HomVEE Draft PWS.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children Families

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING SERVICES

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Performance Work Statement for the

Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) Review

October 30, 2024

Table of Contents

1.0 General

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Objective

1.3 Scope of Work

1.4 Background

1.5 Type of Contract Contemplated .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.6 Period of Performance

1.7 Place of Performance

1.8 Recognized Holidays

1.9 Applicable Documents

2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks

BASE

OPTIONAL SERVICES COMPONENT 1 (OPTION 1 - KEY)

OPTIONAL SERVICES COMPONENT 2 (OPTION 2 - KEY)

OPTIONAL SERVICES COMPONENT 3 (OPTION 3 - NON-KEY)

3.0 Contractor Quality Assurance

4.0 Delivery or Deliverables

5.0 Meetings

6.0 Required Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

7.0 Special Instructions

8.0 Government Furnished Property/Equipment/Information

Performance Work Statement (PWS) for the

Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness Systematic Review (HomVEE)

1.0 General

1.1 Introduction

The mission of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to foster health and well-being by providing federal leadership, partnership, and resources for the compassionate and effective delivery of human services. The mission of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) is to study the ACF programs and the children and families they serve through rigorous research and evaluation projects.

The purpose of this task order is to conduct and support a review of the evidence base for home visiting models serving families with pregnant people and young children from birth to kindergarten entry for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Specifically, the Contractor will efficiently continue the work of the current Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) systematic review as well as advance innovations and improvements to the review and dissemination of review findings. Activities include: conducting reviews of model effectiveness; updating HomVEE procedures and standards, as needed; and other related activities.

1.2 Objective

Since its inception in 2009, the HomVEE review has evolved to address changes in the home visiting field and better meet the needs of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. In addition to continuing HomVEE’s ongoing work, a key goal of this task order is to advance innovations and improvements to the review and dissemination of review findings. It is expected that this task order may address potential updates to the review and procedures, including but not necessarily limited to alignment with any updated HHS criteria for evidence of effectiveness.

Alignment with Updated HHS Criteria for Evidence of Effectiveness. To determine whether a model is evidence based, HomVEE reviews research according to published standards and procedures and assesses eligible findings against the HHS criteria for evidence of effectiveness. For the first time since the inception of the review, ACF, in coordination with HRSA, is considering making updates to the HHS criteria. OPRE expects that if the HHS criteria are updated, HomVEE will revise relevant procedures, standards, processes, web content, and products to reflect any final updates that are known at the time of award.

Related objectives of this task order include but are not limited to:

https://homvee.acf.hhs.gov/about-us/hhs-criteria

• Aligning the HomVEE review with other relevant policy changes, if applicable;

• Ensuring the information provided on model effectiveness and implementation is useful and relevant to stakeholders and decision makers;

• Aligning HomVEE review procedures and standards with emerging best practices in systematic review methodology;

• Enhancing the efficiency of the annual review process;

• Ensuring the HomVEE website is easy to use, engaging, accessible, and high quality;

• Ensuring products are user friendly, plain language, and use data visualization where possible;

• Developing creative approaches to disseminating results and information; and

• Implementing other innovations and improvements to HomVEE activities.

Promoting innovation and efficiency are important priorities for this task order. ACF strongly encourages proposals that include improvements that enhance the efficiency, operation, quality, and user-friendliness, and dissemination of the review. Additionally, ACF welcomes proposals that include partnerships with academic researchers who are at the forefront of systematic review methodology and evidence-based policy. All partners will be required to submit conflict of interest and non-disclosure agreement forms, as appropriate.

1.3 Scope of Work

The Contractor shall furnish the necessary qualified personnel, equipment, materials, supplies, services, facilities, and otherwise do all that is necessary for, or incidental to, the performance of the work set forth below. Respondents responding to this SOW may propose alternative approaches in addition to addressing the tasks as proposed by the government; justification for alternatives (e.g., cost efficiency, etc.) must be provided with any alternatives proposed.

Respondents are expected to draw on their own expertise to propose the most effective approach to addressing the tasks. The contractor is expected to work with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to refine the activities and proposed plans once contract is awarded.

1.4 Background

Home visiting is a service delivery mechanism that aims to improve outcomes by providing supports in the home environment. Currently, multiple early childhood home visiting models serve families with pregnant people and young children from birth to kindergarten entry. These programs differ in their philosophical orientation or theory of change; outcomes targeted for intervention; training and qualifications of staff who provide these services; and characteristics of service recipients (Duggan et al., 2018; National Home Visiting Resource Center [NHVRC] 2023).

