Work_Category_4_-_final.doc

SAMPLE Work Category 4

SECTION I – STATEMENT OF WORK

Work Category 4 Technical Writing Support – Task 1

C. STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 Background Within Economic Research and Analysis, the Office of Quantitative Research (OQR) is responsible for providing analytical research and development, application development, user support for analytical applications, and data management and administration to support analytical projects. In support of DERA’s analytical functions, OQR has recently taken on responsibilities to create a new development environment and manage database functions to support DERA’s analysis projects. OQR has identified approximately twenty to thirty data sources that could be used in this new development environment; OQR expects the number and scope of these data sources to increase over the next two to three years.

OQR has developed analytical tools and middleware to provide additional data and analytical reports to stakeholders in DERA and other SEC offices. OQR expects to deliver six to twelve additional analytical reports in the next eight to ten months that utilize these tools and middleware as a means of delivery to DERA users as well as users in the SEC.

Risk Strategy and Financial Innovation (DERA) recently developed the Office of Quantitative Research Information Delivery System (OIDS) tool that provides users with access to commercial and internal developed data sets and analytical reports created by DERA staff and economists. The data sets cover a wide variety of areas such as regulatory registration information, mutual fund performance, hedge fund performance, market trading data among others. The OIDS tool has recently been upgraded to enable improved maintenance and dynamic updates. As new analytical products become available OQR will grant access to more users who require analytic reports.

The reports that can be accessed within this tool use multiple data sources and incorporate a variety of analytical methods. The sources of data include commercial data feeds, the NYSE, web-based feeds, manual downloads, FTP, APIs and aggregated data vendors like WRDS. These data sets are commonly refreshed using manual downloads or Unix shell scripts via FTP. The data sets are downloaded to a separate SAS box, some go into an MS SQL Server and some go into an Oracle Server. All of these data reside inside the SEC network. SAS is currently used to load the flat files obtained from various sources into SAS databases and then SAS is used to manipulate the data to produce the desired data sets. It is expected that data will reside in Oracle in the future. SAS, along with Matlab, Stata, and other similar packages are used to create the reports, graphs, tables and other displays of the analytics.

The user manual and documentation for the tool have not been completely developed and incorporated into the tool for ready access by the users. Documentation exists for some but not for all reports, graphs, tables and other displays. There are subject matter experts in DERA who will be consulted to support this documentation effort.

C.2. Objectives

The objectives of this Task Order are to provide enhanced documentation for the reports, graphics, and other analytical reports that are provided through the existing OIDS tool. In particular, OQR plans to increase the number of reports, graphs, tables and other displays available to SEC users through the OIDS tool. While some help files exist for some of the existing reports, graphs, tables and other displays, additional help files will be needed. These help files are intended to assist users in interpreting analytical results within the reports and any general limitations that should inform their interpretation of the results.

In addition, the Task Order will provide enhancements to the existing user guide and develop user training materials.

This effort will also include documentation of the processes and procedures used to load and store the various analytical reports.

C. 3 Scope The contractor shall provide support during the base year of the contract to develop technical documentation as well as a user guide and user training packages for the current OIDS tool and for the new reports that will be added to the system in this period of performance. OQR estimates that between six and twelve new report packages may be created. Each of these packages could have an approximate average of five different reports.

The technical documentation shall be developed based on industry standards. The user guide and user training packages shall be provided for two environments: first, the packages shall be developed to be available electronically as part of the Information Delivery System and second, the packages shall be delivered as separate reference materials that can be utilized as companion documents during training.

The contractor shall also provide assistance in developing the analytical documentation in the form of recommendations on the format, accessibility, and any improvements to the system for future growth.

C.4 OIDS Reports Technical Writing Support Task C.4.1 Task 1 Project Plan The Contractor shall submit a detailed work breakdown structure for managing the work to accomplish the objectives of this project. The project plan shall include the Project Management plan, Communication plan and Quality Assurance plan for this project. The contractor shall provide a project plan narrative that describes the project, technical approach, milestones, and deliverables. The project plan shall also include a project schedule for all work associated with this task. (For Deliverable, see D.1) C.4.2 Task 1 Monthly Reports The Contractor shall prepare a monthly status report describing, at a minimum, the burn rate, the current status and progress, work accomplished during the report period, work to be accomplished during the next report period, and identifying any issues or concerns requiring resolution. (For Deliverable, see D.2) C.4.3 Task 1 Interim Reports. The Contractor shall prepare and deliver to the COR a status report or a presentation describing, at a minimum the current status and progress, work accomplished during the report period, work to be accomplished during the next report period, and identifying any issues or concerns requiring resolution. This report may be in the form of a presentation, particularly regarding analytical methods. (For Deliverable, see D.3) C.4.4 Task 1 Meeting Minutes. The Contractor shall prepare and deliver to the COR Meeting Minutes from all meetings with the OQR SME related to this task order. The Contractor shall work with the COR to resolve issues and shall resubmit the revised Meeting Minutes. (For Deliverable, see D.4) C.4.5 Documentation for Reports Displayed in OIDS Tool

The contractor shall provide formatted help files intended to guide users through general use of the system. The help files shall be written to inform a general audience and tailored to user roles where appropriate. The help system should provide for both manual and electronic access to the system. The help files shall conform to configuration management processes. (For Deliverable, see D.5 and D.6) C.4.6 Technical Documentation

The contractor will provide technical documentation describing the statistical methods used to create and required to understand and use the reports, graphs, tables and other analytical displays. In addition, the Contractor shall provide documentation of the OQR maintenance procedures and administrative processes to guide OQR administrators in incorporating additional reports and data sources into the OIDS tool.

Technical user guides should be provided for OQR middleware programmers, who manage the middleware system and are responsible for change control management, middleware programming, managing user roles and reports management. These documents should be written to inform technical programmers of the system design details as well as system middleware policies and procedures to inform OQR analysts of the programming process for adding or augmenting reports. (For Deliverable, see D.7 and D.8) C.4.7 Provide User Guide and Training Packages The Contractor shall provide General user guides for non-technical users to inform them of the content and use of reports associated with their roles. User guides should be tailored to user role in order to facilitate distribution to the appropriate audience from within the system. For example, the user guides shall be structured so that appropriate sections can be accessed dynamically based on user permissions and roles within the system.

These user guides will be informed by DERA SME (generally PhD financial economists) academic white papers and will be tailored to inform non-technical users of the appropriate use of the reports and the information and analytics within them. (For Deliverable, see D.9 and D.10)

D. DELIVERABLES

The contractor shall prepare deliverables specific to the Tasks as shown in the tables below. All deliverables shall be formatted by the contractor and prepared using Microsoft Office Suite applications. The following deliverables shall be submitted electronically to the COR.

D.1 Project Plan

The Contractor shall submit a detailed work breakdown structure for managing the work to accomplish the objectives of this project. The project plan shall include the Project Management plan, Communication plan and Quality Assurance plan for this project. The contractor shall provide a project plan narrative that describes the project, technical approach, milestones, and deliverables. The project plan shall also include a project schedule for all work associated with this task.

D.2 Monthly Report

A monthly status report describing, at a minimum, the current status and progress, work accomplished during the report period, work to be accomplished during the next report period, and identifying any issues or concerns requiring resolution.

The monthly report shall include project cost, schedule and risk. It should include a detailed summary of the burn rate, estimated monthly hours, actual hours and planned hours for the next reporting cycle. The report shall be submitted with each monthly invoice to monitor cost and schedule.

D.3 Interim Report

Interim status reports to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) describing at a minimum, the current status and progress, work accomplished during the report period, work to be accomplished during the next report period, and identifying any issues or concerns requiring resolution.

D.4 Meeting Minutes

The Contractor shall prepare and deliver to the COR, Meeting Minutes from all meetings with the OQR SME related to this task order. The Contractor shall work with the COR to resolve issues and shall resubmit the revised Meeting Minutes.

