AMD 1 Grades 6-12 Suicide Prevention Instructional Resources and Screeners

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the HE125426QE011 DoDEA Grades 6-12 Suicide Prevention Instructional Resources solicitation.

• Screening Instrument: The screeners must be valid, reliable, evidence-based, self-reporting instruments, digitally accessible, and developmentally appropriate for students. They should be aligned with the instructional resources and demonstrate effectiveness in identifying students at risk of self-harm or suicide.
• User Flow: DoDEA utilizes ClassLink for single sign-on. Users will select the program tile within ClassLink to access the selected program.
• 508 Compliance: The 508 compliance requirements apply to both students and teachers.
• FedRAMP Authorization: The typical requirement is FedRAMP Moderate, aligning with DoD Impact Level 2 (IL2) for systems handling non-sensitive DoD information. If the system processes PII or other controlled data, additional controls consistent with IL4 or an Authorizing Official risk acceptance may be required.
• Documentation for Readiness: If authorization is not required at award, Offerors must provide documentation demonstrating readiness to meet DoW/DoWEA security and RMF requirements, including system architecture, data flow diagrams, security control documentation, vulnerability scan results, POA&M, incident response plans, and any existing ATOs or third-party assessments.
• FedRAMP Waiver: Waiver requests must be submitted in writing through appropriate RMF channels, including justification, system architecture, data flow diagrams, security control documentation, risk assessment, and POA&M. Waivers are generally time-bound and may be contingent upon achieving specific compliance milestones.
• Hosting Requirements: The PWS does not require the screener to be hosted on the contractor-managed system. Solutions operating within existing DoDEA-managed platforms like Schoology or ClassLink are acceptable, provided functionality and accessibility are maintained. If a solution operates entirely within DoDEA-managed systems and the vendor does not host, process, or store data in a contractor-managed cloud environment, FedRAMP requirements may not apply to the vendor solution itself, but applicable DoW cybersecurity requirements must still be met.
• COTS Resources: DoDEA requires research studies specific to the exact COTS configuration. Limited contextual adaptations are acceptable if the core evidence-based curriculum and screening instruments remain unchanged.
• Research Support: The entire proposed solution (instructional content, screener, and delivery environment) must be supported by research as a single integrated program.
• Evidence of Effectiveness: Evidence of effectiveness must include statistically significant improvements in recognized suicide prevention indicators and, crucially, a reduction in student suicides and attempts.

These clarifications provide specific guidance on technical requirements, security compliance, data handling, and research evidence, which will impact how Offerors develop and present their proposals.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation seeks proposals for systemic student suicide prevention instructional resources and screeners for students in grades 6-12. The resources must be deliverable as a stand-alone classroom lesson, be commercially available off-the-shelf, and be evidenced-based with research demonstrating effectiveness in reducing suicidal behaviors. The requirement also includes digital sets of resources, at least one lesson per grade level per year, adaptability for individual or small-group counseling, and related virtual professional learning for staff. The government anticipates awarding one Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract.

• Systemic student suicide prevention curriculum for grades 6-12.

• Deliverable as a stand-alone classroom lesson.

• Evidenced-based with research demonstrating effectiveness.

• Digital sets of instructional resources.

• Adaptable for individual or small-group counseling.

• Virtual professional learning for staff.

• Screeners must be self-reporting, validated, digitally accessible, and age/developmentally appropriate.

• Alignment with the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

• Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ).

• Period of Performance: 1 base year and 4 option years.

• Minimum Guaranteed Contract Value: $1,000.

• Maximum Order Limitation: $250,000 for a combination of items.

• Offerors must hold prices firm for 60 calendar days from the offer due date.

• Quotes must be submitted in separate volumes: Administrative Cover Letter, Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price.

• Past performance references must be from the last 5 years.

• Evaluation will be based on three factors: Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price.

• Technical Approach will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis for instructional design, evidence base, screener requirements, and national standards alignment. Other technical subfactors will receive an adjectival rating.

• Offerors must provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) for all Information and Communication Technology (ICT) items.

• Offerors must demonstrate an approach to incorporating universal design principles.

• Offerors must describe plans for features that do not fully conform to Section 508 Standards.

• Offerors must describe typical user scenarios and tasks.

• Offerors must provide web-based access to digital resources for 7 people for evaluation purposes.

• Offerors must submit a completed Pricing Sheet.

• Offerors must submit no more than 3 relevant past performance references.

• Offerors must submit a completed DoDEA Privacy Checklist and DD2930a.

• This acquisition is unrestricted.

• NAICS Code: 513130.

• The solicitation includes numerous FAR and DFARS clauses incorporated by reference and by full text.

• Attachments include: Pricing Sheet, Terms of Service Addendum, FAR/DFARS Fill-Ins, Cloud Questionnaire, Privacy Checklist, DD2930a, Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), Past Performance Questionnaire, and Performance Work Statement (PWS).

• Offerors are advised to review all attachments and clauses carefully.

• Offer Due Date: March 12, 2026, 05:00 PM Local Time.

Amendment / Modification

This document is an Addendum to a License Agreement or Terms of Use, intended to be submitted with a proposal in response to a solicitation. It clarifies that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of the License Agreement and this Addendum, the terms of this Addendum will supersede and be controlling. The Government accepts commercial terms only to the extent they do not conflict with Federal law or the solicitation language and meet Government needs. Several specific terms commonly found in commercial license agreements have been identified as unacceptable and will be null and void if present in the offeror's License Agreement:

• General Indemnity (by the government): Not agreed to; recourse must be via the Contract Disputes Act.
• Patent Indemnity (by the contractor): Modified to align with federal law (28 U.S.C. § 516), where the contractor indemnifies the Government but defense control remains with the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Automatic renewals: Not agreed to due to potential violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act. Licenses/services will not renew automatically without prior Government approval.
• Audit: Contractor audit rights are not permitted for security reasons. Government self-audits may be requested, but contractors will not access Government systems.
• Attorney fees and costs; equitable relief; arbitration: Not agreed to, except as permitted by statute. Disputes resolved via the disputes clause; binding arbitration is not used.
• Taxes: Government is not responsible for all taxes. Any taxes payable by the Government must be submitted individually for adjudication or included in the firm-fixed price.
• Incorporating other License Terms by Reference: Terms from other documents or websites are not binding unless submitted with the proposal. Unilaterally revised terms after award are not enforceable.
• Venue; Choice of Law: Not agreed to. Disputes governed by applicable federal statutes and regulations.
• Arbitration: Mandatory arbitration is not agreed to. Disputes resolved per federal statutes.
• Equitable remedies, injunctions: Not agreed to, except as permitted by federal statutes.
• Unilateral termination by contractor for breach: Not permitted. Recourse is via the Contract Disputes Act.
• Unilateral modification: Contractor cannot unilaterally change license terms.
• Assignment by licensor: Not agreed to, except for assignment of payment to a financial institution per statute.
• Confidentiality: Unit prices or license terms are not considered confidential or proprietary. FOIA governs disclosure.
• User obligations: Government users are not bound by terms obligating users. "You" or "User" refers to the Government itself.

This Addendum modifies and supersedes conflicting terms within any submitted License Agreement or Terms of Use.

Offerors must submit this Addendum as an attachment to their License Agreement. Failure to agree to these terms means they will be null and void and will not be part of any resulting contract. The offeror agrees to all terms herein if awarded a contract.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a pricing sheet (HE125426QE011 Pricing Sheet) for the opportunity. Bidders are expected to use this sheet to provide their pricing details.

• The sheet outlines categories such as 'Suicide Prevention Program', 'Parent Awareness', 'Program Overview Webinar', 'Prof. Learning Webinars', and 'Technical Support'.
• It includes columns for Base Year and Option Years 1 through 4, as well as a column for '52.217-8'.
• Pricing is to be entered in terms of Units, $/Unit, and Total for each category and year.
• All provided unit and total prices are currently listed as 0.0.

This pricing sheet is critical for bidders to understand the structure for submitting their cost proposals. Bidders must complete this sheet with their proposed pricing for each line item and contract period. The current zero values indicate that specific pricing details are either to be filled in by the bidder or have not yet been finalized in this version of the document.

Other / Unclassified

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This document does not contain substantive information related to the SAM.gov opportunity. It serves as a technical notification and does not provide details on requirements, deliverables, or submission instructions.

Other / Unclassified

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This document is not a functional attachment for bidders. It indicates a potential issue with accessing the intended document and does not contain information relevant to the opportunity's requirements, scope, or submission process.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a questionnaire designed to evaluate a vendor's cloud-based solution for compatibility with Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) guidelines. The responses will help DoDEA assess the solution's suitability quickly and effectively.

The questionnaire covers several key areas:

• Cloud Resource Website/URLs: Inquires about the provision and access to cloud resources.
• Client Systems and Software Configuration: Assesses needs for server support, required software installations on DoDEA computers, and any necessary configurations or changes to DoDEA systems.
• Privacy Information Data Collection and Distribution: Gathers information on the collection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and sensitive data, including third-party sharing and adherence to privacy policies.
• System Management and Security: Focuses on security practices such as penetration testing, vulnerability testing, intrusion prevention, software updates, and physical security of systems.
• Data Storage, Retention, and Access: Addresses data storage locations, employee/subcontractor access, data encryption (at rest and in transit), multi-tenancy, background checks, and data deletion processes.
• Development and Change Management Process: Inquires about customer notification processes for policy changes and auditing of security and privacy records.
• Audits and Standards: Asks about adherence to security standards like ISO, NIST, and PCI DSS.
• Test and Development Environments: Questions the use of live student/privacy data in non-production environments.
• Data Breach, Incident Investigation and Response: Assesses processes for disaster recovery, denial-of-service protection, data breach management, and security incident investigations.

Vendors must complete this questionnaire accurately and thoroughly. It directly impacts the evaluation of their cloud solution's security, privacy, and compliance with DoDEA and DISA requirements. Failure to answer questions may be considered an unacceptable response. Proprietary or sensitive information provided will be protected.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides a template for contract language related to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, specifically concerning Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility requirements. It is intended to be inserted into procurement documentation such as Statements of Work (SOWs) or Performance Work Statements (PWSs).

• IT Accessibility Requirements: Details the mandate under Section 508 for ICT to be accessible to people with disabilities.
• Revised 508 Standards: References 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Apps. A, C & D, and provides a link to the official standards.
• Applicable Criteria: Outlines functional performance criteria and requirements for software and hardware features, as well as support services and documentation.
• Instructions to Offerors: Guides vendors on how to document their proposed solution's compliance, including providing an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), describing universal design principles, and detailing plans for non-conforming features.
• Acceptance Criteria: States the government's right to test ICT items to validate conformance claims.

This document is crucial for any bidder proposing IT products or services. It defines the mandatory accessibility standards that must be met. Bidders must understand these requirements to accurately prepare their proposals, including documenting their compliance through ACRs and VPATs, and to ensure their offerings meet the government's accessibility mandates. Failure to comply can impact acceptance of the delivered product or service.

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This PWS outlines the requirements for providing commercial, off-the-shelf, secondary-level suicide prevention instructional resources and related support for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. The goal is to reduce student suicides and suicide attempts by providing evidence-based resources aligned with the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

• Instructional Resources: Provide digitally accessible, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate resources for grades 6-12. These resources should cover suicide warning signs, risk/protective factors, help-seeking, and reporting of threats. They must be accessible 24/7 and include differentiated content for students with accommodations. Resources should also include teacher/counselor guides and formative assessments.

• Screener: Provide a valid, reliable, evidence-based self-reporting instrument for students to screen for suicide risk factors and ideation, aligned with the instructional resources.

• Parent Awareness: Develop digital material to raise awareness about suicide and the importance of reporting threats, to be finalized with feedback from the COR.

• Virtual Professional Learning: Provide technical solutions for delivering webinars globally, including asynchronous webinars for school counselors, psychologists, nurses, district trainers, and staff on navigating resources, teaching content, responding to students, and discussing suicide prevention with parents and staff.

• Instructional resources must be accessible 24/7 with minimal unscheduled downtime.

• At least 75% of participants must rate professional learning presentations as good or better.

• Technical support requests must be acknowledged within two hours and resolved within one business day (90% of requests) or five business days (remaining 10%).

• Digital resources must be available 24/7 with minimal downtime.

• Work shall be performed at the Contractor's facilities.

• Resources must be available for the life of the contract.

• Resources must be aligned with the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and be evidence-based.

• Digital resources must be compatible with DoDEA's learning management system (Schoology) and single sign-on platform (ClassLink).

• Contractor personnel must adhere to strict privacy and cybersecurity requirements, including DoD and DoDEA standards, and complete required training.

• All data developed under the contract remains the property of the Government.

• The solution must be scalable to accommodate DoDEA's global student population and integrate with existing systems.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Past and Present Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) intended to gather feedback from references regarding a prime vendor's performance on previous contracts. It is to be completed by a reference and returned to the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) via email to the Contract Specialist (Eric Mensah) and Contracting Officer (Jamie Formosa).

• Reference Information Table: To be filled out by the prime vendor prior to forwarding to the reference, including details about the reference's business, POC, contract value, number, type, period of performance, and a brief description of the work.
• Scope Verification: Asks if the provided scope of work description is correct and to amend if necessary.
• Problem Encountered: Inquires about significant problems with the company's resources and/or support services.
• Evaluation Key: Provides a rating scale (Poor/Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Good, Very Good, Excellent, Neutral) for evaluating vendor performance.
• Performance Ratings: Questions assessing the vendor's compliance with deliverables, business practices, conformance to contract requirements and quality standards, and overall performance.
• Re-hire Decision: Asks if the reference would purchase services from the vendor again.
• Additional Comments: Space for any further remarks on past performance.

This questionnaire is crucial for bidders as it outlines the specific criteria and format the government will use to evaluate their past performance. Understanding these questions and the rating system helps bidders prepare their own documentation and brief their references effectively to ensure a positive and accurate representation of their capabilities and track record.

Forms / Attachments / Pricing Sheets

This document contains several FAR and DFARS provisions that require vendor completion and representation. These provisions address critical compliance areas for government contracting.

• 52.204-24 (Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment): Requires vendors to represent whether they will provide or use covered telecommunications equipment or services. If "yes," detailed disclosures about the equipment/services, manufacturer, and proposed use are required.
• 52.209-7 (Information Regarding Responsibility Matters): Requires vendors to disclose information about significant federal contracts/grants and any adverse responsibility matters (convictions, findings of fault, etc.) within the last five years, particularly concerning performance on federal contracts.
• 52.229-11 (Tax on Certain Foreign Procurements--Notice and Representation): Requires vendors to represent if they are a foreign person and whether they claim an exemption from the 2% excise tax on specified federal procurement payments. Foreign persons must submit IRS Form W-14.
• 252.204-7016 & 252.204-7017 (Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services): Requires vendors to represent whether they provide covered defense telecommunications equipment or services. If "yes," specific disclosures regarding the equipment/services, proposed use, and entities involved are necessary.
• 252.204-7019 (Notice of NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Requirements): Mandates that offerors required to implement NIST SP 800-171 must have a current (within 3 years) NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment posted in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS). Basic assessments can be submitted to a specified email address for posting.
• 252.204-7009 (Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Third-Party Contractor Reported Cyber Incident Information): Outlines restrictions on the use and disclosure of cyber incident information obtained from third-party contractors, primarily for providing advice or technical assistance to the government.

Vendors must carefully review each provision and complete the required representations and disclosures accurately. Failure to comply with these requirements, particularly regarding telecommunications, responsibility matters, foreign tax, and cybersecurity assessments, may impact eligibility for award or lead to contract withholding. Bidders must ensure their NIST SP 800-171 assessments are current and posted in SPRS if applicable.