FY27_RFI-SEVP_PWS.docx

RFI: FY27_RFI-SEVP

Procurement Sensitive

Performance Work Statement U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Program Management Off0ice (PMO)

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY: PROCUREMENT SENSITIVE

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Table of Contents Contents

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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY: PROCUREMENT SENSITIVE.

Performance Work Statement Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) Program Management Office (PMO) Support

1.0 Background

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is part of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) National Security Division (NSD) within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). SEVP regulates international students in F-1 academic and M-1 vocational programs at SEVP-certified schools and provides compliance oversight to these institutions.

System Management Unit (SMU) delivers Information Technology (IT) services and products to support SEVP’s mission. SMU collects, maintains, and analyzes information to ensure only legitimate nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors gain entry into the United States. SMU also ensures that participating institutions are certified and comply with federal regulations, aligning IT systems with SEVP and ICE strategic goals while improving cost, schedule, and performance of IT investments. The SMU Unit Chief manages the SMU portfolio, ensuring applications meet all applicable security and federal standards and align with SEVP and ICE mission priorities.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is the web-based system that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses to maintain information regarding:

· Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools.

· F-1 and M-1 students studying in the United States (and their F-2 and M-2 dependents).

· U.S. Department of State-designated Exchange Visitor Program sponsors.

· J-1 visa Exchange Visitor Program participants (and their J-2 dependents).

On behalf of DHS, SEVP manages SEVIS. The system is a critical tool in SEVP’s mission to protect national security while supporting the legal entry and stay of the more than one million F, M and J nonimmigrants coming to the United States for educational and cultural exchange programs.

SMU is divided into two sections:

1. Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Programs Section (SPS):

The SEVIS Programs Section (SPS) is responsible for ensuring that SEVIS and its subsystems continue to meet not only the evolving oversight and compliance mission and needs of the federal government but also of the schools and programs that admit foreign students and exchange visitors.

With over a million foreign students and exchange visitors (EVs) in the U.S. each year, international education and cultural exchange bring billions of dollars annually into the U.S. economy. SEVIS is used by schools and programs across the United States and its territories to create and maintain foreign student, EV, and dependent records. Government officials from several federal departments and agencies rely on SEVIS data to determine nonimmigrant eligibility for visas, for admission to the United States for immigration benefits, for removal from the country for status violations, and to identify immigration fraud. Institutions are monitored for compliance with applicable regulations. SEVIS shares information with other systems to allow stakeholders to better monitor the status of a student or EV throughout their stay in the United States. This allows SEVIS to meet requirements of the Unifying and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act (Public Law 107-56 passed on October 26, 2001). As a result, SEVIS has been designated a high-value asset by ICE. The Study in the States website contains extensive information on the functionality in SEVIS.

SPS is responsible for strategically planning the evolution of SEVIS and its subsystems, so it continues to meet changing laws and policy guidance as well as the changing needs of a dynamic law enforcement agency, its federal partners and the systems’ end users.

SPS is responsible for:

· The collection of system requirements from SEVP business units, federal interface partners who use SEVIS interface data, and end users

· Strategically planning the SEVIS and Subsystems product roadmap and working with Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Information Technology Project Management (ITPMs) to ensure the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) they develop includes a healthy balance of business-related functionalities and technical debt/innovation

· Writing user stories that capture business needs for system development/enhancements

· Collaborating with OCIO ITPMs and the development team(s) they manage with the development of SEVIS, its subsystems, and any new SEVIS-related priorities that may arise

· Test developed functionalities to ensure that developed applications, functionalities, etc. meet SEVP’s business needs

· Provide end-user, system-focused help materials

· Identify, monitor, and mitigate risk

· Provide responses to SEVIS-related taskers, requests for business analysis, reports, progress updates, etc.

2. SEVP Business Automation Section (SBAS):

The SEVP Business Automation Section (SBAS) is responsible for overseeing SEVPAMS, managing business process automation initiatives (including RPA bots), maintaining the SEVP Interactive Dialog (SID) chatbot, and supporting analytics and visualization through Tableau. SBAS provides business process management, documentation, and operational support for these tools and initiatives. This contract will provide program management and administrative support functions for SBAS, explicitly excluding technical development, coding, or direct system maintenance.

SEVPAMS Application

SEVPAMS is an application built on Microsoft SharePoint, Dynamics 365, Power Apps, and Azure Studio. It is a customized platform used by SEVP staff, both federal and contract, and is not publicly accessible. SEVPAMS stores documentation and data from public sources, which are received via interfaces with SEVIS or through email, rather than direct ingestion.

SEVPAMS supports all units and sections within SEVP, including:

· School Certification Unit

· Appeals

· SEVIS Response Center (SRC)

· Policy Response Unit

· SEVP Analysis and Compliance Center (SAOC)

· Strategic Communications Team (SCT)

· Executive Office (EO)

· Fee Management Section (FMS)

· Systems Management Unit

Government business partners may access SEVPAMS as needed to share information and collaborate.

SEVPAMS Purpose and Functionality The goal of SEVPAMS is to provide SEVP users with a single portal for accessing the information (data and documents) necessary to make informed decisions and perform their duties. Staff can collaborate, manage tasks, share information, and access applications that automate work processes, regardless of their location. Data for metrics and reporting is systematically collected and stored in a denormalized Microsoft SQL database, optimized for use with Tableau.

2.0 Scope of Work

This effort requires providing three teams that utilize Agile-driven, proven program management techniques to support, maintain, and manage SEVP systems and programs in alignment with SEVP’s mission.

The SMU team shall provide unit level program management support. The SEVIS Systems Team shall provide program and project support for a section-level program management support, which includes supporting backlog grooming, user acceptance testing, production support, communication support, user guide development, and coordination with other teams for requirements gathering and process improvements.

The SBAS Team shall provide section level support for Program Management. This includes support for planning, task management, documentation/records management support, and technical writing. It does not include requirements gathering, backlog grooming, user acceptance testing, technical support for requirements, testing, or technical user support.

Library Management The Contractor shall support the operational management of the Program repository within SEVPAMS, including the maintenance of all program-related documents and artifacts. The Contractor shall utilize good SharePoint practices to maintain version control and consistent metadata, and shall continue to populate, revise, and maintain Knowledge Management libraries and System and Subsystems Resource Documents (SSRD)

Taskings:

The PMO must utilize project management best practices, ensuring deliverables are submitted in alignment with government-approved delivery dates and timelines. Deliverables must meet objectives and be supported by data, with continuous product quality reviews to ensure accuracy, clarity, formatting, and alignment to government acceptance requirements. Deliverables should be professionally prepared, clear, concise, and editable by the government. Timeliness is critical, with a 98% timely submission rate required; more than two business days late is considered unacceptable. The PMO must also track risk management to ensure projects stay on schedule and inform the government of anticipated risks in a timely manner. Adequate staffing levels must be maintained, with monthly reviews to ensure at least 90% staffing during hours of operation, and immediate replacement of underperforming personnel.

Reporting:

· The PMO is required to prepare a Monthly Contractor Count Report and upload it into the Personnel Management Application (PMA), including detailed information such as contract and task order numbers, employee names, positions, program/project, supervisor, clearance level, start/end dates, and location. The first report is due 30 calendar days after award and every month thereafter.

· Reporting will occur on an as-needed basis to match the needs and lifecycle of the SEVP Program, with an expected cadence of weekly reports at the time of award. Status meetings shall be held quarterly or more frequently as needed between the Contractor’s Project Manager, COR, and Federal Lead to review performance and discuss issues. Formal reviews will be performed annually or at the government’s request, monitoring progress and compliance with policy changes. Interim reviews may be conducted for ongoing monitoring and process improvement. The PMO is expected to provide innovative methods for improvement and implement proven performance monitoring.

· Deliverables must be created in electronic format, delivered via SEVPAMS (SharePoint) and email, and be compatible with Microsoft Office or other mutually agreed applications. The government will provide written notification of acceptance or rejection of final deliverables within 14 business days, with explanations for any rejections. Deliverables are deemed acceptable if they cover all required topics, meet general quality measures, are professionally prepared, and delivered on time.

Business Owner Support:

· The Contractor shall provide administrative, planning, and operational support to business owners, including support for executive briefings, taskers, and requirements analysis. The Contractor shall support the Government’s strategic communications requirements

Calendar and Schedule

· The Contractor shall maintain unit calendars and schedules, ensuring visibility of key dates and events. The Contractor shall create and maintain the SMU Portfolio Roadmap and schedules, including critical milestones, dependencies, and expected delivery dates or targets for desired capabilities. The Contractor shall maintain the Program Integrated Master Schedule with milestones, dependencies, and expected delivery dates, and coordinate with other schedule owners to ensure updates are provided and incorporated into the Program Integrated Master Schedule (IMS)

These services are intended to improve program efficiency and ensure transparent, timely, and accurate reporting to SEVP, NSID, HSI, ICE, and DHS management.

All systems shall leverage best practices identified in the U.S. Digital Services Playbook, DHS Agile Guidance, and ICE Agile Handbooks.

SEVIS Programs Section Support The Contractor shall be responsible for developing plans, requirements, testing, and user support materials for SEVIS and its subsystems. This scope excludes technical tasks such as coding, development, and environment management. The Contractor shall collaborate with development teams managed by OCIO Information Technology Project Managers (ITPMs), contractors, federal employees in SEVP units, and other government agencies, as directed by Federal leads, to achieve SEVP objectives.

SEVP Business Automation Section Support

3.0 Description of Requirements

The Contractor shall provide three teams of qualified, experienced personnel. The team supporting SEVIS will assist in the management, testing, and administration of both program-wide and project-specific requirements. Program Management Office (PMO) support services will include the development and maintenance of program support documentation as required by Management Directives Volume 4000 – Information Technology Systems. The contractor shall be responsible for providing staff members with significant skill in using generative AI tools. DHSChat and any other ICE approved chat tools shall be used appropriately to help produce documents and other deliverables.

4.0 Applicable Policies and Standards

The Contractor shall comply and ensure that the latest versions of all technology standards and architecture policies, processes, and procedures applicable to the ICE or DHS IT environment are being used. If a contractor needs to request documentation such as standards or guidelines, contact the assigned ITPM or email address provided in the PWS. For Section 508 compliance information, the contractor is directed to email accessibility@dhs.gov for approved testing methods and tools. These publications are available on request and include, but are not limited to, the following:

· DHS Systems Engineering Life Cycle Guidebook

· https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Systems%20Engineering%20Life%20Cycle.pdf.

· ICE Architecture Test and Evaluation Plan.

· ICE Security Authorization Requirements.

· ICE Web Standards and Guidelines.

· Applicable National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Computer Security Resources Center (CSRC) standards, guidelines, and special publications.

· NIST FIPS 201-2 ― Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors (August 2013), http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.201-2.pdf.

· NIST SP 800-63-2: Electronic Authentication Guideline (August 2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-63-2.

· All encryptions will be FIPS 197 Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) that has been Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified.

· Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 199,

· http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips199/FIPS-PUB-199-final.pdf.

· All IT hardware or software will be complaint with the HLS EA and ICE TRM Standards and Products Profile https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/foia/mgmt_directive_0007_1_informatio n_technology_integration_and_management.pdf.

· ICE Enterprise Systems Assurance Plan.

· In compliance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) mandate, all network hardware will be Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) compatible without modification, upgrade, or replacement.

· Information Technology Accessibility, Issued 10/26/2005, http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/foia/mgmt_directive_40102_section_508_ program_management_office_and_information_technology_accessibility.pdf.

· Section 508 1194.2, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220).

· Final FAR Rule for Implementing Section 508 of the Rehab Act Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, https://www.section508.gov/sites/default/files/FAR_R2Z-i1-x_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf.

· ICE System Lifecycle Management (SLM) Handbook.

· Privacy Act of 1974, https://www.justice.gov/opcl/privstat.htm.

· DHS Directive 047-01, Privacy Policy and Compliance, July 7, 2011.

· Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), November 22, 2002, http://csrc.nist.gov/drivers/documents/FISMA-final.pdf.

· OMB M-10-15 ― FY 2010 Reporting Instructions for the Federal Information Security Management Act and Agency Privacy Management, issued November 19, 2010,

· http://dhsconnect.dhs.gov/org/comp/mgmt/cio/iso/Documents/FY%202010%20FI SMA%20and%20Privacy%20Report.pdf.

· ICE Technical Architecture Guidebook.

· Management Instruction (MI) ICE-OCIO-001 for Agile Development, including Appendices.

· ICE Agile-DevOps Playbook.

· DHS 4300 Security Guidelines and Policies - Available upon request.

· DHS Management Directive (MD) 4300.1, Information Technology Systems Security.

· DHS 4300A Sensitive Systems Policy, Version 13.1, July 27, 2017.

· DHS 4300B National Security Systems Policy, Version 10.0, November 21, 2018.

· DHS Management Directive (MD) 11042.1, Safeguarding Sensitive But Unclassified (For Official Use Only) Information, January 6, 2005 https://www.dhs.gov/publication/security-training-contract-policy.

· ICE Management Directive (MD) 4003.1, Safeguarding Law Enforcement Sensitive Information, March 23, 2007https://www.dhs.gov/publication/security-training-contract-policy.

· DHS Memorandum: Class Deviation 15-01 from the Homeland of Security Acquisition Regulation: Safeguarding of Sensitive Information, March 9, 2015.

· ICE Management Directive (MD) 4001.1, Electronic and Information Technology and Accessibility, March 12, 2009.

· The Government’s preference is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework in performance tasks.

5.0 Tasks

The Contractor shall deliver Program Management Office (PMO) Support by performing the activities specified in the following tasks. The Contractor shall collaborate closely with SEVP, OCIO, Government personnel, and other contractors to ensure transparency and effective information sharing for successful task execution. The Contractor shall actively analyze existing processes, recommend improvements, and implement best practices to help the Government achieve mission requirements efficiently and at the lowest possible cost. The Contractor shall provide all services described in the subsequent tasks and may propose additional activities that enhance project management and process optimization.

The Government is committed to continual improvement of processes and practices to meet mission requirements at the lowest possible cost. The Contractor shall partner with the Government to support this goal by actively evaluating existing processes and recommending improvements.

Services to be provided include, but are not limited to, the tasks described below.

5.1 SEVIS Program Section (SPS) Tasks

5.1.1 Program Management Support

The Contractor shall provide Program Management Support to the SEVIS Programs Section (SPS) by utilizing agile methodologies to deliver a comprehensive range of services for SEVIS and its subsystems, covering both program-wide and project-specific needs.

The Contractor shall:

· Recommend continuous process improvements and propose activities to enhance project management, focusing on industry best practices and IT/system project improvement opportunities for SEVIS and its subsystems.

· Support SPS with all taskers received from Department or Agency components, including action items and reporting requirements, through email, the Tasker Management System, or on an ad hoc basis.

· Assist SPS in responding to Congressional or Government Accountability Office requests, including action items and reporting requirements.

· Gather, analyze, and document unit, section, project, or task information and status; translate and compose information into clear, readable documents, reports, or briefings for technical and non-technical personnel within SPS and other SEVP units.

· Conduct research to ensure compliance with ICE and Department policies or standards, use required templates or procedures, and correctly apply agile methodologies, technical, and program management terminology.

· Track and document delivery dates, coordinate documentation reviews, and consolidate or address comments as requested by SEVIS Product Owners.

· Prepare and complete presentations, briefings, white papers, and other materials (including investigations, congressional testimony, and GAO responses) related to SEVIS and its subsystems, as requested by the government.

· Prepare and distribute internal and external status reports, including reports to DHS components as required.

· Support reporting, monitoring, and electronic archiving of mandatory system-related documentation.

· Track, maintain, and update program/project documentation such as organizational charts, point of contact listings, and email distribution lists.

· Assist the Government with preparation and distribution of correspondence and packages.

· Support completion of program/project action items, taskers, and data calls, including those received from ICE HSI IT PMO.

· Manage data calls related to SEVIS and its subsystems; gather information from project teams, consolidate responses, and track/report status to internal and external stakeholders.

· Perform statistical analysis and data reviews to assist SEVIS Product Owners with reporting and requirements analysis.

· Support operational management of SPS program repositories within SEVPAMS, maintaining all program-related documents and artifacts; utilize SharePoint best practices for version control and consistent metadata.

· Assist SMU with maintaining and tracking software usage and license keys for software used by internal SEVP stakeholders.

· Coordinate and support meetings, including scheduling, preparing invites, agendas, minutes, read-ahead materials, and acting as Point of Contact for information distribution.

· Attend meetings, create minutes, track attendance, and monitor action items.

· Provide program and process optimization planning, implementation, and management support, as well as business process reengineering for SPS and SMU projects and systems.

· Facilitate internal SEVP Requirements Review/SEVIS Priority Alignment (SPA) Board and maintain artifacts.

· Provide SEVIS program and strategic planning support for the evolution of SEVIS and its subsystems, including product roadmaps and SPS strategic plans.

· Support the Government’s strategic communications requirements for documentation related to SEVIS and its subsystems.

· Provide program analysis and support for projects and systems to improve project and resource management, including:

· Ad-hoc data analysis

· Monthly activity reporting

· Resource reporting and analysis

· Program metrics and reporting

· Creation and maintenance of program or project dashboards

Library Management

· The Contractor shall support the operational management of the Program repository within SEVPAMS, including the maintenance of all program-related documents and artifacts. The Contractor shall utilize good SharePoint practices to maintain version control and consistent metadata, and shall continue to populate, revise, and maintain Knowledge Management libraries and System and Subsystems Resource Documents (SSRD)

Risk Management Support

· Develop and maintain a Risk Management Plan.

· Implement and maintain an inventory of risks and risk mitigations.

· Recommend risk escalation and process improvements.

· Coordinate risk reviews and provide independent risk assessments.

· Maintain inventory of risks, risk artifacts, and historical information.

5.1.2 Schedule Management

The Contractor shall provide schedule management support for the creation, maintenance, and analysis of SPS program-wide and project-specific schedules, including reporting.

The Contractor shall:

· Create and maintain the SMU SEVIS Portfolio Business Roadmap and schedules, documenting critical milestones, dependencies, and expected delivery dates or targets for desired capabilities.

· Document and maintain a schedule management process.

· Maintain the Program Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), including milestones, dependencies, and expected delivery dates; coordinate with other schedule owners to ensure timely updates are incorporated.

· Analyze and report impacts to SEVIS system schedules and roadmaps resulting from changes in individual project schedules, providing clear communication to stakeholders.

5.1.3 SEVIS Requirements Definition and Management Support

The Contractor shall support SEVIS federal product owners for SEVP-owned SEVIS systems and subsystems, including business requirements and product owner communications with users and development teams. The Requirements Team is responsible for enabling product owners to manage requirements elicitation, documentation, refinement, and prioritization, and for communicating requirements to the development team and validating development efforts meet requirements.

Specific tasks include, but are not limited to:

· Document overarching business needs to provide a broad vision for the system.

· Capture tactical and strategic business goals that provide traceability and are mapped to metrics for ongoing governance.

· Describe primary business functions of the assigned business unit in the context of program execution and management.

· Prepare requirements traceability matrices showing relationships from features to requirements and maintain them as changes occur.

· Write user stories describing system changes to support business needs, regulatory, or policy changes.

· Elicit specific business requirements from end users and interface partners through interviews, meetings, draft stories, email, design sessions, prototypes, etc.

· Coordinate review of requirements by SEVP units with business responsibilities in the areas supported by the applicable system.

· Organize stories within JIRA (or other requirements management systems) and track the priority of the SEVIS and subsystem backlog as determined by the product owner.

· Work closely with development teams to groom user stories into properly sized, developable stories; answer questions and make modifications as requested and approved by the product owner.

· Provide surge support for product owner acceptance testing.

· Maintain a product backlog of at least three sprints based on development team velocity.

· Participate in relevant Agile planning and review meetings.

· Work closely with developers, IT Program Managers, product owners, SEVP units, and stakeholders to document team practices and processes.

· Work closely with product owners, SEVP units, and stakeholders to document strategic plans to evolve applications to meet SEVP’s changing business needs and priorities.

· Provide technical support to the SEVIS Help and Technical Writing Team.

· Respond to ad hoc needs of the government.

Requirements definition and management, business analytical support, operations support, end user support, interface partner support, user acceptance testing, business innovation, automation, process modernization, and reporting. These activities are aligned with ICE privacy and information assurance policies and are intended to enable efficient, transparent, timely, and accurate reporting to SEVP, NSID, HSI, ICE, and DHS management

5.1.4 SEVIS Production Support

The Contractor shall provide ongoing production support for SEVIS under the direction of the SEVIS Product Owners. The Contractor shall review requests for support and perform the following:

Specific tasks include, but are not limited to:

· Analyze whether the issue is a training issue or a production issue that can be replicated.

· Communicate to the user when the issue can be resolved without SEVIS Operations & Management (O&M) support.

· Create tickets for action by the SEVIS O&M development team and collaborate with them as directed by the Product Owner.

· Ensure stories are developed to resolve system issues when needed.

· Work with the SEVIS O&M team to provide business support and communication with users.

· Maintain the SEVIS Known Issues Log.

5.1.5 SEVIS Help and Technical Writing Support / SEVIS End User Support The Contractor shall provide a technical writing and editing team to develop end user help resources for SEVIS and its subsystems. This requires close coordination with government business partners, including internal SEVP units, ICE HSI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Department of State (DOS) Consular Affairs.

The SEVIS Help and Technical Writing Team works closely with the requirements team and the DOS Education and Cultural Affairs SEVIS team. The team is responsible for user help across all SEVIS subsystems. Current end user help is provided through:

· Unified government user manual

· Role-specific user guides

· Updatable, page-level text within SEVIS

· Documentation on ICE.gov

· SEVIS Help Hub on Study in the States

· Broadcast messages

· Webinars

· Quick reference guides and user tools

· Email support

· Materials supporting Strategic Communications efforts

All help products must meet Section 508 accessibility standards and comply with plain language and readability requirements.

Responsibilities include:

· Creating acceptance criteria for on-screen instructional text

· Maintaining updatable system-based help content

· Creating and maintaining detailed, role-based user guidance reflecting current system capabilities for:

· SEVIS government user roles

· SEVIS school user roles

· SEVP Portal users

· Coordinating with Strategic Communications to publish help resources on ICE.gov and Study in the States

· Developing user tools, such as the Optional Practical Training (OPT) calculator for critical dates and eligibility information

· Creating quick reference guides for selected functionalities

· Webinar Support:

· Planning webinar schedules

· Creating webinar content

· Coordinating webinar publicity with Strategic Communications

· Facilitating webinar presentations

· Developing webinar Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Broadcast Message Support:

· Drafting broadcast messages to users about SEVIS system updates, new functionality, issues, workarounds, and webinars.

· Submitting unit-approved content to Strategic Communications for approval and distribution.

System Resource Maintenance via SEVIS ISS Admin Panel:

· Managing content of system email messages

· Maintaining designated geographical areas

· Managing system-generated broadcast messages

Additional Support:

· Providing system-related content for SEVP participation in conferences coordinated by Strategic Communications.

· Supporting SMU User Training development by providing subject matter expertise, creating help requirements, and reviewing/testing developer work products.

5.1.6 Interface Partner Support

The Contractor shall maintain all business-related documentation pertaining to communications with interface partners and the batch community.

Interface partner support includes:

· Assisting business partners in understanding SEVIS functionality

· Coordinating meetings to discuss new or revised

· business needs related to data sent or received via interfaces

· Creating user stories and acceptance criteria for interface-related requirements

· Facilitating communication with current and prospective interface partners, including the SEVP Data team

· Supporting batch users and developers by facilitating technical communications with the batch community

SEVIS shares information and exchanges data with numerous interface partners within DHS, the academic community, and other government agencies. The current list of interface partners is provided in Table 1.0 below.

Table 1 - Current Interfaces

System (FTTTF). FTTTF uses this information to perform data analysis.

Outgoing

Incoming

SEVPAMS

Information Sharing

Incoming and Outgoing

5.1.7 User Acceptance Testing Support Services

The Contractor shall assist the Federal Product Owners provide User Acceptance Testing (UAT) support services.

The Contractor shall:

1. Support System Enhancements and New Functionalities:

Ensure that all system enhancements and new functionalities meet documented business requirements and deliver the required and expected functionalities for production release. Validate that system enhancements and new functionalities meet documented business needs and real-world usage scenarios, utilizing acceptance criteria and business workflows as the basis for testing.

2. Analysis and Document Improvements:

Analyze UAT processes and document recommendations for improvement, including increasing acceptance criteria (AC) granularity and prioritizing test scenarios.

3. Design and Execute UAT Scenarios:

Design and execute business process–focused UAT scenarios that reflect multiple user roles, cross-subsystem workflows, and end-to-end data flows.

4. Verify Production Readiness:

Verify system readiness for production release from a business and operational perspective, including assessments of usability, data quality, and workflow correctness.

5. Provide Feedback:

Provide timely feedback to the Final Quality Testing (FQT) team and product teams regarding gaps in acceptance criteria, test coverage, and business rule implementation.

6. Coordinate UAT and Final Quality Testing (FQT):

Implement a coordinated approach between UAT and FQT to achieve the following outcomes:

· More predictable testing timelines

· Reduced schedule overruns

· Improved coverage of both functional and business requirements

· Higher confidence in each production release

Performance Standards:

Recommendations for process improvements shall be documented and submitted within 30 days of contract start and updated quarterly.

Testing timelines and coverage metrics shall be tracked and reported monthly.

All production releases shall be supported by documented evidence of UAT completion and business requirement coverage.

5.1.8 UAT and FQT Collaboration

The Contractor shall collaborate closely with the Functional Quality Testing (FQT) team to improve overall quality and predictability which is supported by the O&M OCIO Team. The UAT team collaboration with the FQT team through aligned planning, shared defect management, knowledge transfer, and joint quality reviews ensures that each new functionality is both functionally correct and meets business/user needs before deployment.

The Contractor’s UAT and FQT Collaboration shall:

1. Increase Acceptance Criteria Granularity:

Work with requirements and product teams to increase the granularity of acceptance criteria, ensuring that each criterion can be directly tested at both the functional (FQT) and business (UAT) levels.

2. Prioritize Scenarios:

Jointly prioritize test scenarios based on risk and business impact, aligning functional test coverage (FQT) with business workflow coverage (UAT) to minimize gaps and redundancy.

3. Parallelize Testing Activities:

Where feasible, conduct parallel testing, with FQT focusing on core functional coverage and UAT focusing on business workflow coverage, to accelerate testing timelines and improve coverage.

4. Conduct Joint Defect Review Sessions:

Schedule and participate in joint defect review sessions to triage and resolve issues identified during FQT prior to or early in UAT. Ensure that issues found during UAT inform improvements to functional tests and acceptance criteria.

Performance Objectives:

5.1.9 Roles and Responsibilities

1. UAT Lead (PMO/UAT Manager)

a. Develop UAT strategy, schedule, and resource plan

b. Oversee UAT execution and ensure adherence to performance objectives

c. Coordinate with business owners, technical teams, and testers

d. Review and approve UAT deliverables

2. UAT Testers (Business Analysts/Functional Testers)

a. Develop test scenarios and scripts based on requirements

b. Execute test cases and document results

c. Identify, log, and retest defects

d. Provide feedback on system usability and functionality

3. UAT Coordinator

a. Schedule UAT sessions and manage logistics

b. Track progress and escalate issues to UAT Lead

c. Maintain communication with stakeholders

4. Defect Manager

a. Monitor defect tracking system

b. Ensure timely logging, triage, and closure of defects

c. Communicate defect status to PMO and development teams

5. Reporting Analyst

a. Compile daily and final UAT reports, per Release

b. Analyze test metrics and provide recommendations

c. Support post-UAT review and lessons learned sessions

5.1.10 Measurement Criteria

· Schedule Adherence: Percentage of UAT tasks completed within planned timeline

· Defect Closure Rate: Percentage of defects resolved and retested within AQL

· Test Coverage: Percentage of requirements covered by UAT scenarios

· Stakeholder Satisfaction: Survey results post-UAT

· Report Quality: Accuracy and completeness of UAT reports

5.1.11 Deliverables

· UAT Test Plan

· UAT Scenarios and Scripts

· Defect Logs and Status Reports

· Daily UAT Progress Reports

· Final UAT Summary Report

· Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey Results

5.2 SEVP Business Automation Section Tasks:

The Contractor shall provide program management and administrative support for SBAS, including but not limited to:

Section Communications and Collaboration The Contractor shall provide support for Section communication and collaboration, including but not limited to the following responsibilities:

Section Communications and Collaboration

· Develop, maintain, and ensure use of well-developed standardized templates for Word documents and Power Point presentations. Maintain a library of templates. Provide training as needed

· Manage digital libraries and repositories for SBAS project documentation, training materials, and reference resources, ensuring organization, searchability, and regular review for currency and accuracy.

· Develop, review, and update SOPs for SBAS functions.

· Ensure collaboration site is kept updated. Regularly review site content, recommend updates, and prepare updated content as needed. Submit requests to the SEVPAMS development team as needed.

· Prepare articles, blogs, and presentations about SBAS initiatives for internal and external stakeholders.

· Conduct quality assurance reviews to verify technical accuracy of deliverables.

Tasking and Reporting

· Track and ensure timely completion of internal and external taskings, meeting all deadlines.

· Coordinate development and periodic updates of the SBAS Strategic Plan.

· Support activity and productivity reporting for SBAS.

Meeting Management

· Support SBAS meeting management, including scheduling, agenda preparation, recording, and minute-taking.

· Maintain mailing lists and distribution groups.

· Track action items and follow-up tasks.

Performance Measures

· Timely completion of taskings (98% on-time rate).

· Accuracy and completeness of documentation and reports (100% compliance with government standards to include use of approved templates).

· Maintenance of digital libraries and collaboration site (monthly review and update)

· Maintenance of SOPs (quarterly review and updates within 5 working days of a needed change).

· Meetings (100% of meetings have an agenda, minutes are published within 3 working days)

Deliverables

· Standardized templates for SBAS documentation and presentations.

· New and updated SOPs for SBAS functions.

· Monthly SBAS activity and productivity reports.

· Meeting agendas and minutes.

· Review and update reports for SBAS digital libraries and collaboration sites.

· Annual SBAS Strategic Plan update

5.3 System Management Unit Tasks

The SMU team shall provide unit level program management support:

· Program performance measures/metrics

· Program/process management improvement support

· Data analytics

· Writing and communication support

· Coordination of tasking responses

· System Owner support Risk Management:

The Contractor shall develop and maintain a Risk Management Plan for SPS, SBAS and SMU operations. The Contractor shall implement strategies for inventorying risks and risk mitigations, coordinate risk reviews, provide independent risk assessments, and make recommendations for risk escalation and process improvements. The Contractor shall assist in maintaining the inventory of risks, risk artifacts, and historical information, and support the Government in risk review meetings and maintenance of risk registers Taskings:

· The PMO must utilize project management best practices, ensuring deliverables are submitted in alignment with government-approved delivery dates and timelines. Deliverables must meet objectives and be supported by data, with continuous product quality reviews to ensure accuracy, clarity, formatting, and alignment to government acceptance requirements. Deliverables should be professionally prepared, clear, concise, and editable by the government. Timeliness is critical, with a 98% timely submission rate required; more than two business days late is considered unacceptable. The PMO must also track risk management to ensure projects stay on schedule and inform the government of anticipated risks in a timely manner. Adequate staffing levels must be maintained, with monthly reviews to ensure at least 90% staffing during hours of operation, and immediate replacement of underperforming personnel.

Business Owner Support:

· The Contractor shall provide administrative, planning, and operational support to business owners, including support for executive briefings, taskers, and requirements analysis. The Contractor shall support the Government’s strategic communications requirements

Calendar and Schedule

· The Contractor shall maintain unit calendars and schedules, ensuring visibility of key dates and events. The Contractor shall create and maintain the SMU Portfolio Roadmap and schedules, including critical milestones, dependencies, and expected delivery dates or targets for desired capabilities. The Contractor shall maintain the Program Integrated Master Schedule with milestones, dependencies, and expected delivery dates, and coordinate with other schedule owners to ensure updates are provided and incorporated into the Program Integrated Master Schedule (IMS)

Strategic Planning

· Employing program management techniques to support SEVP’s mission, including developing plans, requirements, testing, and help for SEVIS, while explicitly excluding coding and technical development work. The focus is on management, administration, and support functions rather than software development. Strategic planning for a unit managing teams that utilize Agile-driven, proven program management techniques to support, maintain, and manage SEVP systems and programs.

6.0 Deliverables

6.1 Post-Award Conference and Kick-Off Briefing

The Contractor agrees to attend any post-award conference convened by the contracting activity office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 42.5.

The Contractor shall present a kick-off briefing within five (5) business days after award.

6.2 Onboarding Status Report

The Contractor shall present an onboarding status report within thirty (30) calendar days after contract award. The report shall include:

· Status of project team onboarding

· Deliverables

· Transition activities

· Communication approach

· Initial risks

· Next steps

6.3 Transition-In and Transition-Out Plan

6.3.1 Transition-In

The Contractor is responsible for transitioning all technical activities identified in this Task Order. The Contractor shall submit a final Transition-In Plan for approval by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and SMU Federal Leads within ten (10) business days after task order award. The plan must reflect input from the COR and SMU Federal Leads and include all necessary activities to facilitate the transition of services, along with expected completion dates. All activities must be completed within the two (2) month transition period.

The Transition-In Plan must address the following technical activities:

· Inventory and orderly transfer of all Government Furnished Equipment and Property (GFE/GFP), software, and licenses, if applicable

· Transfer of documentation and service tickets currently in process

· Workplace logistics and staffing plan, including identification of key personnel transition team members by name, position, Entry on Duty (EOD), clearance, start date, and responsibilities

· Coordination of knowledge transfer sessions with the incumbent Contractor

· Favorable EOD for all Contractor staff from the ICE Personnel Security Division (PSD)

· Coordination of transition with Federal Leads

The Transition-In Plan shall be approved by the COR and SMU Federal Leads and must describe the Contractor’s process for transitioning from the incumbent with no disruption in support services.

6.3.2 Transition-Out

The Contractor shall be responsible for the transition-out of all activities identified in this Task Order during the final period of performance.