Inactive

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice Page 16 of 16 Sources Sought Notice *= Required Field Sources Sought Notice Page 1 of 16 This Sources Sought Notice is for planning and market research purp... Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice Page 16 of 16 Sources Sought Notice *= Required Field Sources Sought Notice Page 1 of 16 This Sources Sought Notice is for planning and market research purposes only. Response(s) to this Sources Sought Notice will be treated as information only. A solicitation does not exist at this time. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Network Contracting Office 7 (NCO7) is conducting market research to determine industry capabilities to provide multi-disciplined services to support the Columbia VA Healthcare System which encompasses the Atlanta VA Health Care System (ATLVAHCS) and its surrounding Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The contractor shall be responsible for providing Atlanta VA Health Care System (ATLVAHCS) and its surrounding Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) program management support as well as technical and reporting deliverables to help ensure VHA projects are accomplished efficiently and effectively for pre-execution/feasibility support. Specific expertise needed include but are not limited to: Performance Work Statement Mobile Mammography Screening Services Atlanta Veterans Health Care System GENERAL INFORMATION Purpose: The Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA) requires Mobile Mammography Screening imaging services at its off-site Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC s). Background: At the Atlanta VA Healthcare System imaging services have been utilized in past performance/currently existing contracts. Past practice was to procure through High-Cost High- Tech Programs, however due to staffing shortages, equipment procurement and implementation delays and the lack of offering this service at this this time to our Veterans is not possible because we do not have an active service program, it would not be a feasible option. The inclination to improve upon these types of barriers and challenges establishes a best practice through contract services. Scope of Work: Mobile mammography screening services are required by the Atlanta VA Health Care System (ATLVAHCS). Contractor shall furnish all personnel, materials, supplies, oversight or supervision and equipment necessary to provide mammography screening exams as detailed in the schedule of supplies/services and price/cost, all in accordance with the performance work statement (PWS). Mammography imaging shall be located at ATL VA HCS CBOC s on-site and / or within 50 miles of the main facility located in Decatur, GA. The required exams are to be completed by utilizing a mobile trailer to conduct this specific service. Vendor must be compliant with Joint Commission performance standards, as well as American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation; ISO-9001 certification. Contract Type: Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) PERFORMANCE Place of Performance: ATLANTA CBOC Department of VA Atlanta Clinic 250 North Arcadia Avenue Decatur, GA 30030-2115 (404) 297-1540 The Atlanta VA CBOC mobile pad is currently under construction / renovation and the official address is the location as place of performance. Period of Performance: This contract is for a one (1) base year and four (4) one (1) year options. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract. An option does not obligate the VA to exercise an option. The VA has the discretion to unilaterally exercise, or not exercise the option period. The period of performance dates are as follows: Possible effective date may change to 4th quarter of 2022. PERIOD DATES Base Year September 30, 2022 September 29, 2023 Option One (1) September 30, 2023 September 29, 2024 Option Two (2) September 30, 2024 September 29, 2025 Option Three (3) September 30, 2025 September 29, 2026 Option Four (4) September 30, 2026 September 29, 2027 Hours of Performance: The contractor will provide the service during the hours of operation Monday Friday, 7:30 AM 6:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) and is subject to change depending on the Government s need. Weekends may be added through contract modification if funds permit. Unless otherwise specified the Government observes the following holidays: New Year s Day January 1 Martin Luther King s Birthday Third Monday in February President s Day Third Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Juneteenth June 19 Independence Day July 4 Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veterans Day November 11 Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day December 25 Any other date specifically declared by the President of The United States to be a national holiday will also be observed. TASKS Contractor will provide Mammography Screening services utilizing the required equipment and meeting the minimum specifications listed in section 4.2. Contractor shall successfully implement all services at all facilities covered under this contract in accordance with the time frames/dates stated in section 4.1. Mammography Screening: Contractor will available and provide patient exams five (5) days per week, excluding Federal Holidays listed in section 2.3. Contractor will perform an estimated minimum twenty-five to thirty (25-30) Mammography Screenings studies per day, types of scans to be included are listed in section 4.1. Contractor will provide an accurate screening VA form for each patient. Contractor will provide an Average patient exam time of thirty (30) minutes. Contractor will perform arrival and departure such that the Mammography imaging operates the hours of performance listed in section 2.3. Contractor shall provide excellent customer service to all veterans who are being imaged. Contractor shall provide all preventative maintenance services on all furnished equipment. All equipment will be operational during service hours. IMPLEMENTATION Implementation will follow the dates below unless otherwise modified: FACILITY ON-SITE BY INSTALLATION SERVICE START DATE Atlanta CBOC 09/30/2022 1-2 Weeks No later than 10/14/2022 On-Site By: The mobile mammography unit along with any other equipment needed to provide the services is to be ready to receive Veterans at the indicated site no later than the date in section 4.1. All equipment will be delivered to the addresses listed in section 2.1. Installation Duration: The anticipated installation time as stated om section 4.1 Service Start Date: All service staff are to be on-site and start mammography screening services on the date in section 4.1. SPECIFICATIONS RADIOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT The Contractor shall provide a Mobile unit with a Hologic Selenia Dimensions 3D Mammography Unit to perform the following examinations: Mammography Screening exams Equipment: The provider will deliver on each operational day, a clean well-maintained state-of-the-art Mammography unit featuring high-resolution, instant review 2 MP or 3MP DICOM-calibrated display providing fine detail, capability of recalling images, optimized face shield that is retractable for positioning and stationary for additional images if necessary. A FAST paddle system that conforms to the anatomy in question for greater comfort, a streamlined tube head better source-to-image distance (SID) of 70 cm which provides additional space if needed. The unit equipment that is being utilized at several VISN 7 sister-facilities offering mammography service are similar to what we are requesting in a mobile mammography unit. This allows for continuity of care when utilizing inter-facility patient transfers. The staff will be available for these services through the vendor and at vendor s expense. In addition, any surface accessories for performance of all imaging studies will be provided by the vendor. The provider will be responsible for maintenance of all connectivity cables from the unit to the fixed connectivity ports. The ATLVAHCS will provide well maintained fixed connectivity ports. The provider will be responsible for collaborating all connecting and disconnecting power, and network connections. The Mammography unit environment will have a means of redundant backup of all patient data. Communication with mammography workstation technology & Radiology service printers. The provider will ensure that all software and licenses necessary to have full Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine (DICOM) communication between the workstation technology and ATLVAHCS Radiology service are acquired and installed. Communication between the systems & Radiology service Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). Provider will ensure that a convenient and robust means of DICOM transfer of studies to the VAMC Radiology Service PACS is operational. The provider will obtain and provide to VAMC any technology necessary to ensure that studies can be conveniently read on the existing VAMC PACS display technology. Any peripherals that the VAMC does not have but that are needed to insure convenient and timely display of studies at the ATLVAHCS Imaging service will be obtained or be installed, maintained, and become the property of the VAMC. Such technology will be retained by the VAMC so that at future dates the archived studies can be reviewed. Each study will be transferred to the VAMC PACS immediately following acquisition of the study so that it can, if necessary, be reviewed before the patient leaves the mobile unit and / or the CBOC. Contrast studies are not needed for mammography screening studies and therefore it will not be utilized. The equipment shall have the capabilities necessary to perform the following: Dedicated imaging protocols for screenings only Imaging, in multi-slice or 3D techniques, if needed CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS & RESPONSIBILITIES Contractor to verify that equipment is used for federal government contract work only. Contractor will be solely responsible for all staffing issues related to the mammography exams. Contractor will perform arrival, set-up, take-down, and departure of the Mobile unit in a manner that results in limited or no disruption to normal operations of the ATLVAHCS The Contractor will be responsible for providing all necessary QA accessories for quality assurance testing. The Contractor will provide a clean mammography exam area and dispose of trash in a responsible manner. Contractor will provide a system that is compatible with VistA Imaging. Contractor will transfer images to VistA Imaging / PACS immediately on completion of each exam via network connection. Contractor will abide by all VA hospital rules and regulations, to include all VA Information and Security guidelines. Contractor will maintain all training, licenses, and certifications to perform this service and provide technologist that meet the qualifications in section 3.1. Contractor will be solely responsible for all technologists and other staffing issues related to the operation of the Mammography unit. Contractor will provide each day a clean Mammography mobile area and dispose of trash in a responsible manner. Contractor will adhere to all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements and regulations. Contractor will communicate effectively with radiologist and other physicians. Contractor will provide excellent customer service to all patients and staff and; Contractor will provide back-up mammography technologists when needed to limit any downtime. Key Personnel: Mammography Technologist Must be registered under the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (M) (ARRT). Must be Basic Life Support (BLS) certified. Must be Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certified and; Preferably at least three (3) years experiences All training and certifications must be up to date and maintained through the life of the contract. All technologists will maintain all immunizations required of practicing medical professionals. All technologists will adhere to all relevant radiation safety practices and relevant patient safety practices. Required Documents & Reporting for Key Personnel Contractor shall provide proof of BLS certification for each employee within 30 days of contract start date and must recertify by 30 days of expiration. Contractor shall report any instances of employees with communicable illness upon receipt of notification. Contractor shall submit a resume of all service staff before services can perform All service providers with access to VA system will follow all facility security standards stated in section 7. along with a background check described in section 7.5, as well as credentialing by the ATL VA HCS. Conduct Contractor employees shall not loiter in any working or patron area. Upon completion of their assigned shifts, employees shall promptly depart from the facilities. Contractor will follow all local policies for employee conduct and comply with applicable laws on federal property. Key Personnel Policy - The contractor shall be responsible for protecting the personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry out this responsibility, the contractor shall provide the following for these personnel Worker s compensation Liability insurance The parties agree that such contractor furnished personnel shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose and shall be considered employees of the contractor. The contractor will provide current copies of these records at the time of the contract award and annually on the anniversary date of the contract award to the VA COR or upon request, for each of the contractor employees working on the contract Candidates are required to be eligible for United States (US) employment and able to provide proof of employment eligibility. It is the responsibility of the contractor to assure their candidates have proof of citizenship or proof of the candidates right to work under a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) VISA program. The Contractor will provide the ATLVAHCS a study-quality standard (a binder and/or CD of data and studies) that reflects the quality of the studies the vendor is prepared to insure will be maintained throughout the duration of the contract. Examples of most, if not all, study types to be performed will be included in the study-quality standard. The Contractor will have a documented quality assurance program and provide the ATLVAHCS copies of quality assurance documents. The program will comply with all relevant The Joint Commission (TJC) and HIPPA standards. The Contractor will have readily available several QC accessories that can be used to determine the equipment s parameters. These studies will be conducted as needed to test and ensure study quality. Clinical and/or other medical records, including images in DICOM form, of VA beneficiaries treated by the Contractor will be forwarded to the ATLVAHCS and shall remain the property of the US Government. The ATLVAHCS will own solely the data/images of the examinations and studies performed on the mobile mammography unit. HIPAA: Contractor must adhere to the provision of Public Law 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and the National Standards to Protect the Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information (PHI). As required by HIPAA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has promulgated rules governing the security and use and disclosure of protected health information by covered entities, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In accordance with 45 CFR 164.502(e), the Privacy Rule includes exceptions to the Business Associate Standard. This requirement meets the exception and does not require a Business Associate agreement for Covered Entity to disclose Protected Healthcare Information to a health care provider for treatment. There will not be federal records created, maintained, used, or dispositioned with this contract; regardless of format [paper, electronic, etc.] or mode of transmission [e-mail, fax, etc.]. Employee Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Badges: The contractor shall submit requests for flash badges to the contract COR for their personnel as soon as they know individual will be employed by the contractor. Renewals shall be submitted at a minimum of 30 workdays prior to expiration. The contract COR will notify the contractor site supervisor when the flash badge is ready to be picked up at VHA Human Resource Office. Physical Security: The contractor shall safeguard all Government property provided for contractor use. At the end of each work shift, all Government facilities, equipment, and materials shall be secured. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS All personnel employed by the contractor in the performance of this contract, or any representative of the contractor entering the Government installation, shall abide by all security regulations of VHA. The contractor shall sign an agreement to comply with the security requirements of this contract. Contractor Personnel shall wear uniforms of a clean appearance which displays the full name of the company, along with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment. Contractor Personnel are required to obtain VA-issued identification (PIV) badges within 30 days of beginning work at the ATL VA HCS CBOC site(s). Contractor Personnel shall wear VA-issued identification (PIV) badges the entire time they are on VA Property. All contractor employees are subject to the same level of investigation as VA employees who have access to VA Sensitive Information.  The level of background investigation commensurate with the level of access needed to perform the performance work statement is considered: Routine Federal Facility.  This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. Contractor Personnel are prohibited from smoking on VA Property. Contractor Personnel shall refrain from using personal electronic devices during meal service. Contractor Personnel shall only park in designated areas. Contractor Personnel shall only enter Facility through designated area. Contractor Personnel shall be older than eighteen (18) years of age. Contractor Personnel shall adhere to VA security and screening guidelines. The contractor shall safeguard all Government property provided for contractor use. The contractor will abide by all security guidelines when accessing VA systems. The contractor will have access to personal health information (PHI), the contractor will have access to the Computerized Patient Record System (electronic health record). Contractor employees will not use any form of removable storage media when providing services under the terms of this contract. Removable storage media includes, but is not limited to, universal serial bus (USB) thumb drives, MP3 Players, and external hard drives. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY COR shall ensure that all key personnel have current badges to enter the facilities. COR shall ensure that all work areas are available at the time services begin. The COR shall ensure that all background checks have been cleared and results shall be provided to the Contracting Officer (CO) for electronic filing. COR shall notify the contractor of any changes in services that have been scheduled. Government Furnished Property: Fiber reinforced area Power outlets located for needed power requirements. An example of power requirements would be 480 volts, 3 phase, 150 amps, 112 kVA.] Contrast Injector, if needed and Contrast Media if needed. One (1) telephone line located in the mobile unit control area One computer terminal with ATLVAHCS Radiology PACS network access Telephone instruments as needed Restroom facilities within a reasonable walking distance into the CBOC site Printer for printing request Provide all supplies, including basic consumables and linens, required to perform the examinations Dumpsters for waste disposal will be provided and maintained by the Government. The ATLVAHCS will be responsible for maintenance of the appropriate equipment for support and location of the mammography unit. The ATLVAHCS will be responsible for maintenance of connectivity ports appropriate for linking the mobile unit to power, computer network, and local-access phone/modem/fax as needed. The telephone technology will include one line dedicated for access to the CBOC lines in the ATLVAHCS. The phone line must be a dedicated sole use line used for professional work. The ATLVAHCS will be responsible for connectivity from within the ATLVAHCS to connectivity ports located in the ATLVAHCS CBOC facility mobile unit pad at the site. The Contractor will be responsible for collaboration of connectivity from the mobile unit outside the facility to the connectivity ports provided by the ATLVAHCS. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP) Performance: The contractor is responsible for performance of ALL terms and conditions of the contract. CORs will provide contract progress reports quarterly to the CO reflecting performance on this plan and all other aspects of the resultant contract. The performance standards outlined in this QASP shall be used to determine the level of contractor performance in the elements defined. Performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine the level of Contractor performance to these standards. Incentives / Deducts: The Government shall use exercise of option period and past performance as incentives. Incentives shall be based on exceeding, meeting, or not meeting performance standards. Methods of Surveillance: DIRECT OBSERVATION - The COR and/or her designee will regularly observe the work performance of the vendor or vendor s employee during normal work hours and at dates and times consistent with operational efficiency. PERIODIC INSPECTION - The COR and/or her designee will perform periodic inspection of equipment service reports and other standard documentation of all maintenance performed. PATIENT/CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS - The COR and/or her designee will review and investigate as necessary any staff, patient, or visitor s complaints, with results to be discussed with vendor as required. Performance Standards: PERFORMANCE INDICATORS REF PERFORMANCE MEASURE FREQUENCY OF ASSESSMENT RATING INCENTIVE / DIS-INCENTIVE Provide personnel in the work area and available for work at appointed times 3.3 Personnel shall arrive for all duty shifts timely of the time Weekly EXCEPTIONAL 96% 100 % SATISFACTORY 90 - 95% UNSATISFACTORY 0% - 89% Positive Past Performance Options Awarded / Poor Past performance/Options Not Awarded Adhere to HIPPA requirements 6 Contractor shall adhere to all HIPPA requirements while at Government facilities. Daily EXCEPTIONAL Zero (0) Violations SATISFACTORY No More Than two (2) Violations UNSATISFACTORY Three (3) or More Violations Positive Past Performance Options Awarded / Poor Past performance/Options Not Awarded Complete a screening form accurately for each patient and complete and complete scheduled exam 3.2 Contractor will complete all necessary documents for all scheduled exams. All exams will be scheduled during their appointment time. Weekly EXCEPTIONAL 96% 100 % SATISFACTORY 90 - 95% UNSATISFACTORY 0% - 89% Positive Past Performance Options Awarded / Poor Past performance/Options Not Awarded Equipment 3.5 All equipment will be operational and preventative maintenance will be performed when necessary. Weekly EXCEPTIONAL 96% 100 % SATISFACTORY 90 - 95% UNSATISFACTORY 0% - 89% Positive Past Performance Options Awarded / Poor Past performance/Options Not Awarded Customer Service 3.4 Contracted service providers will treat all patients and staff with courtesy and respect. All complaints will be validated. Monthly EXCEPTIONAL Zero (0) Complaints SATISFACTORY No More Than Three (3) Complaints UNSATISFACTORY Four (4) or More Complaints Positive Past Performance Options Awarded / Poor Past performance/Options Not Awarded PAYMENT & INVOICING The Contractor will be paid monthly, in arrears, upon receipt of a properly prepared invoice. The invoice shall include at a minimum: invoice number, invoice amount, Contract s name and address, contract number, purchase order number and period of performance. The Contractor will provide backup document to COR for verification of amount invoiced. Backup document shall include invoice number, Contractor s name and address, the contract number, and purchase order. Invoices will be reconciled with VA record prior to disbursement of payments. The Contractor shall submit all invoices electronically through Tungsten. CHANGES TO THE STATEMENT OF WORK Any changes to this PWS shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the CO. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the CO shall be borne by the contractor. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government if the employment of that person would create a conflict of interest. The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, nor shall the Contractor employ any person who is a member of the immediate family of a VA employee, if the employment of that family member would create a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest, particularly with regard to influencing the contract negotiations, terms of the contract or the work carried out under the contract. In any such case VA must review the matter and give its approval in accordance with agency ethics rules. VA Information System Security and Privacy GENERAL 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. ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS 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. 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. Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance. National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS). Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness. Custom software development and outsourced operations must be located in the U.S. to the maximum extent practical. If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates, the contractor/subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth. Location within the U.S. may be an evaluation factor. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer 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. VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE 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). VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/subcontractor s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA s information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations, and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations, and policies in this contract. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed. 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 termin...