36C10G26R0003 Next Gen Medical vFINAL 12.14.25_JP.pdf

This solicitation is for Community Care Network (CCN) Next Generation (Next Gen)- Medical

This procurement effort is to establish a Multiple-Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract.

All initial questions must be in writing and sent to the Contracting Officer no later than 10:00AM EST on 1/6/2026.

Pre-proposal Conference to be conducted on 1/21/2026.

All Proposals must be submitted by 2:00PM EST on 3/16/2026.

PAGE 1 OF121 1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE 4. ORDER NO. 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls) 8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY CODE 10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR SET ASIDE: % FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ IFB RFP

15. DELIVER TO CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR CODE FACILITY CODE 18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

TELEPHONE NO. UEI: EFT:

PHONE: FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

ITEM NO. SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________ 29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY (BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION (REV. NOV 2021)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

36C10G26R0003 12-15-2025

Jessica Portillo 03-16-2026

14:00 EST

36C10G U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OPAL | Strategic Acquisition Center

10300 Spotsylvania Ave | STE 400 Fredericksburg VA 22408-2697

X

524114

$47 Million

N/A

X

36C10G

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OPAL | Strategic Acquisition Center

VAFSC

Financial Services Center

PO BOX 149971

(see Section B.3 invoicing/payment) Austin TX 78714-8917

1 (877) 489-6135

See CONTINUATION Page

See CONTINUATION Page x X

Jessica Portillo Contracting Officer

36C10G26R0003

Table of Contents

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.1.1 Contract Administration B.1.2 CO and COR Responsibilities

B.2 TUNGSTEN ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION

B.2.1 Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods B.2.2 Vendor e-invoice Set-Up Information:

B.3 MININUM GUARANTEED AMOUNT AND MAXIMUM VALUE

B.4 IDIQ ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.5 TASK ORDER ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.5.1 Task Order Procedures B.5.2 On-Ramping/Off-Ramping

B.6 MODIFICATION ADMINISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

B.7 ADDITIONAL CONTRACT INSTRUCTIONS

B.7.1 Requirement Development B.7.1.1 CLIN Type Changes B.7.2 Interrelationships of Contractors B.7.3 Participation in Collaborative Meetings B.7.4 Future Competitions B.7.5 Multi Agency Language

B.8 MEDICAL CLIN STRUCTURE

B.9 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

B.10 INTEGRATED PRODUCT TEAMS

B.11 IT CONTRACT SECURITY

B.12 SUPPLMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS

B.12.1 Organizational Conflict(s) of Interest (OCI)s B.12.1.1 Pre-award OCI B.12.1.2 Post-award OCI B.12.2 Representation of VA Information

B.13 SERVICE CONTRACT LABOR STANDARDS (ADDENDUM)

B.14 CONFIDENTIALITY AND INTEGRITY OF INVESTIGATIONS

B.15 NON-MANDATORY ORDERING STATUS UNDER FAR PART 8

SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES

C.1 52.204-19 INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF REPRESENTATIONS AND

CERTIFICATIONS (DEC 2014)

C.2 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (NOV 2023)

C.3 ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS—

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

C.4 52.216-18 ORDERING (AUG 2020)

C.5 52.216-19 ORDER LIMITATIONS (OCT 1995)

C.6 52.216-22 INDEFINITE QUANTITY (NOV 2025)

C.7 52.216-32 TASK-ORDER AND DELIVERY-ORDER OMBUDSMAN (SEP 2019)

ALTERNATE I (SEP 2019)

C.8 52.217-2 CANCELLATION UNDER MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS (OCT 1997)

C.9 52.217-7 OPTION FOR INCREASED QUANTITY-SEPARATELY PRICED LINE

ITEM (MAR 1989)

C.10 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

C.11 52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000) ..52

C.12 52.222-49 SERVICE CONTRACT LABOR STANDARDS—PLACE OF

PERFORMANCE UNKNOWN (NOV 2025)

C.13 52.227-14 RIGHTS IN DATA—GENERAL (MAY 2014)

C.14 52.232-19 AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR (APR 1984)

C.15 52.232-23 ASSIGNMENT OF CLAIMS (MAY 2014)

C.16 52.233-3 SERVICE OF PROTEST (NOV 2025)

C.17 52.240-91 SECURITY PROHIBITIONS AND EXCLUSIONS

C.18 52.240-93 BASIC SAFEGUARDING OF COVERED CONTRACTOR

INFORMATION SYSTEMS (NOV 2025)

C.19 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

C.20 VAAR 852.203-70 COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING (MAY 2018)

C.21 VAAR 852.204-71 INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS SECURITY

(FEB 2023)

C.22 VAAR 852.211-76 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES – REIMBURSEMENT FOR DATA

BREACH COSTS (FEB 2023) ALTERNATE I (FEB 2023)

C.23 VAAR 852.232-72 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PAYMENT REQUESTS (NOV

2018)

C.24 VAAR 852.237-70 INDEMNIFICATION AND MEDICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE

(OCT 2019)

C.25 VAAR 852.237-75 KEY PERSONNEL (OCT 2019)

C.26 VAAR 852.242-71 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICER (OCT 2020)

C.27 MANDATORY WRITTEN DISCLOSURES

C.28 SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

SECTION D - CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, OR ATTACHMENTS

SECTION E - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS

E.1 52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (NOV 2025)

E.2 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND

COMMERCIAL SERVICES (NOV 2025)

E.3 ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS — COMMERICAL

ITEMS

E.4 ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-2 EVALUATION— COMMERICAL ITEMS

E.5 52.215-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION (NOV

2021) (ALTERNATE I) (NOV 2025)

E.6 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

E.7 52.217-5 EVALUATION OF OPTIONS (NOV 2025)

E.8 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (NOV 2025)

E.9 52.240-90 SECURITY PROHIBITIONS AND EXCLUSIONS REPRESENTATIONS

AND CERTIFICATIONS (DEVIATION NOV 2025)

E.10 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB

1998)

E.11 VAAR 852.209-70 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST (OCT 2020)

E.12 VAAR 852.233-70 PROTEST CONTENT/ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

(OCT 2018)

E.13 VAAR 852.233-71 ALTERNATE PROTEST PROCEDURE (OCT 2018)

E.14 VAAR 852.273-70 LATE PROPOSAL (NOV 2021)

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.1.1 Contract Administration

All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

1. CONTRACTOR:

2. GOVERNMENT: Jessica Portillo, Contracting Officer (CO) 36C10G

OPAL | Strategic Acquisition Center

3. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS: The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the Solicitation numbered and dated as follows:

AMENDMENT NO DATE

CONTRACTOR REMITTANCE ADDRESS:

All payments by the Government to the contractor will be made in accordance with:

[X] 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—System For Award Management, or

[] 52.232-36, Payment by Third Party

INVOICES: Payments shall be made upon inspection and acceptance in arrears upon receipt of a properly prepared invoice.

GOVERNMENT INVOICE ADDRESS: All Invoices from the contractor shall be submitted electronically in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests.

B.1.2 CO and COR Responsibilities

1. The CCN Next Gen - Medical Contracting Officer (CO) is responsible for providing overall scope oversight, maintaining communication between contractors and VA, ensuring contract compliance, administering IDIQ contract and modifications, and ensuring that annual performance evaluations are completed at the IDIQ contract level. The CO will also be responsible for ensuring that task orders are within the scope of the IDIQ contract, administering all task order awards, and ensuring that annual performance evaluations are completed at the Task Order (TO) level and submitted through the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS).

2. The CO will designate a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) at the

IDIQ contract level and reserves the right to designate a COR at the individual TO level. The CO will issue a designation letter to the COR and the contractor to ensure that all parties understand the limited authority of the COR. The COR will also be responsible of overseeing payment of invoice or invoice rejection as described in “Attachment 1 – CCN Next Gen – Medical TOPR PWS” and “Attachment 2 – CCN Next Gen – Medical TOPR Contractor Manual” after acceptance of work.

B.2 TUNGSTEN ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION

FSC e-INVOICE PROGRAM THRU AUSTIN PORTAL

FSC MANDATORY ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION FOR AUSTIN PAYMENTS

• Contracting POC: Jessica Portillo

• COR (Contracting Officers Representative): TBD

• Contract/Task Order Number: TBD

• Purchase Order Number: TBD

B.2.1 Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods Facsimile, e-mail, and scanned documents are not acceptable forms of submission for payment requests. Electronic form means an automated system transmitting information electronically according to the accepted electronic data transmission methods below.

VA’s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System – The FSC uses a third-party contractor, Tungsten, to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission. Please go to this website: http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs/ to begin submitting electronic invoices, free of charge.

A system that conforms to the X12 electronic data interchange (EDI) formats established by the Accredited Standards Center (ASC) chartered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The X12 EDI Web site (http://www.x12.org)

B.2.2 Vendor e-invoice Set-Up Information:

Please contact Tungsten at the phone number or email address listed below to begin submitting your electronic invoices to the VA Financial Services Center for payment processing, free of charge. If you have questions about the e-invoicing program or Tungsten, please contact the FSC at the phone number or email address listed below.

a. Tungsten e-Invoice Setup Information: 1-877-489-6135

b. Tungsten e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@Tungsten-Network.com

c. FSC e-Invoice Contact Information: 1-877-353-9791

d. FSC e-invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov

• See https://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp for more information

B.3 MININUM GUARANTEED AMOUNT AND MAXIMUM VALUE

(1) The minimum guaranteed amount for this contract is $10,000.00, Orders beyond the minimum will be determined by Department needs and the results of fair opportunity competitions, other than exceptions as noted in section B.4.1.1 above. The Government has no obligation to award TOs beyond the minimum guaranteed amount.

(2) The maximum aggregate value of all task orders under this IDIQ is $700,000,000,000.00. This ceiling is neither divided nor multiplied by the number of awardees.

(3) VA will not reimburse bid and proposal costs in any circumstance.

B.4 IDIQ ADMINISTRATION DATA

This Request of Proposal (RFP) will result in the award of a Multiple Award (MA) Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract for Community Care Network (CCN) Next Generation (Next Gen) Medical services.

This RFP is issued under Multi-Year contracting authority in accordance with FAR 17.1.

Funding will be obligated at the TO level. Award of the base period does not obligate the Government to exercise any subsequent option periods. The Government may issue orders across any active period of performance, subject to funding availability.

The resulting Multiple-Award Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (MA-IDIQ) contracts will include a ten (10) year ordering period, structured as follows:

• Base Period: Three (3) years

• Option Period I: Two (2) years

• Option Period II: Two (2) years

• Option Period III: Two (2) years

• Option Period IV: One (1) year mailto:vafsccshd@va.gov

B.5 TASK ORDER ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.5.1 Task Order Procedures

Contractors shall provide services as required throughout the ordering period. The Government will issue Task Order Proposal Requests (TOPRs) on an as-needed basis to contract for these required services. Each TOPR will include a description of the required services, the geographic area of need, the period of performance, and required deliverables. The Government anticipates the initial task orders to have a Period of Performance (PoP) consisting of one (1) three-year base and two (2) one-year option periods.

(1) CCN Next Gen – Medical will follow ordering procedures as outlined in FAR

16.507. The CO will provide all awardees a fair opportunity to be considered for all task order awards under CCN Next Gen – Medical which exceed the micro-purchase threshold, unless one of the following exceptions applies:

a. The agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing a fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays;

b. Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized;

c. The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order; or

d. It is necessary to plan an order to satisfy a minimum guarantee.

Should one of these exceptions exist, the CO will execute the task order as a sole-source task order, seeking proper justifications in accordance with FAR and agency procedures.

(2) As requirements for CCN Next Gen – Medical are defined, contractors will be given the fair opportunity to compete for task order awards, assuming one of the exceptions noted above does not exist.

(3) The CO will issue a Task Order Proposal Request (TOPR) via email to the contractor, in accordance with the procedures outlined below. While CCN Next Gen – Medical contractors are not required to propose on all TOPRs for which they are afforded the opportunity, they are expected to respond to all.

Contractors unable to perform the requirements as stated in a TOPR must submit a “no-bid” statement to the CO with a brief, yet specific, explanation.

(4) Repeated failure to provide a response will be reflected in past performance evaluations at the TO level, may be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to exercise options, and could lead to being off-ramped as noted in section B.4.2.

(5) Each TOPR will include, at a minimum:

a. The due date and instructions for proposal submission,

b. A Statement of Work (SOW) or Performance Work Statement (PWS) with a description of the requirements, including deliverables, minimum qualifications, and applicable information,

c. The place and period of performance, and

d. Any additional information deemed necessary by the CO.

(6) Each TOPR will include a unique evaluation plan established by the CO. COs have wide latitude in developing and establishing the most appropriate evaluation factors. Factors, with the exception of Price, may be assigned an adjectival or a confidence rating. In general, TOPRs will be evaluated by analysis of the following factors:o

a. Technical Capability: The contractor shall discuss their plan for accomplishing the work of the requirement.

b. Past Performance: The contractor shall provide narratives of recent and relevant references and past performance questionnaires which confirm a level of quality, timeliness, and cost control. The CO may consider relevant performance on task order awards under CCN Next Gen – Medical and any other information.

c. Price: The Government will evaluate price reasonableness using price analysis techniques as prescribed in FAR 15.404-1(b). The Government will ensure that rates are not reduced to a level that risks nonperformance by requiring justification for the reduced rate at the time of proposal. Contractors may be requested to identify labor categories, number of hours, and labor rates in their price proposal for performance of each task.

d. Any other factors as determined appropriate by the CO.

