Inactive

Off site dental lab services for the Erie VA Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. Adding question/response from vendor.

Inactive

DISCLAIMER This Sources sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this notice is marked as prop... DISCLAIMER This Sources sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this notice is marked as proprietary and will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this notice. This notice is being issued in an attempt to determine the level of interest among all socioeconomic groups. Responses will assist VA planners in determining an appropriate acquisition and set-aside strategy which best fits VA requirements. Sources Sought DENTAL LAB SERVICES The Department of Veterans Affairs in Erie, Pennsylvania requires a contract for dental services for patients at the Erie VA Medical Center (EVAMC), which is located at 135 East 38 Street, Erie, PA 16504. The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision and all other resources required to deliver dental lab services to include work by qualified dental lab personnel, materials, repairs, and finished products, for and pertaining to the items listed in the schedule, in accordance with the contract documents. The contracted dental lab will fulfill the standards set by our current responsiveness to the Veterans of the Erie VAMC population as determined by current standards of customer satisfaction or established wait times for dental products. The contractor must be capable of meeting and maintaining the Turn-Around Times (TAT) stated in the solicitation. The EVAMC intends to award a five-year contract for these services. If you can provide the dental lab services as described in the scope of work description below, please provide the following information by 12:00 PM on Monday, April 20, 2020 to Maureen Jordan, Contracting Officer at Maureen.Jordan@va.gov: Company Name Socio Economic Status (i.e., Large Business, Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), etc.): Email Address Phone Number Physical Address Capability statement pertaining to Scope of Work Interested firms are reminded that in accordance with FAR 4.12, prospective contractors shall complete electronic annual representations and certifications in conjunction with FAR 4.11 required registration in the Systems for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award of a contract. https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ OBJECTIVES: An overview of this SOW will include goals and objectives. The Erie VAMC has a need to continuously utilize dental lab services for Veterans requiring special dental lab work. SCOPE, TASKS, OR REQUIREMENTS: The general scope of work the contractor will be performing is to provide off-site dental lab services to the Erie VAMC by trained Certified Dental Laboratory Technicians. SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND ASSOCIATED DELIVERABLES: The following specifications will be provided on finished denture units: Maxillary Denture: Palatal thickness of not more than 2.5-3.0mm. Denture borders to be thickness prescribed by the dentist based on order placed from the EVAMC Dental Clinic The gingival contours to duplicate the appearance of the normal gingiva with gingival papillae festooned in a convex contour to simulate normal anatomy. Posterior buccal portion of denture should develop a concavity approaching the border. Post palatal seal, butterfly or design approved by dentist to extend just beyond the junction of the hard and soft palate. Palatal lingual area of denture should exhibit a definite convexity in the molar region directly above the teeth. No stippling on appliances unless prescribed by the dentist. All scratches in acrylic to be removed; all foreign debris removed from acrylic; no porosity in acrylic. Mandibular Denture: Posterior buccal section of the denture should develop a concavity approaching the border. Lingual section is not to be bulky. It should develop a very slight concavity for tongue space. No stippling unless requested by prescribing dentist. All scratches removed, foreign debris removed, and no porosity. Mandibular molars set over the ridges. Custom trays and base plates will be of TRIAD (a visible light cure denture base material for denture base fabrication and custom trays that is monomer free and comes in 2mm thick sheets), or equal material NOT SHELLAC VACUFORM. Other appliances will meet the finished denture specifications that apply (i.e. thickness, borders, contours, and finish). All appliances shall be re-articulated after processing and equilibrated to restore vertical dimension, centric occlusion, and balance. Contractor shall accomplish a final wax-up of the articulated denture units. Contractor shall utilize a fibered acrylic resin similar to Caulk s Characterized Lucitone or a material equal to it as listed in the ADA Standards. All dentures (not including repairs) are to utilize DENTSPLY Trubyte IPN teeth an equal quality agreed upon by the treating dentist. Lab soft heat cured reline capable of lasting five (5) years (vendor s brand choice specified). Occlusal Bite Rims will have acrylic or TRIAD (a visible light cure denture base material for denture base fabrication and custom trays that is monomer free and comes in 2mm thick sheets), or equal bases and the occlusal rims will be made of bases and the occlusal rims will be made of DENTSPLY Truwax Baseplate wax, regular hardness, or a material that is equal to it as listed in the ADA Standards. Crowns and bridges will have good contact with adjacent teeth and opposing teeth, with appropriate finish, shade, and margins. A contractor representative will be assigned to the Erie VA Dental Clinic account and will be available by phone during EVAMC Dental Clinic normal business hours and if the line is busy a return call will occur within 30 minutes of receiving a voice mail from the EVAMC agent. Any items that are found to be non-compliant will be redone at no additional cost to the government. QUALITY OF WORK: Communication back and forth between the Erie VAMC and the vendor is important to maintain and coordinate the quality assurance aspects of this contract. The contractor will comply with dental lab contract performance measures which are reported on a quarterly basis as part of the Contractor Performance Report. Failure to routinely meet the standards may be cause to pursue Termination for Default in accordance with federal acquisition regulations. Remakes: If it is found that any laboratory item is not compliant with the prescription, the contractor shall remake the item at no additional cost. The Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will notify the vendor in writing on a monthly basis of any issues concerning quality complaints of dental laboratory items providing detailed information for the vendor to correct identified discrepancies. DELIVERY SCHEDULE: Contractor shall provide delivery of products ordered through the Erie VAMC Dental Clinic, according to the schedule for each component as described herein. To ensure continued compliance with customer service standards, the following turn-around time schedule must be adhered to: The dental lab courier service will provide at least one and/or two pickups/deliveries as needed by Erie VAMC Monday through Friday. Courier personnel will be required to transport dental lab work to and from the Erie VAMC via a protected box/bag/container. Contents of the item being transported will only contain the patient s last name. Courier personnel will be required to sign in/out upon arriving at the Erie VAMC dental clinic. Basic denture repairs involving acrylic only or reattaching loose existing denture tooth shall be processed with a TAT of 24 hours, unless mutually agreed upon by the Erie VAMC Dental Clinic. In addition, in cases of emergent need, same day repair can be accomplished as long as it is received at the Erie VAMC by 9:00 a.m. Other repairs such as adding multiple teeth or clasps shall be completed with a TAT of 48 hours, unless mutually agreed upon by the Erie VAMC Dental Clinic and the vendor. New denture set up for try in TAT of no more than five (5) business days. Re-line dentures must be completed with a TAT of 24 hours. In cases of emergent need, if patient has the reline impression at 8:00 a. m., it could be returned the same day at 3:00 p.m. Custom trays delivered within a TAT of three (3) business days. Bite blocks delivered within a TAT of three (3) business days. Process finished dentures after try in within a TAT of five (5) business days. Crown and bridge cases delivered within a TAT of ten (10) business days. If the crown is being made to retrofit a partial denture with an existing clasp and rest, it is the Erie VAMC Dental Clinic practice to allow the denture to remain with the patient until the appliance is made and ready to install. The Erie VAMC typically does not make the patients go without their partial for more than seven (7) days. Contingency Plan: Because continuity of care is an essential part of the Erie VAMC s medical services, the contractor shall have a contingency plan in place to be utilized in the event equipment or supplies are unavailable for scheduled dental work in accordance with the terms and conditions of the resulting contract. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Performance reports will be generated on the service with the criteria of correct product used, meeting timelines and customer service contractor response. This information will be reported locally by quarterly contracting performance reports and annually through the Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS). A copy of the internal quarterly performance report is included as Attachment A. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITES: The Eire VAMC Dental Clinic will provide lab prescriptions for impressions and/or models as required under normal dental office process and criteria in a timely manner and comply with delivery timelines. The Erie VAMC Dental Clinic will respond within 120 minutes of an informational request during the Erie VAMC Dental Clinic normal business hours and return products for repair and adjustment as required by the contract. All timelines in this contract are based on Eastern Standard Time (EST). PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The dental lab work will be performed at the contractor s location. CONTRACTOR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Qualifications of key personnel: Work must be performed by Certified Dental Laboratory Technicians. The Contractor Officer or designee reserves the right to thoroughly inspect and investigate the contractor s and/or sub-contractor s facilities and other qualifications. The contractor facility shall have all licenses, permits, and certification required by law. Current copies of these must be provided to the Contracting Officer upon request. The Contractor shall remove any employee from the performance of this contract within five (5) workdays of receiving notice from the Contracting Officer that the employee s performance is unsatisfactory. All contractor employees are subject to immediate removal from performance of this contract when they are involved in a violation of the law, VA security, confidentiality requirements and/or other disciplinary reasons. Include: Technical Proficiency The Certified Dental Laboratory Technician(s) shall be technically proficient in the skills necessary to fulfill the government s requirements, including the ability to speak, understand, read and write English fluently. Contractor shall provide documents upon request of the CO/COR to verify current and ongoing competency, skills, and training related to the provision of care, treatment and/or services performed. Contractor shall provide verifiable evidence of all educational and training experiences including any gaps in educational history. WORK HOURS: The services covered by this contract shall be furnished by the Contractor as defined herein. The Contractor will not be required, except in case of emergency, to furnish such services during off duty hours as described below. Work Hours: Monday Friday, 8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Federal Holidays Observed by the VAMC: New Year s Day, Martin Luther King s Birthday, President s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Off-Duty Hours: Friday at 4:30 p.m. through Monday 8:00 a.m. Monday - Friday, 4:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a legal holiday by the U.S. Government agencies. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as a legal holiday. Also included would be any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a National Holiday PERSONNEL POLICY: All Contractor employees who will be on-station and/or providing courier services at the Erie VAMC are required to comply with the facility's flu vaccine policy. As such, contract employees must submit proof of health care requirements per VA policy. No contract employees that have a need to be on-station will be authorized to commence work until the flu vaccine requirement is met and cleared by the VA Employee Health. If the contracted vendor chooses not to obtain the flu vaccine, the contracted vendor will be required to wear a mask. CONTRACTOR S RESPONSIBILITY: A. The contractor is responsible for keeping their equipment in good working order and shall provide all maintenance, repairs and upgrades to their equipment as required, keeping it in optimal condition. B. The contractor will provide services in accordance with ethical, professional and technical standards of the health care industry. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: A. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order. TRAINING: A. All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems: Sign and acknowledge via paper copy understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix D relating to access to VA information and information systems. Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training via paper copy annually. Successfully complete the VA Privacy training via paper copy annually. B. The contractor shall provide to the COR (Contracting Officer Representative) a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable contracted employee within one week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter. These materials will be provided by the VAMC. C. Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete. Contractor will be required to provide substitution of personnel. CONTRACTOR SECURITY REQUIREMENTS (HANDBOOK 6500.6): A. All courier employees who require unsupervised/unescorted, logical and/or physical access to the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, computer systems or have access to sensitive information shall be subject to a Special Agreement Check (SAC) (fingerprinting only). Contractor personnel performing work under any contract shall satisfy all requirements for appropriate security eligibility in dealing with access to sensitive information and information systems belonging to or being used on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. B. At a minimum a Special Agreement Check (SAC) (fingerprinting) will be required for all courier personnel prior to transporting dental services to and from the Erie VAMC requiring unsupervised/unescorted logical and/or physical access to the facility or having access to sensitive information. C. The Contractor shall bear the expense of the Special Agreement Check (SAC) to be initiated/scheduled. The estimated fee for the SAC is approximately $25. VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/PRIVACY LANGUAGE: A. Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security. B. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order. C. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures. D. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor s employ. The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination. E. The C&A requirements do not apply, and that a Security Accreditation Package is not required. VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE: A. Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1). B. If VA determines that the contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12. SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION A. The term "security incident" means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss or damage to VA assets, or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The contractor/ subcontractor shall immediately notify the COR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the contractor/ subcontractor has access. B. To the extent known by the contractor/subcontractor, the contractor/ subcontractor's notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor/subcontractor considers relevant. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR DATA BREACH A. Consistent with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. §5725, a contract may require access to sensitive personal information. If so, the contractor is liable to VA for liquidated damages in the event of a data breach or privacy incident involving any SPI the contractor/subcontractor processes or maintains under this contract. However, it is the policy of VA to forgo collection of liquidated damages in the event the contractor provides payment of actual damages in an amount determined to be adequate by the agency. B. Based on the determinations of the independent risk analysis, the contractor shall be responsible for paying to the VA liquidated damages in the amount of $37.50 per affected individual to cover the cost of providing credit protection services to affected individuals consisting of the following: 1) Notification; 2) One year of credit monitoring services consisting of automatic daily monitoring of at least 3 relevant credit bureau reports; 3) Data breach analysis; 4) Fraud resolution services, including writing dispute letters, initiating fraud alerts and credit freezes, to assist affected individuals to bring matters to resolution; 5) One year of identity theft insurance with $20,000.00 coverage at $0 deductible; and 6) Necessary legal expenses the subjects may incur to repair falsified or damaged credit records, histories, or financial affairs. INVOICING/BILLING: A. Invoice requirements and supporting documentation: Supporting documentation and a properly prepared invoice must be submitted no later than the 15th workday of the following month of services rendered. If the COR refuses an invoice due to incorrect billing, subsequent changes or corrections to the monthly invoice shall be resubmitted by the vendor with a corrected invoice. In addition to information required for submission of a proper invoice in accordance with FAR 52.212-4 (g), all invoices must include: Name and Address of Contractor Invoice Date and Invoice Number Contract Number and Purchase/Task Order Number Date of Service Total price B. Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods: Facsimile, e-mail, and scanned documents are not acceptable forms of submission for payment requests. Electronic form means an automated system transmitting information electronically according to the accepted electronic data transmission methods below: 1. VA s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System The FSC uses a third-party contractor, OB10, to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission. Please go to this website: http://ob10.com/us/en/veterans-affairs-us/ to begin submitting electronic invoices, free of charge. 2. The Contractor may contact FSC at the phone number or email address listed below with any questions about the e-invoicing program or OB10: OB10 e-Invoice Setup Information: 1-877-489-6135 OB10 e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@ob10.com FSC e-Invoice Contact Information: 1-877-353-9791 FSC e-invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov C. Payments in full/no billing VA beneficiaries: The Contractor shall accept payment for services rendered under this contract as payment in full. VA beneficiaries shall not under any circumstances be charged nor their insurance companies charged for services rendered by the Contractor, even if VA does not pay for those services. This provision shall survive the termination or ending of the contract. D. The Contractor shall not bill, charge, collect a deposit from, seek compensation, remuneration, or reimbursement from, or have any recourse against, any person or entity other than VA for services provided pursuant to this contract. It shall be considered fraudulent for the Contractor to bill other third-party insurance sources (including Medicare) for services rendered to Veteran enrollees under this contract.