The mission of the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) review is to conduct a thorough and transparent review of the research literature on home visiting for families with pregnant people and young children from birth to kindergarten entry. The HomVEE review was launched in 2009 by the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF), Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS).

One critical use of HomVEE’s results is to determine which home visiting models meet the HHS criteria for an “evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery model,” a key requirement of eligibility for programs implemented with funding from the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. Created in 2010, the MIECHV Program provides funding to states, territories, and tribal entities to implement home visiting models.

MIECHV awardees have the flexibility to tailor their programs to serve the specific needs of their communities. They perform a needs assessment to identify at-risk communities and select the best home visiting service delivery models for their state and/or local needs.

As per MIECHV’s authorizing statute, state and territory awardees must spend the majority of their MIECHV Program grants to implement evidence-based home visiting models, with up to 25 percent of funding available to implement promising approaches that will undergo rigorous evaluation. In accordance with the flexibility provided by the MIECHV legislation for grants to tribal organizations, Tribal MIECHV grantees can use up to 100 percent of their grants for promising approaches.

Congress extended authorization for the MIECHV Program in December 2022. Known as the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022, section 6101 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328) doubled the investment in the MIECHV Program from $400,000,000 in FY 2022 to $800,000,000 in FY 2027. MIECHV-funded states and jurisdictions served more than 69,000 families in FY 2022.

ACF's Evaluation Policy demonstrates ACF’s commitment to conducting rigorous, relevant evaluations and to using evidence from evaluations to inform policy and practice. The five principles of ACF’s Evaluation Policy are: rigor, relevance, transparency, independence, and ethics. It is expected that the work described above will be carried out in accordance with the following principles.

Rigor. ACF is committed to using the most rigorous methods that are appropriate to the research questions and feasible within budget and other constraints. Rigor requires ensuring that inferences about cause and effect are well founded (internal validity); requires clarity about the populations, settings, or circumstances to which results can be generalized (external validity);

and requires the use of measures that accurately capture the intended information (measurement reliability and validity). When conclusions about program efficacy or effectiveness are examined, studies should use methods that isolate to the greatest extent possible the impacts of the programs or services from other influences, such as trends over time, geographic variation, or https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmchb.hrsa.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fmchb%2Fabout-us%2Fprogram-brief.pdf&data=05%7C02%7Cshirley.adelstein%40acf.hhs.gov%7Ca5a3b0e7af92439bb30208dc79c9e4e8%7Cd58addea50534a808499ba4d944910df%7C0%7C0%7C638519155897869339%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZNXoetMuXMGex%2BuWgVZ1SKbAf1w8J0D8Mvh2aNs%2B8rI%3D&reserved=0 http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/acf_evaluation_policy_november_2013.pdf pre-existing differences between participants and non-participants. For such causal questions, experimental approaches are preferred. When experimental approaches are not feasible, high-quality quasi-experiments offer an alternative.

Relevance. It is ACF’s policy to integrate both use of existing evidence and opportunities for further learning into all activities. To be most relevant, research and evaluation work should take into account legislative requirements and Congressional interests and should reflect the interests and needs of ACF and OPRE staff and leadership; ACF partners such as states, territories, tribes, and local grantees; the populations served; researchers; and other stakeholders. As appropriate, ACF will encourage, incentivize or require grantees to use existing evidence of effective strategies in designing or selecting service approaches. The emphasis on evidence is meant to support, not inhibit, innovation, improvement, and learning. Finally, findings must be disseminated in ways that are accessible and useful to policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

Transparency, Data Archiving, and Dissemination. ACF values transparency in research and evaluation and is committed to making information about planned, ongoing, and completed evaluations easily accessible. Any research conducted under this task order must be registered with an appropriate registry (e.g., Campbell Collaboration, Cochrane Collaboration, PROSPERO) prior to the initiation of data collection. Review protocols should be specified in advance.

Further, ACF is interested in ensuring that its research and evaluation work is disseminated to a range of relevant audiences throughout the course of project activities. Ongoing and continuous activities are considered essential to a strong dissemination approach. Audiences that may be appropriate include, but are not limited to: policy-makers, intermediaries, researchers, advocates and opinion leaders, program administrators, training and technical assistance providers, and practitioners. ACF is particularly interested in the creation of project dissemination plans that identify specific audiences and approaches and products to disseminate to those audiences. ACF is also interested in dissemination plans that use new and emerging media, as well as innovative approaches to dissemination products.

