SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Federal Monitoring and Oversight in Long Term Care Facilities
- Notice Date
- 2/26/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration, Acquisition and Grants Group, 7500 Security Blvd. C2-21-15, Central Building, Baltimore, MD, 21244-1850
- ZIP Code
- 21244-1850
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-500-03-01HH
- Archive Date
- 3/28/2003
- Point of Contact
- Herman Harris, Contract Specialist, Phone 410-786-9104, Fax 410-786-9922,
- E-Mail Address
-
HHarris@cms.hhs.gov
- Description
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking small business sources to assist the Federal Government in its responsibility for oversight and monitoring of the over 16,800 nursing homes/facilities that provide long term care. The North American Industry Classification (NAIC) code applicable to the proposed contract requirement is 541618. Potential Small Business sources must document their technical and management capability, background and past experience of performance of a contract(s) for the specific requirements set forth in this notice. The written response (original and 5 copies) should be limited to 25 pages or less and must be received within fifteen (15) days from the date of this notice. Organizations must specify a name and telephone number of a point of contact. The address for receipt of proposals is: CMS, Attention: Herman Harris, Contract Specialist, Room C2-21-15, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. Specific requirements of the proposed contract effort considered to be necessary for successful performance are: Professionals with the credentials, experience and technical history and expertise to coordinate and conduct national certification or quality assurance reviews of programs or facilities that serve the elderly/geriatric and long term care population; Professionals with current or prior experience with the application of Federal laws, regulations, guidelines, State Operation Manual (SOM) and Federal survey protocols related to the survey and certification process for long term care; Adequate administrative support to support the wide range of operational procedures necessary to conduct contract tasks. Financial resources needed to efficiently and effectively conduct and sustain contract tasks. Technology and the professional expertise to develop and maintain communication with Contract team members, CMS's Central Office and its ten Regional Offices (RO); Data system technology, which includes the use of computers, printers, electronic mail, fax and teleconference capabilities approved by CMS; Ability to prepare and provide technical analyses and reports on survey findings, survey results and State performance; Quality assurance-internal evaluation for accuracy and consistency of results. Technical expertise in the development of training materials and policies and procedures and other materials as needed for the Project Officer. In 1987, the Omnibus Reconciliation Act created the legislative basis for conducting Federal Monitoring Surveys (FMS). Sections 1819(g)(3) and 1919(g)(3) of the Social Security Act require the Secretary to conduct Federal onsite surveys in a least five percent of a representative sample of skilled nursing facilities and in a representative sample of nursing homes in each State. CMS intends to assemble a national team of surveyors who shall be available on both a scheduled and as-needed basis to: (1) conduct Federal Comparative surveys within two weeks to 30 days of a State survey to assess survey agency performance in the interpretation, application and enforcement of Federal requirements and conduct follow-up visits (with CO/RO discretion) and (2) respond/react in a timely and effective manner to crisis situations anywhere in the United States that endanger the health or safety of individuals in nursing homes. Stage 1 will include the hiring the employees, training, establishing protocols, and other required programmatic activities; Stage 1 shall be completed within the first six (6) months of contract performance. During Stage 2 the contractor will provide orientation and training for surveyors on CMS's survey policies and procedures, including investigative protocols to enhance surveyor's performance and understanding regarding the accurate application of the Long-Term Care (LTC) requirements. In Stage 3 the contractor will conduct a series of surveys to train staff on the survey process and to evaluate the effectiveness of the survey team in conducting the process. This may involve the participation of Regional and Central Office and contractor technical experts. After a number of training surveys have been conducted, the contractor should recommend changes to the following: a) the methodology used to select and conduct surveys; b) the management of the administrative functions of surveying; and c) sampling methodology that will allow CMS to evaluate the effectiveness of state agency survey performance. Additionally in Stage 3, the contractor will conduct a series of surveys that will be counted as part of CMS?s mandated workload that evaluates state agency survey performance. Stage 4 requires that the contractor develop recommendations for revising the comparative survey methodology; deploy staff immediately for any crisis or complaint surveys; effectively utilize the data collected in stages 2, 3, and 4; and assist CMS in the development of training materials, policies procedures, and other required materials needed for Federal Monitoring Surveys (FMS) for the Project Officer. The total period of performance of this contract is five (5) year. It is estimated that the contractor will be required to conduct a maximum of 730 surveys over the year contract term. Beyond the first year of contract performance it is estimated that the contractor will conduct approximately 170 surveys annually. It is estimated that follow-up visit may be required for 60% of the facilities surveyed. The contractor needs to develop and maintain communication and understand the interdependency of the Contracting Officer, Project Officer, CMS?s Central Office and its Regional Office Consortiums. Some of the tasks the contractor selected will be expected to perform include: Ensuring the availability of qualified trained health professionals required to conduct the federal survey process on a national basis (registered nurses, medical doctors, pharmacists, dietitians, speech/occupational/physical therapists); Trained health Professionals must successfully complete CMS?s Long Term Care Basic Training and pass the Survey Minimum Qualifications Test Maintaining the skills and competencies of team members to ensure consistent application of the Long Term Care requirements; Coordinating survey findings and post-survey reports and materials to CMS?s Central and Regional Offices in a timely fashion; providing Regional Offices with all information necessary for enforcement action an serving as expert witness where necessary; Demonstrate to CMS the logistics of scheduling surveys throughout the US, developing and analyzing CMS data systems such as OSCAR and ASPEN, scheduling teleconferences, arranging travel plans multiple survey teams at long term care facilities across the country and other related activities; Providing a total Quality Assurance system to ensure consistency and accuracy across surveyors and surveys conducted throughout the country; Developing training material and policies and procedures and other materials as needed by the Project Officer. Propose to CMS how ?crisis? situations would be responded too including assembling a survey team on short notice anywhere in the US in order to assure the health or safety of our beneficiaries. Key Personnel Requirements The Project Manager must hold professional experience and education comparable to the masters level in health sciences, health policy or human services; have a least ten years of progressive management experience in a multi-tasked environment, have previous experience in working with or in a government regulatory environment, knowledge of the long term care survey and certification process, and currently engage, or be able to engage (through full or part-time employment or subcontract) within 45 days of the contract award, a pool of highly skilled, qualified and trained professionals in the field of long term care who are approved by CMS to conduct Federal comparative surveys and follow-up visits, complaint or special investigations or monitoring reviews and who can be deployed to crisis situations affecting the residents of long term care facilities. The potential must have a demonstrated history of and possess the knowledge, skills and abilities, to conduct these surveys, investigations, respond to crisis situations affecting residents of long term care facilities in accordance with Federal laws, regulations, guidelines, the State Operations? Manual (SOM) and protocols established by the Federal Government for the conduct of such operations. This pool of qualified professionals shall consist of individuals who hold at least a bachelor?s degree in the fields of nutrition, nursing, pharmacology, social work, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physical therapy or a closely related field. Each term is required to have at least one registered nurse and it is anticipated that each team will consist of four surveyors. The potential contractor shall conduct criminal background checks on all Contract personnel and shall provide CMS with assurances that personnel have no history of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of people in health care settings. Conflict of Interest The potential must assure that no conflict of interest exists with any of the contractor or subcontractors/employees public or private business enterprises or related activities. This synopsis is for information purposes only, does not constitute an RFP, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The information you provide will be evaluated to identify capable potential sources. Respondents will be included on any mailing list for any RFP that may result from this notice. The Government will not pay for any information solicited.
- Record
- SN00265564-W 20030228/030226213149 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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