Disaster Human Services Case Management Program DRAFT PWS.pdf

SECTION C - Performance Work Statement (PWS) ACF OHSEPR Disaster Human Services Field Operations

C.1 Program Description C.1.1 Purpose The objective of this IDIQ contract is to support the ACF Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) in promoting health and well-being through leadership, partnership, and resources for effective human services delivery. OHSEPR seeks a contractor to support OHSEPR’s efforts to 1) Connect disaster survivors with resources to meet their needs via disaster case management, and 2) Conduct targeted damage assessments to identify disaster impacts to ACF-funded human services providers facilities, operations, as well as community access to those services.

C.1.2 Background The Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response’s (OHSEPR) is the emergency management lead for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OHSEPR’s mission is to lead, strengthen, and unify human services to prepare, respond, and recover from emergencies and crises. OHSEPR’s work included efforts to build national disaster human services capability, lead ACF in disasters and emergencies, and strengthen OHSEPR’s mission readiness.

Disaster human services encompass coordinated efforts to:

1. Prevent additional destabilization of the individuals, children, and families who relied on human services programs, systems, and networks pre-disaster,

2. Assist the individuals and families that need assistance navigating human services programs as a result of the disaster,

3. Promote the continuity and restoration of human services providers and delivery systems in disaster-impacted communities, and

4. Enhance the capability of human services providers in host communities to support displaced disaster survivors during their transition to recovery.

OHSEPR Activation and Response

OHSEPR uses National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) principles to lead and manage its incident operations. This includes the implementation and activation of command-and-control structures that facility unity of effort and unified command.

OHSEPR utilizes its headquarters-based Emergency Response Team (ERT) to lead and coordinate ACF’s field responses to emergencies and disasters. Based on incident complexity, OHSEPR establishes and activates Incident Management Teams (IMT), as needed, to execute operational objectives in the field. OHSEPR’s ERT provides the IMT(s) with operational, logistical, planning, analytical, and administrative/finance direction and support.

OHSEPR’s disaster human services response generally entails two components:

1) Disaster Human Services Case Management

2) Disaster Human Services Needs or Damage Assessments.

Successful execution of these two field mission sets requires a contractor with capability to secure trained and vetted disaster case managers and resource coordinators to identify available resources and connect disaster survivors to services; as well as educated, skilled civil engineers with assessing service provider facilities after disasters and emergencies to identify disaster damages and structural impacts that may impede the delivery of human services in disaster impacted communities.

C.1.3 Disaster Human Services Case Management (DHSCM) OHSEPR administers the Disaster Human Services Case Management (DHSCM) Program through existing ACF authorities. OHSEPR’s DHSCM Program’s approach is grounded in human-centered design principles and psycho-social theory to facilitate the connection of disaster survivors to human and social services. Previous activities included disaster survivor outreach and assessments, providing disaster survivors with case management services, and providing technical assistance to states, tribes, or territories to enable their successful implementation of disaster case management operations.

Case managers and coordinators have historically worked from various locations in disaster-impacted jurisdictions, such as disaster recovery centers and community events, and entered assessment data into a government owned case management system. OHSEPR uses this system during mission to generate reports on survivor demographics and monitor disaster survivors’ recovery progress. Upon completing the mission, OHSEPR transfers collected data to relevant state or tribal authorities to aid in managing ongoing disaster case management programs.

OHSEPR has conducted DHSCM operations both virtually – engaging disaster survivors using telecommunications and IT – and in-person by deploying case managers, resource coordinators, and IMT support to impacted jurisdictions.

OHSEPR has implemented a phased approach to establish and implement virtual DHSCM operations:

Phase 1 – Establish IMT and Prepare for Operations

OHSEPR works with federal and state partners to define the scope of the mission, to include identifying impacted jurisdictions and the projected number of disaster survivors that will be engaged to determine the number of case managers and other IMT personnel needed. OHSEPR has provided Just-in-Time training and access to case managers to enable them to support missions. Case managers will receive necessary trainings to support operations. Training topics have included call center activities, delivery of case management, and utilization of the electronic case management records system.

Past DHSCM vendors have assigned resource coordinators to identify community resources available within the state to support initial case management referrals. Resource coordinators leveraged open-source information to build the resource list, which has included: Provider Name; Resource Type (Behavioral Health; Children and Youth; Clothing; Employment;

FEMA/SBA; Financial; Food; Furniture and Appliances; Health Insurance and Health Care Access; Housing; Language; Legal; Senior; Transportation; Shelter; Other); Street Address; City;

State; Zip Code; County; Phone Number; Website; Email; Social Media Account; Hours

Phase 2 – Provision of Virtual Case Management

OHSEPR has utilized vendors to establish Call Center operations. OHSEPR’s virtual IMT has maintained appropriate staffing levels to support call center and case management operations that are staffed 12 hours a day 7 days a week. Previous call center workflows have included the following:

• Completed intake assessments within the ECMRS system to identify unmet needs.

• Assigned each case a tier according to identified needs. For example, if a survivor requested case management services they are paired with a case manager (e.g., level 1 or 2 based on tier level) who will reach out to the survivor within 48 hours.

• Requested verbal consent for service and an email where the survivor can receive a consent notice (The case manager will ask the survivor to sign and return the consent notice electronically).

• Survivors who declined case management services received a list of available resources for meeting their unmet needs.

• OHSEPR and vendors have adjusted the number of call center staff accordingly based on call volume. Call center staff have been re-assigned to perform level 1 case management if call volume decreased over the course of the operation.

Case managers are classified into two levels. Level 1 case managers work with tier 1 and 2 cases that require fewer interactions due to a decreased level of unmet needs and/or behavioral health support. Level 2 case managers work with tiers 3 and 4 cases that require an increased number of interactions due to an increased level of unmet needs and/or behavioral health support. Case managers establish continued communications with their assigned case to develop and work towards achieving a survivor’s recovery plan. Case managers assist survivors with connecting to community resources. The case manager will close a case after all unmet needs have been filled.

Table 1 provides a breakdown of the level of case manager assigned to each tier with the frequency of contact.

Tier Factors Level I or II Disaster Case Manager

Frequency of Contact

1 Survivor is stable, housed, immediate needs met

Level I

Bi-weekly

2 Survivor needs guidance, referrals and/or few critical resources in order to achieve recovery goals

Level I

Bi-weekly

3 Survivor has limited ability to address disaster-caused unmet needs without assistance and coordination

Level II

Weekly

4 Survivor has severe disaster-related trauma, numerous pre-disaster needs that required supportive services that have been disrupted by the disaster;

requires intensive support to achieve their recovery plan

Level II

2 or more contacts per week

Case management teams are activated as needed. Operations start with two level 1 case management strike teams and one level 2 case management strike team. As their case-load capacity increases, additional strike teams will be activated.

Funding for DHSCM missions may come from a variety of sources to include program services requested by FEMA in accordance with Section 426 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288) and ACF congressional appropriations.

C.1.3.1 Stafford Act Operations

OHSEPR implements the Immediate Disaster Case Management (IDCM) Program in accordance with Section 426 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288; as amended through P.L. 115-254 enacted October 5, 2018) which authorizes the President to “provide case management services, including financial assistance, to state or local government agencies or qualified private organizations to provide such services, to victims of major disasters to identify and address unmet needs.”

https://acf.gov/ohsepr/disaster-human-services/case-management/immediate https://acf.gov/ohsepr/disaster-human-services/case-management/immediate

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may request support from OHSEPR’s DHSCM Program to execute IDCM operations in jurisdictions included in a Major Disaster Declaration under Section 426 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act that includes FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. In such cases the declared state, tribe, or territory may request case management services from FEMA. When FEMA approves a state, tribe, or territorial request for IDCM, FEMA may issue a Mission Assignment Task Order (MATO) to ACF OHSEPR to provide disaster case management services in the declared jurisdictions. The vendor supporting this contract shall provide case management services consistent with ACF SOPs. This may include virtual/remote and in person services on the ground in the post-disaster environments.

OHSEPR has deployed disaster human services case management teams to New Jersey in response to Superstorm Sandy, Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria, to Texas in response to Hurricane Harvey, and California in response to the Camp Fire. The vendors’ case management teams generally comprised of case managers, resource coordinators, safety officers, team leads, reports specialists, and logistics support. These deployments generally spanned 90 to 180 days, with extensions as needed to ensure that the impacted jurisdiction was ready to continue supporting disaster survivors when OHSEPR’s mission ended. Vendors developed and implemented transition plans throughout the mission to reduce impacts of case manager transition on disaster survivors. OHSEPR executed its IDCM mission virtually in Louisiana in response to Hurricane Laura, using call centers and technology to enable case managers to connect to disaster survivors.

Records created during an IDCM operation are stored in DHS/FEMA-008 Disaster Recovery Assistance Files System of Records. The purpose of FEMA’s system is to register applicants seeking disaster assistance from FEMA both after a Presidential disaster declaration or emergency and when a declaration may be imminent, but not yet declared; to verify Individuals and Households Program applicant information; determine eligibility of applicants; to correspond with, focus, direct, and refer applicants to available sources of disaster assistance;

and to inspect damaged property. Categories of records include registration and assistance records, maintenance receipts, inspection reports, assistance from other sources, and customer service survey responses.

C.1.3.2 DHSCM Operations under ACF Authorities

OHSEPR implements DHSCM through existing ACF authorities, contingent upon available funding. In cases where a disaster-impacted state, tribe, or territory requests OHSEPR’s DHSCM Program support and Congress provides supplemental appropriations to fund such operations, OHSEPR may conduct disaster survivor outreach and assessments, provide disaster survivors with case management services, and provide technical assistance to states, tribes, or territories to enable their successful implementation of disaster case management operations..

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/10/2022-02950/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/10/2022-02950/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records

When OHSEPR conducts DHSCM missions through ACF authorities, case managers use OHSEPR’s Disaster Human Services Case Management Intake Assessment form, Case Management Plan, and Case Records Notes (OMB 0970-0619), during intake assessments and additional engagements with disaster survivors to identify their disaster-caused unmet needs and develop and implement a case management plan. Case managers and/or resource coordinators use OHSEPR’s Resource Referral Form� to document available service providers that case managers can refer disaster survivors to for assistance. Case managers generally complete each of these forms using OHSEPR’s Electronic Case Management Records System (ECMRS).

ECMRS records are used by OHSEPR for the primary purpose of identifying, assessing, and addressing immediate, unmet disaster-caused human services needs of survivors of federally declared disasters. Information about a disaster survivor may include disaster number, full name, current mailing address, date of birth, transitional housing location type, transitional housing mailing address, damaged dwelling mailing address, damaged county, location at time of registration, phone numbers, email addresses, homeowners insurance coverage details (including flood coverage), details on health care coverage, household size, household composition and member ages, details on damage to real and personal property, degree of total damage incurred, self-reported income, assistance sought, assistance received, source of assistance, persons residing in a dwelling, Federal disaster assistance referral status, and status of access and functional, and/or emergency needs.

ECMRS records are covered under HHS system of records 09-80-0327.

ECMRS does not include records of immediate disaster case management services that OHSEPR provides on behalf of another component of HHS or another agency. For example, pursuant to an interagency agreement, OHSEPR provides immediate disaster case management (IDCM) services on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA (DHS/FEMA), under mission assignments from DHS/FEMA. Records of those services are covered under a FEMA SORN; DHS/FEMA-008 Disaster Recovery Assistance Files System of Records.

C.1.4 Disaster Human Services Impact Assessments Based on incident complexity and contingent upon available funding, OHSEPR may activate and deploy incident management teams to conduct targeted and time-limited damage assessments from key HHS-funded human services providers (e.g., Head Start Centers, human services administrative/enrollment offices and service delivery sites, Community Action Agencies, centers for independent living, area agencies on aging) that serve as community hubs to identify disaster-caused physical infrastructure damage affecting access to services.

OHSEPR analyzes data and information collected during these assessments to inform and facilitate a unified ACF response to supporting human services providers and vulnerable families, provide technical assistance to state, tribal, and territorial human services executive http://www.https.omb.report/icr/202502-0970-023/doc/152264300 http://www.https.omb.report/icr/202502-0970-023/doc/152264200 http://www.https.omb.report/icr/202502-0970-023/doc/152264200 https://omb.report/icr/202502-0970-023/ic/262634 http://www.https.omb.report/icr/202502-0970-023/doc/152264400 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/09/14/2023-19875/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records leadership and designated program leads on ACF programs or services and federal disaster assistance programs.

OHSEPR has previously deployed strike teams comprised of civil engineering, social workers and other personnel versed in human services operations to evaluate human services provider facilities. The collected data is entered into OHSEPR’s Damage Assessment system, resulting in a final report that informs necessary resources for recovery and restoration of human services operations. The Task Orders (TOs) for damage assessments may be conducted independently of DHSCM operations.

C.1.4.1 Damage Assessment Support

Evaluations related to human services delivery, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), provide critical insights for ACF leadership. These evaluations aid in identifying potential needs for waivers, flexibilities, and the need for supplemental funding to expedite recovery and restore services to affected communities.

Disaster human services damage assessments consider structural and physical impacts (e.g., damage to human services infrastructure), operational impacts (e.g., reduction in operational hours, staff shortages), and access to services related to disaster displacement. When conducting exterior damage assessments, key factors such as the scope and nature of damage, effects on vital infrastructure (including access roads and utility services), and available alternative community services must be considered. OHSEPR may determine that interior assessments of disaster impacted human services facilities is necessary to document and understand the full scope of impact. In such cases, OHSEPR coordinates with other ACF and state, territorial and local human services providers to facilitate access. It is essential to conduct thorough evaluations, supported by photographic documentation and detailed narratives, to ensure an accurate representation of the situation and facilitate effective recovery efforts.

OHSEPR’s general operational approach encompasses three phases; prepare, respond, recover. In the Prepare Phase, OHSEPR and partners develop a Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) and Health and Safety Plan (HASP) for personnel deploying to the area of operation.

OHSEPR issues a task order to vendors to activate, equip, and deploy personnel to support a rapid needs assessment operation. OHSEPR will provide direction to vendors regarding the information that will need to be captured during the assessments. As needed, OHSEPR will coordinate with vendors to deliver just in time training to personnel. OHSEPR also collects and analyzing data from human services providers delivered through ACF program offices. The information is being used to help identify and prioritize locations for rapid needs assessment and to help inform disaster human services consultation activities.

In the Respond Phase, vendors have deployed strike teams to assess facilities identified and selected by OHSEPR. Site selection is based on OHSEPR’s priorities and focuses on human services providers and locations that provide human services to ACF program target populations.

Assessments are completed using OHSEPR’s digital collection tool. Vendors also collected and shared data via the vendor’s dashboard. OHSEPR was granted access to the dashboard and staff reviewed the data captured on the forms throughout each operational period to assess completeness and to flag assessments that indicate major/severe impacts. Locations with major/severe impacts were shared with OHSEPR leadership so that they can determinate if additional engagement is warranted with the facility. Engagement with human services providers was coordinated by OHSEPR with state and/or ACF program office personnel. The central office OHSEPR staff was notify the OHSEPR Deputy Director if forms are not being completed correctly or are incomplete so that the Deputy Director worked with the Task Force Lead to take necessary action (e.g., training session) to ensure appropriate completion of the data collection tool. OHSEPR IMT Operations Section accompanied vendor assessment teams to maintain situational awareness and to provide input as appropriate. The OHSEPR IMT Operations Section d updates to OHSEPR Deputy Director throughout the operational period.

Files created during the execution of OHSEPR responses are subject to the Federal Records Act of 1950, which requires federal agencies to create and preserve records that document the agency’s organization, function, policies, decisions, procedures, and transactions. The records lifecycle includes (1) creation or receipt; (2) maintenance and use; and (3) disposition. All records created and received as part of OHSEPR’s disaster human services damage assessment must be managed and retained in accordance with OHSEPR’s Records Schedule for Emergency Response and Recovery Operations Documentation, Disposition Authority Number, DAA-0292- 2016-0003-0004.

In the Recover Phase, vendors demobilize their field teams and finalize the analysis report of the field assessments. OHSEPR analyzes the collected data and develop briefing products/reports for ACF Program Offices and Leadership. OHSEPR provides support to ACF Program Offices to support decision making related to policy and requests for congressional supplemental funding. OHSEPR engages impacted state, tribal, and local human services leadership to provide consultation. OHSEPR works with state, tribal, and local human services leaders to ensure awareness of available federal disaster resources and to highlight available ACF programmatic waivers and flexibilities that may be leveraged. As appropriate, OHSEPR may facilitate engagements with human services leadership from other states to provide guidance and recommendations base on similar experiences.

OHSEPR previously deployed Disaster Human Services Strike Teams comprised of civil engineers and social workers to conduct damage assessments of human services providers impacted by tornadoes in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. OHSEPR also deployed strike teams comprised of civil engineers and social workers to conduct damage assessments in impacted municipios in Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Fiona. Strike teams may work and drive in austere environments when conducting damage assessments.

C.2 Scope of Work C.2.1 Project Overview Through the Disaster Human Services Field Support (DHSFS) Contract, the Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) aims to partner with a Contractor to fulfill one or both primary components:

1. Disaster Human Services Case Management: Contractor will be responsible for providing all necessary labor, supervision, and materials to recruit, screen, train, and credential case managers. This will ensure a scalable workforce is available to respond effectively as needed under a Task Order (TO). The contractor will be expected to provide case managers and resource coordinators to either deploy and work in disaster-impacted areas or to provide case management services remotely, at OHSEPR’s determination. Further details will be defined at the Task Order level.

2. Disaster Human Services Impact Assessment Support: OHSEPR seeks a Contractor with subject matter experts who can conduct needs assessments to evaluate the impact of disasters on human services provision. This involves deploying an Impact Assessment lead, civil engineers and social workers or human services SMEs to assess exterior damage to facilities and employing additional experts to develop effective disaster mitigation, response, and recovery strategies. Deployed personnel must have experience driving and working in austere environments.

This dual approach enhances both the immediate management of disaster human services and the long-term sustainability of human services operations during and after emergencies. Contractor may identify one or both primary components within their response to this solicitation.

C.2.2 Readiness Support

C.2.2.1 DHSFS Cadre Management The Contractor must provide all labor, supervision, and materials to support all recruiting, screening, credentialing, and training necessary to establish and maintain a cadre of DHSFS DHSCM personnel and ensure a scalable cadre of personnel readily available for deployment at any time, both within the Continental United States (CONUS) and in non-contiguous states and U.S. territories outside the Continental United States (OCONUS), upon activation by ACF OHSEPR through a task order. Led by a Cadre Manager, all recruited cadre members must be deployment-ready within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of a task order from OHSEPR and should possess the necessary qualifications and training to effectively support disaster response efforts, as approved by OHSEPR.

C.2.2.1.1 Recruitment Plan - Recruiting and Screening

The Contractor must develop a Recruitment Plan to be approved by ACF OHSEPR. Once approved, the contractor must follow the ACF OHSEPR- approved Recruitment plan. The contractor must provide OHSEPR with Curriculum Vitaes (CVs) of the Essential Contractor Staffing. OHSEPR must approve all personnel identified as key personnel and personnel designated to have direct contact with disaster survivors (e.g., case managers).

C. 2.2.1.1.1 DHSCM Cadre

The Contractor is responsible for managing all aspects of recruiting, screening, training, and credentialing for the Disaster Human Services Case Management (DHSCM) cadre, as outlined in the contract. To facilitate effective service delivery, the Contractor should maintain nationwide recruitment capability with personnel deployment capacity. The Contractor should employ a geographic, regional approach to the development and maintenance of its case management cadre to recruit cadre members from the Southwest, Northwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Gulf Coast regions to ensure that the majority (at least 51 percent) of all case management teams deployed to a disaster operation have (1) trained together on the expectations of operational readiness and (2) have previous professional or educational experience with the impacted state, region, or territory. The Contractor must be able to source case managers with professional spoken fluency in the 10 non-English languages most spoken in the United States, as identified by the U.S. Census Bureau:

• Spanish

• Chinese

• Tagalog

• Vietnamese

• Arabic

• French

• Korean

• Russian

• Portuguese

• Haitian Creole

At least 25 percent of each case management team deployed to a disaster-impacted jurisdiction must possess professional spoken fluency in the top three most spoken non-English language(s) in the impacted communities, to be determined at the Task Order level at the time of the requirement (e.g., 25 percent of DHSCM case managers supporting a response mission in Louisiana’s Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany parishes are fluent in Vietnamese) .

The Contractor must be able to secure case managers fluent in American Sign Language.

In addition to the requirements above, the Contractor must ensure that a minimum of ninety (90) trained DHSCM case managers are readily available for deployment at any time. The Contractor must submit cadre rosters to OHSEPR – on the 5th business day of each month – that identify 90 available case managers that are mission ready (i.e., have been screened, successfully passed background investigations, and review/approved by OHSEPR (Child Abuse and Neglect, CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information), Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI), and Driver's License background and have completed all baseline training requirements) and have affirmed their availability to deploy if activated that month. The Contractor must have the capacity to increase this number to a total of two hundred seventy (270) trained and deployment-ready DHSCM case managers to support up to three (3) simultaneous disaster response operations.

The Contractor must promptly inform the Contracting Officer Representative and Contracting Officer if they are unable to provide the requested services for any task order.

DHSCM services must be provided for a specified duration of 180 days, or longer if indicated in the task order, to allow time for the activation of state, tribal, or territorial disaster case management program operations. Throughout duration of the Task Order performance period, the Contractor must support the smooth transition of cases and operations between OHSEPR’s DHSCM program operations and local disaster case management operations to advance optimal outcomes for disaster survivors, as specified in the Task Order. This transition will entail providing technical assistance to the state, tribe, territory, or local disaster case management program leads (e.g., briefings on current operations) and support with transitioning open cases, to be specified in the Task Order.

C. 2.2.1.1.2 Disaster Human Services Impact Assessment Cadre

The Contractor is responsible for all aspects of recruiting, screening, training and credentialing for the Impact Assessment cadre (OHSEPR has previously deployed strike teams comprised of civil engineering, social workers and other personnel versed in human services operations to evaluate human services provider facilities). The Contractor should employ a geographic, regional approach (Southwest, Northwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Gulf Coast regions) to the development and maintenance of its strike team cadre to ensure that the majority (at least 51 percent) of all civil engineers and human services SME strike or incident management teams deployed to a disaster operation have (1) trained together and (2) have previous professional or educational experience with the impacted state, region, or territory.

The Contractor should ensure that its Disaster Human Services Impact Assessment cadre members have a working knowledge of human services delivery to ensure that they can identify and explain how disaster damage to facilities, equipment, vehicles, and grounds (i.e. building envelope) may impact the ability of human services providers to deliver services in the impacted location (e.g., presence of visible mold in classrooms or waiting rooms, vegetative or construction debris in play areas, damaged or destroyed ramps at entryways).

OHSEPR has previously deployed strike teams comprised of civil engineering, social workers and other personnel versed in human services operations to evaluate human services provider facilities. The Contractor will ensure a minimum of thirty (30) Disaster Human Services Impact Assessment team members are readily available for deployment at any time. The Contractor must submit cadre rosters to OHSEPR – on the 5th business day of each month – that identify 30 available cadre members (i.e., civil engineers, social workers, human services SMEs) that are mission ready (i.e., have been screened and successfully passed background investigations, have completed all baseline training requirements) and have affirmed their availability to deploy if activated that month.

C.2.2.1.3 DHSFS Cadre Database

The Contractor must establish and maintain a cadre management database to monitor, track, report, and manage all phases of recruiting, screening, credentialing and training associated with the readiness of DHSFS cadre. The DHSFS cadre database must be Microsoft compliant and meet ACF’s information technology policies and standards for privacy and information security requirements. ACF must have user access and use of the substantive information contained within the vendor’s DHSFS database.

The Contractor must maintain records and report on the number of qualified, trained and ready DHSFS cadre members, including each member’s credentialed roles for which they may deploy.

The Contractor must provide required basic employment screening and other credentialing requirements as required and directed by ACF OHSEPR and in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12): Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractor’s guidelines.

The Contractor’s cadre database must include:

• 24-hour access for OHSEPR personnel

• Names, current and validated dates available for deployment, position, resumes, deployment area of operations, and incident response position roles for which the individual is fully trained and qualified to perform (e.g., case manager).

• Regional, state, and territorial locations of all cadre members

• Regional, state, and territorial locations of all cadre members currently on call for each month

• Dashboard that displays location, training completion, skillsets, and proficiency levels

(e.g., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), language skills, (i.e., fluency in languages other than English)

• Ability to generate and export reports in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel

C.2.2.2 Program Materials Development The Contractor shall co-develop programmatic tools and resources in collaboration with OHSEPR leadership to enhance readiness operations, the case management processes including planning, intake, and resource coordination, and continuous program improvement while ensuring seamless integration with existing systems.

• The Contractor shall develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/protocols to support consistent and effective disaster case management operations and submit for OHSEPR approval

• The Contractor shall develop tools and resources in collaboration with OHSEPR leadership to enhance case management processes such as role-specific job aids, field operating guides, signage (used during deployments) and other tools that will aid in the consistent, efficient, and effective delivery of services.

• All materials developed under this contract, including but not limited to training content, standard operating procedures, field guides, signage, and resources for disaster survivors, must align with current administration priorities and executive orders. Prior to finalization, the Contractor shall submit all public-facing and training materials to OHSEPR for approval to ensure alignment with current administration initiatives and policies. All materials developed must be consistent with current administration directives. OHSEPR reserves the right to require modifications to any materials that do not meet these requirements.

C.2.2.3 Training Program The Contractor must design, develop, and implement a comprehensive training program to prepare and sustain a cadre of proficient Disaster Human Services Case Managers (DHSCM) and/or Disaster Human Services Impact Assessment Responders. The training program must adhere to ACF OHSEPR guidelines and support the continuous improvement and standardization of capabilities.

The Contractor shall develop and submit a comprehensive Training Plan to OHSEPR for review and approval within 45 days of task order award. The training plan should be sufficient to inform deployment operations for the positions identified above…

OHSEPR shall review the Training Plan within 15 business days of submission and provide approval or request revisions. The Contractor shall not implement training without OHSEPR approval. Training plans will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary.

C.2.2.3.1 Core Training Areas

The Contractor must standardize training and build cadres of responders proficient in:

• Role-based Training – The Contractor share ensures role-based training is provided to all personnel who intend to fill specific roles within a:

o DHSCM deployment:

Resource Coordinators, Benefits Navigators, Entry-Level or General Case

Managers, Advanced and Intensive Case Managers, Case Management

Supervisors, IMT affiliated and other supportive positions (e.g., reporting, data analysts, safety officers).

o Disaster Human Services Impact Assessment deployment:

Civil Engineers, Technical Specialists, IMT affiliated and other supportive positions (e.g., reporting, data analysts, safety officers).

Social Workers, Human Services SMEs

• Health and Safety for Responders – A Contractor shall ensure health and safety training to include but not limited to Compassion and Fatigue training and Secondary Trauma before and after the mission.

• Personally Identifiable Information (PII) - PII is any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including other information that is linked or linkable to an individual. PII constitutes “Controlled Unclassified Information”.

• Reporting and Managing Privacy Incidents - Privacy Incident refers to the loss of control, compromise, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized acquisition, or any similar occurrence where (1) a person other than the authorized user accesses or potentially accesses PII or (2) an authorized user accesses or potentially accesses PII for an unauthorized purpose. The term encompasses both suspected and confirmed incidents involving PII, whether intentional or inadvertent, which raises a reasonable risk of harm.

o All Contractor staff supporting DHSCM steady-state program administration and post-disaster MATO field operations must comply with requirements established in the Privacy Act of 1974, and work to prevent and mitigate the occurrence of any privacy incidents, such as breaches, as prescribed by the applicable portions of OMB Memorandum M-17-12 “Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information” and OMB Circular A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic Resource. The Contractor must ensure and affirm that all staff supporting DHSCM program administration and implementation have completed privacy and security training and understand the importance of protecting personally identifiable information of disaster survivors.

• Human Services Subject Matter Expertise (SMEs) Cadre members should possess knowledge of state, tribal, territorial human services delivery operations (e.g., how community members apply for and receive benefits) and have knowledge and expertise in child development, aging needs and elder care, intimate partner violence, labor and sex trafficking, nutrition assistance, economic self-sufficiency programs for low-income individuals and families, support for individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, and other human services priorities in serving vulnerable populations.

C.2.2.3.2 Just-In-Time Training and OHSEPR Operational Briefings

The vendor’s key personnel and team leads must participate in Just-In-Time training for missions to inform the development of Rough Orders of Magnitude operational estimates. Key personnel and team leads must also participate in OHSEPR operational briefings, as needed and determined by OHSEPR, to understand mission scope and objectives and inform cadre member selection for the specific activation and deployment.

C.2.2.3.3 Specialized Training Development and Facilitation

The Contractor must develop and facilitate training in one (1) or both specialized areas of service delivery:

• Disaster Case Management o The Contractor shall provide disaster case managers with training that includes the role and responsibilities of the disaster case manager throughout the DHSCM MATO mission, disaster survivor intake and screening, assessment, recovery planning, resource identification and coordination, referrals and follow-up, case transfer, case closure, file retention, and reporting. The training will include principles of disaster case management, Privacy Act compliance and confidentiality, an overview of the Mission Assignment Task Order, the FEMA sequence of delivery (as applicable), the avoidance of duplication of benefits, and data entry of cases.

o Training shall address the importance of cultural competency; as well as the importance of inclusion and supporting individuals with disabilities and others with functional and access needs. Disaster case manager credentialing through requisite training must be conducted before the DHSCM deployment services begin. The Contractor shall provide on- going training to ensure that all new disaster case managers receive training prior to working with disaster survivors.

o Key Disaster Human Services Knowledge Human Trafficking Child/Elder Abuse & Neglect Common forms of post-disaster financial exploitation Eliminating Discrimination in Disaster Response and Recovery Domestic Violence

• Rapid Needs Assessments o Rapid Needs Assessments and standardized exterior damage assessment protocols, including surveys, instruction for completing assessments, and documentation in OHSEPR identified system of record.

C.2.2.3.4 Program Self-Assessment

The Contractor must assist in developing self-assessment tools for disaster-impacted programs to evaluate the effects of disasters on their services and readiness.

C.2.2.3.5 Training Plans and Exercises

The Contractor must develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan (MYTEP) to ensure ongoing development, progressing in complexity and “reach” over time. The MYTEP must align with federal training and exercise requirements and address cross-sector coordination to ensure disaster readiness and recovery success. Training plans will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary.

C.2.2.3.6 Pre-Developed Training Materials

Upon request, the Contractor shall pre-develop training materials focused on disaster human services topics identified by OHSEPR. These materials must be prepared in advance to ensure they are readily available for use by response personnel prior to or as close to a disaster occurrence as possible. The materials should include:

• Instructional guides and multimedia resources for rapid onboarding.

• Job aids tailored to the specific roles and responsibilities of response personnel.

• Quick-reference materials for immediate application during disaster response operations.

C.2.2.3.7 Training Documentation and Certification

1. Training Records: The Contractor shall maintain comprehensive training records for all personnel, including:

a. Courses completed

b. Date of completion

c. Performance evaluations

d. Certifications obtained

e. Refresher training status

2. Employee Certification: Upon completion of required training, each employee shall:

a. Complete a knowledge assessment with a minimum passing score of 80%

b. Sign a certification statement confirming completion of all required training

c. Receive a certificate of completion signed by the Training Director

3. Training Verification: The Contractor shall provide OHSEPR with:

a. Monthly reports of all training activities

b. Verification of training completion for all personnel

c. Access to training records upon request

4. Pre-Deployment Verification: Prior to any deployment, the Contractor shall verify and certify that all personnel have:

a. Completed all required training

b. Demonstrated competency in their assigned roles

c. Received necessary credentials and authorizations

C.2.2.3.8 Training Quality Assurance

1. Instructor Qualifications: All instructors shall:

a. Have demonstrated expertise in the subject matter

b. Complete train-the-trainer certification

c. Be approved by OHSEPR prior to conducting training

2. Training Evaluation: The Contractor shall:

a. Conduct pre- and post-training assessments

b. Collect participant feedback on training effectiveness

c. Conduct periodic observations of training delivery

d. Review training outcomes and performance metrics

3. Continuous Improvement: The Contractor shall:

a. Analyze training evaluation data quarterly

b. Identify areas for improvement

c. Update training materials and methods based on findings

d. Report improvement actions to OHSEPR

C.2.2.3.9 Onboarding Requirements

1. Onboarding Process: The Contractor shall develop and implement a comprehensive onboarding process that includes:

a. Orientation to OHSEPR mission and values

b. Introduction to disaster response framework

c. Review of policies and procedures

d. Role-specific training

e. Mentoring or shadowing opportunities

2. Onboarding Timeline: All personnel must complete onboarding within 30 days of hire.

3. Onboarding Certification: Upon completion of onboarding, each employee shall:

a. Complete an onboarding checklist

b. Sign a certification of completion

c. Receive supervisory verification

4. Documentation: The Contractor shall maintain documentation of onboarding completion for all personnel and provide this information to OHSEPR upon request.

C.2.2.4 Project Management C.2.2.4.1 Kickoff Meeting:

The Contractor shall schedule, coordinate, and host a Kick-off Meeting no later than (NLT) ten

(10) calendar days after contract award, at the location approved by the Government or via remote meeting. The kickoff meeting shall provide the opportunity to: review the requirements in the PWS and discuss required contract activities, milestones, and deliverables; discuss any questions on specific activities and procedures to be followed to meet required objectives;

discuss expected outcomes and performance indicators. At a minimum, the attendees shall include key-personnel identified in the contract, the Government Program Manager (PM), ACF Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and OHSEPR leadership.

The Contractor shall provide a Kick-Off Meeting Agenda NLT five calendar days after contract award that shall include:

• Introduction of personnel.

• Overview of project tasks and Contractor’s ability to staff accordingly.

• Overview of organization.

• Review the requirements in the Performance work Statement.

• Discuss required contract activities, milestones, and deliverables.

• Discuss any questions on specific activities and procedures to be followed to meet required objectives.

• Discuss expected outcomes and performance indicators.

• Discussion of draft Program Management Plan (PMP)

• Government-furnished Equipment (GFE) Requirements.

• Security requirements (Building access, badges, PIV).

• Invoice procedures.

• Reporting Requirements, e.g., Monthly Status Report (MSR) and Annual Report.

• POCs to include name, phone, email, and role.

• Roles and Responsibilities.

• Prioritization of Contractor activities.

• Any initial deliverables.

• The Contractor shall provide written minutes within five (5) working days of Kick

Off meeting.

• Draft Quality Control Plan (QCP).

• Draft Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

The Contractor shall provide presentation slides to all attendees at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

C.2.2.4.2 Program Management Plan:

The Contractor shall provide a Program Management Plan (PMP) that fully documents its management approach for the professional recruitment, delivery, and execution of contracted project management and support personnel services. The Contractor shall update its PMP when there are program management changes or changes to the information required. The goal of program management is to ensure the organization can handle multiple projects with maximum returns and minimal wastage. Program management explains how projects need to be prioritized based on benefits to the organization and stakeholders, interdependencies between projects, and resource needs. At a minimum, the PMP shall include:

• Information on the Contractor’s management organization, internal management policies, and procedures.

• The Contractor’s communication plan and how it intends to conduct regular meetings and reviews with ACF OHSEPR personnel concerning the required activities and contract deliverables (communication plan).

• An organization chart of the Contractor’s business for use in the performance of the contract.

• A narrative describing how the Contractor will fully integrate the management of the elements of this contract.

• Information on any identified risks or vulnerabilities that shall impede timely execution or completion of deliverables outlined in contract.

C.2.2.4.3 Contract Review Meetings:

The Contractor shall participate in weekly or bi-weekly status update meetings with OHSEPR’s COR, PM and/or leadership. Such meetings shall include staffing levels, operational, and deliverables progress, action items, technical, regulatory, and risk aspects of the project.

C.2.2.4.4 Monthly Status Reports:

The Contractor shall deliver monthly Project Status Reports to ACF OHSEPR. The reports shall address:

• An Executive summary of relevant activities, changes, and important issues.

• Milestone progression, variances between the planned versus actual progress during the reporting period, with explanations and corrective plans of action if necessary.

• Project Monitoring Tool(s).

• Estimated and actual expenses; any issues or challenges in invoicing.

• And other categories as identified by OHSEPR.

C.2.2.4.5 Quality Control Plan (QCP)

The Vendor shall develop, maintain, enforce, and document a Quality Control Plan (QCP). The vendor shall employ realistic and substantial methods and monitoring techniques for improving the overall quality. Within the QCP, the vendor shall identify its approach for providing quality control in meeting the requirements of the contract.

Specifically, the vendor shall describe:

1. Quality control methodology for accomplishing the performance expectations and objectives;

2. Processes and procedures that provides high quality performance for each Task Area;

3. Approach to planning, organizing, and managing internal resources, including subcontractors to include lines of authority;

4. Methodology to identify and resolve issues and…