Birmingham EAP - SOW.doc

STATEMENT OF WORK

Employee Assistant Program (EAP)

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Title of Project: Employee Assistant Program (EAP)

2. Background: The EAP is an integral part of the health services provided by Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center (BVAMC). It is designed for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of employees with alcohol or drug use problems.

3. Scope of Work: The purpose of the EAP program is to assist employees in identifying personal problems that may adversely affect job performance or conduct, to treat these problems if amenable to short-term treatment, or to refer employees to appropriate treatment facilities if indicated. A successful EAP program assists employees in overcoming personal problems so that performance and/or conduct improve and corrective action such as disciplinary, adverse, or performance-based actions becomes unnecessary.

As such, the BVAMC requires a provider of the following services:

ACCESS

24 hours per day, 7 days per week, confidential toll-free telephone access to Masters-level, licensed mental health professionals with an average “speed of answer” of less than 20 seconds.

Employees participants must be able to securely request all services from contractor’s website and connect immediately to the EAP through a mobile application.

Bilingual (English & Spanish) staff and network clinicians must be available at all times and interpreters of other languages must be available within 24 hours.

A sufficient number of qualified EAP counselors must be within 10 miles of the BVAMC.

CLINICAL SERVICES

Confidential face-to-face assessment, short term counseling, referral and follow-up for alcohol and drug problems, work related difficulties, marriage and family issues, emotional and psychological problems, and other personal and work-related concerns that may affect the employee participant’s well-being and job performance. Must provide up to five (5) sessions per family member, per problem, per contract year.

Case management that includes coordinating referrals to resources beyond the EAP and follow-up, when needed.

Telephonic and video enable counseling options must be available in addition to face-to-face sessions, when preferred by the employee participant.

MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL SERVICES

Unlimited consultation to human resources, supervisors, and managers regarding employee participants with job performance, attendance and conduct problems.

Formal referrals and monitoring of progress in EAP and all treatment for up to two years, when a participant is referred by management for job/substance abuse problems, by maintaining contact with the employee, treatment providers, and the employer, if appropriate. Information about an employee’s use of the EAP is only provided when the participant has signed a consent form.

Unlimited consultation regarding organizational issues, including critical incidents, sexual harassment, drug-free workplace, downsizing, conflict resolution and workplace violence.

TECHNOLOGY BASED SERVICES

Contractor must provide comprehensive online tools and resources conveniently accessible 24/7/365; including videos, live webinars, training and self-assessments aimed at helping participants build resiliency, communicate more effectively, become better masters of personal finance, and to learn more about achieving greater balance in their busy lives.

Topics should include:

Health: Better understand health and how to manage it through articles, videos, and interactive tools. Explore topics such as healthy lifestyle, common diseases and medical conditions, finance, and to learn more about achieving greater balance in their busy lives.

Health and wellness assessments.

Balance Life: Assist with searches for childcare, summer camps, adoption resources and senior care. Educate regarding managing the demands of work, family, and personal life, use college-cost calculators and review of resources for financing higher education. Provide information on parenting, communication, pet care, aging, and planning for retirement.

Mental Health: Provide helpful information regarding dealing with stress, anger management, relationship, grief, substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, children’s behavioral problems and more.

Financial: Provide relevant, high-quality resources designed to help participants navigate the financial maze, including 140 financial calculators and 100s of tax forms. Provide information on banking, budgeting, auto financing, insurance, invest and more.

Legal: Provide legal information on a wide variety of topics including real estate, taxes, elder care, consumer law and dealing with problems with landlords, traffic tickets, and other common issues. Provide an on-line legal/financial library.

Training: Provide professional, interactive training courses on numerous topics including Staying Positive, Leadership, Communications, Team Building, Supervision, Stress Management, Balancing Work and Family, and Personal Growth.

Stress Management: Provide training on methods for managing everyday stressful situations as well as strategies for developing a “stress-resistant” lifestyle.

Depression and Substance Abuse: Allow participants to confidentially complete screenings and seamlessly request a follow-up call from an EAP Counselor.

PROGRAM PROMOTION

Contractor must provide initial and ongoing promotional materials, in English and Spanish, including EAP brochures, wallet cards, electronic quarterly newsletters, posters, monthly electronic articles, monthly electronic supervisory newsletters and supervisory guidebooks. Also provide a sample introductory letter/email to assist you announcing the new services available to our employees.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Contractor must provide up to 5 hours per year of onsite employee orientations, supervisory training and work/life seminars on such topics as stress management, team building, coping with change, working with difficult people, balancing work and personal life, maintaining a positive attitude, drug-free workplace. Training should be customized to meet the VA’s specific needs.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

Contractor will assign a dedicated Relationship Manager who is a licensed clinician with a master’s degree in the mental health field and a minimum of 10 years’ experience to serve as the single point of contact for the designated representative(s) within the BVAMC.

The Relationship Manager will consult with designated representatives of the BVAMC at the implementation of services as well as on a quarterly basis, to review EAP performance. The Relationship Manager will immediately confer with designated representative at the BVAMC whenever problems are identified and will jointly agree upon solutions.

Confidentiality is of the utmost importance. The contractor must guarantee the confidentiality and secure of all files and information pertaining to cases by adhering to systematic procedures and methods. All staff must be kept fully informed of confidentiality laws and regulations, and the criminal/civil sanctions for violating them.

VA employee/participant records must be kept in a confidential manner in accordance with all applicable federal and state confidentiality laws, regulations, and guidelines including those pertaining to the confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records such as 42 C.F.R. Part 2, Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, HIPPAA, the Privacy Act of 1097, the National Archives and Records Administration General Records Schedule 1, and other applicable regulations and guidelines governing confidentiality of counseling and medical records.

Contractor must have a Continuous Quality Improvement Program is provided. Confidential employee/participant feedback questionnaires must be used, and results provided to the BVAMC on a quarterly basis.

B. CHANGES TO STATEMENT OF WORK

Any changes to this SOW shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the CO. 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 CO shall be borne by the contractor.

C. TRAVEL - N/A

D. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES - N/A

E. CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE

It is agreed that:

1. 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 task order, are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the CO at the conclusion of the task order.

2. The CO 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 task order. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this task order, presented to the contractor, shall be submitted to the CO for response.

3. 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 CO.

F. SALIENT CHARACTERSITICS – N/A

G. REQUIRED APPENDEX

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

1. Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion.

2. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation.

3. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data.

4. [Agency] and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of [Agency] or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to [Agency]. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230.

5. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records, or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle]. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government’s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to [Agency] control or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the [contract vehicle]. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4).

6. The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and [Agency] guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information.

7. The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with [Agency] policy.

8. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public [Agency] information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

9. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

10. The [Agency] owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which [Agency] shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.227-20.

11. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take [Agency]-provided records management training. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training.

[Note: To the extent an agency requires contractors to complete records management training, the agency must provide the training to the contractor.]

D. Flowdown of requirements to subcontractors

1. The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms and requirements including this paragraph, in all subcontracts under this [contract vehicle], and require written subcontractor acknowledgment of same.

2. Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor.

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