D--RFI - Market Research OIT Office of Technical Integration (OTI) Systems of Systems Integration

Sources Sought Notice, VA OTI Systems of Systems Integration Page 4 of 4 Sources Sought Notice Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Technical Integration (OTI) Systems of Systems Integration September 27, 2019 Introduction This Sources Sought Notice is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. In accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to obtain market information on capable sources of supply, industry practices, and input specific to the information provided. The Government is not responsible for any cost incurred by industry in furnishing this information. All costs associated with responding to this Sources Sought Notice will be solely at the interested party s expense.

Not responding to this Sources Sought Notice does not preclude participation in any future Request for Proposal, if any is issued. Any information submitted by respondents to this Sources Sought Notice is strictly voluntary. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Technology Acquisition Center is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to solicit feedback and determine capabilities in executing the Office of Technical Integration (OTI) Capabilities and Functions. Background VA Office of Technical Integration (OTI) is charged with ensuring that the VA Priority Initiatives are coordinated, planned, and managed to achieve their stated goals and objectives. The Priority Initiatives are multi-year, cross-departmental modernization activities that have multiple operational (e.g., business functions and capabilities) and technical integration points (e.g., application interfaces and infrastructure modifications) that require direct oversight to ensure sustainable, scalable solutions are achieved. The VA Office of Information and Technology (OIT) authorized OTI to coordinate integration activities between the Priority Initiatives and the necessary enterprise organizations to provide the analysis and coordination required for proper technical integration. The VA OIT established OTI to facilitate communication and collaboration of technical integration activities between designated Priority Initiatives through technical coordination, planning and management. OTI ensures cross-initiative engagement with OIT to triage and route requirements to appropriate OIT (Office of Information Technology) offices, monitors status, facilitates risk and issue resolution, manages action tracking and coordinates subject matter expertise. Through OTI, the VA gains the ability to implement and coordinate technical integration across OIT, ensuring Priority Initiatives accomplish their intended VA strategic goals. Figure 1: As-Is OTI Organization Structure The current OTI organizational structure includes four types of teams: Technical Coordination Teams facilitate technical analysis to address gaps, overlaps and inconsistencies across the Priority Initiatives, including but not limited to: Data Cyber Infrastructure Interfaces Interoperability Team is responsible for the interoperability of data. Enterprise Schedule Management Team (ESMT) is responsible for the development and analysis of the integrated master schedule, inclusive of all Priority Initiatives. Business Operations Team facilitates business operations for OTI to support the management and oversight of the Priority Initiative s technical aspects. OTI anticipates that this structure might change as OTI continues to understand its customers needs and the external environment undergoes changes. Initial Scope The scope of OTI is focused on the technical points of intersection between OIT and Priority Initiatives to proactively engage OIT to address technical risks and issues during the planning, execution and implementation phases. The initial focus of OTI includes Priority Initiatives that will modernize Veteran healthcare, Veteran benefits, VA financial management and supply chain and the dependencies on VA s over 300 legacy systems. The Priority Initiatives are simultaneous, large-scale, and have dependencies on other Priority Initiatives and legacy systems. OTI needs to take a Systems of Systems Engineering (SoSE) approach in how it supports VA and the success of the Priority Initiatives for the Veteran. OTI works across VA and with external partners and uses Agile principles and concepts, human-centered design discipline, and leverage Systems of Systems Engineering. The cadence of coordinating the OTI mission must support addressing customer problems. Stakeholder engagement is paramount to VA s integration efforts; therefore, partnerships with existing teams (e.g., Office of Enterprise Integration (OEI), OIT, Veteran Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA), and other partners) will be leveraged to deconflict gaps, overlaps, and inconsistencies. Core Elements and Functions OTI will identify challenges and solutions using agile and human-centered approaches. OTI will view the Priority Initiatives as associated sub-systems to the broader VA enterprise systems of systems (SoS). The below are initial core elements and functions that OTI is looking for professional services assistance For more information, refer to the DoD Systems Engineering Guide for Systems of Systems, Version 1.0, August 2008, Table 3-2 Technical & Technical Management Processes as They Apply to the Core Elements of SoS SE, https://www.acq.osd.mil/se/docs/SE-Guide-for-SoS.pdf : Translating Capability Objectives: The SoS systems engineer (SE) and OTI leadership review objectives and expectations on a regular basis as the SoS evolves and changes occur in user (e.g. Veteran and VA employee) needs, the technical and external environments, and other areas. The SoS SE team also provides feedback to the OTI stakeholders (e.g. Priority Initiative leadership, OIT leadership, OEI leadership) on the viability of meeting SoS technical objectives, particularly given the results of other SoS SE core elements. This capability provides the other SoS SE elements with information on the first-order goals and expectations for the SoS, which serve to ground the work of the SoS systems engineer across the board. OTI functions of interest in this area: Technical Requirements Management (Technical), Stakeholder Management Sample Scenario: (placeholder) Multiple program N Squared (input/output) matrix management and visualization; dependency matrix Understanding Systems: Developing an understanding of the systems involved in the SoS and their relationships and interdependencies is one of the most important aspects of the SoS SE role. Some of the key systems in the SoS may not be under direct management of the SoS but may have a high impact on achieving SoS objectives. For example, Priority Initiatives do not necessarily fall under the OIT portfolio and management. The understanding in this capability includes how a system works, how it supports SoS objectives, and its development plans. OTI functions of interest in this area: Risk Management (Integration), Enterprise Integrated Schedule Management, Human Systems Integration Sample Scenario: (placeholder) Priority Initiatives manage their own integrated master schedules and those may include multiple schedules and ownership by a contractor team. Schedules may include external dependencies depicted as milestones necessary to achieve their objectives. OTI works with Priority Initiatives to identify those milestones as critical enterprise milestones, monitors their status and associated risks, and collaborates with necessary stakeholders on ensuring successful execution. This OTI functions provides insights on cross-initiative integration at the granularity and frequency needed by OTI s customers. Assessing Performance: In this core element, the SoS SE works with the test and evaluation community to establish technical performance measures and methods for assessing overall performance of the SoS. Metrics and methods for assessing SoS performance should be independent of implementation, highlighting important VA enterprise functions. OTI functions of interest in this area: Performance Management, Technical Assessment, Validation Sample Scenario: (placeholder) Each Priority Initiative has its own metrics and tools to measure system performance. Their system must interact with other systems, to include other Priority Initiatives and legacy systems. OTI must establish baseline metrics for establishing and monitoring the end-user experience as it relates to the technical domain for Priority Initiatives performing in the VA infrastructure SoS. Monitoring Change: A core activity of SoS SE is to anticipate changes outside the control of the SoS that could affect the functionality or performance of an SoS capability. Priority Initiatives evolve independently of the SoS. Understanding the impact of change permits intervention to forestall problems or to implement mitigation strategies. OTI functions of interest in this area: Configuration Management, Action Management, Sample Scenario: (placeholder) Impact of schedule changes for enterprise milestones focus on milestones at risk; could elaborate on the delays that one system s testing schedule (due to a high percentage of unexpected testing failures) could have on other systems in the SoS Developing and Evolving SoS Architecture: A key part of the SoS SE task is to establish a persistent technical framework for addressing the evolution of the SoS to meet user needs, including possible changes in systems functionality, performance or interfaces. This architecture does not address the details of the individual Priority Initiatives; rather, it defines the way the Priority Initiatives work together to meet Veteran and VA employee needs and addresses the implementation of Priority Initiatives only when the functionality is key to crosscutting issues of the VA enterprise SoS. It includes communications, end-to-end functionality, and data flow and provides a technical framework for assessing changes. OTI functions of interest in this area: Technical Requirements Management, Technical Planning, Risk Management, Configuration Management, Data Management, and Interface Management Sample Scenario: (placeholder) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to providing seamless care for Veterans, including access to a comprehensive electronic health record (EHR). VA EHR Modernization, accessed August 15, 2019, https://www.ehrm.va.gov/ In order to support the Veteran s transition from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the VA healthcare system, a medical record that can also transition with minimal Veteran action improves the Veterans experience. Data interoperability is a critical component of that journey and requires technical collaboration on standards and processes between DoD and VA. OTI seeks to establish collaboration and building a VA and DoD strategy for data interoperability between the two strategic partners. Addressing Requirements and Solution Options: A SoS has requirements for the SoS and constituent systems. For the SoS, user needs must be collected, assessed, and prioritized, then options evaluated for addressing them. Options must balance needs of the systems and the SoS. OTI functions of interest in this area: Technical Requirements Management, Enterprise Schedule Management, and Site Readiness (Infrastructure) Technical Integration Sample Scenario: (placeholder) selection of the final list of capabilities to be included in the EHR system, taking into account impact on legacy system and cost and users and other Priority Initiatives Orchestrating Upgrades: Selected options must be funded, planned, contractually enabled, facilitated, integrated, and tested within the SoS. Constituent systems make the changes, but SoS systems engineering orchestrates the process, coordinating, integrating, and testing across the SoS. OTI functions of interest in this area: Integrated Risk Management and Configuration Change Management Sample Scenario: (placeholder) New capabilities added during implementation; what is the impact to the SoS; how are those impacts reduced to provide intended value and improvements to the user Questions: Please submit the below requested information by 11:00AM EST on October 22, 2019 via email to point of contact Troy Loveland, Contract Specialist, at Troy.Loveland@va.gov. VA reserves the right to not respond to any, all, or select responses or materials submitted. All VA current requirements identified herein are subject to change at any time. If you experience any problems or have any questions concerning this announcement, please contact Troy Loveland, 732-440-9735. VA appreciates your time and anticipated response. General Company Information Include the following identification information Company Name CAGE/DUNS Number under which the company is registered in SAM/VetBiz.gov Company Address Point of contact name Telephone number Email address Identify existing contract vehicles (GSA, NASA SEWP, T4NG etc.) in which you are a contract holder that can be utilized to procure the VA Systems of Systems Integration services. If a small business, what type of small business are you? Are you able to comply with FAR 52.219-6 and 52.219-14 in execution of this effort? Are you able to comply with VAAR 852.219-10, VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside and with subcontracting limitations in 13 CFR 125.6 in execution of this effort? Capability Statement Submit a capability statement describing your company s ability to meet the OTI Core Elements and Functions described above, and provide recommendations that VA should consider to adequately describe the scope of this effort. The corporate capability statements shall address the following: Summary overview of your technical capabilities to meet all or portions of the Government s OTI Capabilities and Functions, as described through Use Cases above, and associated corporate expertise/experience in conducting SoSE and Integration utilizing agile methodologies. Summary overview of your technical capabilities as it relates to expertise in the following SoSE Practice Areas at an Enterprise level (not Sub-systems or individual Program levels): Strategic Technical Planning and Technology Development Strategies across an Enterprise Enterprise Evaluation and Assessments Technical Risk Identification and Management Portfolio and Program Design, Integration, Management, and Life Cycle Support Activities What is your expertise, and can you give examples of integrating systems engineering processes with program management and practices such as hardware, software, test, production (go-live), operations, and lifecycle support? Do you have either a corporate owned or commercial toolset(s) to assist in the management and execution of SoSE functions and would you recommend the use or incorporation of Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for OTI? If yes, what are the major areas of risk or concern for a successful instantiation of MBSE within the VA? Do you currently utilize integrated tool suites for applications and documentation responsibilities related to SoSE design, simulation, data visualization and requirements management? If so, what is the platform? Based on the notional OTI Capabilities and Functions mentioned previously, have you performed work as a Systems Integrator, to include similar scope and complexity? If yes, what were the major execution challenges to SoSE from a technical and programmatic lens that should be accounted for? Please address both strategic and tactical challenges as it relates to people, processes, tools, and infrastructure(s). Have you performed this type of SoSE within the Federal Government? If so, provide supportive detail and indicate whether you were the prime contractor or subcontractor. With the underlying goal being a contractual design that promotes agility, what would you recommend for contractual structures as it relates to: Contract Vehicles (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) or C-Type) Contract Type (e.g., Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Cost, Time and Material (T&M), Labor Hour (LH)) Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) and / or Sub-line Item Number (SLIN) Structure Are there any Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) or other business arrangements that would prohibit or hinder your company or entity from competing that the VA should be aware of and take into consideration during the planning of/for future acquisitions? This should also take into account the contracts associated with the systems (Priority Initiatives and legacy systems).