Q -- CONTRACT PODIATRIST

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This procurement is being conducted under Simplified Acquisition procedures pursuant to the authority of FAR Subpart 13.5, Test Program for Certain Commercial Items (10 U.S.C. 2304(g) and 2305 and 41 U.S.C. 253(g) and 253a and 253b), FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items (Title VIII of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-355)), and FAR 37.104, Personal Services Contracts (Public Law 103-332, Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, Title II, September 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 2530 as implemented by 25 U.S.C. 1638c). This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; therefore, a written solicitation will not be issued. The Billings Area Indian Health Service (IHS) intends to award a firm fixed-price commercial item contract in response to Request for Quotation (RFQ) 10-05-046-REL. This solicitation is restricted to 100% Small Business concerns. The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-04. The associated North American Industry Classification System code is 621391 and the small business size standard is $6.0 million. PRICE SCHEDULE: Potential offerors shall propose an all inclusive hourly rate for the BASE PERIOD: 160 HOURS @ $________ per HOUR = $__________; OPTION ONE: 160 HOURS @ $________ per HOUR = $__________; OPTION TWO: 160 HOURS @ $________ per HOUR = $__________; OPTION THREE: 160 HOURS @ $________ per HOUR = $__________; and OPTION FOUR: 160 HOURS @ $________ per HOUR = $__________. STATEMENT OF WORK: The purpose of this acquisition is to contract for comprehensive podiatry services at the Blackfeet Service Unit, PHS Indian Hospital on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Browning, Montana. The contract podiatrist shall work Monday through Friday, average eight to ten hours per day pending the surgery/clinic schedule, and may be required to follow-up post-operative patients on weekends or after hours as needed for patient care. The schedule shall be coordinated with the Supervisory Clinical Director or designee.Major Duties: Specific work duties and services the contractor shall provide under this purchase order include, but are not limited to comprehensive podiatry services on the inpatient ward, operating room, outpatient clinics and nursing home. The contractor shall examine and diagnose podiatric conditions of individuals presenting themselves for care at the Blackfeet Community Hospital; refers individuals for consultation when appropriate; prescribes and carries out therapy in conformation with approved clinical privileges and Billings Area/I.H.S. policy. Provides direct patient care to non-Indian patients in emergency situations. Develops and provides comprehensive podiatric care to patients with diabetes mellitus. Assesses footwear needs of clients with diabetes and clients with non-diabetes related foot problems. Provides diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic Podiatric services to patients afflicted by pathologic conditions of the lower extremities, including but are not limited to, diabetic/naturopathic/vascular ulcers, fungal/bacterial processes, osseous deformities, ingrown/infected toenails, and warts of the foot. Surgical cases will likely be performed as the primary surgeon without a surgical assistant. Works as a member of the health care team along side the medical staff to provide comprehensive quality medical care to patients with multiple complex medical problems. Promotes health and disease prevention by educating patients on the nature of health related conditions, recommended therapy and healthy lifestyles. Provides expert consultation to the medical staff on disorders of the feet. Participates in educating the medical staff, nursing support, patient and community in preventing, diagnosing and treating disorders of the feet through educational materials, inservices, participation in inpatient rounds, proctoring on staff and students and formal and informal lectures as indicated. Participates in full scope hospital podiatric care including admission and management on the inpatient ward at the Blackfeet Community Hospital. Co admits or consults appropriate medical staff for medical management beyond the scope of practice as indicated. Performs inpatient consultation on patients with podiatric disorders. Performs outpatient and inpatient podiatric surgical procedures independently on a regular basis under local, regional, spinal and general anesthesia. Participates in quality assurance measures as appropriate including peer review. Provides comprehensive assessment in a timely manner to determine acuity, appropriate priorities of care and treatment and delivers immediate interventions in accordance with physical and psychological needs. Implements a screening process to identify and meet health maintenance needs based on age, gender, and special populations. Demonstrates commitment to the Performance Improvement program and to excellent patient care. Record patient-provider encounters in the chart in a legible manner for accurate communication between providers and completes required documentation for accurate billing, ordering of diagnostic tests and referrals. Maintains health summary and problem lists to ensure accurate patient data. Completes medical records in a timely fashion in compliance with hospital policy. Safely operates specialized equipment. Responsible for continuing education to maximize professional development. Maintains and demonstrates knowledge of and adheres to hospital and departmental safety regulations. Assists the Service Unit in developing anesthesia policies and procedures. Maintains knowledge according to Federal Regulations of HIPAA, EMTALA, COBRA, EEO, JCAHO, and other Accreditation Agencies. Must be certified in PALS and ACLS. KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION: Professional degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and completion of a post-graduate training program in an approved podiatry residency program and a two-year podiatry surgical residency program or equivalent experience. Board certification in Podiatry or equivalent approved American Specialty board or a combination of post-graduate training and experience to total a minimum of five years. Engages in CME as necessary for maintaining competency and board certification. Possess an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States. Expert knowledge of podiatry specialty including diagnosis and treatment of adult and pediatric disorders of the foot and ankle including managing patients with extreme traumatic injuries and unusual diseases. Current ACLS, BLS certification is required. Maintains competency skills in independent quality podiatric surgery. Must be qualified to be privileged in surgery of the foot and ankle. Knowledge of Blackfeet Community Hospital Service Unit Medical staff bylaws and Rules and Regulation and requirements for credentialing/privileging status as an active medical staff member. Knowledge of and ability to appreciate cultural differences of the Native American population and their effect on health care delivery to patients and their families. Knowledge of and ability to implement quality improvement, infection control, safely and discharge planning concepts. Knowledge of the concepts to effectively communicate with patients, families and health care personnel. ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT: The supervisor defines the continuing assignment with procedures and methods to be used, priorities and deadlines. The supervisor helps the contractor with difficult or controversial aspects of the job requirement. The contractor uses initiative in planning and carrying out the day-to-day workload. Final work is reviewed, as needed, for conformance to policies and regulations, timeliness and satisfaction of the supervisor. Other IHS employees will assist the project officer in monitoring the contract and will be designated as alternates in the absence of the supervisor. The responsibility of the Indian Health Service is to supervise, monitor and ensure that the contractor is adequately performing the requested services, deliverables, duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Statement of Work and performance standards for which they were hired to accomplish. GUIDELINES: Guidelines available include DHHS, PHS, IHS, Billings Area Service Unit and Medical Staff regulations, policies, procedures, and bylaws. In addition, traditional and currently accepted medical practices are available in the form of specialty consultation, medical journals, and textbooks. In nearly all cases, however, the medical officer’s judgment is the key factor in determining whether guidelines are to be adhered to or deviated or whether new guidelines need to be developed to protect the interests of the patient. The provider is primarily the sole podiatrist at the Blackfeet Service Unit. COMPLEXITY: The work consists of a comprehensive health care off patients with diabetes and other complex medical and surgical conditions of the foot and ankle, involving diagnosis and treatment of inpatients and outpatients with an extremely wide variety of physical and emotional problems and includes the broad functions of medicine, education, prevention, cure and rehabilitation, in addition to the practice of podiatry. Assignments are characterized by breadth and intensity of effort and generally involve the simultaneous application of multiple distinct skills, knowledge and abilities in the care of one or more patients. The incumbent serves as a consultant on the most difficult cases in the specialty and performs the most advanced diagnostic and treatment procedures often without professional direction. The incumbent recognizes rare and difficult-to-identify symptoms or signs and is responsible for developing a full treatment regimen including consultation as indicated. Cases are often critical and require immediate decision-making and implementation of treatment regimen. Considerable weight is given to the medical officer’s recommendations in the technical specialties, by their supervisor and colleagues. This position requires open communication between patients, families, within Medical staff (Following chain of command), appropriate departments within the hospital and/or referral services for the enhancement of patient care. SCOPE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the work is to observe, assist, assess and provide podiatry care to a wide range of patient conditions. The work affects the health status of patients and families. The podiatrist coordinates and implements patient care specific to the age and size of patients served to foster wellness, promote prevention of disease, and maximize care during acute and terminal stages of illness. PERSONAL CONTACTS: The podiatrist comes in contact with patients, families, professional and nonprofessional personnel within the facility, field health clinics and outside agencies. PURPOSE OF CONTACTS: Contacts with hospital personnel are to exchange, provide and obtain information. Contacts with patients and families are to counsel and provide encouragement, care and comfort; for example: to improve or change living, dietary or health habits and often requiring great tact and sensitivity. Other contacts are made to coordinate community services. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requires physical exertion including considerable walking, and standing, moving patients, lifting, bending, stooping, pushing, reaching, and restraining patients. Emotional stability and metal flexibility is required, Shift rotation, overtime, patient transport within the hospital, and callback is required. WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work involves risks, which require special safety precautions for such things as exposure to chemicals, bodily fluids, radiation, contagious disease and infection, or in working with emotionally disturbed or violent patients. The podiatrist will be required to work with all age groups. Podiatrist is required to use protective clothing or personal protective equipment. SUPERVISION: The Clinical Director is responsible for the overall objectives and resources available. The Contractor is responsible to the Chief of the Surgery and indirectly to the Clinical Director. The assignment duties are made verbally or in writing and are to be carried out as normal day-to-day duties with in-direct supervision by a Charge RN as a member of the health team. PERFORMANCE-BASED SERVICE DELIVERY SUMMARY: The contractors performance will be measured based on the following Performance Requirements: (1) Quality of Performance; (2) Shift Coverage; (3) Documentation of Medical Records; and (4) Customer Service. The Performance Requirements will be measured against the following Government Performance Standards: (1) Provide Physician Services as specified in the Performance Work Statement; (2) Must be available for shift coverage; (3) Complete medical records in accordance with JCAHO requirements and Blackfeet Service Unit medical staff by-laws, rules and regulations; and (4) 5 or more customer complaints. The Method of Government Surveillance to determine compliance with the Performance Requirements are as follows: (1) Peer reviews (i.e., written evaluations) and periodic conferences between the contractor and project officer; (2) Random Sampling by the project officer or her designee; (3) Random Sampling by the project officer or her designee; and (4) Validated Complaints. Deduction Schedule: A 5% deduction shall be assigned to each Performance Requirement. Deductions shall be assessed against individual invoices when services are not performed or do not meet contract requirements. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Date of award through the completion of 160 hours and four 160 hour options. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY: The IHS shall provide all medical equipment and supplies. The Blackfeet Service Unit will be responsible for getting the Contractor access and clearance to all pertinent ARMS; intranet, internet, and computer services necessary to carry out his/her duties. The contractor will be authorized to use all areas of the facility made available to them and should only utilize them for official business activities relating to job performance. CONTRACTING OFFICER AUTHORITY: Authority to negotiate changes in the terms, conditions or amounts cited in this contract is reserved for the Contracting Officer. PROJECT OFFICER: The project officer shall be responsible for: (1) Monitoring the Contractors technical progress, including surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending technical changes; (2) Interpreting the Statement of Work; (3) Technical evaluation as required; (4) Technical inspections and acceptance; and (5) Assisting the Contractor in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance of this contract. INVOICE SUBMISSION AND PAYMENT: The Contractor shall submit its invoice to the Project Officer at the Blackfeet Service Unit, PHS Indian Hospital, P.O. Box 760, Browning, Montana 59417. The Contractor agrees to include the following information on each invoice: (1) Contractors name, address; (2) Contract Number; (3) Invoice number and date; (4) Cost or price; (5) Dates of Service including the number of hours worked; and (6) Remit to address. Payment shall be made by the Billings Area Financial Management Branch, P.O. Box 36600, Billings, Montana 59107. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer with evidence that payment of employment taxes have been paid at the end of the contract term. PRO-CHILDREN ACT OF 1994: The Contractor certifies that it will comply with the provisions of Public Law 103-227, Pro-Children Act of 1994, which imposes restrictions on smoking where Federally funded children's services are provided. CHILD CARE NATIONAL AGENCY CHECK AND INVESTIGATION (CNACI). A CNACI must be completed for all Indian Health Service (IHS) contractor personnel within the Billings Area. Public Law (P.L.) 101-630, Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act and P.L. 101-647, Crime Control Act of 1990, require the IHS to conduct a character and criminal history background investigation on all contractors performing services in IHS facilities. The character and background investigations will be conducted by the Blackfeet Service Unit. Until the character investigation has been completed and the Contracting Officer notified of the results, the Contractor must not have unsupervised contact with Indian children. SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS: Contractors cannot serve as expert witnesses in any suit against the Federal Government. Many of the IHS patients receiving services may only speak a native language and/or reside on a Native American Reservation, therefore, the Contractor must demonstrate sensitivity to cross-cultural and language differences. FEDERAL TORT COVERAGE: The Federal Tort Claims Act coverage for medical related claims is extended to the contract physician providing services pursuant to this contract. However, the services performed must have been within the scope of the personal services contract. SAFETY: The contract physician must comply with all IHS facility infection control and safety procedures, practices, and standards. PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES: The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition. The FAR provision 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; and 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items are incorporated by reference. The provision at 52.212-2 applies to this acquisition and is provided in full text. FAR 52.212-2 EVALUATION –COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 1999): (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Responsibility factors shall be utilized in lieu of formal technical evaluation criteria. To be considered for award of a contract under the solicitation the offerors must meet the following minimum acceptable qualifications. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers and are included in the relative order of importance: (1) Unrestricted State License (Offerors must submit current unrestricted State license) 35 POINTS; (2) Resume or Curriculum Vitae (Offerors must submit copy of resume or curriculum vitae) 35 POINTS; and (3) Past Performance Information. The offeror must demonstrate its record of successful performance in past contracts and/or jobs, Government and/or commercial. Each offeror will be evaluated on its performance under existing and prior contracts/jobs including previous performance with the Indian Health Service, volume and type of cases/year (including pediatric and dental cases) and adverse outcomes/year. The offeror must list at least three contracts/jobs and include the following information. (1) Name of Government agency/Company; (2) Contract number, if applicable; (3) Dates of Service/Employment; (4) Total contract value/Hourly wage; (5) Description of contract work/Job duties; (6) Contracting Officer/Company Manager and telephone number; (7) Program Manager and telephone number, if applicable; and (8) Administrative Contracting Officer and telephone number, if applicable 30 POINTS. Technical and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. (b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. The following FAR and Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) clauses are applicable: 52.204-4, 52.212-4, 52.212-5, 52.215-5, 52.217-8, 52.223-5, 52.223-6, 52.224-1, 52.224-2, 52.229-3, 52.232-3, 52.232-18, 52.237-2, 52.237-3, 52.242-15, 52.242-17, 52.245-1, 52.245-2, 52.249-12, 352.202-1, 352.215-1, 352.215-70, 352.223-70, 352.232-9, 352.270-2, 352.270-3, 352.270-4, 352.270-6, and 352.270-7. The following FAR clauses cited in 52.212-5 are applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6 with Alternate I, 52.219-6, 52.219-8, 52.222-3, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.225-13 and 52.232-33. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will provide full text copies of the FAR and HHSAR provisions and clauses. The provisions and clauses may also be accessed electronically at http://www.arnet.gov and http://www.hhs.gov/ogam/oam/procurement/hhsar.html. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: The Contractor shall provide evidence of, or submit a written response to, the technical evaluation factors in FAR 52.212-2. In addition, the Contractor shall submit a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3 with its offer. Contractors intending to conduct business with the Federal Government must register with the Department of Defense Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database prior to award. The CCR is the primary Government repository, which retains information on Government contractors. You may register via the Internet at http://www.ccr.gov or by calling (888) 227-2423 or (269) 961-5757. All responsible offerors may submit a proposal, which shall be considered by the Agency. Offers shall be submitted to the Billings Area Indian Health Service, 2900 Fourth Avenue North, Room 304, Billings, Montana 59101, no later than 5:00 p.m., on July 8, 2005. The offer must be submitted in a sealed envelope, addressed to this office, showing the time specified for receipt, the solicitation number, and your companys name and address. Offers will also be accepted by e-mail at [email protected] or by fax at (406) 247-7108. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD: Your proposal must stipulate that it is predicated upon all the terms and conditions of this RFQ. In addition, it must contain a statement to the effect that it is firm for a period of at least 60 days from the date of receipt by the Government.