36C10B24Q0337 - RFI Questions and Answers.pdf

RFI Request for Financial Data Reconciliation Support Services (VA-24-00065607)

RFI: 36C10B24Q0337

Questions & Answers

1. Can VA clarify the requirements of this contract and delineate responsibilities between this PWS and the current CCSS PWS. On Page 18, VA references an ‘application’ vendor and a ‘sustainment’ vendor. In this context, is the awardee of this contract the application vendor? and is the sustainment vendor CivitasDX, the CCSS awardee?

The awardee will be the application vendor. CivitasDX will continue to perform the sustainment activities until that contract ends.

Contractor name: CivitasDX LLC Contract number# VA118-16-D-1011 PoP: 9/29/2021 – 3/28/2025

2. If that understanding is correct, is VA defining task 5.2 as ‘application’ tasks and optional tasks 5.4.7-5.4.9 sustainment tasks?

Yes, that is correct.

3. As it relates to Q2 above, there are technical requirements in 5.2.2 and

5.2.3 that are currently being executed by the AITC and its CCSS contractor. Specifically, 5.2.2 tasks B, F, H, P, Q, and BB. In task 5.2.3, tasks B and C. These appear to be sustainment tasks; would VA consider moving these to 5.4.7 through 5.4.9.

CCSS contractor only executes by the direction and oversight of OIT, and the Office of Finance as pertains to any requirements in section 5.2. Our current situation is that we do not have vendor support that meets all of our application-level support services.

No, these requirements are separated to address application layer and sustainment activities in their respective sections of the PWS. Section 5.2 addresses the application layer, and section 5.4 addresses the sustainment activities.

4. Can VA clarify the requirement/expectations for an FMS Warranty? Would this apply to all FMS code or only enhancements delivered under this contract? FMS software has not been maintained by the vendor in over 20 years and the current VA version of code has been modified by the current CCSS contractor making a warranty untenable for a future service provider.

FMS warranty includes all FMS source code and data. The sustainment vendor, CivitasDX, under direction of OIT and Office of Finance, completed minor changes to some of the source code, and created some source code. Backup of every source code exists before it was modified and overlay new code to production.

5. Can VA clarify or quantify LOE for tasks 5.2.2C – Support iFAMS waves. This contract is proposed as FFP. The FMBT initiative is large and complex, more detail is needed for this requirement to understand the scope and provide an accurate cost estimate.

Whenever we have iFAMS waves, we will have a requirement from iFAMS team to test, turn off some capabilities in FMS. We must do regression testing for each iFAMS wave on MinX & FRDW.

Ex: Test 1099 data from iFAMS as needed for correct format or turn off the wave specific funds/data in FMS or test the data in MinX/FRDW

For MinX & FRDW: stopping the data that is coming from FMS to MinX or FRDW for the migrated stations, and test the new data that comes from iFAMS

6. For task 5.2.2C – Provide daily and Monthly batch support, please clarify if this is tier 1, tier 2 or tier 3 support, as currently Tier 1 on-call requirements are in the CCSS contract.

Tier-1 and Tier-2 will be handled by Sustainment vendor (CivitasDX currently). Anything that requires application layer expertise, will be worked by the awardee. However, during any issues that require application layer support as well as sustainment vendor support, the vendors will collaborate in Tier-3 support. The application vendor will bring their expertise of the data on how it is sourced, where it ends, and how is consumed by various systems across the operating environment. The sustainment vendor will focus on sustain the FMS and complete the work necessary.

7. Can VA clarify or quantify LOE for tasks 5.2.2N – Resolve all data issues. This contract is proposed as FFP. FMS has data anomalies dating back to the original conversion in the mid 1990’s. More detail is needed for this requirement to understand the scope and provide an accurate cost estimate.

The requirements are in 5.2. The data management and operational environmental requirements at the application layer were added to deal with data management processes/issues. If any unknown data related issues occur, the new awardee vendor will troubleshoot and fix the data related issues. The sustainment vendor will be required to fix any issues related to sustainment activities.

8. In several sections, there is a requirement to ‘Knowledge transfer on all activities upon request’. This

We will remove the knowledge transfer requests in several sections of the PWS.

The requirements for documentation of contract is proposed as FFP.

FMS/MinX are large and complex systems. Training in these systems could realistically be a separate contract. More detail is needed for this requirement to understand the scope and provide an accurate cost estimate.

system changes, software changes, or addition/modification/deletion of functionality is specified in section 5.2

9. Task 5.4.3 refers to assisting the ‘development teams’ Who are the development teams referenced, is this the CCSS contractor?

5.4.3 is an Optional Task that enables the government to fund the new awardee vendor to assist with data management application layer, and operation environment for any new integrations that are required. The sustainment vendor shall complete the integration as a sustainment activity. The new vendor will ensure data management, data flow, data security, and operational outcomes are met for the new integration partner.

10. Can VA clarify the intent of task 5.4.5 being listed as optional, as it appears tasks overlap and/or are better suited in section 5.2.

If VA decides to move away from existing technology to a new technology for MinX or FRDW, this Optional task will be executed, and the new awardee should be responsible of implementing and reconcile all the data and automate them

11. Can VA clarify delineation of responsibilities between sustainment activities in 5.4.9 and infrastructure tasks that would seem to be outside the purview of FMS/MinX/FRDW sustainment support. The following tasks seem more appropriate with mainframe infrastructure and operators: Tasks 5.4.9 D, O, U (network) CC, DD

5.4.9 D: Mainframe Job scheduling is part of sustainment activity, and will request for backup and restore processes upon requirement O: Sustainment team is responsible to make FMS VA compliant, and if it is internal to application, the sustainment vendor will take care, and if it related to infrastructure (mainframe team), then the sustainment vendor will contact infrastructure team U: These are all configuration settings inside the application, which is part of sustainment. We mentioned network, because in the past the network technology changed, and application related IP addresses, as well as connection strings need changes.

CC: Sustainment vendor doesn’t need to install tools, but they have to support the monitoring team by bring application up, reviewing logs etc DD: If a technology change (example hardware, or a backed storage software), FMS team should test all functionalities and coordinate with infrastructure team

12. Typically, the TAC does not request key resumes, however the PWS requires the awardee to have significant knowledge in FMS/MinX/FRDW, other VA systems, data and process as it relates to financial management.

Would VA contemplate requiring resumes that demonstrate the necessary expertise?

Yes, it is always a plus to VA if we can review resumes. This will enable us to better understand the capabilities of the services provided and better evaluate proposals.

13. Could you inform me if this is a new requirement or a follow-on to an existing contract?

If the latter, could you provide me with the Contractor Name and Contract #?

In 2021, the CCSS contract was awarded. Prior to Sep 2021, FMS application was managed by one contract, and OIT Infrastructure operations was managed by a separate OIT Infrastructure Operations Support Services (IOSS) sustainment consolidated contract.

In Sep 2021, instead of awarding a separate support services contract, there was an attempt to get the sustainment Vendor to provide the required application services. They were unable to consistently meet those service requirements. It is incumbent upon us to repair this issue and get these services in-place now.

Contractor name: CivitasDX LLC Contract number# VA118-16-D-1011 PoP: 9/29/2021 – 3/28/2025

14. Could you please confirm the specific location where the services under this RFI will be performed?

The work is distributed nationwide, as the contractors can work remotely, and not bound to be in a single location.

The hardware is located in Austin, TX

Is the work primarily based in Washington, DC, or will it be distributed across multiple locations?

15. Is there an incumbent on this contract? If so, please provide the incumbent name, current contract number, Period of performance , value of the contract.

CivitasDX is the current contract Vendor (this is a consolidated contract of all products in the Corporate Portfolio).

Contract number# VA118-16-D-1011 PoP: 9/29/2021 – 3/28/2025 Value: $96,086,292.37 (not just FMS, it is for all products)