SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Development of a Web Portal to Deliver Mental Health Counseling
- Notice Date
- 11/14/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 519130
— Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, ATTN: MCMR-AAA, 820 Chandler Street, Frederick, MD 21702-5014
- ZIP Code
- 21702-5014
- Solicitation Number
- W81XWH-09-RFI-MHC
- Response Due
- 12/15/2008
- Archive Date
- 2/13/2009
- Point of Contact
- Barry Sayer, 301-619-1163<br />
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- TRICARE Management Activity (TMA), Health Affairs (HA), and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE PH/TBI), are seeking information and recommendations from vendors with the capability and related experience to develop an Internet-based clinical service delivery system to address mental health issues. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kinds of offers will be considered in response to this RFI. Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary, will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. At this time, questions concerning the composition and requirements for a future Request for Proposal (RFP), as well as those regarding the nature of the products reviewed for this initiative, will not be entertained. BACKGROUND The Department of Defense (DoD), with support from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is leading a national collaborative network to advance and spread Psychological Health (PH) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) knowledge, enhance clinical and managerial approaches, and facilitate other vital services to best serve the urgent and enduring needs of warrior families with PH and/or TBI problems. The Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) for PH/TBI began formal operations on November 30, 2007, in support of the DoDs continued efforts to improve the quality of care delivered to wounded veterans. DCoEs mission is directed at building excellence for PH and TBI through resilience, treatment, education, and research. The National Center for Telehealth and Technology, known as T2, directly supports DCoEs mission. T2s core mission is to Formulate, Direct, and Execute technology-based solutions to care for PH and TBI. T2 seeks to ensure that efficient, evidence-based PH and TBI services are available 24/7 to all DoD Beneficiaries. And, by providing national coordination and oversight, T2s application of technology to PH and TBI serves as a principle resource for DoD and its external stakeholders. Additionally, T2 plays a key role in the development of telehealth services to educate, prevent, screen, assess, and treat PH and TBI. As a key DoD resource for the utilization of advanced technological PH and TBI care, T2 develops and reviews telehealth standards, processes, and mechanisms. DESCRIPTION The need for web-based mental health tools has been underscored by reports that many Service Members fail to seek in-person consultation because of limited provider availability, geographic distance to services, scheduling challenges, and stigma. It is expected that a web-based program delivering clinical services would be available to the entire military community, thereby increasing opportunities to readily-access mental health services. Web-based counseling services would have particular applicability in the following scenarios: individuals residing in rural or outlying areas or located a prohibitive distance from a Military Treatment Facility (MTF); transportation demands exacerbated by physical injury; and, locations lacking providers knowledgeable about military mental health issues. Questions/Items: The Government desires that respondents offer their experience and recommendations on the following questions as well as address their ability to provide the following requirements and suggest any proposed resources and/or materials needed to complete the functions indicated below: A. TECHNICAL SOLUTION: 1.Real-Time Access: A real-time Help Desk that provides information, triage, and steering to include ongoing program and web-site maintenance/support. 2.Online Clinic: Direct online access to a licensed mental health professional. 3.Virtual World and Virtual Agent Applications: (1) Development of a virtual clinic. (2) A Help Desk that uses virtual agents. 4.Integration of a help desk, an online clinic, and a virtual clinic, onto an existing Web site that provides pre-clinical intervention, such as afterdeployment.org. 5.Web security, confidentiality, and data encryption 6.Design/development of educational materials, informational links, automated telephone access, online self-assessments and service delivery clinical practice standards. 7.Establishment of a provider network. 8.Providing data history of use (number of sessions, use within military system, number of existing providers). 9.Ability to successfully integrate with DoD documentation systems, such as the widely used clinical recording system, AHLTA. Vendors are requested to provide creative and innovative approaches that could meet the requirements, objectives, and considerations summarized above. To demonstrate the vendors capabilities and experience, the Government requests examples of previous related samples and/or currently operational web site URLs, and, as available, data-based metrics and/or outcomes. Examples need not be topics or content relevant to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other mental health conditions. The vendor shall specify their specific role in all samples provided (e.g., technical and content development). B. BENEFITS: What are the functional, clinical and technical benefits (both qualitative and quantitative) of the recommended solution relative to the other possible solutions? C. TIMELINE: What is a feasible and realistic implementation timeline for the recommended solution? D. COST DRIVERS: To the degree practicable, please discuss the costs drivers and components associated with the proposed solution? How do these costs compare to other potential solutions? E. RISKS: What are the most significant risks involved with the recommended solution? How do these risks compare to other alternatives? How will the risks for the proposed solution be mitigated? F. GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH: What type of governance model and organizational structure would you recommend for this effort? Consider technical and non-technical aspects and provide examples of comparable efforts. G. ACQUISITION STRATEGY: What type of acquisition strategy would you recommend for this type of solution? Include pricing strategies in your response. Please consider the pros and cons of alternative approaches. H. LESSONS LEARNED: What lessons learned would you offer to the DoD for planning and implementing a Internet-based clinical service delivery system? Please note how workflow and integration issues were addressed in projects of similar complexity. Please identify areas where quick wins can be achieved and areas that will be most difficult. Submission Procedures: Please follow the steps described below when submitting a response to this RFI: Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) may be submitted via email or on CD in Word format (2000 or later format) no later than December 15, 2008 as follows: greg.gahm@us.army.mil; rodonda.thompson@tma.osd.mil or mail to the attention of TMA Procurement Support Attn: RoDonda Thompson, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Suite 810, Falls Church VA 22041. The information obtained shall be used for market research purposes and is not intended to substitute as a request for proposals. Please limit your responses to 15 pages. As this is only a Request for Information, any and all submissions will be accepted from all sources. Submissions should specify the RFI identifier on the package as well as on all documents submitted. Please direct any questions or comments to both Greg Gahm and RoDonda Thompson at the e-mail addresses above. No telephonic questions will be accepted. This is a new initiative; there is no incumbent contractor or existing contract. All information submitted in response to this RFI is subject to public release, proprietary or trade secret information should not be submitted. The Contracting Officer does not have any additional information for this RFI
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=4e4ee759b8967262affdd445a77e5ad5&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: TRICARE Management Activity 5111 Leesburg Pike, Suite 810 Falls Church VA<br />
- Zip Code: 22041-3206<br />
- Zip Code: 22041-3206<br />
- Record
- SN01705443-W 20081116/081114220829-4e4ee759b8967262affdd445a77e5ad5 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |