SOURCES SOUGHT
65 -- Triservice Regional Business Office Northwest Region (Washington & Alaska) announcement for the evaluation and standardization of Iodophor Alcohol Prep Products
- Notice Date
- 6/13/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Command, Western Regional Contracting Office, Western Regional Contracting Office, ATTN: MCAA W BLDG 9902, 9902 Lincoln Street, Tacoma, WA 98431-1110
- ZIP Code
- 98431-1110
- Solicitation Number
- W91YU0R-11-08-05-005IODOPHORALCOHOLPREP
- Response Due
- 7/17/2008
- Archive Date
- 9/15/2008
- Point of Contact
- Wesley E. Burnett, 253-968-1869
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- A. General Information Northwest Region seeks to initiate the standardization process for Iodophor Alcohol Prep Products for its 7 Army, Navy, and Air Force Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) in the states of Alaska & Washington. Standardization for this product line represents a previously standardized product line initiative for this Region. It expired 11/07. This product line includes a full line of Iodophor Alcohol Prep Products, as detailed in the Technical Criteria below, Usage Items. Vendors MUST provide a complete list of items supplied (catalog, etc.) and product literature in response to this Request for Quotes (RFQ). Vendors are required to supply all items listed. Vendors who do not have a complete product line, as detailed below in usage items, will be disqualified in Phase I. The primary objective of this program is to standardize the quality of care across this region based on a best value determination that represents the clinically preferred product or source(s) at the best possible price. It is also intended that standardized product be obtained through the DoD Prime Vendor (PV) Program. The secondary objective of this standardization initiative is the potential of decreasing the existing Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and thus dollars held as inventory. The below item detail of the products being purchased within the region will be used to target and cross-match product lists submitted by the vendor. This process will ensure the minimum requirements of the Region are met and help identify possible candidates (i.e. like product items) for elimination, as well as potentially minimizing the number of SKUs included in a subsequent incentive agreement. The major facilities in the Region include but are not limited to Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fort Wainwright, AK; Bremerton Naval Hospital, Bremerton, WA; Fairchild AFB Clinic, Fairchild AFB, WA; 354th Medical Group, Eielson Air Force Base, AK; 3rd Medical Group, Elmendorf AFB, AK; Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA; Oak Harbor Naval Hospital, Oak Harbor, WA This standardization action is part of the Medical/Surgical PV program executed by the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Directorate of Medical Materiel. To participate, your company must have a Distribution and Pricing Agreement (DAPA) and a separate commercial agreement with the PVs for the program. This is pursuant to the DAPA clause by which DAPA holders agree to the Standardization process and to allow PVs to distribute their items. This RFQ will result in Regional Incentive Agreements (RIAs) that supplement the PV Program. The RFQ will not result in a contract award. For additional information regarding DSCPs PV program, please access their web site at https://dmmonline.dscp.dla.mil. The resulting RIA will be for a base period of two (2) years (24 months) from date of selection with three (3) 12-month option periods for a maximum of 5 years. Anticipated selection date is 10/08. The evaluation will be based on clinical, technical, and pricing factors. The Technical/Company and Clinical/Performance evaluation factors, when combined, are considered significantly more important than cost or price. As the technical and clinical evaluation results become more equal, price will become more important. The selection will be determined utilizing best value/ trade off criteria. The selection of a single vendor is anticipated. However, if no single vendor can meet the total requirement of the region, the Government reserves the right to make two or more selections for RIAs. In this event, selection would be based on a combination of MTF preference and product availability. Point of Contact: Pat Cordier, RN, MSN, CNOR at (253) 968-0898; Email - patricia.cordier@us.army.mil B. Products & Performance Required The Northwest Region is seeking Iodophor Alcohol Prep Products. The product category includes applicators and solutions in various concentrations & sizes. Within this region, this product line has an estimated annual demand of $27,506 This forecast is based on historical PV sales during a recent 12-month period. The top high volume usage lines for this project include: SOLUTION SURGICAL DURAPREP 26ML APPLICTR SOLUTION PREVAIL SURG PREP PREVAIL-FX ONE-STEP TPCL PREP At the request of the Regional MTFs, vendors will provide on-site support and in-servicing during implementation, educational resources and tools for clinical use of the product, conversion information, PV order numbers, MSDS information, and itemization of the brands, types and packaging information of the products supplied by the vendor C. Instructions to Vendors DAPA holders interested in participating in this standardization initiative should email their (1) Company name and address, (2) POC (Name and Phone Number, Fax Number, and E-mail address) to patricia.cordier@us.army.mil. All e-mail communication between vendors and the region must be digitally signed. All communications of significant acquisition milestones (such as invitations to participate, or notices of disqualification) must be digitally signed as well. Submissions must be received by 4:00 PM PST on the specified closing date of this RFQ. Vendors that fail to meet this submittal deadline will be disqualified from participating. This process will include vendor requirements for providing electronic responses to technical criteria, no charge literature for clinical evaluation, and submission of electronic best price quotes. Due to the potential for e-mail to be lost in transmission from network security, etc., vendors are strongly encouraged to confirm with the Regional POC stated above their initial submission, best price submissions, and literature or other requested information have actually arrived at the Northwest Regional Tri-Service Business Office (TRBO) via e-mail. Each submitting vendor is advised to confirm receipt, allowing adequate time for resubmission before the due date/time, should a problem occur with the first submission. D. Evaluation Criteria The Tri-Service Product Review Board (TPRB) is the governing board of the standardization process. This board includes clinicians and logisticians from the MTFs within the Region. They are the deciding officials for this initiative. The TPRB intends to evaluate price quotes and select a vendor or vendors without discussions. Vendor quotes should contain the vendors best product matches for the products or product lines requested in this announcement. Vendor quotes should contain the vendors best responses to all technical and/or company questions listed in this announcement. Vendor quotes should contain the vendors best tiered-pricing discounts off of the vendors DAPA pricing (based on committed volume of 80% of the total requirements of the MTFs in the Region). Additionally, the TPRB reserves the right to conduct discussions and request revised quotes, if it is determined to be necessary. If a down selection is made during the evaluation process, the Region may limit the number of quotes to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among vendors. Phase I - Technical/Company Evaluation Process. Interested vendors are to respond to this FBO announcement by emailing their intent to participate to the above POC by the required response date. The vendors initial responses will include information requested in the technical/company criteria listed in the FBO RFQ. Vendors are required to meet/provide responses to the technical/ company criteria stated below. All technical/company criteria are weighted equally. The responses will be reviewed under the purview of the TPRB and the Clinical Product Team (CPT) to determine acceptability of each vendor. After review of the technical/company criteria, those vendors who meet these criteria will be qualified/invited to participate in the clinical/performance evaluation. 1. In general, acceptability for purposes of evaluation of technical/company criteria is defined as follows: a. Based on the vendors responses, the evaluators have reasonable confidence that the line or products and/or services submitted meet the medical standards of care of the community applicable to such products or services. b. The vendors information provided is factually correct. Any misrepresentation of information will disqualify the vendor from further consideration. 2. Each technical/company criteria below requires additional, more specific definition of technical acceptability. This specific standard for technical acceptability will be set forth with the individual criterion. The following equally weighted Technical/Company Evaluation Criteria have been established for the standardization initiative: 1. Vendor is required to provide a full range of Iodophor Alcohol Prep Products. At a minimum, vendors must carry Iodophor Alcohol Prep Products. The product category includes applicators and solutions in various concentrations & sizes. Note: A complete line of product is defined as the MTFs requirements for usage items in the product line. Usage items are defined in the Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor contract statement of work, as DAPA items ordered at least once per month, and at least one unit per order. 2. Vendors that do not meet the following criteria will be disqualified: a. Vendor must have a DAPA for this product group (please provide DAPA number). b. Vendor must have a distribution agreement with Cardinal Health, the regions prime vendor. Please acknowledge and identify that you have such an agreement with Cardinal Health. c. Vendor must offer committed volume discounts off their DAPA price for this product group. Where FSS prices are available, DAPA holders are required by previous agreement to provide FSS price as their DAPA price. Therefore, FSS prices do not represent a discount off the DAPA. 3. The Vendor has a delivery network that allows products to reach the Prime Vendor Distribution Center in sufficient quantities to meet regional demand history in a timely manner. 4. Vendor representation must be sufficient to provide product implementation services and customer servicing to all eight facilities in the region. Please answer Yes/ No and provide contact information (name, address, phone, email) for your representative(s). 5. Your company must provide staff training for this product line. Please state how your company will meet this requirement. 6. Please provide any history of backorders, recalls, and/or adverse events for this product line stating dates and duration, cause, and resolution. Vendors should put their best foot forward, that is, provide a context to include any mitigating factors for these situations and any relief or resolution which may have been provided since there will be no further opportunity to explain these incidents. If your company has not had any of the above, so state. 7. Provide the following information for your prep agents: shelf-life, storage requirements and any restricted use for any specific surgical procedures/skin condition and/or specific age group. (Short shelf life and or special storage and handling requirements are undesirable and may therefore make certain products unacceptable). 8. Due to the large number of personnel in training status in our facilities, we require clear and explicit instructions regarding safe use of prep agent products as included on product packaging to include recommended coverage rate, (e.g. x inches by x inches per ml) of product. Please provide a copy of instructions for use included on your companys product packages for the following types of prep agents: Iodophor Alcohol. 1.Phase II - Clinical/Performance Evaluation Process. the CPT developed a list of items from the product group to evaluate. The determination of the sample set was based on advances in technology, patient safety, and on historical usage for the product line. The CPT also determined that the clinical/performance evaluation will be performed in a clinical, patient care setting. 2.The following procedures will apply. a.The TRBO office will request a no charge clinical evaluation sample set from each of the vendors with a required delivery date 30 days from date of request. (DO NOT SEND UNTIL REQUESTED) b.Each vendor will send the samples directly to the participating MTFs at the addresses listed at the end of this announcement. c.All email communications between vendors and the region concerning sample set shipment will be digitally signed. d.Vendors who do not meet the deadline for sample arrival will be disqualified from the standardization process. e.Due to the potential for samples to become lost or delayed in shipping, all vendors must send the TRBO verification regarding the date of shipment from the vendor, and anticipated delivery date. 3.The samples to be provided are as follows: Applicator with Iodophor Alcohol solution in the following volumes: 1-5 ML : Quantity (20 each) 8-15 ML: Quantity (20 each) 25-30 ML: Quantity (20 each) 4.The CPT will evaluate each product against the clinical/performance criteria. All criteria will carry equal weight. The evaluation will take place on at least 5 patients in a clinical patient care setting. 5.The evaluation responses will represent a clinical value judgment placed in a Likert-like scale with a 1 to 5 scoring format (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree or no; 3 = Undecided; 4 = Agree or yes; 5 = Strongly Agree). Comments will be invited and recorded on the evaluations.. 6.The CPT has set a clinical acceptability threshold target at 3.1. The CPT will determine the actual acceptability threshold for this standardization initiative at or near 3.1 depending on the location of any break (or gap) in vendors average scores. In addition, the CPT may consider how closely scores are clustered near the acceptability target threshold of 3.1, in determining the actual acceptability threshold. Vendors scoring below the actual acceptability threshold will be determined to be clinically unacceptable, and be disqualified from further consideration for this standardization initiative. Vendors that have been disqualified will be notified in writing at the conclusion of the evaluation process. Clinical/Performance Criteria: During the pre-source selection procedures, the CPT validated/ approved the following equally weighted clinical/performance criteria. All criteria will be evaluated on at least 5 patients in a patient care setting, in order to evaluate each criterion: 1. Use of the product following manufacturer recommended prep and dry times facilitated an efficient surgical site prep time. a. Each manufacturer is required, in their user instructions, to recommend prep contact and dry times for their products. These times maximize product efficacy. If application, contact and or dry time in a clinical setting is too long, time spent in the OR can increase leading to increased risk of surgical and anesthetic complications. b. Evaluator will assess the whether actual prep contact and dry times for the products allow for efficient surgical site prep time. 2. Consistency and odor of product is clinically acceptable. a. Patients undergoing surgery can be sensitive to odors increasing their potential for nausea. Consistency must be considered because a too thick product will not spread effectively on the patients skin and a too thin product can drip and pool underneath the patient and increase the risk of a chemical burn. b. Evaluator will assess odor (not strong or noxious smell) and that product does not run or drip during application to surgical site 3. Skin is without adverse effects after using product. a. Hypersensitivity to prepping products may cause adverse skin outcomes (rashes, redness/irritation) b. Evaluator will assess skin for redness/irritation following use of product on patients skin. 4. Use of the product allows for easy differentiation between prepped and unprepped skin. a. Some product tints are difficult to visually distinguish on the skin of people of all ethnicities. Draping over unprepped skin would increase the risk of postoperative infection from skin flora contaminating the surgical field. b. Evaluator will assess skin following prep to determine whether prepped and unprepped skin is clearly delineated prior to draping the patient. 5. Use of the product does not obscure pre-operative surgical markings. a. Marking of the surgical site identifies the correct operative site. If the prepping product obscures the pre-op marking the potential for a wrong site surgery is increased. b. Evaluator will assess surgical site to ensure that pre-op surgical markings are still visible following the prepping procedure. 6. Use of the product facilitates surgical drape adhesion throughout the operative period a. Products must dry quickly and completely so that drapes adhere to the prepped surgical site. Inadvertent shifting of drapes during the surgical procedure could result in contamination of the surgical field. b. Evaluator will assess whether drapes shift during the surgical procedure Phase III - Pricing Analysis Process. After the clinical/performance evaluations are completed and analyzed, all vendors in the clinical evaluation group who met the minimum 3.1 clinical threshold (depending on the break in the average scores and how closely scores are clustered near the Acceptability Target Threshold as determined by the CPT) will be contacted to submit their lowest pricing quotes as well as product cross-reference data based on a committed volume of 80% of the total Regional requirement. Vendors will be given fourteen (14) calendar days to submit their price quotes in the prescribed format as above via email. Price quotes must be received by 4:00 PM PST on the 14th calendar day. Failure to respond within this timeframe or failure to submit incentive discounts from their DAPA prices will result in the vendor being disqualified from further participation in this RIA initiative. The Region intends to evaluate quotes and select a vendor or vendors, without discussions as noted above. However, the Region reserves the right to conduct discussions and request revised pricing, if determined to be necessary. Clinical/performance and technical/company factors will be weighted more heavily than price. As the technical and clinical evaluation results become more equal, price will become more important. Pricing will be evaluated based on best value to the Government and will be based on a committed volume for a two year period with three (3) one-year option periods. The following elements will be considered in the pricing analysis: (1) The impact of RIA prices on the Region (Post-Standardization Costs) is considered more important than the other pricing elements. (2) Impact of Unmatched Lines. (3) Consideration of stock keeping units (SKUs) by each vendor. The Region intends to reduce the number of SKUs that must be handled per period. Vendors that can supply the complete range of clinically required product, without unnecessary numbers of SKUs for minimally differentiated products, will be more likely to provide the best value solution for the Government in this standardization initiative.
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FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=def1601749ce35f5774e2f8b153bad62&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Western Regional Contracting Office ATTN: MCAA W BLDG 9902, 9902 Lincoln Street Tacoma WA
- Zip Code: 98431-1110
- Zip Code: 98431-1110
- Record
- SN01593334-W 20080615/080613220225-def1601749ce35f5774e2f8b153bad62 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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