RFQ-16-Q-00008ProgEvalSOWFinal.pdf

Statement of Work

FRA Evaluation Capacity Building

DTFR53-16-Q-00008

07/26/2016

I. INTRODUCTION

This Statement of Work (SOW) supports the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) effort for Program Evaluation Capacity Building in the FRA Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T). The purpose of the Program Evaluation Capacity Building effort is to help develop evaluation-oriented Program Managers (PMs) and leaders in FRA RD&T.

II. BACKGROUND

In January of 2016, a need was identified to provide ready evaluation advisory support to RD&T Program Managers for conducting internal evaluations. This effort will help facilitate systematic and useful evaluations for RD&T’s full range of programs and will provide RD&T personnel the technical evaluation support to implement the evaluation framework, standards, procedures, checklists and exemplar methods identified in the FRA Evaluation Implementation Plan1 and the practices and procedures for planning, conducting, reporting and applying findings from sound evaluations of RD&T’s programs listed in the FRA Manual for Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) Program and Project Evaluation.2

III. SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work is to provide on-going technical evaluation advisory and educational support to FRA program managers when conducting internal evaluations. In addition, should supplemental external evaluation work be requested, a new task order will be issued.

1 November, 2013. Evaluation Implementation Plan, FRA Office of Research and Development, Report Number: DOT/FRA/ORD-13/47.

2 Manual for Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) Program and Project Evaluation: In Press.

Available upon request.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK TASKS

Specifically, the work will focus on three broad task areas:

1) Task 1: Program and Project Evaluation Advisory Support. To make evaluation advisory support (planning, design, methods and tools, data collection and analysis, reporting, etc.)

easy and more readily accessible by FRA RD&T Program Managers, the Contractor shall provide program and project evaluation advisory support as requested. The contractor shall make available at least two highly skilled evaluation experts to FRA RD&T Program Managers. The level of effort for this advisory support should approximate 40 hours per month.

2) Task 2: Program and Project Evaluation Training and Education Support. To help build evaluation capacity and evaluation oriented program managers among FRA RD&T staff, the Contractor shall develop and implement an evaluation training and education program.

This program will train and educate FRA Program Managers around a common language and understanding of evaluation, its methods and tools, roles, purposes and functions in a research environment and shall be conducted within the Washington, DC metro area. Up to four 1-3 day educational workshops may be proposed for the first 12 months, including topics on: 1) evaluation design, 2) evaluation basics, theories, and methods, 3) the use of logic models, and 4) stakeholder engagement strategies for facilitating use of evaluation findings. Monthly or bi-monthly webinars may also be proposed for the same time period.

3) Task 3: Quarterly Progress Reports. The contractor shall provide quarterly progress updates as noted below:

a. A summary of the progress made under the contract during the reporting period, separated into logical elements of work. This shall include pertinent data and graphs sufficient to explain any significant results achieved;

b. An explanation of any technical and/or schedule problems which may have occurred or are expected to arise. The description of any differences between planned and actual technical progress shall include a statement of why the difference occurred or why they are expected to occur and what remedial or alternative actions are planned or recommended. This may include any recommended action by the Government to assist in resolution of a problem;

c. Planned versus planned level of effort broken down by individual tasks, including cumulative expenditures incurred;

d. A summary of the progress made under the contract during the reporting period, separated into logical elements of work. This shall include pertinent data and graphs sufficient to explain any significant results achieved;

e. Projected activities and costs for the next reporting period;

f. Minutes of status review meetings, if any.

IV. DELIVERABLES

Technical Task Description Deliverable Description

Task 1: Program and Project Evaluation Advisory Support

Deliverable 1: Evaluation Advisory Support Plan, including list of Evaluation Advisory Support Personnel, bios, specialized areas of expertise, on-going availability, and contact information.

Deliverable 2: Monthly Evaluator Usage Report listing Evaluator(s) utilized, request dates, requester, amount of time and funding used, and program/project or activity supported.

Task 2: Program and Project Evaluation Training and Education Support

Deliverable 3: Program Evaluation Training and Education Plan for Evaluation Capacity Building among FRA RD&T PMs (e.g. curricula, targeted workshops, webinars, and engagement activities such as brown bag lunches or design and review teams, etc.).

Task 3: Quarterly Progress Reports Deliverable 4: Quarterly

V. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this effort is 12 months from date of award.