National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) Vendor RFI
NATIONAL DIVERSITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (NDIP) FOR THE HUMAN RESOURCE ENTERPRISE CENTER
1.0 BACKGROUND. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) provides internship opportunities to diverse undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled, full time or part-time, in a degree-seeking program at an accredited post-secondary institution and recent graduates who have graduated within one year of the internship session which they are applying to. Various internship opportunities are offered during the spring, summer, and/or fall for students from institutions such as, but not limited to, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, and disability communities. The spring and fall sessions are 15 weeks long, running from January to May and September to December, respectively. The summer session is 10 weeks long, running from June to August.
The objectives of the VA NDIP are to:
(1) Attract diverse groups of individuals to VA related career fields.
(2) Enable post-secondary institution students to supplement their academic course work with work experiences in VA offices/facilities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the VA s regional and field units throughout the United States and its territories.
(3) Provide interns with an overview of VA mission careers.
(4) Support the goals and objectives of the following Executive Orders (EOs) (as amended) and VA s Human Resource Directorate HCIP initiatives with regard to educational enrichment and outreach activities:
E.O. 13562, Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/12/30/2010-33169/recruiting-and-hiring-students-and-recent-graduates
E.O. 13230, President s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/10/17/01-26339/presidents-advisory-commission-on-educational-excellence-for-hispanic-americans
E.O. 13270, Tribal Colleges and Universities; https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/07/08/02-17274/tribal-colleges-and-universities
Executive Order 13779-White House Initiative To Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/03/03/2017-04357/white-house-initiative-to-promote-excellence-and-innovation-at-historically-black-colleges-and
E.O. 13216, Increasing Opportunity and Improving Quality of Life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders;
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/06/11/01-14862/amendment-to-executive-order-13125-increasing-participation-of-asian-americans-and-pacific-islanders
E.O. 13078, Increasing Employment of Adults with Disabilities.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/1998/03/18/98-7139/increasing-employment-of-adults-with-disabilities
Executive Order 13518 Veterans Employment Initiative
VA Offices and medical facilities shall provide students an opportunity to intern in a variety of career fields including, but not limited to, medical related fields, human resources, communications, business/finance, contracting, Veterans claims examiner, information technology, cemetery administration, and other occupations in the VA. Student skills, knowledge, experience, and abilities will generally be matched with a suitable intern position. It should be noted that NDIP interns are not Federal employees and do not serve in Federal positions.
2.0 GOVERNMENT TERMS & DEFINITIONS.
2.1 NDIP National Diversity Internship Program - The National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) is administered by the HREC. The internship program provides students an opportunity to supplement
their academic studies while learning about VA career opportunities and contributing to our mission.
2.2 Mentor The VA shall provide a mentor who shall interact with the intern and provide guidance on project tasks and assignments.
2.3 HREC Human Resources Enterprise Center (HREC) advises and supports the Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration in workforce diversity issues. HREC also supports the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries, and Assistant Secretaries in their actions to achieve and sustain a diverse workforce, and to cultivate an inclusive workplace to deliver the best services to our nation s Veterans, their families and beneficiaries.
2.4 Contract COR Contracting Officer Representative The point of contact in HREC responsible for receiving, reviewing, and approving contract deliverables. The COR is also responsible for communicating with the VA Contracting Office and Contractor on contract administration issues.
2.5 Primary and Alternate Mentor The primary and alternate point of contact at the mentor office responsible for approving intern timesheets and invoices. Responsible for communicating any performance issues with the VA Contracting Office and Contractor.
2.6 Student At a minimum, students must be currently enrolled, on a full or part-time basis in a degree-seeking/certificate-seeking program at an accredited post-secondary institution, and in good standing at said institution at the time the application is submitted. In order to accept an internship opportunity, the student must be currently enrolled and a lawful permanent resident or otherwise legally eligible to work in the United States per FAR Part 22.18. Graduating students may intern up to two sessions immediately following their graduation (i.e. students graduating in December are eligible to intern in the spring and summer, students graduating in May/June may intern in the summer and fall).
