Administrative Logistical PWS NCSER.docx

DRAFT

Performance Work Statement

Administrative and Logistical Support Services for the National Center for Special Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this contract is to provide the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) with administrative and logistical support related to the research, evaluation, and research leadership activities in special education. This Statement of Work describes the types of activities for which task orders may be issued under this contract on an as-needed basis. The expected work falls into four broad categories: (1) meetings and conferences that focus on issues related to special education research (2) webinars and teleconferences and (3) special education research leadership activities.

I. BACKGROUND of IES and NCSER

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Established by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA, PL 107-279), IES’s mission is “to provide national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of education from early childhood through postsecondary study.” The Institute provides educators, researchers, policymakers, parents, students, and the general public with reliable information about educational practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to educational opportunities for all students; the condition and progress of education in the United States; and the effectiveness of federal and other education programs. IES’ activities are accomplished through four research centers: National Center for Education Research (NCER), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER).

On December 3, 2004, Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This reauthorization amended the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002 to establish NCSER within IES. NCSER sponsors rigorous research designed to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children with or at risk for disabilities. NCSER’s research efforts focus on improving: (a) developmental outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities; (b) readiness for schooling; (c) academic outcomes in reading, writing, mathematics, and science; (d) student behavior and social interactions; (e) functional skills; and (f) educational attainment and transition to postsecondary settings. NCSER’s current standing programs of research are designed to address eleven (11) topic areas: Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education; Reading, Writing, and Language Development; Mathematics and Science Education; Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning; Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students; Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education; Professional Development for Teachers and Related Services Providers; Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Technology for Special Education; and Families of Children with Disabilities. In addition, NCSER currently supports Special Education Research and Development Centers and Postdoctoral Research Training Programs. For more information about NCSER activities, please refer to the NCSER website at http://ncser.ed.gov.

II. PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to obtain administrative and logistical support for the National Center for Special Education Research’s research, evaluation, and leadership activities. Task orders will be issued under this contract to acquire these services. Under these task orders, the Contractor shall provide support in the following three (3) areas:

1) Special Education Meetings

2) Webinars and Teleconferences

3) Special Education Research Leadership

This Performance Work Statement describes the range of work to be carried out by the contractor. Specific task orders issued by the Contracting Officer (CO) will describe the objectives of a task, the work to be performed, the deliverables, and the deliverable schedule. NCSER anticipates a need for a maximum of 15 task orders per year of the contract.

III. TASK ORDER REQUIREMENTS

The types of administrative and logistics support activities required in a task to address NCSER’s administrative and support needs will be issued under the activities that are described below (i.e., Meetings, Conferences, Seminars, Training Sessions, and Workshops; Webinars and Teleconferences; and Research Leadership). All of the specific activities that the Contractor shall be required to undertake in a given task order are not specified in the main activities below. Therefore, the activities for a specific task to be performed by the Contractor are detailed at the time the task order is issued. Task orders under Activity 1 will be numbered Task Order 1.1, Task Order 1.2, and so forth. Task orders under Activity 2 will be numbered Task Order 2.1, Task Order 2.2, and so forth. Task orders under Activity 3 will be numbered Task Order 3.1, Task Order 3.2, and so forth.

Activity 1. Special Education Meetings

The Contractor shall provide support to NCSER in the successful planning and conducting of meetings for a variety of purposes and audiences in the field of special education. NCSER audiences include: national special education experts; principal investigators on NCSER research grants; others in special education research and evaluation, early intervention, social science methodology; special education practitioners; special education policymakers; and other groups identified by NCSER.

For purposes of this contract, special education meetings shall include conferences, seminars, training institutes, workshops, technical assistance meetings, technical working group meetings, information sessions, panel and board meetings, and activities related to the public release of NCSER reports. Some meetings may be sponsored or co-sponsored by NCSER with education practitioners and/or national experts in research, evaluation, social science methodology, special education, early intervention, and education policy for the purpose of obtaining assistance on research initiatives, research design, and methodological issues relevant to NCSER research and evaluation programs, examining the research base on special education practices, or providing technical assistance.

During each contract year, the Contractor shall provide administrative and logistical support for up to 12 meetings. Meeting rooms for meetings held at NCSER offices at 555 New Jersey Avenue or other U.S. Department of Education location will be reserved by the COR. Meetings will typically be held at NCSER offices but some meetings may be held outside of the Washington metropolitan area. Meeting size and length of meeting time vary. Task orders will be issued for each meeting. Meeting categories include:

· Special group meetings, such as expert panels, boards, task forces - NCSER plans to hold up to two (2) one-to-two day special education meetings attended by up to 15 invited guests. The contractor shall be responsible for the attendees’ honoraria, travel, hotel, and per diem. The meetings will be held in NCSER offices located at 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Potential topics for such meetings may include but are not limited to response to intervention, early intervention, and transition outcomes for special education secondary students.

· Technical assistance & technical working group meetings with experts who can inform special education research – NCSER plans to hold up to six (6) onsite one day meetings. These meetings will typically be conducted by up to one (1) instructor. Two (2) of these meetings may have up to two (2) instructors. The contractor shall be responsible for the instructors’ honoraria, travel, hotel, and per diem. The meetings will be held in NCSER offices located at 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Potential topics for such meetings may include but are not limited to education research methodologies such as single-case experimental design, intervention strategies for special education, and adolescents with disabilities.

· Meetings and seminars with national experts in special education research, social science methodology, special education and early intervention, education research, school and local implementation, special education policy, and intervention development. - NCSER plans to hold up to two (2) one day meetings with approximately 15 invited guests. The meetings will be held in NCSER offices located at 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC.

· Training Institutes and Workshops. NCSER plans to hold up to one (1) training institute and up to one (1) workshop in special education. The training institutes and workshops are targeted for school practitioners, education policymakers, intervention developers, education researchers, and/or national/state/local school officials. An institute may focus on improving the capacity of special education researchers to plan and carry out single-case experimental research designs.

Institutes. The training institutes shall be 2-5 days and attended by up to 30 people. The Contractor shall be responsible for all workshop costs, including participant’s travel, hotel, and per diem. The training institutes will be conducted by up to 8 instructors. The contractor shall be responsible for the instructors’ honoraria, travel, hotel, and per diem. Training institutes may be at NCSER offices or may be held at a site located outside of the DC metro area.

Workshops. A workshop shall be 1-2 days and attended by up to 150 participants with up to 3 instructors. The contractor shall be responsible for all workshop costs, including distribution of presentation materials, registration, instructors’ honoraria, travel, hotel, and per diem. Workshop participants would be responsible for their own travel, hotel, and meals. The workshops may be held at NCSER offices or at a location outside of the DC metro area.

For each of the meetings, contractor tasks shall include but are not limited to the activities below. Meeting requirements and specific deliverables will be specified in each individual task order. If an institute is not held during a specific year of the contract, then an additional meeting(s) of a different type may be held in lieu of the institute.

1. Contract Kick Off meeting. The Contractor shall meet with the COR, CO/CS, and other NCSER staff, in person or via teleconference, within two (2) weeks of the effective date of the contract. During the meeting, participants will discuss the details of the task order process, discuss revisions to the process, and provide clarification as needed. The contractor shall provide briefing materials (as needed) and an agenda. The contractor shall provide a written summary of the meeting to NCSER within one (1) week of the meeting with action items highlighted along with the entity responsible for completing the action items.

In addition, the contractor shall meet with NCSER staff in person or via teleconference at the discretion of NCSER throughout the period of the contract. The contractor shall provide briefing materials (as needed) and an agenda for these meetings. The frequency of these meetings shall depend on issues and areas of concern as they arise.

2. Develop Work Plans. The Contractor shall meet with the COR and other relevant staff either in person or via teleconference within one (1) week of receiving a task order to discuss the plan for implementing each meeting, as specified in the task order. The Contractor shall submit a plan outlining the meeting details, and the timeline of the tasks to be accomplished. The Contractor also shall meet with the COR as necessary to discuss details of the meeting.

3. Arrange Teleconferences. The Contractor shall make arrangements for teleconferences (including videoconferences and meeting webinars), as needed, to conduct meetings. The Contractor also shall make honorarium payments of up to $525 per day for invited experts’ preparation time and webinar/teleconference participation.

4. Prepare and Send Letters of Invitation. The Contractor shall prepare and send letters of invitation to meeting participants according to lists provided to the Contractor by the COR. The Contractor shall also send letters of confirmation to meeting participants concerning their travel and hotel arrangements.

5. Provide Online Meeting Registration. The Contractor shall coordinate with the CO/COR and IES technology office to ensure that all conference participants are able to register online through a secure web site.

6. Coordinate Training Application and Review Process. The Contractor shall coordinate the application process for particular meetings, such as training institutes and workshops. In addition to #5 above, contractor tasks may include developing and placing announcements for the meeting in relevant outlets, receiving applications, pre-screening applications for eligibility, reviewing applications, and establishing and maintaining files for tracking the application and review process.

7. Make Travel Arrangements. The Contractor shall make all necessary travel and lodging arrangements for meeting participants. The Contractor shall reserve rooms at the government rate. The Contractor shall arrange for payment for travel, hotel, and per diem. The Contractor shall also inform participants in advance of their reimbursement practice (e.g., actual expenses vs. per diem). The Contractor shall inform participants ahead of time that the maximum airfare acceptable will be the 14-day advance purchase fare for coach travel. Any fare in excess of this amount or any additional charges incurred due to changes in reservations will be the responsibility of the attendee unless approved in advance by the CO.

8. Site Selection, Hotel /Meeting Room Arrangements, Other. The Contractor shall arrange for and reserve meeting facilities, unless otherwise requested.

Meetings of up to 35 participants may be held in offices located at 555 New Jersey Avenue NW. For larger meetings, and other meetings as requested by NCSER, the Contractor shall reserve meeting facilities near downtown DC. In general, meeting locations must be accessible via public transportation, preferably located in a downtown metropolitan area, meet accessibility requirements, and must conform to government per diem requirements.

When hotel meeting facilities are requested, the Contractor shall contact at least three (3) hotels to determine rates and availability. The Contractor shall submit a report, and recommendations as to which hotels best meet the Government’s needs and requirements to the COR. Facilities must be located within a 10-block radius of NCSER headquarters at 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW or metro stops; or be a location specified by NCSER. The Contractor shall ensure that arrangements for meeting room set-ups, among other meeting details, are made according to the specifics in the hotel contract. NCSER staff may accompany contractor on hotel site visits. All contracts negotiated for meeting space and related services shall be reviewed and approved by the COR.

NOTE: The Contractor shall also arrange for, as needed and in consultation with the COR and approved by the CO, audiovisual equipment, note-taking and court reporter/transcription service, and sign-language interpreters (when needed). Sign-language interpreters are available through the U.S. Department of Education and will be arranged for by the COR. Unless otherwise requested, NCSER shall provide audiovisual equipment for meetings held at its New Jersey Avenue headquarters. (Also see #9 below.)

9. Provide Audio and Video Support. The Contractor shall arrange for audio and video tapings of selected meetings and prepare post-meeting production services for documentation and research leadership purposes. Typically, this involves the preparation of presentations that are ready for publication on the IES website and are Section 508 compliant. Examples of such presentations can be found on the IES web site, here: http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects/nlts2/training.asp.

10. Prepare Meeting Materials and Meeting Summaries. The Contractor shall gather information and copy meeting materials provided to the Contractor by the COR, prepare and distribute soft copies of meeting materials prior to the meeting, and assist with the production of PowerPoint presentations. The Contractor shall assemble and prepare meeting materials, such as agendas and programs, folders, handouts, name tags and name tents, directional signs for meetings, directories, and logistics information for meeting participants. The Contractor shall provide a written summary and transcript, if requested, of each meeting two (2) weeks after the meeting. All materials developed by the Contractor are subject to review and approval by the COR.

11. Provide Pre-, On-site and Post-meeting Support. The specific type of pre-conference, on-site and post-conference support for each meeting will be specified in each individual task order. Depending upon the type of meeting, the Contractor shall provide a sufficient number of staff (a minimum of 2) for on-site support with relevant vendors (e.g., hotel logistics, catering, audiovisual/video and technology). NCSER staff will supplement contractor staff at all events.

12. Process Reimbursements and Issue Honoraria. The Contractor shall reimburse participants for all approved costs incurred by participants within 14 business days after receipt of expenses. The Contractor shall pay participants (e.g., invited guests and others identified by NCSER) who are not receiving reimbursement under an IES grant or contract up to $525 per day of the participant’s time, including time for preparation, follow-up activities, and time spent at meetings. Each Task Order will state the number of participants who shall receive an honorarium and will specify the number of honoraria days. The Contractor shall issue honoraria as requested.

13. Meeting Participant Agreements. The Contractor shall send guidelines to meeting participants regarding conflicts of interest and nondisclosure/confidentiality, as well as assist NCSER with the collection of such agreements.

14. Training Materials and Copyrights. The Contractor shall, as needed and in collaboration with NCSER, purchase instructional materials and issue payment of copyright fees for materials used in workshops, training sessions, and other NCSER meetings.

Activity 2. Webinars and Teleconferences

NCSER plans to hold up to 25 webinars aimed at school practitioners, education policymakers, intervention developers, researchers, and national/state/local school officials interested in special education and early intervention research. Webinars will cover a wide range of content, including but not limited to, grant-writing webinars, funding opportunities webinars, and topical webinars. Depending on the webinar, participation will range from 5-500 people and the duration of each webinar will typically be between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. The webinars shall be held in NCSER offices at 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW or other location as determined by NCSER.

Meeting rooms for webinars and teleconferences held at NCSER offices at 555 New Jersey Avenue or other U.S. Department of Education location will be reserved by the COR.

The contractor shall, for each webinar and teleconference, develop work plans, arrange technology, develop a registration site, prepare and send letters of invitation, and provide editing and transcription of the webinar proceedings. See Sample Task Order 2.1 for more details.

Activity 3. Special Education Research Leadership

This support shall include writing and editing, graphic design, and preparation of materials for print and web posting. NCSER materials include technical reports; report abstracts; guides and manuals; research papers and syntheses; booklets and brochures; reports to Congress; web-based products; and signs, banners, and posters for meetings and conferences. Contractor activities may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Develop print and web-based production materials. During each contract year, the Contractor shall collaborate with NCSER to develop individual plans and aid in the preparation of print and web-based production materials for NCSER research and evaluation products. The Contractor shall assist in the production of up to 3 products per year addressing issues related special education research. Products shall include but are not limited to fact sheets, abstracts, briefs, brochures, brief 1-2 page descriptions of released or soon-to-be NCSER reports, up to one (1) research synthesis per year, and 4-8 page condensed versions of NCSER research findings. For each research synthesis, the contractor shall work with the COR and NCSER staff to identify expert authors in the field to write the synthesis document. Potential topics for research syntheses may include but are not limited to social and behavioral outcomes for special education students, early intervention (birth to age three), and transition outcomes for special education secondary students. Such syntheses would be designed to summarize findings from NCSER-funded research projects. The Contractor shall provide the print and web-based materials to the COR for NCSER printing through the Government Printing Office and posting on the NCSER web site.

The Contractor shall prepare materials for COR approval in non-technical language and formats that are easily understood by non-research audiences. Upon request, the Contractor shall provide writing and editing services to simplify the presentation of technical material and to merge information from multiple sources across the Institute into single publications that address specific themes.

2. Graphic Design and Production. The Contractor shall provide expert graphic design support for NCSER publications and products, tailored for use by target audiences’ preferred media and formats. The Contractor also shall assist NCSER with the planning, logistics, and graphic materials needed for meetings with its various audiences, including education researchers, education media, and others concerned with education issues. This could include up to two (2) NCSER PowerPoint presentations, five (5) NCSER posters, and five (5) NCSER pamphlets or handouts. During each year of the contract, the Contractor shall, as needed, select and purchase—in consultation with the COR—up to 3 appropriate royalty-free images/photo discs for use in the design of NCSER materials. Any images purchased shall become the property of the government.

For each deliverable, specific tasks may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Assess the target audiences to determine their preferred media and formats, the type of products to be produced, and prepare a report on the results of the assessment.

2. Based upon the results of the assessment of the target audience, develop a distribution plan for the products.

3. Prepare a production schedule for each of the products.

4. Provide editorial and graphic support for products developed.

5. Prepare the print and web-based materials for production of the products according to the COR approved production schedule.

6. Review proofs of print materials as directed by the COR.

7. Deliver the final print and web-based production materials to the COR for implementation.

8. Research, write, revise, edit, and proofread documents with page lengths ranging from 1 to 300 pages. Whenever possible, the COR will provide the Contractor with electronic copies of documents for editing using track changes. The Contractor shall edit and proofread documents for consistency with the IES Style Guide.

9. Prepare documents for printing through the Government Printing Office, including preparing printing specifications, completion of appropriate GPO printing forms with all necessary information.

10. Prepare materials for the IES website and other websites in compliance with IES web requirements and electronic information technology regulations, including Section 508 requirements.

11. Deliver the print and web-based production materials to the COR for implementation.

12. Upon request, provide technical assistance to NCSER staff on the preparation of and conversion of documents into PDF files that conform to IES guidelines for posting on the IES website.

13. On an as needed basis and with assistance from the COR, identify expert authors, draft subcontract agreements, and issue honoraria to the authors.

IV. TASK ORDER DELIVERABLES

The type, number, and schedule of deliverables will be specified in each individual task order. Unless otherwise specified in the task order, the Contractor shall provide deliverables to the CO and COR for review and approval. The major types of deliverables that will be required in task orders include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Briefings. The project director or other contractor staff shall provide biweekly or monthly briefings to the COR and other NCSER or ED staff on the status of the work under each task order. Most briefings are conducted by telephone, followed up by written documentation, but some task orders may require on-site briefings at NCSER’s facility in Washington, DC. The Contractor shall provide appropriate materials for these briefings when needed, such as agendas, handouts, and PowerPoint presentations.

Each task order will specify the number and types of briefings required. It is estimated that monthly telephone (teleconferences) meetings will be needed in the first year and approximately 5 on-site meetings.

2. Draft and Final Plans and Documents. Includes paper and electronic versions of draft and final plan and documents. Drafts are reviewed by the COR and by any other reviewers designated by the COR. The Contractor shall incorporate the reviewers’ comments and, if necessary, produce another draft for review. The number of draft versions of plans and documents required will be specified in task order. The Contractor shall submit one paper copy of final products to the CO, unless otherwise specified.

All final reports shall at a minimum meet the standards and guidelines set forth in the IES Style Guide or other guide approved for use by IES. Unless otherwise specified in the task order, the Contractor shall submit unbound double-spaced manuscript copy in Microsoft Word. The Contractor shall prepare text tables where indicated using Microsoft Word, Excel, or other chart-generating software as suggested by the Contractor in the task order proposals and accepted by the Department. In addition, the Contractor shall submit a CD-Rom with the final document to the COR in addition to paper copies. It shall be clearly marked with the title, author, and software packages used.

The Contractor shall submit the final report in HTML and PDF format or the current IES approved format to be incorporated in the IES website. As requested, the Contractor shall also produce HTML and PDFs of final documents (from the Word document) suitable for posting on the IES website. PDFs must meet the attached IES standards and guidelines. (The attachments below are the Word document of the guidelines and the PDF of the same guidelines.)

3. Computer Data Files and Software. The Contractor shall employ microcomputer data files, including text, databases, graphs and other types of files that use standard software supported by the U.S. Department of Education—such as Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access)—whenever possible or needed in the development of the databases or other IES deliverables.

4. Graphics Products. The Contractor shall provide draft and final graphic designs and related products as specified in the individual task order. Drafts are reviewed by the COR and by any other reviewers designated by the COR. The Contractor shall incorporate the comments and, if necessary, produce another draft for review. The Contractor shall prepare final production materials as specified in the task order. Unless otherwise directed, graphic designs shall adhere to guidance specified in the Graphic Standards for IES Publications and Collateral Materials. (IES will provide copies to the Contractor.) Contractor-developed products shall be printed through the Government Printing Office (GPO). The Contractor shall prepare camera-ready copy or provide electronic files suitable for printing documents through GPO.

5. Briefing Books and Meeting Materials. The Contractor shall provide draft and final meeting materials as specified in the task order. The COR will review drafts and other reviewers may be designated by the COR. The Contractor shall incorporate the comments and, if necessary, produce another draft of the briefing books and meeting materials for review. The Contractor shall prepare final production materials as specified in the task order.

V. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS – FOR THE WHOLE CONTRACT

Monthly Progress/Status Reports The Contractor shall submit monthly reports to the CO and the COR as specified below. The Contractor shall submit the monthly report electronically to the CO and the COR.

· Information, organized by task and activity, describing:

1. Progress on each task and activity;

2. Accomplishments associated with each task and activity for the month;

3. Problems that have been resolved or are in need of resolution;

4. Discussion of the work intended to be performed during the next monthly reporting period; and

5. Expected future technical and budgetary problems, and proposed solutions to these problems.

· A staff loading report prepared and signed by the project director, summarizing actual personnel assignments for the month just completed, showing for each named individual the hours charged by task, and projecting for the following month similar assignment information.

· An exhibit of expenditures for the relevant month and for all expenditures to date segregating project costs by individual and by task.

· Schedule bar charts and predicted costs for future tasks and activities.

· A table of costs by task in which the stubs are the tasks, and relevant activities, and the banners are the following:

(1) the amount budgeted on each task/activity for the preceding month;

(2) the amount actually spent on each task/activity for the preceding month;

(3) the amount budgeted through all the preceding months on each task/activity;

(4) the total amount actually spent on each task/activity for all the preceding months;

(5) the proportion that the amount in (4) is of the task order amount;

(6) based on the progress that the Contractor has made for each task, the Contractor’s best estimate of the cost to complete each task;

(7) the Contractor’s estimated total cost for each task, this being the amount spent to date plus the estimated amount to complete each task;

(8) the task order amount for each task; and

(9) the difference between the total estimated cost to complete and the task order amount.

The Contractor’s project director and COR shall confer regularly, at a minimum weekly, to discuss any anticipated problems and proposed solutions before they occur. Also, the Contractor shall include in the monthly reports whether problems are anticipated and what can be done to fix or avoid them.

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