SOW_7.23.26.docx

Statement of Work: Sequencing Bundibugyo virus disease (BDBV) in the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Regulatory and Emerging Science (ORES)

Background

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing a major outbreak of filovirus disease caused by Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), an Orthoebolavirus species associated with severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever. The outbreak was officially determined to be a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026 and is centered in eastern DRC.[footnoteRef:1] The outbreak has expanded rapidly, with 676 confirmed cases and 136 confirmed deaths reported in DRC as of June 13, 2026.[footnoteRef:2] There have also been 19 confirmed cases and 2 confirmed deaths reported in Uganda, demonstrating cross-border transmission and increasing concern about wider regional spread. [1: https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2026-epidemic-of-ebola-disease-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-and-uganda-determined-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern ] [2: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON607 ]

BDBV presents particular challenges because, unlike Ebola virus (EBOV; species: Orthoebolavirus ziarenese), there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific approved treatment for BDBV. While past BDBV outbreaks had case fatality rates (CFR) of about 30–50%, the CFR for this outbreak is evolving because many suspected cases and deaths await confirmation. Early BDBV descriptions reported 35–45% complete-genome divergence from EBOV, as these are different species of the Orthoebolavirus genus. That means BDBV and EBOV are much more different from each other than two lineages or variants of SARS-CoV-2, for example. Therefore, a key medical countermeasure issue for the BDBV outbreak in DRC/Uganda is that the previous strategy utilized for the 2019 EBOV outbreak is insufficient for the current response. Specifically, there is a need to conduct studies to characterize the currently circulating BDBV strain in order to inform response efforts to control disease spread and mitigate impacts.

Objectives

Under this contract, the University of Liverpool (UOL) shall sequence and characterize the genome of BDBV in the current outbreak, with a specific target to sequence and analyze the BDBV genome from as many as 1,000 patients. This approach will build on methods established from prior studies (and previously funded by FDA) under research projects published in Nature on the 2013-2016 West Africa Ebola virus outbreak (Carroll et al. 2015. Nature 524, pages 97–101).

Under this SOW, the work, consisting of biological research and analysis, has 3 primary Tasks/objectives:

· Objective 1: To generate high quality, full genome sequence data for BDBV from human clinical samples and upload the data into the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Genebank and FDA-dAtabase for Reference Grade micrObial Sequences (ARGOS) databases.

· Objective 2: To compare BDBV genome sequences from human clinical samples to assess how different the virus is at the genomic level from previous outbreaks of BDBV and from EBOV.

· Objective 3: To monitor the evolution of the BDBV genome as the outbreak progresses.

Note: This research project will leverage and augment work already underway by the UOL, which has initiated the establishment of a sample biobank of BDBV from the ongoing outbreak and is conducting sampling efforts.

Tasks

Under this contract, the University of Liverpool shall complete the following:

1. Generate high quality, full genome sequence data for BDBV from human clinical samples and upload the data into NCBI GeneBank/FDA-ARGOS databases. UOL shall generate high quality, full genome BDVD sequence data in the UK for submission of genomes into NCBI GeneBank/ FDA ARGOS. This task shall utilize project collaborators, both in-country and in the UK. PAXgene Blood RNA tubes shall be collected from BDBV patients and sent to UKHSA, who will extract the RNA at CL4 (BSL4) and then send the RNA for sequencing. Sequencing shall use two high resolution sequencing approaches that are stand-alone but also can be complementary. Both are based on a bespoke amplicon system that has been generated for BDBV, generating overlapping amplicons of either 400 or 800 base pairs. The 400bp amplicons will be sequenced by Illumina on a NovaSeq X plus and the 400 and 800 base paid amplicons on an Oxford Nanopore P2 PromethION. This will generate both short and long read length data that will produce highly accurate genomes and information on minor variant genomes (low-frequency genetic variations (e.g., SNPs, indels) that exist within an individual host) and mutational linkages (i.e., the tendency of specific mutations to be inherited together). Note: this method was successfully used for FDA-funded effort to sequence SARS-CoV-2 in human and animal models (e.g. Goldswain et al. 2023. Genome Biology. 24(1):47). Details on the methodology for genome assembly can be found in the following: (Dong et al. 2025. Nucleic Acids Research 53(4):gkaf077). High resolution sequencing capability will also be developed in-country.

