Veterans Affairs Awards Ten for SPRUCE IT IDIQ
10/4/2024
SPRUCE, AKA the Secure, Performant, Reliable, and User-Centered Experiences solicitation for a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract was created by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It was released in September 2023 and is focused on delivering digital products and services that enhance the user experience. The contract provides support for software development and operations, technical advising, architecture planning, service design, user research, data science, data analytics, and product support operations.
The first area, software development and operation, involves building, improving, and running custom open-source products using VA’s infrastructure, including platforms like VA Enterprise Cloud and Lighthouse API Gateway. This may involve web applications, APIs, mobile apps, and health-related internal systems. The second area, technical advising and architecture planning, provides expert guidance to support VA IT operations, including architecture planning, engineering operations, and innovation.
The third area focuses on service design and user research, defining the landscape for VA digital services through research and ethnographic studies. Data science and data analytics make up the fourth area, where contractors implement systems for data exchange between VA systems, using technologies like machine learning and natural language processing. Lastly, product support operations provide internal support for VA systems, including program planning, business case analysis, user management, onboarding, and helpdesk support.
The SPRUCE contract was reserved for SDVOSB service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, with a potential $2.7 billion ceiling. The VA was pleased with the success of a previously awarded $247.3 million contract for Customer Experience, Agile Releases, and DevOps, which provided support for information technology and commercial application development. Ten awardees were selected by the VA.
The Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center. jzehnder – stock.adobe.com
The awardees are:
- Agile Six Applications
- Aquia Nava II
- AVB Digital II
- Bravo Communications Services
- Coforma
- Magnum Opus
- Oddball
- One Phoenix Solutions
- Peregrine Digital Services
- Rise8
These contractors are responsible for delivering functional products that support user tasks, following the Digital Services Playbook. Cross-functional teams will manage product delivery using agile methodologies. New features and improvements will be released frequently, guided by the DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) framework. User experiences will drive the design process, by incorporating personas, customer journeys, and usability testing.
Contractors will follow VA’s design, content, and accessibility standards to optimize solutions for both mobile and desktop users. Peer review and automated testing will be utilized for software. Data portability is necessary across the VA through versioned APIs and must comply with Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standards for health-related services and follow VA API standards. System performance will be continuously monitored utilizing cloud-based infrastructure and VA platforms, while security measures, including Zero Trust principles, will be applied to protect sensitive data. Code will be shared in open-source repositories, maintaining transparency in development processes.
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