Tab 01. PWS - Subscription for Diploma Services (30 Sep 26).pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

SUBSCRIPTION FOR DIPLOMA SERVICES

AIR UNIVERSITY, MAXWELL AFB, AL

1.0 PURPOSE

Air University (AU) is the intellectual and leadership center of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. AU’s core mission is to educate and develop warfighters to support national security objectives.

The purpose of this requirement is to acquire an annual, enterprise-wide subscription for comprehensive digital and physical diploma generation, management, and issuing services. This subscription will serve three key entities under the Air University umbrella:

1. Air University (AU)

2. Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)

3. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)

The primary objective is to provide secure, verifiable digital credentials, comprehensive learner records (CLRs), and professional transcripts alongside localized, on-demand print-to-paper diploma capabilities and outsourced high-volume print delivery.

2.0 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor will provide an enterprise-grade, Brand Name or Equal digital and physical credential management platform and associated printing supplies.

To meet the "or equal" standard, any proposed alternative platform must satisfy the following physical, functional, performance, and technical requirements:

2.1 Digital Credential Capabilities

• Secure Digital Issuance and Verification: The platform must provide immediately accessible, permanent, high-resolution official digital diplomas and credentials. It must feature certified, secure, and tamper-evident digital technology (such as patented cPDF™) that is self-validating. Recipients (such as employers and third-party verifiers) must be able to verify credential authenticity instantly without the burden of creating accounts, joining membership lists, or registering for a portal.

• 1-Click Social and Network Sharing: The platform must natively support single-click learner sharing features across professional and social networks (specifically LinkedIn, Facebook, and X/Twitter) via verified links. Students and alumni must never be charged a fee to access, share, or validate their official digital credentials.

• Scheduled Digital Awards: The platform must allow administrative personnel to schedule the automated release of digital credentials/diplomas at a precise date and time (e.g., coordinating digital delivery to execute exactly during the Air University Commander and President or Provost’s commencement speech).

• Customizable Multi-Channel Notifications: The system must offer customizable email and SMS text message notifications to alert students when their digital credentials are ready to be claimed.

• High-Security Signature Preservation: The platform must securely ingest, base64 encode, and store executive leadership signature files (including General/Flag Officer and senior academic leader signatures) solely for authorized application to transcripts, certificates, and diplomas, in strict compliance with federal data protection standards.

2.2 Print and Mailing Capabilities (AU, AFIT, and CCAF)

• On-Demand Local Printing: The system must enable institution-side local printing on pre-designed, branded diploma paper stock. The platform must generate downloadable credential PDFs containing all printable layers and elements formatted perfectly for local printing on campus.

• Paper Stock and Materials: The annual subscription must include high-quality, pre-manufactured paper stock incorporating specific institutional mastheads, official seals, and formatting templates. Paper reserves must be managed and shipped to Air University locations within 10 business days of ordering and no later than 30 days prior to each graduation cycle.

• Unlimited Reprints: The local print model must allow unlimited diploma reprints with zero additional service or transactional fees, subject only to the physical paper stock available on-site.

• Standard Turnaround Time (Optional for Future Implementation): For outsourced print orders, the contractor must guarantee a 7-to-15 business day turnaround time from proof approval to mailing. If batches are delayed, contractor must upgrade to expedited shipping at their own expense.

• USPS Mail Tracing (Optional for Future Implementation): The contractor must provide standard USPS mail tracing on all printed and mailed diplomas so that graduates can monitor shipment transit status in real time.

• Address Verification Prior to Mailing (Optional for Future Implementation): To minimize returned or lost mail, the platform's digital claim workflow must prompt learners to review, confirm, or modify their print diploma delivery address before the physical diploma is sent to production.

• Dimensions: The platform and printing templates must support the following standard dimensions:

o 10" x 13" diploma stock paper for Air University (AU) Graduate Degree programs and AFIT Advanced Degree programs.

o 8.5" x 11" diploma stock paper for CCAF and Civilian Associate Degree Program (CADP).

2.3 Comprehensive Learner Records (CLR) and Transcript Services

• Multi-Credential Platform Support: The platform must act as a single, unified interface that enables college administrators to issue, order, and deliver transcripts, diplomas, certificates, digital badges, and Comprehensive Learner Records (CLRs) securely.

• Flexible Format Transcript Delivery: The system must support transcript delivery in multiple formats, including PDF, TIFF images, XML, or EDI data, as well as paper formats. The platform must hold the PESC (PK20 Electronic Standards Council) Seal of Approval for XML data standards.

• Visual Comprehensive Learner Records: The contractor shall provide a CLR builder tool allowing administrators to create and issue visual credentials with graphics that organize academic, competency-based, and co-curricular data into a unified template representing the institutional learning framework.

• Transcript Receiving Inbox: The platform must provide an electronic receiving inbox capable of ingesting and translating incoming transcripts in any standardized data or image format from external networks.

• Enterprise Student Information System (SIS) Integration: The platform must feature seamless, pre-built integrations with major academic student databases to automate data flow and minimize administrative steps.

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)-Compliant Third-Party Storefront: The contractor must provide a distinct storefront/pricing interface for verified third parties (e.g., background check firms, employers) to order credentials on behalf of learners in a secure, FERPA-compliant manner.

2.4 Implementation, Templating, and Onboarding

• Onboarding and Integration: The contractor shall provide comprehensive initial setup, customized digital/physical template creation for each institution, and full system integration support for AU, CCAF, and AFIT.

2.5 Optional Additional Requirements: Records Digitization and Data Automation (Note:

Requirements in this section represent optional services that may be exercised by the Government in the future.)

2.5.1 Records Digitization Services

The contractor shall provide secure scanning, conversion, indexing, and digital delivery services for the Institution’s historical and archival student records.

• Media Ingestion and Facility Security: Services shall encompass the conversion of standard physical paper records as well as legacy media formats, specifically including aperture cards, 16mm and 35mm microfilm, and microfiche (standard, jacketed, and ultrafiche). All receiving, document preparation, scanning, indexing, and handling shall be executed within a climate-controlled, secure processing facility adhering to strict chain of custody, tracking, and data security standards.

• Indexing and Search Taxonomy: Digitized files shall be indexed against standard biographical and academic metadata attributes to ensure multi-parameter searchability.

Indexing parameters shall include:

o Learner First Name o Middle Name/Initial o Last/Former Name o Date of Birth o Student Identification Number o Last four digits of the Social Security Number (SSN) o Graduation Year (or Last Year of Attendance)

• Automated Ingestion and SFTP Delivery: Contractor shall utilize automated matching algorithms to associate digitized historical records with corresponding learner profiles within the Parchment platform. Converted files and associated metadata manifests shall be formatted and securely transmitted to the Institution’s designated Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) server on an agreed-upon delivery schedule.

• Quality Assurance and Sample Sign-Off: Prior to initiating full-scale production scanning, the contractor shall generate and deliver a sample batch of digitized records for the Institution’s review, validation, and formal written acceptance.

• Physical Media Disposition: Following successful conversion, quality acceptance, and the expiration of the mutually agreed quarantine retention period, the Institution shall have the option to elect either:

o Certified on-site destruction and cross-cut shredding of the physical records, accompanied by a formal Certificate of Destruction; or o Secure, tracked return shipment of all physical records to the Institution at the Institution's direction.

2.5.2 Data Automation Services (Raptor)

The contractor shall activate and integrate its intelligent Data Automation engine (“Raptor”) to automate the parsing, extraction, and SIS ingestion of incoming transcripts and academic credentials.

• Platform and Inbox Integration: The Data Automation service shall connect directly to the Institution’s Parchment Receive inbox, initiating automated document capture immediately upon delivery of digital or scanned academic records. The platform architecture is Student Information System (SIS)-agnostic and designed to interface seamlessly with modern and legacy enterprise SIS platforms.

• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Machine Learning: The platform utilizes advanced Optical Character Recognition paired with multi-tiered artificial intelligence.

This includes network-wide machine learning trained continuously across cross-institutional transcript formats, alongside institution-specific adaptive AI that optimizes over time to recognize the Institution's frequent transfer partners, custom grading scales, and unique course naming conventions.

• Curricular Data Extraction: The automation engine shall parse transcript data at the granular course and term level, accurately extracting:

o Academic terms and dates of attendance o Department codes and course identifiers o Course titles o Attempted units and earned units/credits o Letter grades or pass/fail markers

• Verification and 1-Click SIS Ingestion: Extracted course data shall be presented within an administrative verification workflow displaying confidence indicators for registrar review and exception handling. Upon administrative confirmation, validated academic records and transcript data shall be transferred directly into the Institution’s SIS via a single-action ("1-click") ingestion mechanism, eliminating manual transcript entry and accelerating transfer articulation workflows.

3.0 DELIVERY, PACKAGING, AND LOCATIONS

3.1 Delivery Obstacles and Packaging

• Standard Shipping: For any supplemental materials, diploma covers, or physical paper stock shipped by the contractor to institutional locations, items must be shipped standard ground/FedEx directly to designated institutional loading docks or offices.

• International and Expedited Options: The contractor must maintain capabilities for FedEx Priority (domestic/international) and USPS International shipping (including specialized diploma envelopes/tubes) as optional, on-demand add-on services.

• Registrar Access: The contractor shall provide secure platform access to designated Air University, CCAF, and AFIT Registrar personnel to coordinate deliveries and track shipment statuses.

3.2 Delivery Locations

Physical materials and paper stock shall be delivered to the following addresses:

• Air University (AU) and CCAF: Maxwell AFB, AL 36112

• Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT): Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433

4.0 TRAINING AND SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

• Administrative Training: The contractor shall provide initial administrative training to designated Registrar and administrative personnel. Training must cover:

o Platform template design and management.

o Credential issuance, CLR design, and award workflows.

o High-volume batch uploading processes.

o Order hold, tracking, and system status management.

o Data Automation (Raptor) registrar verification workflows and digitization exception handling (Section 2.5).

• Ongoing Support: The contractor shall provide administrative user manuals, digital job aids, and access to a dedicated technical support helpdesk.

5.0 WARRANTY, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPPORT

5.1 Standard Warranty

The contractor shall provide any Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) standard commercial warranty applicable to the products and physical supplies being purchased at no additional cost to the Government.

5.2 Documentation Requirements

Prior to project acceptance, the contractor shall provide the customer with all manufacturer warranties, equipment manuals, and relevant digital documentation for any component or material incorporated into this service.

5.3 Warranty Procedures and Technical Support

Prior to project acceptance, the contractor shall provide:

• Written operational procedures for requesting warranty services.

• Designated points of contact within the company for service issues.

• Written confirmation of the warranty period.

• Direct phone numbers and contact procedures for technical support, troubleshooting assistance, and replacement of faulty physical items.

6.0 GENERAL CONTRACT AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

6.1 Condition of Items

All physical items, paper stock, and materials provided under this contract must be brand new.

Refurbished, previously used, or surplus materials are strictly prohibited.

6.2 Flat Subscription Pricing (No Hidden Fees)

• All-Inclusive Pricing Model: The contract pricing structure must be a flat annual subscription model based on estimated credential volume.

• Zero Student Fees: No fees shall be charged to students or alumni for accessing, downloading, sharing, or verifying their digital credentials.

• Zero Auxiliary Fees: There shall be no "small order" fees or transactional fees.

• Volume Variance: There shall be no penalty fees for volume variance. Any annual overages beyond the estimated limits will be invoiced at a transparent, fixed per-credential rate agreed upon at contract award.

6.3 Security, Privacy, and Compliance

• Student Privacy (FERPA): The contractor must handle all student records in strict accordance with FERPA (20 USC § 1232g and 34 CFR Part 99) and federal privacy standards.

• Cybersecurity Framework and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI):

Safeguarding: The platform and its data-hosting infrastructure shall comply with federal cybersecurity standards. All student records, transcripts, metadata, and signatures constitute CUI.

• SOC II Audited Infrastructure: The contractor's hosting environment and data centers must undergo rigorous independent auditing to maintain active SOC II certification, ensuring the highest standards of operational and physical security.

• End-to-End Encryption: The platform must encrypt all student records, signatures, and transaction data both in transit and at rest.

• PCI-Certified Financial Transactions: If any auxiliary student-funded print transactions are processed through the portal, the contractor must maintain active PCI compliance, providing a secure, bank-grade payment processing environment.

• Single Sign-On (SSO) Integration: The platform must utilize advanced APIs to support Single Sign-On (SSO), ensuring secure, centralized access management integrated with Department of War (DoW)/Air Force identity management systems.

• Accessibility Standards (Section 508): The contractor's digital user interfaces, including the student credential portal and administrator dashboards, must comply and conform with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 USC § 794d).

6.4 Advanced Platform Analytics and Reporting

• Real-Time Insight Engine: The platform must deliver real-time, interactive reporting utilizing graphical charts and filters with multi-format export capabilities (e.g., Excel, PDF).

• Comprehensive Activity Tracking: The platform must track credential utilization, overall order volume, credential types, and delivery methods to evaluate administrative productivity and operational efficiency.

• Graduate Engagement Metrics: The analytics engine must track and report on:

o Key credential volume processed within customizable date ranges.

o Credential claim vs. unclaimed rates.

o Destination industries, employers, or academic institutions receiving verified electronic credentials.

o Social sharing engagement statistics (specifically identifying quantities shared to

LinkedIn, Facebook, and X/Twitter).

o The number of external verifiers actively viewing diplomas/certificates online.

7.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

To ensure high-quality service execution, the contractor's performance will be measured against the following standards:

Performance Requirement Service Level Standard Method of Surveillance Platform Availability 99.9% uptime, excluding scheduled maintenance windows announced 48 hours in advance

System logs and administrative reporting

Digital Credential Delivery Digital credentials must be processed and emailed/SMS-notified within two hours of administrative batch approval

Platform audit trail reports

Patented Security Integration Every issued digital credential must display tamper-evident cPDF™ self-validation upon receipt

Spot check verification

Paper Stock Shipment Standard physical paper stock orders must be delivered to designated locations within 10 business days of ordering

Shipping carrier tracking and receipt logs

Outsourced Print Dispatch Physical credentials sent to outsourced print queue must be shipped within 7-15 business days of digital proof approval

Carrier tracking generation logs

Technical Support Response Critical system issues resolved within four hours;

general administrative questions answered within one business day

Help desk ticket logs

Digitization Quality and Indexing (Section 2.5)

Minimum 99% field accuracy on 7-point metadata indexing and 100% legibility on legacy conversion

Pilot sample audit and batch manifest review

Data Automation (Raptor) Ingestion (Section 2.5)

Minimum 99% successful automated curricular parsing and zero data loss on 1-click SIS ingestion

Registrar validation audit and SIS error logs

8.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (POP)

The PoP shall be one Base Year of 12 months with two option year of 12 months. The PoP provided in the delivery section of the contract, purchase order, or task orders takes precedence over the anticipated dates in this section.

9.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

• Contractor Relationships/Supervision: The contractor shall not provide direction nor interject into Government/System Contractor/ Subcontractor relationships. The contractor's personnel will not be under the direct supervision of Air Force personnel.

• Release of Information: The contractor will follow FERPA guidance and the Privacy Act of 1974, and all applicable public and federal regulations.

• Contractor Use of Government Equipment/Facility: There will be no government provided hardware, equipment, software, or facility. In addition, there will be no on-base performance of service.

• Termination of Agreement: At any time, this contract may be cancelled by AU with a 30-day notice to the contractor.

10.0 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR UNCLASSIFIED SERVICES ONLY:

NO CAC/NO BASE ACCESS REQUIRED

• CUI Safeguarding: All CUI provided to or generated by the contractor under this contract shall be safeguarded in accordance with DoDI 5200.48_DAFI 16-1403, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). These protections are enforced for the purpose of preventing unauthorized disclosure of sensitive government information. The contractor must ensure all CUI is properly marked, restrict access strictly to personnel with a lawful government purpose (need-to-know), and transmit data only via authorized, encrypted channels. Failure to adequately safeguard CUI, or any unauthorized disclosure of CUI, may result in the immediate removal of contractor personnel, contract termination for default, or further administrative and legal action.

• Reporting Requirements: The contractor shall comply with DAFI 71-101, Volume-1, Criminal Investigations Program, and AFI 71-101, Volume-2, Protective Service Matters, requirements. Contractor personnel shall report to 42d Air Base Wing Information Protection Office, any information or circumstances of which they are aware may pose a threat to the security of DoW personnel, contractor personnel, resources, and classified or unclassified defense information.