J and A p_Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL)

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

Frederick, MD 21703

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR

CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL ACQUISITION

REGULATION (FAR) 13.5

(1) Identification of the agency and contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Sole Source Justification Under Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items in Accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation

(FAR) 13.5.”

This Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition is executed by the Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC), on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL).

(2) The nature and/or description of the action being approved, i.e., sole source under procedures for certain commercial items in accordance with FAR 13.5.

The procurement is for Televeda Systems, Inc’s, located at 1 N. Street, Ste 603, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, Hero Story Project with FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial items and specifically FAR 13.501 Special Documentation Requirements, where acquisitions conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6, but still require a justification using the format of FAR 6.303-2.

The proposed sole source purchase from vendor, Televeda, of their product named Hero Story Project. This product will increase understanding of veteran subpopulations and develop a unique service delivery model for specialty populations. Phase 1 and Phase 2 will include development of formal partnerships with additional Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and tribal organizations via Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between Contractor and those partners. This is a new firm-fixed price Contract, with one 12-month base year.

(3) A description of the supplies and/or services required, including the delivery schedule and/or the period of performance (inclusive of all option periods), and the estimated dollar value of the acquisition.

In 2023, the VA’s Mission Daybreak launched Televeda’s “Hero’s Story Project” (HSP).

The HSP is a comprehensive suicide prevention program tailored for Native American veterans incorporating traditional healing practices, such as talking circles and storytelling, in an evidence-based Peer Support (PS) modality. The HSP innovation comprises (a) “Virtual Talking Circles” (VTC) web application and (b) “HSP Storytelling Curriculum”, a narrative therapy PS framework. Overall, the HSP is a novel re-imagining of peer support in a culturally competent way to aid with building trust and, ultimately, Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

Frederick, MD 21703 the project intends to foster peer collaboration that improves “social connectedness” and “resource navigation” via engaged journeys. Televeda shall use the Hero’s Story model to expand culturally relevant peer support (Virtual Talking Circles) by targeting minority Veteran sub-populations with personalized resource journeys, prioritizing American Indian, Alaska Native AI/AN (with Women/MST and rural intersection). HSP Sessions can be hosted in person, virtually or hybrid. This proposed work will focus on the expansion of the HSP solution to additional partners and locations as well as a more robust evaluation of HSP, including associated Virtual Talking Circles and low-tech connection to resources.

Honoring Native traditions, Televeda proposes to design “resource journeys” that build direct ties between AIAN and the VA that helps engagement, trust-building and connecting veterans to protective resources. This storytelling-approach fosters individual motivation (“call to adventure" via our resource modules) and a sense of purpose for the veterans, while also contributing back to the community supporting their family/tribe by bringing back wisdom to the people (knowledge-sharing/resource ratings). Such journeys would contribute to the transmission of important cultural knowledge and experiences that are beneficial for both the community and the VA.

The platform is designed to lower social isolation and promote overall well-being by facilitating meaningful connections. Televeda intends to address the complex contributing factors to suicide for AIAN Veterans by matching them with essential health-related social needs (protective factors), reducing the risk of suicidal ideation.

This project fulfills the objective of developing a targeted solution for veteran subpopulations. There is a need for a cultural lens to focus on the top priority specialty population, AIAN, which has the highest rate of suicide, and that intersects with women veterans (overwhelming feedback and community respect for women-only sessions) which is the fastest growing demographic afflicted by suicide. This project increases understanding of veteran subpopulations and develops a unique service delivery model for specialty populations.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 will include development of formal partnerships with additional VSOs and tribal organizations via Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between Televda and those partners.

Testing will occur, across both phases, in two states, Arizona and New Mexico. Initiation of Phase 2 is dependent on satisfactory performance in Phase 1.

Total estimated dollar value of Phase 1 and Phase 2 for one 12-month Base Period is

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

(4) The statutory authority permitting sole source.

FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority for applying the Simplified Procedures for Commercial Items of FAR 13.5 is 41 U.S.C. § 1901 and is implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(2) for restricting competition on this procurement. Competition is restricted on this procurement for the reason below:

(x) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

( ) Unusual and Compelling Urgency ( ) Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental or Research

Capability or Expert Services ( ) International Agreement ( ) Authorized or Required by Statute ( ) National Security ( ) Public Interest

(5) A statement demonstrating the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or the nature of the action requiring use of the authority.

Televada is the sole owner and seller of the “Hero’s Story Project” (HSP). The HSP is a comprehensive suicide prevention program tailored for Native American veterans incorporating traditional healing practices, such as talking circles and storytelling, in an evidence-based Peer Support (PS) modality. The HSP innovation comprises (a) “Virtual Talking Circles” (VTC) web application and (b) “HSP Storytelling Curriculum”, a narrative therapy PS framework. Overall, the HSP is a novel re-imagining of peer support in a culturally competent way to aid with building trust and, ultimately, the project intends to foster peer collaboration that improves “social connectedness” and “resource navigation” via engaged journeys. Televeda shall use the Hero’s Story model to expand culturally relevant peer support (Virtual Talking Circles) by targeting minority Veteran sub-populations with personalized resource journeys, prioritizing AI/AN (with Women/MST and rural intersection). HSP Sessions can be hosted in person, virtually or hybrid. This proposed work will focus on the expansion of the HSP solution to additional partners and locations as well as a more robust evaluation of HSP, including associated Virtual Talking Circles and low-tech connection to resources.

Televeda proposes to design “resource journeys” that build a direct tie between AIAN and the VA that helps engagement, trust-building and connecting veterans to protective resources. This storytelling-approach fosters individual motivation (“call to adventure" via our resource modules) and a sense of purpose for the veterans, while also

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103 contributing back to the community supporting their family/tribe by bringing back wisdom to the people (knowledge-sharing/resource ratings).

Last, Televeda has proprietary rights to Hero Story Project, as they are the sole owner and seller of this program. There are no other resellers or third-party entities authorized to distribute, sell, or license this product.

(6) A description of efforts made to ensure offers/quotes are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

This action was publicized under the VHA Innovation Ecosystem’s Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Suicide Prevention and provided to the public through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). Concept papers received as submission to the VHA Innovation Ecosystem’s BAA for Suicide Prevention are continuously evaluated from July 15, 2024, through August 15, 2025, while funding is available.

Interested parties can find the BAA as advertised at SAM.gov through link https://sam.gov/opp/b88f9fa1da2c4308a09104365d540e6c/view

(7) The anticipated dollar value of the proposed acquisition, including options if applicable, and a determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable.

The anticipated dollar value of this acquisition is $3,743,593.11.

No award shall be made until the Contracting Officer determines the cost to the Government to be fair and reasonable. This determination will be based on a comparison of current contract pricing, an Independent Government Cost Estimate, past proposal submissions (if available), and other information as made available.

(8) A description of the market research conducted and the results or the reason market research was not conducted.

Based on information obtained from a search conducted on NAICS 518210 – Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services and the Product Service Code of B537 Special Studies/Analysis- Medical/Health. The Government queried Government outlets for Market Research.

VetCert was queried using NAICS 518210 which returned 1,941 results. This requirement is part of a Broad Agency Agreement (BAA) that allows vendors to continuously submit new and innovative ideas and products to aid Veterans in the

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

TOPIC of suicide prevention. The NAICS code search on VetCert is broad and is not specific to this current requirement. GSA e-library was also queried and resulted in the same findings as the VetCert results. Dynamic Small Business Search was queried and again the same outcomes were reached. This is a broad NAICS code, and even adding the word “Suicide Prevention” did not return results that are specific to the requested requirement. On February 4, 2025, the Government identified a sole contractor, through utilization of the BAA. The set of requirements of this acquisition entail a more complex interrelationship with VHA clinical practice, providers and patients. The requirement targets post- discharge patients using the existing Behavioral Health Lab (BHL) infrastructure with existing ATO and already developed integrations with VA Electronic Health Record to capture current mental health assessments, and apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Programming (NPL) via risk detection algorithms monitoring Veterans who have consented to be part of the program via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and digital postcards, enabling early identification of emerging crises and timely intervention. The sole contractor identified in the DBMS search offers a SMS (simple text messaging) communications, which is not the intention of this requirement.

The Government has queried all Government outlets as described above using the appropriate NAICS code and keyword search. Results returned do not meet the program office’s requirement. Based on information obtained from a search conducted on NAICS 518210 – Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services and the Product Service Code of B537 Special Studies/Analysis-Medical/Health on February 4, 2025, the Government identified a sole source vendor, Televeda Systems, Inc. Televada is the sole owner and seller of the “Hero’s Story Project” (HSP).

(9) Any other facts supporting the use of sole source.

None

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

(10) A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

BAA concept paper submission is open to all. To date, over 100 concept papers have been submitted to the agency in response to the BAA. All have been reviewed, or are in process of being reviewed, on a rolling, monthly basis. All submissions are given equal, due consideration.

The Program Management Office in conjunction with Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) will continue to perform market research, including attending trade shows and conferences, reaching out to known manufacturers in the field, and continue searching for patents and press releases to ensure that if other materials come to market meeting OHIL needs, future contacts will be open to competition.

(11) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

For any subsequent acquisition(s), appropriate market research will be conducted to determine if sources capable of meeting the agency’s needs have become available in the marketplace.

(12) Evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (e.g., verifying the Government’s minimum needs or requirements or other rationale for an exception to fair opportunity) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.