Draft VA Enterprise CCC Support PWS.docx

VA Enterprise CCC Support

VA-26-TBD

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Office of Information and Technology (OIT)

VA Enterprise Contact Center Consolidation (CCC) Support

Date: 3/2/2025

VA-26-TBD

PWS Version Number: 2.0

Contents

BACKGROUND

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veteran Health Administration (VHA), Office of Information & Technology (OIT) strives to provide high quality, effective, and efficient Information Technology (IT) services to those responsible for providing care to the Veterans at the point-of-care as well as throughout all the points of the Veterans’ health care in an effective, timely and compassionate manner. VA depends on Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) systems to meet mission goals.

VA manages over 60 million calls annually through 20 decentralized and siloed Contact Centers, each operating independently. This leads to duplicated tools, limited data integration, inconsistent service delivery, and a Veteran experience marked by confusion, repeated authentication, and unnecessary handoffs. VA faces a critical imperative to modernize its legacy Contact Center infrastructure through a comprehensive, enterprise-wide consolidation and transformation effort. VA’s Contact Centers – spanning telephony, mobile applications, text messaging, email, and other communication modalities – have operated in silos, relying on outdated technologies that no longer meet the expectations of today’s Veterans, Caregivers, Families, and Survivors.

To align with modern industry standards and deliver a seamless, high-quality experience, VA is reimagining its Contact Center operations as a unified, concierge-style service. This transformation will enable VA to orchestrate and differentiate between administrative, financial, clinical and non-clinical, and virtual emergency and urgent care services, ensuring Veterans receive the right support, at the right time, through the right channel. By consolidating and modernizing its Contact Center capabilities, VA will reduce duplication, improve responsiveness, and meet the growing national demand for timely, personalized support. This initiative is not merely a technical upgrade; it is a strategic shift toward Veteran-centric service delivery.

APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

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

1. “Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014”

2. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication 140-3, “Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules”, March 22, 2019

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

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

5. FIPS Pub 201-3, “Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors,” January 2022

6. 10 U.S.C. § 2224, "Defense Information Assurance Program", as amended

7. 5 U.S.C. § 552a, as amended, “The Privacy Act of 1974”

8. Public Law 109-461 (P.L. 109-461), Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, as amended, Title IX, Information Security Matters

9. 42 U.S.C. § 2000d “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”, as amended

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

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

12. VA Directive 6102, “Internet/Intranet Services,” August 5, 2019

13. 36 C.F.R. Part 1194 “Information and Communication Technology Standards and Guidelines,” as amended

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

15. 32 C.F.R. Part 199, “Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)”, as amended

16. NIST SP 800-66 Rev. 2, “Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule: A Cybersecurity Resource Guide,” February 2024

17. 45 C.F.R Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and E, the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”); and 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and C, the Security Standard (“Security Rule”); as amended

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

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

20. VA Directive 6500, “VA Cybersecurity Program,” February 24, 2021 (see VA NOTICE 24-18, dated September 27, 2024, “Update to VA Directive 6500 Cybersecurity Program”, and VA Notice 25-07, dated 3/18/25, “Amending VA Directive 6500 to incorporate M-24-15”)

21. VA Handbook 6500, “Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems VA Information Security Program,” February 24, 2021 (see VA Notice 25-01, dated October 15, 2024, “Update to VA Handbook 6500 Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems VA Information Security Program”, and VA Notice 25-06, dated 3/18/25, “Amending VA Directive 6500 to incorporate M-24-15”)

22. VA Handbook 6500.2, “Management of Breaches Involving Sensitive Personal Information (SPI),” June 30, 2023

23. VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security,” March 12, 2010 (see VA Notice 24-12, dated April 22, 2024, “Update to VA Handbook 6500.6, Contract Security, Appendix C VA Information and Information System Security/Privacy Language For Inclusion Into Contracts, As Appropriate”)

24. VA Handbook 6500.8, “Information System Contingency Planning,” March 25, 2025

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

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

27. OIT Process Asset Library (PAL), OIT Process Asset Library.

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

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

30. VA Directive 6510, “VA Identity, Credential and Access Management,” September 3, 2024

31. VA Handbook 6510, “VA Identity, Credential and Access Management,” September 27, 2024

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

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

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

35. 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

36. 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)

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

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

39. 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

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

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

42. Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM) Architecture, June 30, 2023 (FICAM Architecture (idmanagement.gov))

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

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

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

46. 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)

47. 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)

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

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

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

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

52. Sections 524 and 525 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, (P.L. 110–140), December 19, 2007

53. Section 104 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, (P.L. 109–58), August 8, 2005

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

55. VA Directive 0057, “VA Environmental Management Program,” October 25, 2022

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

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

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

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

60. “Product Line Management Transformation Playbook” version 3.1, August 2023, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946

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

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

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

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

65. C.F.R Title 15 Part 7, “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) Supply Chain”, as amended

66. Executive Order 14028, “Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity,” May 12, 2021, https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/16/executive-order-on-strengthening-and-promoting-innovation-in-the-nations-cybersecurity/

67. OMB Memorandum M-22-09, “Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles”, January 26, 2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-09.pdf.

68. NIST SP 800-52 Revision 2, “Guidelines for the Selection, Configuration, and Use of Transport Layer Security (TLS) Implementations

69. OMB M-22-18, “Enhancing the Security of the Software Supply Chain through Secure Software Development Practices,” September 14, 2022

70. OMB M-23-16, “Update to Memorandum M-22-18,” June 9, 2023

71. OMB M-21-31, “Improving the Federal Government’s Investigative and Remediation Capabilities Related to Cybersecurity Incidents,” August 27, 2021

72. NIST SP 800-88 Revision 1 “Guidelines for Media Sanitization,” December 2014

73. CISA Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 19-02: “Vulnerability Remediation Requirements of Internet-Accessible Systems,” April 29, 2019, BOD 19-02: Vulnerability Remediation Requirements for Internet-Accessible Systems | CISA

74. CISA BOD 22-01: “Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities,” November 3, 2021, BOD 22-01: Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA

75. CISA BOD 23-01: Improving Asset Visibility and Vulnerability Detection on Federal Networks.” Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), BOD 23-01: Improving Asset Visibility and Vulnerability Detection on Federal Networks | CISA

76. VA Directive 6550, Pre-Procurement Assessment and Implementation of Medical Devices/Systems, June 03, 2019

77. VA Memorandum, “VA Security Controls,” January 17, 2025, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=5010

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall deliver a comprehensive suite of program support services, drawing upon expertise in healthcare, Contact Center Consolidation (CCC), and the Genesys platform. This support will encompass project management (utilizing the Project Management Body of Knowledge [PMBOK] framework), business process standardization, contact center operational design, workforce planning and optimization, technology modernization and integration, change management, communications, policy formulation, and training.

This effort will extend to all major VA Administrations and Staff Offices, including the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Office of Management (OM), and the Veterans Experience Offices (VEO). The activities will be centered on planning, coordinating, and executing a phased consolidation of the existing VA contact centers into an enterprise structure aligned with VA's overarching governance, performance, and technology frameworks.

The consolidation of VA contact centers will be conducted through a multi-phased organizational model aimed at delivering the CCC solution across multiple, iterative and concurrent waves. This model ensures strategic oversight and management until Full Operational Capability (FOC) is achieved. Moreover, the model is designed to deliver measurable value to customers, foster accountability and transparency, achieve tactical integration across services, establish enterprise-level standardization, mitigate risks, and create an effective framework for program/project management. This ensures a smooth transition, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The Period of Performance (PoP) shall be determined at contract award and may include base and option periods to align with the phased consolidation schedule.

Any work at the Government site shall not take place on Federal holidays or weekends unless directed by the Contracting Officer (CO).

There are 11 Federal holidays set by law (USC Title 5 Section 6103) that VA follows:

Under current definitions, five are set by date:

If any of the above falls on a Saturday, then Friday shall be observed as a holiday. Similarly, if one falls on a Sunday, then Monday shall be observed as a holiday.

The other six are set by a day of the week and month:

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Work may occur at Contractor facilities, VA headquarters, or VA field locations. Virtual participation is permitted with VA approval.

TRAVEL

The Government anticipates travel under this effort to perform the tasks associated with the effort, as well as to attend program-related meetings or conferences throughout the PoP. Include all estimated travel costs in your firm-fixed price line items. These costs will not be directly reimbursed by the Government.

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 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) with Monthly Progress Reports in electronic form in Microsoft Word and Project formats. The report 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 Month.

The Monthly 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.

Deliverable:

A. Monthly Progress Report

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OFFICE (PMO) SUPPORT

The Contractor shall provide robust Program Management Office (PMO) support to enable effective planning, execution, and oversight of the CCC initiative. Specifically, the Contractor shall:

A. Establish and maintain an enterprise PMO structure that includes real-time reporting dashboards, risk and issue logs, an Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), and a repository of lessons learned to support continuous improvement and knowledge transfer.

B. Develop, manage, and maintain comprehensive project documentation, including project plans, milestone and deliverable schedules, tracking mechanisms, governance artifacts, and decision logs to ensure transparency and accountability.

C. Facilitate cross-administration coordination and stakeholder engagement, including support for Executive Steering Committee (ESC) meetings, working groups, and interagency collaboration as needed.

D. Deliver monthly status reports and performance updates, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), risk mitigation strategies, and recommendations to ensure alignment with VA leadership priorities and enterprise transformation goals.

E. Support sustainment planning and transition readiness, ensuring that PMO functions evolve to support long-term governance, operational continuity, and enterprise scalability.

CONTACT CENTER OPERATIONS ANALYSIS & STANDARDIZATION

The Contractor shall support VA in analyzing and standardizing enterprise contact center operations to enable a unified, scalable, and Veteran-centric service delivery model. Specifically, the Contractor shall:

A. Conduct a comprehensive baseline assessment of all existing VA contact centers, capturing data on capacity, staffing models, technology platforms and tools, service offerings, and performance metrics across administrative, clinical, non-clinical, and virtual care domains. The Contractor shall provide this information in the Contact Center Baseline Assessment Report.

B. Recommend and provide a Target Operating Model (TOM) for consolidated enterprise operations, including optimized staffing plans, intelligent call routing strategies and queue management, workforce segmentation and role alignment, and service orchestration across communication modalities (voice, chat, email, text, etc.).

C. Develop standardized operational frameworks, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), process maps, performance scorecards and dashboards, Quality Assurance (QA) Frameworks, and Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

D. Provide advanced forecasting and workload modeling expertise to support data-driven decision-making, resource planning, demand management and surge readiness across the enterprise.

E. Ensure alignment with applicable legislative and regulatory guidelines, including but not limited to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Privacy Act, and VA-specific policies and directives governing Veteran data, accessibility, and service delivery.

F. Support training and operational readiness planning to ensure consistent implementation of standardized practices and sustained performance across all contact center environments.

G. Technology Integration and Optimization by providing expert support in evaluating, implementing, and optimizing enterprise technologies that enable the Department of Veterans Affairs’ CCC initiative.

H. Evaluate current contact center technologies across VA administrations, identify functional and technical gaps, and recommend scalable, consolidation-supportive solutions that align with the TOM. Develop and provide a Technology Integration Roadmap that details the implementation plan for Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Workforce Management (WFM), Quality Management (QM) tools, AI-enabled triage and virtual agents, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), omnichannel capabilities, and Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) and omnichannel platforms including compliance with cybersecurity and interoperability standards I. Support the implementation and optimization of enterprise technology platforms, including CRM systems, IVR modernization, WFM, QM tools, AI-enabled triage and virtual agents, RPA, omnichannel capabilities, and KMS.

J. Ensure all technology solutions comply with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including the FISMA, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Privacy Act, and VA-specific cybersecurity, privacy, and interoperability standards.

K. Coordinate and manage pilot programs, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and phased technology rollouts, ensuring stakeholder engagement, operational readiness, and minimal disruption to ongoing services.

L. Support training, adoption, and sustainment planning to ensure long-term usability, performance optimization, and continuous improvement of deployed technologies.

M. Provide a Final Consolidation Implementation Report that includes a summary of outcomes, lessons learned, best practices, performance results, and recommendations for sustainment and future enhancements.

Deliverables:

A. Contact Center Baseline Assessment Report B. Target Operating Model C. Technology Integration Roadmap D. Final Consolidation Implementation Report

WORKFORCE PLANNING AND TRAINING SUPPORT

The Contractor shall support VA in developing a modern, agile, and skilled contact center workforce capable of delivering high-quality, Veteran-centric services across the enterprise. Specifically, the Contractor shall:

A. Analyze current staffing levels and organizational structures, skill sets and roles, and workforce distribution and utilization across VA contact centers, identifying gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for optimization.

B. Recommend a consolidated workforce model, including cross-functional staffing strategies, multi-tiered support structures, and role-based competencies aligned with the TOM.

C. Develop comprehensive training and enablement materials, including onboarding modules, job aids, SOPs, and tailored learning plans to support both initial implementation and long-term sustainment. Provide this information in Training Curriculum & Materials.

D. Assist with training, delivery and coaching for contact center personnel, supervisors, and support staff, leveraging a variety of modalities (e.g., virtual, in-person, self-paced) to ensure accessibility and effectiveness.

E. Ensure all training content and workforce practices comply with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including Section 508 accessibility standards, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines, and VA-specific workforce policies.

F. Support sustainment planning, including knowledge transfer, refresher training, and continuous learning strategies to maintain workforce readiness and adaptability over time.

Deliverable:

A. Training Curriculum & Materials

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT (OCM)

The Contractor shall provide comprehensive Organizational Change Management (OCM) support to ensure successful adoption of the CCC initiative across the Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, the Contractor shall:

A. Develop and execute a comprehensive change management strategy aligned with VA’s enterprise OCM framework, transformation goals, and stakeholder landscape. Provide this information in the Change Management Strategy & Communications Plan.

B. Conduct stakeholder analyses, impact assessments, and organizational readiness evaluations to inform tailored engagement and transition planning.

C. Deliver targeted internal communications, leadership briefings, and transition guides to support awareness, alignment, and executive sponsorship throughout the transformation lifecycle.

D. Facilitate end-user engagement and feedback cycles, including listening sessions and focus groups, surveys and pulse checks, resistance identification and mitigation strategies to promote buy-in, trust, and address concerns proactively.

E. Ensure all OCM activities comply with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including Section 508 accessibility standards, federal communication policies, and VA-specific directives related to workforce engagement and change readiness.

F. Support sustainment planning, including reinforcement and recognition strategies, change agent networks and peer champions, and continuous communication and engagement to maintain momentum and institutionalize new practices.

Deliverable:

A. Change Management Strategy & Communications Plan

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING

The Contractor shall support the establishment of a performance-driven culture through continuous improvement and data-informed decision-making. Specifically, the Contractor shall:

A. Establish a robust measurement and analytics framework to monitor and report KPIs, including but not limited to first-contact resolution, transfer rates, speed to answer, call abandonment rates, channel utilization and efficiency, and customer satisfaction across all contact center channels. Deliver this information in the Continuous Improvement & Performance Framework Report.

B. Provide ongoing performance analysis and actionable recommendations to identify service variation and performance gaps, recommend corrective actions and best practices, enhance consistency, and elevate the overall Veteran and stakeholder experience.

C. Facilitate continuous improvement workshops, leveraging Lean, Agile, and human-centered design practices to identify and implement operational enhancements.

D. Ensure all performance monitoring and data practices comply with applicable federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, and VA data governance and reporting standards.

E. Support knowledge transfer and sustainment, enabling VA teams to independently monitor, evaluate, and improve performance over time.

Deliverable:

A. Continuous Improvement & Performance Framework

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

ENTERPRISE AND IT FRAMEWORK

VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

The Contractor shall comply with the VA OIT Technical Reference Model (VA TRM). Compliance with the VA TRM is achieved by using only technologies and standards that are listed as approved for use in the VA TRM. The Contractor shall provide all necessary information requested by VA to ensure TRM approval is obtained prior to use on VA’s network.

ZERO TRUST – VA CRITICAL SECURITY CONTROLS

VA has established minimum mandatory security requirements and requires that any network connected software system or service must meet the VA Critical Security Controls as outlined in the VA Memorandum, “VA Security Controls”, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=5010. VA Critical Security Controls identify the minimum mandatory requirements that must be implemented across all VA enterprise infrastructure, cloud computing environments, information systems, networks, and specialized devices (medical devices/systems, special-purpose systems, and research scientific computing devices) that process, store, and/or transmit VA data. Effective July 1, 2025, the Contractor shall implement these VA Critical Security Controls, within any network connected software system or service prior to being authorized for use in the VA. This functional requirement is not negotiable, and Plan of Action & Milestones (POAM) will not be accepted in the event these controls cannot be implemented for new systems. Critical Security Controls are intended to increase VA’s security posture and provide security and privacy risk visibility into the VA network and is not a new requirement. The Contractor’s failure to maintain these VA Critical Controls after implementation will result in VA discontinuing the use of the system.

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 Architecture (EA), and VA Identity and Access Management (IAM) approved Enterprise Technology Guidelines (ETG). 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 Executive Order 14028, VA Handbook 6510 VA Identity and Access Management, VA Handbook 0735 Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program, CISA Binding Operational Directive 23-01, 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, and VA IAM enterprise requirements for direct, assertion-based authentication, and/or trust-based authentication, as determined by the ETGs. 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, M-22-09, and NIST Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201-3. Contractor delivered applications and systems shall be on the FIPS 201 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 Technology Guideline as outlined in VA ETG.

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 IPv6-Only 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). Which defines IPv6-only as the state of an operational system or service when IPv4 protocol functions (addressing, packet forwarding) are not in use. The NIST USGv6 profile defines technical requirements for a product to be capable of operating in IPv6-Only environments. IPv6-Only 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, applications, and systems shall support all applicable functionality on native IPv6-Only as well as 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-Only and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) users and all internal infrastructure and applications shall support using native IPv6-Only and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) for all functionality and 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).

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 standard VA operating system, Windows 10 (64bit) and Windows 11, Edge (Chromium based), and 365 Apps for enterprise. Applications delivered to VA and intended to be deployed to Windows 10 and or Windows 11 workstations shall be delivered as a signed .msi package with switches for silent and unattended installation and updates shall be delivered in signed .msp file formats for easy deployment using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (CM) VA’s current desktop application deployment tool. 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 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 Veteran-Focused Integration Process (VIP) Guide and Product Line Management (PLM) Playbook. The major focus of VIP is on Enterprise Oversight, Governance, reporting, and establishing practices that focus on outcomes and continuously delivering sustainable IT capabilities to benefit the Veteran. 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 Transformation Playbook and can be found at: https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371 and the PLM Transformation Playbook can be found at https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946. VIP and PLM are the authoritative processes that IT projects must follow to ensure development and delivery of IT products.

The VIP Guide provides guidance for transitioning from project-centric to product-centric delivery. The VIP guide applies to all OIT Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reportable products that are required to collect and report costs, schedules, risks, and other valuable information in VA PARS (whether products are procured or developed by VA) and any VA Information Technology project effort in Software Product Management (SPM) and Infrastructure Operations (IO), or their successors, that touch the VA network regardless of IT organizational alignment (whether it spends government funding from VA's Congressional IT Appropriation or any other appropriation).

The PLM Transformation Playbook details how OIT leadership expects Product Lines (PLs) to implement PLM, DevOps, and Lean-Agile principles, methods, practices, and techniques through levels of maturity. The PLM Transformation Playbook applies to all Information Technology (IT) products aligned to PLs in the Software Product Management, Infrastructure Operations and Product Engineering organizations within the OIT organization.

Others outside the referenced groups or organizations may use the VIP Guide and PLM Transformation Playbook for situational awareness as needed.

PROCESS ASSET LIBRARY (PAL)

The Contractor shall perform their duties consistent with the processes defined in the OIT Process Asset Library (PAL). The PAL includes a spectrum of OIT functions and activities, such as 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. OIT utilizes 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 process_CONB_ext.docx (live.com). 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 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 VA Profile to access personal contact information, if the solution relies on VA Veteran personal contact information data. VA Profile 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.

7. Interfacing with VA Systems Inventory (VASI) to access VA systems information, if the solution relies on VA system information. VASI is the authoritative source for VA Information Technology systems.

8. Interfacing with Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) to access the Authority to Operate (ATO) status of all VA Information Systems. eMASS contains the official Authority to Operate (ATO) status of all VA Information Systems.

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 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 (or its successor) are to encrypt the file, use a secure fax, or use a traceable mail service. (Note that by September 22, 2026, all FIPS 140-2 certificate validations will be placed on the Historical List. See FIPS Transition Effort Timeline for more details: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/fips-140-3-transition-effort#schedule)

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 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.