Description
Under the Authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), and FAR 6.302-1, the VISN 19 Rocky Mountain Consolidated Contracting Center, Denver, CO, proposes to enter into a non-competitive commercial items contract with Care Outcomes Management. The Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS), Research Services at the Department of Veteran Affairs, in Denver Colorado has a requirement for a Specialized Research Nurse to support the Integrated Telehealth Care Management and Tobacco Cessation Study Program for Veterans with PTSD study at the Eastern Colorado Health Care System. We require a contractor that can begin work on this critical program immediately and provide services for this customized study. The services require a very specific skill set in telehealth care management intervention to provide several functions. These include: 1) care management, 2) motivational interviewing, 3) tobacco cessation curriculum development and 4) tobacco cessation counseling. The contractor must have excellent program management skills and project team dynamics experience. We seek someone with experience in the development of the original evidenced based VA tobacco cessation curriculum and trained as a counselor using motivational interviewing in 2008. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received within the due date for receipt of proposals will be considered by the Government. A Determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS VISN 19 ROCKY MOUNTAIN NETWORK CONTRACTING CENTER 4100 E. MISSISSIPPI AVENUE, SUITE 610 GLENDALE, CO 80246 JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL TO PROCURE USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Upon the basis of the following justification, the use of other than full and open competition for the proposed contractual action is hereby approved pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. JUSTIFICATION 1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity. The Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1055 Clermont Street, Denver, CO 80220 Rocky Mountain Consolidated Contracting Center, VISN 19, 4100 East Mississippi Ave, Glendale, CO 80246 2. Nature/description of action. This activity proposes to solicit sole source with Care Outcomes Management to provide nursing assistance for the Integrated Telehealth Care Management and Tobacco Cessation for Veterans with PTSD study at the Eastern Colorado Health Care System. We require a contractor that can begin work on this critical program immediately and provide services for this customized study. 3. Description of Supplies/Services. To provide a research nurse to support the Integrated Telehealth Care Management and Tobacco Cessation for Veterans with PTSD intervention study director by Dr. Catherine Battaglia. The Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1055 Clermont Street Denver, CO 80220 Quote: Estimated Price = $75.00 (0.30 FTE) 4. Identification of Statutory Authority. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1. 5. Demonstration of Contractor's Unique Qualifications. The Integrated Telehealth Care Management and Tobacco Cessation for Veterans with PTSD is a care intervention study within the REAP at the Denver VAMC. The telehealth care management intervention requires a highly qualified nurse to provide several functions. These include: 1) care management, 2) motivational interviewing, 3) tobacco cessation curriculum development and 4) tobacco cessation counseling. Care Outcomes Management has the exact skill set needed to fill this need immediately. In addition to having the skill set that we need, Cares Outcomes Management will save us weeks of training someone not intimately familiar with the study. They have worked on this REAP care management intervention study using telehealth as a nursing doctorate student (2007-2009). During this time, they worked together to develop the DOVA's Tobacco Cessation curriculum used in the research program, developed tobacco cessation and motivational interviewing training materials and a quality improvement process. The research intervention uses the PTSD Health Buddy (telehealth) program, motivational interviewing counseling, tobacco cessation counseling, and nursing care coordination for veterans throughout the ECHCS. Therefore, this research study requires a nurse with experience in patient care coordination, telehealth, PTSD, tobacco cessation, and motivational interviewing. Care Outcomes Management is 100% qualified and is a graduate of the Doctoral of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the University of Colorado, College of Nursing where she gained a foundation in research studies. Care Outcomes Management has an advanced practice nurse who has worked with veterans with PTSD at the VA PTSD Residential PTSD Outpatient Unit. They also worked with patients diagnosed with other mental health problems. They wrote the original evidenced based VA tobacco cessation curriculum in 2007-2008 and were trained as a counselor using motivational interviewing in 2008. Motivational interviewing is a specialized form of patient-centered counseling. It requires specific training and regular use to be effective. Care Outcomes Management will perform the following functions: 1. Write tobacco cessation curriculum for medical chronic care conditions 2. Revise the tobacco cessation curriculum for other mental health conditions in addition to PTSD 3. Conduct telephone motivational interviewing counseling calls with research participants 4. Assist with recruitment and enrollment of study participants 5. Assist with completing COMIRB applications for newly funded research studies 6. Description of Efforts to Ensure Soliciting of as Many Sources as Possible. This acquisition will be posted on the FedBizOpps web site as a sole-source procurement. Questions concerning this procurement's qualification as a sole-source procurement can be raised by the public at that time. 7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost. The rate of $75/hr is considered a fair and reasonable cost for the proposed services rendered based on similar positions at the VA (see below). It is unusual to find a candidate with all these skills. Care Outcomes Management volunteered their time for 2 years working with me as a graduate student. Care Outcomes Management is intimately familiar with this project and requires very little orientation. 8. Description of Market Survey. The telehealth nurse salary was used as a guide. The $75.00/hour rate is the contract rate since no benefits are provided with contractors. Also, negotiated rates for specialized nurses under random samplings of the FSS schedules average $68/hour. We believe the additional premium is justified based on their involvement with the initial involvement in the development of the original study, knowledge of our policies and procedures, computer applications and their unique skill set that match the requirements needed for this position. 9. Any Other Supporting Data. There are no other factors supporting the use of other than full and open competition. 10. Listing of Interested Sources. Care Outcomes Management 11. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Competition. As this is not a recurring acquisition, there are no actions that may be taken to overcome barriers to acquisition.