RFP - NRC-HQ-12-R-38-0018 - 11-17-2011.docx

NRC-HQ-12-R-38-0018

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1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO.

3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE

4. ORDER NO.

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY

CODE

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS

UNRESTRICTED OR

SET ASIDE:

% FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(EDWOSB)

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ

IFB

RFP

15. DELIVER TO

CODE

16. ADMINISTERED BY

CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER 18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

ITEM NO.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

QUANTITY

UNIT

UNIT PRICE

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only) 27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER) 30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

(REV. 5/2011)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

HR-11-346

8/17/2011

NRC-HQ-12-R-38-0018

11-18-2011 Robert Robinson 301-492-3693 12-14-11 by 12 noon U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Div. of Contracts Attn: Rob Robinson, 301-492-3693 Mail Stop: TWB-01-B10M Washington, DC 20555 X X 611430 $7 Million N/A X U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington DC 20555 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Div. of Contracts Mail Stop: TWB-01-B10M Washington, DC 20555 Department of Interior / NBC NRCPayments@nbc.gov Attn: Fiscal Services Branch - D2770 7301 W. Mansfield Avenue Denver CO 80235-2230 See CONTINUATION Page The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking the services of a contractor to develop and deliver a series of instructor-led courses on evaluating and reviewing root cause investigations written and conducted by others (i.e.

NRC Licensees). More detailed information is provided in the attached solicitation (see statement of work and deliverables).

See CONTINUATION Page X Monique B. Williams Contracting Officer

B.1 PROJECT TITLE

The title of this project is as follows:

"Root Cause Report Evaluation Training"

B.2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WORK (MAR 1987) ALTERNATE 1 (JUN 1988)

(a) Brief description of work: The primary objective of this course is the training of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff members in the efficient and effective review of root cause investigations that were conducted by others (e.g. NRC Licensees) as well as the thorough documentation of such reviews and evaluations. The training shall use proven training methods to evaluate various commercial, light-water-reactor root cause analyses. The root cause investigations utilized in training shall involve incidents or issues associated with commercial light-water-reactors and security thereof, including technical and human performance issues.

(b) Orders will be issued for work required by the NRC in accordance with 52.216-18 - Ordering. Only Contracting Officers of the NRC or other individuals specifically authorized under this contract may authorize the initiation of work under this contract. The provisions of this contract shall govern all orders issued hereunder.

B.3 CONSIDERATION AND OBLIGATION – INDEFINITE QUANTITY CONTRACT (AUG 2011)

(a) The estimated total quantity of his contact for the services under this contract is To Be Determined (TBD).

(b) This contract is subject to the minimum and maximum ordering requirements set forth in the contract.

(c) The amount presently obligated with respect to this contract is $ To Be Determined. The obligated amount shall, at no time, exceed the order ceiling as specified in paragraph (a) above. Any work undertaken by the Contractor in excess of the obligated amount specified above is done so at the Contractor’s sole risk and may not be reimbursed by the Government.

B.4 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

BASE YEAR:

(PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 MONTHS FROM EFFECTIVE DATE OF AWARD)

CLIN

DESCRIPTION

ESTIMATED QUANTITY

UNIT

TOTAL PRICE

TOTAL PRICE FOR BASE YEAR

Note: The government will pay up to the rates specified in the Government Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) for travel destinations.

Lodging and Airfare will be made by the contractor and will be reimbursed for actual costs only, with backup documentation and receipts attached to the invoice.

OPTION YEAR 1: (PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 MONTHS)

CLIN

DESCRIPTION

ESTIMATED QUANTITY

UNIT

TOTAL PRICE

TOTAL PRICE FOR OPTION YEAR 1

Note: The government will pay up to the rates specified in the Government Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) for travel destinations.

Lodging and Airfare will be made by the contractor and will be reimbursed for actual costs only, with backup documentation and receipts attached to the invoice.

OPTION YEAR 2: (PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 MONTHS)

CLIN

DESCRIPTION

ESTIMATED QUANTITY

UNIT

TOTAL PRICE

TOTAL PRICE FOR OPTION YEAR 2

Note: The government will pay up to the rates specified in the Government Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) for travel destinations.

Lodging and Airfare will be made by the contractor and will be reimbursed for actual costs only, with backup documentation and receipts attached to the invoice.

OPTION YEAR 3: (PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 MONTHS)

CLIN

DESCRIPTION

ESTIMATED QUANTITY

UNIT

TOTAL PRICE

TOTAL PRICE FOR OPTION YEAR 3

Note: The government will pay up to the rates specified in the Government Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) for travel destinations.

Lodging and Airfare will be made by the contractor and will be reimbursed for actual costs only, with backup documentation and receipts attached to the invoice.

OPTION YEAR 4: (PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 MONTHS)

CLIN

DESCRIPTION

ESTIMATED QUANTITY

UNIT

TOTAL PRICE

TOTAL PRICE FOR OPTION YEAR 4

GRAND TOTAL- ===========================

B.5 DELIVERY SCHEDULE

B.6 STATEMENT OF WORK

BACKGROUND

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses and inspects commercial reactor facilities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, codes and standards and to identify conditions which may adversely impact the health and safety of workers, the public, and the environment.

The fundamental building blocks that form the framework for the Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) are the seven cornerstones of safety: initiating events, mitigating systems, barrier integrity, emergency preparedness, occupational radiation safety, public radiation safety, and security. These cornerstones have been grouped into three strategic areas: reactor safety, radiation safety, and safeguards. This framework is based on the principle that the agency’s mission of assuring public health and safety is met when the agency has reasonable assurance that licensee’s are meeting the objectives of the seven cornerstones of safety.

The reactor inspection program is an integral part of the ROP, along with performance indicators (PIs), assessment, and enforcement. Reasonable assurance of adequate public health and safety is verified by sampling licensee performance in the seven cornerstone areas of safety. PI data along with risk-informed baseline inspections provide the minimum sampling required to provide this reasonable assurance. Baseline inspections are performed in areas which are not measured or not adequately measured by PIs. The PI program reporting guidelines are in NEI 99-02, “Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline,” Revision 6 (ML092931123) which is endorsed by the NRC.

The NRC assesses licensee performance in the ROP Action Matrix as described in Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 0305, “Operating Reactor Assessment Program” and IMC 0320, “Operating Reactor Security Assessment Program” by considering the safety or security significance of identified findings and PI thresholds to provide a tiered regulatory response. Those licensees who do not exceed PI thresholds and who have no findings or only findings of very low significance receive only baseline inspections without any supplemental inspection. When the licensee performance as assessed in the Action Matrix degrades as a result of risk/security significant findings or a PI threshold being crossed, the NRC will generally perform additional supplemental inspections to address these performance issues in addition to baseline inspections. Supplemental inspections are used to provide additional assurance that significant performance issues are being appropriately identified and corrected to prevent reoccurrence. Supplemental inspections evaluate the adequacy of the licensee’s extent of condition and cause evaluations, root and contributing cause evaluations, and corrective actions. The supplemental inspection procedures (IPs) 95001, “Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs In a Strategic Performance Area”, IP 95002, “Supplemental Inspection for One Degraded Cornerstone or Any Three White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area”, and IP 95003, “Supplemental Inspection for Repetitive Degraded Cornerstones, Multiple Degraded Cornerstones, Multiple Yellow Inputs or One Red Input” are available at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. An overview of these procedures can be found in IMC 2515, Appendix B, “Supplemental Inspection Program” and is available at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/manual-chapter/.

A significant portion of the baseline inspection program is comprised of reviewing the adequacy of licensee corrective action programs (CAPs), including the adequacy of the licensee’s apparent cause and root cause analyses of significant issues. The NRC review of the licensee Problem Identification and Resolution (PI&R) programs including the CAP is particularly important to meeting the objectives of the ROP. Guidance for this portion of the baseline inspection program is contained in Inspection Procedure (IP) 71152, “Problem Identification and Resolution” and is available at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html.

In addition to identifying the seven cornerstones of safety, certain aspects of licensee performance are seen as "cross-cutting" and potentially impacting more than one ROP cornerstone. Aspects of licensee performance such as human performance, safety conscious work environment (SCWE), and PI&R, although not identified as specific cornerstones, are considered important to meeting the agency’s safety mission. These items generally manifest themselves as the root causes of performance problems.

Guidance pertaining to this portion of the assessment process, including the treatment of cross-cutting aspects and performance issues (e.g., ROP findings and PI thresholds exceeded), can be found primarily in:

· IMC 0308, “ROP Basis Document,”

· IMC 0305, “Operating Reactor Assessment Program,”

· IMC 0310, “Components Within The Cross-Cutting Areas,”

· IMC 0612, “Power Reactor Inspection Reports,”

· IMC 0612, Appendix B, “Issue Screening,” and

· IMC 0612, Appendix F, “Examples of Cross-Cutting Aspects.”

These IMCs are available at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/manual-chapter/

The reactive portion of the inspection program provides for a timely, thorough and systematic evaluation of significant events at commercial reactor facilities. Reactive inspections assess the safety or security significance of an event through the collection, analysis and documentation of factual information and evidence sufficient to determine the cause(s), conditions and circumstances pertaining to the event. Facts and safety concerns related to the event are communicated to NRC management, so that appropriate follow-up actions can be taken (e.g., study a generic concern, issue an information notice or bulletin, or issue an enforcement action). Reactive inspections are performed in addition to baseline inspections and may be initiated following an event or equipment malfunction or inoperability.

The inspection guidance pertaining to these reactive inspections is contained in:

· IMC 0309, “Reactive Inspection Decision Basis for Reactors,”

· IP 93800, “Augmented Inspection Team,”

· IP 93812, “Special Inspection,” and

· Management Directive 8.3, “NRC Incident Investigation Program.”

Access to these IMC and IP documents is available at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/

Additionally, overall ROP guidance (as it relates to the evaluation of root cause report evaluations) is contained in:

· 10 CFR 50, Appendix B, Criterion XVI, “Corrective Action” (see http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part050/part050-appb.html),

· IP 95001, “Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs In a Strategic Performance Area,”

· IP 95002, “Supplemental Inspection for One Degraded Cornerstone or Any Three White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area,”

· IP 40001, “Resolution of Employee Concerns,”

· IP 40100, “Independent Safety Culture Assessment Follow-up,”

· IP 93100, “Safety-Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Follow-up,”

· IMC 2515, Appendix D, “Plant Status,” and

· NRC Safety Culture Webpage (http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/safety-culture.html)

Access to these IMC and IP documents is available at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/

CONTRACT OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this contract is the training of NRC staff members in the efficient and effective review and evaluation of root cause investigations that were conducted by others (e.g., NRC Licensees) as well as the through documentation of such reviews and evaluations. The training shall be conducted using state-of-the-art, proven training methods to evaluate many types of commercial, light-water-reactor root cause analyses.

The root cause investigations utilized in the training shall involve incidents or issues associated with commercial light-water-reactors and security thereof, including technical and human performance issues.

SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor shall furnish qualified personnel and services to develop training and presentation materials and present the training identified below. The contractor shall update and maintain training materials and presentations current.

TASK 1 - Develop a Root Cause Report Evaluation Course (G-204)

Root Cause Report Evaluation training shall be no more than three (3) days in duration, and shall be presented in a combination of lectures and workshops. The contractor may assume that students taking this course will have completed a basic root cause analysis course as a prerequisite and will be familiar with basic root cause techniques. This training shall cover advanced root cause topical areas with a focus on evaluating rather than performing root cause analyses. Among the topical areas that shall be covered as part of this training are extent of condition and extent of cause reviews, root cause depth, and common organizational and management issues. The students shall be provided with examples as appropriate to emphasize the importance of the Root Cause Report evaluation process and demonstrate how it has been effectively employed in relevant situations.

The contractor shall accomplish the training using one or more of the following methods: direct instruction, hands-on activities, problem solving, group discussions or any other method(s) deemed appropriate by the contractor and approved by the NRC Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

The desired outcome of this training is for the students to acquire sufficient and applicable understanding of the use of analytical techniques as necessary to ensure that the root cause(s) of issues have been adequately identified and that appropriate and effective corrective actions have been taken to prevent recurrence and protect the health and safety of occupationally and nonoccupationally exposed workers and members of the public.

Successful accomplishment of the desired outcome shall be determined by evaluating:

· student performance during classroom exercises,

· the course evaluations performed by the students, and

· course observations by the NRC COR or designee, as specified in section C.6.

As part of this training, case studies (e.g., sample root cause reports or previously performed root cause reports) shall be provided to re-enforce the concepts covered in class. The students will be expected to work in teams to evaluate the adequacy of the root cause reports provided with each student providing input to the evaluation of the root cause reports. Methods of documenting the adequacy of the root cause reports will be provided, including the review of applicable portions of actual NRC supplemental inspections (e.g., 95002 and 95003 inspection reports).

Upon completion of the training provided, the students shall possess the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to evaluate the adequacy of a root cause report generated by someone else and possess the ability to document such a review as specified in the governing inspection procedure.

Materials to be developed and provided by contractor in support of training:

a. Student materials including learning objectives, textual materials, presentations and visual aids. Any textual material (excluding Microsoft PowerPoint presentations) shall be formatted as described in HRTD Operating Procedure 0408 “Training Material Style Guide” (copy to be provided).

b. Instructor’s guide including detailed lesson plans for presenting the course.

c. At least one major Case Study and several minor Case Studies (root cause reports either real or constructed) which contain weaknesses that students will be expected to identify. If constructed, the reports will be based on actual events or hypothetical events of a realistic nature. The reports shall address events related to commercial, light-water nuclear reactors.

d. Selection of applicable portions of actual NRC supplemental inspection reports which document the review and conclusions of licensee root cause report using NRC IP 95002 and 95003.

Attendance at the Post Award meeting discussed in Task 1 shall be considered to be a part of course development, and shall be reimbursed as such.

At the conclusion of this training, students shall be able to perform functions such as those specified in NRC IPs 95001, 95002 and 95003 (see http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html), including documenting the results of these inspections as specified by the governing IP.

The following objectives should be used as guide:

Terminal Objectives:

The lectures and exercises must prepare the student who has completed root cause training to demonstrate the skills necessary to perform the following:

a. Determine if the problem was evaluated by the licensee using an appropriate systematic method(s) to identify root cause(s) and contributing cause(s).

b. Determine if the root cause evaluation was conducted by the licensee to a level of detail commensurate with the significance of the problem.

c. Determine if the root cause evaluation included a consideration of prior occurrences of the problem and knowledge of prior operating experience.

d. Determine if the root cause evaluation addresses the extent of condition and the extent of cause of the problem.

e. Determine if safety culture components caused or significantly contributed to the problem.

f. Determine if the corrective action(s) specified for each root/contributing cause is appropriate or that there is an evaluation that no actions are necessary.

g. Determine if the corrective actions have been appropriately prioritized with consideration of the risk significance and regulatory compliance.

h. Determine if the schedule established for implementing and completing the corrective actions appropriately reflects the item’s risk significance and regulatory compliance.

i. Determine if the quantitative or qualitative measures of success have been developed for determining the effectiveness of the corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Enabling Objectives: PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

a. Assess when and by whom the problem was identified to determine if the licensee could have identified the problem at a precursor level.

b. Assess if the licensee evaluated whether or not there were prior opportunities for correction.

Enabling Objectives: ROOT CAUSE, EXTENT OF CONDITION AND EXTENT OF CAUSE EVALUATION

a. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different root cause methodologies in sufficient detail to assess the adequacy of the methods selected by the licensee.

b. Understand when it is appropriate to use multi-disciplinary teams and/or different and complimentary methods to determine root cause. For example, correctly identify the methods appropriate for hardware versus human performance.

c. Understand how to ensure if the root cause evaluation has been conducted to an appropriate depth and has fully identified the root, contributory, programmatic causes associated with a problem and that any relationships that may exist among the different causes are identified.

d. Understand how to ensure that other root and contributing causes were not ruled out inappropriately due to assumptions made as a part of the analysis.

e. Understand how to ensure that the evaluation considered indications of higher level problems with a process or system.

f. Understand the characteristics of corrective actions to ensure they are targeted to prevent the same or similar problems from recurring.

g. Understand how a review for extent of condition would differ from a review for the extent of cause.

Enabling Objective: CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

a. Understand how to discriminate between measures of success and effectiveness and measures of completeness.

TASK 2 - Presentation of Root Cause Analysis Course (G-204)

Root Cause Report Evaluation Training shall be no more than three days in duration, and shall be presented in a combination of lectures and workshops. The students shall be expected to work in teams to investigate each case study, applying the methods and techniques discussed during the lecture portions of the course and produce a final report. Each student on each team is expected to contribute to the final report and present a portion of the final briefing.

The Root Cause Report Evaluation course shall be attended by NRC inspectors having commercial reactor-related inspection responsibilities. The students should be divided as much as possible into teams that balance their knowledge, skills and abilities (i.e., evenly spread the staff amongst the teams).

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall conduct all course activities in strict compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).

The contractor shall ensure that all of the training materials reflect current NRC policy, procedures, regulations and guidance at the time training is conducted.

Training materials and presentations shall always reflect current, up-to-date technical information and root cause methodologies.

COURSE SCHEDULING, LOCATION AND CANCELLATION

The NRC COR will issue written or electronic delivery orders to order course offerings, which will include course dates, location, number of attendees, etc.

The contractor shall travel to the training location specified by the COR. Training may be conducted anywhere in the United States, but will generally be offered at one of the following NRC locations: Atlanta, GA; Arlington, TX; King of Prussia, PA; Lisle, IL; Chattanooga, TN; Bethesda, MD; and Rockville, MD.

The NRC may reschedule or cancel any session without obligation to the government should the NRC determine no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the time that a course session is to begin that the need is insufficient to conduct the training or some other unanticipated event has occurred.

INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The proposed contractor personnel must have experience in the development and presentation of training materials as appropriate. At least ten (10) years of documented experience evaluating root cause analyses for the commercial light-water, nuclear power industry is required, and at least ten (10) years of commercial light-water, nuclear power industry related training experience is required. Proposed instructors must possess ten (10) years of classroom instructional experience teaching the evaluation of commercial, light-water nuclear reactor root cause reports to commercial, light-water nuclear reactor audiences. Key personnel who will prepare the course materials and/or perform the on-site instruction as described above must be identified and resumes of education, training and experience provided for each.

Training development specialists and instructors should be familiar with the following documents:

· 10 CFR 50, Appendix B (Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants), Criterion XVI, “Corrective Action,”

· IMC 0309, “Reactive Inspection Decision Basis for Reactors,”

· IMC 2515, Appendix B, “Supplemental Inspection Program,”

· IMC 2515, Appendix D, “Plant Status,”

· IP 40100, “Independent Safety Culture Assessment Follow-up,”

· IP 71152, “Problem Identification and Resolution,”

· IP 71153, “Event Follow-up,”

· IP 93800, “Augmented Inspection Team,”

· IP 93812, “Special Inspection,”

· IP 95001, “Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs In a Strategic Performance Area,”

· IP 95002, “Supplemental Inspection for One Degraded Cornerstone or Any Three White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area,”

· IP 95003, “Supplemental Inspection for Repetitive Degraded Cornerstones, Multiple Degraded Cornerstones, Multiple Yellow Inputs or One Red Input,”

· IP 95003.02, “Guidance for Conducting an Independent NRC Safety Culture Assessment,”

· MD 8.3, “NRC Incident Investigation Program,”

· NUREG-1303, “Incident Investigation Manual,” and

· NUREG/CR-5455, “NRC’s Human Performance Investigation Process.”

Access to IMC, IP, MD and NUREG documents is available at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/#insm.

The qualification of proposed development and instructor personnel shall be based on the resumes provided.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The students who participate in this training will be employees of the NRC, the Agreement States or other Federal agencies; on occasion, as authorized by the NRC COR, representatives of foreign regulatory agencies or others may be permitted to attend.

a. Class size will be limited to 16 students for each course.

Other sites within the US are possible. The unit price of each course will remain fixed irrespective of the location. Travel costs for each location will be reimbursed per the Federal Travel Regulations billable against a separate reimbursable contract line item.

See NRCAR clause 2052.215-77.

c. Additional course information

(1) Students shall be split into teams for work on the case studies. Since students will register for the course independently, the composition of each team will be determined by the contractor. The contractor shall attempt to even out the level of knowledge and experience of each team.

(2) Classes shall typically start no earlier than 8:00 AM and end no later than 5:00 PM with reasonable breaks about every hour and one hour for lunch. Unless specifically requested by the COR, the course shall typically be held from Tuesday through Thursday.

(3) The NRC shall provide facilities for conducting the course and basic support such as computers and projectors, flip charts, paper, pens and other miscellaneous supplies. Any unique requirements may have to be provided by the contractor if they are not available from the NRC.

(4) The contractor shall provide all training materials including applicable copies of NRC documents, which are available for download from the NRC’s public website or will be provided by the COR.

(5) The NRC shall be responsible for preparing course announcements and registering students.

(6) The contractor shall arrive in sufficient time prior to the start of each class to check/setup the training room, lay out course materials, prepare equipment, etc. as necessary.

(7) On the first day of each class, the contractor shall ensure required student information forms and other administrative actions are completed.

(8) At the conclusion of each course, the contractor shall work with the NRC course coordinator to restore the classroom to its previous condition for use by subsequent instructors. The contractor shall be responsible for transporting or shipping their own support materials after the course. The NRC shall be responsible for shipping student materials to the students after the course.

(9) The NRC reserves the right to supplement course presentations with NRC experts if deemed necessary. These experts would be used to further amplify certain topics, and/or answer questions that may arise regarding NRC policy or procedures. Specific times for participation of these guest speakers shall be coordinated between the contractor and the COR. If any portion of the course is taught by NRC or invited guest speakers, the NRC shall furnish the training materials (texts, presentations etc) for those guest lectures.

CONTRACT MONITORING

The NRC COR or an individual designated by the COR may monitor courses to ensure that the quality of instruction and the materials provided are adequate, up-to-date, and meet the Agency’s requirements.

The instructors shall be expected to:

a. Maintain control of the learning time so that the presentation of information and the case studies remain organized and timely, key points and course objectives are met, and reasonable breaks are provided within the overall course schedule.

b. Control distractions, such as questions that are of minimal interest to the class as a whole and that can be answered later and/or individually.

c. Observe the effect of the instruction on the class and reasonably attempt to clarify, provide examples, or in some way, direct the course to help correct problems and improve the participant’s opportunity to learn.

d. Improve materials and correct errors or other problems that may occur during a course.

MILESTONES/DELIVERABLES

Within thirty (30) days of contract award, the contractor shall participate in a one-day meeting (8 hours max) with the NRC COR and designated NRC technical representatives. The meeting shall take place at the NRC Technical Training Center located in Chattanooga, TN. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed course content, lesson objectives, case studies and material preparation. Some NRC individuals may participate via video- or tele-conference. The date for this meeting shall be mutually agreed upon by the contractor and the NRC COR consistent with the Contract Milestones. Furthermore, this meeting may be canceled or rescheduled based upon mutual agreement of the NRC COR and the contractor.

Any costs associated with this meeting shall be wages for no more than two contractor staff and will be included in Task 1. Travel, lodging and per-diem associated with this task will be reimbursed consistent with federal travel regulation expense limits.

Within fifteen (15) days of the meeting specified above – one paper copy and one electronic copy of draft Student and Instructor Manual outlines and all case study outlines shall be submitted to the NRC COR for review.

Within forty five (45) days of receipt of written comments (e-mail acceptable) from the COR – one paper copy and one electronic copy of draft Student and Instructor Manuals, handouts, case studies and visual aids shall be submitted to the NRC COR for review.

Within thirty (30) days of receipt of written comments (e-mail acceptable) from the COR – one paper copy and one electronic copy of final course materials including case studies shall be submitted to the NRC COR. The contractor shall be ready to present the first course on a mutually agreed upon date specified in a delivery order or in a modification to the contract.

The contractor shall provide all course materials in both paper format (hard copy) and electronic format (CD or DVD) using MS Office 2007 or 2010 software compatible with that used by the NRC. A copy of any video to be used will also be provided on DVD. The contractor may propose alternate formats but must be prior approved in writing by the NRC COR.

DELIVERABLES

COURSE REPORT

Within thirty (30) days of the completion of each course offering, the contractor shall submit a Course Presentation Report to the NRC COR. This report must be delivered before the invoice is submitted to NRC for reimbursement for course presentation. The report, preferably an electronic copy in Adobe PDF format, shall contain:

a. A cover letter report discussing course accomplishments, problems and recommendations for improvement. The recommendations shall consider any verbal student feedback provided and any written evaluations submitted by non-NRC students.

b. A summary of the strengths and weaknesses of each student’s contribution to the exercise report and presentation. The contractor shall review the written reports submitted by the students to determine the level of understanding of the concepts taught and how they are applied.

c. Scanned copies of Student Information Sheets in an Adobe PDF format.

d. One copy, electronic preferred (paper copy acceptable) of the materials provided to the students or used to support the course (e.g., student manual, instructors manual, handouts and visuals) if different from those provided previously to the NRC COR.

FINAL REPORT

The contractor shall submit a final report by the end date of the contract or within thirty (30) days of the final course presentation, whichever is later. The report (electronic preferred) shall be sent to the COR and to the Contracting Officer. The report shall include as a minimum:

a. A technical report of the work completed;

b. Any problems or delays encountered and their solutions; and

c. Recommendations for improvements.

The contractor shall also return to the COR all government furnished materials and shall transfer to the COR all materials developed by the contractor at the expense of the government. Training materials shall be provided in both paper and electronic copies (original format such as Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010 and Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or 2010, not Adobe PDF).

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT/PROPERTY

a. The NRC shall furnish the contractor with the following:

(1) An electronic copy of a Student Information Sheet, which the contractor shall issue to each student at the beginning of each course and collect at the conclusion of the first day.

(2) The NRC website location where relevant documents (e.g., NRC regulations, Regulatory Guides, information notices, bulletins, etc.) may be downloaded for use in development of the training materials or for distribution to students during the training (see http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/). In those instances where the contractor requires an NRC document which is not available for download, the NRC COR shall provide a copy (electronic or hard copy) to the contractor, assuming it is available.

(3) Basic equipment required by the contractor to make the presentations (e.g., flipcharts, projectors, computers, etc). The NRC COR shall ensure that the equipment is available at each designated training location for use by the contractor along with disposable items such as paper, pens, pencils, highlighters etc.

(4) A copy of HRTD Operating Procedure 0408 “Training Material Style Guide” for development of any texts (excluding PowerPoint Presentations).

b. Only the equipment/property listed above in the quantities shown shall be provided by the Government. This property is subject to the provisions of the Government Property clause under this contract. All other equipment/property required in performance of the contract shall be furnished by the contractor.

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The contractor shall provide all necessary instructional materials including student texts, instructor manuals, case studies, handouts and audio-visual media for the conduct of the class. Copies of all these materials shall be provided to the NRC COR in both electronic format and hard copy. The software used by the contractor shall be compatible with the software used by the COR (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or 2010, Microsoft Excel 2007 or 2010, etc.) at the time the materials are provided. All of the materials used during the training (e.g., manuals, case studies, visual aids etc) shall be non-proprietary and shall become the property of the NRC. The NRC retains rights to these materials and may distribute them to anyone without restriction.

The contractor shall provide qualified instructors who are well versed in all topics to be covered, who are capable of answering in-depth questions on each topic and who shall provide the required training in accordance with the contract.

The contractor shall designate an individual who shall be responsible for supervising the performance of work under the contract and who shall perform quality assurance in meeting the objectives and goals of the training. This designated individual is not required to be present during all training but shall be the point-of-contact for any problems which may arise.

Quality Assurance Plan

The NRC COR shall review the contractor’s Course and Case Study development submissions to ensure that all materials meet contract requirements. The NRC COR will also review the Course Presentation Reports, student evaluations, monitored course feedback and the Final Contract Report.

ACRONYMS

CAP = Corrective Action Program CFR = Code of Federal Regulations CO = Contracting Officer COR = Contracting Officer’s Representative CS = Contract Specialist FY = Fiscal Year (October 1 - September 30) IMC = Inspection Manual Chapter IP = Inspection Procedure MD = Management Directive NRC = Nuclear Regulatory Commission PI = Performance Indicators PI&R = Problem Identification and Resolution PDC = Professional Development Center RC = Root Cause ROP = Reactor Oversight Program TTC = NRC Technical Training Center

DEFINITIONS

Action Matrix - a matrix, contained in Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, and used by the NRC to determine the appropriate regulatory response to plant performance issues.

Agency - another name for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - The Code of Federal Regulations is a codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. The CFR is divided into 50 titles which represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation. Each title is divided into chapters which usually bear the name of the issuing agency. Each chapter is further subdivided into parts covering specific regulatory areas.

Common Cause - multiple failures (i.e., two or more) of plant equipment or processes attributable to a shared cause.

Consequences - the actual or potential outcome of an identified problem or condition.

Contributing Cause(s) - causes that by themselves would not create the problem, but are important enough to be recognized as needing corrective action. Contributing causes are sometimes referred to as causal factors. Causal factors are those actions, conditions, or events which directly or indirectly influence the outcome of a situation or problem.

Direct Instruction - classroom teaching where an instructor conveys information to the students verbally with the assistance of audio-visual aids (e.g., marker board, flip charts, view graphs, slides, videos, computerized presentations, etc.).

Exercise (see also Hands-On Activities and Problem Solving) - a process whereby students review a scenario of a real or hypothetical event to draw relevant conclusions concerning the root cause(s).

Extent of Cause - the extent to which the root causes of an identified problem have impacted other plant processes, equipment, or human performance.

Extent of Condition - the extent to which the actual condition exists with other plant processes, equipment, or human performance.

Federal Lodging Rate - the current amount allotted by the federal government for hotel reimbursement for federal employees. The amount for each geographic locality is available on-line at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287. The amount covers the basic hotel room charge excluding any taxes or surcharges.

Fiscal Year (FY) - the government financial year beginning October 1 and ending September 30.

Guest Speaker - A speaker invited by the NRC COR to participate in the training. Guest Speakers may be NRC employees, employees of other federal or state government agencies or any other individual whom the COR considers to have expertise in the relevant material.

Hands-On Activities (see also Problem Solving and Exercise) - students are given the opportunity to review a scenario of an actual or created event and then attempt to evaluate the root cause(s) of the event.

Human Performance Case Study - a scenario involving a human performance related issue.

Instructor's Manual - the text used by the instructor during the course. The instructor's manual shall be of sufficient detail such that a qualified individual who has not previously conducted the course could be expected to present the student material in an organized and effective manner.

Licensee - an entity such as a nuclear power plant, a hospital or university, which has been granted a license by the NRC or an Agreement State to possess and use radioactive material.

Problem Solving (see also Hands-On Activities and Exercise) - students are provided with the opportunity to review, either individually or in teams, a scenario of an actual or hypothetical event for the purpose of determining the root cause(s).

Contracting Officer Representative (COR) - is designated by the Contracting Officer as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Proven Root Cause Methods - Root Cause methods which have been successfully used to evaluate actual incidents or accidents. The verification that the Root Cause methods proposed by the contractor are “proven” shall be partially based on the list of “satisfied customers” provided with the proposal.

Reactor Case Study - a scenario involving an incident at a US Nuclear Power Plant.

Repeat Occurrences - two or more independent conditions which are the result of the same basic causes.

Root Cause(s) - the basic reason(s) (i.e., hardware, process, human performance), for a problem, which if corrected, will prevent recurrence of that problem.

Safety Conscious Working Environment - a work environment where employees are encouraged to raise safety concerns and where concerns are promptly reviewed, given the proper priority based on their potential safety significance, and appropriately resolved with timely feedback to the originator of the concerns and to other employees Safety Culture - The core values and behaviors resulting from a collective commitment by leaders and individuals to emphasize safety over competing goals to ensure protection of people and the environment.

Scenario - a collection of documented information relating to a hypothetical incident/accident. By analysis of the information provided and, in some cases, additional information obtained from interviews of “characters” included in the scenario, the students are able to draw conclusions concerning the root cause(s) of the incident/accident.

Student Manual - the volume used by the students during the course which may consist of formal text or PowerPoint slides.

NRC-HQ-12-R-38-0018 Section B

SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES

C.1 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS--COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JUN 2010)

(a) Inspection/Acceptance. The Contractor shall only tender for acceptance those items that conform to the requirements of this contract. The Government reserves the right to inspect or test any supplies or services that have been tendered for acceptance. The Government may require repair or replacement of nonconforming supplies or reperformance of nonconforming services at no increase in contract price. If repair/replacement or reperformance will not correct the defects or is not possible, the Government may seek an equitable price reduction or adequate consideration for acceptance of nonconforming supplies or services. The Government must exercise its post-acceptance rights-

(1) Within a reasonable time after the defect was discovered or should have been discovered; and

(2) Before any substantial change occurs in the condition of the item, unless the change is due to the defect in the item.

(b) Assignment. The Contractor or its assignee may assign its rights to receive payment due as a result of performance of this contract to a bank, trust company, or other financing institution, including any Federal lending agency in accordance with the Assignment of Claims Act (31 U.S.C. 3727). However, when a third party makes payment (e.g., use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card), the Contractor may not assign its rights to receive payment under this contract.

(c) Changes. Changes in the terms and conditions of this contract may be made only by written agreement of the parties.

(d) Disputes. This contract is subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, as amended (41 U.S.C. 601-613). Failure of the parties to this contract to reach agreement on any request for equitable adjustment, claim, appeal or action arising under or relating to this contract shall be a dispute to be resolved in accordance with the clause at FAR 52.233-1, Disputes, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Contractor shall proceed diligently with performance of this contract, pending final resolution of any dispute arising under the contract.

(e) Definitions. The clause at FAR 52.202-1, Definitions, is incorporated herein by reference.

(f) Excusable delays. The Contractor shall be liable for default unless nonperformance is caused by an occurrence beyond the reasonable control of the Contractor and without its fault or negligence such as, acts of God or the public enemy, acts of the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, strikes, unusually severe weather, and delays of common carriers. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing as soon as it is reasonably possible after the commencement of any excusable delay, setting forth the full particulars in connection therewith, shall remedy such occurrence with all reasonable dispatch, and shall promptly give written notice to the Contracting Officer of the cessation of such occurrence.

(g) Invoice.

(1) The Contractor shall submit an original invoice and three copies(or electronic invoice, if authorized) to the address designated in the contract to receive invoices. An invoice must include-

(i) Name and address of the Contractor;

(ii) Invoice date and number;

(iii) Contract number, contract line item number and, if applicable, the order number;

(iv) Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price and extended price of the items delivered;

(v) Shipping number and date of shipment, including the bill of lading number and weight of shipment if shipped on Government bill of lading;

(vi) Terms of any discount for prompt payment offered;

(vii) Name and address of official to whom payment is to be sent;

(viii) Name, title, and phone number of person to notify…