R408--FY27 Lean and High Reliability Organization Transformation Support

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Lean/HRO Transformation Consulting, Training, Coaching, and Implementation Support

Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS)

1. Purpose and Notice Type

This Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for market research and acquisition-planning purposes. It is not a solicitation, request for proposal, request for quotation, invitation for bid, or promise to issue a future solicitation. Responses will assist the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in identifying qualified sources and determining an appropriate acquisition strategy for Lean transformation and High Reliability Organization (HRO) consulting, training, coaching, and implementation support for the Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS).

The Government is particularly interested in the availability and capability of small business concerns, including certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs). A response does not create any contractual obligation, and respondents should not submit proposals or pricing offers at this time.

2. Background

OVAHCS is assessing industry capability to support an integrated Lean and HRO transformation. OVAHCS has established strategic priorities and has deployed, or is deploying, a Daily Management System (DMS) designed to help leaders, managers, and frontline employees identify, escalate, and resolve problems at the appropriate organizational level.

The contemplated support would strengthen leadership behaviors, workforce capability, visual management, tiered accountability, structured problem solving, process improvement, and sustainment. The objective is to embed repeatable improvement practices that advance access, quality, safety, workforce engagement, and operational performance.

3. Applicable NAICS Code

The anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. Respondents should identify whether this code appropriately represents the principal nature of the contemplated work and recommend an alternative code, with rationale, if applicable. The applicable small business size standard will be identified in any resulting solicitation.

4. Anticipated Acquisition Strategy

No acquisition strategy, contract type, ordering structure, period of performance, or set-aside decision has been finalized. The Contracting Officer will consider the results of this market research, applicable statutes and regulations, available contract vehicles, anticipated competition, and the Government s requirements before selecting an approach.

For market-research purposes, respondents should describe their ability to perform as a prime contractor, support one or multiple OVAHCS locations, provide the required labor categories, and manage any proposed subcontractors or teaming partners.

5. Organizational Priorities and Potential Measures

The contemplated effort is intended to support the following organizational priorities:

Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of meetings, committees, and governance processes.

Strengthen management accountability and timely resolution of escalated issues.

Improve access to timely healthcare services and associated operational flow.

Support workforce retention, empowerment, engagement, and improvement capability.

Advance a culture of safety for patients, visitors, and the workforce.

Potential measures may include meeting and action-item effectiveness; leader rounding and tiered-huddle reliability; issue-resolution time; access, wait-time, throughput, or length-of-stay measures; workforce engagement and retention indicators; improvement-event outcomes; safety-culture indicators; and validated cost savings or cost avoidance. These examples are illustrative and are not final performance requirements.

Respondents should describe experience establishing baselines, selecting meaningful outcome and process measures, validating benefits, creating visual-management tools or dashboards, and reporting progress to operational and executive leaders. Respondents should also identify a recommended reporting cadence and explain how they would transition measurement ownership to Government personnel.

6. Anticipated Scope of Services

The contractor may be required to provide qualified personnel, methods, tools, and materials to assist OVAHCS leadership, Quality Management, Systems Redesign and Improvement, and other designated stakeholders. Anticipated services may include:

Assessing organizational readiness, current-state practices, maturity, risks, and opportunities.

Developing or refining an integrated Lean/HRO transformation roadmap and implementation plan aligned with OVAHCS priorities.

Coaching executives, managers, improvement professionals, and frontline teams in Lean leadership, HRO principles, DMS, visual management, tiered accountability, leader standard work, and structured problem solving.

Designing and delivering role-based training through onsite, virtual, or blended methods, including practical application and knowledge transfer.

Planning, facilitating, and following up on rapid-improvement, value-stream, or other process-improvement events.

Supporting improvements in access, patient flow, quality, safety, workforce engagement, clinical wait times, and other priority areas.

Developing reusable curricula, job aids, templates, standard work, dashboards, and sustainment materials.

Measuring implementation progress and outcomes, identifying barriers, and briefing operational and executive leaders.

Building internal capability so OVAHCS personnel can independently coach, facilitate, manage, and sustain the improvement system.

Expanding and sustaining successful practices beyond initial implementation areas.

Respondents should identify any assumptions, dependencies, Government-furnished information, facility access, data, technology, or other support needed to perform these services effectively.

7. Anticipated Key Personnel

The final staffing model has not been determined. OVAHCS is considering a scalable team that may include the following labor categories:

Executive-Level Lean/HRO Sensei or Transformation Advisor.

Gemba/Daily Management System Sensei or Coach.

Rapid Improvement Event or Value-Stream Facilitation Sensei.

HRO/Patient Safety Subject-Matter Expert.

Executive Clinical Lean Coach.

Lean Six Sigma instructor or trainer, as required.

Respondents should recommend a staffing model, identify which functions may be combined without reducing quality, state the number and availability of personnel in each proposed category, describe the anticipated mix of onsite and virtual support, and explain how continuity would be maintained if key personnel become unavailable.

8. Illustrative Personnel Qualifications

The following qualifications are presented to obtain industry feedback and do not constitute final solicitation requirements.

Executive-Level Lean/HRO Sensei or Transformation Advisor

Substantial experience coaching senior leaders and leading enterprise or healthcare Lean transformations.

Recent experience applying Lean in a healthcare organization, including an acute-care environment.

Demonstrated experience integrating Lean management practices with HRO principles and patient-safety objectives.

Experience developing transformation roadmaps, leadership systems, DMS, and sustainment strategies.

Recognized advanced Lean or Lean Six Sigma certification, or equivalent demonstrated expertise.

Gemba/Daily Management System Sensei or Coach

Demonstrated experience implementing Lean management systems, visual management, leader standard work, tiered huddles, and structured problem solving.

Recent healthcare or comparably complex operational experience.

Experience coaching leaders and frontline teams at the place where work occurs.

Experience with strategy deployment, Transformation Plan of Care, or a comparable methodology.

Other Proposed Key Personnel

Personnel proposed for improvement-event facilitation, HRO/patient safety, executive clinical coaching, or training roles should have relevant professional credentials and demonstrated experience performing the proposed function in healthcare or a comparably complex environment.

Respondents should comment on the availability and reasonableness of these qualifications, identify any requirement that could unnecessarily restrict competition, and recommend objective alternatives. Respondents should distinguish between qualifications suitable for key personnel and those more appropriately evaluated at the corporate capability level.

9. Place of Performance and Delivery Approach

Services may be required at OVAHCS medical center, clinic, administrative, or other designated locations in the Orlando, Florida, service area. Specific locations, travel expectations, hours, security requirements, and the required balance of onsite and virtual performance will be defined in any resulting solicitation.

Respondents should identify their geographic coverage, ability to provide onsite support, recommended onsite/virtual delivery mix, lead time to mobilize, and any travel-related assumptions or constraints.

10. Requested Response Information

Interested firms should submit one consolidated response, by 2:00 PM EST, 11/23/2026. At a minimum, the response should include:

Legal business name, physical address, website, and primary point of contact, including name, title, telephone number, and email address.

Unique Entity ID and Commercial and Government Entity code.

Business size under NAICS 541611 and all applicable socioeconomic categories.

Current SAM.gov registration status and, if applicable, current SBA VetCert status as an SDVOSB or VOSB.

A concise capability statement addressing each major service area in Section 6.

A recommended staffing model, personnel availability, delivery approach, and ability to meet the anticipated qualifications in Sections 7 and 8.

Up to three (3) relevant examples of recent or ongoing work of similar size, scope, and complexity. For each example, identify the customer, contract or order number, period of performance, approximate value, role as prime or subcontractor, scope, measurable outcomes, and a customer point of contact if permitted.

A description of experience supporting VA, other federal healthcare organizations, large healthcare systems, or comparably complex organizations.

Any proposed teaming, joint-venture, mentor-protégé, or subcontracting arrangement, including the work each party would perform and the respondent s ability to comply with applicable limitations on subcontracting.

Existing contract vehicles through which the services may be obtained, if any.

Recommended contract type, ordering structure, period of performance, performance measures, and transition or mobilization period, with supporting rationale.

Feedback on whether the contemplated requirements or qualifications could restrict competition, together with recommended revisions.

Any other information that would assist the Government in refining the requirement or acquisition strategy.

Responses should be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate capability; generic marketing literature alone may not provide adequate information for market-research purposes. Proprietary information should be clearly marked. Do not submit classified information, a formal proposal, or unsolicited pricing unless the notice expressly requests a rough-order-of-magnitude estimate.

Submit responses electronically to Kelly.Laurich@va.gov and Stephen.Mancuso@va.gov with the subject line: Response to Sources Sought Lean/HRO Transformation Support 36C24826Q0138. The Government may contact respondents for clarification but is not obligated to do so.

11. Small Business and Set-Aside Considerations

The Government will use responses to assess whether capable small business concerns, including certified SDVOSBs and VOSBs, are likely to submit competitive offers and perform the requirement at a fair and reasonable price. Any set-aside decision will be made by the Contracting Officer in accordance with applicable law and regulation, including VA-specific authorities and priorities.

Respondents claiming SDVOSB or VOSB status should ensure that their certification and required registrations are current. Respondents should clearly explain how they would perform the primary and vital requirements and comply with any applicable limitations on subcontracting.

12. Disclaimer

This notice is for information and planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to any acquisition approach. The Government will not award a contract based on this notice and will not reimburse respondents for costs incurred in preparing or submitting information, participating in discussions, or otherwise responding.

Responses may be used to refine the requirement and acquisition strategy. Submission of a response is voluntary and is not required to participate in any future solicitation. Failure to respond will not preclude a firm from competing for a future requirement, if one is issued. Any future solicitation will be announced separately through the appropriate Government point of entry, and interested parties are responsible for monitoring that site.

13. Point of Contact

Questions and responses concerning this Sources Sought Notice should be directed to:

Stephen Mancuso, Contracting Officer

NCO 8

Department of Veterans Affairs

Email: Stephen.Mancuso@va.gov