Notice ID: 36C10D24Q0103
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Office of Automated Benefits Delivery has a current requirement for a Contractor to provide Strategic Communication and Change Management services. With growing claims inventories, VBA is continuously looking for new and innovative ways to process work faster with higher rates of efficiency.
In December 2021, the VBA launched its first major effort towards achieving its goal to implement Automated Decision Support (ADS). The objectives of ADS are to eliminate unnecessary medical examinations, streamline workflows, and reduce manual processes. Automation-eligible diagnostic codes are currently being tested across 18 prototype and pilot regional offices. Each automation-eligible diagnostic code is tested at multiple ROs throughout the U.S. to help ensure quality and consistency prior to scaling nationally. Prototype sites are first to provide feedback on new diagnostic codes eligible to be processed using ADS. These Claims Processors provide feedback that is used to help refine automation logic. Claims Processors at Pilot sites “test run” ADS functionality to validate readiness for national deployment. After extensive testing and iteration from feedback from Claims Processors at Pilot and Prototype sites, conditions are “graduated” for ADS processing nationally.
The next step is to continue to expand the number of automation-eligible diagnostic codes more Regional Offices. With lessons learned a systemic, repeatable process shall be developed for other claim types to leverage an enhanced automation claims process.
Scope of Work: The Contractor shall provide integrated Strategic communications and change management support for automation initiatives throughout different stages of the program/project lifecycle. The support should align with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VBA) mission, be time-sensitive, and integrate seamlessly into existing engagements to minimize disruption. The Contractor shall use the ABD Change Management Playbook and develop an assessment process for automation projects, evaluating changes in people, processes, and technology.
The Contractor shall then conduct quarterly change management readiness assessments to gauge organizational performance and the effectiveness of implementing the change. The assessments aim to identify issues, propose solutions, assess organizational acceptance, and recommend executive sponsor engagement levels.
The Contractor shall lead/support change management activities. The Contractor shall lead the creation and execution of a bi-annual change management conference aligning with assessments, the ABD Change Management playbook goals, and Human-Centered Design (HCD) engagements. The conference aims to provide updates on automation activities, ABD’s response to field impacts, and a feedback loop for continuous process improvement.
The Contractor shall establish a leadership training method, utilizing a train-the-trainer approach to enable leaders to disseminate acquired knowledge to their teams effectively. Additionally, the Contractor shall focus on enhancing overall organizational health by promoting a mindset change. A strategy for training front-line and middle management leaders shall be developed after a thorough assessment, incorporating digital learning, experiential workshops, field missions and ongoing reinforcement techniques.
The Contractor shall also perform quarterly updates to the Change Management Playbook, incorporating innovative and effective change management and communication processes and strategies. The Contractor shall provide executive-style briefings for each update, outlining the benefits, risks, and impacts associated with evolving or not evolving with the suggested changes.
The contractor shall support a government program team in the execution of a broad range of Strategic communications and change management activities by providing a agile, highly adaptive, flexible and responsive delivery team to meet the aforementioned objectives.
The base period of performance shall be one (1) year and four (4) 12- month option periods.
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