SOLICITATION NOTICE
Q -- Emergent VISN1 Reference Blood Draws Refer to attached LSJ.
- Notice Date
- 4/10/2015
- Notice Type
- Fair Opportunity / Limited Sources Justification
- NAICS
- 621111
— Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Veterans Affairs;VA Boston Healthcare System;Contracting Officer (90C);940 Belmont Street;Brockton MA 02301
- ZIP Code
- 02301
- Archive Date
- 5/16/2015
- Point of Contact
- Heather L Simpson
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- V797P-7105A
- Award Date
- 4/1/2015
- Description
- LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION ORDER >$150,000 FAR PART 8.405-6 This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program. The material or service listed in par. 3 below is sole source, therefore, consideration of the number of contractors required by FAR Subpart 8.4 - Federal Supply Schedules, is precluded for the reasons indicated below. Restricted to the following source: Contractor: Quest Diagnostics, Inc. Contractor Address: Three Giralda Farms, Madison, NJ 07940-1027 1 The requested material or service represents the minimum requirements of the Government. (1) AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:Department of Veterans Affairs NCO 1 Consolidated Contracting Activity 940 Belmont Street________________ Brockton, MA 02301 VISN:1 (2) NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED: The contractor has a valid Federal Supply Schedule Contract V797P-7105A and has been providing satisfactory services. Quest Diagnostics currently has the only FSS contract for all testing required by NCO 1 covering 27 sites (Medical Centers and Outpatient Clinics). The current Task Order ends on March 31, 2015 and there is not enough time to prepare a new solicitation without interrupting direct patient care services. (3)(a)A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEED: The services will include: a) Interface with VA's VistA System. Best practice is to eliminate manual entry of results and employ an electronic result entry process. The interface with Quest has reduced risk of manual entry errors in VISN 1; b)Transportation of clinical laboratory specimens, originating from the VA Medical Center and Satellite Outpatient Clinic laboratories destined contracted commercial reference laboratory ; c) IntraVISN transportation of clinical laboratory specimens originating from the VA medical center and satellite outpatient clinic laboratories destined to VA West Roxbury or VA West Haven; d) Performance of analytical testing; e)Reporting of analytical test results; e)Consultative services; f)Patient Service Centers within the New England area for phlebotomy services. (b)ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE: $600,000 for 2 months to work on long-term FSS BPA. (c)REQUIRED DELIVERY DATE: 4/1/2015 (4)IDENTIFICATION OF THE JUSTIFICATION RATIONALE (SEE FAR 8.405-6), AND IF APPLICABLE, A DEMONSTRATION OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SUPPLY OR SERVICE. 1Specific characteristics of the material or service that limit the availability to a sole source (unique features, function of the item, etc.). Describe in detail why only this suggested source can furnish the requirements to the exclusion of other sources. Phlebotomy Draw Stations or patient service centers are in convenient locations throughout North East that collect specimens and then transport them to the host facilities for testing. This benefits the Government's CBOC's that do not have on-site phlebotomy service and also allows for test results to be entered in the patient record. Courier Service/specimen transport between VA labs within the VA New England Healthcare VISN 1 for the purpose of Intra-VISN testing at the Government's core laboratories located at West Haven and West Roxbury. 1A patent, copyright or proprietary data limits competition. The proprietary data is: Patient results are automatically transferred from Quest to VA Vista System. This eliminates manual entry of patient results and vendor reference ranges. Manual entry errors are a high risk area in the laboratory. Best practice is to eliminate manual entry of results and employ an electronic result entry process. The interface with Quest has reduced risk of manual entry errors in VISN 1. 1The material/service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit and function) with existing systems presently installed/performing. Describe the equipment/function you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system. Set up cannot be transferred from one site to another. Set up for this connectivity is not interchangeable between medical reference lab vendors. In addition to the connectivity issue, any change in reference lab would require test file changes in the VISTA system. This would also be a time consuming task to undertake. It is not in the best interests of VISN 1 to expend additional manpower to change medical reference lab vendors at this time. Quest Diagnostics has provided quality testing as the primary medical reference laboratory vendor for all sites in VISN 1. As part of the VISN, the program manager of the laboratory for the VISN 1 campus has taken the initiative to standardize laboratory testing services to the greatest extent possible. This process has defined several different types of cost per reportable test requirements and service requirements that can be standardized and still meet the approvals and regulatory requirements of the Veterans Administration, College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Joint Commission (JC). The individual services have been identified with several different vendors with specific technical capabilities and/or coordination requirements specified by VISN 1 laboratory protocols. This coordination process has provided the laboratory service with the best client service and shortest turnaround time for providing patient results. 1An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays. The current task order ends on March 31, 2015. Due to the short time frame of this direct patient care need, it is in the best interest of the Government to continue services with the incumbent for a two month period, with the option to extend services clause to ensure there is sufficient time to conduct market research with this procurement. (5) DESCRIBE WHY YOU BELIEVE THE ORDER REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE CONSISTENT WITH FAR 8.4 TO AID THE CONTRACTING OFFICER IN MAKING THIS BEST VALUE DETERMINATION: The prices offered represent the best value to the Department of Veterans Affairs consistent with FAR 8,404(d), because an additional discount to the FSS price list is given by Quest Diagnostics based on estimated volume for testing services. It would not be cost effective to change the primary medical reference lab testing vendor, giving the amount of manpower required to change test files and set up a new interface. The purpose of the interface is for the electronic transfer of test results from the Quest Diagnostics information system to the VA information system. This process reduces/eliminates manual entry error. This is a great patient safety concern. In addition Quest Patient Service Centers are located within short distance of many of the CBOC's in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. This is very convenient for our veterans not to travel great distances for this service and ensures better patient compliance. If this service was interrupted it would be detrimental to our Veterans. (6) DESCRIBE THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AMONG SCHEDULE HOLDERS AND THE RESULTS OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED: Market research was conducted among the Federal Supply Schedule holders capable of providing medical reference lab testing services for the consolidated laboratory by the program manager. The other reference laboratories in the FSS category do not offer advantages in testing, services or economy that Quest Diagnostic provides. Therefore, Quest Diagnostics represents the best value to the government considering the services required by the VISN 1 Laboratory. (7) ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION: (8) A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE RESTRICTED CONSIDERATION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES IS MADE: The agency has already surveyed the marketplace and will develop a long term strategy for competition to ensure if other vendors offer similar aspects services or start providing services in New England, it will be competed amongst all viable vendors.
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