P-19-246 FPRS NDB O&M Enhancements
A - Solicitation/Contract Form 1
B - Supplies or Services/Prices 5
C - Description/Specifications 9
D - Packaging and Marking 31
E - Inspection and Acceptance 31
F - Deliveries or Performance 32
G - Contract Administration Data 33
H - Special Contract Requirements 37
I - Contract Clauses 44
J - List of Documents, Exhibits and Other Attachments 50
K - Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Bidders 50
L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Bidders 58
M - Evaluation Factors for Award 66
A - Solicitation/Contract Form
SOLICITATION/CONTRACT
BIDDER/OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 11, 13, 15, 21, 22, & 27 1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700) RATING PAGE OF PAGES
1 68
2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/ EFFECTIVE DATE 4. SOLICITATION NUMBER
12319819R0006 5. SOLICITATION TYPE
x SEALED BIDS NEGOTIATED
(IFB) (RFP) 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE
05/15/2019
7. ISSUED BY CODE FNS-HQ-MGMT-ASD-CMB 8. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR X SET ASIDE: % FOR:
X SMALL BUSINESS WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB) HUBZONE SMALL ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOSB PROGRAM BUSINESS EDWOSB
FNS-HQ-MGMT-ASD-CMB 3101 PARK CENTER DRIVE
ROOM 228
ALEXANDRIA VA 22302 SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-
OWNED SMALL BUSINESS NAICS: 541519
8(A) SIZE STANDARD: $27.50
This solicitation is set-aside for Small Businesses, with the following conditions; any award resulting from this solicitation will be made using the following cascade set-aside order of precedence:
Any award under this solicitation will be made on a competitive basis first to an eligible Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concern, provided that there is adequate competition among such firms.
If there is inadequate competition for award to a SDVOSB concern, award will be made competitively to a Veteran Owned (VO) concern, provided that there is adequate competition among such firms.
If there is inadequate competition for award to a VO concern, award will be made competitively to a historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) concern, provided that there is adequate competition among such firms.
If there is inadequate competition for award to a HUBZone concern, award will be made competitively to a woman owned (WO) concern, provided that there is adequate competition among such firms.
If there is inadequate competition for award to a WO concern, award will be made competitively to a small disadvantaged business (SDB) concern, provided that there is adequate competition among such firms.
If there is inadequate competition for award to a SDB concern, award will be made competitively to an active 8(a)-certified small business (8(a)) concern, provided that there is adequate competition among such firms.
Adequate competition shall be deemed to exist if: At least two competitive offers are received from qualified responsible business concerns at the tier under consideration; and award will be made at a fair and reasonable price in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.202-6.
NO CALLS
9. (AGENCY USE)
Solicitation questions due by 05/22/2019, 11:30am Eastern time.
Solicitation answers will be posted by COB 05/29/2019.
Solicitation RFP responses due by closing date: 06/18/2019, time: 11:30am Eastern Time.
10. ITEMS TO BE PURCHASED (BRIEF DESCRIPTION)
SUPPLIES ×SERVICES
11. IF OFFER IS ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT WITHIN 12. ADMINISTERED BY CODE FNS-HQ-MGMT-ASD-C
CALENDAR DAYS (60 CALENDAR DAYS UNLESS OFFEROR INSERTS A DIFFERENT FNS-HQ-MGMT-ASD-CMB 3101 PARK CENTER DRIVE ROOM 228
ALEXANDRIA VA 22302
PERIOD) FROM THE DATE SET FORTH IN BLOCK 9 ABOVE, THE CONTRACTOR
AGREES TO HOLD ITS OFFERED PRICES FIRM FOR THE ITEMS SOLICITED
HEREIN AND TO ACCEPT ANY RESULTING CONTRACT SUBJECT TO THE TERMS
AND CONDITIONS STATED HEREIN.
13. CONTRACTOR CODE
OFFEROR FACILITY CODE 14. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE
TELEPHONE NO.
UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFER
CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER
SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK:
15. PROMPT PAYMENT DISCOUNT 16. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER 10 U.S.C. 2304 41 U.S.C. 253 THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
( ) ( )
17.
ITEM NO.
18.
SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES
19.
QUANTITY
20. UNIT
21.
UNIT PRICE
22.
AMOUNT
Tax ID Number: Not Available DUNS Number: Not Available
Delivery Location Code: FNS-HQ-MGMT FNS-HQ-MGMT
3101 PARK CENTER DRIVE ROOM 314
ALEXANDRIA VA 22302 US
Continued ...
23. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 24. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT
(FOR GOVERNMENT USE ONLY)
25. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN 1 COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET 26. AWARD OF CONTRACT: YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION NUMBER SHOWN IN BLOCK 4 INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS
FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY CONTINUATION SHEETS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH HEREIN, IS
SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED HEREIN. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:
27. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTACTOR 28. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)
NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) DATE SIGNED NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER
LAWRENCE WILLIAMS DATE SIGNED
AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE
STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 8/2016)
Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(d)
NO RESPONSE FOR REASONS CHECKED
CANNOT COMPLY WITH SPECIFICATIONS CANNOT MEET DELIVERY REQUIREMENT
UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ITEM(S) DO NOT REGULARLY MANUFACTURE OR SELL THE TYPE OF ITEMS INVOLVED
OTHER (Specify)
WE DO WE DO NOT, DESIRE TO BE RETAINED ON THE MAILING LIST FOR FUTURE PROCUREMENT OF THE TYPE OF ITEMS INVOLVED
NAME AND ADDRESS OF FIRM (Include ZIP Code) SIGNATURE
TYPE OR PRINT NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER
FROM: AFFIX
STAMP HERE
TO:
FNS-HQ-MGMT-ASD-CMB FNS-HQ-MGMT-ASD-CMB 3101 PARK CENTER DRIVE ROOM 228
ALEXANDRIA VA 22302
SOLICITATION NO. 12319819R0006
DATE AND LOCAL TIME
STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 8/2016) BACK
B - Supplies or Services/Prices
CONTINUATION SHEET REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED
12319819R0006 PAGE OF
4 68
NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR
(A) ITEM NO.
(B) SUPPLIES/SERVICES
(C) QUANTITY
(D) UNIT
(E) UNIT PRICE
(F) AMOUNT
Period of Performance: 09/20/2019 to 09/19/2024-including all Option Years.
001 Services for Maintenance, Support and Enhancements of the
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and National Databank (NDB)IAW attached PWS. Product/Service Code: D307
Product/Service Description: IT AND TELECOM- COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN/COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAD/CAM) 1 EA
002
Services for Maintenance, Support and Enhancements of the
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and National Databank (NDB)IAW attached PWS. (Option Line Item)
09/19/2020
Product/Service Code: D307
Product/Service Description: IT AND TELECOM- COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN/COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAD/CAM)
1
EA
Period of Performance: 09/20/2020 to 09/19/2021
003 Services for Maintenance, Support and Enhancements of the
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and National Databank (NDB)IAW attached PWS. (Option Line Item)
09/19/2021
Product/Service Code: D307
Product/Service Description: IT AND TELECOM- COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN/COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAD/CAM) 1 EA
Period of Performance: 09/20/2021 to 09/19/2022
004 Services for Maintenance, Support and Enhancements of the
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and National Databank (NDB)IAW attached PWS. (Option Line Item)
09/19/2022
Product/Service Code: D307
Product/Service Description: IT AND TELECOM- COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN/COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAD/CAM)
Continued ... 1 EA
NSN 7540-01-218-4386 STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 8/2016)
Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(d)
CONTINUATION SHEET REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED
12319819R0006 PAGE OF
6 68
NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR
(A) ITEM NO.
(B) SUPPLIES/SERVICES
(C) QUANTITY
(D) UNIT
(E) UNIT PRICE
(F) AMOUNT
005
Period of Performance: 09/20/2022 to 09/19/2023
Services for Maintenance, Support and Enhancements of the
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and National Databank (NDB)IAW attached PWS. (Option Line Item)
09/19/2023
Product/Service Code: D307
Product/Service Description: IT AND TELECOM- COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN/COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAD/CAM)
Period of Performance: 09/20/2023 to 09/19/2024
1
EA
NSN 7540-01-218-4386 STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 8/2016)
C - Description/Specifications
Performance Work Statement
Services for Maintenance, Support and Enhancements of the
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and
National Databank (NDB)
United States Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Information Technology (USDA/FNS/OIT) seeks a qualified Contractor team for support and enhancements of the Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) and National Databank (NDB).
The Contractor shall:
• provide technical assistance to all users of the FPRS and NDB; correct deficiencies in the current software;
• make software updates/upgrades to the current software and applicable manuals as mandated by the FNS Office of Financial Management, Program Data Branch (PDB).
FNS plans to utilize a performance-based contract structure for the FPRS/NDB.
1.2 Background
1.2.1 USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS)
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers nutrition assistance programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The mission of FNS is to provide children and needy families better access to food and a more healthful diet through its food assistance programs and comprehensive nutrition education efforts. In addition to providing access to nutritious food, FNS also works to empower program participants with knowledge of the link between diet and health. The Agency was established August 8, 1969, but many of the food programs originated long before FNS existed as a separate agency.
Formerly known as the Food Stamp Program (FSP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the primary source of nutrition assistance for nearly 40 million people. The Special Nutrition Programs support the administration of nutrition assistance programs which provide nutritious diets to low and marginal income people. These programs operate as a partnership between FNS, the States, and local organizations that interact directly with program participants.
The grantee reporting functionality in the FPRS investment is a major FNS tool for collecting, storing, tracking and analyzing grantee program information. NDB interfaces directly with FPRS and provides a single, consistent, official database to support analysis and public release of Agency program and financial information. Timely information allows FNS, USDA, Congress, and the White House to make policy and funding decisions related to food assistance. FPRS and NDB will continue to require a high level of O&M modification activity due to the changes in forms based upon the Farm Bill as well as continuing changes to other statutory laws and regulations. Continuance of these systems is critical to the management, administration and oversight of the FNS Programs. Curtailment of its continued operations would result in serious degradation in the ability of FNS to fulfill its legislated mission functions.
Below are the specifics about the FPRS and NDB systems.
1.2.2 Current Organization
USDA FNS is structured under an Administrator with four separate Associate Administrators. The functions of two of these Associate Administrators (Program Service & Support and Management, Technology & Finance) are to provide services to the other two Associate Administrators (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP and the Special Nutrition Program, SNP).
The Office of Management, Technology and Finance has responsibility for awarding and administering the subject FPRS/NDB contract via its Contracts Management Division (CMD). The Office of Financial Management (OFM) provides Financial Analysts to identify the budget and accounting for the funds. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has responsibility for providing Program and Project Management support and technical support through all phases of the FPRS/NDB project.
The functional System Owner is in the Office of Financial Management, Budget Division. A successful Offeror must be able to understand, support and operate within the above FNS organizational structure.
1.2.3 Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS)
FPRS, an Internet-based application which uses a forms management engine, was implemented in March 2006. The Web-based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) and Regional Office Administered Programs (ROAP) systems currently supply information to FPRS. These data sources for FPRS are expected to continually evolve. The forms management ‘engine' is used for the dynamic generation of all forms, based on predefined metadata properties, instead of former programming-based techniques. These forms provide the means by which the State Agency (SA) and Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) report required cost and participation information about their administration of the FNS benefit programs they support, as well as the means by which FNS Regional and Headquarters staff can monitor and manage the programs from a regional and national perspective. Development, testing, and Production servers run in Alexandria, Virginia, at FNS Headquarters.
The FPRS application is the primary collection point for FNS program activity. Its primary purpose is to enable data reporting by participants in FNS programs. It is a web-based application that allows for data entry, as well as review and approval workflow processes related to the data. FPRS also provides nightly data to NDB. The main component of FPRS functionality is to support forms used by participants to report participation data. Currently, there are 185 form versions in the system. Active entities included in FPRS include over 362 State Agencies & Indian Tribal Organizations (ITO), over 3,000 Local Agencies, supported by 6,301 registered users. Since September 2006, there have been over 554,024 forms submitted through FPRS.
FPRS collects data from several FNS programs, including but not limited to:
• SNAP - Issuance, participation, financial, claims, disasters, and budget
• Child Nutrition (CN) - National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Breakfast, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer foods - Meals (free, reduced, paid), participation, financial, number of schools/centers
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - Participation, financial, nutrition education, and breastfeeding promotion
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) - Participation, commodities issued, inventory, financial
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) - Participation, commodities issued, inventory, financial
The data entry and approval workflow provided and supported by FPRS includes Data
Entry & Validation, Certification, Posting, and Verification of Data Accuracy. Organizations involved in this process include State Agencies & ITOs, FNS Regional Offices, and FNS Headquarters.
FPRS also provides users the option of analyzing the data with Excel spreadsheets. These spreadsheets are available for all form versions in the application.
Figure 1 below describes the use case for FPRS.
Figure-1: FPRS - Use Case
1.2.4 National Databank (NDB)
NDB, an Intranet-based application which uses a forms management engine, was initially developed in 1983 for the FNS Program Information Division, as the Public Information Data Bank (PIDB) which evolved into the NDB. In 1994 an NDB Long-Term study recommended the use of Client Server and Executive/Enterprise Information System technologies to make the NDB more flexible, usable and accessible. The current version, NDB 8.2, went live March 2006. Data from FPRS is automatically loaded into NDB for public release. Development and production servers run in Alexandria, VA. A dedicated testing server is also available and provided by FNS.
NDB is the Agency's official repository of program and financial data, in effect, a data warehouse. It is a web-based application available only to FNS users on the FNS Intranet. It receives data from multiple sources, primarily FPRS, from which it receives data on a nightly basis. NDB converts and aggregates FPRS data for analysis and reporting. It also provides the capability to estimate data when State submissions for a report month are missing. It contains various standard reports, which are available using Microsoft Excel. It also provides the capability for Ad Hoc queries and custom reports.
NDB contains data from 1989 to the present. The Intranet user interface went live in 2002. NDB contains 11,248 discrete data elements, 185 form versions, and contains over 364 active State Agencies/ITOs. NDB provides 41 Keydata reports for all years of data, as well as 7 standard fixed reports, 14 customized state level reports, 11 customized Sub-state level reports, and 298 canned reports. Data from NDB is eventually used by various public federal websites, as well as FNS analysts and for official agency reports.
Figure 2 below describes the website map for NDB.
Figure-2: NDB - Website Map
1.2.5 Relationship between FPRS and NDB
Figure 3 illustrates the relationship between FPRS and NDB. Any change in FPRS leads to corresponding changes in NDB. The Business Rules for FPRS are editing and validation rules, while the Business Rules for NDB are derivation and transformation rules. The Contractor is responsible for understanding the underlying business rules for FPRS and NDB and the impact of those rules for the systems to function correctly, therefore it is vital for the Contractor to understand how change(s) in FPRS affect NDB. It is equally essential to understand the relationships between forms and rules within FPRS, as a change to one rule/form may affect other rules/forms and the same applies to how the data is compiled and derived within NDB.
As an example, an addition or deletion of a data element in FPRS form will not only require a change in the corresponding form used by NDB but it will also involve analysis of the underlying business rules. There are two components to supporting this change: first to analyze which form(s) uses the changed data element(s) so that appropriate changes can be made on all forms affected by the change to a form, and secondly to estimate the level of effort required to change the associated form(s).
See PWS Task 1 (FPRS and NDB Business Rules Knowledge) for more details about
FPRS and NDB Business Rules.
1.3 Hosting Environment
The current production environment for FPRS and NDB is hosted at FNS Headquarters in Alexandria, VA. Non-production environments have been created by FNS and are located in Alexandria, VA. A dedicated test environment is available and provided by FNS. The environments are Microsoft-based and utilize SQL Server as the database backend. Both applications are available via web browsers.
1.4 FNS Change Management Process
1.4.1 Change Request (CR) Process for O&M
The primary means to introduce changes to FPRS/NDB is the Change Request (CR) process for O&M. Once a change has been identified, a CR is created in the CR tracking system. Once the CR has been created, the Contractor will perform business and system analysis to determine the impact of the change to the overall system. After this analysis, the Contractor will provide a Level of Effort (LOE) to FNS, with the number of hours and labor categories/rates involved in making the change. A Change Control Board (CCB) meeting convenes on a monthly basis to discuss, approve, and prioritize CRs. Once the CR has been approved by FNS, the Contractor will begin the work of implementing the CR into the FPRS/NDB application, including business analysis, code development, quality assurance, and migration to a User Acceptance Testing (UAT) or other FNS pre-production environment. This post-development delivery shall come in the form of a release package, and it should be production-ready.
The release package shall contain updates on the following items, if they have been affected by the change:
• Software Patch
• Service Patch
• Database Patch
• System Design Document
• System Requirements Specification
• Detailed Requirements Specification
• Installation Guide
• Online User Guide
• User Guide
• Computer Based Training Module
• Release Note(s)
Once the CRs have been released to production and verified by FNS, they shall be considered Closed.
1.4.2 Ad Hoc CR Process
Occasionally, there will be a need for changes outside of the monthly CR/CCB process. For example, a change may be needed for the issuance of a patch from a software vendor. These types of changes may also result from the issuance of a Security Bulletin from organizations like the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US CERT), the Department Office of Cyber Security (Cyber) or from the FNS Information Security Office (ISO).
In many of these instances the Agency cannot wait for the regular CR schedule to implement these changes. As such these changes shall be identified by the CO or COR and implemented by the FPRS/NDB Contractor in a timely manner.
The Contractor shall be required to document the elements comprising the "change" and update the Installation and Configuration Guide to reflect the new configurations. Both shall be sent to the CO or COR and, in turn delivered to FNS for implementation. The Contractor shall verify that the Configuration Change was implemented and notify the CO or COR.
The objective of the foregoing change management process is to ensure that the Contractor is responsible for updating all design and business process FPRS/NDB documents affected by CRs before the Contractor can be construed to have fully implemented a given CR.
1.4.3 Production Database Change Requests (PDCRs)
One additional way to implement changes to the FPRS/NDB system is through Production Database Change Requests (PDCRs). Typically, PDCRs are changes to the underlying data only, and are accomplished via database scripts.
PDCRs will be thoroughly tested in the development environment to ensure that their impact on the production environment meets expectations. Generally they are Structured Query Language (SQL) statements that insert, delete or change one or more pieces of data to meet the needs of the System Owner.
PDCRs are similar to CRs, in that a change is identified by one of the stakeholders and agreed to by the System Owner. The PDCR is then developed by the Contractor and implemented in a non-production environment as well as fully tested. A set of PDCR execution instructions and the actual database scripts shall then be delivered to FNS. A backup of the database shall be made prior to the execution of the PDCR. The PDCR shall be executed by the FNS DBA assigned to that work. The Contractor shall ensure that the PDCR executed successfully and inform the CO or COR and the System Owner. If the Contractor identifies that the PDCR did not execute successful, then the Contractor shall notify the CO or COR and the System Owner. They will make an immediate decision to either roll back to the previous state or enact an Emergency Release.
The objective of the foregoing PDCR change management process is to ensure that the Contractor will be responsible for updating all FPRS design and business process documents affected by PDCRs before the Contractor can be construed to have fully implemented a PDCR.
1.4.4 Emergency Releases
An unanticipated flaw in any prior releases may result in an Emergency Release to address the situation.
Emergency Releases are developed, tested and implemented as quickly as possible to minimize the impact to the user community.
The form of the emergency release is that an Emergency CR is opened; the application, database and/or configuration changes are developed and tested immediately and, once approved are incorporated into the production environment.
The initial release documentation will be updated within one (1) business day of implementing the Emergency Release. The CO or COR shall be notified when the Emergency Release has been deployed to the production environment and verified.
2.0 SCOPE OF WORK
2.1 Types of Services
The Contractor shall maintain FPRS, NDB and other systems in support of FNS's operations. Accordingly, Contractor technical support services shall provide:
• Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Support for FPRS and NDB
• Other Program Data Branch (PDB) Support
The Contractor shall possess knowledge of the FNS business environment surrounding the use of FPRS/NDB and the associated forms, staffing plan, key personnel and the labor categories and associated rates eventually proposed to the requirements described in Section 2.2 below.
The Government anticipates that the nature of the total work performed will be O&M, however if in the future, when Development of major enhancements to FPRS or NDB is needed, then FNS will issue a separate request. FNS considers enhancements as major changes to the Agency systems such as; a) Business process re-engineering b) System modernization for either FPRS/NDB c) Consolidating FPRS and NDB into a single system d) System redesign of FPRS or NDB etc.
All Contractor work performed shall be done off-site.
2.2 Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Support for FPRS and NDB
The Contractor shall provide technical support to system maintenance, system analysis, system design, programming, testing, and integration necessary for the maintenance of FPRS and NDB. These services shall include: the generation of software, making corrections to current software, software analysis, testing and documentation; software change proposals and software problem requests generation and processing; software distribution and development; and, operation and maintenance of software tracking systems. The Contractor shall also provide Help Desk support for FPRS and NDB. The subtasks for the operations and maintenance support are as follows:
a) Help Desk and Production Operations, including User Account Maintenance
b) Software Upgrade(s) & Hardware Support c) Replace/Update existing forms
d) Creation of New Forms and New Form Versions
e) Database Management Support
f) Management Reporting
g) System Administrative Capabilities (such as add, delete and modify files/report/forms)
h) Change Requests (CR) for O&M, Production Database Change Requests (PDCR)
i) Change/Creation of Form Analysis Sheets and Reports
k) Modifications to Interfaces with Other Systems
l) Support for the Implementation and Maintenance of all new grants and program database requirements
m) User Training/User Manuals as required, including how-to training videos
n) Technical Support Coordination
o) Application and Data Equipment Maintenance as required
p) Business Analysis and Quality Assurance Support
q) System Documentation, Test Plans and Test Data
r) Configuration Management Support, including administration of Team Foundation Server (TFS)
2.2.1 Deliverables
The Contractor will be required to deliver updated system documentation on a monthly basis for the work performed during that particular month. The deliverables will include:
Proposed Task Order Deliverables Schedule
N/A Monthly FPRS/NDB
Project Management Report Summary of previous month's activities including any management issues, status, recommendations, and suggested resolutions
Adobe PDF
10th working day of each month
001
Detailed Project Plan A Microsoft Project file that includes start, milestone, and completion dates reflecting the FPRS WBS
Project Project start and on the 10th working day of each month
002
Earned Value Status Report A detailed breakdown of the progress of the work performed measured against the overall financial expectations
Excel
4th business day of each month
003
Project Status Report A concise listing of actions, planned and executed, covering a weekly period of the project
Adobe PDF
Weekly
004
Certification and Accreditation documents A detailed accounting of security and disaster recovery procedures to conform to agency standard qualification criteria
Adobe PDF Updated as required in order to attain and maintain C&A of FPRS and NDB
005
CR Report A concise listing of all outstanding CRs and PDCRs, as well as those that have been closed in the past month
Adobe PDF
Monthly
007 Help Desk Database Log, CR summary reports and the Deliverable Status Report A complete and concise listing of all help desk and support activity in the previous month; a summary of CR reports; listing of all deliverables with the current status (including relevant dates) for each
Adobe PDF
10th working day of each month
008
Training materials
A detailed step-by-step instructions on system usage
User defined Updated as required when necessitated by major system changes
009
System Design Document
A detailed overview of the architecture, class, and database structures for the front and back ends
Adobe PDF Updated annually or as required when major system changes have occurred
010
Functional Requirements Document
A detailed description of inputs, behavior and outputs
Adobe PDF Updated as required when major system changes have occurred
011 Requirements Traceability Matrix A compilation of all the detailed (low-level) requirements from the start of the project
Adobe PDF Updated when software changes have occurred
012
Installation "Blue Screen" Guide A detailed step-by-step guide to the complete installation of all elements of the application, including the implementation of patches
Adobe PDF Updated when software changes have occurred
013
User Manual; computer-based training (CBT) A detailed instruction guide for application users; high level training materials presenting both an introduction to and an overview of the application
Adobe PDF and Web Help system Updated as required when major system changes have occurred
014
System Test Plan and Results The contractor's complete test history for an individual release, including (when applicable) test cases and final outcomes
Adobe PDF Delivered as part of each CR package for user acceptance testing
Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 describe the O&M support for FPRS and NDB respectively.
2.2.2 FPRS O&M Support
This task concerns with the operations and maintenance support for FPRS system. Table 1 provides the PWS matrix for FPRS O&M support. These elements are subject to change upon concurrence of the COR and FPRS Project Management team. Any changes will be reflected in the monthly performance report delivered by the contractor.
With any modifications, the Contractor shall perform business analysis to determine any effect on the underlying system requirements. If modifications result in requirements changes, the Contractor shall document those requirements and provide traceability from requirements through design, testing and quality assurance.
If modifications result in major changes, the Contractor shall provide technical assistance, system walkthroughs, and generalized training to demonstrate the functionality of the system, as required by FNS.
The FPRS system undergoes modifications several times per year, with varying degrees of complexity and resource consumption. As legislation or regulations change, new forms or programs may be required to be added to the system, or existing forms may need to be updated. In addition, FPRS also provides Excel-based versions of the forms. As the system changes, the Contractor has responsibility and shall change the Excel-based versions as well. As current form versions become obsolete, they must still be maintained in the system.
Performance Work Statement (PWS) Matrix for FPRS O&M Support
Objectives Required Services Metrics (Performance Standards) Acceptable Quality Monitoring Method Incentive/
Disincenttive
Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Support for the FPRS System Provide technical support for system maintenance CR(s) and PDCR(s) Support system analysis, system design, programming, testing, and integration necessary to the maintenance and specified modifications of existing applications Timely initial response to service tickets
Service Availability Incident resolution or escalation 1 day
98% Cycle time analysis of service tickets
System Monitoring CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Business Analysis and Business Rules Maintenance Provide comprehensive business analysis support for the maintenance of business rules. Support should also be provided for the creation of new business rules and modifications(s) to current business rules. Baselines shall be maintained and updated regularly as required by Project Plan
Peer review of all deliverables 100% accuracy
Maintained to plan Review of the Project plan
User acceptance of all deliverables CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Production Support Execution and monitoring of the FPRS System operations, running operational components designed for administrators and/or operators, monitoring the operational integrity of systems during operation cycles, communicating with external organizations and the user community and tracking activities performed via logs, status reports, and available statistical information and analysis Timely initial response to service tickets
Service Availability Incident resolution or escalation 1 day
98% Cycle time analysis of service tickets
System Monitoring CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Help Desk Support Provide a full service Help Desk support to all customers accessing the FPRS System First Contact Resolution
Customer Satisfaction Satisfactory 50 - 60%
Excellent 75%
95%
Incident reports monitoring
Survey of helpdesk contacts CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
QA/CM Provide required documentation, hardware and software system information. Tasks for CM are plan development and updates, configuration identification, configuration change control and baseline management.
Tasks for QA are testing the system, finding, reporting bugs in the code, preparation of test cases and preparation of test plans. Baselines shall be maintained and updated regularly as required by Project Plan
Peer review of all deliverables 100% accuracy
Maintained to plan 100% Review of the CM plan
Independent QA Audits CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Project Management and Reporting Provide the planning, direction, coordination, and control to effectively and efficiently accomplish all implementation, operations, and reporting activities Deliverables are submitted on or before the due date specified in the Plan 100% unless prior waiver from COR Analysis of Project Plan, Status Reports, and Project briefings CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
2.2.3 NDB O&M Support
The objective of O&M for NDB is to maintain and keep NDB operational and functioning on a daily basis. As such, the Contractor shall provide functional and technical integration support required to maintain and operate the NDB system. This includes the development of Change Requests (CRs) for O&M that are approved by the system owner. CRs are opened during the O&M process as a vehicle for introducing change(s) into the system.
With any modifications, the Contractor shall perform business analysis to determine any effect on the underlying system requirements. If modifications result in requirements changes, the Contractor has responsibility for documentation of those requirements and providing traceability from requirements through design, testing and quality assurance.
As updates are required, the Contractor shall deliver the appropriate updated system documentation, which include:
• Concept of Operations
• Business Process Models
• Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)
• High-Level Design Document
• Infrastructure Blueprint/Diagrams
• Use Cases
• System Test Plan
• Operations Manual
• Test Results and Evaluation Report
If modifications result in major changes, the Contractor shall provide technical assistance, system walkthroughs, and generalized training to demonstrate the functionality of the system, as required by FNS.
The NDB system undergoes O&M modifications several times per year, with varying degrees of complexity and resource consumption. As legislation or regulations change, new forms or programs may be required to be added to the system, or existing form data elements may need to be updated. In addition, NDB also utilizes Excel-based reports, and as the underlying forms change, so must the reports, to reflect the new forms. The Contractor shall also update ad hoc query or reporting functionality to reflect new or changed forms. In addition, as technology advances, the system may undergo fundamental infrastructure changes, such as using a new version of SQL Server or Internet Explorer.
For NDB, the Contractor shall add new data elements, output reports, and menu screens as needed. The Contractor shall also develop interfaces and repositories necessary to store program and financial data. The Contractor has responsibility for providing support for the implementation of new grants and program database requirements. Additionally, the Contractor shall develop additional analysis shells to facilitate user analysis of NDB data.
As changes are made through O&M CRs the Contractor has responsibility for updating applicable documentation, including requirements, design, user, and configuration/installation documents.
The Contractor shall provide back-up and disaster recovery support. Their staff members will perform work to install, configure, and operationalize new hardware (e.g., virtual servers) and software components, in coordination with FNS and hosting providers.
The Contractor shall provide technical assistance, system walkthroughs and generalized training to demonstrate the functionality of the systems as required by FNS, as needed.
The Contractor shall provide Database Administration (DBA) services for the NDB system, including monitoring the servers; however, the Contractor will not have direct or administrative access to the production environment. The Contractor shall correct any errors encountered with the NDB database as directed by FNS. The Contractor shall provide back-up DBA support for NDB.
Performance Work Statement (PWS) Matrix for NDB O&M Support
Objectives Required Services Metrics (Performance Standards) Acceptable Quality Monitoring Method Incentive/
Disincentive
Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Support for the NDB System Provide technical support for system maintenance, CR(s) and PDCR(s) support, system analysis, system design, programming, testing, and integration necessary to the maintenance and specified modifications of existing applications Timely initial response to service tickets
Service Availability Incident resolution or escalation 1 day
98% Cycle time analysis of service tickets
System Monitoring CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Business Analysis and Business Rules Maintenance Provide comprehensive business analysis support for the maintenance of business rules. Support should also be provided for the creation of new business rules and modifications(s) to current business rules. Baselines shall be maintained and updated regularly as required by Project Plan
Peer review of all deliverables 100% accuracy
Maintained to plan Review of the Project plan
User acceptance of all deliverables CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Production Support Execution and monitoring of the NDB System operations, running operational components designed for administrators and/or operators, monitoring the operational integrity of systems during operation cycles, communicating with external organizations and the user community and tracking activities performed via logs, status reports, and available statistical information and analysis Timely initial response to service tickets
Service Availability Incident resolution or escalation 1 day
98% Cycle time analysis of service tickets
System Monitoring CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Help Desk Support Provide a full service Help Desk support to all customers accessing the NDB System First Contact Resolution
Customer Satisfaction Satisfactory 50 - 60%
Excellent 75%
95% Incident reports monitoring
Survey of helpdesk contacts CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
QA/CM Provide required documentation, hardware and software system information.
Tasks for CM are plan development and updates, configuration identification, configuration change control and baseline management.
Tasks for QA are testing the system, finding, reporting bugs in the code, preparation of test cases and preparation of test plans. Baselines shall be maintained and updated regularly as required by Project Plan
Peer review of all deliverables 100% accuracy
Maintained to plan 100% Review of the CM plan
Independent QA Audits CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
DBA Installation of SQL Server, Database design and implementation, backup and recovery, maintain database security, database tuning and performance monitoring, application tuning and
performance monitoring,
maintain documentation and standards, Plan growth, provide 7x24 support when required, technical trouble shooting, and other SQL Server-trouble shooting Timely initial response to service tickets
Service Availability Incident resolution or escalation 1 day
98% Cycle time analysis of CRs
System Monitoring CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
Project Management and Reporting Provide the planning, direction, coordination, and control to effectively and efficiently accomplish all implementation, operations, and reporting activities Deliverables are submitted on or before the due date specified in the Plan 100% unless prior waiver from COR Analysis of Project Plan, Status Reports, and Project briefings CPARS Evaluation; Option Period
2.3 Other Program Data Branch Support
The Office of Financial Management Program Data Branch (PDB) relies heavily on technology to facilitate the collection, analysis, and reporting of program data. Much of their business needs is satisfied by the FPRS and NDB systems. However, as new reporting requirements are created, either via legislation/regulations (e.g. the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), or by new business processes, PDB requires additional technical and business analysis services in order to achieve their goals and mission. These services may include simple web application development, simple database/query development, or other minor business analysis efforts on an ad hoc basis.
3.0 PWS AND TASK ORDER ADMINISTRATION
Performance of all task orders under this PWS will be managed by the Agency Contracting Officer (CO) who may choose to delegate some responsibility to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for day-to-day monitoring and review. Delegation of responsibility is solely at the CO's discretion and is not required. Either the CO or the COR (acting under the authority of the CO) shall monitor performance with respect to the acceptable quality levels as stipulated below.
3.1 Monthly Program Management
Program Management Review will occur once each month. If the normal day falls on a holiday or non-work day then the Contractor and CO or COR shall identify a mutually agreeable day for the meeting. The Contractor shall prepare the agenda, all documentation and facilitate the discussion. Topics covered shall include but are not limited to:
• Schedule
• Risk
• Scope (Change)
• Action Items
Personnel involved in the Monthly Program Management Meetings may include the FNS IT Project Manager, the CO or designee, the Contractor Project Manager and the Business Owner or designee.
3.2 Invoicing and Billing
The Contractor shall submit monthly invoices for the work performed by Subtask. FNS will review all invoices, accept and/or resolve differences and process invoices for payment in accordance with the Prompt Pay Act.
3.3 Approval of Personnel and Administration
The Contractor shall deliver Background Investigation (BI) forms for all personnel providing services to the Department. Forms shall be delivered to the CO or designee. Any personnel found to pose a risk or to be misleading in responses submitted in the BI documentation shall be removed at no cost or risk to the Department or the Agency. Decisions in this area are at the sole discretion of the CO and cannot be delegated. Additionally personnel found to be misusing Government equipment shall similarly be removed from participation under this PWS at no cost to the Department or the Agency.
All personnel rolling off of the project or working on the project at completion shall complete and submit a Contractor Separation Form prior to the last billed day.
All personnel participating under this PWS shall complete annual Computer Security Awareness Training and all other training required for Contractors providing technical services. Failure to fulfill this requirement may result in removal from participation under this PWS at no cost to the Department or the Agency.
The Contractor will submit notice to the Contract Officering when the Contractor has incurred costs equal to 80% of the funds available on the contract. The Contractor will also submit notice to the Contracting Officer when the Contractor has incurred costs equal to 90% of the funds available on the contract.
3.4 Escalation
It is in the Government's interest to be fair and equitable when dealing with the Contractor. However in the unlikely event those differences cannot be overcome between the Contractor and the CO, the Contractor may choose to escalate an issue to the Director of the Contract Management Division. The Director shall then manage the issue using Agency and Departmental policies and procedures.
4.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Performance for the FPRS, NDB and Program Data Branch subtasks described in this PWS shall be monitored against a number of criteria including quality, timeliness, quantity and scope. The below table identifies acceptable performance levels for the Tasks and Subtasks include but are not limited to:
Service Quality Timeliness Satisfaction Scope Incentive/
Disincentive
Application Up-time Application is available and running 99 percent of the time, excluding planned outages or Hosting Environment Issues System should be available from 6am EST until 8pm EST, Monday - Friday, excluding holidays System is available 99 percent of the time Contractor monitors the system for availability and remedies any unplanned outages promptly CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
Normal CR Bug free, vulnerability free, <1 Emergency Release per year due to defects. Once Contractor is notified of CR approval, LOE will be delivered within 1 week. After development, release package delivered within1 day of final agreed upon schedule. CR is verified as working in production by system users or business owners Release package is accepted by the Government. CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
Emergency CR Bug free, vulnerability free Once Contractor is notified of issue, they must acknowledge their awareness within 2 hours. The fix must be delivered to FNS within 24 hours CR is verified as working on production by system users or business owners Release package is accepted by the Government CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
Quality Assurance Application is able to be released to the Production environment. QA testing must be completed prior to the release package being delivered to the Government There are no outstanding issues from testing that preclude the application from being released. Delivered Application is consistent with the requirements/CRs and is defect and vulnerability free. CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
Release Application is able to be released to the Production environment. Government has at least 2 days to review the release package and provide the release to the integration resource Comments from previous builds have been implemented. Delivered Application is consistent with the requirements and design. CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
PDCRs Data that is intended to be changed, inserted or deleted is indeed adjusted and other data is not affected. The PDCR is released within 2 business days of the schedule identified at confirmation of the data to be adjusted. PDCRs are released without any negative impacts or need for follow-on work to correct issues. SQL statements are developed and delivered to insert, change or delete data. The contractor will not perform PDCRs due to separation of duties and least privilege requirements. CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
Help Desk Support All inquiries are responded to and escalated when necessary Responses to emails and phone calls will be within 1 business hour. Issues that can't be addressed within 1 business day following the response shall be escalated within 2 business day. Coverage 8am-5pm; M-F, excluding holidays. All inquiries have been responded to within 1 business day. Once it has been determined the issue can't be resolved within 1 business day, escalation will have occurred within 2 hours. Responses to all emails and phone calls. Escalation performed on issues not resolved within 1 business day. CPARS Evaluation;
Option Period
These elements and measures are subject to change with the concurrence of the Government and Contractor Project Management team. Changes will be reflected in monthly performance measurement reports delivered by the contractor.
5.0 OPERATING CONSTRAINTS
The work and services identified in the subject procurement shall be performed off-site, and not at a Government facility.
The Agency, USDA FNS will provide production & non-production environments, and will provide access to the non-production environments including development, quality assurance, testing, integration, etc.
At no point shall the production or non-production environments be located at the Contractor's facility. FNS may provide one or more computer workstations on which this work shall be performed. The Contractor shall be able to provide services to help coordinate, assist, and verify any releases to the production environment.
The work identified in this procurement shall adhere to the rules, regulations, laws, standards and conventions identified by the Agency, the Department as well as within the Federal Government.
Specifically this procurement shall be bound by:
• Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
• Clinger-Cohen Act
• Computer Security Act, 1987
• Government Information Security Reform Act, October 2000
• USDA Secure Code Policy
• An Introduction to Computer Security: The NIST Handbook, December 1995
• Risk Management Guide for Information Technology Systems, October 2001
• Guide for Developing Security Plans for Information Technology Systems, December
o 1998
• Security of Federal Automated Information Resources, February 1996
• A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture, February 2001
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• e-Gov platforms including:
o e-Authentication
o President's Management Agenda (PMA)
o Enterprise Architecture
o Capital Investment Planning protocols
o IT Security Line of Business
o Compliance and integration with all appropriate e-Gov Initiatives
o Paperwork Reduction (PRA) & Government Paperwork Elimination Acts
(GPEA)
o ADP/Information Security Program
o HSPD-12, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 201, "Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors".
D - Packaging and Marking
Provide packaging, packing, preservation, and marking requirements, if any.
E - Inspection and Acceptance
Include inspection, acceptance, quality assurance, and reliability requirements (see FAR Part 46, Quality Assurance).
52.246-4 Inspection of Services - Fixed-Price. (AUG 1996) 452.246-70 Inspection and Acceptance. (FEB 1988)
(a) The Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer's duly authorized representative will inspect and accept the supplies and/or services to be provided under this contract.
(b) Inspection and acceptance will be performed at and by: [See Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on record].
(End of clause)
F - Deliveries or Performance 52.211-8 Time of Delivery. (JUN 1997)
(a) The Government requires delivery to be made according to the following schedule:
(Contracting Officer insert specific details)
Item No. Quantity Within Days After Date of Contract
[Item No.] [Quantity] [Within Days After Date of Contract ]
[Item No.] [Quantity] [Within Days After Date of Contract ]
[Item No.] [Quantity] [Within Days After Date of Contract ]
The Government will evaluate equally, as regards time of delivery, offers that propose delivery of each quantity within the applicable delivery period specified above. Offers that propose delivery that will not clearly fall within the applicable required delivery period specified above, will be considered nonresponsive and rejected. The Government reserves the right to award under either the required delivery schedule or the proposed delivery schedule, when an offeror offers an earlier delivery schedule than required above. If the offeror proposes no other delivery schedule, the required delivery schedule above will apply.
Offeror's Proposed Delivery Schedule
Item No. Quantity Within Days After Date of Contract
(b) Attention is directed to the Contract Award provision of the solicitation that provides that a written award or acceptance of offer mailed, or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror, results in a binding contract. The Government will mail or otherwise furnish to the offeror an award or notice of award not later than the day award is dated. Therefore, the offeror should compute the time available for performance beginning with the actual date of award, rather than the date the written notice of award is received from the Contracting Officer through the ordinary mails. However, the Government will evaluate an offer that proposes delivery based on the Contractor's date of receipt of the contract or notice of award by adding (1) five calendar days for delivery of the award through the ordinary mails, or (2) one working day if the solicitation states that the contract or notice of award will be transmitted electronically. (The term working day excludes weekends and U.S. Federal holidays.) If, as so computed, the offered delivery date is later than the required delivery date, the offer will be considered nonresponsive and rejected.
(End of clause)
G - Contract Administration Data
Post Award Conference:
Within two weeks after contract award, the contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer to discuss the agenda and key personnel to attend the post-award orientation meeting. Within two weeks of the award of this contract, the contractor shall meet with FNS staff in Alexandria, Virginia. The purpose of this meeting is to refine expectations for the project, initiate working relations, and orally present technical approach to accomplishing the work, challenges, and rocks in the road that could cause delays or interruptions to the prosecution of the contract work.
Within one week after the orientation meeting, the contractor shall submit to FNS an electronic copy of the draft Summary Memorandum documenting the discussion. It shall summarize the meeting, including an elaboration of project objectives, decisions reached, and identification of any outstanding issues and strategies for resolving them. The final meeting summary (in electronic form) shall incorporate FNS's comments and be provided to FNS within one week of receiving FNS feedback.
(a) The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to approve changes in any of the requirements of the contract. This authority remains solely with the Contracting Officer. In the event the contractor effects any change at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the changes will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any increase in costs incurred as a result thereof.
(b) Only the Contracting Officer, Contract Specialist have the authority to contact the contractor to discuss costs and/or technical requirements of the contract.
(c) Contact from other government employees could result in unauthorized commitments. Government representatives who are working on, or asked to work on, a particular contractual issue should inform and coordinate the activity with the Contracting Officer or COR. The COR must be a part of all contacts and meetings with the contractor that pertain to scope or cost. Depending on the nature of the meeting, the COR must also give advance notification to the Contracting Officer or Contract Specialist. All contacts with the contractor must be documented and retained with the COR's contract correspondence file.
As deemed appropriate, one copy must be forwarded to the Contracting Officer. Examples of documented contacts are providing technical direction, work plan instructions, deliverable rejection, potential changes to the Performance Based Work Statement or delivery schedule, costs and subcontractor or consultant recommendations.
(d) The contractor shall designate one individual to be contacted during the period of the contract for handle contract administration in a prompt and timely manner:
Name:*
Title:*
Phone:*
Email:*
*to be completed by Contractor
(e) Contracting Officer (CO):
Lawrence Williams
(f) Contracting Officer's Representative (COR):
Tim Kreh
Program Data Branch
Budget Division
3101 Park Center Drive, 2016
Alexandria, VA 22302
Contracting Officer's Representative (COR):
Definitions:
"Contracting Officer's Representative" - The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) is designated by the Contracting Officer, in writing, and is contract order specific. The COR is the technical representative for all technical requirements of the specific contract.
"Contracting Officer" - The Contracting Officer (CO) is the exclusive agent of the Government with the authority to enter into, and administer contracts. Thus, the CO has the responsibility to see that all requirements of the law and regulation are followed. The CO is the only individual with authority to enter into, administer, or terminate contracts. The CO ensures performance of all necessary actions for effecting contracting, ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual relationships.
The COR is not authorized nor has authority to:
• Award, agree to, or sign any contract, delivery order or task order. All contractual agreements, commitments, or modifications shall be made only by the CO.
• Make any commitments or otherwise obligate the Government, or to make any changes to the contract.
• Grant deviations from or waive any of the terms and conditions of the contract.
• Impose or place a demand upon the contractor to perform any task or permit any substitution not specifically provided for in the contract.
• Increase the dollar limit of the contract, or authorize work beyond the dollar limit of the contract, or authorize the expenditure of funds.
• Give direction to the contractor or to the employees of the contractor except as provided for in the contract.
• Change the period of performance.
• Authorize the purchase of equipment, except as required under the contract.
• Authorize the furnishing of Government property, except as required under the contract.
• Authorize subcontracting or the use of consultants.
• Approve shifts of funding between line items of the budget.
• Approve travel and relocation expense over and above that provided for in the contract.
• Authorize the use of overtime.
• When, in the opinion of the contractor, the COR requests effort outside the existing scope of work, the contractor shall promptly notify the contracting officer in writing. No action shall be taken by the contractor under such direction until the contracting officer has issued a modification to the contract; or until the issue has been otherwise resolved.
Contractor Performance Assessment Rating:
(a) Pursuant to FAR 42.1502, this contract is subject to Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) (if over $150,000). CPARS is an automated centralized information system accessible via the internet that maintains reports of contractor performance for each contract. CPARS is located at https://www.cpars.gov/. Further information on CPARS is available at the website.
(b) Under CPARS, the Government will conduct annual evaluations of the contractor's performance. The contractor has thirty (30) days after the Government's evaluation is completed to comment on evaluation. The opportunity to review and comment is limited to this time period and will not be extended. Failure to review the report at this time will not prevent the Government from using the report.
(c) The contra
