Outreach Call Center and Transitional Support Services for the Defense Centers of Excellence for TBI/PH

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/Sources Sought (SS), as well as Industry Feedback ONLY. This RFI/SS is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a solicitation nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. 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. Any contract that might be awarded based on information received or derived from this market research will be the outcome of a competitive process. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI/SS will be solely at the interested vendor's expense. Not responding to this RFI/SS does not preclude participation in any future Request for Proposal (RFP), if any is issued. This RFI/SS is to gauge interest in the upcoming requirement for The Defense Centers of Excellence (DCOE) for Psychological Health (PH) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) for non-personal services to provide an Outreach/Transition Support Contract Call Center Program to individuals directly or indirectly affected by psychological health (PH) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) for PH and TBI seek Contractor support to establish and maintain a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7) Outreach/Transition Support Contact Call Center Program that provides a toll-free number for a broad range of users, including Service Members and Veterans and their families, caregivers, military leaders, clinicians, employers, researchers, educators, and community members at both CONUS and OCONUS locations. Additionally, the DCoE Outreach/Transition Support Contact Call Center Program will be staffed by professionals who are trained, certified, and licensed in varying careers that support the mental healthcare profession, i.e. social workers, etc., to bridge the transitional knowledge gap between identification and receipt of Mental Health Services. These professionals will not be required to provide direct hands-on medical care or indirect care to DOD Beneficiaries nor will these professionals be required or responsible for making call eligibility determinations. Membership or eligibility determination will not be a requirement or function of the contract. Contractor support will also involve maintaining and periodically updating the DCoE Resource Database. The Outreach/Transition Support Contact Call Center Support Program will provide a call triage service to answer and direct calls to the appropriate specialty area, when needed. The Outreach/Transition Support Contact Call Center staff will handle various types of calls, including routine requests for information about PH and TBI, questions about symptoms a caller is having, and helping a caller find appropriate health care resources. Thus, the Outreach/Transition Call Center Program will be a source of information, education, transitional coaching and communication on PH and TBI issues to include referrals to the inTransition Program. The inTransition program assigns service members a support coach, to provide a bridge of individual support between health care systems and providers through coaching services by phone worldwide. The inTransition coach neither performs case management nor delivers PH care. Instead, the inTransition support and coaching services serve as an additional resource for service members to those provided by health care providers and case managers. It will also provide coaching support services needed to bridge potential knowledge gaps in mental health support during transitional periods that can lead to service members' disengagement from treatment entirely by offering information, providing military service members' non-medical counseling, education and advice services for eligible beneficiaries and otherwise encouraging the utilization of behavioral health services. The DCoE Resource Database will contain relevant and current health, support, and program resource information that is accessible to the Outreach/Transition Consultants as well as to Service Members and Veterans and their families, caregivers, military leaders, clinicians, employers, researchers, educators, and community members. Inclusion of DCoE's Resource Database into a pre-existing resource database will be considered, if there is value added for DCoE. The current DCoE Resource Database is a web-based repository/database of publications, links to publications, program and website directory listings, and other resources on PH & TBI, supported by a robust search engine. DCoE Outreach Support, program management support services. The scope of this effort encompasses all resources, processes, materials, equipment, and technology to support the communication of best practices to Military Health System Leaders, healthcare providers, service members and their families and communities, and other stakeholders Background: The Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury undertakes the mission to maximize opportunities for Service Members (active and reserve components), Veterans, and their families to thrive through a collaborative global network promoting resilience, recovery, and reintegration for Psychological Health (PH) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The DCoE accomplishes this through four primary initiatives: Information Clearinghouse. The DCoE serves as the central source where any warrior, family member, caregiver, clinician, researcher, educator, military leader, media specialist, or other interested party may obtain current information regarding PH and TBI. The knowledge and information managed spans a wide spectrum, in depth and breadth, which is relevant to consumers and producers of scientific data and relevant to the layperson, across various PH and TBI issues. Outreach. As a premiere resource on PH and TBI issues, the DCoE plays a very active role in strategically disseminating information of relevance to multiple target audiences, and actively engages with warriors, warrior families, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, leaders, educators, support organizations, and treatment resources to connect, share, collaborate, and coordinate to serve the needs of our warrior families. Advocacy. The DCoE engages network resources to proactively identify concerns regarding the receipt, delivery, and navigation of care for our wounded warriors, as well as to assist in the identification and mobilization of those resources that best address those concerns. Real Warriors Campaign. The DCoE, in response to the Department of Defense (DoD) Mental Health Task Force recommendations, launched a multi-year, national public awareness campaign designed to impact beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors among warriors/families/leaders, about seeking care for PH and TBI issues. The toll-free number of the DCoE Call Center Program is the primary contact vehicle to learning more about PH and TBI issues, transitional coaching, inquiring about how and where to obtain care, asking questions about how to overcome stigma, and understanding how to assist a fellow citizen in need of support/care. Note: For RFI Purposes (information): When soliciting, the Government will be requesting a FFP Contract for both Support Services (labor) and on a Volume Based "Price per Call" methodology for Call Center Support Services for each identified Call Type - See PWS. When submitting a capability statement to this draft PWS, please submit a capability statement that describes relevant past performance based upon the size and scope of the outlined requirement. Please do not regurgitate the draft PWS tasks, rather contractors shall describe/outline company specific capabilities that match the work outlined in the draft PWS in order for the Government to make a fair capabilities determination. Capability statements will be evaluated to the degree to which they demonstrate: (1) Described relevant past performance based on the size and scope of the outlined requirement; (2) Described company specific capabilities that match the work outlined in the draft PWS. The Government has provided an estimated level of effort (LOE) which provides some information related to size of this requirment in terms of direct labor and estimated call volume. In addition, the Government will review non-capability statement responses to Appendix A and B questions in order to determine the most appropriate source. In addition, the Government requests you respond to the specific questions listed below in order to satisfy this RFI/SS. Any industry feedback regarding the PWS is encouraged and welcome. Please list any feedback accordingly (marked as vendor feedback) following your capability statement and responses to the listed Government questions. How to Respond: a) Please provide a capabilities statement of no more than 15 single sided pages that addresses the questions/requests for information posed in Appendix A. Appendix B -vendor feedback, etc. (not related to capabilities) is not subject to the 15 single sided page limit. The formal closing date for this RFI/SS and for the submission of responses is NLT 26 February 2016 at 1200PM ET. All responses should be submitted electronically using PDF, HTML, MS Word or PowerPoint formats to the POC, Mr. Mark Clinger at the following e-mail address: mark.w.clinger.civ@mail.mil b) Each response should include the following Business Information: i) 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. ii) Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses. iii) DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Companies also must be registered in System for Award Management (SAM, at www.sam.gov) to be considered as potential sources. *Total e-mail file limit size is restricted to 5MB. Files exceeding this threshold shall be submitted over multiple messages, and be identified as "Message #x of #x". Appendix A - 1) Please describe your organization's customer base and years of experience in providing Call Center Support for similar, related, or identical services to this requirement as described in the attached PWS. 2) Please describe your organization's specific and relevant experience and expertise to fulfill this requirement. 3) Please describe your relevant past performance for projects of similar size and scope for this requirement. Please provide examples or provide references of previously completed deliverables related to this requirement. 4) Does your company: a. participate in any Government-wide Acquisition Contracts/GWACS b. Have A Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Contract? c. If you have (or had) contracts with the Federal Government, what contract vehichle(s) have you utilized in the past? 5) If your company does not have a GWAC or FSS, do you provide preferred Government pricing? Please describe your pricing methodology. Do you provide preferred Government pricing/discounts off commercial pricing if you do not provide pricing through a Government contract vehicle? 6) Although a FFP Contract is being contemplated, do you have a CAS approved accounting system and are you immediately postured to perform cost reimbursement type contracts if requested? Appendix B - 1. Feedback on the attached PWS 2. Information relating to capabilities, novel ideas, industry best practices, industry capabilities to meet the needs of the Government's requirement as outlined in the PWS. Summary: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY to identify sources that can provide the stated services IAW the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS). The information provided in the RFI/SS is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the services discussed, and release of this RFI/SS should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. The Government will not entertain questions regarding this Market Research. The Government will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any respondents for the development of such information. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.