P03 - JA_Accelerator Program Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL)

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Ste 103

Frederick, MD 21703

VHAPM Part 813.106 Page 1 of 6 Original Date: 08/30/17

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

UNDER FAR SUBPART 13.5

Acquisition Plan Action ID: VA-21-00078491

1. Contracting Activity:

This Sole Source Justification and Approval is executed by the Strategic Acquisition Center, Frederick (SAC-F), on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Innovators Network (iNET), VA Innovation Ecosystem (VAIE).

2. Description of Action:

This activity proposes to negotiate a non-competitive (sole-source) Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) award with Aspen Labs, a Woman Owned Small Business, for healthcare innovation consulting services, programming development, delivery, and support.

3. Description of Supplies or Services

VHA VAIE has a requirement to procure consulting services to support iNET with the Innovation Accelerator Program (Accelerator), annual Ignite workshop series, and opportunities for learning and professional growth for field based iNET Innovation Specialists. VHA iNET Accelerator, Ignite workshop series, and professional learning opportunities, provided to innovation specialists, are designed to support frontline healthcare innovation through “learning by doing.” The Accelerator is a program and series of workshops which creates targeted experiences for each employee innovator to mature their innovation. The series and workshops are individualized based on the maturity of the targeted innovation; Spark investments support a prototype, Seed investments support a pilot, and Spread investments support multi-environment feasibility testing. The consulting services are intended to support healthcare innovation through thought leadership, training and programming, mentoring, project support, and professional personnel support. The professional personnel support includes but is not limited to roles such as clinical innovators, customer insight specialists, Customer Experience (CX) service providers, health informaticists, strategic and visual designers, clinical/biomedical engineers, and futurists.

The contractor shall provide:

Support activities such as developing plans and schedules, producing training decks and digital workspaces, facilitating trainings and workshops, managing event registration and training calendar invitations.

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Ste 103

Frederick, MD 21703

VHAPM Part 813.106 Page 2 of 6 Original Date: 08/30/17

Training support such as teaching, modeling, and mentoring participants through healthcare innovation methodologies.

A suite of tools to better drive innovation within VA healthcare to include templates and guidance.

The total estimated value for this requirement is $572,800.00 and the period of performance is for two years to include a 12-month base period and a12-month option period.

4. Statutory Authority:

The statutory authority permitting the use of noncompetitive procedures is 41 U.S. Code § 1901(a)(2), as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 13.501, entitled “Special documentation requirements.”

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above:

a. Background

VHA iNET exists to inspire, connect, and empower VHA employees to change and save Veteran lives through employee-driven innovation. iNET believes in innovation as both a product or an outcome and as an invaluable mindset that must be readily accessible to all VA employees. While iNET formally consists of a network of designated iNET sites (VA hospitals and health care systems) in specific parts of the country, iNET’s reach is far greater, as iNET supports innovative ideation, imagination, and iteration across the entirety of VHA. The primary two programs which drive innovation learning forward throughout VHA are the Incubator and Innovation Accelerator Program (Accelerator).

The Incubator is a 6-session virtual experience for any VHA employee, where VA and external experts share approaches such as human-centered design, defining healthcare innovation, prototyping, and more with frontline VHA employees. Participants hear stories from VA innovators, our external partners, and even the Veterans whose lives have been impacted throughout the Network. Participants also gain tools and templates to either refine or start working on their own ideas, meet Innovation Specialists and Spark-Seed-Spread Investees, and learn more about other opportunities iNET has available.

Accelerator focuses on supporting employees at iNET’s 36 sites. Innovation, reimagining care and services, and creating new products and devices is more than simply having an idea. It is about thoroughly understanding a problem from multiple perspectives and then creating agile, responsive ways to solve it. Accelerator is iNET’s

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Ste 103

Frederick, MD 21703

VHAPM Part 813.106 Page 3 of 6 Original Date: 08/30/17 way of guiding employee innovators on how to do that. Accelerator is an 8-month immersive education in innovation designed to teach employees to deeply connect with the challenges Veterans, their caregivers and VA employees face. Accelerator, which participants become a part of via the Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment Program, teaches employees how to build, test, iterate, grow, market, pivot, or spread their innovative ideas. In addition, iNET supports the development and growth of Innovation Specialists throughout the 36 Network sites. They receive quarterly trainings to aid in their ability to serve their site.

b. Justification

Based on an analysis of market research as outlined in the Market Research Memorandum, Aspen Labs is considered the sole source to provide the healthcare innovation consulting services required by the VHA Innovators Network (iNET). Aspen Labs is best suited to provide the unique consulting services required by iNET and is unlike any other contractor in the commercial marketplace for the following reasons:

Aspen Labs has a diverse team uniquely suited for the healthcare innovation space within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The team at Aspen Labs includes researchers; directors of innovation, strategy, operations, and design;

workforce development professionals, product designers’ specialists, inclusive design specialists, communication design professionals, virtual engagement advisors, healthcare strategists, and healthcare improvement specialists.

Aspen Labs has a vision which closely aligns with iNET; Aspen Labs aims to learn through design and experimentation to achieve meaningful results. Aspen Labs has a structure to cultivate innovation by expanding creativity, testing assumptions, completing field research, and gathering insights. This structure closely aligns with the structure of iNET’s foundation and programming that is exclusively founded on human-centered design (HCD) principles.

Aspen Labs has extensive experience in both HCD and innovation within a health care system. HCD is a foundational pillar of iNET and serves as the basis for national programming provide by iNET throughout the VHA. iNET will benefit from Aspen Lab’s experience in implementing HCD and leading innovation within expansive health care systems. These health care systems include, but are not limited to Kaiser Permanente, American Nurses Association, Steelcase Health, Center for Care Innovations, and UC Davis’ Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Ste 103

Frederick, MD 21703

VHAPM Part 813.106 Page 4 of 6 Original Date: 08/30/17

c. Impact:

The contractor shall provide programming development, delivery and support to:

1. Co-design, curate content (create materials, prepare discussion topics, etc.);

2. Deliver the iNET fiscal year (FY) 2022 Accelerator, while also supporting mentoring needs from participating employees;

3. Provide support as needed (i.e., providing subject matter expertise during the creation of and panelists to participate in) for the 2021/2022 Incubator and ad-hoc technical and content development support for quarterly Innovation Specialist trainings (4 total); and

4. Provide ad-hoc technical and content development and deliver VHA Innovation Ecosystem Fellowship trainings (8 total).

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

Market research was conducted, details of which are in the market research section of this document. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government’s requirements. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition.

A notice will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2.

7. Determination of Best Value:

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, past proposal submissions, and an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE).

8. Market Research:

In accordance with VAAR 810, the Vendor Information Page (VIP) database was queried and 3,619 potential Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) were identified under NAICS code 541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. These search results were further narrowed with key words “Programming Development” and returned zero (0) results. A query of GSA eLibrary was also conducted on July 1, 2021. This search returned zero

(0) results using keywords “Programming Development.” Based on the foregoing, the Government identified that the services in need are not readily available on an existing purchasing vehicle such as a Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), Internal

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Ste 103

Frederick, MD 21703

VHAPM Part 813.106 Page 5 of 6 Original Date: 08/30/17

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, or U.S. General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule (GSA-FSS).

VHA IE implemented a variety of techniques to compile market research. VHA IE contacted knowledgeable individuals in Government and industry regarding market capabilities to meet requirements. The contacts included a myriad of healthcare innovation thought leaders, training and programming personnel, and project support teams. VHA IE obtained data through a Request for Information (RFI) posted to beta.SAM.gov on April 19, 2021 with a response date of May 18, 2021. Three (3) SDVOSBs, two (2) Woman-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs), four (4) large businesses, and two (2) small businesses responded to the RFI for a total of eleven (11) contractors. These responses were reviewed by VHA IE Innovators Network Director of Operations and other Innovators Network Innovation Specialists. VHA IE participated in interactive, on-line communication among industry, acquisition personnel, and customers. VHA IE communicated with contractor that submitted a response to the RFI via emails and phone calls to further review and obtain additional information from the responses provided for the RFI. VHA IE reviewed catalogs and other generally available product literature published by manufacturers, distributors, and dealers or available on-line or reviewing contractor websites. The websites were accessed to obtain market research on each of the eleven (11) RFI contractor respondents.

Information was gathered on all eleven (11) respondents by contacting knowledgeable individuals within Government; RFI; conducting interactive, communicating online, reviewing online websites, and hosting/attending meetings. A team from iNET (the Director of Operations and Innovation Specialists) communicated with each of the eleven (11) respondents to discuss their responses, gain additional information, and learn about their experience in the field of health care innovation. While ten (10) respondents (Coley & Associates Inc., The Dcode Group, Inc., Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Do Tank, Magnum Opus, LLC, Guidehouse, Titan Alpha, Inc., thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation, BJ Thomas Consulting Group, Enterprise Resource Performance, Inc.) have experience in innovation, project management, and working within government, it was determined they do not have the experience of implementing health care innovation within large health care systems with an emphasis on human centered design. Implementing health care innovation within large health care systems and an emphasis on human centered design are critical needs from the contractor selected to support the iNET community. In reviewing the responses, analyzing the data, and completing interviews, Zuber Consulting, doing business as Aspen Labs, was determined to be the only source capable of offering the required innovation healthcare consulting services to support the development and growth of Innovation Specialists.

Aspen Labs has been determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance and are registered and certified in the System for Award management (SAM) as of July 7, 2021 and they represented that they are a small business under the

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Ste 103

Frederick, MD 21703

NAICS code for this requirement. In addition, the Federal Awardee Performance, and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) was reviewed on July 2, 2021, and there are no reports for Aspen Labs that would indicate defective pricing, instances of contractor fault or recipient not-qualified, terminations for cause, default or material failure to comply, or non-responsibility of the contractor. Based on the above information, it is in the best interest of the Government to issue a sole source, open market award to Aspen Labs, a

WOSB.

9. Interested Sources:

Aspen Labs

5660 BIG CANON DRIVE

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO 80111-3512 USA