HEART RATE VARIABILITY PROJECT

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE REPRESENTING A MARKET SURVEY AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, PROPOSAL ABSTRACTS, QUOTATIONS OR INVITATION FOR BIDS. THE KANSAS NATIONALGUARD IS NOT SEEKING PRICING OR OFFERORS OF ANY KIND. THE KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SOLICIT THIS REQUIREMENT FROM LARGE OR SMALL BUSINESS, AS APPROPRIATE. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. THIS REQUEST IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. RESPONSES MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN AUGUST 20, 2010, 2:00 PM. The Kansas National Guard, USPFO for Kansas is conducting a MARKET SURVEY to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified businesses sources; (2) whether they are Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Small Business, HUB Zone 8(a), Women-Owned, or small disadvantaged business concerns and large business; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. The NAICS code is 423450 with small business size standard of 100 employees. A firm fixed price is contemplated. 1.0 Background The Kansas National Guard has determined based on the use and noted benefit to warriors from other Department of Defense agencies that Heart Rate Variability (HRV) devices and training will provide substantial benefits soldiers of the National Guard. 2.0 Scope of Work The contractor shall provide HRV devices and training in resilience building and stress self-regulation techniques to 600 warriors scheduled for deployment. The program will have a resilience building and performance enhancement theme. A.1. HRV Device: Devices/Training to meet the following requirements. A.1.a. HRV device shall be a hand held device capable of functioning as a mobile powered device. Device shall not exceed any of the following dimensions of 1" x 3" x 4" and have mobile case with belt clip. Device shall be capable of gathering HRV information through photoplethysmograph (PPG) sensor by thumb pad or earlobe. A.2. HRV Device Training: Provide a 4 to 6 hour instructional training course on HRV device for 600 individuals where participants learn basic resilience and self-regulation skills and how to use the HRV coherence device. Training shall consist of the following minimum requirements and must be completed by the manufacturers certified trainer(s) for the device. All training will take place within the State of Kansas. Class sizes may range from 20 to 100 individuals A.2.a: Provide all instruction material, presentations for event, any electronic devices used to present the training. Content of training shall be presented with a combination of PowerPoint, written material, and group interaction by a knowledgeable subject matter expert capable for instructing a group of individuals. A.3. Additional Sustainability Training: Provide three (3) additional follow on training modules/lessons specifically designed to focus on the following topics. Communication techniques, preparation techniques, and quick recovery techniques shall be the three additional training topics. A.3.a: The modules/lessons should be designed for a warrior while on a possible deployed status. Therefore, the content shall be in a PDF format and be distributed by e-mail from a list developed and monitored by the contractor. Warriors will walk through the PDF training handout at their own pass. A.4. Mentor Training: Provide a 6 to 8 hour instructional mentor training course. Course shall be designed to provide select individuals with more in-depth knowledge of device and stress self-regulation techniques. These individuals would represent the unit as peer to peer subject matter experts to assist and future develop the skills of the unit. Training shall consist of the following minimum requirements. A.4.a: Provide all instruction material, presentations for event, any electronic devices used to present the training. Content of training shall be presented with a combination of PowerPoint, written material, and group interaction by a knowledgeable subject matter expert capable for instructing a group of individuals. A.5. HRV Device Pocket Guide: Provide eight hundred (800) pocket style reference guides which covers operational instructions of HRV device and stress self-regulation techniques. Pocket guides shall be no larger than 4" x 6" in size, consist of laminated pages for durability, and be bound by spiral connector or appropriate equal binding fastener. A.6. Phone Coaching: Provide phone coaching service on HRV device skills and stress self regulation techniques skills as needed by individuals who have the HRV device and have participated in the training described in A.2. A.7. Website Link: Provide a web link for informational access to be posted on the Resiliency Center web site as another means of accessing existing contractor website information. OPTION 1: Provide up to 750 additional devices with training. The program will have a resilience building and performance enhancement theme. OPTION 2 : Provide outcome effectiveness to document outcomes of HRV device, stress regulation techniques and overall health of individuals. B.1 HRV Assessment: Baseline individuals using HRV device via ten minute resting cycle, where HRV recording data will be obtained, followed by a one minute data recording during which time the individual takes six breaths per minute rhythm. B.3. Psychometrics Assessment: The assessment shall include the following: B.3.a. The Psychosocial Risk and Resiliency Inventory (DRRI). Subscales measure the following domains: Prior Stressors; Preparedness; Living and Working Environment; Life and Family Disruptions; Deployment Social Support; General Harassment; Perceived Threat; Combat Experiences; Aftermath of Battle; Exposures; Post deployment Social Support. B.3.b. Conners-Davidson Resilience Scale. Subscales measure the following domains: Ability to adapt to change and Tendency to bounce back after illness or hardship. B.3.c. SCL-90-R Symptom Checklist. Subscales measure the following domains: Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Phobic Anxiety, Paranoid Ideation, Psychoticism, Global Severity Index, Positive Symptom Total, and Positive Symptom Distress Index. B.3.d. Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II). B.3.e. PTSD-Specific Symptom Checklist (PCL-C). B.3.f. Combat-Exposure Scale: (Time one only measurement). B.3.g. The Response to Stressful Experience Scale (RSES). B.4. Cognitive Function Assessment: For assessment of cognitive functions utilize the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Testing Battery (CANTAB), for rapid and accurate assessments, with a high level of sensitivity. The following tests will be included in the assessment: B.4.a. Graded Naming Test (GNT): Assesses semantic verbal memory. It has been found to be sensitive to even small cognitive changes. B.4.b. Spatial recognition memory (SRM): Assesses visual and spatial aspects of memory in a two-choice forced discrimination paradigm. B.4.c. Simple Reaction Time (SRT), and Reaction time (RTI): These tests measure different aspects of attention and reaction time and tests general alertness and motor speed. B.4.d. One Touch Stockings of Cambridge (OTS): Assesses executive function, specifically spatial planning with a working memory component which are associated with the frontal area of the brain. B.4.e. Affective Go/No-go (AGN): Assesses decision making and response control, which are also frontal lobe functions. Most decisions in life have an emotional or risk-related component, and many conditions are associated with inappropriate risk models/strategies. B.5. Individual Medical Cost Analysis: Analysis of individual medical cost to evaluate if individuals involved in longitudinal study demonstrated changes in health care visits and cost relationship comparisons. B.6. Report Generation and Summary: Contractor provides comprehensive report demonstrating analysis and outcome of categories as stated in (Proposal C). The study that will be written in approved APA style, ready for submission to major peer-reviewed scientific journals. 3.0 Submittal 3.A. Request for offer will only be accepted from responsible businesses currently engaged in this type of commerce. Interested parties must respond with short synopsis of their capabilities (electronic documents) in writing, along with company name, address, phone number, primary contact(s), e-mail address, NAICS code(s), business size (i.e., small/large) and DUNS Number. 3.B. Provide a Statement of Capability that demonstrates the offeror's past performance in providing HRV devices and similar educational training media. Please include the following: (a) staff expertise including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information. NO TELEPHONE REQUEST WILL BE ACCEPTED. THIS REQUEST IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. 3.C. Submit Capability Statements by August 20, 2010: Kansas National Guard, USPFO for Kansas, Contracting Activity ATTN: Adam L. Villalobos, 2737 S. Kansas Ave. Topeka, KS. 66611. Responses should be received no later than 2 PM CST. Submissions may be made via email to: adam.villalobos1@us.army.mil or FAX: (785) 274-1642. NO CAPABILITY STATEMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED AFTER AUGUST 20, 2010. AT THIS TIME NO SOLICITATION EXISTS. (DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION). A FUTURE NOTICE WILL BE POSTED WHEN THE SOLICITATION WILL BE RELEASED. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. No Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s.)