S06 FINAL Amendment 36C25624Q0796 0001 Solicitation Question Responses.pdf

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation SUBJECT* Virtual Reality Training - “Train the Trainer” Event/Platform/Program, For Fire Protection & Safety / Health Care Fires and Use of Fire Extinguishers, Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Biloxi, MS 39531

GENERAL INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE’S ZIP CODE* 39531

SOLICITATION NUMBER* 36C25624Q0796

RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE 05-03-2024 1500 EASTERN TIME, NEW YORK,

USA

ARCHIVE 99 DAYS AFTER THE RESPONSE DATE

RECOVERY ACT FUNDS N

SET-ASIDE SDVOSB

PRODUCT SERVICE CODE* U008

NAICS CODE* 541512

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS Department of Veterans Affairs

Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System Network Contracting Office 16 400 Veterans Avenue BLDG 5, Rm 1A102 Biloxi MS 39531

POINT OF CONTACT*

C. Robert Oravetz / Contracting Officer Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System Network Contracting Office 16 400 Veterans Avenue BLDG 5 Rm 1A102 Biloxi, MS 39531

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System ATTN: Engineering Service / Safety Office 400 Veterans Avenue BLDG 10 Biloxi MS

POSTAL CODE 39531

COUNTRY USA

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL https://www.va.gov/

URL DESCRIPTION VA

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS christopher.oravetz@va.gov EMAIL DESCRIPTION CO e-mail address

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this amendment is the following:

1). Provide responses to contractor questions about this solicitation.

All other terms and conditions of this solicitation remain the same unless changed/ updated through/with subsequent amendments to this solicitation.

Contractor Questions and Responses Solicitation 36C25624Q0796

Virtual Reality Training - “Train the Trainer” Event/Platform/Program Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Biloxi, MS 39531 Notes: Punctuation and/or grammar corrections were made to questions submitted if found/needed.

PWS / Other Reference

Contractor Question Government Response

N/A Is there a standard template / format for providing the required data for this Solicitation?

No. Please refer to 52.212-1 in the solicitation, specifically “INSTRUCTIONS

FOR OFFER/QUOTE PREPARATION AND

SUBMISSION PART I -OVERVIEW AND

GENERAL GUIDANCE” which begins on

SF 1449 SF1449 Page 1, Blocks 17A-17B. What information is needed in this block?

The solicitation does not specifically require that these blocks be completed.

The contractor administrative data that is required is described in 52.212-1, Volume 3 Addendum on page 29. This needed information does not have to be annotated in these specific blocks but must be provided in the contractor’s response to the solicitation.

B.3- Paragraph 1

Is in-app certification needed? Is there certification management software needed, or do you have one that we need to send completion data to?

No (to all questions).

B.3 paragraph 7

Can more details be shared on the provided statement in Paragraph 7 Capability to incorporate settings from existing buildings located with Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, 400 Veterans Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39531 into the program as settings.

The organization would like the graphics, photos, or illustrations to represent the current healthcare system property interior locations of settings simulated in the program. The contractor will be able to take photos or videos in interior and exterior spaces to replicate in the design of the program graphics to make it realistic to a typical Veterans Administration hospital.

B.2 For the Price/ Cost schedule line item, Are you asking for Just the Final amount, or is a details cost schedule needed as an appendix with the submission?

Please see pages 28 & 29 of the solicitation (VOLUME 2 – PRICE Volume). As this acquisition is for a one-time, all-inclusive project the government only needs the grand total amount for the total cost of this project. A detailed cost breakdown appendix document may be provided but is not mandated nor required per the solicitation.

Solicitation The description reads that you are looking for a standalone module(s) that is owned by the VA on fire safety with a train the trainer program. Would you be comfortable with following the TTT (Train the Trainer) program, the content is owned and operated by the VA independently but a platform with reoccurring cost is used to enable secure data transfer of completion (pass / fail) data?

No. A VR event/platform/program that would involve reoccurring, follow up, and additional costs at a future time will not meet the government’s needs and is not acceptable. Please refer to the Performance Work Statement, Section 3 which reads “A long-term commitment from, participation by, and future add-ons/enhancements to this virtual reality training platform/program are not included as part of this acquisition.

This procurement consists of a one-time project/event that ends when completed.

Contractor shall be required to provide/furnish all attributes, features, required specifications, add-ons, and other offerings upon creation of the Virtual Reality platform/program. The “Train the Trainer” event shall be all inclusive when conducted without the need for follow on or follow up sessions that would be needed over a long-term period. Once the Virtual Reality Platform/Program is created (and later implemented) the government will own all rights to this platform/program which includes but is not limited to licenses, copyrights, etc. for the government’s exclusive use”.

Solicitation Have you determined the volume of headsets you will need

The government is assuming that volume means quantity.

The Pico Neo 3 is the headset we have.

There will be a maximum of 5 headsets. The solicitation does not require that the contractor provides headsets.

Solicitation How many trainers and learners will need to train at the same time?

The computer based training via each headset would have option of training 1 individual at a time. The desktop application can be used to train multiple staff with 1 interactive participant and multiple observers using the ability to project the image using large screen.

These sessions will not be linked- there will not be multiple “gamers” in sessions.

Solicitation Is Computer Generated (CG) content acceptable?

The contractor can use some computer-generated content however we would like to incorporate graphics, photos, and /or illustrations depicting interior and exterior settings using sites within the Gulf Coast Veterans health Care system. Options for those sites include the main Biloxi, MS campus and /or Community Based Outpatient Clinic’s located at Mobile, Pensacola, Panama City, or Eglin.

PWS,

Section 6.1

Should the experience include training (overview of what to do in each scenario listed in 6.1) and practice opportunities?

Will this be the trainer and ultimately learners first time being exposed to the material?

The contract should include a brief tutorial/overview of how to use the controller and headset and the objective of each session with a practice queuing user of what to look for. Yes, it will be the users first time.

Solicitation Is there any limitation on how long the content can be?

Maximum course time should be 30 minutes. It would be expected each session should take 15- 20 minutes for the fire evacuation training session per scenario.

Additional time will be needed dependent on the number of errors to be reviewed upon completion by the user.

Solicitation Can content be provided both in headset AND in a desktop experience?

Yes. The contractor needs to have a complete headset training and a complete desktop training. User should not have to go to the desktop training the headset and back in forth.

Desktop download would be on a maximum of 10 workstations.

Headset download would be a maximum of 5.

PWS,

Section 9

Per PWS (9. Period of Performance), Is the expected start date of 30 days when you expect the content to be created by or is that the time period in which you expect the content development to start?

The 30 day timeline in the PWS should be disregarded. For this specific requirement full integration and use of the Event/Platform/Program by the government is expected within 3 to 6 months following contract award.

PWS,

Section 7

Regarding( PWS 7. Specifications) How will built in automatic scoring end user data be stored? Locally? On a network?

The Scoring data will be stored locally.

However scoring data will not be stored on, nor will be a part of, the VA network (internet or intranet). User training related data (which includes scoring assessments) will be in paper/hard copy format. If required, these training documents may be uploaded by VA staff into users individual, electronic training records/databases at a later time.

Solicitation With this VR solution would you anticipate it being integrated with existing network architecture? Can you please provide more information on integration.

There will be no network integrating into existing network architecture.

PWS

Section 7

Regarding( PWS 7. Specifications) it is referenced “Capability to incorporate settings from existing buildings” can you please clarify what these settings refer to

The organization would like the graphics, photos, or illustrations to represent the current healthcare system property interior locations of settings simulated in the program. The contractor will be able to take photos or videos in interior and exterior spaces to replicate in the design of the program graphics to make it realistic to a typical Veterans Administration hospital.

PWS

Section 7

PWS Section 7, “Specifications” states that the VR Program/Platform created must be “accessible or viewable on desktop computers or function on stand-alone units such as Oculus VR headsets or Pico Neo 3 VR headsets’.

Our Platform will target stand-alone units.

Does this requirement mean that the Platform should support more than one stand-alone unit (ex. Meta Quest AND Pico Neo 3) or will the requirement be satisfied as long as the platform supports at least one stand-alone unit (ex. Meta Quest)?

We request the software be able to perform on multiple platforms, specifically Meta Quest and Pico Neo 3.

We currently have Pico Neo 3 hardware but will be purchasing additional headsets in

FY 25.

PWS

Section 7

PWS Section 7, “Specifications” states that software will have the “capability to include familiar faces and likenesses.”

What level of fidelity does GCVHCS require in terms of likeness? Is the Government asking for exact likenesses of specific personnel currently employed by GCVHCS, or is this requirement stating that non-player characters in the game should resemble the types of personnel you would expect to see in a Scenario’s setting (ex.

Nurses, doctors, etc.)

There is low level of fidelity required in terms of likeness. The intent is that as photos are taken within the facility for design, some graphics or illustrations may use likenesses of current employees.

Approval will have to be granted for photos taken of employees or veterans. A VA form may be provided for that approval. All characters developed are not required to be likenesses of current staff. VA requests a minimum of 3 per training session be likeness of current staff and others may be representative general hospital staff.

PWS

Section 7

PWS Section 7, “Specifications” states that software will have the “capability to include familiar faces and likenesses.”

Does the software require the ability to integrate new “familiar faces” within the application itself after delivery?

No. The intent is that as photos are taken within the facility for design, some graphics or illustrations may use likenesses of current employees. Approval will have to be granted for photos taken of employees or veterans. A VA form may be provided for that approval.

PWS

Section 6

The PWS states that the “Contractor shall adequately train VA facilitators/trainers to an appropriate level with required competencies on the Virtual Reality Program/Platform that is created.”

How many facilitators/trainers are estimated to go through this “Train the Trainer” event?

Maximum of 10.

PWS

Section 6

Is there an estimate for how many VA personnel per year will use the Platform to train on?

We estimate 1000 maximum personnel.

PWS

Section 7

The PWS states that a “Built in, automatic scoring system within the Virtual Reality Program/Platform that will indicate pass or fail assessments for users completing the training and/or other scenarios” must be included.

Is there a requirement for a Certificate or Proof of Completion to be provided for VA personnel who complete the training, or some other mechanism to prove that a user passed training?

No. There is no requirement for a Certificate or Proof of Completion to be provided for VA personnel who complete the training, or some other mechanism to prove that a user passed training?

PWS

Section 4

Is the contractor expected to provide any hardware as part of this contract, or is the expectation that the VA will provide hardware for future training usage and the contractor only provides the platform and the process to install it on VA-provided hardware?

The contractor will not provide any hardware as part of this contract.

S05 FINAL Contractor Questions and Responses Solicitation 36C25624Q0796