(DRAFT) EHRM SIS PWS v1.0.pdf

DRAFT

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of the Deputy Secretary Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) Integration Office (IO)

EHRM Systems Integration Support

Date: July 31, 2025

VA-25-00092040

Task Order PWS Version Number: 1.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 BACKGROUND

2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

4.0 PERFORMANCE DETAILS

4.1 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

4.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

4.3 TRAVEL OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

4.4 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

4.5 SECURITY AND PRIVACY

4.5.1 POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S)

4.5.2 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

5.1 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

5.1.1 KICK-OFF MEETING

5.1.2 CONTRACTOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

5.1.3 CONTRACTOR WEEKLY STATUS BRIEFING AND REPORT

5.1.4 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT REVIEW (PMR)

5.2 TRANSITION SUPPORT (INITIAL SIX-MONTH PERIOD)

5.3 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SUPPORT

5.3.1 PROGRAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND TRACKING SUPPORT 19

5.3.2 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS

5.3.3 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT, TRAINING AND END

USER ENGAGEMENT AND ADOPTION

5.3.4 STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS AND EXECUTIVE ENGAGEMENT

SUPPORT

5.3.5 REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT

5.3.6 CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

5.3.7 QUALITY ASSURANCE

5.3.8 SCHEDULE AND MILESTONE MANAGEMENT

5.3.9 RISK MANAGEMENT

5.4 FUNCTIONAL SUPPORT

5.4.1 CLINICAL PLANNING AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS SUPPORT

5.4.2 INFORMATICS DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

5.4.3 SOLUTION SUPPORT

5.5 TECHNICAL SUPPORT

5.5.1 TECHNICAL SUPPORT PLANNING

5.5.2 DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT

5.5.3 TESTING AND VALIDATION

5.5.4 ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS INTEGRATION SERVICES

5.5.5 DEPLOYMENT AND CUTOVER

5.6 EXIT STRATEGY (OPTIONAL TASK)

5.6.1 END-OF-LIFE PLANNING

6.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

6.1 ENTERPRISE AND IT FRAMEWORK

6.1.1 VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

6.1.2 ZERO TRUST – VA CRITICAL SECURITY CONTROL

6.1.3 FEDERAL IDENTITY, CREDENTIAL, AND ACCESS MGMT. (FICAM)

6.1.4 INTERNET PRO 6 (IPV6)

6.1.5 TRUSTED INTERNET CONNECTION (TIC)

6.1.6 STANDARD COMPUTER CONFIGURATION

6.1.7 VETERAN FOCUSED INTEGRATION PROCESS (VIP) AND PRODUCT

LINE MANAGEMENT (PLM)

6.1.8 PROCESS ASSET LIBRARY (PAL)

6.1.9 AUTHORITATIVE DATA SOURCES

6.1.10 SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN) REDUCTION

6.2 SECURITY AND PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS

6.3 METHOD AND DISTRIBUTION OF DELIVERABLES

6.4 PERFORMANCE METRICS

6.5 FACILITY/RESOURCE PROVISIONS

7.0 ADDENDUM A – ADDITIONAL VA REQUIREMENTS, CONSOLIDATED

A1.0 CYBER AND INFORMATION SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR VA IT

SERVICES

A2.0 VA ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE COMPLIANCE

A3.0 NOTICE OF THE FEDERAL ACCESSIBILITY LAW AFFECTING ALL

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

PROCUREMENTS (SECTION 508)

A4.0 PHYSICAL SECURITY & SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:

A5.0 CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-DISCLOSURE

A6.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES

8.0 ADDENDUM B – VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SECURITY/PRIVACY

LANGUAGE

9.0 ADDENDUM C: DELIVERABLES TABLE

10.0 ADDENDUM D: ACRONYM TABLE

1.0 BACKGROUND

The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to provide benefits and services to Veterans of the United States. In meeting these goals, VA strives to provide high quality, effective, and efficient Information Technology (IT) services. These services support those responsible for providing care to Veterans at the point-of-care and throughout all aspects 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 has contracted Cerner Government Services, Inc. (Cerner) (now known as Oracle Health Government Services, Inc., and interchangeably referred to herein as “Oracle Health,” or “Oracle,” to deploy VA’s Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR). When fully implemented this solution will enable seamless care for Veterans by facilitating the transition of active-duty military members to VA and improving their timely access to the highest quality of care.

The Federal EHR shall provide VA with a single system that can store and retrieve administrative, clinical, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and scheduling data. It can also interact with other internal and external systems. Modernization of VA’s EHR will support a Veteran-centric, team-based care model. It will include modern decision support tools, clinical information content services, identification, communication, and standardization of care paths, as well as resource provisioning. This will improve interoperability, performance, and user experience for most health care delivery and ancillary teams responsible for providing health care services. In turn, it will improve the quality, safety, and timeliness of health care services delivered to Veterans.

In March 2025, the VA Secretary issued a memorandum requiring that the EHRM program adopt an accelerated implementation timeline mandating that all migration be completed as early as the end of calendar year 2031.

As of the effective date of this contract, the Government has successfully completed six migrations of the legacy EHR to the new EHRM system. In accordance with the directive from the Secretary of VA, the Contractor shall support the completion of the approximately 164 migrations by the end of calendar year 2031.

2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The contractor shall comply with the current version of the following documents:

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

22. 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”)

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

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

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

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

https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm http://www.va.gov/vapubs http://www.va.gov/vapubs https://digital.va.gov/process-asset-library/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

34. 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

35. 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)

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

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

38. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

45. 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)

46. 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)

47. VA Memorandum “Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Logical Access Policy Clarification,” July 17, 2019, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4896 https://www.va.gov/trm/TRMHomePage.aspx https://www.idmanagement.gov/arch/#:%7E:text=FICAM%20is%20the%20federal%20government%E2%80%99s%20enterprise%20approach%20to,identity%20processes%2C%20practices%2C%20policies%2C%20and%20information%20security%20disciplines.

https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514 https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514 https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4896

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

55. Office of Information Security (OIS) VAIQ #7424808 Memorandum, “Remote

Access,” January 15, 2014, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

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

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

58. VA Memorandum “Proper Use of Email and Other Messaging Services,” January

2, 2018, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

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

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

61. OMB Memorandum M-21-07, “Completing the Transition to Internet Protocol

Version 6 (IPv6),” November 19, 2020

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

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

64. C.F.R Title 15 Part 7, “Securing the Information and Communications

Technology and Services (ICTS) Supply Chain”, as amended

65. 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/

66. 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.

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

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

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

70. OMB M-21-31, “Improving the Federal Government’s Investigative and

Remediation Capabilities Related to Cybersecurity Incidents,” August 27, 2021

71. NIST SP 800-88 Revision 1 “Guidelines for Media Sanitization,” December 2014 https://www.cisa.gov/publication/tic-30-core-guidance-documents https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28 https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371 https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28 https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946 https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/16/executive-order-on-strengthening-and-promoting-innovation-in-the-nations-cybersecurity/ https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/16/executive-order-on-strengthening-and-promoting-innovation-in-the-nations-cybersecurity/ https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/16/executive-order-on-strengthening-and-promoting-innovation-in-the-nations-cybersecurity/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-09.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-09.pdf

72. 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

73. 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

74. 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

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

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

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

For this acquisition, the contractor is required to provide comprehensive program management and technical support for the VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) Integration Office (IO).

Requirements include:

• Contract Management including:

o Kick-Off Meeting o Contractor Project Management Plan o Contractor Weekly Status Briefing And Report

• Program Management Support including:

o Program Performance Assessment And Tracking Support o Governance Structure And Operations o Organizational Change Management o Stakeholder Communication o Executive Support o Program Administrative Support o Requirements Management o Configuration Management o Quality Assurance o Schedule And Milestone Management o Risk Management

• Functional Support

• Implementation Support including:

o Implementation Support Planning o Testing And Validation o Enterprise Systems Integration Services o Deployment And Cutover https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-19-02-vulnerability-remediation-requirements-internet-accessible-systems https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-19-02-vulnerability-remediation-requirements-internet-accessible-systems https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-22-01-reducing-significant-risk-known-exploited-vulnerabilities https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-22-01-reducing-significant-risk-known-exploited-vulnerabilities https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-23-01-improving-asset-visibility-and-vulnerability-detection-federal-networks https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-23-01-improving-asset-visibility-and-vulnerability-detection-federal-networks https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-23-01-improving-asset-visibility-and-vulnerability-detection-federal-networks https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=5010

• Exit Strategy (Optional Task)

• End-Of-Life Planning

As of the effective date of this contract, the Government has successfully completed six migrations of VistA to the new EHRM system. In accordance with the directive from the Secretary of VA, the Contractor shall support the completion of the approximately 164 migrations by the end of calendar year 2031. The Contractor's role will be critical in ensuring that the EHRM effort is executed in a timely and effective manner, meeting VA's ambitious migration schedule and ultimately achieving the goal of modernizing VA's electronic health record system.

4.0 PERFORMANCE DETAILS

4.1 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Period of Performance (PoP) shall be a base six-month period plus four one-year option periods and one six-month period

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

(COR).

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

Under current definitions, five are set by date:

New Year's Day January 1 Juneteenth June 19 Independence Day July 4 Veterans Day November 11 Christmas Day December 25

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:

Martin Luther King's Birthday Third Monday in January Washington's Birthday Third Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday in November

4.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Tasks under this PWS shall be performed at both Government and Contractor facilities and work may be performed at remote locations with prior written approval of the

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Deployment sites encompass a range of facilities, including but not limited to:

• VA Medical Centers and other healthcare centers both within the Contiguous

United States (CONUS) and Outside the Contiguous United States (OCONUS)

• Associated clinics, mobile clinics, Veteran centers, and mobile Veteran centers

• Nursing homes, domiciliary, and remote services

• Consolidated Patient Accounting Centers (CPACs) supporting the aforementioned facilities

• Centers of Excellence, Clinical Resource Hubs (CHRs), Clinical Contact Centers

(CCCs), and Telehealth Services

• Any other EHR end-user facilities scheduled for deployment

• VA locations designated for EHRM testing, evaluation, user testing, or training activities, such as the EHRM program offices in Washington, D.C., and Kansas City, MO, or VA simulation learning centers.

4.3 TRAVEL OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

The Government anticipates travel under this effort to support the breadth of program management activities relating to EHRM testing, planning, initiation, deployment, and sustainment, as well as to attend program-related meetings and workshops throughout the PoP. Travel shall be performed on a CR basis in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) and requires advanced concurrence by the VA COR utilizing the VA-provided Contractor Travel Request form.

Travel within a 50-mile radius from the Government/Contractor facility is considered local and will not be reimbursed.

Based on EHRM programmatic requirements, anticipated travel locations may include, but are not limited to:

a. Washington, DC (includes the general metro and outlying areas in the National Capital Region)

b. Kansas City, MO

c. Any VA or joint VA/DoD medical facility within the continental U.S (CONUS) or outside continental U.S. (OCONUS)

d. Technology Acquisition Center (TAC), Eatontown, NJ

e. Conferences and meetings located at contractor facilities

f. Other locations as approved in writing by the COR

In addition to the locations listed above, the Contractor will be supporting EHRM deployment across the VA enterprise. VA expects to roll out the new EHR to all facilities nationwide over the course of several years.

4.4 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

The Government has multiple remote access solutions available to include Citrix Access Gateway (CAG), Site-to-Site Virtual Private Network (VPN), Virtual Desktop, and/or

RESCUE VPN.

The Government’s issuance of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) is limited to Contractor personnel requiring direct access to the network in order to access development environments; install, configure and run Technical Reference Model (TRM) approved software and tools (e.g., VistA, Oracle, Fortify, Eclipse, SoapUI, WebLogic, LoadRunner); upload/download/ manipulate code, run scripts, and apply patches; configure and change system settings; check logs, troubleshoot/debug, and test/QA.

When necessary, the Government will furnish desktops or laptops, for use by the Contractor to access VA networks, systems, or applications to meet the requirements of this PWS. The overarching goal is to determine the most cost-effective approach to providing needed access to the VA environment coupled with the need to ensure proper change management principles are followed. Contractor personnel shall adhere to all VA system access requirements for on-site and remote users in accordance with VA standards, local security regulations, policies, and rules of behavior. GFE shall be approved by the COR and Program Manager on a case-by-case basis prior to issuance.

Based upon the Government assessment of remote access solutions and requirements of this contract award, the Government estimates that the following GFE will be required by this contract award:

1. 900 standard laptops

2. Apple Mac laptops

3. Linux laptops

4. 100 government-issued cell phones

The Government will not provide IT accessories including but not limited to Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots/wireless access points, additional or specialized keyboards or mice, laptop bags, extra charging cables, extra Personal Identity Verification card readers, peripheral devices, or additional Random-Access Memory (RAM). The Contractor is responsible for providing these types of IT accessories in support of the contract award as necessary and any VA installation required for these IT accessories shall be coordinated with the COR.

VA will provide access to VA specific systems/network as required for execution of the contract award via VA-approved remote access technology. The Contractor shall utilize Government-provided software development and test accounts, document, and requirements repositories, etc. as required for the development, storage, maintenance, and delivery of products within the scope of this effort. The Contractor shall not transmit, store, or otherwise maintain sensitive data or products in Contractor systems (or media) within the VA firewall IAW VA Handbook 6500.6 dated January 30, 2011. All VA sensitive information shall be protected at all times in accordance with local security field office System Security Plans (SSPs) and Authority to Operate (ATO)’s for all systems/LAN’s accessed while performing the tasks detailed in this PWS.

Additionally, the Contractor shall provide a status of all reportable GFE as part of the Weekly Status Report as required by PWS paragraph 5.1. For purposes of this report, reportable GFE includes equipment that is furnished by the Government as tangible “personal” property which the Contractor takes possession of, physically leaves a Government facility, and needs to be returned the end of Contractor performance. The following information shall be provided for each piece of GFE:

1. Name of Contractor employee assigned to the GFE

2. Type of Equipment (Make and Model)

3. Tracking Number/Serial Number

4. VA Bar Code

5. Location

6. Value

7. Total Value of Equipment

8. Anticipated Transfer Date to Government

9. Anticipated Transfer Location

4.5 SECURITY AND PRIVACY

The contractor shall follow all VA and Federal security and privacy policies. Specific to this contract award are the following:

• The vendor shall notify VA (assigned COR and Information System Security Officer (ISSO)) within 24 hours of the discovery or disclosure of successful exploits of the vulnerability which can compromise the security of the Systems (including the confidentiality or integrity of its data and operations, or the availability of the system). Such issues shall be remediated as quickly as is practical, based upon the severity of the incident.

• When the Security Fixes involve installing third party patches (such as Microsoft OS patches or Adobe Acrobat), the vendor will provide written notice to VA that the patch has been validated as not affecting the Systems within 10 working days. When the vendor is responsible for operations or maintenance of the Systems, they shall apply the Security Fixes based upon the requirements identified within the contract award.

It has been determined that protected health information may be disclosed or accessed, and a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) shall be required.

4.5.1 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

Task Number Tier 1 / Low / NACI Tier 2 / Moderate /

MBI

Tier 4 / High / BI

5.1

X

5.2 X

5.3 X

5.4 X

5.5 X

5.6 X

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.

Note: Some positions may require a higher-level investigation that will be addressed on a case-by-case basis with approval from the COR.

4.5.2 Contractor Personnel Security Requirements

Contractor Responsibilities:

a. 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.

b. Within three 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)

c. 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.

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

1) Optional Form 306

2) Self-Certification of Continuous Service

3) VA Form 0710

4) Completed SIC Fingerprint Request Form

e. 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.

f. 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 three 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 three business days that documents were signed via e-QIP).

g. 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.

h. 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 4), signed “Contractor Rules of Behavior”, and with a valid, operational Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credential for PIV-only logical access to VA’s network. A PIV card credential can be issued once the SAC has been favorably adjudicated and a 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 https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/fips-140-3-transition-effort#schedule https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/fips-140-3-transition-effort#schedule history for Contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the database of OPM.

i. 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.

j. 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.

k. PIV 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, visibly displaying their badges on their persons.

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

5.1 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

5.1.1 Kick-Off Meeting

The Contractor shall hold a kickoff meeting within ten (10) business days of contract award. The Contractor shall present, for review and approval by the Government, their roles, near term milestones and activities, key contract details, and a discussion of goals and objectives, major award requirements, administrative matters, and GFE associated with Contractor performance for the contract award. The Contractor shall coordinate all meeting logistics, providing both in-person and virtual accommodations to the Government. The Contractor shall provide a meeting slide deck to be attached to the invitation and provided via email to invitees at least five (5) calendar days prior to the meeting and submit meeting minutes electronically in a commonly used format, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or PDF, to all attendees within three (3) calendar days after the meeting for review and approval by the Government. The Contractor shall invite the Contracting Officer (CO), Contract Specialist (CS), COR, and the VA program manager (PM). Meeting timeframes and locations may be adjusted to accommodate scheduling difficulties upon written approval of the VA PM and/or COR.

The completion of this meeting shall result in the following outcomes:

Collaborate to clarify expectations throughout the period of performance, Plan the staff delivery profile that accomplishes the tasks in the related contract award, Introduction of the Contractor and Government personnel leading the work related to this project, A brief overview of project administration and reporting by the Contractor, and Review of tasks by the Contractor to forge a common understanding of work to be performed and responsibilities and obligations of the Contractor.

5.1.2 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 this contract award. 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 will coordinate and execute planned, routine, and ad hoc data collection reporting requests as identified within the PWS. The CPMP shall include the Contractor organization chart and how it aligns to the EHRM IO organization chart.

Each submission of the CPMP will be reviewed by the Government for acceptability and shall be updated accordingly as defined in the contract award. The Contractor shall update and maintain the CPMP throughout the period of performance and provide it monthly.

The CPMP shall address, but not be limited to:

• Contract summary and background

• Identification of contract management members and their roles & responsibilities

• Methods of coordination and communication among contract management team members

• GFE

• Methods for monitoring contractor performance-based objectives

• Contract deliverables including inspection and acceptance process

• Contract performance risk areas

• Strategies for overall EHR program cost and/or schedule reduction

• Contractor human resource management

• Contractor/government assumptions

Deliverables:

Contractor Project Management Plan

5.1.3 Contractor Weekly Status Briefing and Report

The Contractor shall provide a Weekly Status Report (WSR), detailing tasks/deliverables completed during the reporting time frame, tasks/deliverables in progress during the reporting time frame, tasks/deliverables due in the next reporting time frame, program risks/issues that are ongoing or have been resolved during the reporting time frame, staffing and clearance status, a summary of all implementation activity, and a summary of all EHRM communications and change management activities during the reporting time frame. The WSR shall also include a weekly overview of all EHRM IO Systems Integrator (SI) projects to include upcoming deadlines/deliverables, review schedules, needed documentation, resource needs, all reportable GFE, funding status, contract support concerns, interagency issues, etc. The Report will be briefed weekly to VA leadership and other staff as needed.

5.1.4 Program Management Review (PMR)

The Contractor shall conduct a monthly Program Management Review (PMR) meeting detailing the previous month’s achievements and progress on emerging and existing activities, identified risks and recommendations to mitigate risks, staffing plans and forecasts, as well as detailed financial analysis of TO expenditures including variance analysis compared to baseline and forecasted plans. The Contractor shall draft Monthly PMR Briefing Slides and other management overview material related to EHRM product and project status.

The PMR shall also include a reconciliation of project status reports between EHRM approved project management and budget tracking tools as well as other VA tools reflecting EHRM project status in a sortable Excel spreadsheet format. The Contractor shall include deployment tracking, deployment issues, and user adoption statistics in the PMR as well as tracking of workflow efficiencies and clinical outcomes for each deployment site. The Contractor may be required to conduct multiple PMRs for the various program areas to accommodate the complex nature of the TO.

The Contractor shall deliver PMR briefing slides two (2) days prior to the scheduled Monthly PMR meeting to CO, CORs and PMs.

Deliverable:

A. Weekly Status Report B. Monthly PMR Briefing Slides

5.2 TRANSITION SUPPORT (INITIAL SIX-MONTH PERIOD)

The Contractor shall develop a Systems Integrator Transition Plan that details the specific approach to transitioning program management activities and defining system integration functions. The transition plan should include specific requirements for each function to be transitioned and Responsible/ Accountable/Consulted/Informed (RACI) matrix. A detailed description of system integrator responsibilities and proposed staffing structures for full or phased implementation. The transition plan should clearly identify all transitions risks, with specific emphasis on existing or planned scheduled deployments and appropriate mitigations. This Plan shall include both Incremental and Post Incremental transitions.

The Contractor should present to the Government within 4 months of the start of this task the proposed transition plan. If approved and accepted by the Government, first option period task will be awarded.

The follow-on option periods will be structured based on the approved Transition Plan and the Contractor’s performance will be evaluated during the first option period on executing against the approve Transition Plan. No transitional activities can occur until the plan is submitted and approved for the initial option period.

Deliverable:

A. System Integrator Transition Plan

5.3 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SUPPORT

The Contractor shall provide enterprise-level program management support to the

EHRM-IO.

5.3.1 Program Performance Assessment and Tracking Support

The Contractor shall support EHRM-IO performance management by focusing on performance baseline management, annual enterprise performance reviews, and actionable recommendations to drive program improvement. This support shall complement, but not duplicate, the focused technical performance management, metrics, reporting, and analytics requirements described in section 5.3.3.

5.3.1.1 Performance Baseline Management

• The Contractor shall assess and recommend changes to the current

Performance Baseline Management Plan that defines the methodology for establishing, monitoring, and adjusting the program’s performance baseline. The performance baseline may include customer satisfaction, technical, operational, strategic and business results, and functional metrics.

• The Contractor shall conduct monthly assessments of program performance against the established baseline, identifying deviations and recommending corrective actions to ensure alignment with program objectives.

• The Contractor shall review and make recommendations to improve current processes and perform active monitoring to ensure that the program consistently delivers meaningful results and benefits to stakeholders. This includes identifying key factors that define program success, developing methods to measure the achievement of these factors, and tracking progress toward intended outcomes.

A. The Contractor shall define and monitor indicators that reflect the overall value provided by the program, such as improvements in service quality, user satisfaction, operational efficiency, or other relevant benefits. Regular assessments shall be conducted to evaluate whether program activities are aligned with these value indicators and to identify opportunities for enhancing the impact of the program.

B. The Contractor shall establish and maintain a framework for monitoring and improving clinical performance metrics and leveraging data analytics to assess the impact of the EHRM solution on clinical operations and patient outcomes. The Contractor shall collaborate with clinical stakeholders to define measurable objectives for clinical transformation and shall incorporate these objectives into operational planning and prioritization activities. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that clinical considerations are embedded in the development of operational plans and that progress toward clinical goals is regularly evaluated and reported.

C. The Contractor shall include inputs from other EHR program contractors to structure an integrated view of performance.

D. Analysis should focus on identifying means of maintaining or improving Investment performance in terms of Customer Satisfaction, Strategic and Business Results, and Financial Performance.

E. The Contractor shall provide periodic ad hoc reports that summarize findings, highlight areas of strong performance, and recommend actions to address gaps or maximize value delivery.

F. The Contractor shall support existing monthly EHRM-IO performance reporting and dashboards

G. Assess, recommend improvements and implement, as approved, enhancements to, or replacement of, dashboards and automated reporting tools to deliver real-time, transparent visibility into EHRM performance, including drill-down metrics for executives and authorized stakeholders.

H. Ensure all reporting mechanisms are accurate, timely, and effectively communicate critical information to all stakeholders

These activities shall be integrated with ongoing performance assessment and support informed decision-making throughout the program lifecycle.

5.3.1.2 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Establish and maintain a continuous improvement process to identify and address performance gaps, optimize system effectiveness, and adapt to evolving requirements.

• Conduct regular benchmarking against applicable industry standards and best practices, analyze results, and develop targeted strategies for improvement.

• Propose adjustments to the EHRM solution and processes as needed, considering dependencies on all technology and service suppliers.

• Continuously monitor the effectiveness of improvement efforts and make further adjustments to ensure long-term program success.

5.3.1.3 DATA ANALYTICS AND VISUALIZATION

The Contractor shall:

• Assess, implement, and maintain advanced data analytics and visualization tools capable of processing large clinical, administrative, and operational datasets while ensuring data integrity and security.

• Incorporate predictive analytics to identify trends, forecast outcomes, and support proactive, data-driven decision-making.

• Develop user-friendly, customizable visualization tools (e.g., dashboards, charts, graphs, heat maps) with drill-down capabilities to support detailed analysis for various stakeholder groups.

• Ensure analytics and visualization tools are compatible with existing systems and the EHRM solution and collaborate with the Government to resolve compatibility and alignment with VA enterprise architecture and technical standards.

• Provide tailored training and materials to end-users, ensuring effective use of analytics and visualization tools to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.

• Ensure all tools and processes comply with applicable security and regulatory standards (e.g., HIPAA, NIST, VA cybersecurity policies) and implement measures to safeguard sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access.

5.3.1.4 ANNUAL ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE REVIEW

• The Contractor shall perform an annual, comprehensive review of the EHRM

Program’s efforts including but not limited to Product Roadmaps, Operating Plans, Multi-Year Plans, Integrated Master Plans, and Work Breakdown Schedules.

• The Contractor shall prepare and deliver an Annual Performance Baseline Report (PBR) to the EHRM Program, documenting the time-phased budget, work, and schedule plan, and including analysis of SI-related contributions and support to VHA, Federal EHRM Program Office (see https://www.fehrm.gov/) for more information), OIT and other federal organizations as directed.

• The Contractor shall identify and recommend process improvements based on the annual review to enhance program delivery and resource utilization.

5.3.1.5 ALIGNMENT AND INTEGRATION

• The Contractor shall ensure that performance baseline management and annual review activities are coordinated with ongoing performance management, metrics, outcome-based measures, and reporting activities to provide a unified and actionable view of program performance.

• The Contractor shall collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that baseline and review findings inform continuous improvement and decision-making processes.

A. Performance Baseline Management Plan B. Annual Performance Baseline Report (PBR) https://www.fehrm.gov/

5.3.2 Governance Structure and Operations

The Contractor shall assess and recommend changes to the existing EHRM governance structure, This governance structure will ensure accountability, facilitate streamlined decision-making, and provide a clear hierarchy for managing program activities as part of overall process improvement.

Assess and make recommendations to improve a decision-making framework to resolve conflicts and approve changes to scope, schedule, or budget. This framework should provide structured guidelines for addressing disputes and ensuring that changes are evaluated and approved in a transparent and timely manner.

5.3.3 Organizational Change Management, Training and End User Engagement And Adoption

5.3.3.1 Change Readiness Support

The Contractor shall evaluate and recommend improvements to the existing comprehensive Change Management Plan to address the organizational cultural and operational impacts associated with the deployment of the EHRM solution. This plan shall guide end-users through the transition, proactively addressing concerns, and fostering acceptance of the new system.

The Contractor shall use the currently approved government change management model.

To ensure ongoing successful transitions, the Contractor shall support thorough change readiness assessments to evaluate the workforce's preparedness for adopting the new EHRM solution.

The Contractor shall provide recommendations for sustaining the change and ensuring long-term adoption of the new EHRM solution.

5.3.3.2 Training And Engagement

The Contractor shall provide comprehensive training and change management support to ensure successful adoption of the EHRM solution. The training program shall be designed to equip end-users with the necessary skills to effectively navigate the system, reduce resistance, and improve adoption rates.

The Contractor shall support tailored readiness assessments to evaluate end-user preparedness and support the development of training materials specific to clinical and administrative roles for each deployment and transition to EHRM. These materials shall address the unique needs of various user groups, ensuring relevance and effectiveness in supporting the transition to the new EHR system. Customized training materials shall address the specific needs of various user groups, including functional, technical, and administrative personnel, to ensure relevance and effectiveness.

The Contractor shall support adaptive training programs to improve workforce skills and competencies, enhance change readiness scores, and address…