DICOM Router TAC Number: VA-26-00081952

Product DescriptionTemplate_MAY_16_2025_Rev3_APR_10_2026

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION (PD) TEMPLATE

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veteran’s Health Administration

Healthcare Technology Management Program Office

DICOM Router System National Contract, Federal EHR Deployment

Date: August 19, 2026

VA-26-00081952

PD Version Number: 1.0

Contents

1.0 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

1.1 BASE PERIOD TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

1.2 OPTION PERIOD 1 & 2 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

1.3 OPTIONAL TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

2.0 NOTICE OF THE FEDERAL ACCESSIBILITY LAW AFFECTING ALL

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

PROCUREMENTS (SECTION 508)

2.1 SECTION 508 – INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

(ICT) STANDARDS

2.2 COMPATABILITY WITH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

2.3 ACCEPTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE TESTING

3.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

4.0 SPECIAL SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

5.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

5.1 VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

5.2 ZERO TRUST – VA CRITICAL SECURITY CONTROLS

5.3 SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN) REDUCTION

5.4 INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6 (IPV6)

5.5 TRUSTED INTERNET CONNECTION (TIC)

5.6 GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS

6.0 SECURITY AND PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS

6.1 POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S)

6.2 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

ADDENDUM B – VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/

PRIVACY LANGUAGE

1.0 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Electronic Health Record Modernization Integration Office (EHRM IO) has a requirement for brand name Laurel Bridge Compass Router software to be deployed at VA facilities to interface and communicate with VA’s new Federal Electronic Health Record (FEDERAL EHR).

This procurement shall be a firm fixed price contract, with 12 months base plus two 12 months option periods, and 36 optional products and services for brand name Laurel Bridge Compass Router software licenses and professional services for installation, configuration, and testing.

The Contractor shall provide Laurel Bridge Compass brand name software for all VA virtually deployed routers adding HL7 and DICOM routing with custom filters to allow routing of Modality Work List (MWL) and images between current imaging modalities, Vista EMR, Radiology PACS and new FEDERAL EHR Oracle Health Multimedia Storage (OHMS) Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA). Custom translation of the patient’s medical record number (MRN), social security number (SSN) and other patient-identification-related fields as needed between these various systems so that both the new systems (FEDERAL EHR OHMS) and the existing systems (Vista, Radiology PACS, Cardiology PACS) can continue to communicate with each other during the transition period to FEDERAL EHR.

The following tables lists Laurel Bridge Compass brand name products that meet the VA’s requirements.

1.1 BASE PERIOD TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

Table 1.1: Technical Specifications Base Period:

Item

Description of Supplies/Services Part Number Qty Unit

Compass Bundle: ACTIVE (311030-B) Compass Professional DICOM Router: Compass Standard & Compass Direct (store & forward plus direct routing); ACTIVE:

Includes: 310030-H Compass HL7 routing: For pass-thru HL7 routing; no custom features to manipulate contents of HL7 message(s).

Includes: 310030-F1 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert SSN to EDIPI Includes: 310030-F2 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert EDIPI to SSN Includes: 310030-F3 Custom Filter/Feature: To swap AE titles

311030-B 32 each

Compass Bundle: TEST/DEVELOPMENT (311030-B-D) Compass Professional DICOM Router: Compass Standard & Compass Direct (store & forward plus direct routing); TEST/DEVELOPMENT:

Includes: 310030-H Compass HL7 routing: For pass-thru HL7 routing; no custom features to manipulate contents of HL7 message(s).

Includes: 310030-F1 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert SSN to EDIPI Includes: 310030-F2 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert EDIPI to SSN Includes: 310030-F3 Custom Filter/Feature: To swap AE titles

311030-B-D 16 each

PowerTools Suite of Standalone DICOM & HL7 Utilities (311151)

311151 16 each

Lighthouse Central Monitoring: up to 4 nodes monitored (311170)

311170 16 each

Services: Professional: Planning/Software Installation (410002-1) Planning / Software Installation/Install Software Upgrades Develop/confirm site deployment plan and schedule.

Deliver and install software & custom components.

410002-1 16 each

Services: Professional: Connectivity, Modality Integration/Testing (410002-2) Connectivity, Modality & Integration/Certification Testing/Training & Knowledge Transfer Ensure device/application connectivity for up to 25 unique modality types (manufacturer, model, version number)

410002-2 16 each

Services: Professional: Go live & post deployment support services (410002-3) Go-Live & Post-Deployment Support To provide as-needed support during the two-day cutover to production period (go-live) and the two-week "shake-out" period following (post-deployment).

410002-3 16 each

The Contractor shall deliver the products and services indicated in the table 1.1 above to the following 16 VA sites indicated in table 1.2

Table 1.2: VA sites for Base, Option Periods:

Legacy

VISN

VA Site

4 (460) Wilmington, DE HCS

4 (503) Altoona, PA HCS

4 (529) Butler, PA HCS

4 (542) Coatesville, PA HCS

4 (562) Erie, PA HCS

4 (595) Lebanon, PA HCS

4 (642) Philadelphia, PA HCS

4 (646) Pittsburgh, PA HCS

4 (693) Wilkes-Barre, PA HCS

17 (504) Amarillo, TX HCS

17 (519) Big Spring, TX HCS

17 (549) Dallas, TX HCS

17 (671) San Antonio, TX HCS

17 (674) Temple, TX HCS

17 (740) Texas Valley Coastal Bend HCS

17 (756) El Paso, TX HCS

1.2 OPTION PERIOD 1 & 2 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

Upon exercised of the option, the Contractor shall deliver the maintenance services indicated in Table 3 to the 16 VA sites listed in Table 1.2. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Contracting Officer’s Representative after award to obtain a site Point of Contact for each VISN/Facility.

Table 2: Technical Specifications Option Period 1 & 2:

Description of Supplies/Services Part

Number

Qty Per Option Period

Annual Software Maintenance: Active server (321030-B) All core features: Store, Direct, DICOMweb, Cache 300K

321030-B 32 each

Annual Software Maintenance:

Test/Development server (321030-B-D) All core features: Store, Direct, DICOMweb, Cache 300K;

321030-B-D 16 each

Annual Maintenance: Powertools (321151) Standalone DICOM & HL7 Utilities

321151 16 each

Annual Maintenance: Lighthouse: up to 4 nodes monitored (321170)

321170 16 each

1.3 OPTIONAL TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall provide the following optional products or services, when the option is exercised. Each optional item may be exercised at the Government’s discretion at any time and up to the NTE quality indicated in the table below.

The following 16 optional products and services can be delivered to the VA locations listed in Table 3.1 below. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Contracting Officer’s Representative after award to obtain a site Point of Contact for each VISN/Facility.

Table 3: Technical Specifications Optional Tasks:

Item

Description of Supplies/Services Part Number Not to exceed

Qty

Unit

Compass Bundle: ACTIVE (311030-B) Compass Professional DICOM Router:

Compass Standard & Compass Direct (store & forward plus direct routing); ACTIVE:

Includes: 310030-H Compass HL7 routing: For pass-thru HL7 routing; no custom features to manipulate contents of HL7 message(s).

Includes: 310030-F1 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert SSN to EDIPI Includes: 310030-F2 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert EDIPI to SSN Includes: 310030-F3 Custom Filter/Feature: To swap AE titles

Each site shall have max ordering of X.

311030-B 80 each

Compass Bundle: TEST/DEVELOPMENT (311030-B-D) Compass Professional DICOM Router:

Compass Standard & Compass Direct (store & forward plus direct routing);

TEST/DEVELOPMENT:

Includes: 310030-H Compass HL7 routing: For pass-thru HL7 routing; no custom features to manipulate contents of HL7 message(s).

Includes: 310030-F1 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert SSN to EDIPI

311030-B-D 40

Includes: 310030-F2 Custom Filter/Feature: To convert EDIPI to SSN Includes: 310030-F3 Custom Filter/Feature: To swap AE titles

PowerTools Suite of Standalone DICOM & HL7 Utilities (311151)

311151 40

Lighthouse Central Monitoring: up to 4 nodes monitored (311170)

311170 40

Lighthouse Central Monitoring: up to 10 nodes monitored (311171)

311171 10

Lighthouse Central Monitoring: up to 25 nodes monitored (311172)

311172 10

Lighthouse Central Monitoring: up to 50 nodes monitored (311173)

311173 10

Navigator: support for up to 100K annual fetch triggers (311180) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate HL7 order triggers.

311180 25

Navigator: support for up to 200K annual fetch triggers (311181) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate

311181 10

Navigator: support for up to 300K annual fetch triggers (311182) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate

311182 10

Navigator: support for up to 400K annual fetch triggers (311183) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate

311183 10

Navigator: support for up to 500K annual fetch triggers (311184) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate

311184 10

Navigator: support for up to >500K annual fetch triggers (311185) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate

311185 10

Navigator: Test/Development (311180-TD) Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each;

Includes PowerTools; Professional Services are quoted separately; includes MWL & immediate HL7 order triggers. Price is a 50% discount off base version (100K vol) list price (fixed cost) Note: Navigator standard Test/Development copy prices are based off the base charge for the 100K version - they are not for commercial/production use.

311180-TD 75

Waypoint: Active (311155) Waypoint: Encounter & Modality Worklist Manager

311155 50

Waypoint: Test/Development (311155-D) Waypoint: Encounter & Modality Worklist

311155-D 50

Services: Professional: Rate per hour.; 4 hour minimum; normal business hours only;

(410002)

410002 600

Services: Professional: Planning/Software Installation (410002-1) Planning / Software Installation/Install Software Upgrades Develop/confirm site deployment plan and schedule.

Deliver and install software & custom components.

410002-1 40

Services: Professional: Connectivity, Modality Integration/Testing (410002-2) Connectivity, Modality & Integration/Certification Testing/Training & Knowledge Transfer Ensure device/application connectivity for up to

410002-2 40

25 unique modality types (manufacturer, model, version number)

Services: Professional: Go live & post deployment support services (410002-3) Go-Live & Post-Deployment Support To provide as-needed support during the two-day cutover to production period (go-live) and the two-week "shake-out" period following (post-deployment).

410002-3 40

Annual Software Maintenance: Active server (321030-B) All core features: Store, Direct, DICOMweb, Cache 300K

321030-B 750

Annual Software Maintenance:

Test/Development server (321030-B-D) All core features: Store, Direct, DICOMweb, Cache 300K;

321030-B-D 375

3023 Annual Maintenance: Powertools (321151) Standalone DICOM & HL7 Utilities

321151 375

Extended Support Package for Priority Support Incidents (410033)

410033 250

Annual Maintenance: Navigator: fetch for up to 100K annual exam volume: Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each; Includes PowerTools; Professional Services Quoted;

includes MWL & immediate HL7 order triggers

321180 25

Annual Maintenance: Navigator: fetch for up to 200K annual exam volume: Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each; Includes PowerTools; Professional Services Quoted;

321181 10

Annual Maintenance: Navigator: fetch for up to 300K annual exam volume: Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each; Includes PowerTools; Professional Services Quoted;

321182 10

Annual Maintenance: Navigator: fetch for up to 400K annual exam volume: Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each; Includes PowerTools; Professional Services Quoted;

321183 10

Annual Maintenance: Navigator: fetch for up to 500K annual exam volume: Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each; Includes PowerTools; Professional Services Quoted;

321184 10

Annual Maintenance: Navigator: fetch for >500K annual exam volume: Navigator Image Sharing and Retrieval: Each; Includes PowerTools; Professional Services Quoted;

321185 10

Annual Maintenance: Lighthouse: up to 4 nodes monitored (321170)

321170 100

Annual Maintenance: Lighthouse: up to 10 nodes monitored (321171)

321171 10

Annual Maintenance: Lighthouse: up to 25 nodes monitored (321172)

321172 10

Annual Maintenance: Lighthouse: up to 50 nodes monitored (321173)

321173 10

Annual Maintenance: Waypoint: Active (321155) Waypoint: Encounter & Modality Worklist

321155 50

Annual Maintenance: Waypoint:

Test/Development (321155-D) Waypoint: Encounter & Modality Worklist

321155-D 50

Table 3.1: VA sites for Optional Tasks:

