Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) PERFUSION SERVICES 1. GENERAL: Services Provided: The contractor shall provide Perfusion Services of qualified, experienced, specialty certified Perfusionist(s) to per... PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) PERFUSION SERVICES 1. GENERAL: Services Provided: The contractor shall provide Perfusion Services of qualified, experienced, specialty certified Perfusionist(s) to perform perfusion services in the Operating Room and other facility locations, as necessary on site in accordance with the terms and conditions contained herein to beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System (herein after referred to as SAVAHCS). Place of Performance: Contractor shall furnish services at Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System (SAVAHCS), 3601 S. 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ. 85723. Authority: Title 38 U.S.C. 8153, Health Care Resources (HCR) sharing Authority/ Title 38 U.S.C. 513 Policy/Handbooks - The contractor shall be subject to the following policies, including any subsequent updates during the period of performance: VA Directive 1663: Health Care Resources Contracting - Buying http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=347 VHA Directive 2006-041 Veterans Health Care Service Standards (expired but still in effect pending revision) https://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1443 VHA Handbook 1100.17: National Practitioner Data Bank Reports - http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2135 VHA Handbook 1100.18 Reporting And Responding To State Licensing Boards - http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1364 VHA Handbook 1100.19 Credentialing and Privileging - http://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2910 VHA Handbook 1907.01 Health Information Management and Health Records: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2791 Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) http://www.justice.gov/oip/foia_updates/Vol_XVII_4/page2.htm Joint Commission - http://www.jointcommission.org/standards/ HHS OIG Website http://oig.hhs.gov/exclusions/index.asp American Journal for Infection Control - AJIC 1998; 26:289-354 http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/InfectControl98.pdf Definitions/Acronyms: Terms used in this contract shall be interpreted as follows unless the context expressly requires a different construction and/or interpretation. In case of a conflict in language between the Definitions and other sections of this contract, the language in this section shall govern. ABCP American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion ACGME: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support BLS: Basic Life Support CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDR: Contract Discrepancy Report CEU: Certified Education Unit CME: Continuing Medical Education CMP: Civil Monetary Penalty CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services CO: Contracting Officer The person executing this contract on behalf of the Government with the authority to enter into and administer contracts and make related determinations and findings. COR: Contracting Officer s Representative A person appointed by the CO to take necessary action to ensure the Contractor performs in accordance with and adheres to the specifications contained in the contract and to protect the interest of the Government. The COR shall report to the CO promptly any indication of non-compliance in order that appropriate action can be taken. COS: Chief of Staff CPARS: Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System CPRS: Computerized Patient Recordkeeping System- electronic health record system used by the VA. DEA: Drug Enforcement Agency ED: Emergency Department ECMO: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation EMR: Electronic Medical Record FSMB: Federation of State Medical Boards FTEE: Full Time Equivalency Employee is defined by VA as a minimum of 80 hours every two weeks and does not include holidays HHS: Department of Health and Human Services HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HR: Human Resources ISO: Information Security Officer National Provider Identifier (NPI): NPI is a standard, unique 10-digit numeric identifier required by HIPAA. The Veterans Health Administration must use NPIs in all HIPAA-standard electronic transactions for individual (health care practitioners) and organizational entities (medical centers). NLNAC: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. www.nlnac.org Non-Contract Provider - any person, organization, agency, or entity that is not directly or indirectly employed by the Contractor or any of its subcontractors. NMVAHCS: New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System NP: Nurse Practitioner NPPES: National Plan and Provider Enumeration System OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration OIT: Office of Information and Technology OPM: Office of Personnel Management OPPE: Ongoing Provider Practice Evaluation OR: Operating Room PA: Physician Assistant PIV: Personal Identity Verification POP: Period of Performance PPD: Purified Protein Derivative PWS: Performance Work Statement QASP: Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan RFP: Request for Proposal VAMC: Veterans Affairs Medical Center Veterans Health Administration (VHA): The central office for administration of the VA medical centers throughout the United States. The VHA is located in Washington, D.C. Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN): The regional oversight for the VA medical centers. VISTA (Veterans Integrated Systems Technology Architecture): A PC based system that will capture and store clinical imagery, scanned documents and other non-textual data files and integrates them into patient s medical record and with the hospital information system. VetPro: a federal web-based credentialing program for healthcare providers. Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC): Unless identified with the name of a different VA Medical Center, for the purpose of this contract, this term shall mean the New Mexico VA Medical Center. QUALIFICATIONS: Staff/Facility The contractor shall provide Perfusionists who are American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion certified. Contractor personnel shall have training and experience in all aspects of clinical perfusion. This includes experience utilizing standard cardiopulmonary bypass equipment, standard membrane and non-membrane oxygenator systems, blood and red cell salvaging equipment, pulsatile preservation routines, intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) and research or clinical experience in other forms of assisted circulation. Perfusionist shall be capable of and have successful experience in operating both standard cardiopulmonary bypass and intra-aortic balloon pumps simultaneously, without the need for another cardiopulmonary bypass Perfusionist or assisted circulation technician. License - All licenses held by the personnel working on this contract shall be full and unrestricted license to the services covered by this contract issued in any State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia. Contract personnel shall submit evidence of current, full and unrestricted licenses, registration, certification, and/or other relevant credentials for verification prior to appointment and throughout the employment process, as requested by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). Contractor is responsible for keeping the COR informed of anything that would adversely affect or otherwise limit their clinical privileges. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination of the contract. Board Certification The contractor s employees and any subcontractors shall have all licenses, permits, and certifications as required by law and this contract. All Perfusionists shall be a graduate of an accredited Allied Health Education Program School of Perfusion Technology, and shall be certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, demonstrate evidence of meeting continuing education requirements. Experience shall be demonstrated in the following areas: Open heart surgery, heart lung machine, membrane oxygenation, left/right heart bypass, intra-aortic balloon pumping and centrifugal ventricular assist device. Perfusionist shall have all continuing education courses required for maintaining certification kept up to date at all times. Documentation verifying current certification shall be provided by the Contractor to the VA COR on an annual basis for each year of contract performance. A folder with the stated qualifications will be maintained by the COR. Credentialing and Privileging - Contract Perfusionist fulfilling the conditions of the contract shall be subject to all bylaws, rules and regulations of the SAVAHCS. The contractor / subcontractor shall provide documentation stating current American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion certification and Basic Life Support (BLS) training of all staff working within SAVAHCS initially and annually to the COR. The ability for an individual Perfusionist to continue rendering services under the contract shall be dependent upon demonstration of clinical competence. Clinical competency shall be assessed on an ongoing basis, is true for all Perfusionist/, and to the reported as provider specific practice information at the time or an accreditation body with equal or better standards Joint Commission. If Contractor personnel (s) is not certified Cardiovascular Perfusion certification and Basic Life Support (BLS) or certification has been suspended or revoked, the Contractor shall furnish an acceptable substitute without any additional cost to the government. The SAVAHCS reserves the right to refuse any personnel that lose their certification or has conflicts with patients or SAVAHCS employees. This shall be complied by letter from the CO to the Contractor via the SAVAHCS COS concurrence. Technical Proficiency - Contract personnel (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, certification and/or licensure 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 for all contract personnel(s) and contract personnel (s) shall be responsible for abiding by the Facility's Medical Staff By-Laws, rules, and regulations (referenced herein) that govern medical staff behavior. Continuing Medical Education (CME)/ Certified Education Unit (CEU) Requirements: Contractor shall provide the COR copies of current CMEs as required or requested by the SAVAHCS. Contract personnel (s) registered or certified by national/medical associations shall continue to meet the minimum standards for CME to remain current. Contractor shall report CME hours to the credentials office for tracking. These documents are required for both privileging and re-privileging. Failure to provide shall result in loss of privileges for contract personnel (s). Training (ACLS, BLS and VA MANDATORY): Contractor shall meet all VA educational requirements and mandatory course requirements defined herein; all training must be completed by the Contractor s physician(s) as required by the VA. Following are the training requirements, frequency and associated time Training Frequency (once a year, etc.) Annual Hours BLS Every two years 4 hours Standard Personnel Testing (PPD, etc.): Contractor shall provide proof of the following tests for personnel within five (5) calendar days after contract award and prior to the first duty shift to the COR and Contracting Officer. Tests shall be current within the past year. TUBERCULOSIS TESTING: Contractor shall provide proof of a negative reaction to PPD testing for all contract personnel (s). A negative chest radiographic report for active tuberculosis shall be provided in cases of positive PPD results. The PPD test shall be repeated annually. RUBELLA TESTING: Contractor shall provide proof of immunization for all contract personnel (s) for measles, mumps, rubella or a rubella titer of 1.8 or greater. If the titer is less than 1.8, a rubella immunization shall be administered with follow-up documentation to the COR. OSHA regulation concerning occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens: Contractor shall provide generic self-study training for all contract personnel (s); provide their own Hepatitis B vaccination series at no cost to the VA if they elect to receive it; maintain an exposure determination and control plan; maintain required records; and ensure that proper follow-up evaluation is provided following an exposure incident. The SAVAHCS shall notify the Contractor of any significant communicable disease exposures as appropriate. Contractor shall adhere to current CDC/HICPAC Guideline for Infection Control in health care personnel (as published in American Journal for Infection Control- AJIC 1998; 26:289-354 http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/InfectControl98.pdf) for disease control. Contractor shall provide follow up documentation of clearance to return to the workplace prior to their return. Conflict of Interest: The Contractor and all contract personnel (s) are responsible for identifying and communicating to the CO and COR conflicts of interest at the time of proposal and during the entirety of contract performance. At the time of proposal, the Contractor shall provide a statement which describes, in a concise manner, all relevant facts concerning any past, present, or currently planned interest (financial, contractual, organizational, or otherwise) or actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest relating to the services to be provided. The Contractor shall also provide statements containing the same information for any identified consultants or subcontractors who shall provide services. The Contractor must also provide relevant facts that show how it s organizational and/or management system or other actions would avoid or mitigate any actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest. These statements shall be in response to the VAAR provision 852.209-70 Organizational Conflicts of Interest (Jan 2008) and fully outlined in response to the subject attachment in Section D of the solicitation document. Citizenship related Requirements: The Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall comply with any and all legal provisions contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, As Amended; its related laws and regulations that are enforced by Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S Department of Labor as these may relate to non-immigrant foreign nationals working under contract or subcontract for the Contractor while providing services to Department of Veterans Affairs patient referrals; While performing services for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Contractor shall not knowingly employ, contract or subcontract with an illegal alien; foreign national non-immigrant who is in violation their status, as a result of their failure to maintain or comply with the terms and conditions of their admission into the United States. Additionally, the Contractor is required to comply with all E-Verify requirements consistent with Executive Order 12989 and any related pertinent Amendments, as well as applicable Federal Acquisition Regulations. If the Contractor fails to comply with any requirements outlined in the preceding paragraphs or its Agency regulations, the Department of Veterans Affairs may, at its discretion, require that the foreign national who failed to maintain their legal status in the United States or otherwise failed to comply with the requirements of the laws administered by Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S Department of Labor, shall be prohibited from working at the Contractor s place of business that services Department of Veterans Affairs patient referrals; or other place where the Contractor provides services to veterans who have been referred by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and shall form the basis for termination of this contract for breach. This certification concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of an agency of the United States and the making of a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may render the maker subject to prosecution under 18 U.S.C. 1001. The Contractor agrees to obtain a similar certification from its subcontractors. The certification shall be made as part of the offerors response to the RFP using the subject attachment in Section D of the solicitation document. Annual Office of Inspector General (OIG) Statement: In accordance with HIPAA and the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1977, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has established a list of parties and entities excluded from Federal health care programs. Specifically, the listed parties and entities may not receive Federal Health Care program payments due to fraud and/or abuse of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Therefore, Contractor shall review the HHS OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities on the HHS OIG web site referenced above to ensure that the proposed contract physician (s) are not listed. Contractor should note that any excluded individual or entity that submits a claim for reimbursement to a Federal health care program, or causes such a claim to be submitted, may be subject to a Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP) for each item or service furnished during a period that the person was excluded and may also be subject to treble damages for the amount claimed for each item or service. CMP s may also be imposed against the Contractor that employ or enter into contracts with excluded individuals to provide items or services to Federal program beneficiaries. By submitting their proposal, the Contractor certifies that the HHS OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities has been reviewed and that the Contractors are and/or firm is not listed as of the date the offer/bid was signed. Clinical/Professional Performance: The qualifications of Contractor personnel are subject to review by SAVAHCS COS or his/her clinical designee and approval by the SAVAHCS Director as provided in VHA Handbook 1100.19. Performance monitoring and review of all surgical personnel covered by this contract for quality purposes will be provided by the SAVAHCS COS and/or the Chief of the Service or his designee. A clinical COR may be appointed, however, only the CO is authorized to consider any contract modification request and/or make changes to the contract during the administration of the resultant contract. Non- Personal Healthcare Services: The parties agree that the Contractor and all contract personnel (s) shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose. Indemnification: The Contractor shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Government against, all actions or claims for loss of or damage to property or the injury or death of persons, arising out of or resulting from the fault, negligence, or act or omission of the Contractor, its agents, or employees. Prohibition against Self-Referral: Contractor s physicians are prohibited from referring VA patients to contractor s or their own practice(s). Inherent Government Functions: Contractor and Contract personnel (s) shall not perform inherently governmental functions. This includes, but is not limited to, determination of agency policy, determination of Federal program priorities for budget requests, direction and control of government employees (outside a clinical context), selection or non-selection of individuals for Federal Government employment including the interviewing of individuals for employment, approval of position descriptions and performance standards for Federal employees, approving any contractual documents, approval of Federal licensing actions and inspections, and/or determination of budget policy, guidance, and strategy. No Employee status: The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting Contract personnel (s) furnishing services. To carry out this responsibility, the Contractor shall provide or certify that the following is provided for all their staff providing services under the resultant contract: Workers compensation Professional liability insurance Health examinations to include: Annual TB Skin Test and recent chest X-ray if there is a history of positive TB skin test Evidence of Hepatitis B immunity (hepatitis immune titer, if the individual has had the series of shots; if no immunity, evidence that the individual has started the Hepatitis B vaccination series Evidence of a Hepatitis C titer Varicella titer if contracted employee has not had chicken pox Income tax withholding, and Social security payments Tort Liability: The Federal Tort Claims Act does not cover Contractor or contract personnel (s). When a Contractor or contract personnel (s) has been identified as a provider in a tort claim, the Contractor shall be responsible for notifying their legal counsel and/or insurance carrier. Any settlement or judgment arising from a Contractor s (or contract provider (s)) action or non-action shall be the responsibility of the Contractor and/or insurance carrier. Key Personnel: The VA request four (3) Perfusionist Technicians at a minimum to service contract requirements, with Substitutes. The number of Board Certified Perfusionists required being on site daily is one (1). The Contractor shall be responsible for providing coverage to the VA during periods of vacancies of the Contractor s personnel due to sick leave, personal leave, vacations and additional coverage as required. In the event a scheduled provider is unable to complete an assigned shift; the contractor shall provide replacement provider coverage within 2 hours and notify the Contracting Office Representative (COR) at SAVAHCS immediately of the schedule change. Contractor shall provide the names of the contracted employee(s) assigned to the performance: Key Personnel/Substitute Name (s) Official Title National Provider Identifier Number (if available) 1. Perfusionist 2. Perfusionist 3. Perfusionist 4. Perfusionist Substitutes Perfusionist Perfusionist 2.9.4.1. Notification of Contractor The Contractor shall make every reasonable effort to be on site within 30 minutes from the time of receipt of notification that services are required. Notification in the event of an emergent procedure shall be made by one of the following individuals: Operating room (OR) charge nurse Nursing supervisor Cardiothoracic surgery resident Staff surgeons in Cardiothoracic Surgery Cardiothoracic Physician s Assistant The VA will notify Contractor by 5:00 PM the day prior to a scheduled/elective open heart or other procedure which would require their services. Emergency Substitutions: During the first ninety (90) calendar days of performance, 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 CO, in writing, within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required below. After 90 days, the Contractor shall submit the information required below to the CO at least 15 calendar days prior to making any permanent substitutions. The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the CO. Proposed substitutes shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The CO will notify the Contractor within 15 calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on the proposed substitutes. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel. For temporary substitutions where the key person shall not be reporting to work for three (3) consecutive work days or more, the Contractor shall provide a qualified replacement for the key person. The substitute shall have comparable qualifications to the key person. Any period exceeding two weeks will require the procedure as stated above. The Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of any Contractor personnel at any time after performance begins, if personal or professional conduct jeopardizes patient care or interferes with the regular and ordinary operation of the facility. 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 or other staff members to designated Government representatives. Standards for conduct shall mirror those prescribed by current federal personnel regulations. Should the VA COS or designee show documented clinical problems or continual unprofessional behavior/actions with any contract personnel (s), s/he may request, without cause, immediate replacement of said contract personnel (s). The CO and COR shall deal with issues raised concerning Contract personnel (s) conduct. The final arbiter on questions of acceptability is the CO. Contingency Plan: Because continuity of care is an essential part of NMVAHCS s medical services, The Contractor shall have a contingency plan in place to be utilized if the contract personnel (s) leaves Contractor s employment or is unable to continue performance in accordance with the terms and conditions of the resulting contract. Note: Evidence of completion of required licensure, credentials, required training, current competencies and background investigations must be validated for all contractor personnel referred to perform services under this contract prior to providing direct patient care. Contractor shall not have any personnel report to duty until written notification is received from the Contracting Officer advising that the candidate (s) presented has met all requirements for contract performance. HOURS OF OPERATION: VA Business Hours: VA business hours/hours of operation are 8:00 4:30 hrs. Work Schedule: Regular work hours are Monday through Friday for eight (8) hours a day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Perfusionist service is required on Monday through Friday, eight hours shift basis to support procedures requiring Cardiopulmonary Bypass and standby for procedures that may require Cardiopulmonary Bypass and patients that are in the Intensive Care Unit requiring balloon pump/Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support. The requirement is for the contractor to provide Board Certified Perfusionists. One Perfusionist shall be used to support the emergency services as well as provide for coverage during vacation, illness, etc. It is required by the contractor that one (1) of the full time Perfusionist be in an on-call status for 24 hours a day and seven (7) days a week including all Federal Holidays and be within 30 minutes of the facility to support these emergent cases. On-call service is considered part of the Perfusionist services and will not be paid separately. Any hours worked during an on-call status for an emergency procedure shall be paid the same rate as regular tour hours. Federal Holidays: New Year s Day Martin Luther King s Birthday President s Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Any day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES: Clinical Personnel Required: The Contractor shall provide contract personnel (s) who are competent, qualified per this performance work statement and adequately trained to perform assigned duties. Contract personnel (s) shall be responsible for signing in and out of CPRS/GUI as attendance will be verified against procedures performed. CPRS/GUI system will be used by the COR to confirm hours/day and services provided against the contractor s invoices. Standards of Care: The contract personnel (s) care shall cover the range of Perfusionist services as would be provided in a state-of-the-art civilian medical treatment facility and the standard of care shall be of a quality, meeting or exceeding currently recognized national standards as established by: American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion: http://www.abcp.org VA Standards: VHA Directive 2006-041 Veterans Health Care Service Standards (expired but still in effect pending revision) https://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1443 The professional standards of The Joint Commission (TJC) http://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/standards.aspx The standards of the American Hospital Association (AHA) http://www.hpoe.org/resources?show=100&type=8 and; The requirements contained in this PWS MEDICAL RECORDS Authorities: Contract personnel (s) providing healthcare services to VA patients shall be considered as part of the Department Healthcare Activity and shall comply with the U.S.C.551a (Privacy Act), 38 U.S.C. 5701 (Confidentiality of claimants records), 5 U.S.C. 552 (FOIA), 38 U.S.C. 5705 (Confidentiality of Medical Quality Assurance Records) 38 U.S.C. 7332 (Confidentiality of certain medical records), Title 5 U.S.C. § 522a (Records Maintained on Individuals) as well as 45 C.F.R. Parts 160, 162, and 164 (HIPAA). HIPAA: This contract and its requirements meet exception in 45 CFR 164.502(e), and do not require a BAA in order for Covered Entity to disclose Protected Health Information to: a health care provider for treatment. Based on this exception, a BAA is not required for this contract. Treatment and administrative patient records generated by this contract or provided to the Contractors by the VA are covered by the VA system of records entitled Patient Medical Records-VA (24VA19). Contractor generated VA Patient records are the property of the VA and shall not be accessed, released, transferred, or destroyed except in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Contractor shall ensure that all records pertaining to medical care and services are available for immediate transmission when requested by the VA. Records identified for review, audit, or evaluation by VA representatives and authorized federal and state officials, shall be accessed on-site during normal business hours or mailed by the Contractor at his expense. Contractor shall deliver all final patient records, correspondence, and notes to the VA within twenty-one (21) calendar days after the contract expiration date. Disclosure: Contract personnel (s) may have access to patient medical records: however, Contractor shall obtain permission from the VA before disclosing any patient information. Subject to applicable federal confidentiality or privacy laws, the Contractor, or their designated representatives, and designated representatives of federal regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over Contractor, may have access to VA s records, at VA s place of business on request during normal business hours, to inspect and review and make copies of such records. The VA will provide the Contractor with a copy of VHA Handbook 1907.1, Health Information management and Health Records and VHA Handbook 1605.1, Privacy and Release of Information. The penalties and liabilities for the unauthorized disclosure of VA patient information mandated by the statutes and regulations mentioned above, apply to the Contractor. Professional Standards for Documenting Care: Care shall be appropriately documented in medical records in accordance with standard commercial practice and guidelines established by VHA Handbook 1907.01 Health Information Management and Health Records: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2791 and all guidelines provided by the NMVAHCS. (see attachment D.5) Release of Information: The VA shall maintain control of releasing any ...