R605--American Psychological Association (APA) Mental Health (MH) Database Subscription Allen/Schoenecker

Statement of Work (SOW)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) requires a web-based electronic subscription to three American Psychological Association (APA) Mental Healthcare databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and PsycBOOKS. The goal is to ensure uniform availability of high-quality mental healthcare knowledge resources across the VHA system to improve clinical decision-making.

• Provide an unrestricted number of simultaneous, web-based subscriptions accessible from any VHA web-enabled computer.

• Ensure access for authorized remote users with VPN access.

• Authentication via IP address validation, referrer URL, or federated access (no usernames/passwords required).

• Allow authentication via LibLynx for remote users.

• The product must cover mental healthcare, psychology, and behavioral subjects relevant to psychiatrists, psychologists, attending-level psychiatrists, students, social workers, and other point-of-care health providers.

• Information should reflect current practice issues and support clinical decision-making.

• Provide related patient education material.

• Books must be maintained with the most current editions, and journals with the most current issues (no embargo period).

• Information Scope: Must include knowledge-based information in mental healthcare, psychology, and behavioral subjects; reflect current practice; be comprehensive in a single product; and include patient education material.

• Information Quality: Information must be accurate, authoritative, relevant, with recognized subject experts as authors/sources. Must include "best practice," evidence-based information, or treatment practice guidelines.

• Usability: Logical and user-friendly navigation, with "user friendly" help and direction aids.

• Currency: Current editions of books and current journal issues without embargo.

• Access, Content, Support:

  • 508 compliance required (or a plan and timeline for compliance).
  • Compatibility with standard web browsers (cookies enabled) and Windows environment.
  • 24/7 accessibility with minimal downtime; VA project manager notification for downtime.
  • Easy printing and ability to create personal accounts.
  • Licensing agreement must permit free use of all pictures and graphics for educational purposes.
  • Single point of contact for customer service, with questions responded to within two business days.
  • Enterprise-level and IP-level usage statistics available.
  • Accessibility via mobile devices (Apple and Android).
  • Searchable graphics, pictures, and/or images are highly desirable.
  • Training services offered on an as-requested basis (web-based or live).
  • Ability for authorized users to share content (including via email) with other authorized VA users.

• Performance Period: One (1) year from the date of award.

• Place of Performance: Throughout the VHA healthcare system, accessible via the VHA network.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a Pre-Solicitation Notice for a requirement for an existing, commercial, off-the-shelf, web-based electronic subscription to three (3) American Psychological Association (APA) Mental Healthcare databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and PsycBOOKS. These databases will be made available throughout the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) healthcare system.

• Subscription to PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and PsycBOOKS.

• Web-based electronic access.

• Availability throughout the VHA healthcare system.

• The solicitation will be conducted as a Request for Quote (RFQ).

• The procurement will be competed on a full and open basis.

• A written solicitation (RFQ) will be issued with specific instructions and requirements.

• Interested contractors should monitor for the issuance of the solicitation.

• All correspondence and responses should be emailed to Andrew Allen at Andrew.Allen6@va.gov.

• NAICS Code: 519290 (Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services) with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

• Product/Service Code: R605.

• This procurement will be competed on a full and open basis.

• This is a PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE ONLY and not a request for pricing at this time.

• The tentative timeframe for issuing the solicitation is the Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

• A DRAFT Performance Work Statement (PWS) is attached for requirement details.