Independence and Active Engagement. ACF’s evaluation policy upholds the idea that independence and objectivity are core principles of evaluation. Agency and program leadership, program staff, service providers, populations and communities studied, and others participate actively in setting evaluation priorities, identifying evaluation questions, and assessing the implications of findings to help ensure the relevance of the work. While active engagement of groups and individuals who are invested in the outcomes of evaluation can support relevance as well as the accuracy of program implementation details, it is important to insulate evaluation functions from undue influence and from both the appearance and the reality of bias. To promote objectivity, ACF protects independence in the design, execution, analysis, and reporting of evaluations, as outlined in the evaluation policy.

ACF aims to be informed by the practice and empirical knowledge available to inform such topics as measurement choices, technical assistance, training and site support, and the contextualizing of findings. Meaningful involvement of groups and individuals in the evaluation may increase the rigor of the activities of the task order itself as well as understanding, acceptance, and utilization of evaluation findings. Groups and individuals who are invested in the outcomes of research or evaluation include agency and federal, state or local program leadership, program staff (both at ACF and at the grantee or other programs being evaluated), service providers, developers of innovations or practices, participants in the programs, and the communities where programs occur. As appropriate, groups and individuals should have the opportunity for input at multiple phases of a project, but this input must be accomplished in a transparent way while safeguarding the objectivity and independence of the study.

Ethics and Data Safety. ACF-sponsored research is conducted in an ethical manner; safeguards the dignity, rights, safety and privacy of participants; and complies with both the spirit and the letter of relevant requirements such as regulations governing research involving human subjects.

ACF is committed to ensuring that information collected as part of this task order is maintained and stored securely.

References

Duggan, A., Portilla, X.A., Filene, J.H., Crowne, S.S., Hill, C.J., Lee, H., & Knox, V. (2018).

Implementation of evidence-based early childhood home visiting: results from the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation. (OPRE Report 2018-76A). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

National Home Visiting Resource Center. (2023). 2023 Home Visiting Yearbook. James Bell

Associates and the Urban Institute. Available at https://nhvrc.org/yearbook/2023-yearbook/. Accessed May 20, 2024.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). The Maternal Infant, and Early

Childhood Home Visiting Program: Partnering with parents to help children succeed.

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. Available at https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/about-us/program-brief.pdf Accessed May 20, 2024.

1.5 Contract Type

Cost Plus Fixed Fee

1.6 Period of Performance

OPRE expects to award this task order in fiscal year 2025, with the Base services component awarded around June 2025 in lieu of an annual review, and the first exercise of Optional Services Component 1 (Option 1) around September 2026. Expected periods of performance are estimates and are subject to change based on agency needs.

Services Component Expected Period of Performance BASE June 30, 2025 - December 29, 2026 OSC 1.A (Option 1.A) September 30, 2026 - December 29, 2027 OSC 1.B (Option 1.B) September 30, 2027 - December 29, 2028 OSC 1.C (Option 1.C) September 30, 2028 - December 29, 2029 OSC 2 (Option 2) September 30, 2027 - September 29, 2029 OSC 3.A (Option 3.A) September 30, 2026 - September 29, 2028 OSC 3.B (Option 3.B) September 30, 2026 - September 29, 2028 OSC 3.C (Option 3.C) September 30, 2027 - September 29, 2029 OSC 3.D (Option 3.D) September 30, 2027 - September 29, 2029 OSC 3.E (Option 3.E) September 30, 2028 - September 29, 2030 OSC 3.F (Option 3.F) September 30, 2028 - September 29, 2030 OSC 3.G (Option 3.G) September 30, 2029 - June 29, 2030 OSC 3.H (Option 3.H) September 30, 2029 - June 29, 2030 OSC 3.I (Option 3.I) September 30, 2029 - June 29, 2030

1.7 Place of Performance

The work to be performed under this task order will be performed at the Contractor’s address and may include multiple states and localities.

1.8 Recognized Holidays

New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day President’s Day Veteran’s Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Independence Day Christmas Day Juneteenth

1.9 Applicable Documents

Plain Language Checklist (Attachment 1) Clear Communications Checklist (Attachment 2)

Inclusive Language Checklist (Attachment 3) Guidance for OPRE Product Preparation and Review (Attachment 4) Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) (Attachment 5) ACF Security, Privacy and Task Standard Language for Acquisitions (Attachment 6) Bidding Assumptions (Attachment 7)

2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks

BASE

Purpose: Conduct activities necessary to align HomVEE review procedures, standards, processes, products, and web content with any updates made to the review, as well as any relevant policy changes, if applicable.

End Product of Value: Updated website, handbook, and materials for conducting the review.

The Contractor shall be responsible for:

Task 1: Project Management and Team Communication

Subtask 1.1: Orientation Discussion

Effective communication between the Contractor and the federal government, coordinated through the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and successful management of the project as a whole are essential to the success of this Services Component and the project more broadly. The need for communication begins at the very start of the contract. No later than five (5) working days after award of this services component, the Contractor shall initiate communication with the COR to plan an orientation discussion with the COR and other federal staff. This orientation discussion should occur no later than fifteen (15) working days after the Contractor initiates communication.

The discussion shall include a range of topics, including but not necessarily limited to:

clarification of OPRE’s interests and objectives for the project; conducting work on an efficient schedule and budget; coordination with other federal program offices;

methodologies to be employed; timelines for early project deliverables; and the challenges anticipated and potential solutions. The Contractor shall send an agenda and any relevant materials to the COR no later than three (3) working days prior to the discussion. No later than one (1) week after the discussion, the Contractor shall submit to the COR a memorandum summarizing major decisions reached and follow-up issues identified during this discussion.

Subtask 1.2: Ongoing Communication

Ongoing communication is also necessary to ensure successful completion of this services component, and it should be both verbal (e.g., regularly scheduled conference calls) and written (e.g., monthly progress reports). The Contractor shall propose a schedule for bi-weekly (every two weeks) video conferencing communications to update federal staff on progress and issues. Key Contractor staff, sub-Contractor staff, and/or consultants shall participate as needed to address progress and issues for discussion. The schedule for conference calls may be changed as agreed upon by the COR. The Contractor shall submit to the COR for comment a proposed agenda for each call no later than three (3) working days before the scheduled call date. If there are materials that federal staff will need to review prior to the call date, such materials shall be submitted no later than three (3) working days before the scheduled call date. The Contractor shall submit a summary of discussions to the COR for review and approval no later than five (5) working days after each regular call.

Subtask 1.3: Monthly Progress Reports

In addition to the ongoing conference calls, the Contractor shall submit written monthly progress reports throughout the period of the services component, which shall include the following information: activities completed and progress on each task for the report month, including expenditure data by task and for key substantive sub-tasks, monthly and cumulative expenditures, and the balance remaining. The Contractor reports shall include details related to project performance. The Contractor shall also include a table summarizing key deliverables and decision points that are in progress, upcoming, or under review along with associated deadlines.

Monthly progress reports shall be submitted to the COR on a regular schedule agreed upon with the COR and before or concurrently with submission by the Contractor of invoices related to that period of performance. The Contractor shall ensure that sub-contractors submit invoices on a schedule that allows Contractor review and approval while ensuring that sub-contractor invoices for work performed do not lag behind Contractor reporting periods by more than two (2) months. Any need for deviation from the schedule shall be presented to the COR for consideration and approval.

Contract Status Reporting (CSRs)

If directed by the COR and in coordination with the monthly progress report, the Contractor will provide to the COR by the 20th of each month a Contract Status Report, using the ACF OCIO template, supplied by the ACF COR or designee. The Contractor shall abide by the due date agreed to or supplied by the ACF COR or designee. The Contractor shall establish monthly meetings with the COR to review the CSR. The CSR should/will provide information on work completed and address any issues or concerns.

At the CSR the Contractor will propose and implement corrective actions to address deviations and tracking status should Earned Value Management (EVM) thresholds veer outside of acceptable levels.

The Contractor shall submit a Contract Status Report (CSR) monthly, including the following types of information for each task and subtask defined on the Task Order:

• Activities and Accomplishments

• Deliverables

• Milestones

• Issues, Risks, and Mitigation Plans

• Planned Activities for following reporting period

• Routine Monitoring Activities

Subtask 1.4: Decision Log

The Contractor shall maintain written records (e.g., memos, discussion notes, email correspondences) and a log of decisions made during the course of the project, including documenting the main points discussed prior to coming to a decision and the rationale for the decision. At the request of the COR, and on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR, the Contractor shall submit copy of the decision log describing any key decisions made.

Task 2: Work Plan

No later than two (2) weeks after the orientation discussion (Subtask 1.1), the Contractor shall submit a work plan for conducting all tasks associated with the successful performance of this Services Component. If deemed necessary by the COR, the Contractor shall submit a revised work plan no later than two (2) weeks after receipt of comments from the COR. The work plan shall be a living document that is continuously updated and made available to the COR as work and priorities may shift.

At a minimum, the work plan must include: a detailed discussion, by task and sub-task, of the activities to be conducted to ensure the successful completion of each task; a detailed timeline for accomplishing tasks and ensuring timely delivery of all work products; and a detailed plan for addressing and resolving concerns or problems that may emerge during the course of the project. Additionally, the work plan shall detail specific staff expected to lead or support key activities, including a clear description of their relevant training and expertise. It is expected that project staff will include at least two senior team members (e.g., Principal Investigators) with extensive relevant experience who are responsible for broad oversight of 1) review operations and 2) methodology.

If the Contractor is transitioning the project from an incumbent, the work plan shall provide a clear and detailed plan for ensuring a smooth transition of any relevant review operations while remaining on schedule for the annual review. Unless otherwise directed by the COR, the Contractor shall provide the COR an updated work plan every two months.

Task 3: Conflicts of Interest

The Contractor shall maintain a conflict-of-interest policy to assure the work under this contract, associated personnel, and, if relevant, any individuals involved in any exercised optional tasks, are separated from interests in the materials under review, including the studies conducted, personnel, or other research syntheses. No later than one (1) month after award of this services component, the Contractor shall provide written confirmation that the policy is being executed. The Contractor shall provide timely confirmation to the COR of ongoing execution of the policy any time new staff, subcontractors, or consultants join the project

Task 4: Engage Expert Consultants

With the approval of the COR, the Contractor shall engage expert consultants as appropriate to discuss various topics related to the purposes of this services component. The Contractor shall make recommendations for individuals with whom to consult. Potential consultants shall have expertise in or knowledge about key methodological or substantive topics. In cases when an honorarium is provided to consultants, honoraria in excess of $750/day shall require written COR approval prior to the Contractor entering into any agreement with the consultant. The Contractor shall not contact any individuals regarding this task or enter into any agreements around this task prior to approval by the COR. If deemed necessary by the COR, the Contractor shall submit draft and revised expert consultant engagement plans on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR. The plan shall be updated throughout the project as necessary or as directed by the COR.

If deemed necessary by the COR, the Contractor shall provide a memorandum to the COR for review and approval on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR. This memorandum shall provide additional information beyond what is contained in the expert consultation plan. This memorandum shall include a proposal for specific individuals to engage as consultants, specific work under this task that may benefit from the use of specific consultants, and proposed methods for engaging consultants (e.g., conference calls, webinars) by topic of interest.

For all consultations, the Contractor shall submit to the COR a draft agenda and other materials no later than two (2) weeks prior to the date of the consultation. The Contractor shall incorporate feedback from the COR and send the final agenda and materials to the COR and the consultants no later than three (3) days prior to the date of the consultation. The Contractor shall document the information gained through the consultation and submit a memorandum to the COR no later than two (2) weeks after the consultation that summarizes the discussions held and materials presented.

Task 5: Engage Interested Groups and Individuals

With the approval of the COR, the Contractor shall engage groups and individuals with an interest in the work, as appropriate, to discuss various topics related to the purposes of this services component. For example, this may include but is not limited to: bringing together model developers, program implementers, states, implementing agencies, and other relevant groups;

participating in conferences or webinars to solicit input, present the evidence results, or provide information related to HomVEE; and other relevant engagement activities. If deemed necessary by the COR, the Contractor shall submit draft and revised engagement plans on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR. The plan shall be updated throughout the project as necessary or as directed by the COR.

If deemed necessary by the COR, the Contractor shall provide a memorandum to the COR for review and approval on a schedule to be agreed upon with COR. This memorandum shall provide additional information beyond what is contained in the engagement plan. This may include a proposal for specific groups or individuals to engage, work that may benefit from specific engagement, and proposed methods and materials for engaging them (e.g., conference calls, webinars) by specific topic of interest.

For all engagements, the Contractor shall submit to the COR a draft agenda and other materials no later than two (2) weeks prior to the date of the engagement. The Contractor shall incorporate feedback from the COR and send the final agenda and materials to the COR no later than three (3) days prior to the date of the engagement. The Contractor shall document the information gained so that it may inform any work of this contract. The Contractor shall submit a memorandum to the COR no later than two (2) weeks after the engagement that summarizes the discussions held and materials presented.

Task 6: Update and Align HomVEE Review Processes

The Contractor shall undertake all activities necessary to update HomVEE’s processes for the annual review. Updates shall reflect alignment with significant changes to policies and priorities, as directed by the COR. Additionally, if the Contractor is transitioning the project from an incumbent, the updates shall include any activities necessary to ensure a smooth transition of all review operations while remaining on schedule for the annual review. Activities required for updating the HomVEE review may include but are not limited to: developing and implementing an application system to determine eligibility for review each year; requesting relevant information or documentation from model developers; coordinating with ACF and HRSA staff;

and updating any relevant review procedures, standards, processes, web content, and products.

If directed by the COR, and on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR, the Contractor shall submit an internal memorandum providing detailed recommendations for updating any relevant aspects of the review. This memorandum shall include specific proposals for when and how to update each aspect of the review. The Contractor shall submit a revised memorandum no later than two (2) weeks after receipt of comments from the COR. The memorandum shall be updated as necessary or as directed by the COR to ensure it includes accurate and thorough documentation of alignment efforts. The Contractor shall implement the proposed activities approved by the COR and provide regular updates on any challenges encountered.

Task 7: Align with Updated HHS Criteria

The Contractor shall undertake all activities necessary to develop and implement a process to align the review with updated HHS criteria for evidence of effectiveness, if any new updates have been finalized. These activities may include, but are not limited to: operationalizing aspects of the updated criteria; coordinating with ACF and HRSA staff; and updating any relevant review procedures, standards, processes, training manuals, web content, and products.

If directed by the COR, and on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR, the Contractor shall submit an internal memorandum providing detailed recommendations for updating any relevant aspects of the review. This memorandum shall include specific proposals for when and how to update each aspect of the review that requires updates to ensure alignment with new HHS criteria. The Contractor shall submit a revised memorandum no later than two (2) weeks after receipt of comments from the COR. The memorandum shall be updated as necessary or as directed by the COR to ensure it includes accurate and thorough documentation of alignment efforts. The Contractor shall implement the proposed activities approved by the COR and provide frequent regular on any challenges encountered.

Task 8: Website Maintenance, Updates, and Testing

The Contractor shall work with the Government to maintain and update a website to document and disseminate HomVEE findings. The website is the primary means by which users access the information generated by HomVEE and thus the website, and its functionality are critical components of this project.

Subtask 8.1: Detailed Website Work Plan

The Contractor shall produce a detailed work plan proposing specific milestones, activities, and deliverables associated with the maintenance and updating of the HomVEE website. The work plan shall include, but is not limited to: (1) a description of how the Contractor plans to carry out all the subtasks listed below; (2) a timeline for deliverables to be reviewed by the COR; and (3) identification of the Contractor personnel who will be responsible for the maintenance and updating of the website, including a single product owner who will have the authority and responsibility to assign tasks and work elements; make business, product, and technical decisions; and be accountable for the success or failure of the overall website.

The Contractor shall submit to the COR a draft work plan no later than six (6) weeks after award of this services component and a revised work plan no later than two (2) weeks after receipt of comments from the COR. The work plan shall be updated as necessary or as directed by the COR. The Contractor shall implement the plan and shall propose amendments and additions to the plan as appropriate throughout the duration of the project.

Subtask 8.2: Plan for Enhancements to Website Features

In addition to responding to requests from the Government, the Contractor shall identify and suggest updates to website features as appropriate and initiate suggestions for enhancements to the website. To enable the COR to make an informed decision about these enhancements, the Contractor shall produce mock-ups of how the proposed enhancements would ideally translate onto the website for the COR’s review. If approved by the COR, the Contractor shall develop the necessary materials to facilitate ACF’s incorporation of these enhancements to the website. Depending on the nature of the enhancements, the contractor shall follow the requirements described in Subtask 8.3.

The Contractor shall submit a draft proposal for website enhancements with mock-ups for the COR’s review on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR. A revised proposal for website enhancements shall be submitted no later than two (2) weeks after receipt of comments from the COR. The implementation of any enhancements is described in Subtask 8.3.

Subtask 8.3: Development, Modernization, and Enhancement

The purpose of this subtask is to provide development, modernization, and enhancement to the HomVEE website. This shall also include new development and/or COTS implementations. The modernization efforts shall include infusion of newer technologies in the areas including but not limited to data management, data warehouse, business intelligence and data quality, analytical tools, web services and support for handheld/mobile devices. Development, modernization, and enhancement to be provided may vary from one service area to another. Examples of service areas may include:

• Requirement Analysis

• Design and Development

• Testing

• Implementation

A. Requirement Analysis The Contractor shall perform requirements analysis, as tasked. Representative activities include, but are not limited to:

• Analyze, decompose and translate the requirements into detailed functional and non-functional system requirements

• Work with the project team, including user representatives, to review and validate the system requirements

• Develop the System Requirements Specifications (SRS)

• Create/update Concept of Operations (ConOps)

• Establish a finalized Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

• Complete a successful requirements analysis stage gate review including coordination of review meeting, preparation of materials, and resolution of any issues identified by critical partners

B. Enhancement Design and Development

The Contractor shall perform design and development activities, as tasked.

Representative tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Design software enhancements based on the detail requirements identified, verified, documented and approved in the requirements analysis phase

• Develop/update the System Design Document (SDD)

• Create/update Interface Control Document(s) to be used when interfacing with exiting reporting systems

• Test the design against the Requirements Traceability Matrix

• Develop test artifacts: Master/Release Test Plan, Test Case Specifications

• Work with the COR and project team in the verification and approval of the design at designated milestones and update Project artifacts accordingly

• Develop/update all application/system code required to build the system according to the System Design Document

• Construct/update Software Application Modules

• Develop all application/system code in compliance with 508 requirements, ACF defined IT standards and approved software on ACF approved hardware.

• Use an iterative development approach supporting prototypes and demos throughout the development process

• Develop system/application code level documentation with particular emphasis on source code documentation

• Conduct and document unit testing

• Track and correct all defects before completion of development phase

• Complete a successful design & development stage gate review including coordination of review meeting, preparation of materials, and resolution of any issues identified by critical partners

All required draft and final documentation must be submitted on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR.

C. Acceptance Testing The Contractor shall review and test the new solution to ensure that all links (new and changed features links) are functioning, and that the solution is in compliance with the project requirements. As tasked, the Contractor shall perform Test and Evaluation Services to support all testing and evaluation phase requirements of the SDLC and as determined by ACF. Any issues identified as a result of this initial testing shall be reported to the COR and Project Manager and corrected by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the support and coordination of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) activities. After training, the COR and Project Manager and the Contractor will select a set of tests to evaluate all functions, templates and options. Selected testers shall intentionally stress the system to identify weaknesses which will be reported to the Contractor for resolution.

These initial tests will not be visible to the public through this testing phase although it will be operating in the pre-production environment. Any issues identified during this process shall be addressed and resolved by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall provide UAT Test Results Report(s) to the COR, Project Manager, and senior project stakeholders and summarizes the UAT results and whether the UAT objectives were met on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR. The UAT Test Results Report(s) shall include, at a minimum:

• Achievement of UAT objectives

• Test execution results by test cycle

• Test execution statistics and trends

• A plan to address any UAT test issues still unresolved

D. Implementation The Contractor shall provide full Implementation services, including end-to-end support during all phases of the implementation process with skilled resources. The Contractor shall employ a professional, implementation, and integration framework approach. The formal approach to quality assurance through the use of quality system standards such as Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) level 2 or higher, ISO 9001-2001, SSAE-16 standards are required. All efforts shall support implementation/integration of system and other software.

The Contractor shall provide documentation, setup, test plans, solution demonstration, knowledge transfer sessions, conversion, and reconciliation support.

Implementation shall be conducted through a phased approach. The Contractor shall work to ensure the new solution is properly installed and configured. The Contractor shall provide implementation/integration services using ACF CCB approved products and services where applicable.

Security Requirements for Development or Enhancement of a Federal IT System

1) General Security Requirements. The Contractor (and/or any Subcontractor) shall comply with information security and privacy requirements, Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC) processes, HHS Enterprise Architecture requirements to ensure information is appropriately protected from initiation to expiration of the contract. All information systems development or enhancement tasks supported by the Contractor shall follow the HHS EPLC or ACF SDLC framework and methodology in accordance with the HHS Contract Closeout

Guide (2012) or current ACF frameworks and policies.

2) System Documentation. Contractors (and/or any Subcontractors) shall follow and adhere to NIST SP 800-64, Security Considerations in the System Development Life Cycle, at a minimum, for system development and provide system documentation at designated intervals (specifically, at the expiration of the contract) within the EPLC that require artifact review and approval.

3) The Contractor (and/or any Subcontractor) shall ensure IT applications designed and developed for end users (including mobile applications and software licenses) run in the standard user context without requiring elevated administrative privileges.

4) The Contractor (and/or any Subcontractor) shall follow secure coding best practice requirements, as directed by United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) specified standards and the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), that will limit system software vulnerability exploits.

5) The Contractor (and/or any Subcontractor) shall ensure that computer software developed on behalf of HHS or tailored from an open-source product, is fully functional and operates correctly on systems configured in accordance with government policy and federal configuration standards. The Contractor shall test applicable products and versions with all relevant and current updates and patches updated prior to installing in the HHS environment. No sensitive data shall be used during software testing.

6) The Contractor (and/or any Subcontractor) shall protect information that is deemed sensitive from unauthorized disclosure to persons, organizations or Subcontractors who do not have a need to know the information. Information which, either alone or when compared with other reasonably-available information, is deemed sensitive or proprietary by HHS shall be protected as instructed in accordance with the magnitude of the loss or harm that could result from inadvertent or deliberate disclosure, alteration, or destruction of the data.

This language also applies to all Subcontractors that are performing under this contract.

Requirements for New Websites and Digital Services and Redesigns of an Existing Legacy Website or Digital Service

An executive agency that creates a website or digital service that is intended for use by the public, or conducts a redesign of an existing legacy website or digital service that is intended for use by the public, shall ensure to the greatest extent practicable that any new or redesigned website, web-based form, web-based application, or digital service:

1) is accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d);

2) has a consistent appearance;

3) does not overlap with or duplicate any legacy websites and, if applicable, ensure that legacy websites are regularly reviewed, eliminated, and consolidated;

4) contains a search function that allows users to easily search content intended for public use;

5) is provided through an industry standard secure connection;

6) is designed around user needs with data-driven analysis influencing management and development decisions, using qualitative and quantitative data to determine user goals, needs, and behaviors, and continually test the website, web-based form, web-based application, or digital service to ensure that user needs are addressed;

7) provides users of the new or redesigned website, web-based form, web-based application, or digital service with the option for a more customized digital experience that allows users to complete digital transactions in an efficient and accurate manner; and

8) is fully functional and usable on common mobile devices.

Subtask 8.4: Establish and Monitor Performance Metrics Regarding Website Usage for the Purposes of Continuous Quality Control

The Contractor shall work with ACF to identify a means for tracking and analyzing usage patterns and user behavior for the purposes of continuous quality control. The goal of the tracking is to allow OPRE to obtain information on the number and origins of site visitors, ideally, on a monthly basis. The Contractor shall additionally share any feedback received from website visitors (e.g., messages sent to a “contact us” email account managed by the Contractor) in the monthly progress reports. Note that this task is related to the usage tracking that will be carried out as part of the dissemination activities (see Task 11), and the same data can be used to inform both tasks. However, the purpose of the usage tracking carried out under this task is to monitor the quality and functionality of the website, whereas the purpose of the website usage tracking conducted as part of dissemination activities is to monitor the success of the Contractor’s dissemination efforts. If requested by the COR, and on schedule to be agreed upon with the COR, the Contractor shall submit a summary of metrics tracking and analyzing website usage.

Subtask 8.5: Operations and Maintenance for a Federal IT System

The Contractor shall monitor, manage, assess, and report on the HomVEE website.

Operations and maintenance on IT systems shall include all software and hardware associated with client/servers, web-based applications and networks. This support shall include both major and minor releases. This includes deployment planning, deployment support, support or promoting the release to the pre-production and production http://uscode.house.gov/quicksearch/get.plx?title=29&section=794d environments, and associated documentation. Representative activities include, but are not limited to:

• Operational Support Software Maintenance and Upgrades

• Infrastructure Management

• IT Optimization

• Help Desk/IT Support

• Client server and network monitoring;

• Virtual Private Network (VPN) with secure remote access;

• Server configuration and provisioning services; server management;

• Managed firewall; information security services;

• Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are maintained based upon ACF’s requirements and approved by the COR

The Contractor shall perform ongoing operations and maintenance support for the HomVEE website. Specifically, the tasks shall include but are not limited to: application enhancement, help desk support, system integration, implementation, testing and training.

All tasks shall be performed in accordance with ACF’s Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The Contractor shall update or develop user documentation, system documentation, release notes, and ACF SDLC documentation as necessary to ensure that documentation is current and on a schedule to be agreed upon with the COR.

The Contractor shall cooperate, collaborate, and participate as part of the team to implement enhancements when other vendors are included.

Disaster Recovery and Continuity of Operations

As tasked by the COR, in coordination with the ACF OCIO, the Contractor shall implement redundant and/or disaster recovery sites. Representative activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop plans for redundant site;

• Setup redundant site;

• Operate and maintain redundant site;

• Develop Disaster Recovery Plan;

• Setup Disaster Recovery Site;

• Operate and maintain Disaster Recovery Site;

• Conduct periodic Disaster Recovery Tests;

• Conduct Annual Failover testing of the Disaster Recovery site to ensure compliance with IT security standards;

• Provide a separate Disaster Recovery Hosting Facility Site located in a different geographical region of the country;

• Prepare and maintain documentation required for ATO, system backup and recovery, system security plan, and other documentation related to the operations and maintenance of the hosted recovery site.

The Contractor shall ensure that the hosting environment is compliant with the NIST Information Security Continuous Monitoring for Federal Information Systems and Organizations and Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

Change Management

The Contractor shall implement an end-to-end change management service for the HomVEE website. The Contractor shall:

• Define, document, implement, and enforce integrated change control and service desk services that establish controlled processes for managing change in the computing environments. This would include the implementation of change management tools to track, schedule, and report on all change activities.

• Participate in Production Change Control Board (PCCB) meetings to discuss change management and program management issues.

The Contractor shall implement a change…