Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Support Services For the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Office of Transistion and Economic Impact (TEI)

The Department of Veterans Affairs has received a pre-award protest for this solicitation (http://www.gao.gov/docket/B-414301.1).  Award cannot be made until GAO renders a decision on this protest, which may delay award until May 2017.

The contract is anticipated to be awarded in February, which is updated from the solicitation date of December 7.  Period of performance will begin 30 days after award.

RFP DUE DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM OCTOBER 13, 2016 TO OCTOBER 17, 2016, 8:00A.M. EST.

NO OTHER CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE RFP.

Question and Answer session has ended. 
Amended solicitation to clarify eSRS submission and CLINs.
No extension provided for this minor clarification.

The Career Technical Training Track (CTTT) may be moving to another agency for execution in the future.  In order to allow for changes in the curriculum, the solicitation includes optional taskings for new curriculum development, as well as Time and Material Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) to allow for flexibility.  CTTT may be replaced with another training that could be developed under the optional Task 8.  

Please propose based on the Performance Work Statement as it currently exists.

Amended solicitation to remove all instances of Transition and Economic Impact (TEI).  TAP will be moved under Benefits Assistance Services (BAS) ~ November 1, 2016 and the PWS is updated accordingly.  In addition, other changes are highlighted in yellow.

Amended solicitation and industry Q&A.

Questions due date updated to Thursday, September 15, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Final Solicitaiton for TAP posted September 9, 2016.

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE INTRODUCTION This is a pre-solicitation notice and not a request for proposals. The Government is seeking industry comment and questions on the Performance Work Statement (PWS). BACKGROUND The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Office of Transition and Economic Impact (TEI) is seeking contractor services for support of the Military's Transition Assistance Program (TAP). TEI requires support with advancing the ongoing implementation; sustainment and enhancement of TAP to ensure Servicemembers and their families have the necessary tools and information to seamlessly transition into civilian life. Each day Servicemembers make the transition from the military to civilian life. To aid in that transition, in August 2011, President Obama directed the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA to lead a task force with the White House economic and domestic policy teams and other agencies to develop the first major redesign of TAP. At the direction of the President, the purpose of the redesigned TAP is to develop a new training and service delivery model to allow a Servicemember, which includes Active, Reserve, and Guard, regardless of their branch of Service, to depart "career ready". In addition to the Presidential Task Force efforts, Congress passed the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act (VOW Act 2011) which mandates all Servicemembers who are separating, retiring, or being released from a period of 180 days or more of continuous Active Duty must complete all mandatory requirements of the VOW Act, which includes pre-separation counseling to develop an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) with DoD and identify their career planning needs; attend the VA Benefits Briefings I and II to understand what VA benefits the Servicemember earned, how to apply for them, and leverage them for a positive economic outcome; and attend the Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW), which focuses on the mechanics of resume writing, networking, job search skills, interview skills, and labor market research. To support the development of VA TAP career readiness programs, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) TEI requires the assistance of subject matter experts (SMEs) with extensive experience in the development and implementation of education, skills and career training for transitioning employees. TEI requires a team that is capable of supporting and improving an existing model for transitioning Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families from the military to a productive civilian life. PURPOSE The purpose of this contract is to provide TEI with support services to address VOW Act requirements, support continuous implementation of the interagency Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI) Task Force recommendations, the Transition Goals, Plans, Success (GPS) curriculum, Capstone events and the Military Life Cycle (MLC) model. CONTRACT TYPE The contract type will be a hybrid contract type, a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and Time and Material, covering a 5 year period of performance, inclusive of options NAICS The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code(s) for this requirement is 541612, Human Resources Consulting Services, which has a size standard of $15 Million. This is anticipated to be a full and open competition solicited through the Government Point of Entry website www.fbo.gov using both FAR 12 and FAR 15. Vendor comments and questions are due no later than 10:00 A.M. EST July 05, 2016, to Ms. Tara Flores at Tara.Flores@va.gov , or Ms. Caitlin Palmer at caitlin.palmer@va.gov.

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE

INTRODUCTION

This is a pre-solicitation notice and not a request for proposals. The Government is seeking industry comment and questions on the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

BACKGROUND

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Office of Transition and Economic Impact (TEI) is seeking contractor services for support of the Military's Transition Assistance Program (TAP). TEI requires support with advancing the ongoing implementation; sustainment and enhancement of TAP to ensure Servicemembers and their families have the necessary tools and information to seamlessly transition into civilian life.

Each day Servicemembers make the transition from the military to civilian life. To aid in that transition, in August 2011, President Obama directed the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA to lead a task force with the White House economic and domestic policy teams and other agencies to develop the first major redesign of TAP. At the direction of the President, the purpose of the redesigned TAP is to develop a new training and service delivery model to allow a Servicemember, which includes Active, Reserve, and Guard, regardless of their branch of Service, to depart "career ready". In addition to the Presidential Task Force efforts, Congress passed the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act (VOW Act 2011) which mandates all Servicemembers who are separating, retiring, or being released from a period of 180 days or more of continuous Active Duty must complete all mandatory requirements of the VOW Act, which includes pre-separation counseling to develop an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) with DoD and identify their career planning needs; attend the VA Benefits Briefings I and II to understand what VA benefits the Servicemember earned, how to apply for them, and leverage them for a positive economic outcome; and attend the Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW), which focuses on the mechanics of resume writing, networking, job search skills, interview skills, and labor market research.

To support the development of VA TAP career readiness programs, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) TEI requires the assistance of subject matter experts (SMEs) with extensive experience in the development and implementation of education, skills and career training for transitioning employees. TEI requires a team that is capable of supporting and improving an existing model for transitioning Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families from the military to a productive civilian life.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide TEI with support services to address VOW Act requirements, support continuous implementation of the interagency Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI) Task Force recommendations, the Transition Goals, Plans, Success (GPS) curriculum, Capstone events and the Military Life Cycle (MLC) model.

CONTRACT TYPE

The contract type will be a hybrid contract type, a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and Time and Material, covering a 5 year period of performance, inclusive of options

NAICS

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code(s) for this requirement is 541612, Human Resources Consulting Services, which has a size standard of $15 Million. This is anticipated to be a full and open competition solicited through the Government Point of Entry website www.fbo.gov using both FAR 12 and FAR 15.

Vendor comments and questions are due no later than 10:00 A.M. EST July 05, 2016, to Ms. Tara Flores at Tara.Flores@va.gov , or Ms. Caitlin Palmer at caitlin.palmer@va.gov.