2024-07-09 Employee Assistance Program RFI.docx

Request for Information Employee Assistance Program

Introduction The National Science Foundation is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to conduct market research and determine the availability of potential qualified vendors with the technical capability to provide all management, supervision, administration, and labor for the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

This RFI is for planning purposes only and is to allow the industry the opportunity to submit responses describing their relevant capabilities – it does not constitute a request for proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is not seeking proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued.

Background The NSF headquarters, located at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA, has approximately 1,800 staff members geographically disbursed over the United States. However, NSF does not guarantee the number of staff members who would utilize the vendor’s services. We estimate that about 1500 employees will utilize the services with 500 dependents. NSF’s unique workforce is comprised of federal employees and Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignees. All staff would be covered under the full scope of the contract.

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 624190.

Required Capabilities NSF is seeking a vendor to provide EAP services that entail professional, confidential counseling services through fully credentialed and licensed, reputable, and reliable employees and networks. Key highlights of the SOW are below. Full requirements are described in the draft Statement of Work (SOW).

· Intake Assessment. The contractor shall provide a platform using artificial technology to pair employees with a qualified provider considering symptoms, provider specializations, language, gender, religious, cultural, and ethnic preferences.

· Short-Term Counseling. The contractor shall provide short-term, evidence-based counseling for up to twelve (12) sessions per employee and their eligible family member per issue per year.

· Referrals for Long-term Treatment. Employees requiring more than twelve (12) sessions with their counselor must be offered an opportunity to continue treatment using their private health insurance.

· Management Consultations. The Contractor shall provide unlimited one-on-one management consultations.

· Critical Incident Response. The Contractor shall provide unlimited critical incident support services that cover the entire spectrum of a traumatic experience.

· Training and Education. The Contractor shall provide six (6) webinars for employees that address various topics concerning emotional well-being and mental health, such as domestic violence awareness, understanding trauma, grief, depression, holiday stress, etc.

· Web-Based Services. The contractor shall provide a web-based platform for online appointment scheduling, on-demand learning, live webinars, self-care resources, and live coaching to support managers and employees in building knowledge and skills around well-being topics and mental health. The web-based platform must also have an accompanying mobile app.

· Reporting. The Contractor shall also make available on its website on-demand reports showing high-level utilization metrics, including the number of registered clients, care searchers, clients who started care, and active clients.

Submission Requirements No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. Interested vendors having the required specialized capabilities to meet the above requirement should submit a response to this RFI. The RFI must address the following questions:

The draft SOW for this requirement is attached. Please follow the instructions and include all content requirements listed below.

A. Instructions

1. Responses shall be concise and compliant with the content requirements.

2. Responses shall not exceed ten (10) pages.

3. Responses shall be provided in 12-point font with Times Roman font type.

4. Generic sales brochures, videos, and other marketing information are not solicited and will not be reviewed.

5. Do not submit cost or price information with the response.

6. A viable interested party shall demonstrate the company’s capability to successfully perform the NSF’s requirements.

B. Content

1. Cover Page. The cover page should include corporate information as follows:

a) Company name and address

b) Name of company representative, business title, and email address

c) Business size under the NAICS code and socio-economic status

d) Unique Entity Identification (UEI) Number

e) Applicable contract vehicles your company has on which services are currently offered (e.g., Federal Supply Schedules (FSS), Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA), Government Wide Contract (GWAC))

2. Questionnaire. Responses to the following questions shall be included.

a) How are clients supported between coaching or therapy sessions?

b) How many providers are in your network? How do you measure and track the capacity of your network providers?

c) In which states are you licensed to practice? Are there any geographic limitations to your scope of practice?

d) What are the qualifications for your providers, including their education, credentials, and level of experience?

e) Can members search for providers of specific gender identity, sexuality, religion, language, ability, etc.?

f) How do you ensure that members are triaged to a level of care that is appropriate for their needs?

g) Do you offer online appointment scheduling? If so, please describe. Can clients book appointments for in-person care, virtual care, or both?

h) What is the average amount of time from when a member first contacts you until their first completed appointment?

i) How do you personalize the provider recommendations a client receives?

j) Do your members have 24/7 access to clinicians for in-the-moment support?

k) Does your mental health solution provide care for the whole family? Is there a lower age limit for providing care to children?

l) Does your web platform meet the 508 compliance requirements? Which web content accessibility standards are used?

m) Do you offer support for mental health Employee Resource Groups?

n) Does your company offer any advisory services for managers and supervisors?

o) What reporting do you provide to customers? Does your company offer on-demand access to reporting data?

All responses shall be submitted to Katrina Barry via email at kbarry@nsf.gov no later than 9:00 AM on July 23, 2024. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this RFI.

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