SOURCES SOUGHT Disclaimer: The purpose of this Sources Sought is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources, their business size classification, and is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation. Responses to this notice are not offers or quotes and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. All information received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. The Government is not obligated to, nor will it pay for or reimburse respondent parties for any costs associated with responding to this Sources Sought. It is your business s responsibility to monitor Opportunities and GSA E-buy for release of any future solicitations that may result from this Sources Sought. However, responses to this Sources Sought will not be considered adequate responses to any resultant solicitation. Notice to Vendor Community: All businesses who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government MUST be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) website www.sam.gov. Additionally, all Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses or Veteran Owned Small Businesses who respond to a solicitation must be registered with the U.S. Small Business Administration Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) located at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov. Submissions shall be emailed to Contract Specialist Sheila Vickers at: sheila.vickers@va.gov no later than 12:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST) on February 9, 2023. Please review the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS), then provide the following information: Evidence of ability to satisfy the requirement. Vendor Information: Company s name Company s address Company s point of contact, phone number, email address Company s Tax ID Company s UEI and Cage Code Business Size (e.g., SDVOSB, WOSB, Etc.) relative to NAICS 541611 Other suggested contract vehicles (if applicable). Include contract number and NAICS code connected to the contract. EMPLOYEE EDUCATION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT STANDARDIZED PATIENTS/CLINICIANSFOR MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND CLINICIAN COACHING, FACILITATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS 1. Title of Contract: Standardized Patients/Standardized Clinicians for Motivational Interviewing and Clinician Coaching Skills Courses 2. Scope of Work: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Employee Education Systems (EES), in conjunction with the VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP) is hosting training programs using simulations (i.e., actors to play the roles of standardized patients and standardized clinicians) for:)Motivational Interviewing (MI) Facilitator Training; and Clinician Coaching Skills (Clinician Coaching). Participants in these training programs are health care professionals who come to training with considerable clinical communication and supervisory skills, but who need to deepen these skills so as to become more effective trainers and coaches of other clinicians. During each of the MI Facilitator and Clinician Coaching training programs, four 4-hour sessions are devoted to exercises that require participants to work with standardized patients or standardized clinicians that will enable training program participants to practice and deepen clinical communication and coaching skills. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision and other resources required to deliver 8 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training session that will occur during 2-day Face-to-Face Clinician Coaching training program; and 8 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training session that will occur during 2-day Face-to-Face MI Facilitator training programs. The contractor shall also provide all labor, supervision and other resources required to deliver 4 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions that will occur for Virtual MI Facilitator and Clinician Coaching training programs. VHA expects to hold: 1 Face-to-Face and 1 Virtual Clinician Coaching training programs each Fiscal Year; and 1 Face-to-Face MI and 2 Virtual MI training programs each Fiscal Year. See paragraph 7.3 for a table that provides more detail about the number of actors needed for VHA training programs each Fiscal Year. The Clinician Coaching will require actors to play the role of standardized patients for 1 of the 4-hour training sessions, and the role of standardized clinicians during the second 4-hour session. For the MI Facilitator training programs actors will be required to play the roles of standardized patients during each of the 2 training sessions within a program. The contractor must ensure that actors have been adequately prepared and trained to provide: 1) realistic and reproducible portrayals of patients and clinicians based on specific and detailed case vignettes that will be provided to contractor by NCP; 2) detailed learner-centered and behaviorally specific feedback to participants on their use of the specific communication and counseling skills that are featured in the VHA-EES training programs; and 3) portrayals that accurately reflect the characteristics, culture and behaviors of Veteran patients and VHA clinicians. For virtual courses, actors need to have the capability and skill to use the Microsoft Teams virtual training platform to participate in video and audio interactions via this online computer platform. The contractor must meet the following requirements as well as all the requirements specified in Section 7 (Objectives) below: Specific and extensive experience in recruiting, training and supervising actors to serve as standardized patients and standardized clinicians for training programs in clinical communication skills for health care professionals. Membership in the Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) and adherence to ASPE standards is desirable. Specific experience in training and providing standardized patients and standardized clinicians for VHA EES-supported clinical education programs. Specific experience in providing standardized patients and standardized clinicians for VHA-supported Clinician Coaching training and MI training is desired. Only professional actors may serve as standardized patients/clinicians; actors must have previous experience in portraying simulated patients as well as clinicians in medical education training programs. 3. Background: Employee Education System (EES) is the largest VHA provider for employee education services. As a recognized leader and trendsetter in education, EES delivers the highest quality instructional programming to meet customer expectations. Face-to-face conferences/workshops are but one means of meeting the educational needs of VHA employees. EES is seeking to provide the highest quality of care to Veterans of our nation through personalized, proactive patient-driven whole health care. This approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care providers, patients, and families. VHA seeks to assist VHA clinicians to deliver Veteran-centered whole health care by providing training in Veteran-centered communications skills, including skills in health education, health coaching, health behavior counseling and motivational interviewing. In order to provide VHA clinicians with effective and accessible training in Veteran-centered communication skills, NCP has adopted a train-the-trainer model that prepares staff from each facility to serve as local MI facilitators and clinician coaches. Clinician Coaching training prepares facilitators of NCP s MI program, as well NCP s other core communication skills program (i.e., TEACH for Success (TEACH)), to offer Clinician Coaching, a method of assisting clinicians to successfully apply MI and TEACH skills in actual clinical encounters with Veterans. 4. Period of Performance: The period of performance is for a total of five (5) years; a base year with four (4) additional government one year option periods. 4.1. Government Recognized Holidays. Unless specifically authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer, no services will be provided and no charges will be incurred and/or billed to any order on this contract on any of the Federal Holidays listed below. New Years Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Day Columbus Day Presidents' Day Veterans' Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Juneteenth Independence Day Christmas Day 5. Place of Performance: All pre-planning activities shall be performed at the contractor s site. Contractor shall participate in all EES pre-planning conference calls on which the EES Project Manager requires contractor attendance. Conference calls will be provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs Microsoft Teams communication system (commonly referred to as Teams). Contractor must provide actors who serve in the roles of standardized patients/standardized clinicians for one of each course Face-to-Face training sessions held in a training site to be determined in the Washington, DC, Columbia, MD, or Baltimore, MD vicinity for both the Motivational Interviewing Facilitator and Clinician Coaching Skills training sessions. In addition, 2 virtual training sessions for each course will be offered annually through the Microsoft Teams system. 6. Type of Contract: The Government anticipates award of an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. 7. Objectives: The contractor must meet all of the requirements related to prior experience in recruiting, training and preparing standardized patients/clinicians as listed in Section 2 (Scope of Work) above, as well as meet all the requirements of the objectives outlined below: 7.1. The contractor shall provide preparation of actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians to portray specific simulated cases (provided by NCP) to ensure both realistic and reproducible portrayal of cases as well as provision of learner-centered balanced feedback to learners that includes specific feedback on use of the skills targeted in the VHA-EES training program; each actor should be prepared to portray at least 1 case for each training session. The contractor must collaborate with NCP to design and conduct the preparation of actors and include NCP staff in actor preparation sessions. Preparation of actors must include a session with NCP staff to rehearse patient and clinician roles as well as the feedback strategy that will be employed during the training programs. 7.2. The contractor shall provide quality control and supervision of actors to ensure reliable portrayal of specific simulated cases and provision of balanced effective feedback to learners; contractor must make provisions to provide onsite supervision of standardized patients/clinicians during the specified training sessions. 7.3. The contractor shall recruit, train and supervise enough actors to provide a total of 54 standardized patients/standardized clinicians days (SP Days) for each Fiscal Year. The breakdown is as follows: For each of 2, 4-hour training sessions at the Clinician Coaching Face-to-Face training program, 7 standardized patients/standardized clinicians will be provided for a total of 14 SP Days . For each of the 2, 4-hour training sessions at the virtual Clinician Coaching training program, 4 standardized patients/standardized clinicians will be provided for a total of 8 SP Days. 8 standardized patients will be provided for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions at the Motivational Interviewing Face-to-Face Facilitator training program for a total of 16 SP Days. For virtual MI Training, 4 standardized patients will be provided for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions for a total of 8 SP Days per course and 16 SP Days for both virtual MI Courses. The 4-hour sessions will be held on 2 of the days of the 3-day training programs. Clinician Coaching training requires actors to play the roles of standardized patients during the first 4-hour training session and standardized clinicians during the second 4-hour training session on the following day. The MI Facilitator training features actors playing the roles of standardized patients for both of the 4-hour training sessions, held on consecutive days. The following table outlines the breakdown outlined in the paragraph above: Motivational Interviewing Training SP Days for MI Virtual Events SP Days for MI Face-to-Face Event Sub Total for each MI Training: 4 SPS x 2 days each = 8 SP Days for 1 Virtual event. 8 SPs x 2 days each = 16 SP Days for 1 MI Face to Face Event Total SP Days for each Fiscal Year 16 SP Days for 2 Virtual MI Trainings 16 SP Days for 1 MI Face to Face Event Clinician Coaching Training SP Days for 1 CC Virtual Event SP Days for CC Face-to-Face Event Sub Total for Each CC Training 4 SPs x 2 days each = 8 SP Days for 1 virtual training event 7 SPs total x 2days each = 14 SP Days for 1 CC Face to Face Event Total SP Days for 3 MI Trainings: 32 Total SP Days for 2 CC Trainings: 22 Grand Total of SP Days needed for: 2 Virtual MI plus 1 F2F MI; 1 Virtual CC plus 1 F2F CC: 54 7.4. The contractor shall provide a mechanism for responding to onsite NCP feedback regarding simulated patient/clinician performance. 8. Specific Mandatory Tasks and Associated Deliverables: The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision and other resources required to deliver 7 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions that will occur during the F2F Clinician Coaching training program listed above; and 8 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions that will occur during the Motivational Interviewing Facilitator F2F training program listed above. Additionally, virtual trainings (2 for Motivational Interviewing Facilitator Training and 1 for Clinician Coaching Course) each require 4 actors for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions. The contractor must ensure that actors have been adequately prepared and trained to provide: 1) realistic and reproducible portrayals of patients and clinicians based on specific and detailed simulated case vignettes that will be provided to contractor by NCP; 2) detailed learner-centered and behaviorally specific feedback to participants on their use of the specific communication, counseling and coaching skills that are featured in the VHA-EES training programs; and 3) portrayals that accurately reflect the characteristics, culture and behaviors of Veteran patients and VHA clinicians. Task 8.1: The contractor shall provide preparation of actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians to portray specific simulated cases (provided by NCP) to ensure both realistic and reproducible portrayal of cases as well as provision of learner-centered balanced feedback to learners that includes specific feedback on use of the communication and coaching skills targeted in the VHA-EES training program; each actor should be prepared to portray at least 1 case for each training session. Task 8.2: The contractor shall collaborate with NCP to design and conduct the preparation of actors and include NCP staff in actor preparation sessions. Task 8.3: The contractor shall provide quality control and supervision of actors to ensure reliable portrayal of specific simulated cases and provision of balanced effective targeted feedback to learners; contractor must make provisions to provide onsite supervision of standardized patients/standardized clinicians during the specified training sessions. This supervision should include direct observation of actors during learning sessions and provision of feedback to actors regarding their performance as standardized patients/standardized clinicians and regarding the specificity and quality of their feedback to learners. Task 8.4: The contractor shall recruit, train and supervise enough actors to provide 7 standardized patients/standardized clinicians for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions at the Clinician Coaching, training program, and 8 standardized clinicians for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions at the Motivational Interviewing Facilitator training program. The contractor shall recruit, train and supervise enough actors to provide 4 standardized patients/standardized clinicians for each of 2, 4-hour training sessions for both virtual MI and virtual Clinician Coaching courses. The 2 4-hour sessions will be held on 2 consecutive days of the days of the 3-day training programs (to be determined) The Clinician Coaching training requires actors to play the roles of standardized patients during the first 4-hour training session and standardized clinicians during the second 4-hour training session on the following day. The MI Facilitator training features standardized patients for both of the 4-hour training sessions, held on consecutive days. Task 8.5: The contractor shall provide and utilize a mechanism (i.e., questionnaire/survey/feedback, etc.) for responding to onsite NCP feedback regarding the performance of the actors serving as standardized patients/standardized clinicians. Task 8.6: The contractor shall ensure that actors participating in virtual training sessions have access to technology that will allow them to participate in virtual training sessions. Actors need to have access to an quiet space, a computer, Microsoft Teams software, and a video camera. Actors must also be able to effectively use virtual technology to engage with learners in simulated encounters during training sessions. 9. Deliverables Table: Task Deliverable Planned Completion Date Task 8.1 The contractor shall provide preparation of actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians to portray specific simulated cases (provided by NCP) to ensure both realistic and reproducible portrayal of cases as well as provision of learner-centered balanced feedback to learners that includes specific feedback on use of the communication and coaching skills targeted in the VHA-EES training program; each actor should be prepared to portray at least 1 case for each training session. As specified by the Program Manager Task 8.2 The contractor shall collaborate with NCP to design and conduct the preparation of actors and include NCP staff in actor preparation sessions. As specified by the Program Manager Task 8.3 Provide quality control and on-site supervision of the actors serving as standardized patients/standardized clinicians during the specified training sessions As specified by the client Task 8.4 Recruit, train and supervise appropriate actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians (for each of the training sessions) Task 8.5 Provide and use a mechanism (i.e., questionnaire/survey/feedback, etc.) for responding to onsite NCP feedback regarding the performance of the actors serving as standardized patients/standardized clinicians. Within two weeks after conclusion of training Task 8.6 Ensure actors have access to technology and technical skills for participating in virtual training sessions. As specified by the Program Manager 10. Contract Award Meeting: The contractor shall not commence performance on the tasks in this Performance Work Statement (PWS) until the Contracting Officer has conducted a kick off meeting or has advised the contractor that the kick off meeting requirement has been waived. 11. General Requirements: 11.1. For every task, the contractor shall identify in writing all necessary subtasks (if any), associated costs by task, and associated sub-milestone dates. The contractor's subtask structure shall be reflected in the contractor s technical proposal and supported by a detailed work plan. 11.2. All written deliverables shall be phrased in layperson language. Statistical and other technical terminology shall not be used without providing a glossary of terms. 11.3. Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, correct, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor s quality control program is the means that the work complies with the requirement of the contract. The COR will utilize the QASP as the tool to ensure quality of rendered services are adhered to. Performance Indicator Performance Standard Acceptable Quality Level Method of Surveillance Frequency Task 8.1 Preparation of actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians to portray specific simulated cases Task 8.2 Provide quality control and on-site supervisor of the actors serving as standardized patients/standardized clinicians during each training session Contractor demonstrates ability to collaborate with client to design and conduct the preparation of actors and include client in actor preparation sessions. Contractor demonstrates ability to provide quality control and on-site supervisor of the (4-8) standardized patients/standardized clinicians (actors) during each training session Three or more instances where significant errors or omissions were identified Three or more instances where significant errors or omissions were identified 80% 80% Contract deliverable Contract deliverable Task 8.3 Provide quality control and supervision of actors to ensure reliable portrayal of specific simulated cases and provision of balanced effective feedback to learners Task 8.4 Recruit, train and supervise appropriate actors to serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians for each of the training sessions Task 8.5 Provide and use a mechanism (i.e., questionnaire/survey/feedback, etc.) for responding to onsite NCP feedback regarding the performance of the actors serving standardized patients/standardized clinicians. Task 8.6 Ensure actors have access to technology and technical skills for participating in virtual training sessions Contractor demonstrates ability to provide quality control and supervision of actors to ensure reliable portrayal of specific simulated cases and provision of balanced effective feedback to learners Contractor demonstrates ability to recruit, train and supervise the standardized patients/clients (actors) for each of the training sessions Contractor demonstrates ability to provide and use a mechanism (i.e., questionnaire/survey /feedback, etc.) for responding to onsite NCP feedback regarding the performance of the actors serving standardized patients/standardized clinicians Contractor demonstrates ability to ensure actors have the requisite technology to participate in virtual training sessions Three or more instances where significant errors or omissions were identified Three or more instances where significant errors or omissions were identified Two or more instances where significant errors or omissions were identified Two or more instances where significant errors or omissions were identified 80% 80% 80% 80% During specified scheduled training sessions Within two months of specified scheduled training sessions Within two weeks after conclusion of training Within two months of specified scheduled training sessions 12. Formal Acceptance or Rejection of Deliverables: The Government will review each deliverable and provide feedback/comments. The contractor shall have five business days to incorporate feedback/comments and make appropriate revisions. The contractor shall provide the revised version of each deliverable to the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR). The COR will review and determine final acceptance by the Government. The COR will notify the contractor of final acceptance within five business days. 13. Changes to the PWS: Any changes to this PWS shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the Contracting Officer. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the Contracting Officer shall be borne by the contractor. 14. Government Responsibilities: 14.1. The Government will provide: any audio/visual equipment and any resources or stage set-up required by the contractor at the training site for face-to-face trainings only. 14.2. The Government will provide; background information about the VHA NCP training objectives, provision of the specific case vignettes to be used by the contractor to prepare actors, background and guidance regarding the specific coaching and motivational interviewing skills and strategies that the participants will be applying during training sessions, and guidance on how the actors will provide balanced and effective feedback to participants. 15. Contractor Experience Requirements Key Personnel 15.1. Key Personnel: Certain skilled experienced professional and/or technical personnel are essential for accomplishing the work to be performed. These individuals are defined as "Key Personnel" and are those persons whose resumes are submitted and marked by the vendor as "Key Personnel." Substitutions shall only be accepted if in compliance with Substitution of Key Personnel" provision identified below. The Contracting Officer may notify the Contractor and request immediate removal of any personnel assigned to any task by the Contractor that are deemed to have a conflict of interest with the Government or if the performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory. The reason for removal shall be documented and replacement personnel shall be identified within three (3) business days of the notification. Employment and staffing difficulties shall not be justification for failure to meet established schedules. 15.2. Substitution of Key Personnel: All Contractor requests for approval of substitutions hereunder shall be submitted in writing to the COR and the Contracting Officer at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the effective date, whenever possible, and shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution, a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any other information requested by the Contracting Officer necessary to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. New personnel shall not commence work until all necessary security requirements, have been fulfilled and resumes provided and accepted. The COTR and the Contracting Officer will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the Contractor of approval or disapproval in writing. 15.3. Contractor Personnel Requirements: Key Personnel proposed shall have knowledge in the following: 15.3.1. Specific and extensive experience in recruiting, training and supervising actors to serve as standardized patients and standardized clinicians for training programs in clinical communication skills for health care professionals. Membership in the Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) and adherence to ASPE standards is desirable. 15.3.2. Specific experience in training and providing standardized patients and standardized clinicians for VHA EES-supported clinical education programs is strongly desired. Specific experience in providing standardized patients for VHA-supported Motivational Interviewing Facilitator training and Clinician Coaching training is desired. 15.3.3. Only professional actors may serve as standardized patients/standardized clinicians; actors must have previous experience in portraying simulated patients in medical education training programs and previous experience in providing learners with balanced effective feedback regarding their use of communication skills. Specific experience in portraying simulated clinicians in medical education training programs is desired. 16. Confidentiality and Disclosure: 16.1. It is agreed that: 16.1.2. The preliminary and final deliverables, and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by VA which have been generated by the contractor in the performance of this contract, are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at the conclusion of the contract. 16.1.3. The Contracting Officer will be the sole authorized official to release, verbally or in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this contract, presented to the contractor, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer for response. 16.1.4. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project shall not be publicized without the written approval of the Contracting Officer. 17. Information Security: Contractor shall not have access to any government Information Systems. Contractor shall not have access to any sensitive Personnel Information.
