R -- PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT: REDUCING DISCRIMINATION AND STIGMA IN THE WORKING FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS

Notice Date

July 24, 2001

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

01M008772

Response Due

July 31, 2001

Point of Contact

Joe Pirrone, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-443-4852, Fax 301-443-3238, Email jpirrone@psc.gov -- Nora Tyson, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-443-5229, Fax 301-443-3238, Email ntyson@psc.gov

Description

Purpose: The Agency of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), through the Program Support Center, General Acquisitions Branch, plans to award a 7 month sole source simplified acquisition to the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign. The anticipated date of award is July 31, 2001. The proposed project will assist in the development of useful information pieces to raise awareness on what employers need to know and can do to promote the hiring and retention of as well as facilitate the implementation of the ADA for youth and adults with mental illness. These information pieces will be distributed as part of an Employer Toolkit at the National Summit. Also, CMHS currently needs to build its knowledge-base relating to attitudes, practices and policies of discrimination and stigma in the workplace related to youth and adults and successful approaches of how to address them to plan future activities. This project provides the occasion for CMHS to continue to provide national leadership in addressing stigma and discrimination in the workplace to afford mental health consumers, both youth and adults, increased opportunities to seek, get and keep jobs. The purpose of this contract is two-fold: 1) to develop useful information pieces to raise awareness on what employers need to know and can do to promote the hiring, retention and rights of people with mental illness, including a special focus on youth in transition from school to work, and 2) to develop three summary reports highlighting major findings and recommendations of employer and consumer (youth and adults) in-depth interviews, literature and survey reviews, and model practices, policies, and training programs related to discrimination and stigma in the workplace associated with mental illness for transitioning youth and adults. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: 1. The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment, materials and supplies (except as otherwise specified herein) to perform work set forth below. 2. All work under this contract shall be monitored by the Government Project Officer (GPO) 3. All reports and materials produced under this project shall be the property of the Federal Government, which includes SAMHSA. SAMHSA may utilize, print, or disseminate such material without further charge. 4. A Monthly Progress Report shall be submitted. The contractor shall prepare and submit three (3) copies of letter type progress reports. The report shall provide an overall statement regarding the activities of the contract which will 1) detail activities which were completed during the month and note the status of the summary report and the information pieces; 2) address problems encountered and how they were or will be resolved; (3) address planned activities for the upcoming reporting period; and 4) include statements that the contract will (or will not) be included within the budgeted amount. 5. All written submissions to the Project Officer shall be three (3) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy in Word Perfect. They shall be complete and edited. B. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: Task 1 -- Initial Meeting and Project Plan a. Within five working days of the contract effective date, the contractor shall meet with Project Officer to review the Plan of Performance, and discuss all aspects of the contract including concepts for the three print information pieces, candidates for employer and consumer interviews, sources of professional and lay literature and existing employment related surveys, and development of the summary reports. The Project Officer will offer recommendations related to these elements, especially candidates for interviews and sources of survey information. Three (3) copies of the Plan of Performance shall be submitted at the meeting. At this meeting, the Project Officer shall clarify any remaining issues with regards to the project. b. Within five days of the meeting, the Contractor shall submit the revised work plan and that incorporates Project Officer comments and suggestions. Task 2 -- Develop and Submit Outline Concepts for Three Informational Pieces for the Employment Toolkit a. Develop and outline concepts for three print information pieces, which may include 1-2 page brochures, fact sheets or fliers, to use as tools at the National Summit to raise awareness on what employers need to know and can do to promote the hiring and retention of people with mental illness with a special focus on youth in transition from school to work. These may relate to practices, policies, attitudes, training, facts on mental illness in the workplace, implementation of the ADA especially related to hiring and reasonable accommodations, costs, and resources. b. Submit to Project Officer within four (4) weeks of contract effective date for comment and approval. c. Revise and resubmit document within five days of Project Officer comments Task 3 -Prepare and Submit Three Informational Pieces of for the Employment Toolkit a. Develop text and recommended design for three print information pieces based on approved outline. b. Submit to Project Officer within six (6) weeks of contract effective date for comment and approval. c. Revise and resubmit document within five days of Project Officer comments Task 4 -- Conduct In-depth Interviews a. Identify list of candidates for interviews and submit to Project Officer for approval within four (4) weeks of contract effective date b. Conduct between 6-8 (in total) in-depth individual interviews of employers (small and large businesses) and consumers (youth and adults) who are employed or have been employed including: -- the extent of the problem regarding employment stigma and discrimination and implementing the ADA, especially related to youth in transition from school to work, -- employer, co-worker, and public's attitudes, behavior, and opinions toward adults and youth with mental illness in the workplace, -- identification of barriers associated with discrimination and stigma to employment for both youth and adults, -- the employment experiences of employees (adults and youth) with psychiatric disabilities, regarding the challenges of stigmatization and recommendations for reducing employment discrimination and stigmatization, and -- effective workplace training programs, practices, projects and activities in addressing stigma for both youth and adults. (To the extent possible these persons should represent a variety of ages including youth, ethnicities, and include equal gender distribution.) c. Submit 3-6 page, double-spaced, summary of interviews highlighting major findings and recommendations to Project Officer for comment and acceptance within eight (8) weeks of contract effective date d. Revise and resubmit document within five days of Project Officer comments Task 5 -- Review Existing Literature/Surveys on Discrimination and Stigma in the Workplace and Prepare Summary a. Review professional and lay literature and existing surveys regarding adults and youth with psychiatric disabilities in the workplace including: -- the extent of the problem regarding stigma and discrimination of youth and adults related to employment and implementation of the ADA, -- employer, co-worker, and public's attitudes, behavior, and opinions toward people with mental illness in the workplace, -- identification of barriers associated with discrimination and stigma to employment for youth and adults, -- the employment experiences of employees (youth and adults) with psychiatric disabilities, regarding the challenges of stigmatization and recommendations for reducing employment discrimination and stigmatization, and -- effective workplace training programs, practices, projects and activities in addressing stigma for youth and adults. b. Submit 6-10 page, double-spaced summary of literature and survey review and major finding to Project Officer for comment and acceptance within fourteen (14) weeks of contract effective date C. Revise and resubmit document within five days of Project Officer comments Task 6 -- Identify and Review Promising Practices on Addressing Discrimination and Stigma in the Workplace and Prepare Summary SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES: Task 1a: 1. Initial Meeting with Project Officer Quantity (3) -- Due Date 5-days after award date 1b: 2. Final Work Plan to Project Officer Quantity (3) -- Due Date 5-days after initial meeting 2b: 3.a Draft Outline of Concepts for Informational Pieces Quantity (3) -- Due Date 4-weeks after award date 2c: 3.b Final Outline Quantity (3) -- Due Date Within 5-days Project Officer comment 3b: 4.a Draft Information Pieces Quantity (3) -- Due Date 6-weeks after award date 3c: 4.b Final Information Pieces Quanity (3) -- Due Date Within 5-days Project Officer comment 4a: 5. Interview Candidate List Quantity (3) Due Date -- 4-weeks after award date 4c: 6.a Draft Interview Summary Quanity (3) Due Date -- 8-week after award date 4d: 6.b Final Summary -- Quantity (3) Due Date -- Within 5-days the Project Officer comment 5b: 7.a Draft Literature/Survey Summary -- Quantity (3) Due Date -- 14-weeks after award date 5c: 7.b Final Summary -- Quantity (3) Due Date -- Within 5-days of Project Officer comment 6b: 8.a Draft Promising Practices Summary -- Quantity (3) Due Date -- 20-weeks after award date 6c: 8.b Final Summary -- Quanity (3) Due Date -- Within 5-days of Project Officer comment 9. Monthly Progress Reports -- Quantity (3) Due Date -- 10 days after the previous month All submissions will also include an electronic file in Word Perfect. SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES: Completion of TASK 1 & 2 -- Four weeks after date of contract award Completion of TASK 3 &4 -- Eight weeks after date of contract award Completion of TASK 5 -- Fourteen weeks after date of contract award Completion of TASK 6 -- Twenty weeks after date of contract award The proposed simplified acquisition is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest by responding to the requirement within 10 days after the date of publication of this notice. 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. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No solicitation is available. For further information, please contact Nora Tyson in rm. 5C-03, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Md. 20857 or on 301-443-8826.

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010726/RSOL022.HTM (D-205 SN50S7J0)