Statement of Objectives for Personal Assistance Services 1 28 11.doc

Statement of Objectives for Personal Assistance Services (PAS) Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S, Department of Homeland Security A. PROJECT TITLE: Personal Assistance Services (PAS) B. PURPOSE: FEMA is looking for prospective contractors to provide PAS based on this Statement of Objective (SOO) and how they will accomplish this sourcing mission. Prospective contractors will be required to provide a Performance Work Statement (PWS) based on the SOO.

C. SCOPE: The scope of this personnel procurement will be for large scale disasters and to augment the capability of State’s to support their survivors with access and functional needs. The prospective contractors should have the capability to respond to a request within 24 hours of notice. PAS is required for people whose usual assistance is not available due the circumstances of the disaster. The acquisition of PAS is a new tool that FEMA will provide to the States, when requested. This will ensure that children and adults requiring PAS receive needed services and are not prevented from entry into general population shelters and subsequently inappropriately sent to medical facilities that are surged with acute medical emergencies or placed in an institutional setting.

D. PERIOD AND PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance for this contract shall not exceed 60 months from Date of Award. The period of performance for this requirement will be a base period of one (1) year and four (4) one-year option periods.

The place of performance will be provided by FEMA E. BACKGROUND: In the aftermath of the 2005 Hurricane Season, FEMA established a Mass Care Unit in its Disaster Assistance Directorate’s Individual Assistance Program Management branch to provide subject matter expertise to the agency on a day-to-day basis and engage in significant planning efforts to enhance Mass Care capabilities across the agency and encourage similar actions in States. The Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) assigned many new authorities to FEMA and identified a number of focus areas relevant to Mass Care and Emergency Assistance one of which is the provision of functional needs support services (FNSS) in every aspect of disaster service delivery which include emergency and disaster sheltering.

The Mass Care Section has developed a State planning guidance, “Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services in General Population Shelters”, that provides information and best practices regarding goods and services needed to make the integration of children and adults with functional support needs, into general population shelters, possible. Durable medical equipment (DME) and consumable medical supplies (CMS) are available if requested by States. Matters of accessibility to/in shelters for people using mobility equipment and others with access and functional needs are addressed in the Department of Justice (DOJ), “ADA Checklist for Emergency Shelters”. One of the most crucial considerations left to be addressed for FEMA FNSS support to States is personal assistance services (PAS).

F. OBJECTIVES OF SERVICES:

· Personnel - Provide personal assistants that are properly screened, bonded and, if needed, meet state requirements for certification and/or licensure, and are able to provide services within state or territory

· Provide management oversight of PAS staff

· Timeliness of personnel delivery, upon receipt of order within 24 hours of notice to proceed

· Provide necessary PAS services as outlined in the SOO

· Receive, under a performance-based arrangement, highly reliable and secure services and support that meet or exceed customer requirements and expectations.

· Establish program management that provides accurate and timely schedule and performance information throughout the life cycle of the program.

G. REQUIREMENTS/TASKS:

PAS personnel will support children and adults with access and functional needs and maintain their usual level of independence during a disaster. They may be requested to work in a general population shelter or other congregate care facility such, as a reception center, or other site as directed. These services include, but are not limited to, assisting with personal care such as activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).

Assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) include but not limited to

· Grooming (i.e. brushing teeth, combing hair, trimming nails)

· Eating (assistance with feeding and drinking)

· Bathing (bed bath or full body bath as needed)

· Toileting (assisting with bedpan, urinal, or toilet, may require personal cleaning after voiding, monitoring of urine and stool)

· Dressing and undressing (to extent needed in order to maintain health and dignity)

· Walking (stability, rising, sitting, way finding)

· Transferring (i.e. from and to wheelchair, bed, toilet or other required movement)

· Maintaining health and safety (proper hygiene, may need to assist with maintaining body temperature, ensure surroundings are safe from trip hazards and other safety measures as required) Assistance with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) include but not limited to

· Medications (assist with providing access to medication i.e.; mitigate functional limitation – open pill container, inject medication, record information, assist with mechanics of taking medication )

· Communicating – People with disabilities must be given information that is comparable in content and detail to that given to the general public, as well as accessible, understandable and timely (all forms of communication that will allow for two-way information flow that is understood by both parties)

· Accessing programs and services (assist with meeting physical, programmatic, and communication needs, as an extension of the person requiring assistance)