Request_for_Quote_Workplace_Violence.pdf

Introduction

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format of Subpart 12.6 and 13.500, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The information required by 12.603 is listed below.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541612 – HR Consulting Services.

NOTE: Parts 1 through 5 will be included in the award.

PART 1 – Pricing Schedule

1. Brief Description of Services

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Human Capital Service (OHCS) has a need for a climate assessment survey and training.

2. Order Type

This is a labor hour and time and materials price purchase order for the services described in Part 2 of this Request for Quote (RFQ).

3. Pricing Schedule

CLIN 0001: 05/29/2019 – 05/28/2020

CLIN 0002: 05/29/2019 – 05/28/2020

CLIN 0003 05/29/2019 – 05/28/2020

CLIN 0004 05/29/2019 – 05/28/2020

Description Quantity Unit Total Climate Survey, Labor 1 LT $

Description Quantity Unit Total Other Direct Costs, Travel 1 LT $12,000.00

Description Quantity Unit Total Training Program, Labor and Materials

1 LT $

Description Quantity Unit Total Other Direct Costs, Travel 1 LT $12,000.00

PART 2 – Statement of Objectives

Background

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is committed to providing a workplace free from sexual assault and sexual harassment. The purpose of this contract is to provide guidance to managers, supervisors, employees, contractor employees, and affiliates on sexual assault and sexual harassment. NOAA is a vast organization with a diverse mission. It is a staff of 12,000 with 6,773 scientists spread out across 600 locations around the world at remote locations such as the South Pole and research vessels at sea. See the organization chart below:

The NOAA Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy (Policy) establishes processes to encourage employees to come forward when such incidents occur, defines the resources available to those involved, and institutes a sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention program. The procedures established in this Policy are distinct from the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and NOAA Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs, which focus on EEO and civil rights policies and processes and adjudicating discrimination complaints against the Agency. Instead, this Policy establishes processes for reviewing sexual assault/harassment allegations. The Policy will ensure that such incidents are prevented or, if they occur, are reported to appropriate authorities and that disciplinary/legal action is taken against the perpetrator where necessary.

NOAA prohibits sexual assault and sexual harassment by any employee, supervisor, manager, contractor, vendor, affiliate, or other individuals whom NOAA employees come into contact by the virtue of their work for NOAA. The Policy was established as a result of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 14-328), Subtitle C- Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention at NOAA (33 U.S. C. 894), which requires NOAA to establish a comprehensive policy on the prevention of and response to sexual assault and sexual harassment. The scope of this Policy includes NOAA employees, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, and individuals who work with or conduct business on NOAA’s behalf.

Contract Objectives

1.0 Survey:

1.1 Develop and implement a workplace assessment utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods at NOAA. This will have a primary focus on attitudes and behaviors towards sexual harassment and sexual assault. This should have a secondary focus on, bullying, non-sexual harassment, stalking and violence (workplace and domestic.)

1.2 The workplace assessment will identify risk zones within NOAA, attitudes toward reporting, bystander intervention along with general attitudes toward harassment and bullying. In addition to covering these objectives, there should also be an evaluation of the NOAA workforce for an understanding of what is the current Sexual Assault Sexual Harassment (SASH) policy and their awareness of the SASH helpline.

1.3 Travel will be required for the qualitative portion of this assessment. This may include time on the NOAA fleet of ships and in remote locations.

At the completion of the project, there will be a comprehensive report including findings, ways ahead, and suggestions for workshops or events that may be helpful for the NOAA workforce.

2.0 Training:

2.1 Develop and implement prevention training with a bystander intervention approach with utilizes a train the trainer model for in-person training for high-risk areas of the NOAA workforce.

2.2 Develop a computer-based training (no more than 60 mins in length) utilizing bystander intervention for lower risk areas of NOAA.

2.3 Pilot the train-the-trainer model of bystander intervention first within the determined high-risk area.

2.4 Develop a separate annual bystander intervention training for NOAA leadership with emphasis on recognizing, preventing, and responding to reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment; Community-building, workplace civility.

2.5 Annual bystander intervention training for all NOAA employees that includes specific steps for how to prevent and report sexual assault and sexual harassment, and training on drug and alcohol awareness in the workplace; Community-building, workplace civility.

2.6 Annual training for all new NOAA employees and supervisors that provides familiarity with the Agency’s sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention programs; Community-building, workplace civility, and bystander intervention should be included.

2.7 Training for contractor employees and affiliates that provides familiarity with the NOAA sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention programs, as well as any harassment based on an EEO protected class. This training will be required within their contract, grant, or cooperative agreement.

2.8 The training solutions developed must be flexible enough to complement NOAA’s worldwide workforce, including those employees in remote locations and aboard vessels (maritime environment).

2.9 Must conduct at least 2-3 annual train-the-trainer sessions and provide monthly technical support remotely to trainers.

2.10 Develop a training plan that will be approved by the COR in coordination with the designated technical point of contact for workplace violence prevention.

Requirements:

1. At least one member of the team must possess a Ph.D. or Masters in social science with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the field of workplace violence (sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and stalking).

2. Must have a strong background in research or connection to a research institution

3. Must have a bystander intervention approach to reducing workplace violence and a familiarity with the public health approach to reducing violence.

4. Must have a fully developed bystander intervention product ready to implement which incorporates a train the trainer model that NOAA may have access to for up to 3 years.

5. Must be willing to travel to remote locations to conduct qualitative research for NOAA

6. All products and methods must have a strong scientific foundation.

Estimated Timetable

• Tasks 1.1 through 1.3 and 2.1 should take between 6-9 months.

• Objectives 2.2 & 2.4 should run concurrently with tasks 1.1 through 1.3 and 2.1 with a deadline to implement in January 2019.

• The remaining tasks will conclude within the balance of the 12-month period of performance.

PART 3 – Contract Administration Data

*All Points of Contact for the Contract will be identified in a separate memo

1. Contracting Officer's Authority

The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to make or approve any changes in any of the requirements of this contract, and, notwithstanding any provisions contained elsewhere in this contract, the said authority remains solely in the Contracting Officer. In the event the contractor makes any changes at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract terms and conditions, including price.

The clause above is taken from Commerce Acquisition Regulation Clause 1352.201-70.

2. CAR 1352.201-72 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) (APR 2010)

(a) (See COR appointment memo) is hereby designated as the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The COR may be changed at any time by the Government by changing issuing a new appointment memo. Any changes to the COR will be communicated to the contractor in a timely fashion to ensure invoices are paid on time.

(b) The responsibilities and limitations of the COR are as follows:

(1) The COR is responsible for the technical aspects of the contract and serves as technical liaison with the contractor. The COR is also responsible for the final inspection and acceptance of all deliverables and such other responsibilities as may be specified in the contract.

(2) The COR is not authorized to make any commitments or otherwise obligate the Government or authorize any changes which affect the contract price, terms or conditions. Any contractor request for changes shall be referred to the Contracting Officer directly or through the COR. No such changes shall be made without the express written prior authorization of the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer may designate assistant or alternate COR(s) to act for the COR by naming such assistant/alternate(s) in writing and transmitting a copy of such designation to the contractor.

(End of clause)

3. Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator (RAC)

The RAC has Programmatic responsibility for NOAA employee’s reasonable accommodations.

This individual facilitates employee/supervisor relations as they relate to reasonable accommodations in accordance with the American’s with Disabilities Act. Although the Contractor will be in contact with the RAC and submitting documentation to them, the RAC has no authority on this contract and shall not be consulted as to the terms of the contract. All communications regarding the contract shall go through the COR or CO.

4. Invoice Submission

TO AVOID DELAY IN PROCESSING OF PAYMENTS, PLEASE SUBMIT ALL INVOICES

TO THE COR OF RECORD.

ANY INVOICE THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION LISTED

BELOW WILL BE SENT BACK TO THE CONTRACTOR FOR REVISION.

AN INVOICE SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN ORDER TO BE

CONSIDERED A PROPER INVOICE:

• NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE CONTRACTOR;

• INVOICE DATE AND NUMBER;

• TASK ORDER NUMBER, CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) AND, IF

APPLICABLE, THE ORDER NUMBER;

• DESCRIPTION, QUANTITY, UNIT OF MEASURE, UNIT PRICE AND EXTENDED

PRICE OF THE ITEMS DELIVERED;

• SHIPPING NUMBER AND DATE OF SHIPMENT, INCLUDING THE BILL OF

LADING NUMBER AND WEIGHT OF SHIPMENT IF SHIPPED ON

GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING;

• TERMS OF ANY DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT OFFERED;

• NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFICIAL TO WHOM PAYMENT IS TO BE SENT;

• NAME, TITLE, AND PHONE NUMBER OF PERSON TO NOTIFY IN EVENT OF

DEFECTIVE INVOICE;

EFT INFORMATION SHALL MATCH THE CONTRACTOR’S REGISTRATION IN THE

SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM).

5. Place of Performance

Vendor is expected to work primarily off-site; however, the vendor will be expected to travel to NOAA’s Silver Spring, MD, offices for meetings.

NOAA’s Silver Spring office is located at:

NOAA’s Workforce Management Office 1305 East West Highway, 12th floor Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

PART 4– Special Contract Requirements

1. Government Holidays

Workplace is not available on the Government Holidays stated below, or as prescribed by an Executive Order (EO), federal statute, or as advertised on OPM.gov due to inclement weather.

January (New Year’s Day) January (Martin Luther King Day) February (President’s Day) May (Memorial Day) July (Independence Day) September (Labor Day) October (Columbus Day) November (Veterans Day) November (Thanksgiving) December (Christmas Day)

2. . NAM 1330-52.203-71- NOTICE OF POST-GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT

RESTRICTIONS (OCT 2015)

By submission of a quote in response to a NOAA solicitation or acceptance of a contract, the contractor acknowledges the restriction on current NOAA employees regarding contact with quoters regarding prospective employment and the corresponding obligations for contractors who engage them. The contractor further acknowledges that it has provided notice to former NOAA employees who will provide service to NOAA under the contract of post-Government employment restrictions that apply to them. Such restrictions include, but are not limited to, those set forth in:

(a) 41 U.S.C. § 2103 regarding contacts between a federal employee working on a procurement and a quote about prospective employment;

(b) 18 U.S.C. § 207 regarding the restrictions on former federal employees having contact with a federal agency on behalf of another person or entity concerning a specific party matter with which the former employee was involved as a federal employee or for which the former federal employee had official responsibility;

(c) 18 U.S.C. § 207 regarding the restrictions on former senior employees and senior political employees from having contact with his former federal agency on behalf of another person or entity concerning any official matter; and

(d) 41 U.S.C. § 2104 regarding the restrictions on a former federal employee involved in an acquisition over $10,000,000 from accepting compensation from a contractor.

3. NOTICE OF PARTICIPATION OF NON-GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL

1. The Contractor is advised that the Government may utilize the outside Contractors and/or Consultants listed below to assist in the administration of this contract. These Contractors/Consultants will have access to any and all information submitted by contractor and will be subject to the restrictions contained in CAR Clauses 1352.209-71 Limitation of Future Contracting, 1352.209-72 Restrictions Against Disclosure, 1352.209-74 Organizational Conflict of Interest and FAR Clause 52.203-16 Preventing Personal Conflicts of Interest. The companies/organizations employing the subject Contractors/Consultants are also required to comply with these same confidentiality restrictions. All federal and non-federal personnel supporting the government in the administration of this contract will have executed Non-Disclosure Agreements.

a. Veteran’s Management Services, Inc. (VMSI)

b. A-Frame Solutions, LLC

c. IMSolutions, LLC

4. NAM 1330-52.237-72 - CONTRACTOR ACCESS TO NOAA FACILITIES (SEPT 2017)

(a)(1) The performance of this contract requires employees of the prime contractor or its subcontractors, affiliates, consultants, or team members (“contractor employees”) to have access to and to the extent authorized, mobility within, a NOAA facility.

(2) NOAA may close and or otherwise deny contractor employees access to a NOAA facility for a portion of a business day or longer for various reasons including, but not limited, to the following events:

(i) Federal public holidays for federal employees in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 6103;

(ii) Fires, floods, earthquakes, and unusually severe weather, including but not limited to snow storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes;

(iii) Occupational safety or health hazards;

(iv) Lapse in Appropriations; or

(v) Federal Statute, Executive Order, Presidential Proclamation, or any other unforeseen reason.

(3) In such events, the contractor employees may be denied access to a NOAA facility that is ordinarily available for the contractor to perform work or make delivery, as required by the contract.

(b) In all instances where contractors are denied access or required to vacate a NOAA facility, in part or in whole, the contractor shall be responsible to ensure contractor personnel working under the contract comply. If the circumstances permit, the contracting officer will provide direction to the contractor, either directly or through the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), which could include continuing on-site performance during the NOAA facility closure period; however, if Government oversight is required and is not available, on-site performance shall not be allowed. In the absence of such direction, the contractor shall exercise sound judgment to minimize unnecessary contract costs and performance impacts, for example, performing required work off- site if possible or reassigning personnel to other activities if appropriate.

(c) The contractor shall be responsible for monitoring the Office of Personnel Management at www.opm.gov, the local radio, television stations, NOAA web sites, and other communication channels. Once the facility is accessible, the contractor shall resume contract performance as required by the contract.

(d) For the period that NOAA facilities were not accessible to contractors who required access in order to perform the services, the contracting officer may—

(1) Adjust the contract performance or delivery schedule for a period equivalent to the period the NOAA facility was not accessible;

(2) Forego the work; or

(3) Reschedule the work by mutual agreement of the parties.

(e) Notification procedures of a NOAA facility closure, including contractor denial of access, are as follows:

(1) The contractor shall be responsible for notification of its employees of the NOAA facility closure to include denial of access to the NOAA facility. The dismissal of NOAA employees in accordance with statute and regulations providing for such dismissals shall not, in itself, equate to a NOAA facility closure in which contractors are denied access. Moreover, the leave status of NOAA employees shall not be conveyed or imputed to contractor personnel.

Accordingly, unless a NOAA facility is closed and the contractor is denied access to the facility, the contractor shall continue performance in accordance with the contract.

(2) Access to Government facilities and resources, including equipment and systems, will be http://www.opm.gov/ limited and personnel necessary to administer contract performance may not be available.

Generally, supply and service contracts that are funded beyond the date of the lapse in appropriation and do not require access to Government facilities, active administration by Government personnel or the use of government resources in a manner that would cause the government to incur additional obligations during the lapse in appropriation may continue.

If a delivery date for a contract falls during the period of a lapse in appropriations, Government personnel may not be available to receive delivery. Contractors are directed to consult with a contracting officer before attempting to make a delivery. Contracting officers will be available throughout the lapse in appropriation period to provide guidance.

Once OMB guidance is given, CORs, in consultation with the contracting officer, will notify those contractors that are deemed by the Program Office to be performing excepted work and identify the contractor personnel requiring access to NOAA facilities. CORs will also coordinate with directly with facility management or physical security personnel at respective locations to ensure that the names of contractor personnel requiring access to government facilities during the lapse in appropriations are provided to physical security personnel.

Contractors who are not designated as performing excepted work are not allowed access to Government facilities or to utilize government resources in a manner that would incur any additional obligation of funding on behalf of the government during the lapse in appropriation.

(3) Unless otherwise specified within the contract award, contractors requiring access to NOAA facilities outside normal business hours or outside the normal workweek shall submit a written request in writing through the COR to the contracting officer. The written request shall provide justification supporting the required access and be submitted two days before access to the NOAA facility is needed.

5. NAM 1330-52.237-71 - NOAA GOVERNMENT-CONTRACTOR RELATIONS – NON-

PERSONAL SERVICES CONTRACT (SEPT 2017)

(a) The Government and the Contractor understand and agree that the services to be delivered under this contract by the Contractor to the Government are non-personal services as defined in FAR Part 37, Service Contracting, and the parties recognize and agree that no employer-employee relationship exists or will exist under the contract between the Government and the Contractor’s personnel. It is, therefore, in the best interest of the Government to afford both parties an understanding of their respective obligations.

(b) Contractor personnel under this contract shall not:

(1) Be placed in a position where they are under relatively continuous supervision and control of a Government employee.

(2) Be placed in a position of command, supervision, administration, or control over Government personnel or over personnel of other Contractors performing under other NOAA contracts.

(c) The services to be performed under this contract do not require the Contractor or the Contractor’s personnel to exercise personal judgement and discretion on behalf of the Government. Rather, the Contractor’s personnel will act and exercise personal judgement and discretion on behalf of the Contractor.

(d) Rules, regulations, directives, and requirements that are issued by the Department of Commerce and NOAA under its responsibility for good order, administration, and security are applicable to all personnel who enter the Government installation and facilities, who are provided access to Government systems, or who travel on Government transportation. This is not to be construed or interpreted to establish any degree of Government control that is inconsistent with a non-personal services contract.

(e) Both parties are responsible for monitoring contract activities for indications of improper employee-employer relationships during performance. In the event a situation or occurrence takes place inconsistent with this contract language, the following applies:

(1) The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing within 5 business days from the date of any situation or occurrence where the Contractor considers specific contract activity to be inconsistent with the intent of this contract language. The notice must include the date, nature and circumstance of the situation or occurrence, the name, function and activity of each Government employee or Contractor employee involved or knowledgeable about the situation or occurrence, provide any documents or the substance of any oral communications related to the activity, and an estimated date by which the Government is recommended to respond to the notice in order to minimize cost, delay, or disruption of performance.

(2) The Contracting Officer will review the information provided by the Contractor, obtain additional information (if needed), and respond in writing as soon as practicable after receipt of the notification from the Contractor. The Contracting Officer’s response will provide a decision on whether the Contracting Officer determines the situation or occurrence to be inconsistent with the intent of this contract language and, if deemed necessary, will specify any corrective action(s) to be taken in order to resolve the issue.

PART 5 – Clauses

FAR 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vfcara.htm or http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm

FAR Clause Description Date 52.202-1 Definitions Nov 2013 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance Jul 2013 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items May 2015 52.219-28 Post-Award Small Business Program Representation Jul 2013 52.232-39 Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations Jun 2013 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors Dec 2013

CAR Clause Description Date 1352.201-70 Contracting Officer's Authority 1352.209-73 Compliance with the laws April 2010 1352.209-74 Organizational conflict of interest April 2010

Commerce Acquisition Regulation (CAR) Clauses in Full Text

CAR 1352.209-72 Restrictions against disclosure (Apr 2010)

(a) The contractor agrees, in the performance of this contract, to keep the information furnished by the Government or acquired/developed by the contractor in performance of the contract and designated by the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer's Representative, in the strictest confidence. The contractor also agrees not to publish or otherwise divulge such information, in whole or in part, in any manner or form, nor to authorize or permit others to do so, taking such reasonable measures as are necessary to restrict access to such information while in the contractor's possession, to those employees needing such information to perform the work described herein, i.e., on a “need to know” basis. The contractor agrees to immediately notify the Contracting Officer in writing in the event that the contractor determines or has reason to suspect a breach of this requirement has occurred.

(b) The contractor agrees that it will not disclose any information described in subsection (a) to any person unless prior written approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer. The contractor agrees to insert the substance of this clause in any consultant agreement or subcontract hereunder.

(End of clause)

CAR 1352.237-75 Key personnel (Apr 2010)

(a) The contractor shall assign to this contract the following key personnel:

PHD or Master’s Level Social Scientist

(b) The contractor shall obtain the consent of the Contracting Officer prior to making key personnel substitutions. Replacements for key personnel must possess qualifications equal to or exceeding the qualifications of the personnel being replaced, unless an exception is approved by the Contracting Officer.

(c) Requests for changes in key personnel shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at least 15 working days prior to making any permanent substitutions. The request should contain a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer will notify the contractor within 10 working days after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes.

(End of clause)

CAR 1352.216-77 Ceiling Price (April 2010)

The ceiling price of this contract is $TBD. The contractor shall not make expenditures nor incur obligations in the performance of this contract which exceed the ceiling price specified herein, except at the contractor's own risk.

(End of Clause)

NOAA Acquisition Manual (NAM) Clauses in Full Text

NAM 1330-52.222-70- NOAA Sexual Assault and Sexual harassment Prevention and Response Policy (May 2018)

In accordance with NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 202-1106, NOAA Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy, it is the policy of NOAA to maintain a work environment free from sexual assault and sexual harassment. NOAA prohibits sexual assault and sexual harassment by or of any employee, supervisor, manager, contractor, vendor, affiliate, or other individual with whom NOAA employees come into contact by the virtue of their work for NOAA.

(a) Definitions

Contractor Employees - The term “contractor employees,” as used in this solicitation and contract language, refers to employees of the prime contractor or its subcontractors, affiliates, consultants, or team members.

Sexual Assault - The term sexual assault, as used in this solicitation and contract language, means any conduct proscribed by state or federal sexual abuse laws, including, but not limited to, those defined in chapter 109A of title 18 of the U.S. Code (sexual abuse), and assaults committed both by offenders who are strangers to the victim and by offenders who are known or related by blood or marriage to the victim.

Sexual Harassment - As defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when any of the following are true:

• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of an individual's employment;

• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual;

• The conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

The main characteristics of sexual harassment are that the harasser's conduct is targeted against the recipient’s sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and is unwelcome to the recipient. It may include, but is not limited to: offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, undue attention, physical assaults or threats, unwelcome touching or contact, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, constant or unwelcome questions about an individual's identity, and offensive objects or pictures.

(b) Requirements

1. It is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure that contractor employees maintain the highest degree of conduct and standards in performance of the contract. In support of this, NOAA urges its contractors to develop and enforce comprehensive company policy addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment.

2. The contractor shall include wording substantially the same as this solicitation and contract language in every subcontract so that it is binding upon each subcontractor.

3. If a contractor employee observes or is the object of sexual assault or sexual harassment, he or she is highly encouraged to report the matter, as soon as possible, to their immediate supervisor, the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), subset of the COR (e.g. Task Manager or Assistant COR), or contracting officer (CO) if a COR is not assigned to the contract. The contract employee may also contact the NOAA Civil Rights Office to obtain guidance on reporting instances of sexual assault or sexual harassment. If deemed necessary, the contractor employee may also report such instances to local law enforcement. In the case where the incident occurs while performing at a remote location, such as at sea or in the field (at a field camp or other isolated location) where the above referenced individuals are unavailable, the contractor employee should follow the reporting procedure set forth in NAO 202-1106, Section 6, .07, Reporting from Remote Locations.

i. Swift reporting allows NOAA and the contractor to take the appropriate measures to ensure that offensive behavior stops and the complainants’ needs are addressed.

ii. The COR (if assigned), CO, and contractor, where applicable, will work together to ensure appropriate action is taken in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, contract terms and conditions, and the contractor’s written policy (where applicable).

4. The contractor shall provide all contractor employees assigned to perform under this contract with mandatory sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention and response training in compliance with the requirements of NAO 202-1106, Section 5, Prevention Training and Awareness, as part of their initial in-processing and on an annual basis thereafter. The initial training shall be completed within 30 business days of contract award or the date a contractor employee is assigned to perform under the contract, as applicable. Evidence of initial training by name and date completed for each contractor employee, shall be submitted to the COR or contracting officer (if no COR assigned) within 10 business days of completion. Evidence of annual training by name and date completed for each contractor employee shall be submitted to the COR or contracting officer (if no COR assigned) no later than March 1st of each calendar year of contract performance.

i. The mandatory sexual assault and sexual harassment training provided by the contractor shall include the required elements set forth by NOAA’s Workplace Violence Program Manager. A link to the website including the required elements of the training is provided at:

http://www.ago.noaa.gov/quicklinks/harassment_training.html. The website will also provide training materials and resources to assist the contractor in conducting the training. The contractor may provide training that solely addresses the NOAA required elements or may supplement existing company sexual assault and sexual harassment training in a manner that ensures all of the elements are adequately addressed.

ii. The required elements of the training and resources available to the contractor for the training may be updated by NOAA periodically. The contractor is responsible for monitoring the website and incorporating any changes to the NOAA required elements into the contractor provided training.

iii. NOAA’s Workplace Violence Program Manager, COR, or CO may periodically review the contractor’s training outline to ensure all required elements are included and, if necessary, any appropriate adjustments are made to the training by the contractor.

iv. Contractor employees performing on assignments in a remote location, such as at a field camp or other isolated locations, are subject to receiving the same briefing on the parameters of the order provided to NOAA employees as set forth in Section 6 of NAO 202-1106.

5. The contractor shall provide a copy of this solicitation and contract language and NAO 202-1106 to contractor employees.

(c) Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment (SASH) Helpline

For NOAA employees, affiliates, and contractors who have experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment, NOAA has established the NOAA Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment (SASH) helpline. This helpline is designed to provide crisis intervention, referrals, and emotional support to those who are victims and/or survivors of sexual harassment or sexual assault within the workplace. Contractor employees may use the helpline to receive live, confidential, one-on-one support in an occurrence of sexual harassment or assault by a Federal Government employee.

All services are anonymous, secure, and available worldwide, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The NOAA SASH helpline is accessible through a variety of channels, including:

● Phone: 1-866-288-6558

● Website & Online Chat: http://NOAASASHHelpline.org

● Mobile App: NOAA SASH Helpline (available via iOS and Android App Stores)

● Text: (202) 335-0265

(d) Confidentiality

Any party receiving information from the filing of a complaint alleging sexual assault or sexual harassment, or while performing an investigation into such a complaint, shall keep the information confidential. “Confidentiality” means that the information shall only be shared with others who have a need to know the information to conduct their official duties.

(e) Remedies

In addition to other remedies available to the Government, contractor employee violations of Federal requirements (e.g., law, statutes, executive orders, code, rules, and regulations) applicable to sexual assault and sexual harassment and/or failure to complete the mandatory training set forth in this solicitation and contract language, may result in:

1. Requiring the Contractor to remove a contractor employee or employees from the performance of the contract;

2. Requiring the Contractor to terminate a subcontract;

3. Suspension of contract payments until the Contractor has taken appropriate remedial action;

4. Termination of the contract for default or cause, in accordance with the termination clause of this contract;

5. Suspension or debarment; or

6. Other appropriate action.

NAM 1330-52.232-70 NOAA Limitation of Funds on Time-and-Materials and Labor-Hour Contracts (MAY 2015)

It is estimated that the total cost to the Government for the performance of this contract shall not exceed the ceiling price of $TBD. Funds in the amount of $TBD are hereby allotted. The balance of this contract’s estimated ceiling will be allotted upon availability of funds through unilateral modifications.

(a) The parties estimate that performance of this contract will not cost the Government more than the ceiling amount specified in the contract. The Contractor agrees to use its best efforts to perform the work specified in the Schedule and all obligations under this contract within the ceiling amount.

