SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) and the Military Health Systems (MHS) is conducting market research to determine whether a commercial program is available to meet Agency requirements for healthy lifestyle prevention initiatives.
- Notice Date
- 1/13/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, ATTN: MCMR-AAA, 820 Chandler Street, Frederick, MD 21702-5014
- ZIP Code
- 21702-5014
- Solicitation Number
- HEALTHYLIFESTYLE
- Response Due
- 2/1/2005
- Archive Date
- 4/2/2005
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS, IT IS STRICTLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). NEITHER UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS NOR ANY OTHER KINDS OF OFFERS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. No contract will be awarded pur suant to this announcement. This announcement does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued nor will the government pay for any information or action forwarded in response to this announcement. The TMA h as a requirement to evaluate, select, purchase, and oversee a contract that will support healthy lifestyle prevention initiatives. The contractor will have a strong program management component with demonstrated capability to identify and combine, when ap propriate, resources to define, plan, implement and integrate the requirements of the Tobesahol (tobacco, obesity and alcohol) initiatives. The program management portion of the contract would be designed to eliminate redundant administrative costs by cen tralizing oversight, management, monitoring and reporting on each of the three initiatives (tobacco, obesity, and alcohol). The goal of central program management would be cost control and monitoring effectiveness of the three health program initiatives. The Contractor should address the benefits of a single program manager for planning, design management, budgeting, milestone compliance and ongoing operations services. The contractor should identify how it will be possible to maintain timely communicati ons, anticipate project risks, develop contingency plans, and keep their strategy to keep Tobesahol projects within budget and on target for successful reporting and completion. Throughout the course of the tobacco and obesity demonstrations or the alcoho l prevention study the program management component will regularly communicate current information and accurate status of program initiatives to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, TRICARE Management Activity. These initiatives include: 1. A four-state demo nstration project providing non-AD DoD beneficiaries over age 13 with a self-reported BMI greater than 25 access to either a commercially purchased interactive internet behavioral weight loss program or telephone behavioral support in conjunction with a we ight loss manual. 2. A commercial program that will provide a four state demonstration project that executes a proactive DoD-sponsored 1-800 Number Quitline for Tobacco Cessation. 3. A commercial program that will provide an eight base/installation web-bas ed alcohol prevention education demonstration project. While the goal of each of the initiatives is to prevent and reduce unhealthy lifestyle choices, each initiative has specific program requirements. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to determine all interested and available vendors capab le of supporting the initiatives identified. In response to this RFI, clearly describe your companys products, professional services, and support capabilities to fullfill the following requirement in its entirety. Obesity 1.Provide access to an internet on-line weight-management support program to non-Active Duty Prime-enrolled beneficiaries over age 13 with a self-reported BMI greater than 25 residing within four identified states (Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Minnesota). 2.Provide a web-site that will specifically include: A.Personalized assessment of food preferences, BMI, goals, barriers to healthy eating and physical activity, eating triggers, stressors, and psychological factors that may impact emotional eating. B.Access to an assigned registered dietician as a personal counselor who responds to inbound e-mail within 90 minutes during business hours, and responds to non-business hour e-mail during the next business day. C.Access to an internet library of articles or resource materials on diet/nutrition, fitness, motivation, stress management, and fitness and nutrition for kids. D.Weigh t loss support tools including: a. BMI calculator b. Food diary c. Fitness diary E.Customized meal plans including recipes and shopping lists. F.Customized fitness plans scaled for beneficiary fitness levels and activity preferences. G.Community support through an on-line chat forum, and or weight-loss buddy system. 3.Provide registered dieticians, behavioral health professionals, and exercise physiologists as consultants that will be involved in program design. Provide for eligible beneficiaries who do not have internet access or who prefer telephone counseling, outbound telephone support from an assigned registered dietician will recreate as much of the web-based program as possible, using a hardcopy weight loss manual and/or selected mail-out information with similar educational, weight management tools, recipe, and meal planning content. Dieticians must respond to in-bound calls within the same time limits as set for inbound e-mail. 4.Ensure eligible beneficiaries receive notification of the demonstration project through a targeted mailing to Prime beneficiaries. 5.Conduct an average of 4 live informational kick-off meetings in each of the 4 demonstration states to provide interested beneficiaries with information on the program and the use of the web or telephone services. For beneficiaries unable to attend kic k-off meetings, a detailed orientation to the program must be available by mail, telephone or on the internet. 6.Have telephone or internet counselors who are working with TRICARE beneficiaries through the demonstration project to provide information on weight loss medication (Meridia or Xenical) with customers who meet National Heart Lung and Blood Institute crite ria for pharmachotherapy after 6 months, and that will refer interested customers to their PCMs for additional counseling and a prescription, if appropriate. Information must be provided on the use of MTF pharmacies and/or the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy to obtain weight loss medication covered under this project. 7.Collect demographic and outcome information regarding the TRICARE demonstration participants at regular intervals to be specified by the Government. Alcohol 1.To demonstrate the efficacy of the web-based alcohol prevention education program over Service-level programs alone, participants must be assigned between Service-level programs with and without the web-based alcohol prevention education requirement. Th is study design must require a pre- and post-assessment and follow-up with both groups (with and without exposure to web-based tool) of participants. 2.Collect on-line intake data (at the time the participant takes the course) and outtake data (three or six months to one year following course completion) for evaluation purposes. Intake data would include questions regarding demographics, alcohol consum ption/high risk behavior, and attitudes regarding alcohol consumptions prior to participating in the course. Outtake data would include questions regarding current (three or six months to one year later) alcohol consumption, high risk behavior, and attitu des regarding alcohol consumption. 3.Provide an overview or synopsis of the educational and assessment content of a web-based Alcohol Prevention Education tool. 4.Provide a Web-based tool that will be accessible to participants 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 5.Make available a web-based alcohol prevention education tool that offers a personalized interactive program developed with input from qualified substance abuse personnel. Specifically, this program will include; a.pre-assessment b.various educational modules and exercises c.final exam to evaluate learning d.post-assessments that would require follow-up possibly at 3, 6 and/or 12 month intervals e.e-mail support for questions and feedback within 24 hours of original message. 6.Collaborate with Service specified base/installation commanders/leaders to recr uit project participants and educate them on the specifics of the project. 7.Collect information regarding the participants in the program and the outcomes of the program at regular intervals to be specified by the Government. 8.Ensure study protocols meet DoD or Service-level Institutional Review Board(s) requirements. Tobacco 1.Manage a commercial program that will provide a four state demonstration project that executes a proactive DoD-sponsored 1-800 Number Quitline for Tobacco Cessation. 2.Provide a proactive DoD-sponsored 1-800 Number Tobacco Quitline that will be available to all eligible beneficiaries residing within non-catchment areas of the identified four states (Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, and Minnesota). The Quitline will be acces sible to DoD beneficiaries 16 hours per day, 7 days per week. 3.Provide a Quitline that will be reflective of services that are available through state-sponsored programs. 4.Offer a high intensity service that will involve ninety minutes, in total, of pre-scheduled telephone counseling with trained and experienced tobacco cessation counselors. 5.Make available a web-based online cessation program that offers a personalized interactive program. Specifically, this program will include: a.a behavior modification program b.a support community that is moderated by trained professionals c.instant messaging technology d.e-mail support for questions and feedback; with responses required within 36 hours of original message 6.Ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive notification of the demonstration project and are educated on the specifics of the project. 7.Collect information regarding the participants in the program and the outcomes of the program at regular intervals to be specified by the Government. At this time, questions concerning the composition and requirements of the future RFP, as well as those regarding the nature of the services to be performed under the TRICARE healthy lifestyle prevention initiatives will not be entertained. The competitio n for the award of the TRICARE requirement is expected to be conducted under full and open procedures; however, the contracting officer reserves the right to set-aside awards to GSA holders and/or small businesses, if appropriate conditions exist.
- Place of Performance
- Address: US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity ATTN: MCMR-AAA, 820 Chandler Street Frederick MD
- Zip Code: 21702-5014
- Country: US
- Zip Code: 21702-5014
- Record
- SN00734692-W 20050115/050113212158 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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