U006--VR&E Self-Employment Services RFI

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SUBJECT Exploring the Feasibility of VA Partnering with Industry to Ready Disabled Veterans for Self-Employment (i.e., entrepreneurship; small business ownership) 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) for Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Self-Employment Services. The information provided in response to this request may be used by VBA in developing its acquisition strategy and refining the Performance Work Statement (PWS). THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or otherwise pay for the information requested. Responses will be treated as information only and not as a proposal. There is no obligation for the Government to acquire any products or services described in this RFI. In accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 15.101(c)(2), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. 2.0 BACKGROUND VBA s VR&E Service, pursuant to Title 38 United States Code Chapter 31 (see Section 3100), provides to eligible Veterans with compensable service-connected disabilities all services and assistance necessary to enable them to achieve maximum independence in daily living and, to the maximum extent feasible, to become employable and to obtain and maintain suitable employment. After achieving the degree of rehabilitation needed to become suitably employed, VR&E is expected to assist Veterans in the pursuit of suitable employment. One such avenue through which VR&E assists is utilizing VR&E s Self-Employment Track, which is intended to assist eligible Veterans in achieving their vocational goals in entrepreneurship and business ownership. Services include the following: Developing and strengthening a business plan Training in small-business operations, marketing, finances, etc. Assessing the feas