Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

RFQ Amendment #2.

Inactive

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY The intent of this Sources Sought Announcement is to assist in our decision-making process for services procurement. This is not a solicitation, nor request ... This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY The intent of this Sources Sought Announcement is to assist in our decision-making process for services procurement. This is not a solicitation, nor request for quotes or proposals. Through the receipt of responses, this will enable a more precise type of procurement process. 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 of a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. Any inquiries are to be made in writing by email to the point of contact, Larry Facio, Contracting Officer. Responses to this notice shall be sent by email to larry.facio@va.gov by the due date and time of 07/22/2020 by 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). This is for a single year contract to begin September 15, 2020. Contractor must be licensed to practice in the state of California. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center (VAMC) located in Palo Alto, California requires digital health coaching services as part of the national Whole Health initiative. Whole Health aims to empower, equip, and treat veterans by expanding their care team to include the community, teaching self-care and other skills that are the building blocks of wellness, and incorporating new practitioners and new modalities in care delivery. Whole Health has chosen VAMC in Palo Alto as one of seventeen pilot sites. As a pilot site, Palo Alto has an obligation to augment and emphasize the role of both trained and peer health coaches. As such, Palo Alto seeks a vendor to provide trained, expert coaching services across a range of conditions to complement its existing peer and entry-level coaches. In order to reach as many veterans as possible, and to facilitate their engagement with coaches, Palo Alto seeks a digital vendor that is, one that delivers coaching through an online platform with multiple modalities, such as app and text. Given the breadth of the Whole Health mandate, Palo Alto seeks a vendor that is able to address a range of conditions that affect wellness: sleep, nutrition, stress management, and chronic disease management, to name a few. Brief Description of Services Required: 1-on-1 Coaching: Contractor must provide 1-on-1 coaching (as opposed to group coaching or algorithm-driven coaching administered by an algorithm) via text, mobile, tablet, or desktop. Mobile Content: Contractor must provide best-in-class and evidence-based content including lessons, tips, and other materials that support veterans between coaching sessions. Integrated Device Capabilities: Contractor must have the capability to integrate and report on wearable device data, such as data from pedometers or other activity trackers. Tracking and Reporting: Contractor must log/record/assess veterans progress (via self-reports, interactions, and device data) and provide detailed reports to Palo Alto clinicians and program managers. Personalized Programming for Wellness Objectives: Contractor must provide personalized programming that meets veterans where they are in terms of motivation and skills (programming must have the capacity to flex content and engagement based on a given veteran s needs). This personalized approach must apply across a range of wellness objectives, including but not limited to: sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress management, chronic disease management (specifically hypertension and diabetes), and weight loss. We are seeking only those currently providing similar or these same services with a network of on-staff coaches along with fully functioning digitized platforms. This is not a requirement for staffing agencies nor developmental platforms, this is to continue with services currently being provided to VA patients. If interested and capable please respond by July 22nd with capabilities statement describing experience related to these services, number of existing staff coaches, and details of digitize platforms. Response Method: The Government requests capability statements and comments from interested businesses regarding the requirements described above. Responsible sources are encouraged to submit a response to this notice with a statement of interest on company letterhead. When responding, in Subject line insert: Sources Sought VAPAHCS Whole Health Coach. At a minimum, the following information shall be provided: 1. Company Name; 2. Company Mailing Address; 3. Point(s) of Contact including telephone number(s) & email address(es); 4. Socio-Economic (i.e. Small/Large Business, HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, 8(a), etc.) as it relates to NAICS Code 621399 ($8 Million). 5. Provide a summary of the type of services performed and experience as it relates to Whole Health Coach Services. 6. DUNS Number 7. Additional information and/or comments. Veterans First Contracting Program and the VA Rule of Two (Kingdomware v. United States) 38 U.S.C. 8127 - 8128: Service-disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) or Veteran owned small business (VOSB) concern must be registered and verified in VA's Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database at www.vip.vetbiz.gov to be eligible for award as a SDVOSB or VOSB if/when a solicitation is issued for this requirement as a SDVOSB or VOSB set aside. In addition, this requirement has been determined to be set aside as SDVOSB or VOSB acquisition, only SDVOSB or VOSB that respond to this specific notice with in the above stated due date will be eligible for award. As this is a service acquisition, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Acquisition Regulation have a Limitations on Subcontracting requirement. For all small businesses, to include SDVOSB and VOSB, At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. See FAR 52.219-14 and FAR 52.219-27 available in full text at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_217_221.html The anticipated need for the Health Care Systems may be significant, and the needs may change significantly over the course of the next few weeks and months. Contractors must be able to quickly identify, screen, and process employees for rapid on-boarding with the healthcare facilities identified. Contractors must be able to quickly adapt to changing needs.