Updated Q&A:USDA FS Clinician support services for Cass JCCC

This contract solicits clinician support services for the Cass Job Corps Conservation Center in Ozark, Arkansas, with a performance period from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027, and includes an optional 30-day extension under FAR 52.217-8. The requirement is for a firm-fixed-price contract under a Total Small Business Set-Aside (NAICS 561990, $16.5 million size standard), with mandatory compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards, Fair Labor Standards Act, and federal regulations governing wage determinations, employment eligibility verification, and paid sick leave under Executive Order 13706. The contractor must provide a Registered Nurse (2080 hours), Center Mental Health Counselor (2080 hours), and Drug/Alcohol Counselor (1040 hours), with key personnel requirements including active, unrestricted state licensure, one year of adolescent-specific experience, $1 million per occurrence professional liability insurance, and mandatory background checks and drug testing. All personnel must comply with PIV requirements under HSPD-12 and USDA Directive 4620-002, and subcontractors are subject to strict oversight under FAR 52.244-6 and 52.209-6. Services must be delivered in accordance with a Performance Work Statement and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan, with inspection and acceptance occurring at the destination site under FOB Destination terms, governed by strict performance standards including 98% availability of resources and zero tolerance for safety-related deviations. The contract incorporates comprehensive compliance clauses covering anti-discrimination, DEI, trafficking in persons, whistleblower rights, cyber security safeguards, environmental stewardship, and Buy American requirements, with offerors required to self-certify small business status, UEI/CAGE code registration, and adherence to all applicable federal policies. Proposals must be submitted electronically by July 27, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. PT to Dennis Cantrell, with evaluation based on a best-value tradeoff where technical capability—specifically technical competence and past performance—will outweigh price in award decisions, and the government reserves the right to reject any or all responses or terminate for cause if key personnel fail security or compliance thresholds. Payment will be processed electronically through the USDA Forest Service office in Lakewood, Colorado, with no provision for third-party payment or alternative invoicing methods specified.