S02 36C10X26R0016 Final.pdf

PAGE 1 OF 1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE 4. ORDER NO. 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls) 8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY CODE 10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR SET ASIDE: % FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ IFB RFP

15. DELIVER TO CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR CODE FACILITY CODE 18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

TELEPHONE NO. UEI: EFT:

PHONE: FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

ITEM NO. SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________ 29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY (BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION (REV. NOV 2021)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

132-26-3-2239-0009

See Box 31C

36C10X26R0016 07-06-2026

Michael Stevens Michael.Stevens5@va.gov 202-876-7185 04-14-2026

10:00 EDT

36C10X

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick

Department of Veterans Affairs

5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103

Frederick MD 21703

X 100

X

485310

$19 Million

N/A

X

See B.3 Price Schedule

36C10X

VAFSC

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Financial Services Center

PO BOX 149971

(see Section B.1 invoicing/payment)

Austin TX 78714-8917

1-(877)-489-6135

See CONTINUATION Page

Veterans Health Administration

Homeless Program Office

Rideshare Services

Anticipated Period of Performance

Base Period: 12-months from date of award

Question due 8/6 by 10:00am EST

Proposals due 8/17 by 10:00am EST

Please complete and return VAAR Clause 852.219-75

See CONTINUATION Page

X X

Michael Stevens

Contracting Officer

36C10X26R0016

Table of Contents

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

B.3 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES

C.1 NOTICE OF CONTRACT TYPE

C.2 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (NOV 2023) ALTERNATE I (NOV 2021)

C.3 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

C.4 VAAR 852.219-75 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING—

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION (JAN 2023)

(DEVIATION)

C.5 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

C.6 52.252-6 AUTHORIZED DEVIATIONS IN CLAUSES (NOV 2020)

SECTION D - CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, OR ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A – PRICE SCHEDULE

ATTACHMENT B – PAST PERFORMANCE REFERENCES

ATTACHMENT C – PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE

ATTACHMENT D – CONTRACTOR QUESTIONS

SECTION E - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS

E.1 FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (DEVIATION 2026)

E.2 FAR 52.212-2 EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL

SERVICES (DEVIATION 2026)

E.3 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS—

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (OCT 2025) (DEVIATION

FEB 2025)

E.4 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB

1998)

E.5 52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2018)

E.6 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (NOV 2025) (DEVIATION)

E.7 52.219-1 SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REPRESENTATIONS (NOV 2025)

(DEVIATION)

E.8 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

E.9 52.252-5 AUTHORIZED DEVIATIONS IN PROVISIONS (NOV 2020)

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

1. Contract Administration: All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

a. CONTRACTOR: TBD

b. GOVERNMENT: Contracting Office 36C10X

Department of Veterans Affairs

Contracting Officers Representative (COR):

See COR Delegation Memo

2. CONTRACTOR REMITTANCE ADDRESS: All payments by the Government to the

Contractor will be made in accordance with:

[X] 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—System For Award Management, or

3. INVOICES: Invoices shall be submitted in arrears:

a. Other [X] Monthly

4. GOVERNMENT INVOICE ADDRESS: All Invoices from the Contractor shall be submitted electronically in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.232-72 Electronic

Submission of Payment Requests.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS: The Offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the Solicitation numbered and dated as follows:

AMENDMENT NO DATE

TUNGSTEN (fka OB10) ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION FSC e-INVOICE PROGRAM THRU AUSTIN PORTAL

FSC MANDATORY ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION FOR AUSTIN PAYMENTS

Purchase Order Number: TBD (please include this on all invoices)

Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods:

Fax, email and scanned documents are not acceptable forms of submission for payment requests. Electronic form means an automated system transmitting information electronically according to the accepted data transmissions below.

• VA’s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System – The Financial

Services Center (FSC) in Austin, TX uses a third-party contractor, Tungsten, to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission. Please go to this website: http://www.tungsten- network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs/ to begin submitting electronic invoices, free of charge.

• A system that conforms to the X12 electronic data interchange (EDI) formats established by the Accredited Standards Center (ASC) chartered by the

American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The X12 EDI Web site is http://www.x12.org.

Vendor e-invoice Set-up information:

Please contact Tungsten at the phone number or email address listed below to begin submitting your electronic invoices to the VA Financial Services Center in Austin, TX for payment processing. If you have questions about the payment status of a properly submitted invoice, the e-invoicing program, or Tungsten, please contact the FSC at the phone number or email address listed below.

• Tungsten e-Invoice setup information: 1-877-489-6135

• Tungsten e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@tungsten-network.com

• VA TUNGSTEN Number: AAA544240062

• FSC e-Invoice contact information: 1-877-353-9791

• FSC e-Invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov

• http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

COMMUNICATIONS:

• https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/27/2012-28612/va-acquisition-regulation- lectronic-submission-of-payment-requests

• http://fcw.com/articles/2012/11/27/va-epayments.aspx?s=fcwdaily http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs/ http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs/ http://www.x12.org/ mailto:VA.Registration@tungsten-network.com mailto:vafsccshd@va.gov http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/27/2012-28612/va-acquisition-regulation-%20lectronic-submission-of-payment-requests https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/27/2012-28612/va-acquisition-regulation-%20lectronic-submission-of-payment-requests https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/27/2012-28612/va-acquisition-regulation-%20lectronic-submission-of-payment-requests http://fcw.com/articles/2012/11/27/va-epayments.aspx?s=fcwdaily

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1. BACKGROUND

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made ending homelessness among Veterans a top priority. To achieve this urgent national goal, VA administers several homeless prevention, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and outreach programs to help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness access stable housing and wraparound supportive services. VA’s “no wrong door” approach ensures that homeless Veterans and Veterans at risk of homelessness will have timely access to appropriate programs, services, and other interventions regardless of where they initiate contact with the homelessness continuum of care.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Homeless Programs Office (HPO) oversees execution of the plan to end Veteran homelessness with support from the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management (DUSHOM), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) leadership, and staff at each VA Medical Center (VAMC). In addition, the VHA HPO is responsible for policy development, inter-and intra-agency coordination, developing and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders, monitoring performance, building and executing an operational budget, and overseeing regional and local operations.

With the enactment of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2025 (Public Law 118-210) under section 403, significant advancements have been made to enhance transportation services for Veterans, including the implementation of rideshare programs. These rideshare services specifically address the transportation needs of Veterans enrolled in the VHA Homeless program, ensuring they can access essential housing and healthcare services without limitation. This increased accessibility is pivotal in providing safe and efficient transportation options, especially given the restricted or limited capacity of traditional volunteer transportation programs and VHA Homeless program staff.

Under this new legislation, transportation will be required to support the stability and health of the Veteran for appointments with service providers, the conduct of housing and employment searches, and the obtainment of food and supplies. The rideshare services provided under Public Law 118-210 ensure that Veterans are not hindered by transportation barriers, thereby supporting stable housing outcomes.

Employment is a key element in helping Veterans transition out of homelessness or avoid homelessness all together. Employment improves quality of life, self-confidence, independence and an expanded opportunity for socialization. Partnerships like the Ride Share / Homeless Veteran’s Employment initiative can be a possible solution to increase employment access for many veterans living in transitional housing and unemployed because of lack of transportation. In this instance, not only do Veterans obtain flexible transportation for job interviews but also assist Veterans sustaining their jobs by using ride sharing transportation for one pay period.

The Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2025 represents a comprehensive approach to modernizing transportation solutions for

Veterans, particularly those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, thereby improving their access to healthcare, employment, and essential services.

2. SCOPE

The contractor shall provide transportation services for Veterans within the VHA Homeless Program across the United States (the 50 states and the district of Columbia) and the outlying areas of the United States (Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands).. Transportation is specifically for Veterans eligible for VHA Homeless Programs and can only be requested by designated VHA HPO staff or case managers. The transportation services support various needs, including:

a. Veterans experiencing homelessness to the nearest facility identified by VA staff that is able to provide shelter.

b. Veterans attending their housing appointments, so they are not delayed in seeking permanent housing through the Housing and Urban Development/ Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

c. Veterans, who need to meet with any community provider that would be providing critical support to the Veteran (Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF), Veteran Service Officer, Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) and any other federal, state, or municipal funded program).

d. Veterans participating in the VHA Homeless Program Veteran Justice Outreach Program (VJO) ensuring they do not miss any court dates, or essential meetings determined by VJO staff.

