Inactive

Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this RFI/Sources Sought in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e). The Veterans ... Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this RFI/Sources Sought in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e). The Veterans Benefit Administration s (VBA) is soliciting information and compiling market research for the potential procurement of a Training, Responsibility, Involvement, and Preparation of Claims (TRIP) program. Background The VSO TRIP training portal provides web base training for VSOs, Attorney Representatives, and their staff. It gives familiarity with the core development of claims and on the VBA computer systems. Completion of TRIP training is required to gain read-only access to VBA computer systems. The TRIP program is designed to improve our service to veterans and the timeliness of claims processing through a nationwide partnership between VA and all accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs). The related training instructs VSOs on the essential requirements for a successful claim and familiarizes them with VBA computer systems. The program s successful completion allows an accredited VSO to have read-only access to several pertinent claims processing-related applications. This RFI is to determine if Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) or any other Socio-Economic businesses are capable of providing the TRIP Program services. Scope Description of Tasks and Associated Deliverables: Task One: The contractor shall provide and maintain a cloud service to host portal. Web portal and server must be reliable and be capable of handling traffic from approximately 9,600 users annually. Portal must accommodate at least 20 to 30 video files that will are as Windows Media Video (WMV), Adobe Flash (FLV), or Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT) files ranging from 5-300MB in size each. Portal must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unless arrangements have been made and preapproved by the COR for downtime for maintenance. Notification will be made as soon as a need is known, but in no event, less than a minimum of 72 hours before projected maintenance. The Contractor shall provide immediate notification to both the COR and registered user community when the Contractor portal is down and again when it comes back up. Deliverable One: Reliable server or cloud service to host portal that will be available 24/7 with notice of the downtime. Task Two: The contractor shall provide and operate a Help Desk Support to include a Live Help Desk available during VBA office hours of operation from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm ET Monday through Saturday. The help desk will support and service the built-in help ticket system, providing resolution within three working days. The Contractor shall provide a dedicated toll-free number for VSO s. All reasonable efforts to avoid dropped calls shall be made, and the incoming callers shall not get a busy signal or be sent to voicemail during hours of operation. Deliverable Two : Provide timely Help Desk services as defined in task two Task Three: The contractor shall be able to update portal material as training needs change. Updates to training material must be delivered within 3 days of receipt of the change request. Deliverable Three : Updated training material as identified by VA within specified time period Task Four: The contractor shall provide quarterly reports. The quarterly report shall include, but not to be limited to, a monthly breakdown of the portals Total Users, New Users, Logins, Lessons Completed, Final Assessment Attempts, Final Assessment Pass, Average Passing Score, and Pass Rate. The quarterly report shall also include metrics of help desk responses including, but not limited to, the VSO that contacted, number of instances, categories of instances. Help desk support tracking shall include, but not be limited to; any user password resets, establishments of new accounts, request processing assistance, or system outages will be tracked in the quarterly report. This also requires an incident report documenting all components of the incident and the resolution. All incident reports shall be retained electronically in a library for review during the contract. Deliverable Four : Provide quarterly reporting A formal Request for Quote (RFQ) and ensuing procurements may or may not result from this RFI/Sources Sought. Performance Details Period of Performance: The Period of Performance (PoP) shall be (1) one-year from the date of award, plus two (2) (1) one-year option periods. Work at government site(s) shall not take place on Federal Holidays or weekends unless directed by the assigned Contract Officer. Type of Contract: Firm-fixed price Place of performance: The work shall be performed at the contractor s place of business. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME This request for capability information, socio-economic, FSS contract information and does not constitute a request for quote; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, email address, website address, telephone number, business size, NAICS code; DUNS, socio-economic category, SIN Category and GSA Schedule; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of manufacture and/or authorized distribution. The government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to 1) Provide services consistent in scope and scale with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated. 2) Secure and apply the full range of technical resources required to successfully perform similar requirements. 3) Provide TRIP Program services under a firm-fixed priced acquisition contract. Structure of Responses Contractors should respond to this RFI by 11 June 2021, 2:00 PM MT via e-mail to shellie.murphy@va.gov. Limit all responses to 5 pages.          DISCLAIMER This RFI/Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI/Sources Sought that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI/Sources Sought.