Attachment 1

Statement of Work (Section C) For Global Information Technology Support Services (GITSS)

(April 29, 2003)

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

1.1 BACKGROUND: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has created an Acquisition Center of Excellence known as BuyIT.Gov. Operating under authority of the Government Management Reform Act (GMRA), Public Law 103-356, within the VA's Franchise Fund, BuyIT.Gov provides acquisition services to all Federal customers. BuyIT.Gov is managed by the VA's largest corporate data center, the Austin Automation Center (AAC), and specializes in the complex arena of IT and telecommunications contracting. The GITSS acquisition initiative is sponsored by BuyIT.Gov and represents its first and most important tool to support the IT and telecommunication needs of the Federal Government.

The IT and telecommunications requirements of the Federal Government are projected to grow and become more complex as working environments demand increased automation capabilities and speed to accomplish their respective missions. As IT demands increase, the expertise and abilities within the Government to decide future needs, determine specifications, evaluate products, as well as install, maintain, upgrade, repair, and administer IT and telecommunication infrastructures will be strained. Satisfying IT and telecommunication service requirements will be a continual need for all Government agencies.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE GITSS CONTRACT: The objective of GITSS is to support the IT and telecommunications requirements of any Federal customer, anywhere, and at the best value possible. GITSS contracts will allow customers' service requirements to be rapidly filled as they arise by harnessing the capabilities of high-quality contractor teams at affordable prices. Our ability to quickly provide stellar, best value technical support, while being responsive to customer contract administration needs will make GITSS an attractive contract tool to support the IT and telecommunication needs of all Federal customers.

1.3 SUMMARY OF CONTRACT CHARACTERISTICS: This is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract. Task Orders will be issued up to the ceiling amount stated in Section B to order/authorize actual work. Task Orders may be placed on a fixed-price (FP), time and materials (T&M), or labor-hour (L/H) basis, depending on the nature of the requirement and level of unknowns associated with the proposed work.

1.4 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The contractor shall provide IT and telecommunication services to any Federal agency at any location in the world. Each Task Order Statement of Work will clearly state place of performance. Task Orders may involve work at classified facilities and/or remote sites. Work may also be performed on a contractor site.

1.5 TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTS: Customer requirements will vary across the entire spectrum of existing and future technical environments and hardware/software platforms. IT/telecommunications technologies, by their nature, are dynamic and evolving. Therefore, it is impossible to define or limit the specific services or platforms that will be required in future Task Orders during the term of the contract.

Descriptions of technical environments as well as information on software and hardware platforms will be provided in the Statements of Work for each Task Order to allow the contractor to have all the available information to build an accurate proposal.

2.0 SCOPE OF WORK: Under this contract, any agency of the United States Government will be able to fulfill requirements for or relating to information technology and telecommunications, and such services will be performed anytime and anywhere in the world as required. The term information technology (IT) is used in its broadest sense and includes telecommunications. For administrative purposes, IT services may be categorized in the list of functional areas identified in the SOW (3.0). However, since this contract is specifically for any IT and telecommunications services, requirements in functional areas that are not identified shall be construed as being within the scope of this contract. In determining whether a particular service is within scope, if it "touches" IT and/or telecommunications, then it is within the contract's scope.

Service needs may require the contractor to provide a "total solution," encompassing, for example, required hardware, software, and telecommunications products, in conjunction with all services needed to integrate a system, network, or other service delivery platform in order to meet a customer's mission requirements. Accordingly, Task Orders may include acquisitions of hardware, software, and other products. GITSS is not intended as a mechanism to purchase IT or telecommunication products. However, there are no limits on the amount of such products that may be purchased as part of a given requirement, to the extent that those products are necessary to deliver the services required. Services will include technical and other services encompassing the entire range of IT requirements in the broadest sense, including but not limited to the functional areas described herein. Services, including related IT and telecommunications products, may encompass the entire life-cycle of a system, including, as applicable, requirements analysis, product analysis, design, development, implementation, documentation, training, operation, backup and recovery, monitoring and tuning, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Moreover, services and related products covered under this contract will be global in reach and Offerors must be prepared to provide services and deliverables worldwide.

Federal agencies make use of mandatory contracts to facilitate standardization and other agency acquisition goals. Accordingly, if a given agency acquisition vehicle has been designated as "mandatory," the use of that mandatory contract may take precedence over the use of GITSS, or require the use of GITSS in consonance with that mandatory contract. Unless a waiver is approved in accordance with agency regulations, services covered by an agency's mandatory contracts must be acquired through those contracts.

The contractors shall provide IT services required to support the objectives of this contract. The labor categories identified in Section J, Attachment 3, Labor Categories and Qualifications, are not an exhaustive list of IT services that may be required. Additional labor categories within the scope of this contract may be added by bilateral agreement.

Task orders may be issued on a "level-of-effort" basis or on a "completion" basis.

3.0 FUNCTIONAL AREAS:

3.1 NETWORK AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURES: Services related to all basic and advanced communications products (including hardware and software, network architectures, and network administration services) to meet customer requirements in the areas of wired/wireless networks, voice, data, and Internet Protocol (IP). Services cover the entire range from the most basic to the most sophisticated global network structures of telecommunications requirements, including, but not limited to, business phone lines, Internet access, data services, long distance and enhanced calling services, telecom/network equipment, and more. Typical tasks may include, but are not limited to: defining, testing, maintaining, designing, installing, tuning, troubleshooting, and operating communications systems of all types.

3.2 SERVER OR MAINFRAME HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, SYSTEMS PROGRAMMING AND SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION: Evaluation and selection of all types of client/server hardware, operating systems and other systems software to support server installations in the broadest sense of the term. Includes all forms of systems programming and systems administrative services, in distributed or mainframe environments (including but not limited to: installation and tailoring, tuning, backup/recovery, troubleshooting, patching and upgrading.)

3.3 STORAGE DEVICES, ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPORTING SOFTWARE: Evaluation and selection of all forms of storage devices together with supporting software, including, but not limited to, direct access storage devices (DASD) and tape. Systems administrative and programming support for all such software and hardware.

3.4 DESKTOPS, LAPTOPS, SERVERS, SOFTWARE, LOCAL AND WIDE AREA NETWORKS: Design, implementation, maintenance, and management of all forms of networked workstations, servers, enterprise servers (mainframes), laptops, and other peripherals included within LAN or WAN IT architecture. This also includes, but is not limited to, testing, installing, deploying, maintaining, and updating a wide variety of Operating Systems (OS) environments and Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) products required to support existing or planned automated information systems (AIS) applications.

3.5 INFORMATION, SYSTEM, DATA, AND PHYSICAL SECURITY: Establishment of secure logical and physical infrastructures for information systems (IS) environments including security plans, risk assessments, access controls, firewalls, intrusion detection/scanning systems, anti-virus tools and data protection policies. This function includes providing details for security awareness training, personnel security, policy enforcement, incident handling procedures, and separation of duties within an organization. Also, recommending and implementing current best practices for the widest range of operating system, database, network, and application security, taking current best practices, industry standards, and Government regulations and policies into account. The physical security function includes providing building access guides, restricted access levels to facilities, fire-suppression systems, facility construction access points, special recognition or alarm systems, and utility layouts.

3.6 HELP DESK/CALL CENTER SUPPORT: Managed tiered help desk services for technical and informational support. Provide highly trained and experienced staff to efficiently assist customers experiencing problems. This highly skilled staff must be able to assist end users by answering a vast range of basic to complex technical questions for supported software applications and systems.

3.7 CHANGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: Recommend and support implementations of change management practices, infrastructures and systems utilizing industry best practices to minimize negative impact of any change on the IT enterprise by controlling its implementation through orderly, planned, and standardized methods and procedures. Change management includes all processes to ensure the integrity, effectiveness, and security of the system. Configuration management is an integral part of the technical process for system development and offers support to all technical development activities. In this context, configuration management is the discipline that provides a common point of integration for all planning, oversight, and implementation activities that support the change management.

3.8 CONFIGURATION AND ARCHITECTURAL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL: Recommendation and implementation, utilizing industry best practices for systems and infrastructures, for configuration and architectural management and control, including but not limited to detailed recording and updating of information describing an enterprise's computer systems and networks, and support for decision-making in determining the architecture and configuration of an enterprise. In this context, the term should be construed to include all hardware and software components, including versions and updates that have been applied to installed software packages and the locations and network addresses of hardware devices. It also includes tracking of software development efforts, and includes interfaces with Change Management systems.

3.9 WEB DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT, PROVIDING SERVICES, MAINTENANCE, AND UPDATES: Evaluation, planning, requirements-analysis, design, coding and unit testing, system integration testing, implementation, deploying, providing service to, maintaining or updating a web site, or web-enabling a legacy system.

3.10 E-COMMERCE AND E-GOVERNMENT: Services relating to all aspects of E-Commerce and conducting business on-line, including, by way of example, buying and selling products with digital cash and via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Support for E-Government; Electronic public services, 'teledemocracy' and the national information society.

3.11 APPLICATION DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND MAINTENANCE THROUGHOUT THE LIFECYCLE: Services with respect to all aspects and life-cycle stages of application support, including but not limited to, planning, requirements analysis, design, coding and unit testing, system integration testing, implementation, maintenance and updating of applications. In this context, the term "application" is defined in the broadest sense as a program or group of programs designed for end users. Applications software includes but is not limited to, payroll processing, financial management systems, decision support systems, etc. Appropriate Government lifecycle management processes and policies, e.g., Capability Maturity Model (CMM), must be adhered to in all application design, development and maintenance projects.

3.12 PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES: Provide Project Management services for the purpose of assisting customers in accomplishing specific, non-routine tasks. Project Management, in this context, is usually done outside the normal organizational activities and often is done outside the normal organizational hierarchy. Activities such as developing new products or services, new lines of business, or solving problems where any change may impact many other areas are usually handled through Project Management services. Projects are limited in scope to objectives included in them, have specific starting and completion dates, and may have predetermined expenditures budgeted for them. Project Management services will be provided for both capital projects (equipment, processes, computer programs or things which are considered physical assets) and non-capital projects (e.g., general research, feasibility studies, market analysis, and product development studies).

3.13 COMMERCIAL OFF-THE-SHELF SOFTWARE PRODUCTS AND SUPPORT: Services related to the usage and installation of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) software products, including, but not limited to, study, evaluation, implementation, tailoring, and maintenance of ready-made products that can easily be obtained in the marketplace without engaging in software development efforts. This includes the entire spectrum of available software.

3.14 INDEPENDENT VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION (IV&V) AND SYSTEMS QUALITY ASSURANCE (SQA) SUPPORT FOR IT SERVICES AND SOFTWARE: Both IV&V and SQA assess how well technology solutions meet customer requirements, resulting in the desired business value. The focus is on managing risks and providing quality throughout the system development lifecycle.

Typical IV&V tasks include, but may not be limited to:

1. Review functional requirements, develop comprehensive test plans and test scenarios.
2. Migrate software to secure environment and perform tests, document test results according to standard configuration management procedures, and verify correction of system deficiencies.
3. Certify software and conduct post implementation reviews.

Typical SQA tasks include, but may not be limited to:

1. Review and audit products and activities to verify compliance with applicable repeatable procedures and standards. In addition, provide management with the results (defects and deviations) of these reviews and audits and track them to closure
2. Resolve compliance issues with staff and/or managers.
3. Place designated SQA work products under appropriate levels of configuration management.

3.15 DATABASE AND DATA WAREHOUSE ADMINISTRATION: Services related to all types of database management systems and database applications, including but not limited to: logical and physical design and redesign, installation, tailoring, and tuning, troubleshooting, patching, and upgrading, ETL tools, and backup/recovery.

3.16 DISASTER RECOVERY AND BUSINESS CONTINUANCE OPERATIONS, INCLUDING PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, NETWORK, AND PERSONNEL: Services related to any and all methodologies, in the information technology context, pertaining to disaster recovery and business continuity. The range of recovery services under this functional area covers the spectrum from partial loss of function or data for a brief amount of time to a "worst-case" scenario in which a man-made or natural disaster or IT failure results in the loss of the entire IT enterprise. The scope will run the gamut from customers willing to wait as much as one month for continuance of business processes to customers requiring zero down time. Services may be required at any timeframe from initial declaration of a disaster to final recovery of all business processes. Services may also cover any aspect of business continuity planning.

3.17 FILE AND PRINT SERVICES: Services related to file and print services, including all classes of computer infrastructures, providing customers with file/print services, development, installation, operations, maintenance, and troubleshooting. This may include file/print services for multiple network and technical configurations in multiple locations around the world. Integration with multiple server platforms, to implement complex print, fax, and or form management solutions using multiple architectures to support multiple workstations in multiple locations.

3.18 COMPUTER SYSTEMS FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE: Administration, integration, installation, operation, and maintenance for computer centers, including, but not limited to:

1. Electrical systems, such as: Utility Feed, UPS system, Emergency Power, Power Distribution Units (PDU's) and Emergency Power Off (EPO) system.
2. Mechanical systems, such as: UPS room, Under Water Detection System, air conditioning, Fire Protection System and Alarms.
3. Telephone/Data Information, such as: telephone service, data transmission, and any additional data service.
4. Physical security, such as: Outside physical security, building entry, contractor access, security control software, and computer room access.
5. Facilities planning, such as: Plan, schedule and coordinate the utilization, relocation, installation, changing, expansion, rearrangement and connection/disconnection of computer systems and networks, including ancillary data stations and cabling.
6. Computer Center/Network/Technical Services, such as: Providing administration, integration, installation, operations, maintenance, and training for all types of computer center services. Scope also includes providing administration, integration, installation, operations, maintenance, and training services for all types of data networks.
7. Systems installation and integration, such as: Cable systems installation, workstation connection and integration, system testing, providing system and user documentation, and administrator user training.
8. Production services, such as: Maintaining a central library for source program statements, object programs and related control systems; establish, operate, maintain, document and deliver records and files documented and used; develop computer processing schedules and review operational status of schedule for accuracy, timely delivery of products and efficient utilization of resources.
9. Media management, such as: Maintaining a physical library, performing operations for media management; retrieving/storing media for various activities, preparing, recording media for archiving and /or off-site storage; performing support services for off-site storage of disaster recovery media; and maintaining and stocking sufficient inventory or required supplies.

3.19 REPORT PROCESSING: Services related to building multiple reports and distributing them worldwide to multiple users using any type of media or electronic delivery, including allowance for remote viewing of different report fragments, to users with different security permissions.

3.20 STRATEGIC IT PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT: Provide services that facilitate strategy decisions for an organization with respect to its current and future IT structure and program integration. All recommendations and plans must comply with Federal legislation and be consistent with Federal policy, standards, and guidelines. Examples include: The Government Performance and Results Act, Clinger-Cohen, the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act, the Paperwork Elimination Act, etc. This includes conducting a systematic assessment and redesign of the key technologies, business processes, and organizational structures; streamlining processes, properly aligning the organization to reflect the way work gets done, and deploying proven supporting technologies where appropriate. The outcome of studies and assessments is expected to result in a complete IT strategy, aligned with business goals and objectives that leverage innovation to define new opportunities for success.

3.21 TRAINING: Provide training and knowledge transfer to technicians and other staff with regard to services and associated products delivered under any functional areas described in task orders. This training will allow technicians the ability to maintain the product or process in the future. Identify and/or provide any additional training required by end-users, technicians, or any other staff for implementation, maintenance and use of deliverables specified in task orders.

3.22 TECHNOLOGY REFRESHMENT and CONFIGURATION REVIEWS: Through technology refreshment and configuration reviews, this area includes any structure or process for realizing innovations to provide for business or technical changes. Technology refreshment will allow for upgrading technology or improving processes as well as helping enterprises move their businesses forward by adopting formal procedures to manage business and technical innovations. Technology refreshment will ensure new innovations are reviewed and adopted as required.

4.0 OVERALL DUTIES: As part of performing in any of the above functional areas, the contractor is also expected to perform the following as required by each Task Order:

4.1 DOCUMENT/REPORT PREPARATION: Prepare written documents and reports to include but not limited to system change plans, various operations procedures and planning documents, meeting minutes, contractor status reports, manuals, training text, program management reviews and any other documents required to complete the work. The actual requirements, formats, delivery schedules and points of contact will be established in the Statements of Work for each Task Order.

4.2 MEETINGS, BRIEFINGS, AND CONFERENCES: Prepare briefings, attend meetings, conduct Program Management Reviews, participate in conferences such as proposal conferences, post award conferences, and attend site visits as may be required to complete the work. The actual requirements, formats, schedules and locations will be established in the Statements of Work for each Task Order.

4.3 ACQUISITION: Acquire necessary hardware, software, communications, and services as may be required to complete a Task Order. Acquisition services may include evaluation and selection of various technical alternatives on a best value basis, purchase of hardware, software, and telecommunications products, including on-going maintenance and coordination of delivery by a supplier and acceptance by the Government. The contractor shall consider Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in providing recommended solutions and best value decisions. Unless otherwise stated in a Task Order the contractor shall license to the Government all software acquired under this contract.

4.4 TASK ORDER PHASE IN/PHASE OUT: Perform Phase-in and/or Phase-out services to insure continuity of services, as may be required in a specific Task Order.

4.5 TRAVEL: Perform travel required by a Task Order as authorized by the Contracting Officer or official designee and funded by the Government. Travel costs will be paid in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 31.205-46.

5.0 DELIVERABLES: The requirements for any deliverables, including but not limited to reports, products, parts, materials, systems, etc., as well as the schedule by which they are due, will be established in the Statements of Work for each Task Order.

6.0 INSPECTION/PERFORMANCE THRESHOLDS: The Contracting Officer for each Task Order will retain contract administration responsibility for the Task Orders they issue unless administration is delegated in accordance with applicable regulations. Each Task Order Statement of Work will identify the critical elements of services in the Service Delivery Schedule for the purposes of inspection/acceptance and performance criteria enforcement. Failure to satisfactorily perform may result in re-performance, reduction in compensation, or other remedies afforded the Government through the contract or by law. Payment may be made on a monthly basis, on a fixed-price deliverable basis, or at the completion of a Task Order, based on satisfactory performance being rendered. Further, at the discretion of the Task Order Contracting Officer, other payment methodologies consistent with applicable regulations and agency guidelines may be used, e.g., Progress Payments or Performance-Based Payments. Unless modified by the Task Order Contracting Officer to comport with agency guidance, the Service Delivery Schedule (Task Order Section 5, as defined in Section J, Attachment 4, (2.5.2)) of each Task Order will be delineated as follows:

Performance Objective	SOW Reference	Performance Threshold
Service Required		Minimum Level of Acceptable Performance

In general, the Task Orders will be administered in accordance with the GITSS Contract Management Plan, Section J, Attachment 4. Further, the Contracting Officer for each Task Order will establish the performance thresholds and surveillance methods applicable for the work ordered. This may include a specific QASP applicable to the Task Order.

7.0 GENERAL INFORMATION:

7.1 NON-PERSONAL SERVICES: The services to be acquired under this contract are "non-personal" as defined by FAR 37.101. As such, the personnel rendering services are not subject either by the contract's terms or by the manner of its administration, to the supervision and control prevailing in relationships between the Government and its employees. Although contractor employees may be working under the technical direction and surveillance of Government project managers, the Government will not supervise or manage contractor employees, nor participate in supervisory or management decisions regarding contractor employees.

7.2 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL CONSIDERATIONS: The contractor shall provide skilled personnel together with the supervisory, managerial, and administrative services necessary to successfully meet the requirements of each Task Order. Personnel assigned by the contractor(s) to perform work on this contract shall be acceptable to the Government in terms of personal and professional conduct and technical knowledge. Should the assignment to this contract of any person in the contractor's organization create a conflict with the interests of the Government, the Government will notify the contractor and request the person's removal from the assignment and replacement as necessary. Unless otherwise negotiated with and approved by the Task Order Contracting Officer or stated in the Task Order, the contractor shall provide the replacement resource(s) within 10 workdays. The Task Order Contracting Officer will document the reason for removal in writing within 10 workdays of the contractor notification. Replacement personnel qualifications shall be equal to or greater than those of the personnel being replaced and will result in no increase in Task Order price. Employment and staffing difficulties will not be justification for failure to meet established schedules.

The hours that contractor employees will have access to a Government site to perform work shall be established in each Task Order. Individual Task Order requirements may demand contractor employees work outside of normal duty hours (Monday  Friday, 0800  1700.) All contractor employees working on a Government site shall comply with the policies and directives of that site. This may require the employees to attend a facility indoctrination session or other facilities briefings. Failure to comply shall be reason for removal of the employee from the facility.

7.3 SECURITY:

7.3.1 CLASSIFIED WORK: Work ordered on this contract may involve secure networks, facilities and sensitive information; therefore, the contractor must be able to provide personnel with security clearances up to the Top Secret level. Task Orders issued will contain the specific security specifications required by the customer. They may include a Department of Defense Form 254 or other agency-specific form.

7.3.2 SYSTEM SECURITY: The contractor(s) shall comply with all the physical and data security policies of the ordering activity. Copies will be made available as part of the Task Order placement process. The contractor shall participate in security functions relevant to the tasks being performed that may include Security Safeguard Reviews, audits, reporting suspected security violations, acting to secure system environments, responding to computer security alerts and any other review or actions required to ensure computer systems are not violated or vulnerable.

7.3.3 PERSONNEL SECURITY: The contractor will comply with all personnel security requirements included in this contract and any unique security requirements provided by an ordering activity in a specific Task Order.

7.3.4 BADGES: Employees working at a Government facility may be required to display, on their person, a Government-provided identification badge, that will include the full name of the employee and the legal name under which the contractor is operating. The identification badge numbers and data will be kept in a Government-maintained computer database for security purposes. It is the responsibility of the contractor to request and obtain badges from the Government prior to the first workday of any contractor employee. The contractor shall return all badges to the Government program manager, or designee, on the same day an individual's employment is terminated and upon termination of the contract. The contractor shall notify the Government program manager, or designee, immediately of any lost badges.

7.3.5 DATA SECURITY AND PRIVACY: Contractor staff may have access to privileged and confidential materials of the United States Government. These printed and electronic documents are for internal use only and remain the sole property of the United States Government. Some of these materials are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 (AMENDED) and Title 38. Unauthorized disclosure of Privacy Act or Title 38 covered materials is a criminal offense. Each contractor employee will be given access to only the information and facilities needed to perform the tasks associated with a Task Order.

7.4 SECTION 508 REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall comply with all required Federal or agency standards, as specified in the individual Task Order. Section 508, the Federal Information Technology Accessibility Initiative (36 CFR 1194), is incorporated into and made a part of this contract. Section 508 applies to all Task Orders. Specific Section 508 standards or other 508 requirements will be stated in each Task Order. The standards and information on how to administer the Section 508 requirements are covered at http://www.section508.gov. Compliance with the applicable Section 508 standards is a material requirement of the contract.

7.5 TASK ORDER SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: This contract is intended to satisfy the worldwide information technology and telecommunications service needs of any Federal agency, in any technical environment. During the term of this contract, it is possible that customer requirements for individual Task Orders will necessitate the inclusion of provisions or clauses that are unknown at the time of award of this Basic Contract. In these situations, it is understood that these provisions or clauses will be included in the solicitations and the subsequent Task Order award. The contractor may choose not to submit a proposal in response to a solicitation (with no negative affect on its past performance standing) for a potential Task Order if these added provisions or clauses are unacceptable to them.

7.6 PROMOTING THE CONTRACT: The contractor is encouraged to promote the GITSS contract to all potential VA customers and other Federal agencies. Specifically the contractor is encouraged to:

1. Make customers aware of this procurement vehicle.
2. Make customers aware of available products, services, and solutions.
3. Make customers aware of subcontractor(s) products, services, and solutions.
4. Direct potential customers to any VA GITSS website(s) to obtain Task Order procedures.

Since marketing is essential for the success of the GITSS program, the contractor may be asked to participate in VA/industry marketing partnership initiatives that may include advertising campaigns, agency information sessions and trade shows. All marketing materials shall enhance and improve the visibility of the GITSS program, shall conform to the requirements of the Section I clause (VAAR 852.270-4), and shall be approved by the Basic Contract Contracting Officer IAW Section H-01. Approval of a contractor's marketing materials does not obligate the Government to undertake any potential work identified. Effort relating to promoting the contract shall not result in any direct charge to the contract or to any Task Order thereof. Contractors are advised, as stated in Section J, Attachment 4, Paragraph 9.4.1.6, that bringing customers to the GITSS program is a method to improve their past performance standing.