36C10B21Q0052.docx

DRAFT PWS Integrated VA Training Support

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AF22

RFI - Integrated Training Support 07724 36C10B21Q0052 12-14-2020

10AM

EASTERN TIME, NEW YORK, USA

N 611430 Department of Veterans Affairs Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way Eatontown NJ 07724 Amy Schmalzigan Amy.Schmalzigan@va.gov

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Human Capital Service, Integrated VA Training Support Request for Information (RFI)

1. Introduction This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation nor does it restrict the government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

The purpose of this RFI is to identify qualified vendors, who are able to meet Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requirements for Financial Management Support Services. Any contract/order that might be awarded based on information received or derived from this market research will be the outcome of the competitive process. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain market information on capable sources of supply, industry best practices, and input specific to the information provided. The Government is not responsible for any cost incurred by industry in furnishing this information. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested vendor's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future Request for Proposal (RFP), if any is issued. Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary. All submissions will become Government property and will not be returned. Interested vendors are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contained in their response.

1. RFI Response Instructions

NOTE: The capability package must be clear, concise, and complete. VA is under no obligation to provide feedback to the company, or to contact the company for clarification of any information submitted in response to this RFI.

Provide the following information:

1. Provide Company Information:

1. Company Name

1. CAGE/DUNS Number under which the company is registered in SAM/VetBiz.gov

1. Company Address

1. Point of contact name

1. Telephone number

1. Email address

1. For small business concerns, indicate whether at least 50 percent of the total amount paid by the Government will be paid to firms that are similarly situated.

1. Brief summary describing your company’s technical approach to meeting the requirements, to include;

1. List any existing contracting vehicles you have with the VA that you would recommend for this requirement.

1. Does the draft outline provide sufficient detail to describe the technical and functional requirements that encompass the requirement? If “NO”, please provide your technical and functional comments/recommendations/questions on elements of the draft outline that may contribute to a more accurate proposal submission and efficient, cost effective effort.

1. Is a Time and Material contract suitable for these requirements, or would you recommend another contract type?

1. Describe in detail any experience with transitioning, staffing and supporting an enterprise effort for department-wide leadership and employee development policies and programs of this size and scope with the variety of management, administrative, and information technology skill sets required to fully support the complex requirements of this PWS. Include a description of your ability to:

· Provide staff with experience in VA domains to support multiple, concurrent deployments in dispersed geographic locations at any of the numerous VA sites across the United States on a timely basis.

· Rotate support as required to meet the requirements of a dynamic implementation schedule including ability to adapt to sudden changes in team sizes with ranges up to 50% increase and decrease with minimum notice.

· Support multiple virtual meetings on short notice across multiple HCSC efforts with personnel located around the country.

· Fully staff the requirements of this high visibility, fast moving project upon contract award.

1. Describe your company’s capability in providing knowledgeable technical experts in human system integration, including applying human systems integration elements to aid in planning, organizing, training, materials, leadership, and education encompassing; personnel, facilities, and policy design; capability delivery; and organizational and operational transformation.

1. Describe your company’s experience with developing strategy, executing action plans, rapidly pivot to support new initiatives as requirements change, Agile prototyping, including; Program Management, Reporting and Analysis, Planning, Leadership Assessment, Webinar, Cohort & Competency Model Support, as well as rapidly standing up a track system, for department-wide mentoring and coaching.

1. Describe your company’s technical approach for developing and managing a Coaching Certification program including:

· access to accredited coaches

· an industry-standard program design

· tracking and measuring progress

· communication and marketing

1. If your company is a Small Business, also include the following:

· The intent and ability to meet set-aside requirements for performance of this effort.

· Information as to available personnel and financial resources to support a requirement of this magnitude.

· Information as to proposed team members, the percentage of work each is to perform and which PWS requirements would be subcontracted.

Responses to this RFI shall be submitted electronically by 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, December 14, 2020 via email the Technology Acquisition Center (TAC) point of contact Contract Specialist, Amy Schmalzigan, Amy.Schmalzigan@va.gov.

WARNING: Please do not wait until the last minute to submit your responses! To avoid submission of late responses, we recommend the transmission of your response file 24 hours prior to the required response due date and time. Please be advised that timeliness is determined by the date and time an Offeror’s response is received by the Government not when an Offeror attempted transmission. Offerors are encouraged to review and ensure that sufficient bandwidth is available on their end of the transmission.

All responsible sources may submit a response in accordance with the following:

All proprietary/company confidential material shall be clearly marked on every page that contains such.

Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) must indicate whether at least 50% of the cost incurred would be expended for prime employees or employees of other eligible SDVOSB/VOSB firms. This should also include the prime planned percentage and if under 50%, the names of the potential team members that may be used to fulfill the 50% SDVOSB/VOSB requirement.

No more than 10 pages (excluding transmittal page) VA will not be able to grant any extensions to this RFI.

1.0 BACKGROUND

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 2018 – 2024 Strategic Plan places transformation at the heart of its efforts to invoke lasting change in how VA serves Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. The goal is to transform VA into a high-performing organization with streamlined operations and empowered employees who deliver superior customer service, enabling Veterans to more easily access the high-quality care and benefits they have earned.

Human-Systems Integration (HSI) – VA requires insight into Human-Systems Integration (HSI) factors to provide information for decision-making; execution of studies, analyses; and organizational transformation and improvement in support of the agency. The goal is to ensure that design of future-state roles and responsibilities, processes, systems, and governance optimizes performance and affordability.

HSI is the relationship between humans and their environment and how systems are designed and used relative to that relationship. HSI includes humans in their different roles in the system. Systems include people, processes, policies, structures, hardware, software, architectures, interfaces, ecosystems, and strategy. Integration is concerned with the integration of these elements to optimize the performance of the whole. HSI integration analysis includes the integrated and comprehensive analysis, design, and assessment of requirements, plus concepts and resources, for:

· Human Factors Engineering

· Manpower

· Personnel

· Organization

· Training

· Safety and Occupational Health

· Survivability

· Habitability HSI Design Techniques – Future-state designs should enable mission/program success by being easier to train, operate, and maintain. Systems and processes should also be safe and efficient, cost-effective, and less likely to require redesign. Inputs from the HSI domains should be used to determine and address performance impacts to all aspects of the system (hardware, software, and human). The following related techniques may be employed to achieve designs that optimize cost, schedule, performance and risk:

· Human-Centered Design (HCD) is an approach to interactive systems development that aims to make systems usable and useful by focusing on the users, their needs and requirements, and by applying human factors/ergonomics, usability knowledge, and techniques. This approach enhances effectiveness and efficiency, improves human well-being, user satisfaction, accessibility and sustainability; and counteracts possible adverse effects of use on human health, safety and performance. ISO 9241-210:2010(E)

· Designing for User Experience (Ux) modifies HCD’s approach to create products, systems or services that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users. This involves the design of the entire process of acquiring and integrating the product, including aspects of branding, design, usability, and function. It also includes the meaningful and valuable aspects of human-computer interaction and product ownership. The goal is to design products that are intuitive, easy, and enjoyable to use, and solve the problem(s) they are designed to solve in the most user-friendly manner possible. UX is measured with metrics that revolve around functionality and usability.

· Customer Experience (Cx) design, on the other hand, is a much larger concept. Cx is concerned with the experience that a user/customer has whenever they interact with a brand. The MyVA strategy, for example, is a Cx “initiative to give every Veteran an exceptional experience that’s easy, consistent, and memorable.” Where Ux accounts for the “use product” stage in a customer lifecycle, Cx includes that stage in a complete design of the customer lifecycle, bringing a focus on the customer to every touch point a company or agency has with its customers—from learning about the organization to ending the relationship.

2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

In the performance of the tasks associated with this Performance Work Statement, the Contractor shall comply with the following:

1. 44 U.S.C. § 3541-3549, “Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002”

2. “Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014”

3. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication 140-2, “Security Requirements For Cryptographic Modules”

4. FIPS Pub 199. Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, February 2004

5. FIPS Pub 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems, March 2016

6. FIPS Pub 201-2, “Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors,” August 2013

7. 10 U.S.C. § 2224, "Defense Information Assurance Program"

8. Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute, Capability Maturity Model® Integration for Development (CMMI-DEV), Version 1.3 November 2010; and Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute, Capability Maturity Model® Integration for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ), Version 1.3 November 2010

9. 5 U.S.C. § 552a, as amended, “The Privacy Act of 1974”

10. Public Law 109-461, Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, Title IX, Information Security Matters

11. 42 U.S.C. § 2000d “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”

12. VA Directive 0710, “Personnel Security and Suitability Program,” June 4, 2010, http://www.va.gov/vapubs/

13. VA Handbook 0710, Personnel Security and Suitability Security Program, May 2, 2016, http://www.va.gov/vapubs

14. VA Directive and Handbook 6102, “Internet/Intranet Services,” July 15, 2008

15. 36 C.F.R. Part 1194 “Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards,” July 1, 2003

16. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “Managing Federal Information as a Strategic Resource,” July 28, 2016

17. 32 C.F.R. Part 199, “Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)”

18. An Introductory Resource Guide for Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule, October 2008

19. Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), August 7, 1998

20. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (12) (HSPD-12), August 27, 2004

21. VA Directive 6500, “Managing Information Security Risk: VA Information Security Program,” September 20, 2012

22. VA Handbook 6500, “Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems – Tier 3: VA Information Security Program,” March 10, 2015

23. VA Handbook 6500.1, “Electronic Media Sanitization,” November 03, 2008

24. VA Handbook 6500.2, “Management of Breaches Involving Sensitive Personal Information (SPI)”, July 28, 2016

25. VA Handbook 6500.3, “Assessment, Authorization, And Continuous Monitoring Of VA Information Systems,” February 3, 2014

26. VA Handbook 6500.5, “Incorporating Security and Privacy in System Development Lifecycle”, March 22, 2010

27. VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security,” March 12, 2010

28. VA Handbook 6500.8, “Information System Contingency Planning”, April 6, 2011

29. OI&T Process Asset Library (PAL), https://www.va.gov/process/ . Reference Process Maps at https://www.va.gov/process/maps.asp and Artifact templates at https://www.va.gov/process/artifacts.asp

30. One-VA Technical Reference Model (TRM) (reference at https://www.va.gov/trm/TRMHomePage.aspx)

31. VA Directive 6508, “Implementation of Privacy Threshold Analysis and Privacy Impact Assessment,” October 15, 2014

32. VA Handbook 6508.1, “Procedures for Privacy Threshold Analysis and Privacy Impact Assessment,” July 30, 2015

33. VA Handbook 6510, “VA Identity and Access Management”, January 15, 2016

34. VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management, February 26, 2009

35. VA Handbook, 6300.1, Records Management Procedures, March 24, 2010

36. NIST SP 800-37, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Federal Information Systems: a Security Life Cycle Approach, June 10, 2014

37. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 4, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations, January 22, 2015

38. OMB Memorandum, “Transition to IPv6”, September 28, 2010

39. VA Directive 0735, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program, October 26, 2015

40. VA Handbook 0735, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program, March 24, 2014

41. OMB Memorandum M-06-18, Acquisition of Products and Services for Implementation of HSPD-12, June 30, 2006

42. OMB Memorandum 04-04, E-Authentication Guidance for Federal Agencies, December 16, 2003

43. OMB Memorandum 05-24, Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 – Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors, August 5, 2005

44. OMB memorandum M-11-11, “Continued Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 – Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors, February 3, 2011

45. OMB Memorandum, Guidance for Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 Implementation, May 23, 2008

46. Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM) Roadmap and Implementation Guidance, December 2, 2011

47. NIST SP 800-116, A Recommendation for the Use of Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credentials in Physical Access Control Systems, November 20, 2008

48. OMB Memorandum M-07-16, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information, May 22, 2007

49. NIST SP 800-63-3, 800-63A, 800-63B, 800-63C, Digital Identity Guidelines, June 2017

50. NIST SP 800-157, Guidelines for Derived PIV Credentials, December 2014

51. NIST SP 800-164, Guidelines on Hardware-Rooted Security in Mobile Devices (Draft), October 2012

52. Draft National Institute of Standards and Technology Interagency Report (NISTIR) 7981 Mobile, PIV, and Authentication, March 2014

53. VA Memorandum, VAIQ #7100147, Continued Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), April 29, 2011 (reference https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514)

54. IAM Identity Management Business Requirements Guidance document, May 2013, (reference Enterprise Architecture Section, PIV/IAM (reference https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514)

55. VA Memorandum “Mandate to meet PIV Requirements for New and Existing Systems” (VAIQ# 7712300), June 30, 2015, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4846

56. Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Reference Architecture Document, Version 2.0, Federal Interagency Technical Reference Architectures, Department of Homeland Security, October 1, 2013, https://s3.amazonaws.com/sitesusa/wp-content/uploads/sites/482/2015/04/TIC_Ref_Arch_v2-0_2013.pdf

57. OMB Memorandum M-08-05, “Implementation of Trusted Internet Connections (TIC), November 20, 2007

58. OMB Memorandum M-08-23, Securing the Federal Government’s Domain Name System Infrastructure, August 22, 2008

59. VA Memorandum, VAIQ #7497987, Compliance – Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) – IT Electronic Equipment, August 11, 2014 (reference Document Libraries, EPEAT/Green Purchasing Section, https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=552)

60. Sections 524 and 525 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, (Public Law 110–140), December 19, 2007

61. Section 104 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, (Public Law 109–58), August 8, 2005

62. Executive Order 13693, “Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade”, dated March 19, 2015

63. Executive Order 13221, “Energy-Efficient Standby Power Devices,” August 2, 2001

64. VA Directive 0058, “VA Green Purchasing Program”, July 19, 2013

65. VA Handbook 0058, “VA Green Purchasing Program”, July 19, 2013

66. Office of Information Security (OIS) VAIQ #7424808 Memorandum, “Remote Access”, January 15, 2014, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

67. Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, 40 U.S.C. §11101 and §11103

68. VA Memorandum, “Implementation of Federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credentials for Federal and Contractor Access to VA IT Systems”, (VAIQ# 7614373) July 9, 2015, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

69. VA Memorandum “Mandatory Use of PIV Multifactor Authentication to VA Information System” (VAIQ# 7613595), June 30, 2015, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

70. VA Memorandum “Mandatory Use of PIV Multifactor Authentication for Users with Elevated Privileges” (VAIQ# 7613597), June 30, 2015; https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

71. “Veteran Focused Integration Process (VIP) Guide 2.0”, May 2017, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371

72. “VIP Release Process Guide”, Version 1.4, May 2016, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4411

73. “POLARIS User Guide”, Version 1.2, February 2016, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4412

74. VA Memorandum “Use of Personal Email (VAIQ #7581492)”, April 24, 2015, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

75. VA Memorandum “Updated VA Information Security Rules of Behavior (VAIQ #7823189)”, September, 15, 2017, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall provide training-related services, solutions, and products in support of the VA Chief Learning Officer (CLO). The Contractor will leverage the Human Performance Assessment (HPA) approach developed under SBIR N092-150 (Phases I and II) to provide HSI information to aid in planning; organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities and policy design; capability delivery; and organizational and operational transformation. The HPA approach, shown in Figure 2 below, enables assessment of relevant HSI elements. HSI assessment outputs will help equip and empower the VA workforce through:

Figure

– Human-Centered Design, Planning, and Transformation The framework guides analysts through a disciplined process consisting of qualitative, quantitative, and, where appropriate, technical analyses of human elements. Outputs include gaps and impacts. Gaps and impact information may in-turn be used as inputs to analyses of alternatives, prioritization of courses of action, and decision-making. Information derived through use of the HPAF supports this task order’s critical activities:

· Strategic analysis and planning

· Modeling, simulation, and analysis

· Alignment of key organizational variables (e.g. strategy, leadership, culture, core processes, structure, and systems)

· Design, development, delivery, and monitoring of training

· Webinar, cohort, and competency model support

· Online courseware management

· Development of leadership, coaching and mentoring programs

· Operation within newly transformed environments while continuously seeking opportunities for improvement

4.0 PERFORMANCE DETAILS

4.1 PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The Period of Performance (PoP) shall be one 12-month base period with four (4) 12-month option periods. All base tasks shall be performed in the base and option periods, if exercised. The optional tasks shall be performed in accordance with Section B, Schedule of Deliverables.

Any work at the Government site shall not take place on Federal holidays or weekends unless directed by the Contracting Officer (CO). The CO may designate the Contractor to work during holidays and weekends.

There are ten (10) Federal holidays set by law (USC Title 5 Section 6103) that VA follows:

Under current definitions, four are set by date:

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:

4.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Tasks under this PWS shall be performed at both Government and Contractor facilities and work may be performed at remote locations with prior approval of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

4.3 TRAVEL

The Government anticipates travel necessary to perform the tasks associated with this effort, as well as to attend program-related meetings or conferences throughout the PoP.

Travel is on a Time and Materials basis and shall be in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) and requires advance concurrence by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

The Contractor shall provide cost estimates with each travel request to the COR. Each Contractor invoice must include copies of all requested, applicable, and required receipts (FTR §301-11.25: required for lodging, regardless of amount, and a receipt for every authorized expense over $75) that support the travel costs claimed in the invoice. Contractor travel within the local commuting area of 50-miles will not be reimbursed. Travel performed for personal convenience and daily travel to and from work at the Contractor’s facility will not be reimbursed.

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall perform the following:

5.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

5.1.1 CONTRACTOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Contractor shall deliver a Contractor Project Management Plan (CPMP) that lays out the Contractor’s approach, timeline and tools to be used in execution of the contract. The CPMP should take the form of both a narrative and graphic format that displays the schedule, milestones, risks and resource support. The CPMP shall also include how the Contractor shall coordinate and execute planned, routine, and ad hoc data collection reporting requests as identified within the PWS. The initial baseline CPMP shall be concurred upon and updated in accordance with Section B of the contract. The Contractor shall update and maintain the VA PM approved CPMP throughout the PoP.

