SOW.pdf

AmeriCorps Actuarial Support Services

Statement of Work (SOW)

Actuarial Services for the Office of Accounting and Financial Management Services (AFMS)

The Corporation for National and Community Service (DBA AmeriCorps) is seeking actuarial services to support AFMS in calculating the Trust factors used to predict future payments based on award amounts.

The National Service Trust Fund (Trust) was established by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (the NCSA)1to provide funds for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards (Education Awards) for eligible members who complete AmeriCorps service. Funding comes from appropriations, interest earned, transfer of program dollars, proceeds from the sale or redemption of Trust investments, partnerships with other agencies, and funds collected from disallowed or improperly awarded Education Awards. The Trust is also authorized to accept gifts or bequests, Sponsorships, and funds from Federal partners.

Awards fall into the following categories: Authorized, Earning, and Earned. Authorized awards are award slots that have been authorized but for which no member has enrolled. Earning (Enrolled) represent awards for which a member has enrolled and is actively earning but the award has not yet been earned. Earned awards are awards that the member has earned and which may be partially or completely used.

Under the NCSA, funds in the Trust are available to repay qualified student loans, pay educational expenses at qualified educational institutions, and repay eligible interest expenses on student loans. The value of an education award depends on the term of service performed by an AmeriCorps member in an approved national service position. Successfully completing a full-time term of service, which requires a minimum of 1,700 hours of service, entitles an AmeriCorps member to an education award equal to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant2 that was in effect when their national service position was approved by AmeriCorps Completion of a part-time term, requiring a minimum of 900 hours of service, entitles an AmeriCorps member to an education award having a value of 50 percent of a full-time term of service. Reduced part-time terms, which provide awards in pro-rata mounts based on the level of service required in the national service position, are also offered. 3 In addition, under certain limited circumstances, a member who does not complete their agreed-upon term of service because of “compelling personal circumstances”4 may be entitled to receive a prorated education award based upon the number of hours that they were able to complete.

Education awards earned by AmeriCorps members are generally available to be used for seven years from the completion of the member’s term of service. Payments are made directly to the educational institutions and/or loan holders, as directed by the members. Beginning in Program Year 2010, AmeriCorps State and National members who are age 55 or older when they begin service may also transfer the education award to a qualified child, grandchild, or foster child. Transferred Education Awards are available for a period of 10 years from the completion of the transferring member’s term of service.5 The period available for using an Education Award can be extended, usually for just one year beyond the seven or ten year use period, when the member is unavoidably prevented from timely using their Education Award.

The major transactions associated with the Trust’s payment of Education Awards include:

Under the NCSA6 AmeriCorps approves national service positions when it (1) enters into an enforceable agreement with an individual to serve in the AmeriCorps VISTA or AmeriCorps NCCC programs, or (2) awards a grant for an entity to carry out an AmeriCorps State and National program including authorizing the grantee—or the grantee’s sub recipients—to enroll individuals as AmeriCorps members). AmeriCorps must

Title of Project:

Statement of Need, Purpose, and/or Objective:

Background Information:

record an obligation in the Trust based upon the net present value of the uncertified national service educational award, associated with the authorized national service position, based on a formula that takes into consideration historical rates of enrollment in such program, and of earning and using national service educational awards.7

The entity that selected the individual for and supervised the individual in the approved national service position certifies to AmeriCorps that the individual has successfully completed their term of service.

AmeriCorps later relies upon that certification to make disbursements from the Trust.

The individuals who have been certified as having successfully completed their term of service may apply to AmeriCorps for the application of their education award. Individuals who have been certified as successfully completing their term of service may apply to have their education award used to either:

o Repay qualified student loans o Pay current educational expenses o Pay expenses incurred in enrolling in a VA approved education program (if the individual is a veteran) o Pay the interest on qualified student loans that accrued during a member’s term of service

(if the member had requested and received forbearance from the loan holder during the term of service).

AmeriCorps makes disbursements from the Trust.

If not applied for within the applicable time frames, including requests for an extension of the use period, the education award will expire and is no longer payable. Individuals must apply to use their Education Awards with 7 years of the completion of their term of service (or 10 years, if the education award was a summer of service education award, or the award was transferred from an individual who was age 55 or older upon starting their term of service).

AmeriCorps may extend the time period within which an individual may use an education award when the member is “unavoidably prevented” from using their benefits during the 7-10 year period.

Period of performance shall be for the following:

Base Period:

November 1, 2022 – October 31, 2023 Option Year 1: November 1, 2023 – October 31, 2024 Option Year 2: November 1, 2024 – October 31, 2025 Option Year 3: November 1, 2025 – October 31, 2026 Option Year 4: November 1, 2026 – October 31, 2027

Contractor’s facility and AmeriCorps Headquarters:

250 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20525

Following AmeriCorps and Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance, the Contractor shall execute the performance requirements off-site and will collaborate with AmeriCorps personnel via email, phone, teleconferences, and any other electronic means to facilitate meeting the performance requirements specified. The Contractor may be required to work on-site in the future if AmeriCorps/CDC guidance changes.

Period of Performance:

Place of Performance:

Contractor employees shall generally perform all work between the hours of 7:00am and 6:00pm, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays). However, there may be occasions when Contractor employees shall be required to work other than normal business hours, including weekends, to fulfill requirements under this SOW. Any hours worked outside of normal business hours shall require prior approval from the Contracting Officer Representative

(COR).

Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the following public holidays for Federal employees. Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule. For these employees, when a holiday falls on a non- workday –Saturday or Sunday – the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday). Contractors shall follow these same guidelines. Direct billing/invoicing shall not be allowed for any Federal Government Holidays

SCOPE OF WORK

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the requirements below. The Contractor will utilize AmeriCorps’s existing financial data and reconciliation reports/tools and follow the AmeriCorps’s processes and methodology that are already in place to perform the work. If issues or discrepancies are found during the validations, the Contractor will review detailed accounting data, trend data, and other factors that may be causing the issues and propose resolutions that AmeriCorps can consider. As part of the resolutions, the Contractor may recommend changes to estimating procedures, recording procedures, or data sources that might resolve the issue.

AmeriCorps requires the Actuarial Services to:

a) Calculate the factors used by AmeriCorps for estimating future payments based on payment and award history for authorized, earning, and earned Trust Awards.

b) Express an actuarial opinion (Statement of Actuarial Opinion) on the calculated factors.

c) Aid in resolving the questions raised by the auditors by:

• Reviewing the documentation with management

• Discussing the performance history of the National Service Trust with AmeriCorps officials

• Engaging with the consultant retained by AmeriCorps external auditor

• Resolving questions raised by the auditors

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Currently, we are 100% telework. If or when that changes, a workspace will be provided if needed. A government issued laptop will be provided with access to all necessary systems to complete the work.

Hours of Operation:

Federal Holidays:

General Requirements:

Specific Requirements:

General quality measures will be applied to each work product received under this contract.

Accuracy Work products must be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

Clarity Work products must be clear and concise. Any diagrams must be easy to understand and be relevant to the supporting narrative.

Consistency to Requirements All work products must satisfy the requirements of the contract

File Editing All text and diagrammatic files must be editable by the government

Format Work products must be submitted in hard copy (where applicable) and in media mutually agreed upon prior to submission. Hard copy formats must follow any specified directives or manuals. All deliverables, unless otherwise specified, must meet the standards of 508 compliance.

DELIVERABLES SCHEDULE

Deliverable Frequency # of Copies Medium/Format Submit To Attend Virtual Kick-off Meeting with CO, AFMS Director and COR

No later than 5 business days after date of award

N/A

Project Manager will report monthly, or as needed, on the status of the actuarial work and corresponding issues that they find.

Monthly N/A Via email as editable Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) and non-editable (PDF) files

AFMS Director or Designee

Deliverable Frequency # of Copies Medium/Format Submit To A report of the factors calculated using data inclusive of the prior fiscal year

Prior to December 20th of the current fiscal year

N/A Via email as editable Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) and non-editable (PDF) files

Agency SME

A Statement of Actuarial opinion on those factors

Due no later than January 15th of the current fiscal year

N/A Via email as editable Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) and non-editable (PDF)

A presentation to management of the factors and their calculation

Due no later than December 20th of the current fiscal year

N/A Via email as editable Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) and non-editable (PDF) files

Agency SME

A presentation to the Auditors of those factors and their calculation.

TBD N/A Via email as editable Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) and non-editable (PDF)

Invoices shall be submitted via the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) and shall be paid NET30 upon receipt/acceptance of a proper invoice, by the COR, as defined in FAR Part 32.905(b).

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

No travel is anticipated under this Task Order. The Contractor may not expend funds for travel unless authorized in writing by AmeriCorps. If there is a requirement for travel, it shall be conducted in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and shall be approved by the COR prior to any travel taking place.

The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel to perform all requirements specified under this Contract.

The key personnel specified in this contract are considered to be essential to work performance. At least 30 days prior to the contractor voluntarily diverting any of the specified individuals to other programs or contracts, the Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer and must submit a justification for the diversion or replacement and a request to replace the individual. The request must identify the proposed replacement and provide an explanation of how the replacement's skills, experience, and credentials meet or exceed the requirements of the contract. If the employee of the contractor is terminated for cause or separates from the contractor voluntarily with less than thirty days’ notice, the Contractor must provide the maximum notice practicable under the circumstances. The Contractor must not divert, replace, or announce any such change to key personnel without the written consent of the Contracting Officer. The contract will be modified to add or delete key personnel as necessary to reflect the agreement of the parties. Government reserves the right to sit in on candidate interviews and approve or reject a candidate based on task order requirements.

The Contractor and key personnel shall attend a virtual Kick-Off Meeting with the Contracting Officer, Director of AFMS and COR no later than 5 business days after the date of award. The purpose of the Kick-Off Meeting is to discuss the objectives of the statement of work.

Personnel Security Requirements Prior to gaining access to AmeriCorps information, systems, physical space, or doing work on behalf of AmeriCorps individuals must meet AmeriCorps Personnel Security background investigation requirements.

Depending on position risk, as determined by AmeriCorps, these requirements may include the following:

1. A background investigation (initiated by AmeriCorps).

2. A commercial background investigation (initiated by AmeriCorps or the individual’s company to AmeriCorps standards).

3. Criminal history record information via a fingerprint check.

4. Drug testing.

These requirements may change at the discretion of AmeriCorps, and individual access may be denied at any point. Contractor shall furnish documentation reflecting favorable adjudication of background investigations for

PAYMENT PROVISIONS:

Travel:

Key Personnel:

Kick-Off Meeting

Information System Security Requirements:

all personnel (including subcontractors) supporting AmeriCorps.

The Contractor will bear the cost of obtaining and sustaining the background investigations. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to provide the individuals with the required background investigation needed to complete the work. The fact that the AmeriCorps performs security investigations for contractor employees shall not in any manner relieve the Contractor of its responsibility to ensure that all personnel furnished are reliable and of reputable background and sound character.

Laws, Standards, Policy and Guidance The Contractor shall comply with all AmeriCorps Information Technology (IT) policy requirements, NIST standards, OMB guidelines, and other applicable Government-wide laws and regulations that apply. The following requirements include but are not limited to:

• Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA), as amended

• Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. § 552a)

• E-Government Act of 2002, Section 208

• Title V - Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 of the E-

Government Act of 2002 (CIPSEA)

• Executive Order 13556 for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

• Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 also known as the “Information Technology Management Reform Act of

1996”

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “Managing Strategic Information as a Resource”

• NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-18 (as amended), “Guide for Developing Security Plans for

Federal Information Systems”

• NIST SP 800-30 (as amended), “Guide for Conducting Risk Assessments”

• NIST SP 800-34 (as amended), “Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems”

• NIST SP 800-37, (as amended), “Risk Management Framework for Information Systems and Organizations: A System Life Cycle Approach for Security and Privacy”

• NIST SP 800-47, “Security Guide for Interconnecting Information Technology Systems”

• NIST SP 800-53 (as amended), “Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations”

• NIST SP 800-53A (as amended), “Assessing Security and Privacy Controls in Federal Information Systems and Organizations: Building Effective Assessments Plans”

• NIST SP 800-60 vol 1 (as amended), “Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information Systems to Security Categories”

• NIST SP 800-60 vol 2 (as amended), “Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information Systems to Security Categories: Appendices”

• NIST SP 800-61 (as amended), “Computer Security Incident Handling Guide”

• NIST SP 800-63-3, “Digital Identity Guidelines”

• NIST SP 800-171 (as amended), “Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information Nonfederal Systems and Organizations”

• NIST SP 800-177 (as amended), “Trustworthy Email”

• FIPS PUB 140-3, “Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules”

• FIPS PUB 199, “Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems”

• FIPS PUB 200, “Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems”

• AMERICORPS Privacy Policy

• AMERICORPS Cybersecurity Policy

• Any other relevant Federal laws, regulations, policies, and guidance that AmeriCorps must adhere to

Cybersecurity Training The Contractor must provide evidence that all personnel assigned to work on this contract have completed cybersecurity training. The cybersecurity training can be company provided or provided by AmeriCorps.

AmeriCorps policy requires cybersecurity training to occur on an annual basis.

Incident Response The Contractor shall have an incident response plan to ensure they can response to any incident that may impact their ability to successfully complete the obligations of the contract. The Contractor shall provide full access and cooperation for all activities determined by AmeriCorps to be required to ensure an effective incident response, including providing all requested images, log files, and event information to facilitate rapid resolution of the incident.

AmeriCorps, at its sole discretion, may obtain the assistance from other Federal agencies and/or third-party firms to aid or investigate incident response activities.

Usage of AmeriCorps Information The Contractor and any subcontractor must not publish or disclose in any manner without prior written consent, the data/information to which the Contractor will have access because of this contract, as this is the sole property of AmeriCorps. Contractors/subcontractors may be held responsible for any violations of confidentiality. Contractor shall:

1. Use AmeriCorps information only for the purposes described in the contract.

2. Not reproduce the AmeriCorps information and will hold it in confidence and protect the information from dissemination to, and use by, any third party.

3. Will not create any derivative work from AmeriCorps information disclosed, except as required in performance obligations under the contract.

4. Restrict access to the AmeriCorps information its personnel, agents, or consultants, if any, who have a need to have access and who have been advised of and have agreed in writing or are otherwise bound to treat such information in accordance with the terms of the contract.

5. Not commingle AmeriCorps information with Contractor specific records.

6. As part of the contract closeout, return or destroy all AmeriCorps information in its possession upon termination or expiration of the contract or as otherwise requested by the AmeriCorps. Contractor shall submit evidence of compliance with the close-out requirements in this provision, in a manner described by the AmeriCorps, at its discretion.

7. Truthfully disclose their tracking activities, accurately identify the categories of data collected involved and provide meaningful information about whether and how cross-device tracking (e.g., linking one user using multiple devices using tags, HTTP cookies, etc.) occurs at all phases.

8. Ensure records created and maintained using electronic media such as Flickr, Tumblr, blogs, Google+, Pinterest social media sites, and a website, a wiki, email, or any other type of electronic communication in fulfillment of this contract follow AmeriCorps Records Control Schedule and/or the General Records Schedules and managed in accordance with approved dispositions.

Contractor Personnel Accessing AmeriCorps Network To complete the defined work, the contractor will have access to the AmeriCorps network using an AmeriCorps network account.

The Contractor will be issued a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card to access the AmeriCorps network upon successful completion of the personnel security background investigation. As part of the on boarding process AmeriCorps will provide the Contractor with:

• AmeriCorps Basic Security training – email will be sent with a link to the training modules (required)

• AmeriCorps Cybersecurity User Rules of Behavior – the link is provided after training is complete (required)

• AmeriCorps Privileged User Rules of Behavior – only applicable if the contractor will have privileged access; this is provided before privileged access is granted on the network Contractor will receive their AmeriCorps network account once they have completed the required training and rules of behavior.

The Contractor shall guarantee strict confidentiality of the information/data that it is provided by the Government during the performance of the task order. The Government has determined that the information/data that the Contractor will be provided during the performance of the contract is of a sensitive nature.

Disclosure of the information/data, in whole or in part, by the Contractor can only be made after the Contractor receives prior written approval from the Contracting Officer. Whenever the Contractor is uncertain about the proper handling of information/data under the contract, the Contractor shall obtain a written determination from the Contracting Officer.

The Contractor shall not release, publish, or disclose sensitive information to unauthorized personnel, and shall protect such information in accordance with provisions of the following laws and any other pertinent laws and regulations governing the confidentiality of sensitive information:

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

• 18 U.S.C. 1905 (Criminal Code: Disclosure of Confidential Information)

• Public Law 96-511 (Paperwork Reduction Act)

Data Rights: