The VISN 11 Network Contracting Activity (NCA) hereby gives notice of intent to award a sole source contract to The Pairs Foundation, Inc. 1675 Market Street, Suite 207 Weston, FL 33326-3681 USA to provide curriculum and training for the Practical Application for Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS) Professional "Train the Trainer" workshops to be facilitated by the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 11. The NCA intends to negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302-1; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This seminar is specifically designed to certify up to 49 chaplains, social workers and clinical psychologists from VA Medical Centers within VISN 11 and across the nation to certify in performing PAIRS counseling/communication techniques with veterans and family members to include spouses. This is a specialized and evidence based training course that focuses three fourths of its curriculum on "emotional literacy" and improving communication skills of returning combat veterans/spouses suffering with marriage issues related to combat stress. The training specifically includes levels of learning, stages of relationships, hopes and fears in relationships, relationship road maps, communication stress styles, leveling/congruent, daily temperature reading of relationship, good talking and good listening skills, fulfilling ones emotional relational needs, caring behaviors, essentials in relationships, emotional stages of development, emotional needs, fair fighting for change, tips for time-out, fight style evaluation, fight results profile, guide for coaches, fair fight checklist (scorecard), relationship agreement, love knots with worksheets, untangling love knots, power gram, decision-making worksheet, emotional allergy negative infinity loop, emotional allergy worksheet, confiding an emotional allergy, and finally transforming the loop with a final course evaluation. Each participant will receive certification credentials by PAIRS along with an instructor's guidebook/handbook. At the conclusion of this four-day seminar each certified participant will be able to conduct PAIRS training/counseling and marriage enrichment retreats for veterans and/or active duty personnel and spouses as well as family members utilizing PAIRS curriculum and handouts. Each certified participant will have a superior understanding and skill set to provide intense emotional literacy communication not available to them prior to this training by this vendor. There is no other evidence-based source that offers this intense "emotional literacy-filled and effective communication skills" program. More than 75 percent of the materials used focuses on intense emotional literacy and communication skills taught during this workshop. The PAIRS train the trainer program is unique in that it is NOT "faith-based" and therefore not geared toward any one faith group which makes it a distinctive choice for the VA since we are required to be diverse in our training materials so as not to exclude any one Christian or non-Christian group of veterans. Furthermore this curriculum is a continuation PAIRS training for VA Chaplains that have received the base certifications required to attend. Please do not request a copy of a solicitation. This notice is neither a request for competitive proposals, nor is it a solicitation of offers. Any response to this notice must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government and any capability statement provided must address services listed above. Written communication received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. If no affirmative written response is received on or before July 10, 2012, the contract will be awarded without further notice. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. Inquiries will only be accepted via email at
[email protected]. A determination by the Government to not compete this requirement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. THIS SYNOPSIS DOES NOT COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTRACT FOR ANY SUPPLY OR SERVICE. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS INCURRED IN RESPONSE TO THIS SYNOPSIS.