September 24, 2014

Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation (T4NG) Procurement Update:  Requirements have been published within the Draft PWS, sources sought, released in late July, and with capability and prior experience statements due on August 28, 2014.  Extensive analysis and market research followed with the VA release of the Virtual Office of Acquisition (AOC) and the Proposal Dashboard, tools for contractor submission. Also, carefully developed analyses of submitted RFIs by the VA, and shared within Advanced Planning Briefing to Industry (APBI) publications, including details on:

  • Product Development – The Big Picture: Dedication, Discipline, Delivery
  • Architecture, Strategy and Design – End-To-End Process Re-Engineering
  • Outpatient Medical Scheduling –  Evolution/Importance of health care
  • Service Delivery & Engineering – System Sustainment, Cost Containment
  • Source Selection – Pre-Award road-map and Evaluation Factors
  • Enhancing Small Business Participation – Meeting VA Goals
  • Budget Execution – Strategic Direction & Top Priorities

Upcoming in October, VA will call for Industry-Day, with anticipated One-on-One collaboration, hosted by VHA and OI&T.  Their goal is the technical demonstration of COTS scheduling application products.  This will be followed by the final solicitation RFP release, Q&A and proposal submission, due likely in November.  Evaluation will be for 12 months, with expected awards in November, 2015.  

What is Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation (T4NG) ? 

VA desires solutions in support of information technology (IT), health IT, and telecommunications.  T4NG is the overarching IT Technical services contract and includes incidental hardware and software for customer requirements across the entire spectrum of existing and future technical environments.  This includes program management and strategy planning, systems/software engineering, enterprise network, cyber security, operation and maintenance and IT facility support.  Key IT services listed within the Draft PWS are outlined as follows:

  •   technical support
  •   program management
  •   services management
  •   strategy planning
  •   systems/software engineering
  •   design and development
  •   integration
  •   implementation support
  •   architecture development
  •    studies and analysis
  •   test and evaluation
  •   modelling and simulation
  •   data migration
  •   training
  •   enterprise network engineering
  •   cyber security
  •   operation and maintenance

Healthcare Priority

Even though there are no specific healthcare identified Key IT services, healthcare oriented Matthew Ginty (VA DoD Health Information Sharing Directorate) has been identified as the lead Contract Specialist. This is in light of recent VA publicity concerning deficiencies from the digital waiting list to woefully inadequate claims processing and appointment scheduling, and culminating with the appointment of Secretary Robert McDonald.  We anticipate hot-buttons for this solicitation effort to include strong and capable HealthCare expertise including the replacement of system for private healthcare claims, electronic medical records improvements, electronic notifications, and telemedicine improvements.  Significant and numerous references to Health-IT are listed in the following sections of the Draft PWS:

  •   1.0          Scope
  •   3.5        Place   of Performance
  •   3.6.4     Connectivity
  •   3.8        Enterprise   and IT Framework
  •   4.2.1     Strategy   and Planning
  •   4.2.5     Studies   and Analyses
  •   4.3.1     Design   and Development
  •   4.3.4     Enterprise   Application/Services
  •   4.3.7     Human-Computer   Interaction
  •   4.3.10   Informatics   Services
  •   4.4        Software   Tech Demo/Transition
  •   4.6.2.2  Voice   Systems
  •   6.3        Facility/Resource   Provisions

Noted are three of the four top priorities, outlined within the Budget Execution EPBI, include eliminating claims backlog, expanding access to benefits and services, and modernizing VA Healthcare including VistA Evolution.  This is in conjunction with the main priority of improving information security.  Also, one of the strategic directions is healthcare oriented, as to enhance VA’s ability to provide the highest quality medical care to Veterans. 

Proposal Status for Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation (T4NG)

Interested contractors should have well-developed capture strategy, covering healthcare associated capabilities in conjunction with their IT and telecommunications expertise.  We recommend the development of competent technical solutions for demonstrating COTS appointment scheduling and claims processing application products.  Furthermore, teaming should focus heavily on SDVOSBs and other small business entities.   These should include top-notch veteran-owned firms, based upon both business expertise and past performance, for best position to win a prime contract position.