(b) The Schedule specifies the amount of funds presently available for payment by the Government and allotted to this contract as well as the items covered. The parties contemplate that the Government will allot additional funds incrementally to the contract up to the full estimated cost to the Government specified in the Schedule, provided that funds become available. The Contractor agrees to perform work on the contract up to the point at which the total amount paid and payable by the Government under the contract approximates but does not exceed the total amount actually allotted by the Government to the contract.

(c) The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing whenever it has reason to believe that the costs it expects to incur under this contract in the next 60 days, when added to all costs previously incurred, will exceed 85% of the total funded amount so far allotted to the contract by the Government. The notice shall state the additional funds required to continue performance for the period specified in the Schedule.

(d) Except as required by other provisions of this contract, specifically citing and stated to be an exception to this clause –

(1) The Government is not obligated to reimburse the Contractor for costs incurred in excess of the total amount allotted by the Government to this contract; and

(2) The Contractor is not obligated to continue performance under this contract or otherwise incur costs in excess of the amount then allotted to the contract by the Government until the Contracting Officer notifies the contractor in writing that the amount allotted by the Government has been increased and specifies an increased amount, which shall then constitute the total amount allotted by the Government to this contract.

(e) Change orders shall not be considered an authorization to exceed the amount allotted by the Government specified in the Schedule, unless they contain a statement increasing the amount allotted.

(f) Nothing in this language shall affect the right of the Government to terminate this contract. If this contract is terminated, the Government and the Contractor shall negotiate an equitable distribution of all property produced or purchased under the contract, based upon the share of costs incurred by each.

NAM 1330-52.237-70 Contractor Communications

(a) A contractor employee shall be identified both by the individual’s name and the contractor’s name when:

1. Included in NOAA’s locator, and

2. When submitting any type of electronic correspondence to any NOAA employee or stakeholder.

(b) Any written correspondence from a contractor or any contractor employee shall be printed on company/organization letterhead or otherwise clearly identify the sender as an employee of the company or organization and shall identify the contract number.

(c) Contractors and/or contractor employees shall clearly identify themselves as such in any verbal communications, whether in informal discussion or a formal meeting.

(End of clause)

NAM 1330-52.270-304 NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office Ombudsman (OCT 2016)

(a) The NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO) Ombudsman is available to organizations to promote responsible and meaningful exchanges of information. Generally, the purpose of these exchanges will be to:

1. Allow contractors to better prepare for and propose on business opportunities.

2. Advise as to technologies and solutions within the marketplace that the Government may not be aware of, or is not fully benefiting

3. Identify constraints in transparency

(b) The AGO Ombudsman will objectively, reasonably, and responsibly collaborate with parties and recommend fair, impartial, and constructive solutions to the matters presented to him/her.

Further, the AGO Ombudsman will maintain the reasonable and responsible confidentiality of the source of a concern, when such a request has been formally made by an authorized officer of an organization seeking to do business with, or already doing business with NOAA.

(c) Before consulting with the AGO Ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations with the respective contracting officer for resolution. However, direct access to the AGO Ombudsman may be sought when an interested party questions the objectivity or equity of a contracting officer’s decision, or when there is a bona fide reason to believe that reasonable, responsible, and objective consideration will not be received from an assigned contracting officer.

(d)There are several constraints to the scope of the AGO Ombudsman’s authority, for instance:

1. Consulting with the AGO Ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines of any formal process (e.g., protests, claims, debriefings, employee employer actions, activities involving A76 competition performance decisions, judicial or congressional hearings, or proposal, amendment, modification or deliverable due dates).

2. The AGO Ombudsman cannot participate in the evaluation of proposals, source selection processes, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes.

3. The AGO Ombudsman is not authorized to generate or alter laws, judicial decisions, rules, policies, or formal guidance.

4. The AGO Ombudsman is not authorized to develop or alter opportunity announcements, solicitations, contracts, or their terms or conditions.

5. The AGO Ombudsman cannot overrule the authorized decisions or determinations of the contracting officer.

6. The AGO Ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds AGO, NOAA, the Department of Commerce, or the S. Government.

7. The AGO Ombudsman is not NOAA’s agent relative to the service of magistrate or judicial process and cannot be used to extend service of process to another party (whether federal, public, or a private entity).

(e) After review and analysis of a filed concern or recommendation, the AGO Ombudsman may refer the interested party to another more suitable federal official for consideration. Moreover, concerns, disagreements, and/or recommendations that cannot be resolved by the AGO Ombudsman will need to be pursued through more formal venues.

(f) The AGO Ombudsman is not to be contacted to request copies of forms and/or documents under the purview of a contracting officer. Such documents include Requests for Information, solicitations, amendments, contracts, modifications, or conference materials.

(g) Questions regarding items (a) through (f) within this language shall be directed to Rafael Roman, NOAA AGO Ombudsman, at Rafael.Roman@noaa.gov.

mailto:Rafael.Roman@noaa.gov

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clauses in Full Text

52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (JAN 2019)

(a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

(1) 52.203-19, Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (JAN 2017) (section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions)).

(2) 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (Nov 2015).

(3) 52.233-3, Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553).

(4) 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (OCT 2004)(Public Laws 108-

77 and 108-78 (19 U.S.C. 3805 note)).

(b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the

Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

X (1) 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with

Alternate I (Oct 1995) (41 U.S.C. 4704 and 10 U.S.C. 2402).

X (2) 52.203-13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Oct 2015) (41 U.S.C.

3509)).

X (3) 52.203-15, Whistleblower Protections under the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (June 2010) (Section 1553 of Pub. L. 111-5). (Applies to contracts funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)

__ (4) 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 109-282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

__ (5) [Reserved].

__ (6) 52.204-14, Service Contract Reporting Requirements (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Div. C).

__ (7) 52.204-15, Service Contract Reporting Requirements for Indefinite-Delivery

Contracts (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Div. C).

X (8) 52.209-6, Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with

Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Oct 2015) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

X (9) 52.209-9, Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Jul 2013) (41 U.S.C. 2313).

__ (10) [Reserved].

__ (11)(i) 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award (Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Nov 2011) of 52.219-3.

__ (12)(i) 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business

Concerns (OCT 2014) (if the offeror elects to waive the preference, it shall so indicate in its offer) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

__ (ii) Alternate I (JAN 2011) of 52.219-4.

__ (13) [Reserved] X (14)(i) 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 644).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Nov 2011).

__ (iii) Alternate II (Nov 2011).

__ (15)(i) 52.219-7, Notice of Partial Small Business Set-Aside (June 2003) (15 U.S.C. 644).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Oct 1995) of 52.219-7.

__ (iii) Alternate II (Mar 2004) of 52.219-7.

__ (16) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Nov 2016) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3)).

__ (17)(i) 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Jan 2017) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

__ (iii) Alternate II (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

__ (iv) Alternate III (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

__ (v) Alternate IV (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

__ (18) 52.219-13, Notice of Set-Aside of Orders (Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 644(r)).

__ (19) 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (Jan 2017) (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(14)).

__ (20) 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (Jan 1999) (15 U.S.C.

637(d)(4)(F)(i)).

__ (21) 52.219-27, Notice of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside

(Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 657 f).

__ (22) 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation (Jul 2013)

(15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)).

__ (23) 52.219-29, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole Source Award to, Economically

Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business Concerns (Dec 2015) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

__ (24) 52.219-30, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole Source Award to, Women-Owned Small

Business Concerns Eligible Under the Women-Owned Small Business Program (Dec 2015) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

X (25) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755).

X (26) 52.222-19, Child Labor—Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Oct 2016)

(E.O. 13126).

X (27) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015).

X (28) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Sept 2016) (E.O. 11246).

X (29) 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Oct 2015)(38 U.S.C. 4212).

X (30) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jul 2014)

(29 U.S.C. 793).

__ (31) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (FEB 2016) (38 U.S.C. 4212).

X (32) 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act

(Dec 2010) (E.O. 13496).

X (33)(i) 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (Mar 2015) (22 U.S.C. chapter

78 and E.O. 13627).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2015) of 52.222-50 (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

__ (34) 52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification (OCT 2015). (Executive Order 12989). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items or certain other types of commercial items as prescribed in 22.1803.)

__ (35) 52.222-59, Compliance with Labor Laws (Executive Order 13673) (OCT 2016).

(Applies at $50 million for solicitations and resultant contracts issued from October 25, 2016 through April 24, 2017; applies at $500,000 for solicitations and resultant contracts issued after April 24, 2017).

Note to paragraph (b)(35): By a court order issued on October 24, 2016, 52.222-59 is enjoined indefinitely as of the date of the order. The enjoined paragraph will become effective immediately if the court terminates the injunction. At that time, GSA, DoD and NASA will publish a document in the Federal Register advising the public of the termination of the injunction.

__ (36) 52.222-60, Paycheck Transparency (Executive Order 13673) (OCT 2016).

__ (37)(i) 52.223-9, Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for EPA–

Designated Items (May 2008) (42 U.S.C. 6962(c)(3)(A)(ii)). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available…