(7) The task order proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in each TOPR. The CO is not required to prepare formal evaluation plans, post notice on the Federal Business Opportunities webpage or hold discussions or negotiations with each offeror. The CO will, however, maintain an internal record of the award decision and supporting information.

The CO may evaluate by directly comparing competitive proposals and make an award decision based upon this comparison.

(8) The CO may employ unconventional, unique, or innovative approaches to proposal submission requirements (such as oral presentations, demonstrations, videos, etc.), may establish evaluation factors other than those described above, and may utilize evaluation schemes that simplify the evaluation process and promote efficient and effective evaluations (adjectival ratings, confidence ratings, etc.).

(9) In accordance with FAR 16.5, the CO has broad discretion in determining which contractor should be awarded a task order. The CO will issue a task order to the contractor whose proposal is most advantageous to the Government considering the evaluation factors specified in the TOPR.

(10) The CO reserves the right to withdraw or cancel the TOPR. In such event, the contractor will be notified, via email, of the CO’s decision. This decision shall be final and conclusive and shall not be subject to the Disputes Clause or the Contract Disputes Act.

(11) Upon TO award, the TO will be sent via email to the contractor. The contractor is not authorized at any time to commence TO performance prior to issuance of a signed TO or other written approval provided by a CO. The contractor’s failure to begin performance within the time frame required may result in termination of the task order and reconsideration of the other task order proposals received in response to the TOPR.

(12) In accordance with FAR 16.507-5, contractors may request a post-award debriefing for orders exceeding $7.5 million. The CO will conduct post-award debriefings in accordance with FAR 16 and FAR 15. Issues arising from the placement of orders are not protestable to the Government Accountability Office unless the protest alleges that the order exceeded the value, scope, or period of the contract or in the case where a single task order exceeds $10 million.

(13) Task orders may only be modified in accordance with clause 52.212-4.The contractor shall not perform or provide services that are not expressly stated in the contract or TO. A Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) does not have the authority or means to obligate the Government or change the terms and conditions of the contract or TO.

(14) In accordance with FAR 52.217-7, the Government may contemplate the use of options for increased quantity-separately priced line items. The Government may require the delivery of the numbered line item, identified in the Schedule as an option item, in the quantity and at the price stated in the Schedule.

(15) In accordance with FAR 17.2, the Government may contemplate the use of options in each task order. Inclusion of options at the task order level will be properly documented and approved in accordance with FAR and agency procedures and will be clearly stated in the TOPR. FAR 52.217-9 will be included in any task orders that include options. TOs may also include FAR 52.217-8, Option to Extend Service.

B.5.2 On-Ramping/Off-Ramping “On-ramping” and “off-ramping” processes may occur independently and will be conducted in accordance with FAR 16.504-4. The decision to “on-ramp” and “off-ramp” is at the sole discretion of the Government.

(1) On Ramping:

a. The Government may utilize an On-Ramp to add Contractors under any circumstances, including in the event an Off-Ramp is exercised. The Government can exercise this right at its sole discretion. The Government may On-Ramp Contractors by any means necessary, including but not limited to, revisiting the original pool of CCN IDIQ Offerors deemed in the competitive range, and/or issuing a follow-on CCN solicitation with identical IDIQ requirements, terms, and conditions via the Government Point of Entry (GPE) at SAM.gov for evaluation. Awardees will be added to the pool of contractors for future Task Orders competition.

b. Contracts awarded via the “on-ramp” process will share in, but not increase, the previously established IDIQ ceiling. The “on-ramping” process will not extend the IDIQ ordering period.

(2) Off-Ramping:

The Government may off-ramp Contractors at any time during the contract for performance issues, responsiveness, or eligibility at its discretion.

a. Performance:

Performance will be assessed/evaluated at the base contract and TO level.

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) and other performance measures as determined appropriate by the Government will be utilized. TO performance will be reported through CPARS. In the event of severe and/or multiple performance failures not remedied to the Government’s satisfaction, the Government reserves the right to off-ramp the Contractor at no cost to the Government.

b. Responsiveness:

Contractors are not required to submit a proposal for all TOPRs for which they are afforded the opportunity, in an effort to obtain maximum competition, they are expected to do so for all services they expressed interest in providing in their base IDIQ solicitation proposal. Contractors unable to perform the requirements as stated in a TOPR must submit a “no-bid” statement to the CO with a brief, yet specific, explanation. Repeated failure to provide a proposal or adequate rationale for failure to propose on the services identified in an Offeror’s IDIQ proposal may result in off-ramping at no cost to the Government.

c. Business Integrity and Conflicts of Interest (COI):

In accordance with the law and contract terms, Contractors are required to report suspected conflicts of interest and other business integrity issues (including organizational/personal conflicts of interest, improper buying-in, kickbacks, fraud, etc.) to the Contracting Officer. In cases where Contractors are self-reporting conflicts of interest, they are expected to present a mitigation plan to the Contracting Officer for consideration. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law or this contract, failure to inform the Contracting Officer of suspected conflicts of interest or other business integrity issues, and/or failure to submit suitable conflict of interest mitigation could result in off-ramping at no cost to the Government.

B.6 MODIFICATION ADMINISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Submission Deadlines: The Contractor shall submit all bilateral modification proposals, including but not limited to technical, cost, and management proposals, by the deadlines specified by the CO.

2. Notification of Submission: The Contractor shall provide written notification to the CO confirming the submission of proposals no later than one (1) business day following the submission.

3. Extension Requests: The contractor may request an extension of the proposal submission deadline. Such requests shall be submitted in writing to the CO no less than three business days prior to the original submission deadline. The CO may, at their discretion, grant or deny the request for an extension.

4. Mitigating Circumstances: In the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the Contractor, which prevent timely submission, the Contractor shall notify the CO immediately and provide documentation supporting the delay. The CO will assess the situation and may provide an extension.

5. Records of Submission: The Contractor is required to maintain accurate records of all proposal submissions, including dates and times, and provide such records to the CO upon request.

6. Consequences of Late Submission: Failure to submit proposals by the specified deadlines, without an approved extension from the CO, may result in the following:

a) Performance Evaluation: Late submissions may negatively impact the Contractor’s performance evaluation and future contract opportunities with the VA.

b) Termination for Cause: Repeated failure to submit proposals timely may result in termination of the contract for cause in accordance with the contract's termination provisions.

7. The CO reserves the right to issue a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to approve administrative updates to contract attachments. These updates are limited to administrative changes that do not change the scope, cost, or terms and conditions of the contract. Upon the determination of the required administrative update, the CO will issue a written Notice to Proceed to the Contractor via email.

This NTP will authorize the Contractor to implement the identified updates immediately. All outstanding Notices to Proceed will be definitized through a quarterly administrative modification. In the event that the implementation of the administrative update may result in additional costs, the contractor is required to notify the CO within two (2) business days of receipt of a NTP and submit the following before proceeding with the update:

a) A detailed explanation of the reasons why the Contractor believes additional costs will be incurred

b) An estimate of the anticipated additional costs

c) Any relevant supporting documentation to substantiate the additional costs.

At the discretion of the CO, a CO Technical Direction (COTD) may be issued to authorize the Contractor to proceed, in part or full, with the implementation of administrative updates. The COTD will provide, at a minimum, details of the approved administrative update, a mutually agreed upon not to exceed (NTE) amount and the timeline to definitize the update via bilateral modification of the contract.

B.7 ADDITIONAL CONTRACT INSTRUCTIONS

B.7.1 Requirement Development The Government reserves the right to seek comments on conceptional approaches from two or more contractors on draft PWS when a potential IDIQ modification or TOPR may have complex requirements that require continued development. At the discretion of the CO, Contractors who submit the highest value solutions may be selected for one-on-one sessions with the Government to increase understanding of the requirements, provide suggestions for refining requirements, and discuss risk reduction measures.

B.7.1.1 CLIN Type Changes To ensure that the pricing structure of this IDIQ and any awarded TOs align with evolving requirements, the Government reserves the right to modify, by mutual agreement of the parties, the CLIN type from Fixed-Price (FFP) to other contract types, including but not limited to Time-and-Materials (T&M) or Cost-Reimbursement CLIN types.

B.7.2 Interrelationships of Contractors The Government has entered into other contractual relationships in order to provide technical services throughout VA. These services may separate from this IDIQ, but may be related to or in close proximity to those provided under this IDIQ. Contractors may be required to coordinate with other contractors in providing their services. All contractors shall sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), Attachment A, prior to commencing services under the base contract or a TO award.

B.7.3 Participation in Collaborative Meetings Contractors are required to attend and participate in all collaborative meetings the Government requests the Contractor to attend. The Government reserves the right to invite any number of Contractors up to all IDIQ holders it deems necessary to ensure these meetings are productive and successful. Contractors will be provided reasonable advanced notice for such meetings to ensure their ability to attend. Repeated failure to participate in the specified collaborative meetings may result in the IDIQ holder being subject to "off-ramping," and removal of the Contractor from the IDIQ pool of vendors in accordance with Section B.2.3(2) Off-Ramping.

B.7.4 Future Competitions In performing services of CCN Next Gen - Medical, contractors may gain access to procurement sensitive information or be asked to provide support services in developing future acquisition packages. Contractors are advised that such access or support deems the Contractor ineligible for award as a prime contractor, subcontractor, or teaming partner on those procurements. Contractor’s failure to recuse itself from future competitions or present a mitigation plan in the case of an Organizational Conflict of Interest, where applicable, may be grounds for termination under this contract and non-selection for future contracts in accordance with FAR Part 9.5.

B.7.5 Multi Agency Language This contract is intended exclusively for use by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The services provided under this contract are specific to the needs and requirements of VHA and are not authorized for use as a mandatory source by other agencies without prior written approval from the IDIQ CO.

The Contractor agrees that this contract is exclusive to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and all orders placed under this contract shall be processed through the designated COs. Any unauthorized use or orders by other agencies will not be binding under the terms of this contract.

All task orders issued under this IDIQ contract must be issued by the designated CO of the Department of Veterans Affairs. No other federal agency or entity shall have the authority to place orders under this contract unless explicitly authorized in writing by the designated IDIQ CO.

B.8 MEDICAL CLIN STRUCTURE

The CCN NG Medical IDIQ contract has established a 16 contract line item numbers (CLINs) structure for the three (3) year base, three (3) - two (2) year option periods, and one (1) - 12 month option period based on the type of pricing required on a Task Order.

The CLINs listed below are provided for informational and planning purposes only. Final CLIN structure, definitions, and evaluation criteria will be established at the Task Order Proposal Request (TOPR) level. For each TOPR, the Government will specify:

• which CLINs require proposed pricing,

• which CLINs are informational only, and

• which CLINs will be priced at Government-provided rates.

The CLIN structure for each task order will be determined and defined at the task order level.

Contractors shall respond only to the CLINs identified in the TOPR as requiring proposal inputs.

CLINs are defined below:

CLIN X001, Healthcare Services

(Informational) VA will pay the Contractor for all authorized medical services provided under this contract. Pricing for this CLIN is determined based on the locality-adjusted Medicare Rates. The Contractor shall reimburse network providers at the lessor of the billed charges or the maximum allowable rate specified by Medicare. The lesser of the billed charges means that if the amount billed by the network provider is lower than the maximum allowable Medicare rate, the Contractor shall reimburse the provider based on the billed amount rather than the Medicare rate

CLIN X002, Waivers of Payment Rates

(Informational) VA will pay the Contractor for authorized services in highly rural areas and/or regions with scarce medical resources by allowing payment at a percentage above the locality-adjusted Medicare rate, the VA Fee Schedule rate, or the Alaska Fee Schedule rate. Upon VA approval and execution of a waiver request, the Contractor shall reimburse providers at the lesser of the approved rate or the billed charges for the specified services. The lesser of the billed charges means that if the provider's billed amount is lower than the rate approved through the waiver request, the Contractor will reimburse the provider based on the billed amount rather than the higher approved waiver rate.

CLIN X003, Seasonal Vaccinations

(Informational) VA will pay the Contractor for administrating and dispensing the influenza (trivalent, quadrivalent and high dosage), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. Pricing for this CLIN is determined by the awarded price for each vaccination. CLIN X003 does not include the cost of the vaccination medications. The Contractor shall invoice CLIN X001 for the cost of the vaccination medications.

CLIN X004, Fee Schedules

(Informational) Covers all authorized non-Medicare medical services. VA will pay the Contractor the VA Fee Schedule rate when a given medical procedure is not payable under Medicare rules or is payable under Medicare rules but does not have established pricing at the local level.

CLIN X005, Non-Medicare, Non-Fee Schedule Healthcare Services

(Informational) Non-Medicare, Non-Fee Schedule (Non-VA, Non-Alaska) Healthcare Services, VA will pay the Contractor when a given medical service or procedure is not payable under Medicare rules, or is payable under Medicare rules but does not have established pricing at the local level and is not included in the VA Fee Schedule. VA will reimburse the claims based on a rate of 50% of billed charges.

CLIN X006, Urgent and Emergent Medication

(Informational) Urgent and Emergent Medication, VA will pay the Contractor for urgent and emergent medications dispensed by pharmacies in the Contractor's network without direct charges to the Veteran. VA will reimburse the Contractor for Brand Name and Generic medication at the awarded prices based on a percentage of Average Sale Price (ASP). The Contractor shall invoice the Dispensing fee at the awarded price for each dispensing activity.

CLIN X007, Disaster Response - Urgent and Emergent Medication

(Informational) Urgent and Emergent Medication for Disaster Response, VA will pay the Contractor for urgent and emergent medications dispensed by pharmacies in the Contractor's network without direct charges to the Veteran during a specified and approved “Disaster Response” scenario. This CLIN will only be exercised in the case of a disaster that prevents VA’s mail order pharmacy from delivering medications to Veterans. Prescription fills may be for 30-days under this CLIN. VA will reimburse the Contractor for Brand Name and Generic medication at the awarded prices based on a percent of ASP. The Contractor shall invoice the Dispensing fee at the awarded price for each dispensing activity.

CLIN X008, Administrative Services

(Informational) Administrative Services, VA will pay the Contractor for the administrative services required to manage and deliver the services purchased under this contract.

These costs are separate from the costs of providing medical services and implementation. Administrative services and activities include, but are not limited to, the following items:

• Alternative Payment Models

• Claims Appeals

• Claims Processing

• Clinical Quality and Patient Safety Monitoring

• Contractor Administrative Costs

• Contact Center

• Contractor Profits

• Credentialing

• Customer Service

• Data Analytics and Reporting

• Fee Schedule Updates

• Invoicing and Billing

• Medical Documentation Procedures

• Network Development and Management

• Program Integrity

• Project Management

• Referrals Management

• Training

• Utilization Management

This CLIN is paid following achievement of full healthcare delivery (HCD) based on the monthly Enrolled Veteran population in the Task Order's geographic jurisdiction/region.

CLIN X009, Organ Acquisition Cost

(Informational) Organ Acquisition Cost, VA will pay the Contractor an equitable payment for reasonable organ acquisition services/costs required to support quality transplant programs in agreement with certified transplant centers (CTC). Medicare Standard

Acquisition Charges (SACs) shall be used for reimbursement of the reasonable and necessary costs associated with solid organ acquisition.

The Contractor shall include provisions in agreement with CTCs that allows reimbursement for organ acquisition according to the most current Medicare Cost Report Data, under the D-4 Worksheet.

CLIN X010, Incentive/Disincentives - Informational CLIN

(Informational) VA will pay for incentives and disincentives related to performance metrics, quality of service, and other criteria as specified by the PWS. Incentives are intended to encourage the Contractor to exceed baseline performance requirements, while disincentives are intended to address underperformance.

CLIN X011, Implementation - Informational CLIN

(Informational) VA will make a lump sum payment to the Contractor upon satisfactory completion of all start-up/implementation milestones identified in the contractor’s implementation plan and accepted by the CO.

CLIN X012 – Minimum Guarantee- Informational CLIN

(Informational) This CLIN provides information for the minimum guarantee, the total guaranteed minimum value of services that the Government is obligated to order under this contract, as required per section B.3.1 of this contract. If, by the end of the contract ordering period (to include all options exercised), the total value of all task orders placed with the Contractor is less than the guaranteed minimum amount specified in B.3.1, the Contractor may invoice only for the difference between the total value of the task orders received and the guaranteed minimum amount specified in the contract.

OPTIONAL CLIN X013, Implementation - Optional Task - Informational CLIN

(Informational) VA will make a lump sum payment to the Contractor upon satisfactory completion of Optional Tasks start-up/implementation milestones identified in the contractor’s implementation plan and accepted by the CO.

The implementation of these optional tasks will be distinct and separate from the services outlined in CLIN X008, Administrative Services, and CLIN X011, Implementation. It is important to note that the Contractor may invoice for the implementation payment only once per VA facility or Contractor site within the contracted Period of Performance.

OPTIONAL CLIN X014, Appointment Scheduling and Comprehensive Care Coordination Administration

(Informational) Appointment Scheduling and Comprehensive Care Coordination Administration, VA will pay the Contractor for appointment scheduling and care coordination at the awarded monthly price for the number of unique VA Approved Referrals for the tier ordered. If the Contractor receives unique referrals over the annual tiered volumes, the Contractor shall return those referrals to VA.

When the quantity of unique VA Approved Referrals exceeds a tier, the subsequent tier may be ordered.

OPTIONAL CLIN X015, Care Coordination Follow-Up

(Informational) Care Coordination Follow-Up, VA will pay the Contractor for care coordination follow-up services at the awarded monthly price for the number of unique VA Approved Referrals, including implementing the care coordination follow-up process. Payments are limited to one payment per Veteran per month.

OPTIONAL CLIN X016, Software, Process, and Proof of Concept Development:

(Informational) Software, Process, and Proof of Concept Development, VA will pay the Contractor for software design, customization, development, configuration, interface development, programming changes, and modifications to include system update services and process and proof of concepts changes in accordance with current software development methodologies associated with software solutions, as needed.

This CLIN is paid based on a fixed price for each instance of a software development, process, or proof of concept task aligned to the task sizes.

B.9 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

See “Attachment 1 - CCN Next Gen – Medical IDIQ PWS”

B.10 INTEGRATED PRODUCT TEAMS

In order to address evolving technologies or new healthcare services, the Government may develop requirement and program changes that will result in contract, task order, and Medical TO Contractor Manual modifications or updates through the use of Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) staffed by Government and Contractor personnel. The Government will not establish IPTs for all contract changes but generally will establish them to address system-wide issues impacting all CCN Next Gen – Medical contracts and/or active task orders. The IPT process required in this section will begin on the date the CO notifies the Contractor in writing of the Government’s intent to establish an IPT.

Within 14 days after receiving such written notification, the Contractor shall identify the appropriate personnel (as agreed by the CO and the Contractor) to serve on the IPT to develop and/or improve the technical, business, and implementation approach to any proposed CCN program or contract change.

The Contractor shall participate in all required IPT meetings, as determined by the Government designated team lead, regardless of the mode of meeting (in person or via teleconference, video-teleconference, or another electronic conference mode). The frequency and scheduling of such meetings will vary depending on the topic. The Contractor shall participate with the Government team and provide assistance in the entire process from VA concept development through establishment of the final requirement by VA. The IPT process required in this section may include developing the Government’s budgetary cost estimates, identifying requirements, developing associated rough order of magnitude cost estimates, and preparing the final specification/statement of work.

The Government will have sole discretion to decide to implement an IPT’s recommendation based on designed outcomes and budgetary cost estimates.

Unless otherwise determined, on a case-by-case basis, by the Government, the IPT process shall occur as follows:

1. Establish IPT membership

a) Establish full-team and component teams (e.g. technical, cost, etc.)

b) Establish Government-only and Contractor-only teams that allow for issues to be raised on a non-attribution basis

2. IPT Kick-off Meeting

a) Review of IPT Objectives and resource demands required to support the technical and time needs of the IPT

b) Identify Key Milestones

c) Establish an IPT Schedule, to include a meeting cadence, dates, and times for the full team, component teams, Government-only team(s), and Contractor-only team(s)

d) Discuss method(s) of communication and exchange of information and documentation.

3. CCRB review

4. Revise / update as necessary based on feedback from CCRB

B.11 IT CONTRACT SECURITY

GENERAL

The CCN Next Gen – Medical contract will require direct access to VA information or VA systems to meet the requirements of the CCN contract. The CCN Contractor will need to send and receive data to VA internal systems. VA and its partners must exchange data using a standardized format such as HL7, EDI, and consider FHIR as it becomes standardized in the industry. The HL7 FHIR standard allows health apps (like HSRM) to leverage data from any EHR in a standard format. The Offerors shall educate providers to have a FHIR interface as a solution to return information back to VA. VA also encourages implementation of Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) or SMART on FHIR.

VA will legally disclose a copy of the required sensitive Government Furnished Information to the CCN Contractor under the authority of the Privacy Act System of Records “Non-VA Care (Fee) Records-VA”, 23VA10B3 Routine Use 10 ( 80 FR 146, July 30, 2015), Privacy Act System of Records “Patient Medical Records-VA”, 24VA10P2 Routine Use 43 (79 FR 157, August 14, 2014), 38 U.S.C. 5701, HIPAA Privacy Rule provision 45 CFR § 164.506(c) and The Veterans Choice Program Improvement Act, Public Law 115 26 and 38 U.S.C. 7332(b)(2)(H). The data will be sent via Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 (or successor) validated encryption transmission. The CCN Contractor will then receive, retain and then be responsible for safeguarding and proper use of that data copy. When the CCN Contractor submits back to VA the agreed upon information, VA will then assume responsibility for that copy. Offerors, contractor personnel, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security.

ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

a. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order.

b. All Offerors and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for Offerors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures.

Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance. National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS). Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness.

Custom software development and outsourced operations must be located in the U.S.

to the maximum extent practical. If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates, the contractor/subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth. Location within the U.S. may be an evaluation factor.

The Contractor or subcontractor must notify the CO immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor’s employer. The CO must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination.

INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE

Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1.)

VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the Offerors/subcontractor’s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA’s information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA’s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, the contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA CO within 30 days of termination of the contract.

The Contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies.