KMS PWS DRAFT SS.pdf

1 December 2025

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Knowledge Management Services

12/08/2025

2 December 2025

Table of Contents Vision Statement

1 General Information

1.1 Scope of Work

1.2 Background

1.3 Constraints

1.4 Non-Personal Services

1.5 Period of Performance

1.6 Place of Performance

1.7 Hours of Operation

1.8 Special Qualifications

1.9 Post Award/Kickoff Conference

1.10 Status Meetings

1.11 Contractor Travel

1.12 Transition-In

1.13 Transition-Out

2 Definitions and Acronyms

2.1 Definitions

2.2 Acronyms

3 Government-Furnished Property and Services

3.1 Government Services

3.2 Facilities

3.3 Equipment

3.4 Materials and Information

3.5 Quality Assurance (QA)

4 Contractor-Furnished Items and Services

4.1 Facilities

4.2 Equipment

4.3 Materials

4.4 Contractor Responsibilities

4.5 Contractor Personnel

4.6 Identification of Contractor Employees

5 Specific Tasks

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5.1 Transition In

5.2 Content Development

5.3 Information, Dissemination, and Communication Services

5.4 PD&R Online Services

5.5 Project Management

5.6 Transition Out

5.7 Transition of huduser.gov to hud.gov Subdomain (Option Year One)

6 Deliverables

6.1 Quality Control Plan

6.2 Acceptance Criteria

7 Related Documents

8 Performance Requirements Summary

4 December 2025

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Knowledge Management Services

Vision Statement

To deliver high-quality, accessible, and timely research communication services that enhance HUD’s mission by producing impactful publications, strengthening information dissemination, and maintaining a modern, reliable, and user-focused HUD User platform supported by adaptable and innovative IT solutions.

1 General Information

1.1 Scope of Work

The Research Utilization Division (RUD) within the Office of Policy Development & Research (PD&R) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking a contractor for the

Knowledge Management Services (KMS) contract. The KMS contract’s functional areas are –

1. Develop content (text and accompanying graphics) for publications, outreach, and communication efforts (print and electronic); support PD&R’s information and dissemination efforts; and manage clearinghouse components (warehousing and order fulfillment)

2. Information Dissemination: It includes managing information services that support public access to research, providing dissemination services that ensure timely distribution of materials across print and digital channels, and executing communication and marketing efforts that promote

PD&R products, initiatives, and outreach objectives

3. PD&R Online Services: It includes administering and securing all PD&R websites, performing routine and long-term maintenance, and ensuring continuous digital content updates to keep information accurate, accessible, and user focused. The contractor will implement web enhancements, integrate new web technologies, and advance capabilities across PD&R data systems, mapping applications, and mobile data applications. Responsibilities also include updating and optimizing associated databases, supporting systems development, and delivering innovative improvements that strengthen functionality, usability, performance, and security cross all platforms.

4. Reporting: It includes developing and maintaining a comprehensive Management Work Plan that outlines workflows, schedules, quality controls, and resource allocation. The contractor will also prepare Monthly Progress Reports that provide updates on accomplishments, challenges, performance metrics, and upcoming tasks.

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The contractor must address these two interrelated functions of the Knowledge Management Services contract by maintaining a breadth of understanding of content and knowledge related to housing and community development. PD&R uses research and data to identify emerging issues and support policy solutions based on evidence-based research and best practices, and this contract will further that culture of knowledge sharing through a modern and agile website, innovative tools, robust content development, and innovative dissemination and communication services.

Detailed descriptions of specific tasks are provided in Section 5 – Specific Tasks.

1.2 Background

The mission of HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research is to improve life in American communities by building evidence to inform and strengthen housing and community development policy and practice and accelerate progress on HUD's priorities. To support that mission, PD&R produces different publications and products and runs huduser.gov.

PD&R publishes multiple publications and products through different dissemination vehicles, including

Evidence Matters, with data-driven analyses to support HUD’s evidence-based policy making; PD&R

Edge, an online magazine that highlights research, leadership messages, and current developments and trends in housing and community development; and case studies that feature award-winning development projects and other related content. Other PD&R products include housing market reports and publications, datasets, databases, e-Books, GIS maps, mobile applications, and other housing and community development materials which provide current information on housing needs, housing market conditions, and existing housing programs. Interest in PD&R’s products continues to grow.

