Contract Statement of Work

Background

The purpose of this contract is to provide the NMFS eSignature project team with specialized expertise and experience with respect to citizen-to-government eSignature design and implementation.

Under Sections 1703 and 1704 of the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), Executive agencies are required to provide for the use and acceptance of electronic signatures. It is NMFS' policy to use and accept electronic signatures whenever possible and to encourage agency programs to provide individuals or entities with the option of submitting information or transacting business with the agency electronically. During the Electronic Reporting Planning Workshop held in July 2007, it was determined that an approved design and implementation plan for electronic reporting eSignature would be of significant benefit to multiple regions. A project has been initiated to develop an approved design and implementation plan for electronic reporting system(s) eSignature, as well as establishing a template and process for future eSignature initiatives.

The most significant challenge of an eSignature project is creating alignment among many diverse stakeholders. Electronic signatures raise new and cross-cutting issues throughout an organization. General Council and Enforcement have strong interests in enforceability and admissibility; executives have strong interests in agency reputation; Information Technology have strong interests in information security; line of business staff have strong interests in usability, support and customer satisfaction. These groups have different perspectives but all share ownership in an eSignature solution. While often viewed as a technology issue, in reality eSignature initiatives are organizational change efforts where the technology is the easiest part of the project.

The primary analytical challenge for eSignature projects is how to identify and value risks and related mitigations so that an organization can have a fact-based, dispassionate discussion of the relative merits of policy and implementation options. Frequently, there are calls for absolute security or characterizations of great risks that, in reality, have little likelihood of occurring. Part of the problem is that competing interests in eSignature projects often paint choices as black and white, when in fact the analysis requires distinguishing among shades of gray. The lack of specificity of federal law and policy around eSignatures can have a paralyzing effect on organizations. There is no one right way and federal officials have to exercise judgment on how craft and then implement policy with oftentimes murky and incomplete data.

Objectives of Contract

• Advising the project team with respect to identifying, characterizing, and communicating with stakeholders
• Advising the project team with respect to alternative approaches
• Reviewing project outlines, drafts, and presentations
• Providing context for the proposed solution, including comparisons between the proposed solution and prior art, and/or analysis with respect to industry norms or best practices
• Assistance developing and presenting the solution to stakeholders

Scope of Work

The contractor will participate in meetings, teleconferences, email correspondence, and other online collaborative systems to guide the project team to a successful project conclusion. The contractor will provide advice based on his/her successful experience with similar projects, critique team work products, and facilitate stakeholder meetings.

Period of Performance

May 1, 2008 through November 28, 2008.

Contractor Performance Requirements

• Monthly Itemized Resource Use Reports: The contractor will provide an itemized list of the work completed, the personnel involved in the work, and the number of hours and costs associated with each work component as appropriate.
• Staff Interactions: The contractor will meet/teleconference/correspond frequently with identified NMFS staff to discuss progress, problems, and review analysis.
• Written Work Product Critiques: The contractor will provide written critiques of project outlines, draft documents, and presentations. These will be informal notes intended for internal team use.

Specific Objectives/Tasks:

Task 1:

• Advise the project team with respect to identifying, characterizing, and communicating with stakeholders. Lead the team though a process to identify stakeholders and characterize them with respect to their interest in the outcome and their sensitive issues. Advise on the development of a stakeholder communications plan. Facilitate teleconferences and/or meetings with stakeholders.

Task 2:

• Advise the project team with respect to alternative approaches. Based on experience and knowledge of the eSignature arena, direct and facilitate team research and analysis. Connect team members with other practitioners in the eSignature field.

Task 3:

• Reviewing project outlines, drafts, and presentations, providing context, comparisons with prior art, and/or analysis with respect to industry norms or best practices

Task 4:

• Assist in drafting final documents and presentations. Present the solution to stakeholders and participate in question and answer sessions.

Contract Deliverables and Deadline for Each:

• June 18, 2008 – Critique the stakeholder communication plan which identifies stakeholders, the nature of their interest, their sensitive issues, stakeholder contacts, and how to keep each stakeholder informed and engaged.
• July 16, 2008 – Critique the analysis of alternative approaches to each of the constituent components (see Conceptual Design Outline)
  • Identity Assertion, Person Proofing and Registration
  • User Interface and Flow and Signing Ceremony
  • Binding Document to Identity, Document Integrity and Tamper Evident Packaging, and Audit Trails
  • Application Programming Interface
• August 13, 2008 – Critique the Risk Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis prepared per the procedural directive
• September 17, 2008 – Critique the Implementation Plan prepared per the procedural directive
• October 15, 2008 – Present preliminary results to stakeholders
• November 12, 2008 – Critique final project documents

Other Critical Factors

• Key personnel The contractor shall provide an analyst possessing direct experience with leading an electronic signature design in a large-scale citizen-to-government context. The contractor must have a track record that clearly demonstrates skills, knowledge and experience in eSignature design and implementation from policy, management and organization culture perspectives.
• This is a non-personal service contract; personnel performing work under this contract are employees of the contractor and are not employees of the Government.
• Work Location: The work will occur at the contractor's facilities, with travel as necessary to coordinate work with other NMFS components.
• Hours of Operation: Normal operating hours are expected to be 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Local Time Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays.
• Safety: The contractor will provide for the safety and protection of staff employed in support of this contract. The contractor will be required to complete any NOAA required safety training courses in compliance with NOAA policy.
• Insurance Coverage: The contractor is solely responsible for their own health, workmen's compensation and unemployment insurance as well as applicable social security, local, state, and federal taxes.
• Site Security: Personnel performing work under this contract will be required to pass NOAA security clearances for contractors.
• Computers/Software: The contractor is solely responsible for providing any necessary computers/software and office supplies.

Budget