R499--Strategic Communication and Change Management Sources Sought Notice

Active

Contract Opportunity

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SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

1.SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (SSN) ONLY. The U.S. Government is conducting market research only to determine the availability of qualified Contractors capable of providing Strategic Communication and Change Management Services. Interested Contractors are invited to provide a capability statement with responses to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) questions via e-mail to Contract Specialist Ross Byrne at ross.byrne@va.gov by May 2, 2024, 1:00 pm (PT). The email subject line must contain the following: Response to Sources Sought Notice 36C10D24Q0103, VBA Strategic Communication and Change Management Services . Sources Sought Notice responses shall not exceed 8 pages total. Responses shall be prepared on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper (charts may be landscaped but must be on 8.5 x 11-inch paper) and shall be in Times New Roman, font size (12), with 1 margins. All pages of the response shall be appropriately numbered and identified with the Sources Sought Notice number.
Responses will be used to determine the appropriate strategy for a potential acquisition. Please clearly identify any information your company considers sensitive or proprietary. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Quotation (RFQ), or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited quotes in response to this Sources Sought Notice. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued.

2.BACKGROUND: The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Office of Automated Benefits Delivery has a current requirement for a Contractor to provide Strategic Communication and Change Management services. With growing claims inventories, VBA is continuously looking for new and innovative ways to process work faster with higher rates of efficiency. In December 2021, the VBA launched its first major effort towards achieving its goal to implement Automated Decision Support (ADS). The objectives of ADS are to eliminate unnecessary medical examinations, streamline workflows, and reduce manual processes. Automation-eligible diagnostic codes are currently being tested across 18 prototype and pilot regional offices. Each automation-eligible diagnostic code is tested at multiple ROs throughout the U.S. to help ensure quality and consistency prior to scaling nationally. Prototype sites are first to provide feedback on new diagnostic codes eligible to be processed using ADS. These Claims Processors provide feedback that is used to help refine automation logic. Claims Processors at Pilot sites test run ADS functionality to validate readiness for national deployment. After extensive testing and iteration from feedback from Claims Processors at Pilot and Prototype sites, conditions are graduated for ADS processing nationally.
The next step is to continue to expand the number of automation-eligible diagnostic codes more Regional Offices. With lessons learned a systemic, repeatable process shall be developed for other claim types to leverage an enhanced automation claims process.

3.NAICS: 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

4.Information Sought

Contractor Information
Contractor Responses to Questions

4.1 Contractor Information

Contractor Name:
Address:
Contractor point of contact:
Phone number:
email address:
SAM IUE:

Please indicate business size:
Small Disadvantage Business (SDB)____
8(a)____
Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)____
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)____
Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)_____
Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)_____
Women-Owned Small Business concerns (WOSB)_____
Small Business_____
Large Business_____
Please state if you possess a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) under 541611________

4.2 Contractor Capability Statement response to VBA Program Office Questions.

Please submit your Capability Statement response to the questions below that demonstrates your company has the capability, experience and resources to provide the required Strategic Communication and Change Management Services as stated in the attached draft Performance Work Statement.

Questions:
1.) Human Centered Design
As outlined in attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) paragraph 13.4, described Human Centered Design experience, best practices, and tools/techniques to optimize engagements.
2.) Change Management
As outlined in the attached draft PWS paragraph 14.1, describe your experience with developing assessments on automation projects evaluating the complexity of change to organization from the people (stakeholders impacted), process (procedures, regulations, or work process) and automation (ways automation influences VBA s use of technology) perspective.
3.) Strategic Communications Plan
As outlined in the attached draft PWS paragraph 17.3, describe methodologies that will be used to reach the identified stakeholders in achieving messaging goals and change acceptance of automation objectives in developing the Strategic Communications Plan.
4.) Training Plan
As outlined in in the attached draft PWS paragraph 16.1, provide your experience in developing a national scale training plan (Virtual and in-person) for the Veterans Benefits Administration for 54 Regional Offices. Other Government agencies of comparable size will be considered.
5.) Social Media
Describe your experience as outlined in the attached draft PWS paragraph 18, in digital graphics creation, social media and blog content writing and posting, social media account management, and data analytics.

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