DA01--VISN 21 Patient Elopement and Wandering Prevention (VA-26-00049526)

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a presolicitation notice for a potential requirement for Patient Elopement and Wandering (PEW) Prevention Systems. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to procure these systems to enhance safety in VA healthcare facilities, specifically for Community Living Centers, inpatient medical units, Emergency Departments, and Behavioral Health environments. This notice follows a previous Request for Information (RFI) and is for planning and information-gathering purposes.

The systems are intended to protect vulnerable patient populations at risk of elopement, wandering, or unauthorized exit.

Not specified in this notice.

No proposals are requested at this time, and unsolicited proposals will not be accepted. The formal solicitation is anticipated to be released on or about May 28, 2026.

This acquisition is planned as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside.

• Solicitation Number: 36C10B26R0020
• Response Date: June 30, 2026, 14:00 Central Time, Chicago, USA
• Product/Service Code: DA01
• NAICS Code: 541519
• Interested parties should refer to the previously published Sources Sought Announcement for background information.
• Contact: Juan C Perez, Contract Specialist, Juan.Perez5@va.gov, 512-981-4467

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation seeks a contractor to provide sustainment and standardization for Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 21's Patient Elopement and Wandering (PEW) Prevention Systems. The initiative aims to ensure the continued operation of existing PEW systems while developing and implementing a unified, enterprise-capable PEW solution across all VISN 21 healthcare facilities. This will improve patient safety, enhance interoperability, reduce sustainment costs, and ensure compliance with VA cybersecurity and technical requirements.

• Sustainment and optimization of all existing PEW systems (hardware, software, firmware, integrations).

• Development of a unified PEW enterprise architecture, including workflow discovery, site assessments, and standardized clinical workflows.

• Implementation, configuration, and validation of the standardized enterprise solution.

• Ensuring compliance with VA cybersecurity requirements (FIPS encryption, PIV authentication, VA Technical Reference Model).

• Providing comprehensive training, documentation, and transition support for VISN 21 staff.

• Deliverables include project management plans, system architecture diagrams, BoMs, test reports, training materials, and user manuals.

• The government is considering a firm-fixed-priced single award indefinite-delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract.

• The period of performance includes a five-year ordering period, with individual Task Orders potentially extending up to twelve months beyond the ordering period.

• Offerors must propose a solution that directly supports the Statement of Objectives (SOO).

• Offerors are required to provide a live demonstration of their proposed PEW solution, showcasing core capabilities.

• Proposed solutions should reflect the offeror's unique technical approach, not just restate the SOO.

• The successful offeror's solution will be incorporated into the resultant Performance Work Statement (PWS).

• This opportunity is set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs).

• The solicitation covers multiple VISN 21 healthcare systems listed in Table 1.

• Work will occur within active healthcare environments, requiring careful scheduling to avoid disruption to patient care.

• Offerors are encouraged to propose creative, efficient, and effective solutions.

Statement of Objectives (SOO)

This SOO outlines the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Sierra Pacific Network (VISN 21)'s requirement to sustain existing Patient Elopement and Wandering (PEW) Prevention Systems and advance towards a unified, modernized enterprise-capable PEW solution. The goal is to ensure consistent patient safety, improve reliability, strengthen compliance, and establish a uniform, scalable platform across all VISN 21 healthcare facilities.

The project encompasses sustaining current PEW systems and designing/deploying a unified enterprise platform. Activities include workflow discovery, system architecture development, site assessments, hardware/software provisioning, integration with nurse call and other systems, and acceptance testing.

Contractor performance will be measured against standards ensuring system reliability, safety, and compliance. Key metrics include maintaining at least 99% location accuracy, meeting project milestones, complying with VA cybersecurity and technical requirements, and delivering high-quality outputs.

A firm-fixed-priced single award indefinite-delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract is anticipated. The period of performance will be a five-year ordering period, with individual Task Orders potentially extending up to twelve months beyond the ordering period. Place of performance will be identified in individual Task Orders within VISN 21 facilities.

• Offerors must provide a live demonstration of their proposed solution.
• Solutions must address VA cybersecurity, interoperability, and technical requirements.
• Work must comply with VA policies on physical access, security, and data handling.
• All components must comply with VA standards, Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) guidelines, Section 508 accessibility, and FIPS-validated encryption.
• Comprehensive training and transition support for VISN 21 staff is required.
• Potential deliverables include project management plans, system design documents, installation reports, testing results, training materials, and user manuals.