Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JULY 26, 2009 FBO #2799
MODIFICATION

V -- Ambulance Services

Notice Date

7/24/2009
 

Notice Type

Modification/Amendment
 

NAICS

621910 — Ambulance Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Department of Veterans Affairs;VA Gulf Coast VHCS;A&MMS (90C) Bldg T-102;400 Veterans Avenue;Biloxi MS 39531
 

ZIP Code

39531
 

Solicitation Number

VA-256-09-RP-0306
 

Response Due

8/3/2009
 

Archive Date

9/2/2009
 

Point of Contact

William GearyContract Specialist<br />
 

E-Mail Address

bill.geary@va.gov
(bill.geary@va.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

Department of Veterans AffairsVISN 16 Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition 1.Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity The VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (VAGCVHCS), Contracting Office, Biloxi, MS, proposes to enter into a contract on a basis other than full and open competition for the Medical Administration Service (MAS). 2.Nature/Description of Action A new firm fixed price requirements contract for ambulance services is being contemplated under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1 - Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Mobile Medic Ambulance Service (aka American Medical Response (or AMR)), 12020 Intraplex Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503-4602, is the incumbent contractor and is the ambulance service that Harrison County, MS, has an agreement with to provide ambulance services to the citizens of Harrison County, inclusive of all cities located therein. 3.Description of Supplies/Services The requirement is to provide ambulance transportation services for beneficiaries of the VAGCVHCS in Biloxi, MS. The mileage threshold (normal operating area) for the VAGCVHCS is entirely within the boundary bordered by Highway 609 (Washington Avenue) on the East, North and South by the Jackson and Harrison County lines, and on the West by Menge Avenue. The ambulance services are also to include paramedics providing (when required) Advanced Life Support (ALS), cardiac monitoring, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) drugs and procedures, advanced airway management, and medication monitoring and administration in accordance with current Mississippi State Laws and Regulations governing the certification and licensure of private ambulances. Also, Basic Life Support (BLS) is required for non-critical patient care in which patients require an ambulance staffed in accordance with current Mississippi State Laws and Regulations governing the certification and licensure of private ambulances. At a minimum, the ambulances are required to be staffed with a vehicle operator and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Response time is within 60 minutes of contact (20 minutes for emergency cardiac catheterization transfers). 4.Identification of Statutory Authority (X) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (1) Only One Responsible Source ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (2) Unusual and Compelling Urgency ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (3) Industrial, Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental, or Research Capability or Expert Services ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (4) International Agreement ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (5) Authorized or Required by Statute ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (6) National Security ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (7) Public Interest 5.Rationale in support of citation in Paragraph 4 above: a.Description of contractor and or of acquisition action that demonstrates that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited: In December of 1994, Harrison County, Mississippi, entered into an agreement to have Mobile Medic Ambulance Service, Inc., provide ambulance service to the citizens of Harrison County, inclusive of all cities located therein. The contract calls for Mobile Medic to be named as the Emergency Management Service (EMS) lead agency for Harrison County and the municipalities contained therein. Mobile Medic, through its communications control center, coordinates all EMS activities in the County. Mobile Medic has entered into mutual aid agreements with local fire departments and public safety agencies to insure appropriate response by public safety personnel and first responders. Mobile Medic has been designated as the EMS secondary public safety answering point (PSAP) and thus all calls received by other PSAPs for ambulance service, including but not limited to 911 calls, will be transferred to the Mobile Medic control center. Response time is within 60 minutes of contact (20 minutes for emergency cardiac catheterization transfers). The agreement between Harrison County and Mobile Medic has been amended numerous times since 1994 and is currently extended through December 5, 2011. Our opinion, and that of VA Regional Counsel, is that this agreement essentially creates a sole source situation as it basically blocks other companies from being able to provide similar services in Harrison County. Because other companies do not perform ambulance services in the county, a situation where another ambulance service would (or could) come in just for the VAGCVCS' limited requirements is highly unlikely as it would not be cost effective for them (or for us) to operate just for the VAGCVHCS' needs. b.Efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practical: In accordance with FAR 5.201, a Presolicitation Notice will be posted on the FedBizOpps website notifying the commercial marketplace of the VAGCVHCS' intent to negotiate solely with Mobile Medic for ambulance services. If any other potential offerors identify themselves at that time, we will immediately conduct additional market research to see if they can in fact provide the ambulance services required by the VAGCVHCS. Past history tell us that when the VAGCVHCS has issued solicitations for these same type services, no one other than Mobile Medic has submitted an offer. We believe that the agreement Harrison County has with Mobile Medic is the reason for this. c.If the Sole Source Exception (c) (1) was chosen, state the date of synopsis or the basis for waivers. Once our VA Form 2268 is approved to proceed on a sole source basis, a Presolicitation Notice will be placed on FedBizOpps website that will relay the VAGCVHCS' intentions accordingly. d. If the Urgency Exception was chosen and this J&A was prepared after the procurement action was carried out, state the reasons. N/A The above acquisition will be negotiated with: N/A 6.Determination of a Fair and Reasonable Cost The Contracting Officer determines that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable because a complete analysis of all costs or a price analysis will be fully utilized prior to award of the contract. The Independent Government Estimate will also be used as a tool in helping determine price fair and reasonableness. Market research will also be conducted to see if other VA facilities have contracted for similar services where their prices can possibly be compared to our situation. By signing this justification, the Contracting Officer makes a determination that the costs/prices to the Government are expected to be fair and reasonable. 7.A description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted. Market research was conducted to see how many ambulance services were operating in the United States. The CCR search revealed that there were 895 different companies registered as providing ambulance services. A more focused search was accomplished for the State of Mississippi only. The CCR search revealed that there were 7 companies registered as providing ambulance services. These 7 companies were spread-out throughout the larger metropolitan/populated areas of Mississippi and two of them appear to be misregistered (one was a fire equipment company and one was a day care center). Market research has also discovered that smaller community hospitals in the more rural areas of the state often have their own ambulance services that they provide to the immediate area surrounding the hospital. These ambulance services are only one or possibly two vehicle operations. While there is no doubt that there are other companies who can perform ambulance services, we are not aware of anyone other than Mobile Medic who could perform them within the VA's area of coverage and within the required response time of 60 minutes of contact (20 minutes for emergency cardiac catheterization transfers). 8.Additional Support for the use of other than full and open competition: a. Explanation of why technical data, specifications, engineering descriptions, statement of work or purchase descriptions suitable for full open and competition have not been developed or are not available: N/A b. When the sole source exception is used in the case of a follow-on acquisition, provide an estimate of the cost that would be duplicated and describe how the estimate was derived if the contract is awarded to other than the incumbent: N/A c. When the urgency exception is cited provide the data, estimate of cost or other rationale as to the extent of harm to the government if the contract is not awarded expediently: N/A 9.Sources expressing an interest: To date, no other sources have expressed an interest in providing ambulance services for the VAGCVHCS. Once the Presolicitation Notice is published, any other sources of supply that are interested in providing ambulance services for the VAGCVHCS will identify themselves to us accordingly. 10. Actions, if any, being taken to remove barriers to full and open competition: We will continue to monitor the local, state, and national commercial ambulance service market along with the actions of Harrison County concerning EMS agreements. We would welcome full and open competition both now and in the future for this type of acquisition but don't believe that we will ever see this happen until Harrison County changes the way that they approach their EMS'. 11. Delivery Requirements: Base Period: October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010 1st Option Period:October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011 2nd Option Period:October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012 12. Acquisition Plan: An Acquisition Plan (X) is ( ) is not required for this acquisition. 13. IT Approval: IT Approval ( ) is (X) is not required for this acquisition. If it is, include appropriate approvals. The assertions and recommendations in support of the justification have been prepared by: //SIGNED// BRIAN J. LAKE3/30/09 _______________________________________________________________________ Technical Representative Date Contracting Officers Certification The Contracting Officer has determined that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer's knowledge and belief. //SIGNED// DONNA FRAZZA7/1/09 __________________________________________________ __________________ Contracting Officer Date //SIGNED// MICHAEL L. BLACK7/2/09 ______________________________________________ _______________ One Level above Contracting Officer Date CONCURRED BY: //SIGNED// CYNTHIA L. DUE7/2/09 _____________________________________________________________________ Head of Contracting Activity Over $500K not exceeding $10 MilDate Activity Competition Advocate CONCURRED BY: N/A ___________________________________________________ ________________ Agency Competition Advocate Over $10M not exceeding $50MDate CONCURRED BY: N/A __________________________________ __________________ Senior Procurement Executive Over $50MDate
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/BiVAMC/VAMCCO80220/VA-256-09-RP-0306/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System;400 Veterans Avenue;Biloxi MS<br />

Zip Code: 39531<br />
 

Record

SN01887037-W 20090726/090725000656-0f91dfd61f1c6606938cedee80721b5f (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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