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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 FBO #3954
DOCUMENT

R -- CRISP Phase 4 - Attachment

Notice Date

9/19/2012
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541512 — Computer Systems Design Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Technology Acquisition Center;260 Industrial Way West;Eatontown NJ 07724
 

ZIP Code

07724
 

Solicitation Number

VA11812R0623
 

Archive Date

12/26/2012
 

Point of Contact

Joseph Pignataro
 

E-Mail Address

8-5544<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Award Number

VA118-12-C-0070
 

Award Date

9/18/2012
 

Awardee

AGENCYQ, INC.;1100 13TH ST NW STE 450;WASHINGTON;DC;200054050
 

Award Amount

$376,140.00
 

Description

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 1. Contracting Activity:Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Acquisition Operations Technology Acquisition Center 260 Industrial Way West Eatontown, New Jersey 07724 2. Description of Action: The proposed sole source action is for a one-year firm-fixed-price (FFP) effort to support VA Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for Phase 4 of the Continuous Readiness in Information Security Program (CRISP). This action consists of testing and configuring basic online communication technologies, as well as the development of messages that are consistent with the goal of enhancing outreach capability. 3. Description of Supplies or Services: CRISP is the new operating model for protecting VA sensitive information, shifting away from predictable audit schedules and pre-defined checklists toward longitudinal reviews of how policy is defined, supported, communicated, implemented, monitored and improved. CRISP is grounded in the VA "I CARE" core values of integrity, commitment and excellence. A cohesive theme of CRISP is the message that securing information is the responsibility of every VA employee, contractor, volunteer and affiliate. Strategic communications for CRISP revolved around four phases. Phase 1 "Inform" drew the attention of VA personnel to fulfilling the CRISP vision through a VA-wide messaging campaign, including an informational Intranet site. Phase 2 "Inventory" surveyed the effectiveness of messaging through a baseline survey. Phase 3 "Influence" localized the attention and action on CRISP through facility-level messaging. Phase 4 will focus on "Involving" by applying persona analytics to drive employee engagement through online interactivity. The first three phases were completed by Government employees. CRISP Phase 4 is intended to provide research, analysis, and design for improving the capability, knowledge, and security of technology communication that affects actions in clients, external and internal to VA. Two major limitations affect the client experience with VA technology-based communications: (1) The user interactivity is not on a contemporary platform for leveraging the full capability of messaging, content, and online experiences; and (2) the information security weaknesses undermine the confidence of clients in VA practices and culture with regard to protecting sensitive client information. The purpose of this work is to achieve three objectives: (1) Overcome online technology-based communication weaknesses through a low-risk, phased, test-bed approach to upgrading technology components; (2) Refine communications in complex topics by engaging the total VA community and their accumulative knowledge of such topics and the means of improving the associated services through method enhancement teams; and (3) Increase client confidence in VA services by addressing the culture of information security and its effects on VA reputation and trust between clients and VA offices. The total estimated price of this action is 4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C.3304(a)(1) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-1 entitled, "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements." 5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: The proposed source for this action is AgencyQ, 1100 13th Street, NW, Ste. 450, Washington, DC, 20005. Government technical experts have determined AgencyQ demonstrates significant proficiency in the recursive human dynamics of Human Computer Interaction (HCI), which notably lowers the risks that are associated with most HCI systems. AgencyQ has significant experience in applying advanced online media, secure persona analytics-driven content, and agile configurations to influence and mature the customer engagement through previous Government procurements. The most significant of these capabilities is secure persona analytics within security parameters used by Federal agencies. Previous procurements show significant skill in all areas such as interoperability, PASS application, and extensibility as the organization develops its capabilities. AgencyQ has also demonstrated expertise in the application of contemporary methods of working with organizational architecture to support the changes in the organization with applicable facilitation of engagement; rather than, having the organization adapt to the technology system. Some notable attributes of AgencyQ is its modularization of technologies for performance architectures. This approach is critical to support internal VA customers as the work by AgencyQ will enable significant modularization to fit sub-organizations, while reusing and recalibrating technologies for cost-effectiveness. Another attribute is the attention and past experience it has in the psychology of performance analytics, recognizing the recursive nature of analyses and content consumption to facilitate on-going engagement and value-added effects on performance leadership. AgencyQ demonstrates a significant history with clients who need to influence behavior of both internal and external users. It has specialized in algorithms for setting the online experience to be highly engaging while also setting forth those information that are most influential to the desired engagement. In the case of internal users, such as employees, AgencyQ is particularly aware of how the engagement can facilitate performance without distracting from optimal productivity. AgencyQ demonstrated notable government experience in the secure use of persona analytics, which is the core requirement of this work. 6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in the market research section of this document. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government's requirements. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition. Additionally, the proposed action will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities Page in accordance with FAR 5.201. Any proposals that are received shall be evaluated. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed. Phases 1 through 3 were performed by Government employees between February and April 2012 with some pieces continuing into the period assigned for Phase 4. VA will continually conduct tests and evaluations of products when feasible for consideration during the next competitive procurement and or technology refresh. Any limited source information for future contracts for these products will include the documented summary of the ongoing market research, technological progress made and steps taken to end reliance on brand name software. 8. Market Research: During the period March 6 through March 9, 2011, the Government conducted an Information Technology (IT) Executive Council Summit. The Government technical experts conducted in-depth interviews with Microsoft, Oracle, REI Systems and Computer Associates. In addition, Government technical experts reviewed the websites of these companies in March and April 2012 timeframe. Many pre-packaged software systems were identified; however, none demonstrated the ability to combine advanced online media with secure persona analytics-driven content, and agile configurations for continual fit to organizational and employee development. The Request for Information (RFI) was released to the Contractors under the Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Contract on March 24, 2012. No responses were received. On March 27, 2012, RFI, VA118-12-RI-0270, was released on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. The RFI instructed companies to demonstrate all areas of interoperability and Performance Architecture Science Systems (PASS) compliant expertise; this would illustrate to the Government the Contractor's ability to meet the requirements for advanced online media, secure persona analytics-driven content, and agile configurations. The areas of interoperability and PASS compliant expertise includes: Secure Persona Analytics and Advanced Media Content Delivery (compliant with security protocols used by U.S. Federal agencies), Integrated Communication Architecture, Tertiary Performance Architecture, Secondary Performance Architecture, Primary Performance Architecture, Performance Artifact Library, and Performance Architecture Analytics. Interest from AT&T, Harmonia, Innovative Technologies, MicroTech, Sapient, and AgencyQ was expressed in RFI VA118-12-RI-0270. The responses resulted in only one (1) vendor, Agency Q, identified as available to meet the requirements specified by the government. The AgencyQ response demonstrated maturity, knowledge of recursive analytics and performance leadership, and knowledge of HCI absent from the other responses, which significantly reduces the risk to the government. 9. Other Facts: A major challenge in all VA contracts is the ability to adapt performance feedback under changing operational and strategic conditions. AgencyQ offers a unique service that influences performance leadership in multiple changing conditions.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/2b5d90e0c56be6dc0b0741c1b0f5c6ff)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA118-12-C-0070 VA118-12-C-0070_AWARDNOTICE.doc (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=480625&FileName=VA118-12-C-0070-000.doc)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=480625&FileName=VA118-12-C-0070-000.doc

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN02891138-W 20120921/120920003008-2b5d90e0c56be6dc0b0741c1b0f5c6ff (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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