Program Support Services for the Office of Civil Rights   3

This solicitation is for Program Support Services for the Office of Civil Rights. The Government anticipates a single award of an IDIQ Contract. Individual Task
Orders shall be awarded on a Fixed Price, Labor Hour, or Time & Materials basis.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intends to issue a Request for Proposals for Program Support services for the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). OCR, a staff division of HHS, ensures that people have equal access to and the opportunity to participate in and receive services from all HHS-funded programs without facing unlawful discrimination, and that the privacy and security of their health information is protected. In doing so, OCR helps carry out HHS' overall mission of improving the health and well-being of all people affected by its many programs and promotes integrity in the use of federal funds by removing discriminatory barriers to HHS funded services and programs. OCR annually resolves more than 10,000 citizen complaints alleging discrimination or a health information privacy or security violation. Through investigations, voluntary dispute resolution, enforcement, technical assistance, policy development and information services, OCR protects the civil rights of all individuals who are subject to discrimination in health and human services programs and protect the health information privacy and security rights of consumers.

OCR has distinct mission areas that consist of Enforcement and Region Operations (E&RO), Health Information Privacy (HIP), and Civil Rights (CR). Specific mission areas include:
Ensuring that the estimated 4.5 million recipients of HHS Federal financial assistance comply with our Nation's civil rights laws by enforcing civil rights protections that prevent discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, and religion.
Enforcing new rights under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which promote access to health care by prohibiting discrimination in health care programs or activities, provider conscience rights, which prohibit discrimination against those who decline to participate in abortions or sterilization procedures, and rights that ensure individuals with disabilities have options to live in their own communities rather than segregated facilities pursuant to the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision.
Ensuring the practices of an estimated 4 million health care providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and their business associates adhere to Federal privacy, security, and breach notification regulations through the investigation of citizen complaints, self reports of breaches, or compliance reviews and audits.
Implementing and enforcing privacy, security, and breach notification regulations issued by the Secretary under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as further amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009; the privacy protections under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; and the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005.

The Contractor shall provide law clerk support, paralegal support, program and general administrative support, project officer support, and settlement and state settlement observers to assist with, but not limited to, the following tasks:
Law Clerk and Paralegal Support for Equal Opportunity Specialist (EOS) duties
Program Administrative Support
General Administrative Support
Project Office Support
Settlement Observer Support

The Governments anticipates a single-award IDIQ contract that will be used to provide services to the Department of Health and Human Services. The Government anticipates a base period of twelve months for the resultant contract with five additional option periods of one year each for a total period of performance of sixty (60) months. Individual Task Orders shall be awarded on a Fixed Price, Labor Hour, or Time & Materials basis.

Tasks will be performed in Washington, D.C., and in regional offices located in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and off-site locations across the nation. Normal government clearance is required to enter government space. Travel may be required.

Deliverables will include, but not be limited to:
Data Requests
Case Closure documentation
Correspondence
Case Folder preparation and assembly
Project Research
Cost Benefit Analysis
Case Investigation and Reporting

The minimum guarantee for all Task Orders is $25,000 throughout the life of the contract. The contract ceiling amount is $50 Million in aggregate for all Task Orders issued over the five year period of performance, and it is not a guarantee.

All technical or contractual questions shall be directed to:
Anthony.Terrell@psc.hhs.gov

All Technical Questions must be received in writing, in accordance with Section L.4.1, by 5:00 pm EST on Wednesday, December 18, 2013.

All Proposals must be submitted in accordance with Section L.4.2.

Initial Proposals for Advisory Down-Select consideration must be received NO LATER THAN 5:00PM EST ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013.

Full Proposals must be received NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM EST ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014.