36C26024Q0859_1.docx

Special Notice Special Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

ATTN: V4CONT

1601 E. Fourth Plain Blvd Bldg.17, Suite B428 Vancouver WA 98661

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Phillip Folger phillip.folger@va.gov

(360) 816-2792

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION

Intent to Sole Source IAW 5.301(d)(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 20 (NCO 20) on behalf of VISN 20 Northwest Healthcare Network intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price Base plus one (1) year contract to provide Technical Assistance with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Patient Care Analytic Team (PCAT) Program based out of the Mann-Grandstaff (Spokane) VA Medical Center located at 4815 N Assembly St, Spokane, WA 99205 with Dr. Lisa V Rubenstein, a verified WOSB under the authority of and in accordance with (IAW) FAR 6.302-5(b)(7) (Authorized or Required by Statute), 15 U.S.C. 637(m) as implemented by FAR 19.1506 (Women-Owned Small Business Program sole-source awards).

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations and no solicitation will be made. Interested parties verified in SAM may express their interest by providing a capabilities statement.

The capabilities statement must provide clear and unambiguous evidence to substantiate the capability of the party to provide the required services. A determination not to compete this proposed contract upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Verbal responses are not acceptable and will not be considered.

When responding to this announcement, respondents should refer to Announcement 36C26024Q0859 Special Notice of Intent. After notification close date Department of Veterans Affairs shall negotiate solely with Dr. Lisa V Rubenstein for Technical Assistance with the VHA PCAT Program.

Phone calls will NOT be accepted. The Contract Specialist, Phillip Folger is the point of contact for this action and can be reached at phillip.folger@va.gov.

Technical Assistance with the VHA PACT Program Statement of Work Lisa V Rubenstein POP: Start NLT 30 Days After Award. Base +1

1. Introduction

The purpose of this Statement of Work (SOW) is to outline the task and responsibilities of the contractor in relation to technical assistance (TA) with evaluation and improvement of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Primary Care Analytic Team (PCAT). PCAT is located at VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle campus. The contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, travel, lodging and any other supplies or equipment necessary to perform the requirements as outlined in this SOW.

1.1 Background

The goals of PCAT are to use scientific approaches and VHA data to support both national Primary Care related policy and local regional and healthcare system improvement. PCAT draws on investigators from contributing regional subsidiary units, within a learning organization framework. The purpose of this contract is to enhance achievement of VHA Primary Care priority goals in fiscal year 2024-2027.

1. Clinical Resource Hub Evaluation PCAT has been asked by the Office of Primary Care to lead a large-scale evaluation of newly-implemented Clinical Resource Hubs for supporting primary care and mental health in underserved facilities. Carrying out this work within the rapid timeline requested by the Office of Primary Care will require assistance from a vendor with experience designing and carrying out program evaluations for large VA redesign or improvement projects. Experience with organizational or leadership surveys, VA quantitative data, and qualitative data collection will also be necessary for assisting PCAT in working with the researchers already subcontracted to the project for specific tasks. PCAT will focus the vendor’s time for the majority of effort for the contract period on supporting this project. In addition, the vendor will support PCAT strategic planning and two smaller ongoing PCAT projects. Primary Care Productivity Measure Development

2. Measuring primary care productivity The ability to measure productivity in a way that enhances the value of VA care is a major concern for the Office of Primary Care and is a priority for PCAT. Most productivity measures to date focus on face-to-face visits. PCAT, in response to Office of Primary Care considerations, aims to develop and test measures that reflect the full primary care team’s activities and that reflect non-face-to-face care modalities as well as face-to-face care. A panel process subcontracted to RAND and an accompanying VA Evidence Synthesis Program review will underpin this development. PCAT requires a vendor with expertise in primary care models and teams who can assist PCAT leaders and analysts in developing a broader framework for measurement.

3. Support PCAT Strategic Planning The vendor will support analytic unit leaders in strategic planning aimed at meeting the analysis and evaluation needs of the Office of Primary Care and with coordinate with the investigator work groups that will generate the specifically requested analyses. To carry out these time sensitive tasks the vendor must have 10+ years of patient care experience and be credentialed through VA Office of Credentialing and Privileging (OC&P).

Vendor must also have current VA Contractor Performance Reporting System (CPRS) access, access to the VA IT network and current VA IT security training, current national human subjects training and PHI and PII security training, or the ability to obtain within 30 days of contract award.

2. Scope The Vendor will work solely with PCAT leadership and staff on the tasks below. The Vendor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the deliverables described in this SOW, other than travel when required by PCAT.

3. Tasks and Deliverables Draft manuscripts and reports are to be reviewed at the end of each month by the Publication and Presentation Review Group with a 10-day revision turnaround, to then be and resubmit for publication to Journal of Gen Internal Med (JGIM) or equivalent.

