VA Mailers (Billing Statements)

Program 2733-S Page 1 of 28
Specifications by: JH
Reviewed by: MRN
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
Government Publishing & Print Procurement
GENERAL TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS
For the Procurement of
VA Mailers (Billing Statements)
as requisitioned from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) by the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Single Award
CONTRACT TERM: The term of this contract is for the period beginning December 1, 2026, and ending November
30, 2027, plus up to four (4) optional 12-month extension period(s) that may be added in accordance with the
"OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT" clause in SECTION 1 of this contract.
The term of the first (base) contract year is expected to be 13 months. Unless waived by the ordering agency, the
period from November 1 to November 30, 2023, shall be used by the contractor to establish/perform all necessary
operations in preparation for live production on December 1, 2026. The contractor shall plan and implement the
actions necessary for the startup of full contract operations.
BID OPENING: Bids shall be opened virtually at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET), on October 13, 2026, at the U.S.
Government Publishing Office. All parties interested in attending the bid opening shall email bids@gpo.gov one
(1) hour prior to the bid opening date and time to request a Microsoft Teams live stream link. This must be a separate
email from the bid submission. The link will be emailed prior to the bid opening.
BID SUBMISSION: Bidders must submit email bids to bids@gpo.gov for this solicitation. No other method of bid
submission will be accepted at this time. The program number and bid opening date must be specified in the subject
line of the emailed bid submission. Bids received after 11:00 a.m. on the bid opening date specified above will not
be considered for award.
BIDDERS, PLEASE NOTE: These specifications have been extensively revised; therefore, all bidders are
cautioned to familiarize themselves with all provisions of these specifications before bidding.
Please note this program was formerly Program 1733-S. Abstracts of contract prices are available at:
https://www.gpo.gov/how-to-work-with-us/vendors/contract-pricing.
For information of a technical nature, contact Jim Hunt, telephone (214) 767-0451, ext. 5, or email jhunt@gpo.gov.

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 2 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
SECTION 1.- GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
GPO CONTRACT TERMS: Any contract which results from this Invitation for Bid will be subject to the
applicable provisions, clauses, and supplemental specifications of GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2,
effective December 1, 1987 (Rev. 01-18)) and GPO Contract Terms, Quality Assurance Through Attributes
Program for Printing and Binding (GPO Publication 310.1, effective May 1979 (Rev. 09-19)).
GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2) -
https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-vendors/contractterms2018.pdf.
GPO QATAP (GPO Publication 310.1) -
https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-vendors/qatap-rev-09-19.pdf.
SUBCONTRACTING: The contractor may subcontract the printing of contractor-produced inserts and the
manufacturing and printing of all envelopes only.
The contractor shall be responsible for enforcing all contract requirements outsourced to a subcontractor.
GPO IMPRINT REQUIREMENTS: The GPO imprint requirement, GPO Contract Terms, Supplemental
Specifications, No. 9, is waived.
QUALITY ASSURANCE LEVELS AND STANDARDS: The following levels and standards shall apply to
these specifications:
Product Quality Levels:
(a) Printing (page related) Attributes - Level III.
(b) Finishing (item related) Attributes - Level III.
Inspection Levels (from ANSI/ASQC Z1.4):
(a) Non-destructive Tests - General Inspection Level I.
(b) Destructive Tests - Special Inspection Level S-2.
Specified Standards: The specified standards for the attributes requiring them shall be:
Attribute Specified Standard
P-7. Type Quality and Uniformity Electronic media
P-9. Solid and Screen Tint Color Match Pantone Matching System
Prior to award, contractor may be required to provide information related to specific equipment that will be used
for production.
OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT: The Government has the option to extend the
term of this contract for a period of 12 months by written notice to the contractor not later than 30 days before the
contract expires. If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this
clause, except, the total duration of the contract may not exceed five (5) years as a result of, and including, any
extension(s) added under this clause. Further extension may be negotiated under the "EXTENSION OF
CONTRACT TERM" clause. See also "ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT" for authorized pricing
adjustment(s).

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 3 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
EXTENSION OF CONTRACT TERM: At the request of the Government, the term of any contract resulting
from this solicitation may be extended for such period of time as may be mutually agreeable to the GPO and the
contractor.
ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT: The pricing under this contract shall be adjusted in accordance with this
clause, provided that in no event will any pricing adjustment be made that would exceed the maximum permissible
under any law in effect at the time of the adjustment. There will be no adjustment for orders placed during the first
period specified below. Pricing will thereafter be eligible for adjustment during the second and any succeeding
performance period(s). For each performance period after the first, a percentage figure will be calculated as
described below and that figure will be the economic price adjustment for that entire next period. Pricing
adjustments under this clause are not applicable to reimbursable postage or transportation costs, or to paper, if paper
prices are subject to adjustment by separate clause elsewhere in this contract.
For the purpose of this clause, performance under this contract will be divided into successive periods. The first
period will extend from December 1, 2026, and end November 30, 2027, and the second and any succeeding
period(s) will extend for 12 months from the end of the last preceding period, except that the length of the final
period may vary. The first day of the second and any succeeding period(s) will be the effective date of the economic
price adjustment for that period.
Pricing adjustments in accordance with this clause will be based on changes in the seasonally adjusted "Consumer
Price Index For All Urban Consumers - Commodities Less Food" (Index) published monthly in the CPI Detailed
Report by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The economic price adjustment will be the percentage difference between Index averages as specified in this
paragraph. An index called the variable index will be calculated by averaging the monthly Indexes from the 12-
month interval ending three (3) months prior to the beginning of the period being considered for adjustment. This
average is then compared to the average of the monthly Indexes for the 12-month interval ending August 30, 2026,
called the base index. The percentage change (plus or minus) of the variable index from the base index will be the
economic price adjustment for the period being considered for adjustment.
The Government will notify the contractor by contract modification specifying the percentage increase or decrease
to be applied to invoices for orders placed during the period indicated. The contractor shall apply the percentage
increase or decrease against the total price of the invoice less reimbursable postage or transportation costs and
separately adjusted paper prices. Payment discounts shall be applied after the invoice price is adjusted.
PAPER PRICE ADJUSTMENT: Paper prices charged under this contract will be adjusted in accordance with
"Table 9 - Producer Price Indexes and Percent Changes for Commodity Groupings and Individual Items" in
Producer Price Indexes report, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as follows:
1. BLS code 0913 All Paper will apply to all paper required under this contract.
2. The applicable index figures for the month of November 2026 will establish the base index.
3. There shall be no price adjustment for the first three production months of the contract.
4. Price adjustments may be monthly thereafter, but only if the index varies by an amount (plus or minus)
exceeding 5% by comparing the base index to the index for that month which is two months prior to the
month being considered for adjustment.
5. Beginning with order placement in the fourth month, index variances will be calculated in accordance with
the following formula:

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 4 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
X - base index x 100 = ____%
base index
where X = the index for that month which is two months prior to the month being considered for adjustment.
6. The contract adjustment amount, if any, will be the percentage calculated in 5 above less 5%.
7. Adjustments under this clause will be applied to the contractor's bid price(s) for Item II., "PAPER" in the
"SCHEDULE OF PRICES" and will be effective on the first day of any month for which prices are to be
adjusted.
The Contracting Officer will give written notice to the contractor of any adjustments to be applied to invoices for
orders placed during months affected by this clause.
In no event, however, will any price adjustment be made which would exceed the maximum permissible under any
law in effect at the time of the adjustment. The adjustment, if any, shall not be based upon the actual change in cost
to the contractor, but shall be computed as provided above.
The contractor warrants that the paper prices set forth in this contract do not include any allowance for any
contingency to cover anticipated increased costs of paper to the extent such increases are covered by this price
adjustment clause.
SECURITY WARNING: It is the contractor's responsibility to properly safeguard personally identifiable
information (PII) from loss, theft, or inadvertent disclosure and to immediately notify the Government of any
loss/theft/disclosure of personally identifiable information. Personally identifiable information includes, but is not
limited to, a person's name, date of birth, Social Security Number, address, or financial data.
The contractor must ensure that each contractor's officers and employees with access to confidential information
know the prescribed rules of conduct, and that each contractor employee is aware that he/she may be subject to
criminal penalties for violations of the Privacy Act.
Incident Reporting Requirements: If there is a breach, or a suspected breach of PII, the incident must be reported
to the GPO contract administrator within one (1) hour of discovery.
RIGHTS IN GOVERNMENT FURNISHED DATA AND MATERIALS: The VA shall retain all rights and
privileges, including those of patent and copy, to all Government-furnished data. The contractor shall neither retain
nor reproduce for private or commercial use any data or other materials furnished under this contract. The contractor
agrees not to assert any rights at common law or in equity or establish any claim to statutory copyright in such data.
These rights are not exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies to which the Government is
otherwise entitled elsewhere in this contract.
LIMITED USE OF DATA AND INFORMATION: The presentation of any report of analytical material based
on information obtained from this contract will be subject to review by the VA before dissemination, publication,
or distribution. Presentation includes, but is not limited to, papers, articles, professional publications, speeches,
testimony, or interviews with public print or broadcast media. The VA will review the materials for accuracy,
content, and manner of presentation with an eye toward the protection of the privacy of individuals.
Performance of this contract may require that the contractor access and use data and information proprietary to the
VA or another Government agency or Government contractor. Should the release of proprietary information such
as that described above become necessary, the contractor's personnel shall execute disclosure statements indicating
their awareness of the receipt of such proprietary information and the proper care and handling of same. The
contractor and the contractor's personnel may not divulge, or release data or information developed or obtained in
performance of this contract without the written approval of the Contracting Officer. The contractor will not use,

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 5 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
disclose, or reproduce proprietary information or data other than as required in the performance of this contract.
This does not preclude the use of any data independently acquired by the contractor without such limitations or
prohibit in agreement (at no cost to the VA) between the contractor and the data owner, which provides for greater
rights to the contractor.
NON-PUBLICITY: It is a specific condition of this contract that the contractor shall not take any photographs on
or of the contractor's facility or personnel therein, nor use or allow any aspect of this contract to be used for publicity
or advertising purposes without specific written approval of the VA's Chief of Security Services.
NETWORK AND TECHNICAL SECURITY CONTROLS: The sensitivity level of data that is transmitted to
the contractor's site has been categorized under Federal Information Processing Standards FIPS 199, Standards for
Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems | CSRC as moderate.
The minimum required security controls that must be in place and show a demonstrated use are outlined in the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53, Rev. 5 for each of the security
categorizations. Although NIST 800-53, Rev. 5 indicates these controls are "guidelines," they are required for this
contract. NIST SP 800-53, Rev. 5 is available at http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsSPs.html.
In addition, the data being transmitted must meet the guidelines for the encryption of sensitive Federal information
found in FIPS Publication 140-3 (FIPS 140-3). The contractor shall provide the necessary encryption device and
configure it to communicate in FIPS 140-3 mode with the VA's encryption device. FIPS 140-3 is available at
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsFIPS.html.
PRIVACY ACT AND HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA):
The contractor will adhere to all Privacy Act regulations applicable to these statements as included in this
solicitation. In addition to standard Privacy Act compliance, the contractor will be familiar with and abide by the
security requirements contained in the HIPAA as well as other requirements contained in the HIPAA. Contractor
personnel who obtain access to hardware or media which may manipulate or store any sensitive information
protected under Title 5, USC, Section 552a, the Privacy Act, 38USC4132, 3301, or 3305, as defined by the VA,
must not access information unless absolutely necessary to perform their contractual duties. Disclosure of any
sensitive data obtained during performance of the particular contractual duty is prohibited. Violation of these
statutory provisions may involve imposition of criminal penalties.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA: Any information systems involved with this contract are classified as systems
of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579), and some information systems may further be
subject to the HIPAA. The contractor may, in the course of design, development, or conversion of data from existing
systems, observe or handle information subject to the Privacy Act, the HIPAA, or other Federal regulations.
Duplication or disclosure of data and other information to which the contractor will or may have access because of
this contract is prohibited by law. It is understood that throughout performance of the contract, the contractor will
or may have access to confidential data that is either the sole property of the VA or is the sole property of other than
the contracting parties. The contractor hereby agrees to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of
all such data to which access may be gained throughout contract performance, whether title thereto vests in VA or
otherwise. The contractor hereby agrees not to disclose said data, any interpretations thereof, or data derivative
there to unauthorized parties in contravention of the provisions, without the written approval of the Contracting
Officer, or the party in which title thereto is wholly vested. Additionally, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification, and FAR 52.224-2, Privacy Act, apply to this contract and all orders issued
against the contract, if applicable.

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 6 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS: Contractor shall be bound by confidentiality rules applicable to the
protection of PII. Contractor shall exercise reasonable discretion in handling documents that include privileged
materials and confidential PII.
The contractor must agree to the following security conditions:
a) Mailing lists received by the contractor are sensitive and must be properly safeguarded from unauthorized
disclosure. When mailing lists are not being processed, they will be securely stored in a location which will
preclude unauthorized access.
b) Individuals having access to mailing lists during pickup, transport, processing, assembly, delivery, etc.,
must be properly notified by the contractor regarding the sensitivity of the information and cautioned to
preclude loss, theft, destruction, or unauthorized access.
SECURITY: The information provided for this contract is considered sensitive. The processing, production, and
storage of this information require the greatest possible care in handling to ensure against any copies (or any
information therein) from reaching unauthorized persons.
During the performance of this contract, controlled items/sensitive information will be produced. Appropriate
safeguards must be proposed by the contractor and approved by the Contracting Officer for the safeguarding from
actual, potential, or inadvertent release by the contractor, or subcontractor (if applicable), of these materials in any
form. Such safeguards shall ensure that only Governmental and contractor parties, including subcontractors, that
have an established need-to-know, have access in order to perform work under this contract and then only under
conditions which ensure that the information is properly protected.
The GPO reserves the right to audit contractor facilities for compliance with the above restrictions. While in use,
all working materials shall be maintained under surveillance and shall be kept secure so as to preclude access by
any persons who do not have a legitimate need to view them. Whenever controlled/sensitive information is not
under the personal control and observation of an authorized person, it shall be guarded or stored in a locked security
cabinet, safe, or safe-type steel file container. When it is impractical to store working materials because of its nature,
size, or unique characteristics, the material shall be secured in a restricted area capable of preventing unauthorized
entry. The contractor is charged with designating an employee to perform all security checks to ensure compliance
with these security requirements.
INTERCONNECTION SECURITY AGREEMENT (ISA): ISAs are written agreements between the
information system owners that stipulate why and how information is to be shared, and how each party will provide
adequate security of the information when it is under their control. One portion of the ISA describes the technical
details of the data transmission link, including the devices used to encrypt the data. ISAs become an integral piece
of the certification and accreditation documentation for each Federal information system. The contractor is required
to sign an ISA with the VA before the connection may be established.
FEDERAL LAWS, POLICIES, REGULATIONS, AND GUIDANCE RELATED TO FEDERAL DATA
MANAGEMENT: The contractor shall comply with all applicable laws, policies, regulations, and guidance,
including, but not limited to those listed below:
Privacy Act.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) (available at https://www.cisa.gov/).
National Defense Authorization Act.
OMB Circulars (related to Federal data management).
NIST Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).
NIST Special Publications (800 series).

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 7 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S. Code 1905).
Unauthorized Access Act (18 U.S. Code 2701 and 2710).
VA Directive 6500 (VA Cybersecurity Program) (available at https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm).
VA Directive and Handbook Series 0710 (available at https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm).
CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY: Contract personnel performing work under this contract shall
satisfy all requirements for appropriate security eligibility in dealing with access to sensitive information and
information systems belonging to or being used on behalf of the VA. To satisfy the requirements of the VA, a
Moderate Risk Background Investigation shall be completed by VA prior to performing work under this contract.
The level of access and the individual's capability to perform work under this contract will be the determining factor
in deciding if a higher investigative requirement is needed. The contractor shall ensure their personnel complete all
actions required for the level of investigation within 30 calendar days of initiation of such investigations. The
contractor shall ensure personnel who change positions have the appropriate background investigation required for
the position and shall contact the VA Contract Manager to initiate the required investigation before the individual
assumes duties in the new position.
The VA Security Investigation Center (SIC) provides department-wide policy on the assignment of appropriate
position sensitivity designations associated with positions involving national security and public trust
responsibilities, and on the level of background investigations required for applicants and for incumbents of those
positions. The contractor shall work with the VA Contract Manager in determining the position sensitivity level for
the required services. Further, the contractor shall be responsible for the actions of all individuals provided to work
for the VA under this contract. If damages arise from work performed by contractor personnel under the auspices
of this contract, the contractor will be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.
In conjunction with contract award and prior to contract performance, the VA Contract Manager shall obtain from
the contractor the following information to request the appropriate investigative action: list of full legal names of
contractor personnel doing work on this contract, Social Security Numbers (SSN) of contractor personnel, and home
addresses of contractor personnel.
PRODUCTION FACILITY: The contractor's facility must be a United States Postal Service (USPS) Detached
Mailing Unit or Postal Substation to provide assurance of the contractor's expertise in mailing high volume of
mailers via the USPS mail stream. Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) certifications shall be present within
the manufacturing facility. The CASS certifications shall be at all applicable USPS presort levels.
All processes entailed in the development and production of the billing statements and the distribution of the
complete mailers must be housed within one facility. Production must begin and end within the same facility to
enhance production efficiency, security, and control.
PHYSICAL SECURITY CONTROLS FOR CONTRACTOR'S FACILITY: The facility shall have an active
security program, including but not limited to, access control, intrusion detection with 24-hour monitoring,
surveillance cameras, physical intrusion barriers, and an access auditing method.
All visitors to the contractor's facility shall be required to present a valid Government-issued photo identification
(such as a state-issued driver's license) and be logged in and out of the facility.
Surveillance Camera and Video Recording Requirements:
Camera Coverage Requirements: The Contractor shall install and maintain surveillance cameras to monitor all areas
in which Federal information is processed. The cameras' field of view shall provide continuous coverage of 100
percent of the designated processing area.
At least one (1) surveillance camera must be installed to monitor the area where Federal information is processed.
For analog video recording, images shall be recorded at not greater than 120-hour mode; videotapes shall be changed
out promptly (within five (5) minutes) upon reaching the end of the tape (not recorded over); and, videotapes shall

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 8 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
be retained for six (6) months or upon completion or termination of the contract. If digital video recording is used,
images shall be recorded at a frame rate of at least four (4) images per second and retained for a period of at least
six (6) months or until the completion or termination of the contract, whichever. The contractor shall make such
video recordings available for review on site by VA security personnel when requested.
All fire/security/environmental-monitoring systems shall be provided with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
backup power source and be periodically checked for proper operation by trained technicians. UPS shall provide
power to these systems for a minimum of 24 hours.
The contractor may not move VA's materials to another location without specific authorization by an authorized
VA representative and the Contracting Officer, except in an emergency, in which case the contractor shall notify
the VA and the Contracting Officer of the alternate location within four (4) hours.
All personnel who have physical or electronic access to Federal information systems shall obtain the applicable VA
security clearance before being granted access (or after submitting the necessary information to initiate a
background investigation, when permitted).
To ensure individual accountability, contractor-issued, physical access cards shall not be shared, loaned, or given
to any other person. Persons authorized to access the area where Federal information is processed shall not allow
another person to enter the area during the time they have the door open (also known as "tailgating"), except for
authorized and escorted visitors. The contractor shall escort visitors authorized by the contractor to enter the area
where VA's information is processed with an access badge, and each visitor's name shall be logged on a separate
log sheet. The person escorting the visitor(s) shall maintain constant observation of the visitor(s) to ensure they do
not access the VA's information. The physical access control system shall generate reports listing each person who
entered the area during any specified time period. The contractor shall provide these reports to VA security
personnel when requested.
INFORMATION SYSTEM: The contractor must provide a computer network (also known as an "information
system") to process, store, and transmit data that is in compliance with all applicable policies governing the
transmission and use of the data transmitted by the VA including the Privacy Act, the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and applicable Department of Veterans Affairs policies and procedures. The
contractor shall ensure their information system is configured and managed to meet the minimum recommendations
described in NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53, Rev. 5 - "Security and Privacy Controls for Information
Systems and Organizations," (http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsSPs.html) and VA Handbook 6500.2 -
"Management of Breaches Involving Sensitive Personal Information"
(https://www.va.gov/vapubs/Search_action.cfm).
It has been determined that the VA information processed is defined in the following categories - Sensitive Personal
Information (SPI) and Regulatory/Program Specific Information - therefore the levels of security must be set for a
moderate impact information system.
NIST SP 800-53, Rev. 5 will be used as a tool to review the awarded contractor's compliance with the requirements
above. Further information is available at http://www.nist.gov. Only compensating controls that have been approved
by the VA in writing may be used in lieu of the recommended controls in NIST SP 800-53, Rev. 5. The contractor
shall coordinate with VA to establish a Secure Shell (SSH) over the internet using a NIST FIPS 140-3 compliant
cryptographic module capable of interchanging data with the VA's network.
The contractor will be required to sign an Interconnection Security Agreement (ISA) and Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with VA and complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) and System
Security Plan (SSP) correcting any non-compliant items before the connection may be established. Additionally,
the contractor shall support and assist VA staff and/or auditors in periodically assessing their information system's
compliance with these requirements or in conducting investigations into security incidents.

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 9 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
Federal information systems (40 USC 11331) are information systems used or operated by an executive agency, by
a contractor of an executive agency, or by another organization on behalf of an executive agency. Information
systems may include servers, workstations, operating systems, databases, and applications, as well as any
information/data stored, processed, or transmitted by the system. Federal information systems may contain
information that is subject to the Privacy Act, HIPAA, or other regulations. Every Federal information system at
the VA processes information that is categorized as "sensitive but unclassified" (SBU).
All contractor and subcontractor personnel must read and abide by the security requirements in place at the
contractor's facility. Failure to comply with these security requirements may result in revocation of physical and/or
electronic access privileges and/or termination of the contract for default. Failure to complete the work in a timely
manner, or by any required completion date, caused by delays in requesting security clearances, or due to revocation
of access privileges resulting solely from the actions of the contractor or their personnel, is not sufficient reason to
warrant an extension in contract time or cost.
TRAINING: All contractor personnel requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall
complete the following before being granted access to VA information and networks.
(a) Sign and acknowledge understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the National Rules of
Behavior related to access to VA information and information systems.
(b) Successfully complete VA Cybersecurity Awareness training and annual refresher training which will be
due within one (1) month of the beginning of any contract option year.
(c) Successfully complete VA General Privacy training and annual refresher training which will be due within
one (1) month of the beginning of any contract option year.
(d) Successfully complete any additional cybersecurity or privacy training as required for VA personnel with
equivalent information system access.
The contractor will provide the VA Contract Manager with a copy of the training certificates for each applicable
employee within 30 calendar days of beginning work on the contract. Certificates for refresher training will be due
within one (1) month of the beginning of any contract option year. Courses are available through the online VA
Learning Management System. Access to the website will be coordinated with the VA Contract Manager.
PREAWARD SURVEY: In order to determine the responsibility of the prime contractor or any subcontractor, the
Government reserves the right to conduct an on-site preaward survey at the contractor's/subcontractor's facility or
to require other evidence of technical, production, managerial, financial, and similar abilities to perform, prior to
the award of a contract. As part of the financial determination, the contractor in line for award may be required to
provide one or more of the following financial documents:
1) Most recent profit and loss statement
2) Most recent balance sheet(s)
3) Statement of cash flows
4) Current official bank statement
5) Current lines of credit (with amounts available)
6) Letter of commitment from paper supplier(s)
7) Letter of commitment from any subcontractor
The documents will be reviewed to validate that adequate financial resources are available to perform the contract
requirements. Documents submitted will be kept confidential and used only for the determination of responsibility
by the Government. Failure to provide the requested information in the time specified by the Government may
result in the Contracting Officer not having adequate information to reach an affirmative determination of
responsibility.

VA Mailers (Billing Statements) Page 10 of 28
2733-S 11/27)
Additionally, the preaward survey will include a review of all subcontractors involved, along with their specific
functions; and the contractor's/subcontractor's business continuity, security control, quality control, and disposal
of waste material plans, as required by this specification.
PREAWARD PRODUCTION PLANS: As part of the preaward survey, the contractor shall present, in writing,
to the Contracting Officer within five (5) workdays of being notified to do so by the Contracting Officer or his/her
representative, detailed plans for each of the below activities. If the Government requests additional information
after review of the production plans, the contractor must submit updated plans within two (2) workdays of request.
Option Years: For each option year that may be exercised, the contractor will be required to review their plans and
re-submit in writing the below plans detailing any changes and/or revisions that may have occurred. The revised
plans are subject to Government approval and must be submitted to the Contracting Officer or his/her representative
within five (5) workdays of notification of the option year being exercised.
NOTE: If there are no changes/revisions, the contractor will be required to submit to the Contracting Officer or
his/her representative a statement confirming that the current plans are still in effect.
These proposed plans are subject to review and approval by the Government, and award will not be made
prior to approval of same. The Government reserves the right to waive some or all of these plans.
Business Continuity Plan - The contractor will maintain either separately or within their business continuity
program a plan of action that will allow for continued provision of services to the VA within 72 hours of an event
that disrupts or destroys the ability of the contractor to operate at the primary location used to provide services. In
addition, the plan of action must demonstrate how materials and information provided to the contractor by the VA
will be protected and recovered such that continued services will be provided within the timeframe specified.
NOTE: All terms and conditions of this contract will apply to any alternate/backup location.
Security Control Plan - The contractor must have a detailed Security Control Plan. The integrity of any furnished
data included in an electronic submission must be given the highest priority. Therefore, the contractor must
guarantee that the furnished data will be used only to complete this contract.
The Security Control Plan shall provide in detail, at a minimum:
How all accountable materials containing PII will be handled throughout all phases of production.
How the disposal of waste materials containing PII will be handled (see "Disposal of Waste Materials"
specified herein).
How all applicable Government-mandated security/privacy/rules and regulations, as cited in this contract,
shall be adhered to by the contractor and/or subcontractor(s).
Quality Control Plan - The contractor must implement quality control systems for all billing statements produced
under this contract to reduce the number of double stuffs (two different statements in the same envelope) to the
maximum extent possible.
The contractor must maintain the highest quality during the production and mailing of all mailers to include
accounting for all mailers to ensure that the number of pieces of mail is equal to the number on the automatically
generated postal mailing reports.
Due to the sensitive nature of the billing statements, the contractor must achieve as near to 100% accuracy as
possible in the mailing of the billing statements.