Attachment A.1 - Solicitation for TAP 0003.pdf

PAGE 1 OF 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. DUNS: DUNS+4:

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. 2/2012)

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

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

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

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS 129

36C10X20R0028 TBD

Caitlin Savina Caitlin.Savina@va.gov 240-215-1668 06-22-2020

9:00AM ET

36C10X Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs

5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick MD 21703

X

541612

$16.5 Million

N/A

X

Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration Transition and Economic Development Multiple Places of Performance - See PWS

36C10X

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs

VAFSC

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center

PO BOX 149971

(see Section B.1 invoicing/payment) Austin TX 78714-8917

1-(877)-489-6135

See CONTINUATION Page

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Transition and Economic Development (TED) Transition Assistance Program (TAP)

Questions are due by 9:00 A.M. ET. May 5, 2020.

Questions shall be emailed to the Contracting Officer, Tara Flores at Tara.Flores@va.gov, and the Contract Specialist, Caitlin Savina at Caitlin.Savina@va.gov

Vendors must have GSA HCaTS Pool 2 with NAICS 541612

Quotes are due by 9:00 A.M. ET. June 22, 2020

$0.00 See CONTINUATION Page

X X

All updates to the RFP are in blue font.

RFP Questions & Answers are provided as Attachment N

RFP 36C10X20R0028

Table of Contents

SECTION A ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

A.1 SF 1449 SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS ....... Error!

Bookmark not defined.

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

B.3 VBA IT CONTRACT SECURITY

B.4 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

ITEM INFORMATION

SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES

C.1 HCaTS ORDER INTRODUCTORY LANGUAGE

C.2 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT

STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS—COMMERCIAL ITEMS (MAR 2020)

ALTERNATE II (AUG 2019)

C.3 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

C.4 52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

C.5 52.228-5 INSURANCE—WORK ON A GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION (JAN 1997) . 53

C.6 SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

C.7 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

C.8 VAAR 852.203-70 COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING (MAY 2018)

C.9 VAAR 852.209-70 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST (JAN 2008)

C.10 VAAR 852.215-71 EVALUATION FACTOR COMMITMENTS (OCT 2019)

C.11 VAAR 852.219-9 VA SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN MINIMUM

REQUIREMENTS (DEC 2009)

C.12 VAAR 852.219-76 SUBCONTRACTING PLANS MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE

(JUL 2018)

C.13 VAAR 852.232-72 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PAYMENT REQUESTS (NOV

2018)

C.13 VAAR 852.237-70 INDEMNIFICATION AND MEDICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE

(OCT 2019)

C.14 VAAR 852.270-1 REPRESENTATIVES OF CONTRACTING OFFICERS (JAN 2008) 60

C.15 DFARS CLAUSES FOR SOFA

C.15 MANDATORY WRITTEN DISCLOSURES

SECTION D - CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, OR ATTACHMENTS

SECTION E - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS

E.1 52.209-5 CERTIFICATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2015) 87

E.2 52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2018)

E.3 VAAR 852.215-70 SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED AND VETERAN-

OWNED SMALL BUSINESS EVALUATION FACTORS (OCT 2019)

E.4 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2018)

ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL ITEMS

E.5 52.212-2 EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2014)

E.6 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS—COMMERCIAL

ITEMS (DEC 2019)

E.7 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

E.8 52.222-56 CERTIFICATION REGARDING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

COMPLIANCE PLAN (MAR 2015)

E.9 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

E.10 VAAR 852.219-71 VA MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM (DEC 2009)

E.11 VAAR 852.233-70 PROTEST CONTENT/ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

(OCT 2018)

E.12 VAAR 852.233-71 ALTERNATE PROTEST PROCEDURE (OCT 2018)

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

(continuation from Standard Form 1449, block 18A.)

1. Contract Administration: All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

a. CONTRACTOR: TBD

b. GOVERNMENT: Tara Flores, Contracting Officer

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs

2. 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

3. INVOICES: Invoices shall be submitted in arrears:

a. Quarterly []

b. Semi-Annually []

c. Other [X] Monthly, IAW the following invoicing instructions

INVOICE INSTRUCTIONS

DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS

STRATEGIC ACQUISITION CENTER-FREDERICK

Frederick, MD 21703

CONTRACTOR INSTRUCTIONS

FOR STATION 101 ORDERS

OB10/IPPS ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION

FSC e-INVOICE PROGRAM THRU AUSTIN PORTAL

FSC MANDATORY ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION FOR AUSTIN

PAYMENTS

Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods:

Fax, email 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 data transmissions below.

• VA’s Electronic invoice presentment and payment system-The FSC uses a third party Contractor, OB10, to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission.

Please see OB10 contact information below 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).

Vendor e-invoice Set-up information:

Please contact OB10 at the phone number or email address listed below to begin submitting your electronic invoices to the VA Financial Services Center in Austin, TX for payment processing. If you have questions about the e-invoicing program or OB10, please contact the FSC at the phone number or email address listed below.

• OB10 e-Invoice setup information: 1-877-489-6135

• OB10 e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@ob10.com

• FSC e-Invoice contact information: 1-877-353-9791

• FSC e-Invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov

• http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

COMMUNICATIONS:

• https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/27/2012-28612/va-acquisition-regulation-electronic-submission-of-payment-requests

• http://fcw.com/articles/2012/11/27/va-epayments.aspx?s=fcwdaily

• VAFSCFiscalSection101@va.gov or you can call 512-460-5401

4. 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 http://www.x12.org/ http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

A. OVERVIEW

A.1 Title of Project

Department of Veterans Affairs Transition Assistance Program

A.2 Introduction

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Office of Transition and Economic Development (TED), is seeking Contractor services at part of VA’s support to the military services’ Transition Assistance Program (TAP). TED requires Contract support with advancing ongoing implementation of VA’s current and future efforts in TAP to ensure that service members and their families are provided with the necessary tools and information to facilitate their readiness for civilian life.

A.3 Background

Every year, approximately 200,000 service members leave military service and return to life as civilians, a process known as military to civilian transition. To aid in that transition, Congress has passed various laws which have been intended to prepare eligible service members and their families to face the many challenges of transitioning from active duty back to civilian life. In response, VA, and its interagency partners at the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Homeland Security, Department of Education, Office of Personnel and Management, and Small Business Administration have implemented various programs to carry out these requirements and ensure that service members are provided with the tools and information necessary to transition into civilian life.

One of these programs is the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which is an overarching program implemented by each of the military services (U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S.

Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard) in order to provide transition assistance, information, training, counseling, and services to eligible service members in order for them to be career ready upon separation, retirement, or release from active duty, thus enabling them to pursue additional education, seek or return to employment in the public or private sector, start their own business, pursue vocational training, or other activities that meets the need of that service member and their family.

Transition assistance, as provided by TAP consists of all related TAP activities, curriculum, resources, and services provided to enable eligible service members to attain the career readiness standards (CRS) established by the respective military services. Pursuant to 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 1142(a)(4)(C), The criterion for the eligibility requirement is for that all service members who serve for a period of 180 continuous days or more on active duty, pursuant to 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 1142(a)(4)(C), must go through transition assistance. Transition assistance must start no later than 365 days prior to the anticipated date of separation, unless otherwise excused. For anticipated retirements, transition assistance must start no later than 720 days. All eligible service members must participate in TAP, utilizing the services and briefings provided in order to meet CRS that are specific to their post-transition goals. The components of TAP (ATTACHMENT A) are codified in 10 U.S.C. § 1142 and 1144 and include but are not limited to the following:

• Initial Counseling (IC): Facilitated by the military services, includes a personal self-assessment/ individual transition plan (ITP) to identify the pathway that determines the service members’ level of transition assistance needed and post-transition goals in accordance with Section 1142 of Title 10, U.S.C.

• Pre-separation/Transition Counseling: Provided by the military services, provides counseling on various benefits, programs, services, tools, and other important resource entitlements for which they may be eligible pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 1142.

• Department of Defense (DoD) Transition Day: Conducted by the DoD, delivers an understanding of resilience necessary during transition, identifies and translates current military position description into civilian equivalent, and provides financial literacy training at transition.

• VA Benefits and Services: Conducted by VA, provides knowledge of VA benefits Service members have earned, how to apply for them, and how to leverage them for the best possible outcome, in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 1142.

• Department of Labor (DOL) One-Day: Conducted by DOL, provides an overview of employment in the civilian sector, in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 1144.

• Two-Day Tracks: Provided by various agencies, tracks are chosen by service members to fulfill their personal self-assessment/ITP and post-transition goals. These include:

employment, education, vocational, and entrepreneurship.

