ED-FSA-14-D-0004_Task_Order_0001_-CLIN_Update _Redacted.pdf_-_Adobe_Acrobat_Pro.pdf

RFQ IFB RFP

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(EDWOSB)

WOMEN OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS (WOSB)

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

1. REQUISITION NUMBER PAGE OF

2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE

DATE

4. ORDER NUMBER 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE

DATE

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (No collect calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/

LOCAL TIME

9. ISSUED BY

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

CODE

15. DELIVER TO 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODEFACILITY

CODE

CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN

OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK

BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF.

DATED . YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

SET FORTH HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print) 30c. DATE SIGNED

31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 3/2011)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

OFFER

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

17a CONTRACTOR/

OFFEROR.

CODE

8 (A)

SIZE STANDARD:

NAICS:

% FOR:SET ASIDE:UNRESTRICTED OR

SERVICE DISABLED

VETERAN OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS

EDOFSA-14-000187

AUG 01, 2014 0001

Darrick Hardiman darrick.hardiman@ed.gov 202-377-3107

SFA-ACP

US Department of Education/FSA Acq. and Contracts Perf., 830 First St NE - 9th Floor Washington DC 20202-5405

AWSFA

Annette Abell US Department of Education 7th & D Streets SW Room 3319 ROB-3 Washington DC 20202

SFA-ACP

US Department of Education/FSA Acq. and Contracts Perf., 830 First St NE - 9th Floor Washington DC 20202-5405

00035039

SENTURE, LLC

460 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD

LONDON KY 407417285

FSA-BUD

Budget Group/Invoice Admin US Department of Education/FSA/CFO/BG/FSAA 830 First Street, NE, Suite 54B1 Washington DC 20202-0001 see continuation page for line item details.

See Schedule

Patricia A. Gwaltney 202-377-3786 Patricia.Gwaltney@ed.gov AUG 01, 2014

Net 30

ED-FSA-14-D-0004

Please

611449030TIN: DUNS:

CAGE:

146265173 3W2E5

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 3/2011) BACK

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

RECEIVED INSPECTED ACCEPTED, AND CONFORMS TO THE CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS NOTED:

41a. I CERTIFY THIS ACCOUNT IS CORRECT AND PROPER FOR PAYMENT

32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32c. DATE

41b. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICER 41c. DATE

42a. RECEIVED BY (Print)

42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

42c. DATE REC'D (YY/MM/DD) 42d. TOTAL CONTAINERS

40. PAID BY

32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32e. MAILING ADDRESS OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE 32f. TELPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32g. E-MAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

33. SHIP NUMBER 34. VOUCHER NUMBER 35. AMOUNT VERIFIED

CORRECT FOR

PARTIAL FINAL

37. CHECK NUMBER

38. S/R ACCOUNT NO. 39. S/R VOUCHER NUMBER

36. PAYMENT

COMPLETE PARTIAL FINAL

ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

Attachment Page

PAGE 3 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

Task Order 0001 is issued as follows:

1. To order CLIN 0001 – General Assistance and Research Cases in the amount of and CLIN 0002 Case Transition in the amount of Travel Funding in the Not to Exceed amount of is added to CLIN 0002. See Section 1.2 for the period of performance.

a. Case Management Support Services

Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Tiers are based on total case volume by contract year and on the following conditions:

A selected tier will be fully funded. The contractor shall notify the government when total volumes reach 75% of the funded tier to determine if the next tier should be fully funded. If it is determined that the next tier will not be fully funded, it will be funded as a not to exceed amount and the implied unit price will apply.

• Each tier should be priced assuming 25% of tier maximum will be dedicated to

Ombudsman Research Cases.

• A Research Case Unit Price should be identified for each tier in the event the research case volume exceeds 25% of the total case volume of the selected tier. The contractor shall notify the government when the Research Case volumes have reached 20% of the tier maximum.

2. To incorporate Department of Labor Wage Determination WD 2005-2221 (Rev.18). See

Attached.

The total task order value is

PAGE 4 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

1 Ombudsman Group Service Support

1.1 Background

The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) established Federal Student Aid (FSA) a performance-based organization to manage and administer student financial assistance programs at the U.S. Department of Education (ED). These programs include grants, loans, and work-study to help students pay for education beyond high school, commonly known as the Title IV programs. During fiscal year 2011, FSA provided approximately $150 billion of financial aid to almost 22 million college students. Title IV of the HEA authorizes the following programs:

• The Federal Pell Grant

• The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan)

• The Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)

• The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

• Federal Work-Study (FWS)

• Federal Perkins Loan

The Customer Experience Office (CEO) within FSA leads the primary customer management function within FSA.

The CEO is responsible for developing and deepening trust-based relationships with key FSA customer groups.

Within the CEO, the FSA Ombudsman Group (Ombudsman Group) established by a provision within the HEA, is a key division supporting the CEO mission while also maintaining its statutory requirement to serve as a neutral, informal, and confidential resource that works directly with student aid recipients in an informal dispute resolution process. The Ombudsman Group collaborates with the Customer, internal business areas as well as lenders, loan servicers, guaranty agencies, institutions of higher education, and other external entities to accomplish this work. In addition, the office compiles and analyzes complaints and inquiries for recommendations to improve and enhance student financial aid programs.

The Ombudsman Group provides a “service of last resort” and cases established with the Ombudsman Group require a customer service focus and issue resolution techniques to resolve each case in a holistic and satisfactory manner. All interactions with customers are managed in such a way to ensure the customer feels the issue(s) raised have been heard, clearly and adequately addressed, and in a manner that minimizes the customer’s need to elevate attention to the issue to higher levels in FSA or ED.

The Ombudsman Group functions include the creation of case records in the Ombudsman Case Tracking System (OCTS), the resolution of the customer’s issue(s), the capture of all activities performed to resolve the customer’s issue(s), and the preparation and publication of reports that describe the volume and type of cases worked. As described in Figure 1 below, the Ombudsman Group assists its Customers by researching the stated problem, reviewing any supporting information and working with the Customer and internal and external entities. The Ombudsman then assists the Customer in identifying and evaluating the options for resolving the specific concerns and/or refers the Customer to an appropriate office or organization for follow-up.

PAGE 5 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001

Figure 1. Ombudsman Process Flowchart

Currently, contract support is used to answer inbound telephone calls from customers, which result in case creation, as well as updates existing cases. Using available resources and conflict management skills, specialists answer the customer’s question, may refer the customer to a more appropriate source of information, or may provide information about the process necessary to develop a resolution of the customer’s issue.

In general, new customer contacts to the Ombudsman Group result in the creation of two types of case records: General Assistance or Research. Contractor staff performs the general assistance case management function on behalf of the Ombudsman Group, and performs case management functions to resolve Research cases. General Assistance Cases or a Research Cases and are generally resolved using the following guidelines. A sample process flow for the Ombudsman cases is provided in Section 1.1.1.

General Assistance Cases

• These cases can typically be resolved with basic information or minimal research conducted by the Information Specialist (IS).

• Resolution is usually basic program information or a referral of the inquiry to a more appropriate source with the capacity to respond effectively.

• The IS may be retrieving data from a knowledge base to respond to Customer requests. All documentation, information, and interaction summaries are captured in the OCTS. During the course of the case, if correspondence is generated, it is routed to FSA for review.

The current average time needed to resolve a general assistance case is estimated to be a total of 30 minutes. FSA review time of correspondence is five (5) business days.

PAGE 6 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001

Research Cases

• Research cases are more complex and typically varied. These cases require additional information or research conducted by a Research Specialist (RS).

• The RS typically needs to work with the Customer to ensure a shared understanding of the issue. The RS then compiles and analyzes data from all sources as needed, including contacting the appropriate stakeholders such as the school, loan servicers, and Customer.

• All documentation, information, and interaction summaries are captured in the OCTS throughout the research process. During the course of the case, if correspondence is generated, it is routed to FSA for review.

• Once the RS completes the case research, the RS documents and communicates the recommended case resolution (including drafting any Customer correspondence) or provides recommended next steps and routes the resolution and recommendations to FSA for final review and closure.

• FSA reviews the recommended resolution or recommended next steps and provides approval or feedback prior to closure of any research case.

The average time needed to conduct case research with resolution and recommendations is estimated to be a total of eight hours. FSA review time is five (5) business days for correspondence review or case resolution reviews.

Figure 2 depicts the breakdown of inbound customer activity by channel during calendar year 2012. Inbound interactions result in case creation (volumes provided in Table 1). The volume also includes interactions associated with managing existing cases. These volumes do not include any outbound activities involved in the management and closure of existing cases.

Figure 2. Ombudsman Inbound Interactions (Contractor and FSA Supported)

Telephone 57%

Email 32%

Faxes 6%

Mail 5%

Telephone Email Faxes Mail 46,151 25,893 5,194 3,611

PAGE 7 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

All initial contacts to the Ombudsman Group regardless of intake method are defined as either a General Assistance Case or a Research Case. Table 1 shows total case volume and the detailed volume data for general assistance cases and research cases.

Table 1. Total Ombudsman Case Volume

Annual volume fluctuates throughout the year The Ombudsman Group may also experience unforeseen peak periods at other times in the year, based on changes in loan servicers, program changes, legislation, and/or media activities, etc

1.1.1 Sample Process Workflow

The complexity and various factors of the Federal Student Aid programs will drive many of the inquiries to the Ombudsman. The workflow is intended to help the Contractor understand the process and operational procedures that occur in support of the Ombudsman service delivery. For additional information on current operational procedures used by the Ombudsman Group, review Attachment A: Ombudsman Group Operations Manual.

The Customer contacts FSA seeking assistance from the Ombudsman Group. The Customer can choose any of the multiple inbound interaction channels currently available; however, this workflow describes an initial telephone interaction.

The call is made to a toll-free number provided by FSA and is initially routed through an interactive voice response service provided and maintained by Contractor. The Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVRU) allows the Customer to resolve their inquiry with minimal assistance or redirect themselves to a more appropriate source for their inquiry. The IVRU provides general information, frequently asked questions, and referral information (e.g., to Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC), the Direct Loans contact center, or to FSA’s Default Resolution Group).

If the Customer is unable to satisfy his or her inquiry via the self-service options offered the Customer could, during designated business hours, select the option to speak to a live Information Specialist (IS) for assistance. If the call is received after designated business hours, the Customer is informed of the business hours and asked to call back during those hours on the next business day, or may leave a message for a return call.

In all instances, the IS captures key data to log the case (inquiry) into the Ombudsman Case Tracking System (OCTS) for reporting and tracking purposes. All inbound interactions handled by the Ombudsman Group (federal staff or contractor staff) that are not associated with an existing case become a General Assistance Case or a Research Case.

Year General Assistance Cases Research Cases Total Ombudsman

Cases 2002 13,676 2,050 15,726 2003 13,236 1,990 15,226 2004 10,689 2,000 12,689 2005 10,637 2,000 12,637 2006 12,442 2,100 14,542 2007 12,601 2,300 14,901 2008 14,553 4,000 18,553 2009 20,261 4,000 24,261 2010 23,176 4,350 27,526 2011 25,316 8,100 33,416 2012 22,384 11,113 33,497

PAGE 8 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

Intake and Screening

The IS conducts intake of the call by listening to the customer’s description of the issue. The IS then determines the appropriate next step for the case.

• General Customer Service – The IS provides general customer service if the Customer’s inquiry can be resolved with available FSA programmatic, policy, or process information. The IS may be retrieving data from a knowledge base to resolve this type of case; or

• Referrals/Redirects – The IS refers the Customer to a more appropriate resource if the inquiry is outside of the scope of Federal Student Aid functions or if nature of the issue dictates that resolution would be more timely, accurate, or beneficial to the customer if performed by another group (e.g. Customer calls about consolidating their federal loans should be referred to their loan servicer); or

• Case Follow-up – In cases where we are unable to immediately address the inquiry, the IS collects the necessary information to route the case for additional research and follow-up (information collected typically includes the inquirer’s name, social security number, date of birth, a description of the issue, and the inquirer’s preferred contact method).

In all instances, the IS captures key data (e.g., the nature of the case, the type of financial aid received) to log the inquiry into the Ombudsman Case Tracking System (OCTS) for reporting and tracking purposes. In instances where case follow-up is determined, the case is routed to the FSA Ombudsman Group for a case assignment to a FSA specialist or Ombudsman Contractor specialists.

1.2 Period of Performance

Description Period of Performance

Base Period – Transition 8/1/2014 to 10/31/2014

Base Period - Operations 11/1/2014 to 7/31/2015

1.3 Billing/Payment Schedule

Service Area Price No. of

Payments Invoice Amount Invoice Due

Transition 1 91 days After Task Order Award

Case Management Support (Operations)

1st invoice to include performance period of November 1, 2014 - November 30, 2014

Total 10

PAGE 9 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

1.4 Government Points of Contact

The following describes the roles and responsibility of individuals who will be the primary points of contact for the Government on matters regarding contract administration as well as other administrative information. The Government reserves the right to unilaterally change any of this individual assignment at any time.

The base mailing address for Federal Student Aid is consistent except for suite numbers.

US Department of Education Federal Student Aid Union Center Plaza 830 First Street, NE Washington DC 20202

Government Points of Contact-Task Order Level

Role Name Phone Number Email Suite #

Contracting Officer Patricia Gwaltney 202-377-3786 Patricia Gwaltney@ed gov UCP-93G3

Contract Specialist Darrick Hardiman 202-377-3107 Darrick Hardiman@ed gov UCP-92A3

Ombudsman Joyce DeMoss 202-377-3992 Joyce DeMoss@ed gov UCP-41I1

Ombudsman Operations Officer Lynel McFadden 202-377-3811 Lynel McFadden@ed gov UCP-41F3

Senior Contracting Officer Representative (IDIQ) Karen Hyrkas 202-377-3518 Karen Hyrkas@ed gov UCP-31I1

Task Order Contracting Officer Representative Matthew Carney 202-377-4017 Matthew Carney@ed gov UCP-41H2

1.5 Minimum Performance Requirements

1. The Contractor must be able to fully transition in accordance with Section 2.4 of the IDIQ. The transition must be completed no later than 90 days after task order award. A disincentive of $5,000 per day will be applied if the transition is not completed within the stated timeframe.

2. The Contractor must have the capability to provide attended (live) service.

3. The Contractor must have the capability to provide unattended service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

4. The Contractor shall routinely, at an agreed upon interval, review all interaction channels for appropriateness and suitability in business delivery and Customer needs.

5. The Contractor shall recommend appropriate hours of operation (by interaction channel, if appropriate) for FSA approval for Normal Business Hours, Nights, Weekends, and Holidays (as defined in base contract).

At a minimum, the Contractor shall provide attended (live) service between 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday, except designated federal holidays.

6. The Contractor shall train and maintain the required staffing during the base and optional ordering periods, including replacements of specialists or supervisory/management personnel due to attrition.

7. The Contractor shall support the Ombudsman Group efforts to independently measure Customer satisfaction in connection with the operation, management, administration and execution of Ombudsman services, tools and activities (those performed by Contractor and FSA staff). This support may include reviewing survey tools, identifying survey population, and facilitating secure exchange of data and information to facilitate survey completion or survey analytics. Surveys are written and conducted by a third party vendor.

PAGE 10 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

8. The Contractor shall address issues and problems identified in Ombudsman Customer satisfaction surveys.

9. The Contractor shall have the capability to support routine and ad-hoc reporting needs of the Ombudsman Group. See Section 1.7 of this Task Order for additional information.

10. The Contractor shall ensure confidentiality of data and conduct security background checks for each employee prior to employee handling Ombudsman inquiries.

11. The Contractor shall adhere to performance standards. See Section 1.8 of this Task Order and Section 4 of the IDIQ titled Performance Standards for additional information.

12. The Contractor shall conduct an annual program evaluation.

13. The Contractor shall adhere to the FSA Style Guide for all external communication with the Customer.

Additionally, the Contractor shall adhere to Ombudsman Correspondence Guide for guidance on Ombudsman correspondence quality standards.

14. The Contractor must have the operational and technical capability to support a wide range of Customer support and case management work types for all communications channels utilized.

15. The Contractor shall provide and/or support attended services, at a minimum, Telephone Inquiries, Written Inquiries via postal mail, Facsimile, Electronic Correspondence received via emails or the online Assistance Request Form.

16. The Contractor shall provide and/or support automated services, at a minimum, Automated Voice Response Service and Voicemail Services.

17. The Contractor shall propose additional appropriate interaction/communication channels that improve the Ombudsman workflow, reduce resolution timeframes or that achieve cost-efficiencies.

18. Interaction channels requiring technical solutions shall be provided and maintained by the Contractor and requires FSA approval. FSA may require select interaction channels to be accessed from the StudentAid.gov website, or other website as specified by FSA.

19. Contractor personnel supporting call intake and case work will be required to maintain access to the FSA designated Ombudsman Case Tracking System (currently supported by Siebel CRM). FSA reserves the right to transition to a different CRM solution and the Contractor shall operationalize the use of the FSA designated CRM within 180 calendar days after FSA notification.

20. Contractor personnel supporting case work will route all case correspondence and case resolution recommendations to FSA for review and approval, unless otherwise directed by FSA.

21. The Contractor must have the capability to ramp-up contact center operation to operational status within 90 days or less after task order award. This means that the Contractor must have the facility, technology, and staffing in place to start taking calls within 90 days of task award. This includes the provision of required equipment and facilities, trained staff, telecommunications and automated response solutions, and management reports on inquiry activities.

22. The Contractor shall implement a low-risk, phased-in approach to the transition.

23. The Contractor shall provide a dedicated solution that utilizes staffing which are dedicated to the IDIQ.

24. The Contractor must have the capability to support both English and Spanish languages in handling all inquiries under all interaction channels. FSA may provide an independent language services (under separate contract) to provide interpretation or translation services in the event the inquiry requires language assistance other than English or Spanish. FSA may designate the use of this service when appropriate.

25. The Contractor shall provide, design, implement, operate and maintain its own Computer Telephony Interface and/or network-based automated voice response services.

26. Intake, general assistance, and case research may require accessing FSA systems, websites, and tools (e.g., StudentAid.gov, NSLDS, FAFSA on the Web, or loan servicers’ systems).

PAGE 11 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

27. The Contractor is responsible for developing and implementing a training approach that ensures that contract staff has sufficient knowledge about FSA (e.g. programs, policies, processes, systems, websites, etc.) in order to assist Customers in an efficient and effective manner. The training approach should also include processes that support staff remaining current on agency programs and agency performance objectives while providing appropriate levels of customer service across all Customer interaction channels.

28. The Contractor may develop Ombudsman-specific or FSA-specific training materials but must submit to FSA for review and approval. FSA will support initial training by providing business specific materials and at FSA’s discretion, federal staff may be made available to provide initial and/or regularly scheduled (e.g., annual) task-specific training sessions.

29. The Contractor shall develop a training approach and implement operational procedures related to crisis and suicide prevention; subject to FSA review and approval.

30. The Contractor shall provide all recruiting, screening, hiring, and monitoring of staff for the task in sufficient quantities to perform this task (e.g. information specialists, research specialists, project management, quality control manager, and support staff).

31. The Contractor shall ensure that all specialists, supervisors, managers and quality control personnel have oral and written communication skills sufficient to facilitate clear and accurate information exchanges with Customers and FSA Staff.

32. Specialist staff shall demonstrate the requisite skills and knowledge to perform the following functions, at a minimum:

a. Shall have the appropriate qualifications and skills required to perform the task and meet minimum qualifications set forth in the base contract including:

b. Ability to gather information to determine a Customer’s needs, apply problem-solving skills, and resolve the inquiry/request effectively

c. Ability to work with varying Customer segments, listen and empathize with Customers and acknowledge their concerns.

d. Ability to handle inquiries and requests in a courteous and professional manner, including calls received from disgruntled, abusive or crisis Customers.

e. Ability to follow protocol and to apply sensitivity and discretion in handling confidential information.

1.6 Access to Government Systems

To fulfill its duties, the Contractor shall have access to the following Government systems:

• Ombudsman Case Tracking System (OCTS) or other FSA-designated CRM solution

• National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)

• Other systems as designated by FSA

1.6.1 Security Designation

All Contracted staff who require access to Government systems or the data contained therein must obtain and maintain a minimum 5c public trust clearance.

In accordance with EDAR 3452.239–72 Department Security Requirements (MAR 2011) of the IDIQ, the following are the contractor employee positions required under this contract and their designated risk levels:

Moderate Risk (MR): TBD within 10 days after Post Award Conference

PAGE 12 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

1.7 Government Furnished Property

In accordance with FSA Clause 45-1, Special Contract Requirements for Government Furnished Property – Two Factor Authentication Tokens (TFA) (SEP 2011), the Contractor may have access to the following Government furnished property:

• Two-Factor Authentication Tokens

1.8 Key Personnel

In accordance with EDAR452.243-70 Key Personnel (MAR 2011) of the IDIQ, the following have been identified as Key Personnel in the performance of this Task Order:

Labor Category Name

Task Order 0001 Project Manager Task Order 0001 Transition Manager Training and Transition Subject Matter Advisor Quality and Operations Subject Matter Advisor Continuous Improvement Subject Matter Advisor

PAGE 13 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

1 9 Deliverables

The Contractor shall provide the deliverables identified in the following Deliverable List in accordance with the schedule approved by the Government The Contractor may be required to provide additional deliverables either upon Government request or as proposed by the Contractor

Deliverable acceptance shall follow the deliverable process and acceptance procedures as outlined in the IDIQ The table below identifies specific task order deliverable information including the descriptions, due dates and any additional acceptance criteria

# Deliverable Description Suggested Due Date Acceptance Criteria

1) Transition Plan

10 business days after task order award

The plan should detail the transition approach and transition schedule with major milestones identified Plan should minimally provide:

• Information on plans to obtain fully trained, equipped, and qualified staff having the proper security clearances to handle workload within the designated operational ramp up timeframe

• Risk management approach that identifies key risks, mitigations, contingencies and impact as well as the update process

2) Transition Status Reports and Meetings Weekly during operational ramp up period

Report provides information on status of transition, completed and upcoming activities, issues and risks, action items and schedule

3) Staffing and Retention Plan* 10 business days after task order award

Plan should include a staffing approach relevant to the task order describing the planned staffing mix, staffing levels, and recruitment and retention approach to attract and retain skilled employees

4) Training Delivery Plan* 10 business days after task order award

Plan should include a description of the training approach to be used during the transition period and over the life of the contract

5) Operational Approach* 10 business days after task order award

The approach should demonstrate the operational processes and functions that will be used to deliver task order requirements Minimally, the approach should include:

• General operating procedures

• Agreed upon hours of operations

• Descriptions of all technical solutions and systems, specifying any needed integration with existing/planned systems

• Identification and description of availability, suitability and accessibility of overall facilities and equipment

6) Quality Control Plan* 20 business days after task order award Plan should include methods for ensuring quality and establish quality control procedures for the transition period and over the life of the contract

PAGE 14 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013) # Deliverable Description Suggested Due Date Acceptance Criteria

7) Continuation of Mission Critical Services Plan

20 business days after task order award and annually thereafter

Plan adequately describes how business functions supported will be performed in the event that the service or supporting systems are unavailable due to disaster or other extended disruption

8) Status Report(s) and Meeting Weekly and Monthly The schedule will be jointly agreed upon after contract award

Report should minimally provide:

• Information on the agreed upon service level agreements and performance metrics at designated intervals

• Operational issues, risks, actions items, and any relevant schedule information

9) Forecast Planning Report Quarterly Forecasts addresses plan for managing operations against forecasted volumes among all communication channels and forecast accuracy assessments

10) Program Evaluation Report and Presentation Semi-Annually The schedule will be jointly agreed upon after contract award

Report reviews performance of major interaction channels, work productivity, quality components, costs, and performance metrics

Lessons learned and recommendations are also be included

Report has been presented to FSA designated staff

11) Technical Materials Varied; as needed Technical deliverables including LMM materials supporting operational readiness, system security documentation, operational workflows, call flows, business rules, CTI and IVRU interface documentation, training materials, or other FSA mandated technical documentation

12) Case Correspondence and Case Resolutions Routinely Case correspondence and case resolution recommendations have been routed for FSA review and meet performance standards identified

13) Contact Center Operations Reports The schedule will be jointly agreed upon after contract award

Report provides information on contact center operations and case management that provide insight into service performance Should minimally include:

• IVR usage data

• Inbound volumes data by interactions channels, by language, and nature of inbound action (case creation or existing case management)

• Average handle time or average processing times for inbound interactions

• Average speed of answer or average response time on inbound interactions

*Significant changes to information included in these Deliverables should be resubmitted to FSA as needed

PAGE 15 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013) 1 10 Performance Standards

This section outlines the primary performance indicator metrics for the Ombudsman Group The Contractor may propose additional or alternate standards

The Contractor shall perform all task requirements in accordance with the performance levels FSA reserves the right to adjust or suspend the performance standards individually or in their entirety, and/or add other performance metrics as deemed necessary at any time during the performance period of this task order Any adjustment, suspension, and/or addition shall be in collaboration with the Contractor and with ample notice for change management

The following are examples of criteria that may indicate the need for an adjustment or suspension of performance standards:

• A start-up event (to allow Contractor a period of time to ramp up to meet the FSA’s performance standard)

• A change of events in FSA’s environment (to allow a period of time for Contractor to adjust to the change);

• Baselines and thresholds appear either unattainable or trivially easy; and

• A need for the Government to cap staffing levels for budgetary purposes

If the contractor has reason to suspend a particular performance requirement, they should submit a request in writing for a waiver to the CO, with copies to the Task Order COR and IDIQ COR The request needs to include the specific performance metric, a well-articulated justification, and identification of the time period effected

Performance Indicator Definition Target Performance Frequency

Response Time

1) General Assistance Cases After case assignment, case is closed within 3 days, except those cases involving case correspondence reviews 95% Weekly/Monthly

2) Research Cases After case assignment, case is closed within designated timeframe

75% within 90 calendar days, 100% within 120 calendar days

Weekly/Monthly

3) New Case Acknowledgement Time

After case assignment, a non-automated outbound contact to customer is made within designated timeframe

95% within 1 business days, 100% within 2 business days

Weekly/Monthly

Quality Control

PAGE 16 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013) Performance Indicator Definition Target Performance Frequency

4) Channel Monitoring Contractor monitoring of all interaction channels 1% of each interaction volume Monthly

5) Quality Responses and behaviors of specialists are consistent, professional and accurate 90% for all channels Monthly

6) FSA Review Return Rate

Case correspondence and case resolutions submitted to FSA for review and returned to Contractor due to incomplete research, failure to address customer concerns, content accuracy, or notable style, spelling, and grammar issues / Total number of submissions

3% or lower Monthly

7) Appropriate Resolution - General Assistance

General assistance case opened by a customer within 30 days of closure of a prior general assistance or research case / total number of cases closed

2% or lower Quarterly

8) Appropriate Resolution - Research Cases

Research case opened by a customer within 30 days of closure of a prior general assistance or research case / total number of cases closed 3% or lower Quarterly

9) Frequency of Research Case Follow-Up Number of follow-up research cases

TBD in conjunction with FSA within 90 days of contract award

Weekly/Monthly

Customer Satisfaction

10) Customer Satisfaction FSA assessment of customer service satisfaction using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)

Base period –

Between 72 and 78

Option Periods – Between 75 and 85 with no decrease greater than 5 points from prior quarter

Quarterly

PAGE 17 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013) Performance Indicator Definition Target Performance Frequency

11) Service Availability Total time in the month (in minutes) – total time service is not available during that month (in minutes) / Total time in the month

99% Weekly/Monthly

Call Center Effectiveness

12) Abandonment Rate Number of hang-ups and dropped calls / Total number of calls offered ≤3% Weekly/Monthly

13) Average Speed of Answer Total time in queue / total number of calls handled ≤45 seconds Weekly/Monthly

14) Blockage (Total number of calls offered by the network - Total number of calls processed by switch) / Total number of calls offered by network

1% or less Weekly/Monthly

15) Work Volume Forecasting (Work volume forecasted – actual work volume) / Actual work volume +10% or better Weekly/Monthly

1 11 Performance Management and Disincentive

The Contractor shall perform all task requirements in accordance with the performance levels Meeting performance indicators and other contract requirements will result in appropriate Quality of Service Ratings in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reports FSA reserves the right to suspend the performance standards individually or in their entirety, and/or add other performance metrics as deemed necessary at any time during the performance period of this task order Any, suspension shall be in collaboration with the Contractor with ample notice for change management Any addition or adjustment would be a mutual agreement between the parties

In the event that any performance metric falls below target in month one, the contractor shall initiate a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to formally manage actions to restore performance This plan will include analysis of the performance gap, a plan of action with timetable for implementation, and a clearly identified owner The CAP will be initiated within five business days of the close of the month and submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) The contractor will confirm that the plan is fully implemented and will track the CAP’s progress weekly with its management team and update FSA appropriately

In the instance of a second consecutive month of non-compliance, the CAP will be escalated weekly with the contractor’s Senior Management and FSA

PAGE 18 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013) In the instance of a third consecutive month of non-compliance of a specific performance indicator, at FSA’s discretion, the Contractor may be required to conduct additional program monitoring and may have increased reporting responsibilities

In addition, in the instance of a third consecutive month of non-compliance for any of the performance indicators specified in Table 1, a disincentive fee will apply for each month of nonperformance (months one, two, and three) in an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the fixed monthly price amount paid to the Contractor The disincentive fee is applicable to each individual performance indicator listed below

The disincentive fee will remain in effect for any subsequent months where nonperformance continues and past performance ratings will reflect nonperformance The disincentive fee will not apply once a subsequent month’s performance has reached the target performance Any subsequent instances where the same performance indicator falls below the targeted performance, will reinitiate the stated performance management and disincentive fee structure

In case of further substandard performance, the Government will enforce contract clauses as appropriate (e g , In case of continuous or uncorrected nonperformance or unacceptable quality of deliverables, the Government may issue a cure notice and the contract may be subject to possible termination and/or reprocurement of the services against Contractor’s account, and adverse past performance)

The CO shall exercise the independent discretion in determining whether to assess the disincentive fee The disincentive fee structure will be based on three consecutive months of nonperformance of any of the contract performance indicators, beginning on the seventh month of the contract base year, allowing the Contractor a 6-month grace period before this disincentive structure will apply

For clarification, an example of the stated performance management and disincentive fee structure has been provided in Table 2

The Transition and the Performance Indicators with Disincentive a Fee are illustrated below

Transition Disincentive Fee

• A transition disincentive of $5,000 per day will be applied if the transition is not fully completed within 90 days of Task Order award

PAGE 19 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001

Table 1. Performance Indicators with Disincentive Fee

Performance Indicator Definition Target Performance

1 General Assistance Cases

After case assignment, case is closed within 3 business days, except those cases involving case correspondence reviews

95%

2 Research Cases After case assignment, case is closed within designated timeframe 75% within 90 calendar days, 100% within 120 calendar days

3 FSA Review Return Rate

Case correspondence and case resolutions submitted to FSA for review and returned to Contractor due to incomplete research, failure to address customer concerns, content accuracy, or notable style, spelling, and grammar issues / Total number of submissions

3% or lower

4 Customer Satisfaction

FSA assessment of customer service satisfaction using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)

Base period – Between 72 and 78

Option Periods – Between 75 and 85 with no decrease greater than 5 points from prior quarter

PAGE 20 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

Table 2. Performance Management Example (Only)

M on th

O ne

Performance Indicator 1 2 3 4 Performance Management

Target Met X X X Contractor shall initiate a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for Indicator 1

Target Not Met X

M on th T w o Performance Indicator 1 2 3 4 Performance Management

Target Met X X X Contractor shall continue the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for Indicator 1 The CAP will be escalated weekly with the contractor’s Senior Management and FSA

Target Not Met X

M on th T hr ee

Performance Indicator 1 2 3 4 Performance Management

Target Met X X X Contractor may be required to conduct additional program monitoring and may have increased reporting responsibilities for Indicator 1 A disincentive fee of 3% of the monthly invoice amount will be applied to the next invoice for each month of nonperformance (months one, two, and three)

Target Not Met X

M on th F ou r Performance Indicator 1 2 3 4 Performance Management

Target Met X X X A disincentive fee of 3% of the monthly invoice amount will be applied to the next invoice

Target Not Met X

M on th F iv e Performance Indicator 1 2 3 4 Performance Management

Target Met X X X X Not applicable; performance targets met

Target Not Met

M on th S ix Performance Indicator 1 2 3 4 Performance Management

Target Met X X Contractor shall initiate a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for Indicator 1 and Indicator 4

Target Not Met X X

PAGE 21 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

ED-FSA-14-D-0004 Task Order 0001 Ombudsman Support

(Work Statement Dated: December 20, 2013)

M on th S ev en

Target Met X X Contractor shall continue the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for Indicator 1 and Indicator 4 Both will be escalated weekly with the Contractor’s Senior Management and FSA

Target Not Met X X

M on th E ig ht

Target Met X X Contractor may be required to conduct additional program monitoring and may have increased reporting responsibilities for Indicator 1 and Indicator 4 A disincentive fee of 6% of the monthly invoice amount will be applied to the next invoice for each month of nonperformance (months one, two, and three)

Target Not Met X X

SCHEDULE Continued

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE $ AMOUNT $

PAGE 22 OF 22 ED-FSA-14-D-0004/0001

Accounting and Appropriation Data:

0202M2014.A.2014.ENC00000.6N3.2521A.ACM.000.

0000.000000

Cost Applied:

0202M2014.A.2014.ENC00000.6N3.2521A.BA7.000.

0000.000000

Cost Applied:

Case Management

NTE NTE

0001 General Assistance and Research Cases in the amount of for Nine (9) months.

1.00 SE

Case Transition In and Travel Funding

NTE NTE

0002 Case Transition In funding in the amount o for Three (3) months.

Travel Funding Not to Exceed

1.00 SE