Employee Relations Training Development and Delivery

Responding Sourses shall only submit a capability statement via email to the above point of contact no-later-than the state time and date. Background The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) provides training and professional development to personnel of the Department of State and the Foreign Service community. In relation to this, FSI's Leadership and Management School conducts relevant, cutting-edge leadership and management training programs which address career development and training needs of Department employees from entry level through the senior ranks. One of these programs addresses the topic of employee relations for Department supervisors and managers. Purpose of this Solicitation The Foreign Service Institute is actively seeking one or more contractors to perform a variety of training activities related to the topic of employee relations, either as regularly scheduled courses or occasional, intermittent activities. The purpose of the training is to help supervisors gain knowledge, skills and confidence in their abilities to handle employee conduct and performance problems within official guidelines. The learning objectives of this training for the participants are to: - Interpret and apply the State Department and US government rules and regulations governing performance, conduct problems and leave issues. - Identify situations in which they should seek advice, assistance and technical expertise; and be able to articulate which offices they can contact for such assistance. FSI intends to issue task orders under this solicitation to develop employee relations training programs; deliver employee relations training courses and modules; conduct and analyze needs assessments, surveys and/or course evaluations; design training tools and instruments; present as subject matter experts; and write student course and reference materials Successful contractors may join an existing training or program staff composed of government employees and other contractors. The work may be conducted in large or small group classrooms, at FSI or other locations, both local and at locations overseas or elsewhere in the United States. This will be a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) effective for the entire period specified. This solicitation will result in a pool of one or more employee relations trainers contracted via intermittent, part-time, or full-time multiple award agreements. This BPA is not for United States Government Civil Service jobs. Performance of these services will occur only as authorized by specific task orders detailing dates, tasks, and schedules. There will be no limit to the number of orders issued under the BPA. The Government may issue orders requiring services at multiple locations. There is no specific commitment by either party, until dates, tasks, and schedules are mutually negotiated by individual order. No part of the services to be performed under this agreement may be subcontracted, and no obligation or duty arising out of the individual order may be transferred, or assigned, without the prior authorization of the Contracting Officer. Orders will be issued under this BPA based upon the government's need and according to FSI's determination of what is most advantageous to the Government. FSI does not guarantee any minimum level of work under any resultant BPA. Qualifications All contractors must be knowledgeable and experienced in the training of employee relations for federal government employees. All contractors must be qualified and willing to employ principles of adult learning. All contractors must be eligible to work in the United States. The Department does not sponsor individuals for work permits. All bidders must submit a photocopy of documentation as to their citizenship. Selection will be based on knowledge, experience, technical skills, cost and availability for the proposed assignment. Requirements The contractor shall employ content presentations, discussions, case studies and Department of State and USG reference materials in conducting employee relations training to an audience of supervisors and managers of Foreign Service, Civil Service or locally-hired employees. The contractor must have a level of expertise to deliver the training content listed below and to provide guidance to participants on their cases and questions based on respective rules, regulations and policies of Federal Sector and Department of State for Civil Service (CS), Foreign Service (FS), and Locally Employed Staff (LES). The content of employee relations training covered under this contract includes the following: 1. Supervisory Authorities and Responsibilities for Employees Performance and Conduct - Legal Basis: Constitution; US Code-Federal Laws; Government-wide Regulations; DOS Regulations and Policies - Management Obligations to Employees (legal basis) - Employee Obligations to Management (legal basis) - Residual Rights 2. Merit Systems Principles and Prohibited Personnel Practices 3. The Probationary and Untenured Period - Purpose - CS/FS/LES differences - Management responsibilities - Removals - Supervisory/Managerial Probation 4. Within-Grade Increases (WIGI) for CS/FS/LES 5. Strategic Approaches for Dealing with Employee Performance and Conduct Problems - Differences between performance and conduct problem - Steps for dealing with performance problems (CS/FS/LES and PIP) - Steps for dealing with conduct problems - Preventative steps - setting rules, monitoring, and informal counseling - Legal standards for disciplinary actions - CS/FS/LES - Formal and Informal Disciplinary Actions - CS/FS/LES - Determining Penalty - Douglas Factors - Supervisor's Role in Proving Charges - Legal Procedures and Due Process 6. Common Problems: Definition; Role of Supervisor and Appropriate Ways to Handle Absenteeism, Leave and Attendance: - Types of Leave: Annual (scheduled and unscheduled); Administrative; Court; Military; LWOP; Sick Leave; FMLA - Supervisor's Job regarding leave and attendance to include LWOP and AWOL; Approving leave; Certifying attendance record; Restriction Letters; Corrective Action o Insubordination and Contentious Conduct o Workplace violence o Security violations o Offenses involving alcohol or drugs 7. Table of Penalties (CS/FS) 8. Available resources and when/how to seek advice 9. Relevant reference materials The services required consist of delivering employee relations training for FSI and State Department audiences, including both core courses of the LMS curriculum and special offerings. Individual contractors will be required to do any number, but not necessarily all, of the following tasks: - Conduct classroom training in employee relations, both existing courses and special presentations. - Develop designs, or revise existing designs, for employee relations courses, workshops and special presentations. - Use existing training and reference materials. - Rewrite or develop new training and reference materials. - Follow techniques, methodologies, and approaches used by the division/section sponsoring the course or program. - Attend a meeting prior to the initial delivery and thereafter as requested by the Course Manager or the Contracting Office's Representative (COR), scheduled as per mutual convenience. All materials produced under this contract become the property of the United States Government, and the contractor may not copy or reproduce them in any way for use outside of an FSI class, share them by means outside of the Foreign Service Institute, or publish them in any fashion without the express written permission of the Dean of the Leadership and Management School. Contractors shall adhere to all copyright guidelines and restrictions and follow FSI procedures regarding copyright. Professional Qualifications - Knowledge and expertise in the content area of employee relations. - Experience teaching employee relations to US government employees. - Knowledge of and experience using adult learning principles and experiential learning techniques in the facilitation and delivery of training - Experience working with the Foreign Affairs culture (State Department, AID, intelligence agencies) including any overseas experience.