Integrated Mental Health Services IMHS - NCNG

See attachments for full understanding of the scope of work and quote submission requirements. A listing of Q&As will reside in this section and updated accordingly. This requirement does not have an incumbent contractor in the traditional sense, as this requirement is currently being fulfilled through the State of North Carolina. 

Last day to submit questions: 2 Sept 26

All questions shall be submitted in writing to amy.b.daniels2.civ@army.mil.

Q. Please confirm the intended base period start date. CLINs 0001AA and 0002AA identify an 11-month period from October 30, 2026 through September 29, 2027, while CLINs 0001AB and 0002AB identify a 12-month period from September 30, 2026 through September 29, 2027. Should offerors price both alternatives, or will one set of CLINs be removed before award?

A.  The intended base period start date will depend on how long the evaluation process takes; the two ideal start dates we're likely to use are reflected in AA and AB of each CLIN series. 

Q. Please confirm the complete contract term. The PWS describes one base period plus a possible six-month extension, the solicitation includes a six-month option period and an evaluated FAR 52.217-8 extension, and the GFP listing references a base year, three option years, and one optional six-month period. Which ordering-period structure governs the requirement?

A. See response to the above question. 

Q. Please provide the Government’s anticipated staffing baseline by labor category, duty location, and full-time-equivalent level. The PWS describes a Director, Coordinator, Lead Clinician, other clinicians, and wellness advocates, but does not provide one consolidated staffing table.

A. Exhibit 1 has been filled in to include the incumbent baseline labor mix (see updated attachment)

Q. The evaluation provision permits a labor mix lower than the incumbent level when supported by innovations or efficiencies. Will the Government provide the incumbent labor mix, productive hours, vacancies, turnover history, and current position locations so offerors can develop a comparable staffing solution?

A. Reference Exhibit 1 and PWS for incumbent labor mix. Historically, there have not been systemic vacancies or turnover issues. This program has been in existence for over a decade.

Q. The Lead Clinician section refers to six clinicians including the Lead and three case managers, while the solicitation’s equivalent-rate table lists a Director, Coordinator, Lead Psychotherapist, three additional Psychotherapists, and two Wellness Advocates. Please reconcile the intended number of personnel in each category.

A. Updated; this was in error. Please see updated PWS dated 27 Aug 26.

Q. Please provide historical 1-855 Help Line data by month, including call volume, abandoned calls, duration, time of day, clinical/non-clinical classification, escalations, and weekend or holiday activity.

A. Please refer to PWS para 5.6.8 for anticipated workload. Help Line Data may not be the most useful information, as this program has experienced a reduction in funding over the last year. The program has sustained well with the labor mix suggested in Exhibit 1. A lesser labor mix would need to be explained from a technical standpoint introducing innovative solutions etc. If excessive volume comes in, historically the Director and Coordinator have adapted the SOP to guide case management accordingly, maintaining the standard in para 5.6.8.

Q. Which personnel may participate in the after-hours rotation? Please confirm whether coverage is limited to licensed clinicians, the Lead Clinician, and Director, or may include other qualified staff.

A. Please refer to PWS para 1.4.4, 5.5.7 and 5.6. Non-Clinical Wellness Advocates do not work this line.

Q. Does the Government require one person on call or both a primary and backup clinician at all times?

A. Please refer to PWS para 1.4.4

Q. Please identify the anticipated duty station for each proposed labor category at contract start, including which positions will receive dedicated Government office space.

A. Please refer to PWS 1.4.4 , 1.4.4.1 and Exhibit 1

Q. What importance will be assigned to Price, Technical, and Past Performance? The solicitation describes a comparative trade-off but does not state the factors’ relative weighting.

A. This is an RFQ using FAR Part 12. No importance will be assigned.

Q. Who is the incumbent contractor? 

A. See the first line of the description above. For further clarity, the last federal contract for this requirement was held by Compass Medical Services.