Note: Under this contract, UOL shall also collect and store other sample types, including:

· Dried blood cards for blood

· Blood in EDTA vacutainers or equivalent for PBMC analysis

· Oracol swab or equivalent for saliva and gingival fluid (oral mucosal transudate)

· Appropriate sterile container for longitudinal semen/vaginal collection/sanctuary sites.

These samples may be utilized for additional subsequent analysis by UOL/FDA, pending available funding and/or relevant program need(s).

2. Compare BDBV genome sequences from human clinical samples to assess how different the virus is at the genomic level from previous outbreaks of BDBV and from EBOV. UOL shall compare BDBV viral sequences from patient samples as they become available to each other and to previous outbreaks of BDBV and EBOV. UOL shall use phylogenic approaches to monitor for shared ancestry and any evidence of multiple introductions as well as local viral evolution that may accumulate in different transmission chains. UOL shall conduct in silico genotype-to-phenotype analysis to predict BDVD phenotype and identify the existence or accumulation of mutations that may indicate any change in viral properties such as transmissibility, virulence, and disease pathogenicity as well as mutations that may affect the effectiveness of medical countermeasures (e.g., diagnostics, antivirals). This methodology was previously used successfully for both EBOV (e.g. Dong et al. 2023. Microbiology Spectrum 11(2):e0415422) and SARS-CoV-2 (e.g. Goldswain et al. 2023. Genome Biology. 24(1):47).

3. To monitor the evolution of the BDBV genome as the outbreak progresses. Utilizing methods previously established in the West Africa Ebola outbreak, UOL shall conduct a time-scaled phylogenetic analysis (such as BEAST software for Bayesian evolutionary analysis) that will estimate the approximate date of emergence, rate of evolution, and movement between locations or host populations. UOL shall also apply a future viral evolution prediction algorithm (Dong et al. 2025. Nucleic Acids Research 53(4):gkaf077) to help predict the potential utility and functionality of medical countermeasures.

Meetings/Reporting

Under this contract, both recurring and ad hoc meetings between the FDA and UOL will be necessary to track progress and address questions in support of the public health response effort. Therefore, meetings and reporting will consist of the following:

· Monthly verbal reports to the Office of Regulatory and Emerging Science (ORES) and a written summary of work/progress to date.

· As needed, ad hoc meetings/reporting will be utilized, e.g. if shifts in circulating viral genomes are detected that may affect the effectiveness of medical countermeasures. These will be priority communications to immediately inform the FDA program office (utilizing the same reporting mechanism as established under FDA contract: 75F40120C00085).

· Additionally, as sequence information is being developed and processed for inclusion to NCBI GeneBank/FDA-ARGOS, the performer shall provide notification to the FDA program office (either via teleconference update or written notification). Sequence data shall be identified and made available to FDA during these updates.

At a minimum, the monthly coordination meetings should review the following information:

1. Review of progress and assessment (including raw data) from the previous month

2. Summary of progress for sampling collection/sequence analysis (including rate of change, etc.)

3. Any additional recommendations (e.g. that may impact response efforts, the FDA regulatory mission, or public health)

4. Deviance from previous month’s planned progress (either positive or negative)

5. The current month’s planned progress

6. Program risks, risk mitigation plans, risk mitigation actions taken and resolution of risks

Deliverables

The deliverables for this project are as follows, and are due by the end of period of performance:

1. A final report with a comprehensive summary of the work completed, data analysis and assessment of all project objectives, and additional relevant recommendations/observations from the completed study

2. All sequence information obtained from the BDBV biobank/sampling effort shall be added to the FDA-ARGOS database, with notification upon completion of final sequence upload.

Period of Performance:

The period of performance for this contract is 6 months with no options to follow.

Contract Type:

Firm Fixed Price (FFP)

Procurements Requiring Information Security and/or Physical Access Security Baseline Security Requirements Applicability. The requirements herein apply whether the entire contract or modification (hereafter "contract"), or portion thereof, includes either or both of the following:

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

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 FDA 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.

