IMPROVE PWS Draft.pdf

Department of War (DoW) Decentralized IM&T, Program, Resource, Optimization, Value and Execution (IMPROVE)

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IM&T IDIQ) Performance Work Statement

C-1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Department of War (DoW) plays a critical role in the United States' efforts to enhance global security through international partnerships and cooperative defense initiatives. Central to this mission is the ability to train, educate, advise, and equip partner nations with speed and precision. In the modern era, this mission is fundamentally enabled by a resilient, interoperable, and modernized digital enterprise.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) Information Management and Technology (IM&T) Directorate serves as the Department’s strategic architect for security cooperation information technology solutions, cybersecurity oversight, and enterprise system management.

Tasked by the Department of War to enable the global Security Cooperation mission, DSCA IM&T is responsible for architecting, maintaining, and modernizing the digital infrastructure and business systems that form the "Digital Fabric" of the enterprise.

C-1.1 The Decentralized IT Mission

Unlike traditional centralized IT models, the IMPROVE IDIQ is designed to support a decentralized operational environment. This vehicle empowers DSCA, Geographic and Functional Combatant Commands (CCMDs), and Military Departments (MILDEPs) to rapidly modernize their unique mission systems while remaining anchored to enterprise-wide standards.

• The goal of this digital modernization effort is to ensure that IT capabilities:

• Align with the DoW’s Integrated Deterrence strategic objectives.

• Promote seamless Data Interoperability across the Security Cooperation enterprise.

• Safeguard mission-critical data through a Zero Trust security posture.

• Accelerate Speed to Mission through Agile development and cloud-native architectures.

C-1.2 Purpose of IMPROVE IDIQ

This PWS defines the requirements for comprehensive contractor support to assist the DoW Security Cooperation enterprise in delivering secure, efficient, and innovative IT services. The IMPROVE vehicle provides the technical and analytical "engine" necessary to transform legacy systems into modern, data-driven platforms, strengthening operational effectiveness and global mission execution from the headquarters level to the tactical edge.

C-1.3 Key responsibilities of DSCA IM&T include

IT Governance and Strategy: IM&T develops and implements DSCA’s information technology strategy in alignment with Department of Defense (DoD) policies and Security

Cooperation objectives. This helps establish governance frameworks to ensure IT investments, systems, and resources support mission priorities efficiently and effectively.

System Development, Modernization, and Sustainment: IM&T designs, develops, integrates, and maintains enterprise applications that support case management, financial tracking, training, and global partner engagement. This includes modernization initiatives to enhance system performance, user experience, and data-driven decision-making across DSCA and the Security Cooperation community.

Cybersecurity and Information Assurance: IM&T provides cybersecurity oversight and compliance with DoD cybersecurity policies and frameworks (e.g., RMF, Zero Trust). This ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of DSCA’s information systems and sensitive partner nation data.

Data Management and Analytics: IM&T oversees enterprise data governance, integration, and quality assurance across systems and programs. This includes developing data analytics capabilities to enable performance measurement, predictive insights, and informed policy decisions.

IT Infrastructure and Operations: IM&T manages DSCA’s cloud and on-premises computing environments, networks, storage, and end-user devices. IM&T also ensures high system availability, disaster recovery readiness, and responsive IT service delivery.

Customer and Mission Support: IM&T provides user support, service desk operations, and training for DSCA personnel and the broader Security Cooperation enterprise. This includes partnering with internal stakeholders and external organizations including Combatant Commands, Implementing Agencies, and partner nations to ensure technology solutions meet operational needs.

Innovation and Emerging Technologies: IM&T evaluates and integrates emerging technologies (e.g., AI, automation, data visualization, and digital collaboration tools) to enhance mission delivery. This helps to promote digital transformation initiatives that advance DSCA’s efficiency and effectiveness.

This indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract is for the acquisition of a full-spectrum of technical support for IM&T. The requirements contained herein specify the tasks required to support IM&T in specific areas.

C-1.1 SCOPE

The scope of this IDIQ is to fulfill the requirements within IM&T and other DSCA sponsored mission requirements, specifically in the technical areas of:

• Program and Project management,

• Software Development,

• Software Sustainment,

• Data Management, and

• Business Intelligence.

The task areas within the IDIQ require the contractor to provide a breadth and depth of mission and analytic technical support. To meet these requirements, the contractor shall provide the specialized knowledge and skill described within the task order.

The contractor shall provide both on-site support and off-site support for routine and unforeseen events and requirements as directed by the contracting authority via task order or a modification to an existing task order. The number of personnel, security clearances, and essential qualifications and skills shall be dictated by the nature of the tasks in each task order. The contractor shall provide personnel during normal operations and during surge or special situations to accomplish the requirements specified in the IDIQ/task order PWS. The contractor shall efficiently and effectively manage the performance under this contract to ensure all the necessary technical, business planning, organizing, managing, coordinating and tracking (e.g., cost, schedule, and deliverables), performance management, resource management, data management, and subcontract management required to perform all activities is accomplished, as required by the IDIQ/task order PWS.

C-2.0 OFFICES

This IDIQ is a decentralized, enterprise-wide vehicle. Task Orders may be issued to support the security cooperation mission requirements of any Department of War (DoW) component, including but not limited to: The Office of the Secretary of War (OSW); Defense Agencies and Field Activities (including DSCA and DTSA); the Geographic and Functional Combatant Commands (CCMDs); the Military Departments (Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force) acting as Implementing Agencies; and DoW Regional Centers.

C-3.0 SECURITY CLEARANCE LEVEL

The overall classification of work associated with this IDIQ is at the TOP SECRET level. The government will identify the specific facility clearance required at the Task Order level.

C-4.0 ACRONYMS

ACSS: Africa Center for Strategic Studies AD: Acquisition Directorate ADM: Office of Administration AME: Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation APCSS: Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies CATMS: Correspondence and Task Management System BPC: Building Partner Capacity C2: Command and Control CS2: College of Security Cooperation Studies CENTCOM: U.S. Central Command CLINS: Contract Line-Item Numbers

CO: Contracting Officer COR: Contracting Officer’s Representative DILLS: Defense Institute of International Legal Studies DoD: Department of Defense DRMI: Defense Resource Management Institute DSCA: Defense Security Cooperation Agency DSI: Defense SCO Institute DSCS: Defense Security Cooperation Service DSCU: Defense Security Cooperation University EVM: Earned Value Management EUCOM: United States European Command FFP: Firm Fixed Price FMF: Foreign Military Finance FMS: Foreign Military Sales FMSA: Foreign Military Sales Academy FP: Fixed Price FPRE: Financial Policy and Regional Execution FO: Front Office GAME: Global Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation Ongoing Support GAO: Government Accountability Office GCMC: George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies ICB: Institutional Capacity Building IDIQ: Indefinite-Delivery / Indefinite-Quantity IMET: International Military Education and Training IMS: International Military Sales IMT: Information Management & Technology INDOPACOM: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command IOPS: Office of International Operations ISG: Institute for Security Governance IWC: Irregular Warfare KPI: Key Performance Indicators LH: Labor-Hour MDA: Milestone Decision Authority MDAP: Major Defense Acquisition Program M&S: Modeling and Simulation NAICS: North American Industry Classification System NCR: National Capital Region NDAA: National Defense Authorization Act NESA: Near East South Asia Center OBO: Office of Business Operations PATAE: Program Analytical Technical and Enterprise PIE: Performance, Improvement, and Effectiveness Directorate PPD: Planning and Program Design PWS: Performance Work Statement QA: Quality Assurance QASP: Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

QC: Quality Control RALLI: BG Charles Young Research Lessons Learned Institute R&D: Research & Development SAP: Special Access Program SC: Security Cooperation SCO: Security Cooperation Organization SCM: Supply Chain Management SME: Subject Matter Expert SPI: Strategic Planning and Integration SPP: Strategy, Plans, and Programs Directorate T&M: Time and Materials TO: Task Order USC: United States Code WHS: Washington Headquarters Services WJPC: William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

C-5.0 TASK AREAS

The IM&T task portfolio encompasses three major functional capability areas:

• Program and Project Management Support Functions

• Software Development and Sustainment Support Functions

• Data Management and Business Intelligence Support Functions

C-5.1 Program and Project Management Support Functions

C-5.1.1 Program and Project Management Support

The contractor shall provide comprehensive program and project management support services to DSCA IM&T, Combatant Commands (CCMDs), Military Departments (MILDEPs), and other DoW mission partners to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of decentralized security cooperation programs. This functional area covers the overall leadership, planning, execution, monitoring, and control of IT, Data Management, and Business Intelligence initiatives across globally distributed environments.

The contractor is expected to use Agile/Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Program Management activities to synchronize decentralized development teams. This includes the management and oversight of all activities performed by contractor personnel and subcontractors to satisfy the requirements of the order-level contract. The Agile Program Management objective is to define, manage, and execute processes within cost, schedule, and performance parameters. The contractor shall adhere to the Agile manifesto and principles to deliver rapid software capabilities, sustainment, data management, and business services to the tactical and operational edge.

Key Responsibilities:

• Program Executive Office (PEO) Support: Establish and maintain program documentation, governance, processes, and standards that align decentralized component IT projects with overarching DoW enterprise architecture.

• Project Planning and Execution: Develop project plans, schedules, budgets, and resource allocations tailored to specific regional or functional task orders.

• Financial Management Support: Budget for IT transition projects, collect and analyze financial data, estimate costs of cloud/infrastructure decisions, and report financial execution to local and enterprise leadership.

• Risk Management: Identify, assess, and mitigate project and cybersecurity risks in a decentralized IT environment.

• Quality Assurance: Ensure the quality of deliverables and adherence to DoW Information Network (DoDIN) standards.

• Stakeholder Management: Facilitate communication and coordination between DSCA headquarters, regional mission partners, and interagency stakeholders.

• Change Management: Manage changes to project scope, schedule, or budget using agile methodologies.

• Process Optimization: Define and maintain standards for consistency across the enterprise while strategically prioritizing projects based on local CCMD or DoW organizational goals. Effectively communicate progress, challenges, and outcomes to decentralized leadership.

C-5.2 Software Development and Sustainment Support Functions

The contractor shall build, test, deploy, and maintain IT systems, applications, and infrastructure capable of operating securely within the DoW’s global footprint. The delivery of software can take multiple paths, including a mixed architecture of IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and Managed Services.

Activities involved in adapting a software solution for the security cooperation mission include but are not limited to:

Use of DevSecOps best practices including Agile Program Management, Repo & Artifact Stores, Automated Security Scanning, Automated Testing, CI/CD Orchestration, and Active Monitoring across DoW networks.

Continuous software lifecycle evaluation against new requirements, user needs, and operational challenges—including the management of technical debt through agile risk management across decentralized component systems.

Collaboration with international mission partners and original manufacturers of existing software to prioritize and address interoperability requirements.

Use of digital engineering practices including Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) and Lifecycle Product Data Management (LPDM) to support Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and equipment transfers.

Use of Human-Centered Design (HCD) to ensure User Interfaces and Information Architectures are usable by both U.S. personnel and vetted foreign partners.

Rigorous testing and validation to support integration and orchestration approaches that meet DoW Impact Level (IL4/IL5) security requirements.

Implementation of Low Code/No Code software solutions, Custom Software Development, and Modern Software Hosting & Operations.

Contractors shall focus on integrating software security, modernizing, and automating software hosting as applicable to the decentralized order level. Use of automation, templating, and containerization (Infrastructure-as-Code) must be utilized to ensure robust security, streamline IT infrastructure, and optimize the DevSecOps lifecycle across different geographic nodes.

Contractors shall implement software security that protects against vulnerabilities and unauthorized access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

• Software Development: Requirements gathering/analysis, designing, coding, testing, and deploying software applications for headquarters or edge environments.

• System Integration: Integrating disparate legacy IT systems and applications across

MILDEPs and CCMDs into cohesive enterprise platforms.

• Database Management: Designing, implementing, and maintaining secure, globally accessible databases.

• Application Support and Maintenance: Providing ongoing Tier 2/3 support, bug fixes, cybersecurity compliance, and enhancements to applications.

• Cloud Services: Management, development, and migration to DoW-approved commercial cloud environments (e.g., AWS GovCloud, Azure Government).

• Infrastructure Management: Maintaining and supporting decentralized IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, and edge storage.

• DevOps: Implement DevOps practices for automation, continuous integration, and continuous delivery at scale.

C-5.3 Data Analysis and Business Intelligence Support Functions

The contractor shall focus on the comprehensive management, integration, and analysis of data to enable mission-driven decision-making. The intent is to ensure that DSCA and its decentralized mission partners can treat data as a strategic enterprise asset. Effective data management and business intelligence are essential to eliminating regional data silos and supporting transparency, operational efficiency, and strategic readiness across the DoW.

Overarching Guidance includes:

• Data as a Strategic Asset: Enforce policies and processes that ensure data accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, and security across all global nodes.

• Enterprise Data Governance: Establish governance frameworks, stewardship models, and compliance mechanisms to ensure consistent standards and interoperability between different DoW components.

• Modern Data Architectures: Adopt scalable and flexible data architectures—including data lakes, warehouses, and data mesh/fabric constructs—that support structured and unstructured security cooperation data at an enterprise scale.

• Advanced Analytics and BI: Leverage advanced analytical tools, dashboards, and machine learning to provide predictive insights to Combatant Commanders and DoW leadership.

• Integration and Interoperability: Enable seamless, secure data exchange across DoW systems, interagency partners, and foreign platforms.

• Ethical and Responsible Data Use: Ensure compliance with DoW directives, privacy regulations, and responsible use of AI/analytics in alignment with U.S. and international data sharing agreements.

• Data Governance and Stewardship: Establish policies and stewardship roles to enforce data quality, lineage, and regulatory compliance (e.g., CUI protection, export control data handling).

• Data Architecture and Engineering: Design enterprise data solutions that include cloud-native platforms, pipelines, and storage optimized for global performance and IL5 security.

• Data Modeling and Warehousing: Create logical/physical models and optimized structures to enable efficient querying across massive decentralized datasets.

• Data Integration and Interoperability: Develop ETL/ELT pipelines, APIs, and middleware to consolidate data from multiple regional systems into unified enterprise dashboards.

• Business Intelligence Development: Design, build, and sustain dashboards and visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Qlik) to provide leaders with near real-time global situational awareness.

• Advanced Analytics and AI/ML: Apply machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive modeling to forecast security cooperation outcomes and supply chain readiness.

• Data Quality and Metadata Management: Conduct data profiling and cleansing; maintain metadata catalogs to promote discoverability of data assets across the DoW enterprise.

• Cloud and Hybrid Data Solutions: Support migration and operation of data environments on DoW-approved cloud platforms while maintaining hybrid connectivity to on-premises component systems.

• Data Ethics and Security: Enforce privacy and security practices for all data handling, ensuring sensitive mission information is protected in accordance with federal policies.

C-6.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND QUALITY MEASUREMENT

C-6.1 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

The Government will use a quality-assurance review process to monitor contractor performance under this IDIQ and its associated task orders. All task orders shall include a QASP and will be considered in the evaluation of contractor performance. To the maximum extent possible, each task order QASP will provide measurable performance metrics within the below outlined performance thresholds in order to provide objective feedback on contractor performance.

C-6.2 Quality Control (QC) Program

The contractor shall institute a complete QC program to ensure that the requirements of this contract are fulfilled as specified. At a minimum, the Contractor shall include the following elements in the program:

• A comprehensive inspection system of all the scheduled and unscheduled services required by each task order.

• The name and contact information of the designated QC inspector and their backup who will be performing the inspections.

• A proactive methodology to identify and correct problems before the Government identifies these problems. Contractor shall notify the Government of any problems.

• An organized, current file of all contractor conducted inspections, corrective actions taken, and follow-up inspections.

C-6.3 Performance Thresholds and Acceptable Quality Levels

The contractor's performance shall be evaluated against the standards outlined in this PWS and as further defined in each individual Task Order (TO). The performance thresholds below describe the minimum acceptable levels of service required for mission success. These standards will be monitored by the Government, primarily through the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), to ensure the contractor's performance meets or exceeds the requirements of this contract.

Unless otherwise specified in a given Task Order, the following general performance standards and Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) shall apply to all services and deliverables provided under this IDIQ contract.

Performance Standard

Standard Description Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL)

Quality & Accuracy of Content

All deliverables must be factually accurate, analytically sound, and supported by well-documented research. Analysis must reflect the best practices and standards relevant to the subject matter.

95% of deliverables are submitted without the need for substantive correction. Substantive corrections are defined as those required due to factual errors, flawed analysis, or unsupported conclusions.

Quality of Recommendations

Recommendations must be sound, compliant with all applicable policies and regulations, practical, and actionable. They must meet the following criteria:

• Suitable: Solves the problem; is legal and ethical.

• Feasible: Fits within available resources.

• Acceptable: The benefits are worth the cost or risk.

• Distinguishable: Differs significantly from other options.

• Complete: Addresses all critical aspects of the problem.

95% of recommendations are assessed by the Government as being actionable and meeting all five quality criteria.

Professionalism & All deliverables must be clear, No more than one (1)

Clarity of Presentation concise, and presented in a professional format that reflects DSCA's role as a leader in security cooperation.

Documents must be well-organized and easily understood. Diagrams must be relevant and support the narrative.

formal government rejection per deliverable due to issues with clarity, professionalism, or formatting. Minor grammatical or spelling errors in general documents shall not exceed a level that impedes understanding.

Deliverables for Government Signature

Documents intended for signature or final release by Government personnel (e.g., policy memos, congressional responses, official correspondence) must be of executive quality.

100% compliant. These deliverables must be free of all errors in format, style, grammar, and spelling upon first final submission. The Government may return drafts for revision, but the final version submitted for signature must be flawless.

