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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF DECEMBER 16, 2015 FBO #5136
DOCUMENT

R -- VISN 20 Physician Recruiting - Attachment

Notice Date

12/14/2015
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541611 — Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Network Contracting Office 20;5115 NE 82nd Ave, Suite 102;Vancouver WA 98662
 

ZIP Code

98662
 

Solicitation Number

VA26016N0112
 

Response Due

1/4/2016
 

Archive Date

4/3/2016
 

Point of Contact

Adrienne A Umathum
 

E-Mail Address

6-2796<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE for market research purposes only to determine the availability of potential businesses with capabilities to provide the services described below. Potential offerors are invited to provide feedback via e-mail to Adrienne Umathum at Adrienne.Umathum@VA.Gov. Responses will be used to determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for a potential future acquisition. All responses due by 04 January 2016 at 1600. The intended contract period is a one-year base period plus (4) four one-year option periods. Potential contractors shall provide, at a minimum, the following information to Adrienne Umathum at Adrienne.Umathum@VA.Gov. 1) Company name, address, and point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, and DUNS. 2) Is your firm eligible for participation in one of the following small business programs? If so, please indicate the program. Anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541512 - Computer Systems Design Services. The largest a firm can be and still qualify as a small business for Federal Government programs is no larger than $25.5 Million. [ ] yes [ ] no Small Business (SB) [ ] yes [ ] no HUBZone [ ] yes [ ] no Small Business 8(a) [ ] yes [ ] no Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) [ ] yes [ ] no Women-Owned (WO) Small Business [ ] yes [ ] no Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) [ ] yes [ ] no Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) [ ] yes [ ] no Other (please specify) 3) What types of information is needed to submit accurate offers? 4) Comment on any current or potential technical, cost, schedule, or performance risks that you would like to make the Government aware of that concern the draft PWS below. (i.e., problems or any other issues experienced with similar contracts). Include comments on the Draft PWS. 5) How is the service, as described in the draft PWS typically priced? How could it be priced for a Government contract? 6) Provide a brief capability statement (Max 2 pages) with enough information to determine if your company can meet the requirement. The Capabilities Statement for this sources sought is not expected to be a Request for Quotations, Request for Proposals or Invitation for Bids, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach, but rather the Government is requesting a short statement regarding the company's ability to provide the services outlined in the draft SOW below. Any commercial brochures or currently existing marketing material may also be submitted with the capabilities statement. Submission of capabilities statement will assist our office in tailoring the requirement to be consistent with industry standards. The capabilities will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining to Set-Aside for the Small Business (SB) Community or to conduct as an Unrestricted Procurement. Other than small businesses may respond to this notice in the event the market does not indicate SB interest. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. The DRAFT PWS as follows: Thank you for your participation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DRAFT - PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) A.GENERAL INFORMATION 1.Title of Project: Recruitment and Placement of Medical Providers within Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 to include but not limited to: Roseburg, OR; White City OR; Portland OR; Walla Walla, WA; Spokane WA; Boise, ID; and Anchorage, AK. 2. Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the deliverables described in this statement of work (SOW), except as may otherwise be specified. The contractor shall refer qualified physicians of a variety of specialties, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to VISN 20 to meet urgent staffing needs to address access issues within specified timeframes. These qualified candidates must meet the minimum criteria for each respective profession based on VA Directive 5005 "Staffing" and additional requirements for each sub-specialty described by the VAMC for whom the position is being recruited for. The contractor shall refer candidates for direct patient care and clinical leadership positions. 3. Background: Nationally, the Veterans Health Administration is in a crisis due to flawed scheduling practices and limits to access to care for patients around the country. In an effort to assist VAMCs in VISN20 to improve access to care, this contract is being requested to expedite the referral and selection of qualified physicians of a variety of specialties as well as nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. These qualified medical providers will increase clinic capacity by filling current and future vacancies. The services of the selected staffing agency are designed to complement the work of current VA Human Resource Management Services at VAMCs and VA recruiters. Our current processes have resulted in lengthy recruitment times and many unsuccessful recruitments. Our current national crisis requires swift action and multiple strategies to improve access to care. 4.Period of Performance: The period of performance for this firm fixed price Blanket Purchase Agreement will start 01 March 2016 and will end 28 February 2017. With 4 (one) year option periods. The contractor shall complete the work required under this PWS in 120 calendar days or less from date of notification for a recruitment need for each Medical professional being recruited for, unless otherwise directed by the CO. If the contractor proposes an earlier completion date, and the Government accepts the contractor's proposal, the contractor's proposed completion date shall prevail. Work at the Government site shall not take place on Federal holidays or weekends unless directed by the CO. 5.Type of Contract: This is a firm-fixed price Blanket Purchase Agreement. B.CONTRACT AWARD MEETING 1.The contractor shall not commence performance on the tasks in this PWS until the CO has conducted a kick off meeting, or has advised the contractor that a kick off meeting is waived. C. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1.For every task, the contractor shall identify in writing all necessary subtasks (if any), associated costs by task, and along with associated sub-milestone dates. The contractor's subtask structure shall be reflected in the technical proposal and detailed work plan. 2.All written deliverables shall be phrased in layperson language. Statistical and other technical terminology shall not be used without providing a glossary of terms. 3.Where a written milestone deliverable is required in draft form, the VA will complete their review of the draft deliverable within 5 calendar days from the date of receipt. The contractor shall have 5 calendar days to deliver the final deliverable from date of receipt of the Government's comments. 4.Fees shall not be charged by the contractor to the individual candidates for referral for these positions. If the candidates have previously paid the contractor any type of registration fees, membership fees, or recruiting fees, the VA will not be responsible for any type of fees due the contractor by the candidate, if the candidate is accepted for employment by the VA. The contractor will refer only those applicants from whom the firm or service has not accepted fees other than registration type fees that are imposed regardless of whether the registrant is referred for employment of placed. 5.The contractor will not issue any recruitment advertisements (to include mailings, online postings and other outlets that may be used to reach out to potential physician candidates) identifiable to the Department of Veteran Affairs and for the VAMC, without prior approval of the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and/or each VAMC's POC. These persons reserve the right to review, reject, or modify any recruitment advertisements proposed by the commercial firm. All advertisements must contain a statement that the Department of Veteran Affairs VAMC is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Contractor may not imply that this is a sole or primary avenue for employment for the VISN 20 VAMC. Review and approval of recruitment advertisements content and costs shall be obtained by contacting the respective VAMC's Point of Contact (POC). 6.The Contractor shall not charge the prospective employee a fee for obtaining this Federal position. 7.If a candidate is selected and hired to the respective VAMC, but leaves the position within 90 days, or is terminated within 90 days, the contractor shall find a replacement at no charge to the Government until either another Vendor-submitted medical professional is successfully placed or the position is filled through VAMC efforts. 8.The contractor shall not refer candidates who have pending or who have ever had any license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in probational status or voluntarily relinquished. D.SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND ASSOCIATED DELIVERABLES 1.Description of Tasks and Associated Deliverables: The contractor shall provide the specific deliverables described below within the performance period stated in Section A.4 of this PWS. 2.Task One: The contractor shall provide a detailed work plan and briefing for the VA project team, which presents the contractor's plan for completing the task order. The contractor's plan shall be responsive with this PWS and describe, in further detail, the approach to be used for each aspect of the task order as defined in the technical proposal. 3.Deliverable One: A work plan should be provided within 30 days of contract award to each VAMC's POC and the contract COR which will address each VAMC's specific recruitment needs and the additional information needed by the contractor to complete its work. 4.Task Two: Successful placement of qualified Medical Professionals of a variety of specialties at VAMCs in the VISN20 as identified on each individual task order. E.Criteria provided by each Medical Center 1.Each Medical Center will have a designated POC who will provide the sub-specialty for each vacancies of each discipline identified in the table above and any additional recruitment criteria for each position. Additional criteria may include physical requirements and preferred qualifications, such as years in leadership positions. This person will be the liaison with the contractor and the COR to determine the needs of each Medical Center throughout the course of the contract. 2.A qualified applicant is defined for each medical profession below: F.Physician: 1.Citizen of the United States 2.Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in 3.Medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: a.Schools of medicine holding regular institutional membership in the Association of American Medical Colleges for the year in which the degree was granted. b.Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the American Hematology Association for the year in which the degree was granted. c.Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia as qualifying for full or unrestricted licensure. d.Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. 4.Board certified or eligible in the applicable specialty based on VAMC need 5.Completion of an accredited residency in the appropriate specialty based on VAMC need 6. Proficient in spoken and written English as defined below: a.The candidate's primary and native written and spoken language is English. b.The candidate has completed a combination of 4 or more years of education and/or experience as follows: (1) Education in this country or in any school in which the basic curriculum is conducted in English, which may include any time spent in graduate and postgraduate training. (2) Successful work experience in a health care facility in which the primary written and spoken language is English and in which the individual is required to communicate in English. c.For physicians, any of the following additional criteria may be considered as qualifying for English language proficiency: (1) Graduation from a medical school accredited by the LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education), as listed in the current Association of American Medical Colleges' Directory. (2) Graduation from a foreign medical school whose curriculum was taught and examined in English. (3) United States citizenship by birth and graduation from a foreign medical school. (4) Certification by the ECFMG (Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates) with a certificate dated 1976 or later. (5) Successful completion of the VQE (Visa Qualifying Examination). (6) Certification by an American Specialty Board. G.Physician Assistant: 1.Citizen of the United States. 2.Unrestricted Certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician's Assistants (NCCPA) 3.Proficient in spoken and written English as defined below: a.The candidate's primary and native written and spoken language is English. b.The candidate has completed a combination of 4 or more years of education and/or experience as follows: (1)Education in this country or in any school in which the basic curriculum is conducted in English, which may include any time spent in graduate and postgraduate training. (2) Successful work experience in a health care facility in which the primary written and spoken language is English and in which the individual is required to communicate in English. 4.Education as evidenced by one of the following criteria: a.A bachelor's degree from a PA training program which is certified by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA); b.or Graduation from a PA training program of at least 12 months duration which is certified by the ARC-PA and a bachelor's degree in a health care occupation or a health-related science; or Graduation from a PA training program of at least 12 months duration which is certified by the ARC-PA and a period of progressively responsible health care experience such as an independent duty medical corpsman, licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, medical technologist, or medical technician. The duration of approved academic training and health care experience must total at least five (5) years. H.Nurse Practitioner: 1.Must have current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the U.S. or in the District of Columbia and must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a Nurse Practitioner in a State. (NOTE: This position requires the incumbent to work as a licensed independent practitioner. Applicant must possess a license from a State granting independent practice or, if selected, must be willing to obtain a license from a State granting independent practice upon hire.) 2.Must be a graduate of a school of professional nursing program approved by the appropriate State agency, and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant. 1) The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN), (formerly the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 2) The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an accrediting arm of the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN). The CCNE accredits bachelors and masters degree programs. In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualified for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6) 3.A nurse practitioner must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State, possess a master's degree from a program accredited by the ACEN or CCNE, and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. [The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being referred. 4.Must be a United States citizen 5.Proficient in spoken and written English as defined below: The candidate's primary and native written and spoken language is English. a.The candidate has completed a combination of 4 or more years of education and/or experience as follows: b.Education in this country or in any school in which the basic curriculum is conducted in English, which may include any time spent in graduate and postgraduate training. c.Successful work experience in a health care facility in which the primary written and spoken language is English and in which the individual is required to communicate in English. I.DELIVERABLE TWO: The following documents for each referred candidate will be provided by the contractor: 1.Copies of the appropriate application package for all referred candidates based on their profession: VA form 10-2850, Application for Physicians, or VA form 10-2850a, Application for Nurses and Nurse Anesthetists, or VA form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations. 