SOLICITATION NOTICE
Q--Q -- On-site Gastroenterology Clinic
- Notice Date
- 1/3/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Attn: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Acquisition & Materiel Management Service, (001C), 5600 W. Dickman Road, Battle Creek, Michigan 49015
- ZIP Code
- 49015
- Solicitation Number
- 515-00576-06
- Response Due
- 1/11/2006
- Archive Date
- 2/10/2006
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 05-06. This procurement is a total set-aside for small business concerns. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 621111, Offices of Physicians (Except Mental Health Specialist). The small business size standard is $8.5 million average annual receipts for the past three years. Offerors are encouraged to submit quotes based on the estimated number of examinations listed below for a one year period. Proposed rates should include all costs associated with providing the following services. Request for Proposals (RFP) 515-00576-06, to provide board certified, fully licensed gastroenterologist(s) to conduct on-site clinics including but not limited to 1. Initial GI Consultation (225 ea), 2. Follow-up Consultation (250 ea), 3. Esophagogastro Duodenoscopy (EDG), CPT 43234, (50 ea), 4. Sigmoidoscopy, Flexible, Fiberoptic, diagnostic, CPT 45330, (195 ea), 5. Esophagoscopy (25 ea). Services shall be performed on site at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Battle Creek, Michigan weekly and on site at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan weekly, as scheduled by the VA if workload exists. C.1. Scope: Services shall be performed "on site" at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Battle Creek, Michigan every Thursday, and "on site" at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan every Monday, and the second and fourth Friday as scheduled by the VA if workload exists. Additional clinic time shall be provided by the contractor, if necessary to keep waiting times for an appointment under 30 days. This may be through overbooking or adding additional days. C.11. The contract physicians shall be prepared to perform on a long-term basis to eliminate turnover and learning curve issues that arise with the familiarization of new physicians to VAMC policies, procedures and processes. A staffing plan, to include back-up coverage, shall be approved by the VAMC prior to commencement of patient care activities. C.2. Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS): Each contract gastroenterologist will be provided with an individual access/verify code to the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and shall not share access/verify codes with anyone, shall not permit anyone to use a system under their access/verify codes, and shall not leave the terminal on-line when unattended. All individuals with access to VA computer systems are required to undergo a background investigation. C.3. The contract gastroenterologist shall perform initial gastro-intestinal (GI) consultations and follow-up GI examinations as requested by the VA, which may include examination, evaluation, medication, treatment and/or recommendations for patients with varied GI needs. C.3.1. Follow-up GI appointments requested by the contractor will be limited to follow-up examinations while the therapy provided by the gastroenterologist is actively changing. Patients will then be returned to the referring provider with recommendations on what needs to be followed, and what the indications might be for referral back to the gastroenterologist. C.3.2. Duties: The gastroenterologist shall perform the following in conjunction with C.3 and C.3.1 above: C.3.2.1. Dictate or keyboard for entry into the electronic medical record complaints, observations and findings, assessment and plan/recommendations in a clear and understandable manner at the end of each patient encounter. Electronically correct dictations, as necessary, before electronically authenticating within seven (7) calendar days of transcription (See section C.4.1 for operative reports). C.3.2.2. Electronically enters all doctor's orders, consultation referrals, requests for x-rays and lab work using CPRS. C.3.2.3. Telephone significant positive reports, at the time identified, to the referring provider. C.4. Administrative and Clinical Documentation: Contingent upon clinical privileges granted by the VAMC the contract gastroenterologist shall perform the procedures listed in the pricing schedule as requested. The contract gastroenterologist shall perform the following duties in connection with those procedures and administrative documentation: C.4.1 Operative Reports: Sigmoidoscopy and esophagogastro duodenoscopy are considered operative procedures and require that an operative report be entered into the CPRS immediately after surgery. The contract gastroenterologist shall keyboard a progress note that includes: pre-operative diagnosis, post-operative diagnosis, procedure, unusual findings, specimens removed, assistants (if any) and identify the surgeon. A template may be used for this documentation. The full report may be typed into this note by the gastroenterologist or an additional progress note can be dictated. C.4.2. Informed Consent: Contract gastroenterologist shall explain procedure and risks/benefits to the patient/guardian, Obtain informed consent from patient/guardian in accordance with VAMC policies. Complete the progress note template in CPRS for documentation of informed consent discussion and electronically sign. C.4.3. Immediately before starting any operative procedure the gastroenterologist will accurately identify the patient and the procedure to be performed and document the verification process in the medical record. C.4.4. Encounter Forms: Properly complete the electronic VA encounter form on each patient seen; listing the diagnosis for the visit and all procedures performed based on current VA requirements. C.4.4.1. Upon advice and consultation with VA administrative staff; the contract gastroenterologist shall provide information for each encounter which is sufficient to meet criteria of third party insurers or payors and necessary for VA to expeditiously obtain maximum legitimate reimbursement for services under contract. C.5. Coordination of off-site care: Contact another VA Medical Center Gastroenterology Service and arrange urgent appointments and/or transfer of patients to their facility, as appropriate. C.5.1. Provide post-op care to patients who were referred to another VA Medical Center for GI surgery. C.6. Instrumentation and supplies: VA will supply appropriate instrumentation for all procedures and ancillary support staff commensurate with types of patients scheduled. C.7 Performance: The contractor agrees to meet or exceed, including but not limited to, all JCAHO Hospital Standard Elements stated in Section C.14, while providing the services specified and in accordance with all terms and conditions stated herein. C.7.1. The patient population to be treated includes veteran inpatients and outpatients with a variety of GI disorders. Inpatients at the medical center are treated from acute medical, psychiatric, and long-term care wards. Their conditions are, in many cases, directly related to the individual's service to this country. C.7.2. The service to be performed by the contractor will be under the direction of the Chief, Primary Care Service at the VA Medical Center, Battle Creek, Michigan. C.8 Term Of Contract: This contract shall be effective for a period of one year from date of award. The contractor shall perform no service after September 30, 2006 unless the contracting officer authorizes such services in writing. C.9 Qualifications: Contractor personnel furnishing services under this contract shall have a Medical Degree, Board Certified in Gastroenterology, and have a current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia. Qualifications shall also be subject to review, by the VA Chief of Staff and approval by the VA Medical Staff. Individuals proposed to work under this contract shall meet all privileging and credentialing requirements of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Contract gastroenterologists shall be credentialed and privileged by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to starting working. C.10 Medical Records: Clinical or other medical records of VA beneficiaries treated by the contractor shall be forwarded to the VA Medical Center, Battle Creek, Michigan. C.11 Monitoring Procedures: Primary Care Service will verify the volume of consultations and procedures performed through periodic review of medical record documentation made by the contractor each visit. Invoices shall be verified against appointment schedules and written documentation filed in the medical records. After contract award, any incidents of contractor noncompliance as evidenced by the monitoring procedures will be forwarded immediately to the contracting officer. Any incidents of contractor noncompliance as evidenced by the above monitoring procedures will be forwarded immediately to the contracting officer. The Government may evaluate the quality of professional and administrative services provided, but retains no control over the medical, professional aspects of services rendered (e.g., professional judgments, diagnosis for specific medical treatment), in accordance with FAR 37.401(b). C.12 Personnel Policy: C.12.1. This is a Non-Personal Services Contract. The contractor shall be responsible for protecting the personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry out this responsibility, the contractor shall provide Worker's Compensation, Professional Liability Insurance, Health Examinations, Income Tax Withholdings, and Social Security Payments. The parties agree that such personnel shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose and shall be considered employees of the contractor. C.12.2. LIABILITY: Worker's Compensation and Employer's Liability. Contractors are required to comply with applicable Federal and State workers' compensation and occupational disease statues. If occupational diseases are not compensable under those statutes, they shall be covered under the employer's liability section of the insurance policy. Employer's liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 shall be required. C.12.3. General Liability. (1) The contracting officer shall require bodily injury liability insurance coverage written on the comprehensive form policy of at least $500,000 per occurrence. C.12.4. The above referenced insurance coverage minimums are in reference to VAAR Clause, 852.237 07, included in full text as an addendum to FAR 52.212-4, page. C.12.5. Certificate of Insurance must be received before start of work. C.12.6. Contractor personnel security requirements: All contractor employees who require access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement prior to contract performance. This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. If the investigation is not completed prior to the start date of the contract, the contractor will be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for VA. C.12.6.1. Position Sensitivity - The position sensitivity has been designated as Moderate Risk. C.12.6.2. Background Investigation - The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access is Minimum Background Investigation. C.12.7 Contractor Responsibilities C.12.7.1. The contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. If the investigation is conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the contractor shall reimburse VA within 30 days. C.12.7.2. The contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain a U.S. citizenship and are able to read, write, speak and understand the English language. C.12.7.3. The contractor shall submit or have their employees submit the following required forms to the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement within 30 days of receipt: a) Standard Form 85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions b)Standard Form 85P-S, Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected Positions c) FD 258, U.S. Department of Justice Fingerprint Applicant Chart, d) VA Form 0710, Authority for Release of Information Form, e) Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, f) Optional Form 612, Optional Application for Federal Employment. C.12.7.4. The contractor, when notified of an unfavorable determination by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the contract. C.12.7.5. Failure to comply with the contractor personnel security requirements may result in termination of the contract for default. C.13 Contract Work Hours: C.13.1. The services covered by this contract shall be furnished by the contractor as defined herein. The contractor shall not be required to furnish such services, except in case of an emergency on a national holiday or during non-working hours as described below. C.13.2. The contract physicians shall report to the VA Medical Center, Battle Creek, Michigan or the VA Outpatient Clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan as designated below: C.13.2.1. VA Medical Center, Battle Creek: every Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or as mutually established between VA and the successful offeror. C.13.2.2. VA Outpatient Clinic, Grand Rapids: every Monday, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the second and fourth Friday of each month, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or as mutually established by VA and the successful offeror. C.13.2.3. National Holidays - the ten holidays observed by the Federal government are New Years Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. C.13.3. Contract personnel shall arrive at designated locations on designated days as specified above. Anticipated delays greater than one-half hour shall be called in to the designated location by the Contractor. C.13.4. Requests for days-off shall be made a minimum of two months in advance of the requested day off. Requests for days off shall be submitted to a designated individual in Primary Care Service. C.14. The contract physician shall meet or exceed all JCAHO Standards. The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial (JAN 2005), applies to this acquisition. The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (JAN 1999), applies to this procurement. Offerors are required to submit the following documentation with proposals: (i) Minimum Requirements: At a minimum the individual(s) proposed to work under this contract shall have (1) a valid license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia; (2) Certifications of current basic/advanced cardio life support training, (4) a listing of relevant continuing education for the last two years for each employee proposed to work under the contract. (5) Documentation of active registration in the CCR database. Failure to submit documentation which validates the requirements listed above may result in immediate withdrawal of your proposal from consideration. (ii) Past Performance: Submit a minimum of three references. Individuals proposed to work under the contract will be evaluated on professional and bedside behavior toward patient, patient's family and fellow professionals using the following criteria: (A) Ability to work effectively with other staff, (B) Ability to provide respectfully patient care, (iii) Professional Expertise/Qualifications/Competencies, (A) Personnel Qualifications: Offerors shall submit the number of times the following procedures have been performed by individuals proposed to work under this contract in the past 18 months: 1. Initial GI Consultation, 2. Follow-up Consultation, 3. Esophagogastro Duodenoscopy (EDG), 4. Sigmoidoscopy, Flexible, Fiberoptic, diagnostic, 5. Esophagoscopy. (B) Competency Assessments: (1) Qualifications for individuals proposed to work under this contract. (2) Relevant continuing education for the last two years, iv) Ownership, and v) Price. Past performance, Professional expertise, qualifications and competencies, when combined, are significantly more important the Price. As scores for items ii and iii above become more equal, price may become the determining factor for award. As prices become more equal, scores for Items ii and iii may become the determining factor award. Offerors are required to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items, (MAR 2005), with its offer. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items (SEPT 2005), applies to this acquisition with the following clauses added as addenda to the clause: 52.204-4 Printing/Copying Double Sided on Recycled Paper (JUN 1996), 52.204-7 Central Contractor Registration (OCT 2003), 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification (APR 1984), 52.224-2 Privacy Act (APR 1984), 852.270-4 Commercial Advertising (NOV 1984), 852.237-70 Contractors Responsibilities (APR 1984), 852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers (APR 1984), 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (APR 1989), 852.237-7 Indemnification and Medical Liability Insurance (OCT 1996). The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (SEPT 2005), applies to this acquisition and the additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are: 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (MAY 2004) (15 U.S.C. 637 (d)(2) and (3)), 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999), 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (OCT 2000)(E.O. 11246), 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (DEC 2001)(29 U.S.C. 793), 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (JUNE 1998) (29 U.S.C. 793), 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (DEC 2001)(38 U.S.C. 4212). 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer--Other than Central Contractor Registration (MAY 1999) (31 U.S.C. 3332) Proposals are due no later than 12:00 Noon, local time January 11, 2006. No solicitation document will be issued. Questions may be submitted to the contracting officer via e-mail, by facsimile at (269) 660-6069, or by telephone at (269) 660-3076. Note 1 applies.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Battle Creek
- Zip Code: 49015
- Country: United States
- Zip Code: 49015
- Record
- SN00960416-W 20060105/060103211712 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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