The key tool for publishing these products and making them available to the public is the PD&R website, huduser.gov, which is operated and maintained through PD&R’s Knowledge Management Services

(KMS) contract. The KMS contract provides users free online access through huduser.gov to housing and community development information via PD&R’s various products. The HUD User website maintains current information on housing needs, market conditions, and existing housing programs. The website also provides data and analysis to help inform policy decisions. The HUD User website provides online and print-based access to over 40,000 housing research publications, datasets, and related media, as well as multiple mobile applications such as the Income Limits mobile app. The KMS contract is vital to

PD&R’s mission to continue developing, implementing, and disseminating housing and community development information to policymakers and researchers.

To ensure that the publications and products reach HUD’s customers, PD&R also provides extensive information, communication, and dissemination services. Such services include, but are not limited to, eLists; a warehouse with PD&R products and collateral and related dissemination of those products and collateral; marketing and communications plans; and internal and external meetings and conferences.

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1.3 Constraints

The services identified in this PWS will adhere to the rules, regulations, laws, standards, and conventions identified by HUD as well as within the Federal Government. Constraints include the following:

Section 508: The contractor must ensure all deliverables and services comply with Section 508 accessibility requirements. Example includes:

Logo Graphics - an assistive technology program will inform the user that a graphic is on a page, but the systems cannot read the graphic itself, thus a caption, such as "Department of Housing and Urban Development logo," needs to be provided.

Flow Charts and Graphs, an assistive technology program, will read information in each of the

"boxes" but it will not read arrows or lines, thus an unsighted person would not be able to determine relationships between the "boxes" and would not know a relationship even exists. To make these items compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendment of 1998, a description of the graphics would have to be provided.

Color and Tables Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendment of 1998 does not permit the use of either color or tables; thus, the Contractor would have to ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color and that row and column headers are identified for tables.

Information Security Protocols – Services must be in compliance with applicable federal information security protocols, as due to US national security interests and the need to protect personally identifiable information (PII) that may be gathered about US citizens, US based companies, government partners or others, the Contractor must be able to attest to the design of the electronic security protocols as well as the organizational protocols backing up the offering ensuring that data cannot be stolen, hacked, removed, or released by unauthorized parties. These protocols include:

NIST 800-37 Rev. 2 Risk Management Framework for Information Systems and Organizations:

A System Life Cycle Approach for Security and Privacy.

https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/37/r2/final

NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and

Organizations. https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final

NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1 Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/specialpublications/nist.sp.800-171.pdf

FIPS Publication 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information

Systems. https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/200/final

FIPS Publication 199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and

Information Systems. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/fips/nist.fips.199.pdf

Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2014.

Compliance with federally mandated IPv6 requirements for public facing services (see https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/assets/egov_docs/transition-to-ipv6.pdf)

AS- 2315 Cybersecurity and Privacy Requirements

The Contractor must comply with all current and future Federal Information Technology (IT) security requirements.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/assets/egov_docs/transition-to-ipv6.pdf

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The Contractor must maintain compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract throughout the term of the contract with respect to all IT security and privacy requirements.

The Contractor must use, maintain, enhance, develop, and upgrade all information technology software and system documentation under this contract in accordance with Federal Laws, Regulations, NIST guidance (https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/sp) and HUD Policies.

Each mixed or financial system that the contractor manages, develops, modifies, enhances, releases and/or upgrades must comply with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) A123, including Appendix A, Internal Control over Financial Reporting, as well as Federal Information

Security Modernization Act (FISMA) of 2014, and must be assessed under the Federal

Information System Controls Audit Manual (FISCAM) methodology that include control families for both General Computer and Business Process Application controls.

The Contractor must use only HUD email system to conduct HUD government business. To the extent that a non-HUD email system use occurs for HUD government business, the individual must copy their HUD email account during the initial creation of transmission or forward the email record to their HUD email account within 20 calendar days of creation or transmission of the record. Once the message is sent or forwarded to HUD email, the user must save the record

(do not delete). Further, the record should be removed from non-HUD email systems unless there is a specific obligation, such as a litigation hold, to maintain the files on all non-HUD systems on which they appear.

The Contractor must maintain compliance, as per the National Institute of Standards and

Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-161, Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Federal Information Systems and Organizations.

The Contractor must follow HUD’s Project Planning and Management (PPM) Life Cycle in the analysis, design, development, testing and implementation of proposed new systems and/or the enhancement to existing systems. No live data must be used in any environment other than

Production and Disaster Recovery (DR) environments. Specifically, no live data must be used in development, testing or staging environments.

The Contractor must ensure each of its employees working on the HUD contract completes the mandatory HUD Security Awareness Training annually.

The Contractor must ensure each of its employees working on the HUD contract acknowledges the HUD Rules of Behavior (RoB) annually.

The Contractor must ensure each of its employees working on the HUD contract completes the mandatory HUD role-based/specialized cybersecurity and privacy training annually.

The Contractor must review and update system documentation to ensure accuracy, compliance, and completeness. Reviews and revisions must be completed and delivered to HUD quarterly or within one day of a major system release.

The Contractor must provide Security Assessment and Authorization (SA&A) support, including potential off cycle or unanticipated SA&A support, over the life of the contract.

The Contractor must complete and maintain SA&A documentation in accordance with the guidance contained within NIST publications, after the award of the contract and again at the expiration of the SA&A to include any revisions or updates.

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The Contractor must complete and maintain security and privacy related documents, in accordance with all Federal Laws, Regulations, NIST guidance

(https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/sp) and HUD policies.

The Contractor must present IT security and privacy related documents to HUD’s Chief

Information Security Officer (CISO) for review and approval.

The Contractor must designate an Information System Security Officer (ISSO) or a Security Point of Contact (POC) within the contractor staff to interface with HUD Office of IT Security (OITS) and to respond to cybersecurity related requests.

The Contractor must support and provide system security to ensure availability, confidentiality, and integrity of the HUD data applications (e.g. maintaining access control, user identification, password protection and authentication, confidentiality of customer profiles and traffic, physical and personnel security required under this PWS).

The Contractor must maintain compliance with OMB Memorandum 17-12, Preparing for and

Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information.

The Contractor must review and update the Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) on a timeframe that is consistent with contract terms, e.g. quarterly, annual, bi-monthly, etc. and present them to HUD’s CISO for review and approval.

Each contractor employee working on the HUD contract must not provide contract support until clearance is received from the HUD security background check. Failure to adhere to the above requirements could result in penalties, including a contract performance stop-work order until compliance can be demonstrated. Disregard of these requirements could also lead to other criminal, civil, administrative, and/or contract penalties.

Federal Records and Retention Acts and Regulations

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Laws and Regulations

Access to HUD Information Systems – Contractor employees (including subcontractors) who will need to have access to HUD information systems and/or business service providers (e.g., NW or FHAC) must undergo a background investigation as referenced in Section 5.1.1. See HUDAR Clause 2452.239-70

Access to HUD Systems (Deviation).

1.3.1 Project Planning and Management

All HUD IT projects—including all information systems acquired, developed, enhanced, or maintained— must follow the policy, procedures, standards, and guidelines set forth within the IT Management

Framework using the Project Planning and Management (PPM) Life Cycle located at HUD’s PPM Life

Cycle Website:

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/cio/ppm/PPMV20HOME

PPM was designed based on the best practices from Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for systems development and PMBok for project management. While at the foundation, PPM is designed as a

Waterfall methodology, HUD encourages tailoring the PPM to use the many modern solution http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/cio/ppm/PPMV20HOME

9 December 2025 development methodologies available to enable the planning, development and delivery of useable functionality within 6–9-month increments.

Contractors are encouraged to propose a preferred methodology whether their solution(s) are for custom development, includes prototypes or pilots, Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS)/ Government Off the Shelf

(GOTS) configuration, or Software as a Services. Working with the HUD Project Manager(s), the

Contractor will tailor PPM to take advantage of contractor proposed expertise in using other methodologies in a manner that will provide HUD with the best value and address all the work necessary for successful project completion, on time, within budget, and delivering intended functionality.

The decisions of PPM tailoring are captured in the Project Tailoring Agreement (PTA), which documents the specific agreement for creating, combining, referring, or omitting specific artifacts applicable to the project, as well as adjust project control gate reviews to be consistent with the tailoring. All tailoring of

PPM must be approved by HUD’s Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO) for Business & IT

Modernization. As a default, any project without an approved project tailoring agreement is required to follow all PPM phases and artifacts as presented.

1.4 Non-Personal Services

The Government will neither supervise Contractor employees nor control the method by which the

Contractor performs the required tasks. Under no circumstances must the Government assign tasks to, or prepare work schedules for, individual Contractor employees. It must be the responsibility of the

Contractor to manage its employees and to guard against any actions that are of the nature of personal services or give the perception of personal services.

If the Contractor believes that any actions constitute, or are perceived to constitute personal services, it must be the Contractor's responsibility to notify the Contracting Officer (CO) immediately. These services must not be used to perform work of a policy, decision making or management nature, i.e., inherently Government functions. All decisions relative to programs supported by the Contactor must be the sole responsibility of the Government.

1.5 Period of Performance

The period of performance must be for one base period of 12 months and 4 option periods.

1.6 Place of Performance

The services to be performed under this contract must be performed at the Contractor's facility.

1.7 Hours of Operation

The Contractor is responsible for providing services between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm Eastern

Time, Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closing, or similar Government directed facility closings.

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The Government reserves the right to change hours of operation or restrict contractor access. Government agencies will not be available during scheduled holidays, inclement weather, weekends, and after duty hours.

The Contractor must maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within the contract when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor must keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce is essential.

1.8 Special Qualifications

N/A

1.9 Post Award/Kickoff Conference

The Contractor must attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with FAR Subpart 42.5 and HUD Acquisition Regulation (HUDAR) clause 2452.237-79 - Post Award Conference.

1.10 Status Meetings

The Contracting Officer, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the Contractor to also review Contractor performance, requirement status, etc. At these meetings, the Contracting Officer will apprise the Contractor of how the

Government views the Contractor's performance or progress of the requirement. The Contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action must be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings must be at no additional cost to the Government. Post Award

Conference and subsequent meetings may be held via teleconference at the Contracting Officer's discretion.

1.11 Contractor Travel

Prior to travel, the Contractor must coordinate with and receive Government authorization from the COR for all travel. Reimbursement of travel costs will be in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation and in accordance with FAR 31.205-46.

1.12 Transition-In

The Contractor must, upon the Contracting Officer's written notice, furnish Transition-In services as required. As a successor, the Contractor must have sufficient personnel on board during the 30-day

Transition-In period to ensure a smooth transition with the incumbent Contractor. The Contractor must provide an orderly transition of work acceptance and accomplishment such that any impact to the program is minimized. During the Transition-In period, the Contractor must become familiar with the requirements to commence full performance of services by the end of the contract Transition-In period.

Transition-In is not required if the successor Contractor is the incumbent Contractor.

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1.13 Transition-Out

To minimize any decrease in productivity and to prevent possible negative impacts on additional services, the Contractor must have sufficient personnel on board during the 30-day Transition-Out period. The incumbent Contractor must ensure a smooth transition with the successor Contractor during the

Transition-Out period, prior to completion of contractual performance. The incumbent Contractor must aid the successor in the development of plans, procedures, and methods for the assumption of all on going work. The Contractor must provide an orderly transition of work acceptance and accomplishment, such that full control by the successor Contractor is achieved by the end of the new contract Transition-In period.

2 Definitions and Acronyms

2.1 Definitions

Business/Workdays - Every official workday of the week which are days between and including

Monday to Friday. This does not include public holidays and weekends.

Calendar Day - Any day of the week.

Contractor - A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the

Government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

Contracting Officer (CO) - A person with authority to enter, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the Government. Note: the only individual who can legally bind the Government.

Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) - An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the

Contracting Officer to perform contract administration activities regarding technical issues. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change and has no funding implications. This individual does

NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

Defective Service - A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the

Performance Work Statement.

Deliverable - Anything that can be physically and electronically delivered but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes, electronic documents, and reports.

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Government Furnished Information-Any Government information, such as manuals, drawings, administrative data, and test data, to be provided to prospective offerors and contractors.

Government Furnished Property (GFP) - Government-furnished property means property in the possession of, or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently furnished to the Contractor for performance of a contract. Government-furnished property includes, but is not limited to, spares and property furnished for repair, maintenance, overhaul, or modification. Government-furnished property also encompasses contractor-acquired property when it is deliverable under a cost contract and has been accepted by the Government for continued use under the contract.

Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) - A listing of the performance requirements under the contract that are to be evaluated by the Government on a regular basis, performance indicators for these requirements, performance standards for these requirements and surveillance methods to be used to determine if performance standards are met.

Performance Standard - The Contractor's performance level required by the Government.

Performance Work Statement (PWS) - A statement of work for performance-based acquisitions that describe the required results in clear, specific and objective terms with measurable outcomes.

Physical Security - Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

Quality Assurance (QA) - Policies and procedures adopted by the Government to ensure that supplies and services acquired under Government contracts conform to the contracts’ quality requirements.

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) - A plan describing how the agency will survey, observe, test, sample, evaluate and document the Contractor's performance in meeting critical performance standards identified in the contract.

Quality Control (QC) - All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to ensure that the quality of an end product of service must meet contract requirements.

Service Contract - A contract that directly engages the time and effort of a Contractor whose primary purpose is to perform an identifiable task rather than to furnish an end item of supply.

Subcontractor - Any person, other than the prime Contractor, who offers to furnish or furnishes any supplies, material, equipment, or services of any kind under a prime contract or a subcontract entered into in connection with such prime contract, and any person who offers to furnish or furnishes general supplies to the prime contractor or a higher tier subcontractor. The Government does not have a contract with a subcontractor.

Work Week - Monday through Friday, unless specified otherwise.

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2.2 Acronyms

AQL - Acceptable Quality Level

CFR - Code of Federal Regulations

CIO or OCIO - Office of the Chief Information Officer of HUD

CO - Contracting Officer

COR - Contracting Officer's Representative

EST - Eastern Standard Time (U.S.)

HUD - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUDAR - HUD Acquisition Regulation

IT - Information Technology

PM - Project Manager

POC - Point of Contact

QA - Quality Assurance

QASP - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

QCP - Quality Control Plan

3 Government-Furnished Property and Services

The Contractor must ensure accurate control and accountability of all Government-Furnished Property in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract. The Government will furnish, at no cost to the

Contractor, the GFP shown below. See HUDAR 2452.227-70 Government Information.

3.1 Government Services

3.2 Facilities

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3.3 Equipment

3.4 Materials and Information

The Government must provide the following materials and information:

Copies of Government Furnished Information (GFI) that may be required to be provided to the Contractor in hard copy or soft copy. All materials will remain the property of the Government and will be returned to the COR upon request or at the end of the contract period.

3.5 Quality Assurance (QA)

The Government must evaluate the Contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the Contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable quality level.

4 Contractor-Furnished Items and Services

The Contractor must furnish, all facilities, equipment, and supplies required to perform the work under this contract that are not listed under Government-Furnished Property and Services.

4.1 Facilities

The contractor must furnish a warehouse/storage facility capable of housing 186 pallets of publications.

4.2 Equipment

The Contractor must furnish all equipment required to perform the services identified within the PWS, including a fax machine and number, Post Office Box, servers and computers.

4.3 Materials

The Contractor shall furnish all materials required to perform the services identified within the PWS, including all software codes developed while executing the contract, and all electronic and print files.

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4.4 Contractor Responsibilities

The Contractor must only conduct business with designated Government personnel listed as points of contact (POCs). Names of authorized personnel must be provided to the Contractor by the Government, in writing, and updated as necessary throughout the contract period.

U.S. Government records, copies of original results and reports, verified original data, corrected data, and corrected supporting final reports which are maintained by the Contractor remain the property of the U.S.

Government. These files/results must be surrendered to the COR.

4.4.1 Unless otherwise specified, all deliverables under this contract must comply with 36 CFR 1194.21

Software Applications and Operating Systems, 36 CFR 1194.22 Web-based Intranet and Internet

Information and Applications, 36 CFR 1194.23 Telecommunications Products, 36 CFR 1194.31

Functional Performance Criteria, and 36 CFR 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support under the authority of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendment of 1998, 29 USC 794d. To comply with these standards, the Contractor must submit all copies in a format readable by the assistive technology program, JAWS (HUD's standard screen reader). To view the entire text of 36 CFR Part I 194, go to Section 508 - Accessibility of Electronic and Information Technology, and Federal Acquisition

Regulation Subpart 39.2, eCFR :: 36 CFR Part 1194 -- Information and Communication Technology

Standards and Guidelines

4.4.2 Security Access

As a condition of obtaining access to HUD systems, Contractor employees requiring access to HUD systems must follow the procedures as set forth in Section I, HUDAR 2452.239-70. HUD may grant, deny, or revoke an individual's access rights to a HUD system based upon the results of the security background check of the individual. The Contractor must provide written notification to the COR not later than one (1) business day of termination or resignation of any employee granted HUD systems access or when there is no longer a need for access to HUD systems by any Contractor employee. The Contractor must maintain an up-to-date list that identifies contract employees with access to each of the information systems described in this section and the justification for each employee's level of access.

4.5 Contractor Personnel

The Contractor must provide a Contract/Project Manager who must be responsible for the performance of work. An alternate must also be designated to act in the absence of the Contract/Project Manager. These

Contractor personnel (main point of contact and alternate point of contact) are considered Key Personnel by the Government and must be listed as such in accordance with HUDAR 2452.237-70, "Key

Personnel”. The Contract/Project Manager and alternate must have full authority to act on all contact matters relating to the daily operations of this contract. Accordingly, at a minimum, the points of contact must have technical knowledge of the requirement and be in the position to receive assignment, guidance, and direction from the COR, PM, and CO per HUDAR 2452.237-73, "Conduct of Work and Technical

Guidance" and must be allocated enough hours to the requirement to ensure successful performance.

These points of points of contact must each be an employee of the Contractor. An employee of a https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-XI/part-1194 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-XI/part-1194

16 December 2025 subcontractor is not acceptable for either of these positions. The Contract/Project Manager or alternate must be available between the hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday EST, except Federal

Holidays or when the Government facility is closed for administrative reasons. HUD will consider the following personnel as key personnel under this contract: Project Director, Project Manager, Security

Analyst, Database Analyst, Senior Computer Manager, Computer programmer, Applications Developer, and Urban and Regional Planner.

4.6 Identification of Contractor Employees

All Contractor/subcontractor personnel must wear company picture identification badges so as to distinguish themselves from Government employees. When conversing with Government personnel during business meetings, over the telephone, or via electronic mail, Contractor/subcontractor personnel must identify themselves as such to avoid situations arising where sensitive topics might be better discussed solely between Government employees.

Contractors/subcontractors must identify themselves on any attendance sheet or any coordination documents they may review. Electronic mail signature blocks must identify their company affiliation.

Where practicable, Contractor/subcontractors occupying collocated space with their Government program customer must identify their workspace area with their name and company affiliation, or at a minimum, "Contractor" after name.

5 Specific Tasks

5.1 Transition In

5.1.1 Communication

As part of the transitioning-in process, the Contractor must:

Retain a dedicated post office box for contract-related correspondence; recruit and maintain personnel with the qualifications necessary to fulfill all requirements of the contract; and establish all IT infrastructure essential for successful performance. Upon contract expiration or termination, the contractor must transfer control of the post office box and all associated documentation to HUD.

Performance Standards

a) Standard: Recruit personnel with qualification necessary to fulfill requirement

AQL: zero deviation from standard

b) Standard: establish all IT infrastructure essential for successful performance

AQL: zero deviation from standard

Deliverables

A001 Post office box

5.1.2 Warehouse

17 December 2025

The contractor must have a warehouse or storage facility in place capable of storing 186 pallets (48 inches by 40 inches) of publications and collateral by no later than 14 days after the commencement of the transitioning-in period.

The contractor must pack, transport, and unpack all relevant HUD materials at the incumbent’s warehouse to its own warehouse no later than the last day of the transitioning-in period.

a) Standard: store 186 pallets of publications and collateral no later than 14 days from beginning of transition in.

AQL: zero deviations from number of days and number of pallets

5.1.3 Beta site

The contractor must:

Set up a beta site on its servers no later than 10 days from commencement of the transitioning-in period for testing the entire HUD User website upon receipt of a copy created on a portable storage device by the incumbent.

Move the entire HUD User website to their production servers no later than 15 days after commencement of the transitioning-in period, after testing.

Inherit from the incumbent and retain directory structure to facilitate the testing for accuracy and usability of the HUD User website by HUD staff.

a) Standard: Beta site cannot be down more than 10 minutes for both transition and life of the contract, except intentional system upgrades.

AQL: zero deviations from the 10 minutes required

5.2 Content Development

All content must be copyedited professionally, free of errors, and with high resolution graphic design.

5.2.1 Evidence Matters

The contractor must research, conduct interviews, write, edit and revise, and supply graphic content (e.g., photos, supplemental tables, charts, and covers, as appropriate) for 2 to 3 articles for up to 4 issues of

Evidence Matters a year published quarterly) at the COR's direction (a possible number of 12 articles per year). The contractor must submit up to 3 drafts to HUD for comment. The COR must have 14 days to provide comments to the Contractor. The contractor would have 7 days to incorporate the COR’s feedback into the final draft and submit it to the COR. The COR must approve the final work. The contractor will provide a 508 compliant electronic file for web posting as well as camera-ready (final version of a document or work completed formatted, error free, and ready to be printed or published) files and completed Government Publishing Office form for the print version of Evidence Matters. The contractor must mail approximately 25,000 hardcopies of each issue to the hardcopy subscriber list within

2 days after receiving delivery. The contractor must distribute an electronic version within 24 hours of the

COR’s request to disseminate.

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The Government will bear the expense of printing Evidence Matters and delivering copies to the

Contractor’s warehouse for mailing.

a) Standard: 2 to 3 articles for up to 4 issues of Evidence Matters a year

AQL: zero deviation from number of articles and issues per year

b) Standard: mail up to 25,000 copies within 2 days of receiving delivery

AQL: zero deviation from number of days and copies

c) Standard: distribute electronic version within 24 hours of request to disseminate

AQL: zero deviations from number of hours

Deliverables

A002 Draft articles of Evidence Matters

A003 Final articles of Evidence Matters

5.2.2 PD&R Edge online magazine

The contractor must propose topics for approval, do background research and conduct interviews as appropriate, write, edit and revise, and supply graphic content for 2 to 4 articles (approximately 1,000-

1,250 words each) appearing in up to 24 PD&R (published biweekly) Edge updates per year at the COR's direction (a possible number of 96 articles per year). The contractor must provide up to 2 drafts of all the articles for publication in PD&R Edge to the COR for review and feedback. The COR will have 14 days to review and provide feedback to the Contractor on each article. Once the feedback is incorporated, the

Contractor must submit a final within 7 days of receiving the COR's feedback. The COR must approve the final work. All the articles must be 508 compliant.

a) Standard: 2 to 4 articles (approximately 1,000-1,250 words each) appearing in up to 24 PD&R Edge updates per year

AQL: zero deviation from range of articles required

Deliverables

A004 Draft articles for the PD&R Edge

A005 Final articles for the PD&R Edge

5.2.3 Case Studies

The contractor must propose topics for approval, research and conduct interviews, write, edit and revise, and supply graphic content for up to fifteen (15) case studies per year at the COR's direction. The contractor must submit a draft for a seven (7)-day review by the COR, after which all feedback must be incorporated into the final submission no later than ten (10) days after receiving the COR's feedback. The case studies will feature anchor institutions and other topics, such as award-winning development projects in the housing and community development area. The contractor must ensure Section 508 compliance for all posted case studies. The contractor must be compensated on a per–case study basis, with payment made in accordance with the number of completed, COR-approved case studies delivered under this requirement.

19 December 2025

a) Standard: up to 15 Case Studies per year

AQL: 5 cases deviation

5.2.4 HUD PD&R Updates eLists

At the COR's direction, the Contractor must write, edit, revise, and supply graphic content for up to sixty

(60) eLists per year (300 to 500 words each) informing the public about content available on PD&R’s website. The Contractor must redesign the eList as needed. The Contractor must provide the COR with a draft 508-compliant electronic file for web posting. The COR will review and provide feedback within seven (7) days of receiving the electronic file. Any revisions must be submitted within seven (7) days of receiving the feedback from the COR. The Contractor must be compensated on a per–eList basis, with payment tied to the number of completed, COR-approved eLists delivered under this requirement.

a) Standard: up to 60 eLists per year (300 to 500 words each)

AQL: zero deviation from number of eLists per year

5.2.5 Web Content for the HUD User Website

The Contractor must:

1. Conduct preliminary research and propose topics for approval as requested by COR. Once approved, perform in depth research as needed (including interviews) develop text and graphics, layout, revise up to 3 markups, proofread for accuracy, and make ready for web posting at the

COR's direction. This includes updates to portal sites for initiatives and programs as needed.

2. Obtain written approval of all copyrighted materials used and can pay up to $500 per stock photo and illustration. All such purchases must be preapproved by the COR as applicable.

3. Edit and revise various documents and reports supplied by PD&R, and post as 508 compliant documents. Documents may include periodicals, white papers, monographs, research reports, and other similar reports supplied by PD&R. Contractor must expect to receive up to 4 such documents per year.

1) Standard: Conduct preliminary research and propose and revise up to 3 markups, proofread for accuracy, and make ready for web posting AQL: zero deviation from number of documents

5.3 Information, Dissemination, and Communication Services

5.3.1 Information Services

The Contractor must:

1. The Contractor must fulfill requests for publications received via the webstore or from HUD staff within 3 working days of receipt; VIP requests (as identified by the COR) must be fulfilled in a specified timeframe, not exceeding the following business day. All other requests (other than email and phone) for information and materials must be addressed within 2 business days.

Assume 20,000-25,000 items shipped per year. Contractor must maintain a fax number, email, 20 December 2025 and a postal address. The Contractor must collect the fee per document using a secure instrument, report the amount collected, and deposit it quarterly in an existing U.S. Treasury account.

2. When requested, the Contractor must photocopy reports that are out-of-print or not downloadable from huduser.gov. The Contractor must bind them and send them to a requestor. The Contractor must scan out-of-print reports that are not downloadable for posting on huduser.gov (up to 50 per year). The Contractor must electronically maintain existing customer contact databases and add contact information from all orders placed.

3. The Contractor must provide storage for up to 186 pallets of printed and other media and collateral, including files that can be readily accessed when needed. The Contractor must submit an inventory monthly to the COR and provide courier service to and from HUD Headquarters 3 times per week, or as directed by the COR.

4. The Contractor must prepare and disseminate emails via the HUD PD&R Updates eList to subscribers with information such as news updates, new publications, new PD&R Edge articles, etc. (up to 60 per year).

5. The Contractor must prepare and disseminate emails for content-specific eLists to subscribers with information such as news updates, new publications, etc. (up to 30 per year).

a) Standard: Fulfill requests for publications sent by mail within 3 working days of receipt.

AQL: zero deviation from number of days

b) Standard: VIP request must be fulfilled same or next day

AQL: zero deviation from number of days

c) Standard: All other requests (other than email and phone) for information and materials must be addressed within 2 business days

AQL: zero deviation from number of days

5.3.2 Dissemination Services

1. Research, develop and produce a detailed draft marketing and communications plan for review and approval by the COR not more than three weeks after the date of the Orientation Kick-Off

Meeting. A final marketing and communications plan is due five weeks after the date of the

Orientation Kick-Off Meeting. This plan will guide the government and contractors in performing marketing outreach over the course of the year. The marketing plan will be developed with the key objective of achieving growth across the following key benchmarks: increasing brand awareness, maximizing huduser.gov site visits, increasing subscriber rates, increasing download numbers for report and other publications, and increasing the usage of HUD User mobile apps.

2. The Contractor must staff up to ten (10) conferences and events per year in consultation with the

COR. The Contractor must use PD&R exhibits, reports, order forms, and collateral materials and keep an adequate supply on hand, obtaining additional collateral materials as needed. The

Contractor must transport, set up, and dismantle PD&R exhibits used at events and conferences.

Some conferences will be local, while others will take place in various cities such as Seattle, Washington D.C, and Chicago. Where media rooms are provided for organizations to distribute materials, the Contractor must make use of them. The Contractor must research and propose relevant conferences to the COR. The Contractor must be compensated on a per-conference basis, 21 December 2025 with payment tied to the number of COR-approved conferences staffed and supported under this requirement.

3. Maintain and scrub PD&R mailing lists (HUD User PD&R Updates eList and content-specific eLists) at least once annually.

4. Prepare event pages for PD&R, including a public online registration process for HUD-sponsored conferences and meetings (up to 12 per year) within 3 business days of receipt of request. This task includes online registration, email blasts to registrants, and spreadsheet tracking of registrants with approval from COR.

5. Widely distribute HUD User brochures (anticipate 10,000-15,000 each per year) through direct mailings, conference distributions, and HUD Field Office and allied association partnerships, as outlined in the marketing and communications plan.

a) Standard: staff up to 10 conferences and events per year.

AQL: zero deviation

b) Standard: draft marketing and communications plan due 3 weeks after kick-off meeting

AQL: zero deviation

c) Standard: final marketing and communications plan due 5 weeks after the kick-off meeting.

AQL: zero deviation

Deliverables

A006 Draft Marketing and Communications Plan

A007 Final marketing and communications plan

5.3.3 Communication and Marketing Services

The Contractor must implement the communications and marketing plan and strategy to broaden the audience for PD&R’s products in coordination with the COR as described above. The Contractor must maintain and keep current existing stakeholder lists containing up to 1,000 names with the COR’s approval.

5.4 PD&R Online Services

5.4.1 Website Administration and Security

5.4.1.1 Hosting Functional Requirements

PD&R requires a cloud service to include:

99.9% availability, or higher in Service Level Agreements with a financially backed penalty schedule.

a secure platform that prevents loss of, or tampering with, HUD data, service degradation, and/or service disruption to all users.

24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year proactive monitoring and support for resolution of all outages that affect the availability of the cloud services flexibility to rapidly scale up and down to meet the business needs provide troubleshooting services and support during duty hours.

22 December 2025 compliance with federally mandated IPv6 requirements for public facing services (see https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/assets/egov_docs/transition-to-ipv6.pdf);

a) Standard: 99.9% availability, or higher in Service Level Agreements with a financially backed penalty schedule.

AQL: Zero deviation from standard

b) Standard: 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year proactive monitoring and support for resolution of all outages that affect the availability of the cloud services

AQL: Zero deviation from standard

5.4.1.2 Incident Response

The Contractor must have, and exercise annually, an incident response plan to address security or privacy breaches, data loss, and unauthorized access to data. Such plan must comply with

FISMA, the Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) initiative, ISO 27001, and NIST standards. The

Contractor must adhere to the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) guidance on incident response and threat notifications.

5.4.1.3 Privacy

The services provided must comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, especially regarding the handling and protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII). The Contractor must cooperate in the conduct of periodic Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA), as required by Section 208 of the e-Government Act of 2002.

5.4.1.4 Data Location

The Contractor must not host any portion of the cloud service environment in facilities outside the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and other U.S. Territories.

5.4.1.5 Security and Compliance

The Contractor must provide cloud services with the requisite security, confidentiality, integrity, availability, and privacy levels and controls that are compliant with regulations, to include the following:

a. Federal government regulatory compliance requirements (i.e. Privacy Act, FISMA, CIPSEA, Federal Records Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Trade Secrets

Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Privacy Rules, etc.);

b. Security standards and security control requirements for a Moderate Impact system as described in NIST Special Publications (SP) for cloud…