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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF DECEMBER 04, 2015 FBO #5124
DOCUMENT

R -- Request for Information Mobile Hearing Aid Distance Fitting Application - Attachment

Notice Date

12/2/2015
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541511 — Custom Computer Programming Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Technology Acquisition Center;23 Christopher Way;Eatontown NJ 07724
 

ZIP Code

07724
 

Solicitation Number

VA11816R0911
 

Response Due

12/16/2015
 

Archive Date

3/24/2016
 

Point of Contact

Joseph Pignataro
 

E-Mail Address

5-1115<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

Request for Information - Mobile Hearing Aid Distance Fitting Application Introduction: This is a request for information (RFI) only. Do not submit a proposal or quote. As a part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Technology Acquisition Center (TAC) market research process, this RFI will be used to assist VA in finalizing the Mobile Hearing Aid Distance Fitting Application (HADFA) Performance Work Statement (PWS) and formulating an acquisition strategy. Additionally, there is no obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services described in this RFI. Your response to this RFI will be treated only as information for the Government to consider. You will not be entitled to payment for direct or indirect costs that you incur in responding to this RFI. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriate, or received for this effort. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. Background: The mission of VA Center for Innovation (CI) is to provide innovative solutions to complex VA problems. VACI strives to elicit solutions that in turn provide high quality, effective, and efficient Information Technology (IT) services to those responsible for providing care to the Veterans at the point-of-care as well as throughout all the points of the Veterans' health care in an effective, timely and compassionate manner. VACI developed a mobile HADFA prototype, with Phonak, for use with Android smartphones. The main objective was to increase patient access to audio-logical services, reduce costs and inconveniences associated with medical travel, minimize stress on family caregivers (who often provide transportation to appointments), reduce the amount of absenteeism from work, increase the ability to rapidly respond to issues, and limit CO2 emissions associated with increased travel. Additionally, the goal was to decrease the burden on busy providers and clinics and increase patient satisfaction by increasing timeliness and quality of care. VACI and Phonak conducted an in depth evaluation of the HADFA system and confirmed the optimal configurations for the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, September 26, 2013 -May 27, 2014. The HAFDA prototype enabled audiologists to program subject's hearing aids while the subject was in the comfort of their own home. The audiologist was able to successfully connect to the hearing aids in 95% of the appointments. The prototype Android open source HAFDA code used in the evaluation above is available at the following link: https://github.com/VHAINNOVATIONS/Mobile-Distance-Hearing-Aid-Application. A general description of the prototype functionality is available in the Mobile DISHAF: Technical Operation and Maintenance Manual (See Attached). High Level Technical Functional Requirements: VACI is looking for HADFA solutions for use with a patient's Android and iOS smartphone for nation-wide use, which includes: "Data communication between the patient's hearing aid and audiologist software for remote hearing aid after care adjustments (e.g., compression, gain) via an iOS and Android smartphone application, "No prevention of standard voice communication from being used on the smartphone while the application is running, "Secure architecture that shall pose no risk to VA networks, "Wireless connection between smartphone, hearing aid, and (if necessary) fitting device(s), "Video conferencing over Wi-Fi from the users smartphone, "An embedded user manual, within the mobile application, Questions and Considerations for interested Contractors: Responses to this RFI by interested parties will be used as part of market research by VA representatives to finalize the PWS and develop the acquisition strategy. In accordance with FAR 15.201(E), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Any contract that might be awarded based on information received or derived from this RFI will be the outcome of a competitive process. This announcement is based upon the best information available, is subject to future modification, is not a request for proposal, and in no way commits the Government to award of a contract. The VA will not be responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this RFI. This is an RFI only. It is requested that all companies interested in participating in this effort please note their interest, and respond to the areas identified in the "Capabilities Statement" and "General Question" sections below. Capabilities Statement: The page limit for responses to this section is 3 pages. The following vendor information must be provided with your submission: Name of Company: Address: DUNS Number: Point of Contact: Phone Number: Fax Number: Email address: Contract Number and Schedule/SIIN Number: Company Business Size and Status under NAICS code: 541511 1.Provide a brief summary of your technical approach to meet VA's high-level requirements detailed above. If a commercially available product is included in the technical approach, identify any expected modifications that would be required to support the high-level requirements detailed above. 2.What data rights are applied to your solution? 3.Provide a high-level estimate of the timelines needed to successfully implement the applications. 4.Provide information if services and products are available under any Federal Contract Vehicle, e.g., GWACs, GSA Federal Supply Schedule, T4, etc. 5.Provide a rough order of magnitude. General Questions: The page limit for responses to this section is 5 pages. 1.Based on the information provided, can the Mobile HADFA applications be developed by a non-hearing aid company? Explain why or why not. 2.Is it feasible to utilize the existing Android open source HAFDA code to complete the high-level requirements above? Explain why or why not. 3.Explain how your approach would allow unique hearing aid manufacturers (e.g., from the VA National Hearing Aid Contract) to connect to the relay server (described in the Technical Manual). A relay enables a secure Internet connection between the audiologist computer and the patient smartphone, which might be located in local networks protected by a firewall, Network Address translation, or mobile network router, and thus not directly accessible. If a non-hearing aid vendor develops the application, how can you ensure it would connect to all models of VA hearing aids? 4.There are currently three different wireless protocols: 2.4 GHz, 900 MHz, and NFM I (nearfield magnetic induction). How many protocols would your technical approach work with? (It must fit with one of these protocols.) 5.How would the application connect to hearing aids, (e.g., Bluetooth, other wireless interface, etc.)? Explain. 6.Please provide any other comments or recommendations. Please submit your responses through email to the Contract Specialist at Joseph.Pignataro@va.gov and Contracting Officer Charles W. Ross at Charles.Ross@va.gov. Responses must be received by 12:00PM, NOON, EST on December 16, 2015.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/e52e0c21a35dcb32667b000de60eeb7b)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA118-16-R-0911 VA118-16-N-0911.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2443553&FileName=VA118-16-R-0911-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2443553&FileName=VA118-16-R-0911-000.docx

 

File Name: VA118-16-R-0911 Technical Operation and Maintenance Manual.pdf (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2443557&FileName=VA118-16-R-0911-001.pdf)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2443557&FileName=VA118-16-R-0911-001.pdf

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN03958894-W 20151204/151202234621-e52e0c21a35dcb32667b000de60eeb7b (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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