Attachment A PWS.docx

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Performance Work Statement (PWS) IES Web-related Research and Dissemination

I. Introduction

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) requires a contractor to provide web-related research and dissemination services in support of the Institute of Education Sciences’ (IES) (http://ies.ed.gov) efforts to make research easily accessible to all education stakeholders, from practitioners and policymakers to researchers and the general public. Comprised of four centers—the National Center for Education Research, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, National Center for Special Education Research, and the National Center for Education Statistics—IES evaluates educational projects and federal education programs, collects and analyzes statistics on the condition of education, and funds educational researchers nationwide to conduct studies that seek answers on what works for students from preschool to postsecondary, including interventions for special education students.

The Institute’s work is grounded in the principle that effective education research must address the interests and needs of education practitioners and policymakers. To this end, IES encourages building partnerships among researchers and practitioners in the conceptualization, planning, and conduct of research and evaluation; seeks to facilitate the use of education statistics, research and evaluation in education planning; and seeks to increase the capacity of education decision makers and practitioners to use the knowledge generated from high quality data analysis, research, and evaluation.

Background

The IES website serves as the principal resource for communicating and disseminating information about IES research activities. The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 defines dissemination as “the communication and transfer of the results of scientifically valid research, statistics, and evaluations, in forms that are understandable, easily accessible, and usable, or adaptable for use in, the improvement of educational practice by teachers, administrators, librarians, other practitioners, researchers, parents, policymakers, and the public, through technical assistance, publications, electronic transfer, and other means.”

Legislative Authority

IES dissemination functions are authorized by law under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (PL 107-279, sec. 112, see http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rschstat/leg/PL107-279.pdf).

II. Scope of Work

This section specifies the tasks that the contractor shall perform. The scope of work consists of an evaluation of the IES website, writing and editorial services, graphic design and product development, and the design and implementation of IES report release plans.

Task 1. Meeting with ED

Task 1.1 Kick-off meeting with ED staff The contractor shall meet with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), Contracting Specialist (CS), and the Contracting Officer (CO), and other ED staff as appropriate, in Washington, DC within the first week after the effective date of the contract to discuss details pertaining to the tasks outlined in the proposal and other issues related to the contract. The contractor shall provide briefing materials and an agenda for the meeting. The contractor shall come prepared to present and discuss ideas for accomplishing the goals of the contract, as well as to identify any areas of concern and recommendations for ways to address them. Within one week of the meeting, the contractor shall prepare a memo outlining all concerns and agreements, as well as any clarifications and refinements made as a result of the meeting.

Task 1.2 Monthly progress reports

The contractor shall prepare monthly reports and submit the report to the COR and CO within 15 workdays after the end of each calendar month. The reports shall provide a brief summary of major activities and accomplishments (products, milestones); problems solved or in need of resolution; work to be completed in the next month, including schedule revisions; and a summary of any key issues discussed in calls, e-mails, or meetings with ED, including any challenges encountered in implementing tasks and possible solutions for any new challenges encountered.

Deliverable Due Date

Fifteen (15) monthly progress reports 15th of each month

Task 1.3. Periodic telephone calls with COR

The contractor shall participate in regular telephone calls with the COR to discuss the progress of tasks. These calls shall occur every two weeks.

Deliverable

None

Task 2. Writing and Editing Support for IES Reports and Other Products

The contractor shall provide a range of writing and editorial services, including writing, proofreading, revising, copy editing, and duplicating, in support of the development and design of high-quality publications and other materials in print and electronic formats. Unless otherwise directed, the contractor shall ensure that reports and other products supported under Task 2 adhere to IES editing and graphic guidelines (or other style guidelines approved by the COR for contractor use) at http://nces.ed.gov/statprog/style.asp. All documents (PDFs and HTMLs) developed for posting on the IES website shall meet current IES web specifications and technical standards for section 508 compliance (36 CFR 1194.21 and 1194.22). The contractor shall also prepare documents for printing through the Government Printing Office (GPO) in accordance with GPO’s electronic publishing guidelines at www.gpo.gov/customers/sfas1.htm. The contractor can access GPO’s Standard Form 1, Printing and Binding Requisition, at www.gpo.gov.

Task 2.1. Prepare annual and biennial reports

The contractor shall provide writing, editing and graphic support in the preparation of the IES Director’s biennial report to Congress and the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES) annual report. The task will include editing, layout and formatting text and tables, designing covers (including title page and boiler plate), duplicating, and producing web PDFs/HTMLs and GPO packages.

· The Director’s biennial report of activities carried out by and through IES’s national education centers, including and a summary of each grant, contract, and cooperative agreements funded through the centers during the prior fiscal years. The report shall be approximately 90 pages in length, 8 ½ x 11 inch format, 4-color cover, 2-color text. See the last biennial report at http://ies.ed.gov/director/20076004.asp.

· An annual NBES report of IES activities. The report shall be approximately 45 pages in length, 8 ½ x 11 inch format, 4-color cover, 2-color text. See examples of NBES reports at http://ies.ed.gov/director/board/index.asp.

For each report, the COR will provide the contractor with drafts for editing and graphic support. The contractor shall provide for two rounds of edits and three graphic designs (cover and layout options) for each report for review and comment by the COR and other reviewers designated by the COR. The COR will provide comments to the contractor on the edits and design options within one week. The contractor shall incorporate comments supplied by the COR and submit final formatted versions of each report.

The COR shall review and approve the final versions of each report for web posting and GPO printing. The contractor shall prepare PDFs/HTMLs for the web, and GPO print packages for each report. The contractor shall send GPO print packages to the COR. The COR will arrange for the GPO printer’s proofs of the reports to be sent to the contractor for graphic design review to ensure that the proofs show what the final product as designed by the contractor was intended to and will ultimately look like. The contractor shall review GPO proofs of publications under this task and make revisions to those proofs if necessary. Revisions may involve creating a new file, revising individual pages, or another means of ensuring that revisions or corrections have been made correctly. The contractor shall also discuss printing issues (e.g., issues or questions about file set up, fonts, etc.) related to the reports with the GPO printing officer and, if necessary, the printer.

The contractor shall duplicate and deliver 75 copies of each report to the COR for immediate use by IES. Copies shall be delivered to the COR no later than 5 days after final approval. TBD dates will be provided by the COR and negotiated at the time of the kick-off meeting and enforced through a contract modification.

Task 2.2. Write, edit short pieces translated from IES research or other education research topics

To ensure that the major findings in IES reports are relevant and useful to practitioners and policymakers, IES requires the findings from selected studies and products to be available to this informed audience in varied abbreviated formats, such as summaries and synopses, in language that is clear and easily accessible.

The contractor shall prepare (refine, edit, and design, layout, format, and duplicate) up to 15 short pieces translated from IES research or other education research topics. Of these, the contractor shall prepare

· up to 10 one-page summaries (8 ½ x 11 inch format, 2 colors text, charts, tables); and

· up to 5, two- or four-page synopses (8 ½ x 11 inch format, 4-color, artwork/photos, text, tables, charts, and figures) from IES evaluation reports from the National Center for Education Evaluation and possibly other IES center reports. See examples of short synopses at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/ and http://ncrece.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/NCRECEInFocus_v1n1.pdf.

IES will identify the reports and provide the contractor with drafts of each piece and source material. The contractor shall provide for two rounds of revisions for review and comment by the COR and other reviewers as designated by the COR. IES will provide comments to the contractor on the documents and design options within one week. The contractor shall incorporate comments supplied by the COR and submit final documents.

The contractor shall provide three design options for one-page summaries and three design options for two-page synopses. The COR shall provide the contractor with the template for use with four-page synopses. All short piece documents may require an abbreviated internal agency review of up to 2 weeks. The contractor shall duplicate and deliver 100 copies of each document to the COR for immediate use by IES.

TBD dates will be provided by the COR and negotiated at the time of the kick-off meeting and enforced through a contract modification.

Task 3. Create an online resource for report writing

This task is designed to improve the writing and editing capacity of those involved in producing reports and other documents for IES. The contractor shall, in consultation with IES, create a narrated online presentation (tutorial) offering pointers for writing and editing education research documents for different audiences (e.g., various education stakeholders) and in different formats. The formats may range from short summaries used in newsflashes (email alerts) to executive summaries in major reports. The presentation will be posted on the IES members site or the public website and feature writing guidelines and expectations for reports. The contractor shall meet with the COR and other appropriate IES staff within 4 weeks after contract award to discuss the project in detail, including the purpose, type of presentation, content, and IES website guidelines and standards for the final product. The contractor shall provide a detailed workplan for the online presentation. The contractor shall provide for up to two rounds of revisions to the draft presentation. The COR shall provide comments on drafts within one week of receiving revisions. The contractor shall incorporate comments and submit the final presentation demonstration for review and approval.

Task 4. Conduct an assessment of and rebuild/update the IES photo/image library The purpose of this task is to assess the IES Photo/Image Library on the IES website and to rebuild and update this library by eliminating all outdated stock images of students and classrooms. The contractor shall also update the library to include additional postsecondary images of colleges and college students to reflect the growing portfolio of IES research in this area. The Photo/Image library shall be completely updated two months before the end of the contract.

The IES Photo/Image Library has over 300 images covering education and education-related topics. The images are used in the design of IES publications and other products. Most of the images are stock photos; some photos are from the U.S. Department of Education’s photo archives (event photos). The contractor shall add a minimum of 200 additional images to the image library through the use of updated stock photos, student art work and more natural photos secured during ED events (ED Photo Office). The contractor shall secure permissions as appropriate for the use of artwork. Over the contract period, the contractor shall identify and recommend to the COR for purchase through the contract 10 royalty-free photo discs (each disc containing multiple images) to add to the image library.

The COR will provide the contractor with information on how to access the IES photo/image library and contact information for viewing images at the ED Photo Office. The ED Photo Office is located at the U.S. Department of Education headquarters building located at 400 Maryland Avenue SW (Lyndon Baines Johnson Building), Washington, DC.

Within 4 weeks of contract award, the contractor shall:

· assess current IES photo/image holdings.

· provide a 2-page report with recommendations for organizing the library, and recommendations for 3 of the 10 photo discs to be purchased by the contractor for inclusion in the library. The COR shall provide comments to the contractor on the recommendations report within 2 days after receipt.

· schedule a viewing appointment with the ED Photo Office to select and get copies of event photos. The ED Photo Office will provide the contractor with discs to be used for downloading images selected from its photo archives.

Within 6 weeks of contract award, the contractor shall provide the COR with the event photos from the ED archives and three new photo discs for uploading to the IES photo/image library. Every quarter, the contractor shall schedule appointments with the ED Photo Office to view and secure photos for inclusion in the photo library. The contractor shall send photos to the COR within 1 week after each visit to the ED Photo Office. Every quarter, the contractor shall send recommendations to the COR for the purchase of a minimum of two additional photo discs.

Photos/photo discs purchased under this contract shall become the property of the Government and shall be turned over to the Government upon purchase.

Task 5. Support the design and implementation of IES report release plans

The contractor shall support the IES Outreach and Communications Office in planning media release strategies for up to four major IES reports, primarily those from the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance and the National Center for Education Statistics. Contractor activities include the following:

· Consult with the COR and ED program staff (e.g., Communications Director, project officer, report author) on media strategy and messages.

· Draft press releases. The COR will provide the contractor with the press release template to be used for all press releases.

· Create targeted contact list(s) for specific releases based on the IES media database. The COR will provide the contractor with an electronic copy of the database.

· Plan and execute release methods and, in some cases, events. Possible methods include webinars, PowerPoint, media call-ins on embargoed releases, information “What is ...? briefings on perennial releases (e.g., postsecondary education).

Webinar tasks shall include arranging for and conducting the webinar, helping to preparing PowerPoint presentations, creating lists of invitees based on IES media database, drafting invitation letters and inviting attendees, tracking/confirming participation, sending out materials in advance of events, preparing materials for pre- and-post webinar materials for posting on the IES website. The contractor shall ensure that any web-based materials meet all IES web policies, standards, and guidelines, including full compliance with section 508 (36 CFR 1194.21 and 1194.22).

TBD dates will be provided by the COR and negotiated at the time of the kick-off meeting and enforced through a contract modification.

Task 6. Graphic design and layout support for IES products

The purpose of this task is to provide graphic design support for all dissemination projects under this contract.

Task 6.1. IES funding posters

IES participates in numerous education conferences, meetings and other events with poster presentations on IES funding opportunities. IES anticipates the need for three 4-color posters: the first two are needed between April 1, 2011-Sept. 1, 2011; a third is needed between January 1, 2012 and the end of the contract. The contractor shall edit, layout, duplicate each poster, secure suitable carrying cases for each. The contractor shall deliver final products to the COR within 1 week after approval.

IES shall provide the contractor with text to be edited for each poster. The COR shall provide the contractor with an example (poster templates) of the formats used in previous posters. The contractor shall edit the text to ensure that it is grammatically correct and free of errors. The contractor shall secure laminated paper posters that are approximately 4’x3’ feet in size, or other appropriate size as recommended by the contractor in consultation with and approved by the COR. Posters must be portable, flexible, sturdy, and fit easily into postal tubes or similar product for transporting paper posters.

The TBD dates will be provided by the COR and negotiated at the time of the kick-off meeting and enforced through a contract modification.

Task 6.2. IES meeting materials and other products

The contractor shall design an IES folder to be used at meetings, conferences, and other events. Within 3 weeks of contract award, the COR will provide the contractor with copies of existing IES promotional materials that may be helpful in the design process. These materials will include copies of IES brochures and images of the IES exhibit used at conferences. Within 4 weeks of contract award, the contractor shall provide the COR with three design options for review. The contractor shall provide for two rounds of revisions to the options. The COR will review and provide comments within 2 days of receiving the options. The contractor shall incorporate comments and submit final design for approval.

The folder design shall, at a minimum, contain key information about the Institute of Education Sciences (e.g., logo tagline Connecting research, policy, and practice, center names with URLS for each). The folder shall have a similar look and feel as other IES promotional materials as provided by the COR. The contractor shall prepare the folder for printing through the Government Printing Office (GPO). The contractor shall send the GPO print package to the COR. The COR will arrange for the GPO printer’s proofs of the folder (digital color proofs, electronic/PDF, laminate or matchprint, bluelines, etc.) to be sent to the contractor for review to ensure that the proofs show what the final product as designed by the contractor was intended to and will ultimately look like.

Task 7. Conduct research on the IES website The IES website is a primary means for disseminating information about IES research activities. The purpose of this task is to evaluate its website, with the goal of improving its accessibility and ensuring that it continues to meet the needs of a wide range of education stakeholders in a well-organized and useful manner. All website redesign recommendations and proposals resulting from this task must conform to IES standards and be section 508 compliant. References in this task to the IES website refers to the IES and NCES websites (http://ies.ed.gov and http://nces.ed.gov).

Task 7.1 Conduct pre-project interviews

Within three weeks of contract award, the contractor shall schedule and conduct interviews with IES staff, and report on the interviews. The COR will provide the contractor with contact information for staff to be interviewed.

· Communications Director. The contractor shall conduct a one-hour interview with the IES Communications Director to understand the vision and goals for the outreach and communications aspects of the website.

· Information Technology (IT) Director and relevant staff. The contractor shall conduct two one-hour (or one two-hour) interviews with the IT Director and two relevant IT staff, as identified by the COR, to discuss the technical aspects of the project. Topics for discussion with IT staff may include the purpose and functions of the IES websites, the infrastructure and capabilities of the website, and the various website user types.