Safeguarding Information and Information Systems. All government information and information systems must be protected in accordance with FDA policies and level of risk. At a minimum, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must

i. Protect the:

· 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.

ii. Categorize all information owned and/or collected/managed on behalf of FDA and information systems that store, process, and/or transmit FDA information 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. Based on information provided by the System/Data Owner, ISSO, privacy representative, or other POC, the impact level for each Security Objective (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) and the Overall Impact Level, which is the highest watermark of the three factors of the information or information system are the following:

iii. Based on the agreed-upon level of impact, implement the necessary safeguards to protect all information systems and information collected and/or managed on behalf of FDA regardless of location or purpose.

iv. Report any discovered or unanticipated threats or hazards by either the agency or contractor, or if existing safeguards have ceased to function immediately after discovery, within one (1) hour or less, to the government representative(s). This includes notifying the FDA Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Operations Coordination Center (CIOCC) within one (1) hour of discovery/detection in the event of a cybersecurity or privacy incident.

v. Adopt and implement all applicable policies, procedures, controls, and standards required by the FDA 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 FDA Information Security Program security requirements, outlined in the FDA Information Security and Privacy Protection (IS2P) policy, by contacting the CO/COR or emailing your ISSO.

Privacy Act. Comply with the Privacy Act requirements (when applicable), and tailor FAR and HHSAR clauses as needed.

Privacy Compliance. Comply with the E-Government Act of 2002, NIST SP 800-53, and applicable FDA privacy policies and complete all the requirements below:

i. Per the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, Personally Identifiable Information (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.

ii. Based on information provided by the ISSO, System/Data Owner, or other security or privacy representative, it has been determined that this solicitation/contract involves:

☒ No PII ☐ PII

iii. The Contractor must support the agency with conducting a Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA) for the information system and/or information handled under this contract to determine whether or not a full Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) needs to be completed.

1. If the results of the PTA show that a full PIA is needed, the Contractor must support the agency with completing a PIA for the system or information after completion of the PTA and in accordance with HHS and FDA policy and OMB M- 03-22, Guidance for Implementing the Privacy Provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002. The PTA/PIA must be completed and approved prior to active use and/or collection or processing of PII and is a prerequisite to agency issuance of an authorization to operate (ATO).

2. The Contractor must support the agency 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.

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Executive Order 13556 defines CUI 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. The requirements below apply only to nonfederal systems that process, store, or transmit CUI, or that provide security protection for such components. All sensitive information that has been identified as CUI by a regulation or statute, handled by this solicitation/contract, must be:

Marked appropriately;

Disclosed to authorized personnel on a Need-To-Know basis;

Protected in accordance with NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for 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 Returned to FDA control, destroyed when no longer needed, or held until otherwise directed. Information and/or data must be disposed of in accordance with NIST SP 800- 88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

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) must protect all government information that is or may be sensitive by securing it with a solution that is validated with current FIPS 140 validation certificate from the NIST CMVP.

Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) for Foreign Travel. FDA personnel are prohibited from taking GFE when participating in personal, unofficial travel to foreign countries. FDA personnel are strictly prohibited from teleworking using GFE in foreign countries. FDA personnel must also request loaner GFE from the FDA Foreign Travel program for official travel to any foreign country. Please see the FDA IS2P, Appendix T Government Furnished Equipment for Foreign Travel.

Confidentiality and Nondisclosure of Information. Any information provided to the contractor (and/or any subcontractor) by FDA or collected by the contractor on behalf of FDA must be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this contract and must 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 must ensure that all work performed by its employees and subcontractors must be under the supervision of the Contractor. Each Contractor employee or any of its subcontractors to whom any FDA records may be made available or disclosed must 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 must be protected in accordance with HHS and FDA policies. Unauthorized disclosure of information will be subject to the HHS and FDA sanction policies and/or governed by the following laws and regulations:

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

18 U.S.C. 1905 (Criminal Code: Disclosure of Confidential Information); and 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, Subchapter I (Paperwork Reduction Act).

