R -- MEDICAL BILLING SERVICES

Notice Date

November 2, 2001

Contracting Office

Attn: Overton Brooks Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chief, A&MMS, (90C), 510 E. Stoner Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101

ZIP Code

71101

Solicitation Number

667-09-02

Response Due

November 19, 2001

Point of Contact

Point of Contact -- Barbara Rider, Contracting Officer, (318) 429-5781, Contracting Officer -- Barbara Rider, Contracting Officer, (318) 429-5781

E-Mail Address

Barbara Rider (barbara.ride@med.va.gov)

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. Solicitation number is 667-09-02 and is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ); award will be made using part 13.5 test program for commercial items and the simplified acquisition procedures. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-27. This acquisition is a 100% Set-aside for Small Business. The North American Industry Classification System code is 514210 and the size standard is $18.0 million average annual gross revenues. STATEMENT OF WORK: The contractor shall be responsible for providing billing services as follows for a period of seven months duration: Tasks to be performed include reviewing, authorizing and releasing claims to third party carriers for treatment provided by the Shreveport Veterans Administration Medical Center and the three-associated community based outpatient clinics. Billing will be completed for outpatient services and for prescriptions filled by the medical center pharmacy. Contractor will review potential claims for appropriate insurance coverage and all claims will be completed in accordance with VA billing guidelines (will be made available upon request) and insurance company requirements. The contractor staff is required to have at least one year of specialized experience in billing reimbursable insurance. Some familiarity with VA regulations and billing guidelines is desired, but not required. Claims which cannot be billed due to no insurance coverage or data validation/compliance issues will be assigned a =93Reason Not Billable=94 in Claims Tracking and cancelled in the Integrated Billing Software Package. Patient confidentiality and data base security must be maintained at all times. The Shreveport VAMC is willing to provide on site orientation/training on the billing package to the contractor and will reimburse reasonable costs for travel and lodging for one person to attend orientation/training. The charge to the Shreveport VAMC by the Contractor will be negotiated as a flat rate for each claim authorized and released or on a contingency fee agreement for actual collections per claim. There will be no charge for any cancelled, duplicate or returned claims that may need to be resubmitted due to billing error.=20 The bills may be generated from a remote site and will be printed to our local printer. VA employees will mail the bills from the Shreveport VAMC. The Shreveport VAMC will furnish access into VISTA systems. Estimated number of billable claims is 70,200. Contractor will be required to meet all deadlines set by the Shreveport VAMC to ensure all claims are filed within insurance company filing time limit. The Shreveport VAMC will provide the contractor with a list of all potential claims that should be billed or cancelled. The contractor is responsible for reviewing the list and determining which claims to bill or cancel. Contractor will bill a minimum of 10,000 claims per month.=20 The project must be completed within seven months of the contract award date. The continuation of the contract will be dependent upon the completion of the first 10,000 bills. Any information provided herein regarding estimated, anticipated, or historical workload is intended to aid the offeror in understanding the requirements and for submitting appropriate proposal. The contractor is expected to perform the work specified herein regardless of the actual amount of work or fluctuation in work. There is no guaranteed minimum or maximum amount of work.=20 The Shreveport VAMC will use diagnostic measures reporting in VISTA to determine progress. The contractor will be responsible for providing a monthly productivity summary (for validation of workload) to the facility to will include the number of claims billed and the dollar amount. Any information the contractor may obtain on personnel and/or patient data as a result of performance of this contract, will not at any time be disclosed to third parties or used for the contractor=92s own purpose except to the extent allowed by the Privacy Act. IT Security:=20 All VA security incidents will be reported to VA IRM through the ADP support coordinator (Jerry Melvin =96 318-221-8411, extension 6787) within one business day of the first observation of the incident. The information submitted to the IRM support coordinator will be the current date, the date the incident was observed, name of person filing the incident, organization, phone number of the person filing the report including e-mail address, affected system name and preliminary actions taken. The contractor will meet the ADP Support personnel before work in order to reinforce security responsibilities of their positions in the overall security program at the facility. Records:=20 Contractor personnel who obtain access to hardware or media which may manipulate or store drug or alcohol abuse data, sickle cell anemia treatment records, records or tests or treatment for or infection with HIV, medical quality assurance records, or any other sensitive information is protected under 38 U.S.C. 4132 or 3305 as defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall not have access to the records unless absolutely necessary to perform their contractual duties. Any individual who has access to this data will disclose them to no one, including other employees of the contractor not involved in the performance of the particular contractual duty for which access was obtained. Violation of these statutory provisions, as stated in department regulations by the contractor=92s employees may involve imposition of criminal penalties. BILLING REQUIREMENTS: Billing will be made once a month, in arrears for each claim billed or every other month if paid based on a contingency fee for the collections. The billing statement should include a detail of each bill number, patient name, date of service, date billed and dollar amount billed. Invoices from the contractor shall be mailed to the following address: Fiscal Service (04), Overton Brooks Veterans Administration Medical Center, 510 East Stoner Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71101-4295. NOTE: Any contractor employee authorized access to the medical center=92s computer system must have favorable adjudication of a Minimum Background Investigation (MBI) completed by OPM or an agency which possesses an OPM and Defense Security Service certification prior to being allowed access. Costs associated with the background investigation will be borne by the contractor. The provisions at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions of Offeror -- Commercial Items (Oct 2000) apply to this acquisition.=20 There is an addenda to these provisions. Add the following clauses FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998). The full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): http://www.arnet.gov/far or http://www.va.gov/oa&mm/vaar, FAR 52.204-6, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number (Jun 1999); FAR 52.233-2, Service of Protest (Aug 1996); VAAR 852.233-70, Protest Content (Jan 1998); VAAR 852.233-71, Alternate Protest Procedure (Jan 1998) and VAAR 852.270-1, Representatives of Contracting Officers (Apr 1984). The clauses at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items (May 2001) applies to this acquisition. The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items (May 2001) applies to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses are cited in clause FAR 52.212-5 are applicable to this acquisition: FAR 52.219-23, Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns, FAR 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities, FAR 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era, FAR 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, FAR 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era, FAR 52.225-3, Buy American Act=97North American Free Trade Agreement=97Israeli Trade Act=97Balance of Payments Program, FAR 52.232-34=20 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer=97Other than Central Contractor Registration, FAR 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965 (Wage Determination No. 1994-2235 Rev 20 will apply), FAR 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (Federal Equivalent would be Program Support Clerk at a minimum of $11.32 per hour plus fringes). The vendor responding to this acquisition should provide this office with the following information: a cost per regular hour, overtime and on call prompt payment terms, correct remittance address, and a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3 (May 2001), Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items. A company not in possession of FAR 52.212-3 may contact this office or you may access any clause electronically from the above mentioned internet addresses.=20 Quotes must be in writing and accompanied by a completed Representations and Certifications or they will be rejected. Facsimile quotes will be accepted; oral quotes will not be accepted. Award will be made to the offeror whose quote conforms to the requirements of the solicitation, best meets the minimum needs of the Government and has the lowest price, all factors being considered. Award may be made without discussions. For information regarding this solicitation, contact Barbara Rider (90C), Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, 510 East Stoner Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71101-4295; phone: (318) 429-5781; fax: (318) 424-6078. Quotations are due by 2:30 pm CST, November 19, 2001.=20 Please reference the solicitation number, RFQ 667-09-02, on your quotation.

Web Link

RFQ 667-09-02 (http://www.bos.oamm.va.gov/solicitation?number=3D667-09-02)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011106/RSOL017.HTM (D-306 SN512241)