DRAFT PWS CMOP Software Enhancements.docx

CMOP Application, Database, and Automation Control Software Enhancements

VA-25-00084778

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP)

CMOP Application, Database, and Automation Control Software Enhancements

Date: July 15, 2025

VA-25-00084778

PWS Version Number: Draft

Contents

BACKGROUND

This task order is in support of the operations of the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The CMOP is a network of seven (7) highly automated production facilities which employ a mixture of robotic devices, conveyor systems, and human factors to accurately fill and ship nearly 135,000,000 prescriptions per year for healthcare beneficiaries including our nation’s Veterans, active duty service members, and patients eligible for care through Indian Health Service (IHS). 80% of all VA outpatient prescriptions are fulfilled through CMOP systems. Prescriptions are entered by healthcare providers at healthcare facilities across the nation. Those prescriptions are routed to a centralized national system called the CMOP Pharmaceutical System (CPS) which processes prescriptions and routes them to the individual CMOP facilities for fulfillment. Once fulfilled, the individual CMOP facilities generate fulfillment information which flows back through the CPS to the originating healthcare facilities.

The individual CMOP facilities make use of similar technologies from different vendors but there are functional differences which must be considered when developing software solutions at the level of the local CMOP. Each CMOP was developed independently at different times with different software and hardware vendors since 1995. Their prescription processing automation is standard in scope but there are different original software and hardware vendors and different versions even among CMOPs which have used the same vendor.

Each CMOP has tablet/pill dispensers, unit of use dispensers, manual and bulk fill areas, and automated packing areas. CMOP contractors and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vendors have developed and maintained software at each facility which interfaces with each of the dispensing areas and performs workload data processing and routing.

Under this effort, the Contractor will be required to enhance software and hardware integration systems at both the national and local CMOP levels. Accordingly, the Contractor will be responsible for making changes to software to improve productivity, to improve reliability, to comply with external mandates, to integrate newly purchased hardware, to repurpose hardware moving from one CMOP to another, or in general any change deemed necessary by the COR.

The following list of equipment is intended to provide a sense of the diversity of equipment types found in CMOP facilities that will need to remain in operation (or may be added in the future). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of equipment currently in use or intended to be used in the future. Examples of the different types of equipment for which software interfaces, hardware integration, and automation control software systems need maintenance include:

1. A-Frames – pre-packaged medication dispensing equipment

2. Automated Dispensing Units – feed and label pre-filled containers

3. Independent Pill Dispensers and Automated Tablet Capsule dispensing

4. Automated Packing equipment including attached weighing equipment

5. Cappers

6. Heat Sealers

7. Conveyor Systems

8. Kalish Cells / Baker cells - tablet counting devices

9. Accumed Drawers - tablet counting and management devices

10. Vial Labelers

11. Random CLS – Configurable Logic Spur

12. Eye-con or other free standing tablet / capsule counting devices

13. Inline weighing equipment

14. Imaging systems

15. Optifill

16. Sortation and accumulation

17. Depucking

18. Robots

19. Printing equipment (for MedGuides, etc.)

Some documentation exists on the current code and functionality within each CMOP. This documentation will be available to the awarded contractor during the period of performance. Contractors shall be responsible for documenting current software for all CMOP operations.

Differences in production hardware exist and are numerous throughout the CMOP system. This PWS requires that the software maintained under this effort will serve to accommodate production hardware variation, while maintaining a software architecture for data exchange that is standard across all facilities. While each CMOP is likely to have different local production software and a different production database, the process for exchanging data between the national and local systems will be standardized to the greatest extent possible.

APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

In the performance of the tasks associated with this Performance Work Statement, the Contractor shall comply with the following:

1. 44 U.S.C. § 3541-3549, “Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002”

2. “Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014”

3. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication 140-2, “Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules”

4. FIPS Pub 199. “Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems,” February 2004

5. FIPS Pub 200, “Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems,” March 2006

6. FIPS Pub 201-2, “Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors,” August 2013

7. 10 U.S.C. § 2224, "Defense Information Assurance Program"

8. 5 U.S.C. § 552a, as amended, “The Privacy Act of 1974”

9. Public Law 109-461, Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, Title IX, Information Security Matters

10. 42 U.S.C. § 2000d “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”

11. VA Directive 0710, “Personnel Security and Suitability Program,” June 4, 2010, https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm

12. VA Handbook 0710, “Personnel Security and Suitability Program,” May 2, 2016, https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm

13. VA Directive and Handbook 6102, “Internet/Intranet Services,” August 5, 2019

14. 36 C.F.R. Part 1194 “Information and Communication Technology Standards and Guidelines,” January 18, 2017

15. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “Managing Federal Information as a Strategic Resource,” July 28, 2016

16. 32 C.F.R. Part 199, “Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)”

17. NIST SP 800-66 Rev. 1, “An Introductory Resource Guide for Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule,” October 2008

18. Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended, January 18, 2017

19. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (12) (HSPD-12), August 27, 2004

20. VA Directive 6500, “VA Cybersecurity Program,” February 24, 2021

21. VA Handbook 6500, “Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems VA Information Security Program,” February 24, 2021

22. VA Handbook 6500.2, “Management of Breaches Involving Sensitive Personal Information (SPI),” March 12, 2019

23. VA Handbook 6500.5, “Incorporating Security and Privacy into the System Development Lifecycle,” March 22, 2010

24. VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security,” March 12, 2010

25. VA Handbook 6500.8, “Information System Contingency Planning,” April 6, 2011

26. VA Handbook 6500.10, “Mobile Device Security Policy,” February 15, 2018

27. VA Handbook 6500.11, “VA Firewall Configuration,” August 22, 2017

28. OIT Process Asset Library (PAL), https://www.va.gov/process/ . Reference Process Maps at https://www.va.gov/process/maps.asp and Artifact templates at https://www.va.gov/process/artifacts.asp

29. One-VA Technical Reference Model (TRM) (reference at https://www.va.gov/trm/TRMHomePage.aspx)

30. VA Directive 6508, “Implementation of Privacy Threshold Analysis and Privacy Impact Assessment,” October 15, 2014

31. VA Handbook 6508.1, “Procedures for Privacy Threshold Analysis and Privacy Impact Assessment,” July 30, 2015

32. VA Handbook 6510, “VA Identity and Access Management,” January 15, 2016

33. VA Directive and Handbook 6513, “Secure External Connections,” October 12, 2017

34. VA Directive 6300, “Records and Information Management,” September 21, 2018

35. VA Handbook, 6300.1, “Records Management Procedures,“ March 24, 2010

36. NIST SP 800-37 Rev 2, “Risk Management Framework for Information Systems and Organizations: A System Life Cycle Approach for Security and Privacy,” December 2018

37. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, “Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations,” September 23, 2020 (includes updates as of 12/10/2020)

38. VA Directive 0735, “Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program,” October 26, 2015

39. VA Handbook 0735, “Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program,” March 24, 2014

40. OMB Memorandum 05-24, “Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 – Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors,” August 5, 2005

41. OMB Memorandum M-19-17, “Enabling Mission Delivery Through Improved Identity, Credential, and Access Management,” May 21, 2019

42. OMB Memorandum, “Guidance for Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 Implementation,” May 23, 2008

43. Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM) Roadmap and Implementation Guidance, December 2, 2011, (NOTE: Part A of the FICAM Roadmap and Implementation Guidance, v2.0, was replaced in 2015 with an updated Architecture (https://arch.idmanagement.gov/#what-is-the-ficam-architecture)

44. NIST SP 800-116 Rev 1, “Guidelines for the Use of Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credentials in Facility Access,“ June 2018

45. NIST SP 800-63-3, 800-63A, 800-63B, 800-63C, “Digital Identity Guidelines,” updated March 02, 2020

46. NIST SP 800-157, “Guidelines for Derived PIV Credentials,” December 2014

47. NIST SP 800-164, “Guidelines on Hardware-Rooted Security in Mobile Devices (Draft),” October 2012

48. Draft National Institute of Standards and Technology Interagency Report (NISTIR) 7981, “Mobile, PIV, and Authentication,” March 2014

49. VA Memorandum, VAIQ #7100147, “Continued Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12),” April 29, 2011 (reference https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514)

50. IAM Identity Management Business Requirements Guidance document, May 2013, (reference Enterprise Architecture Section, PIV/IAM (reference https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514)

51. VA Memorandum “Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Logical Access Policy Clarification,” July 17, 2019, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4896

52. Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 Core Guidance Documents, https://www.cisa.gov/publication/tic-30-core-guidance-documents

53. OMB Memorandum M-19-26, “Update to the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Initiative,” September 12, 2019

54. OMB Memorandum M-08-23, “Securing the Federal Government’s Domain Name System Infrastructure,” August 22, 2008

55. Sections 524 and 525 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, (Public Law 110–140), December 19, 2007

56. Section 104 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, (Public Law 109–58), August 8, 2005

57. Executive Order 13834, “Efficient Federal Operations,” dated May 17, 2018

58. Executive Order 13221, “Energy-Efficient Standby Power Devices,” August 2, 2001

59. VA Directive 0058, “VA Green Purchasing Program,” July 19, 2013

60. VA Handbook 0058, “VA Green Purchasing Program,” July 19, 2013

61. Office of Information Security (OIS) VAIQ #7424808 Memorandum, “Remote Access,” January 15, 2014, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

62. Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, 40 U.S.C. §11101 and §11103

63. “Veteran Focused Integration Process (VIP) Guide 4.0,” January 2021, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371

64. VA Memorandum “Proper Use of Email and Other Messaging Services,” January 2, 2018, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

65. “DevSecOps Product Line Management Playbook” version 2.0, May 2021, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946

66. NIST SP 500-267B Revision 1, “USGv6 Profile,” November 2020

67. OMB Memorandum M-21-07, “Completing the Transition to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6),” November 19, 2020

68. Social Security Number (SSN) Fraud Prevention Act of 2017

69. Section 240 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) 2018, March 23, 2018

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall provide project-based software and hardware integration enhancements for a network of seven automated pharmaceutical-dispensing facilities located throughout the nation and a national software layer which controls data flow to each of these seven facilities. Development is required at both the local and national levels. The scope will include approximately 120 software and hardware integration projects annually. The total number of projects will vary annually, as will the average complexity of the projects. Each project will be approved, budgeted, tracked, and invoiced separately as individual efforts. The projects will often involve SQL or application code development, programmable logic controller development, and making data change recommendations and providing SQL scripts to assist the VA in implementing those recommendations. Development will most often be required using Microsoft languages, platforms, and environments.

The functional scope of this work includes all external interfaces to the CMOP system (including interfaces for VistA, Federal Electronic Health Record, outsource vendors, VA Cooperative Studies, MyHealtheVet, mail consolidator vendors and other interfaces planned and in production), the complete national data infrastructure which processes and routes data to the local CMOPs, the standardized transfer database and process at each CMOP, and the software, databases, and production software systems at most of the CMOPs, including the embedded logic in the programmable logic controllers and their interfaces. The scope of this effort involves bi-directional communication pathways and all related archive and business intelligence systems. The scope also includes developing solutions for the programmable logic controllers used to control automation in the CMOP production facilities.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The PoP shall be one (1) 8-month base period with two (2) 12-month option periods and one (1) optional task that may be exercised once at any time during the PoP. The PoP shall not exceed 36 months.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

On-Site tasks under this PWS shall be performed in VA CMOP facilities located in:

The above locations are the physical addresses of the CMOP production facilities that need to be supported. Frequent on-site visits will be required in those locations above, and support is required on-site for troubleshooting within 45 minutes of the initial call. There will be no government-furnished office space at these locations. The contractor will be expected to have staff working daily in each of these seven geographical areas (the duplicate CMOPs are nearby) who can come in for troubleshooting, deployments, meetings, and other required events.

Off-site tasks under this PWS shall be performed at Contractor facilities The Contractor shall identify the Contractor’s places of performance in their proposal submission.

TRAVEL

The Government anticipates travel to perform the tasks associated with the effort, as well as to attend program-related meetings throughout the PoP. Travel costs will not be directly reimbursed by the Government.

The total estimated number of trips in support of the program related meetings for this effort is 10 per period of performance.

It is expected the trip locations will be spread roughly evenly across each of the addresses listed in Section 4.2 Place of Performance. In any given year, one CMOP may require more trips than another, however the total anticipated number across all locations is 10 per period of performance.

SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall perform the following:

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

CONTRACTOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Contractor shall deliver a Contractor Project Management Plan (CPMP) that lays out the Contractor’s approach, timeline, and tools to be used in execution of the contract. The CPMP should take the form of both a narrative and graphic format that displays the schedule, milestones, risks, and resource support. The CPMP shall also include how the Contractor shall coordinate and execute planned, routine, and ad hoc data collection reporting requests as identified within the PWS. The initial baseline CPMP shall be concurred upon and updated in accordance with Section B of the contract. The Contractor shall update and maintain the VA PM approved CPMP throughout the PoP.

Deliverable:

A. Contractor Project Management Plan

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide the COR with weekly Progress Reports in electronic form. The electronic form will primarily consist of updates to Government-furnished Microsoft SharePoint lists, Microsoft Teams lists, and project tracking system records. The electronic form will also consist of Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and updates in a Government-furnished project tracking system. The specific deliverable form will be at the direction of the COR. The reports shall include detailed instructions/explanations for each required data element, to ensure that data is accurate and consistent. These reports shall reflect data as of the last day of the preceding week.

The weekly Progress Reports shall cover all work completed during the reporting period and work planned for the subsequent reporting period. The report shall also identify any problems that arose and a description of how the problems were resolved. If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation including their plan and timeframe for resolving the issue. The report shall also include an itemized list of all Information and Communication Technology (ICT) deliverables and their current Section 508 conformance status. The Contractor shall monitor performance against the CPMP and report any deviations. It is expected that the Contractor will keep in communication with VA accordingly so that issues that arise are transparent to both parties to prevent escalation of outstanding issues.

The contractor is required to provide weekly teleconference progress reports in a variety of contexts including: Software Development Program Management Meeting, Weekly CMOP Call with OIT Teams, one weekly meeting with each CMOP and one with national staff to discuss items relevant to the audience (these are called Weekly POC Meetings), two New Issues meetings per week, a bi-weekly software development progress meeting, and other weekly meetings that come up as needed according to the scope and complexity of items being worked.

Deliverables:

A. Weekly Progress Report – Software Development Program Management (teleconference) B. Weekly Progress Report - Weekly CMOP Call with OIT Teams (teleconference) C. Weekly Progress Report – National POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) D. Weekly Progress Report – Leavenworth POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) E. Weekly Progress Report – Chelmsford POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) F. Weekly Progress Report – Tucson POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) G. Weekly Progress Report – Dallas POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) H. Weekly Progress Report – Murfreesboro POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) I. Weekly Progress Report – Hines POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) J. Weekly Progress Report – Charleston POC Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) K. Weekly Progress Report – Tuesday New Issues Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) L. Weekly Progress Report – Thursday New Issues Meeting (teleconference and electronic deliverables) M. Bi-Weekly Progress Report – Overall software development progress report which includes the timely identification of any VA-side progress blockers that are encountered. (teleconference and electronic deliverables) N. Per Development Iteration Planning – (teleconference) O. Per Development Iteration Report – Report of every item planned for work during that iteration (electronic deliverables) P. Per Development Iteration Report – Report of every item which received work during the previous iteration (electronic deliverables) Q. Monthly Report – Updated Contract Staff Team Directory (electronic deliverable) R. Monthly Report – GFE Tracking of equipment issued to contractors (electronic deliverable) S. Monthly Report – Every approved project, the total budget that was approved for that project, the total that has been invoiced to date for that project, the percentage of the work that has been completed for that project (not percent invoiced, percent work completed), the promised date of completion for all development work on that project, the promised date of completion for all Contractor testing on that project, and a narrative description of what was done on the project in the previous month and what is planned for the next month, with any government-side progress blockers clearly identified. (electronic deliverable such as an updated SharePoint or Teams list)

Software and Hardware integration enhancements The Contractor shall be responsible for software enhancements and hardware integration enhancements at all CMOPs and the national CMOP level. These software enhancements will require either changing existing code, rewriting code, or developing new code. Enhancements will need to be made in a variety of platforms and environments and will not be limited to a particular language or platform, however it is most common that code will need to be written using Microsoft environments and languages including but not limited to SQL and C#.

The enhancements required are at the discretion of the COR and will be determined based on the needs of the VA to improve the safety, reliability, efficiency, interoperability, and compliance of VA systems at CMOP.

The lifecycle of each enhancement project will consist of the following phases: requirements gathering, solution proposal (cost and technical approach), development, testing, deployment, and post-deployment issue resolution for a period of sixty (60) days. The Contractor shall provide all of those listed steps to completion under one single cost proposed. The entire enhancement project in all of its lifestyle steps including requirements gathering shall be completed by the Contractor within the original fixed price quoted for that project. Cost overruns on enhancement projects will not be tolerated by the Government and will be considered a failure to deliver the required solution. The contractor will provide only one fixed price quote for each required enhancement project, and all phases of the project lifecycle will be completed within that quoted fixed price including any necessary requirements gathering and cost proposal preparation.

The Contractor shall track each enhancement as its own project, to include all progress metrics and narratives, all financial accounting, all time and materials accounting, and all invoicing. At any time during the PoP the Contractor shall be able to provide a complete list of all VA-approved enhancements, the budgeted amount approved by the VA for that enhancement, the amount that has been invoiced against that enhancement, the percentage of the actual work that is complete for that enhancement (not the percent invoiced), a narrative of what has been accomplished to date, a narrative of what has been accomplished in the previous month on an enhancement, a narrative of what work remains on the enhancement, a projected date of completion for all development work on that enhancement, and a projected date of completion for all contractor testing for that enhancement, with a notation of any Contractor-perceived progress delays introduced by the Government.

Deliverables:

A. Source Code B. PLC Code C. SQL Scripts D. Deployment scripts, builds, and other deployment-related items E. Documentation for changes F. Test Plan G. Test Execution Summary H. Appropriate check-in of all code to government-hosted source code repository

Testing and Deployment The Contractor shall test all code that it develops or modifies in a Contractor-hosted testing environment which simulates production conditions. Additionally, the COR may direct the Contractor to conduct further testing in a Government-furnished testing environment.

The Contractor shall provide a Test Plan for review at least two (2) days prior to testing for VA COR approval. This timeline may be adjusted by the COR for emergency issues that need to be resolved as quickly as possible. The Test Plan shall cover use cases which simulate production conditions and shall include the test criteria proposed for determining test success or failure.

The Test Plan shall also include a quantitative assessment of the degree to which any proposed solution will enhance or degrade system performance. After the VA COR approves the Test Plan, the Contractor shall test the code according to the Test Plan.

After Contractor testing, the Contractor shall provide a Test Execution Summary that shall include, at a minimum, the test scripts used to test code, the test metrics obtained, and the results of testing.

The Contractor shall perform additional testing on any code deemed by the VA COR to have been inadequately tested based on the criteria set forth in the Contractor-developed Test Plan. The Contractor shall make changes to and re-test any code which yielded unacceptable test results as determined by the VA COR and based on the metrics defined in the Test Plan.

The Contractor shall provide to the Government detailed Release Notes to document the changes in functionality being deployed.

Deliverables:

A. Source Code B. Test Plan (Word document, digital signature) C. Test Execution Summary (Word document, digital signature) D. Deployment Plan (Word document, digital signature) E. Deployment Scrips and Builds F. User Instructions (Word Document) G. Feature Documentation (Word Document) H. Release Notes (Word document) I. Rollback Plan (Word document) J. Rollback Scripts K. Acceptance Document (Word document, digital signature)

OPTION PERIOD ONE (12 MONTHS)

If Option Period One is exercised by VA, all tasks in the following sections and their sub-sections shall apply: 5.1 through 5.3 and all subparagraphs.

OPTION PERIOD TWO (12 MONTHS)

If Option Period Two is exercised by VA, all tasks in the following sections and their sub-sections shall apply: 5.1 through 5.3 and all subparagraphs.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

ENTERPRISE AND IT FRAMEWORK

VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

The Contractor shall support the VA enterprise management framework. In association with the framework, the Contractor shall comply with OIT Technical Reference Model (VA TRM). The VA TRM is one component within the overall Enterprise Architecture (EA) that establishes a common vocabulary and structure for describing the information technology used to develop, operate, and maintain enterprise applications. Moreover, the VA TRM, which includes the Standards Profile and Product List, serves as a technology roadmap and tool for supporting OIT. Architecture & Engineering Services (AES) has overall responsibility for the VA TRM.

FEDERAL IDENTITY, CREDENTIAL, AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT (FICAM)

The Contractor shall ensure Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) product(s), software configuration and customization, and/or new software are Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card-enabled by accepting HSPD-12 PIV credentials using VA Enterprise Technical Architecture (ETA), https://www.ea.oit.va.gov/EAOIT/VA_EA/Enterprise_Technical_Architecture.asp, and VA Identity and Access Management (IAM) approved enterprise design and integration patterns, https://www.oit.va.gov/library/recurring/edp/index.cfm. The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems comply with the VA Identity, Credential, and Access Management policies and guidelines set forth in VA Handbook 6510 VA Identity and Access Management, VA Handbook 0735 Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program, and align with the Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management Roadmap and Implementation Guidance v2.0.

The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems provide user authentication services compliant with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-63-3, VA Handbook 6500 Appendix F, “VA System Security Controls”, and VA IAM enterprise requirements for direct, assertion based authentication, and/or trust based authentication, as determined by the design and integration patterns. Direct authentication at a minimum must include Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) based authentication supportive of PIV card and/or Common Access Card (CAC), as determined by the business need.

The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems conform to the specific Identity and Access Management PIV requirements set forth in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memoranda M-05-24, M-19-17, and NIST Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201-2. OMB Memoranda M-05-24 and M-19-17 can be found at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/memoranda/2005/m05-24.pdf, and https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/M-19-17.pdf respectively. Contractor delivered applications and systems shall be on the FIPS 201-2 Approved Product List (APL). If the Contractor delivered application and system is not on the APL, the Contractor shall be responsible for taking the application and system through the FIPS 201 Evaluation Program.

The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems support:

1. Automated provisioning and are able to use enterprise provisioning service.

2. Interfacing with VA’s Master Person Index (MPI) to provision identity attributes, if the solution relies on VA user identities. MPI is the authoritative source for VA user identity data.

3. The VA defined unique identity (Secure Identifier [SEC ID] / Integrated Control Number [ICN]).

4. Multiple authenticators for a given identity and authenticators at every Authenticator Assurance Level (AAL) appropriate for the solution.

5. Identity proofing for each Identity Assurance Level (IAL) appropriate for the solution.

6. Federation for each Federation Assurance Level (FAL) appropriate for the solution, if applicable.

7. Two-factor authentication (2FA) through an applicable design pattern as outlined in VA Enterprise Design Patterns.

8. A Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) implementation if the solution relies on assertion-based authentication. Additional assertion implementations, besides the required SAML assertion, may be provided as long as they are compliant with NIST SP 800-63-3 guidelines.

9. Authentication/account binding based on trusted Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) headers if the solution relies on Trust based authentication.

10. Role Based Access Control.

11. Auditing and reporting capabilities.

12. Compliance with VIEWS 00155984, PIV Logical Access Policy Clarification https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4896.

The required Assurance Levels for this specific effort are Identity Assurance Level 3, Authenticator Assurance Level 3, and Federation Assurance Level 3.

INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6 (IPV6)

The Contractor solution shall support Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) based upon the memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on November 19, 2020 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/M-21-07.pdf). IPv6 technology, in accordance with the USGv6 Program (https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/usgv6-program/usgv6-revision-1), NIST Special Publication (SP) 500-267B Revision 1 “USGv6 Profile” (https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.500-267Br1), and NIST SP 800-119 “Guidelines for the Secure Deployment of IPv6” (https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-119), compliance shall be included in all IT infrastructures, application designs, application development, operational systems and sub-systems, and their integration. In addition to the above requirements, all devices shall support native IPv6 and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) connectivity without additional memory or other resources being provided by the Government, so that they can function in a mixed environment. All public/external facing servers and services (e.g. web, email, DNS, ISP services, etc.) shall support native IPv6 and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) users and all internal infrastructure and applications shall communicate using native IPv6 and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) operations.

TRUSTED INTERNET CONNECTION (TIC)

The Contractor solution shall meet the requirements outlined in Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-19-26, “Update to the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Initiative“ (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/M-19-26.pdf), VA Directive 6513 “Secure External Connections”, and shall comply with the TIC 3.0 Core Guidance Documents, including all Volumes and TIC Use Cases, found at the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) (https://www.cisa.gov/publication/tic-30-core-guidance-documents). Any deviations must be approved by the VA TIC 3.0 Working Group at vaoisesatic30team@va.gov.

STANDARD COMPUTER CONFIGURATION

The Contractor IT end user solution that is developed for use on standard VA computers shall be compatible with and be supported on the latest standard VA operating system. Signing of the software code shall be through a vendor provided certificate that is trusted by VA using a code signing authority such as Verizon/Cybertrust or Symantec/VeriSign. The Contractor shall also ensure and certify that their solution functions as expected when used from a standard VA computer, with non-admin, standard user rights that have been configured using the United States Government Configuration Baseline (USGCB) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Secure Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) specific to the particular client operating system being used.

VETERAN FOCUSED INTEGRATION PROCESS (VIP) AND PRODUCT LINE MANAGEMENT (PLM)

The Contractor shall support VA efforts IAW the updated Veteran Focused Integration Process (VIP) and Product Line Management (PLM). The major focus of the new VIP is on Governance and Reporting and is less prescriptive, with a focus on outcomes and continuous delivery of value. Product Line Management (PLM) is a framework that focuses on delivering functional products that provide the highest priority work to customers while delivering simplified, reliable, and practical solutions to the business, medical staff, and our Veterans. The VIP Guide is a companion guide to the PLM Playbook and can be found at: https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371 and the PLM Playbook can be found at https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946. The PLM Playbook pivots from project-centric to product-centric delivery and contains descriptive practices that focuses on outcomes. The PLM Playbook contains a set of “plays” that implement Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps) principles and processes such as automated development, continuous integration/continuous delivery, and release on demand. The PLM Playbook details how product lines implement Lean-Agile principles, methods, practices, and techniques through levels of maturity. VIP and PLM are the authoritative processes that IT projects must follow to ensure development and delivery of IT products.

PROCESS ASSET LIBRARY (PAL)

The Contractor shall perform their duties consistent with the processes defined in the OIT Process Asset Library (PAL). The PAL scope includes the full spectrum of OIT functions and activities, such as VIP project management, operations, service delivery, communications, acquisition, and resource management. PAL serves as an authoritative and informative repository of searchable processes, activities or tasks, roles, artifacts, tools and applicable standards and guides to assist the OIT workforce, Government and Contractor personnel. The Contractor shall follow the PAL processes to ensure compliance with policies and regulations and to meet VA quality standards. The PAL includes the contractor onboarding process consistent with Section 6.2.2 and can be found at https://www.va.gov/PROCESS/artifacts/maps/process_CONB_ext.pdf. The main PAL can be accessed at www.va.gov/process.

AUTHORITATIVE DATA SOURCES

The VA Enterprise Architecture Repository (VEAR) is one component within the overall EA that establishes the common framework for data taxonomy for describing the data architecture used to develop, operate, and maintain enterprise applications. The Contractor shall comply with the department’s Authoritative Data Source (ADS) requirement that VA systems, services, and processes throughout the enterprise shall access VA data solely through official VA ADSs where applicable, see below. The Information Classes which compose each ADS are located in the VEAR, in the Data & Information domain. The Contractor shall ensure that all delivered applications and system solutions support:

1. Interfacing with VA’s Master Person Index (MPI) (formerly the Master Veteran Index (MVI)) to provision identity attributes, if the solution relies on VA user identities. MPI is the authoritative source for VA user identity data.

2. Interfacing with Capital Asset Inventory (CAI) to conduct real property record management actions, if the solution relies on real property records data. CAI is the authoritative source for VA real property record management data.

3. Interfacing with electronic Contract Management System (eCMS) for access to contract, contract line item, purchase requisition, offering vendor and vendor, and solicitation information above the micro-purchase threshold, if the solution relies on procurement data. ECMS is the authoritative source for VA procurement actions data.

4. Interfacing with HRSmart Human Resources Information System to conduct personnel action processing, on-boarding, benefits management, and compensation management, if the solution relies on personnel data. HRSmart is the authoritative source for VA personnel information data.

5. Interfacing with Vet360 to access personal contact information, if the solution relies on VA Veteran personal contact information data. Vet360 is the authoritative source for VA Veteran Personal Contact Data.

6. Interfacing with VA/Department of Defense (DoD) Identity Repository (VADIR) for determining eligibility for VA benefits under Title 38, if the solution relies on qualifying active duty military service data. VADIR is the authoritative source for Qualifying Active Duty military service in VA.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN) REDUCTION

The Contractor solution shall support the Social Security Number (SSN) Fraud Prevention Act (FPA) of 2017 which prohibits the inclusion of SSNs on any document sent by mail. The Contractor support shall also be performed in accordance with Section 240 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) 2018, enacted March 23, 2018, which mandates VA to discontinue using SSNs to identify individuals in all VA information systems as the Primary Identifier. The Contractor shall ensure that any new IT solution discontinues the use of SSN as the Primary Identifier to replace the SSN with the ICN in all VA information systems for all individuals. The Contractor shall ensure that all Contractor delivered applications and systems integrate with the VA Master Person Index (MPI) for identity traits to include the use of the ICN as the Primary Identifier. The Contractor solution may only use a Social Security Number to identify an individual in an information system if and only if the use of such number is required to obtain information VA requires from an information system that is not under the jurisdiction of VA.

SOFTWARE AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall be responsible for the provision of all software licenses and any associated licensing maintenance required for any development, delivery, integration, operation, and/or maintenance associated with its proposed application(s), software products, software solution, and/or system including, but not limited to, any and all application(s), software and/or software products that comprise, are a part of, or integrate with the Contractor’s proposed application(s), software products, software solution, and/or system for the life of any resulting contract.

SECURITY AND PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS

It has been determined that protected health information may be disclosed or accessed, and a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) shall be required. The Contractor shall adhere to the requirements set forth within the BAA, referenced in Section D of the contract, and shall comply with VA Directive 6066.

POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S)

In accordance with VA Handbook 0710, Personnel Security and Suitability Program, the position sensitivity and the level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access for the following tasks within the PWS are:

Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation Requirements by Task

The Tasks identified above and the resulting Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation requirements identify, in effect, the Background Investigation requirements for Contractor individuals, based upon the tasks the particular Contractor individual will be working. The submitted Contractor Staff Roster must indicate the required Background Investigation Level for each Contractor individual based upon the tasks the Contractor individual will be working, in accordance with their submitted proposal.

CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

Contractor Responsibilities:

1. The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain the appropriate Background Investigation, and are able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

Within 3 business days after award, the Contractor shall provide a roster of Contractor and Subcontractor employees to the COR to begin their background investigations in accordance with the PAL template artifact. The Contractor Staff Roster shall contain the Contractor’s Full Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, individual background investigation level requirement (based upon Section 6.2 Tasks), etc. The Contractor shall submit full Social Security Numbers either within the Contractor Staff Roster or under separate cover to the COR. The Contractor Staff Roster shall be updated and provided to VA within 1 day of any changes in employee status, training certification completion status, Background Investigation level status, additions/removal of employees, etc. throughout the Period of Performance. The Contractor Staff Roster shall remain a historical document indicating all past information and the Contractor shall indicate in the Comment field, employees no longer supporting this contract. The preferred method to send the Contractor Staff Roster or Social Security Number is by encrypted e-mail. If unable to send encrypted e-mail, other methods which comply with FIPS 140-2 are to encrypt the file, use a secure fax, or use a traceable mail service.

1. The Contractor should coordinate with the location of the nearest VA fingerprinting office through the COR. Only electronic fingerprints are authorized. The Contractor shall bring their completed Security and Investigations Center (SIC) Fingerprint request form with them (see paragraph d.4. below) when getting fingerprints taken.

b. The Contractor shall ensure the following required forms are submitted to the COR within 5 days after contract award:

1) Optional Form 306

2) Self-Certification of Continuous Service

3) VA Form 0710

4) Completed SIC Fingerprint Request Form The Contractor personnel shall submit all required information related to their background investigations (completion of the investigation documents (SF85, SF85P, or SF 86) utilizing the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) after receiving an email notification from the Security and Investigation Center (SIC).

The Contractor employee shall certify and release the e-QIP document, print, and sign the signature pages, and send them encrypted to the COR for electronic submission to the SIC. These documents shall be submitted to the COR within 3 business days of receipt of the e-QIP notification email. (Note: OPM is moving towards a “click to sign” process. If click to sign is used, the Contractor employee should notify the COR within 3 business days that documents were signed via e-QIP).

1. The Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of all personnel provided to work for VA under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by Contractor provided personnel, under the auspices of this contract, the Contractor shall be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.

1. A Contractor may be granted unescorted access to VA facilities and/or access to VA Information Technology resources (network and/or protected data) with a favorably adjudicated Special Agreement Check (SAC), completed training delineated in VA Handbook 6500.6 (Appendix C, Section 9), signed “Contractor Rules of Behavior”, and with a valid, operational PIV credential for PIV-only logical access to VA’s network. A PIV card credential can be issued once your SAC has been favorably adjudicated and your background investigation has been scheduled by OPM. However, the Contractor will be responsible for the actions of the Contractor personnel they provide to perform work for VA. The investigative history for Contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the database of OPM.

1. The Contractor, when notified of an unfavorably adjudicated background investigation on a Contractor employee as determined by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration in working under the contract.

Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security investigative requirements may result in loss of physical and/or logical access to VA facilities and systems by Contractor and Subcontractor employees and/or termination of the contract for default.

Identity Credential Holders must follow all HSPD-12 policies and procedures as well as use and protect their assigned identity credentials in accordance with VA policies and procedures, displaying their badges at all times, and returning the identity credentials upon termination of their relationship with VA.

Deliverable:

A. Contractor Staff Roster

METHOD AND DISTRIBUTION OF DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall deliver documentation in electronic format, unless otherwise directed in Section B of the solicitation/contract. Acceptable electronic media include: Microsoft 365, MS Word 2007/2010/2019 and later, MS Excel 2007/2010/2019 and later, MS PowerPoint 2007/2010/2019 and later, MS Project 2007/2010/2019 and later, MS Access 2007/2010 and later, MS Visio 2007/2010/2019 and later, AutoCAD 2010 and later, and Adobe Postscript Data Format (PDF).

PERFORMANCE METRICS

The table below defines the Performance Standards and Acceptable Levels of Performance associated with this effort.