SOURCES SOUGHT
U -- RFI VA250-14-I-0224 ICD-10 Training Services
- Notice Date
- 3/21/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 611430
— Professional and Management Development Training
- Contracting Office
- Department of Veterans Affairs;Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10;260 E. University Avenue;Cincinnati OH 45219
- ZIP Code
- 45219
- Solicitation Number
- VA25014I0224
- Response Due
- 3/31/2014
- Archive Date
- 4/30/2014
- Point of Contact
- Michael Groneman; michael.groneman@va.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Michael.Groneman@va.gov
(Michael.Groneman@va.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- In accordance with FAR Part 10, Market Research, this is a sources sought to determine the availability of potential sources/vendors having the skills and capabilities necessary to perform/provide the stated requirements for ICD-10 instruction. All interested contractors are invited to provide information to contribute to this market survey/sources sought including, commercial market information. This sources sought notice 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 VA is currently conducting market research to locate qualified, experienced and interested potential sources. Responses will not be considered as proposals, nor will any award be incurred by interested parties in responding to this sources sought announcement. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is seeking interested sources (contractors) for a near-future solicitation and procurement for International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition, (ICD-10) Procedure Coding System/Clinical Modification (PCS/CM) implementation support services. At this time, no solicitation exists. Therefore, DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION. Questions will not be entertained at this time. Respond only to requested information and questions below. The purpose of this is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification (Hubzone, 8(a), small, small disadvantage, service disabled veteran owned small business, or large business) relative to NAICS 621111 (size standard of $10.0 Million). Responses to this synopsis will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. STATEMENT OF NEED The Veterans Administration (VA) Healthcare System of Ohio (VISN10) is seeking support to provide American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certified ICD-10 Coding Instruction on ICD-10 Clinical Modules/Procedure Coding System (CM/PCS) to its Health Care Providers (HCPs) throughout the Network. The vendor shall be expected to provide ICD-10 CM/PCS training for (HCPs) in order to enable a successful transition to this new coding system before 9/30/2014. Training and deployment plans will need to be specific to each of these broad learner categories as (HCP) training needs, learning styles, and availability are quite different. In addition, specific sub-populations within each of these groups will need more in-depth and focused training based on gaps from pre-assessments, types of services provided, workload and fiscal implications. Further, all training must be delivered without VA participant travel and/or via virtual modalities as described below in order to reach the broadest possible audience in the most cost-effective manner. Since the financial health of the facilities in this VISN is in large part dependent on this endeavor, this project will require significant vendor capability, time and expertise to ensure that all deliverables are successfully met in a comprehensive and timely fashion. 1. BACKGROUND and JUSTIFICATION OF NEED Effective October 1, 2014, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will require public and private sectors to convert from using ICD- 9 CM coding convention to ICD-10 CM/PCS. This is a change from a 17,849 code system to a new code structure containing 140,658 codes; an increase of some 87%. The transition to ICD-10 is a major undertaking for the entire health care industry; to include providers, payers and vendors. It will drive business and systems changes throughout the entire nation, from large national health plans to small provider offices, laboratories, medical testing centers, hospitals, and more. To ensure a smooth transition, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities need to devote staff time and financial resources to convert activities. Within VISN10, this change is expected to substantially and primarily impact revenue, reporting/clinical documentation, planning processes, and business systems. A successful transition to ICD-10 will be vital to ensuring fiscal viability and uninterrupted operations. VISN10 is participating in this initiative as they have a stake in minimizing billing errors and refusals resulting in delayed or denied payments. The Network has been assessing current systems and gaps in preparation of this transition in concert with centralized direction and resources from the VA Central Office in Washington DC. VISN10's medical facilities have ~6000 providers to serve over 227, 000 veterans annually; with over 30,000 admissions and ~3.2 million outpatient visits per year. Related health care services provided by this VISN includes a full range of outpatient and institutional treatment, acute and chronic care (including specialty and subspecialty clinics), as well as preventative, restorative, and palliative services. 