RFI MDEO Automation 36C10X26Q0118.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

NOTICE # 36C10X26Q0118

This Request for Information (RFI) is released by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Strategic Acquisition Center-Frederick (SAC-F) in accordance with Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) 15.101(c). This RFI is issued for the purpose of conducting market research and learning about industry capabilities.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This notice does not constitute a request for quotes or proposals, and the Government does not intend to award a contract based on this RFI or otherwise pay for the information requested. Submission of any information in response to this notice is purely voluntary. The Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred.

This RFI does not obligate the Government to any specific course of action or guarantee a future solicitation or contract for services described in this notice. Responses will be treated as information only and not as a proposal. Respondents are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or sensitive information contained in their response.

The Government is seeking as much information as possible and a complete response from industry to this RFI during this market research activity may assist the Government in developing an acquisition strategy and requirements.

BACKGROUND:

Medical Disability Examination Office (MDEO) Program Overview

The mission of the Medical Disability Examination Office (MDEO) is to support the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) disability claims process by administering VA’s contract medical disability examination program worldwide to ensure Veterans and Service Members receive timely and high-quality examinations in support of their disability claims. MDEO strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who served by increasing access to accurate and timely disability exams and shortening the claims process.

The MDEO Quality Compliance Program is a critical component in VA’s examination process, particularly in the review and assessment of Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs). The primary mission of the MDEO Quality Program is to ensure the accuracy and completeness of DBQs completed by contracted examiners. These questionnaires play a pivotal role in determining the eligibility and benefits for disability claims submitted by Veterans and Service Members. The quality of these examinations directly impacts the benefits that Veterans receive, which underscores the importance of a rigorous quality assurance program.

MDEO Quality Compliance Program Goals

Ensuring Accuracy and Completeness:

The foremost goal of the MDEO Quality Compliance Program is to guarantee that every DBQ is accurate and complete. This ensures that Veterans' disability claims are processed correctly, allowing for proper benefits allocation.

Quality Performance Assessment:

VA assesses the quality performance of each vendor on a quarterly basis. This performance assessment is based on a review of a statistically valid random sample of completed DBQs. By sampling and reviewing these questionnaires, VA can maintain high standards of quality across all examinations.

Quality Assessment Process

Sample Identification:

VA identifies a statistically valid random sample of completed DBQs. This approach ensures that the sample is representative of the total population of DBQs submitted, thereby providing a reliable basis for performance assessment.

Data Upload and Management:

The sampled DBQ data is uploaded into the Mandatory Contract Examination Quality (MCEQ) database, a custom-built application within Salesforce. MCEQ serves as the central repository for all quality assessment data, facilitating efficient management and analysis.

Conducting Reviews:

The MDEO team conducts detailed reviews of the sampled DBQs by applying predefined quality assessment criteria. These criteria are designed to meticulously evaluate each questionnaire for accuracy and completeness.

Recording Findings:

The accuracy findings from the reviews are recorded and stored in the MCEQ system. These findings are critical for assessing vendor performance on a quarterly basis and identifying error trends that require attention.

Benefits of Automation

MDEO is exploring the use of automation to enhance the quality assessment process.

The primary objectives of incorporating automation are:

Broader Compliance Checks - Automation would allow MDEO to perform compliance checks on a larger or total population of completed DBQs. This would significantly improve the breadth and depth of quality assessments.

Improved Efficiency and Effectiveness - Automated systems can process more DBQs in less time compared to manual reviews. This efficiency would enable MDEO to provide more timely feedback to vendors and conduct deeper analyses of compliance quality.

Trend Identification and Analysis - Automation can enhance the ability to identify and analyze trends within the data. This can lead to more insightful recommendations and targeted improvements in the examination process.

By leveraging automation in the quality assessment process, MDEO aims to achieve more comprehensive compliance checks and improve the overall quality of DBQs. This will ultimately enhance the accuracy of disability claims determinations and better serve the needs of Veterans.

SUMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested contractors are to respond to this notice by e-mail to Lindi.Sylvester@va.gov and Vincent.Bender@va.gov no later than 9:00 AM EDT on April 13, 2026. Please reference Notice # 36C10X26Q0118 in e-mail subject line.

Submissions must include the following:

A. Cover Sheet - 1 page

1. Company name, address, SAM UEI number, and CAGE code.

2. Primary point of contact to include e-mail address and phone number.

3. Type of business (as listed in SAM.gov).

4. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) that best fits these task areas.

5. If applicable, GSA contract number, schedule, and SIN category; specific information of other GWAC or VA-wide Ordering Contracts.

B. Index – 1 page

Please provide an index to assist the Government in identifying where you have addressed each question below in your Capabilities Statement and Market Information. This index should provide question number and corresponding page and section heading and/or paragraph number.

C. Capabilities Statement and Market Information - no more than 5 pages

Please respond to the following questions by providing a capabilities statement and market information.

DBQ Audit Capability:

1. What automation tools or software do you have available that are capable conducting reviews and identifying whether a DBQ audit checklist is fully and accurately completed?

2. What is your monthly volume capacity?

Monthly Feedback Provision:

3. Can you provide detailed monthly feedback on the DBQ reviews to assist with vendor communications and internal analysis?

Report Generation and Analysis:

4. Are you able to generate monthly and quarterly reports that identify trends and include recommendations for improvements?

5. Are your reports customizable to suit our program needs?

Other Information:

6. Please provide any other feedback or suggestions that you deem appropriate.

mailto:Lindi.Sylvester@va.gov mailto:Vincent.Bender@va.gov