Inactive

This is a Sources Sought only. The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) consists of three inpatient facilities located at Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore, Calif., plus seven outpatient clini... This is a Sources Sought only. The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) consists of three inpatient facilities located at Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore, Calif., plus seven outpatient clinics in San Jose, Fremont, Capitola, Monterey, Stockton, Modesto, and Sonora. These facilities provide some of the world's finest medical care and cutting-edge technology. As part of its Market Research, NCO 21 is issuing this RFI to determine if there exists an adequate number of qualified interested contractors capable of providing the polytrauma digital storytelling services as further described in the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). The Government may use the responses to this RFI for information and planning purposes. The draft PWS describes only the currently contemplated possible scope of work and may vary from the work scope in a final PWS included in any Request for Quote (RFQ). The anticipated period of performance is one year. The contractor will be providing services for the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, polytrauma department. There is no solicitation document as this time. The NAICS is 611420 with Small Business size of $12M. NOTE: Please ensure that System For Award Management (SAM) (www.sam.gov) indicates this NAICS code if you are interested in the requirement. Only firms seriously interested and truly capable should send: Their information and/or capability statement and any questions by email to brandy.gastinell@va.gov no later than 10 AM Pacific Time, August 2, 2021. The attached Statement of Interest Questionnaire by email to brandy.gastinell@va.gov no later than 10 AM Pacific Time, August 2, 2021. If interested, please provide the following information. Failure to provide the following information completely and accurately may result in a determination that your company is not a viable source: Name of Company Point of Contact Name, phone number, and email address DUNS number Socio-economic status such as Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, VOSB, Women-Owned Small Business, etc. should be included. SDVOSB/VOSB status will be verified using VetBiz. Capability statements that include the following: Identify geographical areas your company currently services? Approximately how many current employees do you have in the service area(s)? Indicate prior experience for same/similar service in these geographical areas. If the experience is through government contract, please identify the contract number. Identify generally what administrative resources your organization has in the areas identified. For example, identify offices located in the identified region. Explain how your organization can rapidly fulfill the digital storytelling requirement described above for the health care system(s) identified. Identify approximately how long (on average) after award of contract will it take to ramp up the workshops and training for the VA Palo Alto Healthcare facilities. Describe what resources your company has to efficiently have digital storytelling services completed by the timeline described in the Performance Work Statement. Describe experience providing Polytrauma digital storytelling services to the Department of Veterans Affairs (not a minimum requirement, but should be noted) Identify which healthcare system(s) your company is capable/interested in providing the storytelling service. Identify any COVID-19-related terms and conditions that would need to be addressed in any agreements/contracts. If you will rely on a subcontractor to assist with performance, please clearly identify what functions your company will perform versus those of the subcontractor(s). When responding to the preceding questions, avoid using teaming language, e.g. Team ABC has 20 years of experience or Team ABC has placed 15,000 staff. Clearly identify what functions/experience/resources your company has and will be able to perform independently of a subcontractor. Ambiguous responses that lack clarity will affect the Contracting Officer s ability to determine if your company is a viable source for this requirement. Before responding please carefully read and consider the following: As this is a service acquisition, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Acquisition Regulation have a Limitations on Subcontracting requirement. For all small businesses, to include SDVOSB and VOSB, At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. See FAR 52.219-14 and FAR 52.219-27 available in full text at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_217_221.html The Service Contract Act will apply. Please see the DRAFT Performance Work Statement attached for further details. DISCLAIMER This Sources Sought notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this request that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. The Government will not compensate an offeror for providing information in response to this sources sought. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to cancel this requirement at its discretion. This is simply a sources sought notice. Performance Work Statement VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Polytrauma Veteran Storytelling Project 1.0 General Information. The Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Polytrauma System of Care (PSC) provides excellent veteran-centered patient care using by evidence-based research and practice and driven by data-driven decisions. A custom digital storytelling workshop was facilitated by the StoryCenter (Center for Digital Storytelling) for the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Polytrauma patients in 2015. This was an innovative project in which patients created and expressed the stories of their traumatic experiences whereby assisting with their healing and recovery. Additionally, these stories helped providers understand the full arc of a patient s injury. The goal is to provide technical expertise and a creative process for participants in the program to make digital stories (3- to 5-minute first-person videos) based on personal health experiences in individuals who have had injury to the brain leading to chronic or severe headaches and provide health education and assistance with recovery. The work scope would include creation, development, and execution of digital workshops which includes up to 6 participants and is designed to provide appropriate support to storytellers with brain trauma who have symptoms that may include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, language processing challenges, and irritability. Additionally, the work scope will involve video-editing of existing footage to create products for educational purposes. 2.0 Period of Performance (POP) 2.1 The period of performance will begin January 1, 2021, or when contract is awarded for two years. 2.2 The contractor will work: a. To customize and execute Storytelling workshops for the Polytrauma Veteran Storytelling Project b. Workshop Execution will include: i. Workshop Facilitation Facilitators ii. Script Production iii. Video Production c. Providing consultation on participant recruitment, media releases, privacy guidelines, workshop organization, computer lab. d. Prep webinars as needed for staff and participants. e. Consult with staff to create educational video products and complete the video-editing to produce these products. 3.0 Scope of Work Contractors Tasks and Responsibilities 3.1 The contractor will customize and execute storytelling workshops to create at least 6 stories. In addition to trained staff from the Veterans Administration, the workshop requires two experienced StoryCenter facilitators that will prepare, lead, and facilitate the digital workshops. The facilitators will produce a script based on participation in the storytelling creative process (and finalized only with the approval of the storyteller), edit the video and generate visuals that are not provided by the storyteller 3.2 The contractor will execute the workshop experienced by the patients and this project will result in one 3 to 5-minute digital story per storyteller delivered via downloadable link. 3.3 The contractor will consult with staff to create and develop educational products as directed by Polytrauma staff within the hours allotted. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: reviewing existing video footage, assist with identifying and capturing additional video footage as necessary, video-editing using software that the contractor has available, producing educational videos and products that are meet VA standards and can be put online or shown in public venues. 3.4 The contractor will work under the direction and supervision of the identified Polytrauma staff. The contractor will show evidence that they will abide by all VA mandated privacy, information security, and basic good business practices. 4.0 Implementation Plan 4.1 The implementation plan (IP) shall include coordination with Polytrauma staff to provide the professional expertise related to the digital storytelling, creative process, and technical process to implement the workshop and produce videos. Discussions will ensue to meet all deliverables, including workshop, video production, and delivery of final products. 4.1.1 A written and electronic draft of the detailed, customized IP shall be submitted to the COR within fifteen (15) workdays. The final IP shall be submitted to the COR within ten (10) workdays after submission of the draft plan. 5.0 Type of Contract. The period of performance will begin January 1, 2021, or when contract is awarded. Contract ends when deliverables are finalized. This contract will not exceed more than 6 months after workshop. 6.0 Expected Outcomes. The expected outcomes of the Polytrauma Veteran Storytelling Project: 6.1 Customizing, facilitating, and executing storytelling workshops that aligns with the needs of patients and Polytrauma program 6.2 Providing the support for Polytrauma staff to successful participate in the facilitation of the digital storytelling workshop and production of the digital stories 6.3 Providing script production and video production with integration of the patients contributions 6.4 Consultation on participant recruitment, media releases, privacy guidelines, workshop organization, computer lab. Prep webinars as needed for staff and participants 6.5 One 3 to 5-minute digital story per storyteller delivered via downloadable link. 6.6 Provide consultation and technical work to produce video products with direction from Polytrauma staff. 7.0 Other Contractor s Administrative Responsibilities 7.1 Tour of Duty: Tour of duty of the Contractor shall be adjusted as needed to meet the needs of the project. workshop may take place on weekends and the contractor must be able to work outside normal 8-5 workhours to accommodate the needs of the project. 7.3 Federal Holidays: The Contractor is not expected to work on Federal Holidays. The holidays are: New Year s Day; Martin Luther King Birthday, President s Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day; Christmas Day; and any other day(s) officially declared by the President of the United States to be a federal holiday. 7.4 Travel Costs: Unless specified otherwise within this Solicitation, the Contractor shall include in its price, all labor, travel cost and its related expenses, materials, tools, supplies, equipment, and other expenses necessary to perform this requirement. 8.0 Contractor Qualifications 8.1 The contractor will be required to provide the level of technological, emotional and creative support needed for the storytellers so patients complete the workshop sufficiently engaged in the entire process and can produce well-produced digital stories for dissemination. 8.1.1 At least 5 years of experience developing and facilitating workshops for unique populations that has been involved in a traumatic experience and require intensive support emotionally, physically, and/or mentally. 9.0 Government Furnished Equipment (GFP) 9.1 The VAPAHCS will provide office space and additional equipment as needed to complete duties. VAPAHCS will provide technical assistance as necessary. 9.2 Damage to Government Property: The Contractor shall be responsible for any damage to government furnished equipment and property. This includes but is not limited to audiovisual equipment including speakers, projectors and projection screens; computers; VA furnished equipment; furniture; walls and baseboards; and other interior and exterior surfaces. 10.0 Contractor Furnished Equipment/Property 10.1 The Contractor shall provide the necessary labor, computers, travel, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, and materials to perform the work. The Government shall not be obligated to provide any equipment, tools, parts, or materials. 11.0 Payments and Invoicing 12.1 Once awarded, the Contractor shall register with OB10 to submit and invoice at a later period. 12.2 Billing/Invoicing: The Contractor shall submit invoices on a monthly basis in the arrears. All invoices shall include Contract number, Purchase Order number, Order Date, Period of Performance, and full description of services. The lack of detail or missing information on invoices will be rejected. The Contractor shall submit electronic invoices via OB10. Full instructions on how-to register will be provided upon award of contract. 12.3 Adhere to the instructions stated on the Continuation sheet of the SF1449 and VAAR Clause 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (NOV 2012). 12.0 Contracting Officer Representative (COR) 13.1 The COR will be appointed and delegated by the Contracting Officer (CO). The Delegation Letter will state the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order. The Contractor will receive a copy of the Delegation Letter from the CO when fully executed. 14.0 Contractor s Quality Control Plan (QCP) 14.1 The Contractor shall establish a complete quality control (QC) program that all requirements are provided for, as specified in all sections of this contract. One copy of the Contractors QCP shall be provided to the COR for review prior to contract performance. The Contractor s QCP shall include but not be limited to the following: 14.1.1 A statement describing how the Contractor will meet the basic requirements of this contract (i.e. staffing levels, time to respond to an incident, equipment requirements) shall be provided to COR 15 days after effective date of Contract award and whenever there are major turnover of personnel. A major turn-over would be determined by the COR. 14.1.2 A method for identifying deficiencies in the quality of services performed before the performance deficiency becomes unacceptable. 14.1.3 A method of recording or logging the daily activities of the contractor, which would demonstrate the Contractor's ability to maintain the minimum requirements of this contract. 14.2 The Government will monitor the Contractor's performance using the Contractor s QCP and the Government s Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) as established by the COR. 14.3 The Contractor shall provide monthly QC assurance report. It shall include the results of the reviews, identification of problems and a plan of correction. 15.0 Quality Assurance Monitoring 15.1 The COR or designated representative will monitor the contractor s performance to assure that the performance thresholds and standards of performance are met in accordance with the statement of work and the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). In accordance with FAR 52.212-4 (a) Inspection/Acceptance the Government reserves the right to inspect or test any supplies or services that have been tendered for acceptance. The COR may require repair or replacement of nonconforming supplies or re-performance of nonconforming services at no increase in contract price. 15.2 The Contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items. The performance standards describe the minimum acceptable level of the service required for each task. These thresholds are critical to mission success. 15.3 The COR will evaluate the services required by each task order to ensure compliance. 15.4 The Contractor shall perform all work required by the task orders in a satisfactory manner in accordance with the appropriate SOW task order sheet. The COR will not consider the task completed until all deficiencies have been corrected. 15.5 The COR will receive complaints from facility personnel and pass them on to the contractor s quality inspector for correction. 16.0 Contractor s Contingency / Back-Up Plan. 16.1 The Contractor shall have a contingency / back-up plan in the event the Contractor is unable to perform services or have services performed as scheduled and required. The Contractor shall immediately notify the COR and provide a justification for non-performance and institute the contingency and/or back-up plan as quickly as possible. 16.2 Alternate and Backup Contingency Plan to replace personnel. In the event that the Health Coaches are ill or unable to perform, the Contractor shall provide a substitute of equal ability and experience to replace the assigned Health Coach if needed by the program. The replacement shall have the appropriate background checks prior to start of work. 16.3 The Contractor shall furnish a copy of its contingency plan to the COR within 15 days after award of contract. The contingency plan shall have no more than a 24-hour delay before implementation. The contingency plan shall include a toll-free number to be used in case of cancellation due to sudden illness and any other unforeseen event. 1. GENERAL Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security. 2. ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS a. A contractor/subcontrator shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order. b. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures. c. Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance. National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS). Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness. d. Custom software development and outsourced operations must be located in the U.S. to the maximum extent practical. If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates, the contractor/subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth. Location within the U.S. may be an evaluation factor. e. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor s employ. The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination. 3. VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE a. Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data- General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1). b. VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/subcontractor s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA s information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements. c. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract. d. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract. e. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed. f. If VA determines that the contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12. g. If a VHA contract is terminated for cause, the associated BAA must also be terminated and appropriate actions taken in accordance with VHA Handbook 1600.01, Business Associate Agreements. Absent an agreement to use or disclose protected health information, there is no business associate relationship. h. The contractor/subcontractor must store, transport, or transmit VA sensitive information in an encrypted form, using VA-approved encryption tools that are, at a minimum, FIPS 140-2 validated. i. The contractor/subcontractor s firewall and Web services security controls, if applicable, shall meet or exceed VA s minimum requirements. VA Configuration Guidelines are available upon request. j. Except for uses and disclosures of VA information authorized by this contract for performance of the contract, the contractor/subcontractor may use and disclose VA information only in two other situations: (i) in response to a qualifying order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) with VA s prior written approval. The contractor/subcontractor must refer all requests for, demands for production of, or inquiries about, VA information and information systems to the VA contracting officer for response. k. Notwithstanding the provision above, the contractor/subcontractor shall not release VA records protected by Title 38 U.S.C. 5705, confidentiality of medical quality assurance records and/or Title 38 U.S.C. 7332, confidentiality of certain health records pertaining to drug addiction, sickle cell anemia, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus. If the contractor/subcontractor is in receipt of a court order or other requests for the above mentioned information, that contractor/subcontractor shall immediately refer such court orders or other requests to the VA contracting officer for response. l. For service that involves the storage, generating, transmitting, or exchanging of VA sensitive information but does not require C&A or an MOU-ISA for system interconnection, the contractor/subcontractor must complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) on a yearly basis and provide it to the COTR. 4. INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT (if applicable): N/A 5. INFORMATION SYSTEM HOSTING, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, OR USE a. For information systems that are hosted, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA at non-VA facilities, contractors/subcontractors are fully responsible and accountable for ensuring compliance with all HIPAA, Privacy Act, FISMA, NIST, FIPS, and VA security and privacy directives and handbooks. This includes conducting compliant risk assessments, routine vulnerablity scanning, system patching and change management procedures, and the completion of an acceptable contingency plan for each system. The contractor s security control procedures must be equivalent, to those procedures used to secure VA systems. A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) must also be provided to the COTR and approved by VA Privacy Service prior to operational approval. All external Internet connections to VA s network involving VA information must be reviewed and approved by VA prior to implementation. b. Adequate security controls for collecting, processing, transmitting, and storing of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), as determined by the VA Privacy Service, must be in place, tested, and approved by VA prior to hosting, operation, maintenance, or use of the information system, or systems by or on behalf of VA. These security controls are to be assessed and stated within the PIA and if these controls are determined not to be in place, or inadequate, a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) must be submitted and approved prior to the collection of PII. c. Outsourcing (contractor facility, contractor equipment or contractor staff) of systems or network operations, telecommunications services, or other managed services requires certification and accreditation (authorization) (C&A) of the contractor s systems in accordance with VA Handbook 6500.3, Certification and Accreditation and/or the VA OCS Certification Program Office. Government-owned (government facility or government equipment) contractor-operated systems, third party or business partner networks require memorandums of understanding and interconnection agreements (MOU-ISA) which detail what data types are shared, who has access, and the appropriate level of security controls for all systems connected to VA networks. d. The contractor/subcontractor s system must adhere to all FISMA, FIPS, and NIST standards related to the annual FISMA security controls assessment and review and update the PIA. Any deficiencies noted during this assessment must be provided to the VA contracting officer and the ISO for entry into VA s POA&M management process. The contractor/subcontractor must use VA s POA&M process to document planned remedial actions to address any deficiencies in information security policies, procedures, and practices, and the completion of those activities. Security deficiencies must be corrected within the timeframes approved by the government. Contractor/subcontractor procedures are subject to periodic, unannounced assessments by VA officials, including the VA Office of Inspector General. The physical security aspects associated with contractor/subcontractor activities must also be subject to such assessments. If major changes to the system occur that may affect the privacy or security of the data or the system, the C&A of the system may need to be reviewed, retested and re-authorized per VA Handbook 6500.3. This may require reviewing and updating all of the documentation (PIA, System Security Plan, Contingency Plan). The Certification Program Office can provide guidance on whether a new C&A would be necessary. e. The contractor/subcontractor must conduct an annual self assessment on all systems and outsourced services as required. Both hard copy and electronic copies of the assessment must be provided to the COTR. The government reserves the right to conduct such an assessment using government personnel or another contractor/subcontractor. The contractor/subcontractor must take appropriate and timely action (this can be specified in the contract) to correct or mitigate any weaknesses discovered during such testing, generally at no additional cost. f. VA prohibits the installation and use of personally-owned or contractor/subcontractor owned equipment or software on VA s network. If non-VA owned equipment must be used to fulfill the requirements of a contract, it must be stated in the service agreement, SOW or contract. All of the security controls required for government furnished equipment (GFE) must be utilized in approved other equipment (OE) and must be funded by the owner of the equipment. All remote systems must be equipped with, and use, a VA-approved antivirus (AV) software and a personal (host-based or enclave based) firewall that is configured with a VA approved configuration. Software must be kept current, including all critical updates and patches. Owners of approved OE are responsible for providing and maintaining the anti-viral software and the firewall on the non-VA owned OE. g. All electronic storage media used on non-VA leased or non-VA owned IT equipment that is used to store, process, or access VA information must be handled in adherence with VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization upon: (i) completion or termination of the contract or (ii) disposal or return of the IT equipment by the contractor/subcon...