Inactive Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)

This is not a solicitation announcement. This is a sources sought synopsis only. The purpose of this is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS... This is not a solicitation announcement. This is a sources sought synopsis only. The purpose of this is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 561320, Standard Size $27.5 Million. Responses to this notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions and are not considered adequate responses to a potential future solicitation announcement. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS), located in Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas is seeking sources that can perform the following; CAVHS, in North Little Rock, AR, requires the provision for a Family Practice/Internal Medical Board Certificate Physician Services at the Searcy CBOC. The contractor shall provide all personnel and supervision necessary for veterans. The government intends to award a single contract to purchase the services listed at a later date. Responses to this request should include: company name, address, point of contact, phone number, email address, capability statement, business size and three (3) customer references pursuant to NAICS Code 561320, Standard Size $27.5 Million to which you have provided similar services. Responses to this notice shall be e-mailed to kelvin.amerine@va.gov. Responses must be received in writing no later than 3:00 P.M. CST February 08, 2019. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received via e-mail. This notice is to assist the VA in determining sources only. A solicitation is not currently available. If a solicitation is issued it will be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. Responses are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) SCOPE: The Department of Veterans Affairs, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS), headquarters located in Little Rock, AR, requires one (1) board certified/board eligible Primary Care locum tenens physician, Family Practice or Internal Medicine, who will provide primary care physician services at the Searcy Community Based Outpatient Clinic located in Searcy, AR, in accordance with all terms, conditions, provisions, and the schedule of this solicitation from the effective date with options to extend, pending availability of funds. A background investigation is required. The Contractor shall provide services to eligible beneficiaries in accordance with the requirements herein. VA experience is preferred. Authority: This procurement is executed under FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Services. Credentials: For work being performed by the contractor, the physician shall hold a doctoral degree from an accredited college or university whose curriculum is approved. The candidate must be board certified or board eligible in Internal Medicine or Family Practice and be BLS certified. Proof of board certification and BLS must be submitted with the quotation. Prior VA experience may be considered more favorable. Submit copies of the individual candidate's credentials (CV) with your price quote. Failure to submit the individual's credentials or the price quote may render your quotation non-responsive. The submission of CVs after the bid due dated will not be considered unless no bids have been received. Method of Award: Award will be made to the offeror whose candidate is most qualified (ranked by COR), whose quote conforms to the requirements of the solicitation and has the lowest price, all factors being considered. Award may not necessarily be made to the offeror submitting the lowest price. Award may be made without discussions. Contracts may be awarded to one or no vendors. SERVICES: The services specified in the Sections entitled Schedule of Supplies/Services and Special Contract Requirements may not be changed except by written modification to this contract prepared and signed by the VA Contracting Officer. Other necessary personnel for the operation of the services contracted for the VA will be provided by the VA at levels mutually agreed upon which are compatible with the safety of the patients and personnel and with quality medical care programming. The services to be performed by the contractor will be performed in accordance with VA policies and procedures and the regulations of the medical staff by laws of the VA facility. The services to be performed by the contractor will be monitored by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Chief of Staff, Associate Chief of Staff for Clinics, and the Assistant Chief of Ambulatory & Primary Care Service. TERM OF CONTRACT: This contract period of performance is anticipated to run from January 1, 2019 or date of award, through December 31, 2017, subject to a continuation of services and the availability of funds. The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the contractor using FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services. QUALIFICATIONS: Personnel assigned by the Contractor to perform the services covered by this contract shall be licensed in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia and must be Individually registered with the DEA in the state where licensed. All licenses held by the personnel working on this contract shall be full and unrestricted licenses. The qualifications of such personnel shall also be subject to review by the VA Chief of Staff and approval by the VA Facility Director. The government specifically reserves the right to reject any of the Contractor's personnel and refuse them permission to provide services under this contract. All MD/DO contract personnel performing services for the Contractor under this contract must be credentialed and privileged by the CAVHS and shall abide by the Medical Staff Bylaws, VA regulations and policies, Customer Service Standards, and Patient Rights Booklet. All personnel providing services under this contract shall speak and write English proficiently. All personnel must be computer literate and be able to learn the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Contract personnel shall be United States citizens. When it is not possible to recruit qualified U.S. citizens, a physician holding a Resident Alien card may be considered if the physician holds a current Resident Alien or "green card." The Contractor shall meet or exceed all Joint Commission and NCQA (National Council of Quality Assurance) standards including, but not limited to patient rights, staff competence, infection control, ongoing organizational performance, patient education, information management, and CAVHS performance measures. · The Contractor and patient care services provided shall be included in CAVHS data collection activities related to patient satisfaction. Locum Tenens physician being submitted must have a National Provider Identifier (NPI) Number prior to starting work at the VA. The online application to obtain an NPI is at http://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES. WORK HOURS: The services covered by this contract shall be furnished by the contractor as defined herein. The following terms have the following meanings: (1) Work hours: The contractor shall furnish physician services, five days per week, eight hours per day, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (2) National Holidays: The 10 holidays observed by the Federal Government and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. New Year's Day Martin Luther King's Birthday Presidents Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Christmas 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: workers compensation professional liability insurance health examinations income tax withholding, and social security payments. The parties agree that the contractor, its employees, agents, and subcontractors shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose. RECORD KEEPING The Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System {CAVHS) shall establish and maintain a record keeping system that will record the hours worked by the contractor employee(s). Contractor's employee{s) shall report to the COR, or designee upon arrival. CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MONITORING Monitoring of contractor s time shall be demonstrated through sign-in/ sign-out sheets. The contractor shall be required to sign an attendance log upon reporting to work and departing from work. Contracting Officer's Representative {COR) shall be the VA official responsible for verifying contract compliance. After contract award, any incidents of contractor noncompliance as evidenced by the monitoring procedures shall be forwarded immediately to the Contracting Officer. KEY PERSONNEL AND TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SUBSTITUTIONS The Contractor shall make NO substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, by the next business day after the occurrence of any of these events. The Contractor shall provide complete curriculum vitaes for proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. Proposed substitutes shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT BACKGROUND The Searcy CBOC PACT team serves approximately 1200 eligible veterans and averages 2400 visits per year. Case mix includes routine medical, neurological, psychological, and surgical problems as well as chronic disease management. Many of the patients present with complex, multi-system, and medically distressed states. Individuals who present with emergent conditions are admitted to Tulane Medical Center or local hospital facilities through 911 or transported by contract ambulance service to an appropriate VA medical center, as their condition requires. Patient workload varies significantly depending on the day of the week with an average of 12 patients presenting daily Monday through Friday at Mena. Each primary care physician will treat 10 to 12 patients daily. Patients primarily are seen by appointment, but include telephone visits and secure messages. The clinic also provides care to unscheduled patients. Searcy CBOC is a 10,000sq. ft. operation with 24 employees. CAVHS provides professional coverage by RN and LPN staff. Police/Security is not on site during operating hours. All patients are triaged using the 5-tier category system. Unscheduled patients who have an assigned primary care provider and who do not require "emergent" or "urgent" care are treated in their respective clinics. The primary goal of the Primary Care Clinics is to provide safe optimal care for patients presenting with routine medical and psychiatric maintenance issues. This requires careful attention to individual medical problems, efficient management of patient flow, and utilization of facility clinical guidelines where available. All physicians are expected to communicate effectively with staff. SPECIFIC CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall be a company or group practice, which has the qualifications, experience, and expertise in providing quality primary care medical services to meet the requirements of this contract. The providers will be Board certified or Board eligible in Family Practice or Internal Medicine. The care provided shall be continuous, accessible, and coordinated and will reflect the CAVHS' mission, vision, and values. Contract personnel shall provide compassionate care with respect for the special needs of the veteran population served. Contractor shall personify the VA's core values of trust, respect, excellence, compassion and commitment, and will incorporate a philosophy of organizational stewardship, i.e.; utilizing the approved formulary, and seeking care for patients within the VA system. DUTIES: The duties of the contract personnel are: Attend patients at the Searcy CBOC. All persons presenting for treatment will be assessed and provided treatment. All eligible veterans with assessed needs shall be provided primary medical and preventative healthcare to include assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. All care provided will respect and integrate the patient's beliefs, values, and cultural influences. Care will be based on clinical standards of practice, and scientifically based clinical practice guidelines that have been approved for use by the VHA, VISN, or facility medical executive staff. Patient history and physical exams shall be performed as indicated by the patient's clinical signs and symptoms. The VA's CPRS will be used by all personnel. Provide care and make treatment decisions based on real time evaluation of patients' history, physical findings, and diagnostic studies, including the interpretation of electrocardiographs, imaging studies and laboratory tests. Provide medications as needed through the VA's pharmacy system using the VA's formulary. Consultations will be requested as needed in keeping with current service agreements. Communicate and interact with the primary care Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) and provide a provisional diagnosis, the results of the initial evaluation, any treatment initiated and current condition of the patient within the CPRS framework. Attend to patients who are judged to be potential threats to themselves or others, or who are incapable of comprehending risks. These patients may require immediate admission through the local 911 system or a Physicians Emergency Commitment (PEC) order in accordance with the law and facility policies to permit complete evaluation. Complete evaluation and assessment to Include an accurate ICD-9 and CPT coding of the patient's condition within the CPRS framework. Involve the patient in care decisions by keeping him/her fully informed about the diagnosis, plan of care and treatment goals, risks and benefits of proposed treatment, and prognosis. Protect patients' rights and maintain patient confidentiality. No patients shall be subject to any research activity without his fully informed consent, subject to study approval by the investigational Research Board (IRB). No research shall be performed by contract personnel. Abide by the CAVHS Code of Ethics, which addresses admissions, transfer, referral, discharge, billing, and marketing issues. Initiate appropriate social work, psychiatric or specialty care referrals for all identified veterans. Contractor will make every effort to prevent medication errors, falls, and patient injury caused by acts of commission or omission in the delivery of care. Follow all established patient safety and infection control standards of care. All events related to patient injury, medication errors, and other breeches of patient safety will be reported to the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and the Assistant Chief/A&PC Service utilizing the Incident Report. The event will be entered into the CAVHS Incident Report System. Follow all established medication policies and procedures. All medications must be prescribed from the facility formulary. No sample medications will be provided to clinic patients. Demonstrate compliance with all CAVHS Safety Management plans. The Contractors employees must respond to CPRS alerts within 72 hours. Test results are to be communicated to patients within 14 days. Phone messages and secure messages will be responded to on the same day as received. Refer all patient customer service issues to the Patient Representative or the Clinic Manager. RESPONSIBILITIES CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES: The contractor will ensure that all Contractor employees providing services under this contract fulfill all duties in section 3. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring documentation is complete, timely, and reported in compliance with CMS guidelines, CAVHS policies, Medical Center bylaws, and Joint Commission standards. The CAVHS policies shall be followed by the Contractor. Contractor licensed independent practitioner (LIP) documentation activities shall be subject to medical record reviews and findings from these reviews will be forwarded to the LIPs credentialing and privileging file. Provider notes will be documented in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) in Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VISTA) at the CAVHS. Access and training will be provided. The contractor will be expected to fully use the system since CPRS will be the sole means of patient record keeping. Record keeping should ensure compliance with applicable Joint Commission and VHA requirements to include data entry into CPRS by attending physicians for documentation of medical records. Summary visit notes that include chief complaint(s), plan of care, significant findings, interventions, disposition plans and education must be completed within the same day of a patient's visit (Do today's work today). Providers will enter all medication orders into CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System). The Contractor's staff shall be required to sign a confidentiality and security statement. The Contractor is subject to all security policies, rules of CAVHS and Federal regulations relating to the access of government computer systems. Violation of the aforementioned shall result in immediate revocation of the violator's access to CAVHS wide area network and VISTA and immediate termination. The CAVHS Information Security Officer (ISO) is accorded the responsibility to conduct and monitor training of contracted employees, in the use of CAVHS provided and owned Automated Information Systems and related applications. The Contractor is responsible to make available those employees granted access to government provided and owned Automated Information Systems and related applications training as provided by CAVHS ISO. Contractor's providers must adhere to and comply with the VA formulary. Contractor will insure that all physicians to be employed under this contract participate in the Credentialing and Privileging process as described in Article VI, Bylaws and Rules of the Medical Staff. No services will be provided by any contract physician prior to obtaining approval by the Executive Leadership Board. The contractor will be provided copies of current requirements and updates as they are published. Privileges will require renewal at least every two (2) years in accordance with CAVHS and Joint Commission requirements. Physicians assigned by the contractor to work at the CAVHS will be required to report specific patient outcome information, such as complications, to the Associate Chief of Staff for Clinics. Quality improvement data provided by the physicians and/or collected by the Service will be used to analyze individual practice patterns. The Associate Chief of Staff for Clinics will utilize the data to formulate recommendations for the Professional Standards Board to consider in the renewal of clinical privileges. The Contractor shall be responsible to ensure that all Contractor employees providing services under this contract are fully trained and completely competent to perform the required services. The Contractor shall provide current copies of these records at the time of contract award and annually thereafter on the anniversary date of the contract term to the COR, and upon request as needed. The Contractor shall comply with applicable health standards for employment of personnel as specified by VA regulation and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining documentation as required by OSHA and to provide copies to CAVHS upon the request of the COR. The Contractor shall immediately notify the CAVHS COR and ACOS for Primary Care or designee, when a Sentinel Event has occurred, which is to be followed by written notification within 3 working days. 3.1.10 The Contractor will cooperate with all case reviews and Root Cause Analyses according to CAVHS policy when requested to do so within established timeframes and completed RCAs involving Contractor personnel will be provided to the Contractor. Safety and quality assurance will be monitored in accordance with Information Letter 10- 2001-004 dated March 7, 2001 "Health Care Contracts Address Quality and Safety for All Veterans". In addition, the services to be performed by the contractor will be done so in accordance with VA policies and procedures, Joint Commission, federal and state laws, and the regulations of the medical staff by-laws of the VA facility. Verbal, written or electronic communications between any CAVHSNISN staff and contracted staff will not be restricted by the contractor. The Contractor shall provide lab coats as well electronic pagers or cell phones to contract personnel providing patient care services at CAVHS. Any VA employee who is employed by the contractor is prohibited from participating on behalf of the Government in a VA contract with the contractor. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES: CAVHS may evaluate the quality of professional and an administrative service provided, but retains no control over the medical, professional aspects of services rendered (e.g., professional judgments). The qualifications of Contractor personnel shall also be subject to review by the VA Chief of Staff and approval by the CAVHS Director. The VA will provide other necessary personnel for the operation of clinic services at levels mutually agreed upon which are compatible with the safety of the patients and personnel and with quality medical programming. Training in the use of CPRS, progress notes, health summary, CPRS and OE/RR software with the necessary operating and coordination procedures. Training in the use of any other mandated patient treatment documentation forms shall also be provided by CAVHS. Initial training shall be conducted on-site. Training the Contractor staff on specific veteran issues (Service Connected/Non-Service Connected, PTSD, Agent Orange, POW status, etc.). This training shall help the Contractor staff know what to address on initial interview(s). Providing the Contractor with a current formulary to be used when prescribing medications. The Contractor shall be given computer access to CAVHS drug files to determine formulary status of drugs. The VA shall provide the contractor with CAVHS Sentinel Event definitions in the start-up phase. The contractor shall verbally notify the CAVHS COR and Asst. Chief, Ambulatory and Primary Care, immediately when a Sentinel Event has occurred, which is to be followed by written notification within 3 working days. The VA will determine when a Root Cause Analysis is required of the Contractor. The VA shall provide the contractor with direction for monitoring continuous compliance with The Joint Commission standards. The COR will identify and communicate measures related to contract compliance. The CAVHS Infection Control Memoranda shall identify for the contractor how risks will be identified, methods to be used to reduce risk, Identification and reporting of community-acquired and nosocomial infections, and data collection and reporting requirements. TERMS VA must receive notification of proposed additions to the core group no less than 45 days prior to a new physician performing services at the Medical Center. A schedule indicating which physicians will perform for the first 90 days of the contract must be provided within 21 days after notification of award. In addition, these physicians shall be made available to VA for a telephonic discussion and information exchange during the privileging and credentialing period. Any changes to the schedules for the remainder of the contract period are to be provided, 45 days in advance. VA reserves the right to have any physician removed from performance under the contract without cause. The Contractor shall identify their contact person(s) who shall serve as liaison between the Contractor and CAVHS and who shall ensure that services are performed in accordance with the contract specifications. The Contractor's contact person(s) shall be available during regular business hours Monday through Friday. A Contractor's employee must actually be performing the required services for the period specified in the contract or the contract cost will be decreased accordingly during each billing cycle. The payments for any leave, including sick leave, annual leave, holidays, or vacation time are the responsibility of the Contractor. The Government has the right to determine whether or not any physician is appropriate or in the best interest of the Government, not subject to appeal by the physician. The Government shall not pay any finder's fee for physicians recruited in conjunction with these services. TERMS VA must receive notification of proposed additions to the core group no less than 45 days prior to a new physician performing services at the Medical Center. A schedule indicating which physicians will perform for the first 90 days of the contract must be provided within 21 days after notification of award. In addition, these physicians shall be made available to VA for a telephonic discussion and information exchange during the privileging and credentialing period. Any changes to the schedules for the remainder of the contract period are to be provided, 45 days in advance. VA reserves the right to have any physician removed from performance under the contract without cause. The Contractor shall identify their contact person(s) who shall serve as liaison between the Contractor and CAVHS and who shall ensure that services are performed in accordance with the contract specifications. The Contractor's contact person(s) shall be available during regular business hours Monday through Friday. A Contractor's employee must actually be performing the required services for the period specified in the contract or the contract cost will be decreased accordingly during each billing cycle. The payments for any leave, including sick leave, annual leave, holidays, or vacation time are the responsibility of the Contractor. The Government has the right to determine whether or not any physician is appropriate or in the best interest of the Government, not subject to appeal by the physician. The Government shall not pay any finder's fee for physicians recruited in conjunction with these services. APPROVAL OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL The Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of Contractor, if personal or professional conduct jeopardizes patient care. Breaches of conduct include intoxication or debilitation resulting from drug use, theft, patient abuse, dereliction or negligence in performing directed tasks, or other conduct resulting in formal complaints by patient. Standards for conduct shall mirror those prescribed by current federal personnel regulations. The Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer's Representative shall deal with issues raised concerning contract personnel's conduct. The Final arbiter on questions of acceptability is the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer shall resolve complaints concerning Contractor relations with the Government employees or patients. The contracting Officer is the final authority on validating complaints. In the event that the Contractor is involved and named in a validated patient complaint, the Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of the services of such personnel. This does not preclude refusal in the event of incidents involving physical or verbal abuse. NON-SOLICITATION Neither the Contractor nor any employee, agent or subcontractor of the Contractor shall solicit or attempt to convince or otherwise persuade any patient not to participate or to discontinue participation in the services provided under this contract. PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI) Contractor must adhere to the provisions of Public Law 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) of 1996 and the National Standards to Protect the Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information. If the contracted agency does not fall under the jurisdiction of HIPPA regulations, a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) must be established using the VA approved BAA template. TORT CLAIMS Contractor employees are not covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act. When a contractor employee has been identified as a provider in a tort claim, the contractor employee is responsible for notifying the contractor's legal counsel and/or insurance carrier. Any settlement or judgment arising from a contractor employee's action or non-action is the responsibility of the contractor and/or insurance carrier. JOINT COMMISION AND OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The Contractor will be responsible to ensure that Contractor employees providing work on this contract are fully trained and completely competent to perform the required work. Contractor employees will attend an area/program/unit-specific orientation meeting before the commencement of work. The VA will schedule, conduct, and document this meeting which will include discussion of the following area-specific topics: Fire and safety policy and procedure Emergency preparedness/disaster policy and procedure Initial competence assessment Area/program/unit specific orientation If a contract employee is new to CAVHS, he or she must also attend a New Employee Orientation (NEO) session conducted in New Orleans or an abbreviated NEO if approved by CAVHS. Topics covered in abbreviated NEO include but not limited to: Infection Control Policy and Procedure, Code of Ethics, Employee Health Program, etc. New Employee Orientation is offered once per month, and the schedule for FY 2015 is available on request. Payment will be made for attendance at the specified hourly rate. The VA will monitor the Contractor employees' work to ensure contract compliance. Notwithstanding other contract requirements, upon request of the Contracting Officer, the Contractor will remove from the work site, any Contractor employee who does not comply with orientation requirements or meet competency requirements for the work being performed. When changes in Contractor personnel are approved, the Contractor must provide the Contracting Officer with the same documentation as required above. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL To ensure that the individuals providing services under the contract have not engaged in fraud or abuse regarding Sections 1128 and 1128A of the Social Security Act regarding federal health care programs, the contractor is required to check the HHS - OIG, List of excluded individuals/entities on the OIG Website www.hhs.gov/oig for each person providing services under this contract. Further, the contractor is required to certify in its proposal that all persons listed in the contractor's proposal have been compared against the OIG list and are not listed. During the performance of this contract, the Contractor is prohibited from using any individual or business listed on the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities. CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH SCREENINGS AND IMMUNIZATIONS It is the responsibility of the contractor to provide annual tuberculosis screenings for physicians providing services under this contract and to report new conversions to positive PPD or to report new symptoms related to tuberculosis, if previously positive PPD, to the CAVHS Employee Health Section within ten (10) working days. It is the responsibility of the contractor to provide appropriate immunizations, including Hepatitis B vaccine, as indicated for health care workers with potential exposure to blood or body fluids, for physicians ...