SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Child Advocate Program
- Notice Date
- 6/1/2018
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541199
— All Other Legal Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Acquisition Management Services, 7700 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, Maryland, 20857, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20857
- Solicitation Number
- 18-233-SOL-00468
- Point of Contact
- Linda O'Neil, Phone: (301) 492-4659
- E-Mail Address
-
linda.jules-o'neil@psc.hhs.gov
(linda.jules-o'neil@psc.hhs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding (1) the availability and capability of all qualified Small Business Sources whether (2) small businesses, HUBZone, Service Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business, 8(a), Woman-Owned, or Small Disadvantaged, and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541199 for the proposed acquisition. Your response to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. This is strictly market research. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will not entertain questions regarding this market research. I. REQUIREMENT INFORMATION BACKGROUND On March 1, 2003, section 462 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) transferred functions under U.S. immigration laws regarding the care and placement of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) from the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The Division of Unaccompanied Children's Services (DUCS) was created within ORR to serve this purpose. In 2011, ORR reorganized and the UAC program moved to the newly formed Division of Children's Services (DCS), now called the Division of Unaccompanied Children Operations (DUCO). The UAC population includes those who: (1) has no lawful immigration status in the United States; (2) has not attained 18 years of age; and (3) with respect to whom - (i) there is no parent or legal guardian in the United States; or (ii) no parent or legal guardian in the United States is available to provide care and physical custody. On December 23, 2008, the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA) was passed. The law modified and expanded HHS' role in the care of UAC. Section 235(c)(6), 8 U.S.C. § 1232(c)(6) notes, "[t]he Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to appoint independent child advocates for child trafficking victims and other vulnerable unaccompanied alien children." In March 2013, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA 2013), §1262 requires HHS to expand child advocate programs according to certain requirements and places expenditure restrictions on child advocate programs. Included in VAWA 2013 are the following requirements for this contract: • No more than 10% of Federal funds received under this contract may be used for administrative expenses • The contractor shall contribute non-Federal funds, either directly or through in-kind contributions, to the costs of the child advocate program in an amount that is not less than 25 percent of the total amount of Federal funds received by the child advocate program under this section. In-kind contributions may not exceed 40 percent of the matching requirement under the contract. ORR identifies care options and placements for UAC in licensed shelters, group homes, secure facilities, or foster care, according to their specific needs. In making placements, ORR is guided by the principles that all UAC should be treated with dignity, respect, and special concern for their particular vulnerability; subject to certain considerations, such as danger to self, danger to others, or risk of flight, all UAC must be placed in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the UAC; and each UAC shall be provided care and services free from discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or political belief. Many UAC have faced traumatic situations in their home countries, such as dire poverty, war, forced military or gang recruitment, human trafficking, domestic violence, abuse, familial separation and government neglect. Some are also very young, most have little or no formal education, and are primarily non-English speaking. After apprehension by DHS and transfer to ORR, these children face a complicated legal system. The appointment of a child advocate to a vulnerable UAC can ensure an advocate identifies information regarding the best interest of a child. An assigned child advocate spends time with the UAC, helping the minor process information, educating the minor on legal and care-related issues and assisting the minor make decisions, when requested. The child advocate develops a Best Interest Determinations (BID) which ORR considers when making decisions regarding the care, placement and release of an UAC. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE ORR seeks to award a contract to perform services for a Child Advocate program where staff advocate for the best interests of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) by creating Best Interest Determinations (BID) for the most vulnerable UACs in ORR care. MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Due to the nature of UAC arrivals, ORR seeks sources for a contract vehicle that is flexible, cost-efficient, and could provide the following services throughout the United States: • Implementing a child advocate program for a minimum of 550 minors in the following locations: o Brownsville, Texas o Houston, Texas o Chicago, Illinois o Newark, New Jersey/ New York, New York o Washington, D.C./ Baltimore, Maryland o Phoenix, Arizona, o San Antonio, Texas o Los Angeles, California • Providing linguistically and culturally competent services • Staffing services with qualified individuals who are bilingual in English and Spanish. Staff must be qualified individuals with a high level of experience in child welfare, immigration law, and serving immigrant youth and families. • Developing a volunteer model for recruitment, training and supervision of linguistically competent child advocates. • Training all staff and volunteers by creating a training manual including all necessary information regarding the work of the child advocate. • Developing criteria for the referral and appointment of child advocates that meet the requirements of the TVPRA and VAWA 2013. • Creating high quality recommendations through Best Interest Determinations (BID) for the UAC population. • Advocating for the child's best interests, primarily their safety and well-being. • Reporting information and statistics regarding the work of the child advocate on a routine and ad hoc basis. • Communicating with ORR staff and shelter programs regarding the best interest of the UACs. • Meeting one on one with UAC to develop relationship of trust with the child. • Developing a service plan with the shelter facility staff and child's attorney. • Researching and obtaining information about the child's background and family. • Processing information with the child and assisting the child to make decisions if necessary. • Collaborating with stakeholders to coordinate services for the child. • Educating stakeholders and shelter staff on the child advocate program and the referral process. Anticipated period of performance: The period of performance will be a base of 12-months and four (4) 12-month option periods. II. CAPABILITY STATEMENT/INFORMATION SOUGHT Respondents must provide, as part of their responses, a capability statement, which addresses the services requested above and address the information listed below: 1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the mission of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Division of Children's Services. 2. Demonstrated expertise on unaccompanied children services. 3. Demonstrate the ability to supervise a national network of professionals with child welfare, immigration and multi-disciplinary expertise. 4. Demonstrate the ability to provide professional staff with extensive expertise and knowledge in a) child welfare based recommendations; b) best interest determinations; and c) advocating for the best interests of the child. 5. Demonstrate the ability to recruit qualified staff and volunteers with social work and law backgrounds who are bilingual in Spanish to serve a national network. 6. Demonstrate the ability to screen, hire and train staff to meet ORR requirements. Training should address elements specific to working with the UAC population, immigration law, and best interest advocacy and determination. 7. Demonstrate a clear description of overall program management and plan for provision of the services aforementioned (child welfare based recommendations, best interest determinations, advocacy surrounding the child's safety and wellbeing). Interested sources are invited to submit a capability statement no more than ten (10) pages. This capability statement should include: • A cover letter which includes the offeror's name, company address, a point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, and current GSA schedules appropriate to this work if any). If you have a government approved accounting system, please identify the agency that approved the system, and the type of company (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM). • A clear and concise statement of the offeror's capability and organizational capacity to perform the work as described above. • Bios or resumes for proposed key staff members, including the project manager and lead technical staff. • The offeror's most pertinent previous experience with similar government contracts within the last four years. The capability statement does not need to describe how the contractor would carry out the proposed tasks, does not need to include any budget proposals, and does not need to provide resumes or other information for non-key staff. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s) and for any other purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. Qualifying small businesses which have the organizational capacity to provide the services are encouraged to respond to this request. All teaming arrangements (if any) should also include the above-cited information with certifications for each entity on the proposed team. All offerors must register or be registered on SAM located at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. Responses must be received by 1:00 pm EST on June 15, 2018. All submissions should be sent to Linda O'Neil, via email at Linda.Jules-ONeil@psc.hhs.gov. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a solicitation may be published. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.
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