R408--Notice of Intent to Sole Source Support of Lean Management System, Strategic Planning and High Reliability Organization FW: Air Academy Associates LLC

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Statement of Work Support of Lean Management System, Strategic Planning and High Reliability Organization Framework A. GENERAL INFORMATION: Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) consists of 300 Vet Centers, organized into 5 Districts. RCS is a unique service within VHA, legislatively mandated in 1979 to provide readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active duty Service members, and their families. Readjustment counseling consists of a wide range of socio-economic and counseling services through direct counseling services, outreach (face to face connection), and referral (VA and non-VA available services) for Veterans, Active Duty Service members (ADSM), and their families. Services are provided through a national system of 300 Vet Centers, 83 Mobile Vet Centers, 24/7 Vet Center Call Center, and the RCS Contract for Fee program. Authority for RCS originated from Public Law 96-22 codified in Title 38 U.S.C. § 1712A. To be successful in our program s journey, leaders will be required to understand and connect continuous process improvement, strategic planning, and high reliability principles. The intent of this blanket purchase agreement (BPA) is to provide intensive, consistent use of expert Lean Six Sigma consultants to engage leadership in the deployment of the High Reliability Organization Framework, which includes the pillars of continuous process improvement and leadership engagement, as well as the process for supporting strategic initiatives. 2. Scope of Work: The purpose of this BPA is to provide expert guidance and methodological support to deploy the Lean Management System (LMS) and provide Leadership Coaching and Strategic Initiative Support, based on the VHA High Reliability Organization (HRO) Framework. The Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Office of Strategy and Analysis has formulated the RCS Lean Management System which outlines goals regarding transforming the culture of work, based on Lean and HRO principles. High performing organizations, such as ThedaCare, Virginia Mason, and Denver Health, have achieved this transformation by leveraging outside experts to ensure the best outcomes. The key tasks associated with this scope of work will be outlined in more detail below but include the following: Coaching and mentoring of leadership level staff to support the LMS and the HRO Framework deployment, basing this coaching/approach on Lean Management Systems (see Shook, Managing to Learn, LEI, 2008, Toussaint and Gerard, On The Mend, LEI, 2010, and Mann, Creating a Lean Culture, CRC, 2015). Coaching and mentoring of leadership level staff at RCS facilities to implement policies and structures that support a continuous process improvement structure based on the Lean Management System and align with the RCS Strategic Initiatives and strategic planning process (see Pollock and Kiemele, Reversing the Culture of Waste, AAA, 2012). Act as consulting experts for a targeted group of Strategic Initiatives and as LMS consultants for implementation of the High Reliability Organization Framework. B. REQUIREMENTS: 1. Coach, mentor and guide RCS leadership (approximately 45 staff) to design and implement an enterprise transformation strategy that supports organization wide continuous improvement, including: Executive Leadership Sessions to understand and develop a plan for the HRO Framework deployment Value stream analysis, including strategic planning at the value stream level Strategic deployment of system wide goals, using continuous process improvement methodology across the network. Support and provide coaching for alignment of multiple services to support High Reliability principles and practices Periodic Lean maturity assessments and alignment reviews Periodic education offerings as per the needs of the enterprise to support the HRO framework deployment 2. Coach and support RCS in their HRO framework, LMS deployment and Strategic planning processes by demonstrating Lean operating principles to develop engagement of program office, District leadership, and middle managers. 3. Coaching and facilitation of Continuous Process Improvement events and Improvement professionals to support the deployment of the Lean Management System, HRO Framework and Strategic Initiatives. Using important focus areas that the facilities have determined will result in significant improvement, the contractor will offer onsite coaching of continuous process improvement work, support of Strategic Initiatives as determined by the RCS Strategic planning process and Leadership Coaching per the HRO Framework Contractors will provide onsite and/or virtual consultation to build System Redesign staff ability to plan and lead improvement events and to involve senior leadership appropriately as per the HRO Framework and Strategic Planning process 4. Development of a system for orienting next-level leadership staff to a Lean Management System and the High Reliability Organization Framework: Ensure sustaining strategies to cascade leadership learning down through the organization to the Vet Center level. Also, develop program to orient new leaders, as turnover in positions occurs, resulting in both long-term interim leaders and transfers in of leadership from outside RCS. Address recruitment and review of leadership candidates so that new leaders with the greatest chance of embracing Lean Improvement culture are considered. 5. Provide Lean Six Sigma training courses (Green belt, Black belt, Master Black Belt, and Champion levels) delivered via an instructor-led (i.e., traditional classroom setting or conference/seminar) and/or web-based (i.e., Internet/Intranet, software packages and computer applications) system. For trainings, the contractor shall: Provide briefings and educational material to all training participants. The contractor shall provide each participant with a resource guide, training manual, and software. Complete the trainings in a manner that balances training effectiveness and cost effectiveness. Provide a survey to each participant after the completion of each course. The survey report shall be complied by the contractor and forwarded to RCS for review. Develop and/or leverage a system of monitoring and tracking training provided and completed by individual staff. Training course types: On Demand, Online Courses The courses shall be available online, asynchronous, and on demand for self-directed, independent learning by the student. Students must have unlimited access to these courses at no additional cost for 12 months The contractor s system must provide reports on course completions. Students must have the ability to print job aids or handouts related to the concepts taught. Instructor-led, Virtual Courses (Web-based) Contractor must include all the materials, PowerPoint slides, software, handouts, workbooks, videos, polls, chat rooms, white boards, lesson plans, and any other instructional items required by the course on a pre-loaded virtual, online, instructor-led learning platform hosted on the contractor s web site. An example would be a pre-loaded class on Adobe Connect that the virtual instructor would use to teach the course to virtual students. Must include course facilitation features that allow instructors to move from each section of the course seamlessly, with slides, videos, and interactive activities, etc. moving automatically with each section. Each virtual course must use good adult-learning principles, including interactive activities and exercises that keep the student engaged with the instructor during the course and reduce distractions and student multi-tasking on non-course tasks. For most class activities, the instructor must be able to determine who has submitted an activity during class so that they call on the student by name. Contractor must host the virtual classrooms and provide a web link that the student and instructor can use to access it. Instructor-led, In-person Courses or Hybrid Contractor must provide all the materials, slides, handouts, workbooks, software, videos, polls, chat rooms, white boards, instructor guides, lesson plans, and any other instructional items required by the course to be taught in-person. If hybrid virtual and in-person, must include durations for in-person and virtual course time with lesson plans. Each course must use good adult-learning principles, including interactive activities and exercises. Any proposed face-to-face training should include an option to be delivered virtually should environmentally conditions or travel restrictions limit access to on-site training. Additionally, the contractor shall provide: Permission for all materials to be utilized in the future by RCS (or for RCS to have a non-exclusive, unrestricted right to use the materials). All programs presentation and support documents; Participant reading materials; Electronic version of all participant learning materials If needed for training, software and laptops for advanced technical training Estimates for necessary travel expenses. D. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The management of this shall be performed in a combination of Government and contractor site as approved by approved by RCS. This contract is being overseen by RCS Central Office 1717 H. St., NW, Washington DC 20005. Training locations will be geographically centered in the United States based on the applicants within the cohorts to minimize travel cost. The contract will employ training strategies that are cost efficient. Contractor will be responsible for finding and sourcing locations for face to face trainings if RCS does not provide space. E. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The performance period of this agreement is 60 months with government option to renew two additional 12 months performance periods under the BPA. All orders will be placed under the BPA via separate task orders. Work shall begin within 6 weeks of task order signing. F. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS: Offerors are required to provide documentation and/or evidence of the following qualifications as part of their proposal. Documentation will include, but is not limited to resumes, references, detailed descriptions of educational offerings and detailed descriptions of consultation approaches and methodologies. The proposed consultants need to provide resumes indicating the following and shall: Provide references that attest to their success in consulting a minimum of five years in Lean Six Sigma and coaches hold a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification. Experience in the healthcare industry required, experience with the VA is strongly preferred. Have an additional minimum of five years as the head of a Kaizen Promotion Office or other Lean leadership position. Have a minimum of 10 years of experience in a line-management position responsible for an organization with full implementation of Lean or Lean Six Sigma. Have experience in providing Lean or Lean Six Sigma education and coaching to leaders and management teams. Have experience in moving organizations from a traditional production model to a Lean system of waste elimination and value creation, using a Lean Management System. Have experience working with organizations transforming to a High Reliability Framework and Just Culture Have experience working with Strategic Planning and supporting large Strategic Initiatives at the enterprise level.