Intent to Award Sole Source - CRP Interview Course

This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action Synopsis. There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will receive no response. This Proposed Contract Action is published to notify potential sources that The Rocky Mountain Research Station intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price contract, on behalf of the USDA Forest Service, to Sagacity Consulting, LLC. for a multi-year constract on the CRP Interview Courses for the Missoula Fire Lab located in Missoula, MT.

This procurement is for a multi-year contract for the CRP Interview Courses developed by Laura Mark that teaches people how to conduct interviews following traumatic events. This course will be offered as training for those employees who participate in Coordinated Response Protocol (CRP), Learning Review (LR) and Facilitated Learning Analysis (FLA) processes. USFS personnel in the Human Performance & Innovations and Organizational Learning (HP & IOL) Research Development and Applications will collaborate with the vendor as needed on potential changes to the content of the course. Assessment information about the success of the course will be collected through feedback forms during the training, which will be used to inform future iterations of the course.

The requested work stems directly from experiences and feedback from previous CRP/LR Standing Team Trainings and history of accident investigation. In order to create a more effective training experience that teaches FS employees how to interview under potentially stressful and/or traumatic conditions (such as during a serious incident or accident) it has been determined that a course on interviewing is needed. HP & IOL is tasked with leading development of this training curricula in partnership with the Office of Safety and Occupational Health (OSOH) and other internal FS units that may be interested. This interview course could also be used to teach employees how to interview people for learning from normal work events.

Tasks and Deliverables:

2.0 TASKS:

2.1 Course Logistics and Pre-Planning: Vendor will secure a training location, prepare materials for participants (name tags, workbook (if needed), etc.), with support from HP & IOL, ensure that there are adequate cadre members available, register course participants and provide any pre-work, provide course correspondence as needed with all involved.
a. To be delivered within the period of performance (~2 months prior to each course delivery)

2.2 Keeping Abreast of Current Literature/science and Practice in the Area of Interviewing: Vendor will research other existing courses and continue to stay current on applicable scientific literature that may assist with course delivery.
a. Research will be targeted in both industry and academia.
b. To be delivered within the period of performance (ongoing)

2.3 Delivery of in-person course, Including Collection of Course Feedback:

The Course: Length will be 3.5 days (28 Hours).
*This is the current course outline as of 2.2019; however, topics and concepts may change over time due to course feedback and emerging science/new knowledge.
Day 1 (8 hours)
Introduction of Course Content, Goals, and Objectives
Setting the stage for interview success - interviewer roles and responsibilities
Neuroscience and impact of fear and trauma; trauma memory
Tonic Immobility - why it is important
Initial Interview - Practical Exercises
Initial Interview - Debrief
Day 2 (8 hours)
Understanding empathy - what is it, and why is it necessary
Definition and Collection of Psychophysiological Responses
Trauma Informed Interview Demonstration
Trauma Informed Practical Exercises
Practical Exercises Debrief
Day 3 (8 hours)
Documenting trauma-informed interviews
Final trauma-informed practical exercise
Debrief final trauma-informed interviews
Day 4 (4 hours)
Vicarious Trauma and Self-Care
Post Course Assessment

Feedback: collecting feedback from students and cadre members during each course offering.

2.4 Updating Training Based on Course Feedback and New Research: Vendor will work in collaboration with subject matter experts from HP & IOL to update the training based on feedback after every course delivery and after a review of new research once a year (or more frequently as needed).

2.5 Provide a Formal Quality Assessment to HP & IOL Personnel after Each Course: Vendor will report to HP & IOL personnel and provide them with a quality assessment including: participant satisfaction, course relevancy, other applicable audiences, and other improvement innovations.
The vendor will deliver:

3.0 DELIVERABLES

3.1 The vendor will deliver:
a. Completed 3.5 day course delivery.
i. To be delivered within the period of (at least once per year, maybe more frequently, depending on need)
b. Completed feedback collection after each course.
i. To be delivered within the period of performance (within 30 days after each course delivery)
c. A quality assessment report after each course delivery
i. To be delivered within the period of performance (within 30 days after each course delivery)

Minimum Qualification Requirements: The vendor must have a working knowledge of Forest Service Culture and be trained in Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) techniques and practices. Extensive interviewing experience, and a firm grasp of peer review research related to how exposure to traumatic events affects interviewees' memories of those events.

The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Date posted to FedBizOpps: 18 JUL 2019. Date posting will close: 28 JUL 2019. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541611. The Size Standard is $15 million. The desired period of performance for the services described herein is anticipated to be from August 12, 2019 through December 31, 2023. The responses to this synopsis will be used to confirm that this is a sole source requirement. This notice is not a Request for Proposals (RFP); it is a market research tool being utilized to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources prior to awarding the contract. Any information submitted by respondents to this synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information that is submitted by respondents to this notice of proposed contract action. Contractors who believe they possess the expertise and experience shall submit technical capabilities in writing to Anthony Salas, RMRS Acquisition Management, USDA Forest Service, 240 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, or electronically to: anthony.salas@usda.gov. Responses must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. MDT 28 JUL 2019. All documentation shall become the property of the Government. Firms responding must indicate the following information: Indicate the business size: small business or disadvantaged business, veteran owned small business or HUB Zone certified, and indicate the appropriate NAICS code. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This synopsis should not be construed as commitment by the Government for any purpose other than market research.

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