VA118-10-10-RP-0052_DraftPWS.docx

Performance Work Statement (PWS) for the

Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4)

Program

15 September 2009

Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL) Technology Acquisition Center (TAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 SCOPE

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) establishes the requirements for Contractor-provided solutions in support of Information Technology. This includes services and hardware for client requirements that span across the entire spectrum of existing and future technical environments, hardware/software systems, lifecycle, and applications. IT technologies, by their nature, are dynamic and evolving. Descriptions of technical environments as well as information on software and hardware requirements shall be provided in the PWS for each Task Order.

The Contractor shall provide a total solution, encompassing, but not limited to, required hardware, software, and IT products, in conjunction with all services needed to integrate a system, network, or other IT service in order to meet a client’s mission requirements. Accordingly, Task Orders may include acquisitions of hardware, software, and other products. Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4) is not intended as a mechanism to solely purchase IT products. Such products may be purchased to the extent that those products are necessary to deliver the solution required. Services shall include technical, systems engineering and other solutions encompassing the entire range of IT requirements. Services, as well as related IT products, may encompass the entire life-cycle of a system, including, as applicable, program management and strategy planning, systems/software engineering, enterprise network, cyber security, operation and maintenance and IT facilities. Moreover, services and related products covered under this contract shall be global in reach and the Contractors must be prepared to provide services and deliverables worldwide.

Contractor-provided solutions may support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other Federal Agencies, and if so authorized by specific Legislation (e.g. Public Law 108-136 Section 803), tasks for State and local Governments involving information technology and telecommunications that are federally funded.

This PWS provides general requirements. Specific requirements shall be definitized in individual Task Orders. Functional area requirements are described in §4.0 and are not mutually exclusive for Task Order requirements. Requirements may fall within one specific functional area but in many cases, the requirements will encompass and apply across multiple functional areas to provide the total life cycle solution.

2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

Applicable documents are listed below. Additional documents may be listed in individual Task Orders.

a. Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002;

b. VAAR 852.273-75 Security requirements for unclassified information technology resources (interim Oct 2008);

c. FIPS Pub 201, Personal Identity Verification for Federal Employees and Contractors, February 25, 2005;

d. Section 2224 of title 10, United States Code, "Defense Information Assurance Program"

e. Software Engineering Institute, Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Modeling (SA CMM) Level 2 procedures and processes;

f. Privacy Act of 1974

g. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

h. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Directive 0710 dated September 10, 2004

i. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Directive 6102

j. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Handbook 6102 (Internet/Intranet Services)

k. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); 45 CFR Part 160, 162, and 164; Health Insurance Reform: Security Standards; Final Rule dated February 20, 2003

l. Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards (36 CFR 1194)

m. OMB Circular A-130

n. U.S.C. § 552a, as amended

o. 32 CFR 199

p. An Introductory Resource Guide for Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule, March 2005

q. 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

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

s. VA Handbook 6500

t. OED ProPath Process Methodology (http://vaww.webdev.oed.oit.va.gov/process/propath/) NOTE: In the event of a conflict, OED ProPath takes precedence over other processes or methodologies.

u. NBS SP500-153, “ Guide to Auditing for Controls and Security: A System Development Life-Cycle Approach,” April 1988

v. Program Management Accountability System (PMAS) portal http://vaww.oed.portal.va.gov/pmas/Pages/default.aspx

w. Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) (www.gsa.gov/federaltravelregulation)

3.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide and/or acquire the services, hardware, and software required by individual Task Orders pursuant to the general requirements specified below.

Contract Type

This is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Multiple Award Task Order (MATO) contract. Individual Task Orders shall be issued on a Time-and-Materials (T&M), Cost Reimbursement (CR), and/or Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) basis.

Period of Performance

The period of performance for the basic contract shall be five (5) years from the effective date of award, with one (1) two-year Option period.

Place of Performance

The place of performance shall be identified in individual Task Orders. Locations will be Government or Contractor sites within the continental United States (CONUS) and/or outside the continental United States (OCONUS).

Personnel Key personnel may be identified at the individual Task Order level to include minimum experience or education requirements, if the Agency determines it is necessary. Any changes to the identified key personnel must be approved by the Contracting Officer (CO). The Contractor shall provide a report (MS Excel) listing all personnel as follows:

a. Task Order

b. Name

c. Clearance level

d. Company name

e. Prime/Subcontractor

f. Labor Category

g. Facility location

h. Hours worked

i. Project supporting

Travel

Travel shall be in accordance with individual Task Order requirements. Travel details must be provided to and approved by the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) prior to the commencement of travel. All extended travel must approved by the COTR prior to the commencement of travel. All travel shall be in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). Personnel traveling within the local commuting area shall not be reimbursed. OCONUS travel may require additional authorization and approvals as specified in the individual Task Order.

Materials, Equipment and Facilities

Government-Furnished

Government Furnished Property (GFP) which includes Government Furnished Material (GFM), Government Furnished Information (GFI), and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) may be provided and shall be identified in the individual Task Order. The Contractor shall be responsible for conducting all necessary examinations, inspections, maintenance, and tests upon receipt. The Contractor shall be responsible for reporting all inspection results, maintenance actions, losses, and damage to the Government. The Contractor shall track and report all GFP in the VA Technology Acquisition Center (TAC) website. The report shall contain the following:

a. Task Order

b. Item name/number

c. Description

d. Physical location (facility, city, state)

e. Prime/Subcontractor

f. Value

g. Condition

h. Duration required

i. Return date and location

The VA shall provide VA specific software such as Veterans Health Information System and Technology Architecture (VistA), Primavera, Remedy, ProPath, and others as appropriate. The Contractor shall utilize VA provided software development and test accounts, document and requirements repositories and others as required for the development, storage, maintenance and delivery of products. Contractors shall not transmit, store or otherwise maintain sensitive data or products in systems or media other than VA provided systems within the VA firewall.

Contractor-Acquired

The Contractor shall acquire and/or provide any hardware and/or software required to accomplish each Task Order. Software integrity shall be maintained by the Contractor within the licensing agreement of the producer until such software is delivered to the Government, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with Government direction.

Facilities

Work may be performed at either a Government or Contractor facility. Each Task Order shall delineate the facility requirements.

Government Facilities

Certain Government office or laboratory space may be made available for performance of individual Task Orders. Contractors may be required to establish operations and support Government facilities and shall comply with VA and/or Federal certification and accreditation requirements. Such facilities shall be specified in the individual Task Order.

Contractor Facilities

Personnel may perform at a Contractor facility or remote locations. The Contractor shall disclose this information during the Request for Task Execution Plan (RTEP) process.

Non-Developmental Items and Commercial Processes

Non-developmental items (NDI) and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products shall be used to the maximum practicable extent. The Contractor shall apply commercially available and industry best processes and technologies to the maximum practicable extent.

Warranty

Items acquired under this contract may require warranty protection. Commercial warranties shall be transferred to the Government. The type of warranty and extent of coverage shall be determined on an individual Task Order basis.

Marking, Handling, Storage, Preservation, Packaging, & Shipping

The Contractor shall establish/maintain procedures for handling, storage, preservation, packaging, and shipping to protect the quality of products and prevent damage, loss, deterioration, degradation or substitution of products.

Export Control

The Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding export-controlled information and technology and shall not use, distribute, transfer or transmit technology (even if incorporated into products, software or other information) except in compliance with such laws and regulations. In addition, the Contractor shall plan for, obtain, and maintain any and all export licensing required to satisfy individual Task Order requirements.

Section 508 Requirements

On August 7, 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended to require that when Federal departments or agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use Electronic and Information Technology, that they shall ensure it allows Federal employees with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of information and data by other Federal employees. The Contractor shall comply with all required Federal or agency standards, as specified in the individual Task Order. Section 508, the Federal Information Technology Accessibility Initiative (36 CFR 1194), is incorporated into and made a part of this contract. Section 508 applies to all Task Orders. Specific Section 508 standards or other 508 requirements shall be stated in each Task Order. The standards and information on how to administer the Section 508 requirements are covered at http://www.section508.gov. Compliance with the applicable Section 508 standards is a material requirement of the contract.

Safety and Environmental

Safety and environmental procedures shall be identified in individual Task Order requirements.

