7610--VISN 09 wide Drug Information Electronic Database

Active

Contract Opportunity

This solicitation amendment addresses vendor inquiries regarding the request for quote.
See continuation page for Questions and Answers.
This requirement is for a Drug information electronic database reference subscription and is used as an encyclopedia or online informational book that pharmacists can utilize.
Category 1: Requirements Clarification
1. Web-Based or Mobile Application:
RFQ Reference: The electronic medical reference will be accessible to employees physically on-site at any facility/office within VISN 9 as well as remotely through Virtual Private Network (VPN), Citrix Access Gateway (CAG) as well as mobile devices (Page 7)
Question:
Will the solution need to include both a web-based application and a mobile application, or will a responsive web-based interface accessible via mobile devices suffice?

A: responsive web-based interface accessible via mobile devices is sufficient
2. Database Updates and Management:
RFQ Reference: Database content shall be updated regularly throughout the performance period, at no less than monthly frequency. (Page 7)
Questions:
Will the contractor be responsible for data migration, creating a new database, or merging updates into an existing database? A: N/A
Will users have the ability to manipulate or update data through the application, or is access read-only? A: N/A
How large is the existing database schema? A: I don t have an answer to this.
Will blob storage be required (e.g., PDFs, Word documents, image files)? A: N/A
Is there an estimated number of end users utilizing the product simultaneously? A: I don t have an estimate, but no issue with the incumbent contractor.
Will we be expected to create, modify, or view database stored procedures? A: N/A
3. Training Format and Delivery:
RFQ Reference: Contractor shall provide online training tutorials to users at no additional expense to the government (Page 7)
Questions:
Are there any VA preferred formats or software suites for training tutorials, such as webinars (Webex), video tutorials, PowerPoint presentations, or interactive assessments? A: No preference
Is there a requirement for certifications or assessments upon completion of the training? A: No
Category 2: Technical and Infrastructure Requirements
4. Hosting Environment:
RFQ Reference: Authorized Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Personnel will conduct all installations locally. (Page 9)
Questions:
Will the application be hosted on VISN 9 s web servers (e.g., Windows IIS or Apache), or would a cloud-based solution (Azure, AWS) be acceptable? A: N/A
If cloud hosting is allowed, are there any preferred cloud service providers or compliance requirements (e.g., FedRAMP)? A: N/A
How many hosting environments would be required during the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)? (e.g., Development, Testing, Staging, Production) A: N/A
Is it correct to assume that production would be hosted on VISN 9 servers post-code delivery to OIT, or is cloud hosting acceptable for production as well? A: N/A
5. CI/CD Pipeline and Deployment:
Question:
Is there a preference for delivering the solution via a CI/CD pipeline (e.g., GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps) or as packaged files for on-premises deployment?
A: N/A
6. Integration with Existing Systems:
Questions:
Will the solution need to integrate with any existing VA systems beyond VPN and CAG access, such as Active Directory or Single Sign-On (SSO) systems?

A: N/A

7. License and Certification Questions:
Micromedex Drug Information Database:
Will the Micromedex Drug Information Database be provided by the VA, or is the contractor responsible for procuring the necessary licenses and access for integration? A: N/A
If the contractor is responsible, are there any licensing limitations or preferred vendors we should be aware of? A: N/A
Additionally, will the database need to be hosted on VA s infrastructure or can it be hosted on a cloud-based platform as part of the proposed solution? A: N/A
Does the Micromedex database currently have an existing API that we can leverage for integration, or will the contractor be responsible for developing a new API? A: N/A
If an existing API is available, can you provide information on the API documentation, access requirements, and any limitations? A: N/A
If a new API is needed, are there any preferred standards or protocols (e.g., REST or GraphQL) that we should follow? A: N/A
Category 3: Documentation and Compliance
8. Documentation Requirements:
RFQ Reference: Confirmation of Work (Page 9)
Questions:
Are there specific requirements for pre-deployment documentation (e.g., architecture diagrams, data flow diagrams, engineering documents) and post-deployment documentation (e.g., user manuals, security plans)? A: No
Is there a preferred format or template for these documents? A: No
9. Toolsets and Methodology:
RFQ Reference: Confirmation of Work (Page 9)
Questions:
Does the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) have a preferred set of development tools, project management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps), or CI/CD platforms? A: No
If not, can the contractor propose a toolset as part of the solution? A: No

10. Compliance with VA Technical Reference Model (TRM):
RFQ Reference: All information Technology (IT) resources required to provide access to electronic reference shall be documented as approved by VA Technical Reference Module (TRM).
Question:
Are there any specific TRM-approved technologies or security protocols that should be prioritized in the solution?

A: No

Attachments/Links