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

Information and Communications Technology (ICT). ICT products and services from prohibited entities/sources must not be used/acquired in compliance with Public Law 115-232, Section 889 Parts A and B, FAR 4.21, FAR 52.204.23, FAR 52.204.24, and FAR 52.204.25. The contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must notify the government if they identify prohibited ICT products and/or services are used during the contract performance.

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 must 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, HTTPS is not required, but it is highly recommended. Consult the HHS Policy for Internet and Email Security for additional information.

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

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

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

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 an encryption solution that is validated with current FIPS 140 validation certificates from the NIST CMVP.

Secure all devices (i.e.: desktops, laptops, mobile devices, etc.) that store and process government information and ensure devices meet HHS and FDA-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).

Verify that the encryption solutions in use have been validated under the Cryptographic Module Validation Program to confirm compliance with current FIPS 140 validation certificates from the NIST CMVP. The Contractor must provide a written copy of the validation documentation to the COR.

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 http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/. Encryption keys must be provided to the COR upon request and at the conclusion of the contract.

Contractor Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Each Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee having access to non-public government information under this contract must complete the FDA non-disclosure agreement (3398 Form)], as applicable. Contractors (and/or subcontractors) must submit a copy of each signed and witnessed NDA to the Contracting Officer (CO) and/or CO Representative (COR) prior to performing any work under this acquisition.

Training Requirements

a. Mandatory Training for All Contractor Staff. All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees assigned to work on this contract must complete the applicable FDA information security awareness, privacy, and records management training (provided upon contract award) before performing any work under this contract. Thereafter, the employees must complete FDA information security awareness, privacy, and records management training at least annually, during the life of this contract. All provided training must be compliant with HHS training policies.

b. 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 and FDA policy.

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

Rules of Behavior

a. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must ensure that all employees performing on the contract comply with the HHS Information Technology General Rules of Behavior, HHS Rules of Behavior for Privileged Users, and FDA policies and standards.

b. All Contractor employees performing on the contract must read and adhere to the Rules of Behavior before accessing Agency 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 FDA 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.

Incident Response The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must respond to all alerts/Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) provided by HHS Computer Security Incident Response Center (CSIRC)/FDA CIOCC /Incident Response Team 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. In accordance with OMB M-17-12, Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), an incident is "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" and a privacy breach is "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." For additional information on the HHS breach response process, please see the FDA IS2P Appendix F: Incident Response and the HHS Policy and Plan for Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)."

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

i. Protect all sensitive information, including any PII created, stored, or transmitted in the performance of this contract, with encryption solution that is validated with current FIPS 140 validation certificates from the NIST CMVP.

ii. 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 must send FDA approved notifications to affected individuals as directed by FDA’s SOP.

iii. Report all suspected and confirmed information security and privacy incidents and breaches to the FDA CIOCC, COR, CO, FDA SOP (or his or her designee), and other stakeholders, including breaches 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 FDA 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, contact information, impact classifications/threat vector, and the type of information compromised. In addition, the Contractor must:

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

Not include any sensitive information in the subject or body of any reporting e- mail; and Encrypt sensitive information in attachments to email, media, etc.

iv. Comply with OMB M-17-12, Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information, and HHS and FDA breach response policies when handling PII breaches.

v. 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 on demand.

Position Sensitivity Designations

a. 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 following position sensitivity designation levels apply to this solicitation/contract:

Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12

a. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees must comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors; OMB M-05-24; OMB M-19-17; FIPS 201, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors; HHS HSPD-12 policy; and Executive Order 13467, Part 1 §1.2.

Roster

a. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must 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 must be submitted to the COR and/or CO per the COR or CO’s direction. Any revisions to the roster as a result of staffing changes must be submitted within a timeline as directed by the COR and/or CO. The COR will notify the Contractor of the appropriate level of investigation required for each staff member.

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

Contract Initiation and Expiration

a. General Security Requirements. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must 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 must follow the FDA EPLC framework and methodology in accordance with the FDA EPLC Project documentation, located here: http://sharepoint.fda.gov/orgs/DelMgmtSupport/IntakeProc/EPLCv2/SitePages/v2/EPLCHome.as px and in accordance with the HHS Contract Closeout Guide (2012).

b. System Documentation. Contractors (and/or any subcontractors) must follow and adhere to HHS System Development Life Cycle requirements, 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.

Sanitization of Government Files and Information. As part of contract closeout and at expiration of the contract, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must provide all required documentation in accordance with SMGs published by FDA’s Office of Acquisitions and Grant Services (OAGS) 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.

Notification. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must notify the CO and/or COR and system ISSO as soon as it is known that a contract employee will stop working under this contract.

Contractor Responsibilities upon Physical Completion of the Contract. The contractor (and/or any subcontractors) must 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 must 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 FDA policies.

The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must perform and document the actions identified in the FDA eDepart system http://inside.fda.gov:9003/EmployeeResources/NewEmployee/eDepartDepartureSystem/default.htm as soon as it is known that a contract an employee will terminate work under this contract. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall coordinate with the COR via email, copying the Contract Specialist, to ensure that the appropriate person performs and documents the actions identified in the FDA eDepart system. All documentation must be available to the CO and/or COR upon request.

Records Management and Retention

1. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must 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 Policy for Records Management and HHS and FDA policies and must not dispose of any records unless authorized by HHSFDA.In the event that a contractor (and/or any subcontractor) accidentally disposes of or destroys a record without proper authorization, he/she must document and report the incident in accordance with HHS and FDA policies.

High Value Asset (HVA). If a system is identified as HVA,24 the contractor must comply with the FDA IS2P Appendix AB: High Value Asset (HVA) Program, the HHS Policy for the High Value Asset (HVA) Program, and the DHS HVA Control Overlay25 in addition to the above requirements.

Privacy Act

1. It has been determined that this contract is not subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, because this contract does not provide for the design, development, or operation of a system of records about individuals from which records are retrieved by name or other identifying particular. This work consists of biological research, utilizing data that will be de-identified from any participant.

The System of Records Notice(s) (SORN(s)) that is applicable to this contract is:

Not Applicable].

The system of records design, development, or operation work the Contractor is to perform is:

Not ApplicableThe disposition to be made of the Privacy Act records upon completion of contract performance is:

Not Applicable Security Requirements for GOCO and COCO Resources

1. Federal Policies. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must comply with applicable federal laws and HHS and FDA policies that include, but are not limited to, the HHS Information Security and Privacy Protection (IS2P) policy; FDA Information Security and Privacy Protection (IS2P) policy; Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) of 2014, (44 U.S.C. 101); National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-53, latest revision, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations; Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic Resource; and other applicable federal laws, regulations, NIST guidance, Departmental, and Agency policies.

Assessment and Authorization (A&A). A valid authority to operate (ATO) certifies that the Contractor's information system meets the contract's requirements to protect the agency data. If the system under this contract does not have a valid ATO, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must work with the agency and supply the deliverables required to complete the ATO within the specified timeline(s): [Within 30 days]. The Contractor must conduct the A&A requirements in accordance with HHS IS2P/ FDA IS2P NIST SP 800-37, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Information Systems: A Security Life Cycle Approach (latest revision), NIST SP 800-53B, Control Baselines for Information Systems and Organizations, and the NIST SP 800-53A (latest revision). FDA acceptance of the ATO does not alleviate the Contractor's responsibility to ensure the system security and privacy controls are implemented and operating effectively.

A&A Package Deliverables - The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must provide an A&A package within a timeline directed by the COR, per the FDA Enterprise Performance Lifecycle (EPLC) process, to the CO and/or COR. The following A&A deliverables are required to complete the A&A package:

System Security Plan (SSP) - due a week prior to the start of the annual security assessment. The SSP must comply with the NIST SP 800-18, Guide for Developing Security Plans for Federal Information Systems, the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 200, Recommended Security Controls for Information Systems, and NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations applicable baseline requirements, and other applicable NIST guidance as well as HHS and FDA policies and other guidance. The SSP must be consistent with and detail the approach to IT security contained in the Contractor's bid or proposal that resulted in the award of this contract. The SSP must provide an overview of the system environment and security requirements to protect the information system as well as describe all applicable security controls in place or planned for meeting those requirements. It should provide a structured process for planning adequate, cost-effective security protection for a system. The Contractor must review and update the SSP at least annually thereafter and if requested, provide a copy of the updated SSP.

