SOLICITATION NOTICE
U -- CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER SERVICES
- Notice Date
- 1/23/2012
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, Alaska Area Office, 4141 Ambassador Drive, Anchorage, Alaska, 99508
- ZIP Code
- 99508
- Archive Date
- 2/8/2012
- Point of Contact
- Vicky Hawkinson, Phone: 9077293625, Burton J Humphrey, Phone: 907.729.2965
- E-Mail Address
-
vicky.hawkinson@ihs.gov, burton.humphrey@ihs.gov
(vicky.hawkinson@ihs.gov, burton.humphrey@ihs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- HHSI24320100004P
- Award Date
- 2/16/2010
- Description
- The Indian Health Service (IHS), Alaska Area Native Health Service has an existing contract with The Alaska Children's Alliance, Chugiak, Alaska, awarded on a sole source basis, following publication of the required JOFOC in the Federal Business Opportunities. The funding for this contract was provided to the IHS, through an Interagency Agreement, by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crimes, to address the need in rural Alaska for an increase in services to crime victims in remote Alaska communities and villages by improving data sharing, providing transportation to victims requiring treatment and enhancing skills development through training and technical assistance. One of the fundamental principles of the Agreement between the IHS and the DOJ, was to enable victims of crime, especially child victims of sexual and physical abuse to receive culturally appropriate services. Since rural populations are predominately Alaska Native and the IHS has established relationships with the rural communities and villages, the IHS was considered the appropriate Federal Agency to assure the purpose of the appropriation was fulfilled. This existing Interagency Agreement, which has a performance period through August 31, 2013, requires the funding to be dedicated to specific tasks (1) to coordinate with local crime victim service agencies and provide transportation for victims of crime to receive appropriate mental, physical and behavioral health services,(2) to support the Alaska Children's Alliance Child Advocacy Centers Tele-cam Peer Review and Consultation System, (3) to provide training to improve victim services and address the needs of underserved communities in Alaska and (4) enhance the support of established Child Advocacy Centers in Alaska. The initial contract to fulfill the requirements of the Interagency Agreement was awarded to The Alaska Children's Alliance, a non-profit coalition of established and developing children's advocacy centers. This entity has multi-disciplinary teams and child protection teams dedicated to improving community responses to child mistreatment. The Alaska Children's Alliance is a state chapter of the National Children's Alliance which has been developed to support and provide responses to and treatment of child abuse. Their Child Advocacy Centers provide child friendly environments that allow law enforcement, child protection workers, prosecutors, medical providers, tribal representatives and others to work together when there are allegations of child abuse. Referrals come from a variety of sources including the Alaska Children's Services, law enforcement agencies and medical providers throughout Alaska. The basic premise for the sole source award was the fact the Alaska Children's Advocacy Centers are already established and provide evaluations, forensic interviews which are videotaped and monitored by members of the team and medical exams and support for the children and their families. As outlined in the initial JOFOC published in the Federal Business Opportunities there is no other known source for these specific services to be provided in rural Alaska communities and villages. These services are vitally necessary because Alaska continues to have very high rates of child abuse and neglect, particularly sexual abuse. Child maltreatment is strongly linked to juvenile and adult crime and has also been shown to be a major contributor to poor adult physical and mental health. There is substantial evidence and documentation to show children are less fearful when investigations are conducted by Children's Advocacy Centers and parents are more satisfied. The initial contract with the Alaska Children's Alliance provided for forensic photography equipment and training for the tele-cam peer review and consultation system used by providers throughout rural Alaska and provided funding for speakers at a rural based Alaska Child Maltreatment Conference. The IHS intends to modify the existing contract with the Alaska Children's Alliance to provide an additional $166,971.00 which will be used for (1) continuing tele-cam services for crime victims, (2) develop a rural outreach curriculum to include a template and training demonstrating the process which occurs when a family and victim comes to a Child Advocacy Center, (3) increase the number of medical providers trained in pediatric abuse examinations, (4) develop culturally and regionally suitable training and technical assistance for communities on the north slope of Alaska which will improve their response to child sexual abuse, (5) provide pediatric medical exam training, and (6) provide north slope communities with technical assistance in the development of a Child Advocacy Center. Subpart 6.3 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation prescribes policies and procedures and identifies the statutory authority for contracting without providing for full and open competition. The proposed modification to the existing contract with the Alaska Children's Alliance will provide additional funding to the contractor within scope of the existing contract and in accordance with the intention of the funding appropriation. The contract modification will be awarded pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1, as authorized by Title 41 U.S.C 2304(c)(1) which provides for an agency to acquire services on a non-competitive basis when only one source is known to be able to satisfy the agency requirements. There is no other know source which has the capability to provide the needed services. Alaska is a vast, geographically isolated state which has one of the highest rates of substantiated child abuse in the nation, especially among Alaska Native children. There are currently 226 recognized Alaska Native Tribes for which the IHS has the responsibility to provide healthcare services which are provided by a statewide network of hospitals and clinics which are predominately managed by tribal organizations under Public Law 93-638, The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, as amended. This contract is supplementing the services provided by this network of facilities and addressing the high rate of child sexual abuse and neglect. The IHS, Alaska Area Native Health Service knowledge of the resources to support child abuse in rural Alaska is sufficient to know there is no other entity which has the existing structure to provide the necessary services. The Alaska Children's Alliance is already part of the established network of providers, facilities and law enforcement. The medical evaluation for possible child abuse is complex and challenging and medical providers who perform these evaluation require specialized training and expertise. Most rural Alaska communities and villages do not have providers with the training and background required to qualify as specialized consultants. The continuation and increased funding of the contract with The Alaska Children's Alliance will help to evaluate and improve the quality of medical diagnosis and treatment when there is child maltreatment, including sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/fc031830b7b5ee1fa05731774c5e3aa6)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Various remote locations throughout Alaska., United States
- Record
- SN02659136-W 20120125/120123234216-fc031830b7b5ee1fa05731774c5e3aa6 (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 |