3.1 Tasks

3.1.1. Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) Evaluation

· Review and revise the overall written evaluation design and implementation plan prepared by PCAT and CRH investigators

· Work with the PCAT and contracted investigators to ensure that contracted investigator plans are integrated into the overall evaluation design, that the implementation of the design is coordinated across sites, and that study timelines are met.

· Attend weekly evaluation team calls

· Vendor will prepare a draft manuscript on the protocol for the CRH intervention and evaluation.

· Vendor will identify and help implement opportunities for national dissemination by the CRH evaluation team, with support from PCAT leaders

3.1.2. Measuring productivity

· Meet every other week with PCAT productivity investigators to assist in the development of a framework for assessing primary care team productivity.

· Supervise development of a panel rating survey on the key elements of productivity and how to measure them

· Review and revise, as a content expert, a monograph on project results

3.1.3. Support PCAT Strategic Planning

· Meet weekly with the Analytic Unit project director and assist in preparing needed documents, products, and meeting agendas

· Support non-Seattle based PCAT investigators and teams in carrying out Office of Primary Care requested projects that utilize the PCAT core infrastructure

· Review and revise documents on Analytic Unit plans for selecting new projects, completing prior projects, and communicating to stakeholders

· Work with the PCAT team to develop the draft agenda and materials for one Advisory Group meeting

· Prepare a manuscript on the design and implementation of PCAT as an embedded researcher unit supporting the Office of Primary Care

3.2 Deliverables

3.2.1 Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) Evaluation

· Completion of an evaluation design and implementation plan

· Completion of a CRH evaluation protocol paper

· Implementation of at least two national dissemination activities (cyber-seminars or in-person meetings)

3.2.2 Measuring primary care productivity

· Preliminary primary care productivity measurement framework

· Complete a panel survey based on the productivity measurement framework

· Development of a monograph describing a written productivity framework based on productivity team investigator work

· Implementation of at least two national dissemination activities (cyber-seminars or in-person meetings) on productivity

3.2.3 Support PCAT Strategic Planning

· Attend weekly PCAT leadership meetings

· Meet bi-weekly with non-Seattle based PCAT investigators

· Complete a manuscript on PCAT strategic planning design and implementation

· Complete PCAT strategic plan All tasks to be completed within 30 days of contract award and subsequently every 40 days thereafter through contract performance.

Deliverable

· CRH Evaluation design and implementation plan

· Schedule CRH Evaluation dissemination activities

· Preliminary Primary Care Productivity measurement framework

· Complete Primary Care Productivity measurement survey

· Advisory Group Strategic Planning agenda and materials

· Strategic Planning Results: Manuscript on PCAT design and implementation

· Draft CRH evaluation protocol paper

· Complete 1 CRH evaluation dissemination activity

· Complete 3nd CRH evaluation national dissemination activity

· Complete 1 Measuring Productivity national dissemination activity

· Manuscript on Strategic Planning Results submitted for publication

· RH evaluation protocol manuscript submitted for publication

· PCAT Strategic Planning summary completed

Deliverable

· CRH Evaluation design and implementation plan

· Schedule CRH Evaluation dissemination activities

· 2025 and 2026 Advisory Group Strategic Planning agenda and materials

· 2025 and 2026 Strategic Planning Results: Manuscript on PCAT design and implementation

· Complete 1 CRH evaluation dissemination activity

· Complete 3nd and 4th CRH evaluation national dissemination activity

· Complete 1 Measuring Productivity national dissemination activity and Manuscript on Strategic Planning Results submitted for publication

· CRH evaluation protocol manuscript submitted for publication.

· PCAT Strategic Planning summary completed

3.2. Hours of Operation

· Normal tour-of-duty hours at the VAGLAHS are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. There may be instances in which the Vendor’s workday may be outside of this period. The Vendor is required to coordinate these times with the designated Program Manager.

· In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 6103, Executive Order 11582 and Public Law 94-97 the following national holidays are observed and for the purpose of this contract are defined as “Legal Federal official holidays”.

When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a National Holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a National Holiday by U.S. Government Agencies.

3.3 Acceptance/Period of Performance

· Upon completion of the mandatory tasks, the VA Puget Sound shall monitor, on a monthly basis and verify the completion of tasks by every 40 days after award date until contract end date through contract performance.

· Any problems with the Vendor are identified during the acceptance period. Please note that any problems during the acceptance phase will result in a reset of the acceptance phase, resulting in a new 3-week acceptance phase as outlined above.

· The Vendor and the VA Puget Sound shall jointly cooperate in the development and implementation of a Quality Assurance Plan (QAP). The QAP shall document the process that will verify and validate quality assurance in compliance with the requirements and ensure these requirements meet the VA Puget Sound’s expectations.

· The Vendor shall develop the QAP based on accepted industry standards such as the CMMI SM, ISO 9000, IEEE 12207, or other accepted industry QA standards. The QAP shall detail the processes, procedures, and metrics for assuring quality. The QAP shall also include, at a minimum, a description of the following key activities:

· Establishment of capable processes

· Development and implementation of procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services.

· Establishment of mechanisms for feedback of performance

· Monitoring and control of critical processes

· Establishment of a designated point of contact (POC) to serve as the POC for quality control issues/complaints.

· Establishment of reliable methods of record keeping and documentation of all corrective actions and process improvements undertaken during the acceptance period

4. Vendor Responsibilities

· The Vendor must have experience and widely recognized expertise in VHA’s PACT, in conduct of recommendations panels, and in VA access management, primary care-mental health integration, complex patient care, and PACT initiatives.

· The Vendor must be registered as a VA Vendor within the project’s time frame.

· The Vendor shall be responsible for any and all liability actions or suits when the vendor is at fault or negligent in the performance of installation and testing activities. Pecuniary liability is also included for any and all damages to VA buildings and equipment caused by installation activities. The vendor shall comply with all local building and fire codes in addition to VA policy and procedures at the site.

· The Vendor shall operate under, but not limited, to the following national codes, telecommunications industry standards and practices: National Electric Code (NEC), Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI), all standards, Electronic Industries Association/Telecommunications Industry Association EIA/TIA, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), ITU and IETF and all applicable audio, video, communication, data and control standards.

· The Vendor must have 10+ years of patient care experience and be credentialed through VA Office of Credentialing and Privileging (OC&P). Vendor must also have current VA Contractor Performance Reporting System (CPRS) access, access to the VA IT network and current VA IT security training, current national human subjects training and PHI and PII security training, or the ability to obtain within 30 days of contract award.

· The vendor must be able to Draft manuscripts and reports to be reviewed at the end of each month by the Publication and Presentation Review Group with a 10-day revision turnaround, to then be resubmitted for publication to the Journal of Gen Internal Med (JGIM) or equivalent.

5. VA Puget Sound Responsibilities

· PCAT Directors will assign a VA Center-based Project Manager who shall provide access to the appropriate personnel (management, technical, subject matter expertise, etc.) necessary to fulfill the Vendor’s requirements in a timely fashion.

· PCAT Directors shall provide the Vendor a list of key personnel associated with the project along with the name and contact information for the POC/Project Manager.

· PCAT Director will ensure that all project staff are up to date on VA training on privacy and security, as well as project specific training.

6. Travel

· All travel shall be responsibility of the vendor.

· Whenever possible, conference calls and video conferencing should be used.

7. Security

7.1 Information Security

· The Vendor shall ensure adequate LAN/Internet, data, information, and system security in accordance with VA standard operating procedures and standard contract language, conditions laws, and regulations. The Vendor’s firewall and web server shall meet or exceed the government minimum requirements for security. All government data shall be protected behind an approved firewall. Any security violations or attempted violations shall be reported to the VA Project Manager and the VBA Headquarters Information Security Officer as soon as possible. The Vendor shall follow all applicable VA policies and procedures governing information security, especially those that pertain to certification accreditation.

· The Vendor shall follow The Veterans Affair Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) security clause VAAR-852.273-75 “SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES” sited in section C. Contract Clauses

(a) The contractor and their personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations such as U.S.C Chapter 21, 29, 31, and VA policies as VA personnel, regarding information and information system security. These include, but are not limited to Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Appendix III of OMB Circular A-130, and guidance and standards, available from the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This also includes the use of common security configurations available from NIST's Web site at: http://checklists.nist.gov. The contractor and their personnel agrees to comply with Agency records management policies, including those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974.

(b) To ensure that appropriate security controls are in place, Contractors must follow the procedures set forth in "VA Information and Information System Security/Privacy Requirements for IT Contracts" located at the following Web site:

http://www.iprm.oit.va.gov

7.2 Contract Personnel Security

All contractor employees who require access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Security and Investigations Center (07C). The level of background security investigation will be in accordance with VA Directive 0710 dated September 10, 2004 and is available at: http://www.va.gov/pubs/asp/edsdirec.asp (VA Handbook 0710, Appendix A, Tables 1 - 3). Appropriate Background Investigation (BI) forms will be provided upon contract (or task order) award, and are to be completed and returned to the VA Security and Investigations Center (07C) within 30 days for processing. Contractors will be notified by 07C when the BI has been completed and adjudicated. These requirements are applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. If the security clearance investigation is not completed prior to the start date of the contract, the employee may work on the contract while the security clearance is being processed, but the contractor will be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for the VA. In the event that damage arises from work performed by contractor personnel, under the auspices of the contract, the contractor will be responsible for resources necessary to remedy the incident.

7.3 Data Ownership

VA will retain all ownership rights to the data provided to the Vendor or collected by the Vendor and will maintain a complete record (original or copy) of all data obtained in accordance with privacy requirements, the Federal Records Act, and applicable federal records retention requirements.

8. Period of Performance Base: 9/01/24 – 8/31/25

OY1: 9/01/25 – 8/31/26

Special Notice