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Business Opportunities
Key phases in the Project HERO acquisition process included the following:
- Acquisition Planning Pre-Solicitation Phase, during which:
- VISN teams identified specialty care network needs by type of care and location;
- VA teams collaborated with industry, academic and other partners to identify potential strategies and develop the competitive pool through market research;
- VA teams refined the Statement of Objectives and developed the Request for Proposal (RFP); and
- VA released the RFP for a Specialty Care Provider Network on January 12, 2007.
- Competitive Phase, during which industry, academic, and other partners proposed leading ideas and strategies, tools and capabilities to address specific VA objectives.
- Evaluation and Award Phase, during which VA evaluated proposals and awards contracts. In this phase, VA:
- Developed performance-based contracts that incorporate incentives and performance measures;
- Awarded contracts on October 1, 2007.
- 90-Day Implementation Phaseduring which the Project HERO Program Management Office (PMO):
- Organized and conducted VISN/Contractor kick-off meetings in each VISN so the VISN and VAMC leadership could meet the awardees and discuss local needs, issues, and develop solutions for a good start.
- Prepared and distributed communication materials to VISN and VAMCs to educate their staffs of the contracts and Project HERO's purpose and goals.
- Implemented standard operating procedures for authorization, payment, clinical information sharing, and financial management processes.
- Conducted training to VAMC Fee Office leads and distributed training materials for a "train-the-trainer" approach to train all VHA Fee staff of Project HERO specific procedures and standards.
- Launched the Project HERO Intranet site as a tool for Central Office, the VISNs, and the Project HERO PMO.
Project HERO has conducted demonstration implementation and is currently in the Demonstration Operations Phase:
- Demonstration Operations Phase, during which VA will manage and evaluate Project HERO demonstration results after award.
- A Project HERO Governing Board exists to monitor the demonstration on a regular basis and ensure that veterans continue to receive high quality care;
- Contractor performance will be measured according to quality, timeliness, and other VHA-defined standards; and
- Services for medical/surgical, dialysis, diagnostics, mental health and dental began in January 2008.
- VA will purchase these services only when VA facilities and providers cannot provide the service.
Project HERO is managed by VA's Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chief Business Office (CBO). For additional information on the VHA CBO click here.
To access VISN-specific information about each participating demonstration site click here.
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