Attachment A_Dole Act RFI SOO.pdf

Attachment A_Dole Act RFI SOO

Statement of Objectives (SOO)

Office of Integrated Veteran Care Implementation of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act

December 23, 2024

1.0 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: The objective of this effort is to obtain contractor support for key functions within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Integrated Veteran Care (IVC) related to the delivery of community care and implementation of sections of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (S. 141) (the Act). Specifically, the Contractor shall provide all necessary resources to perform the work that directly impacts IVC, as identified below. The primary goal is to ensure timely and accurate implementation of the provisions of the Act that fall within the scope of work performed by IVC and develop draft reports in conjunction with IVC subject matter experts for review and approval prior to submission to Congress.

2.0 SCOPE:

2.1 The Contractor shall provide all resources necessary to evaluate the Act, research and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, draft associated deliverables within the timelines stipulated in the Act with sufficient time for IVC to review, provide feedback, and approve the reports and other deliverables prior to finalization. The scope of this effort will include, but is not limited to, program management, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. All timelines for associated deliverables will be proposed and agreed upon by government personnel in advance. Delivery shall be provided in an electronic format acceptable to IVC. The scope of work includes all requirements and deliverables outlined in the following sections of the Act:

• Sec. 101. Implementation of provision of care under veterans community care program upon determination of eligibility by veteran and veteran’s referring clinician.

• Sec. 102. Outreach regarding care and services under veterans community care program.

• Sec. 103. Annual review and report on waivers of certain payment rates under veterans community care program.

• Sec. 104. Modification of requirements for standards for quality of care from Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Sec. 105. Pilot program to improve administration of care under veterans community care program.

• Sec. 109. Report on use of value-based reimbursement models under veterans community care program.

• Sec. 111. Comptroller General report on dentistry under veterans community care program.

• Sec. 140. Quarterly report on referrals for non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care.

• Sec. 144. Pilot program to furnish dental care from the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain veterans diagnosed with ischemic heart disease.

• Sec. 146. Staffing model and performance metrics for certain employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Sec. 153. Plan for timely scheduling of appointments at medical facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Contractor shall have experience providing similar services.

DELIVERABLES (REQUIRED SERVICES)

2.1.1 DELIVERABLE #1: Program and Project Management

The Contractor shall provide and maintain a detailed, product based, resource loaded, project management plan / schedule (PMP). The Contractor shall deliver a draft PMP that lays out the approach, timeline, and tools used in execution of the contract. The PMP shall contain associated due dates for each deliverable based on due dates outlined in the Act. The Contractor shall ensure that the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) elements, which shall be included in the PMP, incorporate a sufficient level of detail to adequately delineate a comprehensive overview of the level of effort of the work tasks. The Contractor is expected to provide all program management services under this contract. Program management services are assumed by the Government to be integral and inherent in the performance of all service tasks of this contract. As such, the program management services under this contract should be factored into the price of other services and not as separate contract line items on this contract. The Contractor shall provide project management and facilitation services for program meetings, conferences, workshops, symposia, governance body meetings, joint work stream meetings, brainstorming sessions, and other meetings to support this effort. White papers, slide decks, meeting facilitation, meeting execution, and summary reports shall be considered part of this deliverable. Face‐to‐face coordination meetings and related activities shall begin within 7 calendar days of contract award.

2.1.2 DELIVERABLE #2: Draft Reports

The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with collaboration, research, and creation of draft reports outlined in Sections 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 109, 111, 140, 144, 146 and 153 within the prescribed time periods, allowing adequate time for IVC review and approval.

2.1.3 DELIVERABLE #3: Implementation Plan for Provision of Care Under Veterans Community Care Program Upon Determination of Eligibility by Veteran and Veteran’s Referring Clinician The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with establishing processes and implementing the requirements outlined in Sec. 101 of the Act.

2.1.4 DELIVERABLE #4: Communications Plan and Implementation Strategy The Contractor shall provide a detailed Communications Plan and Implementation Strategy that meets the requirements outlined in Sec. 102 of the Act.

2.1.5 DELIVERABLE #5: Evaluation of Waivers of Payment Rates for Third Party Administrators (TPAs) The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with the annual review of waivers of payment rates for Third Party Administrators as outlined in Sec. 103 of the Act.

2.1.6 DELIVERABLE #6: Evaluation of Quality Standards and Subsequent Recommendations The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with the evaluation and modification of requirements for standards for quality of care from the VA as outlined in Sec. 104 of the Act.

2.1.7 DELIVERABLE #7: Evaluation and Implementation of Pilot Program to Improve Administration of Care under Veterans Community Care Program

The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with establishing and implementing a pilot program as outlined in Sec. 105 of the Act.

2.1.8 DELIVERABLE #8: Evaluation and Implementation of Pilot Program to Furnish Dental Care from the VA to Certain Veterans Diagnosed with Ischemic Heart Disease The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with establishing and implementing a pilot program as outlined in Sec. 144 of the Act.

2.1.9 DELIVERABLE #9: Development and Implementation of a Staffing Model for IVC The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with developing and implementing a staffing model for IVC as outlined in Sec. 146 of the Act.

2.1.10 DELIVERABLE #10: Development and Implementation of a Plan to Improve Same Day Scheduling The Contractor shall provide all work and resources associated with developing and implementing a staffing model for IVC as outlined in Sec. 153 of the Act.

2.1.11 DELIVERABLE #11: Financial Impact Analysis

The Contractor shall provide a Financial Impact Analysis that will be updated as required.

3.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The Government is contemplating a period of performance from date of award for a base period of 12 months, hereto referred to as the base. The contract may also include one 12-month option period which may be unilaterally exercised by the Government. All terms and conditions applicable to the base period shall extend to the option unless otherwise agreed upon.

4.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Tasks shall be performed primarily at the Contractor’s facilities; however, occasional meetings at the Government’s facility in Washington, DC, Denver, CO, or Contractor’s facilities may take place.

5.0 TRAVEL: Travel may be required under this contract. No travel expense shall be incurred by the Contractor until authorized in writing by the Task Order COR and until the relevant Travel CLIN has been funded in an amount sufficient to cover the expected travel expense. Travel may not be appropriate when virtual means of communication will suffice. Local travel within 50 miles is not reimbursable. Justification may be requested from program for required Contractor travel.

6.0. SERVICE AGREEMENT: Base Period and Option Period

The Contractor shall provide a full-service plan that covers how the above deliverables will be accomplished by the due dates outlined in the Act.

7.0. REQUIRED SERVICES (Summary): The Contractor is responsible for providing the associated services (to include developing draft requirements, draft policies, and draft processes), tasks, and deliverables described herein and summarized below during the performance periods indicated.

Base Period (which includes Deliverables 1-11) and the service agreement.

Option Period One (1) (which includes Deliverables 1-11) and the service agreement.

8.0. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall ensure that personnel meet Government security and VA Handbook 6500 guidelines for background and security checks as well as complete the required VA training delineated in Appendix C of the VA Handbook 6500.6. The Contractor shall ensure that personnel are able to obtain a badge for access to Government facilities and associated computer systems and information. All personnel shall be required to go through the applicable background investigation process and maintain their status throughout all periods of time while providing services to the Government and accessing Government facilities. At the time award all applicable policy and other VA regulations shall be provided for reference purposes. Tier 1 Background checks are applicable to this SOO unless otherwise noted. Government property may include computers and other allied property as required. The COR shall have broad latitude in determining the appropriate Government Property to be issued to the Contractor.