Contract_questions and answers 4-16.docx

Questions and answers:

1. Can we request the Government for the Incumbent vendor’s Name & their contract number (which is currently underperformance)?

Answer:

In accordance with the quote submission information posted on SAM, “Any questions relating to previous (or current) award information shall be directed to the appropriate Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) office.” This is a new requirement.

2. What is the total award value (size) of the current contract, which is presently ongoing by the Incumbent vendor?

Answer:

In accordance with the quote submission information posted on SAM, “Any questions relating to previous (or current) award information shall be directed to the appropriate Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) office.” This is a new requirement.

3. This solicitation defines work in terms of hourly staff (2,500 hours per role, annually), but the deliverables suggest a more strategic, integrated approach. Would the Government consider a firm-fixed-price model with specific deliverables and milestones tied to outcomes (Sections 2.0, 2.10, 2.10.1–2.10.5) Answer:

Contract type and line-item structure was changed, please see the attachments.

4. Given the breadth of technical requirements, evolving VA priorities, and the scope's complexity, is the VA open to a funded discovery phase (e.g., 60–90 days) to align stakeholders, confirm feasibility, and lock down achievable Year 1 milestones? (Sections 2.0, 2.8, 2.10, 2.11) Answer:

No

5. The SOW suggests significant custom development, but it is unclear how strategic oversight is exercised, or how the outputs will be operationalized and maintained. Is there an identified VA owner or governance structure for long-term integration and success? (2.6, 2.10.5, 2.11, 4.0) Answer:

Strategic oversight provided through partnership with existing VA organization – Division of Population Health and Data Science (PHDS) and programs. Yes, VA has identified owner.

Weekly meeting will be held to review deliverables and provide real-time feedback based on current use-cases

6. Beyond development, is there a plan or expectation for clinical/research end-user adoption, training, or engagement? Is the contractor expected to support stakeholder alignment, dissemination, or feedback loops for tool refinement? (Sections 2.7, 2.10.3.1, 2.12) Answer:

Contractor would be expected to provide tool refinement over time based on input and researcher use (SOW 2.10.4.3, 2.10.5.3.1). Involvement in training/engagement/stakeholder alignment will depend on tool scope.

7. With evolving technologies and stakeholder needs, how will the VA manage changes to scope or delivery expectations over five years? Will the contractor have authority to propose scope trade-offs or identify high-impact deviations? (Sections 2.10, 2.11, 4.0) Answer:

The RFQ contains 52.212-4 which includes paragraph (c) and (d). The contractors are welcome to propose scope trade-offs during weekly meetings; deliverables and priorities will be reevaluated as needed. If determined there is a change in priority/scope, the Statement of Work and annual deliverables for the contract will be bilaterally revised prior to any changes being made.

8. Are there sufficient in-place computational resources (e.g., Azure, HPC) to support NLP and AI/ML development? Will the contractor have the necessary permissions and system support to operate efficiently within the VA environment? (Sections 2.3, 2.9, 2.10.2.1, 4.3) Answer:

Contractor will need to be onboarded to VA systems to run analyses on individual-level VA data using available VA resources at the time. However, vendor will need their own hardware to access VA systems remotely (SOW 4.1.3).

9. Does the VA expect the contractor to take an active role in shaping data modeling and phenotyping strategy based on domain expertise, or is the contractor expected to execute predefined technical work without strategic input? (Sections 2.4, 2.8, 3.3) Answer:

Contractor and VA will work together to determine best data modeling and phenotyping strategies (SOW 2.10.2.1.1). VA will leverage contractors expertise in shaping the modeling and phenotyping strategies (SOW 2.8), but would like to provide feedback and together alongside the contractor (SOW 2.10).

10. Will the contractor have the necessary permissions and IT support to install and use development tools required for efficient execution—such as preferred Python libraries (e.g., transformers, scikit-learn), R packages, or licensed software (e.g., Tableau, Neo4j)? Is there a defined process and timeline for obtaining approval and deploying such tools within the VA environment, and is MAVERIC prepared to support that workflow? (Sections 2.3, 2.9, 4.3.1–4.3.2) Answer:

Contractor will have permission to utilize any VA TRM-approved software and tools, which includes many of the examples mentioned. Contractor will be expected to work within available VA tools or find alternatives that meet VA guidelines/requirements.

11. Given the variability of potential use cases and the importance of adoption and long-term value, will the Contractor have access to practitioners or end users to inform design, prioritize features, and validate utility throughout development? (2.0, 2.7, 2.8, 2.10.1.1.1, 2.10.2.1.1, 2.10.5.1) Answer:

Yes, contractor will have access to subject matter expects and end users to provide input through the design of tools.

12 Does the gov't intend to issue an SF1449 for this opportunity to submit with a proposal?

Answer:

As stated in the RFQ posting on SAM: “This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 in conjunction with Part 13 of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.” IAW FAR 12.6, specifically 12.603 (b) “When using the combined synopsis/solicitation procedure, the SF1449 is not used for issuing the solicitation.”

There will be no SF1449 issued as a result.

13. SOW reads “Utilize all available data including narrative concepts and other omics data.” Has the data been curated for this initiative?

Answer:

The data has not been curated. The data that will be used is part of the VA electronic health record data.

14. The SOW states that "All work will be done on VA systems and software already owned by the VA." Will the VA provide the necessary access and credentials upfront, or is there a specific onboarding timeline for access approvals?

Answer:

There is a timeline for access approvals; anyone touching VA data will be required to go through proper VA onboarding which can be upwards to a few months (SOW 4.0).

15. What level of access will the contractor have to VA’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) data, and what security protocols or additional certifications (beyond PIV cards) are required?

Answer:

To access individual level data, contractor will require VA appointment, comprising of background check, PIV card, and research certification as explained in SOW paragraph 4.0.

16. The SOW references a "successful" data visualization or machine learning implementation. What are the specific metrics or evaluation benchmarks known upfront to measure success?

Answer:

Successful implementation means integration for use by VA investigators within the VA system, including the documentation mentioned in SOW (2.10.1.1.2, 2.10.2.1.3, 2.10.2.1.3.1 as examples).

17. Are there any existing data visualization tools, machine learning models, or analytical pipelines that the contractor should integrate with, or is this an entirely new development effort?

Answer:

Must meet the requirements of the VA environment for which tool is integrated, meaning the tool can be accessed and work within the VA firewall

18. The SOW states that "the contractor will meet with the VA team once a month in-person." Are travel costs for these meetings reimbursable, or should they be included in the pricing?

Answer:

See SOW paragraph 4.4 and RFQ attachment 3. The Government has already included a ceiling for travel costs. Travel should not be included in the pricing.

19. Will this SOW require the use of data from Oak Ridge National Laboratory data set? Will this SOW require accessing the data sets from within the Oak Ridge laboratory environment or can it be exported to carry out the requirements of this engagement? Will this SOW require use of KDI infrastructure at Oak Ridge Laboratory which supports projects that require high-performance computing resources to analyze large-scale datasets?

Answer:

The VA team will not limit contractor to using KDI infrastructure, but this is an existing resource for the VA team.

20. If we need to access Oak Ridge data and/or KDI infrastructure, who will pay the Oak Ridge Laboratory for the access and support? (Oak Ridge typically charges for this access and support.)

Answer:

Any access would be part of existing VA-DOE Interagency Collaborations – there is no charge for this access and support.

21. Are the annual hours referenced per role a maximum, minimum or an estimate?

Answer:

Contract type was changed. The values listed in SOW paragraph 4.7 are estimates for pricing purposes only.

22. Is the place of work going to be physically at Boston VAMC Answer:

See paragraph 4.1.3 of the SOW.

23. If it is remote, does the customer wish "remote" to be within a certain distance of Boston VAMC?

Answer:

No. This is remote work.

24. RFP identifies past performance as part of the evaluation criteria. Please clarify what past performance information offerors shall provide (e.g., Agency, Contract, POP, Value, etc.) and in what section, if outside the 10 page Section 2 Technical. (Attachment 2, Page 48, Evaluation Step #2, Past Performance) Answer:

There is no requirement to provide past performance information. The Government will obtain any information necessary.

25. RFP states "The redaction should mirror Section 2 but it will eliminate any identifying data." What information does the government consider "identifying data", that offerors should remove? (e.g., Company Name, Logo, Candidate Name, etc.) (Attachment 2, Page 45, D. Section 3, Identifying Data) Answer:

Anything that would allow an evaluator to determine the identity of the company. The examples you provided are a good starting point.

26. RFP states "If the exemption does not apply, please provide a "Completer Employee Exemption does not apply response somewhere in Section 1." Should this say "Computer Employee Exemption...."?

Answer:

Yes

27. Please confirm the narrative offerors provide for the Data Visualization Specialists (SOW Section 3.1) and Statistical Software Programmers (SOW Section 3.2) should be located in the "Section 2 Technical" document. (Attachment 2, Page 45, C. Section 2, j., Narrative ) Answer : As stated in Attachment 2 : “The narrative shall be included in the page count addressed in C…” “Certifications, degrees and resumes are not included in the page count and are the only elements not included in that page count.”

28. Please confirm that copies of resumes, certifications and/or degrees of employees that will support this contract are the only items to be provided in a separate document titled "Section 2 Employee Qualifications". (Attachment 2, Page 45, C. Section 2, j., Resumes) Answer:

Yes, resumes, certifications and/or degrees of employees are to be on a separate document and not included in the page count. The narrative required in j should be included in the page count.

29. Please confirm that the government wants the statement certifying that all employees will hold the same or better qualifications to be in a separate document titled "Section 2 Certifying Statement". (Attachment 2, Page 45, C. Section 2, k., Employee Qualifications) Answer :

Yes

30. Please provide format and font guidelines (i.e., Times New Roman, no less than 12 pt font, unless in tables or graphics in which font shall not be less than 8pt font, no less than 1 in margins). (General) Answer:

12pt font one-inch margins. Attachment #2 was updated with this requirement.

31. Please confirm the government is wanting the following seven separate files:

1) Section 1 Administrative

2) Section 2 Technical

2) Section 2 Employee Qualifications

3) Section 2 Certifying Statement

4) Section 3 Redacted Technical

5) Section 3 Redacted Employee Qualifications

6) Section 3 Redacted Certifying Statement

7) Section 4 Price (Attachment 2, Page 42, Section I, A, 2), Submission Files ) Answer:

Yes, and there are 8 sections (you have #2 listed twice)

32. Please confirm that all submitted documents shall be submitted as PDF (.pdf) documents, with the exception of the Pricing file. Please confirm the pricing file will be submitted as an Excel file (.xlsx). (General).

Answer:

Documents can be word or PDF with the exception of Section 4 Price which should be in Excel.

33. Please clarify Publications requirements for CLINs 0003, 1003, 2003, 3003 and 4003. For example, should offerors assume a per unit cost of $3,500 for 2 units for a $7,000 per year maximum (as stated in Section 4.5 of the SOW) for the Publication costs? (Attachment 1, Page 9, Section 4.5, Publication Requirements) Answer :

The CLIN numbers have been changed. The Government will provide a ceiling for these CLINS as defined in SOW 4.5. The pricing sheet, SOW and Attachment #2 were updated to clarify the requirement.

34. For the 10-page technical volume limit, this section indicates that it includes the cover page and table of contents. Will the government consider changing it so they are not part of the overall page count? (Attachment 2, Page 43, Section I, C), Submission Files ) Answer:

This has been changed to exclude the cover page and table of contents and allow 12 pages instead of 10.

35. The RFP states:

Service Contract Act is applicable to this requirement unless the services provided meet the Computer Employee Exemption.

a) Vendors shall provide a response in their quote as follows:

(1) If the exemption does not apply, please provide a “Completer Employee Exemption does not apply” response somewhere in Section 1. Do not include this reply in any other section.

(2) In order to claim the exemption the quote shall address the requirements found under the exemption found here: Fact Sheet #17E:Exemption for Employees in Computer-Related Occupations Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) | U.S. Department of Labor. This response shall be included in Section 1 of the quote and should be marked clearly.

Here is a relevant excerpt from Fact Sheet #17:

Employees whose work is highly dependent upon, or facilitated by, the use of computers and computer software programs (e.g., engineers, drafters and others skilled in computer-aided design software), but who are not primarily engaged in computer systems analysis and programming or other similarly skilled computer-related occupations identified in the primary duties test described above, are also not exempt under the computer employee exemption.

The tasks described in the Statement of Work require professional people to do computer-related work, not software development, and hence, they do not qualify as Exempt personnel under this FSCLA exemption.

There are other exemptions under FSCLA that WOULD qualify the personnel on this contract as Exempt personnel as described in DOL Fact Sheet 17a as referenced below.

Would the Government please remove this section from the RFP and substitute a paragraph that is applicable to the type of work to be performed on this contract that reads:

“The Service Contract Act is applicable to this requirement unless the services provided meet the Computer Employee Exemption.

(2) In order to claim the exemption the quote shall address the requirements found under the exemption found here: Fact Sheet #17A: Exemption for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Computer & Outside Sales Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) | U.S. Department of Labor This response shall be included in Section 1 of the quote and should be marked clearly. (Section E.B.4.a.1, page 74) Answer:

The section was updated on Attachment #2 to clarify the requirement.

36. The RFP states:

Section 2 Technical Please Note this section is not sent for Technical Evaluation. Page limit: 10 pages, including any coversheets and table of contents The sections below enumerate 14 separate areas that must be addressed in the offeror’s response. The page count includes the cover page and table of contents, so only 8 pages remain for offerors to describe all 14 areas. This will allow only slightly more than ½ page for each item which is insufficient space given the nature of the requirements.

Would the Government please increase the page count to 20 pages to enable sufficient space to enable offerors to respond to RFP requirements adequately? (Section E.C, page 43) Answer:

Page count was expanded to 12 pages.

37. The RFP states:

Employee qualifications: certifications, degrees, resumes, narrative 3.1 and 3.2 of the SOW. (Certifications, degrees and resumes are not included in the page count and are the only elements not included in that page count. The narrative shall be included in the page count addressed in C above) Note, this section should be labeled “Section 2 Employee Qualifications” and be a separate document.

The RFP is silent on the number of personnel, which must be described in the Section 2 proposal volume.

Would the Government please indicate the number of personnel that must be described and documented in Section 2 of the proposal? (Section E,C.1.j page 45) Answer:

Contract type and line item structure has changed. The Government will not dictate the number of personnel required by the contractor.

38. The RFP states:

Employee qualifications: certifications, degrees, resumes, narrative 3.1 and 3.2 of the SOW. (Certifications, degrees and resumes are not included in the page count and are the only elements not included in that page count. The narrative shall be included in the page count addressed in C above) Note, this section should be labeled “Section 2 Employee Qualifications” and be a separate document.

The RFP is silent on the number of personnel considered key personnel.

Are any of the personnel described in Section 2 of the proposal considered to be key personnel? If so, please indicate which ones. (Section E,C.1.j page 45) Answer:

Services defined are essential to the requirement. The Government will not dictate the number of personnel required by the contractor.

39. The RFP states:

The redacted copy is the document that will be sent to the technical evaluators for the technical evaluation. The redaction should mirror Section 2 but it will eliminate any identifying data. Any items not included in the page count and as separate documents should be labeled as identified in C but will be labeled as Section 3 instead of Section 2 and redacted. The purpose of the redaction is an attempt to hold an unbiased evaluation.

Would the Government please describe in more detail which information should be redacted? (Section E.D, page 45) Answer:

See question #25 above

40. The RFP states:

After the Go-no go technical evaluation a Comparative Evaluation of quotes will be performed in accordance with FAR 13.106-2(b)(3) based on the following (order does not indicate importance or significance):

Normally, the Government provides the priority order of evaluation factors.

Would the Government please provide the priority order for the evaluation factors? (Evaluation of Quotation Offers, 2, Page 47) Answer:

As stated on page 46 of the quote, the Evaluation will be conducted IAW FAR 13.106-2(b)(3). This is a Comparative Evaluation. Also note, IAW FAR 13.106-1(a)(2)(iii) “Solicitations are not required to state the relative importance assigned to each evaluation factor and subfactor, nor are they required to include subfactors.” This is NOT a FAR 15 procurement.

41. The RFP states:

Offerors must have a record of satisfactory or neutral past performance. If no record of past performance is found, the Offeror will receive a rating of neutral. The Government will utilize but is not limited to internal documentation including Federal Awardee Performance and Information System (FAPIIS) for determining the past performance of offerors.

Proposal instructions do not require offerors to provide past performance information.

Would the Government please remove this section from the evaluation criteria? (Evaluation of Quotation Offers, 2, Page 4) Answer:

Past Performance will be evaluated as explained in this section. See question #24 above. Also note FAR 13.106-2(3)(i) and (ii). This section will remain.

42. The SOW states:

The Contractor shall provide informatics, epidemiologic, and data programming expertise to support the Division of Population Health and Data Science at the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Informatics Center (MAVERIC) at the Boston VA Healthcare system.

The RFP and SOW are otherwise silent with respect to the Place of Performance for this contract.

Would the Government please provide the place of performance, including if the work is to be performed on-site or off-site for this contract?

Answer:

See question #22 above.

43. The table in Section 7 identifies 2500 hours per labor category for the two labor categories in this solicitation. The available working hours per FTE (assuming 11 Federal holidays and 10 days of PTO) IS 1912 hours. This is 1.3 FTE per labor category per year.

Would the Government please identify the number of contractor FTE’s it expected to use on this contract and adjust the total number of hours per labor category accordingly? (SOW, Section 7, Estimates) Answer:

See questions #21 and #37 above.

44. The solicitation references an estimated 2,500 annual hours per year for both the Data Visualization Specialist and Statistical Software Programmer labor categories. We would like to request clarification on this estimate, as a standard full-time equivalent (FTE) typically accounts for 2,080 hours per year (40 hours per week x 52 weeks).

· Can the Government clarify if the 2,500 hours per year figure is intended to represent overtime, extended availability, multiple staff, surge staff, or if it is a not-to-exceed ceiling intended for flexibility?

Answer:

See questions #21 and #37 above.

· Additionally, should offerors propose a single FTE per role based on 2,080 hours or staff to meet the full 2,500-hour estimate?

Answer:

See questions #21 and #37 above.

· If the 2,500 hours represent anticipated work beyond a single FTE, does the Government intend for the Contractor to provide additional staff to meet that requirement?

Answer:

See questions #21 and #37 above.

45. We would like to confirm that all we have to do is to fill out the requested information in "Attachment 2 Clauses_Provisions_Quote Submit_Quote Eval.docx." Specifically, it requests information about our company and some check boxes to be completed. Afterwards, should I simply email you back the filled out Attachment 2?

Answer:

Please read through all the documents that were attached to the posting. Instructions were provided.

46. Per the RFP, “Section 3 Redacted Employee qualifications(those documents not included in page count).” Question: Can the Government confirm whether employee qualifications and resumes should be redacted as well or is it strictly the Technical submission under Section 2? If yes, please provide additional guidance on the expected level of redaction for Section 3 (e.g., are URLs, current employee title, past project names, and/or publicly accessible publications)? (Attachment 2 Clauses-Provisions, Section E.1, Page 17 and 42) Answer:

See question #25.

47. Per the PWS “These tools will be integrated to VA’s knowledge platform in support of VA EHR data optimization for clinical research at large”. Questions: Does the “knowledge platform” have an existing architecture we need to plug into? Are there any existing data models or code libraries we should reuse or integrate with? (PWS, Scope 2.0, pg. 1)

Answer:

Contractors have flexibility in which models/code libraries they’d like to use. However, contractor must work with VA to then integrate into VA environment and make available to VA Researchers (SOW 2.10.1.1.2, 2.10.1.1.2.1, 2.10.3.1.2.1).

48. Per the PWS, “Utilize all available data including narrative concepts and other omics data.” Question: Are there data sources other than VistA/CPRS and Cerner Millennium? (PWS, Scope 2.3, pg.1) Answer:

Yes, there are a wide range of VA data sources that will be included, though the majority is electronic health record (EHR) data.

49. The PWS provides estimated labor hours for Data Visualization Specialists, Statistical Software Programmers, Travel, and Publications. There is no detail for Project Manager, Project Coordinator, or similar roles and responsibilities. Question: Can the Government describe its requirements for the Contractor to manage the work and costs associated with people management, deliverables including quality assurance, meeting support, and other requirements detailed in the SOW, not included in this table? (PWS, Estimates, 4.7, pg. 9) Answer:

The Government’s requirement is outlined in the SOW. Any additional requirements the contractor deems necessary are the responsibility of the contractor. The Government will not dictate how those costs are handled.

50. Question: Will the Government issue task orders under this IDIQ for specific efforts (e.g., genomic tool development, HPC collaboration, visualization interfaces), or is the full scope of the SOW expected to be priced and staffed continuously? (Attachment 1 SOW, Section 1.0 and 5.0, Pages 1 and 6) Answer:

Contract type and line-item structure was changed.

51. The RFP references the Knowledge Network in SOW Sections 2.1 – 2.3. Questions: Can the Government provide more information about how the existing knowledge network is going to be expanded (current state versus expanded state)? Can the Government provide clarifying information about the current knowledge network to ensure that the new data model(s) integrates well with the existing model? (Attachment 1 SOW, Scope 2.1 – 2.3, p. 2) Answer:

Many of the tools are still in the development/final finessing states. The expanded knowledge network will include new concepts, such as genomics information, new types of extracted unstructured (text) data, among other priority data domains as identified. Vendors will work closely with the VA team to ensure integration into existing resources.

52. The RFP states “Deployment and refinement of knowledge network including detailed relationships between entities.” Question: Can the Government provide information to clarify if there are any anticipated costs related to infrastructure, tools, hosting environments, or third-party platforms that would fall under the Contractor’s responsibility during this deployment phase? (Scope, Year 5, 2.10.5.2, pg. 4) Answer:

There are no additional costs associated to using the VA resources.

53. Many Request For Proposals are being canceled after being posted on Sam.Gov by the Department of Government Efficiency. Question: Has this solicitation been approved by the Department of Government Efficiency or does it require approval for award?

Answer:

This requirement was submitted for approval and is pending that response.

54. How many years of data does VA's EHR have?

Answer:

1999-present (over 20 years)

55. Is the VA population for a certain State, Region, USA, or worldwide (i.e. does its cover Foreign Medical Program as well)?

Answer:

The data being collected is from VHA facilities in the United States (170 VA Medical Centers, 1,193 outpatient sites, etc.)

56. Is it a rolled-up data set or by patient for every event of medical intervention and demographics?

Answer:

All encounters for patients are available.

57. What are the current VA systems and software platform; does it already have dashboard visualization capabilities for users of the system, such as Clinicians?

Answer:

Some information on VA systems/software can be found on va.gov, including our secure workspaces in VINCI (https://www.research.va.gov/programs/vinci/)

58. The last estimate of active records is listed at 9.1 million. Is this an accurate reflection of active records? What is the total of inactive records?

Answer:

Veterans with at least 1 encounter within the VA (inpatient or outpatient) since 1999 is estimated to be around 15M.

59. Will multiple deliverables be required within for the Data Visualization Specialist Services as per Item No 1 referenced in Table A3 in the document "Attachment 2 Clauses_Provisions_Quote Submit_Quote Eval.docx”?

Answer:

Are you referring to the Delivery Schedule? That schedule outlines the period of performance for the Contract Line Items. Individual deliverables as outlined in the SOW may have different due dates that fall within the period of performance under the Delivery Schedule.

60. The government specified this would be a SDVOSB set-aside for Product Service Code: AN41 - HEALTH R&D SERVICES; HEALTH CARE - OTHER; BASIC RESEARCH, under NAICS Code: 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.

Can the government clarify what contract vehicle they are planning on using to award this contract (i.e., GSA MAS under 541990?

Answer:

The contract type was changed. Page 1 of Attachment 2 clarifies the type of contract. This was posted to SAM using FAR 12 and FAR 13 procedures. As such, the use of a GSA MAS under FAR part 8 would not be appropriate.

61 For this MAVERIC Program, this procurement is looking for Data Visualization Specialist Services (2500 hrs), Statistical Software Programmer Services (2500 hrs), and Publication Services (2). How many resources is the government expecting these tasks to utilize with 2500 resource hours for the Data Visualization Specialist Services, and 2500 hrs for the Statistical Software Programmer Services. With 2000 (or 1880 more appropriately) hours being the standard amount of hours in the course of a resource year. Is the government looking for 1.25 FTE of each skill resource to be provided with part-time support staff? Please clarify.

Answer:

Please see the response to questions #21, #37 and #50.

62. Is there a current or prior incumbent contractor supporting these services? If so, who is this incumbent contractor? What is the current LOE provided in hours and resources? How is the scope of services different?

Answer:

Please see questions #1 and #2.

63. What tools are expected to be utilized in support of this contract? Will the contractor be expected to provide their own tools, computers, licenses? If so, please clarify.

Answer:

Vender is welcome to use VA infrastructure and resources. If there are preferences by the vendor to use their own tools, software, or licenses where appropriate, that will be up to their discretion.

64. Is the solution cloud based? (SOW 2.9) Answer:

No, VA systems/software currently being used as not cloud based.

65: Can you share details of the VA use cases for data model requested? (SOW 2.10.1.1) Answer:

Use cases will be determined based on priority research areas at the time of development.

66. Will the pilot tool be hosted in the cloud? (SOW 2.10.2.1.2) Answer:

No, not at this time.

67. How will VA priorities and damins be communicated to set up knowledge network? What are the expected timelines to deliver? (SOW 2.10.3.1) Answer:

VA team will work with vendor to determine priorities and timelines; meetings will be weekly and deliverables will be reviewed quarterly (SOW 2.10, 2.11).

68. What are the SCA Occupation codes the government is using?

Answer:

If you are referring to 52.222-42, the response is already provided in Attachment #2 page 36. If this does not answer your question, you will need to clarify exactly what you are looking for.

69. - Is there a minimum number of publications expected annually, or is this activity contingent on research outcomes? (SOW 2.12 (page 5)).

Answer:

Actively contingent on outcomes and tools – no set expectation on publications annually. This will vary.

70. Will publications be tied to specific deliverables (e.g., tools/models developed under Section 2.10) or treated as standalone requirements?

Answer:

Publications are not a deliverable, they may be tied to specific deliverables.

71. What type of manuscripts will be generated as part of the knowledge dissemination effort? Will they be research papers, technical reports, case studies, or another format? (SOW 2.12.2) Answer:

This can vary – could be a research publication, report, or technical write-up.

72. How will goals be communicated, performance assessed, invoices handled, and meetings structured? Is there flexibility in milestones and timelines? (SOW 2.10) Answer:

Milestones and timelines will be adjusted as justified. There will be weekly meetings and quarterly check-in’s on milestones.

73. How many hours per week are contractors expected to work?

Answer:

Please see question #21, #37 and #50.

74. Are these roles intended to be remote, on site, or hybrid?

Answer:

Please see question #22.

75. Are there specific clinical use cases or conditions (e.g., diabetes, PTSD, oncology) that will be prioritized for phenotype modeling or visualization?

Answer:

This varies based on VA Office of Research and Development (ORD) Research Priorities.

76. Are there existing tools or frameworks that contractors must build upon or integrate with?

Answer:

Tools should be compatible within the VA network

77. What level of collaboration is expected between VA research staff and TAG developers (e.g., pair programming, design reviews, clinical feedback loops)?

Answer:

Collaboration will include design reviews and iterative feedback of products as they are developed.

78. What datasets will be made available to the contractor?

Answer:

For contractors who get a VA affiliation/onboarded, they will have access to VA EHR data and other VA data sources/programs as applicable.

79. Are weekly meetings expected to be formal status updates or working sessions?

Answer:

We will have weekly meetings to discuss updates, review deliverables and provide real-time feedback based on current use-cases (SOW 2.10), and will therefore cover both types of meetings depending on the current tasks.

80. Who are the primary users of the dashboard (e.g., researchers, clinicians, data scientists), and what insights should be immediately visible?

Answer:

Tools will be utilized by both researchers and clinicians.

81. Will the VA team handle deployment of production-ready dashboards and tools, or is the contractor expected to manage this?

Answer:

The VA team will handle deployment but will work closely with the contractor to ensure smooth processes and troubleshoot roadblocks.

82. What is the government using for full-time employee count? Typically it's 1912 hours, and not 2500.

Answer:

Please see questions #21, #37 and #50