Q201--Behavioral Healthcare for Clinicians Base 4 Option Years

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Great Lakes Acquisition Center (GLAC), plans to issue Solicitation 36C25226Q0080 for Behavioral Health Services for Clinicians. This procurement will cover all VISN 12 facilities, serving approximately 20,415 employees. The Request for Quote (RFQ) is anticipated to be released around December 3, 2025, with a response deadline of December 15, 2025. The contract will be a firm fixed-price award for a base year plus four option years. The NAICS code for this service is 621330. VISN 12 includes several VA Medical Centers in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, such as Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago and Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee.

This government Request for Quote (RFQ) from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Great Lakes Health Care System (VISN 12) seeks comprehensive, confidential behavioral health teletherapy services for its approximately 20,415 healthcare personnel. The contract, structured as a firm-fixed-price with a one-year base and four option years (January 2026 to December 2031), mandates services from licensed clinicians (LCSW, Psychologist, LPC, LMFT) with specialized experience in healthcare settings. Key requirements include 24/7/365 direct access to therapists, 48-hour therapist matching, up to three 60-minute sessions per employee at no initial cost, and referrals for extended care. The contractor must also provide quarterly workshops, marketing materials, and submit regular utilization and outcome reports. Strict adherence to VA policies, HIPAA, and federal records management is required. Subcontracting for clinical services is prohibited, and contractors must demonstrate a robust scalability plan.

Amendment 0002 to solicitation 36C25226Q0080 from the Department of Veterans Affairs extends the deadline for offer submissions to January 5, 2026, at 13:00 CST. This amendment clarifies that questions and answers are still pending and will be provided in a subsequent amendment. The document, issued by the Great Lakes Acquisition Center, modifies the original solicitation, ensuring all other terms and conditions remain unchanged. Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this amendment to ensure their offers are considered valid.

Amendment 0001 to solicitation 36C25226Q0080 extends the due date for quotes to December 17, 2025, at 13:00 CST. This amendment, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, addresses the need for additional time for offerors to respond. Questions and answers related to the solicitation are still pending and will be provided via a future amendment. The document emphasizes that offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment to avoid rejection, either by completing the amendment form, acknowledging it on each offer copy, or submitting a separate letter or electronic communication referencing the solicitation and amendment numbers. The contracting officer for this solicitation is Ashley Johnson.

Amendment 0005 to solicitation 36C25226Q0080 extends the offer receipt deadline to January 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM CST, and addresses key questions regarding Behavioral Health Services. It clarifies that all references prohibiting subcontracting or the use of staffing agencies are removed. The amendment also provides detailed responses to vendor inquiries on evaluation methodology, technical proposal requirements, staffing models, credentialing documentation, training, crisis support documentation, reporting timelines, marketing materials, and clinician licensing. It confirms that performance standards will be monitored as compliance, not formal SLAs with penalties, and that the due date for offers will not be further extended at this time. This amendment aims to provide clarity and facilitate accurate proposals for the revised solicitation.

This government Request for Quote (RFQ) solicitation, 36C25226Q0080, seeks comprehensive confidential behavioral health teletherapy services for approximately 20,415 employees of the VA Great Lakes Health Care System, Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN 12). The contract is a firm-fixed-price award with a one-year base period and four one-year option years, from February 1, 2026, to January 31, 2031. Services include short-term therapy (up to three employer-sponsored sessions per year), 24/7 direct access to licensed clinicians, therapist matching within 48 hours, and behavioral health workshops. Clinicians must be licensed in a U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia, with specialized training and 3-5 years of healthcare-specific experience. The contractor is responsible for ensuring compliance with all state licensing laws for telehealth and mental health practice in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. Reporting requirements include quarterly and annual anonymized utilization, depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and satisfaction scores. The contractor must also provide marketing materials, a scalability plan, and a therapist transition plan. The solicitation is issued under FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. Adherence to VA facility policies, HIPAA, and federal records management obligations is mandatory.

Amendment 0004 for solicitation 36C25226Q0080 extends the offer due date to January 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM CST. It addresses offeror questions regarding behavioral health services for VISN 12 employees, including clarification on clinician training (APA-approved or equivalent accreditations like NBCC, ASWB, NAADAC), onboarding requirements, and scalability plans. The amendment confirms the permissibility of subcontracting for non-clinical functions and clarifies that 1099 independent clinicians are allowed. It also states that the Service Contract Act (SCA) and HUBZone price evaluation preference do not apply. The pricing model will reimburse monthly in arrears, with no guaranteed minimum volumes for the estimated 20,415 employees eligible for up to three 60-minute sessions per 12-month period. Crisis interactions count towards the three-session limit if they are full therapy sessions. Services are virtual, available 24/7/365, including federal holidays, and are restricted to VISN 12 employees. Promotional materials require government approval, and historical utilization data is not provided.

Amendment 0003 to solicitation 36C25226Q0080 from the Department of Veterans Affairs extends the deadline for quotes to January 12, 2026, at 13:00 CST. This amendment, issued by the Great Lakes Acquisition Center, also indicates that further questions, answers, and associated requirements revisions are pending and will be provided in an additional amendment. The document is a standard form for amending solicitations or modifying contracts, outlining procedures for offerors to acknowledge receipt and make changes to previously submitted offers. All other terms and conditions of the original solicitation remain unchanged.