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This is a Sources Sought only. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is performing market research to determine if there are any vendors, regardless of business size, that can provide Community Based Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Services for the VA Sierra Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHCS) as described in the below.

There is no solicitation document at this time. The NAICS is 623220 with Small Business size of $19.0 million. NOTE: Please ensure that System for Award Management (SAM) (www.sam.gov) indicates this NAICS code if you are interested in the requirement.

Only firms interested and capable should send their information and/or capability statement by email to joshua.barrios@va.gov no later than 15:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time, April 21, 2022.

If interested, please provide the following information:

Name of Company

Point of Contact Name, phone number, and email address

SAM UEI

Socio-economic status such as Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, VOSB, Women-Owned Small Business, etc. should be included. SDVOSB/VOSB status must be verified through VetCert/SBA.

Capability statements

Estimated Transitional Housing Services for Homeless Veterans daily cost (if available) and any planned sub-contracting.

Requirement:

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The HCHV CERS Program provides short-term residential care and treatment to eligible Veterans who need immediate housing placement as they seek permanent housing and/or additional care and services. The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain offers from Contractors who can provide a means of removing homeless Veterans from the street or other habitation unfit for humans and placing them in community-based, residential environments with sufficient supportive services to meet their basic needs and ultimately facilitate improvement of their overall health status and housing situation.

HCHV CERS Program Characteristics:

Offers residential programming located within the City and County of Reno, NV or City and County of Carson City with easy access by public transportation to Reno VA Health Care for Homeless Veterans Clinic (350 Capitol Hill, Reno, NV 89502) and/or Reno VA Medical Center (975 Kirman Ave, Reno, NV 89502)

Covers up to a total of five years that includes one 12-month Base Year and four additional 12-month Option Years

Targets and prioritizes homeless Veterans who are eligible for VA health care and are transitioning from literal street homelessness, Veterans being discharged from institutions who are homeless, including those in need of medical respite or recuperative care, and Veterans who recently became homeless and require safe and stable living arrangements while they seek permanent housing

Has capacity to serve at least five (5) up to fifteen (20) Veterans identifying as men, women, and/or non-binary.

Lengths of Stay typically range from 30 to 90 days with the option to extend based on clinical need

Seeks to reduce barriers to immediate placement and accommodates same day admissions

Does not deny entry to HCHV CERS Program based solely upon:

Length of current abstinence from alcohol or non-prescribed controlled substances

Diagnosis

Number of previous treatment episodes

Time interval since the last program entry

Use of prescribed controlled substances including but not limited to prescribed FDA-approved medications such as methadone or buprenorphine for SUD treatment

Legal history

Considers each of the special circumstances above during the screening process and makes an admissions determination based on whether the individual Veteran s needs can be met while maintaining the program s safety, security, and integrity

Provides safe, secure housing as well as supportive services including but not limited to assistance in securing permanent housing, vocational assistance, including mentoring and coaching as well as job placement, income assistance and financial planning, linkage to health care, moderation of substance use, and social and recreational activities

Veterans are expected to meaningfully engage with their case managers and in available programming. Contractor is expected to actively engage Veterans in services from time of admission to time of discharge through outreach efforts, rapport-building, and Veteran-centered SMART goals. Engagement in services and the extent to which engagement is needed may look different from one individual Veteran to another.

Emphasis is placed on achieving placement in permanent housing at the time of program exit and on reducing negative exits due to rule violations or other avoidable circumstances

House Rules and Expectations

Rules focus on staff and resident safety:

No buying or selling of alcohol or drugs in the facility

No dealing or use of illicit drugs in the facility

No sexual activity between residents

No violence or threats of violence

Honor nightly curfew

When possible, infractions are to be used to engage residents, not simply as grounds for service termination. Negative discharges will be monitored as a measure of program quality.

Veterans are expected to engage in programming and maintain communication with case managers at all times around matters relating to admission, stay, and treatment.

It is essential that Veterans permit communication between VA and Contractor through an appropriate Release of Information (ROI) to ensure safe and effective treatment of each Veteran. Veterans who refuse to allow this communication about their treatment needs and ongoing care will need to receive services elsewhere.

Admission Practices

Contractor will assist Veterans with admission forms and eligibility determination with VA.

Contractor works to reduce barriers to admission and demonstrate flexibility with admission processes by:

Accepting referrals and admissions Monday Friday, 8AM-4PM and, whenever possible, up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including weekends and holidays.

