GSA reissues controversial counseling contract

The General Services Administration has released a new proposal for a controversial contract that drew criticism from the agency's inspector general.

On Tuesday, GSA sent industry officials a statement of objectives for the Military One Source program, which provides a variety of counseling and mental health services to military service members and their families over the telephone and the Internet. GSA first awarded a contract to run the program in 2002. But the agency's inspector general has criticized GSA for making that award under a contract designed for information technology services, rather than one to handle counseling and mental health.

GSA now plans to award the One Source project as a "social services" contract, according to the statement of objectives. One Source will be paid for using GSA's general supply fund rather than money set aside specifically for technology purposes. These arrangements mean that GSA is within its bounds awarding the mental health contract, said Mary Alice Johnson, an agency spokeswoman.

The procurement will be handled by the same GSA outfit that awarded the previous contact-the Federal Technology Service. That organization is supposed to procure technology goods and services for the government. GSA officials acknowledged last year that it was a mistake to let FTS award One Source using a technology contract.

The agency first awarded One Source in August 2002 to Titan Corp. of San Diego, a military contractor with no previous experience in counseling. Titan chose Ceridian Corp. of Minneapolis, Minn., as its subcontractor, and that firm has provided the mental health and counseling services.

But Ceridian's competitors alleged that military officials favored the company and steered the business toward it. A draft copy of the request for proposals for the contract indicated that it was at least partially written by a Ceridian employee.

Partly because of the controversy, GSA officials let the contract expire last June rather than renew it. Then, in August, the agency awarded a "bridge contract" to Ceridian to keep providing services while the new procurement was fashioned. That bridge contract expires next month.

An industry source who has seen the new One Source proposal, and asked not to be identified since negotiations are pending, remained skeptical that it will offer all companies a fair chance to compete for the job. But the source did note that the new version makes a notable concession. Specifically, it calls on the eventual contractor to hire small businesses as subcontractors. Employee assistance services and counseling firms had lobbied for such a provision.

Under the new contract, the selected company must provide a range of everyday services-such as advice on finding child or health care or even locating a plumber-over the phone or the Internet. Some face-to-face counseling is called for, as well, but the contractor must also "hand off" cases that require more acute care to health care workers.

Still, the contractor will receive calls for assistance regarding substance abuse; emotional well being, including fielding calls from service members contemplating suicide; legal concerns; financial assistance; elder care; parenting and child care; education services; job relocation questions; job counseling; car repair; home purchasing, and credit counseling.

"If after initial assessment, the contractor determines that a client needs to be referred to nonmedical counseling, including such issues as stress, child rearing and anger management, the contractor shall directly refer the client to such nonmedical counseling," the statement of objectives notes. "Contractor counseling is limited to non-medical issues…. Face to face nonmedical counseling services will be limited to six per issue. Counseling in excess of six per issue shall be on as-needed basis."

The contractor also will develop a "spousal assistance program" to aid spouses of service members in determining job "skills, strengths and abilities as a precursor to seeking employment."

And in a significant provision for veterans, the contractor will establish a special 800 number to field calls from military personnel who've been severely wounded in combat, in order to provide information about job training, employment assistance, housing, medical services, rehabilitation and education.