DESCRIPTION: This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This combined synopsis/solicitation is to negotiate a Firm Fixed Price type contract for Jewish Chaplain, to be performed at /located at VA Medical Center, address, in accordance with Request for Proposal/Quote VA245-10- RQ-0206. Jewish Chaplain shall provide complete religious ministry to veteran patients at the VA Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV for an estimated 4 hours per week. The contractor shall respond within 2 hours of the telephone notification by the Chaplain office to provide on-call response to Jewish patients placed on the seriously ill roster or needing end of life care. The contractor shall address religious, spiritual, moral and ethical concerns of patients, ministering to newly admitted, pre and post-operative patients, the critically ill and the families concerned. Jewish Chaplains shall provide the full range of pastoral ministry and sacraments to Jewish patients, including conscientious attention during emergency and crisis situations. The Chaplain shall assure that all patients have opportunities for free exercise of religion and are protected from proselytizing. Chaplains shall provide guidance and religious instruction to individuals and groups; arrange for and conduct religious worship services in Chapels and at other locations for patients unable to attend chapel services. Chaplain shall maintain a cooperative relationship with Medical Center personnel, individuals and groups in the community. Work is carried out in a pluralistic environment, and the Chaplain shall be sensitive to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups. Qualifications and Evaluations: QUALIFICIATIONS REQUIRED: Applicants must meet all of the following requirements: 1. Citizenship: The federal government gives strong priority to hiring U.S. citizens. When no qualified U.S. citizens are available, certain non-citizens must meet the requirements of both immigration law and the appropriations act ban on paying certain non-citizens. The appropriations act ban does not apply to citizens of Ireland, Israel or the Republic of the Philippines, or to nationals of those countries allied with the United States in the current defense effort (this includes countries in NATO). 2. Ecclesiastical Endorsement: Candidate must possess ecclesiastical endorsement within their particular faith group, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsement is the written official statement of the Archdiocese certifying that the applicant is in good standing as clergy, and that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required by Islamic patients in the VA pluralistic setting. The Official National Endorsing Agent is the individual designated by an ecclesiastical endorsing organization to issue official ecclesiastical endorsements to VA of individuals with that particular religious faith group. 3. Education: All applicants must possess the degree of Master of Divinity or equivalent education qualifications. Equivalent educational qualifications means possession of a Bachelor's Degree of at least 120 semester hours, plus completion of not less than 70 semester hours of graduate course work which included all of the following: 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics and philosophy of religion; 20 semester hours in the study of sacred writings, including study of languages in which sacred writings are/were written; 10 semester hours in religious history and/or world religions. To meet federal requirements, education must be from college(s), university (ies) or theological institution(s) that are accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has a data base of accredited institutions on the internet at: http://www.ed.gov/admin/finaid/accred/index.html. 4. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE): In addition to the education requirements, applicants will ideally have completed at least 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), as defined by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) or the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP). 5. Experience: To qualify, Chaplain must have at least two years of professional experience, after completion of the M. Dir. or equivalent, which has demonstrated both practical pastoral knowledge and skill, and ability to minister in a pluralistic setting. Supervised or guided pastoral experience completed during graduate professional education may be credited for up to one of the two years of experience. Part time experience is pro-rated by comparing the average number of hours worked to a 40 hour work week. 6. English Language competency: All applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English. HOW WILL YOU BE EVALUATED: (1) Certifications/Education/Experience (2) Past Performance Qualified applicants will be evaluated on their possession of the factors listed below. Providing this information is voluntary; however, if you do not give your complete information, you may receive less than full credit in the rating process. A.1. Ability to deal effectively with others: Describe your experience in leading or supervising others. Describe achievements in mediating disputes, negotiating settlements, solving interpersonal problems, motivating and persuading others. Describe the most difficult and complex written communication you have performed. A.2 Ability to minister to persons from various social, cultural and racial backgrounds: Describe your experience in relating with and ministering to clergy, patients and others from various faith and value traditions. Describe any accomplishments in developing interfaith relationships. A.3. Ability to provide or facilitate liturgical and sacramental ministry to persons from various religious backgrounds: Describe your ministry experience and current professional practice that demonstrates your knowledge of various liturgical principles and practices. HOW TO APPLY: (1) Resume: In your resume, please be sure to include all of the following: The country of which you are a citizen; the names and locations of colleges and universities attended, the degree(s) earned and the date(s); the dates and location of the clinical pastoral education and other relevant training; and information about all relevant paid and unpaid experience, including: job title, duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, starting and ending dates (month and year), number of hours worked per week, and the salary (if any). (2) Certified transcripts of graduate education. (3) Clinical Pastoral Education Certificates and CPE Supervisor Evaluations. This announcement incorporates FAR provisions and clauses in effect through FAR FAC 2005-42 and VAAR 2008-01. NAICS Code 813110 and the small business size standard is $7,000.000.00. This announcement/solicitation is solicited unrestricted and constitutes the only bid document that will be issued. A response to requirements listed ABOVE shall be submitted on COMPANY letterhead and shall address all requirements listed in a separate technical proposal. Award will be made to the offeror determined to be the Best Value to the Government in accordance with FAR 52.212-2 evaluation factors. Evaluation may be made with or without discussions with the offeror(s). VA reserves the right to conduct an on-site inspection of offered facilities. All responsible sources that can meet the requirements and provide SERVICES as listed above may respond to this solicitation by submitting cost and technical proposals. The technical proposal must describe the technical factors and must also include a copy all necessary licenses in order to be considered a complete technical proposal. Any offer that does not meet the solicitation requirements will be rejected as non-responsive. The following provisions and clauses shall apply to this solicitation: FAR 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): http://www.arnet.gov/far (FAR) and http://www.va.govoa&mm/vaar/ (VAAR); FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation Commercial Items (factors listed in descending order of importance: 1. Certification/Education/Experience 2. Past Performance; FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certification-Commercial Items. (Offerors must include a completed copy of the FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certification along with his/her proposal); FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes on Executive Orders Commercial Items and in accordance with FAR 12.603(c) (2)(xii) the following provisions under the clause apply (CHECK WHAT WILL APPLY) this was problem area! (b)(11)-(b)(15), (b)(19)(i), (b)(21), (b)(25) (b)(26) applies if Government Purchase Card is used, (c)(1), (c)(2), and (c)(4); FAR 52.232-18 Availability of Funds; FAR 232-10 Availability of Funds for the Next Fiscal; VAAR 852.270-4 Commercial Advertising; 852.237-70 Contractor Responsibilities; and 852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers. Proposals shall include all information required in FAR 52.212-1, Schedule of Prices Offered, and a completed copy of provision FAR 52-212-3. FAR 52. 232-18 is incorporated by reference Submit all price AND technical proposals, to Linda Smith, Contracting Specialist, Department of Veterans Affairs, 510 Butler Ave, Bldg 308b, Martinsburg, WV 25405 . Phone 304-263-0811 ext 2081, Fax 304-264-3997, or email
[email protected]. Faxed proposals will be accepted. Closing date for receipt of proposals is 08/18/2010 at 2:00pm EST. To be awarded this contract, the offeror must be registered in the CCR. CCR information may be found at http://www.ccr.gov. SOURCE: FedBizOpps Combine Synopsis/Solicitation http://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/VAAAC/VAAAC/777-06-H011/listing.html