Notice Type: Pre-solicitation Synopsis: For Solicitation Number: VA-322-10-RP-0001 The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefit Administration, Montgomery Regional Office, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Division (VR&E) has a requirement for interim VR&E Services (6 month base period with two (2) three-month option periods) in the state of Alabama and northern Florida to include Montgomery Regional Office and out-based offices in Birmingham, Daleville, Huntsville, Mobile, Ft. Walton, and Pensacola. The contract(s) will be performance based, firm fixed price, and indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity. The NAICS code is 624310 (Vocational Rehabilitation Services) with a size standard of $7 million dollars. Face-to-Face contact is required; therefore, contractors must have an established professional office within a 50-mile radius of a metropolitan area and a 100-mile radius of jurisdictions served, unless specifically negotiated in remote areas. THIS PROCUREMENT IS 100% SET-ASIDE FOR SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 109-461 AS CODIFIED BY 38 USC 8127 AND 8128. Firms offering a response to this notice should ensure that they are registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database: http://www.ccr.gov/; ORCA database https://orca.bpn.gov; and VetBizOps database: http://vetbiz.gov; and ensure that the applicable NAICS code 624310 is included in the CCR, ORCA, and VetBizOps profiles prior to submission of proposals. Award(s) shall be made based on the evaluation criteria established in the solicitation. All information provided will become property of the Department of Veterans Affairs and will not be returned. The requirement is for the following vocational rehabilitation services:(1) Complete Initial Assessments/Evaluations;(2) Case Management/Rehabilitation Services;(3) Employment Services;(4) Educational and Vocational Counseling; and (5) Discrete Services (1) Complete Initial Assessments Initial Assessment has four major service groups: (1) Initial Assessment (includes psychometric testing, scoring and interpretation); (2) Vocational and Disability Assessment; (3) Transferable Skills Analysis, (4) Vocational Exploration and (5) Discrete Services. The Contractor shall conduct at least one face-to-face interview with the Veteran on an individual basis. A group session cannot substitute for this individualized session. (2) Case Management: The contractor will provide case management services as required to achieve the objectives of the written rehabilitation plan provided by the VA, to include supportive services, such as addressing medical, financial, academic, and community needs, and preparing Veterans to become job ready. Case Management requires frequent and ongoing services that are provided during Veteran participation on rehabilitation plans to continually address and provide supportive services and track progress in the following areas: academic, job readiness, medical, financial, independent living, and community issues. (3) Employment Services: Employment Services are for those Veterans deemed capable of re-entering the workforce. Services provided are to assist Veterans to obtain and maintain suitable employment consistent with the Veterans rehabilitation plan. This includes job readiness assistance, resume development, interview skills and job placement services, and post-placement follow-up. (4) Educational and Vocational Counseling (Chapter 36 and Chapter 35): The Contractor will assist Service members and Veterans to establish employment objectives and outline career counseling/education required to achieve their educational/vocational goals. The Contractor shall address the following training, rehabilitation, and employment needs for Service members and Veterans receiving Chapter 36 services and to Dependents receiving Chapter 35 services. (5) Discrete Services: This Service Group includes independent living (IL) assessments, job coaching, life skills coaching, and job site analysis. For the independent living assessments, a locally licensed occupational therapist (OT) or Certified Rehabilitation Counselor will be required. Licensed Rehabilitation Engineers, Occupational Therapists, or Assistive Technology Specialists are required to provide specialized Rehabilitation Engineering assessments. A complete Performance Work Statement (PWS) will be included in the solicitation. When issued, the solicitation will be available via the FedBizOpps website, http://www.fbo.gov/. The tentative solicitation issue date will be on or around 28 December 2009 and the anticipated closing date is 28 January 2010. Interested offerors are advised to consult the actual solicitation for final dates and times. Contracting Office Address: Point of Contact: Mariano Roman Contract Specialist, Department of Veterans Affairs Montgomery Regional Office, VR&E Office, 603 Interstate Park Drive, Montgomery AL 36109-4551 ; email:
[email protected]. All questions must be submitted to the contracting officer in writing. Place of Performance: Throughout the State of state of Alabama and northern Florida to include Montgomery Regional Office and out-based offices in Birmingham, Daleville, Huntsville, Mobile, Ft. Walton, and Pensacola.