Q. Is the cover page or table of contents excluded from the page count. 

A. See the synopsistation for what is specifically excluded from the page count; nothing else has been excluded.

Q. Does the Government permit behavioral health services under this requirement to be delivered through virtual or digital modalities, including mobile or web-based behavioral health programs and synchronous remote coaching or support? If so, may a digital therapeutic be proposed as the primary or sole service-delivery modality, provided all applicable clinical, staffing, licensure, safety, crisis-response, and other requirements are met? Or does the requirement contemplate that digital behavioral health services must be supplemented by live clinical or in-person services?

A. Please refer to PWS requirements cited in paragraphs 1.4.4 and 1.4.4.1

Q. May a WOSB prime subcontract non-clinical functions such as program coordination, community-resource/referral navigation, data/reporting support, quality-control tracking, compliance documentation, and workforce/process analytics while retaining all required clinical duties and overall contract responsibility?

A. FAR 52.219-14(e)(1) applies; the WOSB prime contractor must retain at least 50% of the total revenue paid by the Government for its own personnel and work, unless the remaining dollars go to a "similarly situated entity" (similarly situated entity refers to the socioeconomic small business status). 

Q. May a prime cite relevant subcontractor/team-member experience as supporting past performance or technical capability, provided the proposal clearly identifies the subcontractor’s role and workshare?

A. Synopsitation has been updated to request ONLY prime contractor past performance for evaluation (allowable exception: 13 CFR 125.2(g))

Q. If an offeror proposes technology-enabled workflow improvements, centralized performance monitoring, or standardized referral/reporting processes, may those efficiencies be used to support an alternative labor mix so long as all PWS service levels and staffing requirements are satisfied?

A. Contractors are asked to propose their best technical solution; this may include innovative practices which support an alternative labor mix, but ultimately needs to simultaneously meet the requirements of the PWS.

Q. Are there any restrictions on the use of subcontractor-developed dashboards, workflow tools, or reporting systems beyond the security, HIPAA/PII, government-furnished equipment, and other requirements stated in the solicitation/PWS?

A. Contractors are asked to propose their best technical solution; this may include innovative practices but ultimately needs to simultaneously meet the requirements of the PWS.

Q. Exhibit 1 identifies positions located in Wilmington, Asheville, High Point, and Climax; however, the wage determinations included with the solicitation do not appear to cover all counties associated with these duty locations. Please identify the applicable wage determination for each position/duty location listed in Exhibit 1 and provide any additional applicable wage determinations.

A. See updated WDs

Q. Please confirm the intended Service Contract Labor Standards classification for the IMHS Coordinator and IMHS Wellness Advocate (Non-Clinical Case Manager) positions or confirm that offerors are responsible for determining the appropriate classification based on the duties described in the PWS.

A. Offerors are responsible.

Q. Exhibit 1 includes an "SCA H&W Hourly Fringe" field for all positions, including the IMHS Director and licensed Psychotherapist positions. Please confirm whether the Government has determined that all positions listed in Exhibit 1 are service employees subject to the wage determination, or whether offerors should determine the applicability of the executive, administrative, or professional exemptions in accordance with FAR 52.222-41 and 29 CFR Parts 4 and 541.

A. Offerors are responsible.

Q. Past Performance for UEI of offeror was questioned. 

A. Synopsitation updated to detail allowable exception: 13 CFR 125.2(g))

Q. Will the Gov't allow offerors to adjust the formulas in the sample row (row 5) of Exhitit 1? 

A. There is no need to adjust the formulas in this specific row; offerors are free to input different rates, productive hours, etc.

Q. A request was made for the 12 month version of Exhibit 1. 

A. Uploaded; document failed to upload in the original transmission.

Q. Historical data for hotline was requested. 

A.  CY 2025: 2,147

Q. PWS Professional Liability Insurance Amounts requested per PWS 1.4.7.6

A. 52.237-7 Indemnification and Medical Liability Insurance with fill-ins. See updated synopsitation.

Q. Should proposals be emailed to the same contacts to which questions should be submitted?

A. Yes

Q. Should the Technical Proposal and the Past Performance response be in two separate documents?

A. Yes

Q. Section 2.1.c of the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation states that Past Performance should be a maximum of 2 pages. Does this mean that the entire Past Performance response should not exceed 2 pages?

A. Yes

Q. May narrative contained in tables and graphics be in a font size smaller than TNR size 12?

A. Yes, within reason. Text must be remain clearly legible

Q. Attachment 8 Exhibit LOE Labor Mix with Proposed Comp 11 mo Base states the minimum proposed annual productive hours must be 1,880 hours for the 11-Month Period of Performance. However, SCLS positions, per the wage determinations, can have no more than 1,856 productive hours for a 12-month period of performance (2,080 hours - 88 holiday - 80 vacation - 56 sick). Can the government please revise Attachment 8, so offerors can be in compliance with SCLS? 

A. This row is merely a sample; the contractor is free to edit this value in the rows where you are proposing your labor and compensation mix, no different than the overhead, G&A and profit fields. 

Q. Approximately how far do the Wellness Advocate's travel on a daily basis? As they do not have office space at the Government facility (PWS 3.3), where do they generally meet with service members to provide services? Are we correct in assuming it is the contractors' discretion as to where the Wellness Advocates work when they are not on location?

A. Please refer to PWS 1.4.4 , 1.4.4.1, 1.4.12. The recommend labor mix to include locations of where the employees will be on a daily basis are listed in Exhibit 1.

Q. Past Performance states “Max 2 pages approx.” What is the maximum number of pages allowed?

A. Updated to remove "approx". 2 pages.

Q. Is there a page limit for A – Pricing?

A. No

Q. Can the cover page and introduction page be excluded from the page count for A (Pricing), B (Technical), and C (Past Performance)?

A. Please see listing of exclusions already listed. 

Q. What are the formatting requirements for each section, including margins, font type/size, spacing, and any other applicable standards?

A. Please see synopsitation para 2.1.

Q. Has Cumberland county location been removed and no longer available?

A. Please see Exhibit 1 for the locations. If a variance from these locations is proposed, reasoning must be supported in technical proposal.

Q. Can you clarify if the IMHS Director is expected to participate in both business-hours and after-hours Toll-Free Help Line rotations throughout contract performance, or whether the Director's Help Line participation may be incorporated into the contractor's overall staffing and scheduling approach.

A. Please refer to PWS 5.1

Q. The PWS states that personnel average 40 hours per week while also requiring after-hours Help Line coverage and permits contractor flexibility, including use of compensatory days. Please clarify if the Government requires Help Line on-call hours to be performed in addition to a 40-hour workweek or can the contractors adjust employee schedules/compensatory time while maintaining uninterrupted Help Line coverage and PWS performance.

A. The contractor is free to manage employee schedules.

Q. Are the duty locations identified in the PWS mandatory fixed duty stations for each labor category or anticipated/historical locations that may be adjusted by the Government during performance based on mission requirements.

A. Please refer to PWS para 1.4.4 and Exhibit 1. If a variance from these locations is proposed, reasoning must be supported in technical proposal.

Q. On 2 September 2026, the Government provided a revised Attachment 8 that has a section to fill in the pricing for the 12-month option (CLIN 0001AB and CLIN 0002AB). It supersedes the previous Attachment 8 that had a section to fill in the pricing for the 11-month option (CLIN 0001AA and CLIN 0002AA). Since pricing is required for all of these CLINs, does the government want to provide an Attachment 8 that allows for offerors to provide pricing for all of the CLINs?

A. Complete both Attachments 8 and 9; one submission for 11 months, another for 12.

Q. Section 2.3 of the Instructions to Offerors section of the subject solicitation states that Joint Venture contractors must submit fill-ins to the two referenced FAR Provisions. Is it acceptable to include these provisions as a separate PDF document, not included in the Technical Volume?

A. Yes