DSPO Connect Program for Suicide Prevention

The Defense Human Resources Activity anticipates issuing a sole-source, firm fixed price contract for tailoring, expanding, and validating the Connect Program for Suicide Prevention across the Department of War and all Military Services, with performance expected to begin approximately November 2, 2026, pending results of this Sources Sought Notice due April 6, 2026.

The Government is conducting market research to identify vendors capable of adapting the evidence-based Connect Program—a group-interactive suicide prevention training developed through a 10-year University of Rochester and Department of Air Force collaboration—for implementation across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, National Guard Bureau, and Coast Guard. If the Sources Sought process does not identify alternative vendors, the Government intends to award a sole-source contract with a base period and two 12-month option periods beginning approximately November 2, 2026, following FAR 6.103-1(d) procedures. Safeside Prevention LLC is identified as the current sublicensee.

The contractor must review and tailor the program to align with Department of War values while maintaining fidelity, validate the updated program through pilot implementation with approximately 400 to 600 personnel, and deliver evaluation findings with recommendations for sustained implementation. Key deliverables include a Project Charter and Project Plan due within 30 days of award, an environmental scan of DoW policies (180 days after award), an updated Connect Program report (180 days after environmental scan approval), monthly status reports, and an evaluation report with a sustainable evaluation plan and identified metrics.

The contractor must comply with extensive security and records management requirements, including Tier 3 minimum background investigations, Controlled Unclassified Information handling, and Section 508 accessibility standards. Performance will occur at the vendor's facility and various military installations.

NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) applies, with a small business size standard of $24.5 million. Capability statements limited to five pages are due by the date specified in SAM.