36C26126Q0553.docx

SUBJECT*

HCHV IDIQ | B+4 | Guam Emergency Housing

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Network Contracting Office 21

North Las Vegas NV 89086

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Maricela Berrones-Gauger Maricela.Berrones-Gauger@va.gov 559-225-6100

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Guam

POSTAL CODE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY.

No Solicitation is currently available.

All information contained in this Sources Sought Announcement is preliminary, as well as subject to modification, and is in no way binding on the Government. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this request. The information requested will be used solely within the Department of Veterans Affairs to facilitate decision making and will not be disclosed outside of the Government. The determination of a procurement strategy, based upon the comments submitted in response to this Sources Sought Announcement, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 624221, Temporary Shelter, and the small business size standard is $13.5 Million.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Network Contracting Office (NCO 21) is performing market research to determine if there are any vendors, regardless of business size, that can provide Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) CONTRACTED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES (CRS) EMERGENCY HOUSING – GUAM for the Veteran Affairs Pacific Island Health Care System (VAPIHCS, as described below. A draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) is attached.

Brief Description of Services See attached PWS Capability Statement All interested contractors must respond by email to Maricela.Berrones-Gauger@va.gov before 10:00 A.M. PST on April 14th, 2026.

Please answer the following questions when responding:

1. What is your company’s Socioeconomic Status? (ex: small business, large business, SDVOSB, etc.)

a. If SDVOSB or VOSB, are you registered with the Small Business Administration?

2. Provide Company’s legal name along with Unique Entity ID (SAM) number.

3. Primary point of contact, including phone number and e-mail address.

4. Capabilities Statement.

5. Describe experience in providing Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Contract Emergency Residential Services (CERS) as described in the attached description of services.

6. List other Projects (Government and Commercial) that are similar in scope and size.

7. As this is a service acquisition, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Acquisition Regulation have a Limitations on Subcontracting requirement. For all small businesses, to include SDVOSB and VOSB, “At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern.” See FAR 52.219-14 and FAR 52.219-27 available in full text at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_217_221.html

7a. Of the service actions listed above, which one(s) will your company perform as the prime contractor using its own personnel without subcontracting?

7b. With respect to the service actions listed above, which action(s) do you intend on subcontracting or using other than your company’s own personnel?

7c. Of those services that will be performed, approximately what percentage will be paid to the subcontractor(s)?

8. GSA Contract Number, if applicable.

9. Will the Veterans housed under this requirement be in a double or single occupancy rooms?

10. Do you currently own or lease a facility to house 5 veterans or beds for 5 veterans? If not, what is your plan to acquire a facility?

11. Fill out the price estimate (5 ordering periods) below.

*Failure to provide the information requested above (items 1-10) will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered a viable source.

The Government will use this information when determining its business type decision.

This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government and no contract will be awarded as a direct result of this Sources Sought announcement.

Notes: Contractors must have a current registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov/SAM/ SDVOSB and VOSB firms should be registered at the time of quote submission and SBA verified at SBA - Dynamic Small Business Search

Provide 5 beds per day to Homeless Veterans on a per diem basis in accordance with the PWS 5 beds x 365 day = 1,825days Projected Period of Performance – Ordering Period 1: 08/01/2026 – 07/31/2027 1,825

Provide 5 beds per day to Homeless Veterans on a per diem basis in accordance with the PWS 5 beds x 365 day = 1,825days Projected Period of Performance – Ordering Period 2: 08/01/2027 – 07/31/2028 1,825

Provide 5 beds per day to Homeless Veterans on a per diem basis in accordance with the PWS 5 beds x 366 day = 1,825days Projected Period of Performance – Ordering Period 3: 08/01/2028 – 07/31/2029 1,830

Provide 5 beds per day to Homeless Veterans on a per diem basis in accordance with the PWS 5 beds x 365 day = 1,825days Projected Period of Performance – Ordering Period 4: 08/01/2029 – 07/31/2030 1,825

Provide 5 beds per day to Homeless Veterans on a per diem basis in accordance with the PWS 5 beds x 365 day = 1,825days Projected Period of Performance – Ordering Period 5: 08/01/2030 – 07/31/2031 1,825

Total Price

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

VA PACIFIC ISLANDS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM (VAPIHCS)

HEALTH CARE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS (HCHV)

CONTRACTED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES (CRS) EMERGENCY HOUSING

GUAM

A. PURPOSE

Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) requires Contractors to provide services as part of its Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program (38 CFR 63). The goal of the HCHV program is to remove homeless Veterans from the street or unfit habitations and place them in community-based, residential environments with sufficient supportive services to meet their needs and ultimately facilitate the improvement of their housing situation.

B. BACKGROUND

Ending homelessness among Veterans by 2015 was established as a national priority by the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary in November 2009 at the National Summit on Ending Veterans Homelessness. In June 2010, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) released Opening doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which is fully aligned with this goal. Eliminating Veteran Homelessness remains one of 3 Agency Priority Goals in VA’s Strategic Plan. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. §§ 2031, 7301(b), VA medical facilities may establish contracts with local providers to deliver temporary housing along with care, treatment and/or rehabilitative services to eligible homeless Veterans in their communities.

Through the HCHV program, VA provides supportive services to Veterans and facilitates their access to a broad range of medical, mental health, and rehabilitative services. The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain offers from Contractors in Guam who can provide housing and supportive services to Homeless Veterans in community-based Contracted Residential Services (CRS) facilities offering a safe and secure environment that supports their goals for recovery from homelessness. The Contractor will not be required to provide detoxification or other hospital level treatment.

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program will provide transitional housing, meals and case management services to homeless Veterans in Guam and will be for between 5 and 10 beds for men and/or women, depending on the characteristics of the site. The program should have a minimum establishment of one-year on the island of Guam. Period of performance begins August 1st, 2026.

D. PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS

1. Targets and prioritizes homeless Veterans who are eligible for VA healthcare and are transitioning from chronic literal street homelessness, Veterans being discharged from institutions, and Veterans who recently became homeless and require safe and stable living arrangements while they seek permanent housing.

2. Veterans are offered placement into a bed on the same day they seek assistance.

3. Veterans are not denied entry based solely upon length of sobriety or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs, the number of previous treatment episodes, the time interval since the last program entry, the use of prescribed controlled substances or legal history.

4. Provides safe, secure and clean housing as well as supportive services. Wheelchair accessible or ADA compliant housing is highly preferred. The site must also be accessible by local public or Contractor-provided transportation to the local VA facility and community resources and services.

5. Length of Stay is ideally limited to 90 days or less with the option to extend based on clinical need.

6. Veterans are expected to meaningfully engage their Case Managers and available programming

7. Emphasis is placed on achieving placement in permanent housing at the time of program exit and reducing negative exits due to rule violations or other avoidable circumstances.

E. STATEMENT OF WORK

E.1. POPULATION TO BE SERVED

Veterans admitted to this program must be homeless and eligible for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) benefits and services and registered at the local VA. Program may admit male or female Veterans, depending on the capacity and characteristics of the site; there must be separate housing and bathroom accommodations for males and females (common use of kitchen facilities and dining rooms is acceptable).

E.2. PROGRAM SERVICES

1. Contractor is required to provide services to Veterans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. At least 1 staff member must always be on site to ensure appropriate response to matters involving Veteran safety.

3. Contractor is expected to always have a working phone line and ensure reasonably prompt communication with VA HCHV staff. Messages left for Contractor staff are expected to be returned as soon as possible during business hours.

4. Provision of 3 nutritious meals of nourishing quality and at least 1 snack daily. Reasonable accommodation must be provided for individuals with special religious or dietary needs. There shall be no more than a 14-hour span between evening meal and breakfast of the following day.

5. Room and board shall be accessible to the Veteran 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Accommodation will include a bed and other furnishings such as locked storage for personal belongings, personal linens (towels, pillows, blankets, bed sheets, bedbug zippered mattress cover, etc) and toiletries.

6. Laundry facilities and necessary detergent shall be available on site for residents to do their own laundry or to have laundry done for them at a minimum once per week; these laundry services must be at no cost to the Veteran.

7. Transportation to medical appointments, community meetings and necessary scheduled activities for permanent housing search shall be provided through the provision of contractor provided transportation, public transportation or payments to private taxi services. The site shall post a weekly transportation schedule to the VA Clinic and mode of transportation. If reliable public transportation is not available within a reasonable distance (1/4 mile) or the Veteran is unable to walk to the bus stop location, the agency shall establish a schedule to transport residents which addresses their meetings or medical appointments. In addition, transportation should be available to local community services such as food markets, retail or dining services. If the Veteran has ambulation difficulties and unable to access public transportation, then the Contractor shall assist Veteran with coordinating their enrollment to appointments and community access through acquisition of community transportation services for the disabled.

8. Contractor is expected to engage in outreach and have an outreach plan to maintain an occupancy level of at least 80% or higher. It is preferred that occupancy level is 90-100% quarterly. The outreach activities or outreach plan must be submitted to the VA upon request and will be reviewed for acceptability.

9. Contractor must establish admission on the same day of referral. If admission cannot be established on the same day of referral from community, Contractor must ensure a temporary same-day placement until formal admission can be established.

10. Contractor will maintain an individual case record for each referred Veteran. Case records must be maintained in security and confidence as required by the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records (42 CFR part II) and the Confidentiality of Certain Medical Records (38 USC 7332), and in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Records should contain at a minimum: Reason for referral; pertinent demographic information; copies of any medical prescriptions/orders issued by physicians; case management/treatment notes; individualized Housing Support Plan (HSP); any critical incident reports; and a final summary that includes reason(s) for leaving, the Veteran’s known future plans, and follow-up locator information, if available.

11. Contractor will achieve VA Central Office (VACO) metric which requires that 55% or more Veterans are discharged to permanent housing and 20% or less of all Veterans will leave services through a negative discharge.

12. Contractor will aim to discharge Veterans into permanent housing placement in 90 days or less. Extensions of lengths of stay must occur with written approval from the VA HCHV Liaison. Extensions will not be approved for lengths of stay exceeding the 90 days from the date of admission unless:

a. The Veteran has demonstrated reasonable progress and there are circumstances that are barriers to the Veteran’s placement in housing; and/or

b. There is documented evidence that the Contractor has exhausted every effort to place the Veteran in housing sooner; and

c. The VA HCHV Liaison has been appropriately advised of these efforts well in advance of the 90-day limit; and

d. The VA HCHV Liaison concurs that the Veteran will continue to derive benefits from a continued stay at the contracted site.

E.3. CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

1. When the Contractor identifies through their outreach a Veteran who may qualify for the contracted bed, the Contractor will utilize the VA referral process to determine acceptance of the Veteran into the program. In all situations, the VA has the sole determination if a Veteran is accepted into the contracted bed at the site.

2. Entry into services can be through Veteran self-referral or through outreach efforts of the contractor.

3. Contractor Referral Process:

a. Obtain VA Release of Information (ROI) from Veteran.

b. Request eligibility with HCHV staff to ensure Veteran is registered for VA benefits and services.

c. If Veteran is eligible, the Contractor will coordinate with the VA HCHV Liaison or HCHV staff a Clinical Interview. Formal entry into services will not occur without the completion of this interview.

d. Admission must be established on the same day as the referral.

i. Veterans may be placed in a bed prior to determining eligibility during circumstances in which HCHV staff are unable to complete the Clinical Interview and eligibility determination, such as after hours, on the weekend, holidays, etc.

ii. If a Veteran has been placed in a bed or admitted and found to be ineligible, Contractor must relocate the Veteran to an alternate placement.

4. Veteran Self-Referral Process:

a. VA obtains ROI, determines eligibility and conducts Clinical Interview

b. VA HCHV staff confirm with Contractor bed availability and collaborate with Contractor on transportation to the site as needed.

c. Contractor must be prompt in responding to VA HCHV staff for Veteran self-referrals to ensure same-day admission.

5. Required Documentation:

a. VA ROI (due upon referral)

b. VA Rights and Responsibilities (due within 7 days of admission)

c. Participation Agreement (due within 7 days of admission)

d. Inventory of Needs (due within 7 days of admission)

e. Housing Support Plan (due within 7 days of admission)

f. Financial Plan and/or Budget (due within 7 days of admission)

g. Monthly Housing Support Plan (HSP) Summary which documents 3 or more meetings with the Veteran per month, Veteran group attendance and outlines the specific actions taken by the Case Manager and the Veteran to achieve the goals identified in their HSP (due monthly on the 5th of the following month).

h. Critical Incident Reports (due in writing within 24 - 48 hours of the incident occurring)

i. Discharge Plan (due within 2 days of discharge)

6. Contractor will assign each Veteran a Case Manager. Aside from case management activities, Case Manager will be responsible for the completion of the required documentation.

7. Case Manager will assist the Veteran in applying for and/or attaining medical, financial and social resources to support their access to housing. Resources include, but are not limited to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security (SSI/SS/SSDI), General Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), information to local food banks, etc.

8. Case Manager must develop an individualized HSP with the Veteran, which includes information from the Inventory of Needs and Clinical Interview. Goals on this plan should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-limited (“SMART”) to assist Veteran in resolving any barriers, issues or challenges which may interfere with their successful move into permanent housing.

9. Case Manager must provide direct and ongoing assistance to support the Veteran’s in achieving permanent housing. The Case Manager must be active in assisting the Veteran with obtaining any documents or proof of identity required for permanent housing. This should be ideally addressed weekly (no less than 3x per month) and reflected in the monthly HSP Summary. Should Veteran refuse to engage with program staff regarding plans for permanent housing transition, motivational interviewing and other therapeutic techniques will be used to address Veteran ambivalence. All efforts to engage Veteran regarding housing plans, options, and resources shall be clearly documented and include any therapeutic techniques utilized. Contractor staff must provide direct assistance to Veterans in developing permanent housing plans and accessing appropriate housing resources.

10. Case Manager must complete a Financial Plan with the Veteran. This is to include a budget during admission in the program and/or also a budget for when the Veteran is discharged into permanent housing.

11. Contractor must provide or provide access to structured skill-building or therapeutic group activities for Veteran participation. Groups should occur at minimum twice a month.

12. Case Manager or designated contractor staff must provide either through direct assistance or referrals: recovery assistance, medical and mental health care coordination, and employment services.

13. Contractor is responsible for Veterans’ discharge planning. Securing permanent housing will be the primary discharge goal for every Veteran.

E.4. ENVIRONMENT OF CARE

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to properly maintain its facilities and the VA shall have no responsibility for paying or reimbursing the Contractor for such expenses.

The Contractor’s facility must:

1. Have a current occupancy permit issued by the local and State governments in the jurisdiction where the site is located or a statement from an appropriate official stating there is not a need for an occupancy permit.

2. Follow existing standards of State safety codes and local, and/or health and sanitation codes.

3. Where applicable, be licensed under State or local authority.

4. Where applicable, be accredited by the State.

5. Be ADA compliant.

6. Be equipped with operational air conditioning/heating systems if required for habitation at the discretion of the VA facilities inspector and HCHV Team.

7. Be kept clean free of insects (including bedbugs) and rodents, free of dirt, grime, mold, or other hazardous substances and damage that noticeably detracts from the overall appearance.

8. Post safety and programmatic signage, including:

a. Prohibition of weapons and illicit substances

b. Exit signs

c. Emergency and resourceful contact information

d. Schedule of transportation, groups, and community events

9. Maintain clean and sanitary showers, toilets, kitchens, bedrooms and common areas.

10. Ensure the immediate outside areas are kept free of hazards.

11. Be equipped with First-Aid, fire safety equipment and an evacuation plan in case of emergency.

12. Have windows and doors that can be opened and closed in accordance with manufacturers’ standards.

13. Have a private area or office for meetings with Veterans to ensure their privacy and confidentiality.

14. Ensure each Veteran is provided with a single bed, frame and clean bed linens.

15. Ensure each Veteran is provided with a space for personal belongings off the floor, such as closets, dressers or wardrobes for clothing and effects that is provided in the resident’s room.

16. Ensure a place for each Veteran to securely lock valuable personal items and medications, which cannot be removed by other guests.

17. Ensure Veterans are provided with privacy.

18. Storage space in an onsite refrigerator for Veterans to store personal food, if refrigeration is required (unless the VA HCHV Team determines this is not necessary depending on the site).

