R--Healthcare Recruitment and Retention Office Diversity Student Program

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration Healthcare Recruitment and Retention Office Diversity Student Programs Request for Information 1.0 Introduction This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only at this time and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This action alone will not result in contract award. The purpose of this RFI is to identify qualified contractors who are able to meet the VA's requirements. The VA, Veterans Health Administration, Program Contracting Activity - Central (PCAC) is seeking potential sources to enter into a one year contract with Healthcare Recruitment and Retention Office(HRRO) to recruit the best qualified Hispanic population to keep VA diversified. The VHA Healthcare Retention and Recruitment Office (HRRO) provides funding and oversight for several student training programs and internships. These internships offer college and graduate-level students on-the-job experience in a variety of clinical and administrative career areas. In Executive Order 13171 of October 12, 2000, it was noted that Hispanics remain underrepresented in the Federal workforce so the President affirmed ongoing policies and recommendations to eliminate the underrepresentation, to include providing a plan for recruiting Hispanics that creates a fully diverse workforce for the agency in the 21st century. Moreover, it affords them assignments in locations where they normally would not have the opportunity to go. Through these work experiences, the students may gain credit in fulfilling their academic requirements. In addition, VA is given a valuable opportunity to enhance the student's awareness and perceptions of VA as an employer of choice. These student career work experiences help lay the foundation for future VA employment and increase the likelihood of improving representation among VA's Hispanic population. VA is committed to employ a work force that mirrors the minority we serve. 2.0 Scope of Work The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will provide the contractor with copies of documents that the Government is required to provide. The contractor shall request other government documentation deemed pertinent to the work accomplished directly from the government officials with whom the contractor has contact. The contractor shall consider the PN/COTR as the final source for need government documentation when the contractor fails to secure the documents by other means. The contractor is expected to use common knowledge and resourcefulness in securing all other reference materials, standard industry publications, and related materials that are pertinent to the work. The contractor shall maintain frequent communications with designated Veterans Affairs (VA) staff to conduct work in progress reviews. Reproduction of hand-out material (if applicable) will be forwarded to HRRO to reproduce. The VHA Healthcare Retention and Recruitment Office (HRRO) seeks to recruit highly-qualified (minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale), Hispanic-American student interns through the wide array of resources available to a Hispanic-American serving organization. After placement, students are able to receive on-going training in the skill areas related to their career field. 3.0 Period of Performance The period of performance will begin from the date of award through January 31, 2011 plus one (12) month option. 4.0 Type of Order This will be awarded as a firm-fixed price of $10,400 per student placed by HACU; up to the maximum allotted by VHA funding. 5.0 Place of Performance 6.0 Specific Mandatory Tasks and Deliverables The contract will be for delivery of a student intern for each HRRO-designated position at VA Medical Centers throughout the United States, up to the maximum allotted by VHA funding. Task 1: Provide highly-qualified (minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale) student candidates for student trainee temporary, summer positions at participating VA Medical Centers nationwide. The students must be: (1) Enrolled in a degree-seeking program, (2) Completion of the freshman year of college before the internship begins, (3) Authorized to work in the United States by law, (4) A United States citizen and (5) Fluent in English (oral and written). This includes innovative marketing techniques, active recruitment and screening of applicants. Methods of recruitment are to include but are not limited to the following: Sub-Tasks: a. visits to Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) b. Responds to student and agency inquiries. c. Web-based marketing such as informational web pages, etc. d. Receives, screens, processes, and matches student applications with internship assignments provided by Program Manager. Task 2: Ensure the overall experience meets the interns' professional, academic and personal needs. Sub-Task: a. Collaborate and coordinate with Internship Program Managers at VA Medical Centers in determining the type of work experience that will be attained and providing candidates with similar interests. b. Provide round-trip airfare to and from the internship site. c. Provide a listing of safe, affordable, and furnished short-term housing near public transportation d. Offer student support services such as career counseling and other developmental activities. Timeline of Deliverables: 1. Contractor shall contact Program Manager within five business days after award. 2. Contractor shall match students upon Program Manager's approval of internship sites. The Program Manager is solely authorized to approve VA internship sites. 7.0 Changes to the Statement of Work a. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make changes to this SOW; and the Contracting Officer will authorize such changes only through written correspondence. The COTR will keep a copy of each change in a project folder along with all other products of the project. The contractor shall bear any and all costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the Contracting Officer. b. The Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) and VA Program Manager (PM) or any other individual (including VA or other Government agency employees or employees of other contractors) other than the VA Contracting Officer are not authorized to make any changes of a contractually binding nature to the period of performance, funding and/or any other terms and conditions of any award or order resulting from this solicitation. The COTR Appointment Letter stating the COTR's authority and limitations is attached to this SOW and is incorporated into the terms and conditions of any award or order resulting from this solicitation. 8.0 Travel There is no foreseeable need for travel to or from the HRRO facility. 9.0 Key Personnel The contractor shall assign a single individual to serve as the primary point of contact for the HRRO Program Manager. Any changes of key personnel shall require the Contracting Officer's/Program Manager's approval. 10.0 Government and Contractor Responsibilities a. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will provide the contractor with copies of documents that the Government is required to provide. b. The contractor shall request other government documentation deemed pertinent to the work accomplishment directly from the government officials with whom the contractor has contact. The contractor shall consider the PM/COTR as the final source for needed government documentation when the contractor fails to secure the documents by other means. The contractor is expected to use common knowledge and resourcefulness in securing all other reference materials, standard industry publications, and related materials that are pertinent to the work. c. The contractor shall maintain frequent communications with designated Veterans Affairs (VA) staff to conduct work in progress reviews. d. Reproduction of hand-out material (if applicable) will be forwarded to HRRO to reproduce. 11.0 Other Personnel Considerations a. Personnel assigned by the contractor to the performance of work on this order shall be acceptable to VA in terms of personal and professional conduct and technical knowledge. Should the assignment to this order of any person by the contractor be deemed to conflict with the interests of VA, or in the event performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory at any time during the life of the contract, the Contracting Officer may notify the contractor and request the person be immediately removed from the assignment. The reason for removal will be documented and a request to receive personnel replacement within three (3) business days of the notification will be made. Replacement personnel qualifications shall be equal to or greater than those of the personnel being replaced. Employment and staffing difficulties will not be justification for failure to meet established schedules. b. Due to the technical nature of this contract, the contractor is required to maintain the competency level put forth in the original proposal submitted. Should the contractor, at any time during the performance of this contract propose a change in that skill set, the PM and COTR must first review and approve the change before it is implemented. The contractor shall submit a resume of qualifications and the Contractor Personnel Change Control form to the PM and COTR for all additional direct employees proposed for the project. The PM and COTR will approve all contractor employees prior to bringing on duty via Contractor Personnel Change Request Form (Attachment B). If, at any time from date of award to the end of the contract, contractor personnel are no longer available, the VA will approve the qualifications of proposed replacement personnel and will reject individuals who do not meet the qualifications set forth herein. All contractor employees are subject to immediate removal from performance of this contract when they are involved in a violation of the law, VA security, confidentiality requirements, and/or other disciplinary reasons. c. The VA will not be liable for further payment of any contractor employee that VA requires the contractor to remove from the performance of this contract. VA's payment liability, for unsuitable contractor employees, ends five working days after contractor's receipt of "removal request."