Requirements Description for Sources Sought.docx

B.1 DESCRIPTION OF AGREEMENT

Under this agreement, the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) holder shall provide a web-based event platform for a virtual town hall video and telephone service.

Any Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility is authorized to order any item listed on the Price/Cost Schedule at the listed price. No items may be ordered off this IDIQ unless they are listed on the Price/Cost Schedule. Additional, related items may be added without further competition to the Price/Cost Schedule with the award of a Modification by the administering Contracting Officer (CO). The administering CO is the only VA employee authorized to Modify this IDIQ.

B.2 OBLIGATION OF FUNDS

This IDIQ does not obligate any funds. The Government is only obligated to the extent of authorized Task Orders issued under this IDIQ.

B.3 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

The Contractor shall provide pricing for each orderable item on the Price/Cost Schedule spreadsheet (Attachment A). All prices are FOB Destination and inclusive of all service costs associated with the delivery and installation.

B.4 TERM OF IDIQ

This IDIQ is effective from the date of award for a period of 5 years. An annual review will be conducted by the CO, to determine if it is in the best interest of the Government to continue performance of this IDIQ.

B.5 AUTHORIZED USERS

All properly warranted COs serving the VA are authorized to place orders under this IDIQ.

Government purchase cards may also be used to place orders under this IDIQ.

B.6 ORDERING

Task Orders (TO) will be placed against this IDIQ using Outlook Email Messages, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), FAX Internet portal, paper, or oral communications.

B.7 PURCHASE LIMITATIONS

The Price Ceiling is $15,000,000 over the life of the IDIQ.

B.8 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Background The exact services offered at each site vary, however, nearly every site has a requirement for a town hall video and telephone service to engage with veterans, employee, and stakeholders. Town hall events may occur outside of regular VA business hours (0800-1630 PST).

Scope This contract will provide all the facilities within VA an online Veteran and employee town hall engagement platform with integrated telephony that allows executive leaders to continuously receive input from the Veterans and employees and provide feedback on an expedited basis using Software as a Service delivery model. Utilization of push/pull technology for a town hall platform will allow organizational leaders to conduct regular real-time crowdsourcing with groups of Veterans and employees and receive their direct input and insights for continuous process enhancement.

General

1. Upon award of the Task Order, the contractor shall provide to the ordering CO:

a. Contractor’s regular work hours.

b. Contractor’s telephone number for call-in orders during regular work hours.

c. Contractor’s telephone number and instructions for placing “Emergency” orders after contractor’s regular work hours, including weekends.

d. Contractor’s telephone number for expert advice concerning awarded products.

2. When a Task Order is issued to the Contractor, the Contractor shall provide and install the ordered items within 12 weeks of the order being placed by the VA. Contractor to provide installation schedule to facility point of contact (POC) and/or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

3. Delivery schedules, arrangements, and packing slip requirements will be provided in the TO, government purchase card order, or by the CO.

4. The Contractor’s employee shall conduct themselves in courteous and professional manners when interacting with the VA.

5. The Contractor shall be responsible for assuring that the ordered products are available to meet the requirements ordered.

6. Contractor shall provide recall notification, regardless of level, to each facility, and to the Acquisition Utilization Specialist (AUS), the facility COR, and ordering CO.

7. AUS, the facility COR, and ordering CO shall be notified immediately of any backorder item(s).

8. No substitutions will be permitted without approval from the CO or their designated representative.

9. Deliveries shall incorporate sufficient packing to comply with all applicable federal and/or state standards relating to shipment of these products. Shipping containers must comply with all federal and state regulations (i.e., DOT, DOE, regulations, and standards).

10. The Contractor shall replace any items received that are determined not fit for use by the user and provide replacement product(s) within 48 hours at no cost to the VA. Reports of item problem(s) must be submitted in writing to the CO prior to requesting replacement item.

Specific Tasks

1. Virtual town hall event platform with integrated telephony

2. Town hall event planning, customer support, and training

a. Training sessions for VA Employees can be provided remotely live or online. Training may be recorded.

3. Contractor will provide any system upgrades training sessions free of charge to the VA

4. Technical Assistance shall be provided by system professionals, or appropriately identified qualified experts who shall provide services on a relatively rapid basis to various program areas as specified by each individual task order.

a. Technical support will be provided online and via phone

5. Town hall event will have a secure toll-free recording line to record messages

6. Prior to town hall event – automated voice message invitation to phone numbers. VA to provide phone numbers in Microsoft Excel format.

7. Town hall event – automated call invitation to stay on the call for the event, to phone numbers. VA to provide phone numbers in Microsoft Excel format

8. Town hall data displayed in real-time

9. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) surveys. Surveys and survey questions to be internally developed by VA, VISN and Facility Leaders

10. Results from the IVR reported real time during town hall

11. Captioning services for town hall events as well videotaped products to make them accessible to the hearing impaired. The contractor shall be able to provide high-quality, real-time (simultaneous) closed or open captioning for teleconferences and provide offline captioning of prerecorded programs including informational or instructional videos. Options for audio / video streaming, website integration, close captioning, and transcription.

12. Ability to configure screen with VA logos

13. Screen data displayed in multiple formats: tables, graphs, and charts

14. All provided and collected data is exportable

15. Storage for data – during event and up to 72 hours after

a. Data will be purged or moved from Contractor SaaS infrastructure to VA secure network storage within 72 hours of a completed Town Hall Event or upon notification by the VA, VISN or associated facilities.

16. Town Hall participant response data is deliverable and accessible by VA via HTTPS or FTPS protocol and allows for secure movement of collected data from contractor to VA following FIPS 140.2 Compliance as required for data exchange when exchanging information defined as Protected Health Information (PHI) or Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Including download of voice messages left by town hall participants in Microsoft Windows media player format

17. Platform allows for post event reports of the following metrics within 24 hours of call completion “prefer real time”. Example of minimally required reports follows:

a. Total calls made

b. Total calls answered

c. Total calls disconnected

d. Time call was active in minutes

e. Percent of participants staying on the phone line for the duration of the call

Assessment, Authorization, and Continues Monitoring

1. The information system solution selected by the Contractor shall comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

2. The Contractor shall comply with FedRAMP requirements as mandated by Federal laws and policies, including making available any documentation, physical access, and logical access needed to support this requirement.

3. Following guidance from the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO), VA will utilize existing JAB Authority to Operate (ATO) or agency ATO issued by another agency as a starting point for FedRAMP requirements. If neither of those exist, VA will sponsor FedRAMP ATO. VA will be using the FedRAMP baselines as a starting point, since they are specifically tailored for cloud services.

4. The Contractor shall, where applicable, assist with the VA ATO Process to help achieve agency authorization of the cloud service or migrated application.

5. The Contractor shall complete a FedRAMP System Security Plan (SSP) and supporting documentation.

6. The Contractor shall complete a Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) Security Assessment Plan (SAP).

7. The Contractor shall complete a 3PAO Security Assessment Report (SAR).

8. The Contractor shall afford VA access to the Contractor’s and Cloud Service Provider’s (CSP) facilities, installations, technical capabilities, operations, documentation, records, and databases.

9. If new or unanticipated threats or hazards are discovered by either VA or the Contractor, or if existing safeguards have ceased to function, the discoverer shall immediately bring the situation to the attention of the other party in accordance with the security addendum B.

10. The Contractor shall not release any data without the consent of VA in writing. All requests for release must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)/Contracting Officer (CO).

11. For live VA data to be used in this system, a FedRAMP Authorization and Agency ATO will be required.

Deliverables

1. FedRAMP System Security Plan (SSP) and supporting documentation

2. VA Implementation Diagram: This is a VA specific architecture diagram demonstrating the proposed implementation of this system at VA (VAID)

3. 3PAO Security Assessment Plan (SAP)

4. 3PAO Security Assessment Report (SAR)

Item Specifications

1. All orderable items that require a government or industry quality level, endorsement, or other quality assurance standard must meet these criteria.

a. Items purporting to meet these criteria but lacking any proof of doing so are not allowable.

b. The Contractor shall provide documentation proving the relevant items meet the required criteria upon request by the AUS, the facility COR, and ordering CO.

2. Tasks under this PWS shall be performed in VA facilities. Work may be performed at remote locations with prior approval from the AUS, ordering CO or designee.

Applicable Documents.

In performance of the tasks associated with this Performance Work Statement, the Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations including but not limited to:

1. 44 U.S.C. § 3541, “Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002”

2. FIPS Pub 201, “Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors,” March 2006

3. 5 U.S.C. § 552a, as amended, “The Privacy Act of 1974”

4. 42 U.S.C. § 2000d “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”

5. VA Directive 0710, “Personnel Suitability and Security Program,” September 10, 2004

6. VA Directive 6102, “Internet/Intranet Services,” July 15, 2008

7. 36 C.F.R. Part 1194 “Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards,” July 1,2003

8. Office of Management & Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “Management of Federal Information Resources,” November 28, 2000

9. 32 C.F.R. Part 199, “Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)”

10. An Introductory Resource Guide for Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule, October 2008

11. Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), August 7, 1998

12. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (12) (HSPD-12)

13. VA Directive 6500, “Information Security Program,” August 4, 2006

14. VA Handbook 6500.6, “Contract Security,” March 12, 2010

15. Program Management Accountability System (PMAS) portal (reference PWS References – Technical Library at https://www.voa.va.gov/)

Place of Performance This IDIQ will cover the VA entirely.

B.9 QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

IDIQ OVERSIGHT

Instances of non-compliance with the IDIQ will be noted and referred to the administering CO for consideration for action and in performing the annual IDIQ review. VA employees ordering off the IDIQ will also be evaluated for their compliance with IDIQ terms. Instances of non-compliance will be noted and referred to the administering CO and the relevant supervisor for consideration.

The administering CO will perform annual reviews and as required by circumstances. Instances of excellent contractor service will be noted for the same purposes.

TASK ORDER OVERSIGHT

Each ordering location will designate a COR (if sufficient dollar thresholds are reached and subject to ordering CO approval) or Point of Contact (POC), who will be responsible for verifying TO performance. CORs or POCs may designate appropriate VA personnel to assist in monitoring services rendered through one or a combination of the following mechanisms:

1. Facilities will monitor Contractor performance to ensure that services ordered have been rendered in a timely manner. Any incidents of Contractor noncompliance as evidenced by the monitoring procedures will be forwarded to the ordering CO for action and administering CO for annual performance evaluation consideration.

2. Documentation of services performed will be reviewed prior to certifying payment. The COR or POC will perform periodic spot checks and document findings. The VA will pay only for services actually provided and in accordance with the Price/Cost Schedule. COR or POC contract monitoring and recordkeeping procedures will be sufficient to ensure proper payment and allow audit verification that services were provided.

3. COR(s) or POC(s) will provide a written statement annually to the ordering CO and administering CO, to include a summary of contractor actions and a statement that all requirements of the contract have been fulfilled as agreed. This summary evaluation will be submitted 45 days prior to expiration of contract (and/or prior to election of Option Year renewals, if applicable).

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND POTENTIAL PENALTIES

The chart below quality assurance surveillance plan (QASP) outlines performance objective, standards, minimum quality levels, surveillance methods, and possible penalties for non-performance, to serve as a guide for Contractor performance evaluation under this IDIQ. Terms may be tailored and added to on individual TOs. Confirmation of delinquent performance will be made known to the Contractor immediately upon discovery.

Any identified deficiency will be noted by the observer, reported to the cognizant CO, and the CO will be responsible for investigating if the deficiency is founded or not.

Quality Level Surveillance Method Possible Penalty

Evaluation to reflect poor performance; 10% reduction of relevant invoice payments

Evaluation to reflect poor performance

Evaluation to reflect poor performance; termination of contract

Evaluation to reflect poor performance; 100% reduction of invoice payment