• Capstone: Conducted by the military services, provides an opportunity for eligible service members to verify attainment of the CRS by the commander or designee. Based upon the judgment of the commander or commander’s designee, if the service member cannot meet the CRS before transition, the commander or designee verifies, confirms and documents a warm handover to appropriate interagency partners or local resources.

In support of TAP, VA provides onsite support to the various requirements. VA provides the mandatory full-day VA Benefits and Services briefing required under 10 U.S.C. § 1144(f)(1)(B) to 100% of eligible transitioning service members, and on a space available basis, to dependents, caregivers, survivors, and Veterans. VA further provides onsite support to other TAP events, including but not limited to pre-separation counseling, Capstone, and warm handovers that ensure the service member is informed on and connected to the appropriate VA benefits that apply to their specific situation.

A.4 Purpose

The purpose of this contract is to provide TED with TAP onsite support, which includes:

conducting VA Benefits and Services briefings; conducting one-on-one benefits engagements;

supporting pre-separation counseling and Capstone events; conducting Reserve and National Guard Component support; conducting Military Life Cycle (MLC) Modules; and supporting any requirements included as part of transition assistance instituted by law, regulation, or executive order.

A.5 Scope of Work

As the agency program office responsible for conducting VA’s contribution to the interagency TAP, TED requires contract support services to assist in the continuation of existing TAP onsite support and associated program management and training requirements. This work encompasses:

program management and administration; onsite support activities at military installations to conduct and report on VA-supported activities; conduct in-person classroom briefings; provide information through generalized and one-on-one settings; and conduct briefer training and evaluation. This support requires the capability for a worldwide program sustainment which can support up to 200,000 transitioning service members across more than 330 installations within the Contiguous United States (CONUS) and Outside the Contiguous United States (OCONUS) annually. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to support TAP operations as defined in this Performance Work Statement (PWS), except for those items specified as Government-furnished property and/or services.

A.6 Period of Performance

The period of performance shall consist of a base period of three (3) months, four (4) option periods of twelve (12) months in duration each, and a fifth option period of nine (9) months.

A.7 Type of Contract

This shall be a Firm-Fixed Price task order.

A.8 Place of Performance

The work shall be performed at: VBA Central Office, 1800 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 and/or any VA facility within the District of Columbia; Contractor facilities (offsite);

DoD installations worldwide as identified in ATTACHMENT F. Please note that OCONUS locations may require the administration of Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) as required by host-nation labor regulations. Further, other locations not described here shall be approved by the COR, such as events at non-military installation locations in support of Reserve and National Guard Component.

A.9 Recognized Holidays

The Contractor is not required to perform services on Federal holidays. Any work to be performed at Government sites shall not take place on Federal holidays or weekends, unless directed by the COR or in support of approved Reserve and National Guard Component events.

There are ten (10) Federal holidays set by law (5 U.S.C. § 6103) that VA follows:

Under current definitions, four are set by date:

• New Year's Day January 1

• Independence Day July 4

• Veterans Day November 11

• Christmas Day December 25

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:

• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Third Monday in January

• Washington’s Birthday Third Monday in February

• Memorial Day Last Monday in May

• Labor Day First Monday in September

• Columbus Day Second Monday in October

• Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday in November

A.10 Hours of Operation

The Contractor is responsible for conducting business that meets the needs of the location where they are assigned. Usually, but not always, this is an eight (8) hour workday with an additional 30 minutes for lunch, local time. The Contractor shall be available Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. (local time) for weekly meetings and deliverables at each location. Approved travel may be conducted outside of normal business hours in accordance with Contractor and VA travel regulations. The Contractor shall, at all times, maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS. In instances that the Contractor shall provide support to approved Reserve and National Guard Component events, the hours of operation may fall outside of usual hours of operation, such as after normal business hours and/or on weekends.

A.11 Contract Award Meeting/Kick off Meeting

The Contractor shall not commence performance on the tasks in this PWS without expressed written approval from until the Contracting Officer (CO) until after the CO has conducted a kick-off meeting to be scheduled within ten (10) calendar days of the award of the contract or has otherwise advised the Contractor that a kick-off meeting is waived. The Contractor shall attend the project kick-off meeting which will include the VA project team and may include a project advisory group comprised of key stakeholders and Subject Matter Experts from the interagency TAP. At the kick-off meeting, the Contractor shall brief the details of the project management plan (PMP), and this briefing shall include an overview of the Contractor’s intended approach, work plan, and project schedule to include deliverables, tasks, and subtasks, with major milestones indicated.

