Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF MAY 07, 2011 FBO #3451
DOCUMENT

R -- MARKETING STUDY - JIMMISON - Attachment

Notice Date

5/5/2011
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541613 — Marketing Consulting Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Program Contract Activity Central;4141 Rockside Rd, Suite 110;Seven Hills OH 44131
 

ZIP Code

44131
 

Solicitation Number

VA70111RI0269
 

Response Due

5/12/2011
 

Archive Date

7/11/2011
 

Point of Contact

Adeitra Jimmison
 

E-Mail Address

adeitra.jimmison@va.gov
(Adeitra.Jimmison@va.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

Request for Information VA-701-11-RI- 0269 Introduction: This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The purpose of this RFI is to identify qualified GSA Schedule contractors who are able to meet VA's requirements, understand GSA Schedule pricing and discount practices and other market information readily available. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is seeking interested sources (contractors) for a near-future solicitation and procurement for the physician labor market. At this time, no solicitation exists. Therefore, DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION. Background: The VHA Healthcare Retention & Recruitment Office is responsible for developing and implementing candidate sourcing and recruitment marketing strategies for The Veterans Health Administration. Physicians from many medical specializations are hard to recruit and difficult to retain. While VHA has successfully implemented a variety of initiatives including our internal national recruitment functions, physician pay changes, education loan reimbursements, relocation (for select subspecialties), and other recruitment and retention incentives, a more sustained market-driven approach is required to continue to source and recruit physicians across a spectrum of specializations. Rather than approaching the task blindly, market research is necessary to direct and shape VA recruitment and retention efforts. Additionally, achievement of VHA workforce objectives is significantly improved by capitalizing on the recruitment and retention of Physicians including medical residents and fellows. Residents and fellows who complete portions of their medical education training in VA facilities are of particular interest. Existing research from the National Institute of Physician Recruitment & Retention indicates that medical resident and fellows represents the following: "Graduating residents and fellows entering practice make up only 3% of the total practicing physician population. "More than 50% of all recruited physicians are currently practicing physicians. "82% of residents look for practice opportunities in communities of 25,000 or more. "50% of all residents report receiving over 100 practice opportunities during their residencies. "63 % of these offers are made prior to their final year. "Dual income families have professional career needs that have implications for recruitment and relocation. Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the objectives and deliverables described in the performance work statement (PWS), except as may otherwise be specified. Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be one year from date of award. 1.0.3 OBJECTIVES This procurement seeks to acquire a recruitment and marketing study. The project will include research into and analysis of key factors that impact the Veterans Health Administration's ability to recruit and retain both experienced physicians and residents exiting training and entering their first practice. Results will be stratified by targeted recruitment groups and defined specialty areas. Perceived perception of VHA as an employer is one of many factors under consideration. Others which may influence employment decisions include, but are not limited to: oSalary and benefit packages oWork environment and operational tempo oVA's reputation as a healthcare organization oVA's reputation as an employer oFactors that draw candidates to VA as an employer oFactors that adversely influence candidates' interest in VA 1.0.3.1 Task Objective 1: Perform market research The study will also evaluate what communication and networking systems physicians use to explore and identify practice opportunities and the degree of reliance of these systems. "Analysis of national private-sector employment market conditions for Physicians, current and future projection(s) "Assessment of recruitment practices among private-sector competitors (retained/contingency search firms and in-house recruitment departments within major healthcare systems) "Qualitative & quantitative analysis of factors influencing physicians to VA employment, dissuading them from employment, and potential recruitment messaging "SWOT analysis "Strategic Recommendations "Tactical Recommendations "Ad campaign creative collateral concepts "Budgetary Implications oVeterans Health Administration has a long-term and well-established brand, "VA - The Best Care - The Best Careers". This brand resonates strongly with health care providers. Focus groups conducted annually from 2004-2006 confirm that continued use of that brand is an appropriate and compelling recruitment tool. Strategies and creative recruitment collateral developed in support of this program will incorporate that existing branding. oAll work must be in compliance with VA graphic standards, in consultation with the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). oAll materials developed, print or electronic, must comply with governmental and VA policy regarding accessibility and privacy and become the sole property of the Department of Veterans Affairs. All media-based activity must comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. oAll native files including images, likeness, brands created under this contract for creative collateral development will be provided and owned by VHA. Methodology: Literature review of recruitment marketing and candidate sourcing strategies for physicians and medical residents; focus group interviews with medical students, medical residents, and current VA physicians to explore factors that influence and/or discouraged selection of VA as an employer, factors that influence retention, work environment factors that impact retention positively or negatively, where and how they seek employment opportunities, when and how they gained information that led to seeking employment with VA. Assessment and analysis of the public medical community will also be included. Based on focus group, surveys, research, historical data, exit surveys and other findings the contractor will develop and administer a survey instrument to provide qualitative analysis of focus group findings or recommend an alternative course of action for qualitative or quantitative analysis that my produce reliable research data on which to base development of a wide-ranging recruitment marketing plan. B. Tasks and Associated Deliverables: In broad strokes, the tasks are indicated below and shall be accomplished in accordance with the schedule indicated. If the Contractor believes that different dates should be established, these proposed dates will be indicated in the contractor's technical proposal and the detailed work plan. The final product will be a written report including an executive summary, findings and recommendations from the recruitment research and analysis. Two electronic copies of the reports (in an MS Word version compatible with the version in use by VA at the time the report is delivered) will be provided, one to the Contracting Officer Technical Representative and one to the Contracting Officer as well as one web-ready copy of the report that is key word indexed. The final written deliverable will include one camera-ready black and white master and one camera-ready color master and 10 printed/binded professional copies of the study for dissemination to VHA. 1. The contractor will establish a candidate sourcing and recruitment-marketing plan for physician specialties commiserate with workgroups utilized by VHA. 2. The contractor will assess conditions (via focus groups, informal/formal chats, workgroup, etc) across VHA healthcare sites to identify and present an appropriate, multifaceted recruitment marketing plan that includes urban verses rural, but is not limited to, the following types of items: a.Traditional and emerging advertising strategies b.Internet technologies c.Social networking technologies d.Analysis of our National Recruitment Program current methodologies to attract Physicians e.Recruitment, advertising, and communication best practices; and, f.Implementation plans and systems recommendations to track the performance of and evaluate effectiveness of each strategy to provide a basis of comparison for other strategies 3. The contractor will access labor and work conditions of the private sector, incorporate the medical community perception of VHA and any other relevant factors which have an impact on the recruitment of physicians. Task 1: Initialize Project: At the initial meeting/conference call of contractor and VA staff, Task Order Project Manager will provide key source documents to the contractor as well as any law and policy guiding the recruitment and hiring practices for Title 38 and Title 38 hybrid occupations, including the VHA Physician Qualification Standards. Deliverable 1: Summary of agreements reached at initial meeting Deliverable 1 b: Key personnel documents including resume Task 2: Detailed Work Plan and Gantt Chart: The contractor and VA will meet to discuss physician recruitment requirements, number and type of positions/specialties, locations, etc. The contractor will meet with key VA officials and program managers to solicit views on expectations and key assumptions. Agreements should be reached at this time as to the specific analytic techniques to be used for the physician recruitment research study. The contractor will submit a detailed schedule of the tasks and deliverables, and a payment schedule will be negotiated. Deliverable 2a: Detailed work plan and Gantt chart Deliverable 2b: Task Order Management Plan Deliverable 2c: Payment Schedule Task 3: Detailed Candidate Sourcing and Recruitment-Marketing Plan: The contractor will provide key VA officials with a plan and implementation schedule for candidate sourcing, and recruitment marketing strategies. At a minimum, the plan must include the recruitment strategies stipulated by the law authorizing the study. The plan will include: odiscussion of the systems to be used in the pilot project oa detailed process on prescreening/prequalifying candidates prior to referral to service further recruitment, interview, and selection oonline marketing plan oother suggested interactive marketing strategies oother cutting-edge or evolving recruitment strategies Deliverable 3: Candidate sourcing/recruitment marketing plan and implementation calendar Task 4: Implementation of the Candidate Sourcing and Recruitment Marketing Plan: The contractor will implement the approved plan as specified in Task 3 and agreed upon by VA, working in collaboration with existing VA marketing strategies. Prescreened and qualified job applicants will be referred to VA Human Resources staff/and or Physician Recruiters for the remainder of the recruitment