Telephone Operator/Switchboard Services - San Francisco VA Health Care System

The contract requires a contractor to provide four full-time telephone and switchboard operators to support the San Francisco VA Health Care System under a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside, with solicitation number 36C26126Q0970 and NAICS code 561421. Performance is to be conducted entirely at the SFVAHCS facility in San Francisco, California, beginning October 1, 2026, with a base year and four one-year option periods extending through September 30, 2031. The contractor must ensure 24/7 call coverage with strict performance standards including an abandon rate below 5% and an average answer time under 10 seconds, all while adhering to VA-specific operational protocols such as answering calls within three rings, maintaining current operational manuals, and ensuring personnel wear VA-issued identification badges at all times. All staff must complete VA orientation and training, and the contractor must submit current personnel rosters and comply with the Service Contract Act, including the referenced Wage Determination 2015-5637. The evaluation process will prioritize technical capability, followed by past performance and then price, using a trade-off methodology rather than lowest price technically acceptable, allowing the government to select the most advantageous offer based on overall value. Proposals must be submitted electronically in three separate PDF volumes—Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Pricing—each no larger than 5 MB and sent to the designated point of contact before the August 10, 2026 deadline. Contract administration requires electronic invoicing through the Tungsten Network, with payments issued via EFT by the VA Financial Services Center, and the contractor must maintain compliance with numerous FAR and VAAR clauses, including restrictions on subcontracting (limited to 50% for services), whistleblower protections, cybersecurity prohibitions, and DEI discrimination compliance. Additionally, the contractor must carry specified insurance coverage and avoid any use of products or services from entities prohibited under FASCSA, with penalties for misrepresentation of SDVOSB status or subcontracting limitations subject to audit and legal consequences under federal statute.