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THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/ SOURCES SOUGHT IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION.

NOTICE

This RFI does not constitute a Request for Quotation (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. It is the responsibility of the responders to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement. Responses or questions concerning the composition and requirements to the RFI will not be returned.

All capable contractors are welcome to respond to this notice and shall provide a brief capability statement that covers the information in the performance work statement. The Capability Statement shall be limited to 10 pages and no more than 5MB. The Government will not review any other information or attachments included, that are more than the 10-page limit. The Government will not review generic marketing materials that do not address the information contained herein or the attached documents.

GENERAL

Your response must address capabilities specific to the services required in the performance work statement and must include the following:

1. Request Company information to include:
   
   
   
   1. Company Name
   
   
   2. SAM CAGE & Unique Entity ID under which the company is registered in Sam.gov and/or veterans.certify.sba.gov/
   
   
   3. Company Address
   
   
   4. Point of contact name
   
   
   5. Telephone number
   
   
   6. Email address
   
   
   7. Socioeconomic data
   
   
   8. Company Business Size Status and representations of your business
   
   
   9. Pricing of your products/solution. Pricing may be used for the purpose of market research only.
   
   
   10. Names and types of current federal contracts and/or contract vehicles that can be utilized for the “scope” of the requirements.
   
   
   
   

This is not a request for quotes. Estimated base year period of performance is May 1, 2024 – April 31, 2025, plus four one year option periods. The NAICS code is 621330 All interested parties shall respond no later than 2/15/2025 at 5:00PM EST. Submit responses to via email to jameel.gordon@va.gov. Telephone responses will not be accepted.

Performance Work Statement – Psychological Evaluations

1. Background:

VA medical facilities are protected by police officers who have arrest authority, as defined by 38 U.S.C. Chapter 9. They protect life and property on VA owned or operated land and buildings, and must regularly make decisions on the appropriate application of force, the use of a firearm, police baton, or OC spray. Applicant and incumbent VA police officers must meet certain functional requirements. In order to meet the specific behavioral functional requirements for the successful police officer, individuals must:

1. Possess a high level of personal integrity


2. Be able to maintain control of anger and emotions


3. Be compassionate towards others, especially those who cannot care for themselves


4. Be able to quickly respond to emergency situations


5. Have respect for authority and rule of law


6. Be emotionally able to apply physical and possibly lethal force as needed, and to recognize when such force is necessary, but in strict accordance with training and policy requirements


7. Be able to often work independently, but within a regimented group

1. General Requirements:

1. Contractor shall provide all required psychological assessment services for incumbent VA Police officers and police officer applicants for the Louis A. Johnson VAMC, Clarksburg, WV. The psychological assessments shall be performed in accordance with the guidelines designed to determine an officer’s capability of conducting designated functional requirements essential to the duties of a VA police officer and an officer’s suitability to carry a firearm. The memorandum from the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Security and Law Enforcement dated April 19, 2002, titled “Psychological Assessment of Applicants for Police Officer Positions” provides the most recent guidance for police officer applicant assessments; however, guidance from this directive is also recommended for incumbent assessments. Psychological testing standards for VA Police are found in VA Directive and Handbook 0730, and VA Firearm Policy is found in Directive and Handbook 0720. See:

http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub

Continuum of Force, Training Units, other law enforcement standards and position descriptions are also available in VA Police Units at each of the participating facilities.

1. VA regulations require an initial psychological assessment for VA police officer applicants, which shall include a structured interview and written psychological testing. The regulations also require an annual psychological assessment for incumbent VA police officers, which are limited to a verbal interview covering only job-related factors, unless concerns arise during the psychological evaluation. The initial and annual psychological examination of the applicant/officer’s emotional and mental stability shall be performed by a psychologist with recognized expertise in performing the specifically focused exams. Police officer duties include personal encounters patients, visitors, and other employees. Encounters are often with mentally ill, irrational, or disturbed persons who, although assaultive or destructive, must be handled with understanding, full control of force, and unimpeded judgement. Any emotional or mental conditions which could cause the officer/applicant to be a hazard to others or self during stress situations and/or physical altercations will disqualify.

1. The primary objectives of psychological screening for VA police officer applicants and incumbent police officer are to screen out emotionally unstable individuals and to identify positive psychological characteristics associated successful job performance. Emotional instability, in this context, refers to symptomatology of such severity that the individual’s ability to meet the functional requirements of the position, including the carrying and use of firearms, would be impaired. A mental health diagnosis, on its own, cannot be used as a basis for a determination of instability. Suitability, in the psychological screening context, refers to personality characteristics pertinent to an individual’s performance in the job and includes interpersonal skills, judgement, decision-making and integrity. The evaluating psychologist will determine, based upon his / her clinical judgement, the exact subset of dimensions to be assessed while adhering to the police officer functional requirements.

1. Qualifications:

1. Personnel assigned by the Contractor to perform the services covered by this contract shall be licensed in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. All licenses held by the personnel working on this contract shall be full and unrestricted licenses. The qualifications of such personnel shall also be subject to review by the VA Chief of Staff and approved by the VA Facility Director at the VA facilities credentialing and privileging the Contractor’s psychologist(s). Personnel must have experience commensurate with their assigned responsibilities.

1. Services shall be provided by a Psychologist(s) who has a doctorate from an American Psychological Association (APA) approved graduate program, is experienced working with adults, and is experienced in performing psychological assessments on police officers and/or police officer applicants. It is highly desirable that the Psychologist be board certified in Forensics by the American Board of Behavioral Psychology (ABBP). The Psychologist shall be a recognized expert demonstrating expertise in completing these specifically focused police officer exams.

1. The offeror’s signature in Block 30a of the Standard Form 1449 (to be provided at time of award), Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Item, is a certification that any individual providing services under this contract.

1. Have no physical/mental limitations or other conditions that may adversely affect his/her ability to perform as required by this contract;


2. Has not had a loss, reduction, restriction, or revocation of his / her clinical privileges at any institution;


3. Has not, or is not currently, and is not pending any litigation for medical malpractice;


4. Is a member in good standing or has not had a loss of medical staff membership at or from any institution; and


5. Has not, or does not currently, and currently has no pending felony criminal charges against him/her.

1. Personnel Policy:

The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting the personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry out this responsibility, the Contractor shall provide the following for these personnel:

Worker Compensation

Professional Liability Insurance

Health Examination

Income Tax Withholding, and

Social Security Payments

The parties agree that the Contractor, its employees, agents and subcontractors shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose and shall be considered employees of the Contractor.

1. Credentialing and Privileging:

1. Contractor will ensure that all psychologists be employed under this contract participate in the VA Credentialing and Privileging process. Psychologist(s) working on site at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System will be credentialed and privileged as described in Medical Center Memorandum (MCM) MS-1 (available on request). The Contractor will provide copies of current requirements and updates as they are published. No services will be provided by any contract psychologist prior to completing the credentialing and privileging process outlined above.

1. Privileges will require renewal at least every two years in accordance with Medical Center and Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JACHO) requirements.

1. Upon receipt of Notice of Award, Contractor will immediately commence the credentialing and privileging process for all psychologists proposed to provide services under the contract through the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (unless currently credentialed and privileged at VAPHS). A minimum of six calendar weeks is required for VA credentialing and privileging after the package has been completed and received from the provider.

1. Tort Claims: Contractor employees are not covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act. When a Contractor employee has been identified as a provider in a tort claim, the contractor employee is responsible for notifying the Contractor’s legal counsel and/or insurance carrier. Any settlement or judgement arising from a contractor employee’s action or non-action is the responsibility of the Contractor and/or insurance carrier.

1. Confidentiality: FAR 52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification, and FAR 52.224-2, Privacy Act, apply to this contract and are incorporated by reference.

1. Contract Monitoring Procedures: The VA COR (Contracting Officer’s Representative) will communicate with the participating medical center Chiefs of Police to determine whether required assessments were performed as scheduled and whether all contract requirements are being met. Any incidents of contract noncompliance as evidenced by these monitoring procedures shall be forwarded immediately to the Contracting Officer.

1. Quality Assurance: Approximately two months after contract award, a VA psychologist will review randomly selected cases to ensure standardization of procedures and the reliability/validity of the Contractor’s results. The applicant/officer’s name will be expunged from cases to ensure confidentiality. Reviews will thereafter be completed on an annual basis during the term of the contract unless required more frequently due to performance problems or complaints.

1. Key Personnel and Emergency Temporary Substitutions:

1. The Contractor shall assign to this contract the following key personnel:

The psychologist(s) proposed under Offeror’s technical proposal.

1. During the first ninety days of performance, the Contractor shall make NO substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required by paragraph c below. After the initial 90 day period of the contract, the Contractor shall submit the information required by paragraph c to the Contracting Officer at least 15 days prior to making any permanent substitutions.

1. The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. Proposed substitutions shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor within 15 days after receipt of all required information of the decision on the proposed substitutes. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel.

1. JACHO and Other Special Requirements:

1. The Contractor will be responsible to ensure that Contractor employees providing work on this contract are fully trained and completely competent to perform the required work.

1. Although this contract does not require JACHO accreditation or other regulatory requirements regarding worker competency, the Contractor must perform the required work in accordance with JACHO standards. The Contractor is required to provide a current performance evaluation on each psychologist providing services under this contract. The Contractor will provide current copies of the performance evaluations at the time of the contract award and annually on the anniversary date of the contract award to the VA Contracting Officer, or upon request.

1. The VA will monitor the Contractor employees’ work to ensure contract compliance.

1. Types of Personnel Needing Assessment:

Police Officer Applicants

The memorandum from the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Security and Law Enforcement dated April 19, 2002; entitled “Psychological Assessment of Applicants for Police Officer Positions” provides guidelines for psychological assessments of police officer applicants. At a minimum the psychological evaluation for police officer applicants shall consist of structured interview and standardized, objective psychological testing. Additional test instruments, available information, and the interview questions should be used as deemed appropriate by the evaluating psychologist. All interview questions and testing instruments should be chosen based upon their relevance to job performance and not subject to selected culture gender or racial bias. A recommended format for the structured interview is Attachment 1 to the April 19, 2002 memorandum; and attachment 2 to the April 19, 2002 memorandum provides examples of recommended test instruments that are currently available which have been specifically developed for law enforcement officer screening (i.e., objectively assess both personality characteristics pertinent to the job requirements and psychological symptoms that could interfere with job performance). All applicants for police officer positions must successfully complete psychological testing before a final job offer is made.

Incumbent Officers

Incumbent VA Police officers must have a psychological assessment within the previous sixty days prior to being armed and an annual psychological assessment thereafter. The initial and annual psychological assessments for incumbent VA Police Officers are limited to a verbal interview by a psychologist covering only job-related factors. Standardized psychological testing may be used only after a reason arises to question the employee’s suitability. If during the psychological assessment, the psychologist had an articulable reason to doubt that the officer that the officer is capable of performing duties of a police officer (including the use of a firearm), he/she shall make a formal recommendation for psychological testing to the Employee Health Physician (EHP) who may approve such a recommendation and direct the Contractor to perform appropriate psychological testing. It is recommended that the “Human Reliability Structured Interview” developed by Neil S. Hibler, Ph.D., outlined in Attachment 1 to the April 19, 2002, memorandum which is incorporated as part of this solicitation be utilized for incumbent police officers. If psychological testing of incumbent police officer is required, it is recommended that the standardized test listed in Attachment 2 to the April 19, 2002 memorandum be utilized. In assessments of incumbent police officers where mild difficulties are identified, tips for management of an officer may be provided, or a recommendation may be made for retraining, psychological counseling or for other remedial reasons.

1. Other Requirements (Police Officers and Applicants):

1. This contract does not mandate the use of any specific structured interview questions or specific psychological testing instruments. The psychologist may utilize structured interview formats and/or psychological tests not identified in the April 19, 2002 memo entitled “Psychological Assessment of Applicants for Police Officer Positions” in the performance of this contract, provided the selected interview formats and/or tests are validated instruments for psychological assessments of police officers and offeror submits a written a written narrative as part of the technical proposal supporting the validity of the selected assessments. This memo defines criteria that should be applied in the selection of both types of assessment instruments. It is essential that the assessment process be standardized. The same set of interview questions and test battery (if applicable) shall be administered to all individuals under this contract.

1. When psychological testing is performed, typically, at least two objective psychological tests will be administered, one normed against healthy individuals drawn from the general population to assess suitability for work as a police officer and as a second measure normed against a clinical population to evaluate significant psychological dysfunction (i.e., emotional stability). The choice of how many and which objective measures to employ are the responsibility of the evaluating psychologist; however, suitability and stability must both be assessed.

1. The psychologist will provide each police officer applicant with an informed consent sheet to review, sign and date (Attachment 3 to the April 19, 2002 memorandum).

1. The Contractor will be given a two weeks’ notice for scheduling purposes and will schedule assessments in a timely manner. The exact date(s) and time(s) for performance of services for both incumbent and applicants will be coordinated between the Contractor and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or a VA designee.

1. Estimated number of incumbent/applicant police officers per year needing Psychological Assessments – Structured Interviews—15

Annual applicants requiring Psychological Testing—3

1. Vendor will adhere to Attachment G, Fact Sheet – Police Officer Physical Examinations and Psychological Assessments from the Office of Security and Law enforcement, dated February 7, 2005, memorandum regarding Police Officer Psychological Assessments.

