RFP - Program Evaluation Services.doc

RFP DOCUMENTS

TECHNICAL AND ADVISORY SERVICES FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DOMESTIC BUREAUS

AND OVERSEAS MISSIONS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER

S-AQMMA-11-R-0314

Prepared by

U.S. Department of State

Logistics Management/Office of Acquisitions 1969 Dyess Avenue, N. Charleston, SC 29405

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES

AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1.

SERVICES.

The Office of Strategic and Performance Planning and the Office of the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Department of State have a requirement for Technical and Advisory Services in support of Department of State (DoS) Program Evaluation requirements. The Technical and Advisory services to be provided will play a critical role in assisting the Department with strengthening its Program/Project Evaluation Policy, consistent with the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Government-wide initiative to enhance the capacity of Federal agencies to evaluate their programs. To meet these requirements, the contractor shall provide the services and personnel as described in the contract’s statement of work (Sections C.1 through C.13).

B.2.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE.

It is anticipated that task orders will be issued under the contract for services required worldwide, including at U.S. Embassies and other U.S. Missions overseas, and at DoS domestic Bureaus and offices.

The place of performance for each requirement will be specified at the task order level.

B.3.

TYPE OF CONTRACT.

This is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract, under which task orders will be issued for individual requirements. Depending on the specific requirements of each program/project evaluation, task orders will be issued on a firm fixed-price, time-and-materials, or labor hour basis.

B.4.

CONTRACT PERIOD.

The contract shall be effective on the date of the Contracting Officer’s signature, and shall remain in effect for one year plus any option years that may be exercised under the contract. The maximum contract duration is five years, including a base year plus four option years. Individual task orders will identify the performance period specific to the task order.

B.5.

MINIMUM GUARANTEE.

The minimum guarantee for each contract awarded is $25,000. During the entire contract performance period, DoS is required to order and the contractor is required to furnish this minimum amount of services. This should not be considered the minimum amount for each year (should any option years be exercised). It is the minimum amount of services that must be ordered during the entire contract performance period (base year plus any option years). Funding will be at the task order level.

B.6.

MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING.

This is a multiple-award IDIQ contract for Evaluation Services, with an overall ceiling price of $125,000,000. The maximum aggregate dollar value of all task orders awarded to all contractors (during the base year plus all options years exercised) cannot exceed this contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided equally amongst the number of awardees, nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees.

B.7.

CONTRACT PRICES.

B.7.1.

General.

The fixed hourly labor rates established in Section B.8 below shall apply to individual task orders issued under the contract. The fixed hourly rates shall include all direct and indirect costs (including overhead, general and administrative expenses, etc.), and profit. The total price (or not to exceed ceiling) for each task order will determined either competitively or by negotiation, following the process outlined in Section C.12 (Issuance of Task Orders).

B.7.2.

Task Orders.

For each task order issued under the contract, the contractor shall complete all work identified in the task order (including furnishing all labor, materials, and services). For time-and-materials or labor hour task orders the work shall be completed at the prices established for the labor and/or materials specified in the task order, adhering to the performance period and other terms and conditions of the task order. This includes any “not to exceed” ceiling that may be established. For fixed-price task orders the work shall be completed for the firm fixed-price established for the task order, and within the time period specified. For all task orders issued, the labor rates established in Section B.8 shall apply to the labor portion of the task orders.

All prices under the contract shall be stated in U.S. dollars, and all payments will be in U.S. dollars.

B.8.

CONTRACT POSITIONS AND HOURLY LABOR RATES.

B.8.1.

General.

Labor categories are divided into skill levels as follows:

Level I (Senior):

Level I Senior technical staff must have a Masters degree and a minimum of fifteen (15) years experience.

Level II (Mid Level):

Level II Mid Level technical staff should have a Masters degree and a minimum of ten (10) years experience.

Level III (Junior):

Level III Junior technical staff should have a Bachelors degree and a minimum of two (2) years experience.

Support Staff:

Support Staff should have at least two (2) years of experience relevant to their assigned responsibilities.

FOLLOWING ARE THE CONTRACT POSITIONS AND FIXED HOURLY LABOR RATES FOR THE BASE YEAR AND FOUR OPTION YEARS:

B.8.2.

BASE YEAR.

Labor Rate

Level I

Level II

Level III

Level I

Level II

Level III

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Level II

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Base Year rates for CLINs 0009 through 0016 continued on next page.

Base Year rates (CLINs 0009 through 0016).

Labor Rate

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Level II

Level III

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Base Year rates for CLINs 0017 through 0024 continued on next page.

Base Year rates (CLINs 0017 through 0024).

Labor Rate

Level I

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Level III

Level I

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Level II

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Base Year rates for CLINs 0025 through 0028 continued on next page.

Base Year rates (CLINs 0025 through 0028).

Labor Rate

Level I

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Level I

Level II

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Level II

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Level I

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B.8.3.

OPTION YEAR ONE.

Labor Rate

Level I

Level II

Level III

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Option Year One rates for CLINs 1009 through 1016 continued on next page.

Option Year One rates (CLINs 1009 through 1016).

Labor Rate

Level I

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Level III

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Option Year One rates for CLINs 1017 through 1024 continued on next page.

Option Year One rates (CLINs 1017 through 1024).

Labor Rate

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Option Year One rates for CLINs 1025 through 1028 continued on next page.

Option Year One rates (CLINs 1025 through 1028).

Labor Rate

Level I

Level II

Level III

Level I

Level II

Level III

Level I

Level II

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Level III

B.8.4.

OPTION YEAR TWO.

Labor Rate

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Option Year Two rates for CLINs 2009 through 2016 continued on next page.

Option Year Two rates (CLINs 2009 through 2016).

Labor Rate

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Option Year Two rates for CLINs 2017 through 2024 continued on next page.

Option Year Two rates (CLINs 2017 through 2024).

Labor Rate

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Option Year Two rates for CLINs 2025 through 2028 continued on next page.

Option Year Two rates (CLINs 2025 through 2028).

Labor Rate

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B.8.5.

OPTION YEAR THREE.

Labor Rate

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Option Year Three rates for CLINs 3009 through 3016 continued on next page.

Option Year Three rates (CLINs 3009 through 3016).

Labor Rate

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Option Year Three rates for CLINs 3017 through 3024 continued on next page.

Option Year Three rates (CLINs 3017 through 3024).

Labor Rate

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Option Year Three rates for CLINs 3025 through 3028 continued on next page.

Option Year Three rates (CLINs 3025 through 3028).

Labor Rate

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Level III

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B.8.6.

OPTION YEAR FOUR.

Labor Rate

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Option Year Four rates for CLINs 4009 through 4016 continued on next page.

Option Year Four rates (CLINs 4009 through 4016).

Labor Rate

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Option Year Four rates for CLINs 4017 through 4024 continued on next page.

Option Year Four rates (CLINs 4017 through 4024).

Labor Rate

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Option Year Four rates for CLINs 4025 through 4028 continued on next page.

Option Year Four rates (CLINs 4025 through 4028).

Labor Rate

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SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS

STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1.

INTRODUCTION.

The Office of Strategic and Performance Planning and the Office of the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Department of State have a requirement for Technical and Advisory Services in support of Department of State (DoS) Program Evaluation requirements.

DoS has long recognized that evaluation is a key aspect of program management, and that a robust and coordinated evaluation function is essential to the Department’s ability to document program impact, identify best practices, assess return on investment, provide inputs for policy and planning decisions, and assure accountability to the American people. Program evaluation encompasses the tools used for setting forth clearly defined priorities, identifying the means for achieving them, articulating the metrics and performance measures that will be used to assess outcomes, conducting the evaluations, and sharing the results. Furthermore, evaluations contribute to better justification of programs in budget requests for funding DoS programs and projects.

The required evaluation services will play a critical role in assisting the Department with strengthening its Program/Project Evaluation Policy, consistent with the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Government-wide initiative to enhance the capacity of Federal agencies to evaluate their programs. The DoS blueprint for enhancing the agency’s program/project evaluation capacity is detailed in The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). (See Section J, Attachment 2 for additional details regarding the QDDR.)

C.2.

DEFINITIONS.

In addition to the definitions provided in Section I, FAR 52.202-1, the following definitions shall apply when used in connection with this contract:

Program: A Program is a set of activities or projects that are typically implemented by several parties over a specified period of time. A program evaluation often involves an assessment or study of multiple activities that may cut across sectors and/or geographic areas. An example of a Program is the Department’s Biometric Visa Program.

Project: A Project is a discrete activity designed to achieve specific objectives within specified resources and implementation schedules. A set of projects makes up the portfolio of a program. A project evaluation is often carried out within the framework of a broader program. An example of a project within the Biometric Visa Program is the Border Crossing Card.

Evaluation: Evaluation is the systematic collection and analysis of information about the characteristics and outcomes of programs and projects as a basis for judgments, to improve effectiveness, and/or inform decisions about current and future programming. Evaluation is distinct from assessment, which may be designed to examine country or sector context to inform project design, or an informal review of projects.

Impact Evaluations: Impact Evaluations measure the change in a development outcome that is attributable to a defined intervention; impact evaluations are based on models of cause and effect and require an experimental or quasi experimental design or a credible and rigorously defined counterfactual to control for factors other than the intervention that might account for the observed change. They seek to assess/measure the change in the targeted groups, organizations and other beneficiaries that can be attributed to a project, program or policy. They are designed to answer questions such as: What changes were observed in targeted populations, organizations or policies during and at the end of project or program? To what extent can the observed changes be attributed to the project or program? Were there unintended effects which were not anticipated at the planning stage? What factors explain the intended and unintended impacts of the project or program? The essence of impact evaluation lies in establishing that the changes have occurred as a result of the intervention, or at least the latter has substantially contributed to it.

Performance Evaluations: Performance Evaluations focus on descriptive and normative questions pertinent to program design, management and operational decision making. They seek to determine what a particular project or program has achieved (either at an intermediate point in execution or at the conclusion of an implementation period); how it is being implemented; how it is perceived and valued; whether expected results are occurring; and other questions. Performance Evaluations often incorporate before-after comparisons, but generally lack a rigorously defined counterfactual.

Performance Indicators: Performance Indicators measure a particular characteristic or dimension of an intervention’s outputs or outcomes. Outputs are directly attributable to the intervention activities, while outcomes represent results to which a given program contributes but for which it is not solely responsible.

BSRP:

Bureau Strategic Resource Plans (BSRPs).

COR:

Contracting Officer’s Representative.

GFE:

Government Furnished Equipment.

GFP:

Government Furnished Property.

JSP:

Joint Strategic Plan.

MSRP:

Mission Strategic Resource Plan.

NTP:

Notice to Proceed.

ODCs:

Other Direct Costs.

C.3.

CURRENT OMB REQUIREMENTS.

C.3.1.

Strategic Plan.

Agencies are required to produce a strategic plan containing “a description of the program evaluations used in establishing or revising general goals and objectives, with a schedule for future program evaluations.” These plans generally include the following elements:

· Mission statement.

· General goals and objectives.

· Description of how goals and objectives will be achieved.

· Description of how the performance goals in the plan shall be related to the general goals and objectives.

· Identification of those key factors external to the agency and beyond its control that could significantly affect the achievement of the general goals and objectives.

· Description of the program evaluations used in establishing or revising general goals and objectives, including a schedule for future program evaluations.

C.3.2.

Annual Performance Plan.

These plans generally include the following:

· Establish performance goals.

· Express such goals in an objective, quantifiable, and measureable form.

· Describe the operational processes; skills and technology; and the human capital, information, or other resources required to meet the performance goals.

· Establish performance indicators to measure or assess outputs, services levels, and outcomes of each program activity.

· Provide the basis for comparing actual program results with established performance goals.

· Describe the means to be used to verify and validate measured values.

C.3.3.

Annual Program Performance Report.

These reports generally summarize the findings of program evaluations, and include the following:

· Evaluate performance plan relative to the performance achieved towards meeting the performance goals.

· Describe where performance goals were successfully achieved.

· Explain and describe where performance goals may not have been met, and reasons why they were not met.

· Provide plans/suggestions and proposed schedules for achieving any goals that may not have been met.

· Describe goals (if any) that may be impractical or infeasible, on what basis this determination was made, and recommendations on how to proceed (e.g., eliminate goals, revise goals, etc.).

C.4.

SCOPE OF EVALUATIONS.

C.4.1.

Target Customers.

The contractor shall be responsible for performing evaluation activities worldwide, including at U.S. Embassies and other U.S. Missions overseas, at DoS domestic Bureaus and offices, and at Department-wide levels. More broadly, the contractor shall provide technical services to the Agency’s regional, functional and management bureaus, and to other central program and policy offices. The services provided may vary to some degree, depending on the specific evaluation requirements of each unique customer. Generally, the contractor shall work with the various customers as follows:

· Analyze in partnership with Embassy staff the effectiveness of Embassy programs and policies in achieving their strategic objectives and priorities as defined in Mission Strategic Resource Plans (MSRPs) or any predecessor document.

· Analyze in partnership with Assistant Secretaries or their designees the effectiveness of bureau programs and policies in achieving their strategic objectives and priorities as defined in their Bureau Strategic Resource Plans (BSRPs).

· Analyze the effectiveness of Agency programs and policies in contributing to overall Department-wide goals and objectives as defined in the Joint Strategic Plan (JSP).

Individual projects may be specific to programs, projects, and activities within only one of the customer groups above, or may encompass more than one of the above groups to assess broader program and strategic priorities, including cross-sector and multi-country evaluations.

C.4.2.

General Evaluation Framework.

State Department Bureaus and Embassies are tasked with using evaluations as part of their planning and management of bureau and mission strategic priorities. To act as an effective management and planning tool, the DoS general evaluation framework includes the following types of activities:

· Inform new program and activity design.

· Assess unexpected progress, either positive or negative.

· Determine if the activity is achieving the intended results and identify necessary mid-project (program) corrections (mid-term or formative evaluation).

· Re-examine or test the validity of hypotheses and assumptions embedded in strategic plans and results frameworks.

· Determine whether the needs of customers are being served.

· Identify and analyze positive and negative unintended consequences or impacts of diplomatic and foreign assistance programs/projects.

· Determine whether conditions for sustainability or replication exist.

· Develop and implement training programs.

· Conduct performance and/or impact evaluations; distill lessons learned and recommendations which may be useful elsewhere in the Department.

C.5.

REQUIRED SERVICES.

C.5.1.

General (Broader Objectives).

The contractor shall provide personnel with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to accomplish the following objectives aligned with strengthening the Department’s evaluation capacity:

· Assist the Department with further development of its evaluation policy for ongoing and systematic analysis of programs and policies, consistent with OMB’s Government-wide initiative to enhance the evaluation capacity of Federal agencies.

· Assist the Department with implementation of its evaluation policy by providing the necessary tools, expertise, technical support, and evaluation training to a wide range of DoS domestic and overseas customers.

· Develop effective plans, processes, and activities to promote and sustain evaluation as an ongoing management tool.

C.5.2.

Specific Services.

The required evaluation services shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

C.5.2.1.

Evaluations/Studies.

· Conduct a systematic review of DoS operations, including the use of evaluations, to determine the degree of efficiency and economy in the operation of the agency’s activities, functions, and organizational units.

· Based on the review, provide a detailed report and analysis of the findings to determine the implications of those findings on the ability of the Department, Bureaus or Embassies to achieve their respective strategic goals. This includes, for example, identifying any positive and/or negative impacts, lessons learned, best practices, and actionable recommendations to improve policy and/or program effectiveness and efficiency at the Department, bureau and mission levels.

Note: The systematic review of DoS operations and reporting described above will likely be accomplished through a series of smaller task order projects, rather than as a single large project that encompasses all operations across the entire Department.

· Design and implement a variety of short-term and long-term quantitative and qualitative program and project evaluations. This may include, for example, evaluation case studies, performance and impact evaluations, efficiency evaluations, mid-term and final evaluations, meta-evaluations, cross-program or multi-country evaluations, joint evaluations with other bureaus or agencies, formative evaluations of program and project implementation, summative evaluations of program and project results, and other evaluative studies as needed.

C.5.2.2.

Data Collection.

The Contractor shall provide all necessary background research and analytic resources required to implement these data collection tasks. Following are examples of the types of research and data collection activities that shall be required:

· Provide technical assistance on both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, including surveys, interviews, documentation reviews, focus groups, direct observation and case studies.

· Develop and implement appropriate evaluation designs for proposed studies.

· Carry out experimental and quasi-experimental and other designs and case studies requiring primary data collection.

· Perform analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, including use of appropriate analytical software.

C.5.2.3.

Dissemination of Information.

The contractor shall provide expert services to conceptualize and implement a balanced mix of hard copy, electronic and other media for documentation, dissemination, and utilization of evaluation findings, conclusions, and recommendations, including, but not limited to, the following:

· Drafting of evaluation reports that contain graphical and narrative presentation of data, findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations.

· Development of effective tracking systems for evaluation recommendations.

· Preparation of guidance, handbooks, newsletters, and other tools for dissemination to evaluation practitioners.

· Provision of personnel to organize and implement workshops, meetings, conferences, and seminars to disseminate study findings.

· Development and provision of various methods of evaluation training (e.g., on-line references and training; classroom training).

· Development of utilization plans for evaluation results.

· Effective utilization of DoS electronic systems for dissemination of evaluations and findings, to include entire reports when appropriate. Examples include the Department’s “State Messaging and Archive Retrieval System (SMART)”, the OpenNet web portal, and may in some cases include the Department’s ClassNet system.

C.5.2.4.

Longer-Term Policy and Agenda.

The contractor shall work with appropriate DoS offices and bureaus on the development and implementation of a Department-wide evaluation agenda to continue strengthening and improving the Department’s evaluation policy and standards. The required services shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Develop and implement methods of building the Agency’s evaluation capacity, which take into consideration both the strategic goals of the Agency and budget constraints.

· Assist with strategic planning and analysis, including implementation planning.

· Develop effective and appropriate performance indicators and metrics, measuring and monitoring activities, assessments, appraisals, and other reliable means for analyzing the effectiveness of programs, projects and policies and their contribution to overall Agency goals and objectives.

· Provide recommendations as necessary for strengthening the Agency’s monitoring capability.

· Provide staff when requested to support internal work of the Agency.

C.6.

CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL.

C.6.1.

The contractor shall be responsible for providing personnel with the appropriate education, skills, expertise, and experience to perform evaluation activities worldwide, including at U.S. Embassies and other U.S. Missions overseas, as well as at DoS domestic Bureaus and offices. Generally, the technical and advisory services will require personnel with expertise in the following illustrative fields: diplomacy, cultural affairs, media programs, agriculture and trade; environment; education and training; global health; democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance; cross-cutting programs (conflict management, private and voluntary cooperation, transition initiatives, and evaluation methodology, design, analysis and training).

C.6.2.

All personnel assigned by the contractor for the performance of services shall be regular employees of the contractor, or have a direct contractual relationship with the contractor (e.g., Consultants and Subject Matter Experts). There shall be no employer-employee relationship between the U.S. Government and contractor personnel.

C.6.3.

All matters pertaining to the employment, supervision, compensation, promotion, and discharge of such employees are the responsibility of the contractor, who is in all respects the employer of such employees. The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government, or family member of an employee, if the employment of that person would create a conflict of interest.

C.6.4.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) may require dismissal from work any employee who is identified as a potential threat to the health, safety, security, general well being or operational mission of the facility and its population.

C.7.

KEY PERSONNEL.

C.7.1.

Senior Technical Advisor.

The Senior Technical Advisor will be the individual bearing primary responsibility for technical aspects of contract performance.

C.7.2.

IDIQ Manager.

The IDIQ Manager will be the individual bearing primary responsibility for personnel, reporting, and other management related requirements of the contract.

The contractor shall assign to the contract the following key personnel:

Senior Technical Advisor

IDIQ Manager

C.7.3.

Qualifications of Senior Technical Advisor and IDIQ Manager.

The above key personnel shall have experience and knowledge in the following areas:

· Supervisory responsibilities;

· Experience in managing and evaluating international programs;

· Advanced education in a relevant social science field (or equivalent experience);

· Management, leadership and interpersonal skills;

· Writing and oral communication skills;

· Experience working with local counterparts and with a variety of local and international organizations; and

· Experience dealing with different styles and levels of management and people with varied backgrounds and education.

C.7.4.

Substitution/Replacement of Key Personnel.

The contractor agrees that a partial basis for award of this contract is the key personnel proposed. Accordingly, the contractor agrees to assign to this contract those key persons whose resumes were submitted with the proposal to occupy these positions. No substitution shall be made without prior notification to and concurrence of the COR. During the first ninety (90) days of performance, the contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment.

In the case of substitution of Key Personnel, all proposed substitutes shall meet or exceed the qualifications of the person to be replaced. The COR shall be notified in writing of any proposed substitution at least thirty (30) days in advance of the proposed substitution. Such notification shall include: (1) an explanation of the circumstances necessitating the substitution; (2) a complete resume of the proposed substitute; and (3) any other information requested by the COR to enable him/her to judge whether or not the contractor is maintaining the same high quality of personnel that provided the partial basis for award.

C.7.5.

Task Orders – Key Personnel.

The contractor may be required to provide key personnel for individual task orders, depending on the specific services to be provided under the task order. In such cases, the Request for a Task Order Proposal (RFTOP) will identify the key personnel, as well as any special considerations or conditions that may apply to the key personnel assigned to the task order by the contractor.

C.8.

OTHER PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS.

C.8.1.

General.

For Task Order Projects – The contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, appearance and integrity, and shall be responsible for taking such disciplinary action with respect to its employees as may be necessary. The U.S. Government (USG) reserves the right to direct the contractor to remove an employee immediately from the workplace, to include all USG facilities, for engaging in any of the prohibited activities noted in C.8.3 below. In the event that the contractor is directed to remove an employee, the contractor shall immediately replace the employee with a qualified replacement, at no additional cost to the USG, in order to maintain continuity of services.

C.8.2.

Personnel Health Requirements.

All contractor employees shall be in good general health without physical disabilities that would interfere with acceptable performance of their duties. All employees shall be free from communicable diseases.

C.8.3.

Prohibited Employee Activities.

A determination of unfitness may be made from, but is not be limited to, incidents involving the most immediately identifiable types of misconduct or delinquency as set forth below:

· Neglect of duties shall not be condoned. The contractor shall enforce no sleeping while on duty, unreasonable delays or failures to carry out assigned tasks, conducting personal affairs during duty hours and refusing to render assistance or cooperate in upholding the integrity of workplace security.

· Disorderly conduct, use of abusive or offensive language, quarreling, intimidation by words, actions, or fighting shall not be condoned. Also included is participation in disruptive activities, which interfere with normal and efficient Government operations.

· Intoxicants and Narcotics. The contractor shall not allow its employees while on duty to possess, sell, consume, or be under the influence of intoxicants, drugs or substances that produce similar effects.

