Questions and Answers 36C24126Q0726 0001.docx

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR RFQ # 36C24126Q0726 AMENDMENT 0001

1. Participant maximum by modality. The PWSPWS specifies live virtual classes that are interactive, with no more than twenty (20) participants per class. Please confirm that the 20-participant maximum applies to the live interactive movement-based classes counted toward the 90-per-week minimum, and that meditative and relaxation modalities (e.g., meditation, iRest, Yoga Nidra, Guided Imagery) and special classes or events such as those routinely requested by VA facilities may accommodate larger groups where participant safety and instructor interaction are not diminished. The 20-participant maximum applies to the movement-based classes. Meditative and relaxation modalities and special classes may accommodate larger groups where participant safety and instructor interaction are not diminished.

1. Security authorization. PWS Security Requirements state the platform will hold a current ATO or equivalent security authorization prior to award, and that the contractor shall obtain FedRAMP Authorization or submit evidence of actively pursuing it. Where a proposed platform has previously pursued FedRAMP authorization through VA security review and successfully completed that review, receiving a VA determination that FedRAMP authorization is not required for its architecture, please confirm that this determination satisfies the FedRAMP requirement and constitutes an equivalent security authorization under the PWS. Please also confirm whether a platform’s Approved listing in the VA Digital Health Marketplace constitutes suitable evidence of this pursuit and its conclusion. If not, please specify what security documentation the Government will accept at time of award. The Government has determined that ATO or FedRAMP authorization is not required. The PWSPWS has been modified to reflect this determination.

1. Award and performance dates. Please confirm the anticipated award date and the exact period of performance start dates.: Anticipated Period of performance is 9/6/2026-9/5/2031.

1. NAICS code. The combined synopsis/solicitation narrative cites NAICS 611619 while the notice header cites NAICS 611699. Please confirm the applicable NAICS code and size standard.: This is a typographical error. The NAICS code is 611619.

1. Invoicing. Please confirm whether the annual invoice is expected at the beginning or end of each performance period, and whether the three base-year CLINs are invoiced separately.: It is anticipated that the vendor would bill monthly. After the base year, all the CLINs will be invoiced together. The CLINs will have no need to be separate. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: Same question - the SOW says annual invoicing

1. Platform security authorization and teaming. The Performance Work Statement requires that the contractor's platform holdholds a current Authority to Operate or equivalent security authorization prior to contract award, andaward and requires FedRAMP Authorization or evidence of actively pursuing it. Where an SDVOSB prime delivers the instruction and program management and licenses the hosting platform from a named provider, may the ATO or equivalent authorization be held by that named platform provider, with the prime remaining responsible for performance? Relatedly, would an equivalent authorization such as FedRAMP Ready, StateRAMP, or a current SOC 2 Type II report satisfy the pre-award requirement while FedRAMP Authorization is actively pursued? The The Government has determined that ATO or FedRAMP authorization is not required. The PWSPWS has been modified to reflect this determination.

1. Line itemLine-item scope in the option years. Base year CLIN 0001 is described as excluding Maine and Connecticut, with CLIN 0002 (Maine, 10 months) and CLIN 0003 (Connecticut, 8 months) phasing those states in. DoDoes option year CLINs 1001 through 4001 cover all eight VISN 1 facilities, inclusive of Maine and Connecticut, for the full 12 months? Confirming this materially affects firm-fixed-price pricing. Option year CLINs 1001 through 4001 cover all eight facilities for the full 12 months.

1. Historical utilization. To price accurately on a firm-fixed-price basis, can the Government share historical utilization from the three VISN 1 facilities currently under contract, specifically unique registered users, classes delivered per month, and average attendance per class? The Statement of Work identifies approximately 300,000 Veterans and caregivers and approximately 17,000 employees as the eligible population, and an expected participation range would let quoters size instructor capacity precisely. This is a new acquisition and should have the capacity to serve the eligible population via a minimum of ninety weekly live virtual interactive classes of no more than 20 participants per class.

1. Class minimum basis. Is the minimum of ninety (90) weekly live virtual interactive classes a VISN-wide aggregate across all eight facilities, rather than a per-facility minimum? This is the minimum number of live virtual classes per week that must be offered per the Statement of Work.

1. Current contracts. Is this acquisition a consolidation of the three existing facility-level contracts referenced in the Statement of Work? If so, can the current contract numbers or awarded values be identified, consistent with what the Government is able to release? This requirement is consolidating 3 existing contracts and adding 5 new locations that have never had service before.

1. Usage reporting. The Statement of Work requires usage reports to the facility. Should reporting be delivered per facility for each of the eight VISN 1 sites, or as a single consolidated VISN-level report? Usage reports should be delivered per facility and as a VISN-level roll-up.

1. Please confirm the NAICS for this requirement. The SAM.gov notice and page one of the "combined synopsis/solicitation notice" document list NAICS 611699. However, page 3 of the "combined synopsis/solicitation notice" document and page one of the "Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services RFQ: 36C24126Q0726 Virtual Wellness Services" document list 611619. This is a typographical error. The NAICS code is 611619.

1. Will the Government consider reissuing the "Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services RFQ: 36C24126Q0726 Virtual Wellness Services" document to reflect the correct NAICS, as needed? Yes, the document named Combined Synopsis/Solicitation will be revised. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: Not sure how to answer - is this asking whether the solicitation will start over, or just to modify with the same close date on the solicitation?

1. Can the Government confirm the start date for CLIN 0001? (0002 states start in November 2026 and 0003 states start in February 2027) Base year CLIN 0001 will exclude Maine and Connecticut, with CLIN 0002 (Maine, 10 months) and CLIN 0003 (Connecticut, 8 months) phasing those states in. Option year CLINs 1001 through 4001 cover all eight facilities, inclusive ofincluding Maine and Connecticut, for the full 12 months.

1. The Department of Veterans Affairs is currently implementing the VHA RISE reorganization, which consolidates the existing 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) into five VISNs and establishes new Health Service Areas (HSAs). The solicitation defines the scope of this requirement as serving all eight current VISN 1 New England facilities and includes a base year and four option years. Please confirm that the scope of this contract, including all option periods, will remain limited to the eight VISN 1 New England healthcare systems contemplated by the solicitation, notwithstanding implementation of the VHA RISE reorganization and changes to VISN boundaries. If the Government anticipates that the geographic or eligible-user scope of this contract may change as a result of the reorganization, please identify the anticipated scope and explain how any resulting changes will be addressed for contract performance and pricing purposes. The Government anticipates that the scope of this contract will remain limited to the eight VISN 1 New England healthcare systems contemplated by the solicitation. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: Not sure about this - I’m under the assumption that the base year will be limited to 8 facilities but I can’t confidently speak to the option years.

1. The SOW states that three (3) VISN 1 facilities currently have contracts that are either in option years or ready for renewal for these services. Please provide the contract number and applicable VISN 1 facility for each of the existing contracts referenced in the SOW. The current contract for the VA Connecticut healthcare system contract number 36C24123P0197. The current contract for the VA Maine healthcare system contract number is 36C24124P0067. The current contract for the VA Boston health system contract number is 36C24121P1122. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: I don’t have these, and not sure why these would be needed by potential vendors?

1. Other than combining the three (3) VISN 1 facility contracts into a single contract, are there any changes to the scope, service delivery model, or level of effort for the three contracts that will now fall under this requirement? There will be no changes to the scope, service delivery model, or level of effort for these contracts.

1. The SOW states that three (3) VISN 1 facilities currently have contracts for similar virtual wellness services and requires Contractors to report utilization metrics, including attendance, class type, signups, classes taken, and popular classes. To assist offerors in developing realistic staffing and pricing assumptions for this VISN-wide requirement, will the Government provide available historical utilization data for the existing virtual wellness services contracts, including average weekly class participation, number of registered users, class utilization/capacity, and demand by modality? The Statement of Work identifies approximately 300,000 Veterans and caregivers and approximately 17,000 employees as the eligible population, and an expected participation range would let quoters size instructor capacity precisely. This is a new acquisition and should have the capacity to serve the eligible population via a minimum of ninety weekly live virtual interactive classes of no more than 20 participants per class.

1. The SOW requires a minimum of ninety (90) weekly live virtual interactive classes and states that the contract will provide services across all eight VISN 1 facilities. Please confirm that the requirement is for a minimum of ninety (90) live virtual interactive classes per week in total, available to authorized users across VISN 1, rather than ninety (90) classes per week for each individual VISN 1 facility. Ninety is This is the minimum number of live virtual classes per week that must be offered per the Statement of Work.

1. The SOW requires a minimum of ninety (90) weekly live virtual interactive classes. For purposes of establishing a common basis for pricing, please confirm whether offerors should base their Firm-Fixed-Price quotation on providing the minimum requirement of ninety (90) live virtual interactive classes per week. If the Government requires or requests classes in excess of the minimum ninety (90) classes per week during contract performance, please clarify how such additional classes should be priced, ordered, and invoiced. Any classes above the minimum of 90 should be priced by the vendor, not the Government. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: No clue! Is it ok to just say “The Government does not anticipate requesting classes in excess of the minimum classes per week?”

1. The SOW requires the Contractor to provide “unlimited access” to wellness services while also limiting live virtual interactive classes to no more than twenty (20) participants per class and requiring a minimum of ninety (90) live classes per week. Please confirm that “unlimited access” means that all authorized VISN 1 Veterans, caregivers, and employees are eligible to access the platform and available services without a limitation on the number of registered users, but that participation in individual live interactive classes remains subject to the twenty (20) participant class capacity. “Unlimited access” means that all authorized Veterans, caregivers, and employees are eligible to access the platform and available services without a limitation on the number of registered users and that said participants are able to register for any class they would like, subject to the twenty (20) participant class capacity.

1. The SOW identifies both live/interactive and on-demand wellness services; however, the detailed service requirements and Technicaltechnical evaluation criteria primarily address live virtual interactive services. Please clarify the Government’s requirements for on-demand services, including any required modalities, minimum quantity or content library, availability requirements, and whether on-demand services should be included in the offeror’s Firm-Fixed-Price quotation. There are no requirements for minimums for on-demand services. It is up to the vendor to decide on the price. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: I highlighted some suggested additional changes in the SOW that might clarify this. If we can make those changes, then I can say that on-demand services should be included as they are available and that the SOW reflects the requirements.

1. The SOW requires the Contractor to maintain full operation with no disruptions from the date of acceptance of the contract and requires applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be established by the first date of performance. Please clarify whether the Government anticipates a transition/startup period between contract award and the start of full performance to allow the awardee to complete implementation activities, including platform configuration, instructor scheduling, user access setup, security coordination, SOP finalization, and coordination with VISN 1 facilities. If so, please identify the anticipated transition period and clarify whether transition/startup activities should be separately priced or included within the applicable Firm-Fixed-Price CLINs. The vendor needs to provide the pricing based on the line items provided. It is up to the vendor to provide pricing. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: ? Not sure

1. The SOW states that “the contractor’s platform will hold a current Authority to Operate (ATO) or equivalent security authorization prior to contract award or start of services.” We understand that other VISN contracts for virtual wellness services with similar or substantially identical requirements and scope do not require an ATO. Please confirm an ATO is not required for this procurement. The Government has determined that an ATO is not required for this procurement. The SOW has been modified to reflect this determination.

1. The SOW states that the contractor “shall obtain FedRAMP Authorization, or submit evidence of actively pursuing such authorization, to comply with federal cloud security standards for vendor-hosted, cloud-based platforms.” We understand that other VISN contracts for virtual wellness services with similar or substantially identical requirements and scope do not require FedRAMP Authorization. The Government has determined that FedRAMP authorization is not required for this procurement. The SOW has been modified to reflect this determination.

1. The SOW states that services/classes must be supported and hosted on the vendor’s website and further provides that users may access the vendor-hosted platform from personal devices without accessing the VA network, no ePHI is transferred, and only anonymized usage reports are transferable to the Government. Given this vendor-hosted service model, please confirm that the ATO and FedRAMP requirements identified in the SOW are not applicable when the Contractor’s platform does not connect to or reside within the VA network, does not access VA information systems or sensitive information, and does not collect or transmit ePHI to the VA. If confirmed, will the Government revise and reissue the SOW to remove the ATO and FedRAMP requirements? The Government has determined that FedRAMP authorization and ATO are not required for this procurement. The SOW has been modified to reflect this determination.

1. The SOW requires the Contractor to submit an annual invoice; however, the solicitation pricing schedule establishes the CLIN quantities in monthly units (e.g., 12 months for CLIN 0001, 10 months for CLIN 0002, and 8 months for CLIN 0003). Given that the Contractor will incur continuous monthly costs associated with staffing, platform operations, technical support, and delivery of a minimum of ninety (90) live virtual interactive classes each week, annual invoicing would create a significant cash-flow burden, particularly for SDVOSB concerns competing under this 100% SDVOSB set-aside. Would the Government please revise the SOW invoicing requirement to permit monthly invoicinginvoices for services rendered, consistent with the monthly units established in the solicitation CLIN structure? Please follow the line item structure provided and the SOW will be revised. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: This is that same invoicing question - we will need to make it consistent with the SOW. But not sure how to answer it either way

1. Considering the technical nature of these questions, will, the Government issue an extension in order to provide offerorsofferors with adequate time to review and submit offers. No, there will be no extension to the solicitation. Comment by Czepiel, Teresa A.: No?

1. Will VISN1 provide registration information (names, phone numbers, email addresses) for each of the 300,000 eligible virtual wellness program participants? Or will the vendor provide Android/iOS app downloading instructions and a website to VISN1, and will VISN1 subsequently provide the registration website and links to the 300,000 eligible virtual wellness program participants? The Vendor will provide a website and Android/iOS app downloading and instructions, and the Government will provide the registration website and links to the approximately 300,000 Veterans and their caregivers, and approximately 17,000 employees who are eligible virtual wellness program participants.

1. Does VISN1 require captioning or non-English language virtual wellness instruction? At this time, VISN1 does not require captioning or non-English language virtual wellness instruction.