Limited Sources Justification for Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services

The Internal Revenue Service has a continuing need for Employee Assistance Program (EAP)services. EAPs are benefit programs that are designed to assist employees in navigating lifecircumstances that might impact their job performance, health, and well-being. The workbasedprogram provides cost-free and confidential assessments, short- term counseling,referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal, work-related problems thatmay affect attendance, work performance, and conduct. Executive Order 12564 requiresfederal agencies to establish a drug-free Federal workplace program. This includes EAP aspart of the component in achieving a drug-free workforce. Employees may also requireassistance with severe life experiences, especially when such circumstances begin to impactthe employee’s ability to perform in the workplace. Mental health and work-life balance iscritical for the IRS to ensure that employees and their families are fully embraced within theIRS organization. No other vendor can meet IRS’ needs of providing support without a break of service becauseswitching to another vendor will entail at the very minimum a 3-month transition period. TheCOVID-19 pandemic, Return to Office effort, and the state of the world in general, havecaused increased anxiety in IRS employees and these counseling services are needed nowmore than ever. A work stoppage would be catastrophic to IRS employees. Due to the timingof the current contract’s expiration and the need for continuity of these critical services, it isnot feasible to award to anyone other than the incumbent. The risk of not having services when the existing contract expires will result in a total IRS work stoppage forthe desperately needed EAP services for the agency’s