NOI_Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training.pdf

Notice of Intent to Sole Source | USAFA

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

Notice Type: Notice of Intent (NOI)

Product Service Code (PSC): U099 – Education/Training- Other

NAICS Code: 611710 – Educational Support Services

Response Due Date: 23 July 2026, 10:00 AM MDT

1. Introduction:

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) intends to award a firm-fixed-price sole source contract to LivingWorks Education USA Inc. (P.O. Box 9607, Fayetteville, North Carolina United States 28311) for the procurement of LivingWorks ASIST and safeTALK Training for Trainers (T4T) services and materials.

This action will be conducted under the authority of the modernized FAR Overhaul (RFO) Part 12 – Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as the Contracting Officer has determined that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

2. Justification

Extensive market research confirms that LivingWorks Education USA Inc. is the sole owner, manufacturer, and provider of the required ASIST and safeTALK curriculum and instructor-level training. The USAFA Violence Prevention & Response program established its foundational suicide intervention framework utilizing this specific methodology. Introducing a different, competing suicide prevention methodology at this stage would fragment the Academy's crisis response ecosystem, create conflicting protocols for responders, and result in a substantial duplication of cost and effort to retrain the existing baseline of personnel. Therefore, continuity of these specific training certifications is essential, and alternative commercial products or services cannot meet the critical requirement to build upon the established USAFA internal trainer capacity.

3. Requirement / Salient Characteristics

The United States Air Force Academy requires highly specialized, evidence-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention and intervention training services and materials to maintain and expand its existing crisis response capabilities. To ensure interoperability with the Academy's current prevention framework, the required training and materials must meet the following minimum characteristics:

• Instructional Services: Delivery of the 2-day in-person LivingWorks safeTALK v.3 Training for

Trainers (T4T) and the 5-day in-person LivingWorks ASIST v.12 Training for Trainers (T4T).

• Materials: Provision of associated Learner Passes, curriculum guides, and licensing materials to build internal suicide prevention and intervention trainer capacity.

4. Submission Instructions

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

This notice of intent is NOT a request for competitive quotes or proposals. However, all responsible sources that believe they can provide equivalent products meeting all salient characteristics may submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by the agency if received before the deadline.

Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Responses must be submitted electronically via email to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist no later than 23 July 2026, 10:00 AM MDT

5. Ombudsman

(a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern.

(b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution.

Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).

(c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, Mr. James Anderson, 8110 Industrial Drive, STE 103, USAFA, CO 80840, Telephone number 719-333-2074, FAX 719-333-9018, Email: james.anderson.72@us.af.mil. Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU/SMC ombudsman level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.

(d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency.

(e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the contracting officer.

(End of clause) mailto:james.anderson.72@us.af.mil