USDA Forest Service (Region 6) Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

PLANNED CONTRACT TYPE

Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Commercial Item Service awarded IAW Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 
Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for certain Commercial Items. This subpart authorizes the use of simplified procedures for the 
acquisition of services in amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) of $250,000 but not exceeding $7 million. The expectation by the USDA Forest Service is that the services requested by this solicitation, and provided by the vendor, are customarily used by the general public or by non-governmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes.

DEPARTMENT / AGENCY

This contract will provide services to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service in the states of Alaska, Oregon and Washington.

INCUMBENT CONTRACTOR

The current contractor awarded this contract is EAP Consultants LLC (dba ESPYR). ESPYR has provided EAP services to the USDA Forest Service over the past five years (April 2016 through March 2021).

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES COVERED BY CONTRACT

Five Thousand Two Hundred (5,200) (edit).

 DURATION OF PROPOSED CONTRACT

Base Year:     04/01/2021 – 03/31/2022

Option Year 1: 04/01/2022 – 03/31/2023

Option Year 2: 04/01/2023 – 03/31/2024

Option Year 3: 04/01/2024 – 03/31/2025

Option Year 4: 04/01/2025 – 03/31/2026

SET-ASIDE PROGRAM

Unrestricted—large and small businesses will be considered for contract award.

PURPOSE OF PROPOSED CONTRACT

The purpose of this proposed contract is to award a single firm-fixed-price (FFP) service contract with a base year and four (4) option years to one (1) Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider. The EAP provider will provide employee and family members support resources to include career/vocational, physical and mental/emotional, trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), financial/legal issues, anger management, depression, stress, grief, alcohol, family / parenting, marital/relationship and drug related problems that impact—or may impact—employee conduct and/or work performance.

METHOD OF PROVIDING SERVICES

This professional service encompasses EAP assessment (telephonic, live in- person or virtual platforms based on employee location and desire), referral counseling, and brief treatment (up to six (6) sessions); actual treatment is the employee’s responsibility.

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

Not required.

EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, REFERRAL AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTATION AND ASSISTANCE 

Upon request of an employee or supervisor, the Contractor shall provide local and in-person or virtual based on employee desire EAP assessment, referral counseling and brief treatment counseling services. While the short-term counseling, within the provider’s area of competence may be needed, Federal Employees Assistance Program regulations and funding are intended primarily for diagnosis and referral. The employee (or third party) is responsible for treatment costs. The Contractor shall make available to employees/supervisors a 24-hour, 7- day week, toll-free access telephone number and have the ability to communicate with the USDA Forest Service via electronic computer network. The Contractor shall provide TDD/TTY access if the need arises. If services are requested outside of normal business hours (Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Pacific Time)), the service must be offered at time of call. Deferring a service by appointment during normal business hours may be made for non-critical/trauma services only. Services must be offered via virtual or Tele-Med support under the same 24- hour, 7-day week criteria as outlined above. The Contractor shall provide website for online EAP information and tools. The Contractor shall provide upon request of the employee or supervisor, a female or male counselor, one of which shall be fluent in Spanish. If the employee/supervisor is not comfortable with the assigned counselor, at least an alternative provider shall be substituted. Interpreters in other languages shall be made available upon request. The Contractor shall provide management consultation and referrals. The Contractor shall provide client follow-up and satisfaction surveys.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

At least one principle or staff counselor shall be a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) available to counsel employees covered by the commercial driver’s licensing requirements found at 49 CFR Part 382 and related Parts. A SAP is a licensed physician (Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathy); or a licensed or certified psychologist, social worker, employee assistance professional; or an addiction counselor (certified by the NAADAC or by the ICRC/Alcohol and other Drug Abuse). A SAP shall have knowledge of and clinical experience in, the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol and controlled substances-related disorders. The SAP shall provide employee and employer services as described in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s June 1995 publication entitled, “Substance Abuse Professional Procedures Guidelines for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs”, or any updates thereto. 

QUARTERLY UTILIZATION REPORTS 

The Contractor shall provide quarterly and annual Statistical Reporting, including utilization and feedback to Forests on trends and employee satisfaction with counseling services, submitting reports to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Government Technical Monitors (GTM). These reports must be broken down by Forest and Pacific Northwest Research Station. 

PROGRAM MATERIALS AND LITERATURE

The Contractor shall provide an employee promotional brochure annually for each employee.

PROPOSED EVALUATION FACTORS FOR CONTRACT AWARD

Refer to solicitation.