Timeliness of Deliverables

All deliverables shall be submitted on or before the due date specified in the Task Order or as otherwise agreed upon with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

98% of all deliverables are submitted on time. The contractor must notify the COR at least 48 hours prior to a deadline if a delay is anticipated to request an extension.

Extensions may be granted at the discretion of the Government and will not count against the AQL if approved.

Format & Accessibility of Files

All text, presentation, and data files must be delivered in an electronic format that is editable by the Government using standard DoW-licensed software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite). A digital copy of all non-proprietary deliverables must

100% of electronic deliverables are provided in the specified, editable format and stored in the correct location.

be stored on a Government-accessible common drive or SharePoint site as directed by the COR.

Responsiveness & Communication

Contractor personnel shall respond to Government inquiries, emails, and phone calls in a timely and professional manner. Key personnel shall be available for meetings as required by the Government.

Routine inquiries shall be acknowledged within one

(1) business day. The contractor shall attend all scheduled meetings, providing advance notice of any unavoidable absences.

C-7.0 CONTRACT TYPES

C-7.1 Contract Type

This requirement for Washington Headquarters Services / Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) encompasses non-personal Technical, Analytical, Strategic and Enterprise Resource (TASER) aimed at delivering comprehensive technical support both on-site and off-site. On-site support will typically involve a presence during five eight-hour workdays each week. The primary goal of this contract action is to secure mission support, operations, strategy, policy and analysis support through the award of Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. These contracts will include a mix of Fixed Price (FP), Labor-Hour (LH), and Time and Materials (T&M) Task Orders (TOs).

C-7.2 Fixed Price

Fixed Price task orders will be executed to the maximum extent practicable in support of technical support services, technical studies, and projects with a determinate deliverable and schedule.

C-7.3 Time and Material

A time-and-materials contract provides for acquiring supplies or services on the basis of direct labor hours at specified fixed hourly rates that include wages, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit, and actual cost for materials. A time-and-materials contract may be used only when it is not possible at the time of placing the contract to estimate accurately the extent or duration of the work or to anticipate costs with any reasonable degree of confidence. Time and Material task orders do not apply to the small business reserve IDIQ awards.

C-7.4 Labor Hour

A labor-hour contract is a variation of the time-and-materials contract, differing only in that materials are not supplied by the contractor. Labor Hour task orders do not apply to the small business reserve IDIQ awards.

C-8.0 LABOR CATEGORIES

C-8.1 Labor Category Specifications

The labor categories, education levels, and minimum years of experience defined within this Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Performance Work Statement (PWS) establish the foundational baseline requirements for the contract. The Government recognizes that the specific needs of individual projects, evolving mission requirements, and unique operational contexts will vary significantly.

Therefore, the Government reserves the right to tailor these labor category requirements at the individual Task Order (TO) level. This authority will be used to ensure the most appropriate, qualified, and effective personnel are assigned to meet specific objectives, thereby providing the best value to the Government.

C-8.1.1 Scope of Tailoring

This tailoring may include, but is not limited to, the following adjustments which can be made more or less restrictive than the IDIQ baseline:

Experience:

• Adjusting the minimum required years of overall or specialized experience.

• Defining the specific nature, scope, and recency of required experience (e.g., requiring experience with a specific weapon system, in a particular geographic region, or with a specific government process like FMS case management).

Education:

• Specifying a required or preferred field of study for a degree (e.g., requiring a Master's Degree in a technical field like Electrical Engineering instead of a general one).

• Raising or lowering the required degree level based on task complexity.

Professional Certifications:

• Requiring specific, industry-recognized certifications as either mandatory or highly desired (e.g., PMP, CISSP, CDFM, DAWIA Level III).

Specialized Skills:

• Mandating foreign language proficiency and specifying the required level of fluency.

• Requiring experience with specific software, analytical tools, or technology platforms.

Security Clearance:

• Stipulating a higher level of security clearance than the baseline contract requirement based on the sensitivity of the task.

C-8.1.2 Implementation and Equivalency

All such tailored requirements will be explicitly defined in the PWS for each individual Task Order. The contractor shall be responsible for proposing candidates who meet the specific requirements of the TO PWS.

Furthermore, at the Government's discretion, a Task Order PWS may permit the substitution of additional, directly relevant professional experience for a required educational degree, or may consider advanced degrees or exceptional certifications in lieu of a portion of the required years of experience. Any such equivalencies will be clearly defined within the Task Order.

This comprehensive approach ensures the Government receives the precise skills necessary for mission success while allowing for maximum flexibility in contract execution.