Q1. Will the contractor be required to develop, purchase, or license the Digitized Mail Handling Service (DMHS), or will the Government provide access to an existing DMHS solution for use under this contract?
A1. Contractor will be required to develop the DMHS service.
Q2. Will the Government provide the software, application, or user interface required to upload scanned documents and metadata into VBMS/DMHS, or is the contractor responsible for developing, licensing, and maintaining that capability?
A2. Contractor is responsible. VBMS requirements and required metadata transfer requirements will be provided by the Government. Packets are transferred and uploaded to VBMS via the Claims Evidence API.
Q3. Will the Government provide the detailed Business Requirements Documents (BRDs) and interface specifications with the final solicitation?
A3. Yes.
Q4. Will the Government provide standardized document classifications, indexing requirements, and metadata mapping for all document types processed under this contract?
A4. Yes.
Q5. Will the Government provide a test environment, user training, and technical onboarding support for VBMS/DMHS integration prior to production operations?
A5. VBMS has a test environment, but contractor will be responsible for establishing and maintaining applicable DMHS test environment. User training and technical onboarding will be determined if formal solicitation is released.
Q6. Will the contractor be required to provide secure digital storage before documents are uploaded to VA systems? If so, what are the required retention periods and storage requirements?
A6. Yes, retention period is indefinite.
Q7. Will each mail packet be scanned as one searchable PDF, or should each document within the packet be scanned as separate PDF files?
A7. A packet can contain one or more PDFs based upon established conversion rules.
Q8. If a mail packet contains multiple documents, should the contractor preserve the original document order during scanning?
A8. Yes, original document will be sent to long-term storage and may need to be recalled at times. Same document ordering should remain to the extent possible.
Q9. If staples, paper clips, binder clips, or other fasteners are removed during document preparation, is the contractor required to reassemble the documents in their original order after scanning?
A9. To the extent possible, grouped documents shall remain intact. Retaining grouped documents throughout the conversion process supports date of receipt integrity for the specific group of documents where applicable.
Q10. If original paper documents are required to be reassembled after scanning, are there any specific packaging, labeling, or file integrity requirements the contractor must follow prior to shipment to the Government's designated long-term storage facility?
A10. Yes. Documents should be sorted and stored in boxes from the long-term storage contractor and able to be recalled from long-term storage for rescan as needed based upon rules established by the VA. There should be enough room in each box to easily insert your hand into the front of the box. Additional instructions would be provided during the solicitation phase.
Q11. Can the Government provide examples of the most common document types and mail packets processed under this contract?
A11. VA Forms (21-4138, 21-526ez, 20-0995, etc.), returned mail (letters VA sends out) and medical records.
Q12. What is the average number of pages contained in each mail packet?
A12. 22 pages.
Q13. What is the average number of documents contained within each mail packet?
A13. 4 documents/packet.
Q14. What percentage of the anticipated daily workload is expected to consist of physical paper documents versus electronically submitted documents?
A14. Paper 20-25%, Digital 75-80%.
Q15. Will the contractor be required to scan non-standard media such as X-rays, radiology films, photographs, oversized documents, CDs/DVDs, flash drives, microfilm, and microfiche? If so, what are the required image quality standards and file formats?
A15. Yes, images on CDs, DVDs, eFax, Microfiche, thumb drives or Microfilm must be converted and uploaded to DMHS. Some items must not be scanned to include Charge Cards, blank sticky notes, tabs or temporary markers used as placeholders. DNA packets. Blood samples. Photo negatives. Carbon copy overlays. X-rays and/or X-ray jackets. Material that is clearly not claim related such as magazines addressed to the Regional Offices or mail addressed to VA Employees shall be shipped to the appropriate VA Facility.
Q16. How long is the contractor required to retain the original paper documents before shipping them to the Government's designated long-term storage facility?
A16. 60 days.
Q17. Following successful upload to VBMS/DMHS, will the contractor receive an automated confirmation that documents have been accepted, or will additional reconciliation be required to verify successful processing?
A17. The Claims Evidence API will pass back acknowledgement that documents were successfully transferred. The status of each upload should be visible in DMHS and all packets should be reconciled.
Q18. Are subcontractors permitted to perform mail pickup and transportation services from the designated USPS PO Box locations?
A18. Yes.
Q19. Is Janesville, Wisconsin the only USPS PO Box pickup location, or will additional locations be included in the final solicitation?
A19. Janesville is the only current location to pick-up mail. No new locations are currently anticipated.
Q20. Will the Government provide sample mail packets (with sensitive information redacted, if necessary) so vendors can better understand the document types, organization, and processing requirements before submitting proposals?
A20. Due to the composition of most packets (medical records and claim information) the Government will not provide a sample of mail packets. See responses above for frequently received items to understand what a packet typically contains.