19. Conform to the current Life Safety Code.

20. Conduct Fire Drills with all participants occurring monthly for each shift.

21. Permit VA HCHV staff to conduct unannounced site visits and VA staff to conduct initial and annual inspections to the site. The Contractor will make immediate corrections to any deficiencies found during site visits or inspections. Failure by the Contractor to take corrective action within the reasonable time frame provided will be reported to the VA Contracting Officer. If corrections are not made to the satisfaction of the VA, the Contracting Officer will be notified and shall be the final arbiter on the necessary resulting consequences and action. Initial and annual inspections will inspect the following domains:

a. Security of staff and residents

b. Emergency and disaster preparedness

c. Safety and sanitation of the facility, including meal preparation areas, fire exits, sleeping areas and medication storage

d. Meals and nutrition

e. All program services and client records

f. Medication practices

g. Veteran feedback regarding satisfaction of services

22. Have Site Emergency Plans and Operational Policies in place to identify what actions will be taken if an emergency or crisis occurs. Policies addressing the following must be in place:

a. Emergencies and Natural Disasters

b. How to identify and address intoxicated or impaired residents

c. Safety and Security

d. Residential Supervision

e. Suicide Prevention

f. Medication (Storing, Controlled Substances, Monitoring, Managing (if applicable), Disposal, etc.)

g. Resident Grievances

h. House Rules

23. Ensure personnel convey attitudes of general concern, respect and caring towards residents, while maintaining professional boundaries. Contractor staff are prohibited to engage in sexual and/or dual relationships with Veterans.

24. Ensure Veterans and staff abide by a code of conduct which prohibits the following acts:

a. Use of intoxicating liquors, narcotics or controlled substances of any kind (excluding doctors’ prescriptions which do not impair ability to perform duties) while in residence, on duty or reporting for duty.

b. Gambling in any form.

c. Carrying weapons of any kind whether in the open or concealed.

d. Smoking and other uses of tobacco, except for only in designated site approved areas.

e. Resorting to physical violence to settle a dispute with a fellow resident, employee, customer(s) or the public.

f. Aggressive actions such as spitting, threatening or any other unsanitary, offensive or insensitive practice or behavior display for the purposes of threatening.

g. Use of loud, indecent or profane language and/or making obscene gestures towards others.

h. Engaging in verbal confrontation to settle a disagreement.

i. Soliciting or accepting tips from a resident, staff or companion.

j. Use of the residence as a place to entertain non-staff or non-resident visitors whose purpose at the site is not approved by the Contractor.

See 38 CFR 17.81(a) for reference.

E.5. PERSONNEL

Contractor shall assign to this contract, personnel that by education, training and, when required, certification or licensure, and are qualified to provide the Services required by this Statement of Work (SOW). Case Managers should have some training and experience working with homeless individuals; experience working with Veterans and/or individuals with mental illness diagnosis, substance abuse histories and complex chronic medical conditions is highly desired.

Contractor must ensure the following regarding personnel:

1. Each Veteran has an assigned primary Case Manager responsible for coordinating the services specified in the contract. The Case Manager to Veteran/resident ratio is 1:15 or fewer cases, particularly if the manager is assigned to multiple programs and must travel to different sites. Consideration may be given by the VA to the staffing characteristics of each site.

2. The Case Manager may not be assigned other duties in addition to this primary role, unless specifically authorized by the VA HCHV Team. The name and their organizational FTE assignment as a Case Manager must be provided to the VA on request to assure adequate staffing.

3. A qualified designated staff person will be awake and on duty at the approved facility 24 hours a day, 7 days per week (including all State and Federal holidays).

4. There must be at least 1 administrative staff member identified and able to be contacted within 1 hour of any emergency or situation occurring who has the authority to make decisions regarding the site and residents.

5. The names and contact numbers of administrative and case management staff must be posted on site and available to staff and residents.

6. When a VA inspection team evaluates the facility, the team is assured staff can provide the services required under the terms of the contract.

