VA RFI: Sustainment of the RTLS to Maximo Interface

Notice ID:  36C10B24Q0359

The Real Time Location System (RTLS) Project Management Office (PMO) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is charged to identify areas where VA currently uses manual processes (or lacks processes) for tracking and monitoring, and then establishes requirements to automate those areas using RTLS.

RTLS is an umbrella term that includes multiple technologies for locating and tracking items.  It includes Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) based location finding, active and passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and a number of other location technologies, including ultrasound and infrared.  The potential uses and benefits of this technology throughout VA are significant, and include improvement of quality of patient care, improved patient satisfaction, reduction of health care asset management costs, improvement of capacity/resource planning, improvement of employee and patient safety, as well as improvement of general asset management and inventory.

VA has contracted for and implemented an integrated, enterprise-wide solution for RTLS to support the VHA.  VA has a virtualized software configuration that consolidates the number of virtual servers required to run the backend (non-facility level) RTLS servers.  In addition, VA has implemented numerous interfaces from the RTLS to various VA databases to share information.

Accurate asset management data is necessary in VA facilities to reduce operation costs, create a more streamlined operation, enhance efficiency, and increase patient safety. Workflow capabilities include, but are not limited to, activity and tag monitoring, reporting, analysis, and tracking.  The RTLS and Maximo interface improves workflow through the analysis of data provided by RTLS.

RTLS is a suite of technologies to support location-based information of items in VHA.  The main RTLS software is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product called Intelligent Insites and the Maximo solution is an asset management system developed by International Business Machines (IBM).  The RTLS and Maximo interface was designed and developed for the RTLS solution to integrate with VA’s Maximo (IBM) solution for Asset Management.  This interface is currently only being used in eight Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN).  The main component of the Maximo interface is Mule Enterprise Service Bus (ESB). Mule ESB runs on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).  The interface moves location, and asset demographic information back and forth between the two solutions providing for a real time (near time) status based upon a pre-set frequency.  The Interface runs on two sets of servers, Pre-Production and Production where the Mule ESB exists.

The RTLS PMO requires a contract to support the RTLS and Maximo interface for any required updates, defects, or testing that might be required to remain fully operational between the two systems.  It also includes any necessary updates or testing to remain compliant with VA’s Technical Reference Model (TRM).

The RTLS and Maximo interface suite is comprised of several interface processes for synchronizing the equipment tracking data and location updates between Maximo and RTLS.  The high-level interface processes include: 1. Equipment Details Synchronization 2. Inventory Updates 3. Space (Location) Management.

Scope of Work

The Contractor shall support and provide maintenance of the interface between RTLS and Maximo software solutions.  This support includes help desk support and any required updates, defect corrections, testing, and deployment required to remain fully operational between the two systems.  It also includes any necessary updates or testing to remain compliant with VA’s TRM.

This Task Order (TO) effort PWS is within the scope of the following T4NG Basic PWS paragraphs:

• Application Support
• Security Management
• Service/Help Desk/Call Center Support

The Period of Performance shall be 12 months from the date of award plus four 12-month option periods.

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