R408--Market Research, Polling, Printing, and mailing services to support VA Million Veterans Program.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides answers to potential offeror questions regarding Solicitation 36C24E26R0001.

• Small Business Subcontracting Plan: Required with the proposal for large business offerors. Pre-award goals are set at 3% SDVOSB, 5% VOSB, 3% Hubzone, 5% SDB, 5% WOSB, and 17.5% SB.
• Representations and Certifications: A printout from SAM.gov showing active and complete representations and certifications is acceptable in lieu of an ORCA certification.
• Survey Format: The MHS Survey (Task 9) will require a 9x12” flat envelope, not a 6x10” as initially specified, due to its length.
• Whitemail Processing: Labor for handling, reviewing, and processing returned "whitemail" should be factored into the per-piece cost of Task 12 (Personalized Letters), not Task 2 (survey scanning). Approximately 0.5% of returned surveys result in whitemail activity.
• Envelope Size for BREs: For Task 11 (Business Reply Envelopes), assume a 9”x12” flat envelope.
• VA-E ATO: Offerors must include information on their ability to obtain or leverage existing VA-E ATOs to ensure no delays in contract performance. The ATO must be specific to the system utilized by MVP.
• Past Performance: Only past performance from the prime contractor will be used for evaluation. Subcontractor information may support the experience factor.
• Newsletter Specifications: The MVP newsletter is an 8-page booklet, 2 - 11x17 sheets, full color, double-sided, folded, sealed with a sticker, and personalized with name and address.

The offer due date and time remain March 30, 2026, at 10:00 am EST. All other terms and conditions of the original solicitation remain unchanged.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Past Performance Questionnaire used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to gather feedback on contractor performance. It is intended to be completed by references for the solicitation related to the VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP) for Tumor Normal Matched Genomics Testing.

• Contractor Information: Fields for Contractor's Name, Subcontractor's Name (if applicable), BPA/Contract/Task Order Number.
• Evaluator Information: Fields for Name, Title, Company/Organization, Telephone, and E-mail of the person completing the evaluation.
• Performance Ratings: A rating scale (1-5) for Overall quality/satisfaction, Delivery performance, Satisfaction with the quality of service delivered, Satisfaction with problem resolution, and Satisfaction with the quality of contractor personnel. Each area includes a definition and space for comments.
• Performance Questions: Specific questions regarding cure notices, terminations for default, likelihood to award another contract, discussion of adverse past performance, filing of past performance information, and exercise of contract options.
• Contract Details: Fields to provide the contract period of performance, dollar value, and a brief description of services provided.
• Attachments: Request to attach any past performance database reports or other relevant materials, especially concerning adverse performance and corrective actions.

Bidders should be aware that this questionnaire will be used to evaluate their past performance. They should ensure their references are prepared to complete it accurately and promptly. The questions focus on critical aspects of performance that will likely influence the evaluation of proposals for the MVP genomics testing contract. The solicitation number associated with this questionnaire is 36C24E26R0001.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet containing estimated quantities and pricing for a five-year contract (2026-2031) related to the VA Million Veterans Program (MVP). It outlines labor categories, tasks, and various mailing and survey-related items with estimated quantities per 12-month period.

• Labor Categories: Includes Project Management and Data Security with estimated hours.
• Receipt/Scan Tasks: Details estimated quantities for various surveys (Baseline, Opt Out Postcard, Lifestyle, Exposure, MHS, Recontact) and associated data handling.
• Recruitment and Enrollment Mailings: Lists estimated quantities for different types of postcards, invitation letters, appointment packets, and thank you letters.
• Additional Survey Mailings: Includes quantities for survey cover letters and return envelopes, including mailings by request and to specific sites or individuals.
• Veteran Engagement Mailings: Outlines quantities for MVP Newsletters.
• Misc Items: Includes Business Reply Mail (BRM) envelopes and whitemail response letters.
• Pricing: The spreadsheet includes columns for Unit Cost and Total Cost, but these are largely unpopulated in the provided text, indicating that specific pricing is to be determined or provided by bidders.

This document provides a detailed breakdown of the anticipated volume of work for various tasks over a five-year period. Bidders can use these estimated quantities to understand the scale of operations required for the MVP program and to develop their pricing proposals. The lack of pre-filled unit costs suggests that this sheet serves as a basis for bidders to input their own cost structures.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for an Indefinite Delivery/Requirements contract with a five (5) year ordering period for Data, Printing, and Mailing Services to support the Million Veteran Program (MVP). The MVP is an initiative for the advancement of precision medicine, aiming to recruit, engage, and retain over one million Veterans for genomic and epidemiologic research.

The contractor will be responsible for:

• Designing and developing survey booklets, letters, and other printed materials.

• Material mailings, response tracking, and handling returned mail.

• Scanning and extracting response data, including Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI).

• Transmitting PII/PHI securely on a weekly or daily basis.

• Project management, including resource planning, cost estimating, risk management, and communication.

• Maintaining federal security and information requirements, including obtaining an Authority to Operate (ATO) for the system used by MVP.

• Designing mailing materials according to VA requirements.

• Scanning capacity enhancement for printed documents.

• Secure storage of physical documents post-scanning.

• Designing, printing, and mailing various packets, including recruitment/informational packets, appointment packets, baseline surveys, and lifestyle surveys.

• Designing, producing, and distributing MVP newsletters and business reply envelopes.

• Designing, producing, and distributing personalized letters in response to "whitemail."

• Contract Type: Indefinite Delivery/Requirements contract with Firm Fixed Price Task Orders.

• Estimated Total Services: $39,000,000.00

• Maximum Ceiling: $44,000,000.00 over five (5) years.

• Period of Performance: Base contract from 5/11/2026 to 5/10/2031.

• NAICS Code: 541910 - Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling.

• Product/Service Code: R408 - Support-Professional: Program Management/Support.

• Offers must be submitted electronically via email to michael.haydo@va.gov no later than the time/date specified on page 1 of the solicitation.

• Questions are due by March 9, 2026, 10:00 am EST, with answers posted by March 16, 2026.

• Proposals will be evaluated based on four volumes: Contract Forms and Administration, Technical Proposal (including risk), Past Performance, and Price. Technical, Past Performance, and Contract Forms/Administration are combined and significantly more important than Price.

• The Government intends to award based on a "best value" determination.

• Proposal acceptance period is 120 days.

• The solicitation is UNRESTRICTED.

• NAICS Code: 541910, Size Standard: Not specified in the provided document, but typically related to marketing research.

• The contract will be administered by the Veterans Health Administration, Regional Procurement Office East.

• Payment will be made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

• Invoices are to be submitted upon receipt and acceptance by the VA.

• The solicitation includes numerous FAR clauses related to contract terms, conditions, representations, certifications, and evaluation criteria.