SOURCES SOUGHT VEO Human Centered Design.docx

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT (SS) ONLY.

This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This request does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Department of Veterans Affairs is not at this time seeking quotes and will not accept unsolicited quotes.

Offerors are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this SS; all costs associated with responding to this SS will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this SS does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued.

**Please be brief and confine your responses to the questions asked. **

Please respond by 4:00PM EDT Wednesday, April 17, 2025

DRAFT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Experience Office (VEO) Human Centered Design Services

1.0 Introduction

The Veterans Experience Office (VEO) serves to assess the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) operational performance from the perspective of its customers. Scaling Customer Experience (CX) across Government is codified in legislation through P.L. 118-231 Government Service Delivery Improvement Act and through 38 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) CFR Part 0, as well as in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-11 – Managing Customer Experience and Improving Service. VA has outlined the core characteristics, and CX principles that serve as internal guidelines for employees of the VA. To champion this cause, the Secretary of VA (SECVA) has charged the VEO with the management and execution of key enterprise-wide initiatives and projects to support this effort. VEO supports VA as the CX insight engine and a shared service to partner with, support, and enable VA Administrations and Staff Offices to provide the highest quality CX in the delivery of care, benefits, and memorial services to Service members, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. The journey to become the leading CX organization in government has highlighted the importance of exceptional Employee Experience (EX). The Department recognizes that an organization cannot provide a world-class customer experience without a world-class employee experience. VEO supports VA in enhancing service delivery through innovative solutions that enhance frontstage and backstage operations. See Veterans Experience Office - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for more information and examples of VEO’s work.

2.0 Scope

The Contractor will support the VEO by providing expertise and innovative approaches to enhance customer and employee experiences at the VA using Human-centered design (HCD), which is the discipline of navigating complex problems and creatively designing effective solutions to meet people’s real needs. This will be achieved through comprehensive research, design, and implementation of solutions that improve service delivery and user interactions, including supporting change management and sustainment of design solutions. VEO seeks a Contractor who understands how customers interact with and navigate a complex organization like VA and have demonstrated success in applying industry best practices to improve CX/EX.

3.0 Performance Details

3.1 PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The Period of Performance (PoP) shall consist of one 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods.

3.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance shall be Contractor facility. It is expected that Contractor teams will be required to frequently interact with VA and VEO staff, other contractors, and customers. It is anticipated much of this work can be done at virtual/telecommute work locations; however, travel is anticipated for research and design related support. Services required to be performed at the Department of Veterans Affairs main headquarters will be at the following Government location: Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC 20420. No work at any Government site shall take place on Federal holidays (per USC Title 5 Section 6103) or weekends, unless directed by the Contracting Officer. For specific meeting types, including workshops, in-person interviews sessions, and other key meetings which are best accomplished at Government facilities, the Government will schedule meeting rooms as necessary.

3.3 TRAVEL

The Government may require Contractor travel under this effort to attend conferences, meetings, and conduct research interviews in the United States (CONUS and OCONUS, including Hawaii, Alaska, and/or US Territories). Occasional long-distance travel to or from VA, U.S. Government, or commercial contractor locations may be necessary to accomplish contract tasks. Contractors shall provide cost estimates with each travel request. Travel within the local commuting area will not be reimbursed in accordance with VA’s Travel Policy, which can be found at https://department.va.gov/financial-policy-documents/financial-document/chapter-07-local-travel. The Government will not be responsible for any relocation expenses associated with moving contractor personnel.

4.0 Specific Task Requirements

Throughout the Base and Option Periods (if exercised) the Contractor shall participate in regular and ad hoc project meetings, as well as Gate Reviews and Project Closeout, with VEO and stakeholders based on project requirements throughout the Period of Performance. The Contractor shall deliver all data first produced under this contract to the Government with unlimited rights in accordance with, and as those terms are defined under, FAR 52.227-14.

The Contractor shall provide innovative approaches necessary to support, and sometimes lead, a variety of efforts to improve customer and employee experience at VA through insight and analysis to improve VA’s understanding of the CX, EX, and user experience (UX) and enhance service delivery through innovative solutions that enhance frontstage and backstage operations. The Contractor shall work closely with VEO and with key stakeholders across VA to identify and design opportunities to enhance customer touch points based on a consistent, shared understanding of who VA’s customers and stakeholders are, what they want and need, and how they perceive their interactions with VA. This shall be accomplished through a customer research practice built on field based in-depth in-person and/or virtual interviews with diverse populations of our customers and employees.

The Contractor shall support HCD thinking and doing - by developing fresh, deeply researched insights about VA’s customers, utilizing a qualitative research approach to gather and analyze trustworthy, valid data. Research will typically involve multiple audiences and most projects require strategic collaboration with other offices across VA and may involve other government entities. The Contractor shall support VA in applying various methodologies, such as HCD, Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma, Trauma-informed approaches, to create better experiences for customers, mapping key journeys and processes, and designing and/or refining, and implementing solutions. Utilizing the insights gained from these approaches, the Contractor shall assist VA in strategic direction setting, and product and service design and delivery using concepts like outcomes, success metrics, and theories of change to create and implement innovative new service models and/or product experiences.

The Contractor shall provide expertise in service design: creating interventions toward seamless end-to-end customer service across VA’s complex system of people, products, interfaces, services, and physical spaces. In doing so, the Contractor shall investigate and reveal how VA might deliver seamless, synchronized services across and between departments, administrations, lines of business, and program offices while embracing VEO’s design practices by providing approaches that quickly generate ideas, testing new concepts, with agility, that meet the needs of the customer and reduce the risk of failed implementations. The Contractor shall use iterative idea generation, prototyping, evaluation to learn by doing, and adjusting based on data about what works to identify and implement sustainable solutions.

The Contractor shall maintain access to a skilled cadre and align contractor staff with appropriate skills levels to the requirements in the PWS. The Contractor shall maintain a Staffing Roster to include onboarding/offboarding status which must be updated with one business day of any changes in employee status, training certification completion status, background investigation status, access to VA systems, etc. throughout the Period of Performance. The Contractor Staff Roster shall remain a historical document indicating all past information and the Contractor shall clearly indicate employees no longer supporting this contract. All contractor staff offboarding from VA must verify in writing the return of any government furnished equipment, including PIV card and/or laptop. Contractor staff transferring to another VA Contract must provide contact information for the receiving COR to validate the need for continued access and/or GFE.

4.1 TASK AREA 1 – Contract Kick-Off (BASE PERIOD ONLY)

The Contractor shall conduct a virtual Kick-off Meeting within 10 calendars days after award to review the goals and schedule of the project with the Government POCs. The meeting will be held virtually via the Microsoft Teams application and attended by Government staff typically including the Program Manager (PM), Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Contracting Officer (CO), and/or Contract Specialist (CS) along with Contractor Key Personnel and others appropriate to the agenda topics. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR to provide the Kick-Off Meeting (DELIVERABLE 0001A). The Government will record the Kickoff meeting in MS Teams.

The Contractor’s meeting agenda shall include, but is not limited to the following:

· Introduction of personnel

· Overview of tasks

· Staffing Plan

· Reporting Requirements

· Roles and Responsibilities

· Prioritization of contractor activities

· Any initial deliverables

· Other logistic issues

DELIVERABLES:

0001 Kick-Off Meeting

4.2 TASK AREA 2 – Portfolio Management

The Contractor shall host a weekly Contract Activity and Status Meeting with the COR, Program Manager, and other key Government stakeholders, to ensure all stakeholders are informed of the current activities of concern, status, and provide opportunities to identify other activities as well as establish priorities, and coordinate resolution of identified problems or opportunities. The Contractor shall execute a portfolio, program and project management system based on industry best practices to support, facilitate, and/or execute the requirements in this PWS. The Contractor shall provide a Weekly Portfolio Report (DELIVERABLE X002A) with visual and narrative information to reflect the status of projects and milestones.

The Contractor shall provide at a minimum the following information:

A. A product roadmap for each project/line of business the Contractor is supporting that shows the Contractor’s tasks and milestones completed and planned; this roadmap must be integrated into the overarching project plan and take into consideration unique project needs.

B. Major activities during reporting period.

C. Project team and Stakeholders D. Schedule (shows milestones, major tasks, and deliverables; planned and actual start and completion dates for each).

E. Planned and completed travel and associated estimated and actual travel cost.

F. Risks/issues and mitigation/corrective actions taken/planned.

DELIVERABLES:

0002 Weekly Portfolio Report

4.3 TASK AREA 3 – Project Initiation

All research notes, raw data, and draft documents must be saved in an electronic project file accessible to VEO and the COR.

The Contractor shall assist in defining, developing, and documenting standard processes, procedures, and tools that best supports key stakeholders and VA organizations. The Contractor shall work with VA program offices and VEO leadership to learn about projects that support VA priorities, ensure VA customer engagement throughout the project, and ensure that all projects are informed by an understanding of what work already exists that can be built on and by an analysis of best practices within and beyond the VA that could inform the work. The Contractor shall design a Project Scope Statement (DELIVERABLE X003A) which shall at minimum include the project summary description, stakeholders, goals/outcomes, estimated resource requirements, and activities/schedule.

The Contractor will scan the landscape for inspiration and analogous examples, as well as review and analyze existing literature to identify gaps in existing knowledge and understanding. The Contractor will conduct research on best practices to incorporate with desk research findings, which will be summarized into a Landscape Analysis (DELIVERABLE X003B).

The Contractor shall use the information from the Project Scope Statement and Landscape Analysis in developing the Project Plan (DELIVERABLE X003C). The Project Plan shall at minimum include a detailed schedule of activities, resource alignment, and tracked risks/issues in alignment with the Project Charter. The baseline Project Plan shall be completed within 10 business days following the project kickoff meeting. The Project Plan is a living document and shall be kept updated, with a tracked history of changes, as the work progresses through project closeout.

DELIVERABLES:

4.4 TASK AREA 4 – Discovery

Human-centered design (HCD) is the discipline of navigating complex problems and creatively designing effective solutions to meet people’s real needs. The Contractor shall support ethnographic research through appropriate methods including interviews, surveys, direct observation, diary studies, card sorts, and focus groups, as well as development of compelling visual tools, such as Journey Maps, Process Maps, and Service Blueprints, that demonstrate how Veterans and/or other stakeholders currently navigate VA benefits and services, including pain points and bright spots to surface opportunities for improvement. The Contractor shall support development of the Research Plan (DELIVERABLE X004A).

The Contractor shall conduct interviewing and scribing/notetaking in methods that lead to simplified, accurate synthesis and reporting and align with the Research Plan. The Contractor shall utilize a variety of tools and methods to synthesize and organize research and data to extract meaningful, actionable insights and collaborate with VEO in synthesis. All research notes, raw data, and draft documents must be saved in an electronic project file accessible to VEO and the COR.

The Contractor shall complete reports and design presentations of findings based on specific project/stakeholder needs. The Contractor shall provide visual and graphic design for reports, presentations, and other artifacts such as journey maps, service blueprints, and/or personas as Visual Artifacts (DELIVERABLE X004B). The Contractor shall collaborate and co-create with VA teams as well as other contractors working on this project.

The Contractor will ensure deliverables/content is strategically managed, including to plan, manage and develop content for products and services with an emphasis on plain language and accessibility. The Contractor shall optimize content and organization techniques to plan, create, and deliver compelling content. The Contractor shall create effective and emotionally resonant content from complex research findings and compile findings into a Research Presentation (DELIVERABLE X004C) and one-page Top Line Report (DELIVERABLE X004D). The Contractor shall ensure 508-compliance for all final versions.

DELIVERABLES:

4.5 TASK AREA 5 – Design Solutions

The Contractor shall collaborate with Government to start designing to validate the need and provide solutions for the problem areas identified in the research. All research notes, raw data, and draft documents must be saved in an electronic project file accessible to VEO and the COR. The Contractor staff must clearly understand the culture and structure of the work environment (e.g. Healthcare, Insurance, IT/Technology) to support implementable design prototyping, testing, implementation preparation, piloting, and implementation tasks as required.

In creating solutions, the Contractor shall draw on analogous research from industry best practices from the public and private sectors. The Contractor shall design solutions that will consider existing products and services, products and services in development, and new product and service ideas. When generating prototypes, the Contractor shall practice iterative design, which involves a cyclical process of designing, testing, analyzing, and then refining a product, service, or process. The Design and Testing Plan (DELIVERABLE X005A) will include a recruiting strategy developed in close coordination with VA/VEO.

Based on the results of testing the most recent design iteration, the Contractor shall make changes, adjustments, and refinements to the product, service, or process. Each prototype will be iteratively refined and validated several times to prepare an acceptable design for implementation. The Contractor shall collaborate and co-create with VA teams (as well as other contractors) to deliver an Implementable Design Solution (DELIVERABLE X005B).

The design concepts must adhere to VA’s and VEO’s visual design standards that will be provided by the Government to the Contractor and include recommendations on supporting implementation of solutions. Prototype development is an iterative process with varying levels of fidelity (Low, Mid and High) with each set of feedback being used to refine the proposed solution. The Contractor shall support the government in prioritizing proposed solutions based on feasibility, sustainability, and potential value to users and the enterprise.

The Contractor shall provide Refined Design Product/Solution (DELIVERABLE X005C) that meet 508-compliance requirements, as well as private sector standards for high-quality work, including visual design, readability, content hierarchy, accuracy, and user experience.

DELIVERABLES:

4.6 Task Area 6 – Research or Design Team

In addition to the base and option period requirements, the Government may require additional research and/or design services on a project basis to support projects led and managed by team outside EMD. Examples of customer experience journeys include transitioning from active duty to Veteran, applying for and/or using benefits, scheduling an appointment, navigating healthcare in VA or Community Care, etc. Examples of employee experience journeys include starting a new job at VA, receiving feedback, navigating the culture, etc. If exercised, the Contractor shall deliver the services as described in sections 4.1 through 4.7 based on the following size and scope of the requirement(s). Resource team composition will depend on the associated task requirements for each optional team.

The quantities of teams available to order will vary per base and optional periods as VEO intends to reduce reliance on these resource teams during the life of the contract.

4.6.1 Extra Small Analyst (.5) or Visual/Graphic Designer (.5) Junior Research/Designer (.5)

Junior Research/Designer (1.5) Graphic/Visual Designer (.25)

Junior Research/Designer (2) Graphic/Visual Designer (.5) Project Manager (.25) Analyst (.5)

Junior Research/Designer (2) Data Scientist/Analyst (2) Graphic/Visual Designer (.5) Project Manager (.5) Subject Matter Expert (.5)

DELIVERABLES:

0006A. Monthly Report

4.7 Task Area 7 – Travel

Travel must be pre-approved by the COR and will be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 31.205-46, as well as the Federal Travel Regulations and VA Financial Policy, Volume XIV – Travel, Chapters 1-7. Travel costs are authorized as a separate, cost-reimbursable, “not to exceed” line item. With each travel request, the Contractor shall provide the following:

The Contractor shall invoice monthly on the basis of actual cost incurred for cost of completed travel. Separate worksheet(s) shall be submitted for travel. This invoice information shall identify all cumulative travel costs billed by CLIN. The current invoice period’s travel details shall include separate columns and totals and include the following:

DELIVERABLES:

0007 Monthly Travel Report

5.0 Delivery Schedule

The Contractor shall submit all deliverables to the COR for review and acceptance. The Government will have ten (10) business days to review submitted deliverables before deeming them accepted or not accepted with comments to explain the reason(s) for non-acceptance. Any feedback regarding deliverables, including final acceptance, will be provided from the COR to the Contractor. The Contractor will then have five (5) business days to make appropriate updates for any non-accepted deliverable and resubmit the deliverable to the COR for Government review. Unless otherwise stipulated, written deliverables shall be phrased in plain English. Acronyms and technical terminology shall not be used without providing a glossary of terms and/or an acronym listing.

6.0 Personnel

The Contractor shall provide resources that have the requisite skills and experience required to perform the tasks within the PWS. The Contractor agrees that the personnel identified below, as key to supporting this effort, shall not be removed from the contract effort, replaced, or added to the contract without a compelling reason and without written notification to the Contracting Officer (CO). The Contractor is solely responsible for managing and supervising its personnel. This contract is for non-personal services. PWS shall not be construed as authorizing authority or directive model the Contractor implement to perform an Inherently Governmental Function (IGF) as defined by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy Letter 11-01. Tasks executed by the Contractor shall be considered recommendations subject to the review and approval by the Government. Contractor personnel shall not perform any IGF as detailed in FAR 7.503. Contractor personnel shall serve in a support role; final decisions will be made by Government personnel.

Skilled experienced professional and/or technical personnel are essential for successful Contractor accomplishment of the work to be performed under this effort. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to provide Contractor support personnel and subcontractors who have the required educational background, experience, security clearance, and access authorization or combination thereof to meet the labor category descriptions under this task order for the required PWS tasks. All Contractor team members shall possess demonstrated proficiency on modern VA tools such as Adobe Acrobat, Mural, Microsoft (MS) Office Products (Word / PowerPoint / Excel / SharePoint / Teams), as well as written and verbal communication skills to support VA and its customers and partners. Should any Contractor personnel be determined to be unacceptable in terms of technical competency, conduct, or behavior while on-site or while working on contract activities, the Contractor shall immediately remove and replace the unacceptable personnel at no additional cost to the Government.

6.1 KEY PERSONNEL

If any change to the Key Personnel assigned to the labor categories identified below becomes necessary (initial staffing, substitutions, or additions), the Contractor shall notify the CO/COR/PM in writing at least 30 days in advance of the effective date and shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution, accompanied by the resume, if applicable, of the proposed replacement personnel who shall be of at least substantially equal ability and qualifications as the individual(s) currently performing in that category and that the proposed replacement meets or exceeds the qualifications designated for that Key Personnel position. It is expected that the substitution or replacement of the personnel will not occur within the first six (6) months after the date of contract award.

The Contractor agrees that it has a contractual obligation to mitigate the consequences of the loss of Key Personnel and shall promptly secure any necessary replacements in accordance with (IAW) this PWS section. Failure to replace a Key Personnel pursuant to this clause and without a break in performance of the labor category at issue shall be considered a condition endangering contract performance and may provide grounds for default termination.

The labor categories below are identified as Key Personnel. Key Personnel must meet the corresponding requirements identified in the Labor Description column below:

Experience: Minimum 10 years of experience in human-centered design specific to the following:

• Planning, managing, and executing on an idea from concept to launch and designed solutions across multiple platforms to meet key milestones.

• Designing service design methods while leading interdisciplinary teams in a customer-driven environment.

• Serving as the primary relationship manager with client stakeholders, directing teams, and providing expertise and insights throughout the entire design process.

• Leading teams to design, prototype, validate, and deliver innovative solutions that incorporate communication, visual, interaction, and service design fundamentals.

• Designing, testing, and implementing design solutions in healthcare and/or social sectors with services and structure similar to VA.

• Designing visually appealing and digestible Journey Maps, Personas, and Service Blueprints

• Demonstrating return-on-investment and impact of solutions

• Provide to Government a portfolio with no fewer than three examples with visuals and narrative demonstrating use of human centered design process research and design methods, synthesis of information, and detailed design refinement and implementation, with demonstrated measurable success in complex service design projects from inception to deployment and for multiple projects of a similar scope as described in this PWS.

Experience: Minimum 10 years of experience specific to the following:

• Providing HCD research services similar in scope and complexity to the PWS.

• Scoping research and design projects, developing research plans and interview guides, and leading teams in interviews with research participants.

• Collecting participant insights through interviewing, direct observation, and prototype testing for services.

• Writing, reviewing, and commenting on HCD project proposals, test plans, and research protocols.

• Conducting interviews of users or customers to collect info on topics such as service experience, requirements, needs, and or interfaces.

• Synthesizing interview findings to identify themes and document findings in consumable visual and narrative documents.

• Participating in design of visually appealing and digestible Journey Maps, Personas, and Service Blueprints

6.2 POSITION RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL

The position sensitivity and the level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access for the following tasks within the Performance Work Statement are:

The Tasks identified above, and the resulting Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation requirements identify, in effect, the Background Investigation requirements for Contractor individuals, based upon the tasks the particular Contractor individual will be working. The submitted Contractor Staff Roster must indicate the required Background Investigation Level for each Contractor individual based upon the tasks the Contractor individual will be working, in accordance with their submitted proposal.

7.0 Government-Furnished Information, Equipment and Facilities

Government furnished information (GFI) equipment (GFE), and/or facilities (GFF) may be provided. VA may provide VA specific equipment, software, and facilities as appropriate and required for completion of the efforts required under this contract. The Contractor shall comply with VA security policies and procedures with respect to protecting sensitive data.

The Government may provide the Contractor the following:

VA will provide the Contractor use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) as appropriate. The Contractor will bear the cost to provide connectivity to VA through VPN (including PIV card reader), and VA will provide the required account access accordingly. Other connectivity to VA systems may be authorized as appropriate.

Please respond by 4:00PM EDT Wednesday, April 17, 2025

**Please be brief and confine your responses to the questions asked**

Business size:

☐ SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (SDVOSB)

☐ VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (VOSB)

☐ SMALL BUSINESS (SB)

☐ LARGE

☐ OTHER

Provide a brief statement of core business competencies and why your organization is the best fit to meet the requirements outlined in the PWS.

What NAICS code would you recommend if different than the announcement?

Describe your experience in successfully performing requirements of a similar or same size, scope, and complexity relative to the DRAFT Performance Work Statement.

Describe your experience, capabilities, and capacity in simultaneously managing multiple projects with competing timelines/resource needs all while quickly starting new projects.

Describe your experience and qualifications in human centered design research and service design projects with a large organization like the VA (not IT related research and service design projects).

Do you have a General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule that provides the required services or any other ordering vehicle the VA could use?

Do you have any input regarding the draft Performance Work Statement provided herein? Please provide any comments using the Microsoft Word Comment tool with your response.

In the event a solicitation is issued, how likely are you to submit a response?