R406--Notice of Intent - Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Study on Improving Access to High-Quality Mental Health Care for Veterans

Special Notice Page 3 of 4 Special Notice DESCRIPTION Synopsis This Notice is to inform all parties The U.S Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Procurement, Acquisitions, & Logistics (OPAL), Strategic Acquisition Center-Frederick (SAC-F), in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b) intends to solicit and award a single source contract to National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), Address: 500 5th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001. Background The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, part of the VA s Central Office, located at 810 Vermont Avenue, NW. Washington, DC has a requirement for a landscape examination and workshop to consider ways to improve veterans timely access to high-quality care for mental health conditions. Purpose and Objective The NASEM services required will deliver all the required support, along with experience/past work for providing a committee examination and

review of the current VA landscape with workshops to improve veterans timely access to high-quality care for mental health conditions. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) review will examine the current landscape for mental health care services in the United States, including the use of telehealth services. Building on the 2018 NASEM report to evaluate mental health services in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the committee will consider ways to improve veterans timely access to high-quality care for mental health conditions with a review of internal and external best practices for three (3) critical needs for mental health access (known as tripartite access in the VA): urgent/crisis access, engagement access, and sustained access. The examination of the current landscape for mental health care services will require the planning committee to develop the agenda for the workshop sessions, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. A proceeding of the presentations and discussions at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines. The committee s review will include topics such as: Use of open access scheduling for timely diagnosis and initiation of treatment and for follow-up care as needed. Patient engagement, special focus on communities who are disproportionally undertreated. Identify robust, user friendly online resources for service members. Access to a course of guideline-concordant treatment in appropriate time frames after engagement access (e.g, 16 weeks of evidence-based psychotherapy weekly for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). Same day access availability as a standard of care, not just for urgent care needs. Use of integration of mental health services into medical settings to address timely care needs. Scheduling practices which enhance tripartite access implementation. Incorporation of telemental health services to expand tripartite access availability The impact of federal and state policies and regulations for telehealth and mental health care. Evaluate barriers to delivery of care re prescriptions and Telehealth. Direct Out-of-pocket costs for patients and the role of insurance coverage for mental health care in community care settings. Coordination from crisis care access to engagement and sustained access for mental health treatment (e.g., use of the Veterans Crisis Line/988 services ) Use of mobile applications and online training and treatments (e.g., Moving Forward, online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression) and there use to expand access to interventions A webinar sponsored by the National Action Alliance regarding Reshaping the Mental Health Workforce focuses on moving from a focus upon how do we get more licensed providers to how do we better use who we have? Â Rethinking Workforce | National Mental Health Response. As related to the WH Unity Agenda Invest in proven programs that bring providers into behavioral health and pilot new approaches to train a diverse group of paraprofessionals along with peer specialist training, such as Office of Rural Health and also Office of Academic Affiliations to innovate how VA trains the MH workforce into the future. Utilization of peer support specialists to expand access to treatment Use of first call resolution (Same Day Access) VA vs Community standards Based on its review of best practices in mental health access, the committee will recommend best models for implementation of tripartite mental health access for consideration for implementation within the VA system and in community care. Single Source Circumstances The unique mission and charter of NASEM reflects its distinctive role to advise the Federal Government and the public. Created by a Congressional Charter signed by President Lincoln in 1863, the Academy is a federally chartered non-profit institution dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. The Congressional Charter is codified at 36 U.S.C.A. 150301-150305. Although NASEM is a private non-profit corporation, it is called upon by the terms of its Congressional Charter to act as an official, yet independent, advisor to the federal government in matters of science and technology. Unique to NASEM, are its Committees, Panels and Workshops which are composed of the nation s top scientists, engineers and other experts, all of whom volunteer their time to study specific concerns. Nominees for membership in committees at the Committee are subjected to rigorous procedures for appointment. These procedures ensure the selection of the most qualified scientists who represent a broad range of views and who, as a group, represent the spectrum of scientific thought in a subject area. For this project NASEM will have the distinct ability to partner with its national and international counterparts to provide an unparalleled opportunity for cooperation and understanding of the critical issues to be discussed. There is no other organization of its standing in the United States capable of providing such collaboration and participation. *No personal remuneration is made for the services of the scientists, engineers and other experts serving on Academy committees and, by law, no fee or profit is paid to the Academy. It is in the public interest to receive the independent advice of unparalleled objectivity of the highest quality that provides an inherent degree of acceptability. Anticipated Period of Performance The period of performance is one (1) year from the date of award. Additional Information The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services is most appropriate for this requirement. The NAICS code size standard is $16.5 million. The Product Service Code (PSC) R406 Support: Policy Review/Development. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES. Interested parties may identify their capability to respond to this requirement no later than 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, Tuesday, August 30th, 2022. Information received in response to this notice must be submitted in writing and clearly demonstrate the capability of meeting the Government s need as stated above. Include any relevant information (specifications, cut sheets, brochures, capability statement, etc.) confirming the ability to supply the products and services outlined in this notice. Respondents must also include their Unique Entity ID (UEI), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. Responses to this notice are to be sent to kurt.tanny@va.gov. Responses must reference synopsis number 36C10X22Q0255 and shall be submitted electronically to all POC s noted within this announcement. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government is not responsible for any potential costs incurred from interested parties desiring to respond to this notice.