NPSAS 28 DRAFT PWS.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT – NPSAS:28

i

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

2027-28 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:28) ii

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION

II. BACKGROUND

III. LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

IV. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

V. CONTRACT TYPE

VI. DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

VII. QUALITY CONTROL

VIII. NCES STATISTICAL STANDARDS AND TABULAR GUIDELINES

IX. CONFIDENTIALITY

X. SCOPE OF WORK

SPECIFIC TASKS

TASK 1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

TASK 2: MEETINGS, TRAVEL, AND TECHNICAL REVIEW PANELS

TASK 3: NATIONAL POSTSECONDARY STUDENT AID STUDY (NPSAS:28)

TASK 4: AD HOC INFORMATION REQUESTS

OPTIONAL TASKS

OPTIONAL TASK 5: 2029-30 NATIONAL POSTSECONDARY STUDENT AID STUDY, ADMINISTRATIVE COLLECTION (NPSAS:30-AC) ... 34 OPTIONAL TASK 6: STATE REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES IN NPSAS:24 USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

OPTIONAL TASK 7: ADMINISTRATIVE FOLLOW-UP TO LONGITUDINAL STUDIES

OPTIONAL TASK 8: 2024/28 BACCALAUREATE AND BEYOND LONGITUDINAL STUDY (B&B:24/28)

OPTIONAL TASK 9: FIRST (THIRD YEAR) FOLLOW-UP OF THE 2027-28 BEGINNING POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS LONGITUDINAL STUDY

COHORT (BPS:28/30)

OPTIONAL TASK 10: SECOND (SIXTH YEAR) FOLLOW-UP OF THE 2027-28 BEGINNING POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS LONGITUDINAL

STUDY COHORT (BPS:28/33)

OPTIONAL TASK 11: 2024/34 BACCALAUREATE AND BEYOND LONGITUDINAL STUDY (B&B:24/34)

DELIVERABLE SPECIFICATIONS

APPENDIX A: DATA CONFIDENTIALITY, DATA SECURITY PLAN, AFFIDAVIT OF

NONDISCLOSURE, AND QUALITY CONTROL

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS

DATA SECURITY AND DATA SECURITY PLAN

INFORMATION ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6 (IPV6)

REPORTING OF DATA SECURITY BREACHES

MANAGING CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION (CUI) REQUIREMENTS

iii

RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) REQUESTS

IMPLEMENTATION OF DATA SECURITY PLAN

PHYSICAL SECURITY FOR THE CONTRACTOR’S FACILITIES

SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY TRAINING

AFFIDAVIT OF NONDISCLOSURE

QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES

PROPERTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMMING OR SOURCE CODE

APPENDIX B: CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE SECURITY SCREENING REQUIREMENTS

APPENDIX C: SAMPLE IT REPORTING MONTHLY REPORT

APPENDIX D: SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS

APPENDIX E: PUBLICATION TIP SHEETS

APPENDIX F: ESTIMATED TURNAROUND TIMES FOR PUBLICATION DELIVERABLES

APPENDIX G: SAMPLE REVIEWER TEMPLATE

APPENDIX H: AUTHORSHIP CREDIT FORM

APPENDIX I: NEWSFLASH FORM

APPENDIX J: SAMPLE WEB POSTING TEMPLATE

DRAFT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

2027-28 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:28) & Postsecondary Longitudinal Surveys

I. INTRODUCTION

The United States Department of Education (hereafter, Department), Institute of Education Sciences (IES), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), has a requirement for a series of studies, based on student surveys and administrative records, to comply with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. These studies are designed to describe: (1) how students and their families finance postsecondary education and (2) students’ persistence, attainment, and workforce outcomes. They include the following:

• National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/);

• Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/b&b/); and

• Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/).

The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) is a cross-sectional study that provides information about the costs of postsecondary education and how students and their families pay for these costs. NPSAS is based on a nationally representative sample of undergraduate and graduate students attending all types of postsecondary institutions.

NPSAS serves as the base-year data collection for the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B) and the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) in alternating administrations. The purpose of the B&B is to collect data on students’ education and work experiences after they complete a bachelor’s degree. The purpose of BPS is to track students’ pathways through postsecondary education, helping to answer questions related to undergraduates’ persistence and attainment outcomes.

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) continues the cycle with NPSAS:28 scheduled for the 2027-28 academic year. It includes the base contract to conduct a NPSAS study in 2027-28 that includes a student survey and extracts from administrative data sources (i.e., Department of Education’s databases, data from postsecondary institutions, and data from other administrative data sources). It also includes a series of optional tasks, summarized in Table 1, designed to:

• conduct an additional NPSAS study using administrative data only (Optional Task 5),

• add a state representative sample to NPSAS:28 (Optional Task 6),

• match administrative records for prior longitudinal cohorts (Optional Task 7),

• conduct follow-up B&B student interviews in NPSAS:24 in their fourth (Optional Task

8) and tenth years (Optional Task 11) after graduation, and

• conduct follow-up BPS student interviews begun in NPSAS:28 into their third (Optional

Task 9) and sixth (Optional Task 10) years.

II. BACKGROUND

NCES postsecondary sample surveys are scheduled on regular intervals. Since 1987, NPSAS has been conducted every 3 to 4 years with each administration serving as the base year for one of the two longitudinal studies (B&B and BPS) in alternating data collection years as shown in Figure 1.

Required or optional data collections that are part of this PWS are highlighted in gray.

Figure 1: Recent Postsecondary Sample Survey Data Collections

Base Year 1st Follow up 2nd Follow up 3rd Follow up

NPSAS:00 B&B:00/01

NPSAS:04 BPS:04/06 BPS:04/09

NPSAS:08 B&B:08/09 B&B:08/12 B&B:08/18

NPSAS:12 BPS:12/14 BPS:12/17

NPSAS:16 B&B:16/17 B&B:16/20

NPSAS:18-AC

NPSAS:20 BPS:20/22

NPSAS:24 B&B:24/28* B&B:24/34*

NPSAS:28* BPS:28/30* BPS:28/33*

NPSAS:30-AC*

* Anticipated

For more information on the NPSAS sample design, questionnaire development, survey methodology, response rates, weight calculations, and data quality for prior studies, see the data file documentation reports at the following website: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/. For an example of a contract deliverable, the 2019-20 NPSAS Data File Documentation report is available at the following website: https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/2019-20-national-postsecondary-student-aid-study-npsas20-data-file-documentation?pubid=2024482.

For the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B) study, see the data file documentation for more information on the sample design, questionnaire development, survey methodology, response rates, weight calculations, and data quality, found at the following website:

https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/b&b/. The B&B:16/17 Data File Documentation report is available at the following website: https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/ https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/2019-20-national-postsecondary-student-aid-study-npsas20-data-file-documentation?pubid=2024482 https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/2019-20-national-postsecondary-student-aid-study-npsas20-data-file-documentation?pubid=2024482 https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/2019-20-national-postsecondary-student-aid-study-npsas20-data-file-documentation?pubid=2024482 https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/b&b/ https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/technicalmethodological-report/201617-baccalaureate-and-beyond-longitudinal-study-bb1617 library/report/technicalmethodological-report/201617-baccalaureate-and-beyond-longitudinal-study-bb1617.

For the Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) study, see the data file documentation for more information on the sample design, questionnaire development, survey methodology, response rates, weight calculations, and data quality, found at the following website:

https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/. The BPS:12/17 Data File Documentation report is available at the following website: https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/beginning-postsecondary-students-study-1217-bps1217-data-file-documentation.

III. LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), within the Department, conducts this study in compliance with the mandate stated in the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, (Public Law [P.L.] 107-279, Title I, Part C), which requires NCES to “collect, report, analyze, and disseminate statistical data related to education in the United States and in other nations.” The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. § 1015a, also requires NCES to conduct a student aid recipient survey at least once every 4 years.

IV. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Tasks 1 through 4 described in this contract shall be conducted during a base period of 60 months. Optional tasks will be conducted within their periods of performance aligned with when the work must be conducted, as shown below. Exercise of Optional Tasks will extend the period of performance beyond 60 months. Should any of the Optional Tasks extend beyond the base period, Base Tasks 1 and 4 also will need to continue during the optional task period of performance beyond the base period.

Base Contract and Optional Tasks Period of Performance

Base Contract

- Task 1: Project Management

- Task 2: Meetings, Travel, and Technical

Review Panels

- Task 3: 2027-28 National Postsecondary

Student Aid Study (NPSAS:28)

- Task 4: Ad Hoc Information Requests

February 2026 through February 2031

Optional Task 5: 2029-30 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study-Administrative Collection

(NPSAS:30-AC)

February 2029 through February 2033 https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/technicalmethodological-report/201617-baccalaureate-and-beyond-longitudinal-study-bb1617 https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/technicalmethodological-report/201617-baccalaureate-and-beyond-longitudinal-study-bb1617 https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/ https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/beginning-postsecondary-students-study-1217-bps1217-data-file-documentation https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/beginning-postsecondary-students-study-1217-bps1217-data-file-documentation https://nces.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/users-manualdata-file-documentation/beginning-postsecondary-students-study-1217-bps1217-data-file-documentation

Optional Task 6: State representative samples in NPSAS:28 using administrative data

February 2027 through February 2031

Optional Task 7: Administrative Follow-up to Longitudinal Studies

February 2028 through February 2033

Optional Task 8: 2024/28 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (four-year follow-up)

February 2026 through February 2031

Optional Task 9: 2028/30 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (three-year follow-up)

February 2028 through February 2033

Optional Task 10: 2028/33 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (six-year follow-up)

February 2031 through February 2036

Optional Task 11: 2024/34 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (ten-year follow-up)

February 2032 through February 2036

V. CONTRACT TYPE

The Department anticipates award of Fixed Price contract.

VI. DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

The following definitions are used in this Performance Work Statement:

Longitudinal follow-up – a cohort derived from a subsample of the NPSAS study with a subsequent survey at a later time period. For the purposes of this PWS, "longitudinal follow-up" refers to ongoing studies of first-time beginning students in a BPS OR graduating seniors in a B&B study.

Target response rate – the percent of the institutions or students in the sample that participate in the study. It also includes item-level response, which is the percent of respondents who respond to a questionnaire item (or for administrative data, a valid match from an administrative database). The calculation of response rates must be consistent with NCES Statistical Standards and Tabular Guidelines (https://nces.ed.gov/statprog/). The response rates are as follows and assume a two-stage sampling design (some of these exceed the guidelines in the Statistical Standards):

• 80 percent participation (both list and student records collections) of postsecondary institutions (with no stratum below 70 percent) for a NPSAS study,

• 70 percent response rate for the student survey of a NPSAS study (if applicable),

• 75 percent response rate for the student survey of a longitudinal follow-up study,

• 90 percent item response rate (or valid match to an administrative database).

Nationally representative sample – a sample drawn from the U.S. population in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia such that the individuals sampled are collectively similar to those in the national population and key estimates for each stratum have relative standard errors (RSEs) less than 10 percent. For the purposes of this PWS, the following institutional sectors shall comprise the major strata for a nationally representative sample:

• Public 4-year doctorate

• Public 4-year nondoctorate

• Public 2-year

• Public less-than-2-year

• Private nonprofit 4-year doctorate

• Private nonprofit 4-year nondoctorate

• Private nonprofit less-than-4-year

• Private for-profit 4-year

• Private for-profit 2-year

• Private for-profit less-than-2-year

State-representative sample – a sample drawn from each state population of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia such that the individuals sampled are collectively similar to those in the state population and key estimates for each stratum have relative standard errors (RSEs) less than 10 percent for 90 percent of the states. For the purposes of this PWS, the following institutional sectors shall comprise the major strata within each state (provided that the state has institutions in each of these sectors):

• Public 4-year

• Public 2-year

• Other sectors (so analysts can obtain state-level estimates)

The following acronyms are used in this Performance Work Statement (PWS):

• B&B – Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

• BPS – Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

• CARS – Conference Approval Request Site

• CATI – Computer Assisted Telephone Interview

• CAPI – Computer Assisted Personal Interview

• CIP – Classification of Instructional Programs

• CO – Contracting Officer

• COR – Contract Officer’s Representative

• CPO – Conference and Policy Operations Office

• DRB – Disclosure Review Board

• ED ICAM – ED Identity, Credential and Access Management System

• e-QIP – Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing

• FSA – Office of Federal Student Aid

• IES – Institute of Education Sciences

• IPAM – IES Public Trust Application Manager

• IPP – Invoicing Payment Platform

• IRB – Institutional Review Board

• LSB – Longitudinal Surveys Branch

• MDS – Meta Data System

• NCES – National Center for Education Statistics

• NPSAS – National Postsecondary Student Aid Study

• NPSAS-AC – National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, Administrative

Collection

• NSLDS – National Student Loan Data System

• OMB – Office of Management and Budget

• PDP – Postsecondary Data Portal Website (used to collect date from postsecondary institutions)

• PII – Personally Identifiable Information

• RIMS – Regulatory Information Management Services

• RUF – Restricted-Use Data File

• RUD – Restricted-Use Data

• SSD – Sample Surveys Division

• SSDCP – Statistical Standards and Data Confidentiality Program

• TRP – Technical Review Panel

• VBA – Veterans Benefits Administration

• WebVTS – Web variable tracking system

VII. QUALITY CONTROL

Project quality control should be integrated into every phase of the project. For instance, potential problems should be identified early so that possible solutions are tested as part of the field test. Item reliability and validity tests for questionnaires must be built into the data collection efforts, non-response analyses should be conducted as part of the final weighting process, and survey methodology and sample design effects should be documented for use by all data users. Thus, as in other NCES projects, statistical quality control shall be incorporated into each stage of this project as appropriate. As part of quality control, the contractor shall also anticipate and plan for problems related to confidentiality and protection of data (including the transmittal of confidential data).

In addition, deliverables must be submitted on time, be accurate, coherent, clear, and comprehensive in order to meet NCES statistical standards, professional standards, and NCES and IES style guidelines. The contractor shall have a quality assurance plan that guides their work throughout the life of the contract and describes the processes in place to assure adherence to these standards and guidelines. Also, NCES expects that only minor changes to drafts will be needed for products to become final deliverables. Deliverables must be delivered in electronic format to the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Word-compatible format, unless prior approval for a different format is received from the COR.

The Department will monitor the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is focused on the Department measures that ensure the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards listed in the Schedule of Deliverables.

VIII. NCES STATISTICAL STANDARDS AND TABULAR GUIDELINES

NCES standards set guidelines to ensure the quality of NCES surveys, data, data products, and statistics. All work conducted under this contract must, at minimum, meet the standards and guidelines set forth in the most currently available statistical standards (from 2012 at the time of the writing of this PWS) and guidelines for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and as amended by standards implemented since that time. The NCES Standards can be accessed at https://nces.ed.gov/statprog/. Publication style guidelines for IES products shall also be followed. The guidelines can be accessed at https://nces.ed.gov/statprog/style.asp.

IX. CONFIDENTIALITY

Appendix A provides a guide to issues of confidentiality.

X. SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor shall provide all personnel, materials, services, and facilities necessary for the project and perform the tasks as described below. The scope of this contract includes, either as core or optional tasks as specified below, NPSAS, BPS, B&B, and NCES surveys that cover postsecondary education, as well as work to answer questions about past studies or maintain datasets from past studies.

The main tasks include:

• Task 1: Project Management

• Task 2: Meetings, Travel, and Technical Review Panels

• Task 3: 2027-28 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:28)

• Task 4: Ad Hoc Information Requests

The optional tasks include:

• Optional Task 5: 2029-30 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study-Administrative Collection (NPSAS:30-AC) https://nces.ed.gov/statprog/style.asp

• Optional Task 6: State representative samples in NPSAS:28 using administrative data

• Optional Task 7: Administrative Follow-up to Longitudinal Studies

• Optional Task 8: 2024/28 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

• Optional Task 9: 2028/30 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

• Optional Task 10: 2028/33 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

• Optional Task 11: 2024/34 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

The estimated years covering the period of performance for the tasks in the Performance Work Statement are displayed in Table 1.

Table 1: Period of performance for the major tasks in the NPSAS:24 contract by year.

Years

Study or Activity

2/26- 2/27

2/27- 2/28

2/28- 2/29

2/29- 2/30

2/30- 2/31

2/31- 2/32

2/32- 2/33

2/33- 2/34

2/34- 2/35

2/35- 2/36

Task 1: Project Management X X X X X

Task 2: Meetings, Travel, and Technical Review Panels X X X X X

Task 3: 2027-28 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study X X X X X

Task 4: Ad Hoc Information Requests X X X X X

Optional Task 5: 2029-30 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study-AC

X X X X

Optional Task 6: State representative samples in NPSAS:28 using administrative data

X X X X

Optional Task 7: Administrative Follow-up to Longitudinal Studies

X X X X X

Optional Task 8: 2024/28 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

X X X X X

Optional Task 9: 2028/30 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

X X X X X

Optional Task 10: 2028/33 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

X X X X X

Optional Task 11: 2024/34 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

X X X X

The following studies use similar Subtasks:

• Task 3: 2027-28 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study,

• Optional Task 5: 2029-30 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study-AC,

• Optional Task 7: Administrative Follow-up to Longitudinal Studies,

• Optional Task 8: 2024/28 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

• Optional Task 9: 2028/30 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

• Optional Task 10: 2028/33 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study

• Optional Task 11: 2024/34 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

These Subtasks are first described under Tasks 2 and 3 and are then referenced in future tasks to avoid repetition. Table 2 summarizes these repeated Subtasks. The table indicates which tasks are included (designated by the letter “I”), which are amended in the description of the task (designated by the letter “A”), and which are excluded and not applicable (designated by the abbreviation “N/A”).

Table 2: Subtasks for all sample survey tasks.

Sub-task # Subtask Description

NPSAS:28

(Task 3)

NPSAS:

30-AC

(OT 5)

Admin Follow up

(OT 7)

B&B:24/28, BPS:28/30,

BPS:28/33,

B&B:24/34 (OTs 8-11)

2.1 Initial meeting with Department

staff I I N/A I

2.2 Technical Review Panels I I N/A I

2.3 Mini-technical review meeting I I N/A I

2.4 Travel, hotel, meals and lodging for contractor and subcontractor staff and consultants

I I N/A I

2.5 Travel, hotel, meals and lodging for Technical Review Panel panelists

I I N/A I

2.6 Honoraria I I N/A I

3.1 Study design and testing

3.1.2 OMB forms clearance I N/A N/A I

3.1.3 Instrument design and testing I A N/A I

3.1.4 Training I N/A N/A I

3.2 Full-scale data collection

3.2.1 Full-scale sampling I I N/A I

3.2.2 Full-scale OMB forms clearance I I N/A I

3.2.3 Develop and deploy website for

full-scale data collection I A N/A I

3.2.4 Full-scale data collection - Student

list collection I I N/A N/A

3.2.5 Full-scale data collection - Student

questionnaire and survey I N/A N/A I

3.2.6 Full-scale respondent incentives I I N/A I

3.2.7 Full-scale data collection - Student

records collection I I N/A I

3.2.8 Full-scale data collection – Administrative records and data processing

I I A I

3.2.9 Nonresponse bias analysis and weight adjustments, and imputing missing variable values

I I I I

3.2.10 Develop and implement a plan to

prevent data disclosure I I I I

Sub-task # Subtask Description

NPSAS:28

(Task 3)

NPSAS:

30-AC

(OT 5)

Admin Follow up

(OT 7)

B&B:24/28, BPS:28/30,

BPS:28/33,

B&B:24/34 (OTs 8-11)

3.3 Publication production

3.3.1 Analysis prospectus I I I I

3.3.2 Preliminary draft manuscript for

Concept Review I I I I

3.3.3 Draft Manuscript I I I I

3.3.4 Page layout and formatting (Pre-

508 compliant document) I I I I

3.3.5 Report pre-release quality control I I I I

3.3.6 Final Manuscript for Secretary Announcement/Review (Pre-508 compliant document)

I I I I

3.3.7 Page layout and formatting (Post-

508 compliant document) I I I I

3.4 Data file products

3.4.1 Web-based analysis tools I I A I

3.4.2 Restricted-use data files I I A I

3.5 Maintenance of Necessary Data

Files I I I I

SPECIFIC TASKS

Task 1: Project Management

The contractor shall manage all tasks in an efficient manner that fosters communications with study staff, the NCES Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), and potential users of the data.

Subtask 1.1: Monthly reports and schedules

Progress Reports

The contractor shall report monthly on the progress made in accomplishing the project tasks, the consumption of funds, problems encountered, and the plans for next months. Although reports shall be used to document problems encountered in addition to proposed solutions, the contractor shall not wait to communicate problems to the COR in the progress report. The contractor shall inform the COR of challenges being faced on a flow basis as challenges arise.

The report shall be due on the same day each month due (or next business day if the date occurs on a weekend or Federal holiday) and at least one business day prior to submitting the invoice. The contractor shall submit reports by electronic transmission. The report, invoice, and supporting documentation shall cover the previous quarter’s activities, for both the contractor and subcontractor(s). The report shall include the following components for each task:

• The progress on each task and activity relative to the schedule and a discussion of discrepancies;

• Accomplishments associated with each task and activity for the quarter;

• Problems that have been resolved or are in need of resolution;

• A discussion of the work to be performed during the next reporting period;

• Earned Value Management (EVM) report;

• Progress toward small business goals;

• The number of hours expended by all contractor and subcontractor staff by person;

• Brief description of the work performed by each subcontractor during the quarter;

• Funding expended by major category, including staff, travel, consultant, subcontractors, and other costs, including obligated costs of subcontractors; and

• Expected future technical and budgetary problems and proposed solutions to these.

Schedules

Due to the uncertainties of large data collection projects, the contractor shall develop and maintain a schedule for all activities of the project that is more detailed than the contract schedule of deliverables. The detailed schedule shall be updated quarterly and submitted with the appropriate progress report. For all activities within the project, the schedule shall detail the key staff assigned, and the projected start and end dates. For each schedule, actual completion dates shall be entered for products completed since the last submission and the future quarter’s activities shall be detailed.

Recognizing the “dynamic” nature of project activities, the contractor will discuss possible delays and changes in project activities affecting the schedule. Changes in the schedule of project activities are approved by the COR and must be subsequently documented in the progress report. However, any changes to the contract schedule of deliverables must be approved by the Contracting Officer.

Deliverable #1: Monthly Progress and Financial Report and Project Schedules

Subtask 1.2: Data security and data security plan

The contractor shall develop and maintain a security plan that details the security and confidentiality measures that shall guide the operation of this contract. The plan should include the components addressed in Appendix A including materials necessary for the Department’s Security Assessment or Security Authorization (SA) process. Once accepted by NCES, the contractor shall execute the provisions of the plan.

The contractor shall submit confidentiality reports that have three parts. Part 1 shall be a list of all project staff that will have access to pre-released restricted data or sensitive personally identifiable information (PII). Part 2 shall be a signed and notarized set of NCES Affidavits of Nondisclosure for all project staff listed in part 1. The contractor should refer to Appendix A for other confidentiality requirements. Part 3 shall be a summary of staff members who are in the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) clearance process. See Appendix B for more information about the e-QIP process. Materials for SA processes may be delivered under separate cover.

Each NCES Affidavit of Nondisclosure shall be completed before allowing access to pre-released or restricted data or sensitive PII. The contractor shall hold original copies, deliverable upon request from NCES, and shall provide NCES pdf versions of the affidavits on a monthly flow basis or as requested. If staff do not have a clearance for access to restricted data issued through the e-QIP system, staff shall apply for clearance before they access restricted data. Please note that part of the data security requirements includes provisions that staff with access to personally identifiable information have clearances in place upon assignment to the contract or very soon thereafter. Contractors will not be paid for work carried out by staff members who are required to have clearances but who have not met requirements to obtain them by the time invoices are submitted. Data collection systems shall not be used until the SA process is completed.

Deliverable #2: Confidentiality reports, including affidavits of nondisclosure; Data security plan

Subtask 1.3: Major Information Technology (IT) data reporting

The contractor shall manage necessary reporting for the Department of Education's IT investments (both hardware, software, and service) related to this contract. The contractor shall develop and execute an IT management plan to address:

• Management processes

• Requirements documentation, execution, testing, and implementation (e.g., a

Requirements Traceability Matrix)

• Cost and schedule management

• Quality management

• Risk management

• Performance management

• Operational analysis

• Security & privacy

The contractor shall respond to requests for monitoring the IT project assessment program within this contract, set goals in the above areas, and develop corresponding measures to track progress in improving the Department's IT investment related to this contract. See the following links for more information about Department requirements for IT Program Assessment:

• OMB Circular A-130 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A130/a130revi sed.pdf) and

• OMB Memorandum M-15-14 (https://management.cio.gov/implementation/).

Appendix C includes a sample monthly IT spending tracking report. The reporting requirements have changed yearly and may require adapting to changing circumstances.

Monthly IT reports shall be included as a section in progress reports (see Deliverable #2).

Deliverable #3: Monthly IT reporting, Log of Information Request, and the Annual Assessment

Subtask 1.4: Document repository

The contractor shall develop and maintain an electronic document repository to allow Department staff to monitor all projects and activities within the contract and to foster communications with the COR and survey staff, as needed. The contractor shall update the repository and routinely produce information about the project (including all optional tasks) including project schedules, minutes for all meetings, contact information for project staff, organization charts, instruments, testing protocols, quality control procedures, training materials, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) documents/materials, Technical Review Panel documents/materials, daily data collection reports (during data collections), invoices, IT cost reporting, and all deliverables (without sensitive personally identifiable or respondent information). The contractor shall provide access to this information to the survey staff, the https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A130/a130revised.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A130/a130revised.pdf https://management.cio.gov/implementation/

CO, and the COR on an on-going, as-needed basis. The contractor shall provide examples of reports from the proposed Document Repository in advance. An archive of all documents in the repository must be provided to the COR at the end of the contract.

Deliverable #4: Document Repository

Task 2: Meetings, Travel, and Technical Review Panels

Subtask 2.1: Initial meeting with Department staff

Within one week after contract award (or the applicable optional task), the contractor's project director and other key project staff as identified in the proposal shall meet with the NCES Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and other Department staff to review the overall contract tasks and to discuss issues relating to the proposed project staffing plan and other management requirements. It is preferred that this meeting occur in-person in Washington, DC. However, if an in-person meeting is not possible, a virtual videoconference is acceptable.

The purpose of this meeting is to refine the management, staffing, and overall scheduling plan contained in the contractor's technical proposal. These refinements are not expected to alter the specifications or the design of the contract but will provide management information for use by the contractor and the Department in monitoring the work to be performed. The content and format of the monthly progress reports will be discussed.

The contractor shall submit a summary of the meeting and a revised detailed project management plan, based on the contractor’s proposed management plan and the understandings reached at the meeting, detailing the organization chart, staffing plan, schedule, budget control procedures, personnel and task coordination procedures, a quality control plan, and procedures for protecting survey data.

Deliverable #5: Summary of initial meeting/Expanded project management plan

Subtask 2.2: Technical Review Panels

To obtain peer review of project plans and products and to foster communications with potential users of the data, the contractor shall establish Technical Review Panels (TRPs) for the NPSAS (or the applicable Optional Task). For the purposes of costing out each TRP meeting, NCES anticipates that there will be approximately 35 members on the panel (20 federal and 15 non-federal members). At least one-half or more of the non-federal members should be from outside the Washington, DC area. The contractor will consult with the COR in selecting TRP members.

It is preferred that the meetings occur in-person in Washington, DC. However, if an in-person meeting is not possible, a virtual videoconference is acceptable. If the meeting is held in-person, the Department requires the use of Department meeting space. If the Department’s meeting space is not available, a waiver must be obtained to use external meeting space for those meeting spaces which result in a cost to the government. If the Department’s meeting space is not available, and use of an external meeting space results in no cost to the government, a waiver is not required. In addition, the external meeting space must be in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area and easily accessible by public transportation.

The COR may coordinate with the Department’s Conference and Policy Operations Office (CPO) to plan each meeting and relay the guidance received from CPO to the contractor.

Note: In order for the Department to meet federal conference spending reporting and proficient spending guidelines, the Department utilizes an internal process to approve conference-related spending. This approval process includes reviewers from the financial, contractual, technical and legal branches of the Department and is managed by the Department’s CPO. It is anticipated that the approval process will take up to six months to acquire approval. No financial obligations may be made until the approval has been received.

The review process is performed in the Conference Approval Request Site (CARS). TRPs and technical working groups no longer require CARS approval. However, hotel and venue contracts with estimated expenses that exceed $5,000 require review through CARS.

The TRPs shall work with the contractor to improve plans, products, and user-friendliness of resulting data products; the TRPs, however, do not report to or advise the Department.

Technical review panel meetings may be convened on any topic related to postsecondary sample studies related to this contract (including predecessor studies).

For each study, up to two (2) 2-day meetings shall be scheduled.

For each scheduled TRP, the contractor shall complete the following activities:

• Select the federal and non-federal members for the TRP to provide consultation and coordination for the study (The contractor shall consult with the COR in selecting TRP members);

• Prepare, for COR approval, letters of invitation to join the TRP;

• Establish a schedule, for COR approval, to inform the TRP of the progress of the project;

• Prepare content for all materials required for TRP consideration and review (i.e., pre-meeting information packets and meeting materials) and secure the Panel's advice;

• Upon approval of the COR, duplicate (when necessary) and disseminate all materials required for TRP consideration and review (i.e., pre-meeting information packets and meeting materials)

• Prepare the agenda and the presentations to facilitate the discussion at the panel, with the review and approval of the COR.

• Select a meeting location in a federally owned/leased space (or other location if approved by the CPO clearance process) and provide for all audio-visual (if necessary), room set-up, and meeting supplies;

• Arrange meeting logistics including registration, the rental of push-to-talk microphones, projectors, and other audio/visual or physical materials, if necessary (Department policy requires the use of the Department’s space first, but the contractor may request a waiver from using federal space should no space meet specifications required for the TRP);

• Arrange hotel and transportation arrangements for out-of-town panelists, coordinate the process for reimbursement, and secure necessary approvals and/or letters of intent/contracts (any contracts need to be approved in advance by the CPO clearance process;

• Complete all written justifications, to be submitted for clearance review to the CPO clearance process, if necessary;

• Complete all necessary pre-security screening requests to allow panelists to access federal spaces (which may include submitting background information about each panelist for background checks);

• Arrange for food and beverage, if approved by CPO. If food and beverage are not approved by CPO, no food or beverages shall be provided and all food and beverage costs must be incurred by the non-federal participants through the Meals and Expenses per diem only;

• Provide on-site staff support at the TRP meeting to register panelists and coordinate Department staff to manage the logistics of the meeting.

• Provide on-site staff support at the TRP meeting to conduct presentations and record minutes.

The contractor shall prepare meeting minutes and post them to the Document Repository within 20 business days of the meeting.

Deliverable #6: Technical Review Panel meeting minutes and materials

Subtask 2.3: Mini-technical review meeting

The contractor shall convene two review meetings including Department staff, contractors, subcontractors, and a subset of any Technical Review Panel members (up to 15 contractors, subcontractors, federal staff, and non-federal members) to allow for more focused discussion of sample design, survey design, instrumentation, state representation, and other survey methodology aspects of the postsecondary data collections in this contract. As needed, experts in a particular area may be invited to participate as well. Non-federal, non-contractor staff shall only participate in these meetings remotely via teleconference or video conference unless travel is approved by the Department’s Conference Services and Policy Operations Office clearance process. Meetings may cover topics addressing any NCES postsecondary study or a similar topic.

The contractor will consult with the COR in selecting members for the on-site meetings. It is preferred that the meetings occur in-person in Washington, DC. However, if an in-person meeting is not possible, a virtual videoconference is acceptable. If the meeting is held in-person, all meetings will be held in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, or at a location convenient to the Department and easily accessible by public transportation. Pre-meeting information packets, including agendas and materials to be discussed, will be posted to the Document Repository for the Department’s review three (3) weeks before each meeting. The contractor shall compile a list of follow-up activities as well as meeting minutes within three

(3) weeks of the meeting.

Deliverable #7: Mini-technical review meeting minutes and materials (for each meeting)

Subtask 2.4: Travel, hotel, meals and lodging for contractor and subcontractor staff and consultants

The contractor shall provide for contractor personnel to be on-site during the Technical Review Panels or mini-technical review meetings at or near the Department.

Deliverable #8: Meeting and travel expense report for contractor staff, appended to monthly report (for each meeting)

Subtask 2.5: Travel, hotel, meals and lodging for technical review meeting panelists

The contractor shall provide for travel to panelists to attend Technical Review Panels or mini-technical review meetings at or near the Department..

Deliverable #9: Meeting and travel expense report for non-contractor staff, appended to monthly report (for each meeting)

Subtask 2.6: Honoraria for technical review meetings

The contractor shall provide each non-federal, non-contractor panelists that participates in Technical Review Panels or the mini-technical review meetings with an honorarium amount that does not exceed $750 per day. The honorarium is based on the hourly rate of a GS-15, step 10 with Washington, DC locality pay and an 8-hour work day. No contractor, subcontractor, or consultant staff paid under this contract shall receive an honoraria.

Deliverable #10: Honoraria expense report appended to monthly report (for each meeting)

Task 3: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:28)

The contractor shall develop all systems for data collection, prepare materials for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) forms clearance, train staff in the methods of data collection, test all data collection systems, and report on the quality of the data collection systems in a field test (or equivalent).

Information on the sample design, questionnaire development, survey methodology, response rates, weight calculations, and data quality for prior administrations of NPSAS studies, can be found in the study methodology and Data File Documentation reports at the following website:

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=013#012.

It is acceptable that NPSAS:28 be administered in much the same way, with similar data products developed for dissemination. However, contractors are encouraged to propose and justify new data collection procedures and revisions to survey content and data products that they believe represent improvements upon past practices.

The contractor shall design the study to meet the following objectives:

1) Generate precise national financial aid estimates. The data collected must allow for the accurate estimation of percentage distribution and mean/median estimates within each stratum. That is, estimates that meet the precision requirements described above in VI.

Definitions and Acronyms. Precise estimates must be produced for the following measures:

• Percentage of students applying for Federal Financial Aid

• Total aid amount and percent with aid

• Total grant amount and percent with grants

• Total Federal loan amount and percent with Federal loans

• Total Pell grant amount and percent with Pell grants

• Total Federal grant amount and percent with Federal grants

• Total State aid amount and percent with State aid

• Total Institution aid amount and the percent with Institution aid

• Dependency status

• Income

• Attendance Intensity

• Attendance Pattern

In addition, the total dollars for Pell and Direct (Stafford) loans shall be within 10 percent of, and the average amounts received shall be within two (2) standard errors of, the Department’s program totals. Otherwise, the contractor shall perform post-stratification weight adjustments.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=013#012

2) Achieve target response rates. Target response rates from institutions and student surveys must be achieved to ensure that data can be used for the generation of population estimates.

3) Collect data comparable to that of prior studies for trend analysis. A primary reason that NPSAS is repeated with regularity is to allow for the analysis of trends in key indicators such as receipt of financial aid and how students and their families pay for postsecondary education. Data must be collected and processed in such a way as to allow for valid comparisons with data collected from prior cycles of NPSAS.

4) Facilitate longitudinal data collection. The contractor shall enable the ability to conduct future follow-up surveys with students sampled for NPSAS, if applicable. The contractor must sample students and collect data in NPSAS that allows for a BPS longitudinal cohort to be established and followed up in future years.

5) Establish quality control procedures. Quality control and analyses of sampling coverage and quality must be incorporated into all aspects of design, data collection, and data file and report production.

Subtask 3.1: Study design and testing

Subtask 3.1.1: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.2: OMB forms clearance

For any data collection or intervention (e.g., pilot tests, cognitive interviews, structured interviews, focus groups, speak-alouds, etc.) involving 10 or more respondents (students or institutions), the contractor shall prepare an OMB Forms Clearance Package.

In addition, for each package, the contractor shall be prepared to develop material and supplemental information needed for an internal or Departmental Institutional Review Board (IRB) evaluation.

An example of the past NPSAS OMB full packages can be found at this URL:

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewDocument?ref_nbr=202004-1850-004 and https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewIC?ref_nbr=202004-1850- 004&icID=211733. Past NCES cognitive lab packages can be found at this URL:

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAOMBHistory?ombControlNumber=1850-0803

Deliverable #12: OMB Forms Clearance Package(s), change memos, and associated documentation

Subtask 3.1.3: Instrument design and testing

The contractor shall use a variety of techniques (e.g., pilot tests, cognitive interviews, structured interviews, focus groups, speak-alouds, etc.) to test data collection instruments https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewDocument?ref_nbr=202004-1850-004 https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewIC?ref_nbr=202004-1850-004&icID=211733 https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewIC?ref_nbr=202004-1850-004&icID=211733 https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAOMBHistory?ombControlNumber=1850-0803 and to test techniques that will significantly reduce bias of key estimates. The instrument design will draw heavily from previous iterations of NPSAS, BPS, and B&B.

Deliverable #13: Instrument testing results memo

Subtask 3.1.4: Training

The contractor shall develop a set of materials that will be used to train data collection staff (e.g., tracing/location staff, interviewers, institution contactors, quality control monitors, supervisors, personal interviewers [if applicable], transcript coders [if applicable], etc.) how to complete the tasks necessary to conduct the study. Prior to and during the data collection, the contractor shall train data collection staff focusing on customer service, quality control, responsiveness, standardization, refusal conversion, and disclosure avoidance.

Deliverable #14: Training materials

Subtask 3.1.5: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.6: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.7: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.8: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.9: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.10: RESERVED

Subtask 3.1.11: RESERVED

Subtask 3.2: Full-scale data collection

The contractor shall modify all sampling and data collection procedures and systems, including the data collection instruments, as needed, depending upon the results from the design and testing phase in Subtask 3.1 or drawing on information from the previous time the study was fielded. Full-scale data collection shall be conducted with these modified procedures, systems, and instruments. The contractor shall use effective survey design techniques to reduce total error (such as responsive/adaptive design). The full-scale data collection institution data collection and student data collection will be conducted in both English and Spanish.

Subtask 3.2.1: Full-scale sampling

The contractor shall design a full-scale sample that meets the objectives for the study listed in the introduction of this PWS and for Task 3 and clearly document estimated sample sizes and yields. If any assumptions or sample sizes presented in this work statement do not meet the goals or target response rate for the study, the contractor shall make adjustments to the sampling plan to meet these goals and submit it for the COR’s approval.

Deliverable #22: Full scale sampling specifications and final full-scale sample

Subtask 3.2.2: Full-scale OMB forms clearance

The contractor shall prepare the OMB Forms Clearance Package that requests clearance for the full-scale collection. In addition to the clearance package, the contractor shall prepare memos to accompany each package that summarize the changes made from the field test to the full-scale study, if applicable. In addition, the contractor shall prepare memos that address public comments to the Federal Register Notice and that address OMB passback questions, if any are received. In the event that changes are needed to information approved by OMB in a cleared OMB package, the contractor shall develop a memo to document and justify the changes.