JA - Qgenda Redacted_Redacted.pdf

VISN 8 QGenda Control Number: VA-25-00037265

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way Eatontown, NJ 07724

2. Description of Action: The proposed action is for a firm-fixed-price task order for the procurement of brand name QGenda annual subscription software licenses and software maintenance, to be issued under the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) GS-07F-187GA with contract with Government Marketing and Procurement (GMP), 13350 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley, Texas 78676.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The proposed action is to renew 2,630 QGenda software licenses and software maintenance for Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8. VA requires the software licenses which will continue to provide a comprehensive internet-based scheduling system that will serve the 24/7/365 requirements of staff personnel at eight (8) medical facilities within VISN 8.A critical requirement for VA is the ability to support extensive scheduling foresight, accommodating monthly, quarterly, and annual planning timeframes. Furthermore, VA requires a scheduling system with automated notifications for significant changes, enabling prompt operational adjustments like electronic health record (EHR) updates for cancellations. Additionally, a secure clinician scheduling system is required, which must include comprehensive accessibility, long-term planning capabilities, and seamless integration with the existing Vocera communication infrastructure to provide access for online accommodation of diverse scheduling input rules and guidelines to create manual and automated schedules, customizable views, online requests, shift trades, work summaries and productivity. The schedule will include Acute and Community Living Centers bed coverage, in addition to scheduling staff coverage of nights, weekends and on-call. The required maintenance includes service calls 24/7/365, new release support for program updates, fixes, security alerts and critical patch updates, upgrade scripts, and technology releases. The period of performance shall be 12-months from date of award, with two (2) 12-month option periods, to be exercised at the Governments discretion.

4. Statutory Authority: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program. The specific authority providing for a limited source award is Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B), “Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.”

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: QGenda’s secure clinician scheduling system inherently includes comprehensive accessibility, long-term planning capabilities, and seamless integration with the existing Vocera communication infrastructure. This is facilitated by facility-specific web portals for schedule

VISN 8 QGenda VA-25-00037265 management and dissemination, complemented by intuitive mobile applications that enable VA clinicians to view schedules, submit requests such as leave and shift changes, as well as facilitate shift swaps via both VA-issued and personal devices. A critical capability of QGenda is its ability to support extensive scheduling foresight, accommodating monthly, quarterly, and annual planning timeframes. Notably, within VISN 8 Medical Centers the Vocera Mobile Secure communication system is the required system for internal communication, making integration a key functional attribute. QGenda's scheduling software uniquely offers direct integration with the Vocera Mobile Secure communication system, streamlining communication workflows aligned with the five rights of clinical communication: right person, right message, right method, right time, and right priority, allowing the healthcare team to reach the right person at the right time on the right device with the right information in the right place, thus maintaining existing communication while enhancing scheduling automation to help VA reduce inefficiencies and improve patient experience. QGenda also supports Single Sign-On with connectivity to other critical hospital systems. This includes a schedule integration with Vocera for efficient Voice Group Assignment and a direct mobile application-to-mobile application integration with the same platform. QGenda's scheduling system provides automated notifications for significant changes, enabling prompt operational adjustments like electronic health record (EHR) updates for cancellations. QGenda achieves this functionality by automatically alerting relevant departments upon schedule alterations; for instance, a provider's canceled clinic day triggers a notification to the patient access team to update the EHR, ensuring timely communication and efficient VA operations. QGenda offers a scheduling system aligned with VA’s critical requirements, such as the efficient creation, maintenance, and secure distribution of clinician schedules through dedicated websites tailored to each VA facility within VISN 8, ensuring broad accessibility. A distinct capability of QGenda is its ability for users to develop schedules with significant foresight, accommodating planning cycles spanning months, quarters, or an entire year. Furthermore, its native mobile applications for iOS and Android provide clinicians with comprehensive self-service functionalities for schedule viewing, request submissions, and shift management.

VA also requires maintenance support. QGenda includes a dedicated, US-based support team that is readily available via phone or online channels during standard business hours, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time directly contributing to enhanced Veteran access, improved quality of care, and increased provider productivity. The software is proprietary to QGenda, solely distributed by GMP.

The proprietary software employs unique code and intelligent algorithms to automate complex scheduling, optimize staff allocation, and provide a clear, real-time view of personnel. The algorithms go beyond basic scheduling rules to consider a multitude of variables simultaneously such as provider availability, preferences, workload balancing, clinical needs, and cost-effectiveness. Without access to QGenda’s proprietary source code, no other source can provide the maintenance support.

QGenda has an Authority to Operate designation with VA and a Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) certification that allows it to be 100 percent web based as opposed to locally hosted on premise. QGenda's FedRAMP certification directly addresses VA's stringent security mandates, ensuring a secure and compliant platform for use on both government-provided and personal devices.

Transitioning to an alternative scheduling software within VISN 8 would necessitate considerable financial investment, largely stemming from the replacement of the Vocera communication system. In addition, introducing a new software application would require additional time to go through the ATO process. The ATO approval, development, customization, installation and integration of a new platform is estimated to take approximately two to three years. This estimate is based on previous acquisition history. An alternative vendor for licenses, maintenance, and implementation of the new software is estimated to cost approximately $917,871.00, including comprehensive staff training on the new platform for all medical centers within VISN 8. This is based on cost estimates from previous competitors.

Failure to implement the QGenda system carries significant potential to negatively impact the care of thousands of Veterans daily. Delays in accessing necessary care and a lack of clarity regarding point-of-contact information could impede the timely delivery of critical services. Furthermore, the absence of a centralized scheduling system can lead to inefficient processes, increasing administrative burdens due to the continued reliance on manual methods such as spreadsheets, emails, and phone calls for schedule communication and modifications. This would elevate the risk of errors, potentially affecting the care and timely completion of essential procedures, such as imaging studies, for Veterans.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in Section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government’s requirements. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition. In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 8.405-6(a)(2) the award notice for this action will be synopsized on the Contracting Opportunities Page and this justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award. Any proposals that are received shall be evaluated.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed.

8. Market Research: VA’s technical experts conducted market research in January 2025, by researching websites for products comparable to the QGenda software.

Specifically, the Government's technical experts conducted web-based research on similar software products available from AMiON, UKG EZCall, Oracle, Microsoft and International Business Machines (IBM). The research revealed that no other products offer the critical functionalities required by VA as mentioned above, to include the direct integration with Vocera, extensive scheduling foresight, possession of both FedRAMP and VA ATO certifications, seamless Single Sign-On connectivity, and, the ability to provide the required brand name QGenda maintenance as no alternative vendor has access to the proprietary source code.

On March 20, 2025, the CS confirmed with QGenda that the only authorized third party reseller is GMP. GMP is a SDVOSB and is the only authorized reseller. GMP currently has a Federal Supply Schedule listed under the GSA MAS and they are the sole providers for QGenda products on GSA.As a result, it was determined that the required QGenda software licenses and software maintenance must be procured on a sole source basis from GMP on the GSA MAS.

9. Other Facts: None.