G--Military Family Counseling ServicesAmendment # 1 to RFI #14060409RFI21201 Includes Super Programs List to show locations where work is to be performed.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)Pursuant to FAR 15.201(e) Military and Family Counseling ServicesQuality of Life Office (DUSD)Military Community and Family Policy The Department of Interior, Acquisition Service Directorate Herndon (AQD-Herndon) Procurement is issuing the subject Request For Information. AQD-Herndon is a Federal Franchise Fund Contracting Office within the Department of Interior under the authority of the Government Management Reform Act and provides contracting support to all Federal and DoD Agencies. This RFI and a draft Statement of Work to include a draft CLIN structure may be accessed via the AQD website at: http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/solic/solicitations.asp. The Government is providing a draft Statement of Work (SOW) for industry comment as a part of this Request for Information. The purpose of the draft is to afford industry an opportunity to comment on best practices and critical elements that should be included in the SOW. Any comments provided should not be viewed as a vehicle for presenting a specific approach to be proposed, but as an opportunity to improve an eventual solicitation package. The Government has prepared a draft SOW to explain how the acquisition relates to the agency's program need and requirement for a contractor's solution. The Government is in the process of finalizing the SOW and attempting to minimize questions prior to the release of the Request for Proposal. The draft Statement of Work is being provided solely for the purpose of industry comment and feedback. This does not constitute a request for proposal. DISCLAIMER This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only, is not a commitment by the Government, and does not constitute a solicitation. 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. An announcement for proposals is not a part of this RFI and a contract will not be awarded from this announcement. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow-up information requests. HOW TO RESPOND The AQD point of contact for this RFI is Larena Sellers. Firms interested in performing this requirement may reply to this RFI on or before February 17, 2009 by 4:00 pm Eastern Standard Time by addressing all of the seven (7) questions for industry and by providing any other recommendations, comments or suggestions that may assist the Government with this acquisition. Comments, whether supportive or critical, are earnestly solicited regarding every aspect of this requirement. Please provide your response via email only to contact@example.gov. There is no page limit for responses. Proprietary processes or data must be clearly marked and documented as such in the response. For a Microsoft Word version of this Request for Information and for the copy of the draft Statement of Work and the draft CLIN structure, please refer to the Acquisition Services Directorate website at: http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/solic/solicitations.asp . If you have any questions, please send an email to contact@example.gov. INTRODUCTION On behalf of the Department of the Under Secretary of Defense - Quality of Life Office, the Department of Defense (DoD) requires a contractor to provide services in support of the Military and Family Counseling Services/Military Community and Family Policy. This program develops, administers and monitors the establishment of a non-medical counseling program for military Service members and their families at locations worldwide. The non-medical counseling support is intended to augment existing military and civilian support services but is not to replace Service funded staff positions. This effort represents a follow-on requirement to DOI/NBCAQD contract number 1406-04-07-CT-66523. BACKGROUND The Global War on Terror has resulted in an unprecedented level of deployments of American military personnel to Iraq, Afghanistan and other international areas of extreme conflict. These deployments into harm's way, which are viewed nightly on national television, have placed extreme stress on military families. Stress on marriages is at unprecedented levels and divorce rates, particularly in the Army, are at all time highs. Military families are struggling to balance complex and competing demands requiring a wide range of problem solving skills: being a single parent; communications; child care; financial stability; spouse employment; fluctuating family income; frequent relocations; isolation from other extended families, children's education, etc. The Department of Defense recognizes that families also serve and is committed to supporting military families. The Department intends to make short term, situational, problem-solving counseling services available to Service members and families world-wide as needed. This non-medical counseling is designed to help Service members and their families cope with the normal reactions to the stressful/adverse situations created by deployments. Situations meeting the diagnostic criteria for the most common mental disorders found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) will be referred to TRICARE or other providers of professional mental health care. With the exception of mandatory state, federal and military reporting requirements (i.e., domestic violence, child abuse, and duty to warn situations) this problem-solving counseling will be private and confidential to encourage the widest level of participation. This Military and Family Life Counseling Service fills a widely recognized need for private counseling services. OBJECTIVE The counseling program will consist of an as needed, short-term, situational, problem-solving counseling service for Service members and families that addresses the stressors of the military lifestyle. The counseling service will assist Service members and families in dealing with relationships, crisis intervention, stress management, family issues, parent-child communications, family separations, reunions and reintegration due to deployments. The counseling service will also assist military members and families volunteering their support for military communities and families (i.e., Family Readiness Group Leaders, Family Support Volunteers). There will be four systems of counseling service delivery. The scope of care for all four systems of delivery will cover only DSM-IV V-Codes. 1) Outreach/Rotational: Counseling services may be delivered by counselors enrolled in the contractor's network of providers. Service delivery will be provided both on and off the military installations within the civilian community, but it will not be provided in military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF). Counseling services will consist of face-to-face counseling, outreach/awareness services, and educational services provided on a short-term rotational basis to meet the need. Contractor will provide rotational (not to exceed 90 days) counseling staff for a minimum of 84 military installations/locations world-wide. The 84 installations include all 4 military services located in the Continental United States (CONUS) and overseas (OCONUS) and specific National Guard and Reserve Component locations (see Attachment 1 for a list of locations). The staff will be sent in teams of two counselors/consultants based on the needs of the installation/location specifically around the schedule of deployments, redeployments and return/reintegration of the Service members. The Contractor shall develop protocols for assessing need at the installation and plan for rotation that is understood by the Service. Installations also need to be briefed on the outset that these services are to augment existing services and meet the need of all families. Outreach/rotational counseling may also include short-term specialized programs such as the Department of Defense Education Activity and Child and Youth Program Summer Enrichment Program which operates during the summer months to support summer school, camps, and summer child and youth programs DoD-wide. The summer program counseling staff and any specialized short-term services may be sent individually rather than in a team of two. The outreach/rotational counseling services are expected to be approximately 60% of the contract. Travel, per diem and lodging will be covered for counselors/consultants living 50 miles outside of the installation where they are working. 2) Fulltime: Counseling services delivered by full-time counselors hired by the contractor and placed on the military installation in a social service delivery program (i.e., Family Centers, Chaplains, Child or Youth Center). The counselors providing full-time services may be credentialed by government personnel in addition to the contractor credentialing process and depends upon specific service needs and regulatory guidance. Counselors may keep written records of counseling sessions as appropriate in accordance with service requirements. Fulltime counseling positions may include specific pilot initiatives which may be time limited, but should not be filled with rotational staff. Fulltime positions are primarily staffed with clinical providers. A small percentage is staffed with Personal Financial Counselors (PFM) with specific skills related to finance. Fulltime counseling services are expected to be approximately 20% or less of the contract. 3) On-Demand: Non-medical counseling support and psycho-educational presentations on a variety of topics focused on deployment and reintegration, communication, and grief and loss and is primarily for drill weekends and family events for the National Guard and Reserve Component. Counseling support is requested through the military Service HQ to the contractor and OSD. On-demand events include support for Service members and family members to include activities for children. A contractor call center for this on-demand service is recommended for commands to call to request services ensuring consultants are available to attend this primarily weekend events. On-demand support must be requested a minimum of 7 days in advance for the contractor to meet staffing and travel requirements. On-Demand services are expected to be approximately 15% of the contract. 4) Counseling Referrals: Counseling referrals to a network of providers for 1-6 sessions is offered within 30 minutes of the individual requesting service primarily targeted for National Guard and Reserve Component members and their families. Counseling referrals are expected to be approximately 5% or less of the contract. These referrals shall be provided to families via a telephone hotline which can be accessed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, year round. The contractor shall maintain complete call logs for each call, and complete documentation of the referral, including the number of visits utilized (maximum of six per individual), cost, service provider and dates of service. Costs of referred services shall be tracked and invoiced on a cost reimbursable basis. PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST AND INFORMATION SOUGHT This RFI represents the initiation of the acquisition planning and market research phase for this requirement. The industry input received from this RFI may be used to prepare the official solicitation package. The Government requests recommendations, comments, concerns, and questions relating to the contemplated services from contractors that possess demonstrable and credible experience for all of the requirements listed in the SOW. GOVERNMENT QUESTIONS FOR INDUSTRY The Government's intent is to obtain responses to the items listed below to assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition strategy. Interested offerors shall provide the following in their response: 1. Capability Package to include name of company; company point of contact to include the person's name, telephone number, and email address, and company address; size of business and the NAICS code for this requirement. 2. Identify standard commercial terms and conditions typically associated with these services. 3. Recommend and give rationale for the contract type that would best suit this requirement. 4. Identify existing or potential pricing structure/methodologies in support of this type of work. Give comment on the draft CLIN structure or suggest an alternative approach. 5. Provide an estimated dollar amount for this type of work for a base period of twelve (12) months and four (4), twelve (12) month option periods. 6. Provide comments and feedback regarding the Statement of Work. Please refer to the paragraph 7 below. 7. Teaming and subcontracting opportunities to meet the Department of Defense socioeconomic goals, particularly with Ability One, Service Disabled Veteran on Businesses, and Veteran Owned Businesses. RFI #21201 Military and Family Life Counseling RFI Amendment #1 1. The due date for this RFI is extended to February 17, 2009 / 12:00 pm. 2. It has been determined that neither an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) nor a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) will be given for this RFI. The Government prefers that industry arrive at an estimated price/cost derived from the Statement of Work (SOW) - this will be used by the Government to develop the IGCE. 3. The attachment titled "Super Programs and Associated Subordinate Programs" was used in the incumbent contract and is provided in this RFI to show the locations where the new SOW will be performed. The following list is posted to show anticipated work locations and was called the "Super Programs" list for the incumbent contract Super Programs and Associated Subordinate Programs 1. Financial Counseling / CONUS / Includes Navy Financial Fulltime and On-Demand Financial Counseling2. Army / CONUS / Includes JPED3. Army / OCONUS / Includes Europe, Turkey, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico4. Army Special / In-House / Includes only CONUS (Excludes Alaska and Hawaii)5. Army Special / Store Front / CONUS6. Army Special / Store Front / OCONUS / Includes Alaska, Hawaii and South Korea only7. Air Force / CONUS / USAFE / PACAF - Includes Alaska and Hawaii / South Korea8. Marine Corps / CONUS / OCONUS - Includes Alaska and Hawaii / Marine Corps IRR Call Center9. Navy / Navy Clinical / Navy Financial Under Financial Counseling Super Program10. Child and Family / DoDEA CONUS and OCONUS / Purple Camps CONUS and OCONUS / Guard and Reserve Camps 11. Child and Family / Joint Family CONUs and OCONUS / Joint Family - Special States CONUS and OCONUS12. Child and Family / Coaching Young Families / Child and Youth Services CONUS and OCONUS 13. Child and Family / Child and Youth Services Europe14. Victim Advocacy / MFLC - VA - CONUS 15. Victim Advocacy / MFLC - VA - OCONUS Includes Europe, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii16. Victim Advocacy / On-Call CONUS and OCONUS