Notice of Intent to Sole Source-HHS Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Data and Analysis Initiative

Draft Statement of Work TASK REQUIREMENTS Task 1.0 Project Planning and Management Subtask 1.1: Kick-Off Meeting The Contractor must meet with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Project Officer (PO) within two (2) weeks after base and option year awards to ensure clarification of project goals, scope of work, routine communication standards, quality control standards, and deliverable and invoice submissions. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the objectives of the task order and to reach a common understanding of how the contractor will complete the work, the timelines, and the deliverable schedule for projects under this task order. The contractor must be prepared to discuss critical activities requiring immediate attention and the project execution process. The COR and PO may also discuss anticipated requests with the contractor. The contractor may provide COR with a list of questions or issues in advance of the Kick-Off meeting. After the meeting, the contractor must submit a memo to the COR summarizing the meeting and any decisions made. Deliverable(s): (A) Kick-Off Meeting (B) Meeting Summary Memo Subtask 1.2: Weekly COR and PO Meetings The contractor must prepare a draft project management plan for the contract that details the intended approach to supporting the women’s health portfolio during the period of performance. The management plan must be brief (up to 5 pages) and include: an overall approach to performing tasks and managing projects, plans for communication, processes for budget and cost estimation, and a plan for how to resolve any issues that present themselves over the task order period of performance (i.e., changes in key personnel, delays in obtaining critical data). The task order management plan must specify: the contractor’s strategy for planning and preparing analytic products on short, medium, or long-term projects; how appropriate or necessary analysts, experts (including academic or other institutions), or sub-contractors are identified, and a strategy for conducting any data or policy analysis that may be requested for work products, including a process for receiving input from the COR and/or PO during the development of each product. The task order management plan must also include draft elements for the monthly progress report and a template for the budget report (Subtask 1.4). Deliverable(s): (A) Draft Task Order Management Plan (B) Final Task Order Management Plan Subtask 1.3: Project Work Plan The COR and/or PO will submit a project request to the contractor for each specific project under this task order, including background information, research questions to be addressed, tasks, and a draft schedule of deliverables. Upon receipt of the request, the contractor may request a meeting with the COR and PO assigned to the project to determine the specific scope and proposed approach for each project. These meetings may take place via a video conferencing platform (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, -- 1 of 9 -- Webex), email, conference call, or in conjunction with a weekly conference call (Subtask 1.4), and may occur as needed over the course of the project. Each project (See Task 2) will require a project work plan and a proposed subject matter team of experts. The contractor must draft a project work plan for each project request, submit it to the COR and PO for review and approval within two (2) weeks of receipt, and host a meeting to discuss it. The project work plan must detail the project's technical approach and schedule (see Task 2). Specifically, the project work plan must include a description of the technical approach; any anticipated challenges to completing the project and how the contractor will address them; staffing and management responsibilities; and the allocation of project resources, including projected hours per staff member. The project work plan shall also include a timeline that identifies the start and completion dates, as well as other milestones, for each deliverable specified in the plan. The project work plan must be based on the project request from the COR and PO, as well as discussions and other decisions made at the project work plan meeting. The COR and PO may modify the project work plan, including completion dates, after consultation with the contractor, if needed. All approved project requests must be completed by the end of the contract's period of performance or discontinued by mutual agreement of the contractor, the COR, and the PO. Draft project work plans must be submitted to the COR and PO for review and approval no later than two (2) weeks after the project work plan development meeting or otherwise agreed upon by the COR and PO. Upon incorporating comments from the COR and PO and final approval by the COR and PO, a final work plan shall be submitted to the COR and PO no later than one (2) weeks after final approval. Deliverable(s): (A) Draft, (B) Final Project Work Plan(s), as needed Subtask 1.4: Standing Project Management Conference Calls Standing conference calls between the contractor, the COR, and the PO must be scheduled within one week of the EDOC. The contractor, the COR, and the PO will decide on the periodicity of project management calls, which may change during the contract period to reflect HHS OWH's evolving needs, but should be assumed to occur weekly. During each call, the contractor shall be prepared to discuss any issues that have arisen since the last monthly progress report (Subtask 1.5) and to provide key updates on current projects, including any changes to the estimated budget or costs. The contractor must develop an agenda prior to the call and, within one week, distribute the meeting minutes, including key points and decisions, to the COR and PO. Deliverable(s): (A) Standing Call Agendas (B) Standing Call Action Items Summaries Subtask 1.5: Monthly Progress Reports The contractor must submit monthly progress reports (not to exceed four (4) pages, excluding tables …