Social Security Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21207

Q -- VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION ALTERNATE PARTICIPIANT SERVICES SOL RFQ-98-3465 POC VR AP Management Contractor 1-888-606-7787 WEB: Download solicitation when available, HTTP://WWW.SSA.GOV/OAG/OAG1.HTM. The Social Security Administration (SSA) plans to issue a solicitation to acquire Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services for SSA Disability Beneficiaries and Disabled or Blind Supplemental Security Income Recipients not served by State VR agencies. On March 15, 1994, SSA published final regulations in the Federal Register allowing the Agency to refer beneficiaries not being served by the State VR agencies to other providers/alternate participants (APs) in the public and private sectors, and to pay the cost of providing these services for successful cases. Disability beneficiaries and disabled and blind supplemental security income recipients who are not served by the State VR agencies will be available for re-referral to APs. The Agency's final VR regulation authorized SSA to enter into contracts with qualified APs. Accordingly, on or about April 1, 1998, SSA plans to issue a formal solicitation for its "VR Payment Program". Contracts will be awarded to those individuals and/or entities that qualify under the provisions of the solicitation and SSA's VR regulations. Pursuant to and consistent with these VR regulations (title 20 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), parts 404 and 416, subparts V thereof) and with Federal acquisition policies, any and all such contracts shall be subject to title 48 CFR, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) coverage. This procurement is being done under the Simplified Acquisition Test Procedures, FAR 13.5. The solicitation will explain the VR Payment Program's requirements and AP responsibilities. Furthermore, the solicitation will include specific instructions for submitting a formal proposal. Any public or private agency, organization, institution or individual, whether operating on a "for-profit" or "not-for-profit" basis (except for participating State VR agencies), may qualify as an AP. The duration of the contract will be for five (5) years with one 5-year option. An individual or entity seeking to be considered as an AP shall be required to furnish to SSA a proposal in response to the solicitation. All responsible sources shall be considered by the Agency. Interested parties may obtain the AP solicitation (and amendments) via the Internet by downloading from SSA's Acquisition Information Home Page at http://www.ssa.gov/oag/oagl.htm. While Internet access is strongly encouraged, the solicitation/amendments also may be requested by telefax by dialing 1-410-966-9310 or in writing . The mailing address is: Social Security Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants, Attention: AP #II, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21207-5279. All requests shall specifically refer to RFQ-98-3465. No telephone requests will be honored. Interested parties need not respond to this announcement if they previously requested to be placed on the mailing list for this solicitation. This is only an announcement of the potential issuance of a solicitation and SSA does not intend to pay for any information submitted/received . For general information with respect to this announcement and/or SSA's VR Payment Program, interested parties may contact SSA's VR AP management contractor at their toll-free number, 1-888-606-7787. (0082)

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