VA FSC Relocation Services PWS.pdf

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

VA Relocation Services Contract

January 30th, 2025

1. General Information

1.1 Background:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Financial Services Center (FSC), established as a franchise fund site under the Government Management Reform Act, delivers relocation services to VA employees authorized for Permanent Change of Station (PCS) entitlements.

The FSC also extends its services to Other Government Agencies (OGAs) while adhering to federal travel regulations and maintaining operational excellence in all services rendered.

1.2 Scope of Requirement:

The VA FSC requires a Contractor capable of delivering comprehensive, high-volume relocation support. Core services include home marketing assistance, home sale management, property management for Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) and Temporary Change of Station (TCS) moves, pre-decisional counseling, and destination area assistance. The Contractor must demonstrate technical expertise in relocation logistics, compliance with government regulations, and the ability to manage complex multi-location service requirements.

1.3 Purpose:

The purpose of this PWS is to outline all technical, administrative, and performance requirements to provide end-to-end relocation services, ensuring employees experience a seamless process that adheres to applicable legal and policy frameworks.

1.4 Period of Performance:

• Base Period: September 20, 2025 – September 19, 2026

• Option Year 1: September 20, 2026 – September 19, 2027

• Option Year 2: September 20, 2027 – September 19, 2028

• Option Year 3: September 20, 2028 – September 19, 2029

• Option Year 4: September 20, 2029 – September 19, 2030

2. Objectives

Home marketing assistance, home sale program management, property management for Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) and Temporary Change of Station (TCS) moves, pre-decisional counseling, destination area assistance, and move Management Services.

3. Required Services

3.1 Home Marketing Assistance:

The Contractor shall:

• Establish partnerships with qualified real estate agents familiar with federal relocation protocols.

• Provide tailored market analyses detailing property trends, listing strategies, and fair market value assessments.

• Develop property improvement recommendations to enhance sale potential and support timely transactions.

• Coordinate broker market analyses (BMAs) using a network of vetted agents, ensuring consistency with market conditions.

• Monitor active listings and provide monthly progress reports to employees and the

VA.

3.2 Home Sale Program Management:

The Contractor shall manage the Appraised Value Offer (AVO) and Buyer Value Option (BVO) programs. Responsibilities include:

• Conducting appraisals in compliance with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and Worldwide ERC guidelines. Appraisal reports must be completed within 10 business days of request submission, and inspections must be completed within 5 business days. The Contractor shall designate certified appraisers for conducting appraisals, property inspectors for on-site evaluations, and quality reviewers for final assessments to ensure accuracy and compliance.

• Ensuring that appraisals consider employee-provided comparable sales data when applicable.

• Managing the end-to-end property transaction process, including inspections, title transfers, and necessary legal documentation.

• Facilitating the property transaction process, including ordering inspections and handling legal documentation.

• Adhering to listing price caps (e.g., 105% of the most likely sale price from BMAs) to align with VA policies and ensure IRS compliance, such that reimbursements remain non-taxable per federal regulations.

• Providing documentation and guidance on maintaining IRS-compliant home sale expenses, such as ensuring relocation-related payments qualify as non-taxable under IRS rules.

• Handling special property cases, including homes valued above $1 million, environmentally hazardous properties, or homes with significant structural issues.

The Contractor shall provide detailed reports on handling these cases, recommend mitigation plans, and coordinate with specialists for resolution where necessary.

3.3 Property Management Services:

For OCONUS and TCS relocations, the Contractor shall:

• Arrange for periodic property inspections to verify tenant compliance and property condition.

• Manage repairs, maintenance requests, and bill payments as applicable.

• Handle lease agreements, tenant screenings, and rental documentation.

• Provide assistance with repairs, ensuring that repair estimates are reasonable and documented.

3.4 Pre-Decisional Counseling:

The Contractor’s pre-decisional counseling services must:

• Provide employees with data-driven guidance on departure and destination market conditions.

• Address questions related to housing availability, cost-of-living considerations, and financial planning.

• Refer employees to a network of real estate agents and provide detailed broker market analyses (BMAs).

• Document all counseling sessions and employee queries for audit purposes.

• Emphasize restrictions, such as not listing homes before program initiation and mandatory use of recommended agents.

3.5 Destination Area Assistance:

The Contractor shall:

• Facilitate relocation area familiarization, including school information, crime statistics, and neighborhood comparisons.

• Assist with rental searches, realtor referrals, and home purchase processes.

• Coordinate temporary housing solutions and provide access to mortgage counseling.

3.6 Move Management Services (Optional CLIN):

The Contractor shall:

• Manage the packing, loading, transportation, and storage of household goods.

• Provide vehicle shipment services as required.

• Maintain real-time tracking and proactive communication during the entire shipment process.

• Ensure adherence to timelines for household goods pickup, delivery, and claims resolution.

4. Performance Standards and Metrics

Task Performance Measure Standard Method of Surveillance

Home marketing assistance

Real estate agent referral timeliness

100% within 5 days

Monthly performance reports

Home sale program management

Accuracy of appraised value assessments

98% error-free Independent appraisal audits

Property management

Response time to repair requests

95% within 3 business days

Contractor reports and VA inspections

Pre-decisional counseling

Accuracy and thoroughness of counseling sessions

100% adherence to SOPs

Quarterly counseling session reviews

5. Deliverables and Reports

5.1 Monthly Status Reports:

The Contractor shall submit detailed reports summarizing:

• Active relocation cases and service types provided.

• Progress on home sales, rentals, and property management activities.

• Data on household goods shipments, including timelines and any delays.

5.2 Issue Resolution Log:

The Contractor shall maintain a log documenting all service-related issues, corrective actions taken, and outcomes. The log must be accessible for review by VA representatives.

5.3 Employee Satisfaction Surveys:

The Contractor shall collect and analyze post-relocation feedback through employee surveys. Results and action plans for addressing concerns must be included in quarterly review submissions.

5.4 Appraisal and Inspection Reports:

The Contractor must submit appraisal reports, inspection findings, and related documentation promptly to ensure transparency and compliance.

6. Security Requirements

The Contractor shall:

• Comply with all VA information security regulations and complete mandatory training.

• Implement secure data storage protocols and encryption for sensitive information.

• Report any security incidents within 24 hours to the designated VA Information

Security Officer (ISO).

7. Quality Assurance

The VA will utilize a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to monitor performance.

Surveillance methods include:

• Random case reviews to verify service compliance.

• Analysis of issue resolution response times and employee feedback.

• Verification of report accuracy and adherence to contractual requirements.

8. Invoicing and Payment

The Contractor shall submit invoices electronically on a monthly basis. Each invoice must include:

• A detailed breakdown of services provided by CLIN.

• Supporting documentation for reimbursable expenses.

• Certification that services were completed as specified.

9. Key Personnel

The Contractor shall assign a Program Manager with demonstrated experience in federal relocation operations. Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as the primary liaison with the VA Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

• Overseeing day-to-day contract activities and ensuring resource allocation aligns with contract objectives.

• Submitting progress reports and managing staffing adjustments as needed.

10. Post-Award Orientation

A post-award orientation meeting shall occur within 10 business days of contract award.

During this meeting:

• Points of contact will be introduced.

• Expectations for contract execution will be reviewed.

• The Contractor shall submit minutes summarizing the meeting within five (5) business days.

11. Travel

No travel is anticipated unless explicitly approved by the VA. Any approved travel will be reimbursed per federal travel regulations.

12. Place of Performance

The Contractor shall perform all services remotely or as specified in individual task orders.

Coordination with the FSC office in Austin, TX, will be conducted virtually unless otherwise specified.

13. Contract Type

TBD

14. Points of Contact

• Contracting Officer (CO): Justin Cole, justin.cole4@va.gov

• Contracting Officer Representative (COR): Gerald Apaam, gerald.apaam@va.gov