Statement of Work_Cybersecurity Learning Platform and Certification Training_Draft.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

FOR

CYBERSECURITY LEARNING PLATFORM AND CERTIFICATION TRAINING

1. GENERAL

1.1. BACKGROUND

In accordance with the Commandant’s priority to cultivate a mission ready total workforce, the US Coast Guard Office of Cyberspace Forces (CG-791) has been working to professionalize the Cyberspace workforce by providing access to an online learning platform since June 2019. CG-791 requires a multifaceted approach to prepare members of the Cyberspace workforce to pass industry certification exams, to meet mandated continuing education requirements, and for professional development.

Continued education is paramount to professional development and integral to understanding the fast-developing needs of IT systems. This professional development equips Coast Guard (CG) cyber professionals with an in-depth knowledge of security governance, risk management, and security program development and management. It also provides necessary skills and best practices to effectively create and execute enterprise-wide information security strategies. Continuing professional development for cyber professionals is geared towards attaining certifications in accordance with the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Directive 8570, the DoD 8570 manual (8570.01m), and DoD Directive 8140 within the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF) and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework.

Members of the Cyberspace workforce lacking certifications do not meet DoD, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and CG policy standards. Certifications are earned through combined professional experience and examinations administered by various governing bodies. DoD policy recognizes over 30 different industry certifications to meet Cyberspace workforce standards.

1.2. SCOPE

The CG is looking to purchase the following:

· Licenses for individual CG users to access an online, on-demand, cybersecurity learning platform. Licenses will be transferable.

· Seats for individual CG users to attend online, instructor-led, cybersecurity boot camp trainings with the option to combine for group training.

1.3. OBJECTIVE

CG-791 will provide licenses to CG personnel for an online tool and seats for boot camp training to prepare members of the Cyberspace workforce to pass industry certification exams, to meet mandated continuing education requirements, and for professional development. Licenses will be issued, transferred, and/or revoked by CG-791.

1.3.1. COMPLIANCE/REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

The following document provides detailed explanations of Cyber 8570 Certifications and DCWF work roles associated with this learning platform:

· DoD Manual 8570.01, “Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program,” December 19, 2005, as amended https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/857001m.pdf

· DoD Directive 8140.01, “Cyberspace Workforce Management,” August 11,2015, as amended DoDI 8140.02, Identification, Tracking, and Reporting of Cyberspace Workforce Requirements, December 21, 2021 (whs.mil)

2. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND TASKS

2.1. ACCESS

CG-791 will communicate the access requirements to the vendor who will then coordinate logistics for enabling access and troubleshooting associated issues if they arise. The contractor shall provide access within two business days of receiving a completed access request. Access shall be communicated, in writing, or through the platform to the assigned Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Issued learning platform licenses that are unused for 30 consecutive days shall be removed upon approval of COR and be available for another member to use.

2.2. ON-DEMAND LEARNING PLATFORM

A content producing learning platform is an online web-based training portal that displays trainings provided by industry subject matter experts that also have experience in Academia. The content producing platform creates, curates, and disseminates trainings for people looking to hone Cyber and IT skills. In addition to simple trainings, the content producing platform has in-browser/hands-on labs that allow Cyber/IT developers to practice their skills.

2.2.1. LEARNING PLATFORM FEATURES

· 24 x 7 on-demand, online training; unlimited access to extensive training library.

· The content creating on-demand learning platform must have licenses for access that are completely transferable

· Align training with DCWF work roles as defined by DoD 8140.

· Content is specifically organized and geared IAW 8570 certifications.

· Certification preparation for all DoD 8570 certifications.

· In-browser hands on labs where learners can test their skills.

· In-browser certification practice testing.

· Demonstrated ability to cater to Other Government Agency (OGA) cyber space work force needs.

· The ability to assign or remove an individual license through the platform.

· Appropriate Personally Identifiable Information (PII) protections for learners accessing platform. The only PII required for access to the platform is an individual’s name and email address.

2.2.2. DASHBOARD REQUIREMENTS

The learning platform must have dashboards that allow an administrator from CG-7911 to view which learners have accessed the platform. The dashboard shall show which students have started, completed, or is in the process of completing a given course. The dashboard shall show how much time the student has invested on the learning platform. The dashboard shall also show the most recent date the learning platform was accessed. These features will allow the administrator to transfer the license in the event it is unused and provide reports of license usage to decision makers within CG-7911.

2.3. BOOT CAMP TRAINING

Boot Camps are targeted trainings aimed to educate an individual to attain 8570 certifications. Purchase of a boot camp implies that an individual attending the boot camp will be available for full time training for the given period. When purchased, the price of a boot camp includes the cost of taking a certification test and scheduling assistance.

2.3.1. BOOT CAMP FEATURES

· Provided instructors shall have Academic backgrounds, i.e., they have taught at accredited universities/colleges and are subject matter experts in their field.

· Boot camps can be taken as needed up to the quantity in the schedule.

