FY26:Technical Assistance and Training (VA-26-00001106) INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

The Department of Veterans Affairs Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) intends to negotiate a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) sole source award to VERVE LLC., a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), for the procurement of technical assistance and training to grantees on the identification and management of suicide risk. The technical assistance provided is aimed at enhancing grantees capabilities to establish and operate effective community based non-clinical suicide prevention grant programs.

This support will be delivered through contracts with appropriate public or non-profit private entities who possess expertise in supporting organizations that serve Veterans and their families.

The contractor shall provide technical assistance to grant applicants and grantees as needed, leveraging their organizational expertise and experience in grant program implementation; suicide risk identification and management, as well as community based and non-clinical suicide prevention interventions within the public health model. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 611430 Professional and Management Development Training Services is most appropriate for this requirement. The size standard is:

$15 million. The Product Service Code (PSC) is R408 Support- Professional: Program Management/Support. In accordance with VAAR 819.7008, the decision to make a sole source award to an SDVOSB is at the sole discretion of the Contracting officer. Therefore, the requirement to solicit from as many potential sources as practicable is not applicable to this procurement.

Additionally, 819.7008(c) authorizes the Contracting officer to make the award without first determining that only one SDVOSB source can meet the requirement. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C.§ 253(c)(5) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-5 entitled, Authorized or required by statute .

The applicable statute is Public Law 109-461: Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 specifically, the Veterans First Contracting Program outlined in 38 USC § 8127(c). In accordance with FAR 52.232-18, Availability of Funds, funds are not currently available for this Contract. The Government s obligation under this Contract is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for Contract purposes can be made.

There is no legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment that may arise until funds are made available to the Contracting Officer for this Contract and until the contractor receives notice of such availability. This is not a request for proposals. The Government is not responsible for any costs associated with responding to this notice. Interested parties may e-mail Annette.Whitfield@va.gov no later than September 3, 2025, 2:00 PM Eastern.