Legacy VISN VA Site

4 (460) Wilmington, DE HCS

4 (503) Altoona, PA HCS

4 (529) Butler, PA HCS

4 (542) Coatesville, PA HCS

4 (562) Erie, PA HCS

4 (595) Lebanon, PA HCS

4 (642) Philadelphia, PA HCS

4 (646) Pittsburgh, PA HCS

4 (693) Wilkes-Barre, PA HCS

17 (504) Amarillo, TX HCS

17 (519) Big Spring, TX HCS

17 (549) Dallas, TX HCS

17 (671) San Antonio, TX HCS

17 (674) Temple, TX HCS

17 (740) Texas Valley Coastal Bend HCS

17 (756) El Paso, TX HCS

1 (402) Togus, ME HCS

1 (405) White River Junction, VT HCS

1 (518) Bedford, MA HCS

1 (523) Boston, MA HCS

1 (608) Manchester, NH HCS

1 (631) Central Western Massachusetts HCS

1 (650) Providence, RI HCS

1 (689) Connecticut HCS

2 (526) Bronx, NY HCS

2 (528) Western New York HCS

2 (528A6) Finger Lakes, NY HCS

2 (528A7) Syracuse, NY HCS

2 (528A8) Albany, NY HCS

2 (561) New Jersey HCS

2 (620) Hudson Valley, NY HCS

2 (630) New York Harbor HCS

2 (632) Northport, NY HCS

5 (512) Baltimore, MD HCS

5 (517) Beckley, WV HCS

5 (540) Clarksburg, WV HCS

5 (581) Huntington, WV HCS

5 (613) Martinsburg, WV HCS

5 (688) Washington, DC HCS

6 (558) Durham, NC HCS

6 (565) Fayetteville, NC HCS

6 (590) Hampton, VA HCS

6 (637) Asheville, NC HCS

6 (652) Richmond, VA HCS

6 (658) Salem, VA HCS

6 (659) Salisbury, NC HCS

7 (508) Atlanta, GA HCS

7 (509) Augusta, GA HCS

7 (521) Birmingham, AL HCS

7 (534) Charleston, SC HCS

7 (544) Columbia, SC HCS

7 (557) Dublin, GA HCS

7 (619) Central Alabama HCS

7 (679) Tuscaloosa, AL HCS

8 (516) Bay Pines, FL HCS

8 (546) Miami, FL HCS

8 (548) West Palm Beach, FL HCS

8 (573) Gainesville, FL HCS

8 (672) San Juan, PR HCS

8 (673) Tampa, FL HCS

8 (675) Orlando, FL HCS

9 (596) Lexington, KY HCS

9 (603) Louisville, KY HCS

9 (614) Memphis, TN HCS

9 (621) Mountain Home, TN HCS

9 (626) Middle Tennessee HCS

10 (506) Ann Arbor, MI HCS

10 (515) Battle Creek, MI HCS

10 (538) Chillicothe, OH HCS

10 (539) Cincinnati, OH HCS

10 (541) Cleveland, OH HCS

10 (552) Dayton, OH HCS

10 (553) Detroit, MI HCS

10 (583) Indianapolis, IN HCS

10 (610) Northern Indiana HCS

10 (655) Saginaw, MI HCS

10 (757) Columbus, OH HCS

12 (537) Chicago, IL HCS

12 (550) Danville, IL HCS

12 (556) North Chicago, IL HCS

12 (578) Hines, IL HCS

12 (585) Iron Mountain, MI HCS

12 (607) Madison, WI HCS

12 (676) Tomah, WI HCS

12 (695) Milwaukee, WI HCS

15 (589) Kansas City, MO HCS

15 (589A4) Columbia, MO HCS

15 (589A5) Eastern Kansas HCS

15 (589A7) Wichita, KS HCS

15 (657) St. Louis, MO HCS

15 (657A4) Poplar Bluff, MO HCS

15 (657A5) Marion, IL HCS

16 (502) Alexandria, LA HCS

16 (520) Gulf Coast, MS HCS

16 (564) Fayetteville, AR HCS

16 (580) Houston, TX HCS

16 (586) Jackson, MS HCS

16 (598) Little Rock, AR HCS

16 (629) New Orleans, LA HCS

16 (667) Shreveport, LA HCS

19 (436) Montana HCS

19 (442) Cheyenne, WY HCS

19 (554) Aurora, CO HCS

19 (575) Grand Junction, CO HCS

19 (623) Muskogee, OK HCS

19 (635) Oklahoma City, OK HCS

19 (660) Salt Lake City, UT HCS

19 (666) Sheridan, WY HCS

20 (463) Anchorage, AK HCS

20 (531) Boise, ID HCS

20 (648) Portland, OR HCS

20 (653) Roseburg, OR HCS

20 (663) Puget Sound, WA HCS

20 (668) Spokane, WA HCS

20 (687) Walla Walla, WA HCS

20 (692) White City, OR HCS

21 (459) Honolulu, HI HCS

21 (570) Fresno, CA HCS

21 (593) Las Vegas, NV HCS

21 (612A4) N. California HCS

21 (640) Palo Alto, CA HCS

21 (654) Reno, NV HCS

21 (662) San Francisco, CA HCS

22 (501) New Mexico HCS

22 (600) Long Beach, CA HCS

22 (605) Loma Linda, CA HCS

22 (644) Phoenix, AZ HCS

22 (649) Northern Arizona HCS

22 (664) San Diego, CA HCS

22 (678) Southern Arizona HCS

22 (691) Greater Los Angeles, CA HCS

23 (437) Fargo, ND HCS

23 (438) Sioux Falls, SD HCS

23 (568) Black Hills, SD HCS

23 (618) Minneapolis, MN HCS

23 (636) Nebraska-W Iowa HCS

23 (636A6) Central Iowa HCS

23 (636A8) Iowa City, IA HCS

23 (656) St. Cloud, MN HCS

2.0 NOTICE OF THE FEDERAL ACCESSIBILITY LAW AFFECTING ALL

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

PROCUREMENTS (SECTION 508)

On January 18, 2017, the Access Board issued a final rule that updated accessibility requirements covered by Section 508 and refreshed guidelines for telecommunications equipment subject to Section 255 of the Communications Act. The final rule went into effect on January 18, 2018. The revisions and updates to the Section 508-based standards and Section 255-based guidelines are intended to ensure that information and communication technology (ICT) covered by the respective statutes is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

2.1 SECTION 508 – INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

STANDARDS

The Section 508 standards established by the Access Board are incorporated into, and made part of all VA orders, solicitations and purchase orders developed to procure ICT.

These standards are found in their entirety at: Revised 508 Standards and 255 Guidelines (access-board.gov). A single PDF file version of the Revised Section 508 Standards and 255 Guidelines will be supplied upon request, or can be obtained from the Access Board website. Federal agencies must comply with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The Contractor shall comply with “508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements” for all electronic ICT and content delivered under this contract. Specifically, as appropriate for the technology and its functionality, the Contractor shall comply with the technical standards marked here:

☒ E205 Electronic Content – (Accessibility Standard -WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA Guidelines)

☒ E204 Functional Performance Criteria ☐ E206 Hardware Requirements ☒ E207 Software Requirements ☒ E208 Support Documentation and Services Requirements

2.2 COMPATABILITY WITH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

The standards do not require installation of specific accessibility-related software or attachment of an assistive technology device. Section 508 requires that ICT be compatible with such software and devices so that ICT can be accessible to and usable by individuals using assistive technology, including but not limited to screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech recognition software.

2.3 ACCEPTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE TESTING

Deliverables resulting from this solicitation will be accepted based in part on satisfaction of the Section 508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements standards identified above.

The Government reserves the right to test for Section 508 Compliance before delivery.

The Contractor shall be able to demonstrate Section 508 Compliance upon delivery.

3.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

N/A

4.0 SPECIAL SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

The Contractor shall complete the Master Delivery Schedule in accordance with the Instructions, and shall coordinate with the COR for specifics. The Master Delivery Schedule shall be provided after award and updated prior to and after each delivery timeframe.

Kick-off Meeting

The Contractor shall conduct a Kick-off Meeting with the VA Program Manager (PM), COR, Delivery Date Coordinator, Implementation Manager, and Facility CIOs (or designee) to discuss implementation requirements and facilitate delivery of the software. This meeting may be held in conjunction with the post award conference or identified technical kickoff meeting, if applicable. The Contractor shall also present the Monthly Progress Report format for review and approval by the Government. This meeting, if held independently, shall be conducted telephonically within ten days after award.

Monthly Progress Report

The Contractor shall provide a Monthly Progress Report which shall identify the items sent, the serial number associated with each piece of equipment; the date of each shipment; the status of each implementation, and information relative to Government-receipt of the software at each delivery site. In addition, the Monthly Progress Report shall identify any problems and provide a description of how the problems were resolved/addressed. If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation and status of resolution. Monthly Progress Reports shall be submitted in Microsoft Excel Format and shall clearly identify each site included in the delivery order.

Inspection: Destination Acceptance: Destination Free on Board (FOB): Destination

Deliverables:

A. Master Delivery Schedule B. Shipment/Delivery Weekly Progress Report

5.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

5.1 VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

The Contractor shall comply with the VA OIT Technical Reference Model (VA TRM).

Compliance with the VA TRM is achieved by using only technologies and standards that are listed as approved for use in the VA TRM. The Contractor shall provide all necessary information requested by VA to ensure TRM approval is obtained prior to use on VA’s network.

5.2 ZERO TRUST – VA CRITICAL SECURITY CONTROLS

VA has established minimum mandatory security requirements and requires that any network connected software system or service must meet the VA Critical Security Controls as outlined in the VA Memorandum, “VA Security Controls”, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=5010. VA Critical Security Controls identify the minimum mandatory requirements that must be implemented across all VA enterprise infrastructure, cloud computing environments, information systems, networks, and specialized devices (medical devices/systems, special-purpose systems, and research scientific computing devices) that process, store, and/or transmit VA data. Effective July 1, 2025, the Contractor shall implement these VA Critical Security Controls, within any network connected software system or service prior to being authorized for use in the VA. This functional requirement is not negotiable, and Plan of Action & Milestones (POAM) will not be accepted in the event these controls cannot be implemented for new systems. Critical Security Controls are intended to increase VA’s security posture and provide security and privacy risk visibility into the VA network and is not a new requirement. The Contractor’s failure to maintain these VA Critical Controls after implementation will result in VA discontinuing the use of the system.

5.3 SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN) REDUCTION

The Contractor solution shall support the Social Security Number (SSN) Fraud Prevention Act (FPA) of 2017 which prohibits the inclusion of SSNs on any document sent by mail. The Contractor support shall also be performed in accordance with Section 240 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) 2018, enacted March 23, 2018, which mandates VA to discontinue using SSNs to identify individuals in all VA information systems as the Primary Identifier. The Contractor shall ensure that any new IT solution discontinues the use of SSN as the Primary Identifier to replace the SSN with the Integrated Control Number (ICN) in all VA information systems for all individuals. The Contractor shall ensure that all Contractor delivered applications and systems integrate with the VA Master Person Index (MPI) for identity traits to include the use of the ICN as the Primary Identifier. The Contractor solution may only use a Social Security Number to identify an individual in an information system if and only if the use of such number is required to obtain information VA requires from an information system that is not under the jurisdiction of VA.

5.4 INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6 (IPV6)

The Contractor solution shall support IPv6-Only based upon the memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on November 19, 2020 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/M-21-07.pdf). Which defines IPv6-only as the state of an operational system or service when IPv4 protocol functions (addressing, packet forwarding) are not in use. The NIST USGv6 profile defines technical requirements for a product to be capable of operating in IPv6-Only environments. IPv6-Only technology, in accordance with the USGv6 Program (https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/usgv6-program/usgv6-revision-1), NIST Special Publication (SP) 500-267B Revision 1 “USGv6 Profile” (https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.500-267Br1), and NIST SP 800-119 “Guidelines for the Secure Deployment of IPv6” (https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-119), compliance shall be included in all IT infrastructures, application designs, application development, operational systems and sub-systems, and their integration. In addition to the above requirements, all devices, applications, and systems shall support all applicable functionality on native IPv6-Only as well as dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) connectivity without additional memory or other resources being provided by the Government, so that they can function in a mixed environment. All public/external facing servers and services (e.g., web, email, DNS, ISP services, etc.) shall support native IPv6-Only and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) users and all internal infrastructure and applications shall support using native IPv6-Only and dual stack (IPv6 / IPv4) for all functionality and operations.

5.5 TRUSTED INTERNET CONNECTION (TIC)

The Contractor solution shall meet the requirements outlined in Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-19-26, “Update to the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Initiative“ (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/M-19-26.pdf), VA Directive 6513 “Secure External Connections”, and shall comply with the TIC 3.0 Core Guidance Documents, including all Volumes and TIC Use Cases, found at the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) (https://www.cisa.gov/publication/tic-30-core-guidance-documents.)

5.6 GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS

N/A

No AI will be used in this acquisition.

6.0 SECURITY AND PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS

6.1 POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S)

In accordance with VA Handbook 0710, Personnel Vetting Program, the position sensitivity and the level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access for the following tasks within the PD are:

Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation Requirements by Service Task/Item Number

Service Task / Item Number

Tier1 / Low Risk Tier 2 / Moderate Risk

Tier 4 / High Risk

1.1 ☒ ☐ ☐

1.2 ☒ ☐ ☐

1.3 ☒ ☐ ☐

The Tasks identified above and the resulting Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation requirements identify, in effect, the Background Investigation requirements for Contractor individuals, based upon the tasks the particular Contractor individual will be working. The submitted Contractor Staff Roster must indicate the required Background Investigation Level for each Contractor individual based upon the tasks the Contractor individual will be working, in accordance with their submitted proposal.

6.2 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

Contractor Responsibilities:

a. The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain the appropriate Background Investigation, and are able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

b. Within 3 business days after award, the Contractor shall provide a roster of Contractor and Subcontractor employees to the COR to begin their background investigations in accordance with the PAL template artifact. The Contractor Staff Roster shall contain the Contractor’s Full Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, individual background investigation level requirement (based upon Section 6.2.1 Tasks), etc. The Contractor shall submit full Social Security Numbers either within the Contractor Staff Roster or under separate cover to the COR. The Contractor Staff Roster shall be updated and provided to VA within 1 day of any changes in employee status, training certification completion status, Background Investigation level status, additions/removal of employees, etc. throughout the Period of Performance. The Contractor Staff Roster shall remain a historical document indicating all past information and the Contractor shall indicate in the Comment field, employees no longer supporting this contract. The preferred method to send the Contractor Staff Roster or Social Security Number is by encrypted e-mail. If unable to send encrypted e-mail, other methods which comply with FIPS 140-2 (or its successor) are to encrypt the file, use a secure fax, or use a traceable mail service. (Note that by September 22, 2026, all FIPS 140-2 certificate validations will be placed on the Historical List. See FIPS Transition Effort Timeline for more details: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/fips-140-3-transition-effort#schedule)

c. The Contractor should coordinate with the location of the nearest VA fingerprinting office through the COR. Only electronic fingerprints are authorized. The Contractor shall bring their completed Personnel Security Adjudication Center (PSAC) Fingerprint request form with them (see paragraph d.4. below) when getting fingerprints taken.

d. The Contractor shall ensure the following required forms are submitted to the COR within 5 days after contract award:

1) Optional Form 306

2) Self-Certification of Continuous Service

3) VA Form 0710

4) Completed PSAC Fingerprint Request Form

e. The Contractor personnel shall submit all required information related to their background investigations (completion of the investigation documents (SF85, SF85P, or SF 86) utilizing the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) Electronic Application (eAPP) (formerly e-QIP) after receiving an email notification from the PSAC.

f. The Contractor employee shall certify and release the eAPP document, print, and sign the signature pages, and send them encrypted to the COR for electronic submission to the PSAC. These documents shall be submitted to the COR within 3 business days of receipt of the eAPP) notification email.

(Note: DCSA is moving towards a “click to sign” process. If click to sign is used, the Contractor employee should notify the COR within 3 business days that documents were signed via eAPP).

g. The Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of all personnel provided to work for VA under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by Contractor provided personnel, under the auspices of this contract, the Contractor shall be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.

h. A Contractor may be granted unescorted access to VA facilities and/or access to VA Information Technology resources (network and/or protected data) with a favorably adjudicated Special Agreement Check (SAC), completed training delineated in VA Handbook 6500.6 (Appendix C, Section 4), signed “Contractor Rules of Behavior”, and with a valid, operational Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credential for PIV-only logical access to VA’s network. A PIV card credential can be issued once your SAC has been favorably adjudicated and your background investigation has been scheduled by DCSA. However, the Contractor will be responsible for the actions of the Contractor personnel they provide to perform work for VA. The investigative history for Contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the database of DCSA.

i. The Contractor, when notified of an unfavorably adjudicated background investigation on a Contractor employee as determined by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration in working under the contract.

j. Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security investigative requirements may result in loss of physical and/or logical access to VA facilities and systems by Contractor and Subcontractor employees and/or termination of the contract for default.

k. PIV Credential Holders must follow all HSPD-12 policies and procedures as well as use and protect their assigned identity credentials in accordance with VA policies and procedures, displaying their badges at all times, and returning the identity credentials upon termination of their relationship with VA.

Deliverable:

A. Contractor Staff Roster

ADDENDUM B – VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/

PRIVACY LANGUAGE

NOTE: In the event of a conflict, VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Security Clauses take precedence over the language in this Addendum B.

APPLICABLE SECTIONS TAILORED FROM: VA NOTICE 24-12, APRIL 22, 2024,

UPDATE TO VA HANDBOOK 6500.6, CONTRACT SECURITY, APPENDIX C VA

INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/PRIVACY LANGUAGE,

FOR INCLUSION INTO CONTRACTS, AS APPROPRIATE

B1. GENERAL

This entire section applies to all acquisitions requiring any Information Security and Privacy language. Contractors, contractor personnel, Subcontractors and subcontractor personnel will be subject to the same federal laws, regulations, standards, VA directives and handbooks, as VA personnel regarding information and information system security and privacy.

B2. VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE

a. The Government shall receive unlimited rights to data/intellectual property first produced and delivered in the performance of this contract or order (hereinafter “contract”) unless expressly stated otherwise in this contract. This includes all rights to source code and all documentation created in support thereof. The primary clause used to define Government and Contractor data rights is FAR 52.227-14 Rights in Data – General.

b. Information made available to the Contractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract will be used only for the purposes specified in the service agreement, SOW, PWS, PD, and/or contract. The Contractor shall not use VA information in any other manner without prior written approval from a VA Contracting Officer (CO). The primary clause used to define Government and Contractor data rights is FAR 52.227-14 Rights in Data – General.

c. VA information will not be co-mingled with any other data on the Contractor’s information systems or media storage systems. The Contractor shall ensure compliance with Federal and VA requirements related to data protection, data encryption, physical data segregation, logical data segregation, classification requirements and media sanitization.

d. VA reserves the right to conduct scheduled or unscheduled audits, assessments, or investigations of Contractor Information Technology (IT) resources to ensure information security is compliant with Federal and VA requirements. The

Contractor shall provide all necessary access to records (including electronic and documentary materials related to the contracts and subcontracts) and support (including access to Contractor and Subcontractor staff associated with the contract) to VA, VA's Office Inspector General (OIG), and/or Government Accountability Office (GAO) staff during periodic control assessments, audits, or investigations.

e. The Contractor may only use VA information within the terms of the contract and applicable Federal law, regulations, and VA policies. If new Federal information security laws, regulations or VA policies become applicable after execution of the contract, the parties agree to negotiate contract modification and adjustment necessary to implement the new laws, regulations, and/or policies.

f. The Contractor shall not make copies of VA information except as specifically authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the contract. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies shall be destroyed in accordance with VA Directive 6500, VA Cybersecurity Program and VA Information Security Knowledge Service.

g. If a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) contract is terminated for default or cause with a business associate, the related local Business Associate Agreement (BAA) shall also be terminated and actions taken in accordance with VHA Directive 1605.05, Business Associate Agreements. If there is an executed national BAA associated with the contract, VA will determine what actions are appropriate and notify the contractor.

h. The Contractor shall store and transmit VA sensitive information in an encrypted form, using VA-approved encryption tools which are, at a minimum, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2, Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules (or its successor) validated and in conformance with VA Information Security Knowledge Service requirements. The Contractor shall transmit VA sensitive information using VA approved Transport Layer Security (TLS) configured with FIPS based cipher suites in conformance with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-52, Guidelines for the Selection, Configuration and Use of Transport Layer Security (TLS) Implementations.

i. The Contractor’s firewall and web services security controls, as applicable, shall meet or exceed VA’s minimum requirements.

j. Except for uses and disclosures of VA information authorized by this contract for performance of the contract, the Contractor may use and disclose VA information only in two situations: (i) in response to a qualifying order of a court of competent jurisdiction after notification to VA CO (ii) with written approval from the VA CO.

The Contractor shall refer all requests for, demands for production of or inquiries about, VA information and information systems to the VA CO for response.

k. Notwithstanding the provision above, the Contractor shall not release VA records protected by Title 38 U.S.C. § 5705, Confidentiality of medical quality-assurance records and/or Title 38 U.S.C. § 7332, Confidentiality of certain medical records pertaining to drug addiction, sickle cell anemia, alcoholism or alcohol abuse or infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). If the Contractor is in receipt of a court order or other requests for the above-mentioned information, the Contractor shall immediately refer such court order or other requests to the VA CO for response.

l. Information made available to the Contractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the Contractor in performance or administration of the contract will be protected and secured in accordance with VA Directive 6500 and Identity and Access Management (IAM) Security processes specified in the VA Information Security Knowledge Service.

m. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a Contractor shall be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management, VA Handbook 6300.1, Records Management Procedures, and applicable VA Records Control Schedules.

n. The Contractor shall provide its plan for destruction of all VA data in its possession according to VA Directive 6500 and NIST 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization prior to termination or completion of this contract. If directed by the COR/CO, the Contractor shall return all Federal Records to VA for disposition.

o. Any media, such as paper, magnetic tape, magnetic disks, solid state devices or optical discs that is used to store, process, or access VA information that cannot be destroyed shall be returned to VA. The Contractor shall hold the appropriate material until otherwise directed by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or CO. Items shall be returned securely via VA-approved methods. VA sensitive information must be transmitted utilizing VA-approved encryption tools which are validated under FIPS 140-2 (or its successor) and NIST 800-52. If mailed, the Contractor shall send via a trackable method (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.) and immediately provide the COR/CO with the tracking information. Self-certification by the Contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met shall be sent to the COR/CO within 30 business days of termination of the contract.

p. All electronic storage media (hard drives, optical disks, CDs, back-up tapes, etc.)

used to store, process or access VA information will not be returned to the Contractor at the end of lease, loan, or trade-in. Exceptions to this paragraph will only be granted with the written approval of the VA CO.

B3. ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

a. A Contractor/Subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees and subcontractors only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the solicitation or contract. This includes indirect entities, both affiliate of Contractor/Subcontractor and agent of Contractor/Subcontractor.

b. Contractors and subcontractors shall sign the VA Information Security Rule of

Behavior (ROB) before access is provided to VA information and information systems (see Section 4, Training, below). The ROB contains the minimum user compliance requirements and does not supersede any policies of VA facilities or other agency components which provide higher levels of protection to VA’s information or information systems. Users who require privileged access shall complete the VA elevated privilege access request processes before privileged access is granted.

c. All Contractors and Subcontractors working with VA information are subject to the same security investigative and clearance requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors shall be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Vetting Program.

The Office of Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) is responsible for these policies and procedures.

Contract personnel who require access to classified information or information systems shall have an appropriate security clearance. Verification of a Security Clearance shall be processed through the Special Security Officer located in HRA/OSP. Contractors shall conform to all requirements stated in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM).

d. All Contractors and subcontractors shall comply with conditions specified in

VAAR 852.204-71(d); Contractor operations required to be in United States. All Contractors and Subcontractors working with VA information must be permanently located within a jurisdiction subject to the law of the United States or its Territories to the maximum extent feasible. If services are proposed to be performed abroad the Contractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided. The Contractor shall deliver to VA a detailed plan specifically addressing communications, personnel control, data protection and potential legal issues. The plan shall be approved by the COR/CO in writing prior to access being granted.

e. The Contractor shall notify the COR/CO in writing immediately (no later than 24 hours) after personnel separation or occurrence of other causes. Causes may include the following:

(1) Contractor/Subcontractor personnel no longer has a need for access to VA information or VA information systems.

(2) Contractor/Subcontractor personnel are terminated, suspended, or otherwise has their work on a VA project discontinued for any reason.

(3) Contractor believes their own personnel or Subcontractor personnel may pose a threat to their company’s working environment or to any company-owned property. This includes Contractor-owned assets, buildings, confidential data, customers, employees, networks, systems, trade secrets and/or VA data.

(4) Any previously undisclosed changes to Contractor/Subcontractor background history are brought to light, including but not limited to changes to background investigation or employee record.

(5) Contractor/Subcontractor personnel have their authorization to work in the

United States revoked.

(6) Agreement by which Contractor provides products and services to VA has either been fulfilled or terminated, such that VA can cut off electronic and/or physical access for Contractor personnel.

f. In such cases of contract fulfillment, termination, or other causes; the Contractor shall take the necessary measures to immediately revoke access to VA network, property, information, and information systems (logical and physical) by Contractor/Subcontractor personnel. These measures include (but are not limited to): removing and then securing Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badges and PIV – Interoperable (PIV-I) access badges, VA-issued photo badges, credentials for VA facilities and devices, VA-issued laptops, and authentication tokens.

Contractors shall notify the appropriate VA COR/CO immediately to initiate access removal.

g. Contractors/Subcontractors who no longer require VA accesses will return VA-issued property to VA. This property includes (but is not limited to): documents, electronic equipment, keys, and parking passes. PIV and PIV-I access badges shall be returned to the nearest VA PIV Badge Issuance Office. Once they have had access to VA information, information systems, networks and VA property in their possessions removed, Contractors shall notify the appropriate VA COR/CO.

B4. TRAINING

a. All contractors and subcontractors requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall successfully complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:

(1) VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior course (Talent Management System (TMS) #10176) initially and annually thereafter.

(2) Sign and acknowledge (electronically through TMS #10176) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Organizational Rules of Behavior, relating to access to VA information and information systems initially and annually thereafter; and

(3) Successfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system or information access [to be defined by the VA program official and provided to the VA CO for inclusion in the solicitation document – i.e., any role-based information security training].

b. The Contractor shall provide to the COR/CO a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Organizational Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within five days of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required.

c. Failure to complete the mandatory annual training is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the required training is complete.

B5. SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

a. The Contractor, Subcontractor, their employees, or business associates shall immediately (within one hour) report suspected security / privacy incidents to the VA OIT’s Enterprise Service Desk (ESD) by calling (855) 673-4357 (TTY: 711).

The ESD is OIT’s 24/7/365 single point of contact for IT-related issues. After reporting to the ESD, the Contractor, Subcontractor, their employees, or business associates shall, within one hour, provide the COR/CO the incident number received from the ESD.

b. To the extent known by the Contractor/Subcontractor, the

Contractor/Subcontractor's notice to VA shall identify the information involved and the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the following:

(1) The date and time (or approximation of) the Security Incident occurred.

(2) The names of individuals involved (when applicable).

(3) The physical and logical (if applicable) location of the incident.

(4) Why the Security Incident took place (i.e., catalyst for the failure).

(5) The amount of data belonging to VA believed to have been compromised.

(6) The remediation measures the Contractor is taking to ensure no future incidents of a similar nature.

c. After the Contractor has provided the initial detailed incident summary to VA, they will continue to provide written updates on any new and relevant circumstances or facts they discover. The Contractor, Subcontractor, and their employes shall fully cooperate with VA or third-party entity performing an independent risk analysis on behalf of VA. Failure to cooperate may be deemed a material breach and grounds for contract termination.

d. VA IT Contractors shall follow VA Handbook 6500, Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems VA Information Security Program, and VA Information Security Knowledge Service guidance for implementing an Incident Response Plan or integrating with an existing VA implementation.

e. In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the

Contractor/Subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA OIG, and the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement. The Contractor, its employees, and its Subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident.