Inactive

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capabil... This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, NCO 9 Network Contracting Office, on behalf of the Lexington VA Medical Center is conducting market research through this sources sought notice to seek sources to identify potential experienced businesses that are capable of meeting the requirements per the Statement of Work (SOW) below. Purpose and Objectives: Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method. NAICS code: 621340 and sized standard is $12.5 million. NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status must be registered, and verified in VetCert, Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov) DESCRIPTION/STATEMENT OF WORK 1. Scope The Lexington VA Health Care System (LVAHCS) Whole Health Program has a requirement to provide Integrative Health Services including movement therapies (yoga) and mind-body practices to veterans. Services will be provided at the Lexington Veteran Affairs (VA). Contractors offering the services will be trained according to standards outlined by Yoga Alliance. Contractors will have completed at least a 200-hour certification from an accredited program and will be registered with Yoga Alliance. Instructors will have a current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification or will complete Basic Life Saving Skills (BLS) through the VA before offering classes. Proof of training of all individual instructors will be provided to the LVAHCS. Services shall be provided in a safe, effective and non-judgmental manner and will take into consideration the individual needs of the recipient. 2. Purpose The Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to providing individualized, proactive, patient-driven care that includes both conventional and complementary integrative health (CIH) approaches. The Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation (OPCCCT) provides leadership to VHA regarding IH approaches and serves as the LVAHCS s partner in establishing a Whole Health model of care within our facility. It is VHA s goal to provide care in the safest and least restrictive environment, through a continuum of services. The LVAHCS s Whole Health Program Manager is responsible for developing, managing, and providing CIH services to our Veterans. By partnering with, local instructors qualified to offer all required services to our Veterans through vested providers, the Whole Health Program Manager will create an avenue for Veterans to access CIH services. The primary goal of the Whole Health Program Manager is to maintain or improve the health of Veterans served in our organization by increasing equal access to CIH services. 3. Description of Service a. The business will provide instructors whose training meets standards set by Yoga Alliance and teaches in a manner acceptable to the LVAHCS for the following clinical service: Yoga (2 hours per week), to offer clinical services to veterans served by the LVAHCS, under the direction of the LVAHCS IHP. b. Programming will run Monday through Friday, between the hours of 0700-1900, with the exception of 11 Federal Holidays (New Year s Day, MLK Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day) c. Services will be provided in group sessions. Group sessions will accommodate from 1-12 participants, with the ability to add/drop participants with limited notice. Session may be face to face or virtual to veterans home or at another VA facility. d. A master schedule of program offerings will be maintained by the VA Whole Health Program Manager and be made available to the contractor. Changes to the schedule will be done with a minimum of 6 weeks notice to the contractor. e. Cancellations of services will be accepted with a 6-week notice, without penalty. If cancellations are made within a 6-week time frame from said appointment, full compensation will be provided to the contracting organization. f. Contracted instructors will attend required team meetings at the Lexington VA Medical Center, as deemed necessary by the Whole Health Program Manager. Attendance can be by phone, unless otherwise directed by the Whole Health Program Manager. CIH practitioners are expected to share feedback and relevant experience, when appropriate, to foster the growth of the Whole Health Program. Instructors may be asked to complete other additional, related duties by the Whole Health Program Manager. Practitioners must also maintain up-to-date trainings that are required by the VHA for all personnel involved in patient care and/or research studies. Training certificates must be given to the Whole Health Program Manager, or other appropriate staff within Mental Health. g. Movement Therapy instructors will provide said therapy to Veterans seen in the Whole Health, unless specified as otherwise by the Whole Health Program Manager or associated LVAHCS staff. The style of expressive art should be consistent with the guidelines and direction of the IHP. Sessions will be provided on a recurring, weekly basis. The date, time and location of these group sessions will be determined by the Whole Health Program Manager. The practitioner is required to follow all VHA guidelines and policies surrounding patient care. Deliverables: The Movement Therapy instructors must be present no more than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of each session, stay forty-five (45) minutes after each session to allow for set up and clean up after class. Each instructor must create a safe environment of healing and restoration for Veterans. The time allotted should include preparation and introduction to the service. The instructor should also be able to demonstrate an understanding of VHA guidelines and policies and adhere to guidelines set forth by the IHP. Instructors will inform VA immediately of any equipment that needs repaired or replaced. Instructors will immediately remove any equipment that may cause a potential harm to a Veteran and inform VA. Instructors will inform VA 30 days in advance of any supply needs. Instructors will access the VA through employee entrances and will only park in employee approved parking spots. Instructors will follow all VHA rules and regulation while on VA property. h. All contracted practitioners will complete clinical notes in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) electronic health record system, known as CPRS, utilizing templates established by IHP. These notes are to be completed at the end of each appointment, unless mitigating circumstances are present. The task must be completed in a timely fashion and should take no more than 30 minutes per group session. All required medical record documentation shall be completed within 24 hours of seeing the patient, utilizing CPRS, following sessions each day by the practitioners, adhering to VHA policies and guidelines. In addition to required information, the practitioners should note anything of importance as it pertains to the patient s care. 4. Quality of Service The contracted instructors will be responsible for providing qualified, courteous, and efficient services as noted above. Instructors who are unable to keep appointments due, to illness, injury or other unforeseen circumstances will inform the LVAHCS at least 2 hours prior to start of class. Contracted instructors will inform LVAHCS at 60 days in advance of any planned vacation. Any concerns related to quality of services or practitioners will be handled between the contracting organization and the Whole Health Program Manager, in a fashion acceptable to the contractor and LVAHCS staff. 5. Government-furnished Equipment. The Government will furnish all supplies and equipment. 6. Term of Contract Anticipated (five) year contract from 02/2025 to 01/2030. 7. Access to Services Services will be provided as determined by the IHP and contracting organization and provisions noted above. Per VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 852.271-70 NONDISCRIMINATION IN SERVICES PROVIDED BENEFICIARIES (APR 1984): Contractor agrees to provide all services specified in this contract for any person determined eligible by the Under Secretary for Health, or designee, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin of the person for whom such services are ordered. Contractor further warrants that he/she will not resort to subcontracting as a means of circumventing this provision. 8. HIPAA Compliance Contractor must adhere to the provisions of Public Law 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and the National Standards to Protect the Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information (PHI). As required by HIPAA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has promulgated rules governing the security and use and disclosure of protected health information by covered entities, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA Central Office, Washington DC, has determined medical services provided under Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) do not require a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) from contractors providing healthcare services on VA s behalf. 9. Information Security Contractor will comply with all applicable Information Security policies including, but not limited to, completing required training, signing, and abiding by the Rules of Behavior , completing any security background checks as requested by VA and maintaining the security of sensitive information per VA regulations. 10. Records Management A. Applicability This clause applies to all Contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records, as defined in Section B, regardless of the medium in which the record exists. B. Definitions Federal record as defined in 44 U.S.C. § 3301, includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them. The term Federal record: includes Lexington VA Health Care System (LVAHCS) records. Does not include personal materials. Applies to records created, received, or maintained by Contractors pursuant to their LVAHCS contract. May include deliverables and documentation associated with deliverables. C. Requirements Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data. LVAHCS and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of LVAHCS or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to LVAHCS. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle]. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to LVAHCS control or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the [contract vehicle]. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4). The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and LVAHCS guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information. The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with LVAHCS policy. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public LVAHCS information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act. The LVAHCS owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which LVAHCS shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.227-20. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take LVAHCS-provided records management training. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training. [Note: To the extent an agency requires contractors to complete records management training, the agency must provide the training to the contractor.] 11. Payment of Services. Instructors will be paid an hourly rate. Instructor will be paid for the 15 minutes prior to the class, the one-hour class and for the 45 minutes after the class. For a total of two (2) hours per class. There will be a total of two (2) classes per week. And 2 special events which last 2 hours each. 12. Interested Vendors Shall Submit: Capability statement /information sought: Response to this announcement shall not to exceed 5 pages and should include the following information: (1) A tailored capability statement indicating the firm s ability to provide a product and related services; (2) The respondents DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., SDVOSB/VOSB, etc,) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code; (3) Information should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Please e-mail your response with the above information dustin.glover@va.gov with the subject line "Sources Sought Notice # 36C24925Q0114 by 10:30 a.m. EST on 02/04/2025. Any question should be emailed to dustin.glover@va.gov.