· Certification Testing Vouchers are allocated to individuals at the completion of training and valid for a one-year.

· Boot camp seats can be reallocated to another individual prior to the commencement of the training.

3. COURSE CATALOG

4. CONTINUITY OF SUPPORT

The Contractor shall ensure that the contractually required level of support for this requirement is always maintained. The Contractor shall ensure that contract support personnel respond to any issues within 24hrs. These hours are inclusive with weekends and holidays as the Learning Platform is a 24x7 platform. If for any reason the Contractor staffing levels are not maintained due to vacation, leave, appointments, etc., and replacement personnel will not be provided, the Contractor shall provide e-mail notification to the COR prior to employee absence.

5. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this contract will be a five-year ordering period from the date of award.

6. POST AWARD CONFERENCE

After the contract is awarded, a Post Award Conference shall be held, within 5 business days, by the Contractor, the Contracting Office (KO), the COR, and CG Subject Matter Expert(s). The conference can be by phone or other virtual source.

7. PROGRESS REPORTS

A monthly report shall be sent to the COR each month showing usage metrics of the online platform. This report shall include a breakdown of usage time and progress by member. Additionally, a visual dashboard that the COR can gain access to ensure CG personnel are using the platform should be accessible within 1 week of contract award. The dashboard shall be IAW Section 2.2.2 of this SOW. l provide a monthly progress report to the Contracting Officer and COR via electronic mail.

8. PROTECTION INFORMATION

The Contractor shall always safeguard and protect from disclosure, and shall cause its employees, officers, agents, contractors, subcontractors and other representatives to always safeguard and protect from disclosure, all information about applicants, to include usage information, that could be used to determine or trace the identity of such applicants and/or CG usage statistics. The Contractor will take commercially reasonable measures (including implementing and monitoring compliance with adequate measures with respect to technical and physical security) to ensure that Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is protected against loss and against unauthorized access, use, modification, disclosure or other misuse. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement complies in all material respects with all applicable Laws, privacy policies and other legal obligations regarding the collection, transmission, use, storage, access and disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information. Disclosure of any aforementioned information shall only be made with written consent of the Contracting Officer by way of contract/purchase order modification. There will not be any CG PII provided to the Contractor.

9. SECTION 508 REQUIREMENTS

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (classified to 29 U.S.C. § 794d) requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use information and communications technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities must be afforded access to and use of information and data comparable to that of Federal employees and members of the public without disabilities.

All products, platforms and services delivered as part of this work statement that, by definition, are deemed ICT shall conform to the revised regulatory implementation of Section 508 Standards, which are located at 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Appendixes A, C & D, and available at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e1c6735e25593339a9db63534259d8ec&mc=true&node=pt36.3.1194&rgn=div5. In the revised regulation, ICT replaced the term electronic and information technology (EIT) used in the original 508 standards. ICT includes IT and other equipment.

Exceptions for this work statement have been determined by DHS and only the exceptions described herein may be applied. Any request for additional exceptions shall be sent to the Contracting Officer and a determination will be made according to DHS Directive 139-05, Office of Accessible Systems and Technology, dated November 12, 2018, and DHS Instruction 139-05-001, Managing the Accessible Systems and Technology Program, dated November 20, 2018, or any successor publication.

10. SECTION 508 REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

Not applicable

11. SECTION 508 DELIVERABLES

Section 508 Accessibility Conformance Reports: For each ICT item offered through this contract (including commercially available products, and solutions consisting of ICT that are developed or modified pursuant to this contract), the Offeror shall provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) to document conformance claims against the applicable Section 508 standards. The ACR shall be based on the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template Version 2.0 508 (or successor versions). The template can be found at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat. Each ACR shall be completed by following all of the instructions provided in the template, including an explanation of the validation method used as a basis for the conformance claims in the report.

12. GOVERNMENT ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

· The COR will review deliverables prior to acceptance and provide the contractor with an e-mail that provides documented reasons for non-acceptance. If the deliverable is acceptable, the COR will send an e-mail to the Contractor notifying it that the deliverable has been accepted.

· The COR will have the right to reject or require correction of any deficiencies found in the deliverables that are contrary to the information contained in the Contractor’s accepted proposal. In the event of a rejected deliverable, the Contractor will be notified in writing by the COR of the specific reasons for rejection. The Contractor may have an opportunity to correct the rejected deliverable and return it per delivery instructions.

· The COR will have 5 business days to review deliverables and make comments. The Contractor shall have 5 business days to make corrections and redeliver.

· All other review times and schedules for deliverables shall be agreed upon by the parties based on the final approved Project Plan. The Contractor shall be responsible for timely delivery to Government personnel in the agreed upon review chain, at each stage of the review. The Contractor shall work with personnel reviewing the deliverables to assure that the established schedule is maintained.

13. DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall consider items in BOLD as having mandatory due dates.

DISTRIBUTION

N/A