36C77623Q0300 0001_1.docx

EMPLOYEE EDUCATION SYSTEM

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

STANDARDIZED PATIENTS/CLINICIANSFOR MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND CLINICIAN COACHING, FACILITATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Program Contracting Activity Central

6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Sheila Vickers sheila.vickers@va.gov 843-577-5011 x1416

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Standardized Patients/Standardized Clinicians for Motivational Interviewing and Clinician Coaching Skills Courses RFQ 36C776-23-Q-0300 – Updated Performance Work Statement

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

Page 1 of

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND

ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID

CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HO

UR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY

is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO:

Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTI

ON OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF

AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SI

GNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY

APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer) 36C776 Department of Veterans Affairs Program Contracting Activity Central 6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131 36C776 Department of Veterans Affairs Program Contracting Activity Central 6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C77623Q0300

X X X

The purpose of this amendment is to:

A: Replace Performance Work Statement dated April 2023 with Performance Work Statement dated April 2023 Revised July 2023.

B: All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

Alan Willingham Contracting Officer Page 1 of Page 1 of Date: April 2023 Revised July 2023

1. Title of Contract: Standardized Patients/Standardized Clinicians for Motivational Interviewing and Clinician Coaching Skills Courses

2. Description of Services: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD), in conjunction with the VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP) is hosting training programs using simulations (i.e., actors to play the roles of standardized patients and standardized clinicians) for Motivational Interviewing (MI) Facilitator Training; and Clinician Coaching Skills (Clinician Coaching).

Participants in these training programs are health care professionals who come to training with considerable clinical communication and supervisory skills, but who need to deepen these skills to become more effective trainers and coaches of other clinicians. During each of the MI Facilitator and Clinician Coaching training programs, four 4-hour sessions are devoted to exercises that require participants to work with “standardized patients” or “standardized clinicians” that will enable training program participants to practice and deepen clinical communication and coaching skills.

The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision and other resources required to deliver up to 8 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training session that will occur during 2-day Face-to-Face Clinician Coaching training program; and up to 8 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training session that will occur during 2-day Face-to-Face MI Facilitator training programs. The number of actors required will be dependent on the number of VA personnel attending the training session and decided with each task order. The contractor shall also provide all labor, supervision and other resources required to deliver 4 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions that will occur for 2-day Virtual MI Facilitator and 2-day Clinician Coaching training programs.

The Clinician Coaching will require actors to play the role of standardized patients for 1 of the 4-hour training sessions, and the role of standardized clinicians during the second 4-hour session of the 2-day programs. For the MI Facilitator training programs actors will be required to play the roles of standardized patients during each of the 2 training sessions within a 2-day program.

The contractor must ensure that actors have been adequately prepared and trained to provide: 1) realistic and reproducible portrayals of patients and clinicians based on specific and detailed “case vignettes” that will be provided to contractor by NCP; 2) detailed learner-centered and behaviorally specific feedback to participants on their use of the specific communication and counseling skills that are featured in the VHA-ILEAD training programs; and 3) portrayals that accurately reflect the characteristics, culture and behaviors of Veteran patients and VHA clinicians. For virtual courses, actors need to have the capability and skill to use the Microsoft Teams virtual training platform to participate in video and audio interactions via this online computer platform.

The contractor must meet the following requirements as well as all the requirements specified in Section 8 below:

1. At least 5 years of experience in recruiting, training, and supervising actors to serve as standardized patients and standardized clinicians for training programs in clinical communication skills for health care professionals.

2. At least 5 years of experience in training and providing standardized patients and standardized clinicians for clinical education programs. Specific experience in providing standardized patients and standardized clinicians for Clinician Coaching training and MI training is required.

3. Only professional actors with experience portraying simulated patients and simulated clinicians in medical education programs may serve as standardized patients/clinicians.

3. Background: ILEAD is the largest VHA provider for employee education services. As a recognized leader and trendsetter in education, ILEAD delivers the highest quality instructional programming to meet customer expectations. Face-to-face conferences/workshops are but one means of meeting the educational needs of VHA employees.

ILEAD is seeking to provide the highest quality of care to Veterans of our nation through personalized, proactive patient-driven whole health care. This approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care providers, patients, and families.

VHA seeks to assist VHA clinicians to deliver Veteran-centered whole health care by providing training in Veteran-centered communications skills, including skills in health education, health coaching, health behavior counseling and motivational interviewing. In order to provide VHA clinicians with effective and accessible training in Veteran-centered communication skills, NCP has adopted a train-the-trainer model that prepares staff from each facility to serve as local MI facilitators and clinician coaches. Clinician Coaching training prepares facilitators of NCP’s MI program, as well NCP’s other core communication skills program (i.e., TEACH for Success (TEACH)), to offer Clinician Coaching, a method of assisting clinicians to successfully apply MI and TEACH skills in actual clinical encounters with Veterans.

4. Period of Performance: The period of performance is for a total of five (5) years; a base year with four (4) one year option periods.

4.1. Government Recognized Holidays. Unless specifically authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer, no services will be provided, and no charges will be incurred and/or billed to any order on this contract on any of the Federal Holidays listed below.

5. Place of Performance: All pre-planning activities shall be performed at the contractor’s site. Contractor shall participate in all ILEAD pre-planning conference calls on which the ILEAD Project Manager requires contractor attendance. Conference calls will be provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs Microsoft Teams communication system (commonly referred to as Teams). Contractor must provide actors to serve in the roles of standardized patients/standardized clinicians for each training program. Face-to-Face training sessions will be held near the contractor’s location and the exact location will be determined at the task order level. Virtual training sessions for each course will be made available annually through the Microsoft Teams system.

6. Travel: Ground transportation reimbursement (including parking fees) will be available to actors. Travel is a cost reimbursable item and will be reimbursed in accordance with VA and Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). Travel expenses will be invoiced in the subsequent month following the training event expense was incurred in order to be reimbursed. All travel receipts will be provided to the COR within five (5) business days after the course ends. Travel reimbursement is only allowed when authorized per task order.

7. Type of Contract: The Government anticipates award of an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract.

8. Specific Mandatory Tasks and Associated Deliverables: The contractor must meet all the requirements related to prior experience in recruiting, training, and preparing standardized patients/clinicians as listed in Section 2 (Description of Services) above, as well as meet all the requirements outlined in this section.

The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision and other resources required to deliver and prepare actors for each Clinician Coaching training program and Motivational Interviewing Facilitator training program as described within this PWS. The training programs will be delivered in 2 modalities: Face-to Face (in person) and virtually (via Microsoft Teams).

The contractor must ensure that actors have been adequately prepared and trained to provide: 1) realistic and reproducible portrayals of patients and clinicians based on specific and detailed simulated “case vignettes” that will be provided to contractor by NCP; 2) detailed learner-centered and behaviorally specific feedback to participants on their use of the specific communication, counseling and coaching skills that are featured in the VHA-ILEAD training programs; and 3) portrayals that accurately reflect the characteristics, culture and behaviors of Veteran patients and VHA clinicians.

Task 8.1: The contractor shall provide preparation of actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians to portray specific simulated cases (provided by NCP) to ensure both realistic and reproducible portrayal of cases as well as provision of learner-centered balanced feedback to learners that includes specific feedback on use of the communication and coaching skills targeted in the VHA-ILEAD training program; each actor should be prepared to portray at least 1 “case” for each training session.

Task 8.2: The contractor shall collaborate with NCP to design and conduct the preparation of actors and include NCP staff in actor preparation sessions. Preparation of actors must include a session with NCP staff to review and rehearse patient and clinician roles as well as the feedback strategy that will be employed during the training programs.

Task 8.3: The contractor shall provide quality control and supervision of actors to ensure reliable portrayal of specific simulated cases and provision of balanced effective targeted feedback to learners; contractor must make provisions to provide onsite supervision of standardized patients/standardized clinicians during the specified training sessions. This supervision should include direct observation of actors during learning sessions and provision of feedback to actors regarding their performance as standardized patients/standardized clinicians and regarding the specificity and quality of their feedback to learners.

Task 8.4: The contractor shall recruit, train, and supervise enough actors to support the anticipated training sessions below for each Fiscal Year. Note: It is anticipated a total of 64 standardized patients/standardized clinicians’ days (SP Days) will be needed for each Fiscal Year however, the number of SP Days could be more or less, depending on the VA’s needs. The breakdown is as follows:

· For each of the 2, 4-hour training sessions at the Clinician Coaching Face-to-Face training program, up to 8 actors (standardized patients/standardized clinicians) will be provided for a total of 146 “SP Days”. The number of actors will be dependent on the number of VA personnel attending the training session and decided with each task order.

· For each of the 2, 4-hour training sessions at the virtual Clinician Coaching training program, up to 48 (standardized patients/standardized clinicians) will be provided for a total of 16 SP Days.

· For each of 2, 4-hour training sessions at the Motivational Interviewing Face-to-Face Facilitator training program, up to 8 actors (standardized patients) will be provided for a total of 16 SP Days.

· For each of the 2, 4-hour training sessions at virtual MI Training, up to 48 actors (standardized patients) will be provided for a total of 16 SP Days.

The 4-hour sessions will be held on 2 days of the training programs and these days will be identified at task order level. Clinician Coaching training requires actors to play the roles of standardized patients during the first 4-hour training session and standardized clinicians during the second 4-hour training session on the following day. The MI Facilitator training features actors playing the roles of standardized patients for both 4-hour training sessions, held on consecutive days.

Task 8.5: The contractor shall provide and utilize a mechanism (i.e., questionnaire/survey/feedback, etc.) for responding to onsite NCP feedback regarding the performance of the actors serving as standardized patients/standardized clinicians.

Task 8.6: The contractor shall ensure that actors participating in virtual training sessions have access to technology that will allow them to participate in virtual training sessions on a Microsoft Teams platform. Actors need to have access to a quiet space, a computer, Microsoft Teams software, and a video camera. Actors must also be able to effectively use technology to engage with learners in simulated encounters during virtual training sessions.

9. Deliverables Table: Some or all of the following tasks will be required and defined at the task order level.

10. Contract Award Meeting: The contractor shall not commence performance on the tasks in this Performance Work Statement (PWS) until the Contracting Officer has conducted a kickoff meeting or has advised the contractor that the kickoff meeting requirement has been waived.

11. Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, correct, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor’s quality control program is the means that the work complies with the requirement of the contract.

The COR will utilize a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) for each individual task order as the tool to ensure quality of rendered services are adhered to.

12. Formal Acceptance or Rejection of Deliverables: The Government will review each deliverable and provide feedback/comments. The contractor shall have five business days to incorporate feedback/comments and make appropriate revisions. The contractor shall provide the revised version of each deliverable to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The COR will review and determine final acceptance by the Government. The COR will notify the contractor of final acceptance within five business days.

13. Changes to the PWS: Any changes to this PWS shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the Contracting Officer. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the Contracting Officer shall be borne by the contractor.

14. Government Responsibilities:

14.1. The Government will provide: any audio/visual equipment and any resources or stage set-up required by the contractor at the training site for face-to-face trainings only.

14.2. The Government will provide; background information about the VHA NCP training objectives, provision of the specific case vignettes to be used by the contractor to prepare actors, background and guidance regarding the specific coaching and motivational interviewing skills and strategies that the participants will be applying during training sessions, and guidance on how the actors will provide balanced and effective feedback to participants in the training program.

15. Contractor Experience Requirements – Key Personnel

15.1. Key Personnel: Certain skilled experienced professional and/or technical personnel are essential for accomplishing the work to be performed. These individuals are defined as "Key Personnel" and are those persons whose resumes are submitted and marked by the vendor as "Key Personnel." Substitutions shall only be accepted if in compliance with “Substitution of Key Personnel" provision identified below.

The Contracting Officer may notify the Contractor and request immediate removal of any personnel assigned to any task by the Contractor that are deemed to have a conflict of interest with the Government or if the performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory. The reason for removal shall be documented and replacement personnel shall be identified within three (3) business days of the notification. Employment and staffing difficulties shall not be justification for failure to meet established schedules.

15.2. Substitution of Key Personnel: All Contractor requests for approval of substitutions hereunder shall be submitted in writing to the COR and the Contracting Officer at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the effective date, whenever possible, and shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution, a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any other information requested by the Contracting Officer necessary to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. New personnel shall not commence work until resumes provided and accepted. The COR and the Contracting Officer will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the Contractor of approval or disapproval in writing.

15.3. Contractor Personnel Requirements: Key Personnel proposed shall have knowledge in the following:

15.3.1. Standardized Patients/Standardized Clinicians Program: At least 5 years of experience in recruiting, training, and supervising actors to serve as standardized patients and standardized clinicians for training programs in clinical communication skills for health care professionals. At least 5 years of experience in training and providing standardized patients and standardized clinicians for clinical education programs. Specific experience in providing standardized clinicians for CC training and MI training is required. Must demonstrate understanding of the standards of the Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) and adherence to ASPE standards.

15.3.2. Only professional actors with experience portraying simulated patients and simulated clinicians in medical education programs may serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians.

16. Confidentiality and Disclosure:

16.1. It is agreed that:

16.1.2. The preliminary and final deliverables, and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by VA which have been generated by the contractor in the performance of this contract, are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at the conclusion of the contract.

16.1.3. The Contracting Officer will be the sole authorized official to release, verbally or in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this contract, presented to the contractor, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer for response.

16.1.4. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project shall not be publicized without the written approval of the Contracting Officer.

17. Information Security: Contractor shall not have access to any Government Information Systems. Contractor shall not have access to any sensitive Personnel Information.

End of Document