R418--Caregiver Support Program Financial and Legal Services (CSP-FLS) (VA-25-00004108)

Amendment / Modification

This amendment provides responses to vendor questions and updates the pricing schedule.

Key changes include:

• Project Management Plan (PMP): CLINs 0002, 1002, 2002, 3002, 4002 for PMP (Task 4.2) are now only required in the Base Period and have been removed from Option Periods 1-4.

• Money Management Webinars: The description for optional financial planning services (Task 5.2(2)d) has been updated to remove "Up to" for CLINs 0020, 1020, 2020, 3020, 4020, confirming that all six webinars will be required if the CLIN is exercised.

• Referral Process, Documents and Videos: Quantities for CLINs 0027, 1027, 2027, 3027, 4027 (Task 5.5 a-h) have been updated to reflect 12 Months.

• ATTACHMENT K – PRICE SCHEDULE has been updated to reflect these changes. All modifications to ATTACHMENT K are noted in blue.

No changes to proposal deadlines or submission requirements are noted, beyond the updates to the pricing schedule.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment K, the Price Schedule for the "36C10X26R0001 - Caregiver Support Program Financial and Legal Services" opportunity. Offerors are instructed to complete this schedule per Section E.1 of the proposal instructions. It requires pricing for all line items (LINs) representing deliverables listed in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

• Offeror Name: Field to be completed by the offeror.
• Line Items (LINs): Covers a Base Period (12 months) and four Option Periods (12 months each).
• Deliverables: Includes tasks such as Kick Off Meeting, Project Management Plan, Legal Services (Simple Wills, Advanced Directives, POA, Guardian of Veteran, Referrals, Educational Programs, Attorney Consultations), Optional Legal Services (Identity Theft, Credit Reporting, Civil Disputes), Financial Planning Services (Budgeting, Debt Management, Retirement Planning, Insurance, Counselor Consultations), Optional Financial Planning Services (Mortgage, Coaching, Referrals, Webinars, Credit Management, College Planning), Monitoring and Data Reporting, Surveys, Referral Process, and Customer Service Call Center.
• Other Direct Costs (ODCs): Specific line items for Optional Legal Services - Identity Theft (not-to-exceed $35,000), Referral Resource Tool, and Other Languages/Language Translation (not-to-exceed $20,000) are identified as ODCs.
• Pricing Fields: Offerors must complete Quantity, Unit, Unit Price, and Total Price for each applicable line item.

This pricing schedule is critical for bidders to submit a complete and compliant proposal. It requires detailed cost estimation for all mandatory and optional services across the base period and all option periods. The specific pricing of ODCs, such as identity theft services and language translation, must be carefully considered and entered as specified.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment (0001) to Solicitation 36C10X26R0001, dated 12-08-2025, extends the solicitation closing date.

• Block #11 of the SF30: The solicitation closing date has been extended.

• Volume V: Updates have been made to address discrepancies for terms and conditions and assumptions.

• Attachment K - Price Schedule: This attachment has been updated.

• Section B.2 Performance Work Statement: This section has been updated.

• Section E.1 Proposal Submissions/Instructions to Offerors: This section has been updated.

• The solicitation closing date has been extended to January 14, 2025, at 2:00 PM EST.

• Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the specified hour and date.

• The amendment provides responses to vendor questions (1-71), clarifying various aspects of the solicitation, including:

  • Evaluation criteria for non-price factors (Technical Capability, Past Performance, Veterans Preference) and their weighted importance.
  • Adjectival ratings for non-price factors (Price factor will not be rated adjectivally and proposals will not be ranked).
  • Clarification on page count limitations for Volume IV, excluding substantiating documents.
  • Confirmation that Call Center Representatives are the only labor category subject to the Service Contract Act (SCA).
  • Projected inbound and outbound call volumes for FY 2025.
  • Requirements for background investigations (Tier 1) and specific training.
  • Clarification on the period of performance, now including a 12-month Base Period and four 12-month Option Periods.
  • Details on the use of the CARMA lookup tool for eligibility verification.
  • Confirmation that no IT integration between contractor systems and VA systems is required.
  • Clarification on the applicability of professional liability insurance to subcontractors.
  • Updates to Task 5.2.2 to reflect "Financial Services appointment" instead of "Legal Services appointment."
  • Confirmation that webinars are required to be developed annually and available within 30 days of contract award.
  • Clarification on the process flow for services, due within the first week post contract award.
  • Confirmation that all personnel (prime and subcontractors) must be U.S.-based.
  • Clarification on OMB approval for surveys.
  • Confirmation that all ODC LINs except X029, X030, and X031 will be Firm-Fixed Price (FFP).
  • Updated Base Period projection for PCAFC to 67,000 with 10% usage being 6,700.
  • Clarification on the structure of the pricing schedule (Attachment K) to include Option Periods 1-4.
  • Specifics on physical data segregation requirements.
  • Confirmation that tele-law is acceptable if the attorney holds the requisite licensure.
  • Clarification on past performance relevance and evaluation.
  • Details on the Program Manager experience requirements.
  • Confirmation that a narrative summary and signed teaming agreement are sufficient for licensure/certification.
  • Clarification on referral processes and the exclusion of a public-facing website.
  • Confirmation that contractor-provided tools do not require system stewardship or integration with VA systems.
  • Clarification on how to scope labor, cybersecurity, maintenance, and sustainment costs for electronic tools.
  • Confirmation that clauses 52.216-1, 52.217-8, and 52.217-9 are completed and require no additional action.
  • Confirmation that SBA's Small Business Search database will be used to verify SBA certification status.
  • Attachment K has been updated to include Option Periods 1-4.
  • Clarification on invoicing for Option Periods.
  • Updated Base Period projection for PCAFC to 67,000 with 10% usage being 6,700.
  • The solicitation closing date has been extended.
  • Updates to Section B.2 Performance Work Statement and Section E.1 Proposal Submissions/Instructions to Offerors are noted in BLUE.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment K, the Price Schedule, for the "36C10X26R0001 - Caregiver Support Program Financial and Legal Services" opportunity. Offerors are instructed to complete this schedule per Section E.1 proposal instructions, including pricing for all deliverables listed in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

• Offeror Name: Field to be completed by the offeror.
• Base Period (12 Months): Includes line items for a Kick-Off Meeting, Project Management Plan, various Legal Services (Simple Wills, Advanced Directives, POA/DPOA, Guardian of Veteran, Community Referrals, Educational Programs, Attorney Consultations), Optional Legal Services (Identity Theft, Credit Reporting, Civil Disputes), Financial Planning Services (Budgeting, Debt Management, Retirement Planning, Insurance, Counselor Consultations), Optional Financial Planning Services (Mortgage, Coaching, Referrals, Webinars, Credit Management, College Planning), Monitoring and Data Reporting (Finance, Legal, Additional), Survey, Referral Process, and Customer Service Call Center.
• Optional Legal Services - Identity Theft (ODC): Line item 29 specifies this is to be paid as Other Direct Costs (ODCs) with a Not-to-Exceed amount of $35,000.
• ODC - Referral Resource Tool: Line item 30 is to be paid as ODCs, with the amount based on the contractor's approach.
• ODC - Other Languages (Language Translation): Line item 31 specifies this is to be paid as ODCs with a Not-to-Exceed amount of $20,000.
• Option Periods 1-4: The same structure of line items and services is repeated for four option periods.

This document is critical for bidders as it requires them to propose pricing for all mandatory and optional services outlined in the PWS across the base period and all option periods. Offerors must carefully review each line item, quantity, and unit to ensure accurate and competitive pricing. Specific attention should be paid to the Other Direct Costs (ODCs) with defined not-to-exceed amounts.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to procure legal and financial services for designated Primary Family Caregivers enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). These services aim to support injured Veterans and their caregivers, aligning with the VA MISSION Act of 2018. Services will be provided across all VA markets, including U.S. states and territories.

• Legal Services: Includes legal advice, consultation, drafting of wills, POAs, guardianship instruments, and referrals to community resources. Excludes criminal or tort law cases and court appearances.

• Financial Services: Includes household budgeting, debt management, retirement planning, insurance review/education, and financial counselor consultation.

• Optional Services: May include enhanced support for mortgage loans, credit management, and college expense planning.

• Support Services: A 24/7 customer service call center, language translation services, and development of training materials and videos.

• Reporting: Monthly data files and summary reports on services provided, referrals, and survey results.

• Contract Type: Single-award hybrid contract with Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and Time and Materials (T&M) for Other Direct Costs (ODCs).

• Period of Performance: One 12-month base period (anticipated March 30, 2026 - March 29, 2027) with four 12-month option periods.

• Estimated Volume: Projections for the base period and option periods are provided, with an estimated 87% legal and 13% financial service usage.

• Questions & Intentions Due: December 17, 2025, 10:00 AM ET.

• Proposals Due: January 8, 2026, 10:00 AM ET.

• Submission Method: Via email to the Contracting Officer and Contracting Specialist.

• Evaluation Factors: Full Services and Licensure/Certification (Pass/Fail), Technical Capability, Past Performance, Veterans Preference, and Price. Award will be made on a best-value basis.

• This acquisition is UNRESTRICTED.

• Small business subcontracting goals are outlined, including targets for SDVOSB, VOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, and SDB.

• The solicitation incorporates FAR clauses by reference, including FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-3, and 52.212-5.

• Specific attachments are required, including a Price Schedule, Past Performance References, and a Subcontracting Plan for other than small businesses.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment J, a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ), for Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 36C10X26R0001, titled "VHA Caregiver Support Program Financial and Legal Services." It is designed to collect feedback from references regarding a contractor's past performance.

• The questionnaire requests information from evaluators (references) about a contractor's performance on a previous contract.
• It includes rating scales (1-5) for various performance areas: Overall quality/satisfaction, Delivery performance, Satisfaction with service quality, Satisfaction with problem resolution, and Satisfaction with contractor personnel.
• Specific questions address the issuance of cure notices, terminations for default, willingness to re-award, discussion of adverse performance, and past performance database usage.
• Fields are provided for contract period of performance, dollar value, and a description of services provided.

Offerors should be aware that this questionnaire will be sent to their provided references. The responses will form a critical part of the past performance evaluation for this solicitation. Bidders should ensure their references are prepared to complete this questionnaire accurately and promptly. Completed questionnaires should be sent to Lindi.Sylvester@va.gov and Brian.Kadel@va.gov.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides the Wage Determination, which will be updated prior to award to include the appropriate determination based on the location of contractor personnel covered by the Service Contract Act (SCA).

• Wage Determination (to be updated)
• Service Contract Act (SCA) compliance

Bidders should note that the specific wage requirements will be finalized and provided before the contract award. This attachment indicates that the Service Contract Act will apply to this opportunity, requiring adherence to prevailing wage rates for contractor personnel based on their work location.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides sample referral language for the VA's Caregiver Support Program, outlining the services available through contracted legal and financial planning providers. It serves as a template for communicating service limitations and referral processes to Veterans or Primary Caregivers.

• Services Offered: Legal services include up to three 30-minute sessions for specific tasks such as drafting simple wills, advanced directives, powers of attorney, guardianship instruments, identity theft restorative services, and limited civil dispute assistance. Financial planning services include up to three 30-minute sessions for household budgeting, debt management, retirement planning, insurance review, mortgage education, financial coaching, and credit management.
• Referral Process: A referral to a specific provider is initiated by the VA. Veterans/caregivers must consult with their Concierge for a new referral prior to engaging with a legal or financial professional.
• Limitations: Each service can only be used once per 12-month period. Services beyond three consultations or those not covered by the program (e.g., complex estate planning, court representation) are at the recipient's expense.

While this document is a sample communication, it clarifies the scope and limitations of legal and financial services offered under the VA's Caregiver Support Program. Bidders involved in providing these contracted services should understand the defined scope, session limits, and the required referral process to ensure compliance and proper client communication.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is the Price Schedule (Attachment K) for the "36C10X26R0001 - Caregiver Support Program Financial and Legal Services" opportunity. Offerors are instructed to complete this schedule per Section E.1 of the proposal instructions. It requires pricing for all Line Item Numbers (LINs) representing deliverables listed in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

• Offeror Name: To be completed by the offeror.
• Base Period (12 Months): Includes mandatory tasks such as Kick Off Meeting, Project Management Plan, Legal Services (Simple Wills, Advanced Directives, Power of Attorney, Guardian of Veteran, Community Referrals, Educational Programs, Attorney Consultations), Financial Planning Services (Household Budgeting, Debt Management, Retirement Planning, Insurance Review, Financial Counselor Consultations), Monitoring and Data Reporting (Finance, Legal, Additional), Survey, and Customer Service Call Center/Concierge.
• Optional Legal Services: Includes Identity Theft services (priced as ODC), draft documents for credit reporting agencies, and letter preparation/reviews for civil disputes.
• Optional Financial Planning Services: Includes Mortgage loans and refinancing, extensive financial coaching, referrals to community resources, money management webinars, credit management, and planning for college expenses/student loans.
• Other Direct Costs (ODCs): Specific line items for Optional Legal Services - Identity theft ($35,000 NTE), Referral Resource Tool, and Other Languages/Language Translation ($20,000 NTE) are identified.
• Pricing: Offerors must complete Quantity, Unit, Unit Price, and Total Price for each applicable line item.

This price schedule is critical for bidders to understand the cost structure associated with the Caregiver Support Program. It details all mandatory and optional services, including specific deliverables and associated costs. Completing this form accurately is a key requirement for proposal submission and will be used in evaluating the offeror's pricing strategy.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a "Contractor Background Investigation Request" form, used by the VA Security and Investigations Center to collect information necessary for initiating background investigations on contractors. It is an attachment to a SAM.gov opportunity record, likely requiring bidders to complete and submit this form as part of their proposal or upon contract award.

The form is divided into three main sections:

• Individual Information: Collects personal details of the individual requiring investigation, including SSN, name, contact information, date and place of birth, gender, country of citizenship, and the type of investigation requested.
• Company Information: Gathers details about the contracting company, including company name, task order number, point of contact (POC) information (name, email, address, phone number).
• CO / COR: Collects information for the Contracting Officer (CO) or Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), including their name, email, address, and station number.

Bidders should review this form to understand the specific personal and company information that will be required for background investigations. This may influence proposal preparation, especially if specific personnel are to be identified early, or if the submission of this form is a required part of the bid package or a pre-award requirement.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items, issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP) under number 36C10X26R0001. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick, is seeking proposals for financial and legal services for the Caregiver Support Program (CSP-FLS).

The solicitation requires legal services, indicated by Product Service Code R418. Specific requirements and details are further outlined in the attached documents.

• NAICS Code: 541110 – Office of Lawyers

• Small Business Size Standard: $16 Million

• Contract Type: A single contract will be awarded.

• Response Date/Time: January 8, 2026, 10:00 AM Eastern Time, New York, USA.

• Evaluation: Further details on evaluation criteria are available in the solicitation.

No specific set-aside information is detailed in this synopsis, but the NAICS code and size standard are provided.

This solicitation incorporates VA Class Deviations implementing the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) and uses FAR FAC Number 2025-26 (effective 10-01-2025). Numerous attachments are provided, including:

• VA CONTRACTOR BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION REQUEST WORKSHEET
• FY26 VA INFORMATION SECURITY RULES OF BEHAVIOR
• SAMPLE REFERRAL LANGUAGE
• LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING CERTIFICATE FOR SERVICES
• AFFIRMATION STATEMENT
• BUSINESS ASSOCIATE AGREEMENT
• WAGE DETERMINATION
• PAST PERFORMANCE REFERENCES AND QUESTIONNAIRE
• PRICE SCHEDULE

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment E, an Affirmation Statement required by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Caregiver Support Program Financial and Legal Services solicitation. It requires the offeror to certify specific conditions related to financial gain and insurance coverage if awarded the contract.

• Certification of No Additional Financial Gain: Offerors must certify that they will not receive financial gain beyond the awarded contract profit from referrals for supplemental financial or legal services.
• Malpractice Insurance Requirement: Licensed attorneys supporting the contract must maintain a minimum of $300,000.00 in annual malpractice insurance, or the state minimum if higher.
• Professional Liabilities Insurance: The Contractor must maintain $1M in miscellaneous professional liabilities insurance for financial services.
• Authorization to Execute: The signee must certify they are authorized to execute this statement on behalf of the offeror.
• Signature Block: Includes fields for Printed Name, Printed Title, Signature, Date, and Company Name/Address.

Bidders must complete and submit this affirmation statement as part of their proposal. Failure to meet the insurance requirements or accurately certify these conditions could impact eligibility or award.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment D, titled "Limitations on Subcontracting—Certificate for Services." It provides the VAAR clause 852.219-75, which outlines the limitations on subcontracting for services and construction contracts, specifically for offers targeting Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs).

• Services Limitation: For service contracts, the contractor must ensure that no more than 50% of the contract amount is paid to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs or VOSBs. Work further subcontracted by a similarly situated certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractor counts towards this limit.
• Construction Limitations: Separate limitations apply to general construction (85%) and special trade construction (75%), with specific exclusions for material costs.
• Certification Requirement: Offerors must complete, sign, and return this certification with their bid, quotation, or proposal. Failure to do so will render the offer ineligible for award.
• Compliance Acknowledgment: Offerors acknowledge that the certification is subject to penalties under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, for false statements.
• Cooperation: Contractors agree to provide documents or records to the VA to demonstrate compliance with subcontracting limitations upon request.

This attachment is critical for bidders, particularly those intending to subcontract. It specifies the percentage of work that must be performed by the prime contractor or by certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractors. Bidders must carefully review these limitations and ensure their proposed subcontracting plan complies. The completed and signed certification is a mandatory submission requirement for proposal eligibility.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment H, "Past Performance References," which requires offerors to provide detailed information on up to three past performance references. This is to help the government assess the offeror's ability to successfully perform the requirements of the solicitation.

Each past performance reference entry requires the following information:

• Offeror Name
• Company that performed the work
• Relationship to the Offeror (Prime, Proposed Subcontractor, Subcontractor)
• Work Performed As The:
• Name of Contracting Organization
• Contract / Task Order Number (including prime and subcontract numbers if applicable)
• Contract Type
• Total Awarded Price/Cost
• Final or Projected Final Total Price/Cost
• Delivery date/Period of performance (including base and options)
• Contracting Officer's Name, Email, and Telephone Number
• Program Manager's Name, Email, and Telephone Number
• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code
• Whether CPARS/PPIRS was completed (Yes/No)
• A concise explanation of the work performed, specifically related to how it is relevant to this solicitation's requirements.
• Explanation of any performance issues, corrective actions taken, and expected/realized results, including any CPARS/PPIRS report discussions.

Bidders must complete this form for each relevant past performance reference they wish to submit. The information provided will be used by the government to evaluate the offeror's past performance, a key factor in determining their ability to meet the solicitation's requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for a National Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to be used in creating procurement request packages. It establishes requirements for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and a "<COMPANY/ORGANIZATION>" regarding the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with HIPAA and HITECH.

• Purpose: To establish requirements for the use and disclosure of PHI.
• Scope: Outlines services provided by the <COMPANY/ORGANIZATION> for VHA, involving the provision of PHI to the <COMPANY/ORGANIZATION>.
• Definitions: Defines key terms such as PHI, Breach, Business Associate, Covered Entity, and Sensitive Personal Information (SPI).
• Terms and Conditions: Details obligations for both the Covered Entity (VHA) and the Business Associate (<COMPANY/ORGANIZATION>), including:
  • Ownership of PHI.
  • Permitted Use and Disclosure of PHI by the Business Associate.
  • Obligations of the Business Associate (compliance with policies, security safeguards, breach notification, reporting).
  • Obligations of the Covered Entity (not requesting impermissible use/disclosure, notifying of restrictions).
• Termination: Outlines conditions for automatic termination, termination upon review, and termination for cause.
• Review Date: Specifies a review of the agreement every two years.
• Effective Date: The date the agreement becomes effective.

This document is a template for a BAA. If awarded a contract that requires access to or handling of Protected Health Information (PHI), the selected vendor (<COMPANY/ORGANIZATION>) will be required to enter into this agreement with the VHA. Bidders should review the terms and conditions to understand their potential obligations regarding the privacy and security of health information.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "D.2 ATTACHMENT B - FY26 VA INFORMATION SECURITY RULES OF BEHAVIOR," outlines the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Information Security Rules of Behavior (ROB) for Organizational Users. It details the specific responsibilities and expected conduct for individuals accessing VA information and information systems.

• Coverage: Defines "organizational users" (employees, contractors, etc.) and "non-organizational users," and establishes the ROB as minimum requirements.
• Compliance: Outlines consequences for non-compliance, including access restrictions, disciplinary actions, and potential civil or criminal penalties for unauthorized actions.
• Acknowledgement: Requires organizational users to sign the ROB annually before accessing VA systems, acknowledging agreement to comply.
• Information Security ROB: Details specific "I Will" and "I Will Not" actions related to:
  • Access and Use of VA Information and Information Systems
  • Protection of VA-Issued Devices
  • Data Protection
  • Teleworking and Remote Access
  • User Accountability
  • Sensitive Information
  • Social Media and Networking
  • Identification and Authentication
  • Incident Reporting
  • Persona and Branding
• Acknowledgement and Acceptance: A final section for users to formally acknowledge, accept, and agree to comply with the ROB.

Bidders and their personnel who will be granted access to VA information systems or sensitive data must understand and agree to comply with these rules. This document is critical for ensuring compliance with VA's information security policies and procedures. Failure to comply can lead to severe consequences, including denial of access and legal penalties. Bidders should review these requirements to ensure their personnel are prepared to adhere to them.