SOURCES SOUGHT
G -- Provide Community based residential care services
- Notice Date
- 4/5/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 624221
— Temporary Shelters
- Contracting Office
- Department of Veterans Affairs;North Texas Veterans Health Care Center;4500 S. Lancaster Road;Dallas TX 75216
- ZIP Code
- 75216
- Solicitation Number
- VA-257-10-RI-0169
- Response Due
- 4/12/2010
- Archive Date
- 6/11/2010
- Point of Contact
- Rita Anderson
- E-Mail Address
-
Contract Specialist
(Rita.Anderson@va.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The VA North Texas Health Care System, 4500 S. Lancaster Road, Dallas, TX, 75216 is seeking sources capable of providing Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program services as listed in the statement of work listed below. Companies capable of providing these services must respond in writing to the attention of the Contracting Officer listed in this announcement. (Rita.Anderson@va.gov) by 12:00 noon, local time, April 12, 2010. Responses must also provide their business size (large, small, 8a, hub-zone, woman-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, veteran-owned small business). Facility must be already established and ready to received residents. This announcement is a request for information only; a solicitation will be issued at a later date.STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) 1.BACKGROUND Through Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program (HCHV), the VA provides case management services to Veterans and facilitates their access to a broad range of medical, mental health and rehabilitative services. HCHV's goal is to engage homeless Veterans in treatment and place them in a safe and secure environment that supports their rehabilitation goals. The HCHV Program, an essential and critical part of the Veteran's Health Administration (VHA), is vital for providing a gateway to VA and community supportive services for eligible Veterans who are homeless. The HCHV Contract Residential Treatment Program for homeless Veterans diagnosed with mental illness is a vital program focused on addressing the needs of the most vulnerable and at risk homeless Veterans. Ensuring that Veterans with serious mental health and medical diagnoses can be placed in community-based programs which provide quality housing and services that meet the needs of this special population is a particular focus of the HCHV program. The purpose of this RFQ is to engage a community provider (contractor) who will provide emergency housing for up to 50 Veterans along with services consistent HCHV program objectives. The goal of this contract is to remove homeless Veterans from the street or habitation unfit for Veterans and place them in community-based, residential environments. 2.REQUIREMENTS/SCOPE OF WORK The Contractor shall be expected to provide rapid residential placement that enhances the stability of Veterans served by HCHV. Specific tasks are as follows: 2.1.Contractor shall have existing programs and facilities within Dallas, Texas, Ft. Worth, Texas, Sherman, Texas Limits that are fully operational and can start providing services within 15 days of contract award. 2.2.Contractor will be responsible for providing sufficient residential capacity to place up to 50 Veterans in safe community-based residences. Suitable residential placement generally requires: "Sufficient personnel to assure security "Staffing available on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week "3 healthy meals per day "Laundry facilities available for Veteran to do their own laundry "The ability to place a Veteran on the same day of a referral from HCHV staff or COTR. "Hygiene products to include wash cloths, soap, feminine products, deodorant, toothpaste, and tooth brush shall be made accessible to veterans. "Transportation to VA Medical appointments or vouchers for use of public transit. 2.3.Contractor will be responsible for planning and coordinating all activities associated with providing safe and appropriate residential care. This includes, but is not limited to, the elements described in the preceding paragraph. Any associated expenses should be included within the Contractor proposal and not be billed as additional charges. 2.4.Contractor shall offer supportive services to Veterans that will provide assistance to them during their contract residential stay. These services will continue throughout their authorized stay, generally not to exceed 90 days. The goal of these services is to stabilize and prepare the Veteran for referral to appropriate transitional or permanent housing. Therapeutic, rehabilitative, and recovery services determined to be needed by the individual resident in a plan developed by the contractor in consultation with the Veteran and the VA case manager and/or other appropriate VA staff. Services which the contractor must be able to furnish include: 2.4.1.Structured group activities as appropriate. Examples include group therapy, social skills training, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, vocational counseling and physical activities. 2.4.2.Collaboration with appropriate VA staff to insure linkages to and provision of supportive psychosocial services. 2.4.3.Assistance to develop responsible living patterns and to achieve a more adaptive level of psychosocial functioning, improved social skills and improved personal relationships. 2.4.4.Support for an alcohol/drug abuse-free lifestyle. 2.4.5.Assistance to gain and apply knowledge of the illness/recovery process. 2.4.6.Individual professional counseling, including counseling on self care skills, adaptive coping skills and as appropriate vocational rehabilitation counseling in collaboration with VA program and community resources. 2.4.7.Specialized individual and group support addressing the needs of the frail, elderly Veteran. 2.4.8.Specialized individual and group support addressing the needs of Veterans with complex medical and mental health diagnoses. 2.4.9.Contractor shall possess the ability to assess and respond to a Veteran in crisis and will create an environment conducive to medical and mental health recovery as needed. 2.5.Contractor is expected to develop treatment and preliminary discharge goals within 72 business hours of Veteran's admission to the program and provide to COTR for review. 2.6.Contractor is expected to provide COTR with regular reports on changes in Veteran's status, including all changes and observations concerning the Veteran's biopsychosocial needs. 2.7.COTR shall be notified within 12 hours of the death or prolonged unauthorized absence of more than 6 hours of a Veteran placed in facility. 2.8. Appetizing, nutritionally adequate meals are provided in a setting, which encourages social interaction and nutritious snacks between meals and bedtime are available for those requiring or desiring additional food, when it is not medically contraindicated. The addition of nutritious snacks to the requirements for room and board is particularly indicated for homeless patients. Many of these patients are either undernourished or have developed poor eating habits or both, because of their chronic psychiatric disorder, including alcohol/drug abuse behaviors. The local VA Medical Center dietitian may consult with the initial inspection team and the team making subsequent assessments, in evaluating not only the printed menus but also the patients' satisfaction with meals and the actual consumption of food offered. \ 2.9.The facility will not accept food stamps or welfare from veterans. 3.PERSONNEL 3.1. Contractor will provide a detailed staffing and service plan. This staffing plan should indicate the level, licensure, education, and qualifications of onsite staff, level of medical, mental health and emergency oversite, and the ability to provide enhanced program support to identified Veteran groups. 3.2. The contractor will collaborate with the VA program staff, which will monitor the development of treatment and discharge planning reflecting a team assessment of health, psychosocial and vocational/fiscal needs, and the involvement of appropriate community resources in resolving problems and setting goals. 3.3.Staff behavior and interaction with residents convey an attitude of genuine concern and caring. 3.4.Contractor shall conduct background checks on employees, keep on file at facility, and furnish copies to VA Contracting Officer. 4.HOLIDAYS: Contractor shall provide patient service for veteran beneficiaries as requested Sunday through Saturday recognized Federal Holidays (see below). (1)New Years (2)Martin Luther King's Birthday (3)President's Day (4)Memorial Day (5)Independence Day (6)Labor Day (7)Columbus Day (8)Veterans Day (9)Thanksgiving Day (10)Christmas Day 5.REPORTING AND DOCUMENTATION 5.1.Contractor shall be responsible for providing VA with status reports demonstrating that placement and support service objectives are being met throughout the contract period and length of stay of each Veteran. Status reports shall begin one month from contact award and due monthly thereafter on the 1st of each month unless the 1st is a holiday, in which case it shall be due the next business day. 5.2.Documentation includes compliance with paperwork required as a part of the VA's performance monitoring efforts. (e.g.: Daily bed status reports submitted weekly, and also monthly veteran treatment status summaries submitted on the 1st of the month, or the next business day if this falls on a holiday). 5.3.VA intends to conduct both periodic fiscal and performance reviews of the selected Contractor at the discretion of the COTR or VA Staff. 6.ABSENCES AND CANCELLATION 6.1. The contractor shall notify the authorizing VA of absences from the facility. Absences of the patient from the facility in excess of forty-eight (48) hours will not be reimbursable except those with the prior approval of the VA facility coordinator. Should a patient referred to a residential treatment facility, absent himself/herself in an unauthorized manner payment for services for that veteran to the contract facility would be continued for a maximum period of two days provided there is an active outreach attempt on the part of the contract facility staff to return the veteran to the residential treatment program and a strong likelihood that the patient will return. Management of program dropout will be an element of quality assurance review of this program. 6.2.It is understood that the beneficiary may be provided facility care at the expense of the VA for a period not to exceed of that stated in the length of treatment plan contracted, unless an extension of the authorization is provided in writing by the VA. 6.3.VA reserved the right to remove any or all patients from the facility at any time without additional cost, when it is determined to be in the best interest of the VA or the patient. 6.4.Length of stay at VA cost will be initially authorized for 30 to 60 days and NTE 90 days, depending upon the needs of the patient as mutually determined by the patient, the residential treatment staff, and VA HCHV Treatment Staff. 7.COMPLAINTS HANDLING The COTR shall monitor the service provided. Contractor shall cooperate with the COTR in providing information and answering questions in a timely manner when requested. Contractor shall refer complaints received directly from the customer(s) to the COTR. All complaints received by the COTR and forwarded to the Contractor shall be investigated promptly. After investigation and disposition, Contractor shall respond to the COTR within five (5) working days after receipt by the Contractor. 8.INFECTION CONTROL REQUIREMENTS Tests shall be current within the past year. 8.1.Tuberculosis Testing - All contractor personnel shall provide documentation of a Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) test performed within the past year. In case of a past positive PPD test, a negative chest radiographic report to rule out active tuberculosis shall be provided. The PPD test shall be repeated annually. 8.2.OSHA Regulation Concerning Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens - The contractor shall provide training or a self-study training module to its personnel; provide Hepatitis B vaccination series at no cost to its personnel who elect to receive it; maintain and distribute an exposure determination and control plan to its personnel; maintain required records; and ensure that proper follow-up evaluation is provided following an exposure incident. Contractor shall provide documentation that the employee(s) have received the Hepatitis B vaccination series or that the employee(s) declined to receive the series. 8.3.VA shall notify the Contractor of any significant communicable disease exposures to its employees as appropriate. The Contractor's occupational health provider shall adhere to current CDC/HICPAC Guideline for Infection Control in health care personnel (AJIC 1998; 26:289-354) for disease control. If the employees of the contracting agency suffer a communicable disease, the Contractor shall provide follow up documentation of employee's clearance to return to the workplace prior to their return. 9.CONFIDENTIALITY OF PATIENT RECORDS 9.1. The Contractor is a VA contractor and shall assist in the provision of health care to patients seeking such care from or through VA. As such, the Contractor is considered as being part of the Department health care activity. Contractor is considered to be a VA contractor for purposes of the Privacy Act, Title 5 U.S.C. 552a. Further, for the purpose of VA records access and patient confidentiality, Contractor is considered to be a VA contractor for the following provisions: Title 38 U.S.C. 5701, 5705, and 7362. Therefore, Contractor may have access, as would other appropriate components of VA, to patient medical records including patient treatment records pertaining to drug and alcohol abuse, HIV, and sickle cell anemia, to the extent necessary to perform its contractual responsibilities. However, like other components of the Department, and notwithstanding any other provisions of the contract, the Contractor is restricted from making disclosures of VA records, or information contained in such records, to which it may have access, except to the extent that explicit disclosure authority from VA has been received. The Contractor is subject to the same penalties and liabilities for unauthorized disclosures of such records as VA. 9.2.The records referred to above shall be and remain the property of VA and shall not be removed or transferred from VA except in accordance with U.S.C.551a (Privacy Act), 38 U.S.C. 5701 (Confidentiality of claimants records), 5 U.S.C. 552 (FOIA), 38 U.S.C. 5705 (Confidentiality of Medical Quality Assurance Records) 38 U.S.C. 7332 (Confidentiality of certain medical records) and federal laws, rules and regulations. Subject to applicable federal confidentiality or privacy laws, the Contractor, or their designated representatives, and designated representatives of federal regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over Contractor, may have access to VA 's records, at VA's place of business on request during normal business hours, to inspect and review and make copies of such records. 10. TORT CLAIMS. 10.1 Contractor employees are not covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act. When a Contractor employee has been identified as a provider in a tort claim, the Contractor employee is responsible for notifying the Contractor's legal counsel and/or insurance carrier. Any settlement or judgment arising from a Contractor employee's action or non-action is the responsibility of the Contractor and/or insurance carrier. 10. PAYMENTS. 10.1. Payment to the Contractor shall be paid monthly, in arrears, upon receipt of a properly prepared invoice. Payment for any leave, including sick leave, holiday, or vacation time, shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. VA will pay for actual days. 10.2. Contractor employee(s) shall be actually performing the services specified in the contract in order to receive reimbursement. 10.3. The Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Service Center (FSC) is the designated agency office for invoice receipt in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act (5 CFR Part 1315). FSC or its designated representative may contact the vendor to provide specific instructions for electronic submission of invoices. The vendor shall be responsible for any associated expenses. FSC may utilize third-party Contractors to facilitate invoice processing. Prior to contact by FSC or its designated representative for electronic invoicing submissions, the vendor shall continue to submit all invoices to FSC at the mailing address below: Payment Address: Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center P.O. Box 149971 Austin, TX 78714-8971 10.4. Billings rendered by the Contractor to the Program Office for services furnished under the terms of this contract shall be billings in full. Neither the beneficiary his insurer, nor any third party shall be billed. NOTE: Invoices for payment may be rejected if all information required by FAR Clause 52.212-4(g) is not included. Invoices shall include the following information to be considered valid for payment. Invoices without the required information will be returned: "Vendor name, invoice number and date "Complete purchase order number assigned by the VA facility "Name of provider, number of days "Total dollar amount of invoice
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