Loren Data's SAM Daily™

SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF MARCH 19, 2023 SAM #7782
SOURCES SOUGHT

R -- Dallas VA Medical Center Nursing Service is seeking to purchase ACUSTAF Service

Notice Date

3/17/2023 9:02:45 AM
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

513210 —
 

Contracting Office

257-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 17 (36C257) ARLINGTON TX 76006 USA
 

ZIP Code

76006
 

Solicitation Number

36C25723Q0571
 

Response Due

3/20/2023 3:00:00 PM
 

Archive Date

04/04/2023
 

Point of Contact

Matt Lee, Contracting Specialist, Phone: 210-694-6337
 

E-Mail Address

matthew.lee5@va.gov
(matthew.lee5@va.gov)
 

Awardee

null
 

Description

This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government. This notice is intended strictly for Market Research. This is a Request for Information only. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The Department of Veterans Affairs Dallas VA Medical Center Nursing Services in Dallas, Texas intends to award a brand name or equal contract award for the purchase of ACUSTAF Service. The Government is conducting a market survey to help determine the availability and technical capability of qualified service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, small businesses, HUBZone small businesses and/or other large businesses capable of serving the needs identified below. This notice of intent is for open market as well as Federal Supply Schedule items. The purpose of this notice is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification/socioeconomic status (service-disabled veteran owned small business, veteran owned small business, women owned small business, HUB Zone, 8(a), small business or large business, relative to NAICS 513210 with a size standard of $47M. Responses to this notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. A solicitation is not currently available. If a solicitation is issued, it will be announced on Federal Business opportunities website http://www.fbo.gov or GSA E-Buy at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT 0001 12.00 EA 3001 LABOR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE GSA VSN PRICE CAP: INCLUDES SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR UP TO 5,00 ACTIVE EMPLOYEE. Base: 05/01/2023 - 04/30/2024 0002 6.00 DY GSA ON-SITE CONSULTATION Base: 05/01/2023 - 04/30/2024 0003 1.00 EA TRAVEL EXPENSES (NOT TO EXCEED $4,000) Base: 05/01/2023 - 04/30/2024 1001 12.00 EA 3001 LABOR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE GSA VSN PRICE CAP: INCLUDES SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR UP TO 5,00 ACTIVE EMPLOYEE. Option 1: 05/01/2024 - 04/30/2025 2001 12.00 EA 3001 LABOR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE GSA VSN PRICE CAP: INCLUDES SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR UP TO 5,00 ACTIVE EMPLOYEE. Option 2: 05/01/2025 - 04/30/2026 3001 12.00 EA 3001 LABOR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE GSA VSN PRICE CAP: INCLUDES SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR UP TO 5,00 ACTIVE EMPLOYEE. Option 3: 05/01/2026 - 04/30/2027 4001 12.00 EA 3001 LABOR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE GSA VSN PRICE CAP: INCLUDES SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR UP TO 5,00 ACTIVE EMPLOYEE. Option 4: 05/01/2027 - 04/30/2028 STATEMENT OF WORK Staff Scheduling/Labor Management Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the deliverables described in this statement of work (SOW) to the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTXHCS), 4500 South Lancaster Road, Dallas, Texas 75216 for the sole purpose of automated data extraction tools which are necessary to effectively assign staffing resources. The primary use of the system will be staffing scheduling, so managers can coordinate schedules, capture data, produce reports, and coordinate work assignments to meet patient care needs. The primary users of the system are nurse managers, supervisors, and service chiefs, who will coordinate schedules, capture data, produce reports, and coordinate work assignments. The timekeepers will use the system to post time for staff based on the schedules in the system. Performance Period: Base year plus four option years Base: 05/01/2023-04/30/2024 Option 1: 05/01/2024-04/30/2025 Option 2: 05/01/2025-04/30/2026 Option 3: 05/01/2026-04/30/2027 Option 4: 05/01/2027-04/30/2028 Salient Characteristics: Appropriate response to the fluctuations in patient census and acuities by using embedded decision support tools Adequate staffing levels based on patient acuity and other care related variables Collection of nationally comparable Nursing hours per patient day (NHPPD) data Collection of data to prepare staffing reports, develop strategic plans and improve hiring practices Compliance with public law and other regulatory mandates for staffing regulations and monitors Ability to consolidate multiple administrative needs in one package (licensure, certifications, emergency notifications, etc.) Self-scheduling ability (major nursing satisfier) Accurate accounting of contract/agency nursing utilization The system must be able to support 5,000 active staff for 12 months of service. Specifications: The following items will be supplied: On-site consultation Travel Labor management software to include license for 5,000 staff Background: This request seeks a solution to automate scheduling and staffing processes; provide decision support for staff assignments based on the objective and variable data; improve patient care by matching nursing competency to required needs. Contractor software shall provide data for outcome measurements to create strategic plans based on retrievable and accurate data. The system shall automate labor-intensive, time-consuming processes that are now manually interfaced with multiple applications to increase efficiencies, data quality, and to support decision making. Staffing schedules are currently created several weeks in advance; however, as a patient population and available resources can change in a matter of hours, it is critical to have access to employee information to be able adjust staffing arrangements to manage the clinical nursing needs of Veterans and to facilitate communication in changing needs within the facility and with the employees. Introduction: Because nursing care is delivered 24 hours/7 days a week, the ability to access and modify scheduling by managers, supervisors and chiefs is needed based on the patient condition and the amount of nursing required to manage the care of each patient. Nursing hours worked frequently involve a variety of shifts that require an hourly rate increase; in addition, permanent and intermittent nurses all have different hours worked and compensation requirements. Therefore, a resource management system needs to accurately correlate and calculate time and cost by work unit, nurse position type, and pay variables. Nurse Executives need data to plan for current and future staffing needs and costs, which requires tools to help them manage their workforce. Multiple standardized reports are needed as well as the ability to create adhoc reports. This system will accommodate nursing staffing at all sites within VA North Texas Health Care System. The staffing software will also be used in other Patient Services areas (e.g., Sterile Processing Service and Patient Administration Service) and could be implemented in other services/departments if the need arises. Vendor Responsibility: Provide a web-based, software as a service model, with the company hosting data on their servers. The vendor would be responsible for all monthly support, system and server maintenance, software updates, enhancements, etc. Utilize an HL7 interface with VistA that brings in real-time patient Admit, Discharge, and Transfer information. (The VA standard HL7 message includes the following PII: patient name (first, last), SSN, patient ID 1, unit, room, and bed number.) Utilizes an HR interface (SFTP of employee date from the PAID 450 file) that brings in several points of data validation for VANOD including series, position, grade, step, licensure information, EOD, degrees, other schooling, BOC, ALBCC, Occupation Series Code and more. Utilizes the census interface to correlate with budgeting and reporting to databases like VANOD, DSS, NDNQI and more. Incorporate live HL7 link to automate VHA Directive 2010-034: Staffing Methodology. Incorporate ALBCC information to automate VHA Directive 1731: DSS Labor Mapping and VHA Directive 1750: Managerial Cost Account (MCA). Report output matches MCA fields for Labor Mapping Completion. Reporting allows for the use of tracking ""true cost of doing business hours"" vs. ""payroll hours."" Overtime reports can be run as home unit + float in hours or home unit + float out hours. Reporting allows for Excel output for NHPPD trending over annual time periods. System allows for timekeepers can mark tours of duty entered VATAS and receive alerts about changes to tours. Automate storage and alert system for proficiency due dates Have the following functional capabilities: An automated staffing package is required to provide: Demographic Tracking tools: maintains employee contact/ emergency contact information. Maintains employee-preferred method of communication. Vendor shall provide any software updates and installation as they become available. Staffing Scheduling Tools Maintain prospective schedules. Audit Trails for changes to the system Schedules can be created prospective across 12-month period. Allow staff to switch shifts amongst peers Allow staff to make themselves available for overtime and advise of current OT use in comparison to regular clients Manage Position Control Proficiency System: Ability to staff and maintain repositories of anecdotal notes for proficiency input, specialty certification tracking, licensure tracking, education (all degrees earned) tracking, skill-based competencies tracking, ACLS/BLS/131.5 tracking, and continuing education tracking. Mandatory tracking, mandatory health information Tools for staff to self- report professional portfolio Rule engines to facilitate scheduling: Apply regulations hour limits, time off requirements, staffing ratios, etc.) as they apply to individuals being scheduled to work: Apply union requirements stored in the system to create staffing schedules Use staff preferences to create staffing schedules. Match competencies to staffing needs. Match nursing staff with patient needs across the system while maintaining balanced patient workloads. Apply unit preference to competencies, e.g., ICU nurses are ACLS certified Apply permanent schedules requests to when generating schedules Apply rotating shifts rules when generating schedules Capabilities to accommodate scheduling changes based on patient census scheduling. Apply patient acuities to staffing needs Track hours per patient day Generate alternate work schedules Capability to allow or restrict swapping unit assignments based on competencies Capabilities to restrict overtime assignment based on regulations Predict staffing needs based on previous trends (e.g., high surgery days) Provide functionality to maintain disaster preparedness (notifications and call backs) Communication Tools: Creates a personalized web-based dashboard for all stakeholders Web-based for employee access Web-based for managers access for staff bidding Staff bidding on open positions (Staff to staff communication, e.g., to swap shifts) Exchange shifts between co-workers Alert applicants for checking status Produce real time reports for long-term strategy for hiring staff Training Vendor to provide specialists to manage software provide training Vendor to provide on-site training at each facility to nursing leadership (including managers, service chiefs, nursing informatics staff, etc.), IT, and SPS staff, etc. Training will include staff scheduling for end-users and management reports for resource analysis Courses and Consultation Staffing Methodology Class Executive Analytics Class Reports Workshop Data Mining and Score Cards Set Up Alerts User Training Pilot Training User Training System-Wide Project Roll Out Employee Access Position Tracking Ongoing Support Unlimited email and phone support Emergency telephone support line 24/7/365 should an issue arise during the off tours to be answered by a support person; issue resolution time=one hour, on an average Weekly phone call for VA users to resolve issues and demonstrate new features that are released every four weeks in the software update Government-Furnished Equipment and Government-Furnished Information VA employees utilize VA computer workstations, laptops, monitors to access the staff scheduling system. Due to PII and employee data used by AcuStaf, all data will be stored on VA servers, behind the VA firewall which can be accessed through a VPN tunnel. Information Security & Privacy Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security. ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information.  The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program.  The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures. Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance.  National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts.  The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS).  Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness. Custom software development and outsourced operations must be in the U.S. to the maximum extent practical.  If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates, the contractor/subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth.  Location within the U.S. may be an evaluation factor. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor s employ.  The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination. TRAINING All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems: Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems Successfully complete the VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training (TMS # 10176) and annually complete required security training Successfully complete the appropriate VA Privacy and HIPAA training ((TMS # 10203) annually The contractor shall provide to the COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete Confidentiality and Nondisclosure: It is not anticipated that the contractor will be exposed to sensitive Agency information or data. But the contractor agrees that the contract personnel will not divulge or release information or data developed or obtained in connection with performance of this contract, unless made public by VA or upon written approval by the COR. VA will retain all data rights and access upon completion of the tasks. The Contractor's personnel shall agree to comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable federal laws, rules, regulations, and policies issued under the Act during and after the execution of this contract. Changes to Contract: The contracting officer is the only person authorized to modify this order. Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The contracting officer reserves the right to designate representatives to act for him/her in furnishing technical guidance and advice or generally monitor the work to be performed under this contract. Such designation will be in writing and will define the scope and limitation of the designee s authority. A copy of the designation shall be furnished to the contractor. Method of Payment: Vendor to mail or fax invoices to Austin TX for customer to certify through utilization of the IPPS Invoice Payment Processing System Invoices: All invoices must be encrypted when sending a copy to VANTXHCS through Microsoft Outlook Records Management: All records (administrative and program specific) created during the period of the contract belong to VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTXHCS) and must be returned to VANTXHCS at the end of the contract or destroyed in accordance with the VHA Record Control Schedule (RCS)10-1.
 

Web Link

SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/2a7bf8ba47ac4793bf158f6f160eb916/view)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 S. Lancaster Road Attn: Nursing Service, Dallas, TX 75216, USA

Zip Code: 75216

Country: USA
 

Record

SN06622822-F 20230319/230317230115 (samdaily.us)
 

Source

SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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