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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JANUARY 29, 2012 FBO #3718
DOCUMENT

Q -- Breast Care and other related Medical Imaging services. - Attachment

Notice Date

1/27/2012
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

621111 — Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists)
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;VISN 9 ASC (90C);1639 Medical Center Parkway, Suite 400;Murfreesboro TN 37129
 

ZIP Code

37129
 

Solicitation Number

VA24912I0262
 

Response Due

2/3/2012
 

Archive Date

3/4/2012
 

Point of Contact

Curtis E. Cardoza
 

E-Mail Address

5-6510<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a sources sought notice only; it is not a request for quotations or offers. The VISN 9 Network Contracting Office is conducting market research for the Lexington VA Medical Center to identify potential sources for a contract within the service area to provide Breast Care and other related Medical Imaging Services. It is the intention of the Lexington VA Medical Center to solicit a proposal in accordance with all terms, conditions, provisions, specifications, and schedules and award a Firm- Fixed price contract on a competitive basis under the authority of 38 USC 8153. BACKGROUND: Access to health care services is one of the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) six domains of value and is a fundamental concern for VHA policy makers, administrators, and clinicians. There are nearly 1.9 million female veterans with approximately 300,000 of them utilizing VHA care. The number of women veterans is projected to double in the next five to ten years. Today women make up 15% of the active-duty military and 18% of reserve forces and National Guard. Therefore, women's healthcare services have become a major focus within the Department of the Veterans Affairs. The intent of the VA is to ensure that breast care services are available and accessible to both male and female Veterans as needed. SCOPE: The Lexington VAMC anticipates awarding a single contract on a firm, fixed-price requirement in the near future. A solicitation will be conducted using Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 12, 13 and 15 in accordance with IL 90-99-4 for a period of one (1) year with four one year renewal options. TERM OF CONTRACT AND PRICING: The contract is projected to be effective with a base year commencing sometime in 2012 through September 30, 2012, with four, one year renewal options to be exercised at the discretion of the Government. Pricing will be quoted by CPT code and the cost shall be based on the negotiated Medicare fee schedule (i.e. 92% of Medicare rate). WORK STATEMENT: Contractor shall provide a full range of breast imaging services, preferably digital, including but not limited to screening and diagnostic mammography exams, breast ultrasonography, stereotactic and/or other breast biopsy (excluding MRI and MRI guided procedures) services provided by qualified personnel including both transcription and interpretation. The contractor's care shall cover the ranges of services normally provided in a similar civilian healthcare facility for patients of the Lexington VA Medical Center, 1101 Veterans Drive, Lexington, Kentucky 40502. The contractor's technical and professional personnel shall be of a quality meeting or exceeding currently recognized national standards as established by the Joint Commission (TJC), Department of Veterans Affairs, American College of Radiology (ACR) and other regulatory agencies. The contractor must be ACR accredited and maintain compliance with the regulatory requirements of the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). The contractor will provide the facility, staffing, equipment, and supplies required to perform all requested breast imaging services in accordance with the terms of the contract. The contractor is responsible for all contractor personnel, subcontractors, agents, and anyone acting for or on behalf of the contractor. All Radiologists will be board certified ACR. The services provided under this contract (including both transcription and interpretation) are not to be performed outside the United States. Malpractice coverage and General Liability coverage are to be provided by the contractor. 1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONTRACTOR: a. Provide professional breast care services, offsite from the Lexington VAMC, five or more days per week. The imaging procedures will include radiology procedure codes listed in the American Medical Association's CPT Book as listed in the Schedule of Services and Price/Cost. Contractor is not authorized to perform imaging/procedures other than those listed in Schedule of Supplies/Services without prior authorization via CO or Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). b. Provide a list of all VA patients who have been scheduled at their facility weekly to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). c. The contractor will securely transmit reports in accordance with VA Handbook 6500, Information Security Program. Images and reports will be maintained in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and VHA Handbook 1105.03, Mammography Program Policies and Guidance. The images will be hand delivered or sent to the VA Radiology Service at the Lexington VA Medical Center, 114-CDD, 1101 Veterans Drive, Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Radiologists will be available for telephone consultation regarding examinations and will provide recommendations for appropriate procedures to attending and/or referring physicians. d. Provide reasonable timeliness in access to care. (1) Patient appointment will be within 30 days from the requested "desired date" of the requesting provider. (2) Patient appointment wait time should not exceed 20 minutes from the time of the scheduled appointment. The Lexington VAMC reserves the right to refer its patients to other facilities. e. Routine screening examination procedures with non-suspicious findings should be interpreted and communicated to the patient within 14 calendar days if possible from the date of the procedure. The correspondence (e.g. letters, reports, verbal communication, etc.) must be in accordance with established MQSA standards. Communicate significant exam findings, such as a reporting assessment that is "Suspicious" or "Highly Suggestive of Malignancy," to the patient or their designee within 5 business days as required by MQSA guidelines and the referring provider within 3 business days. If communication is verbal, the time, date, and person to whom results were communicated must be documented in the final mammography report. Failure to provide a verified final report to the VA within a 14 calendar days, timeline will result in a reduction in payment as follows: (1)10% reduction for all reports that exceed the 14 calendar days timeline by 1 to 7 days. (2)20% reduction for all reports that exceed the 14 calendar days