R -- R -- CODING VALIDATION SERVICES

Notice Date

November 6, 2001

Contracting Office

Attn: Department of Veterans Affairs No. Florida/So. Georgia Health Care System, A&MMS, (573/90C), 1601 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, Florida 32608-1197

ZIP Code

32608-1197

Solicitation Number

573-15-02

Response Due

November 27, 2001

Point of Contact

Point of Contact -- Donna Nelson, Contract Specialist, (352) 374-6086, Contracting Officer -- Donna Nelson, Contract Specialist, (352) 374-6086

E-Mail Address

Donna Nelson (donna.nelson3@med.va.gov)

Description

(1)This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in the notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Government will not be issuing written solicitations. Quotations are being requested. VA anticipates a single award of an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract on a firm fixed unit price basis from this solicitation. The solicitation will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13.5 test program. The solicitation adheres to the format defined in FAR 12.303 for the acquisition of commercial products and shall be awarded in accordance with FAR Part 13 and FAR Part 15. (2) This solicitation is issued as a Request For Quotation RFQ 573-15-02. (3) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2001-01. (4) This solicitation is 100% set aside for small business. NAICS: 524291 with a size standard of $ 5 million.=20 (5) LINE ITEM ONE]:The contractor shall furnish all necessary equipment, supplies, supervision and qualified competent personnel to perform coding validation services for documents generated from the Department of Veterans Affairs, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Healthcare System. The contractor shall primarily provide on site coding services at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. A minimum of 3 full time equivalents (FTE) shall perform coding services at either the Gainesville or Lake City locations. Secondarily remote offsite coding services shall be required when NF/SGVHS workload exceeds quantities that can reasonably be expected of the NF/SGVHS coders and the contractor=92s on site coders. Review of on site coding for patient care in the ambulatory care setting shall include high cost items such as; Emergency Room, Ambulatory Surgery Unit, Endoscopy Suites, Cardiac Cath Lab, Laboratory and Radiology; and Physician professional fee coding of outpatient and inpatient encounters. TURNAROUND TIMES: Off site coding shall be completed and available to NF/SGVHS within seventy two hours of receipt. On site coding shall be completed and available to NF/SGVHS within twenty four hours of receipt. The process involves the review of medical records and assignment of treatment and diagnosis codes to episodes of care in accordance with HCFA guidelines. The contractor shall provide complete and accurate coding diagnoses and procedures in accordance with official coding guidelines in a simulated Medicare payment environment. The contractor shall code inpatient records using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9- Clinical Modification (CM); professional services using ICD-9-CM and CPT coding classifications; and outpatient records using both ICD-9-CM, CPT-4, and HCPCS coding classifications. Workload is currently estimated to be 100% coding of medical record documentation in designated billable/insurance encounters (approximately 6,000 =96 12,000 facility and professional fee outpatient cases and 60-70 physician professional fee inpatient cases per month). Price quoted shall be based on a price per encounter. Invoices shall be billed on a per encounter basis. Personnel Qualifications: Coders shall have a minimum of two years of continuous coding experience in a comparable facility. Contract coders shall have at a minimum one of the following credentials: Certified Coding Specialist (CPC, CCS or CCS-P/for outpatient coding only), Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) or Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). All contract employees must be proficient in CPT =96 E/M Coding (Evaluation and Management coding using 1995 HCFA guidelines). Coders who meet the qualification requirements must be readily available to perform services upon contract award. The Contractor is required to maintain records that document competence/performance level of Contract employees working on this contract in accordance with JCAHO, HCFA, VHA and other regulatory body requirements. The Contract coders will utilize Coding Clinics, National Correct Coding Initiative Guidelines and HCFA-Official Coding Guidelines. The Contractor will provide a current copy of the competence assessment checklist. Any contract employee who does not meet competence requirements for the work being performed shall be dismissed from performance of any contract work. Changes in Contract personnel shall be requested in writing and shall be approved by the COTR prior to any contracted employee beginning performance. The Contractor is required to develop and maintain the following documents for each contract employee working on the contract: Credentials and qualifications for the position; a current competence assessment checklist (an assessment of knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors required to perform a job correctly and skillfully; includes knowledge and skills required to provide care for certain patient populations as appropriate); and listing of relevant continuing education for the last two years. The Contractor shall provide current copies of these records with their offer for each contract employee working on the contract. All contractor personnel, performing services under this contract, shall complete confidentiality certificates upon contract award. Any contract resulting from this solicitation will be subject to the Privacy Act of 1974. Federal Acquisition Regulations 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification and 52.224-2 Privacy Act. The Contractor is not authorized to release any medical record information. Background Investigations: The contractor shall obtain security clearances for all contract personnel in dealing with access to sensitive information systems belonging to or being used on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. To satisfy the requirements, a minimum background investigation shall be conducted prior to performing work under this contract. The Contractor shall ensure that those requirements are fully satisfied within 30 days of initiation of such investigations. All costs associated with obtaining clearances for Contractor provided personnel will be the responsibility of the Contractor. Contractor shall be required to sign and abide by the VA Computer Access Security Agreement and Confidentiality Agreement. WORKHOURS: On site contract employees are required to sign in and sign out for each day worked. A log shall be located with the Chief, Health Information Management Service for this purpose. Contract coders shall be required to work normal business hours, Monday through Friday excluding Federal holidays. Normal business hours are 8:00am -- 4:30pm. The VA shall provide the contractor with access to Vista. The contractor shall establish and develop IT interfaces to Vista including the development of data transfer protocols and bear the costs for connecting and accessing communication lines to the VA Medical Center=92s computer system. Monitors: Contractor prepared documentation which is incomplete, inaccurate, or in the wrong format will be returned to the contractor for corrective action at no additional cost to the VA. Corrected documentation will be returned by the Contractor to the VA within 8 hours of receipt of the returned documentation. The contractor will notify the COTR by telephone within one (1) hour of any equipment failure which would adversely impact the contractor=92s ability to provide full service as defined within this solicitation. The Contractor is expected to achieve and maintain a 95% accuracy rate monthly. Continued performance at less than 95% shall result in a discount reflected on the monthly invoice. Accuracy rate of 90-94 will generate a discount of one percent off the total monthly invoice. Accuracy rate of 85-89 will generate a discount of two percent off the total monthly invoice. Accuracy rate of 80-84 will result in a discount of three percent off the total monthly invoice. An accuracy rate less than 80 will result in a discount of five percent off the total monthly invoice. Should performance fall below 95% accuracy in any 30 calendar day period, the contract may be terminated for default. An accuracy rate less than 80% will be cause for termination. Visits not entered into VISTA will be suspended for clarification. All payments will be made monthly in arrears. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial. All offerors are to include, with their proposal, a completed copy of provision 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses apply to this acquisition:=20 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items; 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, along with the following additional FAR clauses, cited in clause 52.212-5: 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (E.O. 11246), 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans (38 U.S.C. 4212), 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers (29 U.S.C. 793), 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (38U.S.C. 4212), 52.225-13, Restrcition on Certain Foreign Purchases, 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer -- Other than Central Contractor Registration, 52.239-1, Privacy or Security Safeguards (5 U.S.C..552a), 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, As amended (41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.), 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.). 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act -- Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.), 52.222-44, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act -- Price Adjustment (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.). The following FAR clauses and provisions are added by addendum: 52.216-18, Ordering; 52.216-19 Order Limitations; 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity; 52.217-8 Option to extend Services; 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of Contract; 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification; 52.224-2 Privacy Act; 52.232-22 Mandatory Information for Electronic Funds Transfer Payment; 52.242-13 Bankruptcy; 52.242-15 Stop-Work Order; 52.232-18 Availability of Funds; 52.232-19 Availability of Funds for the Next Fiscal Year; 52.243-1 Changes, 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small business set aside.=20 The following VAAR clauses and provisions are added by addendum: 852.203-71 Display of VA Hotline Poster; 852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers; 852.270-4 Commercial Advertising. FAR clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial is hereby include. The following is an addendum to FAR clause 52.212-1; Period for Acceptance of Offers, the amount of time an offeror must hold its prices firm is hereby changed. An offeror must hold the prices in its proposal firm for 60 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of proposals. Offerors are advised that proposals may be evaluated without discussions. FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items is included. Award will be based on past performance, technical capability, and price. Technical capability and past performance, when combined, are more important than price. Addendum to 52.212-2: Evaluation will be based on the following factors: (1) Past performance/Experience/Demonstrated Ability. Past contracts (three or more) of a similar nature listed in chronological order of most recent project, including name of account, address, contract term, a verifiable point of contact including current telephone number, a brief description of work performed, and total contract value. The Government may use past performance information obtained from other sources. Evaluation will consider the offeror's reputation for conforming to specifications and standards of quality workmanship, adherence to contract schedules, depth, breadth, and relevancy of current work experience in providing similar services for similar customers as indicated by the offeror and verifiable references; (2) Managerial and Personnel Qualifications and Capability: Experience of management including a description of offeror=92s resources, experience, capabilities and relevant information regarding organization stability and strength to provide prompt and quality service, including a quality assurance and customer service plan. Describe staff qualifications, length of employment, number of years experience, evidence of licensing/certification as required by State and Local Government=92s, level of education, competencies, and membership in professional associations; (3) Price. In accordance with FAR subpart 9.104-1, each offeror is required to provide information on a reasonable number of recent and relevant contracts for the same or similar items, as well as the offerors primary financial institution, to include contract numbers, verifiable points of contact, telephone numbers and any other relevant information which will be used by the Contracting Officer to make a responsibility determination about a prospective offeror. All offerors must provide an offer for all items listed herein and for each option year to be responsive to this solicitation. FAR provisions can be found at website: www.arnet.gov/far. The VA intends to award a single contract. The contract base period shall be for the period January 2, 2002 -- September 30, 2002, with four (4) option year renewals. Offerors shall submit prices on the base term and all option years to be considered. Failure to submit all required documents shall be considered nonresponsive. Total duration of the contract will not exceed 57 months. The closing date for receipt of proposals is November 27, 2002 at 2:00pm local time. Offers in original and two copies should be sent to: Contracting Officer (90F), Attn: Donna J. Nelson, VA Medical Center, 1601 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608. No phone calls please. Offerors should submit all technical questions to the Contracting Officer in writing and within 15 working days after issuance of this Request for Quotation (RFQ). Questions received after the 15 days will not be considered. Verbal questions will not be addressed. Written questions shall be faxed to 352-374-6117. All responses to questions, which may effect offers, will be incorporated into a written amendment to the solicitation. See Note #1. =09

Web Link

RFQ 573-15-02 (http://www.bos.oamm.va.gov/solicitation?number=3D573-15-02)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011108/RSOL009.HTM (D-310 SN512422)