36C10A22Q0044_1.docx

VA-22-00007384

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Technology Acquisition Center - Austin

1701 Directors Blvd, Suite 600 Austin TX 78744

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Leticia Blackmon Leticia.Blackmon@va.gov 512-981-4488

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice ONLY. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information & Technology desires to procure Local Exchange Carrier Services.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the VA to contract for any supply or service. Further, the VA is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this Sources Sought Notice. The VA will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ or IFB or RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Governmentwide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The anticipated NAICS code is: 517311 Wired Telecommunication Carriers.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Information and Technology, Telecom Provisioning Office has a requirement for Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Services across the enterprise. This Product Description (PD), to include all attachments hereto, details the LEC services required, as well as the meetings, reports, deliverables, and other tasks required in support thereof. The Contractor shall provide each of the requisite LEC Service Types and Features, via the Government-required Delivery Method, as specifically identified in the Table below and as defined in the National Local Exchange Carrier (NLEC) Services for the Enterprise Next Generation (NG) Performance Work Statement (PWS). The Government’s required LEC Service Types and Features shall be provided in the total quantities identified below for the base period of performance; those same total quantities shall be maintained over the course of any option period exercised thereafter. Accordingly, the Contractor shall provide the required LEC services, in the quantities required, to each of the Government’s identified in the PD.

RESPONSE SUBMISSION

Please submit responses via email to Leticia.Blackmon@va.gov by 5:00 PM EST, December 24, 2021. The VA reserves the right not to respond to any or all emails or materials submitted.

DISCLAIMER

Reminder: This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this 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 Source Sought.

Modification to a Previous Notice Modification to a Previous Notice

Modification to a Previous Notice

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Information and Technology, Development Security and Operations, Solution Delivery, Telecommunication Provisioning Office, LEC Services

Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Telecommunication Data Services (Ft. Sill, OK)

Date: 8/11/2021

VA-22-00007384

Version 1.1

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), Development Security and Operations (DSO), Solution Delivery (SD), Telecommunication Provisioning Office, LEC Services (TPO-LEC) requires continuity of Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) telecommunication data services at a VA location in Oklahoma.

1.0 REQUIREMENTS:

The Contractor shall provide the below LEC services currently installed by SOLARUS Telecommunications as listed below. All lines shall be installed at the building’s demarcation point (DEMARC) location and shall not be extended.

The service to be provided is at the location listed below in Section 4, Place of Performance.

The Contractor shall submit invoices electronically and utilize the VA OB-10 (Tungsten is the vendor) system or an approved Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) software system to electronically submit invoices for processing. All invoices shall reference current purchase order, contract number, site location, invoice date and number, and period of performance or they will be rejected for non-compliance. Invoices must be submitted monthly in arrears and shall not become more than three (3) months behind on submissions. In addition, the contractor shall follow all tax guidance found in FAR 52.212-4(k). Upon completion of the Period of Performance (PoP) and final invoices paid, the Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and the Contracting Officer (CO), so the purchase order can be closed out.

All disconnect or discontinuations of service requests will stop billing within 30 days of the VA’s original requested date to the Contractor regardless if the Contractor has discontinued the service.

All VA accounts must be identified in the Contractor network as a Federal Government account and will not be subject to disconnect for any reason other than the Government’s request that it be disconnected.

2.0 CONTRACT TYPE:

This is a firm fixed price contract.

3.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

The period of performance for this contract shall be a 12-month base period from the day of award with four (4) 12-month option periods.

Installation, maintenance and/or disconnection of services shall commence between 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. Work may be required outside of normal business hours due to system failures and other issues. Maintenance that requires intrusive testing will have to be completed after normal working hours unless the service is not currently functioning and coordinated with the VA Area Manager. If services will be affected, then Contractor must coordinate with the site Point of Contact (POC) and work be performed after hours.

There are eleven (11) Federal holidays set by law (USC Title 5 Section 6103) that VA follows:

Under current definitions, five are set by date:

New Year's Day January 1 Juneteenth National Independence Day June 19

If any of the above falls on a Saturday, then Friday shall be observed as a holiday. Similarly, if one falls on a Sunday, then Monday shall be observed as a holiday.

The other six are set by a day of the week and month:

4.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

The place of performance will be at the VA facility listed below.

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall install and maintain the services as listed for the addresses below. Installation shall commence within 10 days after contract award and must conclude no later than 45 days after installation starts. Contractor shall match existing circuit configurations and demarcation handoffs (of copper or fiber, etc.) at the service delivery point. A Site Survey shall be done by Contractor to confirm findings with site POC’s and OIT site staff, if determined, the necessary Circuits shall be labeled (tagged) and documentation rendered to the VA site and COR after initial installation.

5.1 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

5.1.1 QUARTERLY CONTRACT STATUS REPORT

The Contractor shall prepare and submit a Quarterly Status Report in Microsoft (MS) Word or Excel format. This report shall convey the status of the contract from award until completion.

Deliverable:

A. Quarterly Contract Status Report

5.1.2 PROGRESS REPORT

The Contractor shall provide the COR’s with Weekly Progress Reports until the transition from old circuits/account to the new circuits/account under this contract. The weekly reports shall reflect data as of the last day of the preceding week and shall be submitted every Monday. The Contractor shall submit the Progress Reports electronically in MS Word, Excel and/or Project formats.

The Weekly Progress Reports shall convey the progress from the start of transition to completion. The reports shall cover all work completed during each reporting period and work planned for the subsequent period. The report shall be to the facility location level, identify all problems that arise, describe how the problems will be resolved, and include any action needed by VA. If problems are not being completely resolved within 3 business days, the Contractor shall provide an explanation with plan and timeframe for resolving. The Contractor shall maintain communication with the CO and COR so that status of issues or concerns are transparent to both parties, which will minimize the need to escalate outstanding issues.

Deliverable:

A. Weekly Progress Reports (during installation/transition period.)

5.1.3 TRANSITION IN PLAN

The Contractor shall provide the COR with a transition in plan. If Contractor is the incumbent, then no plan is required.

5.2 MEETING REQUIREMENTS

5.2.1 KICKOFF MEETING

The Contractor shall hold a kickoff meeting within 10 days after contract award. At a minimum, the Contractor shall present, for review and approval by the Government, the Points of Contact for this effort, and address any contractual concerns. Dates, locations (can be virtual), and agenda shall be specified at least five (5) calendar days prior to the meeting. The CO, COR, and VA PM shall be invited at a minimum.

5.2.2 PROGRAM PROGRESS REVIEWS

The Contractor shall conduct Program Progress Reviews (PPRs) for Government personnel at a mutually agreeable facility (meeting can be virtual). The CO or the COR will schedule the initial PPR. It is anticipated the first PPR will occur no later than 90 calendar days after date of contract award. Thereafter, if needed PPRs shall occur quarterly, for the life of the contract. During each PPR, the Contractor shall present material that addresses:

4. How issues are to be resolved by VA or Contractor

5. New technologies that would benefit VA

5.3 TELECOMMUNICATION AVAILABILITY

The Contractor shall provide telecommunication data services at each facility 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per annum. The Contractor shall adhere to all Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Agreements that regulate the area of service. The PUC shall be the primary ombudsman for regulated services. Government LEC requirements, and conditions may be more stringent than PUC regulations and both may apply. All Contractors and their subcontractors must be recognized and regulated by the PUC in the area that the Contractor offers service. Rate and service schedules must comply with both Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and PUC rules. Best effort service shall not be accepted.

5.3.1 ETHERNET FEATURES

The Contractor shall provide Ethernet services as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that shall support Voice, Video, Real Time applications and data with Class of Service (CoS) and Quality of Services (QoS) feature for services operating at the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Layer 3 and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) services. Ethernet services operating at OSI Layer 2 shall support Real Time (RT), Guaranteed Data (GD) connections. This feature is not required at all facilities.

5.3.2 THROUGHPUT

Throughput is defined as the Bandwidth Rate (expressed in Megabits) that can effectively be used by the Government compared to the Bandwidth Rate delivered by the Contractor based on an Ethernet frame size of 1518 bytes. Throughput excludes Ethernet Frames that are not delivered due to factors unrelated to Contractor's Service. The Contractor shall confirm the throughput performance at the establishment of service also as defined in Section 5.5.

Throughput is calculated as the usable Bandwidth Rate (expressed in Megabits) successfully (without any frame loss) transmitted over the Contractor’s core network, divided by the Bandwidth Rate (also expressed in Megabits) delivered by the Contractor based on an Ethernet frame size of 1,518 bytes the measurement domain is the Edge-to-Edge device (from Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) to CPE) within the Contractor Ethernet service.

Any circuit that does not comply with the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for throughput, the Contractor shall conform within thirty calendar days from time of trouble ticket.

5.4 ESTABLISHMENT OF SERVICES

The Contractor shall provide telecommunication services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (to include all materials, equipment, and labor) for the locations specified in Addendum C. Establishment of services includes all non-recurring charges specific to each facility. The Contractor shall request permission via local Point of Contact (POC) to enter the Government facility for the purpose of installing, inspecting, repairing of the services/equipment, upon termination of the service, or for the purpose of removing the Contractor’s services/equipment.

Requirements for access to VA facilities shall include the following:

1. Normal working hours at VA facilities are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm except for the Network Operations Center (NOC) which is open 24/7. Overtime or access after normal administrative hours shall be coordinated and approved with each site.

2. Contractor Technicians shall require escorts for in-building work where security requirements dictates; a maximum of four escorts will be provided at each VA location depending on staff availability. The intent is for escorts to be dedicated resources.

3. If work must be conducted after normal working hours, pre-notification must be given to VA Telecom Manager to coordinate VA escorts at a minimum of 48 hours in advance upon technician arrival.

5.4.1 INVENTORY OF LINES AND CIRCUITS

Upon completion of the installation/transition, the Contractor shall complete an inventory of all their circuits under this contract. The inventory shall include the physical location, fiber/cable pair assignments, local and long-haul circuit IDs, Network Interface (NI) location, and monthly recurring charges for each item in the inventory at each demarcation point for the location specified. The Contractor shall submit inventory data to the designated COR no later than 30 business days after the completion of the installation or 30 business days for paper only transitions.

The Contractor shall provide the up-to-date, accurate inventory of lines and circuits as part of the Contractor’s account management inventory reporting.

5.4.2 SERVICE TRANSITION

In the event that the Contractor is not already the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) service provider, the Contractor shall perform a site survey and coordinate with the VA facility Telecom Manager or designee. Upon contract award, the Contractor shall have 10 business days to develop and deliver to the VA COR a Transition and Installation Plan. This information includes a list of tasks identifying the installation and cutover approach. The Contractor shall not commence installation and cutover until the Contractor receives acceptance of the service installation and approved cutover plan from the VA COR. Deviations from the final Transition Plan shall be coordinated with the VA COR prior to any work being accomplished. The Contractor shall coordinate that all circuits and services provided by the ILEC, under the prior contract, are disconnected/discontinued upon successful cutover.

Deliverable:

A. Transition Plan (10 days after contract award.)

5.4.3 INSTALLATION PLAN (for New Services)

The Installation Plan shall contain the following site-specific information:

1. Description of any equipment to be installed and site support required.

2. Location of equipment to be installed including placement of equipment and floor plan.

3. Installation schedules.

5.5 SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT (SLA)

The Contractor shall agree that services they provide conform to Service Level Agreement (SLA) parameters as defined in the following subtasks. This SLA will apply from the Government Acceptance Date for the Service to the duration of the Service Term. Satellite, cellular, or other radio services shall not be an acceptable solution.

5.5.1 CONTRACTOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT

The Contractor shall use an Escalation Process to resolve customer service issues and provide a single point of contact for each issue or dispute. The Contractor shall provide the COR an Escalation Process 14 days After Receipt of Order (ARO) outlining the specific steps taken to resolve customer service issues. The process shall include a full escalation list that provides resolution if necessary, at the Contractor’s senior executive level.

The Contractor shall provide the COR a Customer Support Organization Chart containing employee names, email addresses, and direct phone numbers.

The Contractor shall provide technical help desk support. Technical help desk support is required 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days year. A toll-free number shall be designated as the primary help desk number for VA Telecom Staff to call to report a trouble ticket. The Trouble Ticket is the method used by the Government to advise the Help Desk of a perceived fault (This includes a service outage or a failure to meet an SLA). Each Trouble Ticket shall have reference number provided to the Government representative to use each time the Government representative calls in to the Help Desk for any fault update. The Trouble ticket will also be used or if appropriate, to inform the Contractor of restoration of the service.

Deliverable:

A. Customer Support Organization Chart (10 days after contract award.)

5.5.2 MEAN TIME TO REPAIR (MTTR)

MTTR is the average time for the Contractor to restore service during a service outage in a billing month. The SLA for MTTR shall be within 4 hours for outage and within 24 hours for services being affected. The Contractor shall provide technical support/resolution during established business hours to assist VA with issues pertaining to the LEC Services covered under this contract. MTTR time begins when the Contractor receives a support request from VA. The Contractor shall respond to VA’s support requests according to the following classifications of a fault. If the issue is not being completely resolved within 3 business days, the Contractor shall provide an explanation with plan and timeframe for resolving.

5.5.2.1 PRIORITY 1–SERVICE OUTAGE

A service outage is defined as an unscheduled period in which the service is interrupted and unavailable for use by the customer for 60 seconds or more unavailable time within a 15-minute time period. The Contractor shall acknowledge the trouble ticket within an hour of being reported or any business impacting function/service that is not available on the circuit due to service outages, total loss of service, or service that is degraded to the extent where the Government is unable to use it. Service outages also include the inability to receive or transmit data or access critical medical systems due to circuit impairment. The Contractor shall respond to all service outages within four hours of notification. Notifications shall be provided to the VA POC as identified by COR or trouble ticket, every business day via telephone until restored. Faults shall not return for seven days or it will be considered a continuation of the original service impact.

5.5.2.2 PRIORITY 2– SERVICE DEGRADED

Service Degraded means VA’s workflow is not seriously affected or limited as defined in Section 5.5.2.1. A service degraded fault shall not return for 30 days or it will be considered a continuation of the original fault. Contractor shall acknowledge the trouble ticket within an hour of being reported. The Contractor shall respond to all service outages within four hours. Notifications shall be provided to the local VA POC as identified by COR or trouble ticket, every business day via telephone until restored.

5.5.2.3 EXCLUSIONS

During scheduled maintenance of the LEC Service, the Contractor shall notify the VA prior three days of the maintenance window and describe in detail how long and to what level degraded service is to be expected. The Contractor shall obtain approval in advance from the VA facility POC before scheduled maintenance occurs. The provided service shall not be considered unavailable for any outage that results from any maintenance performed by the Contractor as defined by the following three exceptions:

1. VA is notified at least three days in advance of outage or service degradation;

2. During the installation period; and

3. Trouble beyond the demarcation point or Network Interface (NI) not caused by the Contractor.

5.5.3 EFFECTIVE DATE

The PUC Critical Dates utilized to establish the effective date are as follows:

1. Application Date (APP): The date the Government provides a contract and sufficient information to the Contractor for order placement. The APP Date is the date the contract service provider enters the order into their order distribution system(s), also sometimes referred to as the order date.

2. Design Layout Report Date (DLRD): The date the Design Layout Report contains the design for the service(s) ordered forwarded to the Government.

3. Plant Test Date (PTD): The date acceptance testing is performed with the the Government.

4. Service Date (DD): The date the service is due to be made available to the Government. Also, referred to as the Due Date.

The time between APP and DD should be less than 60 days in all cases. The Government shall be notified within 45 days after APP, if the DLRD cannot be provided or if the Contractor’s facilities cannot support the requirements. Also, the Contractor shall notify the Government prior to the 60th day the results of the PTD. Any exception to the effective date shall be identified by the contractor and shall also furnish a written plan with a new due date and anticipated additional cost to install. The Government COR may approve exceptions up to 60 days from the APP. If not approved by the COR or the exception is greater than 60 days, the requirement issue will be raised to the CO for additional action.

5.5.4 END TO END SERVICE AVAILABILITY

End-to-End Service Availability is defined as the total number of minutes in a billing month during which the service is available to transmit data between the originating & terminating Government Sites divided by the total number of minutes in a billing month. LEC Service Availability SLA shall be 99.9%. Service Availability is calculated in relation to Service Outage only. Measurement is based on the LEC’s Help Desk time documentation and does not include time covered by exclusions in the section 5.5.2.3.

The calculation of Service Outage time shall include periods of severe service degradation as defined in section 5.5.2.1 Calculation of Monthly Service Availability (%) = (1 - (Total minutes of Service Outage per month Days in month x 24 hours x 60 minutes)) X100.

5.6 MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION ACTIVITIES

The Contractor shall maintain service availability to the standards established in this PWS, ensure no loss of telecommunications services during all service requests, and provide maintenance activities to the Contractor’s network. For example, remediation of a major system failure by using redundant resources or other resources may be necessary to maintain performance standards. The Contractor shall conduct all activities necessary to ensure service technicians are able to access, provide, and maintain all service-provider-controlled circuits and equipment. If major system failure occurs outside the typical business hours, the VA reserves the right to directly contact Carrier of repair service providing the last mile to the location. The Contractor shall clean up all work areas after completing work in VA facilities, including removal and disposal of defective equipment. The Contractor shall notify the VA when any service requests, repairs, or maintenance is completed by telephone call or email to the VA local technical contact. The service request, repair, or maintenance is not considered complete until the VA Facility Telecommunications Manager confirms completion of service is acceptable.

5.6.1 DOWNTIME

The Contractor shall obtain approval of the COR and VA Facility Telecommunications Manager through the Contractor’s Account Management System (refer to Section 5.8 Account Management) before starting any work that will cause any downtime. Work needed to be performed outside of normal business hours, the Contractor shall notify the COR and VA Facility Telecommunications Manager within of three business days before the work is to commence, with the except emergencies or major failures.

5.6.2 ONSITE WORK

The Contractor shall clean up all work areas after completing work in VA facilities, to include the removal and disposal of defective equipment.

Requirement access to VA facilities shall include the following:

a. Normal business hours at VA facilities are 08:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the exception of the Network Operation Center and major Medical Centers, which require 24/7 coverage. Access after normal business hours shall be coordinated and approved with each site Telecom Manager, with at least 48 hours in advance to coordinate VA escorts.

b. All technicians are required to be escorted by VA staff at all times.

5.6.3 RESTORATION OF SERVICES AND RESPONSE TIME

The Contractor shall restore all losses of service within 4 hours.

The Contractor shall respond to major system failures within one hour of notification, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. If problems are not completely resolved within 3 business days, the Contractor shall provide an explanation with plan and timeframe for resolving the issue.

The Contractor shall respond to minor system failures within four hours of notification, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. The Contractor shall have a qualified technician call the service requestor within an hour of a service request.

When the Contractor requires on-site access, to respond to service or repair request for example, the Contractor shall provide a timeframe for arrival, not to exceed a two-hours. The Contractor must check in with the local OI&T office for access to telecommunications rooms.

A major system failure is any failure that affects the receipt of incoming calls or generation of outgoing calls, inability to receive, transmit data, or access critical medical systems due to circuit impairment for more than fifteen consecutive minutes. If a major system failure occurs outside normal business hours the VA reserves the right to directly contact repair service of the Carrier providing the last mile to the location.

A minor system failure is a failure or repair request that is not a major system failure.

5.6.4 INTRUSIVE TESTING

The Contractor shall receive approval from the COR and/or VA Facility Telecommunications Manager prior to commencement of intrusive testing. Intrusive testing must be conducted after normal business hours unless the circuit is already down and is required to restore services.

5.6.5 CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN (COOP)

The Contractor shall provide continuity of operations plan within 30 calendar days after award and update the plan as required to satisfy the needs of the Government.

This shall include:

1. Identification of hazards pertaining to services offered.

2. A Vulnerability Assessment to determine the effects of hazards.

3. Sufficient levels of information and physical security required to protect against identified threats.

Deliverable:

A. Continuity of Operations Plan (within 30 calendar days after award).

0. CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Contractor shall provide a toll-free number for customer service support staffed by a live customer service representative 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The customer service representative must be able to speak and write in English that is clearly understandable. Customer Service Support may be delivered by using an Interactive Voice Response System (IVR), however only if the initial voice menu allows the caller to immediately choose to speak with a live Customer Service Representative.

5.7.1 RESOLUTION OF ISSUES

The Contractor shall use an Escalation Process to resolve customer service issues and provide a single point of contact for each issue or dispute.

The Contractor shall provide the COR an Escalation Process 14 days after Receipt of Order (ARO) outlining the specific steps taken to resolve customer service issues. The process shall include a full Escalation List that provides resolution if necessary, to the Contractor’s Senior Executive Level.

Deliverable:

A. Escalation Process (within 14 days after Receipt of Order)

5.7.2 CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANIZATION CHART

The Contractor shall provide the COR with a Customer Support Organization Chart containing employee names, email addresses, and direct phone numbers. The Contractor shall submit the Customer Support Organization Chart within 14 days ARO.

Deliverable:

A. Customer Support Organization Chart (to be provided within 14 days ARO).

5.7.3 CUSTOMER SERVICE RECORDS

The Contractor shall provide Customer Service Records (CSRs) by the 45th day after successful transition. Each record shall include the Delivery Service Point, an itemized list of service types provided, and the existing price associated with each service. The Contractor shall provide VA access to all records by maintaining them in the Contractor’s Account Management System.

5.8 ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT (If Available)

The Contractor shall provide VA access to a secure Web-Based Portal Account Management System by the fifth day after contract award, if the portal is available. The system shall enable the VA to access only VA data using password protection. No other customer shall be able to access the VA’s data. The system shall provide VA users the ability to obtain current status of service outages, billing records, and current CSRs for VA accounts. The system shall allow VA to assign permission-based user access. The VA shall be able to extract all VA data from the Contractor’s account management system in an acceptable commercial electronic file format such as .csv, .dbf, .xls, and etc.

The system shall have the capability for the VA to generate reports to do current, complete, and accurate account reconciliation of billing for all individual Service Delivery Points (SPDs), for any monthly period inclusive of moves, adds, changes, and deletes (MACDs).

6.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

6.1 POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S) AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS The Contractor shall comply with all personnel security requirements included in this contract and local level organization security requirements described in each individual task order. All Contractor personnel who require access to VA computer systems shall be subject to background investigations and must receive a favorable background investigation from VA.

The position/task sensitivity risk designation (Low, Moderate, High) and level of background investigation (National organization Check with Written Inquiries (NACI), Moderate Background Investigation (MBI), and when applicable a background investigation (BI) for each task order. PWS shall be designated accordingly, as identified within the task order. 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”.

6.2 METHOD AND DISTRIBUTION OF DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall deliver documentation in electronic format, unless otherwise directed in Section B of the solicitation/contract. Acceptable electronic media includes Microsoft (MS) Word 2000/2003/2007/2010, MS Excel 2000/2003/2007/2010, MS PowerPoint 2000/2003/2007/2010, MS Project 2000/2003/2007/2010, MS Access 2000/2003/2007/2010, MS Visio 2000/2002/2003/2007/2010, AutoCAD 2002/2004/2007/2010, and Adobe Postscript Data Format (PDF).

6.3 PERFORMANCE METRICS

The table below defines the Performance Standards and Acceptable Performance Levels for Objectives associated with this effort.

The Government will utilize a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) throughout the life of the contract to ensure that the Contractor is performing the services required by this PWS in an acceptable manner. The Government reserves the right to alter or change the surveillance methods in the QASP at its own discretion. A Performance Based Service Assessment Survey will be used in combination with the QASP to assist the Government in determining acceptable performance levels.

6.4 FACILITY/RESOURCE PROVISIONS

The Contractor shall contact the COR for Government documentation needed and which is not available by other means.

The Contractor shall not transmit, store, or otherwise maintain sensitive data or products in Contractor systems (or media) within the VA firewall IAW VA Handbook 6500.6 dated March 12, 2010. All VA sensitive information shall be protected at all times in accordance with local security field office System Security Plans (SSP’s) and Authority to Operate (ATO)’s for all systems/LAN’s accessed while performing the tasks detailed in this PWS. For detailed Security and Privacy Requirements refer to ADDENDUM A and ADDENDUM B.

6.5 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION

Government site plans, circuit configurations, manuals, and drawings are applicable to this acquisition and will be provided to the Contractor at the task order level as required for performance.

7.0 ACRONYMS

The following is a list of acronyms that may be found in this document or in TOs issued by VA.

CIO – Chief Information Officer DVA – Department of Veterans Affairs EGB – Executive Governance Board ERR – Enterprise Requirements’ Repository FBO – Federal Business Opportunities FFP – Firm Fixed Price FY – Fiscal Year GFE – Government Furnished Equipment IDIQ – Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity IM – Information Management ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network IT – Information Technology LEC – Local Exchange Carrier LOA – Letter of Authorization LPTA – Lowest Price Technically Acceptable MRC – Monthly Recurring Charges NANP – North American Numbering Plan OEC – Office of Enterprise Communications OI&T – Office of Information Technology POP – Period of Performance PIC – Primary Interexchange Carrier PRI – Primary Rate Interface PUC Public Utilities Commission PWS – Performance Work Statement QOS – Quality of Service RFI – Request for Information RFQ – Request for Quotes SDP – Service Delivery Point SLA – Service Level Agreement TO – Task Order TBO – Telecommunications Business Office TCO – Total Cost of Ownership TEM – Telecommunications Expense Management TSP – Telecommunications Service Priority TTU – Test and Turn Up VA – Veterans Affairs VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol V2E – Visibility to Everything

ADDENDUM A

A1.0 Cyber and Information Security Requirements for VA IT Services The Contractor shall ensure adequate LAN/Internet, data, information, and system security in accordance with VA standard operating procedures and standard PWS language, conditions, laws, and regulations. The Contractor’s firewall and web server shall meet or exceed VA minimum requirements for security. All VA data shall be protected behind an approved firewall. All security violations or attempted violations shall be reported to the VA Program Manager and VA Information Security Officer as soon as possible. The Contractor shall follow all applicable VA policies and procedures governing information security, especially those that pertain to certification and accreditation.

Contractor supplied equipment, PCs of all types, equipment with hard drives, or other technology items for contract services must meet all security requirements that apply to Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and Government Owned Equipment (GOE). Security Requirements include a) VA Approved Encryption Software must be installed on all laptops or mobile devices before placed into operation, b) Bluetooth equipped devices are prohibited within VA; Bluetooth must be permanently disabled or removed from the device, c) VA approved anti-virus and firewall software, d) Equipment must meet all VA sanitization requirements and procedures before disposal. The COR, CO, the Project Manager, and the Information Security Officer (ISO) must be notified and verify all security requirements have been adhered to.

Each documented initiative under this contract incorporates the VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security,” March 12, 2010 by reference as though fully set forth therein. The VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security” shall also be included in every related agreement, contract, or order. The VA Handbook 6500.6, Appendix C, is included in this document as Addendum B.

Training requirements: The Contractor shall complete all mandatory training courses on the current VA training site, the VA Talent Management System (TMS), and will be tracked therein. The TMS may be accessed at https://www.tms.va.gov. If you do not have a TMS profile, go to https://www.tms.va.gov and click on the “Create New User” link on the TMS to gain access.

Contractor employees shall complete a VA Systems Access Agreement if they are provided access privileges as an authorized user of the computer system of VA.

A2.0 VA Enterprise Architecture Compliance The applications, supplies, and services furnished under this contract must comply with One-VA Enterprise Architecture (EA), available at http://www.ea.oit.va.gov/index.asp in force at the time of issuance of this contract, including the Program Management Plan and VA's rules, standards, and guidelines in the Technical Reference Model/Standards Profile (TRMSP). The VA reserves the right to assess contract deliverables for EA compliance prior to acceptance.

A2.1. VA Internet and Intranet Standards:

The Contractor shall adhere to and comply with VA Directive 6102 and VA Handbook 6102, Internet/Intranet Services, including applicable amendments and changes, if the Contractor’s work includes managing, maintaining, establishing, and presenting information on VA’s Internet/Intranet Service Sites. This pertains but is not limited to creating announcements; collecting information; databases to be accessed, graphics and links to external sites.

Internet/Intranet Services Directive 6102 is posted at (copy and paste the following URL to browser): http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=409&FType=2

Internet/Intranet Services Handbook 6102 is posted at (copy and paste following URL to browser): http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=410&FType=2

A3.0 Notice of the Federal Accessibility Law Affecting All Electronic and Information Technology Procurements (Section 508) On August 7, 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended to require that when Federal departments or agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use Electronic and Information Technology, that they shall ensure it allows Federal employees with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of information and data by other Federal employees. Section 508 required the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) to publish standards setting forth a definition of electronic and information technology and the technical and functional criteria for such technology to comply with Section 508. These standards have been developed and published with an effective date of December 21, 2000. Federal departments and agencies shall develop all Electronic and Information Technology requirements to comply with the standards found in 36 CFR 1194.

Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Standards:

The Section 508 standards established by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) are incorporated into, and made part of all VA orders, solicitations and purchase orders developed to procure Electronic and Information Technology (EIT). These standards are found in their entirety at: http://www.section508.gov and http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm. A printed copy of the standards will be supplied upon request. The Contractor shall comply with the technical standards as marked:

_x_§ 1194.21 Software applications and operating systems _x_§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications _x_§ 1194.23 Telecommunications products _x_§ 1194.24 Video and multimedia products _x_§ 1194.25 Self-contained, closed products _x_§ 1194.26 Desktop and portable computers _x_§ 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria _x_§ 1194.41 Information, Documentation, and Support

The standards do not require the installation of specific accessibility-related software or the attachment of an assistive technology device, but merely require that the EIT be compatible with such software and devices so that it can be made accessible if so, required by the agency in the future.

A4.0 Physical Security & Safety Requirements:

The Contractor and their personnel shall follow all VA policies, standard operating procedures, applicable laws, and regulations while on VA property. Violations of VA regulations and policies may result in citation and disciplinary measures for persons violating the law.

1. The Contractor and their personnel shall wear visible identification at all times while they are on the premises.

2. The VA does not provide parking spaces at the work site; the Contractor must obtain parking at the work site if needed. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. The VA will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor.

3. Smoking is prohibited inside/outside any building other than the designated smoking areas.

4. Possession of weapons is prohibited.

5. The Contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work, with the exception of software licenses that need to be procured from a Contractor or vendor in accordance with the requirements document. The Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract.

A5.0 Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure The Contractor shall follow all VA rules and regulations regarding information security to prevent disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or organizations.

The Contractor may have access to Protected Health Information (PHI) and Electronic Protected Health Information (EPHI) that is subject to protection under the regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, as mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA); 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and E, the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”); and 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and C, the Security Standard (“Security Rule”). Pursuant to the Privacy and Security Rules, the Contractor must agree in writing to certain mandatory provisions regarding the use and disclosure of PHI and EPHI.

1. The Contractor shall have access to some privileged and confidential materials of VA. These printed and electronic documents are for internal use only, are not to be copied or released without permission, and remain the sole property of VA. Some of these materials are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 (revised by PL 93-5791) and Title 38. Unauthorized disclosure of Privacy Act or Title 38 covered materials is a criminal offense.

2. The VA Contracting Officer will be the sole authorized official to release in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. The Contractor shall release no information. Any request for information relating to this contract presented to the Contractor shall be submitted to the VA Contracting Officer for response.

3. Contractor personnel recognize that in the performance of this effort, Contractor personnel may receive or have access to sensitive information, including information provided on a proprietary basis by carriers, equipment manufacturers and other private or public entities. Contractor personnel agree to safeguard such information and use the information exclusively in the performance of this contract. Contractor shall follow all VA rules and regulations regarding information security to prevent disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or organizations as enumerated in this section and elsewhere in this Contract and its subparts and appendices.

4. Contractor shall limit access to the minimum number of personnel necessary for contract performance for all information considered sensitive or proprietary in nature. If the Contractor is uncertain of the sensitivity of any information obtained during the performance this contract, the Contractor has a responsibility to ask the VA Contracting Officer.

5. Contractor shall train all of their employees involved in the performance of this contract on their roles and responsibilities for proper handling and nondisclosure of sensitive VA or proprietary information. Contractor personnel shall not engage in any other action, venture or employment wherein sensitive information shall be used for the profit of any party other than those furnishing the information. The sensitive information transferred, generated, transmitted, or stored herein is for VA benefit and ownership alone.

6. Contractor shall maintain physical security at all facilities housing the activities performed under this contract, including any Contractor facilities according to VA-approved guidelines and directives. The Contractor shall ensure that security procedures are defined and enforced to ensure all personnel who are provided access to patient data must comply with published procedures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of such information as required by VA.

7. Contractor must adhere to the following:

1. The use of “thumb drives” or any other medium for transport of information is expressly prohibited.

1. Controlled access to system and security software and documentation.

1. Recording, monitoring, and control of passwords and privileges.

1. All terminated personnel are denied physical and electronic access to all data, program listings, data processing equipment and systems.

1. VA, as well as any Contractor (or Subcontractor) systems used to support development, provide the capability to cancel immediately all access privileges and authorizations upon employee termination.

1. Contractor PM and VA PM are informed within twenty-four (24) hours of any employee termination.

1. Acquisition sensitive information shall be marked "Acquisition Sensitive" and shall be handled as "For Official Use Only (FOUO)".

1. Contractor does not require access to classified data.

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8. Regulatory standard of conduct governs all personnel directly and indirectly involved in procurements.