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Question Answer
| Could the government provide further details regarding the requirement in Volume II to have an “Example recording of webinar previously hosted”. |
| The example webinar should be submitted via weblink that is compatible with the VA network. The example webinar should be no more than 1 hour in length for a target of audience of at least 2000 participants. The content for the example webinar should be centered around racial equity principles. The webinar should not be a training webinar but a planning call to direct the staff on a plan of action developed by the vendor. Agendas, powerpoint and handouts should be included as examples. Listening sessions and focus groups should be interactive and promote two-way conversation with the same focus content of racial equity principles. |
| Could the government please provide the content, format, and desired qualifications they would like to see within the webinar? |
| The example webinar should be submitted via weblink that is compatible with the VA network. The example webinar should be no more than 1 hour in length for a target of audience of at least 2000 participants. The content for the example webinar should be centered around racial equity principles. The webinar should not be a training webinar but a planning call to direct the staff on a plan of action developed by the vendor. Agendas, powerpoint and handouts should be included as examples. Listening sessions and focus groups should be interactive and promote two-way conversation with the same focus content of racial equity principles. |
| Would the government please provide a 5-day extension to the submission date? |
| We will extend as provided within the posting. |
| Could the government please further explain the role of key personnel “Quality Management Specialist” in regard to the scope of the work? |
| The role of the Quality Management Specialist is to monitor, inspect, and proposing measures to correct and improve any content, communications, or products developed by the contractor. |
| Does the VA anticipate there may be PHI/PII/SPI on this TOPR? If so, how many records do you anticipate? |
| VA does not anticipate any PHI/PII/SPI utilized in this TOPR. |
| Is there an incumbent currently supporting these requirements? |
| No. |
Volume II – Experience calls for:
· Example of previously developed project management plan,
· Example of previous survey administration tool and outcomes report,
· Summary reports on improvement projects and outcomes, and
· Example of past assessment summary and recommendations and outcomes from a previously hosted focus group.
Is the government requesting information about other projects where Offerors developed these products or the actual products? If the government is requesting actual products, can they be included in an appendix and excluded from the page limit? Can Offerors provide a several page snapshot rather than a full document?
The government is requesting the actual products from previous requirements. These can be included in an appendix and excluded from the page limit. Snapshots are acceptable. However, only one example may be provided for each requested bullet.
| Volume II – Experience calls for “references from past clients.” Is the government requesting contact information from past clients who can be contacted to discuss the Offeror’s performance? Or descriptions of relevant past projects which includes a client PoC? Or written testaments from past clients about the Offeror’s performance (e.g., a CPARS or PPQ)? |
| The government is requesting written testaments from past clients about the Offeror’s performance. Previous CPARS can be included as well. |
| Volume II – Experience calls for “example recording of webinar previously hosted” and on page 31 it says, “the use of hyperlinks in proposals is prohibited.” Could the government please clarify if hyperlinks to examples of recording of webinar previously hosted can be included and, if not, how those examples should be provided? |
| Hyperlinks are not permitted. Text for the web address is permitted. We recommend that these texts are sent to kevin.hurst2@va.gov to ensure they work prior to submitting as part of the quote or uploading them to websites the VA can access such as YouTube. |
| Background – Mentions that “The initial implementation of this work is being address through three distinct areas: organizationally, staff-centric, and Veteran-centric.” Please confirm that this scope focuses only on the staff-centric area. |
| While the tasks primarily obtain information from staff, the scope of this assessment is on all three areas. |
| Task 2 – Scope calls for review of “racial demographics data of Veterans served by VHA homeless programs.” Will the Contractor be required to compile this racial demographics data from Veteran-level data sources (requiring access to PII), or will HPO provide the Contractor with aggregate demographics data/documentation (non-PII)? |
| HPO will provide the Contractor with aggregate demographics data/documentation (non-PII). |
| Is deliverable 1.4 One Report of Assessment and Proposed Next Steps the same deliverable as 7.1 and 7.2? What is the approximate due date? |
| Yes 1.4 is the same report as 7.1 and 7.2 |
| For deliverable 5.1 Plan for Listening Session Implementation, does the government want an individual plan for each listening session? Or a single plan that addresses all 20 sessions? |
| A single plan that addresses all 20 sessions. |
| For deliverable 6.1 Plan for Focus Group, does the government want one plan for each focus group or one overarching plan that addresses all six? |
| One overarching plan that addresses all six. |
| For deliverable 6.4 Three - Six Virtual Focus Groups, should the quantity be 6 max? Should Offerors price the focus groups individually or all of them together as one unit? |
| Price the groups individually. The Price Schedule is updated to reflect 6. |
| Could the government clarify the due date for the survey? One page 10 it says “The survey shall be administered no later than 30 days from the date of the orientation session” and the delivery schedule has the survey due 15 business days after the orientation session. |
| Survey should be administered 15 days after the orientation. |
| With the due dates provided in the deliverable table on page 12 the entire project will be done within 145 working days, however, the period of performance is 12 months. Could the government please clarify the period of performance? |
| The period of performance allows for room in the event the project is not completed within the 145 working days. |
| For the Electronic Staff Survey, should the last column reference “5 business days from completion of 4.4” rather than 4.2? |
| We assume this is referring to the after-action report rather than the electronic survey. The date is now updated. |
| For the Virtual Focus Groups (deliverable 6.4), should the last column reference “25 business days from completion of 6.1” rather than 5.7? Otherwise, all six focus groups must take place within 10 days and 10 days after the questions and emails are due. |
| 6.4 should read 15 business days from completion of 6.1. |
| Does the government have an estimated LOE or estimate of hours not to exceed for this effort? |
| No. |
| Will VA OPM provide information about the demographics of the VHA HPO staff population to ensure representative participation in project activities? |
| VHA will provide information on staff population. |
| Approximately how many participants will/should be attending each listening session and focus group? |
| For focus groups, 1,000 per group. As listening sessions are optional, it is not determined how many will attend. Sessions will be no longer than two hours. |
| Which virtual meeting platforms are included in the phrase “HPO’s existing teleconference means”? |
| WebEx and Teams are the current meeting platforms being utilized in HPO. |
| Would the government consider increasing the page limit on Volume I – Technical Approach to 10 pages to allow Offerors adequate space to demonstrate their understanding of the project and their proposed approach to the 7 tasks? |
| The page limit will remain at 7. |
| Would the government consider changing the NAICS code associated with this work? The requirements of this contract appear better aligned with a research focused NAICS than one focused on social advocacy. |
| A research NAICS is not applicable. |
| Would the government provide “Attachment A – Price Spreadsheet and Price Schedule” referenced on page 35? |
| Attachment A reference is removed. |