Making reasonable efforts to admit Veterans immediately when there is a vacancy in the program especially prior to a weekend or holiday if/when there is no option to admit over the weekend or holiday and Veteran has no alternative to staying on the streets.

Accommodating same-day admissions when there are vacancies in the program. If Contractor is unable to accommodate a same-day admission when there is a vacancy in the program, Contractor will provide written explanation with reason for delay to VA Liaison, COR, and/or designee.

Supporting Veterans in follow through with obtaining tuberculosis (TB) clearance within 10 working days of admission if TB clearance results are not available at the time of referral. Veterans shall be screened for TB via PPD or QuantiFERON or chest x-ray and shall not be admitted if exhibiting any signs or symptoms of active TB.

Admission Criteria

To be eligible for HCHV Contracted Residential Services, a Veteran must meet the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 2031(a) and 38 CFR 63.3.

Veteran is enrolled in the VA health care system, or eligible for VA health care under 38 CFR 17.36 or 17.37; and

Veteran is homeless as defined in 38 U.S.C. §§ 2002(1) and 103(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11302(a) and 24 CFR 576.2 including:

Veteran who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; or

Veteran who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance.

Overview of Types of Services Available to Residents

Safe, Secure housing that includes laundry and restroom facilities

Ensuring access to three nutritious meals per day, seven days per week, as well as nutritious snacks between meals and before bedtime

Case Management and Care Coordination Services

Vocational training and employment services

Benefits Services

Enhancement of Independent Living Skills

Permanent/ Transitional housing search support

Arranging, coordinating, and/or providing direct clinical services and support for mental health stabilization and substance use treatment services using Recovery Model principles.

OBJECTIVE

Contractor shall provide emergency housing and supportive services for homeless Veterans in community based HCHV CERS facilities that offer a safe and secure environment that support their goals for recovery from homelessness in accordance with the HCHV CERS model requirements. Services are expected to consist of 24-hours-a-day/7-days-a-week housing and supportive services for homeless Veterans, many of whom may be dealing with mental illness and/or substance use disorders and/or other comorbid conditions. The program places an expectation on the Veteran to engage in supportive case management services, and also on the Contractor to provide supportive services, expertise, and guidance that focuses on improving housing stability to ensure a transition from homelessness to permanent, stable housing and ongoing engagement with aftercare services upon discharge. Contractors must comply with all HCHV CERS requirements as identified below.

HCHV CERS PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS & CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

Capable of performing outreach or otherwise identifying and referring to the contract program homeless Veterans who may have mental illness and/or substance use disorders

Capable of providing secure housing and bathroom accommodations; shared use of kitchen facilities and dining rooms is acceptable

Capable of providing services twenty-four (24) hours a day for Veteran placements lasting up to ninety (90) days per Veteran. Extensions beyond initial ninety (90) days shall be authorized in writing by VA Liaison; extensions beyond six (6) months must be prior- approved by the Social Work Service Contract Coordinator/ COR/designee

Capable of providing a sanitary food preparation area and ensuring access to three daily nutritious meals, nutritious snacks for those requiring or desiring additional food between meals even when not medically indicated, and reasonable accommodation for special dietary needs, e.g., diabetic, renal or soft mechanical diets, and/or cultural/religious preferences around food, e.g., Kosher, Halal, vegetarian

Capable of offering a means for Veteran participants to wash their own clothes or otherwise tend to laundry at a minimum of once per week; detergent shall be free of charge

Capable of providing accommodations that include semiprivate (required) or private (preferred) sleeping units with a bed and other furnishings such as a dresser, storage locker and lock or designated locked secured space, and personal linens (i.e., towels, pillows, blankets, bed sheets); storage space shall accommodate two bags of personal belongings and all prescribed medications and other medical equipment

Capable of providing an isolation area or quiet space/safe room for Veteran participant(s) who may require closer short-term monitoring by staff for the health and safety of the community (e.g., management of acute intoxication or emotional dysregulation or prevention of disease transmission)

Capable of storing personal belongings for at least 72 hours after formal HCHV discharge

Capable of providing quality case management and treatment services that utilize a Recovery Model approach and include elements of Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, and Critical Time Intervention

Capable of maintaining a minimum of one staff member on duty on the premises or a resident manager who resides at the facility and has access to an on-call administrator in case of emergency at all times to ensure appropriate response to matters involving Veteran safety

Capable of facilitating prompt communication between Veteran participants and VA and ensuring reasonably prompt communication (same day or within one business day) between Contractor and VA at all times

DIRECT VETERAN CLINICAL SERVICES

Occupancy: Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that a minimally acceptable level of 80% occupancy (90-100% preferred) of HCHV CERS funded beds is maintained at all times through independent outreach efforts as well as through collaboration with VA.

Contractor will be knowledgeable about outreach best practices generally accepted in the community and will be responsible for engaging in outreach in the community including collaboration with VASNHCS providers for referrals at least twice monthly to maintain satisfactory occupancy rate when occupancy does not meet minimally acceptable level.

Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Services: These may include, but are not limited to, clinical case management, individual and group counseling, structured group activities such as 12-step meetings, vocational training, and/or prosocial outings, linkage to and coordination with VA and/or other community-based services/resources, independent living skills, and discharge planning that begins with an assessment of housing needs upon program entry.

Care Planning: Contractor will engage the Veteran in a collaborative assessment of service needs with input from the Veteran and the VA Liaison or designee and create an initial service plan of care to address those needs within 14 days of admission. Care plans must include goals and objectives for achieving stable housing. Care plan will include an assessment of strengths and barriers to stable housing, specific services to be provided including duration and outcomes, documentation of referrals and benefits to be achieved as a result of program participation. This plan is to be reviewed and updated every 60 days with the Veteran and the VA Liaison or designee and as needed throughout each individual Veteran s episode of care. Contractor case manager shall meet with VA Liaison or designee at least once every 30 days to provide an update on case management progress made and must work cooperatively with VA Liaison or designee to coordinate services.

Case Management: Contractor will provide individual case management meetings at least once per week that focus, at a minimum, on: permanent housing search and stabilization, increasing income through referral to all potential financial resources such as SSI/SSDI, VA pensions, GA, SNAP, Medicaid, vocational training when indicated, self-care skills, adaptive coping skills, any necessary coordination of care provided by VA and community-based medical, mental health, and/or substance use treatment providers, and ongoing discharge planning that includes linkage to community resources for long-term housing success such as IHSS, Meals on Wheels, or Adult Day Health. Progress made in Veterans transition to stable housing must be clearly reflected in weekly case management notes.

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Contractor will be expected to provide treatment and services using evidence-based practices that support the Veterans in gaining and applying knowledge of the recovery process to his/her/their life and to provide referral for additional treatment and/or aftercare supports as needed to promote and facilitate the individual Veteran s recovery efforts and successful transition to permanent housing. Treatment may be defined as services which are needed for the specific clinical presentation of each individual Veteran including, but not limited to, VA-based services, community-based care, and/or services provided by Contractor at the program site. Working towards engagement in the types of treatment that meet the individualized needs of each Veteran shall be integral to the program s treatment planning process. Admissions decisions shall not be contingent upon a Veteran s expressed willingness to engage in treatment at time of referral.

Medication Storage and Monitoring: Contractor is expected to provide a means of securely and properly storing all medications brought into the program for Veteran use. Contractor shall ensure there are appropriate policies and procedures that support the safe storage of medications for Veteran participants. This storage can be provided to the Veteran to secure his or her medications, or central storage may be provided by the Contractor. Veterans may self-administer medications, but storage should ensure that no other program participants are able to access an individual Veteran s medications. Any suspicion or concern for misuse is to be reported to VA Liaison and/or COR immediately by following incident reporting protocol.

Storage of Personal Belongings: Contractor will provide storage space such as a dresser, storage locker and lock, or designated locked secured space that will hold up to two bags of personal belongings and all prescribed medical equipment. Contractor will allow Veteran to store personal belongings for at least 72 business hours after formal HCHV exit from program. If a Veteran abandons his/her belongings, Contractor will make three documented attempts to contact the Veteran and/or VA Liaison before disposing Veteran s items.

Estimated Quantities

20 Beds per Day to Homeless Veterans on a per diem basis in accordance with the PWS, equating to an estimated quantity of 7,300 days per year for 5 years, Estimated Period of Performance: 10/01/2023 09/30/2028.

Before responding please carefully read and consider the following:

As this is a service acquisition, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Acquisition Regulation have a Limitations on Subcontracting requirement. For all small businesses, to include SDVOSB and VOSB, At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. See FAR 52.219-14 and FAR 52.219-27 available in full text at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_217_221.html

DISCLAIMER

This Sources Sought notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this request that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. The Government will not compensate an offeror for providing information in response to this sources sought. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to cancel this requirement at its discretion. This is simply a sources sought notice.

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