SAM #36C26026Q0835

VA Seeks Kaiser Permanente Statistical Expertise for VR Therapy Evaluation Using EHR Data

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 20 (NCO 20), is seeking specialized statistical expertise for a research and development contract supporting the VHA Digital Health Office Immersive Program Evaluation. - Government Buyer: - Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 20, Puget Sound VA Health Care System - OEMs and Vendors: - Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) - Named expert: Pamela Shaw, PhD - Products/Services Requested: - Advanced statistical consulting and study design for evaluating virtual reality (VR) therapies for veterans using electronic health records (EHR) data - Expertise in measurement error, missing data, and longitudinal EHR analysis - Review and development of study protocols and statistical analysis plans - Guidance on EHR outcome definitions and sampling for prospective data collection - Code review, replication of analytic findings, and manuscript co-authorship - Collaboration with VA Puget Sound study teams - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Only authorized Kaiser Permanente service providers are eligible - Services to be provided by Pamela Shaw, PhD, as the named expert - Work will be performed both remotely and in-person at VA Puget Sound - No products or hardware are being procured; this is strictly a service contract for R&D evaluation

Description

Notice of Sources Sought The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), Women Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) and Small Businesses interested and capable of providing the services requested, as well as any large businesses. The results from this source sought notice will be used to determine the appropriate set-aside. The intended contract is a firm-fixed price R&D service contract. The SBA Non-Manufacturer Rule is not applicable as the intended contract is for services. The Department of Veterans Affairs, NCO 20 is looking for Kaiser Permanente's authorized service providers that can provide below R&D services. Statement of Work: Contract Title: Expertise in Measurement Error to Support VHA Digital Health Office Immersive Program Evaluation Project: VHA Digital Health Office Immersive Program Evaluation Background: Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that has been used as a treatment in diverse pain populations and for diverse indications. VA's Digital Health Office is exploring offering Veterans a variety of VR therapies through conducting multiple pilot initiatives. To date, over 8,000 Veterans have engaged in VR activities through headset technologies in clinics and at home. Quantifying the potential benefit of disseminating VR technologies requires careful assessment of the VR activities, how they are being used in combination with other therapies such as mental health treatment and physical therapy, and monitoring of outcomes including patient-reported changes in health, pain, and well-being, healthcare utilization changes, and overall costs. The Digital Health Office is providing tools to measure VR engagement and has requested evaluation of the VHA Immersive Program to generate insights about how to best support further XR implementation. The evaluation activities will leverage data collected as part of VHA Immersive Program activities, data about participants linked to VHA administrative data, and primary data collected by the evaluation team. The evaluation will span three fiscal years, including retrospective analyses, mixed-methods evaluation design, and prospective data collection. To understand how population-level coding and documentation of VR engagement reflect true exposure levels, fidelity, and overall VR dose, we require a statistical expert. We are requesting a contract with Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) for Pamela Shaw, PhD, to work on this project and provide expertise in statistical methods and study design. Dr. Shaw is a Senior Investigator in the Division of Biostatistics at KPWHRI and Affiliate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Washington School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the design and analysis of studies leveraging electronic health records (EHR) data to support rigorous, cost-effective clinical and epidemiologic research to improve health and guide treatment decisions for US citizens. She has expertise in complex survey design, statistical methods, and study design to address measurement error and outcome misclassification, and the evaluation of interventions using clinical trial and observational data across various healthcare settings and populations. Her work advances the use of electronic health records data to public health and clinical decision-making. <!-- Additional research projects and scope details omitted for brevity --> Scope: Dr. Shaw will provide expertise in measurement error and missing data in studies of longitudinal EHR outcomes, following the frameworks outlined in the international STRATOS guidance. This includes reviewing study protocols and statistical analysis plans, especially regarding VR/Immersive technologies used through in-clinic and at-home sessions. She will also assist in designing future prospective study protocols and data collection strategies to address residual bias from measurement error and missing data. She will work with the analytics team to review covariate information and support efforts to improve data collection and analysis approaches. <!-- Tasks and Deliverables omitted for brevity --> Performance Monitoring: Dr. Zeliadt will oversee the work, measured by meeting project deadlines and quality of work, with regular assessments recorded in minutes for review. The Station POC/COR will work with Dr. Zeliadt and the evaluation team for annual performance evaluations. Place of Performance: The work will be conducted remotely. Dr. Shaw will attend in-person meetings at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Period of Performance: Base year plus two option years. The anticipated start date is September 15, 2026. <!-- VA Information and Security Language omitted for brevity --> Additional Links: Puget Sound VAHCS

View original listing