A2323R0005_Synopsis_1.docx

This is a PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE ONLY. The solicitation associated with this notice will not be available until approximately January 13, 2023. Contractors should not contact the contract specialist or contracting officer seeking the solicitation, as it will not be available until approximately January 13, 2023. However, this is a commercial service acquisition and therefore, the contracting officer may establish a shorter period than 15 days for issuance of the solicitation if needed. The solicitation will be posted to Contract Opportunities (SAM.gov), the Government-wide point of entry.

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is committed to creating positive, safe, and culturally relevant learning environments where students can gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic there has been a significant need for comprehensive behavioral health and wellness services at a multitude of bureau-funded schools, dormitories, colleges, and universities.

The BIE is responsible for providing quality educational opportunities from early childhood through adulthood in accordance with federal trust responsibilities for approximately 43,000 students. The BIE funds 183 elementary, secondary, and residential schools across 64 reservations and 23 states. Of these, 53 are BIE-operated and 130 are Tribally operated. Additionally, BIE directly operates two post-secondary institutions and funds and/or operates off-reservation boarding schools and peripheral dormitories near reservations for students attending public schools. The BIE also serves many American Indian and Alaska Native post-secondary students through higher education scholarships and support funding for Tribal colleges and universities.

While there is already an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) service contract in place through the Department of Interior (DOI), it does not cover tribal schools, staff, and students.

BIE created the Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP) to address the mental health and wellness needs of students and staff at all Bureau-funded institutions including Bureau operated schools (BOS), Tribally Controlled Schools (TCS), post-secondary institutions, and Tribal colleges and universities. The BHWP’s counseling program is designed to provide short-term, solution -focused brief therapy, and care coordination via a tele-health platform and crisis support via an available 24/7 crisis response hotline and limited on-site crisis response teams.

The objective of the BHWP is to provide support to all bureau-funded entities through technical assistance, training, immediate behavioral health and crisis support, clinical counseling services, crisis care coordination, and communication support related to various behavioral health and wellness related issues.

The tasks below are structured around clearly defined activities and allow for flexibility to rapidly address new and emerging issues, with particular importance to addressing mental health, suicide prevention, crisis services, and other top behavioral health and wellness priorities of BIE through an Indigenous lens.

· Task 1: Management and Administration

· Task 2: Counseling Services

· Task 3: On-site Crisis Support

· Task 4: 24/7 Crisis Call Line

· Task 5: Training and Technical Assistance

· Task 6: Communication, Marketing and Outreach

· Task 7: Data Collection Protocol

· Task 8: Reporting

· Task 9: Transfer of Activities

This acquisition will be solicited as a set-aside for Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE), utilizing Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation. The Government’s intent is to award one (1) hybrid Firm-Fixed-Price and Labor Hour contract, with award anticipated no later than March 15, 2023, utilizing a Statement of Work (SOW). The period of performance will be a base year and will include four option years. The NAICS code for this requirement is 621112, Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists, with a Size Standard of $12.0M.

Any interested contractor must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.SAM.gov. Any prospective bidder’s SAM registration must include the applicable NAICS code 621112 for this acquisition.