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Q201--Behavioral Healthcare for Clinicians Base 4 Option Years
Solicitation number
36C25226Q0080
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This is a Request for Quote (RFQ) for behavioral health services for healthcare personnel within the VA Great Lakes Health Care System, Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN 12). The solicitation seeks a comprehensive confidential behavioral health teletherapy program for approximately 20,415 VISN 12 employees, with a base year contract from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 and four optional one-year extension periods through 2030.

Key service requirements include providing up to three 60-minute counseling sessions per employee per year, 24/7/365 confidential therapist access, therapist matching within 48 hours, and support for issues like communication skills, stress, burnout, and career challenges. The contractor must use licensed clinicians (LCSW, PhD, LPC, LMFT) with at least 3-5 years of healthcare-specific experience, offer quarterly behavioral health workshops, and provide quarterly and annual statistical reports on program utilization and outcomes. The solicitation is set aside for small businesses, with preference given to Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, and quotes are due by December 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM CST.

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36C25226Q0080

PAGE 1 OF

1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO.

3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE

4. ORDER NO.

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY

CODE

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS

UNRESTRICTED OR

SET ASIDE:

% FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ

IFB

RFP

15. DELIVER TO

CODE

16. ADMINISTERED BY

CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

UEI:

EFT:

PHONE:

FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER 18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

ITEM NO.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

QUANTITY

UNIT

UNIT PRICE

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only) 27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER) 30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

(REV. NOV 2021)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

None

12-03-2025 Ruffin, Richard 414-844-4800 X43257 12-15-2025 13:00

CST

Department of Veterans Affairs 36C252 115 South 84th Street, Suite 101

Milwaukee WI 53214-1476

X

621330 $9 Million

N/A

Department of Veterans Affairs 36C252 115 South 84th Street, Suite 101

Milwaukee WI 53214-1476

Department of Veterans Affairs 36C252 Great Lakes Acquisition Center - HC 115 South 84th Street, Suite 101 Milwaukee WI 53214-1476

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center PO Box 149971 Austin TX 78714-9971

See CONTINUATION Page Behavioral Health Services for Healthcare Personnel within VA Great Lakes Health Care System, Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN 12).

See CONTINUATION Page

Ashley Johnson Contracting Officer

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA (continuation from Standard Form 1449)

OFFERORS MUST COMPLETE AND RETURN ALL INFORMATION DESIGNATED HEREIN PRIOR TO THE TIME SPECIFIED IN BLOCK 8 OF SF 1449 IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS: The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the Solicitation numbered and dated as follows:

AMENDMENT NODATE
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

1. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION: All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

a. CONTRACTOR:

CONTRACTOR NAME _____________________________________

ADDRESS ________________________________________________

CITY-STATE-ZIP __________________________________________

POINT OF CONTACT/TITLE ________________________________

PHONE NUMBER______________________________________
FAX NUMBER______________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS______________________________________

SAM UEI NO. ____________________________________________

CAGE CODE _____________________________________________

CONTRACTOR’S PAST PERFORMANCE POINT OF CONTACT

(IF DIFFERENT THAN ABOVE):

NAME: __________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS:_________________________________

b. GOVERNMENT:

CONTRACTING OFFICE CODE: 36C252

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
GREAT LAKES ACQUISITION CENTER
115 S. 84TH ST., STE 100

MILWAUKEE WI 53214

2. ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS:

This Request for Quote (RFQ) solicitation is issued under the authority of FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items in which simplified acquisition procedures in FAR Part 13 will be used. FAR Part 14 and 15 will not be used. From this RFQ, the Government intends to award a firm fixed price contract where the contractor provides a price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the contractor’s cost experience in performing the contract. (Note: The terms “offeror” and “quoter” are both used in this Solicitation. For the purposes of this Solicitation, these terms are interchangeable; there is no difference in meaning between the two.)

3. SET-ASIDE (If any): See box 10 of STANDARD FORM 1449

4. SOLICITATION TIMELINE SUMMARY:

A. RFQ QUESTIONS:

In order to maintain integrity of this solicitation and subsequent award date, all offerors are advised that any question and answer requests must be submitted in a written form via e-mail to the Contracting Officer Richard Ruffin, richard.ruffin@va.gov no later than TUESDAY DECEMBER 9, AT NOON LOCAL TIME. Contracting will issue a consolidated response via solicitation amendment to https://sam.gov Contract Opportunities within 2 business days to all parties

B. SOLICITATION CLOSES/QUOTES DUE:

See box 8 of STANDARD FORM 1449 or most recent Amendment.

C. SUBMISSION OF QUOTE:

See 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services and addendum for specific instructions to offerors.

5. CONTRACTING OFFICER AUTHORITY:

The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to approve changes or modify any of the requirements under this contract. The Contractor shall communicate with the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to contract administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitment or issue changes that will affect price, quantity or quality of performance of this contract. In the event the Contractor effects any such change at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change shall be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any increase in cost incurred thereof.

6. INVOICES:

a. All payments by the Government to the contractor will be made in accordance with: FAR 52.232-33 PAYMENT BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER – SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (OCT 2018)

b. Invoices shall be submitted monthly in arrears in accordance with: 852.232-72 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PAYMENT REQUESTS (NOV 2018)

c. Payments shall be made in arrears upon receipt of a properly prepared invoice

d. Facsimile, e-mail, and scanned documents are not acceptable forms of submission for payment requests.

e. The VA has mandated electronic invoice submission to the Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center (VAFSC). VAFSC has partnered with Tungsten Network e-Invoicing network, for submissions of all electronic invoices to VA. Tungsten Network electronic invoicing is free to all VA vendors. In order to submit electronic invoices, all VA vendors must register with Tungsten Network by submitting an email to VA.Registration@Tungsten-Network.com or calling 1-877-489-6135 for Enrollment.

f. Contractor shall submit an electronic invoice by the tenth (10th) of the following month services were performed to the Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center (VAFSC) e-Invoice through the website at https://portal.Tungsten-Network.com/Login.aspx. For questions regarding the submission of VA electronic invoices, Tungsten Network customer service may be contacted at 1-877-489-6135.

g. All invoices shall reference the vendor name and address, customer name, contract number, appropriate obligation/funding order number, description of services provided, quantity, unit price, and total invoice amount (any additional info). Invoices shall also include any payment discount terms.

h. VA’s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System – The Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center (VAFSC) uses a third-party contractor, Tungsten Network e-Invoice, to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission. Please go to this website: http://www.tungsten-network.com/customer-campaigns/veteransaffairs/ to begin submitting electronic invoices, free of charge.

i. As of July 1, 2020, the VA10091 form has been eliminated and the VAFSC is requiring our vendors to update and add their information in the Customer Engagement Portal (CEP) at https://www.cep.fsc.va.gov/. This is for new vendors being added to FMS only.

j. For assistance setting up e-Invoice, the below information is provided:

* Tungsten Network e-Invoice Setup Information: 1-877-489-6135

* Tungsten Network e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@Tungsten-Network.com

* FSC e-Invoice Contact Information: 1-877-353-9791

* FSC e-invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov

7. FACILITY REQUIREMENTS: In addition to any other requirements set forth in this Contract, the Contractor, including its employees, agents, and subcontractors (collectively “the Contractor”), shall comply with the following facility requirements. Failure to comply with these requirements shall be considered a material breach of this Contract and may be a violation of Federal law resulting in charges answerable in the United States District Court.

a. Contractor is responsible to follow all on site facility policies

b. All VA property is considered Federal property and all Federal laws are applicable.

c. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. Information on parking is available from the VA Police Section. The VA will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor under any conditions.

d. All VA facilities are drug free. Possession of drugs, to include Marijuana and all Marijuana bi-products are prohibited. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district, state, or municipal court.

e. All contractor personnel are required to adhere to all VA rules and regulations.

f. Smoking is prohibited on the entire campus, both inside and outside the VA Facility

g. Possession of weapons is prohibited. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district, state, or municipal court.

h. VHA DIRECTIVE 1192: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) directive establishes policy and provides guidance for the prevention of seasonal influenza in VHA facilities through the vaccination or masking of health care personnel (HCP). AUTHORITY: Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) 7301(b), 7318(b). Contractor is responsible in ensuring that all aspects of this directive are implemented, including providing face masks and influenza vaccines for all employees working at a VA facility.

8. SECURITY & PRIVACY CONTROL:

The Authorization & Accreditation (A&A) requirements of VHA Handbook 6500.6 do not apply to this requirement, therefore, a Security Accreditation Package is not required. No A&A or MOU/ISA is required. Sensitive information exposure as part of this contract involves applicable security controls within the facility as part of the VA Information Security If there are any questions related to privacy, please have a member of your staff contact the VA Privacy Service at (202) 461-6309. If there are any questions related to the information security, please have a member of your staff contact the Office of Cyber Security at (304) 262-7733.

B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

ITEM INFORMATION

ITEM NUMBER
DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES
QUANTITY
UNIT
UNIT PRICE
AMOUNT
12.00
MO
__________________
__________________

VISN 12 Behavioral Health Care by Clinicians, for Clinicians. Provides healthcare specific support, therapy assessment and treatment models designed for healthcare worker wellbeing. Employer-sponsored, with no employee costs for initial care (First Three Visits). Employee is responsible for any continued care and out of pocket costs after initial three visits.

Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 01-01-2026 POP End: 12-31-2026 PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 621330 - Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: Q201 - Medical - Managed Healthcare

12.00
MO
__________________
__________________

VISN 12 Behavioral Health Care by Clinicians, for Clinicians. Provides healthcare specific support, therapy assessment and treatment models designed for healthcare worker wellbeing. Employer-sponsored, with no employee costs for initial care (First Three Visits). Employee is responsible for any continued care and out of pocket costs after initial three visits.

Contract Period: Option 1 POP Begin: 01-01-2027 POP End: 12-31-2027

12.00
MO
__________________
__________________

VISN 12 Behavioral Health Care by Clinicians, for Clinicians. Provides healthcare specific support, therapy assessment and treatment models designed for healthcare worker wellbeing. Employer-sponsored, with no employee costs for initial care (First Three Visits). Employee is responsible for any continued care and out of pocket costs after initial three visits.

Contract Period: Option 2 POP Begin: 01-01-2028 POP End: 12-31-2028

12.00
MO
__________________
__________________

VISN 12 Behavioral Health Care by Clinicians, for Clinicians. Provides healthcare specific support, therapy assessment and treatment models designed for healthcare worker wellbeing. Employer-sponsored, with no employee costs for initial care (First Three Visits). Employee is responsible for any continued care and out of pocket costs after initial three visits.

Contract Period: Option 3 POP Begin: 01-01-2029 POP End: 12-31-2029

12.00
MO
__________________
__________________

VISN 12 Behavioral Health Care by Clinicians, for Clinicians. Provides healthcare specific support, therapy assessment and treatment models designed for healthcare worker wellbeing. Employer-sponsored, with no employee costs for initial care (First Three Visits). Employee is responsible for any continued care and out of pocket costs after initial three visits.

Contract Period: Option 4 POP Begin: 01-01-2030 POP End: 12-31-2030

GRAND TOTAL
__________________

B.3 STATEMENT OF WORK

1. GENERAL REQUIREMENT

0. Description of Services/Introduction:

The VA Great Lakes Health Care System, Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN 12) has a requirement for a comprehensive confidential behavioral health teletherapy program built by clinicians, for clinicians of our healthcare system. Approximate number of VISN 12 employees to be supported is 20,415.

0. Place of Performance:

Virtual telehealth medium to be utilized for providing services. VISN 12 employees to be supported are located throughout the VISN 12 geographical footprint, while the telehealth providers could be located throughout continental United States and elsewhere.

0. Period of Performance:

Contract will Firm Fixed Price single award with one (1) base year and up to four (4) option years:

Year
Begins
Ends
Base
01-01-2026
12-31-2027
Option Year 1
01-01-2027
12-31-2028
Option Year 2
01-01-2028
12-31-2029
Option Year 3
01-01-2029
12-31-2030
Option Year 4
01-01-2030
12-31-2031

Option years will be exercised by the Government at its discretion based on continued need for services, Contractor performance, and availability of fiscal year funds for a given period of performance.

1. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS/DELIVERY SCHEDULE/SCOPE/OBJECTIVES

1. Scope of Work:

Services will be provided by the contractor, using a confidential and secure HIPPAA-compliant video conference platform for VISN 12 employee sessions.

Contractor shall provide the following: Evaluation and assessment of VISN 12 employee needs. This includes, but is not limited to the following: 1:1 short-term therapy with licensed clinicians focusing on issues such as: communication skills, relationships, anger management, grief and loss, trauma, depression and mood, burnout, stress, family issues, career choices and direction, anxious thoughts For the purposes of this Statement Of Work, 'licensed therapist' means a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Psychologist (PhD or PsyD), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).

· Short-term counseling for VISN 12 employees; contractor shall provide up to three (3) counseling sessions per employee per period of performance of the contract. Each session is approximately 60 minutes in length.

· Require 24/7/365 direct access to licensed therapists available for counseling and crisis therapist support confidential seven days a week availability. Hotline access alone does not meet requirements, document access procedures.

· Require therapist matching for all employees within 48 hours of initial request, allowing selection based on clinical specialty, language, and demographic preferences.

· Use of unlicensed clinicians, trainees, or subcontracted agency providers is strictly prohibited.

· The contractor shall provide referrals to relevant community-based resources and agencies appropriate to the client’s needs (such as crisis hotlines, mental health providers, addiction support services, social services, housing assistance, or legal resources) when services required are outside the scope of the telehealth platform. The contractor is responsible for maintaining up-to-date information on local resources and supporting the client through the referral process if needed.

· Require vendors to deliver measurement-based care plans, collecting validated standardized clinical assessments (depression PHQ-9, anxiety GAD-7, Maslach Burnout Index, etc.) and reporting anonymized outcomes quarterly and annually.

· Offer behavioral health workshops, as requested by Gov POC. Education/training sessions to be delivered via HIPPAA-compliant video conference platform. Sessions shall be a minimum of Four (4) quarterly sessions 30 min - up to two hours in duration. Training scheduled and coordinated with COR. Desired materials include PowerPoint slides, handouts, and resource materials.

· Share robust employee marketing, promotional materials and sign up/user registration instructions for VISN 12 employees to launch the program.

· Contractor shall provide electronic promotional materials, including fliers, email templates, video testimonials, and a documented registration process for employees creating baseline program awareness for VISN 12 employees.

· Submit quarterly and annual reports with aggregated utilization, depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and satisfaction scores. Demographic data (ethnic background, gender, VA location) shall be reported only for groups of 11 or more; smaller cell sizes will be suppressed or aggregated. No PHI/PII shall be reported; all data must be de-identified by HIPAA standards. Quarterly reports shall be submitted electronically to the Gov POC by e-mail on December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1 of each calendar year during period of performance of contract. Annual report shall be submitted by October 1 of each calendar year.

· Contractor shall ensure program launch and full-service availability must be completed within 30 days of contract award, with a named implementation lead and plan.

· Contractor shall provide a detailed scalability plan supporting the full employee population with no use of subcontracted clinicians.

1. RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS

2. CONTRACTOR PERFORMS ON ALL NATIONAL AND FEDERAL HOLIDAYS

· New Year’s Day

· President’s Day

· Martin Luther King’s Birthday

· Memorial Day

· Juneteenth

· Independence Day

· Labor Day

· Columbus Day

· Veterans Day

· Thanksgiving

· Christmas

· Any day specifically declared to be a national holiday.

1. DOCUMENTATION/REPORTS/DELIVERABLES

Description
Section of SOW
Due By
Address To
Contractor Insurance Certificate
Personal Standards of Conduct
Five (5) business days after award
CO and COR via e-mail
Problem Resolution
Performance Monitoring and Problem Resolution
Acknowledged same business day verbally; via writing (1) business day

Corrective action within (2) business days, unless urgent, then (1) business day CO and COR via e-mail

Education/Training Sessions with VISN 12 employees
Scope of Work
Four (4) quarterly sessions approved by COR
COR
Statistical Return on Investment reports
Scope of Work
Quarterly on December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1

Annual report due October 1 each year

COR

1. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS/INSPECTION/QUALITY CONTROL

5.1 Approval of Contractor Personnel:

The Department of Veterans affairs reserves the right to request the immediate removal of any contracted employee under this contract.

5.2 Personal Standards of Conduct

· The services to be performed by the contractor will be performed in accordance with VA policies and procedures, VA directives, and the regulations at the applicable VA facility. The Government may evaluate the quality of professional and administrative services provided and do not retain control over the professional aspects of services rendered (e.g. professional judgments).

· This contract is a non-personal health care services contract as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation 37.101 and is as follows: “non-personal services contract means a contract under which the personnel rendering the services are not subject, either by the contract terms or by the manner of its administration, to the supervision and control usually prevailing in relationships between the Government and its employees.”

· Under no circumstances will contractor employees be considered Government employees. The contractor will be responsible for employee wages, income tax withholding, social security and Medicare payments, and all ancillary benefits (health, life, disability, etc.)

· The contractor will hold certificates of insurance for general and professional liability, and workmen’s compensation. Within five (5) business days after award of contract, the contractor shall furnish a Certificate of Liability Insurance evidencing that all required coverage has been obtained. The contractor shall be responsible for maintaining a current certificate/coverage for the duration of the contract/

· The contractor shall establish and abide by the Federal Standards 45 CFR Parts 160, 162, and 164, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA); the National Standards to Protect the Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information (PHI); and the Privacy and Security Rules published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As required by HIPAA, HHS has promulgated rules governing the use and disclosure of protected health information by covered entities. The contractor shall meet all requirements relating to the confidential nature of patient records; see http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/

· Any violation of privacy factors will be documented in writing and reported to the CO within 24-hours of its occurrence. The report will include a description of the occurrence, persons’ names, location, date, and time.

· Contractor personnel shall be required to maintain the behavior and appearance of civil, courteous, and friendly professionals in person and via electronic media.

5.3 Continuity of Services:

The contractor shall ensure that qualified substitute/ backup employees are available to provide coverage during scheduled and unscheduled absences of primary contract staff. Contractor shall ensure that all backup employees are held to the same standards as regular contract representatives (e.g. certification/licensure, education and work history credentials, background reference, etc.)

5.4 Performance Monitoring and Problem Resolution

· Monitoring of contractor performance shall be done by the COR or designee. Incidents of contractor noncompliance as evidenced by the monitoring procedures shall be forwarded immediately to the CO.

· All issues identified by the COR shall be acknowledged verbally by Contractor on same business day and via writing within one (1) business day. Contractor shall create corrective action for each problem identified within two (2) business days, unless issue is deemed urgent by Government, in which case corrective action shall be addressed within one (1) business day of issue identified by Government.

1. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

6.1 Licensed Clinician Therapist Staff:

· Professional certification:

· Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

· Psychologist (PhD)

· Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

· Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and/or other applicable areas to perform the requirements of the contract with specialized background in healthcare settings and healthcare worker well-being

· Contractor shall provide specialty trained therapists through an American Psychological Association (APA) approved training program and shall provide supporting documentation of program completion at the time of service.

· No use of trainees or subcontracted staffing agencies.

· Contractor employees shall be licensed in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia.

· All certifications/licenses held by the contractor employee(s) working on this contract shall be full and unrestricted.

· The qualifications of such personnel shall also be subject to review by the VA. Each person (administrative, counselor, and trainer) assigned to work under this contract shall be certified and trained in therapy services and the supplemental operation of any goods, materials, and equipment used.

· Quotes shall include documentation of credentials and experience for all staff assigned

· Education: Required: Licensed Clinician therapists shall hold a master’s degree or Ph.D. level credentials in the specialty or applicable subject area.

· Work History:

· Licensed Clinician therapists shall hold minimally 3-5 years of direct healthcare-specific work for clinicians.

· Lead/Supervising therapists shall hold minimally 6-10 years of direct healthcare-specific work for clinicians.

Quotes will be evaluated on the overall qualifications and relevant experience of the proposed team. Emphasis will be on the quality and relevance of experience, not the number of staff proposed.

6.2 Other Qualifications:

· The contractor shall provide a scalability plan detailing how their organization will directly meet the scope of work requirements while consistently maintaining the highest standards of therapist care. Use of direct contractor employees to deliver services is mandatory and will be a primary factor in the government's evaluation. Quotes relying on staffing or subcontracting firms will not be considered compliant with this requirement.

7. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

Employee information required for account registration may include name, email, date of birth, address, and phone number. All personal and sensitive information collected shall be stored and protected in accordance with industry standards. No BAA is required as VISN 12 staff would be providing their information willfully and there would be no connection to VA medical records. Contract doesn’t involve any VA sensitive information and security clauses are required. Contract personnel will not be performing any functions that require access to a VA system or VA sensitive information. The contractor owned IT system and telehealth medium are located at an offsite contractor facility, the IT system is not connected to a VA network, and the contractor has exclusive administrative control of the components. No services will involve connection of one or more contractor-owned IT devices such as a laptop or computer or remote connection for a contract system to a VA internal trusted network. The Certification and Accreditation (C&A) do not apply, and a Security Accreditation package is not required.

8. RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS

A. Applicability This clause applies to all Contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records, as defined in Section B, regardless of the medium in which the record exists.

B. Definitions “Federal Record” as defined in 44 U.S.C. § 3301, includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them.

The term Federal record:

1. includes [Agency] records.

2. does not include personal materials.

3. applies to records created, received, or maintained by Contractors pursuant to their [Agency] contract.

4. may include deliverables and documentation associated with deliverables.

C. Requirements The following standard Items relate to records generated in executing this contract and should be included in a typical contract where records could possibly be created, maintained or dispositioned:

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. [FACILITY] 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 [FACILITY] 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 [FACILITY]. 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 [FACILITY] 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 [FACILITY] 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 [FACILITY] policy.

8. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public [FACILITY] 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 [FACILITY] 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 [FACILITY] 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 VHA-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.

36C25226Q0080

SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES

FAR Number
Title
Date
52.212-4
CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES
NOV 2023

ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES Clauses that are incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date), have the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available.

The following clauses are incorporated into 52.212-4 as an addendum to this contract:

C.1 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/

(End of Clause)

FAR Number
Title
Date
52.204-13
SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE
OCT 2018
52.204-18
COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT ENTITY CODE MAINTENANCE
AUG 2020
52.229-3
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES
FEB 2013
52.222-49
SERVICE CONTRACT LABOR STANDARDS—PLACE OF PERFORMANCE UNKNOWN
MAY 2014
852.201-70
CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE
DEC 2022
852.203-70
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING
MAY 2018
852.215-70
SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED AND VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS EVALUATION FACTORS (DEVIATION)
JAN 2023
852.215-71
EVALUATION FACTOR COMMITMENTS
OCT 2019
852.222-71
COMPLIANCE WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER 13899 (DEVIATION) (APR 2025)
APR 2025
852.232-72
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PAYMENT REQUESTS
NOV 2018

C.2 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 5 calendar days before contract's performance period ends. The specified rates under this clause will be those rates in effect under the contract each time an option is exercised under this clause.

(End of Clause)

C.3 52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 5 calendar days before contract's performance period ends.; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 30 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed five (5) years.

(End of Clause) C.4 VAAR 852.219-75 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING—CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION (JAN 2023) (DEVIATION)

(a) Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127(l)(2), the offeror certifies that—

(1) If awarded a contract (see FAR 2.101 definition), it will comply with the limitations on subcontracting requirement as provided in the solicitation and the resultant contract, as follows:

(i) [x] Services. In the case of a contract for services (except construction), the contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–73 or certified VOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–74. Any work that a similarly situated certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Other direct costs may be excluded to the extent they are not the principal purpose of the acquisition and small business concerns do not provide the service as set forth in 13 CFR 125.6.

(ii) [] General construction. In the case of a contract for general construction, the contractor will not pay more than 85% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–73 or certified VOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–74. Any work that a similarly situated certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 85% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Cost of materials are excluded and not considered to be subcontracted.

(iii) [] Special trade construction contractors. In the case of a contract for special trade contractors, the contractor will not pay more than 75% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–73 or certified VOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–74. Any work that a similarly situated certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 75% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Cost of materials are excluded and not considered to be subcontracted.

(2) The offeror acknowledges that this certification concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of an Agency of the United States. The offeror further acknowledges that this certification is subject to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, and, as such, a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may render the offeror subject to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties, including prosecution.

(3) If VA determines that an SDVOSB/ VOSB awarded a contract pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127 did not act in good faith, such SDVOSB/VOSB shall be subject to any or all of the following:

(i) Referral to the VA Suspension and Debarment Committee;

(ii) A fine under section 16(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 645(g)(1)); and

(iii) Prosecution for violating 18 U.S.C. 1001.

(b) The offeror represents and understands that by submission of its offer and award of a contract it may be required to provide copies of documents or records to VA that VA may review to determine whether the offeror complied with the limitations on subcontracting requirement specified in the contract. Contracting officers may, at their discretion, require the contractor to demonstrate its compliance with the limitations on subcontracting at any time during performance and upon completion of a contract if the information regarding such compliance is not already available to the contracting officer. Evidence of compliance includes, but is not limited to, invoices, copies of subcontracts, or a list of the value of tasks performed.

(c) The offeror further agrees to cooperate fully and make available any documents or records as may be required to enable VA to determine compliance with the limitations on subcontracting requirement. The offeror understands that failure to provide documents as requested by VA may result in remedial action as the Government deems appropriate.

(d) Offeror completed certification/fill-in required. The formal certification must be completed, signed and returned with the offeror’s bid, quotation, or proposal. The Government will not consider offers for award from offerors that do not provide the certification, and all such responses will be deemed ineligible for evaluation and award.

Certification I hereby certify that if awarded the contract, [insert name of offeror] will comply with the limitations on subcontracting specified in this clause and in the resultant contract. I further certify that I am authorized to execute this certification on behalf of [insert name of offeror].

Printed Name of Signee: ___________ Printed Title of Signee: _____________ Signature: ____________ Date: ______________ Company Name and Address: _______________ (End of Clause)

C.5 VAAR 852.242-71 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICER (OCT 2020)

The Contracting Officer reserves the right to designate an Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) for the purpose of performing certain tasks/duties in the administration of the contract. Such designation will be in writing through an ACO Letter of Delegation and will identify the responsibilities and limitations of the ACO. A copy of the ACO Letter of Delegation will be furnished to the Contractor.

(End of Clause) (End of Addendum to 52.212-4)

C.6 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (OCT 2025) (DEVIATION FEB 2025)

(a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services:

(1) 52.203-19, Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (JAN 2017) (section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions)).

(2) 52.204–23, Prohibition on Contracting for Hardware, Software, and Services Developed or Provided by Kaspersky Lab Covered Entities (DEC 2023) (Section 1634 of Pub. L. 115–91).

(3) 52.204–25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. (NOV 2021) (Section 889(a)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 115–232).

(4) 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (NOV 2015).

(5) 52.232–40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (MAR 2023) (31 U.S.C. 3903 and 10 U.S.C. 3801).

(6) 52.233-3, Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553).

(7) 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (OCT 2004) (Public Laws 108-77 and 108-78 (19 U.S.C. 3805 note)).

(b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services:

[X] (1) 52.203–6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (JUN 2020), with Alternate I (NOV 2021) (41 U.S.C. 4704 and 10 U.S.C. 4655).

[] (2) 52.203–13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (NOV 2021) (41 U.S.C. 3509).

[] (3) 52.203–15, Whistleblower Protections under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (JUN 2010) (Section 1553 of Pub. L. 111-5). (Applies to contracts funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)

[X] (4) 52.203–17, Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights (NOV 2023) (41 U.S.C. 4712); this clause does not apply to contracts of DoD, NASA, the Coast Guard, or applicable elements of the intelligence community—see FAR 3.900(a).

[X] (5) 52.204–10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (JUN 2020) (Pub. L. 109–282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

[] (6) [Reserved] [X] (7) 52.204–14, Service Contract Reporting Requirements (OCT 2016) (Pub. L. 111–117, section 743 of Div. C).

[] (8) 52.204–15, Service Contract Reporting Requirements for Indefinite-Delivery Contracts (OCT 2016) (Pub. L. 111–117, section 743 of Div. C).

[X] (9) 52.204–27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application (JUN 2023) (Section 102 of Division R of Pub. L. 117–328).

[] (10) 52.204–28, Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders—Federal Supply Schedules, Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts, and Multi-Agency Contracts. (DEC 2023) (Pub. L. 115–390, title II).

[X] (11)(i) 52.204–30, Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders— Prohibition. (DEC 2023) (Pub. L. 115–390, title II).

[] (ii) Alternate I (DEC 2023) of 52.204–30.

[X] (12) 52.209–6, Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, Proposed for Debarment, or Voluntarily Excluded. (JAN 2025) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

[X] (13) 52.209-9, Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (OCT 2018) (41 U.S.C. 2313).

[] (14) [Reserved] [] (15) 52.219–3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award (OCT 2022) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

[X] (16) 52.219–4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (OCT 2022) (if the offeror elects to waive the preference, it shall so indicate in its offer) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

[] (17) [Reserved] [] (18)(i) 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644).

[] (ii) Alternate I (MAR 2020) of 52.219-6.

[] (19)(i) 52.219-7, Notice of Partial Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644).

[] (ii) Alternate I (MAR 2020) of 52.219-7.

[] (20) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (JAN 2025) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3)).

[] (21)(i) 52.219–9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (JAN 2025) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)).

[] (ii) Alternate I (NOV 2016) of 52.219-9.

[] (iii) Alternate II (NOV 2016) of 52.219-9.

[] (iv) Alternate III (JAN 2025) of 52.219–9.

[] (v) Alternate IV (JAN 2025) of 52.219–9.

[] (22)(i) 52.219-13, Notice of Set-Aside of Orders (MAR 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644(r)).

[] (ii) Alternate I (MAR 2020) of 52.219-13.

[X] (23) 52.219–14, Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022) (15 U.S.C. 657s).

[] (24) 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (SEP 2021) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F)(i)).

[] (25) 52.219–27, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Concerns Eligible Under the SDVOSB Program (FEB 2024) (15 U.S.C. 657f).

[X] (26) (i) 52.219-28, Postaward Small Business Program Rerepresentation (JAN 2025) (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)).

[] (ii) Alternate I (MAR 2020) of 52.219–28.

[] (27) 52.219–29, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business Concerns (OCT 2022) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

[] (28) 52.219–30, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Women-Owned Small Business Concerns Eligible Under the Women-Owned Small Business Program (OCT 2022) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

[] (29) 52.219-32, Orders…

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