2. SCOPE AND CONTRACT CONSIDERATIONS The scope of this project is ICD-10 CM/PCS training for all HCPs in VISN10. HCPs are defined as physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and others involved with documenting the diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with billable services. Associated tasks and deliverables for HCPs should run concurrently and interdependently as indicated to ensure that appropriate testing of each target group's contributions can occur before the "go live date" of the ICD-10 transition. This will make certain an accurate bill for services is verified and confirmed prior to October 1, 2014. Anticipated deliverables related to the tasks delineated in the following section and routine project management activities are detailed below. Given the complex nature of this project, the exact deliverables may be modified based on discussions between the VISN10 ICD-10 Steering Committee Chair and the contractor. The schedule of deliverables will be determined by the committee after project kick-off and will be incorporated into the contractor's project plan. VISN10 will provide the contractor with necessary background and informational materials related to the project functions to assist in completing all contract activities. All information technology (IT) tools used in support of this contract must conform to available VHA infrastructure, and where possible should be based on the Microsoft Office suite of products. The contractor will provide graphics design and production support sufficient for supporting key tasks and deliverables detailed in the contract. The vendor must have documented evidence of current ownership of extensive training materials and curricula prior to the contract award as well as evidence of the ability to modify these appropriately to customize to client specific needs. A. Tasks and Deliverables: ICD-10 CM/PCS Training for HCPs HCPs are considered to be physicians, physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and others involved with documenting the diagnoses and treatment of conditions associated with billable services. Learning approaches proposed for these audiences should be customized to specific clinical interest areas, diagnoses, and related documentation requirements. In addition, offered training sessions should range 30 to 60 minutes in length, each session with an emphasis on key points. Training options should include interactive clinical documentation presentations as described above and/or delivered over electronic modalities that are compatible with VA computer systems and accessible 24/7 by an unlimited number of concurrent users. Training must be web-based and available July 1, 2014 - July 1, 2015 Training should, in part, use case based scenarios that demonstrate differences in documentation requirements for ICD-10 using comparative examples with ICD-9. Ability to provide "apps" that support just-in-time performance support is highly desirable. Delivery must include a tracking mechanism to track training completion specific to provider and specialty services levels. B. Provision of Training and Performance Support a) General coding overview b) Specialized to Clinical Practice areas c) Track and report attendee participation d) Provide relevant job aids, i.e. tip sheets, including hard copy and digital sources e) Provide contractor Help Desk support 24/7 with response within a two (2) business day period via customer portal. f) AMA Continuing Educational Units (CEU) or Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit for completing the training is mandatory g) Evaluation tool to test attendees on the provider training received as it relates to ICD-10 CM/PCS via Internet/website and certificate of training upon successful completion h) Provision of multiyear contract to provide ICD-10 CM/PCS coding training to new providers. This will be a One year base contract with possible extension for an additional year. C. Project Management and Administration Tasks and Deliverables 1) A kick-off meeting will be held with VISN10 representatives within ten (10) days of award of the contract. Minutes of discussion points and agreements from the meeting will be provided by the contractor and approved by VISN staff. 2) The contractor will develop a detailed project management plan for delivery within ten (10) days following the kick off meeting. This plan will be developed in close consultation with the VISN10 Network Office and will include detailed deliverable schedules and timelines. 3) Written monthly status reports detailing contract tasks undertaken and progress will be provided to VISN10 representatives and the contracting officer representative (COR). 4) Written summaries of evaluations will be provided after each episode and raw data will be provided upon request. 3. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Contractors must provide a resume and business profile that documents the following items listed below. Each contractor shall also provide a demonstration by furnishing sample modules and presentations to be evaluated for contract award. These demos can be provided via CD or electronic based dissemination methods. a. At least 5 years of Provider training experience and ability to independently accomplish the job tasks; b. Evidence that contractor has the capability and capacity to fulfill all tasks as a top priority within a mutually; agreed upon time table c. Faculty certification by AHIMA as a recognized ICD-10 CM/PCS Training Provider; d. Documented evidence of current ownership of extensive training materials and curricula prior to the contract award as well as evidence of the ability to modify these appropriately to customize to client specific needs as indicated. e. Range and types of products and services that reflect application of evidence based learning theory and curricula development for specialized target audiences f. Ability to provide training that is 508 (SCORM) compliant g. Evidence of superior client satisfaction and proven success from ICD-10 CM/PCS project work h. Contractors with prior ICD coding training experience for large health care organizations preferred 4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The period of performance for the contract shall begin at the effective date of the contract through Jun 30th 2014 The option period will start on July 1, 2015 and end June 30, 2016. The contractor shall provide VA personnel access to their ICD-10 Education Program, via the internet by July 1, 2014. 5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The government anticipates that this contract work will potentially take place in a number of locations. These locations will primarily consist of physically or virtually working within the VISN 10 catchment area and shall begin at the effective date of contract through September 30, 2014. The option period will start on July 1, 2015 and end June 30, 2016. The contractor shall provide VA personnel access to their ICD-10 Education Program, via the internet by July 1, 2014. Potential face to face meetings at the VISN 10 Office location in Cincinnati, Ohio may be necessary to formulate strategy and develop the deliverables; however much of the communication shall be conducted via conference call as indicated. Contractors will not be required to routinely work on-site at the Network Offices or VA Medical Centers. Contractor will be reimbursed for all approved travel expenses in accordance to the Federal Travel Regulation. Reimbursement of travel costs shall not exceed the rates and conditions of reimbursement set forth in the Federal Travel Regulations. Travel expenses must be coordinated and approved in advance by the COR. Costs incurred by contractor personnel on official company business are allowable, subject to the limitations contained in FAR Part 31.205- 46. Government per diem rates can be found on the website at www.gsa.gov. 6. CONTRACT TYPE This will be a Firm-Fixed Price contract that is per session, module, or product and not per attendee. Vendor proposals should detail the technical approach/methodology(ies) for completing all requirements, Tasks and deliverables of the Statement of Work (SOW). Price quotes should be all inclusive of any reproduction or licensing fees and based on types and numbers of sessions, CBT modules and/or enduring materials regardless of number of attendees. If a licensed product, license will be all encompassing for all VA Medical Centers, Community Based Outpatient Clinics and associated Health Care Centers throughout VISN 10. 7. Requested submittal Information: Contractors having the skills and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements should submit a response of no more than 15 pages in length, single spaced, 12 point font minimum. The Government will not review any other data or attachments that are in excess of the 15 pages. Companies should provide clear and unambiguous evidence to substantiate their capability to fulfill these requirements. Interested parties shall furnish the following minimum information: 1.Company name and address. 2.Company point of contact name, telephone number and email address. 3. Is your business large or small? 4.If small, does your firm qualify as a small, emerging business, or small disadvantaged business? 5.If disadvantaged, specify under which disadvantaged group and if your firm is certified under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act 6.Is your firm a certified Hub zone firm? 7.Is your firm a woman-owned or operated business? 8.Is your firm a certified Service-Disabled Veteran or Veteran Owned Small business (SDVOSB or VOSB)? 9.If your firm is a SDVOSB or VOSB, are you registered with VetBiz Registry? If not, please register at: http://vip.vetbiz.gov/general_user/register/default.asp 10.Does your firm have a DUNS number? If so, please provide. If not, you must register with Dun & Bradstreet at: http://www.dnb.com 11.Is your firm registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at http://www.ccr.gov? If not, please register as soon as possible. 12.If the company holds a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Contract, list the GSA Contract Number and relevant SINS. 13.Does your firm have a website address? Please provide. 14.Are you AHIMA certified? 15.Capabilities/Qualifications: A written response providing clear and unambiguous evidence to substantiate the capacity to fulfill this requirement. Description of the capabilities/qualifications/skills your company possesses to perform services described in the scope of work. 16.Do you need to subcontract any portion of work to provide these services stated herein? 17.Past Experience: Brief summary of the company history relative to similar requirements. Offer may provide the following information on a maximum of three similar projects for which the responder was a prime or subcontractor. a.The name, address, and value of each project. b.The Prime Contract Type, Firm Fixed-Price, or Time and Material. c.The name, telephone and address of the owner of each project. d.A description of each project and why it is relevant to this requirement. Include difficulties and successes. e.Your company's role and services provided for each project. 18.What are the common qualifications of the people who are providing these services? Telephone and faxed responses will not be accepted nor responded to. It is requested that the above information be provided no later than 3/31/2014 at 4:00PM EST. Responses should be emailed to Michael Groneman, Michael.Groneman@va.gov and Alex Daniel, Alexander.Daniel@va.gov. All email correspondence for this project must reference the RFI Number, Project Identifier and Project Title in the subject line of the email. Example: RFI VA-250-14-I-0224, ICD-10 Training Services. As stated, This notice is to assist the VA in determining sources only. A solicitation is not currently available; therefore, DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION. If a solicitation is issued it will be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. DISCLAIMER This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses to possible, future solicitation announcement. All interested offerors will have to respond to the solicitation announcement in addition to responding to this sources sought announcement. Responses to this sources sought is not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. All information received in response to this notice 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.
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