D.5 Draft Documentation for Reports Displayed in OIDS Tool The contractor shall provide drafts and proposed formatted help files intended to guide users through general use of the system. The help files shall be written to inform a general audience and tailored to user roles where appropriate. The help system should provide for both manual and electronic access to the system.

D.6 Final Documentation for Reports Displayed in OIDS Tool

The contractor shall provide final formatted help files intended to guide users through general use of the system. The help files shall be written to inform a general audience and tailored to user roles where appropriate. The help system should provide for both manual and electronic access to the system.

D.7 Draft Technical Documentation

Contractor shall provide draft technical documentation describing system functions, maintenance procedures, and administrative processes suitable for incorporating into the OIDS administration guide and user help files.

The contractor will provide technical documentation describing the statistical methods used to create and required to understand and use the reports, graphs, tables and other analytical displays.

The Contractor shall provide draft documentation of the OQR maintenance procedures and administrative processes to guide OQR administrators in incorporating additional reports and data sources into the OIDS tool.

D. 8 Final Technical Documentation

Contractor shall provide final technical documentation describing system functions, maintenance procedures, and administrative processes suitable for incorporating into the OIDS administration guide and user help files.

The contractor will provide technical documentation describing the statistical methods used to create and required to understand and use the reports, graphs, tables and other analytical displays.

The Contractor shall provide final documentation of the OQR maintenance procedures and administrative processes to guide OQR administrators in incorporating additional reports and data sources into the OIDS tool.

D.9 Draft User Guide and Training Packages

The Contractor shall provide draft general user guides for non-technical users to inform them of the content and use of reports associated with their roles. User guides should be tailored to user role to facilitate distribution to the appropriate audience within the system. These user guides will be informed by DERA SME (generally PhD financial economists) academic white papers and will be tailored to inform non-technical users of the appropriate use of the reports and the information and analytics within them.

D.10 Final User Guide and Training

The Contractor shall provide final general user guides for non-technical users to inform them of the content and use of reports associated with their roles. User guides should be tailored to user role to facilitate distribution to the appropriate audience within the system. These user guides will be informed by DERA SME (generally PhD financial economists) academic white papers and will be tailored to inform non-technical users of the appropriate use of the reports and the information and analytics within them.

As a result of the SEC’s review process, the Contractor may be asked to perform additional procedures, adjust or clarify existing work and revise its draft or final report to reflect comments provided by the SEC.

E. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The work will primarily be performed at the contractor’s site; however, meetings will be held at the Government’ site address below:

Securities and Exchange Commission (Headquarters)

Division of Economic Research and Analysis 100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC 20549

G. TYPE OF ORDER

This is a Time and Materials task order.

H. TRAVEL

It is anticipated that long distance travel will be on a not-to-exceed basis.

Local travel will not be reimbursed. However, in the event travel is required, all travel shall be in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) and approved in advance by the COTR. Additionally, costs for transportation, lodging, meals, and incidental expenses must be coordinated and approved in advance by the COR. Submit cost breakdown electronically to the COR. (1) Costs incurred by contractor personnel on official company business are allowable, subject to the limitation contained in FAR Part 31.205-46. Government per diem rates can be found on the website at www.gsa.gov. The ability to perform unscheduled travel is contingent upon Government approval and will only be used to address travel needs as they occur.

H.1 Local Travel

The local travel area for SEC duty assignments in the Washington, DC metropolitan area has been established as follows: The District of Columbia; the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church in Virginia; Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia; and Montgomery, Charles, and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland.

I. Other Direct Costs

It is anticipated that other direct costs may be included for incidental expenses.

J. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION/PROPERTY

The government will provide office space, and/or access to necessary telecommunications and computer equipment for the support services work that is to be performed on-site. The Contractor will not have a due diligence event to evaluate the government furnished property or information prior to award. The government will make meeting rooms available when required.

K. DRESS CODE

Business attire is required when contractor personnel are on-site.