Training for SSA Disability Hearing Officers

VENDOR: This is a Sources Sought Notice only. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is seeking potential small business concerns that may be capable of providing for the delivery of training related to conducting disability hearings. SSA has developed and implemented a process whereby disability beneficiaries who have been notified that their disability has ceased, did not exist, or is no longer disabling are provided a face-to-face due process evidentiary hearing at the reconsideration level of SSA's appeals process. This due process hearing, commonly referred to as a disability hearing, is generally the responsibility of the state agencies known as Disability Determination Services (DDS); A Federal process has been established for States that have declined the process and for cases in which the initial determination was made by an SSA employee. The decision maker at this face-to-face hearing is referred to as the Disability Hearing Officer (DHO). The training will prepare the Hearing Officers with conducting face-to-face hearings for individuals whose disability benefits are going to be ceased. These hearings are conducted under the guidance of the Goldberg vs. Kelly, U.S. Supreme Court decision that mandates how and in what manner such a hearing is to be conducted to ensure the claimant receives due process. The responsibilities of the SSA DHO training contractor would be: 1) Provide a minimum of two and a maximum of 4 eight day training classes per year for a maximum of 25 trainees (the number of training classes per year is SSA's option); 2) Provide a 3-day - overview class for SSA administrators once a year; 3) Conduct training classes in a suitable facility conducive to classroom instruction with facilities for conducting mock hearings; 4) The training facility should be connected with a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; 5) Provide a suitably qualified and trained faculty to provide the training; 6) The training facility will be in close proximity to establishments providing food and lodging for the trainees; 7) The contractor will be flexible in accommodating additional training needs that may arise; 8) The contractor will present a plan for training Disability Hearing Officers, demonstrating knowledge of the SSA Continuing Disability Review (CDR) process and the Goldberg vs. Kelly requirements for due process; 9) Provide for the use of up to 25 laptop computers for the use of trainees during the class; 10) Maintain an electronic case bank for instruction of the trainees; 11) Provide additional training as the need arises (such as the production of DVD training or IVT broadcast at SSA headquarters); 12) Document all training to ensure accurate SSA performance audits; 13) Provide a means of surveying student satisfaction with the training; and 14) Ensure the security of all information in accordance with SSA-established requirements. SSA will provide electronic case files for training purposes. These case files will be purged of all personally identifiable information (PII). The contractor must also be available to meet with SSA staff in Baltimore, Maryland for a 1-day meeting, to be briefed on the duties of the DHOs/DEs and to obtain information concerning the precise goals, concepts and plans developed for the DHO course. The contractor must be able to provide all personnel, materials, supplies, and services required to support the training. As stated above, this is a Sources Sought Notice seeking information from Small Business Concerns, which may be capable of providing these services. Information received from other than Small Business sources will not be considered. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 611310. The size standard for this NAICS code is $7 million. Interested small business concerns should send capability statements to contact@example.gov in the Office of Acquisition and Grants (OAG). The capability statement should include Central Contractor Registration (CCR) information (website: http://www.ccr.gov). The size limitation for e-mail attachments is 5 megabytes. MS Word 2002 is the standard word processing software. Submit responses on or before 4:30 P.M. EST on 02/16/2009. No other responses will be accepted after this date and time. The Government does not intend to reimburse for any information or materials submitted in response to this sources sought notice. This is not a request for quotes or proposals. No formal solicitation document exists at this time. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the review. No contract award will be made on the basis of the responses received.