VA awards $264K for training system, with potential for future growth

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $264,118 ($264.1K)

Contractor: Public Health Foundation

Awarding Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs

Start Date: 2026-04-18

End Date: 2027-04-17

Contract Duration: 364 days

Daily Burn Rate: $726/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: TRAIN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/SERVICES FOR MEDICAL DISABILITY EXAMINATION OFFICE (MDEO) VENDOR EXAMINERS. NEW ORDER (FY26).

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20005

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $264,117.57 to PUBLIC HEALTH FOUNDATION for work described as: TRAIN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/SERVICES FOR MEDICAL DISABILITY EXAMINATION OFFICE (MDEO) VENDOR EXAMINERS. NEW ORDER (FY26). Key points: 1. The contract is a firm-fixed-price call against a blanket purchase agreement, suggesting a defined scope and cost. 2. Awarded to Public Health Foundation, a single vendor, for a one-year term. 3. The contract is for a new order in FY26, indicating a current need for these services. 4. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 518210 points to cloud computing and data processing services. 5. The contract was awarded under full and open competition, implying a broad search for qualified vendors. 6. The contract has a base period of 364 days, with no options specified.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $264,117.57 for a one-year training system is moderate. Benchmarking against similar IT training and learning management systems is difficult without more detailed service specifications. However, the firm-fixed-price nature suggests the VA has a clear understanding of the costs involved. The award to a single vendor under a BPA call warrants scrutiny to ensure competitive pricing was achieved during the initial BPA competition.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit a bid. The specific details of the number of bidders for the original Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) are not provided, but the call against it suggests the initial competition was sufficient to establish a framework for future task orders. The open competition for the BPA likely facilitated price discovery.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from the assurance that the VA sought the best possible pricing and solutions through a competitive process for the underlying BPA.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the Medical Disability Examination Office (MDEO) vendor examiners who will receive training. The service delivered is a learning management system and associated training services. The geographic impact is likely concentrated within the District of Columbia, where the agency is headquartered. Workforce implications include enhanced skills and standardized training for MDEO examiners.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of detailed performance metrics for the training system.
Limited visibility into the specific content and effectiveness of the training.
Potential for vendor lock-in if the BPA is not re-competed effectively.

Positive Signals

Firm-fixed-price contract provides cost certainty.
Awarded under full and open competition for the BPA, suggesting a competitive initial process.
New order in FY26 indicates an ongoing need and potential for sustained service delivery.

Sector Analysis

The contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically cloud computing and data processing. The market for learning management systems (LMS) and training platforms is robust, with numerous vendors offering solutions. The VA's spending in this area is consistent with government-wide efforts to modernize training and professional development for its vast workforce. Comparable spending benchmarks would depend on the scale and complexity of the training modules required.

Small Business Impact

The data does not indicate any specific small business set-aside provisions for this particular task order. The award was made under a BPA, and the subcontracting implications would depend on the terms of the original BPA and the prime contractor's subcontracting plan. Without further information, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem is unclear, though the prime contractor may utilize small businesses.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Department of Veterans Affairs' contracting officers and program managers. Accountability is established through the firm-fixed-price contract terms, requiring the vendor to deliver the specified training system and services. Transparency is facilitated by the contract award being publicly available, though detailed performance reports may not be public.

Related Government Programs

Veterans Health Administration IT Services
Department of Defense Training Systems
Federal Civilian Employee Training Programs
Cloud Computing Services Contracts
Learning Management System Procurement

Risk Flags

Potential for limited competition if BPA was not widely competed.
Lack of specified option periods could lead to contract discontinuity.
Dependence on a single vendor for critical training services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $264,117.57 to PUBLIC HEALTH FOUNDATION. TRAIN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/SERVICES FOR MEDICAL DISABILITY EXAMINATION OFFICE (MDEO) VENDOR EXAMINERS. NEW ORDER (FY26).

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is PUBLIC HEALTH FOUNDATION.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Veterans Affairs (Department of Veterans Affairs).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $264,117.57.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2026-04-18. End: 2027-04-17.

What is the track record of Public Health Foundation in delivering similar IT training systems to federal agencies?

Public Health Foundation (PHF) is a non-profit organization focused on improving health services and workforce development. While their primary mission is not IT system development, they often partner with technology providers or utilize existing platforms to deliver training and capacity-building programs. Their experience likely lies more in the content development and program management aspects of training rather than the core IT infrastructure. To assess their track record for this specific contract, one would need to examine past performance evaluations or references related to their IT-enabled training initiatives, particularly any similar learning management system implementations or management of online training portals for government clients. Without specific details on their IT project history, it's difficult to definitively gauge their capability in this domain beyond their established reputation in public health training.

How does the $264K contract value compare to similar VA training system procurements?

Comparing the $264,117.57 contract value for the VA's TRAIN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM requires context on the scope and duration. This value represents a one-year, firm-fixed-price award for a specific office (MDEO). The VA procures a wide range of training solutions, from large-scale enterprise systems to smaller, specialized platforms. A single-year contract of this amount is generally considered moderate for IT services. To provide a precise comparison, one would need to analyze other VA contracts for learning management systems or similar training technologies, considering factors like the number of users, complexity of content, integration requirements, and contract length. However, as a standalone figure for a year's service, it appears to be within a reasonable range for a targeted training solution.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this training system, and how will they be measured?

The provided data does not specify the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the TRAIN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/SERVICES. Typically, for such systems, KPIs might include user adoption rates, training completion rates, assessment scores, user satisfaction surveys, system uptime, and response times for technical support. Measurement methods would likely involve system-generated reports, administrator tracking, and potentially feedback mechanisms integrated into the platform. The firm-fixed-price nature of the contract suggests that the scope of services and expected outcomes are defined, implying that performance standards should be outlined in the contract's statement of work. Further analysis would require reviewing the detailed contract documentation or performance work statement.

What is the potential for this contract to be extended or expanded in future fiscal years?

This contract is a new order for FY26 with a base period of 364 days, ending in April 2027. While there are no explicit option periods mentioned in the provided data, the fact that it's a new order suggests an ongoing need for these training services within the MDEO. Contracts awarded under Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) often serve as a mechanism for agencies to procure services incrementally. Therefore, there is a reasonable potential for this contract to be extended or for follow-on orders to be placed in subsequent fiscal years, contingent upon satisfactory performance, continued need, and available funding. The success of this initial year will likely influence decisions regarding future investments in this training system.

How does the 'full and open competition' for the underlying BPA impact the value for taxpayers?

The 'full and open competition' used to establish the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) under which this task order was issued is a significant positive indicator for taxpayers. This process requires the contracting agency to solicit offers from all responsible sources, thereby maximizing the pool of potential bidders. A larger pool of bidders generally leads to more competitive pricing, innovative solutions, and better overall value. For taxpayers, this means the government is more likely to secure services at a fair and reasonable price, as vendors are incentivized to offer their best terms to win the contract. The competition helps prevent price gouging and ensures that public funds are used efficiently.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

Product/Service Code: MEDICAL SERVICES › OTHER MEDICAL SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1300 L ST NW STE 800, WASHINGTON, DC, 20005

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $264,118

Exercised Options: $264,118

Current Obligation: $264,118

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 36C10X21A0004

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline