G099--557-21-2-4168-0003, EAP Services Base Plus 4 Opt Years; EDA: 5/20/2021
This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 "Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items", as supplemented with additional information included on this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; this is a Request for Quotation (RFQ), and a written solicitation document will not be issued. The solicitation number is 36C24721Q0664. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect tough the Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2021-05 effective March 10, 2021. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 624190 and the Small Business Size standard is $12 Million. This combined/synopsis solicitation is set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB s) and Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB s) in accordance with VAAR 852.219-10 and VAAR 852.219-11. Only VA verified SDVOSB s and VOSB s in the VIP at the time of contract award will be considered. All non-VIP verified firms will be considered non-responsive and ineligible for award. The acquisition will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR 13 to use simplified procedures for commercial items. This RFQ is set-aside for 100% Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses and Veteran Owned Small Businesses. The Carl Vinson Medical, Dublin, GA - Contractor shall provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to all employees and their dependents associated with the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center (CVVAMC) to offer resources to address: work-related problems, traumatic incidents, substance abuse, mental illness, marital or family problems, and financial or other personal problems. The contractor shall also provide a work/life balance service to include legal advisement, and financial advisement. Services shall be provided by qualified, licensed clinical professionals able to perform their assignments without conflict of interest. The Government estimates the workload for the project to be 1900 employees seen an average of five (5) one-hour sessions. Actual usage has varied for the last several years with an average of about four (4) visits per month (approximately 50 per fiscal year). GENERAL INFORMATION Employee Assistance Program Services Carl Vinson VA Medical Center Background: Contractor shall provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to all employees and their dependents associated with the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center (CVVAMC) to offer resources to address: work-related problems, traumatic incidents, substance abuse, mental illness, marital or family problems, and financial or other personal problems. The contractor shall also provide a work/life balance service to include legal advisement, and financial advisement. Services shall be provided by qualified, licensed clinical professionals able to perform their assignments without conflict of interest. The Government estimates the workload for the project to be 1900 employees seen an average of five (5) one-hour sessions. Actual usage has varied for the last several years with an average of about four (4) visits per month (approximately 50 per fiscal year). Scope of Work: The Contractor shall provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to all employees and their dependents associated with the CVVAMC, in Dublin, GA, as well as each of its six Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS) in Albany, Brunswick, Macon, Milledgeville, Perry and Tifton. The contract shall be for a period of performance lasting one (1) base year plus four (4) twelve (12) month option periods. The following services are required: Program Development and Consultation Services Assessment of Organizational Needs - Contractor will consult with the CVVAMC EAP Coordinator to determine the service needs based on factors such as: demographics of the workforce, employee work schedules, and geographic distribution of employees, employee insurance coverage's, specific job performance issues, current disciplinary policies and procedures, and types of personal problems already known to be of concern to employees. Development of Program Policy and Procedures - Contractor will assist in developing guidelines and procedures concerning the identification and referral of employees who need help with personal problems. Ongoing Consultation and Program Evaluation - Contractor will provide consultation to review the overall functioning of the program and will make modifications when needed. Location and Confidentiality of Services - Counseling will be provided at private offices located close to the worksite. All counselors will be licensed and/or certified and have, at a minimum, 5 years counseling experience. Counseling must be kept confidential in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations. In order for any information to be disclosed about the counseling to management, the employee must give written permission, specifying what information can be disclosed and to whom. Performance Requirements: The Contractor shall provide the following services as required for this requirement. Training and Orientation Services Twelve (12) employee orientations, four (4) supervisory trainings. Unlimited team building workshops for work and life seminars. Employee orientation and supervisory training videotapes. Training: internet-based employee and supervisor training to be made available at the contractor s website at no cost. Training seminars to be made available on the following topics: EAP Employees Orientations EAP Supervisory Training Assessment, Counseling, and Referral Services Twenty-four (24) hour per day, 7 days per week, toll free access to mental health professional and crisis counselors. A plan of assistance including referral to outside agencies, for employees and their dependents who seek assistance tough EAP. Short-term or crisis counseling with the goal of stabilizing an individual s situation, resolving his/her problem(s), and/or referring the individual for appropriate care or service. Contractor shall see the employee and/or dependent within seventy-two (72) hours of an employee being referred by a Supervisor or an employee initiating direct contact with the Contractor for an appointment. Every attempt shall be made to provide emergency crisis counseling within the same day of the call to the EAP provider. Wellness and daily living Multilingual interpreter services available Face-to-face assessment Other personal concerns that may affect employee well-being and job performance (i.e. elder care consultation, childcare consultation, legal consultation, financial consultation, etc.) Case management that includes coordinating referrals to resources beyond the EAP when needed Crisis management to assist with emergencies or crisis affecting the workplace Unlimited critical incident stress debriefings conducted on-site for traumatic incidents All employees and employee dependents seen by the Contractor shall be given Patient Satisfaction Inventories to complete. Program Promotion Contractor shall support the promotion of EAP by providing the following: Employee brochures and wallet cards Quarterly newsletters for all employees Supervisor manuals provided for distribution EAP promotional materials provided to Employer for distribution to the employee s family Posters displaying a toll-free hotline telephone number to reach an EAP Counselor twenty-four (24) hours per day. Online Services The Contractor shall make EAP services and tools available online for employees and their dependents. All online resources shall include legal and financial online resource library, work-life information assistance, care giving assistance, emotional well-being, health, wellness resources, and all other program support available under the agreement. Management and Organizational Services Unlimited consultation to supervisors and managers regarding employees with job performance, attendance and conduct problems. Monitoring of progress in EAP and treatment for up to two years, when an employee is referred by management for job/substance abuse problems, by maintaining contact with the employee, treatment providers, and the employer, if appropriate. Unlimited consultation regarding organizational issues, including sexual harassment, drug-free workplace, downsizing, conflict resolution, and workplace violence. Report Requirements: Utilization reports shall be submitted to the COR quarterly and shall include the number of patients seen for each of the following problem types (The reports shall not indicate the names of employees using the service): Number of Employees Served Method of referral (self, informal, supervisory, formal supervisory) Incidence of Presenting Problems (include separate incidence for referrals prompted by Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, and discrimination concerns) Demographic Profile of Employees Utilizing the EAP Disposition of Cases Returned Satisfaction Surveys (confidentiality and not compromised Counselor Assignment reports shall be submitted to the COR quarterly and shall include all counselors assigned to the Agency s EAP program for the fiscal year. This list shall include the following information: Experience Education Licensure/certification/registration Special skills Demographics Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment Malpractice: The Contractor shall notify the VA EAP coordinator/director in writing whenever a malpractice claim involving a VA employee has been filed against the Contractor. The Contractor will forward a copy of the malpractice claim within tee (3) workdays after receiving notification that a claim has been filed. The Contractor will also notify the VA EAP coordinator/director when any provider furnishing services under this contract is reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank. This notification will include the name, title, and specialty of the provider. All written notifications shall be sent to the following address: Carl Vinson VA Medical Center 1826 Veterans Blvd. Dublin, GA 31021 The contractor shall permit on-site visits by appropriate VA personnel to assess contracted services, to include but not limited to adequacy, compliance with contract requirements, and record-keeping. Liaison Persons: The VA will designate an appropriate contact person (s) to act as liaison to the contractor. The contractor shall identify a contact person (s), who shall serve as liaison or account manager between the contractor and the CVVAMC. This individual will also ensure that contract specifications are met. The contact person (s) must be available during the administrative tour of duty from 8:00a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday tough Friday. This individual must be on staff at one of the contractor s locally provided sites. Employee Transportation: Each employee will be responsible for his/her own transportation to appointments. Inspection and Acceptance: The COR or Government representative will be designated for functional and oversight responsibilities, assessments of training, resources, and services provided. Acceptance of the services will be done by the assigned COR upon completion of successful operational testing, quarterly, and/or randomly tough direct operation, reviews, and/or training surveys. Qualifications: The successful contractor must have a minimum of five years of experience, in which they have successfully provided EAP services for other federal agencies similar to the scope of this requirement within the last five years. Counselors providing counseling services shall be licensed and certified to perform EAP services required within this document and in accordance with any local, state, or federal law and have a minimum of five years satisfactory counseling experience. Government-Furnished Property: The medical center will provide a room for the contractor to provide on-site trainings. Security Requirements: The contractor providing training will provide vehicle information for medical center to notify police service of visitor information to be able to park in reserve visitor parking. Additional Information: Place of Performance or Delivery: The majority of the EAP trainings will be accomplished at Carl Vinson VAMC campus in Dublin, GA. The employee counseling services should be provided at private offices located close to the respective worksite. In rare cases, there may be a need for employee training at any of the affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) facilities. Carl Vinson VA Medical Center 1826 Veterans Blvd Dublin GA 31021 Bldg. 2 (Deliveries) Albany VA Clinic Albany Marine Corps Base 814 Radford Blvd., Bldg. 7000, 1ST Floor Albany GA 31701 Brunswick VA Clinic 1111 Glynco Parkway Bldg. 2, Ste. 200 Brunswick GA 31525 Macon VA Clinic 5566 Thomaston Rd. Macon GA 31220 Milledgeville VA Clinic 2249 Vinson Highway Southeast A-Wing, 1st Floor Pete Wheeler Bldg. Milledgeville GA 31061 Perry VA Clinic 2370 S. Houston Lake Road Kathleen GA 31047 Tifton VA Clinic 1824 Ridge Avenue North Tifton GA 31794 The Government reserves the right to add any additional CBOCs/VA Clinics to the contract as they become available or to accommodate changes in facility address. During the life of this contract, there may be a need or an occasion that may arise that will require the services to be at another location other than these mentioned. If so, the COR will give explicit instructions as to where and when the needed services will be required. Period of Performance: From To Base Year May 15, 2021 May 14, 2022 Option Year 1 May 15, 2022 May 14, 2023 Option Year 2 May 15, 2023 May 14, 2024 Option Year 3 May 15, 2024 May 14, 2025 Option Year 4 May 15, 2025 May 14, 2026 Hours of Service: Facility hours of Operation are 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday tough Friday, excluding federal holidays. Warehouse Hours: Deliveries are accepted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday tu Friday, excluding federal holidays. Federal Holidays New Year s Day January 1st Martin Luther King s Birthday 3rd Monday in January President s Day 3rd Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4th Labor Day 1st Monday in September Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October Veteran s Day November 11th Thanksgiving Day Last Thursday in November Cistmas Day December 25th When one of the above designated legal holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a legal holiday. When a legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a holiday by U.S. Government agencies. Key Personnel: COR - The VA will designate a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to act as a liaison to the contractor. The COR is designated by the Contracting Officer to be a technical liaison between the contractor s management and the Contracting Officer in routine technical matters constituting general program direction within the scope of the contract. Under NO circumstances is the COR authorized to effect any changes in the work required under this contract nor enter into any agreement that has the effect of changing the terms and conditions of this contract. In addition, the COR will NOT supervise, direct, or control contractor employees. Contractor Representative - The contractor shall identify a contract person(s), who shall serve as liaison between the contractor and the Dublin VAMC. This individual will also ensure that contract specifications are met. The contact person(s) must be available during the administrative tour of duty from 8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Monday tough Friday. This individual must be on staff at one of the contractor s locally provided sites. Contracting Officer - The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to make changes, adjustments, or decisions effecting the terms of the resulting contract. On all matters that pertain to the contract terms, the contractor must communicate with the Contracting Officer. Whenever, in the opinion of the contractor, the COR requests efforts beyond the terms of the contract, the contractor shall so consult with the Contracting Officer and any disagreements concerning the proper contractual obligations or changes shall be brought to the Contracting Officer s attention in writing immediately. Security Requirements: Position Sensitivity - The position sensitivity has been designated as high risk. Background Investigation - The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access is Tier4/Background Investigation (BI). Contractor Responsibilities The contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. If the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) conducts the investigation, the contractor shall reimburse VA within 30 days. If timely payment is not made within 30 days from date of bill for collection, then VA shall deduct the cost incurred from the contractors 1st month s invoice(s) for services rendered. It is imperative for the contractor to provide, at the request of VA, a listing of contractor personnel performing services under the contract in order for the background investigation process to commence. This list will include name (first, middle, last) social security number; date of birth; city, state, and country of birth. The contractor or their employees shall submit a complete background investigation packet. Additional guidance and information in completing the required forms, and examples of the forms, can be found at http://www1.va.gov/VABackground_Investigations/page.cfm?pg=2. The following required forms must be submitted to the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement before contract performance begins: Standard Form 85, Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment Electronic Fingerprint Form Fingerprinting is required with the background investigation. Fingerprinting can be done at the local VA Facility. The Electronic Fingerprint Verification Form must be submitted with the above required forms. The Contractor shall inform the contract employee that when filling out Standard Form 85, that there should be no gaps in employment history. Any gaps in employment history on Standard Form 85 may result in OPM rejecting the documentation for investigation and delay contract performance. The contractor, when notified of an unfavorable determination by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the contract, and at the request of the VA, submit another employee for consideration. The contractor may utilize a private investigating agency if such agency possesses an OPM and Defense Security Service certification. A Cage Code number must be provided to the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement. VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement will verify the information and advise the contracting officer whether contractor s access to the computer systems can be authorized. All contractor employees and subcontractors are required to complete VA s Privacy training annually. All Contractor employees and subcontractors requiring access to VA computer network are required to complete Cyber Security training courses annually either on-line or hard copy. Documented proof must be provided to the Contracting Officer. The contractor will notify the COR immediately when their employee(s) no longer require access to VA computer systems. The contractor may be required to establish and enter a Local or National Business Associate Agreement (BAA) in accordance with VHA Handbook 1605.05, Business Associate Agreements. Certification and Accreditation (C&A) process requirements do apply to this Statement of Work and requested service. A Security Accreditation Package is not required. Contractors that have negotiated agreements with VA that involve VA sensitive information, but do not maintain systems that require C&A, shall complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) within 30 days of contract approval and annually on the due date of the contract renewal in accordance with A Handbook 6500.6. Government Responsibilities The contracting officer will request the contractor employee s background investigation by the Office of Security and Law Enforcement. The Office of Security and Law Enforcement will notify the contractor with instructions for the contractor's employees, coordinate the background investigations, and notify the contracting officer and contractor of the results of the investigations. The VA facility will pay for requested investigations in advance. A bill for collection will be sent to the contractor to reimburse the VA facility. The contractor will reimburse the VA facility within 30 days. If timely payment is not made within 30 days from date of bill for collection, then VA shall deduct the cost incurred from the contractors 1st month s invoice(s) for services rendered. SAC (Special Agreement Check) All Contractor Employees who require access to the Department of Veterans Affairs computer systems or who have access to sensitive information shall be required to have, at a minimum, a Special Agreement Check (SAC) which includes electronic fingerprinting. A Contractor Employee shall not perform any contract work (except for any other required orientation and training that does not require access to a VA computer system) until fingerprinting is completed by the local Human Resource Management Service. Fingerprinting should take place on the first day that a Contractor Employee enters on duty. The Contracting Officer s Technical Representative shall facilitate the SAC process for the Contractor and Contractor Employee. If the SAC identifies potentially actionable issues in connection with a Contractor Employee and it is determined that the Contractor Employee needs to be removed, the Contracting Officer shall notify the Contractor and the Contractor shall immediately remove that Employee from contract work. The removal of the Employee shall not excuse any failure to meet contract requirements. SACs and fingerprinting of Contractor Employees will be required even when an Employee will not be working on site at a VA Facility. The Contracting Officer can identify other options for accomplishing these SACs. Invoicing Instructions: All invoices should be submitted in arrears and must contain the appropriate purchase order number, dates of services corresponding to the invoice, and the servicing representative contact information. Note: if invoice is submitted improperly (too early, incorrect purchase order number, incorrect billing, date or description of service), invoice will be returned to contractor for correction. Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods Facsimile, e-mail, and scanned documents are not acceptable forms of submission for payment requests. Electronic form means an automated system transmitting information electronically according to the accepted electronic data transmission methods below: VA s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System The FSC uses a third-party contractor, Tungsten Network (Formerly OB10), to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission. Please go to this website http://www.tungsten-network.com/us/en/veterans-affairs-us/ to begin submitting electronic invoices, free of charge. More information on the VA Financial Services Center is available at http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp. A system that conforms to the X12 electronic data interchange (EDI) formats established by the Accredited Standards Center (ASC) chartered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The X12 EDI Web site (http://www.x12.org). Vendor e-Invoice Set-Up Information Please contact OB10 at the phone number or email address listed below to begin submitting your electronic invoices to the VA Financial Services Center for payment processing, free of charge. If you have question about the e-invoicing program or OB10, please contact the FSC at the phone number or email address listed below: OB10 e-Invoice Setup Information: 1-877-489-6135 OB10 e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@ob10.com FSC e-Invoice Contact Information: 1-877-353-9791 FSC e-invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov PRICE/COST SCHEDULE ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT 0001 Base year-Services required for a contractor to provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) IAW the SOW. 1.00 YR __________________ __________________ 1001 Opt. Yr. 1 -Services required for a contractor to provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) IAW the SOW. 1.00 YR __________________ __________________ 2001 Opt. Yr. 2 -Services required for a contractor to provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) IAW the SOW. 1.00 YR __________________ __________________ 3001 Opt. Yr. 3 -Services required for a contractor to provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) IAW the SOW. 1.00 YR __________________ __________________ 4001 Opt. Yr. 4 -Services required for a contractor to provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) IAW the SOW. 1.00 YR __________________ __________________ GRAND TOTAL __________________ DELIVERY SCHEDULE ITEM NUMBER QUANTITY DELIVERY DATE 0001 1.00 1001 1.00 2001 1.00 3001 1.00 4001 1.00 The following provisions apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items (Apr 2014) Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items (Apr 2018) Paragraph (c) is modified to read as follows: (c) Period for the acceptance of offers. The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer for 30 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers. (a) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and small business size standard. The NAICS code(s) and small business size standard(s) for this acquisition appear elsewhere in the solicitation. However, the small business size standard for a concern which submits an offer in its own name, but which proposes to furnish an item which it did not itself manufacture, is 500 employees. (b) Submission of offers. Submit signed and dated offers to the office specified in this solicitation at or before the exact time specified in this solicitation. Offers may be submitted on the SF 1449, letterhead stationery, or as otherwise specified in the solicitation. As a minimum, offers must show (1) The solicitation number; (2) The time specified in the solicitation for receipt of offers; (3) The name, address, and telephone number of the offeror; (4) A technical description of the items being offered in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with the requirements in the solicitation. This may include product literature, or other documents, if necessary; (5) Terms of any express warranty; (6) Price and any discount terms; (7) "Remit to" address, if different than mailing address; (8) A completed copy of the representations and certifications at FAR 52.212-3 (see FAR 52.212-3(b) for those representations and certifications that the offeror shall complete electronically); (9) Acknowledgment of Solicitation Amendments; (10) Past performance information, when included as an evaluation factor, to include recent and relevant contracts for the same or similar items and other references (including contract numbers, points of contact with telephone numbers and other relevant information); and (11) If the offer is not submitted on the SF 1449, include a statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation. Offers that fail to furnish required representations or information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from consideration. (c) Period for acceptance of offers. The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 30 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers, unless another time period is specified in an addendum to the solicitation. (d) Product samples. When required by the solicitation, product samples shall be submitted at or prior to the time specified for receipt of offers. Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation, these samples shall be submitted at no expense to the Government, and returned at the sender's request and expense, unless they are destroyed during preaward testing. (e) Multiple offers. Offerors are encouraged to submit multiple offers presenting alternative terms and conditions, including alternative line items (provided that the alternative line items are consistent with subpart 4.10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation), or alternative commercial items for satisfying the requirements of this solicitation. Each offer submitted will be evaluated separately. (f) Late submissions, modifications, revisions, and withdrawals of offers. (1) Offerors are responsible for submitting offers, and any modifications, revisions, or withdrawals, so as to reach the Government office designated in the solicitation by the time specified in the solicitation. If no time is specified in the solicitation, the time for receipt is 4:30 p.m., local time, for the designated Government office on the date that offerors or revisions are due. (2)(i) Any offer, modification, revision, or withdrawal of an offer received at the Government office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of offers is "late" and will not be considered unless it is received before award is made, the Contracting Officer determines that accepting the late offer would not unduly delay the acquisition; and (A) If it was transmitted tough an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation, it was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of offers; or (B) There is acceptable evidence to establish that it was received at the Government installation designated for receipt of offers and was under the Government's control prior to the time set for receipt of offers; or (C) If this solicitation is a request for proposals, it was the only proposal received. (ii) However, a late modification of an otherwise successful offer, that makes its terms more favorable to the Government, will be considered at any time it is received and may be accepted. (3) Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government installation includes the time/date stamp of that installation on the offer wrapper, other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by the installation, or oral testimony or statements of Government personnel. (4) If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that offers cannot be received at the Government office designated for receipt of offers by the exact time specified in the solicitation, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation or other notice of an extension of the closing date, the time specified for receipt of offers will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume. (5) Offers may be withdrawn by written notice received at any time before the exact time set for receipt of offers. Oral offers in response to oral solicitations may be withdrawn orally. If the solicitation authorizes facsimile offers, offers may be withdrawn via facsimile received at any time before the exact time set for receipt of offers, subject to the conditions specified in the solicitation concerning facsimile offers. An offer may be withdrawn in person by an offeror or its authorized representative if, before the exact time set for receipt of offers, the identity of the person requesting withdrawal is established and the person signs a receipt for the offer. (g) Contract award (not applicable to Invitation for Bids). The Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with offerors. Therefore, the offeror's initial offer should contain the offeror's best terms from a price and technical standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest offer; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. (h) Multiple awards. The Government may accept any item or group of items of an offer, unless the offeror qualifies the offer by specific limitations. Unless otherwise provided in the Schedule, offers may not be submitted for quantities less than those specified. The Government reserves the right to make an award on any item for a quantity less than the quantity offered, at the unit prices offered, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the offer. (i) Availability of requirements documents cited in the solicitation. (1)(i) The GSA Index of Federal Specifications, Standards and Commercial Item Descriptions, FPMR Part 101-29, and copies of specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions cited in this solicitation may be obtained for a fee by submitting a request to GSA Federal Supply Service Specifications Section Suite 8100 470 East L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20407 Telephone (202) 619-8925 Facsimile (202) 619-8978. (ii) If the General Services Administration, Department of Agriculture, or Department of Veterans Affairs issued this solicitation, a single copy of specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions cited in this solicitation may be obtained free of charge by submitting a request to the addressee in paragraph (i)(1)(i) of this provision. Additional copies will be issued for a fee. (2) Most unclassified Defense specifications and standards may be downloaded from the following ASSIST websites: (i) ASSIST (https://assist.dla.mil/online/start/); (ii) Quick Search (http://quicksearch.dla.mil/); (iii) ASSISTdocs.com (http://assistdocs.com). (3) Documents not available from ASSIST may be ordered from the Department of Defense Single Stock Point (DoDSSP) by? (i) Using the ASSIST Shopping Wizard (https://assist.dla.mil/wizard/index.cfm); (ii) Phoning the DoDSSP Customer Service Desk (215) 697-2179, Mon-Fri, 0730 to 1600 EST; or (iii) Ordering from DoDSSP, Building 4, Section D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Telephone (215) 697-2667/2179, Facsimile (215) 697-1462. (4) Nongovernment (voluntary) standards must be obtained from the organization responsible for their preparation, publication, or maintenance. (j) Unique entity identifier. (Applies to all offers that exceed the micro-purchase teshold, and offers at or below the micro-purchase teshold if the solicitation requires the Contractor to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).) The Offeror shall enter, in the block with its name and address on the cover page of its offer, the annotation Unique Entity Identifier followed by the unique entity identifier that identifies the Offeror s name and address. The Offeror also shall enter its Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) indicator, if applicable. The EFT indicator is a four-character suffix to the unique entity identifier. The suffix is assigned at the discretion of the Offeror to establish additional SAM records for identifying alternative EFT accounts (see FAR subpart 32.11) for the same entity. If the Offeror does not have a unique entity identifier, it should contact the entity designated at www.sam.gov for unique entity identifier establishment directly to obtain one. The Offeror should indicate that it is an offeror for a Government contract when contacting the entity designated at www.sam.gov for establishing the unique entity identifier. (k) [Reserved] (l) Debriefing. If a post-award debriefing is given to requesting offerors, the Government shall disclose the following information, if applicable: (1) The agency's evaluation of the significant weak or deficient factors in the debriefed offeror's offer. (2) The overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating of the successful and the debriefed offeror and past performance information on the debriefed offeror. (3) The overall ranking of all offerors, when any ranking was developed by the agency during source selection. (4) A summary of the rationale for award; (5) For acquisitions of commercial items, the make and model of the item to be delivered by the successful offeror. (6) Reasonable responses to relevant questions posed by the debriefed offeror as to whether source-selection procedures set forth in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed by the agency. (End of Provision) Special Standards of Responsibility To assist the contracting officer in determining if the special standards of responsibility applicable to this procurement are met, offerors are asked to provide the following information with their quotes. Failure to include this information could result in a contracting officer s determination that an otherwise successful offeror is not eligible for contract award. SP1: Specialized Experience. Certification/licenses must show the offeror has appropriate credentials to perform services in the location where services are required. Contractor credentials, to include counselor certification and license must be current and must be supplied with offer. The following provisions are incorporated into 52.212-1 as an addendum to this solicitation: General Standards of Responsibility: An offeror shall indicate in its quote whether it will (1) self-perform 100% of the requirement, or (2) subcontract any portion of the requirement.A If the offeror intends to subcontract any portion of the requirement, the offeror shall provide a subcontracting plan that includes a percentage breakdown evidencing how the offeror will comply with the limitations on subcontracting in 13 CFR 125.6(a)(1).A See also VAAR 852.219-10. Failure to provide the required information will result in an offeror s quote being rejected without further consideration. If Offeror intends to satisfy this requirement tough use of a proposed subcontractor(s), Offeror must provide this information for each proposed subcontractor and Offeror must identify what work will be performed by each proposed subcontractor and what work will be performed by Offeror. Business Processes/ Record of Integrity and Ethical Business Practices/ Contractor shall be a legally registered business This solicitation set-aside 100% for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Business concerns. To be considered for award, prospective offerors shall be registered in System for Award Management (SAM) at the time the offer is submitted. The contractor shall be verified as SDVOSB in the VA Center for verification and evaluation (CVE) Veteran Information Pages (VIP) at the date and time set for the receipt of offers and at the time of award. See VAAR 819.7003. The offeror shall submit their quote on company letterhead. The offeror s quote shall include the name, address, and telephone number of the offeror, the offeror s DUNS# and ORCA document in SAM at www.sam.gov, and a completed copy of 52.212-3 offeror Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items. A signed copy of the SF 1449 and an acknowledgement or signed copy of all amendments posted to the solicitation. All Offerors must meet the small business size standard of 12 Million Employees for NAICS code 624190 Other Individual Family Services at the time of submission of quote and at the time of award. Price: The offeror shall fill-in all unit prices and totals for each CLIN as well as the total amount of the price quote in the solicitation s Price Schedule. Experience: Services - Technical Capabilities Statement must specifically reference each type of service required as it pertains to this solicitation and show that the offeror can successfully perform the entire scope of the requirement. The Offeror s narrative must clearly state the following information: the legal name of entity with whom the offeror held the contract; the contract number; a description of the specific tasks the offeror performed under that contract; the dates during which the offeror performed the contract; the frequency of services; the name, phone number, and email address of a person at the entity with whom the offeror held the contract who can verify the information the offeror provides in the narrative description for this factor. Must provide a minimum of two (2) past performance references showing successful experience performing services similar in function and scope of this requirement. The past performance experience must include the client s POC with email and phone number. The past performance must be within the last five (5) years. Additional items beyond what is required will not be considered. All line items in the Price Schedule must include a price. The total evaluated price will consist of the offeror s total proposed price, including option years. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the prices are significantly unbalanced. The offeror will submit one document in PDF form only, no word documents will be accepted. Not providing all the required documents above along with not following the instructions for submission will result in the rejection of a quote. Please note: ALL Request for Quotes (RFQ) submission date stated above will not be extended under no circumstances; due to the time sensitivity of the requirement. (End of Addendum to 52.212-1) EVALUATION CRITEIRA (a) Basis of Award. This procurement is being conducted pursuant to FAR Part 13 procedures. The Government intends to award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose quote, conforming to the solicitation, quote he lowest price, whose quote price does not exceed the amount of funding available for the procurement, and whose quoted price is found to be reasonable. Price alone is the sole evaluation factor. In addition to the general standards of responsibility found at FAR A 9.104-1, in accordance with FAR A 9.104-2, the special standards of responsibility described below apply to this procurement. Offerors who fail to meet any special standard of responsibility will not be eligible to receive contract award. Special Standards of Responsibility: The following special standards of responsibility apply to this procurement: SP1: Specialized Experience. Certification/licenses must show the offeror has appropriate credentials to perform services in the location where services are required. Contractor credentials, to include counselor certification and license must be current and must be supplied with offer. (b) Evaluation Process. Quotes will be evaluated in the following manner. The lowest-priced quote will be identified. The lowest-priced quote will be evaluated to determine if the quoted price exceeds the amount of funding available for the procurement. If the quoted price does not exceed the amount of funding available for the procurement, the quoted price will be evaluated to determine if it is reasonable. If the quoted price is found to be reasonable, the offeror who submitted this quote will be identified as the successful offeror. The contracting officer will then determine if the successful offeror is responsible using the general standards of responsibility and the special standards of responsibility applicable to this procurement. If contract award cannot be made to the successful offeror, the contracting officer will evaluate the next lowest-priced quote following the procedures described above. This process will continue until a contract award can be made, or the contracting officer determines that no contract award can be made. The contracting officer may find all quotes not acceptable and cancel the solicitation if the lowest-priced quote exceeds the amount of funding available for the procurement. The contracting officer may likewise find an quote under evaluation, as well as all remaining quotes, not acceptable and cancel the solicitation if the quote currently under evaluation exceeds the amount of funding available for the procurement. The Government intends to evaluate quotes and award a contract without discussions with offerors. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions at any time if determined by the contracting officer to be in the Government s interest. (c) Options. The Government will evaluate quotes for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an quote is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced or if the quoted price for the basic requirement or any option exceeds the amount of funding available for any of those requirements. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). RATING SYSTEM Each factor will be scored as wither Acceptable or Unacceptable as defined below. Each proposal will be evaluated against the Statement of Work (SOW) and the stated evaluation criteria. Offeror shall provide a narrative that describes its specialized experience providing Employee Assistance Program services in accordance with the Statement of Work. Each proposal is evaluated using the same standards. Each evaluation factor/specialized experience has specific documents and information that must be submitted with an Offeror s quote. Proposals shall be clearly written, unambiguous, and all-inclusive of the required information for assessment against the stated factors. Failure to provide all requested documents and information may result in a rejected bid and or unacceptable rating. To receive consideration for award, a rating of no less than Acceptable must be achieved for the Special and Satisfactory for Relevant Experience/Past Performance. The relative importance of factors/specialized experience is as follows: Technical, Management and Delivery, Relevant Experience/Past Performance are of equal importance. All non-price factors, when combined, are significantly less important than Price. *ALL factors must be rated ACCEPTABLE/SATISFACTORY to be considered for award. Acceptable ALL of the minimum acceptable criteria are clearly met by the proposal. The offeror s proposal meets the performance/specialized experience and capability requirements defined in the SOW. NOTE: Once the proposals have been determined to be acceptable, award will be based on lowest cost/price only. Unacceptable Not all of the minimum acceptable criteria are met by the proposal. An unacceptable proposal contains one or more deficiencies. Proposals that fail to meet specified minimum performance/specialized experience requirements defined in the SOW. (b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS Electronic Submissions: Quotes must be received by 13th May 2021 by 11:00 AM ET. Email your quote to Darlene.Chase@va.gov. The subject line must have the solicitation# the offeror is responding to listed. Please include your DUNS# as well. There will be no automated email notification of receipt of quotes. All quotes received without requested documentation will not be considered. Failure to comply with ALL criteria as set forth by the solicitation and ALL documentation requested in this basis of award will result in your proposal being rejected and therefore not evaluated. Late offers will not be accepted, and no telephonic inquiries will be accepted. Any attachments must be readable using Microsoft Office or Adobe PDF. The size of the email is limited to 5 megabytes (MB) but multiple emails are allowable. Proposals must be submitted electronically and will not be accepted tough fax or postal mail. All questions regarding this solicitation must be emailed to Darlene.Chase@va.gov by 6th May 2021, by 12 NOON Eastern, this will be the last date for questions. All responses to questions shall be incorporated into a written amendment posted to the Government Point of Entry (GPE). The offeror is encouraged to monitor the GPE, Beta.SAM website with respect to this solicitation because any amendments to this Solicitation will be posted on the website (www.beta.sam.gov). There will be no automated email notification of amendments. Questions must be submitted to the Contracting Officer in writing by the date specified in the posting. Questions received later than that period of time may not be answered. Verbal inquiries to questions will not be addressed or accepted. The proposal shall be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization. The proposal may be signed using the SF 1449 or the offeror s letterhead stationery. All amendments to the solicitation must be acknowledged in the proposal. Award will be made to an offeror on the basis of the lowest priced proposal meeting the acceptability standard outlined in the solicitation. The Government intends to award without discussions with respective offerors. The Government, however, reserves the right to conduct discussions if deemed in its best interest. Furthermore, if discussions are to be conducted the Government will establish a competitive range. The competitive range shall be comprised of the most highly rated proposals, unless the range is further reduced for purposes of efficiency pursuant to FAR 15.306(c)(2) and discussions will be held with the offerors in the competitive range. Upon completion of discussions, all offerors still in the competitive range will be provided an opportunity to submit a final proposal revision. A common cut-off date for submission of final proposal revisions will be established. However, during the evaluation process, the Government may, solely at its discretion, communicate with the offeror for clarification purposes. At any time prior to selection, including upon receipt of proposals, the Government may exclude a proposal from further consideration for reasons such as (but not limited to): Non-compliance with instructions related to the solicitation; the Proposal is not among the most highly rated; or the Proposal is not likely to be selected for award. If proposal revisions are allowed, the Government may, solely at its discretion, impose non-common due dates for revisions. In other words, the Government may elect to have a proposal revision date for an offeror that is different than the proposal revision date for another offeror(s). SELECTION PROCESS Proposals will be evaluated under the Lowest Priced Acceptable methodology. The proposals must demonstrate a clear understanding of the nature and scope of the work required. Only certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSSB s) and Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) s in VIP will be evaluated. Capability of the offeror to meet the Government requirement. Lowest Priced Acceptable. Offerors, if not registered in SAM, must include completed copies of the provision at 52.212-3 (MAR 2015), Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items with their offer. The provision may be obtained via the internet at URL: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/52_000.htm. These representations and certifications will be incorporated by reference in any resultant contract. FAR 52.212-4 (OCT 2018), Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items is applicable. The following identified clauses are incorporated by reference: 52.217-8, 52.217-9, 52.219-9, 52.222-41, 52.222-62, 52.232-18, 52.232.34, 52.233-2, 52.237-3, 52.252-2, 52.242.13, 52.242-15, 52.232-74, 852.215-70, 852.215-71, 852.219-10, 852.219-11, 852.219-74, 852.237-70, 852.232-72, 852.237-74, 852.237-70, 52.222-41, 852.270-1, 52-212-5. Addendum to FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items (May 2014) FAR 52.212-5 (MAR 2015), Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items is applicable and the following identified clauses are incorporated by reference: 52.203-17, 52.204-4, 52.204-9, 52.209-5, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-40, 52.222-41, 52.222-43, 52.222-55, 52.223-18. 36C24721Q0664 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 7
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