STATEMENT OF WORK

MANAGING AND PERFORMING THE

DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL

ASSISTANCE TO PUBLIC VOCATIONAL

REHABILITATION AGENCIES

I.	Background

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) in the U.S.Department of Education (ED) administers the majority of programs authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (P.L. 103-73). Under Section 110 of the Act, RSA provides grants to 82 State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies who offer a wide range of services to eligible individuals with disabilities, including severe disabilities, so that those individuals might obtain, maintain, or advance in employment. The States must provide matching funds to obtain the grants. Each State has at least one VR agency and some have two; where there are two agencies, one specializes in providing services to individuals who are visually impaired or blind. Each agency has a central administration that oversees a front line staff of supervisors and counselors. Counselors work with individuals with disabil- ities to determine their eligibility for services, develop and implement service plans, and assist eligible individuals to obtain, retain or advance in employment. Finally, Section 130 of the Act authorizes RSA to provide grants to Indian tribes so those tribes can offer VR services to eligible tribal members; currently there are 35 VR grants to tribes.

State VR agencies are directly responsible to their respective State governments, but they must also meet Federal requirements associated with the VR grants. Currently, VR agencies are facing a multitude of challenges. Section 106 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that RSA develop performance standards and indicators for the VR program. Those standards and indicators will soon be implemented, and it is expected that those standards will have a profound impact on the management and leadership of VR agencies. Moreover, many States are reorganizing a wide variety of their agencies so that they are much leaner and more performance oriented. Finally, the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requires that all Federal programs shall establish measurable performance goals, objectives and indicators. Thus, to meet the requirements of GPRA and Section 106, ED will provide technical assistance to State VR agencies and Indian tribes to improve their management so that they, in turn, can improve their performance.

Section 12 (29 U.S.C. 711) of the Rehabilitation Act authorizes the Commissioner of RSA to "...provide consultative services and technical assistance to public or non-profit private agencies and organizations." ED plans to use this authority to obtain the services of a Contractor who can provide technical assistance to State VR agencies and Indian tribes with VR grants. That tech- nical assistance will assist those agencies and grantees to improve their management and performance.

A fundamental goal of this approach to providing technical assistance is to the greatest practical extent avoiding having a public VR agency experiencing any friction in the process of receiving technical assistance. Since much of the work contem- plated as subject to this delivery process might involve services provided on-site or in closely coordinated working environments, it is essential that any public VR agency have cordial and unreserved relations with the Contractor, as well as the utmost confidence in the Contractor's judgement, expertise, and capability. Moreover, ED particularly seeks an intervention capability, which allows for supplementing or improving any public VR agency's existing activities, as well as enhancing discrete parts of larger scale projects.

II.	Procurement Objectives

The objective of this procurement is the establishment of a single centralized management and monitoring entity that arranges, oversees, and performs the delivery of technical assistance services to public vocational rehabilitation agencies.

In order to achieve this goal, ED desires to establish through the Contractor a process and a capability sufficiently flexible to accommodate handling projects that vary widely in their dimensions, in terms of costs or labor-hours, as well as in the nature of their constituent tasks. The organization and manage- ment method adopted here must have the capability to efficiently handle greater or lesser numbers of technical assistance pro- jects, which may span different periods of performance within the overall contract period.

III.	Scope Of Technical Assistance Projects

The technical assistance services made available to public vocational rehabilitation agencies must address a wide spectrum of needs. Technical assistance may cover new projects in whole or in part, as well as projects already in progress in whole or in part. The technical assistance projects should arise from proposals generated by public VR agencies.

The Contractor's duties include all functions related to arranging, managing, or performing multiple projects with varying dimensions, durations, and complexity, that cover a wide array of subject areas. The Contractor must be sufficiently flexible to pursue a variety of activities concerning different technical assistance projects at the same time, without the efforts directed towards any particular project adversely affecting or interfering with the Contractor's work on any other project.

The types of projects qualifying for technical assistance support include any area of concern unrelated to policy development or interpretation, such as the following.

1.	Data Processing Systems Development

This category of technical assistance to public vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies shall include: computer networks, software (including customizing commercially available software), computer hardware, on-line access to data, interface with the Rehabilitation Services Administration's data systems, and management information systems.

2.	Operations Analysis

This shall include identifying and analyzing public VR agency organizational processes, and recommending ways of optimizing those processes to enhance achievement of organizational goals.

3.	Service Delivery Studies

This shall include either evaluating, or assisting VR agencies to measure and evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of their service delivery methods, programs, and systems, especially those systems focusing on assisting persons with disabilities to obtain and maintain appropriate employment.

4.	VR Staff Training

This training shall focus on teaching public VR agency managers and staff to implement the technical assistance they have received; for example: training in use of a) case management software, b) performance measurement systems, c) computer networks, d) cleaning and transmission of data to RSA, and e) standards and indicators.

5.	Strategy Development

This shall focus on assisting a public VR agency to develop effective strategies for recognizing and surmounting prob- lems such as: identifying and overcoming service barriers, increasing service access for underserved populations, and developing outreach programs.

6.	Acquisition of Specialized Equipment

This shall include identifying and recommending the use of specialized rehabilitation technologies and job site adaptations that would assist public VR agency staff with disabilities to carry out their duties.

7.	Technologies Related to VR Functions

This shall refer to identifying and utilizing information and other technologies that would enhance the VR counselor's ability to deliver direct services to VR consumers, such as software that would assist with: a) development and monitoring of the Individualized Written Rehabilitation Program, b) vocational assessment, and c) linkage with and use of job banks.

8.	Internal Planning

This shall focus on organizing, scheduling and monitoring the accomplishment of routine, day-to-day activities.

9.	Management Consultations

This shall include advising on streamlining, manpower utilization, distribution of local, regional and central office staff resources, as well as providing management assistance to State Rehabilitation Advisory Councils and Indian tribes with vocational rehabilitation programs.

10.	Organizational Development

This shall include the development and organization of work teams, developing staff skills and abilities, and enhancing morale.

11.	Enhancement of Accounting and Auditing Systems

This shall include reviewing and improving public VR agencies' systems for financial accountability.

IV.	Contract Periods Of Performance And Tasks

The period of performance of this contract shall be one (1) twelve-month base period and four (4) twelve-month optional periods.

BASE PERIOD:

During this period, the Contractor shall perform all requirements constituting TASKS #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5. The Contractor shall perform TASK #6 at the end of this period, if ED decides not to exercise the option to extend the period of performance.

OPTIONAL PERIODS:

Throughout all of these periods the Contractor shall perform all requirements constituting TASKS #3, #4, and #5. The Contractor shall perform TASK #6 at the end of any optional period, if ED decides not to exercise the option to extend the period of performance.

TASK #1: Initial Meeting And Consultations

The Contractor shall have the individual with responsibility for project management and direction, and no more than one other person also assigned to perform work under this contract, meet personally with ED staff at their Headquarters in Washington, D.C., within five (5) working days following the effective date of the contract.

TASK #2:	Developing And Submitting The "Technical Assistance Delivery Management Plan"

Within ten (10) working days following the effective date of the contract, the Contractor shall submit to ED four (4) copies of the "Technical Assistance Delivery Management Plan". The Contractor shall allow ED opportunity to examine this deliver- able. The Contractor shall include in a subsequent version any revisions suggested by ED, and shall deliver any such revised version within five (5) working days following receipt of the suggested revisions from ED. The Contractor shall assure that all revisions suggested by ED undergo inclusion in a subsequent version, until this deliverable receives formal written approval from ED.

This deliverable shall convey information covering all of the following areas of concern:

a)	principles and methods for managing, arranging, or overseeing multiple technical assistance projects of varying number, magnitude, and complexity, simultaneously, sequentially, or intermittently, that shall allow the efforts regarding any one in particular to proceed without any interference with those concerning any other;

b)	criteria for prioritizing unrelated tasks on different technical assistance projects, such as negotiation, engagement, payment, that may need completion by competing deadlines;

c)	ideas, approaches, or methods for minimizing Federal costs associated with any aspect of required performance or performance oversight, i.e., substi- tuting teleconferencing for travel, cross training staff in multiple areas of expertise to avoid over staffing, or sharing facilities or equipment when less than full dedication is sufficient;

d)	models showing the nature and significance of the principles and concepts most essential in structuring any "Letter Of Agreement";

e)	procedures governing the cursory review of preliminary project proposals and determining their fitness for transmission to ED;

f)	procedures and approaches in developing project cost estimates;

g)	planned strategies for negotiating a "Letter Of Agreement" with any public VR agency;

h)	criteria for reporting problems to ED depending on the severity, breadth, duration, or implications of the problem;

i)	procedures and reporting formats for handling all interactions and communications with ED;

j)	the identity and qualifications of the Contractor's most senior official assigned to take charge of the Contractor's performance under this procurement, as well as the identity and position of the next higher ranking official in the Contractor's supervisory hierarchy to whom that official directly reports;

k)	procedures for assuring performance measurement and for assuring the efficacy of any remedy to shortcomings in performance.

This deliverable shall serve as a comprehensive procedure manual, which the Contractor shall use as a reference source governing the proper execution of routine operations during the contract period. The Contractor shall comply fully with all provisions of this deliverable in fulfilling the requirements of TASK #4 and TASK #5.

TASK #3:	Preparing And Disseminating Publicizing Materials

Within twenty (20) working days following the effective date of the contract, the Contractor shall submit in hardcopy to ED four (4) complete sets of copies of the five types of publicizing materials developed by the Contractor for distribution to public VR agencies. These materials shall encourage public VR agencies to maximize their opportunity for receiving technical assistance by submitting proposals for all sizes of projects.

These materials shall provide information about:

a)	the availability of technical assistance through the Contractor;

b)	the steps any public VR agency would need to take to obtain technical assistance;

c)	how the process for providing technical assistance works;

d)	how to obtain additional information about this service or assistance in developing a technical assistance proposal;

e)	the kinds of projects for which ED intends to provide technical assistance;

f)	the cost dimensions by which ED intends to group projects under consideration for approval.

In all communications with any public VR agency, the Contractor shall refer to itself as "The National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center". The Contractor shall refrain from representing itself as an agency of the Federal government, and employees of the Contractor shall refrain from representing themselves as Federal employees.

At a minimum, these materials shall include:

1)	a formal letter announcing this service, to be prepared for the signature of the Commissioner Of RSA;

2)	a step-by-step guide explaining how the process for delivering technical assistance works;

3)	instructions explaining the kinds of information ED would need to know to approve providing the technical assistance requested, including a model from which any public VR agency could develop a preliminary project proposal;

4)	a brief explanation describing how public VR agencies should go about developing cost estimates for proposed technical assistance projects;

5)	a formal letter for informing public VR agencies that RSA has approved a specific request for technical assistance, to be prepared for the signature of the Commissioner Of RSA.

The Contractor shall allow ED opportunity to examine these publicizing materials. The Contractor shall include in a subsequent version any revisions suggested by ED, and shall deliver any such revised version within five (5) working days following receipt of the suggested revisions from ED. The Contractor shall assure that all revisions suggested by ED undergo inclusion in a subsequent version, until this deliverable receives formal written approval from ED. Following the approval of these materials by ED, the Contractor shall prepare final versions for distribution to public VR agencies.

The Contractor shall develop a listing including the addresses of all public VR agencies served by ED, and shall update it to assure the accuracy of its entries. The Contractor shall arrange for delivering the publicizing materials to the addressees in this listing.

TASK #4:	Arranging, Overseeing, And Performing The Delivery Of Technical Assistance

The Contractor shall arrange, oversee, and perform the delivery of technical assistance services for program improvement projects approved by ED. In fulfilling the requirements of this task, the Contractor shall follow the process, as shown by the progression of SUBTASKS #4(A) through #4(H), in the order and in the manner hereafter described.

SUBTASK #4(A):	Accepting Preliminary Proposals, Conducting Cursory Review, And Referring Proposals To ED

The Contractor shall receive preliminary proposals from public VR agencies seeking technical assistance. Within two (2) working days after its receipt, the Contractor shall complete a cursory review of each proposal. The purpose of this cursory review shall be to assure: the sufficiency of the information provided by any public VR agency; the relevance of the nature of the requested sort of technical assistance to the areas where ED had intended to provide material support; the accuracy and completeness of any cost estimates prepared by the public VR agency; and, the validity of the type of technical assistance sought relative to the problem, as identified by the public VR agency, which it is supposed to remedy.

The Contractor shall refrain from forwarding to ED any preliminary proposal that fails to satisfy the acceptability criteria approved by ED, as described in "Technical Assistance Delivery Management Plan".

The Contractor shall initiate contact with any public VR agency whose preliminary proposal needs greater refinement, within two (2) working days following such a determination. The Contractor shall inform the relevant public VR agency of this determination. The Contractor shall provide accom- panying information explaining the deficiencies preventing further action, as well as information explaining how that public VR agency may correct those deficiencies.

Whenever any preliminary proposal satisfies the accept- ability criteria approved by ED, the Contractor shall retain the original documents submitted by the public VR agency, and within two (2) working days following such a determin- ation shall forward copies of all documentation constituting the preliminary proposal to ED.

The Contractor shall develop a preliminary independent estimate of total costs for the requested technical assis- tance, for each preliminary proposal forwarded to ED. The Contractor shall base its calculation of an independent total cost estimate on the information provided by the public VR agency, or on any other information available to the Contractor. This estimate of total costs for the requested technical assistance shall accompany any prelim- inary proposal forwarded to ED. The Contractor shall also include in this transmission an explanation covering the method and assumptions used in calculating this estimate of total costs.

SUBTASK #4(B):	Disseminating Notifications Of Project Approval

For each preliminary proposal which ED approves, within two (2) working days following the approval, the Contractor shall transmit to the relevant public VR agency formal notification of the approval using the letter developed under TASK #3.

SUBTASK #4(C):	Conducting Detailed Negotiations And Refining Proposed Project Dimensions

For each preliminary proposal which ED approves, the Contractor shall initiate contact with the public relevant VR agency, within five (5) working days following the date of the approval. The Contractor shall assist that public VR agency in further refining the requirements and structuring the dimensions of the technical assistance efforts intended.

The Contractor shall initiate and shall conduct discussions to refine, clarify, and structure the specifics concerning the tasks involved with the technical assistance intended. These discussions shall cover such areas as: the types of job categories involved with accomplishing the labor for satisfactorily completing each task; estimating the labor hours from each type of position, as determined by the nature of the tasks planned and their expected outcomes; constructing a breakdown of major tasks into step-by step sequences of events, that may be more readily understood or managed; identifying embedded or implied tasks, interim deliverables, and final project outcomes; developing task completion schedules; the effects of cost constraints on task dimensions and timing; or, whatever other topics may be related to an improved understanding of the nature what is to be done, the methods to be used, and the results to be expected upon satisfactory completion of intended efforts.

The Contractor shall serve as both an expert consultant and a facilitator in regard to fully surfacing all implications and assumptions related to the technical assistance, as well as any underlying considerations affecting work planning or product delivery. The Contractor shall undertake appro- priate efforts to assure consensus in areas of dissonant or controversial viewpoints. The Contractor shall also serve as a resource for information about management or technical matters affecting the delivery or the outcomes of the technical assistance expected.

The Contractor shall focus specific attention on developing a more refined version of its previously determined maximum project cost estimate. The Contractor shall make the greatest practical effort to assure that this second and more refined maximum total cost estimate shall be compre- hensive and highly accurate. This estimate shall include only the costs directly related to performing the technical assistance project itself. The Contractor shall refrain from incurring any cost in providing the technical assis- tance, which shall cause the actual total cost of any technical assistance project to exceed this maximum total cost estimate.

SUBTASK #4(D): Developing And Securing Mutual Acceptance Of A "Letter Of Agreement"

The Contractor shall document the accord achieved with any public VR agency, as a result of efforts carried out in fulfillment of the requirements of SUBTASK #4(C), in a comprehensive and written "Letter Of Agreement". This document shall constitute the most formal and definitive description of the objectives, methods, scheduling, duration, resources, deliverables, costs, and outcomes related to fulfilling a particular proposal seeking technical assistance. In the process of negotiating the provisions of any "Letter Of Agreement", the Contractor shall take measures to accommodate any special or unique demands put forward by the public VR agency. The Contractor shall take measures to assure that both the Contractor and the public VR agency agree to the provisions of a "Letter Of Agreement" within sixty (60) working days following the date of ED's approval of the corresponding preliminary proposal.

Following the approval of the "Letter Of Agreement" by the public VR agency, the Contractor shall within two (2) working days forward a copy of the mutually approved version of the "Letter Of Agreement" to ED. Prior to receiving approval of the "Letter Of Agreement" from ED, the Con- tractor shall refrain from further proceeding with that particular project.

If the "Letter Of Agreement" includes any differences in the type or scope of intended efforts from what the relevant public VR agency had submitted in its preliminary proposal, and ED had initially approved, the Contractor shall provide ED written explanations giving all reasons for them.

SUBTASK #4(E):	Establishing And Maintaining Project Oversight

Following notification that ED has approved any mutually accepted version of the "Letter Of Agreement", the Con- tractor, within five (5) working days shall initiate, and shall thereafter complete, performance of whatever technical assistance services that agreement shall specify. In the course of carrying out any technical assistance project, the Contractor shall provide both overall direction and specific instructions. The Contractor shall allow for adjustments in methods or timing in accordance with any input or special request from any public VR agency, whenever the issues covered appear narrowly technical or limited in their scope to minor aspects of performance.

The Contractor shall handle all routine management and monitoring functions associated with each technical assistance project which ED has approved. The Contractor shall handle all aspects of any problems arising from any contingency or any instance of deficiency in performance.

SUBTASK #4(F):	Assessing Technical Assistance Completion

For each technical assistance project, the Contractor shall make a preliminary determination concerning acceptable completion in accordance with the "Letter Of Agreement". The Contractor shall then prepare a completion report, which shall identify the intended objectives of the technical assistance that the Contractor has provided, and shall demonstrate how that technical assistance has satisfactorily fulfilled those objectives.

SUBTASK #4(G):	Disseminating Solicitations To Evaluate The Public VR Agency's Satisfaction

Within two (2) working days following any preliminary determination of acceptable completion, the Contractor shall submit to the relevant public VR agency a copy of the com- pletion report developed in fulfillment of the requirements of SUBTASK #4(F). At the same time, the Contractor shall elicit feedback information from that public VR agency to determine that public VR agency's level of satisfaction with the Contractor's efforts.

The notification from the Contractor shall include a request for a written assessment from the relevant public VR agency, concerning the complete and satisfactory performance of the technical assistance efforts. The Contractor shall also provide an instruction to the relevant public VR agency to submit, within five (5) working days from receipt, duplicate copies of its appraisal of the Contractor's performance to both ED and the Contractor.

SUBTASK #4(H):	Submitting Each Completion Report To ED

Within five (5) working days following the Contractor's preliminary determination of satisfactory completion of any technical assistance project, the Contractor shall submit to the ED an identical copy of the completion report, that the Contractor had submitted to the relevant public VR agency in fulfillment of SUBTASK #4(G).

TASK #5:	Reporting To ED

The Contractor shall prepare and shall submit to ED the following types of reports.

SUBTASK #5(A):	Periodic Status Reporting

The Contractor shall make regular progress reports to ED regarding the status of each technical assistance project, which ED has approved. The Contractor shall assure that in their substance, production frequency, and format, all reports conform to the specifications put forward in the "Technical Assistance Delivery Management Plan", as approved by ED.

The Contractor shall participate in any performance status meeting convened by ED. At such meetings, the Contractor shall provide relevant information and shall be prepared to discuss the status or any other aspect of any technical assistance project within its purview, any problems or concerns affecting the satisfactory completion of any task under this contract, or any measure which might result in greater efficiencies or reduced costs in the delivery of the technical assistance sought by VR agencies. For any meeting convened at the request of ED, the Contractor shall make appropriate staff available for the meeting within two (2) working days after receiving the request.

SUBTASK #5(B):	Monthly Expenditure Reporting

Throughout the contract period, the Contractor shall monthly submit expenditure reports to ED within the first five (5) working days of any month. This report shall include expen- ditures incurred by the Contractor during the previous calendar month in carrying out the provisions of this con- tract. This report shall include expenditure data that shall separate the costs associated with the overall manage- ment of this project, and with efforts supporting any public VR agency's obtaining technical assistance, from those costs derived from the actual performance of the technical assis- tance itself. This report shall separately show the most current expenditure data with respect to each Federal fiscal year, whose funds may have covered any costs incurred during the reporting period. This report shall show the most cur- rent expenditure data for each Federal fiscal year in rela- tion to total amounts budgeted or as yet available. This report shall also show the most current expenditure data in relation to similar data covering the entire contract period of performance-to-date.

The Contractor shall segregate and shall separately identify, with respect to each technical assistance project, all costs properly allocable to any activity specifically related to that single technical assistance project. The Contractor shall not aggregate the costs of any single technical assistance project with the costs of any other technical assistance project, or with other costs incurred by the Contractor.

For each technical assistance project, the Contractor shall indicate in this report the proper Federal fiscal year from which such funding may be due. The Contractor shall assure that the Federal fiscal year from which any technical assistance project actually receives funding matches the Federal fiscal year from whose funds ED had approved the expenditure.

SUBTASK #5(C):	Final Reporting Following Each Contract
Period

Within fifteen (15) working days following the end of each twelve-month contract period, the Contractor shall provide a formal written report to ED summarizing the most significant information related to each major required activity carried out during that period by the Contractor. This report shall describe the nature and outcomes of the technical assistance projects undertaken, completed, or still in progress, the types and amounts of labor done by the Contractor during that contract period, as well as an itemized description of the nature and amount of all costs billed to the Government during that contract period, in such detail as ED shall deem appropriate for its own purposes.

(OPTIONAL) TASK #6:	Contract Close-Out Activity

In the event that ED decides to forgo extending the contract period for any optional contract period, the Contractor shall complete any technical assistance project for which ED has already approved a "Letter Of Agreement", and for which the Contractor has work in progress, unless ED directs otherwise. During the completion time of any such technical assistance project, the Contractor shall continue to fulfill all requirements of TASK #5.

SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

MANAGING AND PERFORMING THE

DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL

ASSISTANCE TO PUBLIC VOCATIONAL

REHABILITATION AGENCIES

DELIVERABLE*	DUE BY

Task #2-----Draft technical	10 working days

Assistance Delivery	following effective

Management Plan	date of the contract

Task #3-----Draft Publicizing	20 working days

Materials	following effective

date of the contrct

Task #4(A)--Acceptable	2 working days

Preliminary Proposls	following acceptance

Task #4(D)--Signed "Letter of	60 working days

Agreement"	following
Preliminary

Proposal approval by

ED

Task #4(H)--Completion Report	5 working days

following completion

of any ED approved

Technical Assistance

Project

Task #5(A)--Periodic Status	as described in

Reports	ED approved version

of first
deliverable

Task #5(B)--Monthly Expenditure	first 5 working days

Reports	of each month in any

contract period

Task #5(C)--End of Contract	15 working days

Period Report	following the end

of each contract

period