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The Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center requires Catholic Religious services in accordance with the draft Statement of Work (SOW) below.
This is a sources sought/proof of capability solicitation looking for vendors to perform the services per the SOW for market research purposes. No awards of a contract will be made from this announcement.
Identify your organization s socio-economic category.
If you are a vendor that can complete the work described in the SOW with competitive pricing, please send your information with a description of proof of capability to: Jeffrey.Brown8@va.gov on or before May 9th, 2023.
*If applicable, VAAR Provision, 852.219-75 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Veteran Owned Small-Businesses.*
*If applicable, FAR Provision 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Small-Businesses.*

Statement of Work

SERVICES
Under this contract, the Contractor shall provide a Roman Catholic service s on-site at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS), Minneapolis, MN. The Contractor shall provide this service to the MVAHCS as required by this Statement of Work (SOW) and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract.

Job Responsibilities:

Provide Pastoral Counseling Patient Visit- per assigned/requested/ authorized visit due to a patient or family request for a Catholic Priest and documentation in CPRS, and any needed communication with the Chaplain Service Team.
Provide anointing of the sick, confession, or Eucharist patient visit: per assigned/ requested/ authorized visit with a patient or family of the patient which does not include a full pastoral counseling.
Provide Worship Service/ Ceremony/ Mass Sunday Mornings- per scheduled/authorized/ worship service/ ceremony/ Mass, and if scheduled Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (this includes setting up the service, dismantling and cleaning up afterwards of chapel), to be documented in CPRS, and any needed communication with the Chaplain Service Team.
Provide Worship Service/ Ceremony/ Weekly Weekday Mass for a weekly weekday mass (this includes setting up the service, dismantling and cleaning up afterwards of chapel), to be documented in CPRS, and any needed communication with the Chaplain Service Team.
Consult with professional staff regarding the total welfare of any patient.
In a time of need or emergency, as determined by VA, the Contractor agrees to provide the services within this Statement of Work, and to be available during call-back hours as necessitated by the needs of the VA. If a priest under the contractor is so requested, the assigned contractor s chaplain on call will be provided a listing of priests available and will place that call on behalf of the patient. Call back hours being between 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Saturday; 12:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM to 11:59 PM on Monday through Friday; and 12:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM to 11:59 PM on Sunday.
Be available, either in person or through call-in, for monthly chaplain service meetings, regularly lasting from 1 to 2 hours at the Minneapolis VAMC.
The contractor shall maintain a schedule of the weekly Masses, posting the schedule on the chapel bulletin board and informing patients when the liturgies are scheduled. On a monthly basis the contractor shall provide the Chaplain Service Team an assignment schedule notifying which priest(s) are assigned to preside at which Masses.
The contractor shall maintain monthly schedules for the approved volunteer Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, calling them regarding their availability the coming month and posting the days they are assigned for duty.
As the reposed Eucharist in the tabernacle depletes, additional Hosts shall be consecrated either on or off site for replenishment by the contractor. The contractor shall assure proper upkeep of the tabernacle area, including any cleaning that is needed.
The contractor shall ensure the maintenance of all necessary Catholic supplies (hosts, wine, candles, vestments, etc.), and maintain appropriate chapel care. The contractor shall communicate with chaplaincy staff to identify and have reordered all sacramentals, reading materials etc. for veteran s worship needs. The contractor shall not be responsible for ordering and/or paying for these sacramentals or worship aids.
The contractor shall maintain professional standards and dialogue with Veterans and VA Staff.
The contractor shall maintain communication, training and oversight of all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and spiritual care volunteers under this contract. The contractor shall also continue to train any new such volunteers that fall under the contract to ensure maintenance of professional standards.
The contractor on duty for the day, if a Mass is scheduled, to attend the Mass, to assist in set up and take down of the chapel, and to serve the altar and/or read the days readings. These persons would be trained to do such service in a reverent manner.
To ensure proper care and cleanliness of the Mass linens, the contractor shall maintain the laundering and ironing of these linens.
Charting into patient records shall be completed if the Minneapolis VA HCS approves of their training required and competency to complete this task.

Qualifications of the Priests:
Effective December 31, 2020, the National Chaplain Association require the following qualifications standards for the role of full-time or part-time VA chaplains (also see attached VHA Handbook 5005/135 Appendix G67 Chaplain Qualification Standard . Refer to VA Chaplain Services - Employment Information and Resources - Patient Care Services. To qualify for appointment as a chaplain, all applicants must possess the following basic requirements:
U.S. citizen
Hold a Master of Divinity degree or degree of equal qualification and religious education
Board Certified
Show an ecclesiastical endorsement dated within 12 months of applying for the VA chaplain position
Completed at least four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in a program accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education or the Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training.

MONITORING PROCEDURE
This contract will be monitored by the following procedures:
Time and attendance logs (CPRS)
Supervisor assigning work location
Contract performance will be monitored by the Chaplain Service Team.
Government reserves the right to accept or not accept the Contractor provided personnel who have demonstrated problems with conduct, performance, punctuality or similar issues.

Confidentiality of Information.
Unless otherwise specified, all financial, statistical, personnel and/or technical data, which is furnished, produced or otherwise available to the Contractor during the exercise of this contract are considered confidential and proprietary information and shall not be used for the purposes other than performance of work under this contract. None of the above information shall be released by the Contractor without prior written consent of COR.
Contracted employee shall follow all HIPPA regulations.

ORIENTATION
The Contractor shall ensure that all contract personnel participate in MVAHCS-defined orientation procedures for newly assigned contract personnel to include regulation specific to the profession or class to which he/she belongs, MVAHCS and VHA policy and procedures.
Contract personnel shall be required to take several small training courses, provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs, prior to starting their contract. These trainings shall be provided via the internet, on TMS, and will include facility-specific training, such as Fire Safety and HIPPA.

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
Contractor Personnel Security Requirements. All contractor employees who require access to the Department of Veterans Affairs computer systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication of the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement prior to contract performance.
Position Sensitivity The position sensitivity has been designated as Low Risk.
Background Investigation The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access is NACI.
Contractor Responsibilities:
Background investigations must be completed using OPM/VSC background checks.
The contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they are eligible for employment and are able to read, write, speak and understand the English Language.

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