Statement of Work_USSS Inspection and Audit_Final Updated 20240822_.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY,

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, UNITED

STATES SECRET SERVICE PROTECTIVE

OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES

STATEMENT OF WORK

1. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides independent oversight and promotes excellence, integrity, and accountability within DHS.

The OIG seeks to engage a Protective Operations Analyst with specialized knowledge of United States Secret Service (Secret Service) protective operations, particularly in light of the events on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. This SOW outlines the tasks and deliverables required to support OIG’s audits, inspections, and investigations of Secret Service protective measures.

Congress enacted the Inspector General Act of 1978 to ensure integrity and efficiency in government. Both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) were established by Congress in 2002. DHS OIG is led by an Inspector General who is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. The Inspector General is required to keep both the Secretary and the Congress fully and currently informed about the problems and deficiencies relating to the administration of department programs and operations and the necessity for corrective action.

DHS OIG’s mission is to provide independent oversight and promote excellence, integrity, and accountability within DHS. OIG employs auditors, inspectors, criminal investigators, special agents, and other professionals to execute OIG’s mission. Among other responsibilities, these professionals conduct audits our nation’s most critical cybersecurity infrastructure; perform unannounced inspections of DHS facilities along the Southwest Border; apprehend criminals seeking to defraud disaster relief programs; and investigate employee misconduct and criminal activity impacting DHS programs and operations.

2. SCOPE/OBJECTIVES

The scope of this SOW covers the provision of expert services by a contractor with specialized knowledge of Secret Service or similar protective operations, including counter-sniper tactics and event security planning, execution, and post-event operations. The contractor will assist in the review, analysis, and documentation of Secret Service procedures and operations, particularly those relevant to the attempted assassination at Butler, PA on July 13, 2024.

3. REQUIREMENTS

3.1 General Requirements

This contract is not a personal services contract and does not include inherently governmental functions. The contractor is responsible for performing the tasks described below, but the Government will not directly supervise the contractor’s employees.

3.2 Task One: Document Review

The contractor shall review documents related to Secret Service protective operations, including interview transcripts, policies, procedures, site survey plans, threat assessments, and training curricula. The contractor shall:

Summarize findings from document reviews.

Provide written analyses that highlight any deviations from standard procedures. Analysis and conclusions should be cross indexed to supporting materials.

3.3 Task Two: Meeting Preparation and Attendance

The contractor shall assist in preparing for and attending meetings or observational site visits with DHS OIG and external stakeholders. Specific duties include:

Preparing briefing materials.

Summarizing key points and action items from meetings or observations within 2 business days.

3.4 Task Three: Analysis and Reporting

The contractor shall conduct detailed analyses of the Secret Service’s protective measures, focusing on operations that occurred at the July 13, 2024 event as well as similar events with Secret Service protective activities. The contractor shall:

Prepare monthly progress reports.

Draft a final report summarizing all findings and recommendations.

3.5 Task Four: Travel

The contractor shall travel as needed within the United States to support DHS OIG’s interviews and investigations. All travel must be pre-approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

4. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

4.1 Qualified Personnel

The Contractor shall provide personnel who are highly qualified and possess specialized knowledge of Secret Service operations, particularly in counter-sniper tactics. These personnel should be regarded as highly regarded experts in their field with significant operational experience at a senior leadership level.

4.2 Continuity of Support

The Contractor shall ensure continuous support throughout the performance period, with minimal disruption due to personnel changes.

4.3 Key Personnel

The following positions are designated as key personnel for this SOW:

• Project Manager: Responsible for overseeing all work under this SOW. The Program Manager shall have knowledge of Secret Service Protective operations to include counter sniper tactics and event security planning.

• Senior Protective Operations Expert(s): Designated as key personnel to provide expert-level in-depth analysis, guidance, and expertise related to Secret Service protective operations, particularly in counter-sniper tactics, threat assessments, and event security planning.

4.4 Senior Protective Operations Expert Duties/Qualification:

The contractor must possess the following qualifications:

• Education: Possess a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent.

• Work experience must demonstrate senior government experience leading protective service operations; this experience would typically be gained at the GS-14 level or above and involve regular interactions with senior executives. Service in the United States Secret Service, a law enforcement agency, or service in the U.S. military, is preferred, but not required.

• Senior expert-level knowledge of security principles and procedures and the administration of security programs, including security site planning, protective operations, threat assessments, counter sniper operations, training, tactical operations. The contractor shall have demonstrated expertise in interagency coordination, including effective collaboration with local and state partners on protective operations. This experience would typically be at a leadership level.

• The contractor shall also possess a comprehensive understanding of industry and government practices related to protective operations, particularly in the use of counter snipers. Additionally, the contractor shall have an established network of professional contacts within other federal agencies that have similar protective missions.

• Work experience must demonstrate advanced knowledge of the following skills: time management, teamwork, English skills, including writing, speaking, and listening, conceptual skills, such as planning and organizing, critical thinking, active learning, and sound judgment, interpersonal skills, including perceptiveness, persuasion, working with others, cultural adaptability, objectivity, and integrity.

4.5 STAFFING PLAN

The Contractor shall develop and submit a comprehensive staffing plan that ensures all required expertise, experience, and backgrounds necessary to fulfill the entire scope of this contract are covered. Recognizing that the required expertise may not be encompassed by a single individual, the Contractor is permitted and encouraged to propose more than one person or a team of individuals who collectively possess the necessary qualifications, certifications, and experience to effectively perform the tasks outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW). The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all key positions are staffed with individuals who meet the specified requirements and that there is sufficient depth in personnel to maintain continuity of operations throughout the contract period. The Contractor must also outline contingency measures to address any potential staffing shortfalls that may arise during the performance of this contract.

5. OTHER APPLICABLE CONDITIONS

5.1 Security

Contractor personnel may require access to classified information as well as sensitive but unclassified information. They shall comply with DHS policies regarding Privacy, Information Protection & Data Security.

5.2 Security Clearance Requirements

(a) “Sensitive Information” is any information or proprietary data which if subject to unauthorized access, modification, loss, or misuse could adversely affect the national interest, the conduct of Federal programs, or the privacy to which individuals are entitled under 5 U.S.C. 552a (The Privacy Act), but that has not been specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive Order or an Act of Congress to be kept classified in the interest of national defense or foreign policy.

Work under this contract may involve access to sensitive information. Therefore, the Contractor shall not disclose, orally or in writing, any information to any person or entity unless authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer. For those contractor employees authorized access to personally identifiable information or other sensitive but unclassified information, the contractor shall ensure that these persons receive training concerning the protection and disclosure of sensitive information before the contract employee has access to the information. Contractor employee shall not disclose any DHS Information received for generated during the course of this contract to any person/entity without written consent of the Contracting Officer.

(b) Contractor employees assigned to this contract will undergo an appropriate fitness screening determination and must possess a secret clearance. The minimum investigative standard will be a Tier

3. Contractors must have already undergone the minimum background investigation for the clearance access required, conducted by or for another Federal Agency.

Contractor employees working on this contract must complete such forms, as may be necessary for security or other reasons to determine fitness. Completed forms shall be submitted as directed by the Assets, Security and Readiness Division (ASRD)/Upon the ASRDs request, the Contractor's employees shall be fingerprinted, or subject to other investigations as required. Contractors may not commence work prior to notification of a favorable decision for entrance on duty (EOD). The EOD determination does not substitute for the required background investigation, and it does not represent a final fitness determination.

(c) The Contracting Officer may require dismissal from work those employees deemed incompetent, careless, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable, or whose continued employment is deemed contrary to the public interest or inconsistent with the best interest of national security.

(d) Each employee of the Contractor assigned to perform on this contract shall be a citizen of the United States of America.

(e) The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause in all subcontracts at any tier where the subcontractor may have access to Government facilities, sensitive information, or resources.

(f) Access level required: Contractors will have access to DHS classified information from unclassified up to Secret.

(g) Safeguarding level-None

(h) Facility Clearance (FCL) requirement: Awardee must have an active Secret facility clearance granted by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) at the time of proposal submission.

(i) Place of performance: Contract performance and access to classified information and/or equipment is restricted to DHS/OIG government facilities within the Washington, DC metropolitan area listed below. Contractors are not authorized to access classified or unclassified information at the contractor site. (list physical address where work will be performed)

(j) Period of Performance: (provide dates)

5.2 Central Administration and Records

The contractor shall use technology and processes consistent with DHS OIG policies, to safeguard, transmit, and store OIG information related to this contract.

5.3 Period of Performance

Base Period: September 9, 2024, through February 28, 2025

Option Period 1: March 1, 2025 through August 31, 2025

Option Period 2: September 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026

5.4 Place of Performance

The primary place of performance will be the Contractor’s facilities with required travel to DHS OIG facilities in the Washington, D.C. area. The contractor is expected to be available for in-person meetings and site visits as required by the tasks.

5.5 Hours of Operation

Contractor personnel are expected to perform work during DHS OIG’s standard business hours.

Flexibility in hours may be required to meet the needs of specific tasks.

5.6 Travel

The Government will be responsible for reimbursement of travel costs only when the Contracting Officer’s Representative has approved such travel. All authorized travel will be paid for on a reimbursement basis. Costs for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses incurred by contracted personnel on official company business are allowable subject to FAR 31.205-46, Travel Costs. These costs will be considered reasonable and allowable only to the extent that they do not exceed on a daily basis the maximum per diem rates in effect at the time of travel as set forth in the Federal Travel Regulations located at https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-travel-regulation-ftr Actual travel costs claimed shall have supporting documentation, e.g., copy of paid bill for lodging and airline ticket receipt. All travel (air, land, and sea) including per diem, required in connection with the services to be provided under this contract shall be reimbursed at direct cost to the SME.

5.7 Post-Award Conference

A post-award conference will be held within 10 business days of contract award to discuss the objectives and review the draft project plan.

5.8 Project Plan

The Contractor shall submit a draft project plan at the post-award conference, with the final project plan due within 5 business days after receiving feedback.

5.9 Progress Reports

The Contractor shall provide monthly progress reports detailing work performed, issues encountered, and recommendations for the upcoming period.

5.10 General Report Requirements

All reports shall be submitted in an electronic format compatible with DHS workstations.

5.11 Non Disclosure Agreement

The Contractor must sign and submit a non-disclosure agreement before commencing work.

5.12 Independence Statement

The contractor must sign and submit a Statement of Independence before commencing work. See Attachment X.

6.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED RESOURCES

6.1 Government-Furnished Information

DHS OIG will provide access to the necessary documents, data, and other information required to perform the tasks outlined in this SOW.

6.2 Government-Furnished Equipment

DHS OIG will provide a laptop, phone, and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card to the Protective Operations Analyst for the duration of the contract. The contractor must use these resources strictly for performing work under this SOW.

7.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY

The Contractor shall furnish all materials, equipment, and services necessary to fulfill the requirements of this contract, except for those specifically provided by the Government as outlined in Section 5.0.

8.0 GOVERNMENT ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

The COR will review and accept deliverables, with documented feedback provided for any deficiencies.

The Contractor will have 10 business days to address and correct any issues.

9.0 DELIVERABLES

9.1 Deliverable Schedule

The Contractor shall provide the following deliverables according to the schedule outlined below:

Item Task Section Deliverable/Description Due Date Recipient

1 3.2 (Document Review)

Review information and data received and summarize findings in written form

Within 3 days after receipt.

COR

2 3.3 (Meeting/Observation Preparation and Attendance)

Prepare questions for each meeting or site visit observation assigned

3 business days before meeting

CO & COR

3 3.3 (Meeting/Observation Preparation and Attendance)

Participate in assigned meetings or site visit observations and summarize results

Within 2business days after the meeting(s)

COR

4 3.4 (Analysis and Reporting)

Analyze information and information received and prepare follow up questions.

Within 5 business days after receiving the information and data

COR

4 3.4 (Analysis and Reporting)

Prepare monthly Reports documenting progress made towards answering the objective of the reviews and recommendations on next steps.

5th business day of each month

COR

7 3.4 (Analysis and Reporting)

Provide edits on various team’s products including status reports, message documents, draft reports, final reports.

Within 5 business days after receiving task.

COR

8 3.5 (Travel) Travel Reports Within 3 business days after completion of travel

COR