Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JANUARY 22, 2011 FBO #3346
DOCUMENT

Q -- MAMMOGRAPHY SERVICES FOR HUDSON VALLEY VETERANS HOSIPTAL Catchment areas are in New York Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, and Sullivan Counties - Attachment

Notice Date

1/20/2011
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

621512 — Diagnostic Imaging Centers
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;James J. Peters VA Medical Center;130 West Kingsbridge Road;Bronx NY 10468-3904
 

ZIP Code

10468-3904
 

Solicitation Number

VA24311RP0086
 

Response Due

1/27/2011
 

Archive Date

2/11/2011
 

Point of Contact

LINDA WILLIAMS
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. It is neither a solicitation announcement nor a request for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Responses to this Sources Sought must be in writing. The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Veteran Owned Small Businesses, 8(a), HubZone and other Small Businesses interested and capable of performing the work. Documentation of technical expertise must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition. Responses to this notice shall include the following: (a) company name b) address (c) point of contact (d) phone, fax, and email (e) DUNS number (f) Type of small business, e.g. Services Disabled Veteran Owned small Business, Veteran-owned small business, 8(a), HUBZone, Women Owned Small Business, Small disadvantaged business, or Small Business HUBZone business and (i) must provide a capability statement that addresses the organizations qualifications and ability to perform as a contractor for the work described below. Description: 1. Introduction and Scope of Work Catchment areas are in New York Area as follows; Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan Counties The VA Hudson Valley Health Care System does not provide on-site mammography services due to the low volume of females requiring mammography. The volume is not sufficient to enable us to provide comprehensive breast imaging services meeting quality and regulatory requirements. The VA Hudson Valley Health Care System is seeking breast imaging, screening and diagnostic services, and breast interventional services for veterans (and selected non-veterans) cared for at our main campuses and community based outpatient clinics throughout the Hudson Valley. Services requested include all breast imaging and other diagnostic procedures for detection and diagnosis of breast disease in men and women. 2. Requirements Services to be performed include: ProcedureCPT Code Screening mammography 77057 Unilateral diagnostic mammography 77055 Bilateral diagnostic mammography 77056 Breast Ulstrasound 76645 Fine Needle Localizations 10022 Breast Aspirations19000 Stereotactic biopsies77031 When clinically indicated, a screening mammogram may be converted to a diagnostic mammogram to expedite final diagnosis. In such instances, the contractor will be reimbursed only for the diagnostic mammogram. If the contractor identifies the need for services outside the scope of this contract for an individual veteran, contractor must contact the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System Women Veterans Program Manager for preauthorization prior to performing such service. Certification Accreditation and Regulatory Requirements The Contractor shall be certified by the FDA and accredited by the American College of Radiology and The Joint Commission (TJC). The Contractor is authorized to provide services only as long as its accreditation and certification are maintained in good standing. Loss of accreditation must be communicated to Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) and the Chief of Staff in writing, immediately and will be grounds for immediate termination of the contract. Contractors providing stereotactic needle localization and biopsy must be accredited by the American College of Radiology / American College of Surgeons Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Accreditation program for the respective procedure(s). The Contractor shall comply with all Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) statutes and regulations as well as pertinent regulations of: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and The Joint Commission. Services will be performed in a manner consistent with the regulations for registered radiologists in the State of New York (as applicable) and consistent with accepted medical practice. The contractor shall provide copies of current accreditation and certification documentation prior to initiation of the contract and prior to any contract option years. Documents will include accreditation by The Joint Commission and certification by the FDA and will include performance on the standards relevant to the contract to include, at minimum, those relating to the qualifications and competence of staff, health screening, criminal background checks, competency assessments, performance evaluations, staff orientation and safety and infection control requirements. Physicians: Names of specific physicians providing interpreting services do not need to be specified, however, all physicians must meet the following requirements: Have a current NY State Medical License Are board certified by the American College of Radiology (ACR) Meet all qualifications required by the FDA and Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). Performing follow-up exams (ultrasound, breast aspirations, biopsies, etc.) are proficient in performing these exams, board certified by the ACR and meet all qualifications required by MQSA. Have appropriate clinical privileges to perform interpreting services. Radiologic Technologists: Have current NY State License. Are registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) for Mammography. Meet the requirements of the ACR and MQSA. Medical Physicists: Meet all FDA and MQSA qualifications. a. Timeliness Requirements The vendor shall provide services under this agreement during their regular business hours. Patients shall be contacted by the contracting facility for scheduling upon receipt of the referral (order) from the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System. If services need to be cancelled or deferred for any reason the contractor will notify the Women Veterans Program Manager. If equipment failure or staffing issues impact timely scheduling the VA will provide services through another contract facility or through a fee basis arrangement. If after 30 days the exam has not been completed due to failure to contact the facility for an appointment or due to failure to show up for scheduled appointment the contractor will notify the Women Veterans Program Manager. The Women Veterans Program Manager will initiate processes to monitor timeliness of services provided and report any problems to the COTR. b. Reporting Requirements Reports to VA Hudson Valley Health Care System Mammography reports shall include both the numerical ACR BIRADS code and the full textual description that goes along with it. All reports must be clearly identified with the name and location of the vendor, date of exam, patient name, unique patient number as assigned by the contractor, and name and address of the requesting facility. Reports will be stored in the Imaging Service who will be responsible for archiving reports as indicated. The referring provider will be contacted by the facility within one - two working days of completion of the examination or procedure for results (BIRADS 4, 5) the phone call must be documented on the mammogram report. This number can be found on the prescription. If the referring provider cannot be reached the facility will contact the Women Veterans Program Manager who will coordinate communication of appropriate information to an alternate provider or program manager/supervisor. The facility will provide a point of contact and contact information so that the referring provider can follow up to clarify interpretations. The contractor will notify the Women Veterans Program Manager of positive findings or findings requiring follow up within 3 days by phone and fax. The contractor is required to discuss the recommended follow up with the requesting clinician. The contractor will notify the Women Veterans Program Manager by fax of the results of exams with negative interpretations within 30 days of the exam. The contractor will notify the Women Veterans Program Manager of any amended reports. Reports to patients The Contractor shall provide a written summary of the results of the mammography examination/procedure written in lay terms within 30 days of completion of the examination or procedure for normal results via mail. The medical provider will: Inform the patient of the abnormal result and recommendation by the facility upon completion of the examination or procedure for exams interpreted as "Suspicious", "Highly Suggestive of Malignancy" or "Known Biopsy Proven Malignancy"(BIRADS categories 4, 5). Inform the patient of the abnormal result and recommendation by the facility upon completion of the examination or procedure for exams interpreted as "Incomplete, Need Additional Imaging Evaluation," (BIRADS category 0, 3), in order to avoid delays in patient work-up. Additional imaging studies (such as breast sonography or breast MRI) may be added. In such cases, the additional imaging should be performed on the same day as the mammogram, if at all possible. Follow-up The contractor shall be responsible for contacting the Women Veterans Program Manager concerning any follow-up, and contacting the patient to schedule the follow-up appointment, as authorized by the VA, within the reporting time frames specified above for BIRADS categories 0, 3 and 4, 5. Image Labeling and Retention The contractor shall make certain of the following: All images must be clearly identified with the name of the contractor and location, date of exam, patient name and unique patient number (as assigned by the contractor). Mammography / Breast Sonogram images - Unless otherwise requested, all images shall be retained for no less than 5 years. (10 years if a first time mammogram.) 1 (one) copy of all images shall be provided to the VA, in digital format if available. Upon request by, or on behalf of the patient, the contractor shall release the original mammogram images either to the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System or the patient directly. c. Documentation Requirements All reports must be provided in MQSA format using BI-RADS nomenclature. Documentation of reports and services provided must: Be acceptable for purposes of proper chart entry for patient care. The contractor will not have access to or utilize CPRS, VISTA or any other VA computer system. Meet third party billing requirements, as governed by guidelines that are defined by the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System or third party insurers. d. Workload Data Below are the numbers of breast imaging procedures and diagnostic procedures for FY'09 provided to veterans from the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System. It is anticipated that these number would increase slightly over the course of the contract. FacilityScreening MammographyDiagnostic MammographyBreast U/SStereotactic Biopsy VA Hudson Valley Health Care System861091 e. Facility data There is no requirement for pre-award inspection of the facility, however, VA may send appropriate staff to the contract facility at any time to evaluate equipment or services provided. All staff, equipment and supplies necessary for the performance of the contracted procedures will be provided by the contractor. The mammography equipment and mammography program must meet all MQSA and TJC compliance requirements at all times. Specifically: Equipment must be specifically designed for Mammography, having AEC, grids, magnification capabilities, appropriate compression devices and with large and small focal spots. Radiographic film and intensifying screens must be specifically manufactured for mammography. Standard Ultrasound equipment with appropriate transducers for breast sonography. Tele-radiology will not be utilized for services provided under the contract. f. Place of performance All contracted procedures will be performed in contractor owned/operated facilities accredited by The Joint Commission. g. Procedure for Referral and Scheduling The VA will provide the Contractor with the following information: Referring provider name and contact/alternate contact information: e.g. name, phone number, fax number, pager, etc. Patient contact information, including name, phone number, address, etc., to allow Contractor to make contact with the patient. Patient demographics and pertinent patient history Request form authorizing procedures to be performed include mammogram authorization letters, mammogram prescription form 21-4142 (authorization and Consent to Release Information to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and referral date if required. If the results of a screening exam are abnormal, contractor is authorized to perform necessary diagnostic studies to determine final BIRADS classification). The VA will select and provide any mammography films and other studies for comparison. The selection of studies will be made by the referring provider who will also serve as the point of contact should additional studies be requested. Any images of prior studies supplied to the vendor by the VA must be returned to the VA within 7 days of the study date. The contractor will provide appropriate patient evaluations prior to performing any procedures and obtain informed consent if required. h. Transfer of Patients In general, the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System does not anticipate a need for patient transfer does not anticipate a need for patient transfer for emergency care. In the unlikely event this is necessary; the contractor will arrange for appropriate transfer to a community medical facility. i. Patient Safety The Contractor will adhere to all patient safety requirements of The Joint Commission. j. Exchange of Data See reporting requirements above. k. Billing The contractor will bill the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System for services performed. All bills must include the following: Vendor Name Remittance address (address where the payment is to be issued Itemized description of goods or services, quantity, and unit price CPT code(s) and procedure name(s) Total dollar amount of invoice Purchase Order Number All bills are to be sent directly to the VA Financial Services Center in Austin, Texas. Payment will be authorized only if completed and signed report has been submitted Billing veteran patients, their beneficiaries or submitting claims to third party payers for services provided is prohibited. Only VA is to be billed for the services provided by contractor/contractor employees through this contract. l. Payments VA reimbursement will be considered payment in full and the contractor will not bill the patient for any services performed under the terms of the agreement. m. Penalty for non-performance Studies not performed within the agreed-upon timeframes, or reports not received by the VA within agreed-upon timeframes shall not be billable to the VA. Continued failure to meet the specifications of the contract will be addressed with the contractor by the COTR or appropriate contracting staff and may result in requiring the contractor to take actions to improve service to conform to contract requirements, reduce the contract price to reflect reduced value or in termination of the contract. n. Reimbursement method Reimbursement is procedure based and payment will be based on CPT codes. o. Educational and research activities No research activities are permitted under the terms of this contact. Contacts may be established with teaching institutions however such teaching activities will not be reimbursed. Further, all breast studies done under the terms of this contract must be physically read by an attending physician meeting the requirements in section 2(b) (vi) above and documented as such. 3. References The Joint Commission accreditation standards MQSA Standards Imaging CPT Codes VHA Handbook 1050.1 VHA Safety National Patient Safety Improvement handbook 4. Delivery VA Hudson Valley Health Care System is seeking breast imaging, screening and diagnostic services and breast interventional services for veterans cared for at our main campuses and community based outpatient clinics throughout the Hudson Valley. See Section 2 Requirements for services to be performed. The vendor shall provide services under this agreement during their regular business hours. Regular business hours will include daily services during scheduled operating hours Monday-Friday with the exception of holidays. All contracted procedures will be performed in contractor owned/operated facilities. 5. Progress and Compliance The contractor shall have a quality monitoring program which meets the requirements of MQSA, The Joint Commission and all other applicable external review agencies. With two weeks advance notice the contractor will provide the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System with access to review quality management documents. The performance of the contractor will be monitored by the COTR to make sure that all VA requirements are being met. The COTR will be responsible for assuring that invoices are accurate prior to certifying them for payment. The COTR will monitor workload in conjunction with the Women Veterans Program Manager and reconcile records with the contractor periodically or as needed. At least annually the COTR will prepare a summary of the contractor performance for review and submit to the Executive Leadership Council through the Medical Staff Executive Committee. The summary will include, at minimum, results of performance monitoring, accreditation and certification status and recommendations related to continuing, revising or terminating the contract. The Women Veterans Program Manager will serve as coordinator for services provided by the contractor and will maintain records of referrals, services provided, films/images sent, reports received and patient tracking and serve as the point of contact for reporting any problems related to the performance of the contract including deficiencies in timeliness or report accuracy. The Women Veterans Program Manager will monitor patient outcomes and patient satisfaction with services provided in concert with referring physicians and clinical leaders and report any problems identified to the COTR and to the Women Veterans Advisory Committee. The contractor will provide the COTR and Women Veterans Program Manager with contact information for responsible individuals and will be required to update this information immediately if it changes. The VA will provide the contract facility with contact information for the COTR and Women Veterans Program Manager and update this information immediately if it changes. Regularly scheduled or periodic meetings between the VA and the contractor may be initiated as needed to review workload and performance and resolve problems. The contractor will participate in any claims defense related to services they provide under the contract. Important Information: The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought synopsis request. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. Currently due the requirements an unrestricted full and open competition procurement is anticipated that will likely result in a multiple award. No sub-contracting opportunity is anticipated. The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 621512 ($13.0 million). Notice to Potential Offerors: All Offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR located on the web at www.ccr.gov). It is desirable that any Offeror to have completed their business Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). Additionally, all Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses who respond to a solicitation on this project must be registered with the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Veterans Enterprise VetBiz Registry located at http://vip.vetbiz.gov. All information submissions must be sent by email to LINDA.WILLIAMS11@va.gov. Responses to this Sources Sought Announcement are due by 4:00PM E.S.T. on JANUARY 27, 2011. After review of the responses to this announcement, the Government intends to proceed with the acquisition and a formal synopsis and subsequent solicitation announcement will be published. The Governments intent is to solicit a Firm Fixed Price, Best Value Procurement.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/BroVANAP/VAMD/VA24311RP0086/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA-243-11-RP-0086 VA-243-11-RP-0086_2.doc (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=172174&FileName=VA-243-11-RP-0086-000.doc)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=172174&FileName=VA-243-11-RP-0086-000.doc

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: SERVICES MUST BE PROVIDED AT VENDOR SITE;SEE SPECIFICATIONS ON SERVICE AREA;FOR FDR VA HUDSON VALLEY VA;MONTROSE NY 10548-1454

Zip Code: 10548
 

Record

SN02363314-W 20110122/110120234317-c82027b2713d1a3c4488b1593d63b839 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

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

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