SOO - Member Assistance Program.pdf

Statement of Objectives (SOO)

PART 1: GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Statement of Need, Purpose, and/or Objective: The purpose of this requirement is to provide a Member Assistance Program to assist AmeriCorps VISTA members through various life challenges that may adversely affect their health, personal well-being, and service. The

Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn, is responsible to the Government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform the Member Assistance Program as defined in this

Statement of Objectives (SOO) except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards referenced in this SOO.

1.2 Background Information: AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program that supports community-driven efforts to address poverty in the United States. Each year, the program has approximately 5,000 full-term yearlong members serve in the program. These members serve with nonprofit organizations and public agencies, who serve as project sponsors.

AmeriCorps VISTA members start at various times throughout the year and serve for 365 days.

To better support the members of AmeriCorps VISTA, the program is looking to implement a

Member Assistance Program similar to federal Employee Assistance Programs.

1.3 Objectives: The contractor will implement a complete Member Assistance Program (MAP) for the AmeriCorps VISTA program. The MAP program must be accessible to all AmeriCorps

VISTA members who serve in all U.S. states and territories. All services must be available to members in English and Spanish. The specific tasks, outlined in section 5 of this document, are intended to provide an overarching wellness and assistance program to support and benefit

AmeriCorps members during their terms of service.

1.4 Scope: The contractor will implement a complete Member Assistance Program (MAP) to all

AmeriCorps VISTA members as specified in the final contract. At a minimum, the MAP will meet all of the objectives listed in section 1.3 of this Statement of Objectives and include a hotline that is operational 24/7/365.

1.5 Period of Performance: The Period of Performance shall be 1 Base Year of 12 months and four (4) 12-month option years.

1.6 General Information

1.6.1 Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this SOO. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor’s quality control program is the means by which the contractor assures that the work complies with the requirement of the contract. The contractor shall include the quality control plan in the proposal.

1.6.2 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

1.6.3 Recognized Holidays: The following are recognized United States (US) holidays. The contractor shall provide the 24/7/365 hotline services. However, the contractor shall not perform in-person services on the following recognized U.S. holidays.

New Year’s Day Labor Day

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Indigenous Peoples Day

President’s Day Veteran’s Day

Memorial Day Juneteenth

Thanksgiving Day Independence Day

Christmas Day

1.6.4 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 9:00am – 8:00pm Eastern Time Monday thru Friday for in person services, except

Federal holidays. However, the 24/7/365 hotline shall be provided via online or telephone at all times. The contractor shall at all times maintain an adequate work force for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this SOO. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

1.6.5 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at a location determined by the contractor. The government will not provide physical space for the services of this contract.

1.6.6 Type of Contract: The government anticipates a firm-fixed-price contract to ensure a successful MAP for AmeriCorps VISTA’s 5,000 full-year members.

1.6.7 Security Requirements: Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must have the level of security, required at the time of the proposal submission and must maintain the level of security required for the life of the contract. The level of security is currently

TBD.

1.6.7.1 Physical Security: N/A

1.6.7.2 Key Control: N/A

1.6.7.3 Lock Combinations: N/A

1.6.8 Special Qualifications: The following qualifications must be met:

• The primary contractor shall meet all certification requirements in accordance with the Certified Employee Assistance Professional Credential (CEAAP).

• All counseling must be performed by a master’s degree-level counselor or higher

• All life coaching must be completed by a certified life coach

• All services must be available in English and Spanish

1.6.9 Post-Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post-award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officers Representative (COR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings, the contracting officer will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

1.6.10 Key Personnel: The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the contracting officer.

The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to the daily operation of this contract.

1.6.11 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. Contractor personnel are required to identify themselves.

1.6.12 Travel: N/A

1.6.13 Other Direct Costs: There are no other direct costs under this contract.

1.6.14 Data Rights: The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government.

These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

1.6.15 Organizational Conflict of Interest: Contractor and subcontractor personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g., cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications, or work statements, etc.) or perform evaluation services which may create a current or subsequent Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) as defined in FAR

Subpart 9.5. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer immediately whenever it becomes aware that such access or participation may result in any actual or potential OCI and shall promptly submit a plan to the Contracting Officer to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. The

Contractor’s mitigation plan will be determined to be acceptable solely at the discretion of the

Contracting Officer and in the event the Contracting Officer unilaterally determines that any such

OCI cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated, the Contracting Officer may affect other remedies as he or she deems necessary, including prohibiting the Contractor from participation in subsequent contracted requirements which may be affected by the OCI.

1.6.16 Phase In /Phase Out Period: N/A

PART 2: DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS

2. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS

2.1 DEFINITIONS:

2.1.1 CONTRACTOR. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or services to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER. A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government.

Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR). An employee of the U.S.

Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4 DELIVERABLE. Anything that can be physically delivered but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.5 KEY PERSONNEL. Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the SOO. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best-value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal.

2.1.6 PHYSICAL SECURITY. Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.7 QUALITY ASSURANCE. The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards.

2.1.8 QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP). An organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of contractor performance.

2.1.9 QUALITY CONTROL. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.10 SUBCONTRACTOR. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The

Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.1.11 WORKDAY. The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

2.1.12 WORK WEEK. Monday through Friday, unless specified otherwise.

2.2 ACRONYMS.

CO Contracting Officer

CONUS Continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii)

COR Contracting Officer Representative

COTR Contracting Officer's Technical Representative

COTS Commercial-Off-the-Shelf

FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation

HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

CO Contracting Officer

OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest

OCONUS Outside Continental United States (includes Alaska and Hawaii)

ODC Other Direct Costs

PIPO Phase In/Phase Out

POC Point of Contact

PRS Performance Requirements Summary

PWS Performance Work Statement

QA Quality Assurance

QAP Quality Assurance Program

QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

QC Quality Control

QCP Quality Control Program

SOO Statement of Objectives

TE Technical Exhibit

PART 3: GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1 Services: The government will not provide any services for this contract.

3.2 Facilities: The government will not provide any facilities for this contract.

3.3 Utilities: The government will not provide any utilities for this contract.

3.4 Equipment: The government will not provide any equipment for this contract.

3.5 Materials: As required by the contractor, the government may provide a list of AmeriCorps members who are eligible to participate in the Member Assistance Program.

PART 4: CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

4.1 General: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Section 3 of this SOO.

4.2 Facility Clearance: N/A

4.3 Materials: The Contractor shall furnish materials, supplies, and equipment necessary to meet the requirements under this SOO.

4.4 Equipment: The Contractor shall furnish tractors, lighting and sound, containers, etc. to meet the requirements under this SOO.

PART 5: SPECIFIC TASKS

5. Specific Tasks:

The contract will implement a complete Member Assistance Program (MAP) for the AmeriCorps

VISTA program. The MAP program must be accessible to all AmeriCorps VISTA members who serve in all U.S. states and territories. All requirements of this SOO must be available in English and Spanish.

5.1 Basic Services:

At a minimum, the MAP must include the following for all AmeriCorps VISTA members:

• 24/7/365 toll-free access to services for members

• Unlimited in the moment telephonic counseling services with at least a master’s degree-level counselor

• Mobile app access

• Unlimited in the moment text/chat counseling

• Video counseling and coaching

• Financial and legal assistance (30-minute initial consultations) to result in a final plan or guidance

• Life Coaching o Provided by a certified life coach o Provide coaching to assist members in achieving life goals such as fitness, healthy eating, time management, etc.

o Each coaching should be until completion of goal o Unlimited individual coaching goals

• Personal concierge for everyday needs o At a minimum concierge should include items such as:

▪ Travel research

▪ Local services research

• Work/Life resources

Additionally, the contract must provide regular reports to the COR. At a minimum, the reports must include:

• Monthly usage report by service

• Yearly usage report by service

PART 6: APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS)

6.1 N/A

PART 7: ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

7. Attachment/Technical Exhibit List:

7.1 ATTACHMENT 1/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1 – PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Performance Objective

(The Service required—usually a ‘shall’ statement)

Standard Performance Threshold (This is the maximum error rate. It could possibly be “Zero deviation from standard”)

Method of Surveillance

24/7/365 toll-free hotline

The contractor shall provide a hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year available in English and Spanish

100% Customer Input/COR

Unlimited in the moment telephonic counseling services

The contractor shall provide in the moment telephonic counseling services by at least a Masters’-degree level counselor available in English and Spanish

100% Customer Input/COR

Unlimited in the moment text/chat counseling

The contractor shall provide in the moment text/chat counseling services by at least a Masters’-degree level counselor available in English and Spanish

100% Customer Input/COR

Video counseling and coaching

The contractor shall provide scheduled video counseling and coaching services available in English and

Spanish

100% Sessions must be scheduled no later than 72 hours after the initial request

Customer Input/COR

Reporting of date of call, when session was scheduled, when session was held

Financial and legal assistance

The contract shall provide a scheduled 30-minute consultation meeting for each request available in

English and Spanish

100% Sessions must be scheduled no later than 72 hours after the initial request

Customer Input/COR

Reporting of date of call, when session was scheduled, when session was held

Life Coaching The contract shall provide scheduled life coaching sessions until goals are met available in English and

Spanish

100% Sessions must be scheduled no later than 72 hours after the initial request

Customer Input/COR

Reporting of date of call, when session was scheduled, when session was held

Personal concierge The contractor shall perform personal concierge services as outlined in the proposal from the vendor available in English and Spanish

100% for all eligible requests

Customer Input/COR

Reporting of date of call, when session was scheduled, when session was held

Work/Life resources

Provide information such as print, video, and other resources promoting work and life resources available in English and Spanish

100% Listed on Website/mobile app

7.2 ATTACHMENT 2/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 2 - DELIVERABLES SCHEDULE

Deliverable Frequency # of Copies Medium/Format Submit To

CEAAP

Certification

Provided with Proposal 1 Electronic Submission as part of Proposal

Contracting Officer

Monthly Report Within 7 days after the month. Each Quarter, the report shall contain both monthly information and quarterly summation information

1 Electronic Submission

COR

Yearly Report Within 30 days of the end of the contract year

1 Electronic Submission

COR