Security Assessment Plan/Report (SAP/SAR) - due before the system is made available to standard users. The security assessment must be conducted by FDA’s team of security assessors, unless otherwise noted and be consistent with NIST SP 800-53A, NIST SP 800-30, and HHS and FDA policies. The assessor will document the assessment results in the SAR.

Thereafter, the Contractor, in coordination with FDA, must assist in the assessment of the security controls and update the SAR at least annually. A copy of the updated SAR should be provided if requested.

Independent Assessment - The Contractor (and/or subcontractor) must have an independent third party validate the security and privacy controls in place for the system(s) commensurate with the risk levels per NIST SP 800-53B. The independent third party must review and analyze the Security Authorization package, and report on technical, operational, and management level deficiencies as outlined in NIST SP 800-53. The Contractor must address all "high" deficiencies and enter all other deficiencies that require mitigation by Contractor before submitting the package to the Government for acceptance and document all remaining deficiencies in a system Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M).

POA&M - as part of the SAR All high-risk weaknesses must be mitigated within 30 calendar days moderate weaknesses must be mitigated within 60 calendar days and low weaknesses must be mitigated within 180 calendar days from the date the weaknesses are formally identified and documented. Identified risks stemming from deficiencies related to the security control baseline implementation, assessment, continuous monitoring, vulnerability scanning, flaws and security defects in a system (that require to create a patch for remediation), and other security reviews and sources, as documented in the SAR, must be documented and tracked by the Contractor for mitigation in the POA&M document consistent with the HHS Standard for Plan of Action and Milestones, FDA POA&M Management Guide, and FDA IS2P policies. Depending on the severity of the risks, FDA may require designated POA&M weaknesses to be remediated before an ATO is issued. Thereafter, continue to remediate weaknesses throughout the contract. The POA&M document must be updated at least quarterly Contingency Plan and Contingency Plan Test - due during the annual security assessment. The Contingency Plan must be developed in accordance with NIST SP 800-34, Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems, and be consistent with HHS and FDA policies. Upon acceptance by the System Owner, the Contractor, in coordination with the System Owner, must test the Contingency Plan and prepare a Contingency Plan Test Report that includes the test results, lessons learned and any action items that need to be addressed. Thereafter, the Contractor must update and test the Contingency Plan at least annually.

E-Authentication Questionnaire - The contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must collaborate with government personnel to ensure that the E-Authentication requirements are implemented in accordance with OMB 04-04 and NIST SP 800- 63 B.

Based on the level of assurance determined by the E-Auth, the Contractor (and/or subcontractor) must ensure appropriate authentication to the system, including remote authentication, is in-place in accordance with the assurance level determined by the E-Auth (when required) in accordance with HHS Guidance for Selection of e-Authentication Assurance Levels and any other applicable HHS and FDA policies.

Information Security Continuous Monitoring. Upon the government issuance of an Authority to Operate (ATO), the Contractor (and/or subcontractor)-owned/operated systems that input, store, process, output, and/or transmit government information, must meet or exceed the information security continuous monitoring (ISCM) requirements in accordance with FISMA and NIST SP 800-137, Information Security Continuous Monitoring (ISCM) for Federal Information Systems and Organizations, HHS ISCM Strategy, and HHS and FDA IS2Ps.

Annual Assessment/Penetration (Pen) Test - Assess the system security and privacy controls (or ensure an assessment of the controls is conducted) at least annually to determine the implemented security and privacy controls are operating as intended and producing the desired results (this involves penetration testing conducted by the FDA. In addition, review all relevant A&A documentation (SSP, POA&M, Contingency Plan, etc.) and provide updates by specified due date in the deliverable table.

Asset Management – Using FDA-approved Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP)- compliant automated tools for active/passive scans, provide an inventory of all information technology (IT) assets for hardware and software, (computers, servers, routers, databases, operating systems, etc.) that are processing FDA-owned information/data. It is anticipated that this inventory information will be required to be produced at least annually to facilitate management/oversight efforts. IT asset inventory information must include IP address, machine name, operating system level, security patch level, and SCAP-compliant format information. The contractor must maintain a capability to provide an inventory of 100% of its IT assets using SCAP-compliant automated tools in accordance with the HHS Policy for Information Technology Asset Management (ITAM) and any other applicable HHS and FDA policies.

Configuration Management - Use FDA-approved SCAP-compliant automated tools as per NIST IR 7511 and HHS Minimum Security Configurations Standards Guidance to scan all IT assets, including but not limited to: computers, servers, routers, databases, operating systems, application, etc., that store and process government information. Provide scan reports to HHS/ FDA upon request. The contractor must maintain a capability to provide security configuration compliance information for 100% of its IT assets using SCAP- compliant automated tools.

Vulnerability Management - Contractors must actively manage system vulnerabilities using automated tools and technologies where practicable and in accordance with the FDA Information Security and Privacy Protection (IS2P) policy and HHS Policy for Vulnerability Management. Automated tools must be compliant with NIST-specified SCAP standards for vulnerability identification and management. The contractor must maintain a capability to provide security vulnerability scanning information for 100% of IT assets using SCAP-compliant automated tools and report to the agency at least monthly.

Patching and Vulnerability Remediation - Install vendor released security patches and remediate critical and high vulnerabilities in systems processing government information in an expedited manner, within vendor and FDA patch management policy timeframes.

Secure Coding - Follow the HHS Policy for Software Development Secure Coding Practices and secure coding best practice requirements, as directed by United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) specified standards and the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), that will limit system software vulnerability exploits.

Boundary Protection - The contractor must ensure that government information, other than unrestricted information, being transmitted from federal government entities to external entities is routed through a Trusted Internet Connection (TIC).

Government Access for Security Assessment. In addition to the Inspection Clause in the contract, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must afford the Government access to the Contractor's facilities, installations, operations, documentation, information systems, and personnel used in performance of this contract to the extent required to carry out a program of security assessment (to include vulnerability testing), investigation, and audit to safeguard against threats and hazards to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of federal data or to the protection of information systems operated on behalf of HHS or FDA, including but are not limited to:

At any tier handling or accessing information, consent to and allow the Government, or an independent third party working at the Government's direction, without notice at any time during a weekday during regular business hours contractor local time, to access contractor and subcontractor installations, facilities, infrastructure, data centers, equipment (including but not limited to all servers, computing devices, and portable media), operations, documentation (whether in electronic, paper, or other forms), databases, and personnel which are used in performance of the contract.

The Government includes but is not limited to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The purpose of the access is to facilitate performance inspections and reviews, security and compliance audits, and law enforcement investigations. For security audits, the audit may include but not be limited to such items as buffer overflows, open ports, unnecessary services, lack of user input filtering, cross site scripting vulnerabilities, SQL injection vulnerabilities, and any other known vulnerabilities.

At any tier handling or accessing protected information, fully cooperate with all audits, inspections, investigations, forensic analysis, or other reviews or requirements needed to carry out requirements presented in applicable law or policy. Beyond providing access, full cooperation also includes, but is not limited to, disclosure to investigators of information sufficient to identify the nature and extent of any criminal or fraudulent activity and the individuals responsible for that activity. It includes timely and complete production of requested data, metadata, information, and records relevant to any inspection, audit, investigation, or review, and making employees of the contractor available for interview by inspectors, auditors, and investigators upon request. Full cooperation also includes allowing the Government to make reproductions or copies of information and equipment, including, if necessary, collecting a machine or system image capture.

Segregate Government protected information and metadata on the handling of Government protected information from other information. Commingling of information is prohibited. Inspectors, auditors, and investigators will not be precluded from having access to the sought information if sought information is commingled with other information.

Cooperate with inspections, audits, investigations, and reviews.

End of Life Compliance. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must use Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) software or other software that is supported by the manufacturer. In addition, the COTS/other software need to be within one major version of the current version; deviation from this requirement will only be allowed via the HHS waiver process (approved by HHS CISO if it impacts enterprise-wide systems and services, or by the FDA…