RFQ.doc

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS

(THIS IS NOT AN ORDER)

THIS RFQ X

PAGE OF PAGES

1. REQUEST NO.

75D301-20-Q-72102

2. DATE ISSUED

3. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NO.

0HCUHCB2-2020-43818

4. CERT. FOR NAT. DEF.

UNDER BDSA REG. 2

AND/OR DMS REG. 1

RATING

5a. ISSUED BY

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Office of Acquisition Services (OAS)

2900 Woodcock Blvd, MS TCU-4

Atlanta GA 303414004

6. DELIVERY BY (Date)

5b. FOR INFORMATION CALL (No collect calls)

c. CITY

10. PLEASE FURNISH QUOTATIONS TO

THE ISSUING OFFICE IN BLOCK 5a ON

OR BEFORE CLOSE OF BUSINESS (Date)

IMPORTANT: This is a request for information, and quotations furnished are not offers. If you are unable to quote, please so indicate on this form and return it. This request does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of this quotation or to contract for supplies or services. Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter. Any representations and/or certifications attached to this Request for Quotations must be completed by the quoter.

11. SCHEDULE (Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes)

ITEM NO.

(a)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(b)

QUANTITY

(c)

UNIT

(d)

UNIT PRICE

(e)

AMOUNT

(f)

For questions please contact Gbolii Henrietta Fumbah Wei at ehu0@cdc.gov Or (404)-498-8239

Deadline for quotes:

Noon, July 27, 2020 EST Please email quotes to Gbolii Henrietta Fumbah Wei at ehu0@cdc.gov

b. 20 CALENDAR DAYS

c. 30 CALENDAR DAYS

d. CALENDAR DAYS

NOTE: Additional provisions and representations

SIGN QUOTATION

15. DATE OF

QUOTATION

a. NAME OF QUOTER

c. COUNTY

AREA CODE

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

STANDARD FORM 18 (REV. 6-95)

Previous edition not usable

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.215-1(a)

Line Items

Period of Performance: 8/1/2020 – 7/31/2021

Firm Fixed Price

Severable Line Items

B.1 Milestone Chart

This milestone chart below will be finalized at time of award; the final milestone payment schedule will be negotiated between the parties and included in the contract. If necessary, the finalized chart will be incorporated in the contract via modification.

Upon successful completion of each Task Deliverables Milestone, the contractor may request performance based payments. The determination of eligibility for receipt of payment will be made by the Contracting Officer upon written certification from the COR that the performance milestone has been met. It is anticipated that each milestone payment will approximate the estimated timeline listed below.

Project Title: Enhancement of firearm classification and data completeness in CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

____% and $________________

Total 100%

B.2. Continuous Support of Organization:

If reorganization or other actions impact the Government’s Department/Agency/Division/or Program Office name, office structure, number of offices and divisions, or name of divisions, the Contractor shall continue to provide support to the new organization that is directly derived from such Department/Agency/Division/or Program Office. The Contractor shall continue supporting the core group that evolves, as described herein, whether or not this Task Order is formally modified to incorporate the new nomenclature or office structure.

(End of Clause)

Section C - Description/Specification/Work Statement

STATEMENT OF WORK

Title of Project: Enhancement of Firearm Classification and Data Completeness in CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)

C.1 Background and Need – Firearms are the most common weapon used in violent deaths in the United States. In 2017, firearms were used in approximately 59% of all violent deaths in the United States (75% of homicide deaths and 51% of suicide deaths). CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is one of the few surveillance systems that includes variables related to firearms used in violent deaths in the United States, making it one of the most comprehensive data sources for understanding firearm-related violent deaths.

NVDRS gathers information on nine variables related to firearms used in violent deaths, including information on the characteristics of the firearm (firearm type, make, model, and caliber/gauge) and situational factors (the relationship of the gun owner to the shooter, and whether or not the firearm was stolen, stored locked, stored loaded, and a gun access narrative). These variables have the potential to provide an understanding of the context surrounding the use and access of firearms in violent death and can help to improve our understanding of how the characteristics of firearms correspond to different manners of death.

NVDRS faces two challenges related to optimizing the use of firearm information in the system: (1) The need to combine some existing variables, particularly firearm make and model, into higher-level firearm attributes (e.g., ammunition capacity, other characteristics related to lethality) for analysis; and (2) low completeness of some variables, due in part to lack of expertise in interpretation of firearm information on the part of state-level data abstractors. Low completeness may also be due in part to a lack of awareness among key NVDRS data providers (law enforcement and coroner/medical examiners) about what information is collected in NVDRS and the importance of this information to public health. Improvements such as these to the usability and completeness of NVDRS firearm data could lead to better understanding of the role of firearms in violent death.

C.2 Project Objective – This project seeks to 1) increase the usability of the firearm make and firearm model variables and to create meaningful categorizations of these variables and 2) increase the educational resources available to assist state-level NVDRS abstractors with abstraction of information about firearms used in violent deaths and to raise awareness among NVDRS data providers (law enforcement and coroner/medical examiners) about NVDRS variables reporting, to improve the completeness and quality of the reporting of these variables.

C.3 Scope of Work – Using the Contractor’s specialized knowledge about firearm identification and classification, the work to be performed would be as follows: (1) Produce a method for combining and categorizing NVDRS firearm make and firearm model into new higher-level firearm attributes and characteristics that may be of significance to public health. This would entail producing a table outlining different make and model combinations and their categorization in new variables, to be developed by the Contractor in consultation with CDC staff; and (2) Produce written educational materials, and an accompanying PowerPoint presentation, for NVDRS state-level abstractors on:

· general education about firearms needed to accurately and completely abstract NVDRS data elements, and

· learning how to better decipher and abstract information about firearms used in violent deaths from their source documents (e.g., law enforcement reports, coroner/medical examiner reports)

Additionally, a 1-3 page document will be produced by the Contractor to assist data providers in obtaining a better understanding what firearm information NVDRS abstractors are looking for in case reports.

C.4 Technical Requirements –

· Task 1: 1 day kick-off meeting coordination: Within two weeks of the award date of the contract, the Contractor shall schedule and participate in a kick-off meeting (held in person at CDC) with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and key CDC staff, including lead Science Officer, to discuss the project requirements. The Contractor shall be responsible for travel-associated costs to attend the in-person meeting at CDC in Atlanta, GA

· Task 2: Project plan and other communications: The Contractor shall prepare a project plan to be submitted within 1 month of the date of the award. At a minimum the project plan will include a list of tasks to complete deliverables, and a timeline for completion. The timeline will include reasonable time for two rounds of CDC review and comments and revisions made by the Contractor for each deliverable. The Contractor shall also participate in monthly calls with CDC to provide progress updates and discuss project challenges.

· Task 3: Determine firearm attributes and characteristics: Within 2 months of award date, review NVDRS firearm make and model combinations. Consult with CDC staff regarding attributes and characteristics of firearms that may be indicated by specific combinations, and incorporate CDC feedback generated throughout the process. Potential attributes and characteristics include (but are not limited to):

· magazine capacity

· barrel length

· other attributes related to weapon lethality

· other attributes related to public health

· Task 4: Develop analytic variables: Within 5 months of date of award, based on attributes and characteristics identified and agreed upon by the Contractor and CDC, classify make and model combinations into analytic variables and into categories within these analytic variables. A detailed written description of each new proposed analytic variable and its categories for inclusion in the NVDRS Data Analysis Guide will be provided to CDC. CDC will review and the Contractor will incorporate feedback generated throughout the process.

· Task 5: Identify general firearm education and classification needs of NVDRS abstractors and data providers and identify resources to address these needs. Within 6 months of award date, identify abstractor and data provider educational needs by learning about NVDRS, consulting with CDC staff, interviewing abstractors by phone from 2-3 states, interviewing data providers from 2-4 states (both law enforcement and coroner/medical examiners), and reading report titled, “Improving Completeness of NVDRS Firearm Variables”, that was compiled by CDC about obstacles to firearm data abstraction in VDRS states. Within 7 months of award date, adapt or develop resources that address the above educational needs. The proposed resources will be reviewed by CDC and should be reported back to CDC in a table that outlines how each corresponds to each of the NVDRS firearm data elements.

· Task 6: Develop educational materials for abstractors: Within 8 months of award date, compile resources and content addressing identified educational needs into a user-friendly guide/manual for state VDRS abstractors (minimum of 50 pages), incorporating feedback from CDC and VDRS states throughout the process. A user-friendly guide should provide a high-level summary as well as detailed information in longer form that is indexed and easily searchable, be 508 compliant, at no higher than a 6th grade reading level, use plain language, and appropriate terms. The Contractor must produce and share the guide/manual electronically with CDC in Microsoft Word.

· Task 7: Develop interactive PowerPoint presentation to accompany written educational materials for abstractors: Within 9 months, the Contractor will develop a minimum 45 slide presentation covering the educational concepts included in the user-friendly guide/manual developed for abstractors. The presentation needs to be interactive, and detailed notes should appear for each slide. The Contractor must produce and share the presentation electronically with CDC in Microsoft PowerPoint and PDF. The Contractor will incorporate feedback from CDC throughout the process.

· Task 8: Develop 1-3 pager for data providers: Within 10 months of award date, create 1-3 page document that details important information to help data providers understand the importance of firearm data collected in NVDRS and to educate data providers based on needs identified in Task 5. This document should be 508 compliant and use language appropriate to law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner audiences. The Contractor will incorporate feedback from CDC throughout the process. The Contractor must produce and share the guide electronically with CDC in Microsoft Word.

· Task 9: Incorporate changes and edits generated through the NCIPC clearance process for all deliverables.

C.5 Training/Travel

No cost training is anticipated for this position. In the event that travel funds are required, the Government reserves the right to modify the contract to add funds. The contractor shall obtain approval from the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO) prior to any travel. The frequencies of both requirements are not possible to predict, therefore, an estimated amount has not been established for training and travel.

C.6 Period of Performance

The period of performance is: 8/1/2020 – 07/31/2021

C.7 Place of Performance

This work will be performed at the contractor’s facility.

C.8 Government Furnished Property The government will provide contract personnel with an identification badge (HHS-576-CDC) and CDC cardkeys to gain entrance to designated CDC buildings and CDC user accounts (which consist of user IDs and passwords and are required to gain access to CDC LAN/WAN computer environments). Issuance of identification badges to contract personnel is contingent upon successful completion of a NACI or Federal investigative process as required in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12). Government property including CDC computer equipment, keyfob, and blackberry if deemed necessary will be provided by NCIPC/OD to perform assigned requirements.

C.9 Reporting Schedule – Within 1 month of the award, and monthly thereafter, the Contractor should report back to CDC on progress related to each of the above tasks in writing and on monthly calls. Reporting will take the format of a fillable tracking chart to accompany the project plan created by the Contractor.

C.10 Special Considerations – A.

Baseline Security Requirements

1) Applicability. The requirements herein apply whether the entire contract or order

(hereafter “contract”), or portion thereof, includes either or both of the following:

a. Access (Physical or Logical) to Government Information: A Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee will have or will be given the ability to have, routine physical (entry) or logical (electronic) access to government information.

b. Operate a Federal System Containing Information: A Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) will operate a federal system and information technology containing data that supports the HHS mission. In addition to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 2.1 definition of “information technology” (IT), the term as used in this section includes computers, ancillary equipment (including imaging peripherals, input, output, and storage devices necessary for security and surveillance), peripheral equipment designed to be controlled by the central processing unit of a computer, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources.

2) Safeguarding Information and Information Systems. In accordance with the Federal

Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS)199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

a. Protect government information and information systems in order to ensure:

· Confidentiality, which means preserving authorized restrictions on access and disclosure, based on the security terms found in this contract, including means for protecting personal privacy and proprietary information;

· Integrity, which means guarding against improper information modification or destruction, and ensuring information non-repudiation and authenticity; and

· Availability, which means ensuring timely and reliable access to and use of information.

b. Provide security for any Contractor systems, and information contained therein, connected to an HHS network or operated by the Contractor on behalf of HHS regardless of location. In addition, if new or unanticipated threats or hazards are discovered by either the agency or contractor, or if existing safeguards have ceased to function, the discoverer shall immediately, within one (1) hour or less, bring the situation to the attention of the other party.

c. Adopt and implement the policies, procedures, controls, and standards required by the HHS Information Security Program to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of government information and government information systems for which the Contractor is responsible under this contract or to which the Contractor may otherwise have access under this contract. Obtain the HHS Information Security Program security requirements, outlined in the HHS Information Security and Privacy Policy (IS2P), by contacting the CO/COR or emailing fisma@hhs.gov.

d. Comply with the Privacy Act requirements and tailor FAR clauses as needed.

3) Information Security Categorization. In accordance with FIPS 199 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-60, Volume II: Appendices to Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information Systems to Security Categories, Appendix C, and based on information provided by the ISSO, CISO, or other security representative, the risk level for each Security Objective and the Overall Risk Level, which is the highest watermark of the three factors (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) of the information or information system are the following:

C.11 Deliverable(s) Schedule The contractor shall deliver, within the time frames specified, to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), at the address shown in Section G, and copies of items so specified, to the Contracting Officer at the address shown on the face page of the contract.

Deliverables

· Weekly Status Reports – A dashboard of on-going activities with target completion dates, and details regarding current progress, known issues/delays, and other pertinent information.

· Monthly Status Report - A dashboard of on-going activities with target completion dates, and details regarding current progress, known issues/delays, and other pertinent information.

C.12 Performance Based Matrix

C.13 508 Help Desk HHSAR Provision, 352.239-73: Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice

(a) Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Electronic and Information (EIT) Accessibility Standards (36 CFR part 1194), require that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

(b) Accordingly, any offeror responding to this solicitation must comply with established HHS EIT accessibility standards. Information about Section 508 is available at http://www.hhs.gov/web/508. The complete text of the Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm.

(c) The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract are: 1194.

205 WCAG 2.0 Level A & AA Success Criteria

302 Functional Performance Criteria

502 Inoperability with Assistive Technology

503 Applications

504 Authoring Tools

602 Support Documentation

603 Support Services

In order to facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT supplies meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must submit an HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template, in accordance with its completion instructions. The purpose of the template is to assist HHS acquisition and program officials in determining whether proposed EIT supplies conform to applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. The template allows offerors or developers to self-evaluate their supplies and documentation detail - whether they conform to a specific Section 508 accessibility standard, and any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues. Instructions for preparing the HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template are available under Section 508 policy on the HHS Web site http://hhs.gov/web/508.

In order to facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must provide enough information to assist the Government in determining that the EIT services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards, including any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues.

(d) Respondents to this solicitation must identify any exception to Section 508 requirements. If an offeror claims its supplies or services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and it is later determined by the Government, i.e., after award of a contract or order, that supplies or services delivered do not conform to the accessibility standards, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its expense.

(e) Electronic content must be accessible to HHS acceptance criteria. Checklist for various formats are available at http://508.hhs.gov/, or from the Section 508 Coordinator listed at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/additional-resources/section-508-contacts/index.html. Materials that are final items for delivery should be accompanied by the appropriate checklist, except upon approval of the Contracting Officer or Representative.

