VA Medical Center, Attn: Contracting Officer (90C), 7305 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410-6400

R -- MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES SOL 548-09-97 DUE 041597 POC Donna Nelson, 561-882-6510 or Annette Gaessler, 561-882-6508 (1)This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in the notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Proposals are being requested and written solicitations will not be issued. (2) This solicitation is issued as a Request For Proposal RFP 548-09-97. (3) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 90-45. (4) This solicitation is 100% set aside for small business. It is advertised as full and open competition with SIC: 7338 with a size standard of $ 5 million. (5) [Line Item One]:The contractor shall furnish all necessary equipment, supplies, supervision and qualified competent personnel to perform transcription services for documents generated from the government owned digital dictation system by the Department of Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center, West Palm Beach, FL. Material transcribed includes a high incidence of technical terminology and requires knowledge of a specialized vocabulary peculiar to a wide variety of subjects in the fields of medicine, surgery, and psychiatry. The projected workload of the VA Medical Center, West Palm Beach, is: 220,000 outpatient visits yearly and inpatient census equaling 110 Acute and 75 Nursing Home Care Unit (NHCU) per year. The contractor will access the VA's digital dictation system through direct telephone lines on a daily basis. The transcribed documents will be (1)transmitted via modem to a dedicated PC on VA property, in the form of ASCII text or WORD documents; AND/OR (2) transmitted via modem to the VA computer system, VISTA, appropriate package in the form of ASCII text using KERMIT protocols. Depending on the mode of transmission, the transmissions will occur daily at 10:00am and 3:00pm by the contractor. The documents shall be in accordance with the standard formats. The contractor shall retain reports ondiskette (or other medium) for 120 calendar days and shall re-transmit any reports that have been returned due to errors in spelling, verbiage, etc., or that are of unsatisfactory quality at no extra charge to the government. The voice dictation (redundancy) shall be retained by the contractor for a 72 hour period erasing the file from the digital dictation system. The contractor will be expected to transcribe and transmit estimated 80,000 -- 95,000 lines/monthly. At the conclusion of each work day, the contractor shall provide a summary of reports transmitted which indicates the patient's name, type of report, dictator's name, and number of lines typed to the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). The contractor shall be required to conform to the following turnaround times: The following reports will be transmitted via modem to the VA within 48 consecutive hours from date and time of dictation. It is estimated that 46% of all reports to be transcribed are in this category: Discharge Summary, Outpatient Progress Notes, & Outpatient History & Physical Examination. The following reports will be transmitted via modem to the VA within 24 consecutive hours from date and time of dictation. It is estimated that 36% of all reports to be transcribed are in this category: consultations, compensation & pension exams, & medical procedure reports. The following reports will be transmitted via modem to the VA within 12 consecutive hours from date and time of dictation. It is estimated that 18% of all reports to be transcribed are in this category: admission history & physical & operative reports. Reports identified as "STAT", will have a three hour turnaround from time dictated. Any report identified as "STAT" after normal working hours, Monday -- Friday, 8:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m., will be returned at the next available transmission time. When the contractor has been identified of a "STAT", the contractor will complete and transmit the report as soon as possible. The main type ofreports required under this contract are (but not limited to):Discharge Summaries -- estimated 70 lines per report, History and Physical -- estimated 50 lines per report, Operative Report -- estimated 50 lines per report, Compensation & Pension Exam -- estimated 100 lines per report, Inpatient Consultations -- estimated 25 lines per report, Progress Notes -- estimated 15 lines per report, Outpatient Consultation -- estimated 40 lines per report, Medical Procedure Report -- estimated 25 lines per report. All reports must be typed using the appropriate West Palm Beach VA header and report format listed below ($HDR indicates the start of the header and $TXT indicates the start of the text or body of the report. Discharge Summary $HDR: DISCHARGE SUMMARY PATIENT SSN: (full social security number) DATE OF ADMISSION: DICTATED BY: DICTATION DATE: (includes date and time) ATTENDING PHYSICIAN: TRANSCRIPTIONIST: (Contractor name) URGENCY: (will always be ROUTINE, unless otherwise specified) $TXT Principal Diagnosis: Secondary Diagnosis: Procedures Performed: History of Present Illness: Past Medical History: Medications on Admission: Physical Exam: Laboratory Data: Hospital Course: Discharge Planning: Discharge Medication: VA Competency Status.Operation Report $HDR: PROGRESS NOTETITLE: OPERATIVE REPORTSSN: (full social security number)VISIT/EVENT DATE: (includes date and time) AUTHOR:TRANSCRIBER: (Contractor name)DATE/TIME OF DICT:LOCATION: (Clinic name or inpatient ward) $TXTDate of Operation: Pre-Operative Diagnosis: Post-Operative Diagnosis: Title of Operation Performed: Operation. Compensation and Pension Report $HDR: PROGRESS NOTETITLE: COMPENSATION AND PENSION REPORTSSN: (full social security number)VISIT/EVENT DATE: (includes date and time) AUTHOR:TRANSCRIBER: (Contractor name)DATE/TIME OF DICT:LOCATION: (Clinic name or inpatient ward) $TXT Examination Results: Examination Results: Past Medical History: Social History: Family History: Medications: Review of Systems: Examination Data: Diagnoses. History and Physical Examination$HDR: PROGRESS NOTETITLE: ADMISSION HISTORY AND PHYSICAL SSN: (full social security number)VISIT/EVENT DATE: (includes date and time) AUTHOR:TRANSCRIBER: (Contractor name)DATE/TIME OF DICT:LOCATION: (Clinic name or inpatient ward) $TXT Past Medical History: Social History: Family History: Medications: Review of Systems: Examination Data: Admission Diagnoses: Progress Note $HDR: PROGRESS NOTETITLE: (depends on clinic)SSN: (full social security number)VISIT/EVENT DATE: (includes date and time) AUTHOR:TRANSCRIBER: (Contractor name)DATE/TIME OF DICT:LOCATION: (Clinic name or inpatient ward) $TXTSubjective: Objective: Assessment: Plan.OR If a dictated report is unique and does not have a pre-existing report format, then use the existing WPB VA Progress Note header as indicated above and transcribe the report as narrative exactly as the physician has dictated it. The reports/documents will be saved using specific guidelines for filenames set by the West Palm Beach VA. It is the intent of the VA to have in-house transcription, however, should the VA be unable to recruit, the estimated number of lines is projected to be at the estimated quantity with a potential to increase. The monthly number of lines will decrease over the 18 month period in the event that additional in-house transcriptionists are hired. It is anticipated that the number of lines will decrease by approximately 10,000 lines per month per transcriptionist hired. The cost per line will remain the same regardless of the number of lines transcribed per month. The VA Medical Center may terminate this contract for convenience during the contract term when all in-house transcriptionists are hired and reserves the right not to exercise option period 1 and 2 contingent upon VA staffing levels. Contractor responsibilities include: Providing a processor(s) with modem to properly exchange text information. Correcting spelling and grammar. Transcribing material in the tense dictated. Meeting schedules and turnaround times of assigned workloads. Providing satisfactory training of personnel on the proper operation and care of government owned equipment utilized in the performance of work under this contract. Ensure that all employees working under this contract are aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of the Privacy Act agreement set forth by this contract. Providing the COTR with necessary daily workload reports, logs of daily transmissions and monthly invoices of transcription services performed. Insuring timely turnaround of all dictated material in accordance with contract requirements. Installation, maintenance and/or repair of contractor furnished equipment. Providing adequate notice to the COTR to indicate unintelligible or incomplete dictation. The contractor will bear all costs for connecting and accessing communication lines to the VA Medical Center's dictation system. All work will be proof read and qualitatively examined by the contractor prior to release to the VA. All finished products will be in the formats furnished by the VA. Reports dictated by VA physicians may contain abbreviations which may be used in the body of the report; however, abbreviations will not be used in any diagnoses or operative reports, procedure documents and discharge summaries. The COTR will periodically review contractor prepared products for compliance. Contractor prepared documentation which is incomplete, poorly typed, inaccurate, or in the wrong format will be returned to the contractor for corrective action at no additional cost to the VA. Corrected documentation will be returned by the Contractor to the VA within 8 hours of receipt of the returned documentation. The contractor will notify the COTR by telephone within one (1) hour of any equipment failure which would adversely impact the contractor's ability to provide full service as defined within this solicitation. Routine medical procedure reports shall contain 75 characters per line. The estimated number of lines for each report will vary according to the type of medical report required. One transcribed line is equivalent to a billable unit (75 characters equals a transcribed line; a carriage return is not equivalent to a transcribed line). Contractor will upload transcribed documents into work types selected by dictating physician. The Contractor is expected to transcribe and transmit 95% of all dictation during the month the reports are dictated. Abbreviations will not be used in Discharge Summaries and Operative Reports. Abbreviations in the text are to be limited to those commonly used in laboratory values. Underscoring will be counted as a line typed only when required by the VA Medical Center. Quality Assurance: Finished work shall be neat in appearance. All transcription must be completed in accordance with prescribed formats. Completed work will contain no blanks from dictation which is unintelligible to the VA Medical Center. Any transcribed documents considered unacceptable, in the opinion of the COTR or designee, will be re-typed at the contractor's expense. All transcription services required during the month will have an accuracy rate of 95%. Failure by the contractor to transcribe at the 95% accuracy rate, will result in a discount. The price per line will be discounted by $.01/line for the percentage of lines dictated, but not transcribed during the month. Should performance fall below 95% accuracy in any 15 calendar day period, the contract may be terminated for default. TURNAROUND TIMES: Reports not transcribed within the specified turnaround time will result in a discount of 20% less than the per line rate. ALL PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE MONTHLY IN ARREARS. Register of wage determinations under the Service Contract Act, Wage Determination #94-2111 is incorporated into this solicitation. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial. All offerors are to include, with their proposal, a completed copy of provision 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items; 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, along with the following additional FAR clauses, cited in clause 52.212-5: 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, 52.203-10, Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity (41 U.S.C. 423). 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns and Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns (15 U.S.C. 637 (d) (2) and (3)); 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (E.O. 11246), 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans (38 U.S.C. 4212), 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers (29 U.S.C. 793), 52.225-3, Buy American Act -- Supplies (41 U.S.C. 10), 52.225-9, Buy American Act -- Trade Agreements Act -- Balance of Payments Program (41 U.S.C. 10, 19 U.S.C. 2501-2582), 52.225-19, European Union Sanctions for Services (E.O. 12849), 52.239-1, Privacy or Security Safeguards (5 U.S.C..552a), 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, As amended (41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.), 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.). 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act -- Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.), 52.222-44, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act -- Price Adjustment (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.). The following FAR clauses and provisions are added by addendum: 52.216-21 Requirements,; 52.217-8 Option to extend Services; 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification; 52.224-2 Privacy Act; 52.232-22 Mandatory Information for Electronic Funds Transfer Payment; 52.242-13 Bankruptcy; 52.242-15 Stop-Work Order; 52.232-18 Availability of Funds; 52.232-19 Availability of Funds for the Next Fiscal Year; 52.243-1 Changes, 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small business set aside. The following VAAR clauses and provisions are added by addendum: 852.203-71 Display of VA Hotline Poster; 852-216-70 Estimated quantities for requirements contracts; 852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers; 852.270-4 Commercial Advertising. FAR clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial is hereby include. The following is an addendum to FAR clause 52.212-1; Period for Acceptance of Offers, the amount of time an offeror must hold its prices firm is hereby changed. An offeror must hold the prices in its proposal firm for 60 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of proposals. Offerors are advised that proposals may be evaluated without discussions. Award will be based on price, past performance and technical capability. Technical capability and past performance, when combined, are more important than price. In accordance with FAR subpart 9.104-1, each offeror is required to provide information on a reasonable number of recent and relevant contracts for the same or similar items, as well as the offerors primary financial institution, to include contract numbers, points of contact, telephone numbers and any other relevant information which will be used by the Contracting Officer to make a responsibility determination about a prospective offeror. FAR provision 52.213-3 Offeror Representation and Certification -- Commercial Items, shall be completed and submitted with the proposal The VA intends to award a single contract and deserves the right to make multiple awards if in the Government's best interest. The contract base period will be for one 6 month period from date of award, with two (2) 6 month period options for renewal. Total duration of the contract will not exceed 18 months. The period of acceptance for proposals is 19 calendar days. The closing date for all proposals is April 15, 1997 at 2:00pm local time. Offers in original and two copies should be sent to: Contracting Officer (90C), VA Medical Center, Room 2C-260, 7305 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410. Fax: 561-882-6507. (0080)

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