2.Copies of Optional Forms 306, Declaration of Federal Employment 3.Resume and/or Curriculum Vitae 4.Copies of licensures, certifications, including Drug Enforcement Administration for prescribing controlled substances, three current (within past six months) references, and summaries of all malpractices, if any, at the time of presentation. 5.If the referred candidate is a Veteran, copies of the DD-214. If applicable, copies of SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, with required supporting documentation. 6.Evidence of screening each candidate against the criteria above and additional criteria provided by the VAMC POC for each specific vacancy. J.SCHEDULE FOR DELIVERABLES 1.The contractor shall complete the Delivery Date column in Attachment A for each deliverable specified. 2.Unless otherwise specified, the number of draft copies and the number of final copies shall be the same. 3.If for any reason any deliverable cannot be delivered within the scheduled time frame, the contractor is required to explain why in writing to the CO, including a firm commitment of when the work shall be completed. 4.This notice to the CO shall cite the reasons for the delay, and the impact on the overall project. The CO will then review the facts and issue a response, in accordance with applicable regulations. K. CHANGES TO PERFORMANC WORK STATEMENT 1.Any changes to this PWS shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the CO. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the CO shall be borne by the contractor. K. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 1.The contractor shall provide the COR with monthly written progress report of recruitment activities and referrals made, original plus 8 copies, to be provided to each Medical Centers POCs with the following minimum information: recruiting efforts used, how many medical professionals were reached, how many viable candidates were produced, and the required supporting documents for each candidate referred. These are due to the COR by the second workday following the end of each calendar month, throughout the project's duration 2.The progress report shall cover all work completed during the preceding month and shall present the work to be accomplished during the subsequent month. This report shall also identify any problems that arose, along with a statement explaining how the problem was resolved. This report shall also identify any problems that have arisen but have not been completely resolved, with an explanation. L. TRAVEL 1.The contractor shall be required to provide travel for applicants upon the VA's request for an interview. 2.No travel shall be approved for the recruiting agency to travel to the VAMC's. All meetings will be conducted virtually or through telephone conferences. M. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 1. The Government will provide, through each VAMC Point of Contact, clear recruitment criteria for each position in addition to the minimum criteria outlined in this contract to the contractor within 7 calendar days of request. N. CONTRACTOR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS 1. The government will determine on a stated requirements (SR) basis what positions are considered key personnel. The contractor shall identify, by name, the key management and technical personnel who will work under this task order at the time the work is being negotiated. 2. If a key person becomes unavailable to complete the SR, the proposed Substitutions of key personnel shall be made only as approved directed by the Contracting Officer and the COR. The government will not dictate specific experience and education requirements of the employees initially proposed to perform the work stated herein. The contractor shall submit a resume of qualifications for the COR and all other direct employees proposed for the project. All Contractor employees will be approved by the COR prior to bringing on duty. If, at any time from date of award to the end of the contract, non-key personnel Contractor personnel are no longer available, HES/HIS reserves the right to review the qualifications of the proposed replacement personnel and to reject individuals who do not meet the qualifications set forth in the TLO. Team personnel proposed by the contractor should possess some of the following knowledge and/or skills: 3.The contractor must notify VHA in advance and we will approve or reject proposed contractor key personnel for the performance of this contract. The contractor shall submit a resume of qualifications to the COR for key personnel and all other direct employees proposed for the project. All Contractor employees will be approved by the COR prior to bringing on duty. If, at any time from date of award to the end of the contract, Contractor personnel are no longer available, the VHA will approve the qualifications of proposed replacement personnel and will reject individuals who do not meet qualifications set forth herein. The contractor must inform the VHA COR and Project Manager/Task Manager when personnel are removed from the contract for any reason. The Contractor shall remove any employee from the performance of this contract within five (5) workdays of receiving notice from the Contracting Officer that the employee's performance is unsatisfactory. All Contractor employees are subject to immediate removal from performance of this contract when they are involved in a violation of the law, VA security, confidentiality requirements and/or other disciplinary reasons. 4.The contractor must inform the VHA COR and Project Manager/Task Manager when personnel are removed from the contract for any reason. 5.If a key person becomes unavailable to complete the SR, proposed Substitutions of key personnel shall be made only if approved by the COR and Project Manager. 6.The contractor shall submit a resume of qualifications to the COR for all direct employees proposed for the project. All Contractor employees will be approved by the COR prior to bringing on duty. O. CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE It is agreed that: 1.The preliminary and final deliverables, and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by VA which have been generated by the contractor in the performance of this task order, are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the CO at the conclusion of the task order. 2.The CO will be the sole authorized official to release, verbally or in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this task order. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this task order, presented to the contractor, shall be submitted to the CO for response. 3.Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, shall not be publicized without the written approval of the CO. P. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS 1.All contractor employees who require access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the VAMC Human Resources where the candidate is being referred prior to contract performance. This requirement is applicable to subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. 2.Position Sensitivity - The position sensitivity has been designated as Low Risk. 3.Background Investigation - The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access is National Agency Check with Written Inquiries. 4.Contractor Responsibilities a.The contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain a U.S. citizenship, and are able to read, write, speak and understand the English language. b.The contractor shall submit or have their employees submit the required forms (SF 86 or SF 85P, SF 85P-S, FD 258, Contractor Fingerprint Chart, VA Form 0710, Authority for Release of Information Form, and Optional Forms 306 and 612) to the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement within 30 days of receipt. c.The contractor, when notified of an unfavorable determination by the Government, shall withdraw the affected employee from working under the contract d.Failure to comply with contractor personnel security requirements may result in termination of the contract for default. e.[If contractor will have access to VA Network, provide software upgrades or other VA sharing or disclosure of PHI or PII is given the contractor please include this statement: Not Required] f.Contractor will be required to enter into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) upon award of the contract or a copy of national BAA is attached with this paperwork. (See VHA HIA BAA template) g.[If the above (e.) applies then include this statement:] Contractor will be required to create an account in the Talent Management System (TMS) and take the Privacy & HIPAA training course #10203 before being given access and annually thereafter. 5. Government Responsibilities a.The VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement will provide the necessary forms to the contractor, or to the contractor's employees, after receiving a list of names and addresses. b.Upon receipt, the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement will review completed forms for accuracy, and forward the forms to the office of Personnel Management (OPM) to conduct background investigations. c.The VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement will notify the CO, and contractor, of adjudication results received from OMB. d.Upon being notified about a favorable determination, the CO may issue a notice to proceed to the contractor. 5.PROCEDURES FOR ACCESS: Access requirements to VA information systems by Contractors and contractor personnel shall meet or exceed those requirements established for personnel as described in VHA directives. A written and signed request for user access by VHA management, or designee(s), constitutes management approval (sponsorship) to initiate a request for access to any sensitive automated information system. Access shall be granted to non-VA users only if the purpose for access meets criteria of the Privacy Act and VA Confidentiality Regulations and Transfer. a.Contractor's personnel shall be required to sign-in before starting work under this contract and abide by the VA Computer Access Security Agreement and Confidentiality Agreement. b.In the performance of official duties, the contractor's personnel may regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive information, which must be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, HIPAA and other applicable Federal laws and regulations. The employee is responsible for (1) protecting that information from unauthorized release or from loss, alternation or unauthorized deletion, and (2) following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc. as set out in a computer access agreement which the employee signs.. Q. SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES A work plan should be provided within 30 days of contract award to each VAMC's POC and the contract COR which will address each VAMC's specific recruitment needs and the additional information needed by the contractor to complete its work. Contractor shall provide the VAMC POC a copy of their recruiting plan within 21 calendar days upon receipt of a task order. Contractor shall provide the VAMC POC a written update of candidates every two weeks upon approval of the recruiting plan. R. SALIENT CHARACTERSITICS Not applicable S. REQUIRED APPENDICES (will be included in solicitation and contract award) APPENDIX A: Checklist for InformationSecurity in the Initiation Phase of Acquisitions. APPENDIX B: VA Acquisition Regulation Solicitation Provision and Contract Clause B-1 APPENDIX C: VA Information and Information System Security/Privacy Language for Inclusion into Contracts, as Appropriate C-1
 

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