Veterans IT Office Wants Support Through Transformation Process

A division of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Information and Technology focused on the department’s IT infrastructure—Information Technology Operations and Services, or ITOPS—is looking for a vendor to offer support services while the office undergoes a reorganization.

The office put out a request for information on May 25 seeking vendors able to support the office across a wide range of IT areas as it transforms through the department’s Choose VA initiative.

Choose VA is an offshoot of the prior administration’s MyVA program and extends many of the organizational and technology pushes. One of the five priorities for Choose VA is modernizing the department’s IT systems, including the underlying infrastructure.

An October 2017 presentation to the Independent Telecommunications Pioneers Association by David Cheplick, VA director of solution delivery and endpoint engineering, outlines the key differences for the department’s IT shops:

• Old mission: To provide and protect information necessary to enable excellence through client and customer service. New mission: Collaborate with our business partners to create the best experience for all veterans.
• Old vision: To become a world-class organization and industry leader in the delivery of IT products and services, information security and innovation to provide VA staff with cutting-edge tools needed to provide the best customer service possible for our veterans. New vision: Become a world-class organization that provides a seamless, unified veteran experience through the delivery of state-of-the-art technology.

As the various offices within ITOPS are reorganized to best meet the updated mission and vision, the prospective vendor would supply various support services, including program management, basic and enterprise IT services, cloud computing, software integration, data migration, facility maintenance and cybersecurity, among others. The performance work statement included with the RFI gives extensive details on all expected deliverables.

If and when VA issues a full solicitation, it intends to award the contract to a vendor on its Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation, or T4NG, contract vehicle, according to the PWS.

Contracting officials are considering a hybrid of firm-fixed-price and time-and-materials payment models. The contract would have a one-year base period with two additional one-year add-on options.

Potential offers are encouraged to respond to the RFI by noon on June 4.