7A20--NEW AWARD - Vascular Ulcer Care Pathway - RFI LOOPBACK

The Department of Veterans Affairs is soliciting industry input through a Request for Information (RFI) loopback for the Vascular Ulcer Care Pathway, a digital health initiative to be procured through NASA’s Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) vehicle. The requirement is open to all eligible vendors with no set-aside designation and targets the development of a comprehensive digital system encompassing project management, AI and large language model development, system design, testing, training, and ongoing support under a 12-month period of performance. Key deliverables include a Contractor Project Management Plan, System Design Document, Service Level Agreement, Change and Configuration Management Plan, Monthly Progress Reports, and an AI System/LLM Development and Operation Documentation Package. Contractors must comply with stringent federal and VA-specific standards including VA Handbook 6500, VA Directive 6550, NIST SP 800-63, FIPS 201-3, EO 14028, FedRAMP, and FDA cybersecurity guidance. All personnel must undergo background investigations per VA Directive 0710, hold a valid PIV credential, complete VA security training, and be cleared for access to VA systems. The contractor staff roster must be submitted within three business days of award and updated within one day of any personnel change. Any use of AI or LLMs requires a signed Statement of Attestation and detailed documentation including model cards, acceptable use policies, feedback mechanisms, and pre- and post-training activity records. Material deviations from unbiased AI principles or modifications to AI models require immediate disclosure and prior VA approval. All data handling must adhere to HIPAA and privacy regulations, requiring a Business Associate Agreement if protected health information is accessed. Physical and electronic security is paramount: tamper-evident packaging, chain-of-custody documentation, FIPS 140-2 compliant encryption, and prohibition of unauthorized portable media are mandated. Deliverables must be submitted electronically in approved formats to designated VA email points of contact, with no physical deliveries specified. The requirement reflects a zero-trust, identity-based access model integrated with VA’s enterprise security infrastructure, with full compliance monitored by the Contracting Officer’s Representative and the VA Program Manager. No contract value or pricing information is publicly disclosed in this RFI stage, and the formal source selection methodology is not yet defined.