process (to include candidate interview and selection). The pilot will run for 60 days. Task 4: Implementation of the Plan Task 5: Analysis of VA Physician Recruitment and Selection Process: Management study of VA recruitment and selection processes for title 38 positions. The study will include a work flow analysis of the processes involved in recruitment, selection, and hiring at the facility level. Research and analysis is ongoing from the beginning of the project. A final management report with findings and recommendations for streamlining processes and reducing processing times will be prepared and submitted to the contracting officer. Recommendations will also include any proposed legislative changes to the hiring process Deliverable 5: Final report with recommendations to reduce the length of the hiring process. Task 6: Final Evaluation Report on Results of the Physician Recruitment Pilot Project: Executive report on the results of the pilot project to include how effective the candidate sourcing and recruitment marketing techniques were in identifying and referring qualified candidates. The report will include data on each of the recruitment strategies used, linking numbers of potential candidates responding to the strategies used. The report will include identification of the most productive strategies and the cost effectiveness of each strategy in relationship to both the number of applicants and the number of qualified referrals. Deliverable 6: Final Evaluation Report Task 7: Management Briefings. Although informal briefings may be requested during the course of the project, a formal briefing for VA program officials is to be conducted at the conclusion of the project. Focus will be on a summary of all major findings and proposed recommendations. Deliverable 7a: Slides and other presentation materials. Deliverable 7b: Pre-brief for Director, Management Support Office and selected staff Reporting Requirements: In addition to the deliverables specified above, the contractor is also required to provide the COTR with written progress reports on the first workday of each calendar month. The progress report will cover all work completed during the preceding month as well as the work scheduled for the subsequent month. The report must identify any problems that arose with a statement explaining how the problem was resolved. This report must also identify any problems that have arisen but were not resolved. The COTR will use the monthly report in conjunction with the payment schedule as a basis for recommending authorization of payment of invoices (through the contracting officer) upon the completion of an acceptable deliverable. Submittal Information: Contractors having the skills and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements should submit a response of no more than 30 pages in length, single spaced, 12 point font minimum that addresses the above information. The Government will not review any other data, attachments that are in excess to the 30 pages. In response to the RFI, interested contractors shall submit the following information no later than Thursday May 12, 2011 1:00PM EST to Adeitra Jimmison at Adeitra.jimmison@va.gov. All responses must include the following information: Company name, Cage code, CCR number, Dunn & Bradstreet number, company address, Point of contact name, phone number, fax number, and email. The subject line of the correspondence should clearly display the RFI number. Also please provide the following information in your response. A.Past Experience - Provide the following information on a maximum of three similar projects completed within the last three years for which the responder was a prime or subcontractor. 1.The name, address, and value of each project 2.The Prime Contract Type, Firm Fixed-Price, or Time and Material 3.The name, telephone and address of the owner of each project 4.A description of each project, including difficulties and successes 5.Your company's role and services provided for each project. B. Capabilities / Qualifications: 1.Technical Capability- Description of the capabilities/qualifications/skills your company possesses to perform services described in the scope of work. 2.Labor Categories Provide whether or not your company has a GSA schedule. If so, provide GSA contract number and relevant sins for the services. 3.Teaming Arrangements - Identification of Subcontractors, Teaming Partners, Joint Ventures and description of their core competencies that your company would team with to perform the work. 4.Socio-Economic Status - Indicate whether your company, subcontractors, teaming partners, joint ventures have a Federal Socio-Economic status, e.g., Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, Woman-Owned Small Business, Disadvantaged Small Business, and Hub Zone. If Service-Disabled or Veteran Owned Small Business, is your company and or partners registered in VA's VetBiz repository? 5.Commercial availability - Description of the length of time your services have been commercially available. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/ISC/OISC/VA70111RI0269/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA-701-11-RI-0269 VA-701-11-RI-0269_1.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=197800&FileName=VA-701-11-RI-0269-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=197800&FileName=VA-701-11-RI-0269-000.docx

 

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

Record

SN02441460-W 20110507/110505235130-caf278448693da183b0cec22546fce56 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

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

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