submitted with the contractor’s proposal submission for review and approval by the CO based on one of the conditions listed in the waiver. The vendor will be notified prior to award as to whether their request for waiver has been approved or denied. If the waiver is granted, then a copy of the waiver must be submitted with each paper invoice that the vendor submits to the payment office, or the invoice will be returned.

(f) Short Payment Short payment on vendor submitted invoices will no longer be processed or paid. If any portion of the invoice does not meet the requirements for a proper invoice, the entire invoice shall be rejected and returned to the vendor unpaid.

IRS IPP Waiver Form The IRS invoicing and payment requirements clause (IR 1052.232-9000) requires that all invoices under awards made (or effective) on or after October 1, 2012, be submitted electronically via the IPP unless a waiver is requested and granted. If the Contractor is unable to submit its invoice through the IPP, the Contractor shall complete this waiver form indicating the reason for the waiver request by selecting the appropriate box below and providing a narrative summarizing in detail the circumstances requiring a waiver. For a solicitation, submit the waiver form with the proposal submission. For a modification that incorporates the IPP clause into an existing contract, submit the waiver form with the modification. The CO will notify the vendor via e-mail or another appropriate means of communication prior to award as to whether their waiver has been approved or denied. If the waiver is granted, then a copy of the approved waiver must be submitted with each invoice that the vendor submits to the payment office, or the invoice will be returned. Reason for requesting a waiver of the requirement to submit an electronic invoice via the IPP:

1. Submission of invoices through IPP would impose a hardship on an individual (includes employees and sole proprietors) due to either a physical or mental disability; a geographic, language, or literacy barrier; or an undue financial burden. The requirement to submit invoices through the IPP is automatically waived for all individuals who do not have payment capability mailto:cfo.fm.ipp.customer.support@irs.gov using ACH with a U.S. financial institution.

2. The political, financial or communications infrastructure where the place of business is located does not support access to the IPP for submitting invoices electronically.

3. The contractor is located within an area designated by the President of the United States or an authorized agency administration as a disaster area. (Please identify area/location.)

4. The submission of invoices electronically may pose a threat to national security, the life or physical safety of an individual may be endangered, or a law enforcement action may be compromised.

5. The agency does not expect to receive more than one invoice from the same contractor within a one-year period. i.e., the invoice submission is non-recurring.

6. The contractor customarily submits a high volume of invoices on a regular basis via file format, not currently supported by the IPP (i.e., uses a file format other than XML or CSV) and the high volume of invoices would cause a significant burden to the contractor if submitted through the IPP individually. If utilizing this exception, please identify the file formats supported by your invoicing system so that the IPP may consider implementing the requested file format at a later date. File format(s) used:

7. Other - Please explain:

Attach a separate sheet of paper with a summary narrative substantiating the circumstances for the waiver exception selected from above (1 through 7).

Waiver Submitted By:

Contractor Name

Name of Person Submitting Request for Waiver Title

Signature of Person Submitting Request for Waiver

E-mail Address Phone No.

Contract/Order No. Date Submitted Waiver Approved By:

CO's Name Printed

CO's Signature Date

Section H: Special Contract Requirements

H.1 Non-Supervision and Identification of Contractor Employees For any on-site contractor personnel assigned to a federal building as their work site, the Government will not exercise any supervision or control over contractor employees performing services under this contract.

The contractor’s (and subcontractors, if applicable) employees are accountable solely to the contractor’s management, who in turn, is responsible for performance to the Government.

All Contractor personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify them as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They shall also ensure that all documents or reports produced by Contractors are suitably marked as Contractor products or that Contractor participation is appropriately disclosed. Contractor personnel shall be required to obtain and wear badges in the performance of this service.

IR1052.204-70 Insider Threat Awareness Training (Jul 2016)

(a) Definition. “Classified information,” as used in this clause, is defined in FAR 2.101(b).

(b) The Government has determined that access to classified information is necessary in performance of this contract.

(c) Contractor personnel, including subcontractor personnel, determined to require access to classified information in performance of this contract shall successfully complete Insider Threat Awareness training initially and annually thereafter.

(1) Failure of a contractor employee to successfully complete the training in paragraph (c) of this clause will result in their access to classified information being revoked until such time the training is successfully completed. The Government reserves the right to take additional action deemed necessary to protect its interests.

(d) The Government may provide Contractor personnel access to a system for purposes of completing this training electronically.

(e) The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor personnel, including subcontractor personnel comply with the requirements of this clause.

(f) The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause in all subcontracts at any tier where subcontractor personnel will have access to classified information.

(End of Clause) IR1052.204-9000 Submission of Security Forms and Related Materials (JUN 2021) The Treasury Security Manual (TD P 15-71) sets forth investigative requirements for contractors and subcontractors who require staff-like access, wherever the location, to (1) IRS-owned or controlled facilities (unescorted); (2) IRS information systems (internal or external systems that store, collect, and/or process IRS information); and/or (3) IRS sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information.

“Staff-Like Access” is defined as authority granted to perform one or more of the following:

Enter IRS facilities or space (owned or leased) unescorted (when properly badged);

Possess login credentials to information systems (internal or external systems that store, collect, and/or process IRS information);

Possess physical and/or logical access to (including the opportunity to see, read, transcribe, and/or interpret)…