A.12 Organizational Conflict of Interest

The award of this contract will impose a potential Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) with the award of the TED Strategic requirements and performance management contract. Award of the TED strategic requirements and performance management contract is anticipated to be as an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract. Any Contractor awarded, as a prime or subcontractor on this Contract is precluded from supporting the TED strategic requirements and performance management effort in any way, including but not limited to, advising, subcontracting, or consulting, as noted by FAR 9.505-3.

B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall ensure that all written deliverables are phrased in plain language. Statistical and other technical terminology shall not be used without providing a glossary of terms.

Where a written milestone deliverable is required in draft form, the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and the Government Program Manager (PM) will complete the review of the draft deliverable within fifteen (15) calendar days from date of receipt. The Contractor shall have ten (10) calendar days to deliver the final deliverable from date of receipt of the Government’s comments.

All deliverables shall be delivered to the COR and Government PM.

The COR and Government PM will attend all meetings and briefings where deliverables or the execution of this contract will be discussed. The Contractor shall include the COR and Government PM in all communication related to this PWS and the execution of the contract.

To ensure proper preservation of records generated by email, the Contractor shall ensure that all contractors assigned VA email accounts will use those accounts to transmit emails related to work completed towards this contract. If contract personnel are unable to use the VA email account due to technical constraints of any kind, the corporate email account may be used if at least one of the following requirements is met: the record contains no controlled unclassified information or other VA sensitive information.

All externally used documents must be 508 compliant. These standards, set by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal agencies to provide software and website accessibility to people with disabilities.

All documents must be stored on VA Network or other location that has been expressly approved by the COR and Government PM.

The Contractor shall deliver all work products and deliverables throughout the Period of Performance, Close of Business (COB), which shall be understood to mean 5:00 pm local time, Washington, DC.

All work products and deliverables shall, at a minimum, be 95% free of errors, specifically content, spelling, grammar, formatting, and punctuation.

The Contractor shall work with the Government to establish a permanent on-boarding strategy within sixthree (63) months of contract award that ensures all personnel are able to complete fingerprint submissions and all other security background check requirements necessary to begin performing work on this contract.

C. SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND REQUIREMENTS

C.1 TASK 1 – Program Management and Administration

Task 1: Part A. Project Management Plan (PMP)

The Contractor shall provide a detailed Project Management/Implementation Plan (PMP) and briefing for the project team to be conducted at the project kick-off meeting. This shall encompass the Contractor’s plan for completing the contract describing the technical approach, management plan, organizational structure and resources, and management controls that will meet the objectives of this PWS. The Contractor's plan shall be responsive to this PWS and describe, in further detail, the approach to be used for each aspect of the contract as defined in the proposal. The Contractor shall keep the PMP up-to-date throughout the period of performance, specifically; the Contractor shall provide recommended updates in the form of tracked changes in an electronic file, on a monthly basis. Negative response indicating no updates are made is required. The Contractor shall use artifacts and processes determined at time of award. Further, the Government may, at any time, request additional updates that will be completed by the Contractor and delivered to the Government no more than ten (10) calendar days after the request. These updates may include the addition of activities not included in the initial plan. For example, during the course of the major milestone implementation, the Government may require project changes that will require prior approval from the CO. The Contractor shall provide recommended changes to PM, COR and CO. Any recommended changes that impact the price shall be identified with price impact and shall not be implemented until and unless approved by the CO through a modification.

The PMP shall comply with Project Management Institute (PMI) suggested requirements and shall be inclusive of the following deliverables, at a minimum:

a. Staffing Plan: The staffing plan is to define the roles and responsibilities for all personnel supporting the contract. The goal of the plan is to ensure the contract support staff is properly aligned to the strategic goals, mission, and objectives of TAP. Staffing plan should also include the Contractor’s organizational structure in support of the contract.

The Contractor shall provide a detailed hiring plan and tracking tool that shows status of hiring at all location including background checks, SOFA requirements, Personal Identification Verification (PIV) and start dates. The tracker shall include issues related to hiring and also be included on the Risk and Issues Matrix for mitigation. The Staffing Plan shall also demonstrate the Contractor’s process for immediately identifying and taking appropriate remedial action in addressing Contractor personnel determined to be unacceptable in terms of technical competency or personal conduct in performance of contract activities. Contractor remedial actions shall be executed in a manner that does not disrupt or degrade the quality or timeliness of services. Only trained staff will be permitted to conduct Benefit Advisor (BA) activities and engage with transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans. All variations must receive prior approval from the PM and COR. The Contractor shall create and maintain a staffing tracker.

b. In-Processing Plan: The Contractor shall develop an In-Processing Plan that addresses in-processing of all personnel supporting this contract to include describing how to meet the learning needs of the BAs and Train-the Trainers in the execution of TAP. The Contractor shall provide a tracking tool that shows status of in-processing and scheduled training.

c. Training Plan: The Contractor shall outline, as part of the proposal, how new hires will be trained. The Contractor shall complete initial training of staff members to include VA onboarding and badging within sixty (60) calendar days of effective date of the contract.

