**STATEMENT OF WORK**

**EVENT PLANNING AND MEETING SUPPORT (EPMS)**

**I. BACKGROUND**

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection
Service, (FSIS), Civil Rights Division, sponsored an annual Diversity
Conference for the past seven years. The conference has doubled in
attendance from 1999-2007 and continues to grow in both population and
popularity.

In the initial year of the conference, all of the workshops covered the
topics related to civil rights and diversity. Past participants have
provided feedback indicating a continued interest in the area of
diversity and requested more opportunities to participate in such
training and educational programs.

Based on the past success and continued need to educate employees the
Administrator has provided the necessary funding to plan an eighth
Annual FSIS Diversity Conference. This event will include 400 FSIS
employees. The conference supports the Agency's commitment to provide
FSIS employees the opportunity to learn and understand the significance
of diversity and civil rights.

The agency may also use this contract for any other agency sponsored
meetings or

conferences.

**II. SCOPE OF WORK AND ORDERING PROCEDURES**

1\. Once a specific conference has been identified by the agency, the
contractor will be given a statement of work which describes the
requirements for the conference and facility.

***2.*** The contractor shall submit a price proposal within 14 calendar
days from the date the

request for proposal is sent to the contractor unless a longer time is
specified in the

request for proposal.

3\. As part of the price proposal, the contractor shall submit a work
plan in accordance with the requirements of the Statement of Work. The
work plan shall include a description of the proposed meeting facility
and how the contractor will provide all other required services such as
audio visual services, refreshments, and on-site meeting support, etc.
The contractor shall ensure that sleeping rooms are available at the
facility at the government rate (if required in the statement of work).

4\. Once the contractor\'s proposal is accepted by the Government, the
contractor shall

finalize all arrangements for the conference as specified in the
statement of work and

shall be responsible for all subcontracts and administration of those
contracts. Areas of

responsibility may include:

1\. a. The contractor will negotiate and contract with the facility for
meeting

rooms.

b\. The contractor will provide light refreshments during meetings
either through the

hotel or independent catering services in accordance with GSA Policy
Guidelines

in \"Contracting for Light Refreshments at Agency Conferences, Meetings
and

Other Events\".

c\. The contractor will provide simultaneous interpretation equipment
and audio

visual services such as microphones, amplifier/speakers, laptop
computer,

overhead projector, slide projector, flip charts, and/or other audio
visual

requirements specified prior to the meeting. All equipment must meet
required

specifications provided by the Contracting Officer

2\. d. The contractor shall provide on-site meeting support (e.g.,

negotiate with the hotel for additional services or requirements during
the meeting

and provide other logistical meeting support as needed which may include

preparing name tags and tent cards, and setting up and staffing a
registration

table).

e\. The contractor shall coordinate with USDA, FSIS Contracting
Officer\'s Technical

Representative (COTR) at least 20 working days prior to the scheduled
committee

meeting to help assemble the agenda and other supportive materials to be

distributed to committee members prior to the meeting. Some conferences
may

require that the Contractor to coordinate and execute associated
mailings.

f\. The contractor will be required to provide on-site technical
equipment (i.e.,

computers, printers, fax machines, copiers, high-speed internet lines,
and

international, long distance and local phone lines). The Contracting
Officer will

provide specifications for all required equipment.

g\. The contractor shall be responsible for submission of all
deliverables.

h\. The contractor shall provide the final report for each committee
meeting if

required by the statement of work. The contractor must ensure all
reports are made

available to the participants by the designated time assigned by the
Contracting

Officer.

*5.* Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make changes to the
task order issued under this contract.

\[End of Statement of Work\]