Attachment C_CSOW Instructions and Template_PDF version.pdf

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Attached to
Space-to-Space (S2S) Communication Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Solicitation number
FA8819-25-R-B006
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About this file

This document is a Contractor Statement of Work (CSOW) Preparation Instructions and Guidance template for a federal contract opportunity. The document provides comprehensive instructions for contractors on how to develop and structure a Statement of Work (SOW), with detailed guidance on formatting, content requirements, and section-by-section breakdown. Key instructions include using Times New Roman 12-point font, maintaining one-inch margins, avoiding proprietary or export-controlled information, and following a specific template with sections for Overview and Scope, Applicable Attachments, and Requirements. The template emphasizes creating a clear, enforceable document that specifies contractor duties, technology development efforts, critical technology elements, and project milestones without including technical proposal details like diagrams, charts, or formulas.

The CSOW template is designed to help contractors create a precise, comprehensive work description that enables the government to estimate costs and understand the full scope of work. It requires contractors to outline the project's objective, define technological scope, list key assumptions, identify applicable documents and dependencies, and detail specific requirements. The guidance stresses the importance of writing requirements that are clear enough to eliminate ambiguity about contractor obligations, reference only minimal necessary specifications, and provide sufficient detail for both the government and contractor to understand the project's technical and resource needs.

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ATTACHMENT C CONTRACTOR STATEMENT OF WORK (CSOW)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE

A. The CSOW must be a separate and distinct document submitted per BAA call instructions.

All CSOW Government provided action items must be corrected during negotiations. The Contractor generated SOW with any Government directed edits will eventually become the SOW that goes on contract.

B. The Offeror shall use the CSOW instructions, contained herein, as a guide for CSOW development.

1. The proposed CSOW shall consist of tasking statements and include traceability to focus areas and/or objectives and CDRL items.

2. The proposed CSOW shall define the tasks required to complete the contractor’s proposed end item deliverable(s).

3. The CSOW shall detail the research and development to be accomplished and should be suitable for incorporation into the awarded contract.

C. The CSOW will only be approved if the CSOW accurately describes the work to be performed, is enforceable, and is void of inconsistencies.

1. The CSOW must describe the technical methodology, as well as, the task description, but not in so much detail as to make the CSOW inflexible.

2. The CSOW shall specify in clear, understandable terms the scope, applicable documents, and requirements to be performed by an offeror.

3. A CSOW template is provided in subsequent pages that details the basic outline that must be utilized.

D. Page Limit: There is no page limit for the offeror’s CSOW.

E. Page Format:

1. Paper Size – 8.5 inch x 11 inch

2. Margins - one-inch on each page

3. Font – Times New Roman 12 pitch font or equivalent

4. Single space. (with 6 pt line space between paragraphs)

F: The Contractor SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY PROPRIETARY OR EXPORT CONTROLLED INFORMATION IN THE CSOW. Offerors may request copies of our contracts under the Freedom of Information Act; consequently, no company-sensitive information should be included in the CSOW.

G: DO NOT INCLUDE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INFORMATION, TABLES, DIAGRAMS,

GRAPHS/CHARTS, FORMULAS, PICTURES, ETC., IN THE CSOW.

1. The proposed CSOW shall not contain informational notes, as the technical volume provides ample opportunity for discussion and description of the Offeror’s approach.

CSOW Section 1 - Scope

This Section includes a brief statement of what the SOW covers. The scope paragraph defines the breadth and limitations of the work to be done. The items listed below should not be included in the "Scope" Section.

a. Specific work tasks.

b. Specification of data requirements.

c. Description of deliverable products.

CSOW Section 2 - Applicable Documents Military handbooks, Government instructions, service regulations, technical orders, and policy letters, as a type, are not written in language suitable for contract application. Any documents called out in Section 2 of the SOW should have the specific version referenced, i.e. by date or by revision letter.

The SOW writer should refer to DFARS 252.211-7000 with respect to referenced documents and begin with a zero-base situation. The requirement for any specification and standard should be justified before being placed in Section 2 of the SOW. Therefore, Section 2 should not be prepared until the draft of the requirements Section, Section 3, is complete. Sections 2 and 3 are reciprocal. Documents invoked by specific reference in Section 3 of the SOW must be identified and listed in Section 2. When invoked in Section 3 of the SOW, the application should be tailored to invoke only those minimum requirements from the document which are necessary for program success as described in MIL-HDBK-248. The applicability of each document listed in Section 2 of the SOW should be specified in Section 3 and identify only that portion needed to perform the work. Improper document referencing (e.g., blanket imposition) is often a major cost driver since total compliance with a document listed in Section 2 of the SOW was implied unless Section 3 specified otherwise.

CSOW Section 3 - Requirements

Specific work tasks are called for in SOW Section 3. These tasks, developed to satisfy program needs, are essentially the contractor work requirements. A well-written SOW has the following attributes:

a. Specifies requirements clearly to permit the government and offerors to estimate the probable cost and the offeror to determine the levels of expertise, manpower, and other resources needed to accomplish the task.

b. States the specific duties of the contractor in such a way that the contractor knows what is required and can complete all tasks to the satisfaction of the contract administration office.

c. Written so specifically that there is no question of whether the contractor is obligated to perform specific tasks.

d. References only the absolute minimum applicable specifications and standards needed.

Selectively invokes documents only to the extent required to satisfy the existing requirements.

CSOW TEMPLATE

Statement of Work (SOW)

Contract Number: FA (Government will enter)

Project Title

(date)

1.0 Overview and Scope

1.1 Objective

This section is intended to give a brief overview of the technology development effort and should describe why it is being pursued and what is intended to be accomplished.

1.2 Scope

This section includes the critical technology elements to be investigated and/or prototyped, and major milestones for the effort. It defines the breadth and limitations of the work to be done.

1.3 Key Assumptions

This section includes any information, explanations, or constraints that are necessary to understand the technical requirements presented in the CSOW. It may include techniques previously tried and found ineffective.

2.0 Applicable Attachments and Use of Command Media (e.g., CDL, GFX, and External Dependencies)

The offeror shall identify appropriate specifications, standards, and other documents that are applicable to the effort to be performed.

The offeror shall identify Government Furnished Property and External Dependencies that are applicable to the effort to be performed.

2.1 Compliance Document List [must keep]

The Contractor shall comply with the compliance documents reflected in Attachment #, Compliance Document List (CDL), as they pertain to performing the tasks defined in this SOW, unless specifically exempted or as tailored by the Government.

2.2 Government Furnished Equipment/Materials [sample language]

The Contractor shall maintain all Government Furnished Equipment/Materials, as identified in Attachment # to this contract.

The Contractor shall immediately notify the Government if GFE/GFM is defective or damaged and provide an estimated cost and schedule to repair or replace.

2.3 External Dependencies [must keep if external dependencies exist]

Aside from equipment and materials, all Government-provided resources required to perform this SOW, including information, services, and facility access, are reflected in Attachment # to this contract.

The Contractor shall identify as early as possible any issues involving Government facility hardware, and work with existing Contractors and military organizations to propose and implement system solutions to these problems and issues.

2.4 Use of Command Media and Program Plans [must keep if using]

The Contractor shall provide the Government access to any Contractor command media and program plans used in the program execution of this contract.

3.0 Requirements

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .