CLS RFQ Final.pdf

U.S. Department of State Solicitation #: 19AQMM23R0073

Bureau of Medical Services

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

U.S. Department of State Office of Acquisitions Management supporting

RFQ #: 19AQMM23R0073

Comprehensive Life Support (CLS)

Attachment 1 Statement of Work Attachment 2 Pricing Table Attachment 3 Template for Vendor Questions Attachment 4 Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ)

PERTINENT INFORMATION

Mission of the U.S. Department of State: The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous and secure world.

Mission of the Bureau of Medical Services: The Bureau of Medical Service (MED)’s global mission to provide preventive, primary, and emergency medical care to Chief of Mission (COM) personnel is accomplished through global programs and echelons of care, from health unit medical providers and regional medical centers, to resources in the United States. The Washington-based MED team works closely with overseas counterparts to ensure the safety of America’s diplomatic community of 75,000 people including employees, interagency partners, and family members assigned to U.S. missions abroad. Further, MED provides initial occupational health services to the diplomatic community and the locally employed staff population of over 150,000. MED’s combined Civil and Foreign Service, domestic, overseas, and contractor workforce provides the professionalism, expertise, and agility to meet the Department’s medical needs.

Scope: This procurement will be a non-personal services contract to comprehensive life support training services.

Type of Contract: Firm Fixed Priced (FFP)

Set-Aside: Full and Open Competition

NAICS: 611699 – All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction

PSC: R419 – Educational Services

Acquisition Procedures: FAR Subpart 12.6 (Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation of Commercial Products and Commercial Services)

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.

This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Proposals shall be solicited and submitted via email to the designated Government Representatives.

The provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition. Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-12-acquisition-commercial-items#i1112616

Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, with their offer. The clauses 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition.

This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2202-05.

Place of Performance: The services will be provided at an agreed upon training location in the United States.

Questions Due: NLT 12pm (Eastern) on January 20, 2023 Proposal Due: NLT 12pm (Eastern) on February 17, 2023

Period of performance: The period of performance shall be twelve (12) months from the date of task order award, plus four (4) option years.

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ) INSTRUCTIONS

PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Time, Place, and Submission of Offer

Offerors are due to submit proposals no later than, February 17, 2023 at 12:00PM EST to the following point of contact:

Name Email Title Robin Guillie GuillieRL@state.gov Contracting Officer

Qiana Richmond RichmondQJ@state.gov Contracts Specialist

Physical copies are neither required nor requested.

Offerors shall submit their proposal according to the instructions below.

2. Cover Letter Requirement

Offerors shall submit a cover letter as part of its proposal. The cover letter shall include the following:

Title of Acquisition: Comprehensive Life Support Services

- Bureau of Medical Services RFQ number (i.e., 19AQMM23R0073):

Issuance Date of RFQ:

Closing date and time of RFQ (for submission of proposals):

Unique Entity Identifier Number (UEI) #, name, address (street, city, state, zip) of offeror:

CAGE Code of offeror:

Company POC (Address, Phone, Email):

The cover letter shall be signed by an official authorized to bind the company. The cover letter shall provide an executive summary of the Offeror’s proposal and attach any related technical literature, descriptive documentation and warranty information.

The Offeror shall make a definitive statement as to whether or not any exceptions were taken to any of the terms and conditions contained in the RFQ or any assumptions were made concerning the pricing submission. All exceptions and assumptions will be briefly listed with location information of where they are found in the proposal. The penalty for making false statements is prescribed in 18 USC 1001.

3. FORMAT FOR TECHNICAL AND COST/PRICE QUOTATION

File Format Requirements

Vendors’ technical proposals and price quotations shall:

• Be viewable in either: Microsoft Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Adobe Reader XI, or Adobe Acrobat Pro X (as applicable and appropriate).

• Limit the number of pages to no more than twenty (20), 12-Point Font, Times New Roman.

• Should the Vendor exceed the 20-page limit, any additional content exceeding the page limit shall not be considered. This includes Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (e.g., as applicable and appropriate). PDF format shall be used only for scanned documents.

It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure that the complete proposal has reached the email addresses. The U.S. Government is not responsible for emails that have not reached the final destination due to size restrictions or due to security constraints held back by the Department’s SPAM filter. The maximum email file size is 10MB. If necessary, the Offeror can send more than one email.

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:

Volume I – Technical Proposal

1. Address the evaluation factors in Section 6 below.

2. Past Performance Evaluation The offeror (including all partners of a joint venture) must provide past performance information for itself and each major Subcontractor (defined as a subcontractor that is proposed to perform 20% or more of the work or total proposed price).

It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure the Government receives verifiable information to evaluate the quality of the past performance information submitted. The Offeror shall either submit copies of the Contractor’s Performance Assessment Report (CPAR) or ensure completed Past Performance Surveys (PPS) for each reference are submitted to the Government so that the Government can contact the references to discuss the Contractor’s past performance history.

If the Offeror submits a CPAR with their proposal, a PPS is not required for the same contract reference.

To provide past performance reference information, offerors must:

i. Complete the attached Past Performance survey (PPS) (Attachment 4) providing past performance information on at least two (2) but no more than four (4) of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work requirements in the SOW. The most relevant indicators of performance are contracts of similar scope and how recently they were performed. This does not impact the page limit.

ii. MED recommends that you alert the contacts that their names have been submitted and that they are authorized to provide performance information concerning the listed contracts if and when MED requests it.

iii. If extraordinary problems impacted any of the referenced contracts, provide a short explanation and the corrective action taken (FAR 15.305(a)(2)).

Volume II – Price

• Price Breakdown for All Items

AT A MINIMUM, A PROPOSAL PACKAGE MUST INCLUDE:

• Completed Firm Fixed-Price per performance period (via Attachment 2, Pricing Table)

• All prices shall reflect USD

• Description of any special features and any value-added services

• For all offered services (identify any discounts offered) shall be included in the quoted price for each service

• Include narrative to address any unique pricing issues. Provide the total price for the entire period of performance. Any assumptions made by the Offeror relating to technical and price aspects shall be stated in the proposal up front.

3.1 Pricing Structure

Offerors are requested to provide total prices for each performance period and a total price for the entire five (5) year period of performance in the form of one base year, plus four one (1) year option periods, for the services described in Attachment 1, Statement of Work (SOW). The total of the proposed prices will be used as the basis for the price evaluations and will establish the total firm fixed price for each performance period.

4. SOLICITATION CONSIDERATIONS

All Quotes must be valid for 120 days from the closing date for this solicitation.

The Contractor and its employees shall exercise the utmost discretion concerning all matters relating to their duties and functions. They shall not communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their provision of services under this contract, which has not been made public, except in the necessary performance of their duties or upon written authorization of the Contracting Officer.

All documents and records (including photographs) generated during the performance of work under this contract shall be for the sole use and become the exclusive property of the U.S Government. Furthermore, no article, book, pamphlet, email, recording, broadcast, speech television appearance, film or photograph concerning any aspect of work performed under this contract shall be published or disseminated through any media without the prior written authorization of the Contracting Officer. These obligations do not cease upon the expiration or termination of the contract.

5. BASIS OF AWARD

The Government anticipates issuing a contract award to the Offeror whose proposed price provides the best value to the Government, price, and other factors considered.

The Government: intends to evaluate proposals and award a contract without discussions with offerors; reserves the right to conduct discussions if the Contracting Officer later determines them to be necessary; and reserves the right to eliminate from consideration for award any or all offers at any time prior to award of the contract. Oral proposals are not required.

6. EVALUATION FACTORS: LOWEST PRICE TECHNICALLY

ACCEPTABLE (LPTA).

The Government considers it to be in its best interest to award to the lowest priced technically acceptable offeror. The LPTA process is selected as appropriate for this acquisition because the best value is expected to result from selection of the technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price.

The following information should be carefully reviewed by any vendor contemplating an offer for this contract:

DOS reserves the right to reject a proposal that is technically unacceptable, unreasonably high in price, or missing required information.

To be considered for award, the contractor must be determined by the Contracting Officer to be responsible in accordance with the standards described in FAR 9.104-1.

To be considered for award, the contractor must be registered in SAM (www.sam.gov) at the time the offeror’s proposal is submitted. Exceptions to this requirement are enumerated in

FAR 4.1102.

DOS will award the contract to the vendor whose offer is lowest price technically acceptable and whose offer is in compliance with the terms of the RFQ to include compliance with the technical information required below.

The following factors shall be used to evaluate proposals for technical acceptability:

A. Specific:

1. The proposal demonstrates the offeror understands and has the technical capability to meet all of the requirements of this Solicitation.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

2. The proposal clearly demonstrates that the offer can meet the specific requirements in sections 2, 3 and 6 of the statement of work.

3. Past Performance Performance information will be used for both the responsibility determination and best value decision. MED may use performance information obtained from other than the sources identified by the offeror/subcontractor. MED will utilize existing databases of contractor performance information and solicit additional information from the references provided by the offeror in response to this RFQ and from other sources if and when the Contracting Officer finds the existing databases to be insufficient for evaluating an offeror’s performance. Adverse past performance information to which the offeror previously has not had an opportunity to respond, will be addressed in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth in FAR 15.3. The contractor performance information will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis in accordance with the sub-factors below. If the offeror’s proposal is determined to fail any one of the sub-factors below their proposal will be determined technically unacceptable.

(1) Sub-Factor 1 – Technical Services.

(2) Sub-Factor 2 – Quality of Services.

(3) Sub-Factor 3 – Price/Cost Control.

(4) Sub-Factor 4 – Customer Satisfaction.

An offeror’s performance will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably when:

• The offeror lacks relevant performance history,

• Information on performance is not available.

Prior to assigning a "neutral" past performance rating, the contracting officer may consider a range of information related to an offeror's performance. A neutral overall rating will result in a Pass of the offeror’s proposal.

B. General:

The offer conforms to the requirements found within the solicitation and its attachments and provides the necessary information required within its contents.

Submissions must include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and substantiation of stated claims.

Submissions must provide convincing rationale for how requirements will be met.

Responses to requirements do not rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements.

Note that failure to provide any of the above listed technical information will result in an offeror’s proposal being deemed Technically Unacceptable and therefore, will not be considered for an award. Brief responses that just state the offer can provide the services without details to support the statements as requested above will be deemed Technically Unacceptable.

TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE/UNACCEPTABLE

Acceptable The proposal demonstrates the offeror has the capability to meet all of the requirements of the Solicitation. The proposal clearly demonstrates that the offer can meet the specific requirements in sections 2, 3 and 6 of the SOW. All past performance sub-factors receive a Pass or Neutral rating.

Unacceptable The proposal does not demonstrate the offeror has the capability to meet all of the requirements of the Solicitation. The proposal does not clearly demonstrate that the offer can meet the specific requirements in sections 2, 3 and 6 of the SOW. One or more past performance sub-factors receives a Fail rating.

In addition, there are other considerations that may be taken into account:

The offeror must be able to demonstrate that it has the necessary resources to provide on-time service delivery at a high level of quality.

The USG reserves the right to eliminate from consideration for award any or all offers at any time prior to award of the contract. The USG will determine acceptability by assessing the offeror's compliance with the terms of this RFQ.

7. CONTRACT TYPE

This contract will be issued as a firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract type.

Under a Firm-Fixed-Price contracts (see FAR 16.202), upon acceptance of services by the USG, payment at the negotiated, firm-fixed rate shall be made. The firm-fixed-price shall include all direct labor, direct non-labor, indirect costs, and profit necessary to accomplish the Statement of Work (SOW), including all deliverables.

8. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

One (1) base year from task order award followed by four (4) one year option periods.

Base Year: To be completed at time of award Option Year 1:

Option Year 2:

Option Year 3:

Option Year 4:

9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

None.

10. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

Questions related to the administration of this contract shall reference the contract number and be sent to the following individuals:

Contracting Officer Robin Guillie Guillierl@state.gov

Contract Specialist Qiana Richmond RichmondQJ@state.gov

Attachment 1 - Statement of Work

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

Comprehensive Life Support (CLS)

Rural Emergency Medical Education Program

1. Background

The Bureau of Medical Services (M/MED) has provided the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS) program for several years to all Foreign Service Medical Specialists (FSMSs-- Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants). Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS), created in 1996 was identified and has been in use for many years by the Bureau of Medical Services (M/MED) as the program that diligently meets the training needs of our medical professionals by enhancing their trauma skills. MED’s CALS team, in conjunction with previous contractors have provided qualified instructors to teach the intensive CALS Provider Course and BLS instructor certification as needed.

CALS is an educational program designed specifically for the emergency medical training needs of rural healthcare teams. CALS combines the concepts contained in many of the other advanced life support courses, providing a customizable, team-based training program uniquely suited for resource-constrained environments.

The CALS program was designed to train rural physicians and other healthcare providers to function in austere environments under a wide-range of limited physical conditions and was found to provide the level of training needed by FSMSs. In addition, the CALS program familiarizes new providers with the specific emergency medical equipment included in the emergency medical kits distributed by the Bureau of Medical Services/Operational Medicine (M/MED/OM) MED to embassies worldwide.

Over the past several years, CALS training cycles have been convened to ensure that a large pool of State Department healthcare providers are currently trained in the CALS program and procedures. This contract will provide CALS training for newly hired FSMSs (physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants) in order to enhance and maintain the specialty skill levels of State Department healthcare clinicians.

Beginning in 2023, MED plans to piggyback on the work we have accomplished under the CALS Program with the introduction to our newest FSMSs with the new Comprehensive Life Support (CLS) program. The new CLS program is a custom designed 4-day medical emergency training course for MED personnel. The course includes:

• CAL Provider Course including a 4-hour Trauma Module

• Skills Procedures Laboratory

• Invasive Procedures (Cadaver) Laboratory

• High-Fidelity Simulation Center Scenarios

2. Description of Services

The Bureau of Medical Services is requesting a base year, plus four (4) one (1) year option periods contract for a contractor to provide Continuing Medical Education (CME) in Comprehensive Life Support (CLS). The contractor will provide CLS introduction and CLS intensive training for newly hired FSMSs. The contractor shall provide documentation of participation. The contractor will ensure that the training provided is certified for award of CME contact hours and must provide a breakdown of specific pharmaceutical hours. The contractor shall provide CME certificates upon completion of the training.

All participants will be provided training to complete requirements for BLS provider and instructor certification. Medical Providers (MP-NP/PAs) and Regional Medical Officers (MD/DOs) will participate in a four (4) day custom-designed CLS medical emergency training program. The training will include a two-day CLS Provider Course, a 4-hour CLS Trauma Skills Module, a High-Fidelity Simulation Laboratory to include trauma scenarios (adult/pediatric), and an Invasive Procedures (Cadaver) Laboratory. The CLS Provider Course and Trauma Module will be offered over 2½ days for up to 20 new hire FSMSs. The Skills Procedures Laboratory[2] and the Invasive Procedures (Cadaver) Laboratory experiences will be offered for all participants as well. There will be six (6) separate laboratories offered with teams consisting of 4-5 students to one (1) cadaver model to one (1) instructor ratio. The High-Fidelity Simulation Center Scenarios will consist of three (3) teams of 4-5 students rotating through six (6) separate scenarios.

The Skills Procedures Laboratory is a 3-hour CME credited lab course that covers recommended airway, breathing and vascular skills necessary for stabilization of critically ill or injured patients. Participants perform the lab in teams of 4-5 participants. One of the requirements of the contractor is that the participants will work with non-embalmed cadavers at a medical facility. Medical education literature advocates the use of cadavers rather than anesthetized animals to provide a more effective and realistic teaching model. The lab should stress preparation, teamwork and hands-on skills learning and practice.

The capstone for the CLS training will be a 4-hour experience in the Simulation Center Laboratory using high-fidelity patient models. High-fidelity simulation in medical education has been studied extensively. Research has consistently demonstrated that simulation allows the caregiver to learn in a realistic, risk-free environment (Gordon, 2001). This is especially important for those catastrophic events that are low incident and high risk for the patient, not uncommon in the MED scope of service. At present, these scenarios are planned to be presented in a teaching rather than testing framework but can be used as an evaluation tool if desired.

3. Scope of Services Provided

The CLS Rural Emergency Medical Education Program is a four (4) day CME credited course that will be offered each year over a five year period for up to 20 new hire FSMSs. It consists of interactive scenario-based sessions in mass casualty training, pediatric and adult airway management, vascular access, cardiac and neurologic emergencies, pediatric and adult trauma, obstetric emergencies and neonatal resuscitation, toxicology and environmental emergencies, and prolonged field care. The course is to be taught by experienced CLS instructors who are familiar with the work of the Department of State/MED and the medical capabilities and services provided. The course must stress a universal approach to seriously ill/injured patients, as well as teamwork and hands-on scenarios.

Responsibilities of DOS/MED:

1. Provide an accurate list of attendees.

2. Provide registration, travel, lodging and per diem costs for DOS/MED direct hire personnel.

3. Collaborate with CLS team members to plan and coordinate appropriate and invaluable training sessions for our FSMS.

Responsibilities of the selected contractor:

1. Provide the curriculum, location and equipment/supplies necessary to accomplish the CLS

Rural Emergency Medical Training Course for FSMSs.

2. Provide oversight to the project.

3. Provide subject matter experts well-versed in the CLS program.

4. Assume financial accountability for invoicing, etc.

5. Secure classroom space for the CLS Provider Course.

6. Provide classroom space, equipment/supplies and personnel for the skills procedures lab, the invasive procedures lab and high-fidelity simulation lab.

7. Provide subject matter experts to teach the lab portion of the CLS course.

8. Assist in the coordination of transporting students to various laboratory locations, if necessary.

4. Place of Performance

TBD.

5. Period of Performance

The training will be provided annually in September during a base and four (four) one (1) year option periods; dates TBD and agreed upon by the contractor and MED.

6. Deliverables

The following are target deliverables that shall be required, according to program requirements and task resources.

The contractor must be able to coordinate presentations and provide hands-on skills experiences and issue CME credits accepted by the medical boards of all states in the U.S.

CME credits awarded must be recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation and by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

CME credits awarded must include a breakdown of pharmacotherapeutic hours per applicable session. This information must be stated separately on the CME certificate.

The contractor must provide post-course evaluations.

7. Security Requirements

There is no requirement for the Contractor to handle, process, or store classified information under this contract.

8. PROGRAM OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES

In accordance with DOSAR 652.242-70 (Contracting Officer’s Representative), the Contracting Officer may designate in writing one or more Government employees, by name and position title, to take action for the Contracting Officer under this contract. Each designee shall be identified as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Such designation(s) shall specify the scope and limitations of the authority so delegated; provided, that the designee shall not change the terms or conditions of the contract, unless the COR is a warranted Contracting Officer and this authority is delegated in the designation. The COR is identified herein:

8.1 The Contracting Officer’s Representative for all work under this task order is: TBD.

9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

9.1 In General. The Government does not anticipate providing workspace or other computer hardware and software, telephones and other material to support the performance of tasks outlined in this task order.

9.2 Government Ownership. Any Government furnished materials, data, or property shall remain the property of the Government and will be returned upon completion of the support services. Government furnished equipment shall be tracked through applicable procedures that will be provided by the Contracting Officer in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

10. Type of Contract: Firm Fixed Priced (FFP).

11. CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE

The Contractor and its employees shall exercise the utmost discretion concerning all matters relating to their duties and functions. They shall not communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their performance of services under this contract, which has not been made public, except in the necessary performance of their duties or upon written authorization of the COR.

All documents and records (including photographs) generated during the performance of work under this contract shall be for the sole use and become the exclusive property of the Government.

Furthermore, no article, book, pamphlet, email, recording, broadcast, speech television appearance, film or photograph concerning any aspect of work performed under this contract shall be published or disseminated through any media without the prior written authorization of the COR. These obligations do not cease upon the expiration or termination of this contract. The Contractor shall include the substance of this provision in all contracts of employment and in all subcontracts hereunder.

End of Statement of Work

9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT