36C24618Q0731-002.docx

36C24618Q0731

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

36C24618Q0731 08-09-2018 Tiera Clark 757-728-3116 08-24-2018

1:00PM EST

Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton

VA

23667 X 623220 $15 Million X N/A X Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton

VA

23667 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton

VA

23667

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center https://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

X See CONTINUATION Page Contractor to provideTransitional Housing for Homeless Veterans for Salisbury VAMC, Charlote HCC, and Kernersville HCC IAW the incorporated Performance Work Statement (PWS).

A 4-year firm fixed price multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quanity (IDIQ) contract will result from this solicitation. Period of Performance is 4 years effective from 11/1/2018.

See CONTINUATION Page X X Leah Trossen Contracting Officer 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 36C246 Tiera Clark

Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton VA 23667

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 Financial Services Center https://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS: The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the Solicitation numbered and dated as follows:

B.2 SUBCONTRACTING COMMITMENTS--MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE (JUN 2011)

This solicitation includes VAAR 852.215-70, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business Evaluation Factors, and VAAR 852.215-71, Evaluation Factor Commitments. Accordingly, any contract resulting from this solicitation will include these clauses. The contractor is advised in performing contract administration functions, the CO may use the services of a support contractor(s) to assist in assessing contractor compliance with the subcontracting commitments incorporated into the contract. To that end, the support contractor(s) may require access to the contractor's business records or other proprietary data to review such business records regarding contract compliance with this requirement. All support contractors conducting this review on behalf of VA will be required to sign an “Information Protection and Non-Disclosure and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Agreement” to ensure the contractor's business records or other proprietary data reviewed or obtained in the course of assisting the CO in assessing the contractor for compliance are protected to ensure information or data is not improperly disclosed or other impropriety occurs. Furthermore, if VA determines any services the support contractor(s) will perform in assessing compliance are advisory and assistance services as defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions, the support contractor(s) must also enter into an agreement with the contractor to protect proprietary information as required by FAR 9.505-4, obtaining access to proprietary information, paragraph (b). The contractor is required to cooperate fully and make available any records as may be required to enable the CO to assess the contractor compliance with the subcontracting commitments.

B.3 PRICE SCHEDULE

This IDIQ is for a four (4) year ordering period of November 1, 2018 – September 30, 2022. The guaranteed minimum award amount for the life of the IDIQ contract is twenty (20) bed days. The maximum aggregate value of orders that can be placed under this contract is __________ bed days per day each year for the life of the IDIQ contract. The Government does not guarantee that it will place any orders under this contract in excess of the guaranteed minimum award amount.

Ordering Period 1 November 1. 2018 through September 30, 2019

Ordering Period 2 October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020

Ordering Period 3 October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021

Ordering Period 4 October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022

B.4PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

1. DESCRIPTION

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the W.G. Bill Hefner VA Medical Center provides diagnostic and therapeutic services in medicine, surgery, rehabilitation medicine, psychiatry, and skilled nursing home care. This facility also provides homeless support services to those Veterans requiring resources to aid them in the procurement of permanent housing. The Contractor shall furnish transitional housing for the beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) and the W.G. Bill Hefner VA Medical Center (VA). Failure to provide ongoing transitional housing, may result in unfavorable contract performance evaluation which may result in contract termination.

The contract facility will be located within the Salisbury community or within a 50-mile radius of the Salisbury WG Bill Hefner VA Medical Center and/or a 25-mile radius of the Charlotte and Kernersville VA Heath Care Centers (HCC).

The contract facility must have a current occupancy permit or license required by the authority having jurisdiction.

The Contractor shall provide temporary residential housing to include but not limited to, beds, restroom, bathrooms, kitchen facilities, and related furnishings. Adequate safety and security measures in accordance with VA standards and in conformance with state and local safety and health codes as outlined in 38 CFR, Section 17.53b http://vaww.ceosh.med.va.gov, shall be in place in order to provide optimum safety for Veterans. The Contractor will provide food at a minimum of three balanced meals daily and healthy snacks daily to each Veteran. The Contractor will provide personal hygiene items, first aid supplies, and lockable storage. The Contractor shall provide services to beneficiaries for whom such care is specifically authorized by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center herein after referred to as the VA. The Contractor shall provide to the VA, housing and supportive services for homeless Veterans in accordance with all terms and conditions, provisions and requirements listed herein for the sum listed above. This rate is inclusive of all services as may be necessary in the treatment of the Veteran. Unless specifically excluded in this contract, the per diem rate established will include the services listed in this document and will also include all services normally provided other patients by the facility without extra charge.

The Contractor shall furnish services to beneficiaries from whom such care is specifically authorized by the VA Salisbury. It is understood that the type of Veterans to be cared for under this contract will normally require care and services over and above the level of room and board.

The Contractor will serve Veterans who meet the following definition of homelessness:

a) An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence

b) An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

c) An individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately-operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and motels paid for by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, congregate shelters, and transitional housing);

Veterans may also meet any of the following criteria:

a) Homeless Veterans that are diagnosed with ongoing Mental Illnesses such as: Depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and/ or Substance Use Disorder.

b) Veterans discharged from the Military on or after September 11, 2001 and served in a theatre of operation or an area of conflict where the Veteran received hazardous duty pay and/or war of duty pay.

2. REQUIREMENTS

The number of beds required will range from 5 to 20. These can be at one facility or spread out over several facilities. The facility will serve a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 Veterans at one location.

The Contractor shall furnish each Veteran authorized care under this contract with the following basic services:

a) Room and Board to include a bed and lockable furnishings such as a dresser, lockable storage, and personal linens (towels and bed sheets).

b) Meals -including at least three nutritionally adequate meals a day, seven days a week and availability of nutritious snacks between meals and at bedtime for those requiring or desiring additional food, when it is not medically contraindicated by the Veteran’s Primary Care Physician. Contractor will be required to accommodate Veterans dietary restrictions when medically indicated. Contractor will adhere to nutritional guidelines outlined by consulting VA Dietician.

c) Laundry facilities for residents to do their own laundry or to have laundry done.

d) Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Services determined to be needed by the individual Veteran in a Person-Centered Treatment Plan developed by the Veteran and the Contractor with input from the VA Liaison/COR.

i. The Contractor shall conduct treatment and discharge planning reflecting a team assessment of health, social and vocational needs and the involvement of Veterans and appropriate community resources in resolving problems and setting goals.

ii. The Person-Centered Treatment Plan will encompass the following elements:

1). Strengths, 2). Needs, 3). Referrals that are beyond the scope of the established program, and 4). The signature of the Case Manager and the Veteran.

The treatment plan goals should address the areas of housing, mental health, health/medical, social, and vocational and/or any additional personal goals. The treatment plan goals should be clear, specific, measurable, individualized, and should identify the specific objectives, methods, and the responsible person to complete each goal. The plan should be completed within five business days of Veteran’s admission to the program with monthly reviews and/or updates. Weekly progress notes should specify the Veteran’s progress towards treatment plan goals. Treatment Plans should reflect Recovery Model focus and approach.

e) Structured group activities, including physical and recreational activities as appropriate.

f) Instruction in and assistance with health and personal hygiene.

g) Monitoring of medications to include the following: locked storage for medications, Medication Administration Records with Veteran and staff signatures, and weekly medication checks conducted by staff.

h) Supportive social services, in collaboration with the VA Liaison/COR, or other contract/community resources.

i) Assistance in learning and development of responsible living patterns to achieve a more adaptive level of psychosocial functioning, upgraded social skills, and improved personal relationships.

j) Support for an alcohol/drug abuse free lifestyle by maintaining a drug and alcohol-free environment with-random UDS testing and breathalyzer testing at least twice a month.

k) Assistance with arranging transportation to treatment plan related appointments, such as care at the VA Medical Center and/or outside VA Choice Providers as appropriate.

l) Assistance with securing income through the establishment of competitive employment or by referral to Social Security and/or the Veteran Benefits Administrations, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Employment Services and/or community employment resources

m) Assistance in and/or referral to individual professional counseling, including counseling on self-care skills, adaptive coping skills, and vocational rehabilitation counseling.

n) Assistance in budget counseling and money management. Progress here is to be documented in monthly treatment plan and weekly case notes.

o) Assistance in securing permanent housing or housing that appropriately meet the needs of the Veteran post discharge. Progress here to be documented in monthly treatment plan and weekly case notes.

p) Although rules are kept simple and demands on the Veterans low, staff at the facility shall stay continuously engaged with the Veterans. Regular biweekly room/bed checks shall occur with a strong focus on maintaining a safe environment that promotes the well-being of all Veterans.

q) The Contractor shall work towards discharge planning upon admission and this planning effort should be reflected in the Person-Centered Treatment Plan.

r) The Veteran shall be referred to VA for inpatient residential services, intensive outpatient services, and/or the Contractor shall provide this service if licensed. If the Veteran remains in the Contractor’s program following hospitalization, the treatment plan shall be amended to reflect any healthcare or treatment changes. The following treatment modalities may be utilized: Harm Reduction, the Recovery Model, Critical Time Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, Seeking Safety, and/or the Stages of Change.

The facility will not be used for detoxification or other hospital level treatment. Salisbury VAMC will serve as the treatment center.

3. PERSONNEL

a) The Contractor will employ sufficient personnel to carry out the policies, responsibilities, and program requirements for the facility.

b) Key personnel will be identified in the proposal and shall be considered key personnel essential for the successful completion of the work performed under the contract. The Contractor agrees that such personnel shall not be removed, diverted, or replaced from the work without notifying the VA Liaison/COR in writing.

c) The Contractor should employ a combination of the following staff members:

i. A paraprofessional or administrative staff member of equivalent professional capability on duty on the premises or residing at the house and available for emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

ii. A Bachelors level mental health professional (BA, BS, BSW etc.) to provide clinical case management to include engagement in mental health services, continuity of care, linkage to community resources, maintenance and expansion of social networks, collaboration with physicians and hospitals, advocacy, training in independent living skills, individual supportive counseling, crisis intervention and monitoring, budgeting skills, and Veteran life-skills groups. This staff member should have a minimum of three years’ experience in providing services to mentally ill individuals with complex psychosocial stressors to include chronic homelessness and/or PTSD.

iii. A Masters level licensed mental health and/or substance professional (LCSW, LPC, LCAS Clinical Psychologist etc.) to provide clinical case management services as listed in the Requirements section of this document. This staff member will be responsible for the initial intake assessment, Person Centered Treatment plans with monthly updates, discharge planning, and weekly individual sessions with Veterans. This staff member should have three years’ experience in providing services to those with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) and /or Veteran specific issues including PTSD, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), combat related trauma and chronic homelessness.

d) The Contractor shall train staff to provide a low-demand, trust-building environment. The environment shall be highly supportive, where Veterans can rest, feel safe and be subject to few demands.

e) Staff shall be trained in providing flexible, respectful responses to infractions of rules.

f) All Contractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:

i. Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems;

ii. Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training;

iii. Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training;

iv. Successfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access

g) The Contractor shall provide to the Contracting Officer and the VA Liaison/COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required. These online courses are located at the following web site: https://www.tms.va.gov/plateau/user/login.jsp. Detailed instructions on account setup will be provided to the successful offeror.

h) Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete.

i) All Contractor personnel are subject to the same level of investigation as VA employees who have access to VA Sensitive Information. The level of background on investigations commensurate with the level of access needed to perform the performance work statement and statement of work is: Low Risk National Agency Check with Inquires (NACI). The Contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. If the investigation is conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) through the VA, the facility will pay for the investigation in advance. The cost of the investigation is $267.00 per individual.

j) In the event an individual has a reciprocal background investigation on file, the Contractor shall reimburse the VA facility $27.00 per individual for processing of Special Agreement Checks (SAC) fingerprinting.

4. REFERRALS

a) Salisbury VAMC will determine Veteran eligibility prior to admission. They shall provide the Contractor with a signed VA Release of Information (ROI) from the Veteran. The Contractor shall establish personnel authorized to complete the admission process when requests are made for services, even when Veteran admission occurs after normal business hours (Monday – Friday 8:00am-4:30pm).

b) A centralized assessment form shall follow each admission authorization as soon as possible after completion by Clinical Staff. Before referring any patient, the VA shall have provided the contracted agency with a signed Release of Information (ROI) from the Veteran as well as a centralized assessment form, physical and laboratory studies, and confirmation of chronic mental illness by a VA staff, and confirmation of negative PPD (TB test).

c) Orders, requests, or changes to admission status shall only be made by the HCHV VA Liaison/COR. The Contractor shall make no deviation and is responsible for providing direction to its staff regarding Veteran admissions.

d) A list of authorized key personnel shall be made available to the VA Liaison/COR upon award of the contract. Employees may be added or deleted from the list during the term of the contract at the discretion of VAMC Salisbury. The VA Contracting Office shall be notified to such changes as they occur.

e) Salisbury VAMC will furnish the Contractor with the USPEQ survey/website. The USPEQ survey will measure Veterans satisfaction at exit from program. Contractor will provide surveys for Veterans to complete upon exit from program and submit to VA in sealed envelope or allow Veteran to submit to HCHV Department at Salisbury VAMC.

f) Salisbury VAMC will furnish the Contractor with a Residential Treatment Exit Form. This form will measure the following program outcomes: Housing, Employment/Income, and Clinical Improvements. The Contractor will complete the discharge form within 24 hours of a Veterans discharge from the residential program. The Contractor should file the discharge form and the agency's discharge summary in the Veteran's closed chart. A copy of the discharge form should be given to the VA Liaison/COR.

5. ABSENCES AND CANCELLATION

a) The Contractor shall notify the authorizing VA of Veteran absences from the facility. Absences of the Veteran from the facility in excess of forty-eight (48) hours shall not be billed except those with the prior approval of the VA Liaison/COR. Should a Veteran referred to a residential treatment facility, absent himself/herself in an unauthorized manner, payment for services for that Veteran to the Contractor would be continued for a maximum period of two days provided there is an active outreach attempt on the part of the Contractor to return the Veteran to the facility and a strong likelihood that the Veteran will return. Management of program dropout will be an element of quality assurance review of this program.

b) It is understood that the beneficiary may be provided facility care at the expense of the VA for a period not to exceed of that stated in the length of treatment plan contracted, unless an extension of the authorization is provided by the VA.

c) The VA reserves the right to remove any or all patients from the facility at any time without additional cost, when it is determined to be in the best interest of the VA or the patient.

d) Length of stay at Contractor facilities will be initially authorized for up to four months, depending upon the needs of the Veteran as mutually determined by the Veteran, the Contractor staff, and VA HCHV Treatment Staff. An additional six months of contract supported residential treatment may be authorized by the VA Liaison/COR when funding is authorized.

e) Extensions beyond the ten months may only be authorized for those Veterans who may be considered to be in "transition," or classified under OIF/OEF/OND, or Veteran families, or female Veterans as these Veterans may require longer-term intensive clinical treatment.

f) It is understood that unoccupied placement is not reimbursable by the VA.

g) Request for readmission shall be accessed and screened on an individual basis depending upon the needs of the Veteran as mutually determined by the Veteran, and the VA HCHV Screening Team.

6. CONDUCT

a) The Contractor shall make available to the VA, documentary information deemed necessary by the VA to conduct utilization review audits for the mandated national evaluation study as required by the Section 2 of Public Law 100-6; http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34024.pdf to verify quality of patient care for Veterans, to assure confidentiality of Veteran record information and to determine the completeness and accuracy of financial records.

b) Contractor personnel shall complete annual VA TMS Training (HIPPA and VA Privacy) and other trainings recommended by VA Liaison/COR.

c) The Contractor shall comply with the principles listed in 38 CFR 17.707(b) (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/julqtr/pdf/38cfr17.710.pdf) to provide housing and supportive services in a manner that is free from religious discrimination.

d) The Contractor shall comply with the VA Patient Bill of Rights as set forth in the Code of Federal regulations, Section 17.34a, Title 38 (copy is available upon request).

e) The Contractor shall develop written house rules that are simple, consistent and focus on the safety of Veterans. The rules shall be enforceable, relate to the living situation, and provide opportunities for engagement.

f) The Contractor shall not charge Veterans any fee for care to include acceptance of cash, food stamps, or other public assistance. No exchange of monies or bartering between Contractor and Veterans shall occur.

g) The following acts are not permissible by any Contractor Personnel:

i. Use of intoxicating liquors, narcotics or controlled substances of any kind (excluding doctors’ prescriptions which do not impair driver’s driving ability) while on duty or reporting for duty while under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or controlled substances of any kind (excluding doctors’ prescriptions which do not impair driver’s driving ability).

ii. Utilizing aggressive communication styles, which is perceived to be intimidating, demeaning, and degrading to Veterans.

iii. Gambling in any form

iv. Carrying of pistols, firearms or concealed weapons

v. If smoking while on facility premises, this and other uses of tobacco will occur only in designated smoking areas

vi. Resorting to physical violence

vii. Spitting in prohibited places or any other unsanitary, offensive or insensitive practices or behavior.

viii. Use of loud, indecent or profane language and/or making threatening or obscene gestures toward customers or other employees.

ix. If transporting a Veteran, driver shall not stop for personal business. Driver shall not leave vehicle when it is occupied by a Veteran passenger. The driver shall not leave the vehicle with the key in the ignition at any time.

x. Engaging Veteran in a verbal confrontation in an attempt to settle a disagreement.

xi. Engaging in personal relationships with Veterans. Engaging in intimate physical relationships, personal friendships or avoidable dual relationships with Veterans is prohibited. Training on Ethics and Boundaries will be provided by VA upon request.

xii. Soliciting or accepting tips from Veterans, their family members, or others at any time.

xiii. Entertaining of unauthorized guests at the facility.

7. INCIDENT REPORTING

a) The Contractor shall notify the authorizing VA facility immediately when a medical emergency occurs that requires hospitalization of a Veteran receiving care at VA expense. Veteran hospitalization beyond two days (48 hours) will require Contractor to consult with VA Liaison/COR about possible Veteran discharge.

b) The Contractor shall notify the authorizing VA facility immediately of any incidents involving Veterans residing in the residential program. If the facility is co-located within a community based facility, incidents involving other residents, i.e., sentinel events leading up to or resulting in causalities should be reported to the authorizing VA facility within 24 hours. The Contractor shall notify the VA Liaison/COR by telephone during the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm. For all incidents that occur after normal business hours, the Contractor should notify the Administrator on Duty (AOD). The Contractor shall provide the VA Liaison/COR with a copy of the incident report within 24 hours. The Contractor shall maintain a copy of the incident report in the Veterans clinical chart.

8. CONFIDENTIALITY & DATA ENTRY

a) It is agreed that the VA readily has access to all records concerning the Veteran's care in the facility. All clinical charts should be kept in a locked filing cabinet in a locked office area. Contractor facility staff should not utilize flash drives and/or any other removable devices to store Veterans personal identifying information. Veterans personal information/data should not be co-mingled with other non-Veteran information/data, (i.e., one computer system should be utilized to store Veteran only information and data.) The facility computer should be user name and password protected with Ctrl-Alt-Delete access and with a timed lock-out setting. The facilities hard drive that stores Veteran information should be encrypted with FIPS 140-2 compliance for encryption. All Veteran data should be backed up weekly on an external hard drive. The hard drive should be stored in a locked cabinet in a locked office. The C&A requirements do not apply and a Security Accreditation package is not required.

b) It is expected that the Contractor participates and enters all Veterans into the local HMIS data entry system. The Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) are electronic repositories of client-level information collected over time about persons who experience homelessness within each community across the country. Each separate Continuum of Care (CoC) is affiliated with an HMIS project. Data collected in HMIS are typically entered by the homeless providers who provide shelter, housing, and other services to persons to help prevent or address homelessness; thus, HMIS are community data partnerships, frequently managed by the local CoC identified as the lead homeless planning body by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

c) HMIS are designed to facilitate case management, data collection, and performance assessment for local continuums and federal agencies. HMIS has been adopted by the VA and HUD as the official client data collection and management system for homeless providers to use to collect client-level data from persons who are homeless. HMIS is also a federal response to Congressional Directive to measure the extent and nature of homelessness and assess the effectiveness of homeless programs.

d) The existing HMIS not only have funding and management structures already in place, but they have also been built upon federally-defined HMIS Data and Technical Standards which are closely aligned with the VA’s homeless data collection needs. These HMIS standards ensure that HMIS implementations throughout the country meet baseline privacy, security, and functional requirements and that all systems consistently collect the data elements that the federal government has determined are necessary to understand homelessness and measure the effectiveness of homeless programs. A copy of the HMIS admission and discharge paperwork should be filed in the Veterans clinical chart.

9. COMPLAINTS HANDLING

a) The VA Liaison/COR shall monitor the service provided. The Contractor shall educate its staff and Veterans on its grievance procedures as well as its clients rights. The Contractor shall cooperate with the VA Liaison/COR in providing information and answering questions in a timely manner when requested. It is expected that the Contractor educate its staff and residents in its complaint procedures as specified in the HCHV Client Handbook.

b) Contractor shall notify the VA Liaison/COR of all Veteran complaints within 24 hours. All complaints received directly by the VA Liaison/COR should be forwarded to the Contractor and shall be investigated promptly. After investigation and disposition, the Contractor shall respond to the VA Liaison/COR with a resolution within five (5) business days.

10. TRANSPORTATION

a) The Contractor shall provide Veterans with transportation (at no additional cost to the Government) to and from care at the VAMC, community resource appointments (such as, the Department of Social Services, the Employment Security Commission, Social Security, Vocational Rehabilitation, the Veterans Service Office, etc.), community and/or non-VA treatment appointments.

b) The Contractor shall provide Veterans with bus passes to access transportation if available and feasible in the local community. If the Veteran is not medically able to utilize public transportation, the facility shall provide private transportation. The Contractor’s facility geographical location shall have ease of access to the local bus route (within one mile of facility).

c) Transportation will be coordinated between the VAMC Salisbury and the Contractor for all scheduled admissions. If a Veteran requests homeless services after-hours, the Contractor will be responsible for transporting the Veteran from the Medical Center to the site once the Veteran has been determined eligible for admission.

11. CONTRACTOR FACILITY

a) Facility shall be equipped with operational air conditioning /heating systems. In the event these systems are not operational for any reason, it is expected that the Contractor have the system repaired and operational within 5 business days. During extreme weather conditions if air conditioning or heating system cannot be repaired in 24 hours, alternate accommodations must be arranged.

b) Facility shall be kept clean, free of dirt, grime, mold, clutter, and/or other hazardous substances and damage noticeably detracting from the overall appearance at all times.

c) Facility shall be equipped with first aid kit, fire extinguishers fully charged and non-expired, fire/carbon alarms, and posted evacuation plans.

d) Facility shall have windows and doors that can be opened and closed in accordance with manufacturer standards.

e) Facility must secure all Veterans personal health information in a locked room and locked filing cabinet. Personal health information stored electronically must be in accordance with Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2.

f) At the minimum, one bedroom, one bathroom as well as all common areas (dining areas, means of egress, etc.) shall meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for accessibility.

12. FACILITY POLICY

a) The facility agrees and warrants that it does not maintain nor provide dual or segregated patient facilities, which are segregated on the basis of race, creed, color, or national origin. The facility may neither require such segregated use by written or oral policies nor tolerate such use by local custom. The term "facilities" shall include but not limited to rooms, wards, sections, eating areas, drinking fountains, entrances, etc.

b) The facility agrees to accept referral of and to provide all services specified in this contract for any person determined eligible by the VA Liaison/COR or her/his designee, regardless of race, color, religion, sex or national origin of persons for whom such services are ordered. In addition, the facility warrants that subcontracting will not be resorted to as a means of circumventing this provision.

c) Facilities that house both male and female residents must demonstrate the safety of all residents is maintained at all times. This includes ensuring separate entrances, living quarters, and bathroom facilities. Facilities shall accommodate persons of all gender identities and persons with Certified Service Animals.

d) It is agreed that duly authorized representatives of the VA will provide follow-up supervision visits to Veterans placed to assure the continuity of care and to assist in the Veteran's transition back into the community. It is understood that these visits do not substitute nor relieve the facility in any way of the responsibility for the daily care and treatment of the Veteran. Upon discharge or death of the Veteran, records on all VA beneficiaries will be retained by the facility for a period of at least three years following the termination of care.

e) The facility will not accept food stamps or welfare from veterans.

f) The facility warrants that all applicable fire laws are being complied with and there are no recommendations of fire officials which have not been resolved.

g) The Contractor shall comply with the VA Patient's Bill of Rights as set forth in the Code of Federal regulations, Section 17.34a, Title 38 (copy is available upon request).

h) The VA Liaison/COR in collaboration with the existing community homeless coalitions and networks, shall identify and refer all patients to the Contractor.

i) All Veterans participating in the program shall meet HUD definition of homelessness, defined above.

13. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

a) It is agreed that the VA will have the right to inspection of the Contractor Facility and all appurtenances by VA Liaison/COR or appointed representative(s) designated by the VA.

b) Prior to the award of a contract, a multidisciplinary VA team consisting of a Licensed Mental Health Professional, Dietitian, Registered Nurse, a VA Police Officer, and a Facilities Management Safety Officer shall conduct a survey of the Contractor Facility. Contractor Facilities to be utilized will be restricted to community based facilities that provide food, shelter, and therapeutic services in a supportive environment.

c) At the time of the initial inspection the following should be made accessible on site:

i. a 3-5-day food supply with the accompanying menu for least one week

ii. a mock clinical chart

iii. furnishings for Veterans

iv. residential facilities in compliance with the standards listed in this contract

d) Contractor shall provide a written disaster plan that has been coordinated with the local emergency management entity. The disaster plan shall encompass natural and manmade disasters.

e) The Contractor will be advised of the finding of the inspection team. If deficiencies are noted during any inspection, the facility will be given a reasonable time to notify the Contracting Officer and to ensure that the corrections have been completed. A contract will not be awarded until noted deficiencies have been resolved. The Contractor will have seven days from contract award date to become operational.

f) The VA shall monitor the Contractor’s program and inspect the Contractor’s facility to ensure compliance with this contract. Any unsatisfactory conditions noted during an inspection of contract facility will be reported in writing to the VA Contracting Officer. If corrections are not made to the satisfaction of the VA, the Contracting Officer will consult with the appropriate officials so that suitable arrangements can be made to discharge, transfer Veterans, and/or to terminate the contract.

g) Subsequent inspections of the Contractor Facilities must be made yearly by a multidisciplinary VA team (listed above) to assure the facility provides quality care in a safe environment. During these inspections, attention will be directed to the adequacy of Veterans' records to ensure conformity to HCHV written policies and procedures, applicable state or local guidelines and/or applicable accrediting bodies (e.g., Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and/or The Joint Commission (TJC). Site visits will also include a spot check of records to ensure Contractor invoices accurately reflect the Veteran's length of stay. Veteran records should include the following documentation:

i. Referral, screening and assessment forms

ii. VA Release of Information

iii. DD 214

iv. Signed and dated residential contract

v. Completed psychosocial assessment

vi. Person Centered Treatment plan

vii. Weekly individual and group progress notes

viii. Copies of urine drug screens

ix. Medication list with documentation of medication checks

x. Budget plan

xi. Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) / Narcotic Anonymous (NA) meeting and employment logs, if applicable

xii. History and Physical

xiii. TB testing or chest X-Ray

14. SAFETY

The VA Liaison/COR and/or appointed VA Inspection staff will inspect the facility for conformity to the current Life Safety Code and will focus on an assessment of the quality of life within the Contractor facilities, giving particular attention to the following factors:

a) General observation of Veterans indicates they maintain an acceptable level of personal hygiene and grooming.

b) The facility meets applicable fire, safety and sanitation standards in attractive surroundings conducive to social interaction and the fullest development of the Veteran’s rehabilitative potential.

c) In facilities that house both male and female Veterans, female Veterans have secure and safe entrances, living quarters, and separate bathroom facilities.

d) The facility should be in a central location, near public transportation, and near areas, which provide employment.

e) Appropriate organized activity programs during waking hours (including evenings) reflecting a high level of activity in the facility or in the linked facilities, for example individual professional counseling, physical activities, assistance with health and personal hygiene.

f) There is evidence of facility-community interaction. This may be demonstrated by the nature of scheduled activities or by information about resident flow out of the facility, e.g., community activities, volunteers, local consumer services, etc.

g) Staff behavior and interaction with Veterans convey an attitude of genuine concern, respect and caring. Verbal, physical, emotional, financial or sexual abuse of patients shall not be tolerated and may result in immediate termination of contract.

h) Appetizing, nutritionally adequate meals are provided in a setting, which encourages social interaction and nutritious snacks between meals and at bedtime are available. The addition of nutritious snacks to the requirements for room and board is particularly indicated for homeless Veterans. Many are either undernourished or have developed poor eating habits or both, because of their chronic psychiatric disorder, including alcohol/drug abuse behaviors. The local VA Medical Center dietitian may consult with the initial inspection team and the team making subsequent assessments, in evaluating not only the printed menus but also the Veteran’s satisfaction with meals and the actual consumption of food offered.

i) Buildings used to house 16 or less occupants shall comply with the requirements in Chapter 26 of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 101, Life Safety Code – 2012 edition. Buildings used to house 17 or more occupants shall comply with Chapter 29 of NFPA 101.

j) Building safety features not addressed by NFPA 101 or a referenced publication shall be designed to comply with the latest edition of the International Building Code (IBC) currently using the 2012 edition and/or, applicable state code. (These codes could be used to determine items: structural strength, stability, sanitation, lighting, ventilation, and energy conservation).

k) Any equivalencies or variances to VA requirements must be approved by the appropriate Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Director.

l) Occupancy type of facility shall be determined by criteria outlined within Chapter 6 of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2012 edition.

m) Portable fire extinguishers shall be installed, inspected, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 10 (incorporated by reference, see § 17.1).

n) Compliance with existing standards of State safety codes and local, and/or State health and sanitation codes.

o) The facility shall meet the requirements in section 33.7 of NFPA 101.

B.5 SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

1. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

The Government intends to utilize a monthly Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to monitor the quality of the Contractor’s performance. The oversight provided for in the order and in the QASP will help to ensure that service levels reach and maintain the required levels throughout the contract term. Further, the QASP provides the COR with a proactive way to avoid unacceptable or deficient performance, and provides verifiable input for the required Past Performance Information Assessments. The QASP will be finalized immediately following award and a copy provided to the Contractor after award. The QASP is a living document and may be updated by the VA as necessary.

2. BILLING AND PAYMENT

The Contractor shall submit payment requests in electronic form via VA’s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System. (See Web site at http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp.) The Department of Veterans Affairs published a final rule in the Federal Register on November 27, 2012 to require Contractors to submit payment requests in electronic form in order to enhance customer service, departmental productivity, and adoption of innovative information technology, including the appropriate use of commercial best practices. The rule is effective December 27, 2012. Invoices shall be submitted monthly, in arrears, and shall include at a minimum: Date of Invoice, Contract Number, Purchase Order Number, Vendor Name, Invoice Number, CLIN & Date of Service. All Contractors shall be registered as a vendor with the VA e-Invoicing System at time of award at http://www.tungsten network.com/us/en/

3. CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORTING SYSTEM

a) FAR 42.1502 directs all Federal agencies to collect past performance information on contracts. The Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented use of the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) to comply with this regulation. One or more past performance evaluations will be conducted in order to record your contract performance as required by FAR 42.15

b) The past performance evaluation process is a totally paperless process using CPARS.