Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Grantee Training and Technical Assistance

DISCRIPTION The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services (OCS) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Program Support Center is seeking capability statements from Small Businessis with the ability to provide Grantee training and technical asisstance for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). BACKGROUND The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a block grant program authorized by the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981 (OBRA), as amended, and administered within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). In DHHS, LIHEAP is administered by the Division of Energy Assistance within the Office of Community Services, which is a part of the Administration for Children and Families. The purpose of LIHEAP is to provide grants to states, territories, and approximately 150 Native American tribes and tribal organizations to assist low income households in meeting the costs of home energy. Section 2609A(a) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (title XXVI of Public Law 97-35, the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981, 42 U.S.C. 8621, as amended), authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to set aside up to $300,000 each fiscal year to make grants to State and public agencies and private nonprofit organizations; or to enter into contracts or jointly financed cooperative arrangements with States and public agencies and private nonprofit organizations, to provide training and technical assistance related to LIHEAP. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, Public Law 113-76 appropriated $3.4 billion for the FY 2014 LIHEAP program and included the following additional provision: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 2609A(a), of the amounts appropriated under section 2602(b), not more than $2,988,000 of such amounts may be reserved by the Secretary for technical assistance, training, and monitoring of program activities for compliance with internal controls, policies and procedures and may, in addition to the authorities provided in section 2609A(a)(1), use such funds through contracts with private entities that do not qualify as nonprofit organizations. PURPOSE The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting a contract to acquire administrative support and assistance to (a) provide content development for training materials to be presented at one national conference in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2015 (base period), with one option year to provide similar content development support for a series of regional grantee trainings in FFY 2016 (option period); (b) develop training webinars for LIHEAP grantees; (c) provide on-site training and technical assistance to LIHEAP grantees; and (d) facilitate a peer-to-peer mentorship network among LIHEAP grantees. Regional workshops will target specific home energy problems or issues affecting specific parts of the country, with the intent to reach grantees that have no discretionary funds to travel to for a national conference. Outcomes may include development of best practices that can be used by other grantees, particularly for the knowledge and use of new LIHEAP coordinators, to improve the effectiveness and fiscal integrity of LIHEAP. The purpose of the grantee training webinars is to instruct grantees on federal LIHEAP policy, regulations and statute, and help ensure that grantees are meeting the requirements of the law and operating effective program integrity systems. The purpose of the on-site training and technical assistance is to provide grantees with in-depth, customized, one-on-one assistance designed to address specific issues a particular grantee is facing. The grantees to be assisted and issues to be addressed will be identified by OCS based on, but not exclusive to, results of compliance reviews, review of A-133 audits, and individual requests by grantees. The peer-to-peer mentorship network is designed to create connections among grantees and build a learning community, with experienced LIHEAP coordinators providing advice and mentorship to new LIHEAP coordinators. The Contractor should expect and budget for substantial involvement by the government especially in determining content for training and in the presenter or moderator roles. Project Requirements: A. Develop content for LIHEAP National Conference 1. Provide memorandum outlining suggested agenda topics for national conference. 2. Based on finalized agenda, provide memorandum of suggested speakers for each proposed session. 3. Develop content for presentations to be given by Federal staff at the national conference. 4. Develop content for background and supplemental materials and/or handouts to be provided to attendees of national conference. B. Convene and provide logistical support for six (6) webinars for LIHEAP grantees. 1. Provide memorandum with suggested topics for webinars and potential speakers. 2. Set-up logistics required to host webinars for up to 200 participants each. 3. Prepare necessary presentation materials and coordinate with selected speakers to compile all presentations. 4. Conduct one joint rehearsal session for each webinar that includes all speakers and moderators. 5. Record each webinar and provide final edited recording with sub-titling for posting on OCS website. C. Provide on-site training and technical assistance for up to ten (10) selected grantees. 1. Provide one-on-one on-site training and technical assistance for state or tribal LIHEAP grantees, to be selected by OCS. These on-site trainings shall be no longer than two (2) days each and will focus on grantees that: a. are working to address issues identified during a LIHEAP compliance reviews; b. have a history of past problems; c. have been required to develop corrective action plans as a result of audit findings; d. request on-site assistance directly from OCS; and 2. On-site training and technical assistance for tribal grantees shall be provided by personnel who have a high level of cultural competency in providing assistance to American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. At least two of the site visits, but no more than four, will be targeted at tribal LIHEAP grantees. D. Provide infrastructure and support for a LIHEAP peer-to-peer mentorship program. 1. Recruit participants (mentors and mentees). 2. Develop matching criteria to match mentees with appropriate mentors. 3. Develop mentorship framework for mentors and mentees to follow that explains purpose of mentorship program and desired outcomes. 4. Provide training to mentors that lays out the goals and objectives of the mentorship program and sets expectations and rules of engagement for the mentor/mentee relationship. 5. Provide quarterly report to COR summarizing number of mentor/mentee contacts and general topics discussed. RESPONSE INFORMATION In order to respond to this notice, a contractor must be able to clearly convey its experience and/or ability to perform the program requirements as addressed above in the "Program Requirements" section of this Sources Sought Notice with a submission of a Capability Statement. In order for a contractor to clearly convey its experience and/or ability to perform the above identified tasks, they MUST SUMBIT the following documentation: 1. Provide documentation that demonstrates the ability to perform all elements addressed above in the "Program Requirements" section of this Sources Sought Notice. 2. Demonstrate past experience on at least three (3) similar projects consistent in scope, size and complexity and were performed within five years. Also, indicate specific contract number reference information. 3. Furnish documentation that indicates staff experience around the program requirements as addressed above in the "Program Requirements" section of this Sources Sought Notice, and expertise in the administative and programmatic policies of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Each response should also include the following Business Information: 1. Company name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone and FAX numbers, website address (if available), and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with Government representatives. 2. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses. 3. Business size for NAICS 541611 (size standard $ or number of employees) and status, if qualified as an 8(a) firm (must be certified by SBA), Small Disadvantaged Business (must be certified by SBA), Woman-Owned Small Business, HUBZone firm (must be certified by SBA), and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (must be listed in the VetBiz Vendor Information Pages). 4. DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Companies also must be registered in the Systems for Award Management (SAM, at www.sam.gov) to be considered as potential sources. 5. Identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and contract number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested. 6. Identification of the firm's GWAC contract(s) by contract number and applicable service item number that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested. Responses must be submitted no later than Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 4:00pm, EST. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. The maximum number of pages for submission is 5 pages (excluding cover page, resumes, and other appendices). NOTE: If capability statements exceed the 5 page limitation, all pages beyond the 5 page limit will be removed and will not be included in the review process. GENERAL INFORMATION As previously stated, the Government will not entertain questions regarding this Market Research; however, general questions may be forwarded to the following: Contract Specialist: Christopher Elder Email Address: Christopher.Elder@psc.hhs.gov 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 pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. 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)."