Sources Sought
NTX BNOE Arbinger Institute Developing and Implementing an Outward Mindset
Department of Veterans Affairs · Sol. 36C25727AP0614
Due in 9 days
Track this notice by email. We'll email you if it's amended or awarded, and a week and two days before responses are due.
AI summary Beta
The VA's North Texas Veterans Health Care System (Dallas, TX) is asking vendors whether they can supply workforce training on an "outward mindset" (accountability, collaboration and leadership), as a brand-name-or-equal to the Arbinger Institute program. This is a Sources Sought notice, so it is market research only and not a request for bids. If a contract follows, it would run one base year starting January 22, 2027 plus four option years.
Watch out for
- Brand name or equal tied to Arbinger. The requirement is written around one company's program, including its Facilitator Portal and named books, so an "equal" product would have to match many specific features and a small business without that exact program may struggle to qualify.
Facilitator Portal provides full digital access to facilitator
- Market research only, no solicitation yet. Responding does not lead to an award and the VA may never issue a solicitation, but a good response can influence whether it becomes a set-aside.
There is no solicitation available at this time.
- Healthcare-specific content required. All training content must include exercises and scenarios for healthcare providers, which a general leadership trainer may not already have.
Training content must contain a section specifically for healthcare providers, with special
- Short response window. Responses are due about 10 days after posting and need a capability statement and a case study from the last 12 months.
MUST SEE ATTACHMENT FOR ALL DETAILS.
- Vendor portal must handle all updates and access. Content must be delivered through the vendor's own portal with no updates through VA systems, so the vendor needs a working hosted platform with ongoing support.
There must be no need for updates through the VA system
Read from the notice and 1 attachment.
- Sources Sought Arbinger DIOM Brand Name or Equal.pdf
Full brief
What they want
- Participant workbooks and digital access, plus two published books (up to 1,500 per year)
- Outward Leadership handbooks (up to 150 per year) and Outward Performance workbooks (up to 30 per year)
- Train-the-Trainer certification so VA staff can teach the course themselves (up to 5 people per year), plus Outward Performance Train-the-Trainer (up to 2 trainings per year)
- Outward Leadership public workshops (up to 3 per year)
- Strategic Working Sessions led by a senior facilitator (up to 6 per year), with travel for onsite days
- Healthcare-specific exercises and scenarios in all training content
- Yearly vendor support: phone support in business hours, 24/7 web support, software and module updates, and license subscription
- Expedited shipping, only if a real need comes up (up to 2 per year)
- Contract type
- Not stated. The draft SOW lists 9 line items (CLINs) with "up to" yearly quantities, which suggests a quantity-based or indefinite-quantity setup, but the notice does not say.
- Period of performance
- 1 base year (Jan 22, 2027 to Jan 21, 2028) + 4 option years, ending Jan 21, 2032
- Place of performance
- North Texas Veterans Health Care System, 7916 South Lancaster Road, Dallas, TX 75216
- How they'll choose
- Not stated. This is a market-research notice; the draft SOW lists areas contractors will be evaluated on but gives no award method or weights.
- Offers due
- October 19, 2026, 2:00 PM CST (SAM.gov lists the deadline as 2026-10-19 14:00 -05:00)
- How to submit
- Email to Contract Specialist Romya Turner at Romya.turner@va.gov. No telephone inquiries.
What they'll judge offers on
- Primary focus (changes how participants view themselves, others and their impact)
- Level of intervention (individual, team, leadership and organization)
- Self-awareness component
- Accountability (defined by results and impact)
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Train-the-Trainer capability (formal facilitator certification)
- Participant sustainment and support (workbooks, assessments, digital tools, follow-on support)
- Healthcare-specific content
What to include when you submit
- Give the country of origin of any supply items, if applicable
- Give company name, address, SAM UEI, and point of contact name, phone and email
- State business size and socioeconomic status (SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, WOSB, large business, etc.) and whether you are small under NAICS 611430
- If SDVOSB or VOSB, say whether you can comply with VAAR 852.219-75 (limitations on subcontracting, services and construction)
- If SDVOSB, say whether the items come from a small business manufacturer
- Send a capability statement tied to the draft Statement of Work
- List any current federal contract (GSA, NAC, SAC, NASA SEWP, etc.) with type, number and expiration date, and say whether these services are on it
- Say whether the products and services are made in America
- Send a case study or work sample from the last 12 months that matches this scope
- Include any questions or concerns about the draft SOW
You must have
- Open to any business size. Small, veteran-owned, 8(a), women-owned and other small businesses are encouraged to respond so the VA can decide on a set-aside.
business size entity may respond to this sources sought notice.
- SAM.gov lists "No Set aside used" for now. SDVOSB and VOSB respondents are asked whether they can meet the VA limitations-on-subcontracting clause.
If SDVOSB or VOSB, can business comply with clause VAAR 852.219-75 - VA NOTICE OF
- A current, commercially available methodology with documented successful implementations and relevant past performance, including a formal facilitator certification process.
Must have Train-the-Trainer capability, with certifications
Not in the notice text
- Estimated contract value or budget (none stated)
- Contract type and award method (not stated in this market-research notice)
- Whether the VA will set this aside for a small business category
- Pricing format; the draft SOW lists line items and "up to" yearly quantities but no prices
- Whether a solicitation will be issued at all
- Who the current provider is, if any
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Key facts
- Response due
- Oct 19, 2026, 7:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 9, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- 36C25727AP0614
- Agency
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Office
- 257-Network Contract Office 17 (36C257)
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 611430
- Business type
- Education & training
- Place of performance
- Dallas, TX, 75216
- Contracting contact
- Romya Turnerromya.turner@va.gov4695585579
Before you respond
Full notice text from SAM.gov
Sources sought notice for brand name or equal services to Arbiner Institute's Developing and Implementing an Outward Mindset. MUST SEE ATTACHMENT FOR ALL DETAILS.
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