This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government. This notice is intended strictly for Market Research. This is a Request for Information only. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The Department of Veterans Affairs North Texas VA Medical Center in Dallas Texas is conducting a market survey to help determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and/or HUBZone small businesses capable of serving the needs identified below. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS: Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility in Dallas, TX and Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio, TX have a need to contract for the in home hospice care. Purpose: The VA is seeking hospice contractors that can cover the following catchment areas independently or as a group: Dallas/FW (Approximately 5,000 - Q5001 Routine Home Care per diem annually, approximately 1,000 - Q5001 Continuous Care per diem) Area 1: Camp, Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Henderson, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar, Kaufman, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Smith, Titus, Van Zandt, Wood, Bryan, and Choctaw (note: Bryan and Choctaw counties are located in the State of Oklahoma). Area 2: Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cooke, Eastland, Hood, Jack, Johnson, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Stephens, Tarrant, Throckmorton, Wise and Young. San Antonio (Approximately 3,000 - Q5001 routine per diem annually) Area 3: Atascosa, Bandera, Bee, Bexar, Blanco, Calhoun, Caldwell, Crockett, Comal, Dewitt, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Llano, Jackson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lavaca, Live Oak, McMullen, Mason, Medina, Menard, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Wilson The solicitation will be issued as an RFP for a services contract to be completed on a firm fixed price basis. Anticipated Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be a base year plus two option years, beginning the date of delivery. Confidentiality of Information: In accordance with FAR 52.227-14(b), the contractor shall guarantee strict confidentiality of the information/data that it is provided by the Government during the performance of the contract. The Government has determined that the information/data that the Contractor will be provided during the performance of the contract is of a sensitive nature and cannot be disclosed in any manner. The Contractor, in whole or in part, can only make disclosure of the information/data, after the Contractor receives prior written approval from the Contracting Officer. Whenever the Contractor is uncertain with regard to the proper handling of information/data under the contract, the Contractor shall obtain a written determination from the Contracting Officer. Interested firms responding to this sources sought notice must adhere to the following: (a) Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The capability statement should contain a statement that they possess Medicare certification for hospice services; which area(1,2,or 3) and identify only counties within the area that you can service in it's entirety beginning from the day of award. Sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities; however, the statement should not exceed 10 pages. (b) The capability statement must identify the responder's business type and size. (c ) The capability statement must provide company name and address, point of contact, phone/fax/email and certification of NAICS Code 621610. (d) All capability statements must be submitted electronically no later than 12:00 CST on Friday, April 17th to Lynda Hernandez at
[email protected]. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality, No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). A determination by the Government to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside is within the discretion of the Government. If capability statements are not received from at least two responsible businesses by the response date or if the Government determines that no small business concerns are capable of performing this requirement based upon an evaluation of the capability statements submitted, the Government may proceed with a full and open competition. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.