G004--FY21: Veterans Residential Services

Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Contract Residential Care Performance Work Statement OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this project is to seek qualified contractors to provide short-term low-demand Safe Haven beds and services to male and female Homeless Veterans in safe community-based residences who are in need of immediate housing placement as they re-establish trust and become motivated to seek needed treatment services and transitional and permanent housing options/and/or additional care and services. The term Safe Haven refers to facilities that can provide care, treatment and rehabilitative services to veterans suffering from serious mental illness, including veterans who are homeless, in community-based treatment facilities offering a safe and secure environment that supports their rehabilitation goals. The VA will identify these facilities as Low Demand Safe Havens (LDSH) available as 24-hour staffed transitional residences with private or semi-private accommodations that target the population of hard-to-reach, chronically homeless Veterans with mental illness and/or substance use problems who require a low-demand environment. The low-demand or non-intrusive environment is designed to re-establish trust and motivate homeless Veterans to seek needed treatment services and transitional and permanent housing options. Emphasis will be placed on clinical stabilization and referral and placement to permanent housing utilizing VA and/or community resources. Veterans may apply directly to the contracted provider for services or be referred from other programs, both within and outside the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA). Contractor will evaluate the suitability and appropriateness of the level of care. Safe Haven programs must maintain and adjust environments to support the safety, security privacy and services for women Veterans. Special emphasis on privacy and security should be noted in mixed-gender facilities. Veteran residents have a right to be treated with dignity in a humane environment that affords them both reasonable protections from harm and appropriate privacy with regard to their personal needs. The living environments of the Safe Haven should include residential room and board in an environment that promotes a lifestyle free of sexual discrimination. Program entries will be prioritized through requirements set forth by the Veterans Administration and requires final approval of Contract Bed Liaison or designee. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Performance will occur at the Contractor s location. BASIC SERVICES: The contractor shall furnish each Veteran referred for care under this contract with the following basic services: a. ROOM AND BOARD: Room and Board to include a bed and other furnishings such as a dresser, storage, and personal linens (towels and bed sheets). Meals to include at least two (2) nutritionally adequate meals a day, 7 days a week and availability of nutritious snacks between meals and bedtime for those requiring or desiring additional food, when it is not medically contraindicated. b. LAUNDRY FACILITIES: Laundry facilities for residents to do their own laundry or to have laundry done. c. THERAPEUTIC AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES: Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Services determined to be needed by each individual Veteran referred for treatment as stated in the plan developed by the contractor, with input from the Veteran and the VA Homeless Program Coordinator (or designee). Services which the contractor must be able to furnish shall include: Structured group activities as appropriate examples include group therapy, social skills training, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, vocational counseling and physical activities as appropriate. Collaboration with the VA program staff, which will provide supportive psychosocial services. Individual professional counseling, including counseling on self care skills, adaptive coping skills and, as appropriate, vocational rehabilitation counseling, in collaboration with VA program and community resources. Assistance to develop responsible living patterns, to maintain an acceptable level of personal hygiene and grooming, and to achieve a more adaptive level of psychosocial functioning, upgraded social skills, and improved personal relationships. Support for an alcohol/drug abuse-free lifestyle provided in an environment conducive to social interaction and the fullest development of the resident s rehabilitative potential. Assistance to gain and to apply knowledge of the illness/recovery process in an environment supportive of recovery models. A program that promotes community interaction. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS: Facilitate Veterans with serious mental illness and/or substance use problems that are chronically homeless as defined by HUD and/or VHA guidelines. Adhere to program standards as found in VHA Handbook 1162.09 (Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)). Contractor shall have existing programs and facilities in Hillsborough County that are fully operational and can start providing services as required in this Performance Work Statement within 30 days of contract award. Ability to place a Veteran on the same day of a referral. Possess the ability to respond appropriately to a Veteran in crisis. Create an environment conducive to social interaction, supportive of recovery models, and the fullest development of the resident s rehabilitative potential regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Provide separate and secure bathroom arrangements for male/female veterans to ensure an acceptable level of privacy for personal hygiene and grooming. Provide facility laundry room for Veteran to do their own laundry. Suitable bedroom space and furnishings allowing for adequate storage and security of belongings, with minimum square feet of living space per household member determined by VA to be adequate. Provide food preparation areas for Veteran s to prepare meals. The facility shall not accept food stamps, welfare, or money from or on behalf of Veterans. Facility must pass all fire/safety requirements as determined by Local, State, and Federal guidelines. Contractor will provide the following Services: Outreach to identify homeless Veterans encountered in encampments, shelters, drop-in centers, and other community locations. Assistance with crisis intervention and stabilization services. Assisting the persons served to achieve goals for independence as defined by the persons served. Provide transportation or provide vouchers for use of public transit to address transportation to contracted facility, VA medical appointments, job and housing search efforts, or other needs as identified by Veteran. Provision of or linkage to services needed to enable the person served to perform daily living activities including but not limited to budgeting, meal planning, personal care, financial services, medical or other healthcare, assistive technology assessment, employment or, other identified needs. Provide nutritional meals three times per day, 7 days per week and nutritious snacks at least 2 times per day 7 days per week. Nutritious snacks defined as fruit, vegetables, peanut butter, crackers, cheese, breads, yogurt, whole grain bars, protein bars. Provide hygiene products and personal items to include laundry detergent, soap, feminine products, deodorant, toothpaste, tooth brush, towels, toilet-paper and bed sheets shall be made accessible to veterans. Rapid placement of the Veteran in a safe, appropriate housing setting, with an emphasis on permanent housing placement. Interested Vendors The applicable NAICS for this service is 624229. To be considered for this requirement, vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM - https://www.sam.gov). Any vendor interested in this requirement should include the following information: Company Information (business name, DUNS number, business size/category, GSA schedule if applicable) Capability Statement (brief background of capabilities, resources, experience, etc.) Contact information (POC name, email, and phone) Maximum amount of Bed spaces for female and male All responses to this sources sought notice shall be submitted to the following email address: contact@example.gov. Please do not call or leave voice messages. The closing time/date for responses is 1000 AM EST, 18 May 2021. This sources sought notice is for market research purposes only. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION AND DOES NOT REQUIRE THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A SOLICITATION. The Government will not pay for any information submitted under this notice.