Task 7.2 Evaluate the IES website

Four weeks after contract award, the contractor shall evaluate the current IES website and report its findings. The contractor shall perform the following key tasks:

a. Conduct a heuristic review of the current IES websites and make recommendations for changes or improvements to existing structure or content based on their expertise and knowledge of the web design/usability process.

b. Evaluate web metrics, available user information, and Internet Protocol (IP) information to create user profiles of current IES user audience. The COR will provide the contractor access information.

c. Develop a user task matrix (tasks ranked by user groups), task lists (ranked by importance, frequency, and feasibility), and task flow process diagrams that show all the steps a user would take to complete a specific task. The diagrams shall be based on the tasks identified in the user task matrix and task lists.

d. Conduct market research, and prepare a report based on the market research, on 25 websites created by government agencies, educational organizations, and business with similar audiences or purposes as IES. The purpose of the market research is to better understand user experiences and expectations at different websites with similar missions or functions as IES. The contractor shall use the market research information to better understand user expectations from IES’s site. Topics of interest may include: Content, Page Layout, Site Design, User Characteristics, Site Traffic, Technical Capabilities (i.e., technical applications or programs used, standards, screen resolution, etc.), Staffing Requirements, and Maintenance Costs.

Task 7.3 Create usability test plans

The contractor shall create three (3) Usability Testing plans based on the information contained in the user profiles and task matrix created in subtasks 7.2b and 7.2c. Each usability test will contain 15 user tasks identified by the task matrix as common tasks performed by users of their subgroup in addition to tasks that are commonly performed across a general IES audience.

a. The first usability test will contain 9 potential users of the IES website that consist of a broad base of users including teachers, parents, reporters, and other interested persons.

b. The second usability test will contain 9 potential users of the IES website who are current high-level educational professionals including administrators, curriculum specialists, superintendents, elected officials and state board of education officials.

c. The third usability test will contain 9 potential users of the IES website who are current education researchers, IES grantees, and university education professors.

The contractor shall submit written usability test plans to COR for review and approval. The contractor shall incorporate COR comments in revised plans. The contractor shall allow for two rounds of revisions to the usability test plans. The usability testing plans shall, at a minimum, include the following:

· Set measurable usability objectives to describe what aspects of the IES website will be tested and frame the purpose of the study.

· Usability test strategy and usability test methodology.

· Test scenarios based on user and task analysis. Set successful completion criteria for each task.

Task 7.4 Create Focus Group Test Plans

The contractor shall create a Focus Group testing plan using a representative sample of prospective IES website users. The contractor will recruit 9 participants with an emphasis on recruiting a sample of potential users that represent all cross-sections of the IES audience as outlined in subtask 7.3a-c.

· Each focus group will contain 15 user tasks taken from the tasks tested in the usability test plans with the goal of providing qualitative feedback from the usability test results. Special consideration in the selection of tasks for the focus group include:

1. Tasks where evidence is inconclusive or has results that conflict among different user groups. This information will attempt to explain why a certain task is able to be completed by one user group but not another, or why some users in a user group are successful at completing a task but others were not. The objective of these tasks is to gain feedback to help pinpoint roadblocks for website users and use that information to develop a suitable remedy.

2. Tasks that have broad implications for all users.

3. Tasks which the task-analysis research has shown to be the most performed or important tasks for different groups of IES website users.

4. Other tasks as specified by IES or contractor as areas of concern or importance.

Within 10 weeks after contract award, the contractor shall submit the first draft of the written focus group test plans to IES for review and approval. The contractor shall allow for two rounds of revisions to the focus group test plan. The focus group testing plan should include the focus group test strategy and methodology; participant pre-test interview question on their knowledge of IES, its centers, its products and resources, and familiarity with IES and NCES websites; and test scenarios as outlined in subtask 7.3.

Task 7.5 Execute testing plans Usability Tests (3) The contractor shall conduct all usability tests, record all results related to the tests, and compile and report all results. The contractor shall recruit, schedule, and compensate 9 participants for each of the three usability test studies. Usability testing will take place at the HHS Usability lab (http://www.hhs.gov/policies/webpolicies/200505.html) because it is available to federal agencies at no cost. (HHS has two labs in Washington, DC). For recording purposes, HHS provides access to usability software (Morae) free of charge. HHS University can provide a brief orientation of the software in advance of the usability testing. Upon completion of the usability test, the contractor shall pay participants a cash incentive of $200 for their participation.

· The participants shall be scheduled for individual or two-person sessions lasting approximately 1 hour each.

· The contractor shall collaborate with the COR to secure the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Usability Testing facilities. The usability sessions shall be scheduled for dates and times to be specified by IES and will take place at the HHS facility based upon lab availability. The contractor shall contact the usability center at least one month in advance to reserve testing dates and times. Target timeframe for usability testing: May/June 2011.

The contractor shall submit a written report for each usability test that contains, at a minimum, (1) all of the elements contained within the usability test plan as outlined in task 7.3; (2) reported findings ranked by the frequency and intensity of problems users encountered; and (3) research-based recommendations based on the usability testing.

Focus Group (1) The contractor shall recruit, schedule, compensate 9 individuals for participating in the focus group, and submit a written report upon completion of the session. The contractor shall provide a facility to conduct the focus groups. The session shall be approximately 2 hours in length. The contractor shall provide all equipment and services necessary for the focus group, including recording the session. Upon completion of the focus group, the contractor shall pay participants a cash incentive of $200 for their participation. Target months for focus group: May/June 2011.

The contractor shall submit a written report on the focus group containing, at a minimum, the following:

1. All of the elements contained within the focus group testing plan as outlined in task 7.4, including answers to pre-test interview questions.

2. Recordings of steps taken by users to complete various tasks and the time it took to complete each task.

3. Transcripts of user responses to various questions asked by the focus group moderator. Emphasis will be given to questions that answer

a. Why a user took the steps he/she did to complete a task;

b. Why a user reacted a certain way to various elements or aspects of the IES website or the tasks given to them; and

c. How a user solved a task.

These questions should be based on the results of an individual’s experience with the IES website and their experience completing the tasks assigned to them.

4. Participant post-test interviews on their impressions of the website as a whole and feedback on various aspects of the site they thought worked well, areas that should be improved, and proposed additional of deletions. Emphasis shall be given to questions that provide

a. Holistic user perspectives about the look, functionality, and ease of use of the IES website;

b. User impressions of how the IES website would be useful to them or someone in a similar professional capacity;

c. Insight as to whether or not a user would use our site in their regular work responsibilities; and

d. Answers as to what could be changed, added or improved to increase their use of the IES website.

market research, contractor evaluations, user profiles, user task analysis and recommendations based on the results

Task 7.6 Create proposal with design, navigation, and search suggestions

The contractor shall create one proposal based upon the results of the written compilation report, three usability reports, and the website focus group. This proposal is intended to generate new ideas for design, navigation, and search improvements. The proposal must take into account existing back-end infrastructure, maintenance costs, and staffing demands. The proposal should include ideas and improvement suggestions at three varying levels of change: minor, moderate, and major rethinking of site appearance, content, use, infrastructure and capacity.

· The contractor shall compile the results into an interactive presentation showing various options and ideas. The contractor shall make the presentation to COR and the IES working group for the project.

· The contractor shall solicit feedback from the COR and the IES working group about the various redesign proposals and record the results.

· The contractor shall incorporate the revisions suggested by the COR and the IES working group and update the interactive presentation.

· The contractor shall compile the results into an interactive presentation (on-site) showing proposed designed changes in the context of the current IES website. The contractor shall make an on-site presentation to the COR and IES. The contractor shall coordinate the presentation details (date, time, and IES location) with the COR.

Written report on IES staff feedback on website improvement ideas 26 weeks after contract award Revised multimedia presentation to IES staff reflecting feedback (final) 28 weeks after contract award

III. Schedule of Deliverables/Milestones for Tasks 1-7

The contractor shall submit the following deliverables to the COR for review and approval, unless otherwise indicated. The schedule of deliverables assumes a March 15, 2011 start date. TBD dates will be provided by the COR and negotiated at the time of the kick-off meeting and enforced through a contract modification.

Task 1 – Meeting With ED

Task 2 – Writing, editing for IES reports and other products

Task 3 – Create online rsource for report writing

Task 4 – Assess & build photo/image library

Task 5 – Support the design and implementation of IES report release plans

Task 6 – Graphic design and layout

Task 7 – Conduct Research on IES website

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