· Criminal Actions. Contractor employees may be subject to criminal actions as allowed by law in certain circumstances. These include, but are not limited to, the following actions:

a) falsification or unlawful concealment, removal, mutilation, or destruction of any official documents or records or concealment of material facts by willful omission from official documents or records;

b) unauthorized use of Government property, theft, vandalism, or immoral conduct;

c) unethical or improper use of official authority or credentials;

d) security violations; or,

e) organizing or participating in gambling in any form.

C.9.

NOTICE TO GOVERNMENT OF LABOR DISPUTES.

The contractor shall inform the COR of any actual or potential labor dispute that is delaying or threatening to delay the timely performance of this contract.

C.10.

OTHER DIRECT COSTS.

C.10.1.

General.

The contractor will be reimbursed for any allowable Other Direct Costs (ODCs) associated with the performance of services under the contract. In each task order proposal, the contractor shall include the types and estimated amount(s) of ODCs associated with the specific task order requirements. For any approved/allowable ODCs, the task order will include a Not to Exceed (NTE) amount based on the estimated total amount of ODCs.

The contract includes the following ODCs:

C.10.2.

Training.

There may be occasions under the contract where contractor employees must receive specialized training for the performance of the required services. This includes training for skills or knowledge that are not typical for the individual’s functional area of expertise. For example, this might include user training for a specially developed DoS software application where it is necessary to understand the functionality of the program as part of the evaluation process. When specialized training such as this is required, DoS will reimburse the contractor for the cost of the training (unless provided in- house by DoS at no additional cost to the contractor).

C.10.3.

Defense Base Act Insurance (DBA).

The prices in the contract shall not include Defense Base Act (DBA) Insurance. DBA insurance (if required) will be a separately priced item included in task order proposals. The Government will reimburse the Contractor directly for DBA Insurance that may be required, in accordance with DOSAR 652.228-71, "Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) – Services" and FAR 52.228-3, "Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)". DBA requirements will be determined at the time of task orders, based on the types of personnel (e.g., U.S. Citizens, Third World Nationals) and the location of the work.

C.10.4.

Temporary Housing Allowance.

In cases where a contractor employee may be required to relocate to the area where services will be performed, and remain there for a lengthy period of time during the project, the contractor may be reimbursed for the cost of temporary housing for that employee. This would apply to contract employees that would essentially be performing on a full-time basis under a task order. This does not apply to contractor employees on shorter-term TDY status, which are covered under C.10.5 below. Reimbursement for temporary housing costs shall be in accordance with the applicable USG Per Diem rates in effect at the time of the temporary relocation.

C.10.5.

Travel.

C.10.5.1.

Contractor Personnel.

The contractor shall be responsible for assuring that contract personnel who are required to travel are physically able to travel to the intended destination, and to remain there without significant health risk for the required period of the task order. The contractor shall be responsible for assuring that such individuals receive the proper immunizations and take proper health measures before, during, and after travel. Physical examinations and immunizations will not be provided by the USG. Additionally, the contractor is responsible for medical, disability, life insurance, and other requirements, as may be applicable, in order to comply with host nation government labor laws and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

C.10.5.2.

Travel Terms & Conditions.

All travel under the contract shall comply with the Federal Travel Regulations and/or Joint Travel Regulations, as applicable, in effect on the date(s) the travel is performed. The contractor will be reimbursed for reasonable travel costs, such as airfare, taxi cabs, ground transportation, rental cars, and other miscellaneous travel expenses, provided that the travel has been authorized in advance by DoS.

Travel costs subject to reimbursement are limited to travel occurring at the direction of the USG, and performed in conjunction with a specific requirement for a trip authorized in a task order. For example, travel reimbursement will typically be permitted for activities such as site visits, required attendance at meetings, etc.

C.11.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY.

The Government will provide each contractor employee with a standard business working environment and associated equipment, as may be required, for on-site work. However, contractor employees shall not possess any USG equipment or property (whether Government-furnished or not) off site, unless authorized by the USG in advance.

C.12.

ISSUANCE OF TASK ORDERS.

C.12.1.

General.

Each task order statement of work will include a description of the specific requirements for the project, including the required services and deliverables. The contractor shall submit a task order proposal based on the stated requirements.

All task orders issued shall be subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the base contract. In the event of any conflict between the contract and task order, the contract shall take precedence.

Task orders issued under the contract shall be authorized and executed only by the Contracting Officer. This includes any modifications to task orders that may be required.

Task Orders may be issued from the date of contract award, through the end of the contract Period of Performance. The contractor shall complete all work and services within the period of performance specified in the task orders, except that no new task order shall be issued hereunder after the expiration of this contract.

C.12.2.

Task Order Procedures – Multiple Awards.

C.12.2.1.

General. If multiple awards are made, the placement of task orders will follow the procedures in FAR 16.505(b). Unless one of the exceptions in FAR 16.505(b)(2) applies, the Government will request a task order proposal from each contractor, encompassing technical issues (if applicable) and price. Award of the task order will be based on price, technical, and past performance factors. The evaluation criteria to be used for awarding a task order will be stated in the Request for Task Order Proposals (RFTOP).

C.12.2.2.

Selection Process. The process for each task order will be as follows:

1. The Government will issue a RFTOP to each contractor. The request will include a statement of work for the specific project, all required deliverables, the project schedule, and any other pertinent information.

2. If required, and necessary to be able to prepare a proposal, the USG will arrange for a site visit.

3. Each firm will submit a task order proposal by the time specified in the RFTOP. The proposal shall be based upon the negotiated hourly rates of the contract, and include any other estimated costs (ODCs).

4. The Government will evaluate the proposals and select an IDIQ holder based on the selection criteria specified in the RFTOP.

In some cases a task order may be awarded without competition. For example, an order issued in the interest of economy and efficiency as a logical follow-on to an earlier task order.

Note: For all requirements, the task order statement of work will include the anticipated performance period for the required services. There may be projects that require evaluation services for periods exceeding one year. In such cases, the contractor selected will need to be able to demonstrate that it can provide the required expertise and quality of services for the entire performance period.

C.13.

CLASSIFIED TASK ORDERS.

In accordance with H.5, contractors performing under the awarded IDIQ contracts must obtain a SECRET Facility Clearance, issued by the Defense Security Service (DSS). For projects where the performance of services may require access to classified material, the task order statement of work will include the appropriate security specifications. Any IDIQ holder that has applied for, but has not yet been granted, either an interim or final SECRET level Facility Clearance by DSS may be determined to be ineligible for award of the task order. However, if time permits, the Contracting Officer may allow a contractor without the requisite facility clearance to participate in the competitive process for a classified task order, if it is anticipated that a clearance from DSS is forthcoming.

If the otherwise successful contractor does not yet have a facility clearance, award of the task order will be contingent upon the clearance being granted. However, DoS reserves the right to select a different contractor if it is determined that obtaining the clearance will take longer than initially anticipated, and delaying the work is determined not be in the USG’s best interest.

Note: Offerors are not required to possess a SECRET Facility Clearance as a condition for award, nor will possessing a clearance or not be an evaluation factor. However, it is a requirement that offerors have the capability of obtaining the required security clearances. Consequently, an offeror may be removed from further consideration if during the evaluation process (pre-award) there are facts discovered that may indicate problems with an offeror being able to obtain a clearance for its facility and/or personnel. If circumstances arise after award that prevent a contractor from obtaining a necessary clearance, this may also lead to termination of the contract.

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING

Any required labeling and marking requirements for deliverables under the contract will be identified in individual task orders.

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1.

FAR 52.252‑2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998).

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at: http://acquisition.gov/far/index.html or, http://farsite.hill.af.mil/search.htm These addresses are subject to change. If the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is not available at the locations indicated above, use the Dept. of State Acquisition Website at http://www.statebuy.state.gov/ to see the links to the FAR. You may also use an Internet “search engine” (such as, Yahoo, Excite, Alta Vista, etc.) to obtain the latest location of the most current FAR.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR CH. 1):

52-246-4 Inspection of…