RFI - Payment Oversight Program (POP) Contract Recompete

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick (SAC-F), to conduct market research for the Payment Oversight Program (POP) Contract Recompete. The government aims to:

1. Understand commercial practices for providing the required services.
2. Assess the feasibility of using GSA Federal Supply Schedules.
3. Determine the availability of Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) sources for a potential set-aside.

This notice is for market research only and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment to award a contract.

The VA is seeking sources capable of providing services described in the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS) for the POP Recompete.

• Response Date: February 12, 2026, by 3:00 PM EST.
• Submission Method: Email responses to Nicole Egan (Nicole.egan2@va.gov) and Michael Silva (michael.silva3@va.gov).
• Subject Line: "Payment Oversight Program (POP) Recompete RFI Response".
• Format: Capability statement, limited to 15 pages, 8 1/2" x 11", 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Content: Must include answers to specific capability questions provided in the RFI, referencing question numbers.

Vendors are asked to provide detailed information on:

• Corporate profile (organization name, UEI, website, contact info).

• Business size and recommended NAICS code.

• SDVOSB/VOSB status and ability to perform 51%.

• Relevant GSA Schedule/Contract Numbers and SIN categories.

• Past performance with VA on similar work and recommended contract vehicles.

• Recommended pricing structures.

• Experience with Payment Integrity Information Act (PIIA) of 2019 and OMB Circular A-123, Appendix C.

• Experience developing annual improper payments projections and statistical sampling methods.

• Experience developing and updating test plans for improper payments.

• Experience testing programs for improper payments, including specific regulations (PIIA, FAR, VBA, MISSION Act).

• Speed of payment testing, use of automation/AI/ML.

• Ensuring compliance with PIIA, risk assessments, and OIG findings.

• Performing analysis for full accounting of outlays and disbursements.

• Validating root causes and evaluating corrective actions for improper payments.

• Analyzing agency-wide improper payment data.

• Supporting Agency Financial Reports (AFR) and OMB Data Calls.

• Building and maintaining SharePoint sites/Dashboards for risk assessments and payment integrity.

• Additional tasks or deliverables for payment integrity objectives.

• Reach-back capabilities and surge support.

• No feedback will be provided on submitted information.

• No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be submitted.

• Failure to provide sufficient detail may result in a company being considered not a viable source.

• The opportunity is currently identified as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSBC) set-aside.

• Solicitation Number: 36C10X26Q0036

• NAICS Code: 541219

• Product Service Code: R499

• Contracting Office: Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick, Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Points of Contact: Nicole Egan (Contract Specialist), Michael Silva (Contracting Officer).

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in completing activities, including reporting, required by payment integrity legislation and applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars. This support aims to reduce improper and unknown payments across VA administrations.

The contractor will provide support services for the VA's Payment Oversight Program (POP) to the Office of Management (OM), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Services may extend to the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

Key tasks include:

• Project Management: Developing and maintaining a Contractor Project Management Plan (CPMP), conducting status meetings, and managing deliverables.
• Risk Assessment: Completing annual fraud and improper payment risk assessments for programs exceeding $10 million in outlays.
• Program Identification & Statistical Expertise: Developing a VA-wide approach for estimating improper payments, creating Program Identification Templates, and developing sampling plans.
• Testing: Performing testing on high-risk programs to identify improper and unknown payments, including probe sampling.
• End of Year Reporting: Coordinating and ensuring accurate, timely, and complete reporting of improper payment activities.
• SharePoint/Dashboard Management: Building, managing, and maintaining SharePoint sites and dashboards for risk assessments and improper payment testing, including providing training.
• Optional Tasks: Services may include new program tasks, labor-hour support for unforeseen requirements, and ad-hoc requirements for VBA and VHA, as well as OM.

Deliverables must be written in active voice, direct style, and at a twelfth-grade comprehension level. They must be free of grammatical and typographical errors (95% for drafts, 100% for finals) and Section 508 compliant for final versions. Performance standards focus on consistency with the PWS, proactive communication, timeliness of services and deliverables, deliverable quality assurance, accuracy, clarity, editability, and adherence to VA formatting guidelines.

• Period of Performance: 12-month base period with four, 12-month option periods. Base period: June 1, 2026 - May 31, 2027. Option periods follow sequentially.

• Place of Performance: Primarily at Contractor facilities. Services performed during normal duty hours (0830-1700, Monday-Friday), excluding Federal holidays.

• Staffing: Key personnel include Project Manager, Program Analyst, Senior Program Analyst, Subject Matter Expert, Senior Subject Matter Expert, Statistician, and Senior Statistician, with specific experience and certifications required.

• Security: Compliance with Federal laws, regulations, VA Directives, and Handbooks regarding information and information system security is mandatory. Background investigations and adherence to security protocols are required.

• Data Handling: Strict protocols for handling VA information, including encryption, data destruction, and reporting of security incidents.

• Deliverables: Must be submitted electronically in specified formats. VA has seven business days for review, and the Contractor has five business days to incorporate comments.

• Travel: Occasional travel within the US may be necessary; local travel is not reimbursed. Non-local travel requires written authorization and adherence to GSA per diem rates.