R--INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE CHAT COMMUNICATION MONITOR

This proposed contract action is for a service in which the Government intends to negotiate with only one source, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention., under the authority Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 6.302-1 (a)(2) only one responsible source, 10U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) or 41 U.S.C. 253 (c)(1). The requirement is for an Interactive Screening Program (ISP) that integrates with the existing Veterans Chat Program in collaboration with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence Suicide Prevention Hotline. VHA mental health officials estimate 6,400 suicides per year among Veterans, and 1,600-1,800 among Veterans receiving health care from VHA due to an increased risk for conditions and behaviors associated with poor mental health including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and increased rates of substance use; all of which are established risk factors for suicide. The Veterans Chat program enables Veterans, their families and friends to go online where they can anonymously chat with a trained VA counselor. If the chats are determined to be a crisis, the counselor can take immediate steps to transfer the visitor to the Veterans Crisis Line where further counseling and referral services are provided and crisis intervention steps can be taken. The Veterans Chat program is intended to reach out to all Veterans who may or may not be enrolled in the VA health care system, and provide them with online access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the VA’s suicide prevention services. For many Veterans, their first contact with VHA is through this program. The Interactive Screening Program (ISP) is an online method of outreach to populations at risk for suicide, which has been developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The ISP includes an online questionnaire that screens for key mental disorders and other conditions that are associated with elevated risk of suicidal behavior in selected target populations. Questionnaires submitted by ISP users are computer-classified into one of four tiers, depending on suicide risk, and then are routed to designated counselors for assessment and personalized response to the individual user. The system provides the counselor a tier-specific template to use in preparing the response, which is augmented with comments related to issues of particular concern that are indicated in the user’s questionnaire. The program then allows the user and the counselor to exchange online messages, through which follow-up options, as well as barriers and resistances to mental health treatment, can be explored and resolved. This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive proposals, however, all information received by 1:00 p.m. EST on August 26, 2011 will considered by the Government. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities to the requirement via email. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based on responses received as a result of this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No solicitation document is available. Interested parties may email information to contact@example.gov as no phone inquiries will be taken. NAICS code is 611710 Educational Support Services with a size standard $7 million. The proposed contract type will be Firm Fixed Price for a period of one year with no option periods.