2.7 Student in Good standing- a student who meets the minimum required academic status of the accredited post-secondary institution whose cumulative and current Grade Point Average(GPA) does not fall below the GPA required by the institution. Students who are in academic good standing are not on academic probation or suspension.
2.8 Currently enrolled Student is actively enrolled in a degree/certificate-seeking program a minimum of six semester credit hours, or the equivalent in quarter hours, at an accredited post-secondary institution. Currently enrolled does not differentiate between full time and part time students. Students who need to acquire less than six semester hours in order to complete a degree/certificate and graduate are considered currently enrolled for purposes of this procurement.
2.9 Accredited Post-Secondary Institution A qualifying educational institution recognized by an accreditation service. See Department of Education s website for a full list of accredited institutions: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/GetDownloadFile.aspx.
2.10 Degree Seeking Program A program that leads to a recognized degree or certification by the accredited educational institution.
SCOPE OF WORK
The contractor shall provide support with recruiting prospective post-secondary institution and graduate students. The contractor shall provide students to participate in internship opportunities and gain experience while being exposed to Agency operations, increase their understanding of the Agency s mission, and encourage them to pursue careers with the VA. The Contractor support shall include NDIP program recruiting, application evaluation and processing, data collection and retention, disability support services, professional development training, travel, housing procurement and reporting.
This internship program requires each student to complete 40 hours per week (full time) or 20 hours per week (part time) on site at the VA Headquarters or a field unit facility. Part time students must be local to the area they are assigned to and no housing or transportation will be provided.
Tasks include, but are not limited to, VA project assignments as well as attending seminars, workshops, training sessions, field trips, etc. Generally, all events shall occur during standard business hours. However, these activities can, and on prior occasions have occurred immediately preceding, or immediately following standard business hours.
The Contractor services include recruitment and referral of interns to the agency and, when applicable, procurement of housing and travel. The interns are paired with mentors and their respective assignments based on factors such as, but not limited to, agency needs, student knowledge and skills for the assignment, educational background, career interest and preference for location and type of internship opportunity. All VA NDIP information distributed to qualified students shall be reviewed and approved by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).
NDIP interns will not be assigned to positions such as clinical settings, direct patient care, processing clinical data, or research positions that fall under the purview of the VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). Interns are permitted to perform administrative duties in a clinical setting however; it cannot be directly related to clinical work or data. VA will not provide NDIP interns academic credit through the NDIP, however the Contractor may offer students academic credit through their programs.
The contract shall provide tasks that meet the following requirements:
3.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying potential students and group affiliates from various institutions such as, but not limited to, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Veterans and disability communities.
3.2 The Contractor shall be responsible for providing and managing the housing needs and travel logistics of all selected interns and ensuring that students meet all NDIP eligibility requirements, including the definition of a student as defined in 2.6. The Contractor shall maintain official school documentation provided with each application and make it available to VA upon request. Interns must also meet the Contractor s internship eligibility requirements;
3.3 The Contractor shall provide NDIP information to qualified students, including the following: the requirements for an internship with VA and a description of the required components of a complete internship application package, including any necessary forms.
4.0 TASK AREAS
In order to meet the objectives of this contract, the Contractor shall perform, at a minimum, the following work tasks each year of the Contract s period of performance:
4.1 Task A - Administration Management
4.1.1 The Contractor shall provide a Program Manager. The Program Manager shall serve as the liaison between interns and the Task Order COR, which includes attempting to resolve any issues or problems related to the intern's experience within the program and communicating with the Task Order COR to determine the best course of action to reach resolution. This individual shall 1) receive and respond to all calls and inquiries from the Task Order COR and interns; 2) provide guidance, answer questions, and resolve problems; and 3) respond to inquiries within one (1) business day of receipt.
4.1.2 The Contractor shall identify one or more individuals to serve as the 24-hour emergency contact during all intern sessions. This requirement shall be met by an actual person(s), and not a cell phone, answering service, or answering machine. This individual(s) shall be on-call, and shall respond to all intern related emergencies, including, but not limited to, medical and personal emergencies. Medical and personal emergencies shall be defined as situations involving one of the following:
Immediate threats to life, health, property or environment;
Already caused loss of life, health detriments, property damage, or environmental damage; and/or;
Incidents having a high probability of leading to immediate danger to life, health, property, or environment.
4.1.3 The Contractor shall coordinate all correspondence with NDIP applicants throughout the application process, which may include, but is not limited to, notifying applicants of whether their application materials have been received, requesting any missing information from applicants (as necessary), providing applicants with status updates, informing applicants of whether or not they have been selected for the program, answering any application related questions, and informing selected interns of required documentation and their respective deadlines.
4.2 Task B - Recruitment Support Services.
4.2.1 The Contractor shall identify and refer potential interns from various institutions such as, but not limited to, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, and disability communities.
4.2.2 The Contractor shall ensure that qualified students meet the minimum requirements as stated in section 2.6 above.
4.2.3 The Contractor shall distribute the following NDIP information to all interested, qualified students: program requirement knowledge and skills needed to qualify for NDIP and a description of the required components of a complete internship application package (4.3.2), including any necessary forms. The Contractor shall ensure that qualified students have access to NDIP information through outreach.
4.2.4 Selection of interns will be in accordance with qualification requirements as stated within the contract PWS and any additional criteria identified on the individual intern request (e.g. degree program area; skills, ability, and knowledge).
4.3 Task C - Program Documentation and Reporting
4.3.1 The contractor shall collect internship candidate applications via an online application portal or provide an alternative option to complete and submit the application for all interested candidates.
4.3.2 The contractor shall ensure the student s application collects and includes the following information:
Name, citizenship status (a lawful permanent resident or otherwise legally eligible to work in the United States per FAR Part 22.18), current address, primary email, secondary email (if available) and current phone number;
Academic status, major, expected graduation year, and Grade Point Average (GPA);
c. Name and type of post-secondary institution the student is enrolled in (e.g. HBCU, HSI, TCU)
d. A copy of their most recent Transcript/Grade Record/Report;
e. A letter of reference from a department chair, professor, or academic advisor;
f. A current 1-page resume, reflecting work experience, volunteerism, awards, leadership, and
extra-curricular activities, for Graduate and Doctoral students, CV s may not exceed three pages, and;
g. Veteran s Status.
4.3.3 The Contractor shall ensure internship application packages include all requested information and documentation listed above. Application packages may not contain or refer to the name of the vendor. Only packages that include the necessary information and documentation for participation will be considered complete. Furthermore, only candidates who meet the criteria, as stated in the task order request, will be considered eligible.
4.3.4 The contractor shall maintain an accurate, secure, and confidential database of applicant information and provide Intern Placement Reports, generated from that database, that include:
a. name and addresses of post-secondary school (noting if the school is a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) or Minority Institution of Higher Education (MIHE) while specifying each MSI category, HBCU, HSI, etc.).;
b. Mentor name, internship site, Mentor e-mail addresses and telephone numbers;
c. academic status and year;
d. Grade Point Average and major;
e. Placement (spring, fall, summer) Session;
f. Veteran s status;
g. CLIN, Order Request
h. The contractor shall provide the COR with the Intern Placement Report no later than two weeks after the start of each session (fall, spring, summer) in which they have made placements, to include the above information.
4.3.5 The Contractor shall collect and maintain additional information for those applicants selected as interns, such as mentor s name, title, organization, office, email and work address, telephone number, shall be included. The Contractor shall use this data to develop ad hoc reports for VA as directed by the COR.
4.3.6 The contractor shall track and maintain intern time sheets (online system, excel spreadsheet, word document, etc.) intended to monitor the progress of interns throughout period of performance. This document must list each intern by name and track the hours worked by each intern from the first week of the program through the end of session. Timesheets must be approved by the intern mentor.
4.3.7 The Contractor shall provide the COR with Monthly Progress Reports in electronic form.B The report shall include detailed instructions/explanations for each required data element, to ensure that data is accurate and consistent. These reports shall reflect data as of the last day of the preceding Month.B The Contractor shall meet with the COR and PM to review the Monthly Progress Report on a monthly basis, or as determined by COR.
The Monthly Progress Reports (also known as the MPR) shall cover all work completed during the reporting period and work planned for the subsequent reporting period.B The report shall also identify any problems that arose and a description of how the problems were resolved.B If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation including their plan and timeframe for resolving the issue.
4.3.8 The Contractor shall deliver Risk Summaries that contain a historical log of issues and risks, their current statuses, their probabilities and impacts, and the responses undertaken by VA and the Contractor to address them.
4.3.9 The contractor shall provide the Contract COR with a Close Out report in excel format, listing all interns who applied for job opportunities within the VA (identified separately) or other Federal Government by the close of the internship session.
4.3.10 The Contractor shall bring actual or potential issues and concerns to the attention of the COR and Contract Specialist (CS) as soon as they are known. Oral reports shall be followed by emailed written reports to the COR within one business day of the original notification, unless otherwise stated by the Contracting Officer (CO).
Deliverables:
National Diversity Internship Student
Time Sheets
Monthly Progress Report
Risks Summaries
Close Out Report
4.4 Task D. Intern Requests (Order Request (OR) )
4.4.1. The Contractor shall develop and distribute a Welcome Package tailored to VA that shall be sent to all interns upon intern selection to his/her assigned work location. The package shall include detailed instructions about the NDIP program s schedule and other key information including, but not limited to:
stipend payment schedule,
payroll tax withholdings,
travel arrangements and instructions,
housing arrangements and instructions,
local hospital and health care services information,
local transportation information,
leave privileges (i.e. sick)
proposed project assignments, and
an internship agreement.
4.4.2 The Contractor shall tailor Welcome Packages for each respective city to which interns are assigned, as travel arrangements, housing arrangements/instructions, hospitalization information and local transportation options will vary by location.
4.4.3 The contractor shall coordinate and procure, on behalf of intern participants, nationwide housing, if needed, that must have reservations for move-in as early as the Friday prior to the start date of each session. The Contractor must oversee intern move-in on the dates of the Friday through Sunday prior to the start date of the session, unless otherwise given written approval by the COR. The Contractor shall include verification, upon request, that housing is Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA)-approved and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. All housing shall be: (1) an extended stay housing facility with accompanying amenities of a kitchenette area, on-site laundry, wireless internet access; (2) furnished; (3) less than 1 hour by local transportation from the intern s assigned worksite; (4) within walking distance of 0.75 miles to public transportation and restaurants; and (5) accessible to medical and emergency services and facilities, places of worship, and local cultural activities. The Contractor shall coordinate and procure housing for the entire term of program (10 weeks for summer, 15 weeks for fall and spring), including any extra days needed for move-in, etc.
4.4.4 The contractor shall arrange and procure all travel, as required, for NDIP interns who live outside the commuting areas (more than 50 miles, one way) of their assigned duty locations. The Contractor shall arrange ground transportation for interns from bus/airport/train terminals, ensuring that interns arrive at their assigned housing locations on schedule, and without incident.
4.4.5 The contractor shall make bi-weekly (every two weeks) stipend payments to interns during the program and withhold appropriate payroll taxes and other required deductions. Stipend payments should include transportation allowances for the area of the internship.
4.4.6 Contractor shall provide contractor contact information (email addresses, telephone numbers) to interns and sponsor/mentor no later than one week prior to beginning of session.
4.4.7 The Contractor shall address any intern related issues reported by the Task Order COR, such as tardiness, non-attendance, poor performance, etc. with the CO and the Task Order COR any action will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Deliverables:
Welcome Package
Stipend payments to Students
5.0 MEETINGS
When contract meetings are required, the contractor shall attend all meetings as required, kick off meeting, progress meetings etc. Meetings may occur as either formal or informal and held via onsite at government location, teleconference, video conference or any other format agreed upon between the government and contractor. The contractor shall attend the mandatory kick off meeting that will be located onsite at a government location (to be determined).
6.0 TRANSITION ACTIVITIES
Transition (End of Contract): The Contractor shall provide services needed to assist in a smooth and orderly transition between the incumbent Contractor and a successor Contractor to ensure minimum disruption to vital Government business. These services may include, but are not limited to: data and other file transfer, material transfer, coordination with a successor Contractor, and other activities to assist in an orderly transfer and establishment of continued operation of the contract services. The Contractor shall cooperate fully in the transition.
7.0 CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBLIITES AND DELIVERABLES
The Contractor shall provide all deliverables as stated in the below chart
SUMMARY OF DELIVERABLES AND MILESTONES
(Tasks A - D)
Item
Deliverable or
Milestone
Delivery Deadline
Deadline for Final Version
Welcome Package
Deliverable
30 days before start of session
7 days after COR comments
Intern Move-In
Milestone
The Friday through Sunday prior to start of session unless otherwise approved by COR in writing
N/A
Start of Summer program
Milestone
June (Monday)
N/A
Start of Fall program
Milestone
September
N/A
Start of Spring program
Milestone
1st Monday in February
N/A
Stipend payments to Students
Deliverable
Bi-weekly (every 2 weeks)
N/A
Intern information
Deliverable
1 business day after COR request unless specified otherwise
N/A
Session Placement Report (one report of each task order issued)
Deliverable
Within two weeks of start of applicable session
N/A
NDIP Information
Deliverable
Within 30 days of contract award
7 days after COR comments
Time Sheets
Deliverable
Bi weekly
N//A
Monthly Progress Report
Deliverable
On the 5th of every month
NA
Risks Summaries
Deliverable
On the 5th of every month
N/A
Close Out Report
Deliverable
Within 30 days of each session end
N/A
Session Close-out Report (one report of each task order issued)
Deliverable
Within 30 days of close of applicable session
N/A
Government-Furnished Information, Equipment, and Facilities.
The Government shall provide office space, telephone service and system access when authorized contract staff work at a Government location as required in order to accomplish the Tasks associated with this PWS and the order request. All procedural guides, reference materials, and program documentation for the project and other Government applications will also be provided on an as-needed basis.
The Contractor shall request other Government documentation deemed pertinent to the work accomplishment directly from the Government officials with whom the Contractor has contact. The Contractor shall consider the COR as the final source for needed Government documentation when the Contractor fails to secure the documents by other means. The Contractor is expected to use common knowledge and resourcefulness in securing all other reference materials, standard industry publications, and related materials that are pertinent to the work.
VA will provide access to VA specific systems/network as required for execution of the task via remote access technology (e.g. Citrix Access Gateway (CAG), site-to-site VPN, or VA Remote Access Security Compliance Update Environment (RESCUE)). This remote access will provide access to VA specific software such as Veterans Health Information System and Technology Architecture (VistA), ClearQuest, ProPath, Primavera, and Remedy, including appropriate seat management and user licenses. The Contractor shall utilize Government-provided software development and test accounts, document and requirements repositories, etc. as required for the development, storage, maintenance and delivery of products within the scope of this effort. The Contractor shall not transmit, store or otherwise maintain sensitive data or products in Contractor systems (or media) within the VA firewall IAW VA Handbook 6500.6 dated March 12, 2010. All VA sensitive information shall be protected at all times in accordance with local security field office System Security Plans (SSP s) and Authority to Operate (ATO) s for all systems/LAN s accessed while performing the tasks detailed in this PWS.
Key Personnel. Certain skilled experience professional and/or technical personnel are essential for accomplishing the work to be performed. These individuals are defined as Key Personnel whose experience biographies shall be submitted and marked by the Contractor as Key Personnel . Substitutions shall only be accepted if in compliance with the Substitution of Key Personnel provision identified below. Experience requirements applicable to the workshops are significantly more important than type and nature of degree. Key Personnel are the following labor categories:
Labor Category
Description
Minimum Education
Minimum Experience
Program Manager
Performs tasks requiring management of a small-scale program encompassing multiple tasks with a total lifecycle budget and complexity comparable to the task order at hand. Tasks may include recruitment and management of the interns to ensure scope and objectives are met in accordance with the PWS; compiling and analyzing technical data; providing instruction on and performing and documenting quality assurance reviews.
BA/BS degree
4 years
Any personnel the contractor offers as substitutes shall have the ability and qualifications, including education and experience, equal to or better than the key personnel who s biography was submitted with the successful proposal. Requests to substitute personnel shall be provided to the CO for review and approval. All requests for approval of substitutions in personnel shall be submitted to the CO at least 15 calendar days prior to making any change in key personnel. The request shall be written and provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution. The contractor shall submit a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any other information requested by the CO needed to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. The CO will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the contractor of approval or disapproval thereof in writing.
Task Order - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).
Requirement
Performance
Standard
Surveillance
Method
Outcome
PROJECT MANAGEMENT, MILESTONES, AND SCHEDULE
a. Milestones are met early or on time with 95%accuracy.
100% Inspection of agreed upon milestones per the approved PMP
Notification occurs within two business days of potential issue when known in advance or within 24 hours of urgent problems, where less than two business days exist to resolve issue.
b. Submits Deliverables in accordance with the deliverable schedule within (+/-) five business days with no more than five incidents of performance slippage
100% Inspection of deliverables
No more than five incidents of performance schedule slippage
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling 95% in accordance VA Correspondence Manual at: http://vaww.execsec.va.gov/of the time; communicates information in a succinct and organized manner, produces written information that is appropriate for the intended audience
Random Sampling
Written communication is consistently error-free and clear and concise so that the message is easily understood by others
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Courteous and professional interactions to receive and fill task order deliverables and in providing order status. Customer (VA) support satisfaction, having no more than 5 incidents of dissatisfaction.
Customer Feedback and Complaints based on interactions with the contractor
Customer problems are resolved within the same business day; no more than 5 incidents spent by Government personnel in providing corrective feedback on unacceptable customer service/professionalism
9. SECURITY AND PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS
9.1 POSITION/TASK RISK DESIGNATION LEVEL(S)
Position Sensitivity
Background Investigation (in accordance with Department of Veterans Affairs 0710 Handbook, Personnel Suitability and Security Program, Appendix A)
Low / Tier 1
Tier 1 / National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI) A Tier 1/NACI is conducted by OPM and covers a 5-year period. It consists of a review of records contained in the OPM Security Investigations Index (SII) and the DOD Defense Central Investigations Index (DCII), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) name check, FBI fingerprint check, and written inquiries to previous employers and references listed on the application for employment. In VA it is used for Non-sensitive or Low Risk positions.
Moderate / Tier 2
Tier 2 / Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) A Tier 2/MBI is conducted by OPM and covers a 5-year period. It consists of a review of National Agency Check (NAC) records [OPM Security Investigations Index (SII), DOD Defense Central Investigations Index (DCII), FBI name check, and a FBI fingerprint check], a credit report covering a period of 5 years, written inquiries to previous employers and references listed on the application for employment; an interview with the subject, law enforcement check; and a verification of the educational degree.
High / Tier 4
Tier 4 / Background Investigation (BI) A Tier 4/BI is conducted by OPM and covers a 10-year period. It consists of a review of National Agency Check (NAC) records [OPM Security Investigations Index (SII), DOD Defense Central Investigations Index (DCII), FBI name check, and a FBI fingerprint check report], a credit report covering a period of 10 years, written inquiries to previous employers and references listed on the application for employment; an interview with the subject, spouse, neighbors, supervisor, co-workers; court records, law enforcement check, and a verification of the educational degree.
The position sensitivity and the level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access for the following tasks within the PWS are:
Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation Requirements by Task
Task Number
Tier1 / Low / NACI
Tier 2 / Moderate / MBI
Tier 4 / High / BI
ALL TASKS
The Tasks identified above and the resulting Position Sensitivity and Background Investigation requirements identify, in effect, the Background Investigation requirements for Contractor individuals, based upon the tasks the particular Contractor individual will be working. The submitted Contractor Staff Roster must indicate the required Background Investigation Level for each Contractor individual based upon the tasks the Contractor individual will be working, in accordance with their submitted proposal.
9.2 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
9.2.1 Contractor Responsibilities:
The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain the appropriate Background Investigation, and are able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.
The Contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. Within 3 business days after award, the Contractor shall provide a roster of Contractor and Subcontractor employees to the COR to begin their background investigations in accordance with the ProPath template. The Contractor Staff Roster shall contain the Contractor s Full Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, individual background investigation level requirement (based upon Section 7.0 Tasks), etc. The Contractor shall submit full Social Security Numbers either within the Contractor Staff Roster or under separate cover to the COR. The Contractor Staff Roster shall be updated and provided to VA within 1 day of any changes in employee status, training certification completion status, Background Investigation level status, additions/removal of employees, etc. throughout the Period of Performance. The Contractor Staff Roster shall remain a historical document indicating all past information and the Contractor shall indicate in the Comment field, employees no longer supporting this contract. The preferred method to send the Contractor Staff Roster or Social Security Number is by encrypted e-mail. If unable to send encrypted e-mail, other methods which comply with FIPS 140-2 are to encrypt the file, use a secure fax, or use a traceable mail service.
The Contractor should coordinate the location of the nearest VA fingerprinting office through the COR. Only electronic fingerprints are authorized.
The Contractor shall ensure the following required forms are submitted to the COR within 5 days after contract award:
For a Tier 1/Low Risk designation:
OF-306
DVA Memorandum Electronic Fingerprints
For Tier 2/Moderate or Tier 4/High Risk designation:
OF-306
VA Form 0710
DVA Memorandum Electronic Fingerprints
The Contractor personnel shall submit all required information related to their background investigations (completion of the investigation documents (SF85, SF85P, or SF 86) utilizing the Office of Personnel Management s (OPM) Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) after receiving an email notification from the Security and Investigation Center (SIC).
The Contractor employee shall certify and release the e-QIP document, print and sign the signature pages, and send them encrypted to the COR for electronic submission to the SIC. These documents shall be submitted to the COR within 3 business days of receipt of the e-QIP notification email. (Note: OPM is moving towards a click to sign process. If click to sign is used, the Contractor employee should notify the COR within 3 business days that documents were signed via eQIP).
The Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of all personnel provided to work for VA under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by Contractor provided personnel, under the auspices of this contract, the Contractor shall be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.
A Contractor may be granted unescorted access to VA facilities and/or access to VA Information Technology resources (network and/or protected data) with a favorably adjudicated Special Agreement Check (SAC) or Closed, No Issues (SAC) finger print results, training delineated in VA Handbook 6500.6 (Appendix C, Section 9), and, the signed Contractor Rules of Behavior. However, the Contractor will be responsible for the actions of the Contractor personnel they provide to perform work for VA. The investigative history for Contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the database of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
The Contractor, when notified of an unfavorably adjudicated background investigation on a Contractor employee as determined by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration in working under the contract.
Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security investigative requirements may result in loss of physical and/or logical access to VA facilities and systems by Contractor and Subcontractor employees and/or termination of the contract for default.
Identity Credential Holders must follow all HSPD-12 policies and procedures as well as use and protect their assigned identity credentials in accordance with VA policies and procedures, displaying their badges at all times, and returning the identity credentials upon termination of their relationship with VA.
Contractor employees shall complete a VA Systems Access Agreement if they are provided access privileges as an authorized user of the computer system of VA.
9.2.3 Physical Security and Safety Requirements
The Contractor and their personnel shall follow all VA policies, standard operating procedures, applicable laws and regulations while on VA property. Violations of VA regulations and policies may result in citation and disciplinary measures for persons violating the law.
The Contractor and their personnel shall wear visible identification at all times while they are on the premises.
VA does not provide parking spaces at the work site; the Contractor must obtain parking at the work site if needed. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. VA will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor under any conditions.
Smoking is prohibited inside/outside any building other than the designated smoking areas.
Possession of weapons is prohibited.
The Contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work, with the exception of software licenses that need to be procured from a Contractor or vendor in accordance with the requirements document. The Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract.
9.2.4 Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure
The Contractor shall follow all VA rules and regulations regarding information security to prevent disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or organizations.
The VA CO will be the sole authorized official to release in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. The Contractor shall release no information. Any request for information relating to this contract presented to the Contractor shall be submitted to the VA CO for response.
Contractor personnel recognize that in the performance of this effort, Contractor personnel may receive or have access to sensitive information, including information provided on a proprietary basis by carriers, equipment manufacturers and other private or public entities. Contractor personnel agree to safeguard such information and use the information exclusively in the performance of this contract. Contractor shall follow all VA rules and regulations regarding information security to prevent disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or organizations as enumerated in this section and elsewhere in this Contract and its subparts and appendices.
Contractor shall limit access to the minimum number of personnel necessary for contract performance for all information considered sensitive or proprietary in nature. If the Contractor is uncertain of the sensitivity of any information obtained during the performance this contract, the Contractor has a responsibility to ask the VA CO.
Contractor shall train all of their employees involved in the performance of this contract on their roles and responsibilities for proper handling and nondisclosure of sensitive VA or proprietary information. Contractor personnel shall not engage in any other action, venture or employment wherein sensitive information shall be used for the profit of any party other than those furnishing the information. The sensitive information transferred, generated, transmitted, or stored herein is for VA benefit and ownership alone.
Contractor shall maintain physical security at all facilities housing the activities performed under this contract, including any Contractor facilities according to VA-approved guidelines and directives. The Contractor shall ensure that security procedures are defined and enforced to ensure all personnel who are provided access to patient data must comply with published procedures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of such information as required by VA.
Contractor must adhere to the following:
The use of thumb drives or any other medium for transport of information is expressly prohibited.
Controlled access to system and security software and documentation.
Recording, monitoring, and control of passwords and privileges.
All terminated personnel are denied physical and electronic access to all data, program listings, data processing equipment and systems.
VA, as well as any Contractor (or Subcontractor) systems used to support development, provide the capability to cancel immediately all access privileges and authorizations upon employee termination.
Contractor PM and VA PM are informed within twenty-four (24) hours of any employee termination.
Acquisition sensitive information shall be marked "Acquisition Sensitive" and shall be handled as "For Official Use Only (FOUO)".
Contractor does not require access to classified data.
Regulatory standard of conduct governs all personnel directly and indirectly involved in procurements. All personnel engaged in procurement and related activities shall conduct business in a manner above reproach and, except as authorized by statute or regulation, with complete impartiality and with preferential treatment for none. The general rule is to strictly avoid any conflict of interest or even the appearance of a conflict of interest in VA/Contractor relationships.
VA Form 0752, Confidentiality of Sensitive Information Non-Disclosure Agreement, shall be completed by all Contractor employees that receive Government furnished laptops, and shall be provided to the CO before any work is performed. In the case that Contractor personnel are replaced in the future, their replacements shall complete VA Form 0752 prior to beginning work.
Rebecca Ubert
240-215-0805
rebecca.ubert@va.gov