e. Vulnerable Veterans who need essential goods and food, in order to mitigate risks to the Veterans’ and staff health.

f. Veterans, who need to get to essential medical appointments but only when no other travel is available to the Veteran or minimizes risk to the Veteran by offering alternative transportation to public transportation.

g. Transport Veterans to and from scheduled health care appointments.

h. Veterans in the VHA Homeless Program, who need to get to and from employment searches.

i. Develop business agreements with all transportation providers to enable access to a broad network of rideshare, taxi, and car‑service options. Agreements may include any contractual or data‑sharing arrangements required to connect with provider platforms.

j. Provide a secure platform for authorized VAMC staff to request transportation and ensure the ability to track ride status and access 24/7/365 customer support (via phone and/or in‑app communication) to address questions, concerns, or issues related to their trip.

k. Provide training to authorized VAMC staff on use of secure platform.

l. Pay the transportation providers.

The contractor shall receive travel details from the Government three (3) business days in advance but must also accommodate last-minute requests. A comparative analysis to select the lowest-priced rideshare option is required for rides requested at least 3 business days in advance. Monthly invoices detailing the services provided must be submitted, including reasons for each ride and the requesting VAMC.

The contractor must provide 24/7/365 phone support for scheduled rides, manage reschedules, if necessary, maintain open communication with the VA, and supply evidence of the comparative cost analysis for Government reimbursement.

3. CONTRACT TYPE

This is a time and materials type contract.

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The anticipated period of performance is as follows:

Base Period: 12-months from date of award

5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The tasks under this Performance Work Statement (PWS) shall be performed in the United States (the 50 states and the district of Columbia) and the outlying areas of the United States (Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands). See Section 6 under Task 1 Rideshare Scheduling Services.

6. TASK REQUIREMENTS

Tasks performed shall be of a non-personal nature. VA organizations will not provide supervision of contractor personnel. Contractor personnel shall at no time allow an employer-employee relationship to develop with VA organizations or their staff. VA organizations will refrain from any activities that create the appearance of such a relationship. The contractor shall not perform inherently governmental functions including decision-making, supervision of Government employees, supervision of other contractors on other contracts, and activities that create the appearance of performing such functions.

6.1 RIDE COORDINATION AND SCHEDULING

The contractor shall coordinate and schedule rideshare transportation for Veterans eligible for VHA Homeless Programs. The Government shall provide the contractor with rider names, pick-up locations, pick-up times, drop-off locations, and drop-off times.

• Transportation requests may only be initiated by authorized VAMC staff who have been designated by the local homeless programs leadership, completed required training, and been granted access to the contractor’s platform.

• All transportation requests shall be submitted through a contractor‑provided secure electronic interface platform for authorized VA users to request rides.

o The contractor-provided secure electronic interface platform shall comply with all applicable VA cybersecurity and privacy requirements, including obtaining a VA Authority to Operate (ATO). If the platform is hosted in a cloud environment, the contractor shall ensure the solution meets FedRAMP authorization requirements prior to handling VA data.

• Contractor shall provide virtual training to designated VAMC homeless program staff, identified by local homeless program leadership, on the secure electronic interface platform and authorized use of transportation in order to be granted authorized access.

o Contractor shall develop training materials to include but not limited to;

user guides, FAQ’s, recorded live training, etc. to be approved by the VA’s Project Manager.

• The contractor shall receive rider lists from the authorized VAMC staff, normally at least three (3) business days prior to the requested travel date.

• The contractor shall schedule rides with commercially available rideshare providers.

• Ride confirmations shall be provided to the authorized VAMC staff no later than two (2) business days prior to scheduled travel.

• If rider lists are delayed or travel is requested on short notice, due to extenuating circumstances, the contractor shall schedule rides as soon as practicable and provide immediate confirmation.

Transportation may be provided to approved destinations including, but not limited to, shelters, housing appointments, healthcare appointments, community service providers, court-related obligations, essential goods and food access, and employment-related activities. Confirmations should be provided to the requesting VAMC no later than two

(2) business days prior to scheduled travel.

Deliverable(s):

• Ride confirmations (standard and short-notice)

• Schedule ride lists (as applicable)

• Secure Electronic Interface access & functionality

• Training materials & virtual sessions

6.2 COMPARATIVE PRICE ANALYSIS AND LOWEST-COST SELECTION

For all scheduled rides, except last-minute or urgent requests, the contractor shall:

• Research at least two commercially available rideshare providers and compare their pricing.

• Select the lowest-priced option that meets the Government’s service requirements, including timeliness.

• Retain documentation demonstrating compliance with the comparative price analysis and lowest-cost selection requirement, such as fare estimates, trip‑level price comparisons, or other system‑generated records showing how the lowest eligible cost option was selected.

The Contractor shall certify monthly that all rides billed were selected in accordance with this requirement. Supporting documentation shall be made available to the Government upon request for sampled transactions. The monthly certification should be signed by an individual with authority to certify compliance on behalf of the contractor, such as the Contractor’s Authorized Representative, Contract Manager, or another authorized company official.

Individual screenshots or real-time pricing verification associated with the comparative price analysis are not required unless specifically requested by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

Deliverable(s):

• Monthly lowest-cost selection certification (included in monthly report)

• Comparative pricing summary (aggregated)

• Supporting documentation (sampled, upon COR request)

6.3 SCHEDULE CHANGES AND RIDE CONFIRMATIONS

The contractor shall:

• Provide confirmation of scheduled rides to the Government in accordance with Section 6.1.

• Provide immediate ride confirmation when scheduling occurs within two (2) business days of travel.

• Notify the Government promptly of any changes, delays, or cancellations affecting scheduled rides.

Confirmations of any schedule changes should be provided to the requesting VAMC immediately when the scheduling occurs within two (2) business days of travel.

Deliverable(s):

• Updated ride confirmations

• Notification of cancellations or delays

6.4 CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND ISSUE RESOLUTION

The contractor shall provide 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per week, 365 days per year (24/7/365) customer support for scheduled rides, including, but not limited to:

• Addressing late arrivals or missed rides

• Managing last-minute changes

• Rescheduling rides cancelled by drivers or providers

• Maintaining open communication with Veteran and Government staff to resolve issues and prevent escalation.

Deliverable(s):

• Incident Logs (if requested)

• Issue resolution summaries (ad hoc)

6.5 ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

The contractor shall establish and maintain separate rideshare accounts for each VHA VISN identified by the Government for tracking and reporting purposes. Account management shall include coordination with transportation providers and settlement of charges for completed rides. Final monthly invoices will be submitted to the COR through standard VA invoicing processes and reviewed and certified by VA; all determinations regarding cost allowability, allocability, and assignment remain inherently governmental functions.

VISNS:

• VISN 1: VA New England Healthcare System

• VISN 2: New York/New Jersey VA Health Care Network

• VISN 4: VA Healthcare - VISN 4

• VISN 5: VA Capitol Health Care Network

• VISN 6: VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network

• VISN 7: VA Southeast Network

• VISN 8: VA Sunshine Healthcare Network

• VISN 9: VA MidSouth Healthcare Network

• VISN 10: VA Healthcare System

• VISN 12: VA Great Lakes Health Care System

• VISN 15: VA Heartland Network

• VISN 16: South Central VA Health Care Network

• VISN 17: VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network

• VISN 19: Rocky Mountain Network

• VISN 20: Northwest Network

• VISN 21: Sierra Pacific Network

• VISN 22: Desert Pacific Healthcare Network

• VISN 23: VA Midwest Health Care Network

• Account establishment confirmation (initial)

• Updated account listings (as needed)

6.6 REPORTING AND INVOICING SUPPORT

The contractor shall submit a consolidated monthly report with each invoice. This report shall include all documentation required under Sections 6.2, 6.6, and 6.7. All required documentation shall be provided in a single consolidated electronic attachment and include:

• Total number of completed rides

• Number of Veterans served

• Total rides per month

• Total rides to date for fiscal year

• Name of transportation provider

• Cost per mile

• Average cost per ride for fiscal year

• Requesting VAMC or Program

• General purpose of each ride

• Summary of transportation charges and administrative services

Deliverable(s):

• Monthly consolidated invoice

• Monthly trip-level data report (included in monthly report)

• Monthly invoice certification (included in monthly report)

6.7 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES- OTHER DIRECT COSTS (ODCs)

Transportation services are provided through third-party commercial rideshare providers.

• Charges for transportation shall reflect commercially established pricing in effect at the time of service. Charges shall be based on commercially available transaction pricing and not contractor accounting costs.

• Transportation charges shall be billed as ODCs under the Time-and-Materials

CLIN.

• Transportation charges shall be subject to the applicable contract ceiling.

• No profit, markup, or general and administrative (G&A) fees shall be applied to transportation ODCs.

• Trip receipts shall be submitted monthly as a consolidated electronic attachment with the trip-level data report provided under Section 6.6. Receipts shall identify, at a minimum, trip date, origin, destination, and total charge.

• Trip receipts (included in monthly report)

• Transportation cost summaries (included in monthly report)

7. DELIVERY SCHEDULE

Task # Deliverable Quantity Delivery Date/Frequency

6.1 Ride confirmations (standard and short-notice)

As required

No later than 2 business days prior to scheduled travel; immediate for short-notice rides

6.1 Schedule ride lists (as applicable)

As required Concurrent with ride confirmations

6.1 Provide VA access to secure electronic interface platform

As required Within 7 days of contract award.

6.1 Provide virtual training and materials on secure electronic interface platform

As required Within 14 days of contract award.

6.2 Monthly lowest-cost selection certification

1 per month Submitted with monthly invoice

6.2 Comparative pricing summary (aggregated)

1 per month Submitted with monthly invoice

6.2 Supporting documentation (sampled, upon COR request)

As requested Within 5 business days of request

6.3 Updated ride confirmations As required Upon any schedule change

6.3 Notification of cancellations or delays

As required Immediately upon occurrence

6.4 Incident Logs (if requested) As requested

Within 5 business days of request

6.4 Issue resolution summaries (ad hoc)

As requested As requested by COR

6.5 Account establishment confirmation (initial)

One-time per account

Within 10 business days of Notice to Proceed or account authorization

6.5 Updated account listings (as needed)

As needed Within 5 business days of change

6.6 Monthly consolidated invoice 1 per month

No later than the 10th business day of the following month

6.6 Monthly trip-level data report (electronic)

1 per month Submitted with monthly invoice

6.6 Monthly invoice certification 1 per month

Submitted with monthly invoice

6.7 Trip receipts (included in monthly report)

1 per month Submitted with monthly invoice

6.7 Transportation cost summaries (included in monthly report)

1 per month Submitted with monthly invoice

Deliverables identified herein are included within the applicable contract line items and are not separately priced.

8. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED INFORMATION

The GFI required in the performance of this PWS are listed in Section 6.1 and will be provided by the Government/VAMC:

9. SECURITY AND PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS

POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S)

Position Sensitivity

Background Investigation (in accordance with Department of Veterans Affairs 0710 Handbook, “Personnel Suitability and Security Program,” Appendix A)

Low / Tier 1 Tier 1 / National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI) A Tier 1/NACI is conducted by OPM and covers a 5-year period. It consists of a review of records contained in the OPM Security Investigations Index (SII) and the DOD Defense Central Investigations Index (DCII), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) name check, FBI fingerprint check, and written inquiries to previous employers and references listed on the application for employment. In VA it is used for Non-sensitive or Low Risk positions.

Moderate / Tier 2

Tier 2 / Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) A Tier 2/MBI is conducted by OPM and covers a 5-year period. It consists of a review of National Agency Check (NAC) records [OPM Security Investigations Index (SII), DOD Defense Central Investigations Index (DCII), FBI name check, and a FBI fingerprint check], a credit report covering a period of 5 years, written inquiries to previous employers and references listed on the application for employment; an interview with the subject, law enforcement check; and a verification of the educational degree.

High / Tier 4 Tier 4 / Background Investigation (BI) A Tier 4/BI is conducted by OPM and covers a 10-year period. It consists of a review of National Agency Check (NAC) records [OPM Security Investigations Index (SII), DOD Defense Central Investigations Index (DCII), FBI name check, and a FBI fingerprint check report], a credit report covering a period of 10 years, written inquiries to previous employers and references listed on the application for employment; an interview with the subject, spouse, neighbors, supervisor, co-workers; court records, law enforcement check, and a verification of the educational degree.

The position sensitivity and the level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access for the following tasks within the Performance Work Statement are:

Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation Requirements by Task

Task Number Tier1 / Low / NACI Tier 2 / Moderate /

MBI

Tier 4 / High / BI

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.

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. The Contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations.

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 ProPath template. 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 7.0 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 are to encrypt the file, use a secure fax, or use a traceable mail service.

C. The Contractor should coordinate the location of the nearest VA fingerprinting office through the COR. Only electronic fingerprints are authorized.

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

1) For a Tier 1/Low Risk designation:

a) OF-306

b) DVA Memorandum – Electronic Fingerprints

2) For Tier 2/Moderate or Tier 4/High Risk designation:

a) OF-306

b) VA Form 0710

c) DVA Memorandum – Electronic Fingerprints

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 Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) after receiving an email notification from the Security and Investigation Center (SIC).

The Contractor employee shall certify and release the e-QIP document, print and sign the signature pages, and send them encrypted to the COR for electronic submission to the SIC. These documents shall be submitted to the COR within 3 business days of receipt of the e-QIP notification email. (Note: OPM 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 eQIP).

A. 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.

B. 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) or “Closed, No Issues” (SAC) finger print results, training delineated in VA Handbook 6500.6 (Appendix C, Section 9), and, the signed “Contractor Rules of Behavior.” 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 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

C. 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.

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.

Identity 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.

Contractor employees shall complete a VA Systems Access Agreement if they are provided access privileges as an authorized user of the computer system of VA.

Physical Security and Safety Requirements

The Contractor and their personnel shall follow all VA policies, standard operating procedures, applicable laws and regulations while on VA property. Violations of VA regulations and policies may result in citation and disciplinary measures for persons violating the law.

a. The Contractor and their personnel shall wear visible identification at all times while they are on the premises.

b. VA does not provide parking spaces at the work site; the Contractor must obtain parking at the work site if needed. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. VA will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor under any conditions.

c. Smoking is prohibited inside/outside any building other than the designated smoking areas.

d. Possession of weapons is prohibited.

e. The Contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work, with the exception of software licenses that need to be procured from a Contractor or vendor in accordance with the requirements document. The Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract.

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure

a. The Contractor shall follow all VA rules and regulations regarding information security to prevent disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or organizations.

b. The VA CO will be the sole authorized official to release in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. The Contractor shall release no information. Any request for information relating to this contract presented to the Contractor shall be submitted to the VA CO for response.

c. Contractor personnel recognize that in the performance of this effort, Contractor personnel may receive or have access to sensitive information, including information provided on a proprietary basis by carriers, equipment manufacturers and other private or public entities. Contractor personnel agree to safeguard such information and use the information exclusively in the performance of this contract. Contractor shall follow all VA rules and regulations regarding information security to prevent disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or organizations as enumerated in this section and elsewhere in this Contract and its subparts and appendices.

d. Contractor shall limit access to the minimum number of personnel necessary for contract performance for all information considered sensitive or proprietary in nature. If the Contractor is uncertain of the sensitivity of any information obtained during the performance this contract, the Contractor has a responsibility to ask the VA CO.

e. Contractor shall train all of their employees involved in the performance of this contract on their roles and responsibilities for proper handling and nondisclosure of sensitive VA or proprietary information. Contractor personnel shall not engage in any other action, venture or employment wherein sensitive information shall be used for the profit of any party other than those furnishing the information. The sensitive information transferred, generated, transmitted, or stored herein is for VA benefit and ownership alone.

f. Contractor shall maintain physical security at all facilities housing the activities performed under this contract, including any Contractor facilities according to VA-approved guidelines and directives. The Contractor shall ensure that security procedures are defined and enforced to ensure all personnel who are provided access to patient data must comply with published procedures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of such information as required by VA.

g. Contractor must adhere to the following:

1) The use of “thumb drives” or any other medium for transport of information is expressly prohibited.

2) Controlled access to system and security software and documentation.

3) Recording, monitoring, and control of passwords and privileges.

4) All terminated personnel are denied physical and electronic access to all data, program listings, data processing equipment and systems.

5) VA, as well as any Contractor (or Subcontractor) systems used to support development, provide the capability to cancel immediately all access privileges and authorizations upon employee termination.

6) Contractor PM and VA PM are informed within twenty-four (24) hours of any employee termination.

7) Acquisition sensitive information shall be marked "Acquisition Sensitive" and shall be handled as "For Official Use Only (FOUO)".

8) Contractor does not require access to classified data.

h. Regulatory standard of conduct governs all personnel directly and indirectly involved in procurements. All personnel engaged in procurement and related activities shall conduct business in a manner above reproach and, except as authorized by statute or regulation, with complete impartiality and with preferential treatment for none. The general rule is to strictly avoid any conflict of interest or even the appearance of a conflict of interest in VA/Contractor relationships.

i. VA Form 0752, Confidentiality of Sensitive Information Non-Disclosure Agreement, shall be completed by all Contractor employees that receive Government furnished laptops, and shall be provided to the CO before any work is performed. In the case that Contractor personnel are replaced in the future, their replacements shall complete VA Form 0752 prior to beginning work.

APPLICABLE VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM

SECURITY/PRIVACY LANGUAGE (per VA HANDBOOK 6500.6, APPENDIX C, MARCH 12, 2010)

GENERAL

Contractors, Contractor personnel, Subcontractors, and Subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security.

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, Subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order.

b. All Contractors, Subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative 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 must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures.

c. Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance. National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS). Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness.

d. Custom software development and outsourced operations must be located in the

U.S. to the maximum extent practical. If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates (e.g.

Business Associate Agreement, Section 3G), the Contractor/Subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth. Location within the U.S. may be an evaluation factor.

e. The Contractor or Subcontractor must notify the CO immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the Contractor or Subcontractor’s employ. The CO must also be notified immediately by the Contractor or Subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination.

VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE

a. Information made available to the Contractor or Subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the Contractor/Subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of VA. This clause expressly limits the Contractor/Subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1).

b. VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the

Contractors/Subcontractor’s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the Contractor must ensure that VA information is returned to VA or destroyed in accordance with VA’s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct onsite inspections of Contractor and Subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements.

c. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, Contractor/Subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the Contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a Contractor/Subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the Contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA CO within 30 days of termination of the contract.

d. The Contractor/Subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract.

e. The Contractor/Subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on Contractor/Subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the Contractor/Subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed.

f. If VA determines that the Contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the Contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12.

g. The Contractor/Subcontractor must store, transport, or transmit VA sensitive information in an encrypted form, using VA-approved encryption tools that are, at a minimum, FIPS 140-2 validated.

h. The Contractor/Subcontractor’s firewall and Web services security controls, if applicable, shall meet or exceed VA minimum requirements. VA Configuration Guidelines are available upon request.

i. Except for uses and disclosures of VA information authorized by this contract for performance of the contract, the Contractor/Subcontractor may use and disclose VA information only in two other situations: (i) in response to a qualifying order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) with VA prior written approval. The Contractor/Subcontractor must refer all requests for, demands for production of, or inquiries about, VA information and information systems to the VA CO for response.

j. Notwithstanding the provision above, the Contractor/Subcontractor 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 health records pertaining to drug addiction, sickle cell anemia, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus. If the Contractor/Subcontractor is in receipt of a court order or other requests for the above mentioned information, that Contractor/Subcontractor shall immediately refer such court orders or other requests to the VA CO for response.

k. For service that involves the storage, generating, transmitting, or exchanging of VA sensitive information but does not require C&A or a Memorandum of Understanding-Interconnection Service Agreement (MOU-ISA) for system interconnection, the Contractor/Subcontractor must complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) on a yearly basis and provide it to the

COR.

SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

a. The term “security incident” means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss or damage to VA assets, or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The Contractor/Subcontractor shall immediately notify the COR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the Contractor/Subcontractor has access.

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

Contractor/Subcontractor’s notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the Contractor/Subcontractor considers relevant.

c. With respect to unsecured protected health information, the business associate is deemed to have discovered a data breach when the business associate knew or should have known of a breach of such information. Upon discovery, the business associate must notify the covered entity of the breach. Notifications need to be made in accordance with the executed business associate agreement.

d. 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 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.