PWS for AI Weapons Threat Detection DRAFT for RFI.docx

Greater Los Angeles AI Threat Detection, VA-26-00084790

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Information & Technology (OIT) Office of Security and Law Enforcement

Greater Los Angeles VA AI Threat Detection

Date: August 11, 2026

VA-26-00084790

PWS Version Number: 25.0

Contents

BACKGROUND

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Security and Law Enforcement (OSLE), is a federal law enforcement organization with specialized responsibilities for reducing crime and protecting persons and assets within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs. OSLE is charged with safeguarding Veterans, their families, VA employees, volunteers, visitors, and contractors, as well as the physical infrastructure, medical assets, and sensitive information housed within VA facilities. In carrying out this mission, OSLE oversees VA Police operations, physical security programs, and the integration of security technologies that support the protection of VA persons and property.

In alignment with Executive Order 14296, Keeping Promises to Veterans and Establishing a National Center for Warrior Independence, the VA established the National Center for Warrior Independence (NCWI) at the West Los Angeles VA Campus. The NCWI provides housing for homeless Veterans and their family members. As a residential campus serving a vulnerable population, the NCWI presents a security environment that differs substantially from a traditional medical center or administrative facility. The presence of resident Veterans and their families, many of whom may be recovering from physical, mental health, or substance use challenges; alongside ongoing medical operations at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center (VAMC), creates a complex, high-occupancy environment that demands robust, continuous, and technologically advanced security measures.

To ensure the safety and security of the Veterans, their families, VA staff, and VA facilities, OSLE has determined that the existing video surveillance system at the West Los Angeles VA Campus requires significant improvements, as it does not provide the coverage, reliability, or capability necessary to support modern security operations across a campus of this size and population density. Identified deficiencies including gaps in camera coverage, aging or degraded equipment, limited real-time monitoring capability, and the absence of intelligent analytics constrain OSLE's ability to detect, deter, and respond to security incidents in a timely manner and place an unsustainable burden on personnel who must manually monitor a large volume of camera feeds. Addressing these deficiencies is essential to protecting the growing resident population at NCWI and maintaining a secure environment across the West Los Angeles VA Campus.

In support of enhanced security operations, the VA intends to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities to assist in reviewing surveillance footage, enabling the rapid identification of weapons that are in plain view and not concealed. AI-based detection is intended to augment not replace, the vigilance of VA Police and security personnel by continuously analyzing video feeds, flagging visible weapons in real time, and accelerating the delivery of actionable alerts to responders. By pairing an upgraded, reliable video surveillance infrastructure with AI-driven weapons detection, OSLE seeks to reduce the time between the appearance of a visible threat and an effective security response. Early detection of brandished weapons can provide critical seconds for personnel to initiate protective actions, notify law enforcement, and safeguard the Veterans, families, and staff who live and work on the West Los Angeles VA Campus.

APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

In the performance of the tasks associated with this Performance Work Statement, the Contractor shall comply with the following:

1. “Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014”

2. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication 140-3, “Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules”, March 22, 2019

3. FIPS Pub 199. “Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems,” February 2004

4. FIPS Pub 200, “Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems,” March 2006

5. FIPS Pub 201-3, “Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors,” January 2022

6. 10 U.S.C. § 2224, "Defense Information Assurance Program", as amended

7. 5 U.S.C. § 552a, as amended, “The Privacy Act of 1974”

8. Public Law 109-461 (P.L. 109-461), Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, as amended, Title IX, Information Security Matters

9. 42 U.S.C. § 2000d “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”, as amended

10. VA Directive 0710, “Personnel Vetting Program,” September 8, 2025, https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm

11. VA Handbook 0710, “Personnel Vetting Program,” September 8, 2025, https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm

12. VA Directive 6102, “Internet/Intranet Services,” August 5, 2019

13. 36 C.F.R. Part 1194 “Information and Communication Technology Standards and Guidelines,” as amended

14. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “Managing Federal Information as a Strategic Resource,” July 28, 2016

15. NIST SP 800-66 Rev. 2, “Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule: A Cybersecurity Resource Guide,” February 2024

16. 45 C.F.R Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and E, the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”); and 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and C, the Security Standard (“Security Rule”); as amended

17. Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended

18. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (12) (HSPD-12), August 27, 2004

19. VA Directive 6500, “VA Cybersecurity Program,” February 24, 2021 (see VA NOTICE 24-18, dated September 27, 2024, “Update to VA Directive 6500 Cybersecurity Program”, and VA Notice 25-07, dated 3/18/25, “Amending VA Directive 6500 to incorporate M-24-15”)

20. VA Handbook 6500, “Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems VA Information Security Program,” February 24, 2021 (see VA Notice 25-01, dated October 15, 2024, “Update to VA Handbook 6500 Risk Management Framework for VA Information Systems VA Information Security Program”, and VA Notice 25-06, dated 3/18/25, “Amending VA Directive 6500 to incorporate M-24-15”, VA Notice 25-16, dated September 15, 2025, “Amending VA Handbook 6500 to Replace Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Services Tool With Office of Information Technology Governance Risk Compliance Tool, and VA Notice 25-17, dated September 22, 2025, “Rescission Of Office Of Information Security (OIS) Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Memorandum – Requirements of Proper Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) Completion)

21. VA Handbook 6500.2, “Management of Breaches Involving Sensitive Personal Information (SPI),” June 30, 2023

22. VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security,” March 12, 2010 (see VA Notice 24-12, dated 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”)

23. VA Handbook 6500.8, “Information System Contingency Planning,” March 25, 2025

24. VA Handbook 6500.10, “Mobile Device Security Policy,” February 15, 2018 (see VA NOTICE 25-10, dated June 9, 2025, “Use of Personally Owned Mobile Devices Policy Amendment of Department of Veterans Affairs Handbook 6500.10”, and VA Notice 25-15, dated August 22, 2025, “Update to VA Handbook 6500.10 Mobile Device Security Policy”)

25. VA Handbook 6500.11, “VA Firewall Configuration,” August 22, 2017

26. OIT Process Asset Library (PAL), OIT Process Asset Library.

27. One-VA Technical Reference Model (TRM) (reference at https://www.va.gov/trm/TRMHomePage.aspx)

28. VA Directive 6508, “Implementation of Privacy Threshold Analysis and Privacy Impact Assessment,” October 15, 2014

29. VA Directive 6510, “VA Identity, Credential and Access Management,” September 3, 2024

30. VA Handbook 6510, “VA Identity, Credential and Access Management,” September 27, 2024

31. VA Directive and Handbook 6513, “Secure External Connections,” October 12, 2017

32. VA Directive 6300, “Records and Information Management,” September 21, 2018

33. VA Handbook, 6300.1, “Records Management Procedures,“ March 24, 2010

34. NIST SP 800-37 Rev 2, “Risk Management Framework for Information Systems and Organizations: A System Life Cycle Approach for Security and Privacy,” December 2018

35. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, “Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations,” September 23, 2020 (includes updates as of 12/10/2020)

36. VA Directive 0735, “Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program,” October 26, 2015

37. VA Handbook 0735, “Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program,” March 24, 2014

38. OMB Memorandum 05-24, “Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 – Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors,” August 5, 2005

39. OMB Memorandum M-19-17, “Enabling Mission Delivery Through Improved Identity, Credential, and Access Management,” May 21, 2019

40. OMB Memorandum, “Guidance for Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 Implementation,” May 23, 2008

41. Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM) Architecture, June 30, 2023 (FICAM Architecture (idmanagement.gov))

42. NIST SP 800-116 Rev 1, “Guidelines for the Use of Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credentials in Facility Access,“ June 2018

43. NIST SP 800-63 Rev 4, 800-63A-4, 800-63B-4, 800-63C-4, “Digital Identity Guidelines,” August 1, 2025

44. NIST SP 800-157, “Guidelines for Derived PIV Credentials,” December 2014

45. VA Memorandum, VAIQ #7100147, “Continued Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12),” April 29, 2011 (reference https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514)

46. IAM Identity Management Business Requirements Guidance document, May 2013, (reference Enterprise Architecture Section, PIV/IAM (reference https://www.voa.va.gov/documentlistpublic.aspx?NodeID=514)

47. VA Memorandum “Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Logical Access Policy Clarification,” July 17, 2019, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4896

48. Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 Core Guidance Documents, https://www.cisa.gov/publication/tic-30-core-guidance-documents

49. OMB Memorandum M-19-26, “Update to the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Initiative,” September 12, 2019

50. OMB Memorandum M-08-23, “Securing the Federal Government’s Domain Name System Infrastructure,” August 22, 2008

51. Sections 524 and 525 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, (P.L. 110–140), December 19, 2007

52. Section 104 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, (P.L. 109–58), August 8, 2005

53. Executive Order 13221, “Energy-Efficient Standby Power Devices,” August 2, 2001

54. Executive Order 14148, “Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions,” dated January 20, 2025

55. VA Directive 0057, “VA Environmental Management Program,” October 25, 2022

56. OIS VAIQ #7424808 Memorandum, “Remote Access,” January 15, 2014, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

57. Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, 40 U.S.C. §11101 and §11103

58. “Veteran Focused Integration Process (VIP) Guide 4.0,” March 2021, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371

59. VA Memorandum “Proper Use of Email and Other Messaging Services,” January 2, 2018, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentListPublic.aspx?NodeId=28

60. “Product Line Management Transformation Playbook” version 3.1, August 2023, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946

61. NIST SP 500-267B Revision 1, “USGv6 Profile,” November 2020

62. OMB Memorandum M-21-07, “Completing the Transition to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6),” November 19, 2020

63. Social Security Number (SSN) Fraud Prevention Act of 2017

64. Section 240 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) 2018, March 23, 2018

65. C.F.R Title 15 Part 7, “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) Supply Chain”, as amended

66. Executive Order 14028, “Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity,” May 12, 2021, https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/16/executive-order-on-strengthening-and-promoting-innovation-in-the-nations-cybersecurity/

67. OMB Memorandum M-22-09, “Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles”, January 26, 2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-09.pdf.

68. NIST SP 800-52 Revision 2, “Guidelines for the Selection, Configuration, and Use of Transport Layer Security (TLS) Implementations

69. OMB M-26-05, “Adopting a Risk-based Approach to Software and Hardware Security,” January 23, 2026

70. OMB M-21-31, “Improving the Federal Government’s Investigative and Remediation Capabilities Related to Cybersecurity Incidents,” August 27, 2021

71. NIST SP 800-88 Revision 1 “Guidelines for Media Sanitization,” December 2014

72. CISA Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 19-02: “Vulnerability Remediation Requirements of Internet-Accessible Systems,” April 29, 2019, BOD 19-02: Vulnerability Remediation Requirements for Internet-Accessible Systems | CISA

73. CISA BOD 22-01: “Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities,” November 3, 2021, BOD 22-01: Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA

74. CISA BOD 23-01: Improving Asset Visibility and Vulnerability Detection on Federal Networks.” Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), BOD 23-01: Improving Asset Visibility and Vulnerability Detection on Federal Networks | CISA

75. VA Directive 6550, Pre-Procurement Assessment and Implementation of Medical Devices/Systems, June 03, 2019

76. VA Memorandum, “VA Security Controls,” January 17, 2025, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=5010

77. E.O. 13960, “Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government,” December 3, 2020

78. E.O. 14319, “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government,” July 23, 2025

79. OMB Memorandum M-25-21, “Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust,” April 3, 2025

80. OMB Memorandum M-25-22, “Driving Efficient Acquisition of Artificial Intelligence in Government,” April 3, 2025

81. OMB Memorandum M-26-04, “Increasing Public Trust in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Through Unbiased AI Principles,” December 11, 2025

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall provide all software, monitoring services, implementation support, maintenance, upgrades, training, documentation, program management, and reporting necessary to deliver and sustain an operational AI-enabled visual weapon detection and human-verified alerting capability at the West Los Angeles VAMC and the NCWI. The solution will support VA, OSLE, in addressing identified deficiencies in the existing video surveillance network and improving VA’s ability to detect visible weapons in real time.

AI THREAT DETECTION SERVICE

The Contractor shall provide, deploy, and maintain an enterprise-grade, AI-enabled visual threat detection capability that integrates with the VA existing and future video surveillance infrastructure, including fixed cameras, Mobile Security Units, and fixed NEMA-rated enclosures.

SYSTEM CAPABILITIES

a) Threat Detection. The system shall accurately detect visible weapons, including bladed weapons, handguns, long guns, and other visible, unholstered firearms.

b) Architecture. The system shall operate using hybrid architecture consisting of secure on-premises edge processing and a Government cloud environment. The system shall support 1,000 camera streams.

c) Monitoring and Alerting. The system shall interface with a Contractor-operated monitoring center to deliver real-time detection, analysis, and alerting. All AI-generated detections shall undergo Contractor-provided human verification prior to dissemination. Following verification, the Contractor shall provide near-real-time notification to VA-designated recipients, including but not limited to VA Police Service and other VA authorized personnel.

d) Intrusion Detection. The system shall include intrusion detection for designated perimeters and restricted areas.

e) Deployment Flexibility. The system shall support both fixed and mobile surveillance deployments and shall integrate with existing IP-based camera systems without requiring wholesale replacement.

SOURCING AND PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

a) Domestic Manufacturing. All technology, hardware, software, and monitoring infrastructure used in the solution shall be manufactured within the United States.

b) Monitoring Service. The monitoring service shall be U.S. based and staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. All monitoring personnel shall be U.S. citizens.

CONTRACTOR TASKS AND SERVICES

a) AI Model Deployment. The Contractor shall deploy, implement, test, optimize, and validate AI models.

a) Managed Subscription Service. The Contractor shall deliver proprietary AI analytics as part of a fully managed subscription service encompassing software maintenance, model improvements, engineering support, implementation assistance, and lifecycle management. The Contractor shall provide continuous model updates, software enhancements, maintenance, and technical support throughout the period of performance.

b) Software Support. Contractor shall provide software support to include deploy, configure, maintain, optimize, troubleshoot, and integrate the AI platform. Support shall include comprehensive reporting, system health monitoring, diagnostics, and lifecycle support for all deployed components.

Installation and Maintenance The Contractor shall perform all installation, integration, configuration, and maintenance activities required to establish and sustain an operational AI‑enabled visual threat detection capability across the Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center and NCWI. All work shall align with established VA technical, cybersecurity, and AI governance requirements, and shall ensure seamless interoperability with existing and future VA video surveillance infrastructure.

The Contractor shall conduct comprehensive system testing to validate AI model performance, analytic accuracy, intrusion detection capabilities, and alert delivery workflows. Perform functional verification of all software components, detection engines, network interfaces, and monitoring workflows. Complete operational validation to ensure all AI-generated detections undergo Contractor-provided human verification prior to dissemination.

The Contractor shall deliver on-going technical support, including issue resolution, software updates, and monitoring services necessary to maintain continuous operations across all covered streams and deployed assets for the duration of the contract. Technical issues shall be resolved within 72 hours of alerting the Contractor.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The Period of Performance shall be 12 months from date of award, with four 12-month option periods. The overall Period of Performance shall not exceed 60 months.

Any work at the Government site shall not take place on Federal holidays or weekends unless directed by the Contracting Officer (CO).

There are 11 Federal holidays set by law (USC Title 5 Section 6103) that VA follows:

Under current definitions, five are set by date:

If any of the above falls on a Saturday, then Friday shall be observed as a holiday. Similarly, if one falls on a Sunday, then Monday shall be observed as a holiday.

The other six are set by a day of the week and month:

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Tasks under this PWS shall be performed in VA facilities located in Los Angeles, California. Work may be performed at remote locations with prior concurrence from the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Additionally, Tasks under this PWS shall be performed at Contractor facilities. The Contractor shall identify the Contractor’s place of performance in their proposal submission. The Contractor staff shall be available to coordinate with the Chief of Police and the COR on normal Federal Government workdays and be responsive between the core hours of 9:00am and 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

CONTRACTOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Contractor shall deliver a Contractor Project Management Plan (CPMP) that lays out the Contractor’s approach, timeline, and tools to be used in execution of the contract. The CPMP should take the form of both a narrative and graphic format that displays the schedule, milestones, risks, and resource support. The CPMP shall also include how the Contractor shall coordinate and execute planned, routine, and ad hoc data collection reporting requests as identified within the PWS. The initial baseline CPMP shall be concurred upon and updated in accordance with Section B of the contract. The Contractor shall update and maintain the VA Program Manager (PM) approved CPMP throughout the PoP.

Deliverable:

A. Contractor Project Management Plan

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide the COR with monthly Progress Reports in electronic form in Microsoft Word and Project formats. The report shall include detailed instructions/explanations for each required data element, to ensure that data is accurate and consistent. These reports shall reflect data as of the last day of the preceding week.

The monthly Progress Reports shall cover all work completed during the reporting period and work planned for the subsequent reporting period. The report shall also identify any problems that arose and a description of how the problems were resolved. If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation including their plan and timeframe for resolving the issue. The report shall also include an itemized list of all Information and Communication Technology (ICT) deliverables and their current Section 508 conformance status. The Contractor shall monitor performance against the CPMP and report any deviations. It is expected that the Contractor will keep in communication with VA accordingly so that issues that arise are transparent to both parties to prevent escalation of outstanding issues.

Deliverable:

A. Monthly Progress Report

PROVIDE AI THREAT DETECTION MONITORING SERVICE ALERTS

All weapon detections generated by the AI Threat Detection System shall be verified by a Contractor‑provided Security Monitor. Following verification, the Security Monitor shall immediately notify local VA Police through electronic and telephonic alert channels.

Deliverables:

A. Telephonic Alert: Immediate phone notification to local VA Police following verification of a detected weapon.

B. Electronic Alert Package: Electronic notification containing: Images of the detected weapon(s), The precise location of the weapon(s), Tracking documentation showing movement or location changes

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

ENTERPRISE AND IT FRAMEWORK

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.

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.

FEDERAL IDENTITY, CREDENTIAL, AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT (FICAM)

The Contractor shall ensure Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) product(s), software configuration and customization, and/or new software are Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card-enabled by accepting HSPD-12 PIV credentials using VA Enterprise Architecture (EA), and VA Identity and Access Management (IAM) approved Enterprise Technology Guidelines (ETG). The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems comply with the VA Identity, Credential, and Access Management policies and guidelines set forth in Executive Order 14028, VA Handbook 6510 VA Identity and Access Management, VA Handbook 0735 Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program, CISA Binding Operational Directive 23-01, and align with the Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management Roadmap and Implementation Guidance v2.0.

The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems provide user authentication services compliant with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-63-4, VA Handbook 6500, and VA IAM enterprise requirements for direct, assertion-based authentication, and/or trust based authentication, as determined by the ETGs. Direct authentication at a minimum must include Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) based authentication supportive of PIV card and/or Common Access Card (CAC), as determined by the business need.

The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems conform to the specific Identity and Access Management PIV requirements set forth in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memoranda M-05-24, M-19-17, M-22-09, and NIST Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201-3. Contractor delivered applications and systems shall be on the FIPS 201 Approved Product List (APL). If the Contractor delivered application and system is not on the APL, the Contractor shall be responsible for taking the application and system through the FIPS 201 Evaluation Program.

The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor delivered applications and systems support:

1. Automated provisioning and are able to use enterprise provisioning service.

2. Interfacing with VA’s Master Person Index (MPI) to provision identity attributes, if the solution relies on VA user identities. MPI is the authoritative source for VA user identity data.

3. The VA defined unique identity (Secure Identifier [SEC ID] / Integrated Control Number [ICN]).

4. Multiple authenticators for a given identity and authenticators at every Authenticator Assurance Level (AAL) appropriate for the solution.

5. Identity proofing for each Identity Assurance Level (IAL) appropriate for the solution.

6. Federation for each Federation Assurance Level (FAL) is appropriate for the solution, if applicable.

7. Two-factor authentication (2FA) through an applicable Technology Guideline as outlined in VA ETG.

8. A Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) implementation if the solution relies on assertion-based authentication. Additional assertion implementations, besides the required SAML assertion, may be provided as long as they are compliant with NIST SP 800-63-4 guidelines.

9. Authentication/account binding based on trusted Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) headers if the solution relies on Trust based authentication.

10. Role Based Access Control.

11. Auditing and reporting capabilities.

12. Compliance with VIEWS 00155984, PIV Logical Access Policy Clarification https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4896.

The required Assurance Levels for this specific effort are Identity Assurance Level 3, Authenticator Assurance Level 3, and Federation Assurance Level 3.

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.

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).

STANDARD COMPUTER CONFIGURATION

The Contractor IT end user solution that is developed for use on standard VA computers shall be compatible with and be supported on the standard VA operating system, Windows 11, Edge (Chromium based), and 365 Apps for enterprise. Applications delivered to VA and intended to be deployed to Windows 11 workstations shall be delivered as a signed .msi package with switches for silent and unattended installation and updates shall be delivered in signed .msp file formats for easy deployment using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (CM) VA’s current desktop application deployment tool. Signing of the software code shall be through a vendor provided certificate that is trusted by VA using a code signing authority such as Verizon/Cybertrust or Symantec/VeriSign. The Contractor shall also ensure and certify that their solution functions as expected when used from a standard VA computer, with non-admin, standard user rights that have been configured using the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Secure Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) specific to the particular client operating system being used.

VETERAN FOCUSED INTEGRATION PROCESS (VIP) AND PRODUCT LINE MANAGEMENT (PLM)

The Contractor shall support VA efforts IAW the Veteran-Focused Integration Process (VIP) Guide and Product Line Management (PLM) Playbook. The major focus of VIP is on Enterprise Oversight, Governance, reporting, and establishing practices that focus on outcomes and continuously delivering sustainable IT capabilities to benefit the Veteran. PLM is a framework that focuses on delivering functional products that provide the highest priority work to customers while delivering simplified, reliable, and practical solutions to the business, medical staff, and our Veterans. The VIP Guide is a companion guide to the PLM Transformation Playbook and can be found at: https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4371 and the PLM Transformation Playbook can be found at https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=4946. VIP and PLM are the authoritative processes that IT projects must follow to ensure development and delivery of IT products.

The VIP Guide provides guidance for transitioning from project-centric to product-centric delivery. The VIP guide applies to all OIT Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reportable products that are required to collect and report costs, schedules, risks, and other valuable information in VA PARS (whether products are procured or developed by VA) and any VA Information Technology project effort in Software Product Management (SPM) and Infrastructure Operations (IO), or their successors, that touch the VA network regardless of IT organizational alignment (whether it spends government funding from VA's Congressional IT Appropriation or any other appropriation).

The PLM Transformation Playbook details how OIT leadership expects Product Lines (PLs) to implement PLM, DevOps, and Lean-Agile principles, methods, practices, and techniques through levels of maturity. The PLM Transformation Playbook applies to all Information Technology (IT) products aligned to PLs in the Software Product Management, Infrastructure Operations and Product Engineering organizations within the OIT organization.

Others outside the referenced groups or organizations may use the VIP Guide and PLM Transformation Playbook for situational awareness as needed.

PROCESS ASSET LIBRARY (PAL)

The Contractor shall perform their duties consistent with the processes defined in the OIT Process Asset Library (PAL). The PAL includes a spectrum of OIT functions and activities, such as project management, operations, service delivery, communications, acquisition, and resource management. PAL serves as an authoritative and informative repository of searchable processes, activities or tasks, roles, artifacts, tools and applicable standards and guides to assist the OIT workforce, Government and Contractor personnel. OIT utilizes PAL processes to ensure compliance with policies and regulations and to meet VA quality standards. The PAL includes the contractor onboarding process consistent with Section 6.2.2 and can be found at process_CONB_ext.docx (live.com). The main PAL can be accessed at www.va.gov/process.

AUTHORITATIVE DATA SOURCES

The VA Enterprise Architecture Repository (VEAR) is one component within the overall EA that establishes the common framework for data taxonomy for describing the data architecture used to develop, operate, and maintain enterprise applications. The Contractor shall comply with the department’s Authoritative Data Source (ADS) requirement that VA systems, services, and processes throughout the enterprise shall access VA data solely through official VA ADSs where applicable, see below. The Information Classes which compose each ADS are located in the VEAR, in the Data & Information domain. The Contractor shall ensure that all delivered applications and system solutions support:

1. Interfacing with VA’s Master Person Index (MPI) (formerly the Master Veteran Index (MVI)) to provision identity attributes, if the solution relies on VA user identities. MPI is the authoritative source for VA user identity data.

2. Interfacing with Capital Asset Inventory (CAI) to conduct real property record management actions, if the solution relies on real property records data. CAI is the authoritative source for VA real property record management data.

3. Interfacing with electronic Contract Management System (eCMS) for access to contract, contract line item, purchase requisition, offering vendor, and solicitation information above the micro-purchase threshold, if the solution relies on procurement data. ECMS is the authoritative source for VA procurement actions data.

4. Interfacing with HRSmart Human Resources Information System to conduct personnel action processing, on-boarding, benefits management, and compensation management, if the solution relies on personnel data. HRSmart is the authoritative source for VA personnel information data.

5. Interfacing with VA Profile to access personal contact information, if the solution relies on VA Veteran personal contact information data. VA Profile is the authoritative source for VA Veteran Personal Contact Data.

6. Interfacing with VA/Department of Defense (DoD) Identity Repository (VADIR) for determining eligibility for VA benefits under Title 38, if the solution relies on qualifying active-duty military service data. VADIR is the authoritative source for qualifying active-duty military service in VA.

7. Interfacing with VA Systems Inventory (VASI) to access VA systems information, if the solution relies on VA system information. VASI is the authoritative source for VA Information Technology systems.

8. Interfacing with Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) to access the historical Authority to Operate (ATO) status of all VA Information Systems prior to migrating to ServiceNow Continuous Authorization and Monitoring (SNowCAM) until it is determined the migration is completed and eMASS is sunset. eMASS contains the historical Authority to Operate (ATO) status of all VA Information Systems prior to September 30, 2025, with all status provided through SNowCAM once migration is completed.

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 ICN in all VA information systems for all individuals. The Contractor shall ensure that all Contractor delivered applications and systems integrate with the VA 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.

SOFTWARE AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall be responsible for the provision of all software licenses and any associated licensing maintenance required for any development, delivery, integration, operation, and/or maintenance associated with its proposed application(s), software products, software solution, and/or system including, but not limited to, any and all application(s), software and/or software products that comprise, are a part of, or integrate with the Contractor’s proposed application(s), software products, software solution, and/or system for the life of any resulting contract.

GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS

If Artificial Intelligence (AI) is part of the Contractor system/solution, the Contractor shall be in compliance with E.O. 13960 and 14319, OMB Memorandums M-25-21, M-25-22, and M-26-04, and VA Directive and Handbook 6500 to support VA in trustworthy, secure, responsible, accountable, Truth Seeking, and Ideologically Neutral AI innovation.

The Contractor shall protect VA Sensitive data from unauthorized disclosure or use, and from being used to train or improve the functionality of the vendor's commercial AI offerings without express permission from VA. Only VA-hosted instances of generative AI services may be approved for use with VA-sensitive data. Current guidance and approved AI tools are available here: https://department.va.gov/ai/guidance-for-generative-ai-use-at-va/. The entire definition of VA Sensitive Data can be found at 38 U.S.C. § 5727 (23).

The Contractor shall deliver the services, technical data, configurations, models, weights, documentation or other information, including source code, developed during contract performance. The Contractor, in collaboration with VA, must evaluate the output of any AI tool for accuracy prior to using the output in VA efforts. All data, including models, weights, algorithms, and outputs generated using either Government-furnished data or data first developed under this contract shall be the property of the Government with unlimited rights as defined by FAR 52.227-14. The Contractor shall also deliver any custom-developed code developed with AI methodologies in accordance with the SHARE IT Act, if applicable. VA shall also retain unlimited rights to any improvements to that data, including the continued design, development, testing, and operation of AI systems and/or systems utilizing AI.

The Contractor shall ensure that all AI Systems, including Large Language Models (LLM), whether standalone LLMs or integrated into broader software platforms, procured under this effort and/or used in performance of this contract complies with the Unbiased AI Principles as defined in Executive Order 14319 and OMB Memorandum M-26-04, e.g. Truth Seeking and Ideologically Neutral, as applicable to the intended use of the system.

The Contractor shall ensure that AI System/LLM generated outputs are truthful in responding to user prompts seeking factual information or analysis, prioritize historical accuracy, scientific inquiry, and objectivity, as well as acknowledge uncertainty where reliable information is incomplete or contradictory and do not fabricate, hallucinate, or present unverifiable information as fact.

The Contractor shall ensure that LLMs and AI outputs are neutral, nonpartisan tools that do not manipulate responses in favor of ideological dogmas such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The Contractor shall ensure that the LLMs, including the AI System, are not intentionally encoded with partisan or ideological judgments within an AI System’s/LLM’s outputs unless those judgments are prompted by or otherwise readily accessible to the end user.

Compliance with the AI requirements of this contract, including adherence to the Unbiased AI Principles, Truth-Seeking and Ideological Neutrality requirements, disclosure obligations, monitoring and reporting requirements, and corrective action responsibilities, is a material condition of eligibility for payment and continued performance. In accordance with OMB Memorandum M-26-04, failure to comply with these requirements, or refusal to take timely and appropriate corrective action to remedy identified noncompliance, may constitute a material breach of contract and may result in remedies consistent with the terms of the contract and applicable law including but not limited to withholding of payment, termination for cause/default, or other appropriate contractual remedies, as determined by the Contracting Officer.

All AI for delivery and/or use in performance of the contract shall adhere to the VA Trustworthy AI Framework, available at https://department.va.gov/ai/trustworthy/. Once the Contractor has obtained CO authorization to use specific AI in contract performance, the Contractor shall provide the COR a signed Statement of Attestation prior to AI implementation as identified in the Artificial Intelligence in VA Contracts clause, to include its associated list of AI being used in contract performance.

Deliverable:

A. Statement of Attestation

AI SYSTEM/LLM DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

To enable Government continued assessment of compliance with Trustworthy AI requirements and both Unbiased AI Principles, Truth-seeking and Ideological Neutrality, in accordance with OMB M-26-04, the Contractor shall provide AI System/LLM Development and Operation Documentation Package to include, at a minimum:

1. Acceptable Use Policy The Contractor shall provide an Acceptable Use Policy document governing its AI operation that characterizes and differentiates appropriate and inappropriate use of their product offering

1. Model Cards, System Cards and/or Data Cards The Contractor shall provide documentation describing essential information about the model, system, and or data as it relates to the AI/LLM product offering. The documentation shall address summaries of training process, identified risks and mitigations, and model evaluation scores on LLM benchmarks at a minimum, where appropriate

1. End User Resources The Contractor shall provide documentation to include product tutorials, developer guides, and/or other tools to assist VA in ensuring proper use of the AI/LLM to maximize utility

1. Mechanism for End User Feedback The Contractor shall provide documentation describing the mechanism employed to provide feedback to the Offeror on outputs identified that violate the Unbiased AI Principles. This may be satisfied by a general inbox, specific Point of Contact, or similar feedback mechanism.

1. Pre-Training and Post-Training Activities of the AI System/LLM The Contractor shall provide documentation of Pre-Training and Post Training Activity that provides details on:

4. Actions taken that impact the factuality and grounding of AI System/LLM outputs

4. System-level prompts that provide natural language instructions to the model specifying guidelines on responding to user-generated queries, to include how a model responds when reliable information is incomplete, contradictory, or subject to individual interpretation

4. The type of outputs restricted via content moderation and safety filters

4. The use of red teaming as a means of continuously assessing the model to protect against incidents of bias in generated output.

4. Training or development, if any, that occurred outside the United States, to include the type of activity and the country in which it occurred.

4. Any modifications or configurations undertaken to comply with any regulation from a government other than the U.S. Federal Government.

1. Model Evaluation Results and Methodologies The Contractor shall provide documentation describing the Evaluation Results of bias evaluations conducted by the Vendor to include the methodology for performing such tests (e.g., testing prompt pairs for politically oriented topics).

The documentation shall also include Benchmark scoring results measuring the model’s bias, helpfulness, honesty, or accuracy when provided with ambiguous versus straightforward questions. (Including any benchmarks comparing performance across multiple languages, where applicable).

1. Description of Enterprise-Level Controls The Contractor shall provide documentation describing the Enterprise Governance tools and controls, such as:

6. Customizable system instructions that are additive to a base model’s system prompts or content generation filters.

6. Product features that require a model to cite sources of its outputs or otherwise provide visibility into the provenance of the model’s outputs.

6. AI System/LLM model evaluation tools that enable comparisons…