7. Staff who have high frequency of in person interaction with residents must be trained at regular intervals on the following topics:

a. CPR and AED (at all times, at least one staff member on duty must be certified in CPR and AED)

b. Alcohol and substance abuse and treatment approaches

c. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

d. General mental health disorders and treatment approaches

e. Medications and Contractor-specific medication policy/policies

f. Privacy Practices and Confidentiality

g. Universal Precautions

h. Emergency Disaster Preparedness and Contractor-specific policies regarding safety

i. Suicide Prevention

8. Contractor must ensure all staff prior to employment have undergone an appropriate background security check and determined acceptable by the Contractor before their contact with a Veteran resident. Contractor shall ensure all appropriate security documentation is submitted through the local law enforcement agency and that security and/or background documentation is available for review in the personnel file.

9. The records of Contractor personnel shall be subject to review by the VA Chief of Staff or his/her designated COR and HCHV Coordinator.

E.6. BILLING

Unless specifically excluded in the contract, the per diem rate established will include the services listed in this document and will also include all services or supplies normally provided other residents by the Contractor without extra charge. Payments made by the VA under this contract shall constitute the TOTAL cost of care and housing of the homeless Veterans. “Per Diem” means that the VA will pay for the eligible Veteran’s stay in a contracted bed for each day the Veteran resides at the site and receives services. The VA also refers to this as “bed days of care.”

1. Contractor shall have in place a process to track daily attendance of the admitted Veterans. Unless otherwise authorized by the VA, this information is to be provided to the VA HCHV Liaison daily to ensure effective monitoring of bed utilization. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to have appropriate systems of verification of services in place to justify invoices and payments and submit this documentation prior to submission of the invoice requesting reimbursement.

a. No Program reimbursement for bed day services will be allotted until this verification is received and authorized as correct by the Liaison.

2. VA can only pay per diem for eligible Veterans as determined by Veterans Health Administration (VHA). VA pays per diem for each eligible Veteran’s exclusive use of a residential treatment bed within a site.

3. Contractor may only bill the VA for bed days of care for Veterans who are actively residing at the site and receiving associated treatment services. In the case of Veteran absences, the following rules will apply:

a. Scheduled Absences: Veteran residents will be allowed up to 96 hours of excused absence from the emergency housing service. An excused absence is defined as an absence that is planned and supports the Veteran’s HSP, benefits the Veteran’s brief hospital stay for a medical evaluation or procedure or travel to attend a family funeral. Absences will only be considered excused if the VA HCHV Liaison is informed in advance of the absence and concurs with the rationale for it. The Contractor will be expected to hold the bed and will be reimbursed for up to 4 days of absence. To receive payment, the absence must:

i. Be pre-planned, consistent with and support the Veteran’s HSP (e.g. family reunification, short term medical, substance use disorder (SUD) or psychiatric treatment.

ii. Have the reason documented in the individual Veteran’s case file, treatment record, or service plan.

iii. Not result in the bed being filled by the provider

iv. Not be for a break or vacation from treatment.

v. Not be used for extended educational or employment circumstances.

vi. Not be used to create more than 4 consecutive days of absences.

b. Unscheduled Absences: Veteran residents who vacate the site without prior notice or permission will be considered to have an unexcused absence. If the Veteran does not return to the site after 48 hours, he/she will be discharged from the program. The discharge date is the day the 48-hour absence ends; the Contractor can bill for the 48 hours that the bed was held in anticipation of the Veteran’s return. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to immediately notify the VA HCHV Liaison when a Veteran’s unexpected absence from the site exceeds 48 hours. To receive payment for an unscheduled absence:

i. The provider must have evidence of active outreach to locate and reengage the Veteran and document the steps taken in the Veterans individual case file, treatment record, or services plan.

ii. The provider may not fill the bed.

iii. The Veteran must be discharged from the HCHV program if not located within 48 hours.

c. Ineligible Veterans: When a Veteran is admitted to a HCHV CRS program and found to be ineligible for HCHV CRS, VA will pay for a maximum of 4 days from the day of admission to allow the provider and VA HCHV Liaison time to locate and arrange alternate placement.

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

5. Under this contract, VA will make per diem payments in a method consistent with VA policy. The VA HCHV Liaison will review and approve monthly invoices prior to certification. This approval requires proof of occupancy by a Veteran written acknowledgment that they occupied the bed as identified in the invoicing. Contractor will submit their verification of Veteran attendance on a VA approved log for the Contractor. Once this document is submitted and approved by the VA HCHV Liaison the Contractor will submit to the Financial Services Center by the 10th of the following month for certification and payment. Contractors will be provided with specific invoicing instructions. The VA HCHV Liaison and COR will approve and authorize reimbursement payment upon notification that both the bed days are consistent with VA HCHV Liaison records and that the required Monthly Progress Summary of Services to the Veteran have been received.

E.7. ADDITIONAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

1. Incident Reporting – Contractor shall notify the VA HCHV Liaison within 4 hours of any critical incident involving the death, suicide/suicide attempt, fire (Veteran involved) or sexual or physical assault of a Veteran residing in the residential program. Contractor shall provide the VA HCHV Liaison with a copy of the incident report within 24 business hours. For all other incidents, program shall notify the VA HCHV Liaison within 4 business hours of the incident and submit to VA HCHV Team an incident report within 48 business hours. Examples of other incidents include (though not limited to) falls, abuse or neglect, hospitalization, infection control (Bed Bugs, TB, etc.), active substance abuse and possession of weapons.

2. Denials of Admission – If the Veteran is denied eligibility/admission to the program, the contractor must provide an explanation of their decision in writing to VA Staff.

3. Grievances or Veteran Complaints – The COR shall monitor the services provided. Contractor shall cooperate with the COR, who shall refer documented complaints received directly from the Veteran(s) to the program manager and the COR. All complaints received by the VA HCHV Team and COR will be forwarded to the Contractor to investigate promptly. After investigation and disposition, Contractor shall respond to the COR within five (5) working days after receipt by the Contractor.

4. Subcontracts – If the Contractor will be subcontracting any part of the contract, such as site utilization and/or services including case management, a fully executed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or sub-contract agreement with that entity must be submitted with the Solicitation response. This MOU must detail the expectation and role of the sub-contracting agency in providing the services under this contract and the role of the Contractor to supervise the services being provided.

F. DELIVERABLES

F.1. QUALITY CONTROL BUSINESS PLAN:

Contractor shall submit a Quality Control Business Plan that supports the program objectives and associated tasks. The CO shall review and comment as necessary to ensure that contract goals are met.

F.2. STAFFING AND SERVICE PLAN:

Contractor shall provide a detailed staffing and service plan. Plan should demonstrate that sufficient professional personnel are employed to carry out the policies, responsibilities, and services required under this contract. Contractor must identify each person functioning as “Key Personnel” under this contract and provide the VA with a description of the services to be provided by each person. Contractor shall assign to this contract personnel that by education and/or training (and, when required, certification or licensure) are qualified to provide the services required by this SOW. Contractor may be required to supply a resume(s) summarizing relevant skills and experience of any/all key personnel upon request. Minimum Key Personnel requirements are as follows:

1. One administrative staff member, or designee of equivalent professional capability (with the authority to make decisions regarding the facility and residents, or with contact information for an offsite administrator in case of emergency), on duty on the premises or providing awake supervision of residents and staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. Sufficient case management personnel to provide direct services to Veteran residents. Case Managers should have some training and experience working with homeless individuals; experience working with individuals dealing with chronic medical, mental health and substance abuse problems is highly desirable. Staff working with Veterans should be able to assess, anticipate, and effectively refer Veterans experiencing crises for additional support as appropriate.

3. At least 1 staff or security member with CPR certification on site and available in an emergency during each shift, 24 hours per day.

Contractor shall provide resumes for any proposed substitutions of key personnel. Temporary substitutions of key personnel shall be permitted in accordance with the contractor’s contingency plan. The contractor’s contingency plan is 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.

VA reserves the right to refuse or revoke acceptance of any key personnel if personal or professional conduct, or lack of required skills or experience jeopardizes patient care or interferes with the regular and ordinary operation of the facility and the HCHV Emergency Housing Program.

F.3. ADMISSION DOCUMENTATION:

Contractor shall provide written documentation: signed ROI, signed Rights and Responsibilities, Inventory of Needs, signed Initial Housing Support Plan and Financial Plan/Budget constituted by the individual Veteran case record that verifies the provision of all supportive services required under this contract for each Veteran participant.

F.4. CRITICAL INCIDENT REPORTS:

Written critical incident reports must be submitted to the VA HCHV Liaison within 24 - 48 business hours (VA HCHV Liaison to be notified immediately or as soon as possible when incidents occur).

F.5. DISCHARGE REPORTS:

The discharge form shall be completed and submitted to the VA HCHV Liaison within 48 business hours (VA HCHV Liaison to be notified within 24 hours of discharge).

F.6. DAILY CENSUS INFORMATION:

The daily census information should be provided to the VA HCHV Team daily.

F.7. OUTREACH PLAN

Contractor is expected to maintain a minimum of 80% occupancy per quarter. Should this not be achieved regularly, or if the bed occupancy is significantly low for a prolonged period of time, the contractor must submit an Outreach Plan at the request of the VA HCHV Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or designee to address the low bed occupancy rate.

F.8. MONTHLY HOUSING SUPPORT PLAN SUMMARY:

Contractor shall submit the Monthly Housing Support Plan Summary which documents 3 or more meetings with the Veteran per month and outlines specific actions taken by the Case Manager and Veteran to achieve the goals identified in their individual HSP.

F.9. MONTHLY ATTENDANCE FOR BILLING:

Contractor shall submit the monthly attendance for billing to VA HCHV Liaison. This amount is the total number of beds occupied by Veterans at midnight each night of the given month. This amount should be consistent with the daily census information.

F.10. INVOICES:

The monthly invoice is computed at the daily rate multiplied by the total number of beds occupied by Veterans at midnight each night of the given month. Invoices should first be submitted to the VA HCHV Liaison for approval and signature by the 5th of the month immediately following the billing period in question. Once approved, invoices are to be submitted through the Tungsten Network (Electronic Invoicing System) by the 10th of the month immediately following the billing period in question. All electronic invoices submitted should be accompanied by invoice bearing VA HCHV Liaison signature for reference of certifying official.

F.11. INSPECTION CORRECTIONS

Contractor shall make corrections to all deficiency findings within the time frame specified by VA staff. VA HCHV Team will conduct annual inspections of the facility with a designated inspection team and will also conduct quarterly (or more) unannounced inspections. When onsite, VA HCHV staff will conduct a cursory environmental review. Any concerns that present must be corrected in a reasonable time frame.

DELIVERABLE TIMETABLE

G. IT CONTRACT SECURITY

The contractor, their personnel, and their subcontractors shall be subject to the Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks regarding information and information system security as delineated in this contract.

G.1. GENERAL

Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors and subcontractor personnel will be subject to the same federal laws, regulations, standards, VA directives and handbooks, as VA personnel regarding information and information system security and privacy.

G.2. ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

a. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order.

b. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures.

c. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor’s employ. The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination.

G.3. VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE

a. Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1).

b. VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/subcontractor’s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA’s information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA’s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements.

c. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract.

d. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract.

e. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed.

f. If VA determines that the contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12.

g. If a VHA contract is terminated for cause, the associated BAA must also be terminated and appropriate actions taken in accordance with VHA Handbook 1600.01, Business Associate Agreements. Absent an agreement to use or disclose protected health information, there is no business associate relationship.

h. The contractor/subcontractor must store, transport, or transmit VA sensitive information in an encrypted form, using VA-approved encryption tools that are, at a minimum, FIPS 140-2 validated.

G.4. SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

a. The term “security incident” means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss or damage to VA assets, or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The contractor/subcontractor shall immediately notify the COTR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the contractor/subcontractor has access.

b. To the extent known by the contractor/subcontractor, the contractor/subcontractor’s notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor/subcontractor considers relevant.

c. With respect to unsecured protected health information, the business associate is deemed to have discovered a data breach when the business associate knew or should have known of a breach of such information. Upon discovery, the business associate must notify the covered entity of the breach. Notifications need to be made in accordance with the executed business associate agreement.

d. In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the contractor/subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA OIG and Security and Law Enforcement. The contractor, its employees, and its subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident.