Attachment_9_Award_Term_Plan.pdf

HSTS01-15-R-HRM015 - Attachment 9 - Award Term Plan Page 1 of 6 Pages

Catalog of Assessment Testing System (CATS)

AWARD TERM PLAN

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This Award Term Plan (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") serves as the charter which will be used to evaluate the contractor's performance of work required by this contract and to determine whether the performance award term (hereinafter referred to as the "award term option" or "term") will be granted. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires top-level performance to meet program requirements. Hence, this performance plan is designed to provide an additional incentive to the contractor for outstanding quality performance that will benefit TSA.

The intent of this plan is to establish procedures for the evaluation of contractor performance by furnishing guidelines and procedures for: (1) evaluating the contractor's performance during evaluation periods and the order; and (2) furnishing sufficient data to enable the

Award Term Approving Official to determine whether the award term will be granted.

2.0 GENERAL

Through this plan, TSA seeks to provide additional incentives for the contractor to perform at a level TSA considers better than acceptable. The award term will only be exercised if overall performance is met as defined in the Acceptable Quality Levels detailed below. The factors for this determination are set forth in paragraph 6.1. The evaluation of the contractor’s performance and the determination of exercise of an award term is the sole responsibility, discretion and final decision of the Government. The evaluation and determination cannot and shall not be disputed by the contractor. The evaluation and determination by the Government is not subject to the Disputes

Clause of the Contract.

3.0 PURPOSE

This plan and the specific contract provisions shall serve as a guide to TSA personnel directly involved in the evaluations of contractor performance.

4.0 OBJECTIVES

The objective of this performance award term feature is to incentivize contractor performance in the areas delineated in paragraph 6.1.

5.0 PERFORMANCE AWARD TERM REVIEW TEAM

5.1 Organization

5.1.1 Award Term Approving Official. The Award Term Approving Official is a TSA Executive Director of the program requiring the contractor support. The Executive

Director may appoint another individual to perform this function for their organization.

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5.1.2 Performance Award Term Review Team. The Award Term Approving

Official will appoint a Team to assist in evaluating the contractor's performance. If warranted by the size or complexity of the contract, the Award Term Approving Official may appoint a Chairman to the Team or the Award Term Approving Official may serve as the Chairman. The team members will ensure a fair and accurate assessment of the contractor's performance for the period being evaluated. The Team Chairman may also use non-voting advisors as necessary.

5.2 Duties of the Team.

5.2.1 Implement the plan and propose timely modifications to the Plan if required, throughout the period of contract performance.

5.2.2 Evaluate contractor performance for each performance evaluation period.

5.2.3 Prepare and submit to the Award Term Approving Official a written evaluation of the contractor's performance.

5.3 Responsibilities.

5.3.1 Award Term Approving Official. Approves the award term plan and the evaluation factors and scoring methodology. Approves the composition of the Team. Determines the contractor performance rating and whether the award term period will be granted based on the factors of the plan. Advises the contractor in writing of annual evaluation results and award term decision and documents the basis for the decision.

5.3.2 Team Chairman. Structures the Team membership to provide representation that reflects all appropriate aspects of contract performance and provides membership to adequately assess contractor performance for the period being evaluated.

Conducts the evaluation under this plan. Schedules Team meetings and serves as a recorder at these meetings. Leads the team in developing a consensus evaluation and in resolving significant differences in ratings. Provides brief summary documentation for the Award Term Approving

Official. May provide feedback to the contractor in order to focus the contractor on areas that would lead to improved performance in subsequent periods.

5.3.3 Performance Award Term Review Team. Monitors and evaluates contractor performance for the period under consideration, utilizing the factors set forth in the plan. Makes written evaluations, completes the evaluation worksheets (Award Term Evaluation

Form- see attachment) and formulates award term recommendations. Briefs the Award Term

Approving Official on evaluations, when requested, and provides supporting data/documentation to support the assessment of performance. Prepares the evaluation report and accompanying narrative justification. Identifies potential improvement areas and areas of emphasis for the next succeeding evaluation period to the Team Chairman for later contractor debriefing.

5.3.4 Contracting Officer. Prepares and distributes contract modifications awarding the term authorized by the Award Term Approving Official. Maintains term documentation as part of the official order file. Retains historical files and other documentation relating to term matters for the contract.

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6.0 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND FACTORS

TSA shall evaluate the contractor's performance in achieving contract requirements for the term periods using the evaluation factors below (as applicable). TSA may notify the contractor of areas where emphasis should be placed for an upcoming period.

6.1 Evaluation Factors and Scoring

The contractor's performance will be evaluated on the basis of factors with subjective rating criteria. An evaluation of rating of pass or fail shall be given to the Contractor if they meet or do not meet the acceptable quality level.

SOW Ref number Required Services Performance Standard

Acceptable Quality

Level

4.0 Program Management:

Timeliness of Deliverable Submission

Deliverables shall be submitted by due dates as specified in deliverable table

No more than two (2) late deliveries and no more than two (2) business days late per calendar year

4.0 Program Management:

Accuracy of Deliverable Submission

Deliverables shall be reviewed for accuracy and quality, and ready for use within the established timeframes

95% of deliverables upon first submission meet TSA standards for quality/accuracy, and no more than two (2) that are determined by TSA to require revision or correction where, in the judgment of TSA, the contractor should have been able to provide an accurate deliverable

2.10.1.2, 2.10.1.3

System Outages The Time to Repair from initial call from TSA to repair/restore service

95% of system outages shall be repaired within two business days from TSA request, with no more than a total of 48 hours of unscheduled downtime impacting TSA business requirements in a 12 month period

2.1.2.3 Provide technical support

and resolve technical issues in a timely manner

TSA Assigned Program Manager/Account Team shall respond to customer phone calls and emails the same business day and no later than the next business day

No more than four (4) late responses per calendar year, and none exceeding two (2) business days to respond

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Required Services Performance Standard

Acceptable Quality

Level

2.3.2.7 All materials required for

the use of the CATS assessments

Provide authorized TSA personnel with the materials required to administer the test at least 10 business days before test administration is to begin unless specified by the Government

No more than one (1) late delivery and none more than two (2) business days late per calendar year

2.3.4.2 Assessment Content

Readiness for use

Test content shall be uploaded, reviewed for accuracy and for online readability and functioning, and ready for use within the established timeframes

No more than one (1) late delivery and none more than two (2) business days late per calendar year

2.10.1.2, 2.10.1.3

Incident Outages Provide notification of anticipated and unanticipated system outages

For anticipated outages, no less than ten (10) business days notification.

For unanticipated outages, provide notification upon contractor discovery

2.10.2 Customer Service Center

Support

Provide customer service satisfaction

Customer Satisfaction:

≥95% of respondents to an independent government survey express “acceptable/satisfactory” rating or above

2.10.2 Customer Service Center

Support

Provide timeliness customer service

Average Speed to Answer:

After 30 seconds, callers will be given the option to be forwarded to voicemail or stay on the line; for callers leaving voicemails, 95% of return calls shall be made within 10 minutes.

95% of all e-mails shall be responded to (not including automated responses) within 1 business hour

Service Availability: 99% availability during core hours, 365 days a year except Federal holidays

2.10.2 Customer Service Center

Support

Provide Quality/Accurate Customer Service

Response Quality/Accuracy of Information Distributed:

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Required Services Performance Standard

Acceptable Quality

Level

≥98% of all e-mails/calls responded to with correct information/data/template and demonstrates full compliance with TSA business rules

6.2 Scoring for Award Term Eligibility:

To be eligible for a new award term at the end of each evaluation period, the Contractor must meet all of the metrics in 6.1. TSA reserves the right to waive any standard to accommodate circumstances beyond the control of the Contractor.

There will be three evaluation periods throughout the contract period of performance:

Evaluation Period 1: Year 2 and 3

Evaluation Period 2: Year 4

Evaluation Period 3: Year 5

If the Contractor “passes” an evaluation period, they will be eligible for one award term.

6.3 Performance Evaluation Periods

Evaluation areas for each performance evaluation period, as identified in paragraph 6.1 of this plan, will be monitored throughout the contract. Performance reviews will be held in accordance with the schedule at the clause of the contract entitled "Award Term."

7.0 PROCEDURES

7.1 Step-by-Step Procedures for Award Term Evaluation Periods

Step 1. Team members shall individually initiate their evaluation worksheets (Award

Term Evaluation Form) within 5 calendar days after the end of each evaluation period.

Evaluations will be completed in 10 calendar days and completed worksheets will be submitted to the Team Chairman (if one is appointed) or Award Term Approving Official. Team members shall be prepared to brief their evaluations to the Chairman if necessary.

Step 2. The Team will develop a final evaluation based on data p resen ted of contractor performance in the appropriate areas for the period, using the factors set forth in the plan. The Team shall review all evaluation material along with supporting documentation and may call additional technical and management advisors to provide supporting information as required.

Recommendations of the Team, together with supporting justifications, shall be presented to the

Award Term Approving Official for final decision on the contractor performance rating.

Evaluation activities need to be completed at a point earlier than 90 calendar days after the end of

HSTS01-15-R-HRM015 - Attachment 9 - Award Term Plan Page 6 of 6 Pages each period being evaluated in order for the evaluation decision to be made and announced no later than 90 days after the period being evaluated.

Step 3. No later than 10 calendar days after the Award Term Approving Official receives the Team’s recommendations, the Award Term Approving Official shall make a determination of the contractor’s evaluation rating for the period. A brief summary narrative report highlighting contractor strengths and weaknesses shall be prepared. The announcement of Award Term

Approving Official’s decisions will be made no later than 90 days after the end of each period being evaluated as indicated in Step 4.

Step4. The Contracting Officer shall provide the Award Term Approving Official notice or announcement to the contractor of the evaluation rating assigned. The notice shall be forwarded to the contractor not later than 90 days after the end of the applicable evaluation period and the modification adding the award term entitlement will follow as soon as practicable following the notification.

In addition to the award term evaluations, the Award Term Approving Official will also consider, when making the award term decision, the annual Contractor Performance Assessment Report

(CPARS) that was completed or is in the process of being completed on the contractor. Any inconsistencies between the award term evaluation and the CPARS shall be addressed in the Award

Term Approving Official’s narrative report and decision regarding the award term.