R -- TEMPORARY HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES (HIMS) CODERS

Notice Date

May 16, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chief, Acquisition and Materiel Management (90C), One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417

ZIP Code

55417

Solicitation Number

RFQ 618-143-01

Response Due

May 18, 2001

Point of Contact

Janice M. Byrd 612-725-2188

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation. Request for Quotation #RFQ 618-143-01 entitled "Temporary Health Information Management Services (HIMS) Coders" is hereby issued for commercial items and is prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, Subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. Simplified acquisition procedures apply and the VA will conduct the procurement according to a combination of Parts 12 and 13. This announcement incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through FAR FAC 97-27 and VAAR 97-8. This requirement is 100% set aside for Small Business. NAICS Code 561320 applies for this procurement and the small business size standard is $10 million. This CBD announcement/solicitation constitutes the only bid document that will be issued. A separate written solicitation document will not be issued. Contractor's proposals (cost and technical) are herein requested. A response to requirements listed below shall be submitted on contractor's letterhead or formal quotation form and must address all requirements listed in a separate technical proposal. Contractor's price and technical proposal must contain the name; title and signature of person authorized to submit proposals/bids on behalf of the contractor. VA Minneapolis has determined an urgent requirement for two (2) full time equivalent Temporary Health Information Management Services (HIMS) Coders for a two to three month period starting immediately. Each coder will work on site at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center (VAMC) to review provider's notes (mainly hand-written documentation) and assign the appropriate ICD-9-CM code for diagnose(s), E/M code for the visit, CPT/HCPCS code(s) for any procedures or ancillary services and any appropriate modifiers. Coders must be proficient with E/M coding and be able to apply the 1995 HCFA documentation guidelines. AHIMA or AAPC credentials are not required, but preferred. Coder Responsibilities (1) five-eight (8) hour workday(s) or four-ten (10) hour workday(s); (2) Code to chart documentation applying VAMC coding policies; (3) PCE data entry; (4) Maintain stat sheet; (5) Respects confidentiality and follows established policy regarding patient records; (6) Productivity/competencies -- each coder should complete a minimum of six charts per hour with E/M code accuracy at 90%. Coders would be directly responsible to the Director of HIMS. Equipment PCE data entry will be done either using a PC or dumb terminal. Coders will supply their own ICD-9-CM and CPT coding books. Work environment general office setting, mainly sedentary, involving the activity found in a typical office setting. There will be minimal moving of charts from the bookshelf to the coding area. Attire business casual. Security clearance ID badge, computer access, etc. will be arranged by VAMC. Daily Schedule eight to ten hours of daily coding Monday through Friday. Start time between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. with morning fifteen minute break, half-hour lunch break and fifteen-minute afternoon break. A full-time equivalent (FTE) is defined as a contractor's employee working eight (8) hours per day, five (5) days per week (40 hours per week). Contractor's employees must be present at VAMC and must be actually performing the required services for the period specified in the contract or the contract cost will be decreased accordingly during each billing cycle. A VAMC record-keeping system of contractor hours worked is established through time and attendance logs in the departments being served. The payments to contract personnel for any leave, including sick leave, holiday, or vacation time, is the responsibility of the contractor. Leave granted to contract employees would be in accordance with contractor policies. VA is not obligated to the Contractor during coder(s) absence. Submission and evaluation of proposals offered will include the following factors: Professional qualifications and competencies, coder(s) skills/interpersonal skills, availability, past performance and cost. Award will be made to the offeror determined to be the "best value" to the Government. Evaluation may be made with or without discussions with the offeror(s). All responsible sources that can meet the requirements and provide services as listed above may respond to this solicitation by submitting cost and technical proposals (curriculum vitae) on their company letterhead or bid form. The following provisions and clauses shall apply to this solicitation: 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address (es): http://www.arnet.gov/far (FAR) and http://www.va.govoa&mm/vaar/ (VAAR); 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; 52.212-2 Evaluation Commercial Items; 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certification-Commercial Items (NOTE Offerors must include a completed copy of "Offeror Representations and Certification" along with his/her offer); 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes on Executive Orders Commercial Items; FAR 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business set-Aside; FAR 52.216-18 Ordering; FAR 52.216-19 Order Limitations; FAR 52.216-21 Requirements; VAAR 852.270-4 Commercial Advertising; VAAR 852.219-70 Veteran-owned business; 852.219-70 Protest Content; 852.236-76 Correspondence; 852.237-7 Indemnification and Medical Liability Insurance; 852.237-70 Contractor Responsibilities; 852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers; and 852.233-71 Alternate Protest Procedure. Department of Labor Wage Determination Number 1994-2287, Revision Number 17, dated 9/15/2000 applies. Proposals shall include all information required in 52.212-1, Schedule of Prices Offered, a copy of published price list for the services proposed, and a completed copy of provision 52-212-3 and technical requirements listed above. Submit all price and technical proposals to Janice M. Byrd, Contracting Officer (90C), VA Medical Center, Room 4G-107, One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417. For further information, contact Janice M. Byrd at (612) 725-2188. Faxed proposals to 612-725-2072 are urgently requested from date of publication of this ad. Desired services start immediately. See Note 1.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010518/RSOL012.HTM (W-136 SN50M2P1)