All new hires shall be trained within sixty (60) calendar days throughout the period of performance.

d. Operational Deployment Plan: The Contractor shall describe how contract personnel will be deployed to ensure little to no disruptions in the delivery of the VA mandated briefings as well as the plan to maintain operations throughout the course of the contract.

Contractor shall provide weekly updates.

e. Contractor Communication Plan: The Contractor shall outline the Contractor’s roles and responsibilities of project participants in the review, approval and dissemination of information about key project processes, events, documents and milestones. The

Contractor shall also provide an outline in the Contractor Communication Plan of these requirements specific to subcontractor communication.

f. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan: The Contractor shall conduct risk identification, risk analysis, risk management, and risk monitoring and reporting, focusing on the processes, resources and data sources critical to managing the project. The Contractor shall provide a Risks and Mitigation plan weekly. Risk and issues shall be reported during the weekly update meetings as critical, high, medium, or low. A description shall be included of the risk/issue, the owner, progress made, and management strategy as applicable. Weekly status will be provided on each risk until they are closed out. The Project Management Office (PMO) may request that a perceived risk or issue be added and tracked for the contract.

g. Quality Control Plan (QCP): The Contractor shall provide a detailed QCP within 14 calendar days of contract award, based on the ATTACHMENT G – PRS (performance requirements standards). The QCP shall be reviewed quarterly and if there are any changes, the updated QCP shall be submitted to the PM and COR. The QCP shall document the overall approach to quality assurance activities. The QCP shall provide specifics regarding how the Contractor defines, implements, and assures quality during the contract life. The Contractor’s QCP will be the basis for the Government’s Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). The VA will create the QASP upon receipt of the Contractor’s first QCP and will be updated as the QCP is updated.

h. Transition Plan: The Contractor shall submit a Transition Plan that describes the process, details, and schedule for providing an orderly transition during the Contract’s Phase in/Phase out period in accordance with the PWS. The initial transition period will include an effective date of 9/15/2020 and then 60 calendar days of transition using FAR 52.237- 3 Continuity of Services. The objectives of the Transition Plan are: to minimize the impacts on continuity of operations; maintain communication with staff and affected stakeholders; identify key issues; and overcome barriers to transition. The Contractor shall establish a transition management team capable of providing overall management and logistical support of all transition activities. The Contractor shall regularly report status to the PM, COR and CO at periodic meetings and through regular written reports during the Transition period. The Transition Plan shall include a status of all deliverables, current issues, problems, or activities in process that require immediate action.

Deliverable 1.A.1 Project Management Plan

Task 1: Part B. Program Administration

In order to ensure all TAP onsite support and training requirements are being met and coordinated in an efficient, accountable, and transparent model, it is imperative that the Contractor ensure that the contract is administered with a robust and integrated system of program administration. Such a system shall be implemented using a disciplined, comprehensive, and flexible program and project management process, including but not limited to: monitoring of project metrics; rigorous risk management; prompt reporting on schedule, staffing, performance, risks, and issues. In order to ensure that the Contract is performing in a manner that optimizes operations, it is critical that the Contractor prioritize proactive and timely modes of communication from both a top-to-bottom and a bottom-to-top approach. The Contractor shall identify any problems or concerns that have arisen in a timely manner and be prepared to provide a statement explaining the issue, how it was resolved, or an explanation as to why it has not been resolved, including any recommended mitigation strategies. To ensure proper communication, the Contractor shall be expected to provide monthly updates, in-writing, on the following:

• Any requirements stated in the PWS;

• Roster of personnel;

• Pending in-processing status for new personnel;

• Pre-trip request, detailing planned travel for the upcoming sixty (60) day period;

• Post trip summary log;

• Submission of all information necessary to obtain VA email addresses for contract staff;

• Planned replacements for the upcoming thirty (30) day period;

• Current expenditures and forecasted expenditures toward completion of the Period of

Performance;

• Identification of project risks;

• A summary of the tasks and work products completed;

• Planned training schedule;

• A status of all contract deliverables to include schedule of delivery; and

• Any other items requested by the Government, through the CO.

Moreover, in support of the command and control regional model that supports permanent and itinerant sites and requirements to support all Government-approved travel, the Contractor shall ensure that they implement a robust travel management process that includes: providing a pre-trip request at least fourteen (14) business days unless a shorter timeframe for advance notification is agreed to in-writing by the COR. Furthermore, the Contractor shall submit a post-trip report to the COR and PM once a week on Fridays for the previous week’s travel.

The Contractor shall complete administrative tasks (e.g., background investigation forms, staff roster, mandatory training) to obtain access to military installations, VA facilities or other places of performance. All Contractor employees supporting this contract shall obtain a VA email address to use in support of all related PWS requirements.

Deliverable 1.B.1 Program Administration

Task 1: Part C. Semiannual Review Meeting

The Contractor shall facilitate a semiannual review with the VA project team once every six (6) months from the date of award. The semiannual review shall provide the Contractor and VA project team a forum to discuss activities associated with implementing a disciplined, comprehensive, and flexible program and required project management processes, including:

attendance, scheduling, and performance trends; risks and issues and their associated mitigation;

staffing and training; and other factors determined by the Contractor and Government to have an enterprise bearing on the program’s ability to successfully function. The semiannual review shall be conducted in-person in the Washington, DC area.

Deliverable 1.C.1 Semiannual Review Meeting

Task 1: Part D. Weekly Status Report with Operations Meeting

The Contractor shall provide a weekly status report which highlights risks and issues as well as any outstanding items requiring action by either the Contractor or Government. In addition, the weekly status report shall include information on training, status, and quality assurance to ensure that any issues affecting training and status can be promptly resolved. The weekly status report shall be delivered via email to the Government PM and COR no later than the calendar day prior to the scheduled weekly operations meeting.

The Contractor shall participate in and facilitate a weekly operations meeting. The weekly operations meeting shall begin the week following the project kickoff briefing and occur on a weekly basis, scheduled with consideration of availability of the VA project team. Phone or web conferencing may be utilized, but in-person attendance by the Contractor PM and task leads is preferred. During the weekly operations meeting, the Contractor shall use the weekly status report to facilitate the meeting so all risks and issues as well as any outstanding items requiring action by either the Contractor or Government are discussed and can be addressed.

Deliverable 1.D.1 Weekly Status Report

Deliverable 1.D.2 Weekly Operations Meeting

C.2 TASK 2 – TAP Onsite Support

To assist service members transitioning from military service to civilian life, VA supports and advances the ongoing implementation, assessment, and enhancement of TAP. As part of this effort, VA supports the military services’ individual transition assistance activities identified in 10 U.S.C. §1142, 10 U.S.C. § 1144, and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between VA, DoD, DOL, and other interagency partners regarding TAP (ATTACHMENT E). To address these requirements, VA has instituted a support concept which utilizes a regional hub-and-spoke model with regional command and control centers under the direction of the COR and VA PM, providing command and control capabilities. The hub-and-spoke model involves a combination of connected permanent and itinerant (temporary/as-required) sites with physical on-site support on each installation, as required by demand which will require COR approval. Installations with a high- or medium-demand require a permanent VA presence, and installations with low-demand are provided itinerant support activities as required. VA currently supports 110 permanent sites and 221 itinerant sites, both CONUS and OCONUS, divided into six (6) operational regions (ATTACHMENT F). The Contractor must be able to maintain full operational coverage with fully qualified and trained personnel required to meet all requirements at each of the installations at all times.

Onsite Activities: VA administers the mandatory VA briefing during TAP, known as VA Benefits and Services. VA further supports other TAP activities and requirements, including but not limited to pre-separation counseling and Capstone events, facilitating warm handovers (as required and reported via the DD Form 2648), conducting one-on-one engagements with service members, supporting Reserve and National Guard component events, and providing optional VA-specific learning modules provided throughout a service member’s military life cycle. Group settings and locations may vary depending on installation facilities available and attendance, but primary instruction and services shall be provided in-person at a physical location (such as a classroom, auditorium, or conference room environment which is conductive to and setup for learning). The on-demand Military Life Cycle modules, which are optional, are offered in-person and via online learning platforms. All briefing and event materials which shall be used by the

Contractor, including but not limited to participant guides, slides, and handouts, are provided by the Government. See ATTACHMENT F and M C for historical frequency and event data.

VA Benefits Advisors (BA): The Contractor shall provide qualified individuals who shall perform all TAP onsite support activities required by this contract and shall be referred to as “VA Benefits Advisor (BA) – [Contractor name].” In many instances, the BA is the first or only interaction between a service member and VA regarding VA benefits and services. Because of this, it is critical to the success of this contract that these individuals have the utmost professionalism, superior customer service practices, knowledge and expertise, and ability to adhere to strict requirements for quality and consistency to ensure a positive experience for our customers. Due to VA’s support concept for this contract which utilizes a regional hub-and-spoke model that takes into account historical event and attendance averages for permanent and itinerant sites, the Contractor shall maintain a minimum staffing of no less than 260 BA (Below 260 will result in a deduction IAW the QASP) . Historical averages have found that approximately 280 BAs have provided 100% coverage to all VA-supported TAP events, with 300 BAs as the maximum necessary to support monthly events.

All BA’s shall maintain a close network with other related resource experts, including not limited to: Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Counselors, DOL VETS Staff and Instructors, military service TAP managers and staff, VA Military Service Coordinators (MSC), VA Overseas Military Service Coordinators (OMSC), VA Transition and Economic Development staff, VHA homelessness program staff, health care liaisons, Military Sexual Trauma staff, mental health and suicide prevention staff, warrior transition staff, Vet Centers, and VA Medical Center and Regional Office staff. Such a network involves the BA’s having up-to-date contact information of these personnel and ability to communicate with such personnel in order to facilitate a connection between the service member and other resources as required. In addition to maintaining these relationships, BAs shall place VA-approved fliers and informational posters informing service members of the VA presence at key locations around their duty post.

In order to provide TAP onsite support, BA shall perform the requirements specified in Parts B- G of this Task, as well as Task 4 Part A and Task 5 Part A, when exercised under this Contract.

Additional BA roles and responsibilities shall include the following:

• Provide all services on-site, or virtually when required, which may include telecommunications as necessary to support the service member during the business hours established by the local facility. In instances in which in-person access to a service member is restricted due to security or other limitations (primarily in certain OCONUS locations or to deployed Naval vessels), BA may provide support on a case-by-case basis via telecommunications (i.e. video and/or audio) methods as a last resort with COR approval.

• Ensure that the materials provided to their location are correct and complete prior to sharing with the customer. This shall be accomplished via visual spot checks of participant guides upon receipt and visual verification of materials before handing out during a briefing. These materials generally include the VA Benefits and Services Participant Guides and handouts which may accompany MLC or Reserve and National Guard Component events.

• Ensure that event management and timely reporting is conducted for each event specified in Parts B-G of this Task, as well as Task 4Part A and Task 5 Part A, when exercised under this Contract. The Contractor shall, on a daily basis, ensure that each BA completes VA-approved data entry requirements (including but not limited to information collected from service members, attendance, demographic information, satisfaction, and event highlights) and enter required data in accordance with VA-approved processes. This data shall be entered for each attendee who attends a VA TAP event to properly account for all field events and activities. Each event shall be reported by event type (i.e. VA Benefits and Services, one-on-one engagement, pre-separation counseling support, Capstone support, warm handovers, and Reserve/National Guard Component support). The Contractor shall ensure that event data is submitted within five (5) business days from the end of an event.

• Accept a service member’s completed application for Chapter 36 or Chapter 31 benefits and route such applications to VA via mail in accordance with VA-approved processes.

• Handle sensitive and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in accordance with established VA procedures and policies.

Deliverable 2.A.1 TAP Onsite Support CONUS

Deliverable 2.A.2 TAP Onsite Support OCONUS

Task 2: Part B. VA Benefits and Services

The VA Benefits and Services briefing is a mandatory component of TAP where VA provides information on VA benefits and services in order to enable transitioning service members to make informed decisions regarding the use of VA benefits. The VA Benefits and Services briefing helps attendees better understand VA benefits, programs, and services based on their needs during each phase of their transition and beyond in civilian life. These modules cover critical VA benefits, including but not limited to: education, compensation, pension, vocational rehabilitation and employment, home loan guaranty, insurance, burial benefits, VA health care, and information and demonstrations on VA electronic tools and resources.

Designed around the understanding that no two transition experiences are the same, the VA Benefits and Services briefing is a full-day briefing with facilitated- and activity-based instructional modules, highlights of real stories and examples from service members who have transitioned from civilian life, and introduction and instruction on how to find and connect with additional VA information, tools, and resources. All VA Benefits and Services briefing materials, participant guides, and instructor guides are developed and provided to the Contractor by the VA and will include all information, instruction, and resources necessary for the Contractor to facilitate the briefing. As a mandatory component of TAP, DoD or the U.S. Coast Guard notifies VA of all class scheduling. VA will then provide all class scheduling to the Contractor at the start of each year, with updates provided quarterly, or approximately 30 to 60 days prior to any changes. In the instance that DoD operational requirements necessitate the support of an ad-hoc, previously unscheduled VA Benefits and Services briefing, VA will provide this schedule information to the Contractor in a timely manner to allow for coverage and travel arrangements to be considered. In order to provide VA Benefits and Services briefings, the Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

• The BA shall follow VA-established procedures on setting-up the briefing room (i.e.

preparing materials for participants and preparing any required electronic equipment such as sound and computer(s)).

• The BA shall provide the VA Benefits and Services briefing in accordance with VA established procedures and in strict adherence to VA-provided instructor guidelines

(ATTACHMENT B).

• The BA shall follow VA-established procedures on breaking-down the briefing room (i.e.

collecting participant feedback forms, collecting materials not in use, and securing any required electronic equipment such as sound and computer(s).

• VA Benefits and Services briefings shall occur on a single day. A single day shall not exceed more than eight (8) hours. Encompassed in this eight (8) hours includes: no more than thirty (30) minutes for briefing setup activities; no more than seven (7) hours for providing VA Benefits and Services in accordance with VA-provided materials (this includes instructional time, breaks, and lunch); and no more than thirty (30) minutes for room breakdown activities.

• VA Benefits and Services event attendance is established by an interagency agreement (ATTACHMENT E) which stipulates that the minimum class size is ten (10) participants and the maximum class size is fifty (50) participants.

Deliverable 2.B.1 TAP Onsite Support Deliver VA Benefits and Services CONUS

Deliverable 2.B.2 TAP Onsite Support Deliver VA Benefits and Services OCONUS

Task 2: Part C. One-on-One Engagements

A one-one-one engagement is an individualized discussion that occurs between the BA and a service member at any time throughout the service member’s career. During a one-on-one engagement, a BA shall leverage only VA-approved materials to facilitate an individualized conversation on that service member’s and/or their family’s needs. During a one-on-one engagement, the Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

• Facilitate an individualized discussion to further explain the benefits and services that may be available to the service member, including information on time-sensitive benefits available to them while still in service (i.e. Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (Chapter 36), Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services (Chapter 31), or Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD)); assist the service member in finding answers via VA-approved resources to answer questions related to filing VA claims or applications of any kind; assist the service member in finding an official VA resource (i.e. VA website, VA point of contact, or VA facility); and accept a service member’s completed application for Chapter 36 or Chapter 31 benefits.

• One-one-one engagements shall be scheduled by the BA in advance. The Contractor may provide walk-in one-on-one engagements on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the availability of the BA. Moreover, while one-on-one engagements are generally intended to occur with a service member, the Contractor may provide one-on-one engagements to a military spouse, caregiver, or survivor on a scheduled, space availability basis only.

• If the one-on-one engagement involves questions or concerns from the service member that the BA is not trained to handle or does not have the requisite knowledge to respond, the BA shall utilize its close network of other VA contacts and make the appropriate connection for that service member to the appropriate resource.

• One-on-one engagements, whether scheduled or walk-in, shall not exceed more than thirty (30) minutes, and shall consist of no more than one BA.

Deliverable 2.C.1 TAP Onsite Support Conduct One-on-One Engagements CONUS

Deliverable 2.C.2 TAP Onsite Support Conduct One-on-One Engagements OCONUS

Task 2: Part D. Pre-Separation Counseling Support

Pre-separation counseling is a mandatory requirement on the military services where they must provide transitioning service members counseling on various benefits, programs, services, tools, and other important resource entitlements for which they may be eligible. Pursuant to law, the military services must provide each eligible transitioning service member pre-separation counseling no later than 365 days before their anticipated date of separation or discharge from active duty service, or twenty-four (24) months prior to a service member’s anticipated date of retirement. The purpose of the military services’ pre-separation counseling is to begin the transition assistance process for the service member concerned. Included in the military services’ pre-separation counseling sessions is an orientation on certain VA benefits, as well as an overview of the mandatory VA Benefits and Services briefings that the service member will attend as part of TAP.