SPECIAL NOTICE
B -- CONTINUE SERVICES FOR JOINT PROJECT TO DETERMINE WAYS SSA CAN IMPROVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF CHILDHOOD CASES
- Notice Date
- 7/7/2004
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Social Security Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment and Management, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21207-5279
- ZIP Code
- 21207-5279
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-2631-04-1001
- Response Due
- 7/22/2004
- Archive Date
- 8/6/2004
- Point of Contact
- Barbara Hands, Contract Specialist, Phone 4109659517, Fax 4109669310, - Dawn Caracci, Contract Specialist, Phone 410-965-9465, Fax 410-966-9310,
- E-Mail Address
-
barbara.hands@ssa.gov, dawn.caracci@ssa.gov
- Description
- The Social Security Administration (SSA) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis a contract with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) (formerly the American Association of University Affiliated Programs (AAUAP)) to continue to provide services for an on-going joint SSA/AUCD project to determine the ways that SSA can improve policies and procedures for the adjudication of childhood cases. In the past 5 years of the project, under the joint guidance of SSA and the AUCD, State Disability Determination Services (DDSs) identified childhood SSI cases in specific cohorts for referral to local University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) for interdisciplinary medical evaluations on a consultative basis. The evaluations were conducted following a set protocol devised jointly by SSA and the AUCD. These examinations are still continuing, but to date the UCEDDs have conducted hundreds of examinations and case reviews since the beginning of the project. SSA has used findings from the project to improve SSI childhood disability regulations and instructions as well as develop training. Demonstration projects have been conducted to increase collaboration between the DDS and UCEDD sites. Considerable work remains, including a variety of activities SSA needs to do based on analyses of the cases from the first 5 years. The contract shall have two major tasks: (1) Develop training for adjudicators in the DDSs (including disability examiners and medical and psychological consultant staff), the Office of Hearings and Appeals (including administrative law judges, administrative appeals judges in the Appeals Council, and attorney and other support staff), quality review components (including regional Disability Quality Branches and Regional Office medical support staff), and other personnel (including Central Office staff). The training will address a specific issue regarding the evaluation of SSI childhood disability claims identified as a result of the interdisciplinary assessments conducted during the first 5 years of the project and analyses of the findings from the project. (2) Develop demonstration projects designed to improve collaboration between selected UCEDDs and DDSs. The project designs shall be based on, and build upon, the experience in case referrals and DDS/UCEDD collaboration during the first 5 years of the project. The goals are to improve SSA's ability to gather appropriate evidence, to help to reduce the number of children who need SSI disability benefits, and to help more children ultimately to leave the SSI disability rolls, improving SSA's stewardship of the SSI childhood program. The contractor shall provide the necessary personnel and facilities to accomplish each of these tasks. The period of performance for this requirement will be for a base year beginning September 30, 2004 through September 29, 2005 with one 1-year option to extend the term of the contract. To the Government?s knowledge, the AUCD is the only national association that represents and supports the network of UCEDDs throughout the United States. There are UCEDDs in every state and territory of the United States, and each UCEDD is affiliated with a major research university. UCEDDs specialize in the assessment of individuals with developmental disabilities, the kinds of impairments that are the focus of this project. For the timely and cost-effective completion of the tasks, SSA is not aware of any other organization that exists in so many sites throughout the country and that has: (1) Understanding of the specific populations in this project, (2) The academic expertise, (3) The variety of medical specialties at each site for conducting interdisciplinary assessments, (4) Expert personnel who can assist families who participate in the project, (5) Specialized knowledge regarding the school, early intervention, and other evidence SSA needs, (6) Understanding of the SSI disability program requirements, and (7) Connection with other Federal, State and local agencies. The AUCD and the UCEDD network have participated in the project since 1999. As a consequence they are not only familiar with the process, but have formed relationships with their local DDSs and have made necessary adjustments within their sites to accommodate our needs to quickly conduct the examinations and provide their reports. AUCD has participated in the analyses of the results and will understand and be best able to accomplish the tasks of the contract. SSA knows of no other source that has the capability to satisfy all of the requirements for this contract. The proposed contract is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302-1. This is not a request for proposals nor an announcement of a forthcoming solicitation. Interested parties that believe they have the capability to provide SSA the required services may submit a capability statement to Barbara F. Hands by mail to: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, 1710 GWYNN OAK AVENUE, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21207; by email to barbara.hands@ssa.gov or by fax to 410-966-9310. All responses shall be marked COLLABORATION PROJECT and shall be received no later than 3:00 p.m. (EST) July 23, 2004. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received by the cutoff date above, the SSA will proceed with sole source negotiations with AUCD. All questions must be in writing to the mailing address or email address listed above and marked to the attention of Barbara F. Hands. Telephone calls will not be accepted.
- Record
- SN00616562-W 20040709/040707212643 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |