R -- ACF REGIONAL AUDIT BACKLOG PROJECT

Notice Date

July 31, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management, Parklawn Building Room 5-101 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857

ZIP Code

20857

Solicitation Number

01Y001709

Response Due

August 24, 2001

Point of Contact

Joe Pirrone, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-443-4852, Fax 301-443-3238, Email jpirrone@psc.gov -- Nora Tyson, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-443-5229, Fax 301-443-3238, Email ntyson@psc.gov

Description

The Agency for Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Division of Financial Integrity, through the Program Support Center, General Acquisition Branch, plans to issue a 6 month competitive requirement using simplified acquisition procedures. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides national leadership and direction to plan, manage and coordinate the nationwide administration of comprehensive and supportive programs for vulnerable children and families. The Administration oversees and finances a broad range of programs for children and families, including Native Americans, persons with developmental disabilities, refugees, and legalized aliens, to help them develop and grow toward a more independent, self-reliant life. These programs, carried out by state, county, city, and tribal governments, and public and private local agencies, are designed to promote stability, economic security, responsibility and self-sufficiency. ACF's increasing workload, along with a decrease in the number of federal staff who administer and manage the program has diminished its ability to respond effectively to its grantee's escalating demands for assistance. It is becoming more evident that many grantees lack the capacity to manage the increasingly complex federal requirements that govern federally financed grant programs. As a result, annual audit findings are becoming more commonplace and difficult to resolve. Exacerbated by downsizing and an aging workforce, ACF's institutional brain drain has begun to show evidence of its negative impact on program oversight and evaluation. A recent Division of Financial Integrity (DFI) survey has identified 143 Regional audits that were overdue and in need of resolution. The DHHS IG has also notified DFI that they are unhappy with this situation. Grant Officers report that they now have insufficient time for proactive site visits, which normally help grantees avoid problems that eventually result in audit findings. The purpose of this procurement is to obtain administrative and technical support to provide prompt, effective and "user-friendly" assistance to ACF grantees by providing high-quality audit resolution services to them. Successful delivery of these services will require knowledge of and experience with all of ACF's grant programs, the federal grants process, especially that of HHS, demonstrated background and training in accounting and/or financial management, experience and knowledge of automated financial and program information systems, and the capacity to develop a user-friendly interface with ACF grantees that ensures "customer satisfaction." This Procurement will cover grants administered by ACF in Washington, DC and the identified federal Regional Offices. Request for the solicitation package must be in writing, and mailed to the attention of Nora Tyson, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 5-101, Rockville, Md. 20857, or faxed on 301-443-3238. RFQ will be mailed approximately August 10, 2001. This requirement is a small business set-aside.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/PSC/DAM/01Y001709/listing.html)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010802/RSOL009.HTM (D-212 SN50T5W7)