1. Report Format (Police Officers and Applicants):

1. Rating of police officer candidates and incumbent police officers requiring written psychological testing in addition to the verbal interview will be on the basis of the entire examination. Decisions regarding the suitability of candidates or the disposition of other personnel are entirely the prerogative and responsibility of the VA appointing authority. The Contractor’s recommendations are advisory only and are based upon the best professional judgment of the examining psychologist considering all available data.

1. The final report will provide a general description of the examining psychologist’s credentials, dates of review, and a description of the interview format utilized, testing procedures (if testing was performed) and the overall results. The report must be specifically address whether the officer is competent to perform his/her duties, to include the carrying of the issued firearms. The report will conclude with one of the two findings with supportive reasoning if conclusion two below is specified:

1. RECOMMENDED: The individual was found to have the basic psychological qualities deemed necessary for the position and to reveal no features which cause significant concern at this time.

1. NOT RECOMMENDED: In the best professional judgment of the examiner(s), we find that this person, at this time, does not possess the psychological characteristics deemed necessary to perform the duties of the position and is not considered to be psychologically suited for that position for the reasons detailed in this report.

1. Report Format (Fitness for Duty Examinations):

The final medical report will provide a general description of the credentials of the examining physician, the date(s) of the examination, a narrative detailing what the examination consisted of and the corresponding findings (including any testing procedures utilized), and the overall result. The report must specifically address whether an individual is medically capable of performing the duties of their assigned position.

1. Contractor Personnel Security Requirements:

All Contractor employees who require access to VA sensitive information shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the Office of Security and Law Enforcement prior to contract performance. This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. If the investigation is not complete prior to the start date of the contract, the Contractor will be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for the VA.

1. Position Sensitivity – The position sensitivity has been designated as Low Risk.

1. Background Investigation – The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access is National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI). Non-citizen contract personnel appointed to Low Risk or Non-sensitive positions will be subject to a National Agency Check with Law Enforce and Credit Check (NACLC).

1. Contractor Responsibilities:

1. The Contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining of background investigations. If the investigation is conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Contractor shall reimburse VA within 39 days. The estimated cost of the NACI is $267.00 and NACLC is $290.00 per person.

1. The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to VA employee sensitive information to ensure they are able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.

1. The Contractor employees shall download, complete, and mail the documents required for a Low Risk Position found on the following website within fourteen calendar days of the request from the VA Security Investigations Center (SIC):

http://www.osp.va.gov/Security_and_Investigations_Center_FF.asp

Electronic fingerprinting can be performed free of charge at any VA Medical Center. If fingerprinting is performed at a VA facility, the Contractor employees shall also complete an Electronic Fingerprinting Memo which will be provided after award. Fingerprinting can also be done at a local police department at the Contractor’s expense. If performed outside the VA, the Contractor must request fingerprinting cards from the VA Security Investigations Center. All documents shall be mailed by the Contractor, along with the Electronic Fingerprinting Memo, or fingerprint cards, as appropriate to:

VA Law Enforcement Training Center / SIC

2200 Fort Roots Drive, Bldg. 104

North Little Rock AR. 72114

1. The Contractor, when notified of an unfavorable determination by the Government, will withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the contract.

1. Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security requirements may result in termination of the contract for default.

Government Responsibilities:

1. Upon receipt, the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement will review the completed forms for accuracy and forward the forms to OPM to conduct the background investigation.

1. The VA facility will pay for investigations conducted by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in advance. In these instances, the Contractor will reimburse the VA facility within 30 days. The Contractor will pay for all Contractor personnel who fail the background investigation.

1. The VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement will notify the Contracting Officer and Contractor after adjudicating the results of the investigations received from OPM.

1. The Contracting Officer will ensure that the Contractor provides evidence that investigations have been completed or are in the process of being requested.

General Security Provisions:

1. Contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall satisfy all requirements for appropriate security eligibility in dealing with access to sensitive information belonging to or being used on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Contractor will be responsible for all actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for VA under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by the Contractor provided personnel, under the auspices of this contract, the Contractor will be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident. Printed output containing sensitive VA employee data will be stored in a secured area, and disposed of properly by shredding or similar methods. Under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, personnel performing work under this contract have an obligation to protect VA information indefinitely. Furthermore, it is the Contractor’s responsibility to notify the Information Management staff when access to Information Management systems is no longer needed by personnel performing work under this contract.

1. All portable media (including, but not limited to thumb-drives, CD-ROMS, etc.) utilized by the Contractor under this contract must be encrypted in accordance with the security requirements identified 9n FIPS 140-2.

1. Hard drives utilized under this contract must be encrypted in accordance with FIPS 140-2

1. Each Contractor employee working on-site must complete training course “VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior”.

Attachments/Links