Attachment 1 - Statement of Work .docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

American Indian/Alaskan Native Ceremony Leaders/Facilitators

1. Description of Services

1.1 The Contractor shall provide recognized and qualified Pipe Carriers, Tribal Representatives, Ceremonial Drum and Singers, and other appropriate Traditional Healers, all non-structure materials (such as rocks, wood, and water), and all labor necessary to conduct Traditional Native ceremonies for Veterans and VA employees, Tribal Representatives to attend Tribal Veterans Representative Training Events, and Traditional Healing/Cultural Diversity Training for VA employees. The Contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) with the list of recognized qualified Pipe Carriers, Tribal Representatives, Ceremonial Drum and Singers, or other appropriate Traditional Healers that will be utilized for ceremonies and training prior to scheduling the ceremony or training. In the event the ceremony requires an individual from a Tribal Nation outside the station catchment area, the contractor shall work with the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19 COR to establish communications with the appropriate Tribal Nation. The Contractor shall use Pipe Carriers, Tribal Representatives, Ceremonial Drum and Singers, and other appropriate Traditional Healers local or as close as possible to the location of the ceremony/training to minimize travel and maintain the relationships between the VA, Veterans, and Tribal Representatives, Ceremony Leaders, and Healers.

1.2 The Tribal nations covered by each catchment area include:

1.2.1 Montana – Assiniboine, Sioux, Blackfeet, Salish, Kootenai, Chippewa, Cree, Crow, Apsaalooke, Northern Cheyenne

1.2.2 Cheyenne – Lakota Sioux, Northern Arapahoe, Eastern Shoshone

1.2.3 Eastern Colorado – Lakota Sioux

1.2.4 Muskogee – Alabama Quassarte, Cherokee, Delaware, Eastern Shawnee, Euchee (Yuchi), Kialegee, Miami, Modoc, Muscogee (Creek), Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Peoria, Quapaw, Seneca-Cayuga, Shawnee, Keetoowah Cherokee, Wyandotte

1.2.5 Salt Lake City – Goshute, Shoshone, Paiute, Elko, Te-Moak, Navajo, Mountain Ute, Southern Ute

1.2.6 Sheridan – Eastern Shoshone, Northern Arapahoe, Apsaalooke

2. Ceremonies and Training:

2.1 Sweat Lodge Ceremonies

2.1.1 Ceremonies shall be conducted utilizing Sweat Lodges at existing facilities or approved remote sites.

2.1.2 Government shall provide the tarp and rope; Contractor shall provide all other required materials.

2.2 Talking Circle Ceremonies

2.2.1 Approximately two hours per ceremony (may vary by one hour)

2.3 Smudge Ceremonies

2.3.1 Ceremonies shall be conducted for individuals or groups

2.3.2 Approximately 1 hour or less per ceremony

2.4 End of Life Ceremonies

2.4.1 The COR shall notify the contractor a minimum of eight hours prior to an End-of-Life ceremony

2.5 Big Lodge (Tepee) Ceremony

2.5.1 The Government will provide the tarp, stakes, lodge poles, and rope; The Contractor shall provide all other required materials and labor

2.5.2 The ceremonies will be performed at locations with existing lodges

2.6 Sweat Lodge Rock Ceremony

2.6.1 Ceremony includes the looking for, finding, hauling, and associated ceremonies involved in the process.

2.7 Tribal Veterans Representative Training Events

2.7.1 Contractor shall provide a minimum of one Tribal Representative

2.7.2 Training shall be five days per event, a minimum of eight hours of training per day

2.7.3 Training shall be provided by the VA and utilized by the Tribal Representative to conduct ceremonies within VISN 19 catchment areas

2.8 Traditional Healing/Cultural Diversity Training for VA employees

2.8.1 Training shall be conducted by any recognized Tribal Representative

2.8.2 Contractor shall provide a maximum of six instructors at a time, Honoring Ceremonial Drummers with a maximum of four drummers at a time.

2.8.3 Training shall be three days per event, a minimum of eight hours per day

2.9 Spiritual Counseling of a Veteran

2.9.1 Counseling shall be conducted in accordance with Traditional Native healing practices

2.9.2 Counseling shall consist of one-hour sessions

2.10 Ceremonial Drum and Singers

2.10.1 Contractor shall provide Ceremonial Drum and Singers as needed

2.10.2 The number of singers is dependent on the type of event and/or ceremony

3. 0 Places of Performance

3.1 Tribal Veterans Representative Training Events may be conducted anywhere in the United States. Ceremonies shall take place on VA grounds at each of the VISN 19 VA facilities or alternate off-site locations approved by the VA prior to the ceremony. Locations for the Traditional Healing/Cultural Diversity Training for VA employees and Traditional Native ceremonies include the following VISN 19 VA locations:

3.1.1 VISN 19: Rocky Mountain Network, 4100 E. Mississippi Ave., 11th floor Glendale, CO 80246

3.1.2 VA Montana Health Care System, 1892 Williams St, Fort Harrison, MT 59636

3.1.3 Cheyenne VA Medical Center (VAMC), 2360 E Pershing Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82001

3.1.4 VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, 1700 N Wheeling Street, Aurora, CO 80045

3.1.5 Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System, Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center, 1011 Honor Heights Dr., Muskogee, OK 74401

3.1.6 VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, 500 Foothill Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84148

3.1.7 Sheridan VAMC, 1898 Fort Rd., Sheridan, WY 82801

4.0 Work Hours and Scheduling

4.1 Work shall occur during normal hours of operation except when specified by the COR or designee, for example in the case of End-of-Life Blessings (anytime), the COR shall notify the contractor a minimum of eight hours prior to an End-of-Life ceremony and 4 days (96 hours) prior to all other ceremonies.

4.2 Normal Hours of Operation are Monday – Friday 8am – 4:30 pm except the following Federal Holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday.

5.0 Compliance

5.1 The contractor personnel shall check in with the COR or designee at each ceremony. The COR or designee will identify themselves to the contractor prior to any ceremony via email/phone call. In return, the contractor shall notify the COR or designee prior to all ceremonies, identifying any personnel being sent to that specific ceremony. The Government will keep an electronic spreadsheet of all ceremonies performed and the personnel performing them.

5.2 To the greatest extent practicable, the Government will adjust the ceremony schedule to any late- arrivals, cancellations, or no-shows, so long as it does not disrupt the formal Vet schedule set by the VA. When adjustments can’t be made, late arrivals by contractor personnel will result in partial payment and cancellations/no-shows will result in no payment being authorized.

5.3 Any unsatisfactory performance will be communicated to the contractor in writing (email) and the contractor shall respond in writing (within 7 days) with an action plan detailing how the issue will be avoided in the future.

6.0 Training

6.1 Contractor shall meet the following VA educational requirements and mandatory course requirements:

10176 – VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior

7.0 Medical Records

7.1 No VA medical records of Veterans will be viewed or handled by contractor.

8.0 Billing

8.1 Invoice and any supporting documentation must be submitted electronically via Tungsten monthly in arrears of completed work. Subsequent changes or corrections shall be submitted by separate invoice. All invoices shall include:

Name and Address of Contractor Invoice Date and Invoice Number Contract Number and Purchase Order Number Date(s) of Service and Ceremony(ies) Performed Total cost