36C25522Q0143.docx

SUBJECT*

Town Hall Teleconferences | Poplar Bluff, MO VAMC

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Network Contracting Office (NCO) 15 3450 S 4th Street Trafficway

Leavenworth KS 66048

POINT OF CONTACT*

Sue Miller

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

John J. Pershing VA Medical Center

1500 North Westwood Blvd

Poplar Bluff MO

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT

DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

The submission of pricing, capabilities for planning purposes, and other market information is highly encouraged and allowed under this RFI In Accordance With (IAW) FAR Part 15.201(e).

SOURCES SOUGHT DESCRIPTION

This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a RFI/sources sought only. The purpose of this sources sought/RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 517919 (All Other Telecommunications). Responses to this sources sought will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this sources sought, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 15 Network Contracting Office, is seeking sources that can provide the following:

**a potential qualified contractor to provide John J. Pershing VAMC (JJPVAMC) Poplar Bluff, MO. personnel to conduct town hall teleconferences during which up to ten-thousand veteran and stakeholder telephone numbers per town hall will be contacted and connected to a shared teleconference simultaneously. Please see the Statement of Work attached to this document.

** SDVOSB contractors must follow the criteria per VAAR 852.219-10 VA NOTICE OF TOTAL SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE (JUL 2019) (DEVIATION) ** VOSB contractors must follow the criteria per VAAR 852.219-11 VA NOTICE OF TOTAL VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE (JUL 2019) (DEVIATION) ** Limitations of subcontracting shall apply** It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the supplies/services that fulfill the requirement.

If you are interested and are capable of providing the services, please provide the requested information as well as the information indicated below. Response to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions:

Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.).

Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified under this RFI?

If you’re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above or an equivalent solution, do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified?

Does your company have an FSS contract with GSA, VA NAC, NASA SEWP, or any other federal contract, that can be utilized to procure the requirement listed above? If so, please provide the contract number.

Please submit your capabilities that show clear, compelling, and convincing evidence that you can meet the requirement described in the attached SOW.

Please provide your DUNS number.

Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Sue Miller at susan.miller@va.gov. Telephone responses shall not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than Monday, February 14, 2022 @ 10 a.m. CST. If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this sources sought. Responses to this sources sought notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation

Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

Statement of Work John J. Pershing VA Medical Center

I .3 Scope of Work

The contractor shall provide all resources necessary-to meet the teleconferencing system requirements and accomplish the tasks and deliverables described in this Statement of Work (SOW). Up to six (6) times per calendar year, the contractor shall coordinate with John J. Pershing VAMC (JJPVAMC) personnel to conduct town hall teleconferences during which up to ten-thousand veteran and stakeholder telephone numbers per town hall will be contacted and connected to a shared teleconference simultaneously. The base year will consist of up to 6 town hall meetings. JJP VAMC may extend up to four option years as needed. An overview of the teleconferencing system requirements, as well as tasks and deliverables, to be provided by the contractor include:

· Teleconference schedule coordination with JJP VAMC staff

· System training for staff

· Interactive Voice Response (IVR) capability

· Pre-event robo calls to Veterans and stakeholders a day or two prior to the event

· Outbound simultaneous call-and-connection capability (see paragraph 2.1.2.1 below for a detailed explanation regarding the number of calls to be dialed and connected each teleconference)

· Toll-free Inbound call capability

· Toll-free Listen-only capability

· Customizable caller ID

· Pre-recorded voice message capability

· Live speak with question-and-answer capability

· Live phone keypad/touch-tone polling capability

· Participant voicemail option capability

· Web-based JJP VAMC staff management dashboard

· Web-based JJP VAMC staff chat capability

· Contractor and JJP VAMC screening capability

· Listener polling options

· Technical Support

· Post-teleconference statistical reports

· Digital audio recording of teleconferences

1.3.1 The IT system will not be connected to a VA network. The IT system hardware components are located at an offsite contractor facility.

l.4 Period of Performance

The period of performance of this contract consists of a 12-month base year, beginning on effective date of contract with the possibility of four option years. Specific period of performance dates:

TBD

Option

Year l

TBD

Option

Year

TBD

Option

Year

TBD

Option

Year 4

TBD

)I-Base Year

1.5 Place of Performance and Travel

1.5.1 The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, 1500 N. Westwood Blvd, Poplar Bluff, MO, 63901. ·

1.5.2 Travel Expenses. All transportation and travel related expenses are the sole responsibility of the contractor. Travel shall include any means the contractor deems necessary to fulfill the requirements of the contract. There shall be no additional charges to VA for travel of contractor personnel.

2.0 Specific System Requirements, Tasks and Deliverables

2.1 Teleconferencing System Requirements

2.1.1 Interactive Voice Response (IVR). The contractor will provide a hosted Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology solution that will allow veterans and stakeholders to participate in, and interact with, JJP VAMC employees through the use of voice and Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones input via telephone keypad. The IVR technology will provide each of the teleconference system requirements outlined in this Statement of Work (SOW). The IVR technology will present a fully integrated and professional interface to participant users.

2.1.2 Outbound Calling. The technology solution provided by the contractor will have the capability to outbound auto-dial or 'robo-call' a maximum of l 0,000 veteran and stakeholder telephone numbers simultaneously at the start of each teleconference and connect all participants to the teleconference in real-time. The exact number of telephone numbers dialed for each teleconference will vary and the list will be provided and/or verified by the JJP VAMC prior to each teleconference. The list will be provided in the format required by the contractor and will be as accurate as possible, containing no duplicate or invalid telephone numbers.

2.1.2.1 Number of Calls to be Dialed and Connected. It is important for contractors to understand that offers should be based, in part, on providing a total of six teleconferences per period of performance (i.e., approximately quarterly). While a typical teleconference requires approximately 7,000 outbound dialed and connected calls, the contractor must have the capability to dial and connect up to 20,000 calls one time per period of performance (i.e. one time per year). Offers should be based on dialing and connecting 10,000 calls, six times per period of performance, with the option of dialing and connecting 20,000 calls one time per period of performance.

2.1.3 Toll-free Inbound Calling. The contractor will provide a toll-free (e.g. '800 number') which veterans and stakeholders can use to call into a scheduled town hall teleconference. This option is for those veterans and stakeholders who miss the out bound invitational call or otherwise must join the teleconference late.

2.1.4 Pre-recorded Voice Messages. The contractor will coordinate with JJP VAMC staff to script and pre-record all required voice messages (e.g. meeting invitation, voicemail, survey questions, instructions, etc.) prior to each teleconference.

2.1.5 Live Speak with Questions and Answers. The contractor will provide the technical capability for participants to be able to speak, and ask or answer questions, during the teleconference as controlled by JJP VAMC staff using the web-based dashboard interface. The capability provided must allow JJP VAMC the ability to screen, approve and rank order callers who wish to speak or ask questions. These callers must be able to indicate their interest in speaking through a designated phone keypad/touch-tone response. The capability must also provide callers with the ability to leave a voicemail at any time, and automatically if not selected to live speak or ask a question after indicating their desire to do so.

2.1.6 Live Polling Capability. The contractor will provide the technical capability for JJP VAMC staff to ask live polling questions of participants at any time during the teleconference. Participants will answer questions through their telephone keypad/touch tone response. Real-time tabulated answers to survey questions must be available to JJP VAMC staff through the web-based dashboard interface.

2. I .7 Staff Management Dashboard. The contractor will provide JJP VAMC staff the technical ability to fully manage the teleconference via a web-based dashboard interface. The dashboard interface will include call screening, queueing, text notes, participant prioritization/ordering, 'unmute'/activation into the live call, real-time data reporting of call statistics/polling responses and the ability to end the teleconference.

2.1.8 Staff Chat Capability. The contractor will provide JJP VAMC staff the web-based dashboard technical capability to be able to text chat as a group, or privately, during teleconferences. This solution will aid JJP VAMC staff in managing the teleconference.

2.2 Tasks

2.2.1 Schedule Coordination. The contractor will coordinate with JJP VAMC to schedule town hall teleconferences up to six times/year on dates, and at times, as determined by JJP VAMC.

2.2.1.1 Federal Holidays. Town hall teleconferences will not be scheduled on federal holidays, including: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or on other federal holidays specially designated by the President.

2.2.2 System Training. The contractor will provide initial comprehensive teleconference system training to JJP VAMC staff prior to the first scheduled town hall teleconference. The contractor will provide subsequent training as required and requested by JJP VAMC.

2.2.3 Technical Support. The Contractor will provide sufficient technical support personnel and services, throughout all phases of each teleconference, to ensure professional and technically defect-free town hall teleconferences. The contractor will provide technical support covering all system capabilities, tasks and deliverables outlined in this Statement of Work (SOW).

2.3 Deliverables

2.3.1 Timely submission of deliverables and reports is essential to conducing successful town hall teleconferences as well as successfully completing the requirements of this contract. Contractor will provide all deliverables according to the media format and schedule, required by JJP VAMC, as described in the following table, unless otherwise agreed upon by the contractor and JJP VAMC.

2.3.2 Schedule of Deliverables

Initial JJP VAMC Staff Training

to First Teleconference

Teleconference Scripting and Pre-recording

to Teleconference

mail) NLT 3 Business Days Following Teleconference

mail) NLT 3 Business Days Following Teleconference

NLT Date-and-Time of Scheduled Teleconference (Teleconferencing Services)

Teleconference Recording Digital (On-line or E-mail) Only at the Specific Request of JJP VAMC staff

2.3.3 Statistical Reports. Statistical reports will include but are not limited to: participant identification data; participant questions and comments; survey questions and answers; telephone numbers reached and not reached; data on levels of participation throughout the teleconference. JJP VAMC and the contractor will mutually determine and agree on what data will be provided in the statistical reports.

2.3.4 All deliverables listed above will be accomplished and/or provided, or made available to, the designated JJP VAMC point of contact(s) by the respective Due Date listed in the table.

2.3.5 All information and data related to this contract that the contractor gathers or obtains shall be both protected from unauthorized release and considered the property of the government. The contracting officer will be the sole authorized official to release verbally, or in writing, any data, deliverables, or other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this contract must not be publicized without the written approval of the contracting officer.