Program Management Accountability System (PMAS)

Implemented by the Assistant Secretary for IT, PMAS is a VA-wide initiative to better empower the Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) Project Managers and teams to meet their mission: delivering world-class IT products that meet business needs on time and within budget. The Contractor shall comply with the PMAS that mandates all new VA IT projects/programs use an incremental development approach, requiring frequent delivery milestones to deliver new capabilities and business sponsors to test and accept functionality. PMAS initiatives associated with existing projects/programs shall be identified in individual Task Order requirements.

Transition and Orientation Support

The Contractor shall perform transition and orientation services (e.g. develop Phase-In/Phase-Out Transition Plan) to insure continuity of services as specified in the individual Task Order. Transition and orientation support may include transitioning to Government or Contractor personnel.

4.0 TECHNICAL FUNCTIONAL AREAS

Individual Task Order Performance Work Statements (PWS) may encompass more than one functional area listed below. Further functional area details are described to provide greater insight into the complexity and uniqueness of some potential Task Order requirements covered by this PWS. Functional area requirements are not mutually exclusive and may apply across multiple functional areas.

Program Management, Strategy, and Planning

The Contractor shall provide Program Management, strategy and planning support on an enterprise or individual project level. Program Management is critical to the Agency achieving strategic goals and fulfilling mission requirements within programmatic constraints.

Strategy and Planning

The Contractor shall provide services that facilitate strategic decisions for an organization with respect to its current and future IT structure and program integration. This includes conducting a systematic assessment and redesign of the key technologies, business processes, and organizational structures; streamlining processes, properly aligning the organization to reflect the way work gets done, and deploying proven supporting technologies where appropriate. The outcome of studies and assessments is expected to result in a complete IT strategy, aligned with business goals and objectives that leverage innovation to define new opportunities for success. All recommendations and plans must comply with Federal legislation and be consistent with Federal policy, standards, and guidelines such as: the Government Performance and Results Act, Clinger-Cohen, the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act, the Paperwork Elimination Act, among others.

Requirements Development

The Contractor shall provide requirements development support as required by individual Task Orders. Contractor personnel performing such services shall be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Requirements Packages

Requirements package support includes but is not limited to:

a. Assistance in developing Statements of Objectives, Statements of Work, Performance Work Statements, Performance Specifications, Rough Orders of Magnitude (ROM), cost estimates, Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans, and associated acquisition documentation.

b. Technical advice and assistance regarding proposal evaluation.

c. Market research, evaluation, and recommendations of technical alternatives

Technology Refreshment and Configuration Reviews

Technology refreshment and configuration reviews include any structure or process for realizing innovations to provide for business or technical changes. Technology refreshment allows for upgrading technology or improving processes as well as helping enterprises move their businesses forward by adopting formal procedures to manage business and technical innovations. Technology refreshment ensures new innovations are reviewed and adopted as required.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning

Disaster Recover and Business Continuity Planning includes operations, physical infrastructure, hardware, software, network, and personnel. The Contractor shall provide services related to any and all methodologies, in the information technology context, pertaining to disaster recovery and business continuity. The range of recovery services under this functional area covers the spectrum from partial loss of function or data for a brief amount of time to a “worst-case” scenario in which a man-made, natural disaster, or IT failure results in the loss of the entire IT enterprise. Services may be required during any timeframe from initial declaration of a disaster to final recovery of all business processes.

Studies and Analyses

The Contractor shall perform studies and analyses. Such studies/analyses may include but are not limited to logistics/supportability, engineering, financial, and operational. The Contractor shall perform non-recurring engineering studies and analyses to evaluate the viability of potential solutions or alternatives to various technical problems. The Contractor shall perform the evaluation of unproven technology applications and identification of potential risks. The development of Initial Operating Capability (IOC) prototypes may be required.

Software Technology Demonstration and Transition

The Contractors shall demonstrate and transition advanced software technology. This functional area involves evaluating existing and emerging software technology products against the needs of current system development and support efforts, demonstrating specific technologies in the context of supported systems, and transitioning effective technology solutions into use. Current technology areas of focus for the VA include software architectures, databases, web-based applications, enterprise solutions, wireless, and security. This mission is a critical aspect of the VA's ability to improve and advance its software engineering capability.

Program Management

The Contractor shall perform program management and program oversight duties to accomplish the administrative, managerial, logistical, integration and financial aspects of the assigned program. The Contractor shall identify an individual as the primary contact point for all programmatic issues/concerns/status. The Contractor may be required to provide subject matter expertise to coach, mentor and/or consult with Government program managers to execute the processes prescribed by industry best practices. The Contractor shall perform project management functions which include but are not limited to:

a. Schedule Management

b. Financial Management

c. Quality Management

d. Resource Management

e. Communications Management

f. Project Change Management

g. Risk Management

h. Earned Value Management Product Data

The Contractor shall review, develop and/or submit Product Data that shall be identified in individual Task Orders as deliverables. Product Data may define configuration items, associated processes and procedures, and other items throughout the applicable life cycle. Various types of Product Data, including engineering drawings, specifications, software configuration documentation, interface control documentation, quality assurance provisions, and/or commercial item descriptions may be required. The Contractor may be required to apply computer-aided design (CAD), and computer automated engineering (CAE) methods/systems to support concurrent design integration with manufacturing and logistics considerations. Product Data may include but is not limited to:

a. Complete design disclosure

b. Form, fit and function requirements

c. Performance specifications

Change Management

The Contractor shall be responsible for recommending and supporting implementations of change management plans, practices, infrastructures and systems utilizing industry best practices to minimize negative impact of any change on the IT enterprise by controlling its implementation through orderly, planned, and standardized methods and procedures. Change management includes all processes to ensure the integrity, effectiveness, and security of the system.

Systems/Software Engineering

The Contractor shall provide engineering expertise to analyze system concept, system design and interoperability, and provide recommendations for optimization. The Contractor shall review and analyze development, production, and system support proposals. The Contractor shall conduct trade-off/best technical approach analyses and engineering studies, develop System Engineering Plans (SEPs), design plans, and technical reports.

The Contractor shall provide systems/software engineering support for the entire software system acquisition lifecycle to include Acquisition Strategy, Requirements Definition, Risk Management, Architecture Design, Software System Development, Test and Evaluation, and Sustainment. During the lifecycle process, software engineering support includes, but is not be limited to, software system reliability assessment.

Quality Assurance

If a Contractor is required to develop a significant portion of any mission critical systems/software product under this contract, the Contractor may be required to demonstrate they, or the subcontractor performing the task, are operating at a Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 3 (or higher) systems/software processes capability (or equivalent SEI rating). If the systems/software developer does not have at least an SEI Level 3 rating, a risk mitigation plan and schedule shall be submitted to describe, in detail, actions that will be taken to attain at least an SEI Level 3 or equivalent rating accreditation. If required, the rating shall be stated as well as the date of the rating (not older than two years), the identification of the rating organization, the projects/divisions that were evaluated as part of the evaluation and the rating achieved by the specific business unit the Contractor is proposing on systems/software efforts. The Government reserves the right to validate the systems/software developers' process assertions and representations by conducting an evaluation or appraisals of the Contractor's organization and subcontractors using commonly accepted Industry/Government validation practices.

Application Design and Development

The Contractor shall provide services with respect to all aspects and life-cycle stages of application support which includes, but is not limited to, planning, requirements analysis, design, coding and unit testing, system integration testing, implementation, maintenance and updating of applications. Applications software includes but is not limited to, healthcare information processing, payroll processing, financial management systems, decision support systems, etc.

Enterprise Application/Services

The Contractor shall perform requirement definition, system analysis, development and implementation support for core functional business and support applications, process re-engineering and adaptation of information technology solutions in support of the Agency environment. Application support would include advanced collaboration capabilities, workflow, modeling and simulation, web development, executive dashboards, enterprise search and discovery, project management and scheduling tools and applications and advanced multi-media support for training and marketing requirements.

Web Application Design and Development

The Contractor shall provide services for evaluation, planning, requirements-analysis, design, coding and unit testing, system integration testing, implementation, deploying, providing service to, maintaining or updating a web site, or web-enabling a legacy system.

E-Commerce and E-Government

The Contractor shall develop and/or provide services relating to all aspects of E-Commerce including but not limited to buying and selling products with digital cash and via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). The support for E-Government includes but is not limited to Electronic public services and healthcare services.

Modeling and Simulation

The Contractor shall provide the necessary personnel, equipment, and facilities to design, install, operate, maintain and support Modeling and Simulation (M&S) efforts.

Information Application Services

The Contractor shall provide the following services to include, but not limited to: assist in the evaluation, analysis and recommendation of potential improvements and technology insertions, particularly in the areas of e-business technologies and architectures, collaboration tools & software, exchanging information and integrating systems and using knowledge management. The Contractor shall analyze and estimate the impact, operational effect, and supportability that the new technology will have on the existing processes, lifecycle cost, schedule, tradeoffs, interoperability, performance, suitability and other salient characteristics. The Contractor shall; design, develop, implement, and maintain information management structures and applications. In addition, the Contractor shall analyze new requirements and existing systems to determine and identify separable functions that are common across systems and potentially can be accommodated by commercial-off-the-shelf software, or alternatively by custom developed software. The Contractor shall conduct software engineering assessments on business process support systems to provide evaluation of modifiability, portability, reusability, performance and other quality areas. The Contractor shall also develop guidelines to include system/software architecture, software development processes, management indicators/quality metrics, requirements specification and documentation standards.

Physical Security Systems

The Contractor shall develop, implement and/or maintain the physical security functions to include building access guides, restricted access levels to facilities, biometrics or alarm systems.

Engineering and Technical Documentation

The Contractor shall prepare and/or revise/update Engineering and Technical Documentation and Manuals for existing or newly developed software applications or systems. The Contractor shall maintain configuration management control and distribution of updates.

Legacy System Migration

These systems are in various stages of the lifecycle from Concept Exploration through and including Production and Deployment. The migration of legacy systems to a common and enforced architecture is a goal. Software engineering support is required from the Contractor in the areas of computer resource management, analysis of technical documentation, participation in technical reviews, evaluation of test plans, system and integration testing, and applicability studies and analysis of common software.

Configuration and Architectural Management and Control

The Contractor shall recommend and implement configuration and architectural management and control for enterprise computer systems and networks. The Contractor shall provide support for decision-making in determining the architecture and configuration of an enterprise solution. Configuration and architectural management includes all hardware and software components, including versions and updates and the locations and network addresses of hardware devices. It also includes tracking of software development efforts, and includes interfaces with Change Management systems.

Test & Evaluation (T&E)

The Contractor shall provide Test and Evaluation (T&E) Support in all phases of the systems/software development life cycle, to include preparation of test plans and procedures; design tests cases; witness tests and provide technical support; coordinate test plans in accordance with appropriate regulations; and analyze/evaluate test results. The Contractor shall participate in technical analyses and reviews as required.

Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)

The Contractor shall review, evaluate, validate and verify procedures and methodologies used in developing and maintaining systems/software. In addition, the Contractor shall review, evaluate, validate and verify all systems/software changes and corresponding documentation revisions and evaluate the impact to the software baseline as a result of this change. Also, the Contractor shall review, evaluate, validate and verify all testing conducted as a result of the systems/software change. The Contractor shall review, evaluate, validate and verify procedures for tracking deficiencies in systems and software, as well as performing a risk assessment of the system/software.

Enterprise Network

The Contractor shall provide systems/network administration and infrastructure, as well as data, voice and video systems to meet the Agency requirements.

Systems/Network Administration

The Contractor shall provide support for the establishment, operation, administration, maintenance, migration, and disabling of networks and systems in locations worldwide.

Data Communications Systems

The Contractor shall provide the capability to install and support both secure and non-secure data communications systems which may include network management equipment, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) equipment, Internet protocol (IP) equipment, channel banks, high-to-low level multiplex equipment, switching systems, Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems, channel service units (CSU), digital service units (DSU), encryption tools and interfaces, signal conversion and interface equipment.

Voice Systems

The Contractor shall provide the capability to support both secure and non-secure voice systems. The voice systems will vary in: the number and type of users, subscriber instruments, distribution systems, outlets, encryption devices, signaling parameters (including voice over internet protocol (VOIP), integrated switching digital network (isdn), feature capabilities, conference capabilities, video teleconferencing, trunk interfaces, transmission rates, manufacturer, and model.

Video Systems

The Contractor shall provide the capability to install and support both secure and non-secure video systems which may include Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), Cable TV (CATV), Video Teleconference (VTC) and desktop Local Area Network (LAN) VTC systems and web-based collaboration tools. These video systems may include cameras, recorders, multipoint bridges, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and dial up systems, amplifiers, microphones, compression equipment, equalizers, remote controls, special optical enhanced equipment and video interface equipment. Video distribution may be over fiber optics, coaxial cable or twisted pair copper cable. The Contractor shall provide technical support for web-based collaboration training and other advanced VTC solutions.

Local Area Network (LAN)/Wide Area Network (WAN) Systems

The Contractor shall provide the capability to install and support both secure and non-secure LAN and WAN systems and components. These systems may include the cabling (copper twisted pair, coaxial cable and fiber optic cable), terminal, hub, server interfaces, switches, routers, distribution frames, patch facilities (copper and fiber optic), Ethernet, token ring LAN technology, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Synchronous optical networking (SONET), and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) systems and configurations, monitors and control systems.

Network and Telecommunications Infrastructures

The Contractor shall provide services related to all basic and advanced communications products (including hardware and software, network architectures, and network administration services) to meet client requirements in the areas of wired/wireless networks, voice, data, and internet protocol (IP). The Contractor shall provide services covering the entire range from the most basic to the most sophisticated global network structures of telecommunications requirements, including, but not limited to, business phone lines, internet access, data services, long distance and enhanced calling services, telecom/network equipment, and more. Typical tasks may include, but are not limited to: defining, testing, maintaining, designing, installing, tuning, troubleshooting, and operating communications systems of all types.

Transmission Systems

The Contractor shall provide the capability to install and support both secure and non-secure transmission systems which may include single and multi-mode fiber optics, fiber optic multiplexing equipment, wireless, radio frequency (RF), fiber-to-copper and copper links, repeaters, switching protection and encryption.

Cyber Security

The Contractor shall ensure adequate LAN/Internet, data, information, and system security in accordance with Agency standard operating procedures, conditions, laws, and regulations. The Contractor shall follow all applicable Agency policies and procedures governing information security. The VA mandates compliance with the protection of Personal Identification Information (PII).

Information Assurance (IA)

The Contractor shall identify and resolve IA issues and concerns. The Contractor shall develop/contribute to guidelines/plans/policies, analyses and reviews that require IA expertise in the areas of Assessments, Review and Processing, Accreditation/Certification, Program Protection Plan (PPP) evaluation, and other cyber security related activities and mandates.

Logical Security

The Contractor shall establish secure logical and physical infrastructures for Information Systems (IS) environments including, but not limited to, security plans, risk assessments, access controls, firewalls, intrusion detection/scanning systems, anti-virus tools and data protection policies. This function includes providing details for security awareness training, personnel security, policy enforcement, incident handling procedures, and separation of duties within an organization. In addition, the Contractor shall recommend and implement current best practices for the widest range of operating systems, database, networks, and application security, taking current best practices, industry standards, and Government regulations and policies into account.

Certification

The Contractor shall obtain commercial and/or Agency specific certifications/authorizations for new or modified systems, applications, designs, equipment or installations in accordance with applicable Agency standards specified by individual Task Orders.

Operation and Maintenance

The Contractor shall operate, repair, and maintain systems, applications, and IT environments.

Help Desk/Call Center

The Contractor shall establish, train, staff and manage help desk services for technical and informational support. The Contractor shall assist end users by answering a vast range of basic to complex technical questions for supported IT and software applications and systems. Specific response times and metrics shall be defined in each Task Order. Support of deployed systems requires that software problem reports, software/hardware change proposals, and proposed improvements/enhancements be documented by the Contractor. Provide software system administration and operational support onsite or remotely as required. Install new software releases to supported locations/facilities/sites as required.

Licenses/Maintenance Agreements

The Contractor shall acquire and maintain licenses and/or commercial maintenance agreements for use of all proprietary software as appropriate.

Database and Data Warehouse Administration

The Contractor shall provide services related to all types of database management systems and database applications, including but not limited to: logical and physical design and redesign, installation, tailoring, tuning, troubleshooting, patching, upgrading, Extract Transform Load (ETL) tools, and backup/recovery.

Training

The Contractor shall identify training requirements, obtain or develop training programs and conduct training for systems, applications and products at any stage of the lifecycle. This includes, but is not limited to, newly developed systems, as well as existing deployed systems, legacy systems, and any updates or changes to migrated systems. The Contractor shall develop training plans, manuals and other training documentation or training aids. Electronic training tools such as video teleconferencing and computer-based training shall be employed to enhance the effectiveness of training materials and courses. The Contractor shall conduct training for personnel to ensure proper operation, maintenance and testing of systems, applications and products. The Contractor shall provide training and knowledge transfer to technicians and other staff with regard to services and associated products delivered under any functional areas described herein. The training allows technicians the ability to maintain the product or process in the future. The Contractor shall identify and/or provide any additional training required by end-users, technicians, or any other staff for implementation, maintenance and use of deliverables specified in individual Task Orders.

Information Technology (IT) Facilities

The Contractor shall provide a total IT solution to the client to include incidental facility construction, conducting site surveys, facility cabling, and installation.

Incidental Facility Construction

The Contractor shall provide construction to include, but not limited to, renovation, modification of rooms or buildings at existing sites in support of the IT solution. These rooms or buildings would be to house IT systems and the personnel operating them. Other requirements would include the alteration of existing sites, dismantling, demolition and removal of the existing infrastructure, installing fire-suppression systems and maintaining facility construction access points. These actions shall be coordinated with the appropriate Agency prior to the issuance. The scope of work and the project approval documents must be executed by the appropriate installation engineering office and executed within the scope of those approvals. The review may include, but not limited to, master plan/land use plan compliance, utility systems capacity, and/or environmental constraints. Efforts would be limited to incidental construction related to the project and would involve minimal real property maintenance, repair or construction activities.

Site Surveys

The Contractor shall perform site surveys and develop installation plans consisting of floor plan layouts, bills of material, duct and conduit runs, signal, coaxial, power cabling, air conditioning and heating, test and cutover plans. The survey shall provide input to Fixed Station Configuration Management Plans to include equipment reconfiguration requirements. This effort shall include, but not be limited to recommending floor plan layouts, including sketches with dimensions clearly annotated; recommending lists of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) materials needed, to include cabling, connectors, grounding conductors ducts, raceways, and raised flooring when applicable; assessing adequacy of existing power and air conditioning capacity; recommending schedules for equipment reconfiguration and cutover of operations; estimating the number of man-hours needed to complete the project.

Facility Cabling The Contractor shall provide the capability to perform support functions that involve the development and installation of cable and distribution systems which may include internal cabling, cabinet interconnections, all levels and types of copper and fiber optic cables, wiring, blown fiber systems, grounding systems, fiber inner duct and protected distribution systems.

Installation

The Contractor shall install hardware and software/firmware as required by individual Task Orders. Installation may involve fabrication of mounts, brackets and/or installation kits to include cabling, connections, and interconnecting devices. The Contractor shall assist the Government in identifying all equipment and utilities required for installation at the installation site, including Government Furnished Equipment/Material. The Government, with Contractor assistance, shall ensure that the required equipment, utilities, and resources are available at the installation site.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

Products

All products shall be delivered to the Government locations specified in the individual Task Orders. Delivered products shall be accepted by authorized Government personnel via the Agency specific receiving report. Inspection and acceptance shall be specifically identified in each Task Order PWS. The CO shall be notified of any discrepancies found during acceptance inspection upon identification.

Requirements for Identification

The Contractor shall comply with the Agency specific identification (i.e. Unique Identification (UID)) policy specified in each individual Task Order for all contract deliverables.

Data

The preliminary and final deliverables and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by the Government which has been generated by the Contractor in performance under this contract are the exclusive property of the Government. Request for deviation shall be approved by the CO.

PWS Data Requirements

Deliverables for the basic contract specified in this PWS are provided below and shall be required the 15th day of each month. Deliverables shall be forwarded electronically to the VA TAC website.

Request for Task Execution Plan (RTEP) Contractor’s Progress, Status and Management Report Status of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Report Program Management Accountability System (PMAS) Report Contractor Manpower Reporting

Task Order Requirements

The following Task Order deliverables shall be required the 15th day of each month.

Contractor’s Progress, Status and Management Report Contract Performance Report (CPR)

Deliverables shall be forwarded electronically to the VA TAC website. Additional deliverables may be specified in individual Task Orders.

6.0 SECURITY

Classified Work

Work ordered on this contract may involve secure networks, facilities and sensitive information; therefore, the Contractor must be able to provide personnel with the security clearances up to the Top Secret level. Specific security requirements shall be identified in the individual Task Order.

Systems Security

The Contractor(s) shall comply with all the physical and data security policies of the ordering activity. Copies shall be made available as part of the Request for Task Execution Plan (RTEP) process. The Contractor shall participate in security functions relevant to the tasks being performed that may include Security Safeguard Reviews, audits, reporting suspected security violations, acting to secure system environments, responding to computer security alerts and any other review or actions required to ensure computer systems are not violated or vulnerable.

VA Systems Security

The Contractor shall comply with the VA security requirements provided at Addendum X.

Personnel Security

The Contractor(s) shall comply with all personnel security requirements included in this contract and any unique Agency security requirements described in each Task Order.

VA Personnel Security Requirements

The position sensitivity impact [LIMITED, MODERATE, SUBSTANTIAL, or MAJOR] and level of background investigation [NACI, MBI, or BI] for each Task Order shall be designated as appropriate.

All Contractor personnel who require access to VA computer systems shall be subject to background investigations and must receive a favorable clearance from either DOD or the VA Security and Investigations Center (07C). Personnel shall be designated at the appropriate Automated Data Processing (ADP) level as defined in DoD Regulation 5200.2-R, “DoD Personnel Security Program,” April 1999 and VA Directive 0710 dated September 10, 2004. Contractor personnel shall obtain the appropriate security clearance and provide a copy of the clearance to the designated VA representative. If the security clearance determination is not completed prior to the start date of work identified in each Task Order, the employee may perform work as required by the Task Order while the security clearance is being processed, but the Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for the VA. However, if notified of an unfavorable determination by the VA, the Contractor shall withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the Task Order.

The investigative history for Contractor personnel working under the Task Order must be maintained in the databases of either the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Organization (DISCO). Should the Contractor use a vendor other than OPM or Defense Security Service (DSS) to conduct investigations, the investigative company must be certified by OPM/DSS to conduct investigations.

Badges

Employees working at a Government facility may be required to display, on their person, a Government-provided identification badge, that shall include the full name of the employee and the legal name under which the Contractor is operating. The identification badge numbers and data shall be kept in a Government-maintained computer database for security purposes. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to request and obtain badges from the Government prior to the first workday of any Contractor employee. The Contractor shall return all badges to the Government program manager, or designee, on the same day an individual’s employment is terminated and upon termination of the contract. The Contractor shall notify the Government program manager, or designee, immediately of any lost badges.

Data Security and Privacy

Contractor personnel may have access to privileged and confidential materials of the United States Government. These printed and electronic documents are for internal use only, are not to be copied or released without permission and remain the sole property of the United States Government. Some of these materials are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 (revised by PL 93-5791) and Title 38. Unauthorized disclosure of Privacy Act or Title 38 covered materials is a criminal offense. Each Contractor employee shall be given access to only the information and facilities needed to perform that tasks associated with a Task Order.

7.0 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Government Support

Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR)

A COTR shall be designated for each Task Order and shall reside within the Requiring Activity. The COTR shall be appointed by the CO and duties delegated in an appointment letter. The COTR is the Requiring Activity’s designated representative. The COTR designated for each Task Order shall provide the Contractor access to all available Government furnished information, facilities, material, equipment, services, etc. as required to accomplish each Task Order. Contract surveillance duties shall be defined and accomplished in accordance with the Basic contract Surveillance Plan and, if a unique plan is required, the Task Order Surveillance Plan shall take precedence.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

A COR shall be designated for each contract and shall reside within the VA TAC.