Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF MAY 24, 2013 FBO #4199
DOCUMENT

G -- HUD-VASH Case Management Services - Philadelphia, PA - Attachment

Notice Date

5/22/2013
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

925110 — Administration of Housing Programs
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System;Acquisitions (90A);1010 Delafield Road;Pittsburgh PA 15215-1802
 

ZIP Code

15215-1802
 

Solicitation Number

VA24413I0827
 

Response Due

5/29/2013
 

Archive Date

6/28/2013
 

Point of Contact

Lyniece Fuller
 

E-Mail Address

Contracting Officer
(Lyniece.Fuller@va.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE only. Responses to this notice will be used for information and planning purposes. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this notice. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS NOTICE. This notice shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Responses to this sources sought is not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought synopsis request. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. The Philadelphia VA Medical Center (PVAMC) is conducting market research to identify qualified firms to assist with the provision of housing placement and case management services through the HUD-VASH program. The program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the VA Supportive Housing (VASH) program to place and maintain homeless Veterans in permanent, community based housing using HUD Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers that are paired with ongoing VA case management services. Many of these Veterans have co-morbid conditions that include serious mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders, and other serious medical conditions. PVAMC intends to engage a Contractor to provide housing placement services and on-going case management to PVAMC referred Veterans and their families. In addition to targeting the most vulnerable homeless Veterans, HUD-VASH seeks to utilize a Housing First approach to working with Veterans to ensure rapid housing placement and stabilization. Housing First is an approach that centers on providing homeless individuals with housing quickly and then providing services and treatment as needed. What differentiates a Housing First approach from other strategies is that there is an immediate and primary focus on helping individuals and families quickly access and sustain permanent housing. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a community based, interdisciplinary team approach to providing treatment and services to clients with severe psychiatric disorders. These clients may also have alcohol or other substance abuse problems. The ACT team typically brings treatment and support services to clients in their own environment, such as their apartment, or in other community based locations that are comfortable for the client. A key goal of ACT team services is to provide continuity of care, particularly for clients with long histories of fragmented or regularly interrupted treatment and services from a variety of systems, such as medical, mental health, addiction or criminal justice systems. ACT teams provide highly individualized services and care at the client's pace with a focus on problem solving in support of community integration and the development of a meaningful and productive life. Through this contract, PVAMC seeks to expedite the placement of eligible HUD-VASH Veterans and their families in affordable, permanent housing and assist them in maintaining housing thereafter. This housing must meet the criteria for inclusion in HUD's Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Contractors are not expected to provide housing as part of this contract, but they are expected to have appropriate staff and resources in place to assist Veterans find acceptable community based housing in as soon as possible that meet Section 8 criteria. Housing inspections are conducted by the local Public Housing Authority or its agent. Qualified firms would be able to provide specific tasks including: 1.GENERAL REQUIREMENTS A.Contractor services shall be furnished to eligible beneficiaries for whom such care is specifically authorized by the referring PVAMC HUD-VASH team. Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to: 1.Contractor shall assist Veterans with obtaining housing in Philadelphia County based on Veteran preference and housing availability. 2.Contractor shall work with Veterans and their families with a wide range of backgrounds and bio psychosocial challenges and vulnerabilities including, but not limited to, severe mental illness, chronic and current substance abuse, and serious medical problems. 3.Veterans shall be screened by the Contractor who must complete PVAMC approved screening and admission notes including but not limited to a screening/admission note, release of information forms, housing service agreement, clinical reminders, suicide risk assessment, and safety plan, HOMES documentation, etc. 4.Contractor shall accompany Veterans to Public Housing Authority (PHA) interview meetings, voucher session briefings, medical appointments, and other appointments as needed while working with Veterans to foster independence and a sense of self-determination. 5.Contractor shall participate in and coordinate with the PVAMC Contracting Officer's Representative (COR)/ Liaison during weekly case conferences regarding updates and changes in Veterans' care plans to foster a collaborative relationship with the VA and Contractor in meeting Veterans' needs. Case conferencing may be done in person or by telephonic conference calls as determined by the VA COR. 6.A minimum of 65% of the Veterans enrolled into the HUD-VASH program must meet HUD's definition of "chronically homeless" in fiscal year 2013. This percentage is based on a VA Central Office mandate and may change every year. A minimum of 88% of Veterans receiving case management services must be housed at the end of the fiscal year 2013. These percentages may change in subsequent years. A fiscal Year is Octobers 1 of any given year through September 30. Contractor shall comply with any future changes to these requirements. 7.A minimum of 90% of Veterans receiving case management services shall be housed within 60 days or less from date of admission into program until the Veteran has signed a lease. A minimum of 90% of Veterans receiving case management services shall remain housed for a minimum of one year and may only be discharged if approved by the VA. B.CONTRACTOR CASE MANAGEMENT DUTIES Contractor shall have procedures in place to ensure clients have access to case management services twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week, which shall include crisis management and referrals. Contractor shall ensure consistency of case management services to enhance staff ability to engage and form relationships with Veterans and provide consistent and highly skilled interventions. Contractor shall have adequate and appropriate space available at the Contractor location for PVAMC staff to conduct group meetings with the Veterans under Contractor care. Case Management Duties Include: 1.Engage the Veteran in the HUD-VASH process and take responsibility for interviewing, counseling and case management of identified Veterans who are at risk; providing psychosocial assessments to identify treatment needs which affect the Veteran's adjustment to their environment, and establish treatment goals; 2.Utilize counseling strategies to include crisis intervention and case management including both short and long-term services working toward long range HUD-VASH Program discharge goals. 3.Screen each Veteran for suicidal and homicidal risk with each contact. This screening shall be documented in progress notes, suicide risk assessments, and safety plans. Contactor shall document the aforementioned in the VA medical record. If the Veteran is a danger to him/herself or others, the Contractor shall take immediate steps to provide appropriate intervention. Crisis management shall be coordinated and executed by the contractor and shall be reported to the PVAMC COR, HUD-VASH Liaison, and/or other VA staff in accordance with Section 6-Contractor Reporting Requirements. 4.Facilitate the Veteran's involvement in therapeutic and work restoration programs intervening and advocating on behalf of the Veteran. 5.Assess the psychosocial and environmental needs or dysfunction secondary to or exacerbating the social, substance or psychiatric problems, which might contribute to readjustment to the community. Formulate case-management treatment goals and plans that address identified needs, stressors and problems and review the current Housing Stabilization Plan and goals when there is a significant change in the Veteran's status. 6.Conduct high-risk screening, psychosocial assessment and Housing Stabilization planning; actively involving the Veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with the team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment; 7.Contractors shall provide direct mental health and substance abuse counseling within their scope of practice and assist in securing available VA services. The Contractor shall also facilitate the Veteran's involvement in therapeutic and work restoration programs, such as Transitional Work Experience (TWE), as appropriate. 8.Contractor shall integrate Housing Stabilization planning with relevant VA health and mental health services. Contractor shall refer and provide access to PVAMC, VA Regional Offices, and community-based agencies for a variety of services that may include health care, entitlements, vocational assistance, education, recreation, and any other needed assistance. 9.Contractor shall have procedures in place to ensure clients have 24/7 access to live person-to- person case management services which shall include crisis management and referral. 10.Utilize a Critical Time Intervention (CTI) model for case management as described in the following link: http://www.criticaltime.org/model-detail/. The principal goal of CTI is to prevent recurrent homelessness and other adverse outcomes during the period following placement into the community from shelters, hospitals, and other institutions. CTI accomplishes this in two (2) primary ways: by strengthening the individual's long-term ties to services, family, and friends; and by providing emotional and practical support during the critical time of transition. 11.The Contractor will provide a level of intensity of services that matches the needs of the Veteran. A comparable evidenced based case management approach may also be used. The expectations for case management visits are as follows: a.Intensive phase (months 1-3) - at least weekly visits with Veteran must occur b.Stabilization phase (months 4-7) - at least twice a month visits c.Maintenance phase (months 8-9) - at least monthly visits In all phases, there should also be evidence of contacts with individuals and agencies engaged to support Veterans' housing and recovery needs. The number of Veteran visits per month will be based on the joint clinical case conference with PVAMC COR or HUD-VASH Liaison. No changes in visit schedule will occur without concurrence from PVAMC COR or HUD-VASH Liaison. Visits may occur either at the Veteran's residence, at another location agreeable to the Veteran, or in the course of accompanying Veterans to appointments. Phone contacts, while an acceptable way to communicate with a Veteran, are not considered visits in meeting the minimum monthly visit requirements in each phase. There shall be at least one visit per month to the Veteran's residence to assess the Veteran's clinical and environmental safety and housing stability, particularly in the Intensive and Stabilization phases of service delivery. The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) is 624190 and the small business size standard is $10.0 million. If a contract is awarded, it will be for a base year with the Government's option to exercise four (4) one (1) year option periods. Offerors are strongly encouraged to register in the System For Award Management Database (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov. Registration in SAM is required prior to award of any Federal contracts. Offerors having the capabilities necessary to provide the above stated services are invited to provide information to contribute to this Sources Sought notice including commercial market information and company information via email to Lyniece Fuller at Lyniece.Fuller@va.gov no later than 1:00 PM on May 29, 2013. RESPONSES SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (1) company name, (2) address, (3) point of contact, (4) phone, fax and email, (5) DUNS number, (6) Cage Code, (7) Tax ID Number, (8) business size/socio-economic classification. Additionally, please provide a brief capability statement with enough information to determine if the company can meet the requirement. The Capabilities Statement for this sources sought is not expected to be a Request for Proposal or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach, but rather it is a short statement regarding the company's ability to provide the service above. The capabilities will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining to Set-Aside for the Small Business Community or to conduct as an Unrestricted Procurement. Other than small businesses may respond to this notice in the event the market does not indicate Small Business interest, however, preference will be given in accordance with FAR Part 8 and FAR Part 19. The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of available contractors. Any questions or concerns may also be directed to Lyniece Fuller via email at Lyniece.Fuller@va.gov. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/PiVAMC646/PiVAMC646/VA24413I0827/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA244-13-I-0827 VA244-13-I-0827_1.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=769912&FileName=VA244-13-I-0827-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=769912&FileName=VA244-13-I-0827-000.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN03068708-W 20130524/130522234718-148fc88c7b38f2bb474fa911d5efd101 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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