IHS Head Start Meeting Facilitation and Consultation

The Indian Health Services (IHS) is performing market research to identify sources capable of assisting the IHS Head Start Program with 1) Planning and facilitating meetings, cluster training and teleconference training; 2) Coordinating and identifying speakers and consultants for specific program activities and audiences and for workshops; and 3) Disseminating health information for national and tribal programs. The estimated performance period for this project would be approximately September 25, 2008 through September 24, 2009, with 3 additional option years. The purpose of this project is to provide support for building the capacity of Indian Head Start grantees in maintaining an infrastructure for providing Head Start health services for approximately 23,000 infants, toddlers and pre-school Indian children. The Head Start Program Performance Standards serve as the foundation for effecting quality health services and establishing partnerships and linkages with health providers within local Tribal communities administering Head Start services. The delivery of quality Head Start Health Services requires local partnerships and effective management of Head Start Health services. The 154 Tribal governments and consortia administrating Head Start programs along with their Head Start directors and managers of health, mental health and disabilities services must have access to accurate, timely information and resources on the health concerns of infants and toddlers and preschool Indian children within their communities, as well as Head Start employees. Head Start program employees must have an opportunity to build their knowledge and skills in order to work with Head Start children, families and community service providers. Employees working with young children must meet staff safety requirements in addition to maintaining their own health and mental health. Creative efforts will be implemented to provide cost effective delivery of resources, information and training so that Head Start programs can access IHS Head Start services inexpensively. Based upon the needs of Indian Head Start programs, the project will use a variety of approaches and methods for delivering the services required within the scope of this project. The project will disseminate resources and information through the use of electronic communication, autographic teleconferencing and web based conferencing, web page knowledge dissemination, convening and participating in workgroups, planning and facilitating cluster training events. Targeted areas of health issues and related health topics addressed by the vendor may include: mental health, oral health, childhood obesity, health and safety, substance abuse, institutionalizing and integrating staff wellness as a human resource service, and personnel management in meeting employee background screening and checks. ____________________________________________________________________________ Tasks: Task 1: Plan and facilitate meetings, cluster trainings and teleconference trainings. The vendor will communicate with Head Start program directors and program managers for determining cluster training ideas, e.g., topics, location, and methods of delivery of cluster training programs. This information will be used to plan cluster training programs either localized to the greatest number of Head Start programs or by autographic and web based conferencing training programs and Indian Head Start regional or national conferences. The vendor will work closely with the IHS Head Start Director and will not implement the training program until approval is received on announcements, consultant trainers, method of delivery, etc. All programs will be identified as an IHS Head Start function and meet the dissemination requirements of IHS. The vendor will plan and facilitate 4 cluster training programs throughout the12 month period. As an example, training programs will be implemented covering the topics of oral health and mental health. Vendor will plan and arrange for autographic teleconference training programs. The vendor will provide the necessary networking systems, bridges and lines for the programs. Topics for the autographic training programs will be IHS Head Start Program driven or may be selected by the IHS Head Start Program as topics of the greatest need based upon growing health concerns or programmatic issues experienced by Head Start programs. The programs can be single focused covering only one topic or can be arranged so that multiple topics are offered focusing on specific geographic areas within IHS Service Areas. Four (4) teleconference programs are planned. Each training program will be scheduled for 90 minutes with the project arranging for a sufficient number of lines for grantee call in, dissemination of announcements, agendas and training support materials. The vendor will provide the conference bridge and grantees would be responsible for paying the cost for their telephone calls. Vendor will facilitate at least two workgroup meetings, to include facilitation and logistical support. Task 2: Identify speakers and consultants for specific topics and audiences. The IHS Head Start Program, in carrying out its charges, taps numerous health experts for workgroup activities, cluster trainings, conference workshops, teleconference programs and resource material development. Vendor will maintain a directory of expert consultants to be used by the project and the IHS Head Start Program. All consultants contained in the directory will have the approval of the Director of the IHS Head Start Program. Consultants will be deployed by the project as guided by the Director of the IHS Head Start Program. It is anticipated there will be circumstances that will necessitate the use of health consultants that may not be included in the directory. Workshops may include health workshops for the Southwest Consortium of Indian Head Start Programs, Inc., National Indian Head Start Directors Association, Northwest Indian Head Start Coalition and other groups associated with Indian early childhood development programming. Task 3: Share and disseminate IHS Head Start and Tribal Head Start program information and serve as a clearinghouse in disseminating information from IHS Head Start Program to national and Tribal programs. The IHS Head Start Program provides guidance, support and directives on infant, toddler and preschool children's preventative health concerns. IHS's principal target audiences are Head Start and Early Head Start programs operated by Tribal governments in 27 states scattered throughout the nation. Electronic communication methods are the most cost effective approach in communicating with the Indian Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The key Head Start employees that could be provided information are directors and health services mangers, but other Head Start employees often have a need for health information. All of the Indian Head Start programs have access to the World Wide Web and email services. Managing a listserv of the 154 programs requires constant diligence in maintaining correct email addresses due to the high attrition rate of Head Start directors and program managers. Direct communication with Head Start employees can be effective and can be augmented and supported by the IHS Head Start Program's web page. Guidance and directives disseminated via a listserv to Head Start programs can then be posted to the IHS web page and easily downloaded by programs, other groups and early childhood providers. Vendor will maintain an email directory of Head Start directors and health services managers. This email group will be used to distribute the IHS Head Start Program's training announcements, information and resource guidance, as examples, seeking information on the health issues and concerns which challenge local Head Start employees in carrying out their responsibilities. Vendor will, on a quarterly basis, seek the advice and assistance from local programs. Reports will be developed from the information gleaned from the local programs and submitted to the Director of the IHS Head Start Program. Prior to seeking input from local programs, project staff will collaborate with the IHS Program staff for determining the types of information sought from the local programs. Concurrence will be required prior to seeking any information from local programs. From time to time, vendor will work with other IHS contractors as directed by the IHS Head Start Program Director to assist with the local program input into service delivery. The newly developing IHS Head Start Program's web page will serve as a valuable source of health and mental health information and resources for working with infants, toddlers and pre-school children. The information posted on the web page will be available to the general public, IHS health providers as well as Head Start programs. Additionally, IHS has mechanisms for direct mailings to local programs that provide hard copies of resource materials developed by IHS contractors and staff. An organized system for using available methods of distributing information is required. Vendor will establish a system for the timely distribution of resource materials to Head Start and Early Head Start programs that will link with the IHS Head Start Program's web page and the established email directory of local program staff. Vendor will provide support for IHS Health specialists and consultants for researching and writing 10 health specific bulletins. Topics may include: staff wellness; employee background checks; childhood communicable diseases; child nutrition; oral health; early prevention; home and program environmental safety, as examples. The bulletins will be emailed and posted on the IHS web page following the appropriate IHS procedures. ____________________________________________________________________________ All parties capable of providing these services are invited to submit information that includes company name, address, contact name, and telephone number, capability statement, two (2) references for contracts of similar size, scope and complexity, and your firm's socio-economic classification, including Indian-owned status. Responses shall not exceed 10 pages. The Government does not intend to pay for information received and does not intend to provide evaluation results to the sender. This is not a solicitation. No award will be made based on this notice. The information received will be used to identify potential sources in order to plan the acquisition approach. No cost or pricing data is required or requested. Responses must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. local time on June 16, 2008 to Abram Vinikoor, Contracting Officer, IHS Division of Engineering, 2201 6th Ave. RX-24, room 937, Seattle, WA 98121; or via email to abram.vinikoor@ihs.gov. If sending by email, do not exceed 5MB per message.