36C24518R0176-002.docx

36C24518R0176

PAGE 1 OF

1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO.

3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE

4. ORDER NO.

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY

CODE

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS

UNRESTRICTED OR

SET ASIDE:

% FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ

IFB

RFP

15. DELIVER TO

CODE

16. ADMINISTERED BY

CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

DUNS:

DUNS+4:

PHONE:

FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER 18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

ITEM NO.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

QUANTITY

UNIT

UNIT PRICE

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only) 27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER) 30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

(REV. 2/2012)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

101-18-3-1814-0006 36C24518R0176 06-25-2018 Jabbar Pringle (304)263-0811 x2031 07-10-2018 12:00pm EST Department of Veterans Affairs VA Maryland Health Care System 510 Butler Ave Martinsburg

WV

25401 x 624190 $11 Million X N/A X VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Office of Patient Care Services 3022 Croasdaile Drive, Suite 200 Durham

NC

27705 Department of Veterans Affairs VA Maryland Health Care System 510 Butler Ave Martinsburg

WV

25401

Department of Veterans Affairs

VAFSC

Attn: East Team Po Box 149971 Austin

TX

78714 See CONTINUATION Page To provide Telephone Lifestyle Coaching services for the VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

Please see price/cost schedule on page See CONTINUATION Page X x Jabbar Pringle Table of Contents

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

1. Contract Administration: All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

a. CONTRACTOR:

b. GOVERNMENT: Contracting Officer 36C245 Department of Veterans Affairs VA Maryland Health Care System 510 Butler Ave

Martinsburg WV 25401

2. CONTRACTOR REMITTANCE ADDRESS: All payments by the Government to the contractor will be made in accordance with:

3. INVOICES: Invoices shall be submitted in arrears:

4. GOVERNMENT INVOICE ADDRESS: All Invoices from the contractor shall be submitted electronically in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests.

Department of Veterans Affairs

VAFSC

Attn: East Team Po Box 149971 Austin TX 78714 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS: The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the Solicitation numbered and dated as follows:

B.2 MANDATORY WRITTEN DISCLOSURES

Mandatory written disclosures required by FAR clause 52.203-13 to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (OIG) must be made electronically through the VA OIG Hotline at http://www.va.gov/oig/contacts/hotline.asp and clicking on "FAR clause 52.203-13 Reporting." If you experience difficulty accessing the website, call the Hotline at 1-800-488-8244 for further instructions.

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1. AUTHORITY: Under the authority of Public Law 104-262 and 38 USC 513, the contractor agrees to provide Telephone Lifestyle Coaching Services (TLC) in accordance with the terms and conditions stated herein, to furnish to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities, the services and prices specified in the Section entitled Schedule of Supplies/Services of this contract.

1. GENERAL INTENTION: The VHA NCP has a requirement for a Contractor to provide TLC services as described herein to Veterans. The TLC program shall be fully operational no later than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from date of award of this contract. The Program launch date shall be mutually agreeable to both parties, and term of contract shall be one year from issuance of Notice to Proceed from the Contracting Officer.

1. INTRODUCTION and BACKGROUND:

The VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP), in partnership with the VHA Office of Rural Health, is focused on decreasing risky health behaviors as an important strategy to reduce the large burden of chronic disease within the Veteran population seen in the VHA healthcare system and improve overall health and well-being. Following the successful pilot implementation and evaluation of the Telephone Lifestyle Coaching (TLC) pilot in 2011-13, NCP determined that the telephone coaching intervention provided was effective for health behavior change across a variety of behaviors, including dietary change, physical activity, weight management, smoking cessation, stress management and unhealthy alcohol use.

A review of the literature reveals evidence about the effectiveness of telephone support for initial treatment and maintenance of tobacco cessation, increasing physical activity, and weight management. The current VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Screening and Management of Overweight and Obesity identifies telephone coaching as an effective means of providing weight management support. Proactive telephone counseling for tobacco cessation, in the form of quitlines, is one of the recommended formats in the US Public Health Services Clinical Practice Guideline. VISN 4 has a current contract for a telephone-based smoking cessation quitline with several thousand actively participating patients.

1. SCOPE OF WORK:

The purpose of this contract is for the contractor to provide Telephone Lifestyle Coaching Services to Veterans receiving care in VA. This national program will address the VA Undersecretary for Health’s priority of providing enrolled Veterans with timely access to care via non-face-to-face lifestyle coaching to support dietary change, physical activity, weight management, smoking cessation, stress management and unhealthy alcohol use. The contractor agrees, in accordance with the terms and conditions stated herein, to furnish telephonic contact and coaching services. Telephone Lifestyle Coaching services shall be provided to Veterans who have been referred to the program by VA clinicians.

1. MANDATORY TASKS AND DELIVERABLES: The Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, material, tools, facilities, and management resources to provide the services set forth herein.

TASK 5.1: The contractor shall submit the following management plans to support the implementation and management of the contract:

TASK 5.1.1: Project Management Plan: The Contractor shall develop a Project Management Plan (PMP) that lays out the Contractor’s approach and methodology, timeline, configuration management plan and tools to be used in execution of the contract. The PMP shall take the form of both a narrative and graphic format that displays the schedule, milestones, risks, and resource plan with a roles and responsibilities matrix. The initial baseline PMP shall be delivered to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) within thirty (30) calendar days of contract award and requires the concurrence of the COR. The PMP shall be updated at least monthly to reflect the current status. In event of any change or impact to the PMP which would affect the baseline elements, the Contractor shall notify the COR in writing within five (5) business days subsequent to the identification of the event/issue. The PMP shall also include how the Contractor shall coordinate and obtain approval for deliverables and project artifacts.

The PMP shall incorporate:

· Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

· Risk Management Plan

· Project Schedule

· Quality Control Plan (QCP) incorporating quantifiable/ measureable elements

· Communications/Marketing/Promotion Plan

· Evaluation Plan to determine impact and value of TLC for users

Additionally, the PMP shall include a narrative and graphic format displaying schedule, specifically defined milestones, risks, communication, and resource support. Upon acceptance, the initial PMP shall be considered baseline and shall be updated monthly or more frequently if the need arises and determined by the COR. Any changes to the schedule/project plan shall be subject to the VA’s written approval. The Contractor shall update and maintain the PMP approved by the Program Manager throughout the period of performance of the contract.

TASK 5.1.2: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): The Contractor shall develop a project-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) that organizes and decomposes objectives and deliverables into a framework for detailed cost estimating, control, and guidance for schedule development. The Contractor shall establish and maintain an up-to-date Performance Management baseline for subsequent efforts. The Contractor shall include the Contractor’s initial WBS along with a WBS Dictionary that defines, identifies and provides brief narrative description of WBS elements as an addendum to the PMP. The Contractor shall prepare a WBS delineating a comprehensive overview of the level of effort of the tasks related to Telephone Lifestyle Coaching implementation. WBS elements used in the Project Schedule should indicate developmental work, tasks, start/finish dates, allocated resources and, at a minimum, include the following:

· Meetings/teleconferences

· Project documentation submissions/revisions

· Developmental efforts structured to reflect development of a deliverable product

· Responsible parties

· Project milestones

· Deliverables

· Plan for evaluating progress over time

The initial baseline WBS shall be delivered to the COR within thirty (30) calendar days of contract award and requires the acceptance of the COR.

NOTE: Upon the COR’s acceptance, the following PMP items shall be considered “Baseline:”

· Project Schedule

· WBS

· Tasks Start/Finish Dates, Allocated Resources (Equipment and Personnel)

TASK 5.1.3: Project Schedule: The Contractor shall develop and maintain a schedule of milestones and project deliverables related to implementation of Telephone Lifestyle Coaching. The Contractor shall notify the COR within one (1) business day, by email and phone call when a critical path slip is indicated. The initial schedule shall be delivered to the COR within fifteen (15) calendar days of contract award and requires the approval of the COR and PM. The Contractor shall update and deliver the schedule at least once per month, or more often if necessary, to the COR and PM.

The Project Schedule should incorporate and reflect the following elements:

· Major Milestones

· Detailed tasks and deliverables with start/finish dates Interdependencies

· Responsible parties

· Identification of resources dedicated to each task and deliverable

· Schedule Gantt Charts including project critical path

· Anticipated teleconferences and status reports

TASK 5.1.4: Risk Management Plan and Risk Register The Contractor shall develop, maintain and implement a project Risk Management Plan (RMP) and Risk Register together with a Quality Control Plan (QCP) incorporating QCP quantifiable and measurable elements by which the Contractor shall ensure the terms of the contract are met. The initial RMP and Risk Register shall be provided to the COR within fifteen (15) calendar days of contract award and requires the approval of the COR and PM. The RMP shall identify circumstances that may have a negative impact on the project, describe these potential impacts, and assert measures to either reduce/eliminate their potential or minimize their impact. The Contractor shall include a Risk Assessment Matrix that identifies risk factors such as probability and impact. The Contractor shall provide a presentation of updated risk mitigation actions at each project review.

TASK 5.2: Marketing and Promotional Strategies These shall be established annually, collaboratively with Contractor and NCP staff. Marketing and promotional strategies designed to increase both Veteran and clinical staff knowledge of TLC, including strategies to efficiently and effectively integrate referral to TLC as appropriate.

· Marketing strategies to promote TLC, i.e., new services, content or content areas, resources, videos, interactive tools, etc.

· Marketing and Communication deliverables shall be established annually based on overall TLC strategy and accomplishments. Annual timelines for deliverables shall be developed between NCP and the Contractor.

· Development of promotional products and deliverables that can be used within VHA Medical Facilities on Closed Circuit Television systems in patient waiting areas, new patient orientation, inpatient settings, e.g. the GetWell Network, Virtual Medical Center or within the community, e.g., Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), as well as products to promote effective and efficient use of TLC by VHA providers and clinical staff in face-to-face, secure messaging, telephone and virtual clinical encounters, as well as in any new VHA health care delivery mechanism developed in the course of the contract. Examples of products may include but shall not be limited to videos, electronic messaging, social media, VA Pulse, etc.

· The Contractor shall manage the TLC social media program in accordance with VA Directive 6515, Use of Web-Based Collaboration Technologies, http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=551 TASK 5.3: The Contractor shall complete an initial enrollment call with each referred Veteran, and then schedule and complete weekly outbound telephone calls for one month (4 total calls in first month), then one call monthly for 3 months (3 additional calls in months 2-4), then 1 call every 3 months for 6 months (2 additional calls in months 5-10), and one final end-of-program data collection call per participant in the program (total of 10 calls), unless participants request alternate call scheduling or desire lower frequency of contact. The Contractor shall coordinate with each participant where and when the participant would like these calls to be delivered. Participants can initiate unlimited calls to the Contractor at any time during the work hours indicated (see section 4h for additional specifications) for additional support as long as the program is available and the contract is active.

Referrals for TLC services are anticipated to be approximately 1300-1600 Veterans by the end of the twelve-month contract period beginning no later than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from the date of award of this contract. Veterans will be referred to the program via VA PACT/primary care, or extended PACT staff, who will enter a Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) consultation request which shall be accessed by the Contractor who shall then call the Veteran. If a Veteran decides not to be enrolled in the program on the first call, no enrollment shall occur. If a Veteran agrees to participate in subsequent calls, s/he is considered enrolled. If a Veteran enrolls but fails to complete subsequent calls, the Veteran may reinitiate coaching later.

TASK 5.4: The referral, enrollment and participation process shall be as outlined in paragraphs 1- 8 below:

1. The VA clinician will complete an electronic consultation in CPRS. The consultation request will indicate the Veteran’s preferred time window and phone number for the initial enrollment call.

2. TASK 5.4.1: The contractor shall assign a specific coach to each Veteran, based on coach availability. The coach shall remain with that Veteran for the duration of participation in TLC, to the extent possible or unless a change is specifically requested, or multiple coaches are allowed, by the Veteran. Due to the unique needs of female Veterans, the Contractor shall offer female Veterans the option of a female coach.

3. TASK 5.4.2:The coach shall access the consultation request (consult) and shall attempt to make initial contact with the Veteran within seven (7) days of being referred by the VA clinician to initiate enrollment into the program during the Veteran’s preferred time window and phone number, as indicated in the request. https://securereports2.vssc.med.va.gov/ReportServer/Pages/ReportViewer.aspx?/Systems+Redesign/Consults/Consult_Switchboard&rs:Command=Render

4. TASK 5.4.3: If the Veteran is not available during the initial call preferred time window, the coach shall make a second call within 5-15 minutes of the initial attempt. If unable to contact the Veteran during the preferred time window, at least10 additional attempts to contact the Veteran by telephone shall be made, once per day, over the next two weeks. It is acceptable for the coach to leave a voice message and callback number. At the end of two weeks, if no phone contact has been made, the Veteran will be considered “unable to contact” and contractor shall discontinue the consultation request per VA consult process in the attached document (Consult Management Business Rules May 2014). The consult status will be changed from “pending” to the appropriate status per VHA Consult Management Business Rules. If the VA clinician subsequently determines that the patient does desire to participate in the program, the clinician shall resubmit the referral as a new electronic consultation request with updated contact information. Patients who are not able to be contacted for this initial call are not considered enrollees or participants. The content of all voice messages left for a Veteran shall be consistent with VHA privacy rules (limit the amount of information disclosed on the answering machine; i.e. leave only the facility name and number and other information necessary to confirm an appointment, or ask the individual to call back).

5. “Enrolled” Veterans are those for whom contact is established at the initial call and who agree to subsequent coaching calls. “Participating” Veterans are those who have been enrolled and who complete at least three subsequent coaching calls.

6. TASK 5.4.4: Once enrolled, if the Veteran is not available at the scheduled time for subsequent calls, the coach shall make a second call within 5-15 minutes of the initial attempt. If unable to contact the Veteran at the scheduled time, four additional attempts to contact the Veteran by telephone shall be made. It is acceptable for the coach to leave a voice message and callback number. After the four additional attempts, if no phone contact has been made, the Veteran shall be considered “dis-enrolled” and contractor shall indicate this in medical record and alert the referring provider.

7. TASK 5.4.5: Once the Veteran is enrolled, the coach shall establish rapport and ask about relevant information that may influence the coaching process. The coach shall also administer a pre-intervention behavior specific self-efficacy questionnaire and assessment of behaviors at baseline that will be provided by NCP.

8. The Veteran participant may choose to address one or more of the health behaviors included in the TLC program (dietary change, physical activity, weight management, smoking cessation, stress management and unhealthy alcohol use). Coaching sessions shall continue until the Veteran has completed the scheduled series of 10 calls or chooses to discontinue participation in the coaching program sooner. Nicotine replacement medications shall not be recommended nor provided directly by the Contractor; participants who request these medications shall be screened by their TLC coach with documentation of screening included in the electronic medical record for review and appropriate action by the participant’s VA healthcare team.

TASK 5.5: The coaches shall deliver an evidence-based lifestyle health behavior change coaching protocol. A comprehensive, detailed plan shall be collaboratively developed by the coach and Veteran, with SMART (Specific, Measureable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Time-based) goals and an action plan, including self-monitoring for the health behavior(s) being addressed. During each subsequent contact, the action plan shall be reviewed with a focus on progress toward goals, successes, and problem solving for any challenges or obstacles. The coaches shall use motivational interviewing (MI) and other patient-centered communication techniques to support behavior change. Central to this process is the development of a sound relationship between the coach and the Veteran. The coach and Veteran shall talk by phone at regularly scheduled intervals as outlined in paragraph b above.

TASK 5.6: Documentation of all failed attempts and completed coaching calls shall be included as a progress note in CPRS within 24 hours of the time of the attempt/contact. The content of the documentation shall be mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and NCP during implementation planning. If it becomes evident during a call that a VA clinician’s attention is required, the Contractor will document this in a progress note and alert the provider and the designated facility TLC point of contact within 24 hours of the call for follow-up action.

Some medical facilities in the program may require that Contractor employees who document in CPRS be credentialed and privileged per facility policy and in accordance with VHA Handbook 1100.19. Web site: http://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2910 TASK 5.7: The Contractor shall provide lifestyle health behavior change coaching to participants in the following 6 areas: healthy diet, physical activity, weight management, tobacco cessation, stress management and reducing unhealthy alcohol use. The content (training, fidelity checks, protocols, scripts, etc.) for the coaching in these topic areas shall be approved by NCP during implementation planning. NCP will provide the Contractor with VA-specific content as needed to ensure it is consistent with VA policy, guidelines, and program office recommendations. NCP will also provide training for Contractor’s staff in Veteran and military cultural issues. NCP reserves the right to change the content during the course of the contract, if the need arises. The Contractor shall also provide written materials to participants (workbooks with self-management information, logs for tracking health behaviors, etc.) as appropriate for the behaviors being addressed. If the Contractor has web-based resources, these shall also be made available to participants. All print resources will carry the appropriate VA branding which will be provided to the Contractor by NCP.

TASK 5.8: The coaches shall be available for inbound and outbound calls from 7:00 am to midnight Monday through Friday and 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday of the time zones within which Veteran participants are located, in the Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaskan and Hawaiian time zones of the US. Coaches are not required to work on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. Coaches must be available to make outbound calls (i.e., scheduled and follow-up calls to Veterans) and respond to inbound calls from Veterans promptly with a goal to have no waiting on hold longer than 20 seconds.

TASK 5.9: The Contractor shall provide on-going consultation to NCP regarding the most effective means of marketing and distribution of the program to Veterans. The Contractor shall provide promotional marketing materials for branding and use (or adaptation) by NCP and the participating VA Medical Center pilot sites.

TASK 5.10: The Contractor must provide summary data and reports of program activity to NCP in electronic format, including but not limited to:

TASK 5.10.1: A monthly Participant Activity Report that includes the enrollment/participant status (referrals, referrals that coaches were “unable to contact,” enrollments, new participants, current participants, dis-enrolled participants, and participants who complete all 10 calls) and participation level (number of calls attempted and completed, average length of calls, time period over which the calls occurred, etc.) of the Veterans participating in the program for each site and health behavior being addressed;

TASK5.10.2: the number of Veterans who received coaching for each of the specific health behaviors and use of a validated method for assessing self-reported behavioral and clinical outcomes, including (as appropriate) weight change (in pounds), change in minutes of physical activity per week, dietary change, change in alcohol consumption, change in a measure of stress, and change in behavior specific self-efficacy, etc..

TASK5.10.3: In addition, the Contractor must provide monthly data and reports on participants’ qualitative assessment of satisfaction, usefulness, perceived value of the program, pre-intervention self-efficacy and post-intervention self-efficacy, obtained during the end-of-program data collection call.

TASK 5.10.4: The Contractor shall provide reports of quality and fidelity assessment of coaches every month.

The Contractor must provide a process for addressing participant complaints about the Contractor’s services for VA/NCP approval.

NCP will be the Contractor’s point of contact for the VA medical centers in VISNs 23 and 15 who will be participating in this pilot program at its outset. Additional VISNs may be added with expansion of program.

1. VISN 23, http://www.visn23.va.gov/ - 8 medical centers

1. VISN 15, http://www.visn15.va.gov/ - 8 medical centers TASK 5.11: (i) The Contractor shall provide all hardware, software, peripherals, communications lines, maintenance and equipment as mutually agreed by the parties and necessary to access the VISTA system. VA uses a virtual private network (VPN) through the One-VA VPN secure access solution and Remote Enterprise Security Compliance Update Environment (RESCUE) Owned Equipment (OE) to provide remote offices or individual users with secure access to the organization’s network. The Contractor shall be allowed remote access to VA computer systems in the performance of the contract. Remote access to VA systems that contain sensitive information must be done through the One-VA VPN account using a Contractor-provided Internet Service Provider (ISP). After contract award and prior to VA granting VPN access, the Contractor shall be required to complete all security requirements. RESCUE OE is used in conjunction with One-VA VPN to ensure security requirements on contractor computer systems. The objective of the RESCUE OE is to allow restricted VA network access to users who connect via OE devices, while maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and security of VA data and the VA network. RESCUE OE is provided at no charge by VA to the Contractor and is used to provide a means of secure communications and ensures that up-to-date VA-approved virus protection and valid firewall products are in place.

TASK 5.12: (ii) The Contractor shall be responsible for maintenance and on-going technical support for all local network hardware and communications lines installed in support of this Contract. The Contractor is responsible for all long distance phone charges related to the use of Contractor-installed data lines.

TASK 5.13: The Contractor shall provide necessary antivirus software for personal computers (PCs) and ensure that data definition files are current. In addition, the Contractor shall ensure that all Microsoft critical updates and patches are current. The Contractor shall provide connectivity to the internet via cable modem, DSL, or T1 circuits and provide firewall security for this circuit.

TASK 5.14: Work shall commence with a kick-off meeting within two (2) weeks of contract award for the base year. The kick-off meeting will be held in Durham, NC, at NCP. The Contractor shall assign a Project Manager (PM) to provide oversight of the contracted effort. The PM shall be responsible for ensuring project success and that cost and schedule are managed to ensure goals are met throughout the lifecycle of the project, while adhering to all government standards. The PM shall communicate with the COTR on all issues related to project. The PM shall attend the kickoff in person to discuss the approach, schedules, milestones, and points of contact. An acceptable schedule for teleconference or in-person meetings will be established at kick-off meeting. The PM shall also attend an implementation planning meeting with representatives from the participating sites to be held at a location to be determined prior to implementation of the project at those sites. A second kick-off meeting will be held within two weeks of contract award for the option year, if the option is exercised. All travel will be completed at contractor expense.

Following the initial kick-off meeting of base year, the PM and NCP staff will meet regularly by conference call to review contractor’s training content, clinical content (scripts, protocols), design and dissemination of marketing materials to approve and/or modify as needed for use in this project. VHA subject matter experts in the clinical content areas shall also be included in the review and approval process. The PM and NCP staff will plan and implement a process for the contractor’s staff to receive all required VA security and privacy training and for the contractor to be provided CPRS access in the participating sites. A plan for implementing the program in the participating sites shall be developed, which shall include plans for training clinical staff in how to discuss with and appropriately refer patients to the program, marketing the program to staff and patients, and monitoring the program, once implemented.

vs.

Due Date

Plan that includes a Quality Control Plan, timeframe, dependences, and parties responsible parties including the elements described in task 5.1.1 Initial PMP: within 30 days of contract award.

the elements described in task 5.1.2 Initial Baseline WBS: within 30 days of contract award.

described in task 5.1.3 Initial schedule: 15 days after contract award.

including the elements described in task 5.1.4 Initial RMP and Risk Register: 15 days after contract award.

communication/marketing/promotion plan for the VHL including the elements described in task 5.2 Within 30 days of contract award.

Only the COR can direct the contractor. NCP staff has no authority to direct contractor.

1. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: This period of performance shall be for 12 months from the date of award, with three (3) 12-month options (actual dates :

1. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The contract services and activities will take place at the contractor’s place of business.

1. KEY PERSONNEL: In this section should be the minimal personnel requirements for a successful contract. You can move the education requirements show above to this section. IE program manager, social worker etc.

1. During the first ninety (90) calendar days of performance, The contractor shall make NO substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The contractor shall notify the contracting officer (CO), in writing, within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required by paragraph (3) below. After the initial ninety (90) calendar day period of the contract, the contractor shall submit the information required by paragraph (3) to the CO at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to making any permanent substitutions.

2. The contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the CO. Proposed substitutes shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The CO shall notify the contractor within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decisions on the proposed substitutes. The contract shall be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel.

3. For temporary substitutions where the key person will not be reporting to work for three (3) consecutive work days or more, the contractor shall provide a qualified replacement for the key person. This substitute shall have comparable qualifications to the key person.

4. Contractor is to have a contingency plan in place to be utilized if personnel leave contractor’s employment or are unable to continue performance in accordance with the terms and conditions of the resulting contract. A copy of this contingency plan shall be submitted with the offer. Failure to submit contingency plan shall result in rejection of proposal.

5. The government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of contractor if personal or professional conduct jeopardizes or interferes with the regular and ordinary operation of the program. Breaches of conduct include intoxication or debilitation resulting from drug use, , dereliction or negligence in performing directed tasks, or other conduct resulting in formal complaints by staff members to designated government representatives. Standards for conduct shall mirror those prescribed by current federal personnel regulations. The contractor and COR shall deal with issues raised concerning contract personnel’s conduct. The final arbiter on questions of acceptability is the CO.

6. The CO shall resolve complaints concerning contractor relations with the government employees. The CO is final authority on validating complaints. In the event that the contractor is involved and named in a validated complaint, the government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of the services of such personnel. This does not preclude refusal in the event of incidents involving physical or verbal abuse.

1. QUALIFICATIONS.

0. The contractor shall assign to this contract personnel that by education and training (and, when required, certification or licensure) are qualified to provide services in accordance with (IAW) PWS.

0. Coaches must possess an appropriate level of education (Bachelor’s degree or higher in a health-related field such as nursing, health education, exercise physiology, social work, health education, nutrition, psychology, counseling, or public health) and at least 2 years of experience in lifestyle health behavior change coaching. Specific experience utilizing motivational interviewing, health behavior change counseling, reflective listening and problem solving techniques is required. All coaches should have completed a formal training curriculum with a minimum of 240 hours focused on the provision of safe and effective lifestyle health behavior change coaching by telephone. This should include content instruction in nutrition, physical activity, weight management, tobacco cessation strategies, stress management, MI, cognitive behavioral therapy, privacy practices, crisis protocols, cultural competence, customer service and software application. Coaches must have clinical knowledge related to chronic and co-morbid health conditions and their impact on behavior change. Coaches need to be sensitive to a variety of participant characteristics, including Veteran and military cultural issues, health literacy and numeracy issues, cultural differences (including cultural factors influencing dietary practices), urban/rural issues, socio-economic issues, etc. In addition to completing initial comprehensive training detailed earlier in this paragraph, coaches should complete regular continuing education to reinforce and enhance knowledge and skills in the areas noted previously.

Coaching supervisors must have Master’s degrees in a health-related field such as nursing, health education, exercise physiology, nutrition, psychology, or public health and/or at least 5 years of experience in training and monitoring health coaches. In addition to supervisory sessions, a supervisor must monitor 5% of each coach’s telephone contacts to ensure fidelity to the specified intervention protocol. Contractor shall work together with NCP to develop a fidelity assessment process. The Contractor shall record and monitor calls as well as utilize a strategy to ensure the quality and fidelity of the coaching process and content. Participants will need to be informed that their calls may be monitored for training and quality assessment purposes. Supervisors shall provide feedback to the coach regarding call quality and fidelity, during regular (at least twice-monthly) individual meetings and provide coaches with additional supervision and training as needed. The VA reserves the right to conduct periodic, independent monitoring and evaluation of a random sample of recorded calls. This monitoring may be done by VA or another agent of the VA’s choosing.

The Contractor shall provide evidence of extensive experience and effectiveness of coaching staff in delivering lifestyle health behavior change coaching interventions that target change in multiple health behaviors, including healthy diet, physical activity, weight management, tobacco cessation, stress management and reducing unhealthy alcohol use. The Contractor shall provide NCP with citations of published studies that support its current protocols, as requested. Evidence of success should include experience with participants similar in demographics and medical co-morbidity to Veterans in VHA.

The Contractor must have protocols approved by NCP during implementation planning for appropriately managing challenging callers and acute medical situations, where referral for urgent or emergency medical care is needed. Callers at risk for suicide shall be transferred immediately to the National Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-TALK [8255]). The TLC coach will remain on the line with the Veteran to ensure the handoff is complete, per agreement with the National Veterans Crisis Line. These encounters shall be documented in the Veteran’s electronic medical record (CPRS) within 24 hours.

1. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITES.

The government shall ensure that the contractor has access to reference materials, program documentation and VA websites as appropriate.

1. WORK HOURS.

The contractor shall provide services covered by this contract as defined herein. The following terms have the following meaning:

1. Coaching services shall be provided as described in Task 5.8. Interactions between NCP and vendor shall take place during the working hours of Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 4:30pm ET, excluding holidays at intervals that are mutually agreeable to the contractor, the PO and the grantee.

2. Federal Holidays: The Federal holidays observed by the Federal Government are:

When one (1) of the holidays falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a federal holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as a federal Holiday by United States Government agencies. Also included would be any day specifically declared by the president of the United States of America as a federal holiday.

1. PERSONNEL POLICY.

The contractor shall assume full responsibility for the protection of its personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry this out the contractor shall provide the following for these personnel:

Worker’s compensation Professional liability insurance Health examinations Income tax withholding, and Social Security payments

1. MANAGEMENT, SUPERVISION AND TRAINING.

Contracted agency shall be responsible for supervising the daily services provided under this contract.

1. RECORD KEEPING.

1. The COR shall establish and maintain a record keeping system that will record the services performed by the contractor's employee(s). Any incidents of contractor non-compliance as evidenced by the monitoring procedure shall be forwarded immediately to the CO.

2. Documentation of services performed shall be reviewed prior to certifying payment. The COR shall pay for services actually performed and in strict accordance with schedule of supplies/services above. Contract monitoring and record-keeping procedures shall be sufficient to ensure proper payment and allow audit verification that services were provided.

1. ACCESS TO ADP FILES.

In performance of official duties, the contractor shall have regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data, which shall be protected under the provision of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policies. The contractor is responsible for protecting that data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion, and for following all applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in a computer access agreement which the contractor signs.

1. INFORMATION SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.

1. All contractor employees who require access to the VA computer systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement prior to contract performance. This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access.