Deliverable:

A. Contractor Project Management Plan

5.1.2 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide the COR with Weekly Progress Reports in electronic form in Microsoft Word and Project formats. The report shall include detailed instructions/explanations for each required data element, to ensure that data is accurate and consistent. These reports shall reflect data as of the last day of the preceding week.

The Weekly Progress Reports shall cover all work completed during the reporting period and work planned for the subsequent reporting period. The report shall also identify any problems that arose and a description of how the problems were resolved. If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation including their plan and timeframe for resolving the issue. The report shall also include an itemized list of all Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) deliverables and their current Section 508 conformance status. The Contractor shall monitor performance against the CPMP and report any deviations. It is expected that the Contractor will keep in communication with VA accordingly so that issues that arise are transparent to both parties to prevent escalation of outstanding issues.

Deliverable:

A. Weekly Progress Report

5.1.3 KICK-OFF MEETING

Within one (1) business day of the task order award, the Contractor shall contact the COR to request a kick-off meeting. The kick-off meeting will be held at the Government site no later than ten (10) business days from the date of issuance of the award. At the meeting, the Contractor shall present a staffing and quality plan, overall PMP, and high-level schedule, at the task order level. Two (2) days prior to the Kick-off Meeting, the Contractor shall submit to the government an agenda of the meeting for COR approval. The Contractor shall provide the meeting minutes two (2) days after the Kick-off Meeting. The Contractor’s Project Manager (Contractor PM), the key personnel, and core team shall attend the meeting. The Kickoff meeting shall encompass the following:

· A high-level management approach that addresses the scope, resources, project assumptions, constraints, task objectives, key milestones, Contractor’s project organization and Contract administration, delivery schedule, and deliverables

· A high-level work plan for all activities that addresses on and off-site personnel support expected by month

· Contractor’s high-level approach, schedule, and methodology to implementing planned software upgrades during the task order period of performance

· Contractor’s high-level approach and methodology to any new development and implementation efforts

· Contractor’s high-level approach and methodology to address risks, security, staffing/ resource issues including any sub-contractors

· Contractor’s high-level approach and methodology to identify and address changes to include application/software, hosting, upgrades and database communications, and Configuration Management issues

· Identification of Key Personnel, Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed (RACI), and discuss Staffing/Resource Planning at the Technical Kickoff Meeting The Contractor shall also deliver at the kick-off meeting a Staffing/Resource Plan to the Government for approval. The Staffing Plan shall address all aspects of onboarding personnel required to access VA information or networks. The Contractor shall identify any known technology resource requirements and provide the materials that are needed to support the task order. The Contractor shall identify, secure, and utilize the minimum levels of staff, with optimal skill sets, that are required to support Momentum and as more specifically set forth in PWS section “Key Personnel”. The Staffing/Resource Plan shall include an analysis of current and projected resource needs to meet the system requirements for performance, product quality, and security.

DELIVERABLES:

A. Agenda B. Kickoff Meeting Minutes C. Hight-level operating plan and approach D. Staffing/Resource Plan

5.1.4 TALENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS REQUIRED TRAINING

The Contractor shall submit status of VA Talent Management System (TMS) training for all individuals engaged on the task. The status reporting shall identify; a single Contractor Security Point of Contract, the names of all personnel engaged on the task, their initial training date for required training, and their next required training date. This information shall be submitted as part of the Weekly/ Progress Status Report.

The Contractor shall submit TMS training certificates of completion to the COR for all required security sources as outlined by TMS office.

Deliverables:

A. TMS Training Certificates

5.1.5 KEY PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall provide the following key personnel:

· Program Manager

· Learning Management SME

· Learning Analytics Lead

· Human Performance Assessment SME The Contractor Program Manager shall be responsible for managing the overall performance, quality, schedule, and cost for the contract. Among other responsibilities, the Program Manager shall support VA Chief Learning Officer (CLO) in leveraging the Human Performance Assessment (HPA) approach and aid the government in the planning; organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities and policy design; capability delivery; and organizational and operational transformation. The Program Manager shall have successful experience in implementing a large complex training and HCD transformations in cabinet level Federal Agencies. The Program Manager shall have extensive experience with agile and traditional project management methodologies.

The Contractor shall provide resumes for any individual(s) whom the Contractor proposes to fill the Key Personnel positions identified above. Submitted resumes are to be redacted to prevent disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII). Examples of PII include but are not limited to: names, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and birthdays/dates. For those individuals proposed as Key Personnel who are not current employees of your company, a signed a letter of intent will be required. The Key Personnel positions and redacted resumes of individuals who shall fill the key personnel positions shall be included as an attachment to any resulting contract in Section D upon award.

During the first ninety (90) days of performance, the Contractor shall not replace or substitute Key Personnel who Contractor proposed pre-award unless the replacement is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer within fifteen (15) calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution and shall demonstrate that the proposed replacement personnel are of at least substantially equal ability and qualifications as the individual originally proposed for that position.

After the initial ninety (90) days, any personnel the Contractor offers as substitutes for the above identified key personnel positions shall have the ability and qualifications equal to or better than the key personnel which are being replaced and shall meet or exceed the qualifications designated for that Key Personnel position. If any change to a key personnel position becomes necessary, the Contractor shall immediately notify the VA PM and COR in writing, but whenever possible Contractor shall notify the VA PM of substitutions in personnel in writing thirty (30) calendar days prior to making any change in key personnel, and provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution and shall demonstrate that the proposed replacement personnel are of at least substantially equal ability and qualifications as the individual originally proposed for that position and that the proposed replacement meets or exceeds the qualifications designated for that Key Personnel position.

The Contractor agrees that it has a contractual obligation to mitigate the consequences of the loss of Key Personnel and shall promptly secure any necessary replacements in accordance with (IAW) this PWS section. Failure to replace a Key Personnel pursuant to this clause and without a break in performance of the key personnel at issue shall be considered a condition endangering contract performance and may provide grounds for default termination.

5.1.6 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

The Contractor shall deliver a Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan to the Government for approval and implement a QA/QC program which establishes, implements, and maintains QA/QC as it relates to technical quality for deliverables, work products, and services performed under this task order.

The QA/QC Plan shall document the Contractor’s QA/QC process, which will meet and comply with quality standards established in this PWS and are compliant with ISO 9001/IEC 90003 and include a monitoring and controls process.

The QA/QC Program shall address all requirements within the PWS and incorporate all processes required to develop, document, monitor, review, analyze, and conduct the Contractor's execution of the PWS It shall ensure that all developed application software and associated materials meet accepted industry standards, best practices for quality, and Federal Financial Management System requirements as detailed in OMB Circular A-127, Financial Management Systems. It shall ensure adherence to the performance measures specified in the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) defined in the task order a Quality Assurance and Surveillance Plan (QASP) specified in paragraph 6.4. The Government will use this QASP to measure Contractor performance against the metrics defined in this PWS.

Consistent with QA/QC plan, the QA/QC program shall include management and technical reviews and audits to validate the quality of the work performed by the Contractor's personnel and of the work performed by its sub-contractors. Management and technical reviews and audits will be performed by personnel/sub-contractors not directly responsible for the work performed.

The Contractor shall maintain records documenting all corrective actions and process improvements undertaken during contract performance. The records shall validate the Contractor's compliance with the processes contained in the QA/QC plan. The Contractor shall make the records available to the Government during contract performance.

The Government has the right to perform periodic surveillance of the Contractor to assure that the Contractor's work products and QA processes are in compliance with the contract requirements, including performing root cause analysis on specific problems and/or issues.

DELIVERABLE

A. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan

5.2 VA CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER (CLO) SUPPORT

The VA CLO is a critical enabler of VA’s transformation initiatives, with responsibility for development and implementation of department-wide leadership and employee development policies and programs. The CLO works in partnership with other key agency stakeholders, as well as other senior and line managers, to ensure learning opportunities are innovative and relevant to mission needs, enhance performance, and provide a positive return on agency investment. The CLO also

· Monitors, extends, and improves existing workforce, training and educational programs

· Develops, captures, and assesses learning-related metrics

· Plans and coordinates requirements to implement successful workforce and career development within VA

· Establishes mentoring and coaching initiatives

· Designs and deploys new and innovative programs

· Manages the strategic human resource leadership development and career management program for all occupational series including organizational development, career management, employee development, and training

· Promotes evolution of a people culture

5.2.1 Reporting, Analysis, and Planning Services

Reporting & Analysis – The contractor shall provide reporting and analytics services to assess skills attainment, workforce application, program progress, and learning content usage, completion, and effectiveness. Analysis services are required to perform simple to complex analyses on the learning data pertaining to VA’s Talent Management System as well as that of external courseware providers.

The Contractor shall continuously assess existing and potential learning-related metrics to optimize information provided for collaboration, performance management, problem identification, and reporting. The assessment may consider a broad scope of measures for inclusion such as those detailed in the Kirkpatrick Model (i.e. Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results).

Planning – The VA CLO seeks to align strategy, structure, systems, staff, skills, and shared values to enable VA-wide transformation through training. The Contractor shall develop a holistic roadmap to guide execution of the following tasks in alignment with the CLO strategy:

· Reporting and Analysis

· Webinar, Cohort & Competency Model Support

· Leadership Assessment Plan and Support

· Mentor Management System

· Online Micro Learning Resources

· Coaching Program Support Services and Coaching Certification Program

· TMS Support Service Figure 3 - Holistic Transformation Roadmap Approach )As shown in Figure 3 below, the roadmap will incorporate Human Performance Assessment Framework (HPAF) outputs to ensure the CLO receives a holistic view that include Human-Systems Integration (HSI) factors (e.g. Manpower, Personnel, and Training). Having such a holistic view will contribute to the development of future-state designs that enable mission/program success.

The Road Map shall incorporate Action Plans consisting of four-week sprints. Following delivery of the Roadmap, the Contractor shall support execution through monitoring, organizing, planning, and executing activities. The Contractor shall provide the following work products:

· As-Is Assessment – Assess current-state people, processes, organization, technology, learning course content, governance, and other perspectives.

· To-Be Assessment and Gap Analysis – Document the CLO’s desired end-state. Identify gaps between the current-state and the to-be state.

· Roadmap – Develop a holistic transformation roadmap to enable attainment of future-state objectives.

· Action Plan(s) – Develop tactical-level Action Plans that identify roles and responsibilities, external dependencies, and project schedules for execution.

· Action Plan Execution & Assessment – Execute activities in accordance with approved action plans. Report on action plan progress weekly.

Following the delivery of the initial Roadmap, the contractor shall maintain a prioritized backlog of approved activities. Where warranted, and in alignment with agile best practices, the Government may reprioritize backlog as new requirements are identified. The contractor may iterate the Roadmap development process multiple times throughout the period of performance.

DELIVERABLES:

1. Reports and Analyses

1. CLO Transformation Roadmap

1. CLO Action Plan(s)

5.2.2 Webinar, Cohort & Competency Model Support

The Contractor shall provide webinar, cohort, and competency model support in support of department-wide supervisor, manager and executive training initiatives.

Priorities, schedules, topics, and audiences shall be informed by the Roadmap delivered in Task 5.2.1 above or otherwise at VA direction.

· Webinar Services – are related to the development, scheduling, marketing, and delivery of webinars at various times on varying learning topics to varying audiences

· Cohort Management Services – assist in the management of national, cohort-based learning activities

· Success Profiles Development Services – are required to develop, validate, deploy and manage new functional-based competency models

DELIVERABLES

A. Webinars B. Competency Model(s)

5.2.3 Leadership Assessment Plan and Support

The Contractor shall support development and execution of a Leadership Assessment Program, building on the foundation established by the Hogan Leadership Focus Report. Grounded in decades of global research on leader performance, the Leader Focus Report is designed to help an organization’s leaders understand their reputation and unique personal brand. Empowered with self-insight into their leadership style and strengths, the leaders will be able to better plan their career and lead teams more effectively. Assessment goals, priorities, schedule, topics, and audiences shall be informed by the Roadmap delivered in Task 5.2.1 above, HPAF assessment by the Contractor, or otherwise at VA direction.

The Hogan approach incorporates leadership assessments to simplify and provide insight into six leadership dimensions that influence leadership style and effectiveness. These dimensions outline how a leader manages self, career, and relationship, the priorities on which a leader will focus, and how he or she will define success. Leadership style assessments will help VA leaders better understand their natural leadership styles, sharpen their influence strategies, and improve their overall effectiveness.

The Leadership assessment is driven by two subsidiary assessments: Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) and the Motives, Values, and Preferences Inventory (MVPI). HPI describes normal, or bright-side personality – qualities that describe how a person relates to others when at their best. Whether the goal is to find the right hire or develop stronger leaders, assessing normal personality provides VA valuable insight into how people work, how they lead, and how successful they will be. MVPI, on the other hand, describes personality from the inside – the core goals, values, drivers, and interests that determine what a VA employee desires and strives to attain. By assessing values, VA gains insight into what motivates candidates to succeed, and in what type of position, job, and environment they will be the most productive.

DELIVERABLE

1. Leadership Assessment Plan

5.2.4 Mentor + Coaching Management Program Support Services

The Contractor shall support configuring, testing, deployment and use of a Mentor + Coach Management Program, leveraging the eMentorConnect Platform to enable VA to scale, manage, and measure knowledge-transfer programs. Contractor shall develop a mentor/coach onboarding, matching process, develop mentors, coaches and participants training materials, a mentor/coach forum, evaluation plan/tools, and communications plan Program goals, priorities, schedule, topics, and audiences shall be informed by the Roadmap delivered in Task 5.2.1 above, HPAF assessment by the Contractor, or otherwise at VA direction. Following Program Plan approval, the Contractor shall support related Mentor Management Program activities.

DELIVERABLE

1. Mentor + Coaching Management Program Support Plan

5.2.5 Online Micro-Learning Resources

VA began providing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) courses and digital books online in July 2002. As of December 2018, COTS courses represented approximately 35 percent of the total web/computer-bases courses available in the VA Talent Management System (TMS). The VA CLO is placing increasing emphasis on this very necessary component of educational resources to all VA employees. Where appropriate, the r should integrate the latest thinking on microlearning. Microlearning is a holistic approach for skill-based learning and education which deals with relatively small learning units. It involves short-term-focused strategies especially designed for skill-based understanding/learning/education. When used, microlearning can significantly reduce the time needed to acquire new knowledge or to address "just-in-time knowledge needs.

The Contractor shall facilitate access to a library of executive-level book summaries and webinars relating to leadership and business topics in e-reader, audio and video formats, for up to 10,000 users and comparable to GetAbstract or Soundview. Contactor shall facilitate the integration of this content into VA’s Talent Management System (TMS). This should be sortable by topic, or ratings, and be accessible on desktop workstations or mobile devices.

Courseware provider, priorities, schedules, topics, and audiences shall be informed by the Roadmap delivered in Task 5.2.1 above, HPAF assessment, or otherwise at VA direction.

DELIVERABLE

1. Microlearning Resources Plan

5.2.6 Coaching Program Support Services and Coaching Certification Program The Contractor shall provide coaching program support services to support all VA staff competitively selected for leadership development programs. The Contractor shall develop a CLO Coaching Plan to ensure the initiative engages key talent and drives strong organizational outcomes. Coaching goals, priorities, schedule, topics, and audiences shall be informed by the Roadmap delivered in Task 5.2.1 above, HPAF assessment by the Contractor, or otherwise at VA direction. The plan may incorporate the following ingredients associated with successful coaching programs:

· Define clear program goals and objectives

· Target coaching population(s) at mid-level talent to increase impact

· Craft compelling communication to promote the program

· Involve talent in the coach selection process

· Establish clear expectations of particular engagements

· Effectively manage, track and measure progress

· Continuously refine the program in response to feedback

· Communicate throughout the course of the program

· Evaluate impact

· Share successes The Contractor shall develop a coaching certification program building on the foundation established by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). The ICF program includes accrediting, credentialing, and professional continuing education. The Program will provide coaching certifications to individuals who perform coaching or mentoring within the Department. Following approval of the Coaching Certification Program Plan, the Contractor shall support Program execution.

DELIVERABLE

1. Coaching Program Support Plan

1. Coaching Certification Program Plan

5.2.7 TMS Support Services

The Contractor shall provide support services to include updating the VA TMS catalog, assigning VA defined core competencies to the courses, creating and revising course catalog documents that serve as aids to VA TMS users in identifying and selecting courses, consulting with VA employee groups on how their training requirements may be met by using the online courses, and assisting in developing communications targeted to VA employees about these products and to facilitate their use, and course content auditing. As VA’s existing courses are retired, the contractor shall identify replacement online courses and the VA TMS updated accordingly.

5.2.8 Additional Online Micro-Learning Resources (Optional Task) The contractor shall also facilitate access to a portfolio of online executive-level asynchronous and synchronous content (similar to Executive Development content offered through the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina). Contactor shall facilitate the integration of this content into VA’s Talent Management System (TMS). This content should cover concepts like: Customer-Driven Marketing, Leading and Embracing Organizational Change, Leading with Analytics, Leading through Innovation, Leading through Influence, Negotiation and Power, Strategic Decision Making, and Strategy Fundamentals. Digital content should contain individual course taught to the executive level and be approximately 6 hours in length. Options should be available to add a faculty-led component to any course or webinar.

DELIVERABLE

A. Additional Microlearning Resources Plan

6.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (va standard lanugage, adjust later)

6.1 ENTERPRISE AND IT FRAMEWORK

6.1.1 ONE-VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

The Contractor shall support the VA enterprise management framework. In association with the framework, the Contractor shall comply with OI&T Technical Reference Model (One-VA TRM). One-VA TRM is one component within the overall Enterprise Architecture (EA) that establishes a common vocabulary and structure for describing the information technology used to develop, operate, and maintain enterprise applications.