Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Program Support

Active

Contract Opportunity

SOURCES SOUGHT TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION FOR SERVICES

INTRODUCTION:

The Defense Health Agency National Capital Region Contracting Division (NCR-CD), Arlington, Virginia is seeking information on business sources that can provide non-personal service support as synopsized below.

The purpose of this Sources Sought is a means of conducting market research to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, socio-economic information, and qualifications of members of the business community who can support this requirement and to identify parties having the resources to support the requirement to provide Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Program Support to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), which is a component center of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), Bethesda, MD. The intention is to procure these services on a competitive basis.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

As a baseline level of effort, the work shall be performed at WRNMMC, within the purview of the NICoE and its established clinical programs. Scaled options may be provided for potential expansion of level of service to include additional activities within WRNMMC and/or Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC), VA.

DISCLAIMER:

“THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)”. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government. Responses to this sources sought synopsis will be used by the Government to make appropriate determinations about potential sources only, and the Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this sources sought synopsis. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this sources sought synopsis. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. Responses will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future Request for Proposal (RFP), if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Government-Wide Point of Entry (GPE). It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the GPE for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

The Contractor shall provide non-personal services. The Contractor shall provide Direct Health Care Provider (DHCP) and administrative services, and necessary materials to include access to appropriate (age, species, and breed type) therapy animals in support of the Animal Assisted Therapy Programs under the auspices of the NICoE. This contract provides for specific staffing and also programmatic support, to include provision, feeding, housing, and care of animals which participate in the program. All animals are understood to be provided by the Contractor for the length of their participation in the program (approximately two years), and the Contractor retains ultimate responsibility for the animals once their participation in the AAT program has ended. The Contractor shall provide staffing support of a nature and scope as described in the performance of work statement to include:

1. LEAD ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPIST (1 Full Time Equivalent [FTE] / ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPIST:

Scope of Work: These positions are under the auspices of the NICoE. The Contractor serves as an Animal Assisted Therapist or Lead Animal Assisted Therapist at the NICoE (baseline level of effort) or optionally at ATAMMC, for service members and their families with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Psychological Health (PH) problems.

General Requirements: The Contractor shall possess appropriate higher education, current state licensure in the jurisdiction in which the service is performed, and at least two years clinical experience as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), occupational therapist (OT), or a related clinical field. These positions require privileging and credentialing at WRNMMC and/or ATAMMC, as applicable. Must comply with all NCR-MD credentialing requirements as detailed by the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff. This includes peer review of medical documentation, discipline required continuing education, and all other requirements as detailed by regulation or directives.

Duties Include: Responsible for providing clinically based interventions to Managed Health Services (MHS) health care beneficiaries through the implementation of an animal assisted therapy program. Contractor will conduct individual, family, and group service animal training sessions that will provide opportunities for patients to develop improved cognitive, behavioral, social and emotional competencies. The Contractor shall conduct therapeutic service animal training sessions in accordance with program standards (e.g., based on positive methods of shaping behavior) and targeted therapeutic goals. The Contractor shall establish specific patient goals and objectives for the individual application of the animal assisted therapy program, and shall collaborate and align these goals to support with the overall clinical goals established for the patient by the referring provider / interdisciplinary team. The Contractor will provide professional judgment with a flexible use of a wide range of clinical skills to support MHS health care beneficiaries presenting many combinations of vocational, education, physical, social, and emotional problems.

Responsible for the care, training and well-being of animals entrusted to participate in the program. Contractor should be proactive in providing structured opportunities for program animals to advance in their service animal training requirements, monitor program dogs so they meet or exceed health and grooming standards, and provide fundamental socialization opportunities for service animals in training.

1. SERVICE ANIMAL TRAINING INSTRUCTOR (3 FTE):

Scope of Work: The Service Animal Training Instructor (SATI) shall provide instruction for health care beneficiaries participating in the Animal Assisted Therapy Program. The SATI shall be assigned to the NICoE Division of Wellness and shall carry out training in accordance with the Animal Assisted Therapy Program model currently established through clinical oversight by the NICoE. This program focuses on the needs of patients with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury who benefit from training purposely bred animals to become certified service animals that will be issued to Veterans. The SATI will deliver services within the auspices of the NICoE (baseline level of effort) or optionally within FBCH or other clinical locations within WRNMMC, if option(s) so exercised, as required.

General Requirements: The SATI will function as an integral part of the treatment team, under direction of the Animal Assisted Therapist or other Licensed Independent Provider (LIP) as appropriate to the individual patient needs. The LIP shall determine the appropriate extent of independent activities to be performed by the SATI.

Specific patient goals and objectives will be identified by a Therapist or referring clinician, communicated to the SATI and updated through collaboration between the SATI, Therapist, and referring clinician as the patient progresses through the program. The SATI will accompany and monitor patient trainers at all times with animals in training unless specific training objectives require independent activities and have been communicated, approved and agreed upon between the NICoE Division of Wellness, SATI and referring Therapist / Clinician.

Maintain requisite encounter reports, metrics, relevant documentation and program administrative documentation as needed according to the needs of the military program manager. In conjunction with the Animal Assisted Therapists, and in consultation with NICoE staff, the contractor will assist in monitoring efficacy and outcomes of both individual treatment sessions and over the course of therapy.

Assist, support, and accommodate as much as possible without interrupting patient care those meetings/visits from officially recognized guests such as commanders, leadership, congressional affairs, or other visitors as requested by or coordinated through NICoE leadership. Provide training to recovering patients at program site and in the local area in accordance with program standards and therapeutic goals. Demonstrate and execute all technical skills required in instructing patients how to train an animal to become a full-service animal. Provide varying levels of training instruction to meet patient-trainer’s various stages of recovery.

Provide instruction in proper animal care, grooming, handling and commands. Coordinate patient trainer participation calendar/schedules. Develop and execute community training activities. Communicate and coordinate with patient treatment team regarding patient’s level of participation, treatment goals, and progress. Develop training goals for patient Trainers and animals in training in collaboration with clinical providers to ensure training goals are addressing clinical treatment goals. Promote integration of animals into wellness and therapeutic activities.

ELIGIBILITY: The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 621340 with a Small Business Size Standard of $7.5 million. The Product Service Code is Q518. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT):

Interested parties are requested to submit a capabilities statement of no more than ten (10) pages in length in Times New Roman font of not less than 12 pitch. The deadline for response to this request is no later than 3:00 PM EDT, 16 April 2024. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be e-mailed to the Contract Specialist, Miriam Railey at miriam.t.railey.civ@health.mil in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF).

The Government requests the following information be provided:

1.) What type of work has your company performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirement?

2.) Can or has your company managed a task of this nature? If so, please provide details.

3.) Can or has your company managed a team of subcontractors before? If so, provide details.

4.) What specific technical skills does your company possess which ensure capability to perform these tasks?

5.) Provide a statement including current small/large business status and company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office locations, DUNs number, etc. Please note that under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50% of the work themselves in terms of the cost of performance. Provide an explanation of your company’s ability to perform at least 50% of the tasking described for the base period as well as the option periods.

6.) Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they qualify as a Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUBZone, or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern.

7.) Responding companies must demonstrate the willingness and capability to provide the services identified in this Sources Sought to help the Government determine prospective contractors.

The estimated period of performance is anticipated to be a 12-month base period, and four (4) twelve (12) month option periods with performance commencing during Fiscal Year 2024.

The contract type is anticipated to be a hybrid Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) and cost. FFP for labor and cost for any materials and travel to support the program.

Upon evaluation of the capability statements, if it is determined that this requirement will be an unrestricted competition, the Government intends to evaluate the Small-Business responses and conduct further market research to identify a subcontracting goal.

All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.

No phone calls will be accepted.

All questions must be submitted to the contract specialist identified above. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought.

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