HT003826SC005-AOI0001_EUS_AWACS_Question_Log.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 107 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- HT003826SC005-AOI0001
- Issued by
-
Defense Health Agency
About this file
This is a Question and Answer (Q&A) log documenting 196 questions and Government responses related to the Defense Health Agency's Phase 1 solicitation for Application, Workflow, Adoption, and Change Support (AWACS) services under the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Medical Digital Solutions (PAE MDS) End User Services (EUS) program (Solicitation Number HT003826SC005-AOI0001). The Q&A addresses clarifications on evaluation criteria, submission requirements, security requirements, staffing qualifications, technical architecture, data access, scope boundaries, and operational expectations for Pillars 2, 3, and 5 of the EUS ecosystem.
Phase 1 requires a 10-page whitepaper submission (minimum 12-point Times New Roman font, with 10-point font permitted for tables and figures) plus supporting appendices (Appendix A: two-page Day 1 Continuity Crosswalk; Addenda 1 and 2) submitted by September 14, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT via email. Evaluation focuses on three Go/No-Go criteria: Innovation and Modernization Value, Continuity and Transition Risk, and Outcome Accountability. Contractors must propose outcome-based Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) with conceptual fee-at-risk structures; the Government will not establish specific XLA metrics, but contractors may propose commercial past performance and must address 11 distinct user domains operating from garrison to disconnected environments. The anticipated contract is Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) for core operations with Cost-Reimbursable/Not-To-Exceed treatment for travel and Other Direct Costs; award is anticipated October 31, 2026, with a 12-month base plus four 12-month options. All personnel performing cybersecurity functions must hold active DoD cybersecurity certifications; personnel supporting austere/DDIL environments and all functional/technical trainers require SECRET clearance at award, with the Government sponsoring required Facility Clearances for the awardee. The Government acts as overarching Service Integration and Management (SIAM) authority, will provide existing artifact libraries and knowledge transfer support from incumbents, and will furnish Government-provided platforms (ServiceNow, JKO, MED365) with secure API/data access to be defined in Phase 2. Contractors may propose supplementary commercial technologies (e.g., digital adoption platforms, AI content tools) provided they comply with DoD data boundaries and do not train commercial AI models on Government data; proposed technologies need not possess an active ATO at Phase 1 submission but must achieve authorization post-award. The solicitation does not set aside for small business but recognizes that small business subcontracting plan rules and socioeconomic preferences depend on the resulting contractual instrument (FAR Part 12 versus Other Transaction Authority). Phase 2 instructions will be provided only to offerors receiving a "GO" rating in Phase 1.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| EUS_AOI1_AWACS_090926.pdf | ||
| EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | ||
| EUS AWACS AOI 1 Appendix B.pdf | ||
| EUS AoI1_AWACS_ Appendix A.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet |
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Questions
| ID | Question | Attachment / Document | Page/Section/Topic | Gov't Response |
| 1 | Can the Government clarify whether any offeror has received preferential information, commitments, or assurances regarding the anticipated EUS acquisition or award? | The Government has not made an award or provided any offeror with an assurance, commitment, or indication that it will receive an award under the EUS requirement. Any statements to the contrary are not authorized by the Government. All interested parties should rely solely on official solicitation communications and notices issued through the designated Government channels. The Government will conduct this acquisition in accordance with applicable procurement laws, regulations, and the terms of the solicitation. | ||
| 2 | Will the Government accept commercial past performance as a substitute for federal past performance under the Phase 1 white paper evaluation? | Yes. Phase 1 focuses on innovation and basic feasibility. Commercial past performance that demonstrates the capability to execute the proposed modernization strategy is highly encouraged and acceptable. Contractors must follow instructions/guidelines outlined in AOI 1, page 7, section "Addendum 2" related to this requirement. | ||
| 3 | Please confirm whether prime-recipient teaming or subcontracting arrangements are permitted under this AOI, and if so, whether a small business may participate solely as a subcontractor without serving as the prime contractor. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details | Contractors have the ability to partner, and it is the discretion of the contractors' bidding. Responses should clearly indicate whether the company is collaborating with any other organizations to deliver the proposed solution. If a submission is on behalf of a group of companies, the white paper should clearly address the contribution of each company to the approach. |
| 4 | Please clarify the small business eligibility posture for AOI #1 AWACS. Specifically: (a) is this acquisition set aside entirely for small business under FAR Subpart 19.5, (b) does the Government intend to apply any socioeconomic preferences (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB), and (c) if no set-aside applies, will small business participation still be evaluated or credited under any source-selection factor? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | Page 1 | Requirements for small business participation and subcontracting goals under a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) depend on the resulting contractual instrument (FAR Part 12 Commercial Contract vs. Other Transaction Authority under 10 U.S.C. § 4022) and the size of the prime contractor. For standard FAR Part 12 contracts resulting from a CSO, traditional small business subcontracting plan rules (FAR Part 19 / DFARS 219) apply if threshold criteria are met. For Other Transactions (OTs), statutory non-traditional/small business participation conditions govern eligibility and cost-share exemptions. |
| 5 | The evaluation factor 'Financial Accountability tied to XLAs (fee-at-risk / outcome-based incentives)' is referenced, but the specific XLA metrics, their weighting, the fee-at-risk percentage, and the formula that converts XLA performance into payment are not specified in the requirements excerpt. Please provide: (a) the specific XLAs and their relative weights, (b) the percentage of fee placed at risk, (c) the measurement period and remediation windows, and (d) whether the Government will share a draft XLA dictionary or performance scorecard before white paper submission. | Contractors have the ability to propose specific XLA metrics, weight, fee at risk percentage, and measurement period that demonstrated the outcome-based value of their solution and approach. | ||
| 6 | The requirements state 'the contractor shall, at time of award, have implemented the security requirements prescribed in NIST SP 800-171.' Please clarify: (a) does 'implemented' require a fully remediated SSP with 100% of the 110 controls assessed as Met, or is a Plan of Action with Milestones (POA&M) acceptable at award with remediation continuing post-award, (b) will the Government accept a third-party assessment (e.g., CMMC Level 2 C3PAO) in lieu of a DCMA review, and (c) what is the Government's expected timeline for ATO/ATO-C issuance relative to award? | a) NIST SP 800 171, does not require a fully remediated System Security Plan (SSP) with 100% of the 110 controls assessed as “Met” at the time of award. DFARS 252.204 7020 recognizes that contractors may submit a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) at award, with remediation continuing after contract start. A POA&M must show (1) what controls are not yet met, (2) the actions and timelines for remediation and (3) evidence of progress toward meeting all 110 controls. |
b) The Government generally cannot accept a third party assessment in lieu of a full DoW Contracting Agency review unless the third party is a Recognized Assessor and it is accepted.
| (c) | There is no standard or expected timeline for Authority to Operate (ATO) issuance. The timeframe is heavily dependent on the vendor providing documentation. The common steps to achieve are: Develop and submit categorization; Categorization approved by RMED; Select and implement controls; Develop and submit Test Plan; Test plan approved by RMED; Develop and submit Security Package; SP approved by RMED; Develop and submit authorization request; RMED approves authorization; and Continuously update and submit all Artifacts, Documentation, and Security Control Testing. | ||||
| 7 | The requirements state 'Contractor personnel who do not have proper and current certifications shall be denied access to DoW IS for the purpose of performing IA functions.' Please confirm whether this DoD Manual 8140.03 certification requirement applies to (a) only personnel performing Cybersecurity Information Assurance / cyberspace functions, or (b) all contractor and subcontractor personnel who touch any DHA IT system, including those performing application development, training delivery, or change management support. | All DoD personnel assigned to positions requiring the performance of cyberspace work as identified in DoDI 8140.02 8140.03 in accordance with the DoD Cyberspace Workforce Framework (DCWF). This includes Service members, DoD civilian employees (including non-appropriated fund employees), personnel who provide contracted services (referred to in this issuance as “contractors”), and foreign nationals. | |||
| 8 | Please provide the white paper / solution brief format requirements that are not stated in the excerpt we have reviewed, specifically: (a) page or word count limits, (b) required section structure and headings, (c) font/margin/file-naming conventions for DoDSAFE upload, (d) whether cost or pricing data is required with the white paper or only upon Phase 2 invitation, and (e) whether oral presentations, prototypes, or demonstrations are anticipated. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details | IAW the EUS AOI1 AWACS Document, Section 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details, Submission Format, pages 6-7: |
(a) & (b): Maximum of ten (10) pages. Standard corporate marketing material is prohibited. Min Font 12pt Times New Roman (c). Required File Naming:
COMPANYNAME_AOI1_WhitePaper.docx (or .doc) COMPANYNAME_AOI1_APPENDIX_A.xls (or .xlsx) COMPANYNAME_AOI1_ADDENDUM1.docx(or.doc) COMPANYNAME_AOI1_ADDENDUM2.docx(or.doc)
(d) & (e): Not required for Phase 1
9 Please clarify the contract type and pricing structure for AOI #1 AWACS. The requirements reference 'the cost for travel is incorporated into the fixed price; no additional funding will be provided for travel' and 'outcome-based' XLAs, but do not state the overall contract type (e.g., FFP, FPIF, T&M, hybrid). Specifically: (a) is the base effort fixed-price with award-fee/incentive-fee tied to XLAs, (b) what is the anticipated ceiling and the share of total fee at risk, and (c) how will the Government handle XLAs that depend on data feeds from Pillar 1 ITSM if those feeds are unavailable? Contract type will be provided during Phase 2
To clarify, Phase 2 instructions will provide a Pricing requirements structure that separates Travel and authorized Other Direct Costs (ODCs) into Cost-Reimbursable / Not-To-Exceed (NTE) CLINs. Contractors are not required to absorb unpredictable travel into their FFP baseline.
(a) The core operations effort will be Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP). For Phase 1, Contractors must propose their conceptual fee-at-risk or incentive structures tied to XLAs.
(b) The Government will not establish or publish a specific dollar ceiling for AoI #01 at this time. To appropriately scale their Phase 1 whitepapers, Contractors should size their proposed solutions, innovations, and fee-at-risk concepts based on the operational volumes and baseline metrics provided in Appendix A. The Government’s objective is to achieve a progressively lower cost-to-serve through automation.
(c) SLA/XLA performance metrics will include standard exemptions for Government-caused delays, including outages or data-feed disruptions from mandatory Government-Furnished Systems (e.g., Pillar 1 ITSM)."
| 10 | The AOI states a 10-page whitepaper page limit with minimum 12pt Times New Roman font. Do tables, figures, diagrams, and captions count toward the page limit, and is a smaller font size (for example 10pt) permitted for tables, figures, and captions? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details | This is acceptable. Contractors may use 10pt font size for tables, figures, and captions. Tables of Contents, tables, figures, and captions count towards the 10 page count. |
| 11 | The AOI is silent on page margins and line spacing. Are 1-inch margins and single spacing acceptable, or does the Government require different values? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details | This is acceptable. Please also see Question #10. |
| 12 | Appendix A is limited to two pages but is submitted as an Excel workbook. How will the two-page limit be assessed for the workbook, and is a landscape print layout of the Day 1 worksheet with an added offeror response column the expected form of the response? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.2 Appendix A | Contractors may submit Appendix A as a PDF matrix (11x17 paper size permitted) to ensure compliance with the 2-page limit, provided all tasks from the Government-provided baseline data are addressed. |
| 13 | Uploading to DoDSAFE requires a drop-off request code issued by a CAC-holding recipient. Will the POCs issue DoDSAFE drop-off request codes to offerors on request, by when should offerors request one, and is there a file size cap or required package structure (single archive versus individual files)? Please also confirm the .docx and .xlsx file format for the two named files is acceptable as uploaded attachments rather than by email. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.2 Points of Contact / Submission | Submission Instructions have been updated. Please submit via email to Katelyn O'Connor, katelyn.j.oconnor.civ@health.mil and Jena Bowman, jena.l.bowman.civ@health.mil |
Required File Naming:
COMPANYNAME_AOI1_WhitePaper.docx (or .doc) COMPANYNAME_AOI1_APPENDIX_A.xls (or .xlsx) COMPANYNAME_AOI1_ADDENDUM1.docx(or.doc) COMPANYNAME_AOI1_ADDENDUM2.docx(or.doc) 14 Will all questions and answers be posted to SAM.gov as an amendment visible to all interested parties, and if amendments materially change the AOI close to the 2026-09-13 amendment cutoff, will the Government extend the response deadline? EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) 3.2 Questions / SAM.gov Questions: Must be submitted via email to the POCs listed above no later than September 2, 2026, at 11:00 AM EDT. Answers will be posted collectively on SAM.gov no later than close of business (COB) on September 10, 2026. Questions received after September 2, 2026 11:00AM EDT will not be considered.
The Government does anticipate the AOI materially changing, and extensions will be provided as appropriate.
| 15 | Is the use of AI-assisted development and content tools (for example GitHub Copilot and Claude Code) permitted in performance, provided no Government Data is used to train, develop, enhance, or improve any commercial AI or ML model per section 5.0? Does the section 5.0 restriction extend to retrieval or in-context use of Government Data by an AI service that performs no model training? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 2.3 / 5.0 Data Ownership | The restriction applies to the continuous training, fine-tuning, or enhancement of proprietary or commercial foundation models using Government data. The use of approved, stateless AI/ML tools operating securely within authorized DoD boundaries is permitted. |
| 16 | The AOI references transitioning from legacy, labor-intensive support contracts. For the services within Pillars 2, 3, and 5, can the Government identify the incumbent contractor(s), contract number(s), and current annual value(s), so offerors can scale continuity and price realistically? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 1.2 EUS Overview / Transition Strategy | The Government is seeking outcome-based modernization rather than replicating legacy staffing models. Historical operational volumes and baseline data provided in Appendix A are sufficient for Phase 1. Incumbent contract details will not be provided. |
| 17 | Are the incumbent contractor(s) funded and required to provide knowledge transfer and transition support during phase-in, and will the Government furnish the existing Government-owned artifact libraries (training content, workflow libraries, EHRu, Adoption Central, and JOMIS Connect content, JKO course records) to the successor on Day 1? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 2.1 Core Capability Sustainment | Yes, the Government will facilitate transition activities with incumbents and will furnish existing artifact libraries (training content, SharePoint content, JKO records) to the successor on during Phase 2. |
| 18 | For Phase 2 pricing, will the Government publish an IGCE, anticipated ceiling, or estimated labor categories and hours per pillar, or should offerors derive the level of effort solely from the Appendix A baseline volumes? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.5 Phase 2 Preview | Phase 2 instructions will be provided to submitters that have received a "GO" rating in Phase 1. |
| 19 | Day 1 items 23 through 25 direct that historical data be documented (average tickets in the named ServiceNow groups and Visual Task Boards, monthly Major Incident volume and MIM bridge-call hours, and the annual frequency and locations of physical site visits so vendors can build travel budgets). Will the Government publish these historical figures before Phase 2 submissions are due? | EUS AoI1_AWACS_ Appendix A (workbook) | Day 1 worksheet, items 23-25 | Yes, the Government provides the following historical baseline data for Day 1 items #23, #24, and #25 to support Offeror pricing and solutioning. This information is also reflected in the Current State Execution tab of Appendix A. A total of 16 ServiceNow Queues each with its own visual dashboard. |
1. MHS GENESIS Intake / Triage Queues: ~9,382 incidents/year
2. MHS GENESIS Steering Committee (ISC) Queues: ~1,050 incidents/year
3. JSaAB Level 2 / Service Catalog Tasks: ~328 tasks/year
4. Training Domain Error Queue: with 585 tickets in CY2025 5. Major Incident Management (MIM) & Bridge Calls (Day 1 Task #24): The operational baseline averages approximately 13 system downtimes per month and 35 urgent patient-safety alerts per year. The Contractor is expected to provide designated SMEs to support Government-led MIM bridge calls for all declared Priority 1 incidents.
In addition, a specific process exists for Training Domain "Hard Stop" incidents (which disrupt scheduled training events):
Contractor-Initiated Response: For these specific incidents, the Contractor is responsible for initiating the ServiceNow ticket and formally requesting the GSC technical bridge line.
Continuous SME Staffing: The Contractor's designated SME must staff the bridge call continuously from initiation until a resolution or final disposition is reached, serving as the primary expert who can speak to the details of the incident.
| 20 | Travel and other direct costs (ODC) are incorporated into the fixed price with no additional funding. Since historical travel frequency and locations are not yet published, will the Government provide that data (per Day 1 item 25), and who bears the cost of software licenses the Government directs the contractor to use beyond the platforms listed in section 4.1? | EUS AWACS AOI 1 Appendix B | 1.2 Travel / 1.7 ODC | Contractors should provide a price model structure that discretely identifies ODC and Travel. Additional information will be included in Phase 2 instructions. |
| 21 | For onsite exercise support and surge training events, what Government-furnished equipment (training hardware, peripherals, network access) will be provided, and is the contractor expected to furnish and maintain deployable training hardware kits within the fixed price? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 6.0 GFP/GFE | All training hardware and software to deliver training is provided by the government; units provide end user devices and equipment to support training delivery. Contractor is required to manage and maintain hardware kits. |
| 22 | Several Current State rows carry no value in the Current Actual SLA or XLA columns (for example the JOMIS rows). Where the workbook shows no baseline value, are offerors bound to a historical baseline the Government holds but has not published, or do proposed service level values in Section 2 of the whitepaper establish the baseline? Please also confirm the required response and resolution expectations, if any, for remote SME support within the Government ITSM process (Day 1 item 14). | EUS AoI1_AWACS_ Appendix A (workbook) | Current State Execution worksheet | The Government requires uninterrupted continuity of remote Subject Matter Expert (SME) support on Day 1 with no degradation of current operational support to the clinical enterprise. |
Specific response-time and resolution-time expectations for remote SME support are not pre-defined with numeric targets in the Current State workbook. Contractors shall propose their response and resolution commitments in Section 2 of the whitepaper.
Where baseline values are absent, Contractors should use their commercial expertise to propose ambitious, viable SLAs/XLAs in their Phase 1 Whitepaper. Specific response expectations for remote SME support should align with the Offeror's proposed SLAs.
| 23 | The baseline shows 99 known defects in open status averaging 188 days open. Does this open backlog transfer to the successor contractor on Day 1, and do any existing POA&M items or corrective action plans associated with the current EUS services transfer as well? | EUS AoI1_AWACS_ Appendix A (workbook) | Current State Execution, Defect Management rows | Yes, the open defect backlog and any associated corrective action plans transfer to the successor on Day 1. Contractors must account for assuming and burning down this backlog within their Phase 1 innovation and transition framework. |
| 24 | If Phase 2 requires past performance references, may offerors substitute CPARS report cards for past performance questionnaires to reduce burden on Government references? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 3.5 Phase 2 Preview | At this time, the Government is requesting Phase 1 submissions. Phase 2 instructions will be provided to submitters that receive a "Go" Rating. |
| 25 | Where an offeror proposes a contractor-hosted component that would process CUI, please confirm (a) the FedRAMP Moderate or High equivalence and the ATO requirement of section 1.16 are adjudicated prior to integration into the production environment rather than at whitepaper submission, and (b) that an authorization boundary scoped to Government-provided platforms (section 4.1), with contractor tooling deployed inside Government environments, satisfies sections 1.13 and 1.16 without a separate contractor ATO. Should offerors state their current authorization status and plan in the whitepaper? | EUS AWACS AOI 1 Appendix B | 1.13 Cloud Computing / 1.16 RMF | For Phase 1, Contractors must conceptually demonstrate how their proposed architecture complies with DoD data boundaries. Specific timelines for achieving Authority to Operate (ATO) or FedRAMP equivalence for contractor-hosted tools will be evaluated in Phase 2. |
| 26 | Section 4.3 requires some number of employees possessing a SECRET clearance on day 1. How many SECRET-cleared personnel does the Government anticipate for the Pillar 2, 3, and 5 scope, is a facility clearance (FCL) required of the offeror at award, and if so will the Government sponsor the FCL for an otherwise successful awardee? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 4.3 Security Clearance Requirements | Please reference Appendix B for security clearances. Within Pillars 2, 3, & 5, e.g.., all functional and technical trainers and other staff supporting austere/DDIL will require a SECRET clearance. FCL access is required for access to classified information; government will sponsor for required FCL with applicable NISP (National Industrial Security Program) requirements. |
| 27 | For personnel in ADP/IT-II positions, please confirm the citizenship requirements and the background investigation tier required to begin performance (interim T3 acceptable or fully adjudicated only). Are any positions under this AOI designated key personnel, and will resumes or minimum qualifications be required in Phase 2? | EUS AWACS AOI 1 Appendix B | 1.11 IT and Security / 1.18 Personnel Security | Standard DoD requirements for ADP/IT-II positions apply (an interim T3 is generally acceptable to begin performance, subject to final adjudication). Key personnel instructions will be provided in Phase 2. |
| 28 | The posting shows no set-aside. Will any resulting FAR-based award or future related AoI under CSO HT003826SC005 be set aside for small business, and does small business participation carry any evaluation consideration at Phase 1 or Phase 2? | SAM.gov posting | General Information | See Q4 Response. |
| 29 | Appendix B 1.1 states virtual work is strongly encouraged while section 7.1 requires 24/7 support for global hospitals and weekend duty. Please confirm the Pillar 2, 3, and 5 services may be performed remotely from contractor facilities except for scheduled onsite events, and clarify which service windows (24/7 versus business hours plus weekends) apply to each pillar in this AOI's scope. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS (AOI 1) | 7.1 Hours of Operation / Appendix B 1.1 | Core services may be performed remotely provided the Offeror meets all SLAs/XLAs. However, the Offeror must maintain an adequate workforce to ensure uninterrupted 24/7 support for global hospital operations and weekend system implementations. |
| 30 | Regarding Pillar 5 (Change, Communications & Trust), can the government clarify whether the "Campaign in a Box" scope is expected to be delivered by the prime contractor directly, or whether subcontracting to specialized firms (e.g., multimedia production, communications agencies) is anticipated or encouraged? | The Government highly encourages prime/subcontractor teaming arrangements to ensure specialized commercial expertise (e.g., multimedia production, strategic communications) is utilized. The Prime contractor remains accountable for delivery. | ||
| 31 | For the Enablement & Adoption Services scope (Pillar 3), what types of multimedia and training deliverables are envisioned? Is there a preference for specific formats (video, eLearning, interactive media, print)? | The Government does not prescribe specific formats. Contractors should propose the most effective, modern learning architectures (e.g., microlearning, in-workflow enablement, interactive media) that drastically reduce reliance on traditional classroom training. | ||
| 32 | Regarding the Phase-Gate competition model mentioned in the solicitation, can the government provide additional detail on what deliverables or capabilities must be demonstrated at each gate, specifically for the Change, Communications & Trust workstream? | There is no specific gate for Change Communication and Trust. The Eval criteria for Phase 1 is included in the AoI. | ||
| 33 | For firms without prior DHA or MHS GENESIS experience but with strong commercial healthcare or federal change management and communications experience, what pathways exist to demonstrate relevant capability under the CSO evaluation criteria? | The Government seeks modern, commercial approaches to end-user enablement and organizational change management. Firms lacking specific MHS GENESIS experience are encouraged to form teaming arrangements with partners who possess the requisite healthcare domain expertise and/or have pertinent experience. | ||
| 34 | Does the government anticipate a small business subcontracting goal for this AOI? If so, what percentage is expected? | See Q4 Response. | ||
| 35 | For the mandatory Day 1 Continuity Crosswalk, will the Government provide any additional baseline operational data, current workload volumes, staffing assumptions, incumbent performance information, or transition artifacts beyond Appendix A and the EUS Baseline Data referenced in the AOI? | For Phase 1 Whitepaper submissions, no additional data will be provided beyond Appendix A. The provided baseline data is sufficient for Contractors to demonstrate conceptual feasibility, strategic alignment, and Day 1 continuity. | ||
| 36 | Does the requirement for SECRET-cleared personnel apply to all personnel proposed under AWACS, or only personnel performing duties requiring access to classified systems, information, or facilities? If applicable by role, may personnel obtain the required clearance after award while appropriately cleared personnel provide interim coverage? | An active SECRET Facility Clearance (FCL) is required at the time of award. The Government does not intend to sponsor FCLs for initial award. |
Because this is an outcome-based acquisition, the Government will not prescribe a specific headcount. Instead, Contractors must determine the appropriate number of cleared personnel based on their own proposed staffing models. As a planning parameter, Contractors must ensure that all functional and technical trainers supporting applications, as well as any personnel deploying to austere (DDIL) environments, possess active SECRET clearances.
| 37 | Because AWACS covers Pillars 2, 3, and 5 while requiring integration with Pillar 1 ITSM and the broader SIAM authority, should Offerors assume the Government or another EUS provider will own enterprise SIAM orchestration, ServiceNow administration, and cross-pillar governance, with the AWACS contractor responsible for interfaces, data exchange, and compliance with those processes? | Yes. The Government will act as the overarching Service Integration and Management (SIAM) authority. Other designated contractors (e.g., Pillar 1 providers) may support the Government with ITSM system (e.g., ServiceNow) platform administration. The AWACS Contractor will provide full orchestration and collaboration exclusively for the scope of this AoI to include the Government ITSM. The Contractor is responsible for proposing an operational framework to seamlessly interface with these enterprise processes, comply with governance standards, and provide modern data deliverables to support the Government's SIAM authority. The AWACS Contractor will be responsible for intake of data, data exchange, and must ensure compliance with AWACS XLAs and SLAs. | ||
| 38 | Regarding the 8 pillars in the EUS ecosystem, is there an intent to issue any AoIs for the 5 pillars not represented in this CSO (or the other 4, assuming that pillar 8 has one issued as is mentioned as a possibility) | At this time, this AOI #01 is only for Pillars 2, 3, and 5. Potential AOIs for the other pillars may be released as appropriate. | ||
| 39 | Could you please confirm whether a collaborative whitepaper may identify a qualified prime or lead technical partner responsible for the applicable healthcare domain expertise, Day 1 continuity, cleared personnel, and required security posture? If so, please advise whether there are any specific requirements or restrictions for presenting individual team-member roles, qualifications, and relevant experience in the whitepaper and Appendix A Continuity Crosswalk | See Q3 response. | ||
| 40 | The AOI states that PAE MDS is transitioning from legacy, labor-intensive support contracts to a unified, outcome-based EUS delivery model. Please identify the current contract(s) and task order(s), including incumbent contractor(s) and contract/task order numbers, that perform the baseline operational capabilities being transitioned into AWACS under Pillars 2, 3, and 5. If AWACS consolidates capabilities currently performed under multiple contracts, please identify the applicable scope associated with each current contract. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 3-4, Sections 1.2 and 2.1 | The Government will not provide incumbent contract numbers, historical staffing levels, or incumbent labor mixes. Offerors must propose an optimized, modernized service model based on the operational volumes provided in Appendix A. |
| 41 | The AOI references the expanding PAE MDS product ecosystem and requires the EUS framework to rapidly ingest and support net-new clinical or business applications. Please identify the current clinical and business applications/products within the PAE MDS portfolio that the AWACS contractor will be expected to support at contract start and, where applicable, indicate which applications are associated with the baseline operational activities identified in Appendix A. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 3 and 8, Sections 1.2 and 3.3 | A comprehensive list of current applications (e.g., MHS GENESIS, MHS GENESIS - Theater, Phillips, Henry Schein, Amwell, Operational Medicine Data Service (OMDS), Theater Blood-Mobile (TBLD-M), MedHUB, BATTAK, Maritime Medical Modules, Operational Medicine Care Delivery Platform (CDP), JMPT/MPTK Medical Planning (Anticipated FY27Q3), TRAC2ES, Joint Legacy Viewer (JLV), Defense Blood Systems (DBS), DMLSS, |
| 42 | Section 1.2 identifies eight integrated EUS Service Pillars and states that AWACS focuses on Pillars 2, 3, and 5 while integrating with the broader EUS ecosystem. Please clarify the functional and operational boundaries between AWACS Pillars 2, 3, and 5 and the services performed under the remaining EUS pillars, particularly Pillar 1, Service Desk & ITSM; Pillar 4, Disconnected Enabler; Pillar 6, Service Intelligence & Governance Support; and Pillar 7, Program Management & Service Integration. Where an end-to-end user workflow crosses multiple pillars, which organization retains responsibility for service ownership, escalation, and performance measurement? | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | p. 3, Section 1.2 | The Government acts as the overarching SIAM authority (Pillar 7 equivalent). Pillar 1 is Tier 1 level triage support and associated services. Pillar 4 is other disconnected services not directly related to functional and technical enablement, adoption, and application and clinical experts. Pillar 6 aggregates enterprise data broader than the scope within or related to AWACS. AWACS (Pillars 2, 3, 5) owns clinical workflow coaching, workflow development and maintenance, remote application and clinical support, in-workflow enablement, training, and data exchange to the SIAM. AWACS is responsible for its respective service ownership, escalation, and SLA/XLA performance measurement. |
| 43 | Section 3.3 requires Offerors to describe how the proposed architecture and tools will synchronize, operate, or gracefully degrade in DDIL environments, while Section 1.2 identifies Pillar 4 as the Disconnected Enabler. Please clarify the AWACS contractor's technical responsibilities in DDIL environments versus the capabilities, infrastructure, and services provided through Pillar 4. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 3-4 and 8, Sections 1.2, 2.1, and 3.3 | AWACS is responsible for the content (e.g., online and offline training, adoption resources), the human capital to stage/configure hardware in support of exercises, and other training and adoption activities. |
| 44 | The AOI permits Offerors to propose software/technology and requires applicable licensing terms to be identified, while also identifying Government-provided technologies that proposed solutions must integrate with and utilize. Does the Government anticipate that Offerors will propose a contractor-provided commercial or proprietary technology platform as part of the AWACS modernization solution, or may the proposed approach primarily configure, integrate, and automate Government-provided technologies? If contractor-provided technology is anticipated, please clarify any hosting, interoperability, authorization, or deployment constraints that Offerors should consider in Phase 1. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 6-7 and 9-10, Sections 3.2, 4.1, and 5.0 | Contractors must integrate with the mandatory Government platforms (ServiceNow, JKO, MED365, etc.) to ensure Day 1 continuity. Contractors proposing supplementary contractor-provided commercial technologies (e.g., Enterprise & Cross‑App Adoption Tools/Digital Adoption Platforms, AI content & Video Tools, Conversational Adoption Tools, Workflow & Documentation Platforms) are highly encouraged. |
| 45 | Sections 2.1 and 3.3 require a "parallel innovation" framework that enables new automated workflows and technologies to be tested and scaled without high-risk hard cutovers. Please clarify the Government's anticipated process for approving, testing, piloting, and promoting new automated workflows or technologies into operational use, including available non-production environments, Government approval authorities, cybersecurity/ATO requirements, and production release authorities. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 4 and 8, Sections 2.1 and 3.3 | The Government SIAM authority will govern release and cybersecurity approvals. Detailed approval workflows and non-production environments will be defined in Phase 2. |
| 46 | The AOI requires the AWACS framework to rapidly ingest, support, and update training materials for net-new clinical or business applications added to the PAE MDS portfolio. Please provide, if available, the anticipated number, types, and onboarding frequency of net-new applications expected during the anticipated period of performance | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 3 and 8, Sections 1.2 and 3.3 | The Government anticipates 1 major update each quarter for each product, 3 changes that effect user experience monthly, and anticipates 2 new systems within the DHMSM portfolio in the next 12 months. System changes are dynamic, therefore the Contractor shall consider a price model structure that supports discrete new capability intake and separate surge support. JOMIS - FY27/Q3 - JMPT/MPTK Medical Planning & Simulation will be incorporated into the suite of applications as an agile ingestion; no further information on anticipated number, types, personnel to be trained is available. Will include deliberate planning, crisis management, simulation and analytics support, and training curricula / training for the software incorporation. |
| 47 | The AOI requires an agile rapid-response surge capability for short-notice onsite training, application functional/technical expertise, and hardware staging/teardown, while Appendix B establishes potential travel and OCONUS support requirements. Please provide available historical information regarding the frequency, typical duration, geographic distribution, notice period, and approximate level of effort associated with short-notice onsite training, application support, military exercises, hardware staging/teardown, and other surge activities. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf; EUS AWACS AOI 1 Appendix B.pdf | pp. 4 and 8, Sections 2.1 and 3.3, pp. 1-2, Sections 1.1-1.2 and 1.8 |
Please reference "AWACS 47…" Tab in this workbook.
48 Section 7.1 of the AOI references 24/7 support for global hospitals and healthcare operations and expected weekend duty, while Appendix B describes business-hours support for a global operating healthcare system, including weekends, and after-hours availability for designated points of contact. Please clarify which AWACS functions require continuous 24/7 coverage, which require scheduled weekend coverage, and which are performed during standard business hours with after-hours/on-call support. EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf, EUS AWACS AOI 1 Appendix B.pdf p. 11, Section 7.1; pp. 1-2, Sections 1.4-1.5 Contractors must propose an adequate workforce to ensure uninterrupted 24/7 support for global hospital operations and weekend system implementations. If some services are not always available, Contractors should identify which services are not available, what the Contractor defines as standard business hours, and how after hours support is provided, if applicable.
Contractors are encourage to consider that facilities in Japan hours of operation begin on Sunday evening east coast time; National Guard and Reserve conduct training drills on weekends; and acute care and shift staff occur at night and weekends.
| 49 | Section 3.3 requires Offerors to propose at least two Transition SLAs guaranteeing that Day 1 support metrics will match or exceed historical baselines, and Section 3.4 evaluates the credibility of those commitments. Please identify the historical baseline performance metrics and corresponding performance levels against which Offerors are expected to establish these guarantees. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 8-9, Sections 3.3-3.4 | Contractors should base Phase 1 conceptual SLAs and XLAs on the operational volumes in Appendix A. | |
| 50 | The AOI requires Offerors to propose XLAs focused on user sentiment, system adoption, usability, and trust and describes the use of surveys, telemetry, workflow analytics, and other data to assess user experience and adoption. Please identify any existing user sentiment, adoption, usability, trust, training satisfaction, or workflow compliance measures and historical results available to establish the starting baseline for the proposed XLAs. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS.pdf | pp. 5 and 8-9, Sections 2.2-2.3 and 3.3-3.4 | See response to Q49. | |
| 51 | What are the service boundaries among Pillar 1, SIAM, and Pillars 2, 3, and 5? | See response to Q42. | |||
| 52 | Will DHA provide historical performance data for Transition SLA and XLA baselining? | See response to Q49. | |||
| 53 | What exactly constitutes “Day 1,” and how long is the transition period? | Contractors shall be able to deliver services outlined in Appendix A upon award. | |||
| 54 | How will performance be adjudicated when outcomes depend on Government systems or other contractors? | SLA/XLA performance adjudication will include standard exemptions/pauses for dependencies outside the contractor's control (e.g., outages of mandatory Government-Furnished Systems or SIAM delays). | |||
| 55 | What AI/ML uses, environments, and Government-data processing patterns are permissible? | The restriction applies to the continuous training or enhancement of commercial foundation models using Government data. Government-hosted, tenant-isolated, or stateless AI/ML capabilities operating securely within DoD boundaries are permitted. | |||
| 56 | How will DHA balance innovation against transition risk, demonstrated capability, price, small-business participation, and acceptance of fee-at-risk outcomes? | See Q4 response regarding SB. | |||
| 57 | Does DHA permit contractor-hosted SaaS tools, or must all capabilities operate within Government-furnished or DoD-authorized environments? | Contractor-hosted SaaS tools are permitted provided they comply with DoD data boundaries and security requirements. Please review to AoI for additional information regarding AI/ML training and data rights. | |||
| 58 | Does the 24/7 requirement apply to all Pillar 2, 3, and 5 activities or only critical clinical/application support? | See response to Q48. | |||
| 59 | Will DHA identify incumbent contracts, incumbent contractors, staffing levels, locations, and historical workload volumes? | The Government will not provide incumbent contract numbers, historical staffing levels, or incumbent labor mixes. Offerors must propose an optimized, modernized service model based on the operational volumes provided in Appendix A. | |||
| 60 | Will the Government provide the current-state service inventory for Pillars 2, 3, and 5? | Appendix A provides the required baseline for Phase 1. | |||
| 61 | What applications, products, locations, and user populations are included at transition? | See response to Q41. | |||
| 62 | Will DHA provide ticket volumes, training volumes, deployment schedules, site lists, and release calendars? | See response to Q46. And Appendix A. | |||
| 63 | What Government-furnished equipment, facilities, systems, licenses, and data access will be available? | Please reference tab in this workbook - "AWACS 63 JOMIS GFI GFE". | |||
| 64 | Is the 12-page limit inclusive of cover pages, tables of contents, graphics, resumes, and past performance? | See Q8, Q10, and Q11 responses. | |||
| 65 | Are hyperlinks, embedded demonstrations, videos, or external product demonstrations permitted? | Phase 1 submissions should not include demonstrations/videos. Diagrams or figures to depict the proposed solution are encouraged and companies may provide links to public websites with such information. | |||
| 66 | May a team submit a combined baseline commercial service and prototype innovation approach? | Yes, a framework for parallel innovation alongside baseline continuity is explicitly requested. | |||
| 67 | What is the anticipated award date and required transition start date? | Anticipated Awarded date is 10/31/26. | |||
| 68 | Does DHA anticipate one AWACS award or multiple awards? | At this time, the Government reserves the right to issue one or multiple awards in response to this AOI #01. | |||
| 69 | Will oral-presentation or demonstration instructions be released before Phase I selection? | No, Phase 1 submission criteria has been included in the AOI. | |||
| 70 | Are offerors expected to propose XLA targets without access to current baseline data? | Yes. Propose conceptual targets based on commercial best practices for Phase 1. | |||
| 71 | Are there restrictions on using generative AI, machine learning, or commercially hosted digital-adoption platforms? | See response to Q55. | |||
| 72 | Are direct patient data, PHI, PII, or production clinical data expected to be processed by contractor tools? | Contractors tools operating within the DoD boundary may process PHI/PII in accordance with HIPAA and DoD privacy regulations. | |||
| 73 | Please identify the Government organization performing the SIAM authority at start of performance, and describe the process and tools used to convey change requests and taskings to the awardee. Where that authority or its supporting tools are established after award, please describe the interim process Offerors should assume for Day 1. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS | 2.2 Key Objective, SIAM Integration; 1.2 | PAE MDS. Contractors shall use the Government ITSM system (e.g., ServiceNow) to manage request. Contractors shall include a proposed intake process that ensure alignment and coordination of objectives within this AoI and managed with the COR. | |
| 74 | Section 3.2 encourages diagrams or figures to depict the proposed solution, and sets a 12 point Times New Roman minimum for the whitepaper. Please confirm that text within diagrams, figures, and their captions is not subject to the minimum font requirement. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details | See Q10 response. | |
| 75 | DoD SAFE prompts an external sender for a Request Code, which an authenticated Government user must issue before a non-CAC sender can complete a drop-off. Please issue a Request Code to the Offeror points of contact to enable submission, or identify the alternate delivery method the Government intends Offerors to use. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details, Points of Contact | See Q13 response. | |
| 76 | Section 3.2 requires the whitepaper in .docx or .doc format. Please confirm whether the Government will also accept, or would prefer, a PDF submission, which preserves layout, fonts, and figure fidelity across viewing environments. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details, Required File Naming | See Q8 response. | |
| 77 | Full responses to Day 1 Continuity tasks are likely to exceed the two page maximum. Please clarify whether Offerors could limit the workbook to task ID and response text in order to fit within that limit, or whether the Government will extend the page allowance so full responses can be entered in the Day 1 tab. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS | 3.2 Whitepaper Submission Details; 3.3 | ||
| Appendix A, Day 1 Tab | See Q12 response. | ||||
| 78 | Section 3.3 requires at least two XLAs addressing user sentiment, system adoption, usability, and trust. Where the Appendix A baseline does not publish data for a proposed XLA attribute, please confirm whether the Government will accept an awardee established baseline, captured through the proposed measurement approach during a defined period after award and fixed by mutual written acknowledgment. | EUS_AOI1_AWACS | 3.3 Whitepaper Content, Section 2 | ||
| Appendix A, Current State Execution Tab | Contractors should provide proposed XLAs for activities represented in Appendix A. | ||||
| 79 | The AoI requires credentialed healthcare-domain experts for clinical workflow coaching while also calling for Government super-users, peer experts, and clinical steering committees. What clinical functions does the Government expect contractor-provided clinical personnel to perform versus Government clinical personnel? | Contractor Clinicians vs. Government Clinicians | Contractor provides clinical expertise for activities (e.g., clinical workflow coaching, workflow analysis, design, and documentation, and OCM execution) Government super-users/steering committees act as organic adoption champions. | ||
| 80 | Where AWACS relies on Government super-users, peer experts, or clinical steering committee members, will the Government formally designate those personnel and provide sufficient duty time for them to perform these functions? If not, should Offerors assume contractor personnel must perform the function when Government personnel are unavailable? | Government Clinical Change Network | The Government will formalize super-user participation. However, the contractor remains accountable for meeting enablement outcomes. | ||
| 81 | The AoI requires continued contractor-provided multimodal training while also directing AWACS to move beyond traditional contractor-led training. Which training responsibilities must remain contractor-performed, and which does the Government intend to shift over time to Government personnel, peer networks, or self-service methods? | Training Responsibility | The contractor must sustain necessary multimodal training on Day 1, while demonstrating an innovative framework to organically transition users to self-service and in-workflow methods over the contract lifecycle. The contractor is responsible for role identification, training assignment, and delivery. | ||
| 82 | Does Day 1 require the awardee to assume and sustain the existing operational baseline, with proposed modernization capabilities introduced subsequently through the Parallel Innovation Framework? If not, please identify which net-new modernization capabilities are expected to be operational on Day 1. | Day 1: Baseline vs. Modernization | Yes. Day 1 requires sustaining the existing operational baseline. Net-new capabilities will be introduced subsequently via the Parallel Innovation Framework. | ||
| 83 | If Day 1 requires the awardee to assume the current AWACS operations at the start of performance under a fixed price (FFP), please identify the complete operational baseline to be transitioned, including current functions, applications and user populations supported, staffing/coverage, workflows, training and communications activities, technical and defect-management responsibilities, systems/data sources in use, and current performance baselines. | Day 1 Current-State Operational Baseline | See responses to Q40 and Q41. | ||
| 84 | What transition period, if any, should Offerors assume between contract award and the date the awardee becomes fully accountable for the existing operational baseline? | Transition-In Period | See response to Q53. | ||
| 85 | What incumbent transition support and operational artifacts will the Government make available to the awardee, including SOPs, workflows, application inventories, training assets, competency records, defect/configuration backlogs, access information, schedules, current metrics, and structured knowledge-transfer support? | Incumbent Artifacts & Knowledge Transfer | The Government will facilitate knowledge transfer and provide access to existing artifact libraries. | ||
| 86 | Because Phase 1 requires Transition SLAs that meet or exceed historical performance, please identify the authoritative historical values, definitions, measurement periods, populations, and systems of record that Offerors are expected to use. | Historical Transition SLA Baselines | See response to Q49. | ||
| 87 | For the applications within the AWACS scope, please identify which are currently in production, limited deployment/pilot, pre-production, or planned, and whether emerging web/mobile versions are intended to supplement or replace existing versions where that distinction affects AWACS support. | Application Maturity / Fielding Status | Please see response to Q41. | ||
| 88 | For ServiceNow, JKO, Lights On, Advance, Splunk, MHS GENESIS, and JOMIS application data, what application-usage, workflow, adoption, defect, and performance data will actually be available to the awardee, how much historical coverage exists, and what known limitations exist in completeness, quality, timeliness, or accessibility? | Data Availability, Quality & Known Deficiencies | The current information in Appendix A is what will be provided at this time. | ||
| 89 | Which interfaces, APIs, and telemetry feeds needed to achieve the AWACS objectives already exist and will be available to the awardee, and which should Offerors assume must be newly designed, approved, configured, or implemented under AWACS? | Existing vs. Net-New Data Feeds / Integrations | Contractors shall identify which interfaces, APIs, and telemetry feeds their approach may inclusive of their White Paper. |
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