277-23-0606 Attachment 1a PWS.pdf

RFP #: 277-23-0606

CSAP Workplace Helpline

Attachment No.1(a)

Performance Work Statement (PWS) Project Title: Workplace Helpline

A. Background

In 1986, Presidential Executive Order 12564 required that each Federal Executive branch agency develop and implement programs to address drug abuse in their workplaces with a comprehensive program that would include a written policy, access to employee assistance program services, employee education, supervisor training, and drug testing.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was required to oversee the development of the federal-wide program and help agencies with implementation efforts. In addition, HHS was required to establish and operate a toll-free telephone service for federal and non-federal workplaces, business, and industry that would respond and find solutions to questions and issues about drug misuse in the workplace and issues such as drug testing, and legal and social issues related to a drug-free workplace. The toll-free telephone and internet services were initiated in 1987 and has continued uninterrupted service.

Under the Reorganization of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration on October 1, 1992, the administrative responsibility for managing this telephone consulting service was transferred to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In response to CSAP's prevention mission, the Workplace Helpline began to consult on alcohol, drug misuse problems, and drug testing issues. Also, the Workplace Helpline expanded its scope of coverage to include any community-based program whose mission is to reduce or eliminate the problems of alcohol and drugs of abuse in its community workplace.

In January 2017, the Mandatory Guidelines for Urine specimen were revised to include the drug testing of synthetic opioids (hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone) with an effective date for implementing the new guidelines on October 1, 2017. Similarly, the new Mandatory Guidelines for Oral Fluid specimen were published in the Federal Register in October 2019 with an effective implementing date of January 1,2020. The Workplace Helpline needs to expand its scope to include public request and inquiries on oral fluid specimen and the impact the additional alternative specimen has on workplace policy. In the future, when hair testing is approved, the helpline will also handle inquiries on hair testing.

The SAMHSA’s Workplace Helpline responds to a critical need on the part of its largest constituent – small businesses (over 32.5 million accounting for 99.9 percent of all US businesses, SBA, 2021). Since its inception, the Workplace Helpline receives most of its requests for assistance from small business owners (i.e., employee populations of 500 or less). Small businesses also represent: the segment least informed and least involved in addressing workplace alcohol and drug misuse problems. The Workplace Helpline also responds to significant number of calls by individuals inquiring about workplace drug testing and substance misuse prevention and treatment issues regarding prescription drugs, illicit drugs, and alcohol use. The Helpline service is available to all 50 states and territories of the United States and has assisted employers from other countries.

B. Objectives

The purpose of this contract is to provide individual professional services representing a competent, working knowledge, skills, and relevant experience to continue the day-to-day operation of the SAMHSA/CSAP Workplace Helpline. Specifically, the objectives of this task order are to:

• The Contractor and /or representative(s) will work a maximum total of 40 hours per week.

• The Contractor and /or representative(s) will normally operate the Helpline from Monday through Friday (except for federal holidays). Federal holidays include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

• The Contractor and /or representative(s) may work the 8 hours between the flexible hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If more than one individual share operating the Helpline, the individuals may divide the 40 hours per week in any ratio. Under no circumstances shall the total hours exceed 40 hours per week.

C. General Requirements Services to be Performed The Contractor shall account for project funding necessary to meet all requirements specified in Section C, including but not limited to activities supporting IT security and privacy, Section 508 compliance, and web content development, management, and migration.

1. Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, labor, equipment, software, services, materials, and supplies, except as otherwise noted specifically herein to perform the work set forth below.

2. All work under this contract/task order will be monitored by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

General Requirements are the Division of Technology Management (DTM) and Office of Communications (OC) Requirements – please see Attachment 1b

D. Specific Core Requirements of the Contractor and /or Representative to be performed

Note to Offerors: Specific Core requirements and equipment the Government will furnish to the Contractor:

The Government shall provide:

1. The Workplace Helpline 800 telephone number and local phone line and number.

2. A telephone messaging system.

3. Payment of all Workplace Helpline service telephone charges during the contract performance period (the Government will also be responsible for all repairs necessary for the phones and phone equipment).

4. An office with, at a minimum, a desk, chair, personal computer with appropriate software, and administrative support; and

5. All records, publications, materials, and information developed by the previous specialists in the performance of the Helpline duties.

Services to be performed by the Contractor: Tasks 1-10:

The Contractor shall provide support for the core tasks for Tasks 1-10 in the base year and if exercised in the option years 01 to 04:

Task 1 Answer telephone/e-mail inquiries

The Contractor shall answer telephone and email inquiries about alcohol and drug abuse from businesses, industries, community-based substance abuse prevention programs, and individuals immediately or within one (1) business day of receipt. The Contractor and shall provide consultation on approaches to prevent the use and abuse of those substances in a workplace setting. The Contractor can expect an average of 8 to 10 calls and/or e-mails received each day.

Some of the inquiries may require the Contractor to research information and shall follow-up with the caller within one (1) week from receipt date of the inquiry.

Task 2 Document each inquiry

The Contractor shall document each inquiry and provide a verbal and/or written response and provide information to the caller immediately upon receiving the call or within one (1) business day.

Task 3 Provide technical evidence-based information/assistance

The Contractor shall provide to callers technical and evidence-based information on establishing comprehensive alcohol and drug-free workplace programs that include provisions for a written policy, employee assistance program services, employee education, supervisor training, and workplace drug testing. This shall be provided immediately upon receiving the call or within one (1) week if research is required by the contractor.

In the event that the Contractor must replace the professional service individual performing the duties in tasks during the contract performance period, the contractor must submit for consideration and acceptance by the Contract Officer Representative (COR) the prospective employee’s resume demonstrating the appropriate background, knowledge, skills, and experience, as stated in the Statement of Work within one (1) week

Task 4. Provide sources of publications

The Contractor shall provide sources of publications, when requested by callers, which are pertinent to the issues presented by callers immediately upon receiving the call or within one (1) week if research is required.

Task 5. Refer callers to other resources

The Contractor shall refer callers to other local and national resources for additional assistance when they are unable to provide the requested information. For example, other federal or state agencies where relevant laws or regulations govern aspects of private or public workplace programs, community-based substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, legal assistance organizations, and employee assistance programs shall be provided to the caller immediately or within one (1) business day.

Task 6. Program consultation and/or training

The Contractor shall provide program consultation and/or training to businesses via teleconference at no cost to the businesses, as needed and scheduled within two (2) days after the request. This is part of the daily responsibilities of the contractor. Reference to training information is located on the Division of Workplace Program website at www.samhsa.gov/workplace. Typical training request should not exceed more than 1 hour.

Task 7. Follow up/Call-back

The Contractor shall conduct quarterly call-back feedback and follow up conversations with all callers, program coordinators, human resource departments as necessary from phone, e-mail, or fax messages to determine the percentage of callers to the Workplace Helpline that have taken action to develop a workplace substance abuse prevention initiative based on their contact with the Workplace Helpline.

Task 8. Summary Reports

The Contractor shall provide a quarterly report no later than the 15th of the preceding month to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) summarizing inquiries by topics and other data elements of the inquiry log sheet. The report shall include the number of calls, type of calls (e.g., individual, company, community agency, federal agency, and state agency), method of inquiry (e.g., email, phone, and web), and Inquiry reasons, along with topics requested by callers.

Reports may be requested by the COR on an ad hoc basis when necessary. Not to exceed 1 per month and not always every month. Reports are typically in 2-to-3-page lengths.

Task 9. Federal agency inquiries, reports, and standards of practice

The Contractor shall document federal agency calls and develop quarterly reports that include: 1) The number of calls made from each Federal Agency, Regulated industries, and Non-Regulated small businesses 2) A breakdown of which Agencies or businesses that placed the calls 3) Topics that were discussed and the rank order of these topics by number of questions/calls 4) The Responses to these calls either by phone or e-mail and references cited during each call. (e.g., Mandatory Guidelines, and technical paper, etc.). Reports may be requested by the COR on an ad hoc basis when necessary. Not to exceed 1 per month and not always every month. Inquiries from federal agencies shall be sorted by topic and standard templates for each answer will be compiled and reported by the contractor on a standard computer electronic file storage space.

Call inquiries shall be responded to within one (1) business day.

The Contractor shall develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for telephone and e-mail inquiries by topic regarding drug abuse questions within six (6) months from the Effective Date of the Contract (EDOC) and revision are completed as necessary. These SOPs shall be reviewed and approved by the COR.

The Contractor shall provide quarterly reports outlined in this task for both the Urine Mandatory Guidelines for Drug Free Workplace Programs and the Oral Fluid Mandatory Guidelines for Drug Free Workplace Programs, once the proposed Mandatory Guidelines have been implemented by laboratories. The COR will direct the contractor to provide quarterly reports and due dates. Reports shall be delivered quarterly and as needed in accordance with the schedule developed by the contractor.

Task 10. Turnover at the End of Closeout and Transition Tasks

Six (6) months prior to the end of the contract, the Contractor shall provide a comprehensive ninety (90) day plan that would detail the transfer of all relevant administrative and operational information associated with the Workplace to the incoming new contractor or DWP staff member to be responsible for the Workplace Helpline.

The contractor will be notified 120 days prior to contract expiration during the period of performance (year 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) to transition/transfer all technical assistance training and materials.

Options to Extend Services

Pending availability of funds and adherence to performance criteria, up to four (4) additional years beyond the Base Year (Option Years 1 through 4), as appropriate, may be exercised for the same kind of work as described for the Base Year contained in this Performance Work Statement.

OPTION 1: Extension of the Requirement for One 12 Month Period Under this option the contract would be continued for a period of one year, upon exercising of the option by modification of the contract. Tasks to be performed would continue to be those identified in the Performance Work Statement, as noted in the Delivery Schedule and/or as modified. (Option 1 is Year 2).

OPTION 2: Extension of the Requirement for One 12 Month Period Under this option the contract would be continued for a period of one year, upon exercising of the option by modification of the contract. Tasks to be performed would continue to be those identified in the Performance Work Statement, as noted in the Delivery Schedule and/or as modified. (Option 2 is Year 3).

OPTION 3: Extension of the Requirement for One 12 Month Period Under this option the contract would be continued for a period of one year, upon exercising of the option by modification of the contract. Tasks to be performed would continue to be those identified in the Performance Work Statement, as noted in the Delivery Schedule and/or as modified. (Option 3 is Year 4).

OPTION 4: Extension of the Requirement for One 12 Month Period Under this option the contract would be continued for a period of one year, upon exercising of the option by modification of the contract. Tasks to be performed would continue to be those identified in the Performance Work Statement, as noted in the Delivery Schedule and/or as modified. (Option 4 is Year 5).

A. Payment Schedule and Documentation

The Contractor and /or representative shall invoice monthly all hours worked and attached provide backup timesheets. The invoice details shall state the period of performance the invoice is covering (e.g., March 20, 2023 through March 19, 2024; job title; actual hours worked; billed hours; breakdown of each individual (e.g., Joe week 1, 2, 3, and 4, Jane week 1, 2, 3, and 4).

B. Delivery Performance Schedule

A list of tasks and pertinent records shall be maintained in the office where the Contractor and /or representative works. Records shall be monitored by the COR. The Contractor and /or representative shall deliver the following tasks in accordance with the Attachment 1c.