Statement of Work.pdf

BPA Call 00X FSA: Gender Responsive and Trauma Informed Prison Operations

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Bureau of Prisons

First Step Act: Gender Responsive and Trauma Informed Prison Operations

1.0 Introduction and Purpose

1.1 Introduction

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is an agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ). It consists of 122 institutions throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico, 6 regional offices, a Central Office (headquarters), 2 staff training centers, and 26

Residential Reentry Management offices. The BOP is responsible for the custody and care of approximately 164,000 adult Federal offenders. Approximately 84 percent of these inmates are confined in BOP-operated facilities, while the balance is confined in secure privately managed or community-based facilities and local jails.

The Reentry Services Division (RSD) is the BOP’s “face of reentry” and provides the following services: Community Reentry Affairs, Chaplaincy Services, Education

Services, Women and Special Populations, Psychology Services, and Residential Reentry

Management. The Women and Special Populations Branch (WASPB) identifies, tracks, and provides services to the transgender population, consistent with maintaining security and good order in the Bureau of Prisons. WASPB further ensures the provision of evidence-based services to meet the needs of federally incarcerated transgender persons and other vulnerable populations.

Female inmates are often faced with unique issues while incarcerated. Female pathways into crime indicate that gender does matter. Women in prison have some needs that are quite different from men’s, resulting in part from women’s disproportionate victimization from sexual or physical abuse and in part from their responsibility for children. Women offenders are also more likely than men to have become addicted to drugs, to have mental illnesses, and to have been unemployed before incarceration. All of these factors, in addition to the fact that females are often the primary caretakers of young children at the time of their arrest, pose additional challenges in reentry for females. The BOP must ensure female inmates have access to programs and services that appropriately meet their needs and facilitate the successful reintegration of inmates into their communities upon release.

The BOP recognizes that female offenders are more concerned with interpersonal relationships and likely to express emotion differently from men. With this in mind, the

BOP believes that a different specialized programming is needed for women. Specialized programming must involve a capacity to respond to expressions of emotions and a willingness and ability to communicate openly with offenders. A less authoritarian manner and recognition that women have needs different from men are viewed as desirable characteristics of gender specific program development. Skills including active listening, patience in explaining rules and expectations, awareness of emotional dynamics, and the capacity to respond firmly, fairly, and consistently are required positive attributes of those who work most effectively with female offenders.

1.2 Purpose

The First Step Act of 2018 (FSA), signed into law in December 2018, tasked the BOP to further develop and implement evidence-based and recidivism reduction programs, productive activities, and procedures designed to ensure the most comprehensive reentry preparation beginning on day one of incarceration. The requirements of FSA and BOP’s desire to employ highly specialize, gender-specific and responsive programming for female offenders has led the BOP to seek Gender Responsive and Trauma Informed (GR

& TI) services.

The following BOP Program Statement, which is available electronically at http://www.bop.gov is applicable to this contact:

Program Statement 5200.02, CN-1 Female Offender Manual

2.0 Scope of Work

The goal of this Request for Quote (RFQ) is to develop a GR & TI Prison Operations approach where individualized and structured operational approach supports a correctional and program response to multiple gender-specific experiences for female inmates, including victimization, parenting, and negative relationships. This operational approach must emphasize that a safe environment, in all correctional aspects, as safety is critical for women with histories of being abused, both as children and as adults.

The GR & TI Prison Operations approach will consist of a institutional gender responsive assessment of institution operations and culture, deficits in the provision of trauma informed programming and care, needs in the area of gender responsive discipline, a survey of the facility’s physical structure and how it could be enhanced to meet the needs of female offenders, and needed changes or enhancements in the overall operational structure of the facility to enhance female specific program delivery.

The assessment will then provide the frame work for the contractor to provide an individualized strategic plan, change and transition systems consultation, Executive leadership training, and gender responsive training. Additionally, the contractor will use the assessment to provide curriculum development, program delivery, and skills assessment for the entire staff compliment for the chosen institution identified by the

BOP beginning within 60 calendar days of the award and ending September 30, 2022 with four option years to be exercised at the discretion of the government.

2.1 Task Requirements

2.1.1 GR and TI Prison Operations Comprehensive Assessment

The purpose of the Comprehensive Assessment is to assist the BOP build and support common standards and mechanisms for GR and TI program delivery and improvement. It http://www.bop.gov/ gives the BOP a better understanding of current services to make changes in the interest of improving and standardizing processes that allows for meaningful decisions about areas of strengths and weaknesses. The BOP has determined that FCI Tallahassee, Tallahassee, Florida is the institution at which this will take place.

At an identified BOP institution, the contractor will work collaboratively with responsible

BOP staff to conduct a comprehensive assessment of internal resources including approved programs, population trends, existing staff training, BOP relevant policies, practices and guidance, current industry standards for GR and TI services delivered by reputable experts in the field, and other resources related to program development and service delivery of GR and TI to evaluate current needs of the institution for specialized programming. This will take place primarily onsite at the institution with the BOP reviewing and approving any remote assessment methods.

At a minimum, the contractor must use the A-E-C cycle in the comprehensive assessment.

A- Assess - collect data from available sources provided by BOP staff;

E - Evaluate - analyze the results in a summary report format; and

C - Change - make recommendations for program development, to be delivered by the contractor, through an improvement plan.

The BOP must approve the improvement plan prior to implementation.

The Comprehensive Assessment must provide a complete picture of what needs to be accomplished to improve GR and TI services. This includes, at minimum, what is needed to enhance effectiveness of programs to guide decision making and to identify staff training resource needs. The assessment will be conducted on site and remotely for the best outcomes.

The Contractor shall complete a Comprehensive Assessment report with specific recommendations in order to drive program improvement within 30 calendar days of the post award kick off meeting.

2.1.2. Theoretical Approach For Staff Training Design

The contractor will develop gender-specific training modules based on the comprehensive assessment that are consistent and compatible with Cognitive-Behavioral

Therapy (CBT), the BOP’s preferred theoretical model for program development and service delivery. Training modules will include a detailed lesson plan with all supporting materials and resources. The GR and TI training will be provided for BOP staff incorporating the most up to date community standards of care for GR and TI services and program delivery.

The contractor will develop gender-specific, culturally appropriate staff training modules that are consistent and compatible with theoretical perspectives specific to women. The contractor will use theories and research (trauma informed care, gender responsive programs and CBT) that support the development and implementation of gender-specific programs.

COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT). The BOP uses CBT as its theoretical model because of its proven effectiveness in the criminal justice setting. Empirical support for CBT’s effectiveness is noted in the treatment of substance use disorder, mental illness, and criminal thinking patterns. CBT emphasizes the learning and practice of skills associated with improved mental health and adaptive, pro-social, behavior.

Therefore, inmates who participate in CBT and related interventions are better able to achieve goals including responsibility, self-awareness, and independence.

All staff at FCI Tallahassee (approximately 298) will participate in this training. The schedule for training taking part during the performance of the contract will be determined collaboratively between the BOP and contractor. This schedule will take into account factors such as training various shifts, post relief and coverage needs, and institution needs. The BOP will have final approval of the training schedule. The contractor will design and deliver gender-specific staff training including the following components:

1. Monthly on-site training totaling 20 hours (over 2.5 days) focusing on GR & TI

Prison Operations for the institution staff identified by the BOP (in groups of no more than 40) at the designated facility (integrating into the training handheld equipment to conduct anonymous real time participant surveys) delivered monthly. Training must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance to allow for maximum participation and appropriate staff coverage within the institution.

2. A 12 hour bi-monthly on site (1.5 days), GR & TI Prison Operations training for institution Executive Leadership;

3. A GR & TI Prison Operations Institution Executive Leadership, Coaching Plan

(available on demand and virtually for staff members identified by the BOP for the months without an onsite training.)

4. A quarterly GR & TI Prison Operations training for identified supervisors; and,

5. A quarterly GR & TI Prison Operations training for Correctional Captain and

Lieutenants

The contractor will ensure the completion of satisfaction surveys or participant training evaluations following every training to obtain feedback on delivery, comprehension, usefulness and other measures of effectiveness. The satisfaction surveys will be tallied and provided to BOP for review. The contractor will submit a written plan to rectify all areas identified as unsatisfactory or ineffective prior to the delivery of the next training.

The contractor will work with the COR to ensure all required training modules are completed within 15 calendar days following the completion of institution program assessment.

2.1.3. Shift briefing interventions and maximizing supervisory rounds

The Contractor shall coordinate with the local Warden to schedule shift briefings that include focus on gender responsive correctional interventions, trauma informed communication strategies and gender responsive discipline strategies, as well as significant issues noted in the comprehensive assessment. These shift briefings will utilize team building and scenario-based training activities, including talking points and posters to embed the topic of focus further into their facility’s correctional culture.

2.1.4. Quality Enhancement

The Contractor will, directly (on the day the training concludes) following each on site staff training, meet with the WASPB staff and other staff as designated by the BOP.

Discussions will focus on: 1) review of the training lesson plans and satisfaction surveys completed by participants; 2) discuss any changes to the training plan format

(presentation or curricula); and 3) any operational practice areas that need to be reviewed to enhance program development and service delivery based on national standards and best practices.

2.1.5. Technical assistance

The Contractor shall provide ongoing consultation to BOP with any issues, challenges, or new requests that may arise or develop during the course of the work above.

2.1.6. Training /Meeting Materials

The Contractor shall provide the BOP, for each training/meeting category scheduled, PDFs consisting of no less than:

A. Training curricula /Microsoft PowerPoint Slideshows or participant workbook or interactive journal;

B. Facilitator notes;

C. Participant handouts;

D. Training activities;

E. Resources lists; and

F. Post training surveys.

SUBCONTRACTING. The Prime Contractor shall request approval from the responsible BOP staff and Contracting Officer in advance of executing any subcontract or modification. All subcontracted staff and modifications must be approved by the BOP.

The submitted request must include the following information:

identification, location, and selection of the proposed subcontractor; and a description of the services to be subcontracted.

The Contractor has the additional responsibility to ensure proper management and oversight of their program and any subcontractors. Subcontractors must be appropriately credentialed and maintain the same level of required experience, at minimum. Absentee ownership will not absolve responsibility for program integrity, responsiveness, or requirements.

2.2. Qualifications/Minimum Technical Requirement

The contractor must specifically identify the individual(s) that will be performing these services under any subsequent contract award. The contractor must provide proof that their candidate(s) meet all qualifications. The candidate(s)'s name and qualifications must be submitted at the time the quote is submitted. Contractors must submit with their quote a resume, photocopies of documents evidencing education, training, and experience. The contractor shall possess the necessary skills, abilities, and credentials to develop trauma informed and gender responsive programming curriculums and training. Professional staff shall only perform those duties for which their position, certification and degree dictates.

The contractor must demonstrate experience, knowledge and familiarity with the following: advocacy for justice-involved women and/or their families, female offender populations, treatment approaches used for victims of abuse and the potential ensuing trauma, and cognitive-behavioral interventions. This must have been gained on the national and international level. The contractor will demonstrate this through evidence of publications they have authored or about their programming/initiatives, evidence of training executive leadership of correctional agencies on the state, national or international level on these topics.

The contractor has experience working collaboratively with agencies inside female correctional facilities directly with female offenders.

The contractor must have and demonstrate experience that they have knowledge of Bureau of Prisons programs and policies, implementation of PREA (Prison

Rape Elimination Act) standards and auditing procedures at female institutions.

The contractor must have experience training high level female institution staff

(i.e. Wardens).

The contractor must have experience in developing curricula for incarcerated women focused on trauma and paths leading to incarceration.

The contractor must have and demonstrate experience and knowledge in female offender dynamics, gender responsive methods and counseling female offenders as well as the delivery of cognitive behavioral therapy methods.

The contractor must demonstrate experience providing training, fostering institutional culture change to include gender responsive approaches, staff mentoring and coaching related to incarcerated female offenders in at least a statewide female correctional system.

The contractor must have knowledge and experience in working with female correctional systems focused on vocational training, non-traditional job skills, sexual safety, and gender responsive discipline.

Staff must be approved by the Bureau prior to providing services.

The contractor shall hire key personnel to be approved by the Bureau to meet

SOW requirements.

The contractor will identify the key personnel by name, position, and responsibility.

The contractor will staff all key personnel positions throughout the performance of the contract.

The contractor will notify the Bureau in writing if any key personnel vacate a position permanently and indicate when an equivalent replacement will be made.

The replacement staff must be equivalent in credentials and experience. The notification to the BOP will occur within three calendar days of the vacancy.

2.3 Post Award Conference

The Contractor shall attend a Post Award Conference with the designated BOP

Contracting Officer and Assistant Contracting Officer’s Representative (ACOR) no later than 15 business days after the date of award. The purpose of the Post Award

Conference, which will be chaired by the BOP Contracting Officer, is to discuss technical and contracting objectives of this contract and review the Contractor's draft project plan.

The Post Award Conference will be held at the Government’s facility, located at 400

First Street, NW, Washington DC 20534 or via teleconference.

2.4 Project Plan

The Contractor shall provide a draft Project Plan at the Post Award Conference for

Government review and comment. The Contractor shall provide a final Project Plan to the ACOR not later than within 15 calendar days completion of 2.1.1.. The ACOR will review final Project Plan prior to acceptance and provide the contractor with an e-mail that provides documented reasons for non-acceptance. If the final Project Plan is acceptable, the COR will send an e-mail to the Contractor notifying it that the final

Project Plan has been accepted.

2.5 Progress Reports

Project Manager shall provide a monthly progress report to the ACOR via electronic mail. This report shall include a summary of all Contractor work performed, including a breakdown of labor hours by labor category, all direct costs by line item, an assessment of technical progress, schedule status, any travel conducted and any Contractor concerns or recommendations for the previous reporting period.

3.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED RESOURCES

The Government will provide the workspace, equipment and supplies necessary to perform the on-site portion of Contractor services required in this contract, unless specifically stated otherwise in this work statement.

4.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY

The Contractor shall furnish equipment to conduct anonymous real time participant surveys for basic GR & TI Prison Operations training.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall consider items in BOLD as having mandatory due dates. Items in italics are deliverables or events that must be reviewed and/or approved by the COR prior to proceeding to next deliverable or event in this SOW.

ITEM

SOW

REFERENCE

DELIVERABLE /

EVENT

DUE BY

DISTRIBUTION

0001 2.3 Post Award

Conference

15 business

Days post award

N/A

0002 2.4 Draft Contractor

Project Plan within 15 calendar days completion of

2.1.1

ACOR, BOP

Project Manager

Institution

Warden

0003 2.1.1.

The Contractor shall conduct

Comprehensive onsite and remote assessment, policy and document review, and provide an assessment report with comprehensive and specific recommendations within 30 calendar days of post award meeting

BOP Project

Manager

SOW

REFERENCE

DELIVERABLE /

0004 2.1.2

The contractor will develop the programming incorporating but not limited to the identified project components and key requirements stated in the Introduction and

Objective section

(Section 1.0) of this

SOW

Within 15 calendar days completion of

2.1.1.

BOP Project

Manager

0005 2.1.2

The Contractor shall coordinate scheduling

GR & TI Prison

Operations training

Within 15 calendar days of completion of 2.1.2.

COR and BOP

Project Manager

0006 2.1.2

The Contractor shall begin institution GR

& TI Prison

Operations training per schedule

Within 15 calendar days following completion of

2.1.3.

BOP Project

Manager and

Institution

Warden

0007 2.1.3

The Contractor shall coordinate with BOP to schedule shift briefing team building and scenario-based training activities

Within 15 calendar days following completion of first quarterly

GR & TI

Prison

Operations

Correctional

Captain and

Lieutenants training

BOP Project

Manager, Warden, and

Captain

0008 2.1.4

The Contractor will meet for post training quality enhancement meeting and consultation.

Following each on site staff training (on the same day)

WASPB Staff and other staff designated by the

BOP

SOW

REFERENCE

DELIVERABLE /

0009 2.1.5 Project Technical assistance

Delivered continually within the contract period, beginning upon commencement of 2.1.4.

BOP Project

Manager, COR, Institution

Executive Staff and Supervisors

0010 2.1.6 Training /Meeting

Materials

Within 15 business days prior of each scheduled training or meeting.

BOP Project

Manager

COR

6.0 Invoices and Payment Schedules

The contractor shall provide itemized invoice for services rendered on a monthly basis as verified by the COR Payments will be made to the contract for work completed in the prior month.

Itemized invoice will include: the specific deliverable accomplished; the hours associated with the tasks as associated with the project team member; and a description of the work performed with sufficient detail for the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to review.

The contractor shall submit invoices and deliverables via e-mail to the Bureau of Prisons

Central Office Business Office and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

Final payment during the base year will be made to the contractor after the system testing is completed and no issues identified.

7.0 Period of Performance

The period of performance shall be for one (1) year for the program development and training of staff. The BOP anticipates the overall engagement of this contract to begin before the end of Fiscal Year 2022.

8.0 Place of Performance

The work will be performed at a designated BOP correctional institution with meetings and collaboration with BOP leadership and staff throughout. The program shall be initially reviewed at BOP headquarters (Washington D.C.) with further review of the program at the select BOP institution. The number and locations of the latter determined by the deliverables schedule (SOW 4.0).

9.0 Security and Clearance Requirements

All required contractor personnel shall have personnel security clearances commensurate with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD 12) for the highest level of information processed by the system(s) they use. The provisions of Department of Justice

Order DOJ 1700.01, “Contractor Security Requirements”, Federal Bureau of Prisons

Information Security Program Statement 1237.16 and the Federal Bureau of Prisons

Human Resource Management Manual 3000.03 shall be followed to determine appropriate security clearance levels.

Contractor security clearances, including the submission of security clearance forms, etc., shall be coordinated with the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) prior to contract employee arrival at the BOP institution. As determined by the TPOC and/or Human

Resource Security Specialist, clearances may require one or all of the following:

National Crime Information Center (NCIC) check

DOJ-99 (name check)

FD-258 (fingerprint check)

Law Enforcement Agency checks

Vouchering of Employers over past five years

Resume/Personal Qualifications

OPM-329-A (Authority for Release of Information)

NACI check (if applicable)

Urinalysis Test (for detection of marijuana and other drug usage)

Note: If it is determined that a urinalysis test is required, it will be administered at the closest BOP site. If a test is positive for drug usage, the assigned individual(s) shall be excluded from performance of work for this requirement, and subject to the same security requirements, the contractor shall provide acceptable replacement staff.

The contractor shall employ effective safeguards and security controls to ensure that information associated with the work is protected from loss, damage, computer viruses, or other destructive incidents. The safeguards employed should ensure that materials and services are secured in a manner that prevents tampering, sabotage, or other means of deliberate alteration. This provision applies to all BOP information resources while under the control of the contractor. As referenced in the BOP Policy Statement 1237.13, Information Security Programs, the contractor, while controlling BOP information assets, shall implement necessary safeguards, including administrative, physical, and personnel controls as outlined in said policy.

DOJ 2640.2F: The Department of Justice does not permit the use of Non-U.S. citizens in the performance of this contract or commitment for any position involves access to or development of any DOJ IT systems. By signing the contract document or beginning performance, the contractor agrees to this restriction.

10.0 Project Operations and Coordination

The BOP will appoint a ACOR for this project. The ACOR is responsible for: receiving all deliverables; inspecting and accepting the services provided for this requirement in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract; providing direction to the contractor which clarifies the contract effort; fills in details or otherwise serves to accomplish the contractual scope of work; evaluates performance; and certifies all invoices/vouchers for acceptance of the services furnished for payment prior to forwarding the original invoice to the payment office and a copy to the contracting officer.

The ACOR does not have the authority to alter the contractor's obligations under the contract action, direct changes that fall within the change clause, and/or modify any of the expressed terms, conditions, specifications, or costs of this agreement. If, as a result of technical discussions, it is desirable to alter/change the contractual obligations or requirements, the Contracting Officer shall issue such changes in writing under signature.

Status shall be reported per direction in SOW 3.2. Document format should be Microsoft

Office 2007 (or later) unless otherwise indicated. In addition, in the event of a consultation meeting with the project manager or COR during the course of the contract, the contractor shall:

Arrange for the attendance, either in person or by conference call, of appropriate contractor personnel to address project issues

Record minutes including, but not limited to, action items and responsible parties

Provide meeting minutes within three (3) working days of the conclusion of the meeting

11. Basis for Award

The evaluation for award will be performed using confidence ratings as shown in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Confidence Ratings

High

Confidence

The Government has high confidence that the Quoter understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with little or no Government intervention.

Some

Confidence

The Government has some confidence that the Quoter understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with some Government intervention.

Low

Confidence

The Government has low confidence that the Quoter understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, or will be successful in performing the contract even with Government intervention.

11.1 Comparative Evaluation

Following receipt of quotations, the Government may perform a comparative analysis

(comparing quoter responses to one another) to select the quoter that is best suited to fulfill the requirements, based on the quoters’ responses to the factors outlined in this

RFQ and their relative importance.

The Government anticipates selecting the best-suited quoter from initial responses, without engaging in exchanges with quoters. Quoters are strongly encouraged to submit their best technical solutions and price in response to this RFQ. Once the Government determines the quoter that is the best-suited (i.e., the apparent successful quoter), the

Government reserves the right to communicate with only that quoter to address any remaining issues, if necessary, and finalize a BPA Call order with that quoter. These issues may include technical and price. If the parties cannot successfully address any remaining issues, as determined pertinent at the sole discretion of the Government, the

Government reserves the right to communicate with the next best-suited quoter based on the original analysis and address any remaining issues. Once the Government has begun communications with the next best-suited quoter, no further communications with the previous quoter will be entertained until after the BPA Call has been awarded. This process shall continue until an agreement is successfully reached and a BPA Call is awarded.

The BOP intends to award to the responsible Solicitor whose proposal is responsive to this RFQ and determined to be the best value to the Government and most advantageous to the Government. Selection of the best value to the Government will be achieved through a process of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each offeror’s proposal in accordance with the Statement of Work based evaluation factors and what the differences might mean in terms of anticipated performance.

In determining the best value to the Government, the technical, past performance, and personnel are significantly more important than the evaluated price. However, the

Government will not make an award at a price premium it considers disproportionate to the benefits associated with the evaluated superiority of one training proposal over another. Thus to the extent that offeror’s training proposals are evaluated as close or similar in merit, the evaluated price is more likely to be the determining factor.