R710--Market Research Purposes Only (Attn: Alex Alexander) - OFM - Payment Integrity &Information Act (PIIA) Base Year FY21 (VA-21-00051379)

VA s Payment Oversight Program (POP) Support Services Page 1 of 8 Request for Information (RFI) . - - - - - Introduction The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is issuing this RFI in accordance with FAR 15.201(e), the agency does not intend to award a contract but rather gather information on capability, delivery and other market information pertinent for acquisition planning. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement and identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support this requirement for the following: Background The reduction of improper payments is a top financial management priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The results of this year s VA Payment Oversight Program (POP) review of improper payments demonstrate that VA continues to improve remediation of improper payments; however, much improvement is still needed to obtain compliance for all programs reporting improper payments. On March 2, 2020, the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 [Public Law 116-117], was signed into law. The purpose of this legislation is to improve efforts to identify and reduce Government-wide improper payments. Specifically, agencies are required to publish improper payments information in the annual financial statement, conduct program specific risk assessments if required, publish improper payment estimates if required, publish corrective action plans, publish reduction targets and demonstrate improvements and a developed plan to meet reduction targets, and report an improper payment rate of less than 10 percent for each program reporting improper payments. Currently, VA s Office of Inspector General has VA noncompliant repeatedly with this Act (and its predecessors). In FY 2019, VA identified $123.88 billion in diverse payments that were subject to improper payment testing and projections. Of this amount, VA reported $11.99 billion of statistically projected improper payments. VA strives for POP processes to be compliant with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Requirements for Payment Integrity Improvement, Appendix C, June 26, 2018 and to be found compliant in the annual Office of Inspector General (OIG) improper payment review published every May. Currently, VA has approximately 80 programs (providing a broad range of healthcare services, benefits, burial, and general administrative functions) subject to full Risk Assessment at a minimum of every three years with 12 programs deemed at risk for significant improper payments and subject to improper payment testing, projections, and reporting. VA also reports annually on its Recapture/Recovery and Do Not Pay activities. It is the goal of VA to improve the accuracy of its testing for improper payments and the effectiveness of corrective actions in reducing improper payments. Statement of Need The purpose of this requirement is to support VA s efforts to comply with PIIA and reduce improper payments. This acquisition will provide POP support services to the Office of Management (OM), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). It is anticipated that services may extend to National Cemetery Administration (NCA) during the performance period. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for proposals; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. If your organization has the proven capacity to perform these contract services respond accordingly to include documents such as a tailored capability statement to address the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. In addition to providing a capability statement as discussed above, a series of questions regarding capability must be answered. - Please ensure the question number is referenced within the RFI response. Below are the capability questions: Please describe your work experience meeting the requirements of Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 [Public Law 116 117] (and its predecessors) and OMB Circular A 123, Appendix C: Requirement for Payment Integrity Improvement. The description should include the corresponding assessment of the Office of Inspector General on whether these efforts resulted in compliance with the law. If full compliance was not achieved, provide specifics on compliance criteria not met and your involvement in implementing efforts to improve compliance. Please describe your experience in developing annual improper payments projections for programs that are determined to be susceptible to significant improper payments as required by OMB Circular A 123, Appendix C: Requirement for Payment Integrity Improvement. Your description should include a discussion of OIG assessment of these efforts in their required annual review. Please describe your work experience with the additional reporting requirements for high-priority programs: tailoring corrective actions to better reflect the unique processes, procedures, and risks involved in each specific program, publicly reporting actions to prevent and recover improper payments, and developing semi-annual or quarterly actions to reduce improper payments in accordance with OMB Circular A 123, Appendix C. This should include a description of your efforts to assess return on investment and whether OIG reviewed your efforts in their required annual review and results. Please describe your statistician s experience with designing and implementing appropriate statistical sampling and estimation methods to produce statistically valid improper payment estimates in accordance with OMB Circular A 123, Appendix C. Explain your experience ensuring OIG compliance using statistically valid methodologies for calculating variability to produce statistically valid plans that produce valid confidence intervals around its estimates and your efforts to resolve any concerns raised by the OIG during their annual review. Your description should also include any software or formulas utilized as well as theorems relied upon. Please describe your work experience developing test plans that identifies attributes needed to determine the appropriateness of payments and ensure projected results accurately represent the improper payments in programs and activities. This description must include whether OIG identified any areas for improvement or noncompliance with legislation. Describe you work experience reviewing and updating test plans on an annual basis to address any results from OIG and GAO reports. Please describe your experience testing programs for improper payments (to include size/scope of universe and samples) and the results of OIG assessment of that testing. Please describe your work experience detailing the activities taken to complete Non-Compliant reporting for programs that are deemed: one fiscal year non-compliant, two consecutive fiscal years non-compliant, three consecutive fiscal years non-compliant, and four or more consecutive fiscal years non-compliant in accordance with OMB Circular A-123 Appendix C. Please describe your work experience ensuring program-specific risk assessment(s) meet OIG compliance. Your description should include any deficiencies identified by OIG and any experience improving identified deficiencies. Please describe your work experience performing analysis to identify programs within an agency ensuring full accounting of all outlays and disbursements. Your description should include any deficiencies in this process identified by OIG and any experience in improving an agency s process for performing this analysis. Please describe your work experience validating agency s identified FboNotice causes and determining that corrective actions are reasonable to address FboNotice causes and reduce improper payments. Your description should include your experience evaluating whether corrective actions will be effective prior to implementation. Describe how you assess current corrective actions to determine if they can be intensified or expanded to maximize reduction or prevention of improper payments. Please describe your work experience supporting administrative responses to OIG and/or GAO Audits. Please describe your experience analyzing Agency-wide data on improper payments (to include software utilized) and how this analysis shaped Agency activities and improved compliance and/or reduced improper payments. Please describe your familiarity and demonstrated work experience supporting the preparation of the Agency Financial Report in accordance with OMB Circular A 136: Financial Reporting Requirements. Describe the results of your past compliance with agency improper payment reporting in the agency s AFR to include payment reporting, results of recapture audits, and barriers preventing the agency from further reducing improper payments. Your description should include any deficiencies identified by the OIG in meeting legislative or OMB reporting requirements. Please describe your familiarity and work experience completing the OMB Paymentaccuracy.gov Data Collection Template. Please describe your familiarity and work experience updating agency policies and standard operating procedures. Please describe any additional tasks or deliverables you have completed or would consider to be required to meet legislative or OMB objectives. Request submission of additional information that VA should consider including in a solicitation (i.e., background information, task, deliverable) that you regard as adding value and completeness to task requirements/objectives specifically related to required improper payment activities. Does your organization have reach-back capabilities or additional resources to support services during surge periods? If so, request submission of detail along with an estimated timeline to activate such support. Provide your business status (women-owned, veteran-owned, etc.). Considering the recommended NAICS, indicate your business size. Structure of Responses Contractors should respond to this RFI by June 18 by 10AM ET. Limit all responses to 10 pages. - - - -