R499 - Data Analytics for Training SBIR Phase III - Intent to Award Notice

The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award a sole-source SBIR Phase III contract to LMI Consulting LLC under solicitation VA-26-00057056 for data analytics services supporting the Institute for Learning, Education and Development within the Veterans Health Administration. The effort focuses on delivering advanced data science, visualization, and human performance assessment capabilities using the SBIR N092-150 framework to improve training programs through data-driven insights, with performance centered on four key tasks: human performance assessment, data analysis and modeling, data visualization, and project management. The base contract period is twelve months with four optional twelve-month extensions, potentially extending performance to five years, though no contract value is specified in the documentation. All work is to be performed at the contractor’s facilities, with the primary place of performance identified as North Little Rock, Arkansas, and deliveries governed by FOB Destination terms. Contractor personnel must meet stringent security and compliance requirements, including obtaining a favorably adjudicated Special Agreement Check, holding a valid PIV credential, and completing VA Form 0752 before beginning work. Strict information security protocols are enforced, including prohibition of unapproved removable media, mandatory use of FIPS-compliant encryption and TLS, segregation of VA data, and full compliance with VA Directive 0710, Zero Trust controls, FISMA, FICAM, and Title 38 privacy statutes. AI and LLM systems developed under the contract must adhere to the VA Trustworthy AI Framework and OMB M-26-04, requiring submission of AI documentation packages including model cards, truth-seeking attestations, feedback mechanisms, and compliance with the SHARE IT Act. All deliverables—including annual reports, dashboards, data models, and staff rosters—must be submitted electronically in approved formats, and all Government-furnished or contractor-developed data, code, and outputs are owned by the Government with unlimited rights under FAR 52.227-14. Performance is assessed through adjectival ratings such as “Satisfactory or higher” based on technical quality, schedule adherence, and staffing, with no formal scoring weights provided. The contract also imposes sustainability requirements under FAR 52.223-23, mandating energy-efficient IT products compliant with ENERGY STAR or FEMP standards. Proposals must be submitted via email to Crystal Lomonaco and Kendra Casebolt no later than May 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM