SOW - Reader Services.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Veterans Benefits Administration

Seattle Regional Office

915 2nd Ave

Seattle, WA 98174

1. BACKGROUND

The Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Seattle, Washington has a diverse pool of employees which contributes to the strength of the Regional Office and enables us to assist and provide benefits to those who have served our nation honorably.

To enable our visually impaired employee(s) the ability to fully contribute to the team’s efforts, our goal is to establish a contract to provide Reader Services to assist them in their duties.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

The Reader Services shall be provided in‐person. Up to twelve (12) hours per week of Reader Services and minor computer assistance will be required. The average estimated weekly number of hours is expected to remain consistent at twelve (12).

The hours will be scheduled based on the primary employee’s tour of duty. If the reader anticipates being unavailable for more than one week at a time, an alternate/backup reader, who has taken all mandatory Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) training courses, will need to be provided. Services will be coordinated with the VRC with at least 2 business days advance notification.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Successfully pass background checks and complete the VA mandatory training for access to PII.

Contractor will be issued a government furnished computer (to be kept on location) and a PIV card.

To include but not limited to, providing reading support via Microsoft Teams, Adobe, and WebEx

(or other platform) in an in‐person environment.

Read aloud materials not accessible with screen reader (language English).

Navigate many different VA computer systems to include but not limited to CAPRI, TMS, VBMS, CWINRS, IPPS, eVA, VATAS, WEAMS, QA Web, and SHARE screens not accessible with screen reader.

Ensure formatted letters and forms are correct.

Assist in reading PDF documents.

Assist with using the employee’s mouse to electronically PIV sign PDF documents.

Assist employee in converting documents from Microsoft program files into PDF.

Assist in navigating, reading, and operating Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel, and

PowerPoint.

Assist with mouse/cursor manipulations.

Provide such other visual aid services as may be needed and reasonable under the circumstances to assist the employee with completion of job assignments.

3. KEY PERSONNEL

Contractor shall demonstrate the ability to provide qualified and experienced personnel in the completion of this requirement. Key project personnel shall have successfully participated in the completion of similar projects.

Job skills and requirements for Reader

Contractor shall demonstrate the ability to provide qualified and experienced personnel in the completion of this requirement.

An Associate’s degree or equivalent.

Extensive knowledge of composition, grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite

Requires at least one year experience working in an office environment.

Prefer previous experience working with the Blind/Low Vision

NOTE: Key personnel may not be added nor removed from the task without express approval of the

Contracting Officer (CO) or appointed facility POC. The CO or appointed facility POC will provide approval via electronic mail when the contract employee may begin work.

The contract employee level of background investigation and clearance required for this effort is NACI. Contract performance shall not commence before confirmation is received that the investigative documents are complete, and that the background investigation has begun. Once the Contractor's background investigation has been initiated, contract performance may commence.

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The contract will be a period of 12 months, with four (4) one‐year optional periods. The start date will be a mutually agreed upon date, but services will be required soon after contract has been awarded but not until background Investigation has commenced. If necessary, the Government reserves the right to terminate the contract within the base period or any optional period(s) of performance if the services are no longer needed.

5. HOURS OF OPERATION

The employee requiring the Reader Services currently works Monday through Wednesday from

8:00am to 12:00pm. The contractor is responsible for Reader Services, between the hours 8:00am to

12:00pm, Monday through Wednesday except Federal holidays or when the Government is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government‐directed closings.

If the VA employee requiring Reader Services calls out sick, VA POC M. Aaron will notify the

Contracting Agency/Contractor at least 24 hours in advance whenever possible.

6. PRIMARY PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The primary place of work to be performed under this contract will be in‐person in Seattle, Washington.

Exact street address will be provided at the time of contract award.

7. TRAVEL

The contractor is expected to travel to Seattle, Washington. Services will be provided at the employee’s primary work site environment (office).

8. RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS

The contractor will not be expected to perform on recognized federal holidays as listed below:

New Year’s Day January 1st

Martin Luther King’s Birthday 3rd Monday in January

President’s Day 3rd Monday in February

Memorial Day

Juneteenth

Last Monday in May

June 19th

Fourth of July July 4th

Labor Day 1st Monday in September

Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October

Veteran’s Day November 11th

Thanksgiving Day Last Thursday in November

Christmas Day December 25th

9. POINTS OF CONTACT

Karolyn Hannem, VR&E Officer

Phone: (206) 331‐2392

Email: Karolyn.Hannem@va.gov

Marie Aaron, Assistant VR&E Officer

Phone: (206) 319‐3192

Email: Marie.Aaron@va.gov

Ryan Sewell, Assistant SSD Chief

Phone: (425) 444‐3504

Email: Ryan.Sewell@va.gov

Mary Yates, SSD Chief

Phone: (360) 620‐1166

Email: Mary.Yates@va.gov

10. C&A REQUIREMENTS

The C&A requirements do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.

11. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS

All contract employees who require access to the VA site(s) and/or access to VA local area network (LAN) systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the

VA Security and Investigations Center (SIC). These requirements are applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same NACI Background Investigation. At a minimum, this Contract/Task Order requires the individuals to undergo a National Agency Check & Inquiries (NACI).

The level of background security investigation will be in accordance with VA Directive 0710 dated June 4, 2010 and is available at:

http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=487&FType=2

The contract employee level of background investigation and clearance required for this effort is NACI. Work may not commence until the appropriate background investigation has commenced.

Immediately after contract or task order award, the Contractor must submit a completed (Attachment A in section D form‐ VBA Contractor Background Investigation Request Worksheet) for all contract employees working the contract, who have access to VA facilities, VA systems, or privacy data, to the Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR).

The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel who require access to VA site(s) and/or access to VA LAN systems to ensure they maintain a U.S. citizenship or Alien Registration, which authorizes them to work in the U.S., and are able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

Contractors who have current favorable background investigation conducted by OPM or Defense Security

Service (DSS) may be accepted through reciprocation. However, it does not preclude the Contractor from submitting a completed Attachment A form immediately after contract or task order award for all contract employees working the contract to the COR.

Contract performance shall not commence before confirmation is received that the investigative documents are complete, and that the background investigation has begun. Once the Contractor's background investigation has been initiated, contract performance may commence.

The COR will forward the Contractor a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (form 4236) when the investigation has been favorably completed and adjudicated.

The Contractor, if notified of an unfavorable adjudication by the Government, shall withdraw the contract employee from consideration from working under the contract.

12. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of contractor employee competency, conduct, appearance, and integrity and shall be responsible for taking such disciplinary action with respect to its employees as may be necessary.

Weapons, Firearms, and Ammunition. Contractors are prohibited from possessing weapons, firearms, or ammunition, on themselves or with‐in their contractor owned vehicle or privately owned vehicle while parked at the government facility.

Reporting Requirements. Contractor personnel shall immediately report to an appropriate government authority any information or circumstances of which they are aware may pose a threat to the security of the

Department of Veterans Affairs personnel, contractor personnel, resources, and classified or unclassified VA information.

The contractor must not employ persons for work on this contract if such personnel are considered by the contracting officer or contracting officer’s representative to be a potential threat to the health, safety, security, general well‐being, or operational mission of the installation and its population.

Contractor personnel must present a neat appearance and be easily recognized as contractor employees. All personnel must wear agency provided visitor/contractor badges when on site at a VA Facility.

The contractor must not employ any person who is an employee of the U.S. Government if employing that person would create a conflict of interest. Additionally, the contractor must not employ any person who is an employee of the government facility, unless such person seeks and receives approval according to the Federal

Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and VA Acquisitions Regulations (VAAR).

The contractor may at no time prevent VA Regional Office employees from completing day‐to‐day operations.

At no time can service to Veterans be halted or impeded.

REMOVAL FROM CONTRACT WORK ‐ The contracting officer or contracting officer’s representative may require the Contractor to remove any of their employee(s) from GSA or VA controlled buildings or other real property should it be determined that the individual(s) is either unsuitable for security reasons or otherwise unfit to work on federally controlled property. This shall include, but not be limited to, instances where a contract employee is determined, in the Government's sole discretion, to be incompetent, careless, insubordinate, unsuitable or otherwise objectionable.

A contractor employee may also be removed where the continued employment of the contractor employee in connection with the Government work is deemed, in the Government's sole discretion, contrary to the public interest, inconsistent with the best interests of security, or a potential threat to the health, safety, security, general well‐being or operational mission of the facility and its population.

Where a contractor employee is granted a temporary suitability determination and an unfavorable final suitability determination is later rendered, the Government may insist on the employee's removal from work in connection with the Contract.

The Contractor shall be responsible for providing replacement personnel in cases where contract employees are removed at no additional cost to the Government.