Security Requirements

Restrictions:

· The contractor will NOT perform any inherently governmental functions as specified in FAR 7.5, including but not limited to: determination of agency policy and regulations; direction and control of federal employees; selection or non-selection of individuals for federal employment including interviewing of individuals for employment; approval of position descriptions; determination of budget policy, guidance, and strategy, and any other prohibited functions specified in FAR 7.5. Also, the contractor will not perform any personal services (FAR 37.104). The contractor will immediately contact the contracting officer if there is any question regarding these prohibitions.

· The contractor is responsible for understanding and complying with all relevant Federal, HHS, and CDC regulations and policies.

Information Security Requirements A. Baseline Security Requirements

1) Applicability. The requirements herein apply whether the entire contract or order (hereafter “contract”), or portion thereof, includes either or both of the following:

a. Access (Physical or Logical) to Government Information: A Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee will have or will be given the ability to have, routine physical (entry) or logical (electronic) access to government information.

b. Operate a Federal System Containing Information: A Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) will operate a federal system and information technology containing data that supports the HHS mission. In addition to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 2.1 definition of “information technology” (IT), the term as used in this section includes computers, ancillary equipment (including imaging peripherals, input, output, and storage devices necessary for security and surveillance), peripheral equipment designed to be controlled by the central processing unit of a computer, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources.

2) Safeguarding Information and Information Systems. In accordance with the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS)199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

a. Protect government information and information systems in order to ensure:

· Confidentiality, which means preserving authorized restrictions on access and disclosure, based on the security terms found in this contract, including means for protecting personal privacy and proprietary information;

· Integrity, which means guarding against improper information modification or destruction, and ensuring information non-repudiation and authenticity; and

· Availability, which means ensuring timely and reliable access to and use of information.

b. Provide security for any Contractor systems, and information contained therein, connected to an HHS network or operated by the Contractor on behalf of HHS regardless of location. In addition, if new or unanticipated threats or hazards are discovered by either the agency or contractor, or if existing safeguards have ceased to function, the discoverer shall immediately, within one (1) hour or less, bring the situation to the attention of the other party.

c. Adopt and implement the policies, procedures, controls, and standards required by the HHS Information Security Program to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of government information and government information systems for which the Contractor is responsible under this contract or to which the Contractor may otherwise have access under this contract. Obtain the HHS Information Security Program security requirements, outlined in the HHS Information Security and Privacy Policy (IS2P), by contacting the CO/COR or emailing fisma@hhs.gov.

d. Comply with the Privacy Act requirements and tailor FAR clauses as needed..

3) Information Security Categorization. In accordance with FIPS 199 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-60, Volume II: Appendices to Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information Systems to Security Categories, Appendix C, and based on information provided by the ISSO, CISO, or other security representative, the risk level for each Security Objective and the Overall Risk Level, which is the highest watermark of the three factors (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) of the information or information system are the following: N/A

Confidentiality:

[ ] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High

Integrity:

Availability:

Overall Risk Level:

[ ] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High

Based on information provided by the ISSO, Privacy Office, system/data owner, or other security or privacy representative, it has been determined that this solicitation/contract involves:

[X ] No PII [ ] Yes PII

Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Per the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “PII is information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, either alone or when combined with other information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual.” Examples of PII include, but are not limited to the following: social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, biometric records, etc.

PII Confidentiality Impact Level has been determined to be: [ X] Low [ ] Moderate [ ] High

4) Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CUI is defined as “information that laws, regulations, or Government-wide policies require to have safeguarding or dissemination controls, excluding classified information.” The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must comply with Executive Order 13556, Controlled Unclassified Information, (implemented at 3 CFR, part 2002) when handling CUI. 32 C.F.R. 2002.4(aa) As implemented the term “handling” refers to “…any use of CUI, including but not limited to marking, safeguarding, transporting, disseminating, re-using, and disposing of the information.” 81 Fed. Reg. 63323. All sensitive information that has been identified as CUI by a regulation or statute, handled by this solicitation/contract, shall be:

a. marked appropriately;

b. disclosed to authorized personnel on a Need-To-Know basis;

c. protected in accordance with NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations applicable baseline if handled by a Contractor system operated on behalf of the agency, or NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations if handled by internal Contractor system; and

d. returned to HHS control, destroyed when no longer needed, or held until otherwise directed. Destruction of information and/or data shall be accomplished in accordance with NIST SP 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

5) Protection of Sensitive Information. For security purposes, information is or may be sensitive because it requires security to protect its confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall protect all government information that is or may be sensitive in accordance with OMB Memorandum M-06-16, Protection of Sensitive Agency Information by securing it with a FIPS 140-2 validated solution.

6) Confidentiality and Nondisclosure of Information. Any information provided to the contractor (and/or any subcontractor) by HHS or collected by the contractor on behalf of HHS shall be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this contract and shall not be disclosed or made known in any manner to any persons except as may be necessary in the performance of the contract. The Contractor assumes responsibility for protection of the confidentiality of Government records and shall ensure that all work performed by its employees and subcontractors shall be under the supervision of the Contractor. Each Contractor employee or any of its subcontractors to whom any HHS records may be made available or disclosed shall be notified in writing by the Contractor that information disclosed to such employee or subcontractor can be used only for that purpose and to the extent authorized herein.

The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of such information shall be protected in accordance with HHS and CDC policies. Unauthorized disclosure of information will be subject to the HHS/CDC sanction policies and/or governed by the following laws and regulations:

a. 18 U.S.C. 641 (Criminal Code: Public Money, Property or Records);

b. 18 U.S.C. 1905 (Criminal Code: Disclosure of Confidential Information); and

c. 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, Subchapter I (Paperwork Reduction Act).

7) Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). All procurements using Internet Protocol shall comply with OMB Memorandum M-05-22, Transition Planning for Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6).

8) Government Websites. All new and existing public-facing government websites must be securely configured with Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) using the most recent version of Transport Layer Security (TLS). In addition, HTTPS shall enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to instruct compliant browsers to assume HTTPS at all times to reduce the number of insecure redirects and protect against attacks that attempt to downgrade connections to plain HTTP. For internal-facing websites, the HTTPS is not required, but it is highly recommended.

9) Contract Documentation. The Contractor shall use provided templates, policies, forms and other agency documents to comply with contract deliverables as appropriate.

10) Standard for Encryption. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

a. Comply with the HHS Standard for Encryption of Computing Devices and Information to prevent unauthorized access to government information.

b. Encrypt all sensitive federal data and information (i.e., PII, protected health information [PHI], proprietary information, etc.) in transit (i.e., email, network connections, etc.) and at rest (i.e., servers, storage devices, mobile devices, backup media, etc.) with FIPS 140-2 validated encryption solution.

c. Secure all devices (i.e.: desktops, laptops, mobile devices, etc.) that store and process government information and ensure devices meet HHS and CDC-specific encryption standard requirements. Maintain a complete and current inventory of all laptop computers, desktop computers, and other mobile devices and portable media that store or process sensitive government information (including PII).

d. Verify that the encryption solutions in use have been validated under the Cryptographic Module Validation Program to confirm compliance with FIPS 140-2. The Contractor shall provide a written copy of the validation documentation to the COR and ISSO within 30 days of contract award.

e. Use the Key Management system on the HHS personal identification verification (PIV) card or establish and use a key recovery mechanism to ensure the ability for authorized personnel to encrypt/decrypt information and recover encryption keys. Encryption keys shall be provided to the COR upon request and at the conclusion of the contract.

11) Contractor Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Each Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee having access to non-public government information under this contract shall complete the CDC non-disclosure agreement. A copy of each signed and witnessed NDA shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) and/or CO Representative (COR) prior to performing any work under this acquisition.

12) Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA)/Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) – The Contractor shall assist the CDC Senior Official for Privacy (SOP) or designee with conducting a PTA for the information system and/or information handled under this contract to determine whether or not a full PIA needs to be completed.

a. If the results of the PTA show that a full PIA is needed, the Contractor shall assist the CDC SOP or designee with completing a PIA for the system or information within 30 days after completion of the PTA and in accordance with HHS policy and OMB M-03-22, Guidance for Implementing the Privacy Provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002.

b. The Contractor shall assist the CDC SOP or designee in reviewing the PIA at least every three years throughout the system development lifecycle (SDLC)/information lifecycle, or when determined by the agency that a review is required based on a major change to the system, or when new types of PII are collected that introduces new or increased privacy risks, whichever comes first.

B. Training

1) Mandatory Training for All Contractor Staff. All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees assigned to work on this contract shall complete the applicable HHS/CDC Contractor Information Security Awareness, Privacy, and Records Management training (provided upon contract award) before performing any work under this contract. Thereafter, the employees shall complete CDC specific Information Security Awareness, Privacy, and Records Management training at least annually, during the life of this contract. All provided training shall be compliant with HHS training policies.

2) Role-based Training. All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees with significant security responsibilities (as determined by the program manager) must complete role-based training annually commensurate with their role and responsibilities in accordance with HHS policy and the HHS Role-Based Training (RBT) of Personnel with Significant Security Responsibilities Memorandum.

3) Training Records. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall maintain training records for all its employees working under this contract in accordance with HHS policy. A copy of the training records shall be provided to the CO and/or COR within 30 days after contract award and annually thereafter or upon request.

C. Rules of Behavior

1) The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall ensure that all employees performing on the contract comply with the HHS Information Technology General Rules of Behavior, and any CDC-specific rules, as applicable.

2) All Contractor employees performing on the contract must read and adhere to the Rules of Behavior before accessing Department data or other information, systems, and/or networks that store/process government information, initially at the beginning of the contract and at least annually thereafter, which may be done as part of annual CDC Information Security Awareness Training. If the training is provided by the contractor, the signed ROB must be provided as a separate deliverable to the CO and/or COR per defined timelines above.

D. Incident Response

The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall respond to all alerts/Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) provided by HHS Computer Security Incident Response Center (CSIRC)/CDC CSIRT teams within 24 hours, whether the response is positive or negative.

FISMA defines an incident as “an occurrence that (1) actually or imminently jeopardizes, without lawful authority, the integrity, confidentiality, or availability of information or an information system; or (2) constitutes a violation or imminent threat of violation of law, security policies, security procedures, or acceptable use policies.. The HHS Policy for IT Security and Privacy Incident Reporting and Response further defines incidents as events involving cybersecurity and privacy threats, such as viruses, malicious user activity, loss of, unauthorized disclosure or destruction of data, and so on.

A privacy breach is a type of incident and is defined by Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) as the loss of control, compromise, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized acquisition, or any similar occurrence where (1) a person other than an authorized user accesses or potentially accesses personally identifiable information or (2) an authorized user accesses or potentially accesses personally identifiable information for an other than authorized purpose. The HHS Policy for IT Security and Privacy Incident Reporting and Response further defines a breach as “a suspected or confirmed incident involving PII” .

In the event of a suspected or confirmed incident or breach, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall:

1) Protect all sensitive information, including any PII created, stored, or transmitted in the performance of this contract so as to avoid a secondary sensitive information incident with FIPS 140-2 validated encryption.

2) NOT notify affected individuals unless so instructed by the Contracting Officer or designated representative. If so instructed by the Contracting Officer or representative, the Contractor shall send CDC approved notifications to affected individuals following CDC’s designated process.

3) Report all suspected and confirmed information security and privacy incidents and breaches to the CDC’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) [CSIRT@CDC.gov], COR, CO, CDC SOP (or his or her designee), and other stakeholders, including incidents involving PII, in any medium or form, including paper, oral, or electronic, as soon as possible and without unreasonable delay, no later than one (1) hour, and consistent with the applicable CDC and HHS policy and procedures, NIST standards and guidelines, as well as US-CERT notification guidelines. The types of information required in an incident report must include at a minimum: company and point of contact information, contract information, impact classifications/threat vector, and the type of information compromised. In addition, the Contractor shall:

a. cooperate and exchange any information, as determined by the Agency, necessary to effectively manage or mitigate a suspected or confirmed breach;

b. not include any sensitive information in the subject or body of any reporting e-mail; and

c. encrypt sensitive information in attachments to email, media, etc.

4) Comply with OMB M-17-12, Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information HHS and CDC’s incident response policies when handling PII breaches.

5) Provide full access and cooperate on all activities as determined by the Government to ensure an effective incident response, including providing all requested images, log files, and event information to facilitate rapid resolution of sensitive information incidents. This may involve disconnecting the system processing, storing, or transmitting the sensitive information from the Internet or other networks or applying additional security controls. This may also involve physical access to contractor facilities during a breach/incident investigation.

E. Position Sensitivity Designations

All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees must obtain a background investigation commensurate with their position sensitivity designation that complies with Parts 1400 and 731 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

The requiring activity representative, in conjunction with Personnel Security, shall use the OPM Position Sensitivity Designation automated tool (https://www.opm.gov/investigations/) to determine the sensitivity designation for background investigations. After making those determinations, include all applicable position sensitivity designations.

F. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12

The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees shall comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors; OMB M-05-24; FIPS 201, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors; HHS HSPD-12 policy; and Executive Order 13467, Part 1 §1.2. For additional information, see HSPD-12 policy at: https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-presidential-directive-12)

Roster. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall submit a roster by name, position, e-mail address, phone number and responsibility, of all staff working under this acquisition where the Contractor will develop, have the ability to access, or host and/or maintain a government information system(s). The roster shall be submitted to the COR and/or CO within the CDC Specified timeline of the effective date of this contract. Any revisions to the roster as a result of staffing changes shall be submitted within 7 days of the change. The COR will notify the Contractor of the appropriate level of investigation required for each staff member.

If the employee is filling a new position, the Contractor shall provide a position description and the Government will determine the appropriate suitability level.

G. Contract Initiation and Expiration

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 CDC EPLC framework and methodology and in accordance with the HHS Contract Closeout Guide (2012). CDC EPLC requirements may be located here: https://www2a.CDC.gov/CDCup/library/other/eplc.htm.

2) System Documentation. Contractors (and/or any subcontractors) must 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) Sanitization of Government Files and Information. As part of contract closeout and at expiration of the contract, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall provide all required documentation to the CO and/or COR to certify that, at the government’s direction, all electronic and paper records are appropriately disposed of and all devices and media are sanitized in accordance with NIST SP 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

4) Notification. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall notify the CO and/or COR and system ISSO within 7 days before an employee stops working under this contract.

5) Contractor Responsibilities Upon Physical Completion of the Contract. The contractor (and/or any subcontractors) shall return all government information and IT resources (i.e., government information in non-government-owned systems, media, and backup systems) acquired during the term of this contract to the CO and/or COR. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide a certification that all government information has been properly sanitized and purged from Contractor-owned systems, including backup systems and media used during contract performance, in accordance with HHS and/or CDC policies.

6) The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall perform and document the actions identified in the CDC Contractor Employee Separation Checklist when an employee terminates work under this contract within 7 days of the employee’s exit from the contract. All documentation shall be made available to the CO and/or COR upon request.

H. Records Management and Retention

The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall maintain all information in accordance with Executive Order 13556 -- Controlled Unclassified Information, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records retention policies and schedules and HHS/CDC policies and shall not dispose of any records unless authorized by HHS/CDC.

In the event that a contractor (and/or any subcontractor) accidentally disposes of or destroys a record without proper authorization, it shall be…