SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Executive Leadership in State Mental Health Administration
- Notice Date
- 4/16/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management, Parklawn Building Room 5-101 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857
- ZIP Code
- 20857
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-04M000128
- Response Due
- 4/30/2004
- Point of Contact
- Darren Jansen, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-443-1857, Fax 301-443-3238, - Joe Pirrone, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-443-4852, Fax 301-443-3238,
- E-Mail Address
-
djansen@psc.gov, jpirrone@psc.gov
- Description
- SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES DATE: APRIL 16, 2004 REQUISITION NO: 04M000128 INTENDED SOURCE: HARVARD UNIVERSITY-JOHN F. KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: DATE OF AWARD THROUGH TWELVE MONTHS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, THROUGH THE PROGRAM SUPPORT CENTER, PLANS TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY-JOHN F. KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT. CLOSING DATE IS APRIL 30, 2004. BACKGROUND: The Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) was established by the 1992 ADAMHA Reorganization Act (Public Law 102-321) and reauthorized by Public Law 106-310. It is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services. Congress created CMHS to bring new hope for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance. CMHS leads Federal efforts to treat mental illnesses by promoting mental health and by preventing the development or worsening of mental illness when possible. The Division of State and Community Systems Development, through the mental health block grant, provides assistance to States in the development of comprehensive community based systems of care for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance. In addition, to the dissemination of block grant monies to the States, the block grant set-aside monies support technical assistance activities and training activities that assist State personnel in the development of their systems of care. Assisting in the development of the leadership at the highest levels in the State mental health authorities has been a major goal of the Federal government in the administration of the mental health block grant program. Since 1988, the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors have joined together to provide executive leadership training for State Mental Health Commissioners and Deputy Directors. The training provided under this program has helped the State/Territorial leadership confront what has been called Aone of the most difficult jobs in the public sector.@ The program has consistently received high ratings by the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, has become a standard and highly valued component of the national meetings and has assisted in the development of the partnership between the States and the mental health block grant program. The quality of the programs is due in no small part to the fact that its development is the shared responsibility of the senior staff of NASMHPD, which is attuned to the needs of the Commissioners and the Harvard faculty which have access to the academic community at Harvard and other universities. The academic community contributing to the program includes psychiatry and psychology, public management through the Kennedy School of Government, and business administration. In each program, formal presentations by CMHS leadership have introduced the new Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to the SAMHSA programs. The experience gained over the years by the continuity of program direction has been a major factor in its success. The resulting training has focused on some of the most complex aspects of managing a State mental health authority. Due to the projected turnover it is expected that, 20-25 Commissioners and or Deputy Commissioners will qualify for this training. A critical aspect of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) agenda is to provide leadership in supporting the training activities of leaders of mental health service systems. This Program for Executive Leadership in State Mental Health Administration has two specific aims: -To enhance the leadership skills of State mental health agency directors and deputy directors. -To improve the managerial and program competence of state mental health agency directors and deputy directors. SCOPE OF WORK: Specific Requirements Task 1: The contractor shall provide professional training services for newly appointed State/Territory mental health Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners (those who have not previously attended the seminar in conjunction with their current appointment). Specifically, the contractor will provide training that explores major management and leadership issues facing these leaders, including, mission and values, internal management; working with consumers; families, and advocates; current thinking in the provision of services to persons with serious mental illness; health reform; the role of CMHS; working with the governor, legislature and media; and using data to effectively lead an organization. Task 2: Specifically, the contractor shall also provide for a forum where experienced commissioners share their pitfalls and successes. Experienced current and former directors of state mental health agencies, adding outside resource faculty as needed, will lead this training. Task 3. Based on discussions with NASMHPD staff and representative State commissioners, the contractor shall propose to the project officer, training curricula to be offered at the twice-yearly meetings of NASMHPD. These Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner?s Enrichment Seminars can focus on an array of topics such as Trends in Managed Care, Effective Use of Governing and Advisory Boards, and The Use of Outcome Measures. Task 4. The contractor shall provide an evening seminar during each of the twice-yearly meetings of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, (NASMHPD). This program will be offered to all State commissioners and Deputy Directors attending the NASMHPD meeting. These seminars will include guest lecturers, case studies panel discussions or presentations on current management and leadership issues of interest to State Commissioners. Task 5. The Contractor shall produce for the above courses a number of case studies, and other written materials to benefit new and current State commissioners and Deputy Directors. This material will then be made available to the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) and the SAMHSA Web Site for wider dissemination. Task 6: The Contractor shall arrange for all of the logistics necessary to implement these activities, including travel, hotel, per diem and arrangements for appropriate meeting rooms. Task 7: The GPO and Director of the Division of State and Community Systems Development will be informed 2 months prior to each seminar of the date and location of the seminar and will receive copies of all correspondence with the States/Commissioners regarding these activities. Task 8: The Contractor shall note in all correspondence and materials that this activity is funded through the CMHS Division of State and Community Systems Development with mental health block grant set-aside funding. The Director of the Division of State and Community Systems Development will be invited to participate and address participants at the training session. It is expected that the Division Director, or her designee, will represent the mental health block grant program to engage in a dialogue with participants regarding the block grant program and compelling State mental health issues. Task 9. The Contractor shall provide a final report to the Project Officer on the activities undertaken in this professional service contract. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION In completing this unique project, the government expects the training programs to be delivered to the leaders of States? mental health systems to be of the highest quality available. In order to ensure that excellence, it is pursuing a sole source contract with Harvard University. Harvard University is the nation?s oldest institution of higher education and one of its most prestigious universities. Harvard University in conjunction with the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Department of Psychiatry of the Harvard Medical School, and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors is uniquely qualified to undertake the training of senior staff of state mental health agencies. For over thirty years, Harvard?s John F. Kennedy School of Government has been a national leader in the training of mid-career senior officials of Federal, State, County and Municipal agencies. Since 1985, the school has recognized the importance of training the senior staff of State mental health agencies in the complex areas of system change, public mental health policy development, and the organization and financing of systems of care. Since that time, the Kennedy School has devoted significant faculty resources to the development of educational programs and materials targeted to this unique group of State officials. Likewise, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors serves the State mental health agencies in a significant role. NASMHPD is the only national association representing state mental health commissioners and their agencies. As such, NASMHPDserves as an essential and trusted source of information for state mental health commissioners/deputy commissioners regarding best practices in the delivery of mental health services, effective management practices and financing mechanisms for state mental health agencies, and important policy issues that drive public mental health systems. NASMHPD provides consultation, technical assistance, and opportunities for education on a broad range of topics. NASMHPD's mission ensures that its work plan and priorities are driven by the technical assistance and information needs deemed most relevant by state mental health agencies. Most importantly, NASMHPD provides a critical forum for open dialogue and the exchange of information among peers. NASMHPD has long fostered an environment in which newer commissioner/deputy commissioners can learn from more experienced colleagues; states can share experiences and expertise to improve systems across the country; and experts in the field, including consumers, families and advocates, can work directly with states to incorporate important research findings into systems design and practice. Thus, this unique collaboration between Harvard University and NASMHPD that has developed over the years is targeted to meet the needs of the leaders of public mental health systems. This relationship has consistently produced training curricula that are relevant to State mental health agencies and assisted in their ability to provide quality-training programs and advance the purposes of the mental health block grant. Harvard University, using its highly effective case study method of learning, will develop case studies specifically to be used in training the Commissioners in the intricacies of how government works, how public policy is made, and problem solving for the most difficult issues facing managers in government. These case studies address topics identified as highly relevant to these administrators. For example, these include cases addressing the reallocation of resources from state institutions to community programs (Massachusetts Federal Court Case); large-scale state system reform (Ohio Mental Health Case); the stigma of mental illness and community acceptance of people with mental illness (Maine Group Home Case); and, ensuring the adequacy of state hospital resources (Colorado State Hospital Case). In addition to these case studies, the school has developed several monographs that specifically address the role of senior staff in complex state bureaucracies, such as Bromides for Managers or When a New Manager Takes Charge. Harvard University and the Kennedy School have also developed a cadre of faculty members who have extensive experience in teaching State mental health agency staff. This faculty includes former directors and senior managers of State mental health agencies who are able to use their personal knowledge and experience about these complex jobs to address significant problems encountered by their peers. This peer-to-peer learning is unique in schools of government, and has been part of the success of the Kennedy School has had in translating the theory of public administration into practice. The Kennedy School=s commitment to the senior level administrator is also important in that it recognizes the contributions that this level of staff can have within government, and in the professional development of these managers for future directorships within the State mental health agency. CMHS recognizes that quality mental health care requires a close attention to management and administration and skillful leadership. CMHS has a history of collaboration with the States to ensure that these mental health systems are planned, developed, and administered with the best knowledge, skill and expertise available. This training, which is only available from Harvard University in collaboration with NASMHPD, will enhance the participants in their leadership of State governments in the development of quality mental health care delivery systems. CMHS knows of no other provider who can meet the requirements of this procurement. THE PROPOSED SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION IS FOR SERVICES FOR WHICH THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SOLICIT AND NEGOTIATE WITH ONLY ONE SOURCE (FAR 6.302-1). A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO COMPETE THIS PROPOSED SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. CONTRACTORS MAY FORWARD CAPABILITY STATEMENTS TO THE REFERENCED ADDRESS. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF DETERMINING WHETHER TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DARREN JANSEN, IN ROOM 5C-13, PARKLAWN BLDG., 5600 FISHERS LANE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20857 OR ON 301-443-1857.
- Record
- SN00567351-W 20040418/040416211907 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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