A--"A Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)," CSR&D study

THIS IS A SPECIAL NOTICE OF THE VISN 7 CONTRACTING NETWORK'S INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE. NO HARD COPY OF THE RFQ IS AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION. This notice is being published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 5.101(a)(1) dissemination of information on proposed contract actions and FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) soliciting from a single source for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. The Government anticipates entering into sole source procurement negotiations with Laura McNulty, LMFT, to practice, teach and clinically deliver Mindfulness Based interventions (such as Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention- MBRP or Mindfulness Base Stress Reduction-MBSR) to Veterans at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center within the context of a research study. During the study the MBRP/MBSR therapist will be involved in a one hour semi-monthly supervision teleconference and have approximately 1 hour semi-monthly for administrative or documentation duties which include Institutional Review Board (IRB) issues, clinical contacts, outreach efforts, telephone calls, communications with the study staff and principal investigators and coordination of fidelity monitoring. SEE ATTACHED SOW This announcement is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under FAR 6.302-1. Other persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement by November 3, 2014 at 2:00 PM CST. This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all interest received on or before the date and time indicated above will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received as a result of the notice of intent will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No solicitation document is available. STATEMENT OF WORK Experienced Licensed Clinical Counselor Services Needed For the conduct of a research study, the TVAMC needs the services of an experienced licensed clinical counselor, at least Master's level, who is recognized locally as an experienced expert in the practice, teaching and clinical delivery of Mindfulness Based interventions (such as Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention - MBRP or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - MBSR) to Veterans within the context of a research study. The MBRP therapist will spend 10 hours during a two-day training meeting and travel expenses. The MBRP therapist will be paid per hour for the group MBRP intervention. Over the course of the study, it is anticipated that the TVAMC will hold at least 8 cohorts for 8 weeks that are 1.5 hour weekly sessions plus 0.5 hr/group medical record keeping over the active study period. In addition, each participant with have a 60-minute individual "lead-in" session, which equates to approximately 77 participants over the active study period per site. During the study, the MBRP therapist will be involved in a one hour semi-monthly supervision teleconference and have approximately 1 hour semi-monthly for administrative or documentation duties which include IRB issues, clinical contacts, outreach efforts, telephone calls, communications with the study staff and principal investigators, coordination of fidelity monitoring; these duties should not exceed 100 hours during the study. Additional hours require prior approval by the principal investigator. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Period of performance is November 10, 2014 to October 31, 2018. The contractor is fully responsible for ensuring compliance with VA privacy, information security, and safety requirements, to include back ground checks and all life safety requirements, and is fully responsible for and must resolve to the VA satisfaction any breach of privacy or information security resulting from the Contractor or the Contractor's employees or representative's conduct and or performance regardless of time period violation occurred. Upon completion or termination of the applicable contract(s) or agreement(s), return and/or destroy, at Covered Entity's option, VA information gathered, created, received, or processed during the performance of the contract(s) or agreement(s). No data will be retained by Business Associate, or contractor, subcontractor, or other agent of Business Associate, unless retention is required by law and specifically permitted by Covered Entity. As deemed appropriate by and under the direction of Covered Entity, Business Associate shall provide written assurance that all VA information has been returned to Covered Entity or destroyed by Business Associate. If immediate return or destruction of all data is not possible, Business Associate shall notify Covered Entity and assure that all VA information retained will be safeguarded to prevent unauthorized Uses or Disclosures. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract. De-identification of patient information. Within the contractor's base, any TVAMC VA Medical Center patient information will be required to be de-identified and stripped of indicators such that one skilled in administering medical records could not link medical information to a specific patient. Data which has been stripped of patient identifying indicators such as patient name and address and incorporated into the contractor's comparative or benchmark databases shall cease to be patient information creates large comparative or benchmark patient satisfaction databases to help health care providers improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care delivery. The contractor should not be creating any patient database data. SECURITY CONTROLS COMPLIANCE TESTING On a periodic basis, VA, including the Office of Inspector General, reserves the right to evaluate any or all of the security controls and privacy practices implemented by the contractor under the clauses contained within the contract. With 10 working-days' notice, at the request of the government, the contractor must fully cooperate and assist in a government-sponsored security controls assessment at each location wherein VA information is processed or stored, or information systems are developed, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA, including those initiated by the Office of Inspector General. The government may conduct a security control assessment on shorter notice (to include unannounced assessments) as determined by VA in the event of a security incident or at any other time. The C&A requirements do not apply, and that a Security Accreditation Package is not required. Contractor will need to self-enroll and take BOTH mandatory training VA 10176 and VA 10203 VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness Training and Rules of Behavior (See information and link below) via VA Talent Management System (TMS). Contractor must be compliant with the following: Wearing of ID badge at all times while on VA premises; taking of photographs is prohibited while on VA premises; report to Research Service to carryout services mentioned above. In order for you to engage in your work at VA, contractor is required to complete a mandatory training program titled VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness Training and Rules of Behavior, annually there afterwards. This training is offered through the TMS, a system that offers web-based training to VA employees and its partners. Contractor must self-enroll for a profile on the VA TMS by visiting https://www.tms.va.gov/plateau/user/login.jsp. Once there, contractor should follow the steps below to create a profile, launch the mandatory training, and complete the content prior to their next day at VA. Upon completion, the contractor shall provide their Contracting Officer Representative with each printed certificate of completion from the TMS prior to assignment. This certificate displays the employee's TMS User ID. Managed Self-Enrollment (MSE) enhances VA's training and reporting compliance, and is another step toward establishing VA as a 21st century organization built on providing the best care and service possible for our Veterans! 1.1 Step-by-Step Instructions 1. From a computer, launch a web browser and navigate to https://www.tms.va.gov/plateau/user/login.jsp 2. Click the [Create New User] link in the menu below the "TMS" logo and login fields 3. Select the radio button for "Contractor" 4. Click the [Next] button 5. Enter appropriate information in each required field, and also in any non-required field if you have the information a. My Account Information: i. Create Password (Follow the guidelines presented on screen) ii. Re-enter Password iii. Security Question iv. Security Answer v. Re-enter Security Answer vi. Social Security Number (Your SSN is used only as a unique identifier in the system to ensure users do not create multiple profiles. The SSN is stored in a Private Data Table that cannot be accessed anywhere via the VA TMS interface. It is securely transferred to a VA database table inside the VA firewall where it can be confirmed, if necessary, by appropriately vested system administrators and/or Help Desk staff.) vii. Re-enter Social Security Number viii. Date of Birth ix. Legal First Name x. Legal Last Name xi. eMail Address (Enter your business email address. If you have a VA email address assigned to you, it is preferred. The eMail Address will be used as your UserID) xii. Re-enter eMail Address xiii. Phone Number - Enter a number where you can be reached by VA staff if issues arise with this self-enrollment process or in other circumstances) b. My Job Information i. VA City - Enter "XX" ii. VA State - Select from the list iii. VA Location - Select from the list iv. VA Point of Contact First Name - Enter "XXX" v. VA Point of Contact Last Name - Enter "XXX" vi. VA Point of Contact eMail Address - Enter "XXX" vii. VA Point of Contact Phone Number - Enter "XXX" viii. If you have a requirement to take HIPAA Training, check the HIPAA Training Required check box Once you have entered all of the necessary data, click on the "Submit" button. Your profile will be immediately created. Copy and save the UserID displayed to you on the confirmation page, as you will need this for future logons to the VA TMS. Once done, click on the "Continue" button and wait until your "To-Do List" populates with the title(s) of the mandatory training content. 1.2 Launching and Completing the Content 1. Mouse over the title of the available Item in the To-Do List 2. Click the [Go to Content] button in the pop-up window that appears. 3. Complete the content following the on-screen instructions. 4. When you have completed the Rules of Behavior, print that out and save it. 5. Exit the course and a completion should be recorded for your effort. 6. Click on the "Completed Work" pod on the lower right hand side of your internet browser window. 7. Move your mouse over the title of the course you just completed and choose to "Print Completion Certificate". 8. Print off your completion certificate and save it with your signed Rules of Behavior. 9. When you report to VA, bring both the signed Rules of Behavior and the Certificate of Completion for your mandatory training for verification by VA personnel. 1.3 Trouble-shooting and Assistance The Check System link on the VA TMS is an automated tool that confirms the existence of basic, required software on the computer you are using to complete this training. If one is not in compliance with the requirements, a red "x' will appear next to the Check System link. Should this be the case with your computer, please follow the instructions to bring your computer up to the standards that will work with the VA TMS. If you do not have a Social Security Number, or if you experience any difficulty creating a profile or completing the mandatory content, contact the VA MSE Help Desk at +1 (555) 000-0000 or via email at contact@example.gov.