DRAFT_RFP_DTRT57-13-R-20007.doc

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

COMMUNICATIONS AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS (CORA) SUPPORT SERVICES

Note: This SOW includes the scope of work for the CORA master contracts (sub-section I) and for the first task order for on-site support services (sub-section II).

I.

MASTER CONTRACT STATEMENT OF WORK

This section contains the scope of work for the CORA master contracts.

C.1

BACKGROUND

The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) is an innovative, Federal, fee-for service organization within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)/Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), whose mission is to improve the Nation's transportation system. The Volpe Center’s programmatic requirements cut across all modes of transportation, both national and international, for the DOT and non-DOT organizations, including state and local governments. The Volpe Center's eight Technical Centers (TC) focus on cross-cutting transportation, research, education, innovation, and other multimodal issues. Each of the Volpe Center’s TC applies its technical capabilities to DOT strategic goals and national and international transportation priorities. The TCs expand the DOT's multimodal horizons and demonstrate how innovation can arise from creative and collaborative use of internal and external assets.

The Volpe Center utilizes a combination of Federal and Contractor personnel to maximize the broad range and quantity of skills needed to perform sponsoring organizations’ projects. This multiple award vehicle will augment the Volpe Center’s resources by providing high-technology capabilities and skills targeted to the Volpe Center’s programmatic requirements in the area of Communications and Operations Research and Analysis (ORA).

Communications and ORA support have historically been provided through the utilization of support services contracts, allowing the Volpe Center to quickly respond to new and changing requirements of technical programs. On-site Communications and ORA services are currently being provided by the Volpe Transportation ORA and Communications (V-TRAC) support services task order (Contract No. DTRT57-09-D-30002, Task Order No. DTRTV-T9001). Task orders issued under the new CORA multiple award vehicle are anticipated to provide support in a manner and scope similar to the existing V-TRAC task order in the functional areas of Communications and ORA. The first task order issued under this multiple award vehicle (included as part of this RFP) includes an important requirement for on-site Management and Administration services in addition to CORA support.

C.2.

SCOPE OF WORK

The objective of this contract is to provide CORA support to a variety of Volpe Center transportation systems projects that cut across all modes of transportation for the DOT and for non-DOT organizations, including state and local governments. Due to the changing nature of the extensive and diverse portfolio of projects, resources must be easily accessible and flexible in terms of skill sets required. The workforce must be responsive to changing technical requirements and quickly provide Communications and ORA capabilities that will enable the Volpe Center to take advantage of opportunities for new work.

C.2.A

CORA SUPPORT SERVICES

The Contractor shall provide resources capable of performing the necessary CORA functions in response to technical project requirements presented by the Volpe Center. The CORA functional areas support a broad project base, covering every mode of transportation, a wide variety of sponsoring organizations, and a wide range of CORA sub-areas. Technical project requirements vary widely in scope, cost estimates, and schedules. Volpe Center projects require specialized knowledge of a wide variety of national transportation system modes (i.e., aviation, surface transportation, marine, pipeline, and rail systems).

The Contractor shall provide a workforce with capabilities and experience relating to existing technologies and methodologies that address current transportation systems issues, as well as cutting edge technologies and methodologies that show promise in transforming the future of the transportation systems enterprise. The Contractor must bring a strong knowledge of and experience in transportation systems and functions to the work requirements outlined below.

The following sub-areas are included as part of the overall CORA support requirement:

1. Communications

a. Writing and Editing

b. Graphics

c. Web Design and Development

d. Communications Strategy Development and Stakeholder Engagement

e. Conference Planning and Logistics

f. Financial and Administrative Program Support

g. Printing and Production Support

2. ORA

a. System Analysis and Policy Impacts

b. Industry Analysis

c. System Operational Performance

d. Technological Advances

e. Strategic Framework

f. Program Evaluation

g. Engineering Support

Descriptions of general work requirements typical in each sub-area are provided in sections C.2.E.1 and C.2.E.2.

C.2.B

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall perform the necessary management and administration functions required for effective contract and task order performance. The Contractor shall provide effective leadership, planning, management, quality control, direction, and supervision of work activities and personnel needed for effective performance. Required activities include, but are not limited to, technical leadership, project management, financial and administrative management, and rapid staff recruitment and deployment. Detailed requirements will be specifically addressed at the task order level when the scope of work includes an important requirement for on-site management and administration services.

C.2.B.1

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING

The Contractor shall provide contract-level guidance and oversight and add technical value and leadership to projects, ensuring excellence in all work performed in support of the Volpe Center. The Contractor shall demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the Volpe Center’s project staffing requirements and ensure that all Volpe Center requirements are met with appropriately skilled professionals. The Contractor shall manage its workforce so that it is flexible enough to respond to changing project requirements with minimal downtime. The Contractor shall provide a strong IT capability to support Volpe Center projects (current and future), and establish effective communication mechanisms to define and document the Volpe Center’s technical projects’ requirements. The Contractor shall collaborate with the Volpe Center in identifying emerging technologies and methodologies applicable to work performed and fulfill such other organizational development and subcontracting administration functions as necessary to maintain a highly qualified and motivated workforce to support the Volpe Center.

C.2.B.2

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide sound project planning and management capabilities and establish processes for coordinating the activities and results across multi-disciplinary teams. The Contractor shall manage and utilize a project management system capable of tracking and reporting costs at a level of detail sufficient to substantiate the EV management process. The Contractor shall provide accurate tracking, reporting, and visibility into the scope, costs, schedule, deliverables, and resources supporting projects. The Contractor shall be responsible for assuring project goals are met on time, within budget, and with high quality deliverables. The Contractor shall maintain documented standards for tracking quality, definition of measures, and quality control procedures, and shall establish policies to maintain effective configuration management control of projects.

C.2.B.3

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide administrative support essential to meet overall contract and task order requirements. These services include, but are not limited to, managing travel and teleworking arrangements, continuity of operations planning, asset management, IT security, storage and retrieval of classified or sensitive material, and security clearances. The Contractor shall, as applicable under task orders, provide IT security and administrative support essential to meet project requirements and ensure compliance with Federal and DOT policies, including Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC), FISMA, the Chief Information Officer’s CIO Policies (CIOP), and Volpe Center IT policies. The Contractor shall provide a strong financial management capability to oversee the administration and management of contract costs. The Contractor shall track contract costs, including subcontractor costs and Other Direct Costs (ODC); provide data and methodologies for estimating costs; and satisfy other financial requirements set forth in task orders.

II. TASK ORDER STATEMENT OF WORK (CORA TASK ORDER 1)

This section contains the scope of work for CORA Task Order 1.

C.1.

INTRODUCTION

This task order will provide CORA support services on-site at the DOT/RITA/Volpe Center. The scope of work also includes important requirements for Task Order Management and Administration and for Transition.

C.2.

SCOPE OF WORK

The objectives of this task order are to:

· Transition from the existing Volpe Transportation ORA and Communications (V-TRAC) support services task order (Contract No. DTRT57-09-D-30002, Task Order No. DTRTV-T9001) to this task order with minimal disruption (CLIN 0001);

· Provide Task Order Management and Administration of support services required for effective performance (CLIN 0002), and

· Provide Communications and ORA support services (CLIN 0003).

The Volpe Center utilizes a combination of Federal and Contractor personnel to maximize the broad range and quantity of skills needed to perform sponsoring organizations’ projects. ORA and Communications support services have historically been provided through the utilization of on-site and off-site technical support services contracts, allowing the Volpe Center to quickly respond to new and changing requirements and technical programs. This task order will provide services in a manner and scope similar to the ORA and Communications support services that are currently being provided under the existing V-TRAC support services task order (Contract No. DTRT57-09-D-30002, Task Order No. DTRTV-T9001). A representation of projects to be supported under this task order is detailed in Section J, (Part II) Attachment J.5 – Technical Reference Library.

The Volpe Center initiates, approves, and tracks work performed under this task order through a SharePoint-based job order system. All work performed under this task order must be initiated and completed through use of a performance-based job order with appropriate supporting documentation, authorization, and certifications. The User Accountability System (UAS) is the automated information system that supports the job order system. Detailed job order procedures are provided in Section J, Part II, Attachment J.1 - Job Order Procedures.

C.2.A.

TRANSITION (CLIN 0001)

This requirement is to transition work similar in scope and nature to projects identified in Section J, Part II, Attachment J.5 - Technical Reference Library, from the existing on-site V-TRAC task order to this task order with minimal disruption. On a Firm-Fixed-Price basis, the Contractor shall perform the necessary tasks during the specified transition period to ensure that the Contractor can achieve satisfactory performance on the first day of the initial performance period. Successful transition will be based on the submission and Government acceptance of deliverables.

Deliverables:

Transition Plan Within two weeks after task order award, the Contractor shall provide to the Task Order Contracting Officer’s Representative (TOCOR) and the Task Order Contracting Officer (TOCO) a detailed Transition Plan based upon the draft transition plan provided in the Contractor's task order proposal. The Transition Plan shall include the following:

1. Key transition personnel;

2. Project Management Plan;

3. Understanding of current workload, status of on-going projects, and milestones;

4. Plan for minimizing disruption to ongoing projects and mitigating any potential disruptions;

5. Staffing plan for projects, including retention of any existing staff for continuity;

6. Communication strategy with key stakeholders (e.g., incumbent contractor management and staff, Task Order Contracting Officer’s Representative (TOCOR), Task Order Contracting Officer (TOCO), and Volpe Center Job Order Initiators);

7. Job Order Financial Information System and project management system implementation plans; and

8. Financial Management approach, including cost recovery.

Upon approval of this deliverable by the TOCOR and TOCO, the Contractor’s Transition Plan shall serve as the basis upon which transition will be tracked, reported, and measured for acceptance.

Job Order Financial Information System Prior to conclusion of the transition period, the Contractor shall have implemented an operational Job Order Financial Information System. The Job Order Financial Information System shall be capable of providing insight into all job orders for tracking and reporting purposes and shall be used to reconcile all invoiced costs for labor, travel, training, and other direct costs. The Contractor’s Job Order Financial Information System shall interface with the Volpe Center’s UAS for electronic transmission and acceptance of weekly labor files. The system shall have a search capability and provide visibility into job orders by attributes such as, but not limited to, Volpe Center organizational unit, sponsor, accounting funding sources, Contractor employee name, company, labor category, and job order number and title. Access to the Job Order Financial Information System shall be provided to the TOCOR for visibility into all active job orders.

At the conclusion of the transition period, the Contractor shall provide the TOCO and TOCOR with a live demonstration of its Job Order Financial Information System and capabilities. Interim demonstrations and status updates shall be provided during the transition period when requested by the TOCO or TOCOR.

C.2.B. TASK ORDER MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION (CLIN 0002)

This requirement is for overall management and administration of the work performed under this task order. The Contractor shall provide a management and administration structure capable of performing the necessary technical and administrative management functions required to achieve satisfactory performance. The Contractor shall provide effective planning, management, quality control, direction, and supervision of the work activities involved and the personnel needed to perform these activities. Skills required in support of Task Order Management and Administration include, but are not limited to, technical leadership, project management, financial management, staffing, human resources, and administrative support.

C.2.B.1

TASK ORDER MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide technical support and leadership that will ensure project goals are met on time, within budget, and with a quality product in accordance with project requirements and performance metrics. The Contractor shall provide effective project planning, management, guidance, and resources that add technical value to projects; identify and commit appropriately skilled, highly motivated resources to support Volpe Center projects; and provide a strong Communications and ORA capability to support Volpe Center projects (current and future). The Contractor shall collaborate with the Volpe Center in identifying emerging technologies and methodologies relevant to work performed under the task order and establish mechanisms to share such information with the Volpe Center as applicable to enhance project outcomes.

The Contractor shall establish effective communication mechanisms to define and document the requirements of the Volpe Center’s technical projects and ensure that work performed is at a level of quality, schedule, and cost that is consistent with the expectations of the Volpe Center’s project managers. The Contractor shall have an organizational structure that clearly identifies an appropriately skilled senior level technical manager(s) as the primary interface for each Volpe Center organizational unit with work under the task order. The senior-level technical manager(s) shall communicate the full range of capabilities and scope available under the task order and ensure that overall project requirements are well understood.

The Contractor shall demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the Volpe Center’s project staffing requirements and shall commit appropriately skilled resources as necessary to support Volpe Center projects. The Contractor shall be flexible enough to respond to shifts in program emphasis and direction and manage the workforce so that it can be scaled up or down in accordance with changing project requirements. The Contractor shall provide the Volpe Center with appropriately skilled, highly motivated professionals to successfully achieve the technical requirements of Volpe Center projects. The Contactor shall ensure optimum utilization of its staff members by planning for staff transition from one project to another with minimal downtime between tasks.

The Contractor shall be responsible for supervising its staff and maintaining the necessary staffing level and labor mix to fulfill the technical requirements of Volpe Center’s projects. The Contractor shall carry out regular evaluations of staff performance, hire and discharge staff as necessary, arrange for appropriate staff training to ensure skills remain current and are aligned with future technology trends, and fulfill such other organizational development and subcontracting administration functions as necessary to maintain a highly qualified and motivated workforce to support the Volpe Center.

The Contractor shall identify an individual within its management team to act as the primary interface with the Government on all task order-related matters. The Contractor shall prepare and submit invoices and company correspondence; provide appropriate interface with Contractor corporate offices; prepare and submit required requests; and negotiate, execute, and administer subcontracts. Invoices shall be prepared in accordance with requirements provided in Section G.9, Payments Under Cost Reimbursement Contracts, of the master contract and as determined by the TOCOR as necessary during task order performance.

Deliverables:

Organizational Charts The Contractor shall maintain and, by the first calendar day of each month, electronically provide to the TOCO and the TOCOR a set of organizational charts that clearly show the primary technical manager(s) interface for each Volpe Center organizational unit with work under the task order and the projects and resources under each technical manager. The charts shall indicate the employee’s name, company affiliation, and level of support being provided to each project (i.e., full time, less than full time). The charts shall encompass all CLINs and resources under the task order.

Technical Portfolio Reviews Twice per year, Technical Portfolio Reviews that focus on work performed on this task order shall be presented to the Volpe Center’s managers and senior technical staff. A Wrap-Up Review shall be provided to the TOCOR and the TOCO at the conclusion of all the Technical Portfolio Reviews. Additional information on Portfolio Reviews (i.e., content, schedule, and participants) will be further defined by the TOCOR during task order performance.

Staff Profile Report Within 10 calendar days after the beginning of CLIN 0002 performance, the Contractor shall electronically submit a Staff Profile Report to the TOCO and the TOCOR that shall identify the employees performing work under the task order, including subcontractor support. Thereafter, an updated report shall be made available by the 10th calendar day of every month. The report shall include the following:

a. For each employee, including subcontractors: name, office location, telephone number, labor category, company, and hire date;

b. List of individuals under the task order with authorized on-site parking;

c. Total task order personnel Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) and head count by company and labor category;

d. Name, labor category, company, and departure date of employees leaving the task order;

e. Open requisition and staffing information; and

f. Turnover rates/attrition rates.

The content, format, and schedule for submission of the report may be modified at the direction of the TOCO and/or the TOCOR during TO performance.

Quarterly Staff Hires and Losses Report

Within 15 calendar days after the end of fiscal year quarter 1, 2, 3, and 4, the Contractor shall submit to the TOCO and TOCOR a Quarterly Staff Hires and Losses Report that identifies the following:

g. Contract number and TO number;

h. Contractor name;

i. Name of TOCOR;

j. Name and hire date of any employee who became employed under the TO within the applicable fiscal year quarter; and/or

k. Name and departure date of any employee who left the TO within the applicable fiscal year quarter.

The report shall be submitted in an Excel spreadsheet.

Staff Resumes The Contractor shall maintain an electronic file of resumes for all employees performing work under the TO. The file shall be made available to the Government upon request by the TOCO and/or the TOCOR.

Quality Control Program Within 45 calendar days after the beginning of CLIN 0002 performance, the Contractor shall provide to the TOCOR a written overview of its Quality Control Program. Further details on the program shall be provided when requested by the TOCO or the TOCOR.

C.2.B.2

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide project management capabilities and shall manage its projects under this task order through a job order system. All work to be performed by the Contractor shall be in the form of job orders that have been approved by the Contracting Officer. For every job order request received, the Contractor shall follow the job order procedures detailed in Section J (Part II), Attachment J.1, Job Order Procedures. The Contractor shall establish efficient and effective project management procedures to ensure immediate processing and prompt Volpe Center financial fund certification of all job orders, as well as providing accurate tracking and visibility into project scope, cost, schedule, and deliverables. The Contractor shall maintain a complete electronic central file of all approved job orders issued that shall be made available for Government review upon request by the TOCO and/or the TOCOR.

The Contractor shall provide project planning and management capabilities and establish processes for coordinating the activities and results of resources and project teams providing IT support services under this task order. The Contractor shall maintain and operate a project management system that supports recognized industry standard processes such as those established by the Project Management Institute, be capable of tracking and reporting costs at a level of detail sufficient to substantiate the earned value management process, and provide visibility into project status. The Contractor shall provide Status Reports and Stoplight Reports that include metrics of quality, cost, schedule, requirements, and other measures that are critical indicators of performance. These high-level assessments of activities performed under job orders encourage and facilitate communication with Job Order Initiators and Volpe Center management and serve as a means of validating progress.

The Contractor shall be responsible for assuring technical excellence in all work performed in support of the Volpe Center projects. The Contractor shall have a Quality Control Program to support all aspects of the work carried out under this task order. The quality control effort shall include quality goals, objective quality measures, organizational responsibilities, and reporting requirements as applicable. The Contractor shall maintain documented standards for tracking quality, definition of measures, and quality program policies and procedures.

Deliverables:

Job Orders and Job Order Plans The Contractor shall develop job orders and/or job order plans, as required, for job orders issued under the task order. Job orders and job order plans shall be prepared and submitted for approval by the Contracting Officer in accordance with the guidelines detailed in Section J, Part II, Attachment J.1 - Job Order Procedures, and shall be updated, as appropriate, throughout job order performance.

Central Job Order File The Contractor shall establish a central job order file in SharePoint for all job orders issued. The file shall contain a complete record of all activity and support provided under each job order, including status reports, memoranda, reports, and an inventory of all software and other deliverables. The file shall be made available upon request by the TOCO or the TOCOR and shall be turned over to the Government at the conclusion of the ordering period.

Status Reports For each job order issued under the task order with a total estimated value greater than $5,000 the Contractor shall submit Status Reports in electronic format that contain the following in narrative form, in addition to any additional information requested in the job order:

a. Brief description of project and job order objectives;

b. Highlights of work accomplished, including a self-assessment of performance relative to the performance metrics established for the work;

c. Significant findings, problems, delays, events, trends, etc. during the reporting period that influenced performance of the job order and may impact performance of remaining work;

d. Specific action(s) recommended by the Contractor or requested by the Government to assist in the resolution of any problems identified;

e. Modifications to the job order (changes to objectives, services to be provided, assumptions, deliverables, major milestone schedule, cost estimate, and/or performance measures), the name of the person who authorized each modification (see Section J (Part II), Attachment J.1), and the date of each modification; and

f. Items of special interest as requested by the TOCOR and/or the Job Order Initiator.

Status Reports shall be submitted to the Job Order Initiator and the TOCOR at intervals as specified in the job order, but at a minimum as follows:

For the period of October, November, and December by the 20th of January;

For the period of January, February, and March by the 20th of April;

For the period of April, May, and June by the 20th of July; and

For the period of July, August, and September by the 20th of October

Stoplight Reports Stoplight Reports provide a high-level, color-coded (red, yellow, green) assessment of the progress and results of job orders in all aspects of the project, including, but not limited to, quality, cost, schedule, and requirements. Stoplight Reports shall be submitted in electronic format to the Job Order Initiator and the applicable Division Chief for work performed in support of their projects and organization. Stoplight Reports submitted to the TOCOR shall encompass all active job orders under the task order.

Stoplight Reports shall be submitted to the TOCOR, the Job Order Initiator, and the Division Chief at the following intervals:

For the period of October, November, and December by the 20th of January;

For the period of January, February, and March by the 20th of April;

For the period of April, May, and June by the 20th of July; and

For the period of July, August, and September by the 20th of October

C.2.B.3

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide a strong financial capability to oversee the financial management and administration of task order costs and shall provide data and methodologies for estimating annual costs, demand for labor, and labor category rate setting. This task order shall be funded through cost recovery from users of the technical labor. The Contractor is required to manage its costs efficiently so that all costs involved in the operation of this task order during the Federal Government fiscal year are recovered through labor category rates and other direct costs (ODC). The Contractor shall track task order costs, including subcontractor costs and ODCs and project cost recovery, analyze cost and labor utilization variances, support both task order and fiscal year financial reporting, and report financial projections to the TOCOR.

The Contractor will be provided with one or more accounts for Management and Administration activities, CLIN 0002, and for activities in CLIN 0003, Communications and Operations Research and Analysis Support Services, that are not appropriately charged as direct project labor (e.g., downtime). Management and Administration accounts will be established by the TOCOR at the beginning of each Government fiscal year in accordance with the Management and Administration Job Order Plan submitted by the Contractor and approved by the TOCOR. The Contractor shall track actual and projected expenditures for management and administration and shall report to the TOCOR against the job order plan as part of its cost recovery reporting.

The Contractor shall maintain and operate its Job Order Information System implemented during transition that will accumulate costs incurred by labor category and ODCS for each job order. The Contractor shall reconcile all invoiced costs for labor, travel, and ODCs with the UAS. This will coincide with preparation and verification of the UAS labor files. The Contractor shall ensure that charges against approved job orders do not exceed authorized funding levels and shall issue notification via e-mail to the appropriate Job Order Initiator when approaching 75 percent funding limits. Notifications shall continue at least weekly until required funding is received; work cannot continue beyond approved job order funding levels without TOCOR approval. (Note: Notification to the Job Order Initiator under this paragraph does not relieve the Contractor of its responsibility to notify the TOCO under the Limitation of Costs or Funds Clauses incorporated in Section I of the master contract.)

The Contractor shall provide administrative support and services essential to meet overall TO and project performance requirements. These services include, but are not limited to, managing requests for network desktop support and telephone service, travel, teleworking arrangements, emergency planning, property management, IT security, storage and retrieval of classified or sensitive material, security clearances, employee entrance/exit processing, shipping and receiving, and acquisition of office supplies and necessary telecommunications devices and services (e.g., cell phone, pager) to perform work (official business only) under the task order.

Deliverables:

Management and Administration Job Order Plan At least 10 calendar days prior to the beginning of each Government fiscal year, a Management and Administration Job Order Plan shall be submitted to the TOCOR in electronic format. The plan shall detail activities to be charged to Task Order Management and Administration in accordance with Section C.2.B and activities covered by Section C.2.B.1 that are not appropriately charged as direct project labor (e.g., downtime, all-employee meetings), including proposed estimated hours and dollars to be allocated. All activities and time charged shall be in accordance with the approved job order plan. Deviations from the approved plan shall require prior approval of the TOCOR.

Property Reports At the beginning of the task order, the Contractor will be provided with a master schedule of all Government-Furnished Property (GFP) turned over to its control, as detailed in Section J (Part II), Attachment J.4 – Task Order 1 – Government Furnished Property. The Contractor shall maintain a current property listing and shall perform an annual physical inventory. By September 15th of each year, the Contractor shall provide to the TOCO and the TOCOR the resulting, reconciled inventory schedule of all GFP under the Contractor’s control, together with explanations of changes (e.g., additions, deletions) from the original or annually updated master schedule. When applicable, explanations of changes shall comply with FAR Clause 52.245-1, Government Property, located in Section I of the master contract.

Cost Recovery Reports The Contractor shall track cost recovery and report financial projections to the TOCOR in electronic format within 30 calendar days after the end of Government fiscal quarters one, two, and three. More frequent estimates will be requested by the TOCOR during the last 3 months of the fiscal year.

Funding Status Report The Contractor shall electronically submit Funding Status Reports to all Volpe Center Job Order Initiators on a weekly basis. Funding Status Reports shall provide the financial status of job orders, including, but not limited to, job order number, title, Contractor Job Order Lead, cost estimate, expenditures to date, remaining balance, percentage complete, and estimated weekly and monthly burn rates on the job order(s).

UAS Labor Files The Volpe Center will manage the operation of an automated UAS for identification and reporting of all resources planned and expended against job orders issued under the task order, including labor hours, ODCs, travel, and training. The Contractor shall provide the necessary preliminary and final labor files for processing on a weekly basis and at the conclusion of each Government fiscal year in accordance with the specifications provided by the Volpe Center UAS Manager as detailed in Section J (Part II), Attachment J.2, UAS Formats and Reports.

C.2.C. COMMUNICATIONS AND ORA SUPPORT SERVICES (CLIN 0003)

Communications and ORA Support Services provide a very broad project base covering every mode of transportation, and a wide variety of sponsoring organizations and sub-areas. Projects generally address issues of national importance, requiring an appreciation of local, national, and international transportation issues and trends; a multi-modal perspective; and an appreciation for the various public and private interests at work within these areas.

Communications services consist of business and technical writing and editing, graphic arts design, web design and development, communications strategy development and stakeholder engagement, conference planning and logistics, meeting/webinar facilitation, financial and administrative program support. As well as printing and production support. The Volpe Center supports and typically utilizes Microsoft Office Suite products; however, projects may necessitate knowledge and use of other computer platforms and operating systems, including Mac Operating System (OS), and software packages, including Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, Quark, Photoshop, Visio, and others as appropriate. Skill sets required to support the Communications functional area include but are not limited to graphic arts design, web design and development, communications media design, communications strategy and messaging expertise, and technical writing and editing.

ORA services broadly address the analysis and assessment of transportation systems and issues from a variety of perspectives. These perspectives include system performance and effectiveness, web development, safety assessments, supply and demand forecasts, impact analysis, socio-economic analysis, industry analysis, policy and regulatory development, program evaluation, strategic planning, operations and maintenance assessment, risk assessments, capital investment needs, infrastructure and equipment management, metrics development, and critical technologies planning and evaluation. Skill sets required to support ORA technical requirements include, but are not limited to, transportation planning and policy, operations research analysis, engineering, and mathematical and social science disciplines. The specific projects requiring support will vary depending on the national transportation priorities during the life of the task order.

C.2.C.1

COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES

The following functional sub-areas are included as part of the overall Communications support covered by this requirement.

· Writing and Editing

· Graphics

· Web Design and Development

· Communications Strategy Development and Stakeholder Engagement

· Conference Planning and Logistics

· Financial and Administrative Program Support

· Printing and Production Support

The descriptions that follow outline the general work requirements typical in each sub-area, not actual tasks.

Writing and Editing

The Volpe Center produces a wide variety of written products in support of its projects and programs; for example:

· Interim and final reports

· Journal articles

· Reference and training manuals

· User guides

· Scripts for videos or presentations

· Newsletters and brochures

· Marketing materials

· Web site text

Work in this area may require the Contractor to prepare original written products to support project requirements as well as editing services to support the production of final written and/or web products from text generated by others. Writing and editing will be in English and will require a full command of the language and grammar as well as an understanding of transportation and technical terminology, familiarity with Federal Government terminology, and knowledge of industry best practices for the production of written products. The Contractor shall have familiarity with the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) Style Manual and other recognized style guides and applicable specifications and standards. On occasion, the Contractor will be asked to provide translation services for business and technical documents. Translations may be from a foreign language into English and/or from English into a foreign language.

Graphics

Work in this area shall provide graphic arts design and production services to support Volpe Center projects and programs. For tasks performed on site at the Volpe Center, the Government shall furnish equipment and software necessary to provide and produce graphic arts design and production services. These services typically include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Electronic/desktop publishing

· Graphic design

· Computer-aided design and drafting

· Technical illustration

Work in this area may require the Contractor to design and produce graphics for a wide variety of products, including, but not limited to, printed material, projected visuals, exhibit and display components, multi-media presentations, and video titling and transitions. Graphics are generally produced using computer application software. The Contractor will be expected to maintain familiarity with computer graphics software and hardware being used by Volpe Center technical initiators in order to originate figures and convert initiator-supplied electronic graphic files into formats that can be modified and/or integrated into electronic documents using electronic publishing systems.

Web Design and Development

Work in this area shall provide web design and development services to support Volpe Center projects and programs. These services typically include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Web page/site design for public and password-protected sites, including SharePoint

· Coding of web pages

Work in this area shall include design and development of web pages for a wide variety of technical projects and Volpe Center organizations. Web pages shall be designed using industry and Government best practices to optimize site usability and accessibility. Specific guidelines include but are not limited to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Departmental Information Resource Management Manual (DIRMM), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites, and Research-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines.

Communications Strategy Development and Stakeholder Engagement

Work in this area shall include the development of Communication Strategies and support of related outreach and stakeholder activities. Communication Strategy activities may include developing research approaches and detailed plans, conducting market research and stakeholder analysis, developing measureable communications goals, as well as developing communications strategies, implementation plans and related material, and prototyping potential communications collateral. The Contractor may be requested to travel to and facilitate meetings, focus groups and workshops designed to gather stakeholder input and inform them about potential communications strategies and outreach activities. In addition, the Contractor may be required to identify potential meeting participants, create agendas, capture feedback, and coordinate logistics to facilitate discussions and exercises with target audiences.

Conference Planning and Logistics

Work in this area shall include planning, organizing, executing, and/or recording conferences, meetings, webinars, peer exchanges, or symposia. Conferences range in size from 20 to 400 attendees and are for periods of several hours to several days. The typical conference lasts one day and has 50 attendees. Conference planning and logistics support may require significant travel and may require coordination with Volpe Center staff, other Contractors, and conference facility personnel to arrange conferences, meetings, workshops, etc. Conference planning and logistics services typically include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Planning, scheduling, managing, and cost estimation

· Development and maintenance of mailing lists

· Selection and provision of conference facilities and meeting rooms

· Provision and coordination of audio-visual, transcription, and other required support*

· Development of conference literature or graphics, including programs, signs, photography, name badges, and specialty items such as abstracts

· Preparation and distribution of invitations and registration packages

· Preparation of advertising, transportation, lodging, and other logistics

· Processing of participant registrations (including but not limited to web registration)

· Preparing minutes and/or proceedings for final publication

· Processing of invitational travel when these services are incidental to a conference, meeting, webinar, peer exchange, or symposium that the Contractor has been engaged to plan under the task order.

* The Contractor may be required to coordinate and provide light refreshments for specific conferences, meetings, webinars, peer exchanges, or symposia. In accordance with the Federal

Travel Regulation and the terms and conditions of this task order, the Contractor may coordinate and provide light refreshments for such events only when approved in advance by the Contracting Officer.

Financial and Administrative Program Support

Work in this area shall include general and specialized program and administrative management support, cost and risk analysis, project planning and scheduling, strategic and operational planning, as well as meeting facilitation and webinar support. Work in this area may include maintaining and documenting the results of program and project reviews; review and analysis of progress reports; generation of cost, budget, and financial analyses; processing invitational travel and Government invitational travel for official project-related activities of the Volpe Center; processing U.S. State Department e-Country Clearances for project-related travel, and providing assistance in the documentation, planning, scheduling, maintenance, and tracking of projects. It may also include the planning, facilitating, and note taking at meetings and webinars as well as the preparation of meeting/webinar summaries and other associated documentation.

Printing and Production Support

Work in this area shall include providing printing and reproduction services and the associated binding and distribution. Color reproduction services shall include the ability to create color copies from black and white copies. Since the Volpe Center is a customer-focused organization, the Contractor must have the ability to provide such services quickly and efficiently and adjust to changing workflows and customer priorities. Incoming jobs may be in hard copy, network electronic files, or removable electronic media such as compact disks (CDs), digital video disks (DVDs), or optical disks. The Contractor shall provide advice on production, binding, publication, and distribution options; their associated pros and cons; and estimated costs. The Contractor shall arrange for documents to be printed through the GPO and shall serve as the Volpe Center's GPO liaison. All printing and work shall be accomplished in conformance with Title 44, United States Codes, regulations of the U.S. Government's Joint Committee on Printing (JCP); applicable provisions of appropriation acts; applicable regulations issued by the DOT, the GPO, and the U.S. Postal Service; and with copyright laws. The Contractor shall maintain paper stocks that comply with JCP Paper Specification Standards and Executive Orders requiring the use of recycled fiber content.

C.2.C.2

ORA SUPPORT SERVICES

The following sub-areas are included as part of the overall ORA support covered by this requirement.

· System Analysis and Policy Impacts

· Industry Analysis

· System Operational Performance

· Technological Advances

· Strategic Framework

· Program Evaluation

· Engineering Support

The descriptions that follow outline the general work requirements typical in each sub-area, not actual tasks.

System Analysis and Policy Impacts: Analysis of Impacts of Transportation/Logistics Systems and Policies

This sub-area covers analyses of the impacts of the flow of people and goods and/or transportation and logistics systems and operations on society and the environment. In addition, this area covers the impact of Government regulation on the transportation industry and commercial enterprise. Work in this area may include safety and environmental impact and risk analyses of transportation and logistics systems and components as they relate to health and welfare, land and energy use, material consumption, noise, air quality, pollution, climate change, alternative fuel policies, quality of life issues, and social objectives. The work may also include analyses of public policy options and their impact on domestic intermodal competition, international competitiveness, socioeconomic policy, and/or environmental quality. Work under this area may also include analyses of the impact of proposed public policy options or regulatory changes on private and public carriers, users, the transportation industry, the public and/or governments. Analyses may be at the macro or micro level, depending on the scale and breadth of the subject matter.

Industry Analysis: Collection of Transportation-Related Data and Assessment of Business and Economic Factors within the Transportation Industry

This sub-area covers analyses of the business and economic aspects of the transportation industry, including issues of finance, business case analysis, market analysis, supply and demand forecasting, regulatory analysis, and productivity analysis. Included in this area are the gathering, compilation, and analysis of transportation-related data and statistics. Work may encompass economic analyses of alternative transportation investments, estimating demand for transportation services in selected markets, analysis and evaluation of transportation user charges, cost-benefit analysis and capital budget estimating for systems and infrastructure renewal, transportation operator and supply industry analysis, and financial planning. The work may also encompass development of systems to manage and monitor industry processes and activities.

System Operational Performance: Assessment of Transportation/Logistics System Performance and Improvement of System Effectiveness

This sub-area includes the application of theoretical and practical analysis techniques to existing and anticipated issues relating to large-scale transportation and logistics systems. Work may involve analysis of transportation and logistics system issues (such as supply and demand for services, infrastructure, vehicle performance, evaluation of one or multiple transportation modes, asset management, traffic flow and demographics, operator performance, fleet mix, safety, security, timeliness, cost, and other performance metrics) and the definition of new or modified operation concepts that satisfy requirements and enhance performance. Tasks may involve delay analysis, arrival and trip time variability analyses, web database design and development, and design and testing of new or enhanced processes to improve system performance (e.g., operation procedures, safety procedures, and automated information systems for decision support). Increasingly, tasks may require the application of advanced data analytics relative to high-volume, high-velocity, high-variety, and/or virtual datasets with structured and/or unstructured data.

Technological Advances: Assessment of Transportation/Logistics Technologies and Research and Development Needs and Policies

This sub-area includes the application of theoretical and practical analysis techniques to the assessment of transportation and logistics-related technology and associated technology policy and/or institutional innovations. Work in this area may include the assessment and selection of appropriate technologies available to improve current transportation and logistics operations, including vehicle, guide way, system command and control (including vehicle and/or guide way automation concepts),…