B--Study Fleet Administration Support for the NEFSC

Performance Work Statement (PWS) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Study Fleet Program Administration Support 1.0 Background The Study Fleet Program compensates participating commercial fishing vessels that collect information related to commercial fisheries catch, discards, fishing effort, and environmental data in support of fisheries science and management in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. NOAA is restructuring the Study Fleet Program by consolidating approximately 40 independent vessel agreements into a centralized administrative support contract to improve efficiency and consistency in participant onboarding, payment processing and invoice tracking, and program administration, while supporting continuity of existing Study Fleet operations and long-standing participant relationships. Under this approach, all technical and scientific components of the Study Fleet Program, including participant eligibility, scientific direction, data collection requirements, technical support, data management, and overall program oversight, remain the responsibility of NEFSC. 2.0 Scope The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, and supervision necessary to perform the administration support services required under this contract, including: ● Onboarding: Supporting the administrative onboarding process for Study Fleet participants related to reimbursement eligibility, participant agreements, required documentation, and payment setup. ● Payment Processing: Administer participant reimbursement payments in accordance with Government-approved payment procedures and funding limitations. ● Coordination: Serve as the primary administrative point of contact between participating vessels and NOAA program staff regarding participant support activities. ● Compliance: Manage record-keeping, payment tracking, participant documentation and other administrative records required for contract performance. 3.0 Tasks 3.1 Project Management The Contractor shall provide overall project management necessary to perform all administrative support services required under this contract. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, systems, and administrative resources necessary to execute the requirements of this PWS. -- 1 of 8 -- The Contractor shall designate a primary point of contact responsible for overall contract performance, coordination with NOAA personnel, issue resolution, management of contractor personnel, and oversight of administrative support activities. Deliverables: 1. Notify the Government of staffing changes or administrative issues affecting contract performance. 2. Participate in coordination meetings with the Government, as requested. 3.2 Participant Onboarding and Administrative Setup The Contractor shall support onboarding and administrative setup of new and existing Study Fleet participants in accordance with Government-provided program requirements and administrative procedures. The Contractor shall: 1. Coordinate onboarding of Study Fleet participants. Onboarding includes familiarizing participants with Government approved reimbursement amounts, data collection agreements, and reimbursement categories (e.g. daily data collection, training or travel reimbursement, or equipment purchases,). 2. Collect, review, and maintain required onboarding documentation. 3. Ensure completion of required onboarding documentation and obtain Government approval of participant agreements prior to participant reimbursement processing. 4. Maintain organized participant administrative files for active participants. 5. Serve as the administrative point of contact for participant onboarding support. Required onboarding documentation shall include, as applicable: ● Attachment A – Study Fleet Participant Agreement ● Attachment B – Data Waiver Form ● Attachment C – Study Fleet Vessel Participant Information Template ● Payment authorization / EFT information ● Tax/payment documentation (e.g., W-9 or equivalent) ● Any additional Government-required administrative documentation Deliverables: 1. Completed onboarding documentation for Study Fleet participants. Government approval is required prior to finalizing any participant agreement. Study Fleet vendors are not eligible for reimbursement without a Government-approved agreement. 2. Administrative onboarding support for new Study Fleet participants and updates to existing participant agreements during contract performance. 3. Current participant roster reflecting onboarding status, participant contact information, and payment setup status. 3.3 Payment Processing and Reimbursement Administration The Contractor shall administer participant reimbursement payments in accordance with Government-approved reimbursement procedures. -- 2 of 8 -- The Contractor shall: 1. Receive and review reimbursement requests and supporting documentation from Study Fleet participants. 2. Validate reimbursement requests for completeness and compliance with approved reimbursement procedures. 3. Process reimbursement payments to participants in accordance with applicable approved participant agreements no later than 30 days after receipt. 4. Obtain Government approval prior to processing reimbursement requests for activities, costs, or reimbursement categories not included in the participant’s approved agreement. 5. Resolve administrative payment discrepancies with participants. 6. Maintain complete reimbursement payment records. Payment processing shall be performed in accordance with: ● Attachment D – Approved Reimbursement Schedule and Payment Procedures Deliverables: 1. Timely processing of approved participant reimbursements. 2. Payment tracking records documenting requests received, payments issued, pending reimbursements, and discrepancies. 3. Quarterly reimbursement status reports. 3.4 Coordination and Administrative Support The Contractor shall serve as the primary administrative liais…