Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 FBO #4320
DOCUMENT

G -- Safe Haven Model RFI - Attachment

Notice Date

9/20/2013
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

624229 — Other Community Housing Services
 

Contracting Office

Great Lakes Acquisition Center (GLAC);Department of Veterans Affairs;115 S 84th Street, Suite 101;Milwaukee WI 53214-1476
 

ZIP Code

53214-1476
 

Solicitation Number

VA69D13I2192
 

Response Due

11/4/2013
 

Archive Date

11/11/2013
 

Point of Contact

Thomas H Chesak
 

E-Mail Address

4-4802<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

Safe Haven Model Request for Information VA69D-13-I-2192 The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. Please do not submit a proposal in response to this RFI. Important information: The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this RFI. Any documents or samples provided in response to this RFI shall remain the property of the Government and will not be returned to the contractor. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. Overview: The Great Lakes Acquisition Center is seeking information from housing facilities in the Edward J. Hines VA Hospital catchment area, which includes the following counties in Illinois: Cook, Du Page, Kane, DeKalb, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Will, and Kankakee. The intent of this Request for Information is to seek facilities for the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital (Hines VA), to engage a community provider to offer homeless Veterans services through a "Safe Haven" model of residential care. Under the contract authority of VA's Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Contract Residential Care programs, Hines VA will solicit community organizations to provide "Safe Haven" services as a 'specialty model.' This model of HCHV Contract Residential Care will offer services to Mentally Ill and Substance Use Disorder chronically street homeless Veterans under the HCHV Contract Residential Care program enhanced by the services as defined in the Tasks and Deliverables. These services must be put forth in the solicitation. Significant deviation from these services can dilute the model as prescribed, and thus disrupt program evaluation and fidelity studies. The VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans ("the Center") is providing ongoing training for program development for both providers and VA staff. Additionally, the Center has formulated the evaluation protocol and program fidelity measures which must be adhered to by the selected Contractor and Hines VA. Hines VA will contract for 10 to 12 occupied beds and associated services through procedures in line with their own business practices and contracting services. The following Performance Work Statement details the specific VA requirement: This task order is intended for a community based Contractor currently operating a housing program with on-site supportive services and demonstrated experience serving chronically street homeless individuals. This task order provides supplemental funding for Veterans to receive immediate placement and enhanced on-site services designed to address Veterans' unique and population specific needs. The selected Contractor shall have at least one (1) year of direct experience working with the chronically homeless population. VA places a great deal of emphasis on the responsibility and accountability of Contractors receiving VA funds through the HCHV Contract Residential Care program. VA has procedures in place to monitor facilities and services provided to homeless Veterans as well as outcomes associated with the services provided in HCHV Contract Residential Care programs and the Safe Haven model programs. The target population for HCHV Contract Residential Care Safe Haven is chronically homeless, chronically mentally ill Veterans, Veterans with chronic substance abuse disorders and/or serious medical problems and complex needs. To be eligible for the HCHV Contract Residential Care Safe Haven program, Veterans must: "Be eligible for VA health care as determined by the local VA medical center "Be determined to be chronically street homeless based on McKinney-Vento Act definitions by the local VA medical center HCHV program "Be assessed by the HCHV program at the VA medical center to have serious medical, mental health, substance abuse, or other serious psychosocial conditions or stressors that makes the Veteran highly vulnerable with a high likelihood of death due to homelessness, and have been unable or unwilling to participate in more traditional supportive services. HCHV Contract Residential Care Safe Haven Veterans are referred to the Contractor based on a demonstrated need for case management and supportive services to stabilize their mental health, substance abuse, medical and/or other co-occurring serious psychosocial issues in order to secure transitional or permanent housing as quickly as possible. The program will target Veterans who are engaged in care through a collaborative partnership with Hines VA, the community providers street outreach teams and the selected Safe Haven provider. This task order will only be awarded to one Contractor with a facility in the Hines catchment area that meets the requirements outlined in the Tasks and Deliverables. A VA Liaison to the Contractor will be identified by the homeless program leadership at Hines VA. She/he will act as the clinical liaison for all client related issues between the Contractor and the Hines VA homeless team. She/he will provide clinical oversight. She/he will not provide direct clinical supervision. Contractor shall have general liability insurance coverage of $1 Million to cover employee malfeasance. A.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance for this task order shall be for a Base Year plus four (4) Option Years at the best interest of the government. B.CONTRACT TYPE: Requirements. C.PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Work shall be performed at the Contractor's facility in the Hines catchment area, Government furnished workspace will not be provided for this effort. However, the Contractor shall be required to attend frequent meetings and planning sessions at Hines VA. D.HINES CATCHMENT AREA: is the following counties in Illinois: Cook, Du Page, Kane, DeKalb, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Will, and Kankakee http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mrhalliday.com/gbhalliday/Genealogywebpg/Hommerding/ILCounties.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mrhalliday.com/gbhalliday/Genealogywebpg/Hommerding/Chap7Illinois.htm&h=326&w=436&sz=49&tbnid=b6jlUTnYABuyOM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dnorthern%2Billinois%2Bcounties%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=northern+illinois+counties&usg=__Rr34nDOS76fHbXyu6k1MjXoj7Co=&docid=kk7RFXppggm6OM&sa=X&ei=RDIqUpXmAoHc2gX4voCIDA&sqi=2&ved=0CDQQ9QEwAw&dur=0 E.CONTRACT AWARD MEETING: The Contractor shall not commence performance on the tasks in the awarded Statement of Work until the Contracting Officer has conducted a kick off meeting or has advised the Contractor that a kick off meeting is waived. F.GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY: Government furnished property will not be provided to the Contractor. All equipment required by the Contractor shall be provided at their expense. G.METHOD OF INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE: The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) will evaluate all deliverables submitted. The COR is responsible for certifying invoices for payment only for deliverables received and deemed acceptable by the COR. A Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan will be used by the COR to assure success, through the uses of negative incentives, for failure of the vendor to meet the stated performance standards. Implementation Timeline The contract facility and associated onsite services shall pass inspection and become fully operational within 90 days from the date of contract award. Failure to meet the 90-day milestone may result in the task order being terminated. Contractor shall demonstrate successful completion of the following tasks, validated by VA inspection, prior to receiving Veteran referrals and invoicing for payment: TaskTimeline Demonstrate site controlAt the time of proposal submission Complete a pre-award inspection of the facility and on-site services conducted by HCHV clinical staff and VA fire and safety officials. Items requiring corrective action will be communicated to the Contractor in writing within 1 week after the inspection.Within 30 days of proposal submission Complete the abatement of all corrective action items and pass VA inspection Within 90 days after the pre-award inspection. Identify all staff required per the Statement of Work and have in place and available to provide the full range of case management and onsite services to Veterans Within 90 days after the contract award. Tasks & Deliverables I.Emergency Housing Facilities and Management A.Contractor shall have site control of the housing facility through ownership or valid lease. B.Contractor shall ensure that the facility used for this task order meets fire and safety code imposed by the State law, and the Life Safety Code of the National Fire and Protection Association. It is important to note that typically the Life Safety Code is more stringent than local or state codes. No additional funds will be made available for capital improvements under this Task Order. The contractor must pass a VA full facility inspection, prior to Contractor being awarded the Task Order. http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/CertificationandComplianc/LSC.html C.Contractor shall ensure that the facility used for this task order meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines for accessible accommodations for Veterans with physical limitations or impairments. This is also referred to as "Architectural Barriers Act compliant." No additional funds will be made available for capital improvements under this contract. At least 5% - 7% of a facility's HCHV Contract Residential Care beds shall meet ADA accessibility requirements, to include entrances/exits, bathroom facilities, and common areas. For example, if a Contractor has 10 beds for the HCHV Contract Residential Care program in the facility, 1 to 2 of those beds shall be accessible to Veterans with physical limitations or impairments. Veterans must not be segregated from the rest of the facility due to physical disability; they must have full access to the physical facility as well as to the services and supports at the facility. If a Contractor determines that complying with ADA requirements would be prohibitive due to significant renovations or modernization at their facility, an interagency agreement with another emergency housing provider that meets the ADA requirements can be used provided the second emergency housing provider is able to meet all of the same facilities requirements as required by the task order Contractors utilizing an interagency agreement shall also have written policies and procedures that clearly describe how comparable on-site services will be provided by the Contractor to Veterans residing in an interagency agreement facility. The Contractor shall retain full responsibility for meeting the terms of the Task Order for facilities and on-site services when utilizing an interagency agreement to meet ADA requirements. D.Contractor facility shall be licensed as required for the particular setting under State or Federal authority, and shall meet all applicable local, state, and Federal requirements concerning licensing and health codes. Copies of valid licenses shall be provided to the VA at the time of pre-inspection and during annual inspection reviews. Where applicable, the facility shall have a current occupancy permit issued by the authority having jurisdiction. E.The Contractor providing Safe Haven housing and supportive services to female Veterans under this task order shall ensure the safety and privacy of these Veterans. Men and women shall have separate bathroom facilities. The facility shall have female residential rooms or sections that are securely segregated or restricted from men to ensure safety and privacy. F.Contractor shall provide a safe and sober environment for all residents that is consistent with the Safe Haven Model of housing and services. The Contractor shall offer a low-demand environment with a minimum set of rules designed to re-establish trust in the chronically homeless Veteran and engage the Veteran in needed treatment services. Contractor shall have written policies and procedures in place that address the following concerns and situations: a.Acceptance of treatment cannot be a condition of admission or continued stay. b.Abstinence from alcohol or drugs cannot be a condition of treatment or continued stay. c.Infractions of rules should be used as opportunities for engagement. d.Suspected or known drug or alcohol use or relapse by one or more residents and interventions based on the Safe Haven model. e.On-site contraband, weapons, drug or alcohol related paraphernalia (i.e., found alcohol, drugs, drug "works", etc.) and interventions based on the Safe Haven model. f.Safe prescription medication storage and handling, including specific provisions for prescribed controlled substances. g.Room inspections, including methods and frequency. h.Grievance process to address resident complaints with time frames for responses from the Contractor's program/facility management. i.Client abandonment of belongings in the facility, including time frames and procedures for disposal. j.Process to elicit client satisfaction with the facility and onsite services, including information collection methods and frequency, and process for utilizing the information for continual performance improvement purposes. These policies and procedures shall be communicated to Veteran residents both verbally and in writing in a manner that is understandable to them upon admission to the facility. This communication shall be documented in the Veteran's client record. G.House rules and expectations shall be kept to a minimum, be simple, and should focus on safety of the residents. Most residents will have had difficulty in the past adhering to settings where strict rules are applied. The rules should reward positive behavior, be enforceable, relate to the living situation, provide for safety of the residents and provide opportunities for engagement. Residents shall not be discharged for the use of alcohol or drugs, as many of the residents that this program will target have failed programs in the past for their inability to stay clean and sober. Maintaining housing stability shall be the primary goal for each resident. To provide for the safety of the residents, the Contractor shall have written policies and procedures in place that clearly indicate the following are prohibited: a.Dealing or use of illicit drugs at the facility b.Buying or selling of alcohol or drugs in the facility c.Sexual activity between residents d.Violence or threat of violence by residents at the facility Although rules must be kept simple and demands on the residents low, it is required that staff at the facility shall stay continuously engaged with the residents. Policies and procedures shall reflect that: a.Regular room checks should occur with a strong focus on maintaining a safe environment that promotes the well-being of all residents. b.Staff is trained in providing flexible, respectful responses to infractions of rules. c.Staff is trained in using Evidence Based Practices such as Harm Reduction and Motivational Interviewing. d.Homeless Veterans will not be discharged for drinking, use of drugs, non-compliance with prescribed medication or infractions of house rules that do not constitute a risk to their personal safety or the safety of the facility residents or staff. e.Assertive engagement by the staff with patients regarding these problems is the preferred course of action to deal with these common problems of the Safe Haven facility. H.Contractor shall provide the following to Veterans referred and admitted to the HCHV Contract Residential Care facility: a.A designated bed that is used exclusively by the individual Veteran from the time of admission to the time of discharge. This bed must be situated in a room that affords the Veteran safety, privacy and security. b.A safe and secure place for each Veteran to store his/her belongings that is readily accessible to the Veteran (such as a locking closet, a locking armoire, a locker, etc.). c.Laundry facilities for Veterans to do their own laundry free of charge. I.Contractor shall provide a clean and comfortable environment of care that meets the following conditions: a.A structurally sound facility so as not to pose any threat to the health and safety of the occupants and so as to protect them from the elements b.Facility entries and exit locations that are capable of being utilized without unauthorized use and provide alternate means of egress in case of fire c.Provides each resident an acceptable place to sleep that is in compliance with appropriate codes and regulations d.Provides every room or space with natural or mechanical ventilation e.Is free of pollutants in the air at levels that threaten the health of residents f.Provides a water supply that is free from contamination g.Provides sufficient sanitary facilities to residents that are in proper operational condition, may be used in privacy, and are adequate for personal cleanliness and the disposal of human waste h.Provides adequate heating and or cooling that are in proper operating condition i.Provides adequate natural or artificial illumination to permit normal indoor activities and to support the health and safety of residents j.Provides sufficient electrical sources to permit use of essential electrical appliance while assuring safety from fire k.Provides that housing and equipment are maintained in a sanitary manner free from pests, insects and vermin It is the Contractor's responsibility to maintain a clean and comfortable environment of care that meets these conditions. No additional funds will be made available for capital improvements under this task order in the event corrective action is required to remedy a negative condition. For example, the Contractor would be responsible for alleviating a bed bug infestation by hiring an exterminator at its own expense. Contractors shall ensure that they have sufficient operating funds in addition to VA funding to maintain the facility according to the requirements of the task order. J.The Contractor shall provide designated onsite office space to a VA Liaison from Hines VA. The office space shall afford the VA Liaison and Veterans privacy and confidentiality when meeting. The VA Liaison will be onsite at the Contractor facility a minimum of one (1) time per week in keeping with VA model development program expectations. K.Contractor shall provide appetizing, nutritionally meals three times per day in a setting that encourages social interaction. Nutritious snacks between meals and at bedtime shall be available for those requiring or desiring additional food, when it is not medically contraindicated. All food shall be stored, handled and served in a safe and sanitary manner that meets accepted industry standards and guidelines. The VA has particular concern for chronically homeless Veterans, many of whom are either undernourished or have developed poor eating habits or both, because of chronic medical, mental health or substance abuse disorders. A VA dietitian will assess printed menus as well as Veterans' satisfaction with meals and the actual consumption of food offered in determining the Contractor's success in meeting this requirement during annual facility inspections or at any point during the task order period. L.Contractor must provide internal and external Safety and Security methods and procedures for all staff and Veterans in the Safe Have Project. In contracting housing, Safety and Security must be addressed minimally by: a.Security staff or system onsite 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Identified security measures must be sufficient to ensure a safe and secure environment for all residents. b.Secured, monitored entry into the facility. c.Room searches to ensure that contraband is not in the facility. d.Operational cameras in common areas and at the entrance for better monitoring especially at night. e.Contract with a servicing company to ensure security equipment failures are fixed. f.Written procedures on security taping, monitoring and violations. g.Sufficient lighting outdoors and around external perimeter of the facility. M.Contractor shall allow VA staff to inspect the facility and/or review Veteran participant treatment protocols at any time determined necessary by VA. II.Staffing and Supportive Services A.The Contractor shall employ sufficient professional health care personnel to carry out the policies, responsibilities, and programs of the facility. In contract housing, there shall be, as a minimum: a.A full-time administrative staff member on duty or residing at the residence and available for emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Note: security staff alone, whether employed directly by the Contractor or subcontracted by the Contractor, is not sufficient to meet this requirement. b.A Director of the program and/or facility on call and available for emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. c.A professionally credentialed clinical supervisor available to make regular onsite visits and provide ongoing supervision of cases to case management personnel. The clinical supervisor must be on call and available for emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. d.Sufficient case management personnel to provide the necessary therapeutic interventions and activities and to ensure a meaningful integration of these efforts with those provided in the residential setting. Case managers must have training and experience working with homeless individuals with chronic medical, metal health and substance abuse problems and be able to assess and anticipate crises. Each Veteran must have an assigned case manager responsible for coordinating and providing the supportive services specified in the contract. e.At least one staff or security member with Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification on site and available in an emergency during each shift, 24 hours per day. B.Contractor shall participate in on-line and/or face-to-face training on the basic Low Demand/Safe Haven model through the VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans (the Center) as requested. Introduction to and training on the following evidence-based practices may include with the training: " Motivational Interviewing " Harm Reduction C.Contractor staff shall maintain professional boundaries with the Veterans at all times while conveying an attitude of genuine concern and caring. a.Contractor staff shall under no circumstances engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with Veterans or their family members, whether such contact is consensual or forced. Contractor shall under no circumstances take unfair advantage of any professional relationship or exploit Veteran clients or their family members to further their personal, religious, political, or business interests. Contractor staff shall not engage in dual or multiple relationships with Veterans or their family members in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the Veteran or Veteran family. Contractor shall be responsible for taking steps to protect Veterans and their family members and is responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries. b.The Contractor shall comply with the VA patient's Bill of Rights as set forth in Section 17.34a, Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations. The Contractor is responsible for maintaining Veterans' privacy and confidentiality and must have systems in place that protect Veteran's personal identifying information and protected health information. This includes but is not limited to: http://www.patientadvocate.va.gov/rights.asp. i.Having adequate private office space for Veterans to meet in confidence with their case manager. ii.Having secured paper and electronic filing systems to protect clients' case records and other documentation. iii.Conducting ongoing training of staff about maintaining client privacy and confidentiality in all verbal and written communications and interactions. iv.Ensuring that non-clinical/non-case management facility staff have access to Veteran information only as needed in order to meet the service requirements contained in the contract. D.Outreach will be conducted by the Safe Haven provider and VA homeless outreach staff to optimally engage the target population. Outreach by the provider shall be conducted collaboratively with HCHV staff and target chronically homeless Veterans who have difficulty accepting housing and services from traditional programs. Homeless Veterans with severe mental illness and persistent substance use problems that have not responded to traditional programs and meet the definition of a chronically homeless person are a primary target. For this program, VA will use the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's working definition of a chronically homeless person, who "in general, is an unaccompanied disabled individual who was been continuously homeless for over one year". Engagement with the Veteran should be goal-directed with consistent staff geared toward building trust and getting the Veteran to accept and remain in the Safe Haven residence. Evidence-based practices, such as motivational interviewing and harm reduction, should be utilized. E.Contractors shall communicate policies and procedures to Veteran residents both verbally and in writing in a manner that is understandable to each Veteran upon admission to the facility, ideally in the form of a written resident handbook that is verbally reviewed by the assigned case manager with the Veteran. This communication shall be documented in the Veteran's client record. F.The Contractor shall provide, at minimum, the following case management services to Veterans in the program: a.Engagement of the Veteran in the service planning process. Contractor shall carry responsibility for interviewing, counseling and case managing identified Veterans by conducting psychosocial assessments to identify treatment needs which affect the Veterans' adjustment to their environment, and establish treatment goals. Contractor shall assess the psychosocial and environmental needs or dysfunction secondary to or exacerbating the social, substance or psychiatric problems, which might contribute to Veterans' readjustment challenges in the community. Contractor establishes and maintains an intensive therapeutic relationship with the Veteran, staff, and community programs/agencies, and is responsible for formulating case-management treatment goals and plans that address identified needs, stressors and problems. b.Contractor shall conduct high-risk screening, psychosocial assessment and treatment planning, actively involving the Veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with the team members. Psychosocial assessments will include goals for clinical treatment. Contractor shall coordinate and document clinical case management and psychosocial services and documents the overall effectiveness of the case management services provided. Specifically, Contractor shall: i.Develop a highly individualized Individual Service Plan with the Veteran consistent with low demand program goals; the plan shall specifically include provisions for Veteran placement into an appropriate transitional or permanent housing placement within 60 to 90 days of admission to the HCHV Contract Residential Care facility, but no more than 180 days. The housing placement planning shall take into account all appropriate and available community based housing options as well as the Veteran's preferences regarding location and housing type. The plan shall also be focused on getting the Veteran resident to accept services, especially mental health and substance use services that will allow attainment of transitional or permanent housing. Acceptance of the services offered shall not be a condition of continued stay in Safe Haven. However, engagement and service delivery shall retain the expectation that the resident will advance to permanent housing with support, recognizing that it will often be at his or her own pace. ii.Complete a written plan within the first week of program admission and signed by the Contractor, the Veteran, and the VA Liaison. iii.Review plans at minimum every thirty (30) days thereafter in a clinical meeting with the Veteran. Updated plans must be promptly communicated to the VA Liaison. iv.Make changes in plans in consultation with the Veteran. v.Screen each Veteran for suicidal and homicidal risk with each contact. This screening shall be documented in regular progress notes in the Contractor's clinical service records. If the Veteran is a danger to him/herself or others, Contractor shall take immediate steps to provide appropriate intervention. Crisis management shall be conducted in consultation and coordination with the VA Liaison. vi.Coordinate with VA Liaison during weekly case conferences regarding updates and changes in Veterans' care plans to foster a collaborative relationship with Hines VA and Contractor in meeting Veterans' needs. Case conferencing will be done in person or by telephonic conference calls as determined by Hines VA. vii.Obtain relevant Releases of Information to communicate and coordinate Veterans' treatment with VA and other community based service providers. viii.Work in close collaboration with the VA Liaison to ensure Veterans' connections to needed VA medical, mental health, and substance abuse treatment and care. ix.Contractor shall take primary responsibility for assisting Veterans in completing housing applications and other benefits paperwork as needed. Contractor shall assist Veterans in obtaining the neededdocumentation required for complete applications including but not limited to, birth certificates, driver's licenses, income verification and any additional information required by housing resources and potential income supports. x.Contractor shall assist in providing transportation for Veterans to attend housing interviews, medical appointments, and other appointments at the VA, potential housing placements, benefits agencies, meetings with landlords, etc. Transportation shall include assistance in obtaining train or bus fare, or direct transportation by provider staff. G.The Contractor shall provide the following on or off site therapeutic and rehabilitative services including: a.A variety of daily structured groups and activities to promote social skills building and healthy lifestyle (i.e., resident participation in psychosocial group sessions, topics based upon resident preference and recommendations by the residential treatment setting staff and VA Liaison; physical activities; facilitated outings or social activities in the local community). Daily activity schedules shall be printed and posted in facility common areas to ensure Veteran awareness and promote participation. b.Health and personal hygiene products for self-care c.Medication availability are secured and monitored by facility staff d.Supportive social services, in collaboration with the case managers, VA or other community resources e.Professional counseling as required, including emphasis on self-care skills, adaptive coping skills, vocational counseling, in collaboration with the VA Liaison or community resources as appropriate f.Opportunities for immediate learning and/or development of responsible living with a goal of achieving a more adaptive level of psychosocial functioning; g.Support for an alcohol and/or drug-free lifestyle h.Opportunities for learning, and internalizing knowledge of the illness and/or recovery process; improving social skills; and improving personal relationships i.Opportunities for client participation in community activities, volunteer opportunities, local consumer services, etc. H.Contractor shall notify VA through the VA Liaison at the local VA hospital of any negative incident occurring with a Veteran within 24 hours of being informed or aware of the incident, if not sooner. Contractor shall complete a written incident report within 48 hours of notification. Incidents include but are not limited to: death; fire; drug / police raid; suicide / suicide attempt; 911 call (police / fire dept. / paramedics / other); drug overdose; severe medical illness / emergency; severe psychiatric illness / emergency; sexual assault; act of violence by Veteran against other(s); abusive behavior by Veteran against staff; act of violence by other(s) against Veteran; abusive behavior by staff against Veteran; accident; medication problems or adverse drug reactions; or other untoward events. In the event a Veteran residing in HCHV Contract Residential Care Safe Haven housing under this task order dies, the Contractor shall promptly notify the VA Liaison and immediately assemble, inventory, and safeguard the Veteran's personal effects. The funds, deposits, and effects left by Veterans upon the premises of the facility shall be delivered by the director or manager of the facility to the person or persons entitled thereto under the laws currently governing the facility for making disposition of funds and effects left by Veterans unless the beneficiary died without leaving a will, heirs, or next of kin capable of inheriting. When disposition has been made, the itemized inventory with a notation as to the disposition has been made, they shall be immediately forwarded to the VA Liaison. Property and funds wherever located vests in and becomes property of the United States in trust. In these cases, the facility shall forward an inventory of any such property and funds in its possession to the appropriate VA office and shall hold them (except articles of clothing necessary for proper burial) under safeguard until instructions are received from the VA concerning disposition. SUBSTITUTION OF PERSONNEL A.The Contractor shall utilize the personnel named in its quotation to perform the services required under this task order. In the event that any of the personnel named in the quotation are unable to perform the duties of this task order, for any reason such as death, illness, or resignation from the Contractor's employ, the Contractor shall promptly submit to the Contracting Officer and COR, in writing, a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the substitution. B.The Government will have the right to require replacement of any Contractor or subcontractor employee assigned to work on this contract, if the employee is determined not to possess the experience or ability required under the contract, or if said employee is for any other reason found to be unsuitable to perform the work required by the contract. Any substitution of personnel shall occur without any increase to the contract price and without delay in the performance or delivery of services to the Government. ADMISSIONS, LENGTH OF STAY AND DISCHARGES The goals of the HCHV Contract Residential Care Safe Haven Program are to: "Rapidly stabilize Veterans' medical, mental health, substance abuse and other psychosocial problems by expediting placement of these Veterans into safe, supportive emergency housing. "Place Veterans in other appropriate transitional or permanent housing within 60 to 90 days, but no more than 180 days from the date of admission. A.Veterans will be screened and referred to the Contractor by the VA Liaison. When beds are available, the Contractor shall provide immediate admission to housing and services to these Veterans beyond standard hours of operation. The date of admission shall be approved by the VA Liaison for billing purposes. If a Veteran presents at the facility during weekends, at night, or a holiday, the Safe Haven provider shall accept the Veteran. However, VA staff has the right of approval or disapproval for payment. Engagement of homeless Veterans in the provision of housing placement, treatment and supportive services is a key element of the HCHV Contract Residential Care program. Therefore management of program dropout will be an element of the quality assurance review for this program. B.Although demands are kept minimal in the Low-Demand/Safe Haven setting, expectations shall be kept high regarding the resident utilizing the time to access other residential treatment, transitional or permanent housing settings offered by VA and the community. Continuous engagement shall be directed at helping the resident achieve goals of securing a more permanent setting. Maintaining housing stability shall always be the primary goal. Recognition and rewards shall be provided to help residents achieve these goals. The contractor shall recognize successful Safe Haven Veterans with ceremonies, opportunities to provide peer support to other Veterans as appropriate, and invitations to share their experiences as successful alumni. C.Veterans will ideally be placed in other transitional or permanent housing suitable for the Veteran within 60 to 90 days from the date of admission, but not more than 180 days from the date of admission. Contractors shall not bill per diem for Veterans whose length of stay exceeds 180 days from the date of admission without prior approval from the VA Liaison. The VA Liaison will not approve per diem for lengths of stay exceeding 180 days from the date of admission unless: a.There are extenuating clinical circumstances beyond the Contractor's control that are barriers to the Veteran's placement in housing; and b.There is documented evidence that the Contractor has exhausted every effort to place the Veteran in housing sooner; and c.The VA Liaison has been appropriately advised of these efforts well in advance of the 180 day limit; and d.The VA Liaison concurs that the Veteran will continue to derive therapeutic benefits from a continued stay at the HCHV Contracted Residential Care facility. D.In the event that a Veteran's length of stay exceeds 180 days from the date of admission and there is not approval from the VA Liaison for continued per diem, the Contractor shall retain the responsibility for finding suitable transitional or permanent housing in the community at its own expense. E.Veterans shall be discharged from HCHV Contract Residential Care programs for positive, negative or administrative reasons. The date of discharge shall be approved by the VA Liaison for billing purposes. The Contractor shall provide discharge planning and referrals for each Veteran, regardless of character of discharge from the facility, to appropriate community resources and services based upon a team assessment of health, social and vocational needs and the involvement of Veterans' families as appropriate. Discharges shall be characterized as follows: Successful Discharge - a.) the Veteran has been successfully placed as anticipated in transitional or permanent housing, or reunited with family, and has met the goals of his/her Individual Service Plan within 180 days or less; b.) the Veteran has been successfully placed as anticipated in transitional or permanent housing, or reunited with family, and has met the goals of his/her Individual Service Plan in greater than 180 days from the date of admission and the VA Liaison has approved continuation of per diem payment. Administrative Discharge - the Veteran has been transferred to an alternate level of care with concurrence from the VA Liaison for medical, mental health, or substance abuse treatment to better meet the Veteran's clinical needs. Unsuccessful Discharge - a.) the Veteran has absconded from the facility and his/her whereabouts are unknown; b.) the Veteran has had an episode of violence or has threatened violence against staff or other residents and must be discharged to maintain the safety of the facility; c.) the Veteran has had more than one episode of onsite drug use at the facility, has failed to engage in or accept treatment alternatives, and must be discharged to maintain a safe and sober environment at the facility; d.) the Veteran's length of stay has exceeded 180 days from the date of admission and the VA Liaison has not approved continuation of per diem payment. Unacceptable Discharge - a.) the Veteran is discharged to a homeless shelter or drop in setting after a length of stay greater than seven (7) days from the date of admission unless there is concurrence from the VA Liaison that there is no other alternative due to circumstances beyond the Contractor's control; b.) the Veteran is discharged to the streets at any point in time after the date of admission under any circumstances. F.Performance expectations regarding discharges will be as follows: Type of DischargePerformance ExpectationReview Period Successful discharges50% or greater of all Veterans admitted to the programMonthly Exit Report Administrative dischargesNo more than 15% of all Veterans admitted to the programMonthly Exit Report Unsuccessful dischargesNo more than 35% of all Veterans admitted to the programMonthly Exit Report Unacceptable dischargesZero (0) occurrencesMonthly Exit Report Per Diem, Billing and Payments "Per Diem" means that the VA will pay for the eligible Veteran's stay in a Safe Haven bed and supportive services for each day the Veteran resides at the facility and receives services. The VA also refers to this as "bed days of care." Unless specifically excluded in this task order, the per diem rate established will include the services listed in this document and will also include the services or supplies normally provided to other clients by the facility without extra charge. It is the Contractor's responsibility to have appropriate systems of verification of services in place to justify invoices and payments. The VA can only pay per diem for eligible Veterans (i.e., Veterans whom VA refers to the Contractor, or for whom VA authorizes the provision of services) as determined by the local VA HCHV program. VA pays per diem for each eligible Veteran's exclusive use of a Safe Haven bed within a facility. Therefore, the Contractor shall not bill the VA and the VA will not pay per diem for beds that are used by more than one person at a time, such as in shifts. Contractor shall only bill the VA for bed days of care for Veterans who are actively residing at the facility. In the case of Veteran absences, the following rules will apply: a.Safe Haven residents will be allowed up to two days of absence from the facility per month. The Safe Haven provider shall be expected to hold the bed and shall be reimbursed for the two days of absence. Although absences from the Safe Haven facility are generally discouraged, it is recognized that providing a low demand environment with a goal of achieving housing stability sometimes requires additional flexibility. Under this task order, VA will make per diem payments in a method consistent with VA policy. Payment to Contractor will be made 30 days in arrears from receipt of the invoice. Contractor will be provided with specific invoicing instructions at a post-award kick-off meeting to occur within 30 days of the contract award. All invoices shall be submitted electronically to the COR by the 5th day of the month. Contractor shall submit the invoice to the COR for approval, before submitting the invoice electronically to the Financial Service Center (FSC). III.Records and Reports As VA exercises task order oversight, attention will be directed to the adequacy of Veterans' records. Site visits by VA staff will periodically include a spot check of records to ensure Contractor invoices accurately reflect the Veteran's length of stay. The Contractor shall be responsible for the following onsite records and reports: A.Daily sign-in sheets signed by program Veterans, to document and verify Veterans' presence at the facility for billing purposes. Daily sign-in sheets shall be completed clearly, accurately and thoroughly with full signatures and monitored so as to provide a full accounting of Veterans' stay and services received for billing and audit purposes. In the event one or more Veterans refuses to sign the daily sign-in sheets due to documented mental health problems, an alternative method of verification may be developed on a case by case basis in collaboration with Hines VA, subject to final approval by the COR. B.The Contractor shall maintain an individual clinical record on each Veteran out-placed under this task order. The Contractor must comply with the requirements of the "Confidentiality" of certain medical records (38 USC 7332), and (42 CFR, Part II) when appropriate, and shall be part of the contract. All case records will be maintained with such security and confidentiality as required, and will be made available on a need-to-know basis to appropriate staff members involved with the treatment program of the Veterans concerned. Individual clinical records will contain the following: a.An initial bio psychosocial assessment completed within three (3) days of program admission. The assessment and plan shall include but not be limited to: all identifying data relevant to the resident and his/her family, including medical problems and medications, mental health problems and medications, substance use history, housing history and preferences, income supports or benefits, employment/vocational issues, information relating to the Veteran's admission including reason for referral, the targeted goals for constructive changes which are to be attained during the residential rehabilitation episode, and the anticipated length of stay, if known. b.An initial Individual Service Plan completed within seven (7) days of program admission signed by the Veteran and the VA Liaison. The plan shall specifically include but will not be limited to: i.Provisions for Veteran placement into an appropriate transitional or permanent housing placement within 60-90 days of admission to the HCHV Contract Residential Care facility, but no more than 180 days. The housing placement planning shall take into account all appropriate and available community based housing options as well as the Veteran's preferences regarding location and housing type. ii.Provisions for the stabilization and/or treatment of bio psychosocial issues and stressors. This shall include provisions of care within the contracted facility, connections to VA medical and mental health care, and/or referrals and connections to community based resources. c.Relevant Releases of Information to communicate and coordinate Veterans' treatment with VA and other community based service providers. d.Progress notes for each case management encounter to include information regarding progress toward meeting the Individual Service Plan goals. e.Documentation of Veteran participation in onsite daily structured activities and groups. f.Updated Individual Service Plans every thirty (30) days from the date of the initial plan, to include any measures of movement toward rehabilitation goals, with particular focus on the attainment of community based housing. g.A final discharge summary on each Veteran who leaves the program regardless of character of discharge, to include a description of beneficial changes realized during the residential period, reasons for leaving, the Veteran's future plans, after-care referrals and connections, and follow up locator information. C.Contractor shall be expected to enter data into a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) web-based software application and bed totals in the Homeless Inventory Count. This data shall consist of information on the Veterans served and types of supportive services provided by Contractor. Contractor shall treat the data for activities funded by the VA HCHV Contract Residential Care program separately from that of activities funded by other programs. Contractor shall be required to export client-level data for activities funded by the VA HCHV Contract Residential Care program to VA on a regular basis. http://www.hmis.info/classicasp/documents/final%20hmis%20data%20standards-revised%20_3.pdf D.Contractor shall collect and maintain evaluation data and provide additional documentation and/or data reporting as requested or required by VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans for the Safe Haven Model Development Project based on current, changing or subsequent local, VISN or national HCHV program requirements. The VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans (the Center) has established a system for program monitoring and evaluation. Variation of service model delivery will be approved and studied by the Center. The Center will evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing this model to reach chronically homeless Veterans diagnosed with co-occurring disorders. The Center has also developed and applied a fidelity instrument to facilitate consistent Low Demand/Safe Haven model development application. E.The Information Technology security requirements for Certification and Accreditation (authorization) requirements do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required. If any vendor believes they can satisfy the needs of the Government, they are encouraged to respond to this Request for Information. Responses shall include the following: 1.Company Background Information - Number of years in business, number of years providing Transitional Housing and/or related social services, type of population served (ie. veterans, women, men, children, families), facility location/physical building address including a map of the area, indication if facility is accredited by Joint Commission or CARF, if facility considers themselves healthcare providers and complies with HIPAA requirements as normal business practice. 2.Facility Photographs - Color pictures of all major areas including outside of building, entrance, bedrooms and furnishings, medication and food storage areas, kitchen, bathrooms, common areas, etc. 3.Community Partner Organizations/Providers (subcontractors) - Listing of these partners/providers who will be assisting in the provision of the Transitional Housing Services as noted above and their roles/responsibilities. 4.Copies of licenses, certifications, and permits - Examples are: Safe Serve, Occupancy Permit, First Aid/CPR for staff, Counselor Licenses or Certifications, etc. 5. Copies of ALL state agency reports/inspection results - within the last two years. 6.Information pertaining to group counseling and activities - Listing of what types of group activities and counseling sessions are provided by the vendor and the frequency in which they are offered. A facility inspection by VA personnel is required and must be passed in order to be eligible for this requirement. The contractor will be notified of the findings of the inspection team. A task order may not be established until noted deficiencies are corrected. VA will not incur any costs associated with correcting deficiencies. [End of Performance Work Statement] This is an open and continuous RFI through November 3, 2013. Responses may be, and are encouraged to be, submitted prior to the response date. All responses will be reviewed upon receipt and the vendor will be notified of acceptability or next course of action. Questions and responses to this Request for Information shall be sent via email to: thomas.chesak@va.gov and darryl.scherer@va.gov. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Interested parties are reminded to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) database at www.sam.gov in order to be eligible to do business with the Government. If a contractor is wishing to receive Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) or Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) credit, registration in VetBiz at www.vetbiz.gov is required. A solicitation document is not available at this time. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. [END OF RFI]
 

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