timeline by 8 to 14 days. (3)50% reduction for all reports that exceed the 14 calendar days timeline by 15 to 45 days. (4)100% reduction for all reports that exceed the 14 calendar days timeline by 46 days. (5)Consistent failure to provide timely, accurate reports within the 14 calendar days timeline could result in contract cancellation. f. Provide all required transcription services. Any rejected or problem reports identified by the VA or the contractor will be re-dictated, typed, and signed within 48 hours of notification at no additional cost. g. Provide all interpretations which meet or exceed established standards for timeliness, accuracy, content and signature, including Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) category. All documents which contain abbreviations other than cm, mm, and/or BIRADS category will have an associated full text definition/interpretation contained within that document. (1) All reports are to be in accordance with American College of Radiology (ACR), MQSA and VA standards as covered in VHA Handbook 1104.1. Interpretations must include the following information: patient's full name, social security number, date of birth, clinical history, date of interpretation, requesting physician, exam type, interpretation, Radiologist's summary impression and signature of Radiologist providing interpretation. All reports must include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved final assessment categories defined in the ACR BI-RADS Atlas. (2) A written lay summary communication must be provided to the patient as established within the MQSA regulatory standards. h. If remote Radiologist readings are used, contractor will install, secure and maintain external communication systems required for image study delivery to remote Radiologists in compliance with VA Handbook 6500. These communication link(s) will be at the contractor's expense and meet VA encryption and security requirements. i. Final, transcribed, signed reports may be dictated or downloaded electronically into the VA computer system either via a Virtual Private Network or Business Partner Gateway connection using a voice dictation system and web browser through RESCUE via CAG and using Hot, Copy, Paste Software. VPN or BPG must have internet explorer, Java, Powerscribe USB servicer and microphones. Contractor's local Information Technology Department will be required to work with VA Information Management Services (IMS) staff to establish this connectivity, software version and security firewall requirements. Only in emergency situations when computer connections are unavailable for extended times periods will reports be faxed to the VA at 859-281-4806, or to the requesting provider and only if an appropriate VA employee will be monitoring the FAX machine on the receiving end. Images will need to be delivered on disc encrypted and either hand delivered to the VA or via approved carrier with tracking number. Additional requirements related to electronic transmission and computer security can be found in VA Handbook 6500 and VA Handbook 6500.6, Contract Security (Attachment 3). **Any connectivity installed must be approved by the VA prior to utilization.** (1) To electronically transmit reports the contractor's equipment hardware, software and supplies must be compatible with the VA's software and hardware used during performance of this contract including critical patches and antivirus updates. Contractor shall provide proof of installation of critical patches and/or antivirus updates to the VA upon request. (2) Contractor will supply report and images in a format that can be downloaded into VA computer systems (most DICOM formats are adequate). Contractor may submit copies of discs with this proposal to determine if their current format is adequate. j. Maintain the security and integrity of patient information in accordance with VA Handbook 6500 and VA Handbook 6500.6. The following information security requirements are described in the above Handbooks. However, there are critical requirements that are emphasized below. l. The contractor will be responsible to ensure that contractor personnel providing work on this contract are fully trained and fully competent to perform the required work. (1) Certification of radiographers and other support personnel. (2) Prospective providers of mammography interpretations and related services and procedures must present appropriate credentialing information including, but not limited to, the following: a. Board certification in Diagnostic Radiology Medicine by the American Board of Radiology. b. Current licensure in state of practice. c. Clinical practice experience of at least two years and shall include the number mammograms interpreted within the most recent 6 and 12 month period. Participation within a mammography or women's imaging fellowship may be substituted for clinical practice. d. Candidate will also be required to make application through the VET-PRO Internet process. The website address is: http://fcp.vetpro.org/. This applies to Physicians and registered Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist (DRTs). e. Contractor will provide appropriate malpractice insurance. Interested parties should respond to the Contract Specialist, Curtis Cardoza by e-mail at curtis.cardoza@va.gov. Interested parties should respond no later than 03 February 2012 at 2:00 P.M. Central Time. This sources sought notice is to assist the Lexington VA Medical Center in identifying an appropriate acquisition strategy only. Written communication received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining current market capabilities for the services identified within this notice. A solicitation is not currently available. If a solicitation is issued, it will be announced and posted on this website at a later date, and interested parties must respond to the solicitation to be considered for award. This notice does not commit the government to contract for any supply or service. The government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Sources Sought Notice. Do not contact medical center staff in regards to this requirement, as they are not authorized to discuss matters related to this procurement action. All questions should be submitted in writing for this procurement to the Contract Specialist.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/NaVAMC/VAMCCO80220/VA24912I0262/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA249-12-I-0262 VA249-12-I-0262.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=291592&FileName=VA249-12-I-0262-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=291592&FileName=VA249-12-I-0262-000.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Department of Veterans Affairs;Lexington VA Medical Center;1101 Veterans Drive;Lexington, KY

Zip Code: 40502-2236
 

Record

SN02662939-W 20120129/120127234719-e89565bf629bc7543982f8779dc2bc72 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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