Medical Respite Transitional Housing

Watch out for

• You need a ready, compliant housing facility. The service is delivered in community-based housing that must serve meals, store medications, house Veterans around the clock and be reachable by public transit, so a firm without a suitable property or partner cannot perform. Housing accommodations which are accessible to the Veteran 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
• Clinical and case management staffing. The contractor must provide care plans, weekly case management, suicide-risk safety plan reviews, group therapy, medication control and drug testing, which takes trained staff and documentation. The Contractor shall provide individual case management meetings at least once per week
• Paid per bed-day, funded by task order. Revenue depends on how many Veterans VA places and how many days they stay, and the solicitation says funding comes at the task order level, so a guaranteed volume is not visible. Services will be funded at the task order level.
• Performance targets tied to occupancy and stay length. The inspection plan sets targets for bed occupancy of 85% or more, exits to housing, negative exits under 20% and a length of stay of 60 days or less, and VA inspects monthly, sometimes unannounced. Length of stay ≤60 days
• Harm reduction approach with drug testing. Staff must support a Housing First, harm reduction model and accommodate Veterans on medication-assisted treatment, while testing at least twice a month; discipline cannot rest on test results alone. Facility will conduct random urine drug screen testing and breathalyzer testing at least twice a month.
• Transportation at your own cost. You must pay for bus passes or rides to appointments, which is not billable to VA or the Veteran. Transportation services for admission to the facility and for all care-plan-related appointments, at no additional cost to the Government and at no cost to the Veteran.
• Heavy VA security and data-breach terms. VA security and privacy language and a data-breach liquidated damages clause apply, which can mean added cost for record handling and IT controls. VAAR 852.211-76 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES – REIMBURSEMENT FOR DATA BREACH COSTS (FEB 2023) ALTERNATE I (FEB 2023)
• Multiple county wage determinations attached. Wage determinations for Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Rowan counties are attached, so staff pay and benefits may need to meet set minimums; the pages were unreadable in the text read.