12024B20Q0001 Questions and Answers.pdf

Solicitation 12024B20Q0001 U.S. Forest Service Mental Health Professionals, CISM National Office

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

APRIL 1, 2020

1. Section 1.1 gives a general requirement that the clinician be on-site within 48-72 hours of the initial request; Section 1.2 (e) says ability to provide 24-hour service, 365 days per year; Section 1.4 says the contractor shall respond in a “timely fashion”; Section 1.18 (QASP) says clinicians will be available and on location as requested – and gives the standard as 95% of the time (annually) o Would you clarify what timeframe (48-72 hours or 24 hours, 365 days per year) will be used to determine if the response was in a “timely fashion” and meets the standards?

For example…If a request was received on 06/10/20 at 3:00 p.m. to be at a location on

06/11/20 at 8:00 a.m. and the vendor could not get there until 06/12/20 – would that be considered “meeting” or “not meeting” the standards of the contract?

See revised Section 1.2 (e)

2. Section 1.1 says that, for clinical/trauma responses, the contractor must pay their expenses (travel, lodging, etc.); it also says the contractor may be required to provide training using ICISF curriculum, and in support of NWCG and agency courses; and Section 1.3 (g) says provide training using ICISF curriculum … provide training in support of the NWCG and agency courses (including but not limited to specific classes listed).

o When traveling for training purposes, is the contactor responsible for paying their travel expenses and then submitting for reimbursement OR would will the contractor be required to utilize the “Invitational Travel” process? **

See Section 1.11.

o Is the intent of this solicitation to include teaching any or all of the stand alone basic, advanced and specialty classes offered through and for ICISF certification? If so, since these classes are proprietary to ICISF, does this solicitation require the contractor to be Approved ICISF instructors?

See revised section 1.3 (g) o Is the intent of this solicitation that all training offered to the USFS & BLM will fall under this contract OR is it only training that is part of a specific agency program/course and/or in support of NWCG?

For example if an individual Forest requested training on their Forest, is the intent that this contract would apply to that training?

The BPA will be an available source for individual units to utilize to obtain training, however it will not be required for use.

3. Section 1.2 (h) requires the contractor to maintain the currency of their employees by providing initial and refresher training as required to meet the “PWS requirements” and provide “necessary infrastructure to support the agreement.”

o Would you please clarify what is meant by the “PWS requirements” and what specific initial and refresher training is required?

This refers to the training required for the clinician and any additional continuing education required to meet the requirements stated in the PWS. Please see revised o Would you please clarify what “necessary infrastructure to support the agreement” means?

See revised section 1.2 (h) i.

4. Section 1.3 (b) says the contractor shall provide recommendations for “corrective action plans,” “proposal submittals” and participate in “After Action Reviews.”

o Would you please clarify what the intent of “correction action plan” is and what connection there is to a clinician’s trauma response?

See revised section 1.3 (b).

o Would you please clarify what the intent of “proposal submittals” is and what connection there is to a clinician’s trauma response?

o Would you please clarify what the intent of participating in “After Action Reviews (AAR)” is?

Is the intent to participate in an organization’s AAR of the incident OR an AAR specific to and including only members of the CIPS group?

How would the clinician’s participation in any AAR be consistent with the requirement for confidentiality (Section 1.18)?

See revised Section 1.3 (b).

5. Section 1.6 talks about personal protective equipment and says the contractor shall provide NWCG compliant firefighting leather boots.

o Is the responding clinician required to have these boots with her/him on every response? If not, how, by whom and when will that be determined?

See revised section 1.6 (a).

6. Section 1.10 talks about schedule of items o Will a proposal be considered if the contractor submits a bid for only “clinical” or “training” services, but not both?

See revised section 1.10.

o Since line item “001” refers to a daily rate for clinical response to an incident, does line item “002” refer to travel related to training services only?

See revised section 1.10.

o Can a contractor submit a proposal with a “daily rate” for training (line item “003”) instead of an hourly rate or submit a minimum number of hours per day?

No.

7. Section 1.11 talks about travel expenses o Does this apply to both clinical responses and training (see question above under Section 1.1

Yes. See revised Section 1.11.

o If an assignment requires the clinician to travel to an area where government lodging per diem rate is not available or not afforded the clinician (because they are note a government employee), is the contractor allowed to secure lodging at the best available rate and will the contractor be reimbursed for the cost above the per diem rate?

Per diem will be reimbursed in accordance with the FTR. FTR 301-11.30 states “you may request reimbursement on an actual basis, not to exceed 300 percent of the maximum per diem allowance.”

8. Page 10 1.18 Quality Control Plan

Question – Does the plan need to be included with the proposal?

See revised Section 1.18.

9. Page 26 4.8 FAR 52.212-1 (b) (4) (i) a. Organizational experience information

Question – Do you want Resumes of all MHPs and will new hires be required to provide a resume also?

See revised Sections 1.4 (e) and 4.8 (b) (4) (i) a.

10. Page 27 4.8 FAR 52.212-1 (b) (4) (ii) (ii) A valid/current copy of:

Question – Do you want the Mental Health Professional license of the company or each clinician?

See revised Section 4.8 (b) (4) (ii) (ii).

11. Is there a page limitation?

There is no page limit.

12. Since the RPF asks for cost per hour / is there a separate provision for preparation time required to doing the actual training?

See revised Section 1.10.

13. Although this is a USFS solicitation, there is currently in place a contract for the same services (excluding the training component) which was awarded to multiple vendors by the BLM. Both solicitations contained languages that the intent was for this to apply to both the BLM and the USFS.

My questions are:

o Will this award have any effect on the existing BLM contract?

Both acquisition vehicles will be in place and available for use by Federal agencies until their expiration.

o Once the award(s) are made under this rfp will the agencies (BLM, USFS, etc.) be required to use one of the award recipients or will the agencies have the option of using another clinician of there choosing? If they agencies have the option of using whom ever, will they be required to bid the cost or can they use sole source or micro purchase options?

Agencies will not be required to use the BPA. If agencies choose not to utilize the BPA, Federal Acquisition Regulations would apply.