36C10X23Q0259 0001.pdf

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE 7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER 3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO. 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office. is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30 PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

(Type or print) (Type or print)

(Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code)

(If other than Item 6)

(Specify type of modification and authority)

(such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

1 11

0001 08-24-2023

36C10X

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs

5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick MD 21703

36C10X

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs

5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick MD 21703

To all Offerors/Bidders

36C10X23Q0259

08-17-2023

X

X X

See Section A.1 CONTINUATION PAGE for details.

36C10X23Q0259 0001

Table of Contents

A.1 CONTINUATION PAGE

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

A.1 CONTINUATION PAGE

The purpose of this amendment is to:

A. Provide Government responses to questions received in response to the solicitation (#1 - 8, below):

1) Is this a new requirement or is there an incumbent performing these services? If there is an incumbent, could you please provide the current/previous contract number?

RESPONSE: Historically, Blanket Purchase Agreement 36C10X18A0017 was awarded for EQ 360 consulting services required for the SALT Program.

2) The Performance Work Statement states: The assessment tools must be obtained from MultiHealth Systems, Incorporated (MHS). Does this mean that if we use a different tool that measures the same, but it is not the MHS brand, our quote would not be considered? We would be happy to share the sample reports for consideration.

RESPONSE: The assessment tools must be obtained from MultiHealth Systems, Incorporated (MHS). The specific brand name is necessary to meet the Government’s need and is outlined in Attachment A – Brand Name Justification for Multi-Health Systems (MHS) Leadership Emotional Quotient (EQ) 360 and Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-I 2.0) Reports.

3) Would the following experience/academic background suffice for this RFQ: Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) - Leadership and Professional Practice plus Qualification by MHS to facilitate/provide coaching for EQi-2.0 and EQ360 assessments?

a. Additionally, what does the 15-year experience entail? Can the vendor include someone with 15+ Business experience, Leadership Coaching, and Government Leadership background?

RESPONSE: A résumé and EQ certificate are required for this key person. Key personnel shall have a certification in EQ 360 training and PhD in Organizational Psychology or equivalent experience (15 years of related experience) and successes in the areas described in Section 5 of the Performance Work Statement. The key person must be EQ 360 certified for a minimum of 18-months with an equivalent or longer experience EQ 360 coaching individuals. The 15 years of related experience in lieu of the requirement for the key person to hold a PhD in Organizational Psychology must be directly related to EQ 360 coaching.

4) Can tasks be performed by different individuals: Someone w/ the 15-years conducts the training and someone with qualifications does the assessments?

a. Overall how many individuals can/should be involved in performance?

RESPONSE: The Government’s intent for the requirement is for the same individual/consultant perform the services described in Section B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT, 1. Introduction and Purpose, paragraph, a, c, d, e, and f. Updates to Section B.2 are notated in BLUE font for ease of reference.

5) In the RFQ it states: Long distance travel is not required for this requirement. Can out-of-state companies submit for this RFQ?

RESPONSE: This solicitation is not restricted to in-state companies. However, the place of performance for program execution of the EQ topics by the consultant shall be 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD 21703 and travel is not reimbursable.

6) To confirm: How many cohorts per year? Is October to March the beginning and end of one cohort?

RESPONSE: There will be one cohort per fiscal year. The EQ 360 assessment process begins prior to the October in-person session. The program begins in October and ends in May. The in-person classroom facilitation takes place during one 4-hour session in October and one 4-hour session in March.

7) In the RFQ it refers to 4-hour sessions, are the sessions 1-day for 4-hours or 1-hour for the 4-onsite days MTWTH?

RESPONSE: Classroom facilitation is scheduled for 4-hour days from 8:00AM to 12:00PM, two times over the eight-month program. The consultant under this contract will only lead classroom facilitation for one 4-hour day during the SALT Program in-person week in October 2023 and one 4-hour day during the SALT Program in-person week in March 2024.

8) The solicitation states that the contractor is responsible for complete administration (additional to the results debrief) of the EQ 360 and EQi 2.0 instruments. This includes purchasing the tokens from MHS, gathering names of raters from the participants, sending out the assessments from the MHS portal, downloading and delivering the results. Can you confirm that the requirement is for the contractor to handle all aspects of administering the assessment (outside of the debrief) as listed above?

RESPONSE: The requirement is for the contractor to handle all aspects of administering the assessment (outside of the debrief) as listed above.

There are no other changes to the solicitation.

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1. Introduction and Purpose

The Veterans Affairs (VA) Acquisition Academy’s (VAAA) Contracting Professional School (CPS) is launching the sixth offering of the Senior Acquisition Leadership Training (SALT) program for supervisory-level contracting professionals in October 2023. The program is comprised of virtual and onsite training at VAAA in Frederick, MD over an eight-month period. The initial in-person week will focus on self-awareness and this critical competency will be carried throughout the program. The program design includes a Leadership Emotional Quotient (EQ) 360 assessment tool, including both Emotional Intelligence (EI) scales and subscales, and an Emotional Quotient Inventory

2.0 (EQ-i 2.0) self-assessment tool. The assessment tools must be obtained from Multi- Health Systems, Incorporated (MHS). The student becomes informed about how they see themselves as well as the perspectives of how other stakeholders see them when they review the EQ 360 assessment results through class activities, lecture, and one-on-one coaching activities.

The Base Period of Performance includes a maximum of 34 students; Option Periods 1 - 4 include a maximum of 30 students.

The EQ 360 component was selected by the program because of how heavily the contracting professionals must rely on recognizing and managing their emotions when interacting with other stakeholders if they are to succeed at their mission.

This requirement includes a consultant with a PhD in Organizational Psychology or equivalent experience (15 years of related experience), to provide the following services:

a) Support classroom facilitation on the EQ 360 topics;

b) Provide all EQ 360 assessments and reports through MHS including: sending links for assessments to students, collecting responses and running reports in MHS, and providing reports to SALT students;

c) Provide one-on-one coaching to each SALT student by an EQ 360-certified facilitator;

d) Support system development to create a model to analyze data;

e) Using the model, analyze trends and support solutions to optimize results among the SALT student body; and

f) Implement CPS-approved course content revisions if trends indicate changes are warranted or EQ subscales are revised.

Services described in a, c, d, e, and f above shall be provided by the same individual.

2. Period of Performance The period of performance includes a 12-month base period, followed by four, 12-month option periods should it be determined that it’s in the Government’s best interest to exercise the options.

3. Place of Performance Primary performance shall take place at the consultant’s facilities with all information conveyed and retrieved electronically, providing the applications are compliant with the systems used by CPS [Microsoft Suite; a Learning Management System; SALT Analytic Model (to be developed); etc.]. During program execution of the EQ topics, the consultant shall work on-site at VAAA, 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD 21703 as requested by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Classroom facilitation is scheduled for 4-hour days from 8:00AM to 12:00PM, two times over the eight-month period as detailed in the draft program agenda below. Further information regarding periodic onsite meetings to discuss the analytic model or trends will be provided by the COR on an as needed basis.

4. Travel Local travel, within 50 miles of VAAA, is not reimbursable. Long distance travel is not required for this requirement.

5. Description of Product and Delivery Schedule

a. EQ Assessments The contractor shall provide all EQ 360 assessments and reports (Leadership EQ 360 and EQ-i 2.0) through MHS including: sending links for assessments to students, collecting responses and running reports in MHS, and providing reports to SALT students.

b. EQ Facilitation

The contractor shall collaborate with the SALT program manager, lead facilitator, and other SALT staff as required, to obtain approved revisions to existing course content related to EQ and the EQ 360 assessment, as warranted by the outcome of completed tasks identified in subparagraph 5.d. As a result, students will be able to gain foundational knowledge about the purpose and function of the assessment and prepare for their one-on-one coaching session. The consultant shall support virtual and VAAA onsite classroom facilitation, as required to meet this objective.

c. Coaching Data generated by the MHS system will be used to coach individual students. The task is estimated at two hours per student, to include all aspects of the coaching experience (pre-planning, coaching, post-coaching documentation). The actual coaching session shall be 60 minutes per student and shall be virtual (via telephone or VA-approved virtual meeting technology). The outcome of the session is for each student to understand their assessment results and identify strengths and development areas.

Furthermore, students should be able to create an action plan to address two or three development areas upon conclusion of the session. The contractor shall propose an action plan format for the students to develop future actions that is consistent with their coaching session. Sessions shall be completed within program milestone dates (see 12.

Draft Program Agenda for Facilitation Requirement for further details), generally within one month of completing the Week 1 October onsite training. SALT staff will be responsible for creating schedule sign-up for students based on coach and student availability. As mentioned above, the coach shall be EQ 360 certified.

d. Analytics and Model Development The contractor-obtained MHS data (Leadership EQ 360 and EQ-i 2.0 Assessments) and data supplied by CPS (such as VA survey results and past SALT student EQ 360 data) will be used as input to a new model to analyze student performance, compare SALT data to industry standards, as well as trends (positive and negative) among the cohort(s). The consultant shall support model development to ensure the model is agile and expandable to meet the CPS objective of optimizing professional development areas identified, gauge program results, and report SALT results to appropriate VA senior leaders. The EQ 360 analysis will be provided for each cohort (one cohort per period of performance (PoP) and will include historical SALT student data from program inception to date).

e. Change implementation and Other Projects as Assigned Based on an evaluation of the data, CPS objectives for the SALT program, and any revisions required due to changes in student demographics and federal regulation, the consultant shall incorporate approved changes to the curriculum, coaching strategy, analytic model, and trend analysis to meet CPS overall objectives for the SALT program.

6. Schedule of Deliverables

Task Item Description Quantity Delivery Date 5a.1. Leadership EQ 360

Assessments One Assessment per SALT Student

Five weeks prior to Week 1 (October in-person week) of the program.

5a.2. EQ-i 2.0 Self Assessments

One Assessment per SALT Student

3-6 months after SALT graduation takes place in May.

5b.1. EQ Facilitation Two 4-hour Facilitation Events per Cohort

Onsite training in support of October in-person week. Onsite training in support of March in-person week.

5b.2. EQ Facilitation- Collaboration with SALT Staff

Up to three meetings per cohort (one cohort per PoP)

Estimated to occur within two weeks of program launch; one to two weeks after completion of October in-person Week 1;

once during the SALT program maintenance period. Participation shall be at the discretion of the SALT program manager (in person or tele/video conference).

5c. One-on-one coaching sessions, including action plan discussion

NTE 34 - 1-hour sessions in the Base Period and 30 in Option Periods

All assigned one-on-one coaching sessions for a cohort shall be complete generally within 30 days of October Week 1 onsite training completion.

5d. Model development Status Report

Base Period

Provided during development phase via e-mail or teleconference.

5d. Model Enhancements Status Report

Option Periods

Provided during enhancement period via e-mail or teleconference.

5d. Data Analysis of EQ 360 Assessments

Base and Option Periods

Individual cohort reports are due 30 days after the data is received.

5d. Data Analysis of EQ-i 2.0

Base and Option Periods

30 days after EQ-i 2.0 assessments are completed.

7. Key Personnel

The expertise of the proposed consultant is essential for successful contract performance. A résumé and EQ certificate are required for this key person. Key personnel shall have a certification in EQ 360 training and PhD in Organizational Psychology or equivalent experience (15 years of related experience) and successes in the areas described in Section 5. The consultant must be EQ 360 certified for a minimum of 18 months with an equivalent or longer experience EQ 360 coaching individuals. The consultant shall ensure that such personnel are not removed, diverted, or replaced from work without the prior discussion with the COR and approval of the Contracting Officer (CO).

8. Confidentiality and Nondisclosure

i. The preliminary and final deliverables and all associated working papers, applicable models, and other material deemed relevant by VA which has been generated by the consultant in the performance of this contract are the exclusive property of the U.S.

Government and shall be submitted to the COR at the conclusion of the contract.

ii. The CO will be the sole authorized official to release verbally or in writing, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this contract presented to the contractor shall be submitted to the CO for response.

iii. Press releases, marketing material or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, shall not be publicized without the written approval of the CO.

9. Government Furnished Property, Information, or Equipment

The government will provide adequate physical workspace for the contractor to provide in-person classroom facilitation as required. The government will not provide a desk, phone, or computer equipment.

All VA policies related to networked computer use will apply. Contractor employees, working at VAAA, shall meet the appropriate background investigation requirements in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Security and Suitability Program. The contractor shall complete VA’s Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training to receive networked computer access.

Contract employees shall successfully complete VA Cyber security Awareness training and VA General Privacy training, and the annual refresher training, as required. The COR will assist the contractor with accessing these trainings. The Contractor shall provide to the COR a copy of the training certificates for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required.

The preliminary and final deliverables and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by VA which have been generated by the contractor in the performance of this contract are the exclusive property of the U.S.

Government and shall be submitted to the COR at the conclusion of the contract.

The CO will be the sole authorized official to release verbally, in writing, or electronically, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written, printed, or electronic materials pertaining to this contract. The contractor shall release no information to the public. The contractor shall forward any request for information that relate to this contract to the CO. The contractor shall not publicize, without the written approval of the CO, press releases, marketing material or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project.

10. Organizational Conflict of Interest

It is recognized by the parties that the efforts to be performed by the contractor under this contract are of such a nature that they may create a potential organizational conflict of interest as contemplated by Subpart 9.5 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

It is the intention of the parties that the contractor will not engage in any contractual activities which may impair its ability to render unbiased advice and recommendations, or in which it may gain an unfair competitive advantage as a result of the knowledge, information and experience gained during the performance of this contract. It does not include the normal flow of benefits from incumbency. The contractor agrees not to participate as a prime contractor, subcontractor, consultant or team member in any acquisition wherein: The contractor has participated in the analysis and recommendation leading to the acquisition decision to acquire such services; or the contractor may have an unfair competitive advantage resulting from the information gained during the performance of this contract.

The term “contractor” herein used means the organization entering into this contract with the Government. All business organizations with which it merges, joins or affiliates, now or in the future, and in any manner whatsoever, or which hold or may obtain, by purchase or otherwise, direct or indirect control of. Its parent organization (if any), and any of its present or future subsidiaries, associates, affiliates, or holding companies; and Any organization or enterprise over which it has direct or indirect control (now or in the future).

The contractor agrees that it will use all reasonable diligence in protecting proprietary data received by it. The contractor further agrees it will not willfully disclose proprietary data to unauthorized parties without the prior permission of the Government, and that proprietary data shall not be duplicated, used or disclosed, in whole or in part, for any purpose other than to accomplish the contracted effort. This restriction does not limit the contractor’s right to use, duplicate or disclose such information if such information was lawfully obtained by the contractor from other sources.

If a contractor believes that its participation in the resulting contract would cause an Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI), that contractor shall include in its proposal an appropriate discussion and mitigation plan. The VA will review the discussion and make a determination whether there is an OCI. If the VA determines the existence of an OCI, then the VA will evaluate the mitigation plan and make final decision regarding the participation of the contractor with any award of a contract.

The prior approval of the CO is required before any work to be performed under this contract may be subcontracted to any organization described in paragraph above.

The contractor agrees to enter into written agreements with all companies whose proprietary data he shall have access and to protect such data from unauthorized use or disclosure as long as it remains proprietary. The contractor shall furnish to the CO copies of these written agreements. The contractor agrees to protect the proprietary data and rights of other organizations disclosed to the contractor during performance of this contract with the same caution that a reasonably prudent contractor would use to safeguard highly valuable property. The contractor agrees to refrain from using proprietary information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished.

The contractor shall not distribute reports, data or information of any nature arising from its performance under this contract, except as provided by this contract or as may be directed by the CO.

The contractor shall include this provision, including this paragraph, in subcontracts of any tier which involve access to information covered in paragraphs above. The use of this clause in such subcontracts shall be read by substituting the word “subcontractor” for the word “contractor” wherever the latter appears.

Contractor employees shall be trained and informed of Subpart 9.5 of the FAR and this contract. Government representatives shall have access to the contractor’s premises and the right to inspect all pertinent books and records in order to ensure that the contractor is in compliance with Subpart 9.5 of the FAR and this provision. Questions regarding this interpretation of Subpart 9.5 of the FAR and this provision shall be submitted to the CO.

The contractor agrees that if after award it discovers a potential organizational conflict of interest, a prompt and full disclosure shall be made in writing to the CO. This disclosure shall include a description of the actions the contractor has taken or proposes to take, to avoid or mitigate such conflicts.

For any breach of the above restrictions, or for nondisclosure or misrepresentation of any relevant interests required to be disclosed concerning this contract, the Government may, terminate the contract for default, disqualify the contractor from subsequent related contractual efforts, and/or pursue other remedies permitted by law or this contract. This agreement will remain in effect during the period of performance of this contract and for a period of four years following completion of this contract.

11. Performance Metrics

Performance Standards define required performance for specific tasks. The Government performs surveillance to determine if the contractor exceeds, meets or does not meet these standards. The Government may utilize the Performance Based Service Assessment Survey or other methods to compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Levels of Performance (ALPs).

a. Methods of Surveillance Various methods exist to monitor performance. The COR shall use any or several of the surveillance methods listed below in the administration of this QASP.

1. 100% Inspection (evaluates all outcomes) - Each month, the COR shall review all of the contractor’s performance/generated documentation and document results accordingly.

This assessment shall be placed in the COR’s QA file.

2. Random Sample - The COR shall review a random sampling of the contractor’s performance/generated documentation and document your results accordingly. This assessment shall be placed in the COR’s QA file.

3. Validated Customer Complaint or Validated Below Average ALP in a Specific Area - Each month, the COR shall review the contractor’s performance/generated documentation corresponding to a validated customer complaint or validated inability to perform in accordance with the ALP in a specific area and document your results accordingly. This assessment shall be placed in the COR’s QA file.

b. Frequency of Measurement

During task order performance, the COR will periodically analyze whether the negotiated frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed, and at a minimum shall be twice a year.

Deliverable or Requirement

Performance Standard

Surveillance Method

Outcome

Delivery of services, including facilitation, coaching, data analysis, and reports

Services shall be provided in accordance with the Deliverable Schedule 100% of the time.

100% inspection by the COR for each deliverable.

The Government will not pay for services that do not conform or do not meet performance standards, or have not been properly rendered.

The consultant will be given an opportunity to correct non-conforming services at no cost to the Government if the services are non-conforming or the contract requirement is unacceptable.

Quality of deliverables, including reports

Deliverables shall be free of grammatical and typographical errors 95% of the time.

Quality of analytic system and customer support

System shall be bug free and deliver results that can be ascertained by someone possessing a college degree. No more than three reported system issues. Customer support for troubleshooting and resolving any noted system issues shall be provided within one business day.

12. Draft Program Agenda for Facilitation Requirement (paragraph 5b) Note: Dates shown are subject to change based on mission outcomes from the previous program execution.

Training: Base Year (2023-2024)

Option 1 (2024-2025)

Option 2 (2025-2026)

Option 3 (2026-2027)

Option 4 (2027-2028)

Week 1 Onsite Training at VAAA

October 23-26

(4 days)

October

TBD

Week 2 Onsite Training at VAAA

March 5-7 (3 days)

March TBD