This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. This notice is a market survey and is for information only, to be used for preliminary planning purposes. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this notice. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR QUOTES AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS NOTICE. The VA NCO 15 Contracting Center has been tasked to solicit for and award on-site acute/chronic dialysis services for the Columbia, MO VAMC. Potential sources are responsible for the complete performance of the technical aspects of Hemodialysis Services. This includes providing the dialysis system, personnel, on continuous stand-by call coverage, equipment, supplies and maintenance of the VAMC's water treatment system per the PWS. The contract provider will be expected to follow the rules and regulation of the VA to include utilizing the VA computer patient record system (CPRS) for documentation of medical care provided to patients. No solicitation is currently available at this time. The proposed project is anticipated to be a firm, fixed-price requirement. The type of solicitation to be issued will depend upon the responses to this notice. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this notice or any follow up information requested. The purpose of this notice is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities and qualifications of various members of the Business Community to include Small Business or Large Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZONE, 8(a), etc., to complete and perform a Firm, Fixed-Price contract. After review of the responses to this sources sought announcement a synopsis and/or solicitation announcement may be published at a later time. The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of responsive contractors. The duration of the requirement is for a base period (start-TBD and end TBD) with four each one-year option periods. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) Code applicable to this acquisition is 621492. The Small Business Size Standard for this acquisition is $41.5M. Please limit your response to this synopsis to five pages and please include the following information: - Your company's name, addresses, point of contact, phone number, and email address. - Your company's interest in submitting a proposal on the solicitation when it is issued. - Your company's capability to meet the requirements. - Your company's capability to perform a contract of this type and comparable work performed within the past three years to include a brief description of the project, customer's name, phone number and address, period of performance, and dollar value of the project. - Your company's Business Size (Large or Small) and Socioeconomic Status (Veteran Owned, SDVOSB, HUBZONE, 8(a), etc.). - Your company's Joint Venture information (if applicable and include copy of agreement) - existing and potential Please provide a capability statement addressing your organization's ability to perform as a prime contractor the work described in the draft PWS (below). Index your firm's capabilities to the tasks in the draft PWS so that your firm's capabilities can be readily assessed. This is not a request for proposal and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. Interested companies are asked to respond to this Sources Sought Notice no later-than 4:00 PM (CST) on March 13, 2020. All interested companies must be registered in SAM (http://www.sam.gov/) to be eligible for award of government contracts. Please mail, fax or email your response to: Ashley Osborn NCO 15 Contracting Office, 3450 S. 4th Street, Leavenworth, KS; 60048, Email Address:
[email protected] , Fax No. (913) 946-1198.Please reference the following solicitation number in the subject line of all correspondence submitted: 36C25520Q0252. Note: Email is the preferred method when receiving responses to this notice. DRAFT: Performance Work Statement PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT FOR ON-SITE DIALYSIS SERVICES GENERAL INFORMATION General Under the authority of Public Law 104-262, FAR Parts 13, and VAAR 873, the Contractor agrees to provide health care resources (i.e. on-site acute/chronic dialysis services) in accordance with the terms, conditions and prices stated herein to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Columbia, MO (the VAMC ). Description of Services The Contractor shall provide needed labor, supplies, and equipment. Personnel assigned by the contractor to perform services covered by the contract shall have an unrestricted license from the state of Missouri. The services to be performed by the registered nurse trained in dialysis will be performed in strict accordance with VAMC policies, procedures, and regulations and the medical staff by-laws (refer to attachment) of the VAMC. The contract providers will be responsible for the provision of the ordered services to include set-up and safety check of the equipment and water treatment systems, initiating, monitoring and terminating treatment, documenting of procedures and clean-up and storage of dialysis equipment and supplies. Scope Contractor employee within this contract is defined as an employee/personnel of the prime contractor or of any subcontractor, affiliate, partner, joint venture, or team members with which the Contractor is associated. It also includes consultants engaged by any of those entities. The services specified in this contract may only be changed by written modification which will be prepared and executed by the Network Contracting Office (NCO) 15. The following actions are the sole responsibility of the Contracting Officer for this contract; no other personnel are authorized to: Make changes to contract provisions. This includes changes involving increases and/or decreases in contract price, as well as no cost changes. Require extras or work outside the scope of the contract. Authorize delivery or disposition of Government property not authorized by the contract. Extend the completion time established in the contract. Terminate the contract in whole or in part. Render a decision under the Disputes Clause. Issue instructions to the contractor to stop or start work, to exclude scheduling of services. Place of Performance The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at the Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center, 800 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65201. Period of Performance This contract is for a period of one (1) year from effective date listed in block 3 of the SF 1449, plus four (4) one-year option periods that may be exercised at the sole discretion of the Government. Type of Contract Contract will be Firm Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ). PERSONNEL Non-Personal Services This is a non-personal services contract. Personnel rendering services under this contract are not subject, either by the contract s terms or by the manner of its administration, to the supervision and control usually prevailing in relationships between the government and its employees. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn, is responsible to the Government. Tort Claims Contractor employees are not covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act. When a Contractor employee has been identified as a provider in a tort claim, the Contractor employee is responsible for notifying the Contractor s legal counsel and/or insurance carrier. Any settlement or judgment arising from a Contractor employee s action or non-action is the responsibility of the Contractor and/or insurance carrier. Qualifications Personnel assigned by the Contractor to perform the services covered by this contract shall be licensed in the State of Missouri. All licenses held by the personnel working on this contract shall be full and unrestricted licenses. The qualifications of such personnel shall also be subject to review by the VAMC Executive Committee, Chief of Staff and approval by the VAMC Director. Each person assigned by the Contractor to work under this contract shall be licensed by the governing or cognizant licensing board. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall be BLS certified. The Contractor(s) shall assure professional competence of all personnel provided to the VAMC. Personnel assigned by the contract holder(s) to perform the services covered by this contract shall have knowledge of the following standards: American Nephrology Nurses Association Advancement of Medical Instrumentation Prior to the provision of services, the Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis must have evidence of the following: Health examinations including annual TB skin test result. Either has received the Hepatitis B vaccine series, or are immune as a result of acquired infection, or have been offered and refused the vaccinations Received measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. (Combined vaccine (MMR) is the vaccine of choice if individuals are likely to be susceptible to more than one of the three diseases and is required for all persons born after 1956. A negative PPD within the last year, or, if a known reactor, a negative chest X-Ray within the past year. A history of varicella (chicken pox) or, if unknown, results of a varicella antibody test. If non-immune, shall immunize as appropriate. Received training in Universal Precautions and Blood Borne Pathogens, Hazardous Material Management, and Life Safety Management (fire preparedness). The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall read, understand, speak and write English fluently. Credentialing and Privileging The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall maintain credentialing requirements and notify the COR and Privileging and Credentialing Officer within twenty-four (24) hours of Contractor s discovery of personnel not in compliance. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis is required to report to the Contracting Officer within twenty-four (24) hours of Contractor s discovery any disciplinary action taken by the State Board or the institution against the Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis performing under this contract. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis is responsible to provide complete and timely documentation to support the Credentialing Process. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis must be able to pass the VAMC s credentialing process in accordance with the Department of Veterans Affairs guidelines and regulations. The credentialing and privileging of all contract providers will comply with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Handbook 1100.19 Credentialing and Privileging. Submission of credentials in the VetPro credentialing system is required to be completed annually. Contractor Personnel Responsibilities The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting the personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry out this responsibility, the Contractor shall provide or cause the provision of the following for these personnel: Workers compensation Professional liability insurance Health examinations Income tax withholding, and Social security payments The parties agree that the Contractor, its employees, agents and subcontractors shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose. The Contractor shall insert the substance of this clause, including this paragraph, in all subcontracts for health-care services under this contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for compliance by any subcontractor or lower-tier subcontractor with the provisions set forth in paragraph (1) of this clause. Key Personnel and Temporary Emergency Substitutions The following personnel assigned to this contract by the Contractor are designated as key personnel: . . . . . During the first ninety (90) days of performance, the Contractor shall make NO substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, within fifteen (15) calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required by paragraph (3) below. After the initial 90-day period of the contract, the Contractor shall submit the information required by paragraph (3) to the Contracting Officer at least fifteen (15) days prior to making any permanent substitutions. To the maximum extent practicable, for continuity of care, the Contractor shall provide the same pool of providers to cover the requirements of the contract. The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes (curriculum vitaes) for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. Proposed substitutes shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on the proposed substitutes. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel. All Contractor employees requiring credentialing must be credentialed prior to reporting to the VAMC to provide coverage. The credentialing process can take up to 90 days to accomplish; therefore, the Contractor is encouraged to provide all credentialing documentation for any Contractor employee who may perform service under this contract to avoid any lapse in coverage. Evidence of completion of required licensure, credentials, required training, current competencies and commencement of background investigations must be validated by the Government for all contractor personnel referred to perform services under this contract prior to providing direct patient care. Contractor shall not have personnel report to duty until written notification is received from the Contracting Officer or designee (e.g. Contracting Officer s Representative) advising that the candidate(s) presented has met all requirements for performance. Written notification shall be in the form a modification to the contract adding the contractor employee as key personnel. The Government reserves the right to bar contractor personnel from Government facilities, if personal or professional conduct of the contractor personnel jeopardizes patient care. Unacceptable breaches of conduct include, but are not limited to, provider intoxication or debilitation resulting from alcohol or drug use, theft, patient abuse, dereliction or negligence, or other conduct resulting in formal complaints by patient or staff. The Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) may immediately make determinations relating to contractor personnel access to facilities when conduct of said personnel raises concerns of jeopardized patient care. The Contracting Officer shall advise the contractor of the questionable conduct encountered and may seek contractor input related to continuing access of said personnel to VA facilities, but the Contracting Officer is in no fashion required to reach agreement with the Contractor before acting on restrictions. The final arbiter on questions of action to be taken to restrict contractor personnel from VAMC facilities based on alleged conduct issues is the Contracting Officer. Patient Referral Neither the Contractor nor Contractor s employee is authorized under this contract to refer any VAMC patients for additional medical treatment. Separate authorization by the VAMC will be necessary for continued care or referral for additional medical treatment. HOURS OF OPERATION Business hours for the VAMC follow: Work hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. National Holidays: The 10 holidays observed by the Federal Government are: New Year s Day; Martin Luther King s Birthday; Presidents Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. Off-Duty hours: Monday through Friday, 4:30 pm 8:00 am; Friday 4:30 pm through Monday 8:00 a.m. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITES Work Schedule Workdays: The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis could be required to furnish services on all calendar days. Normal work hours for the registered nurse(s) (which may be different than the VAMC hours listed in 3.a) above may include all hours/shifts. Call back: Contract providers will not be paid for on-call services or stand-by pay. Acceptable response time is contingent upon the urgency of the need as determined by the ordering physician: Emergent Services within two (2) hours Immediate Services within four (4) hours Chronic Routine within thirty-six (36) hours Description of Services The contractor shall provide a continuous contact telephone number for the Columbia, MO VAMC to use in order to schedule services on a 24/7 basis. Duties of the Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis include, but are not limited to: A specific plan of care shall be designed for each patient based upon nursing diagnosis or clinical nursing problems, expected patient outcomes and nursing intervention. Any of the following nursing diagnosis experienced by the patient shall be addressed by the plan of care: Impairment of skin integrity; Fluid volume excess; Alteration in cardiac output related to hyperkalemia Alteration in cardiac output secondary to hyperkalemia Alteration in cardiac output related to uremia or dialysis-associated pericarditis, pericardial effusion and pericardial tamponade secondary to uremia and dialytic therapy; Activity intolerance related to uremia Sexual dysfunction related to effects of uremia on endocrine system and/or psychosocial impact of renal failure and its treatment. Alterations in comfort related to peripheral neuropathy caused by effects of uremia and peripheral nerves Impaired gas exchange Alterations in oral mucous membranes Alterations in nutrition, less than body requirements Impaired physical mobility Anxiety Powerlessness Non-compliance Grieving Alterations in self-concept On-going teaching programs shall be offered by the contract provider to patients to allow them to gain knowledge of the following: A self-care concept Normal kidney structure and function Causes of kidney failure Effects of kidney failure on the body Medication regimen Dietary regimen Circulatory access Hemodialysis/continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) principles and procedures. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall ensure that water treatment systems are in place at the VAMC to meet the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) recommendations regarding water and dialysate fluid safety for hemodialysis. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall provide documentation of care in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) before the end of the day. The VAMC will provide training on the electronic patient record system prior to use. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis will provide monthly culture and endotoxin results according to AAMI and CDC guidelines. Any results above acceptable range will require a written action plan to be submitted along with the results. All monthly results as well as an action plan will be submitted within 48 hours of sampling. Results and plans will be submitted to the VAMC Infection Control Nurse as well as the COR. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall offer support for the patient and family members in achieving and maintaining a lifestyle meaningful to them. Family members shall be advised on the patient s nutritional needs, daily living needs, and other special needs. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall sign in and out at the area designated by the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR). The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall adhere to Joint Commission Standards (http://www.jointcommission.org/ ) and shall provide all reports requested, information and assistance to support The Joint Commission requirements. The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis may be exposed to surroundings which involve moderate risks or discomfort which require special precautions, i.e., infectious diseases, verbal and physical abuse from emotionally disturbed patients. Dress apparel: The Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis shall be required to dress in a professional manner. The Contractor shall have sufficient qualified Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis so that services are provided in the event a scheduled Registered Nurse(s) trained in dialysis resigns, is terminated, or is otherwise unavailable to work. Contract requirements are not altered or mitigated by inclement weather. Equipment The Contractor will be responsible for cleaning, care, and maintenance of all contractor furnished equipment utilized during the contract period. The Contractor will make all equipment records available (i.e., such as maintenance records) on-site for any equipment owned and utilized by contractor employee s on patients at the VAMC. The contractor will ensure all equipment maintenance is properly performed per manufacturer s instructions and industry standards. The Contractor shall provide documentation of the manufacturer s recommended cleaning process for any contractor owned equipment. The Contractor shall provide a Standard Operating Procedure for the cleaning process in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendation and documentation of training of contract staff on cleaning requirements and competencies. SOP s shall be reviewed, with necessary updates, on an annual basis. Competencies on cleaning of the equipment will be completed by the contract staff on an annual basis. The Contractor will be responsible for providing equipment and supplies that are unique and specific to the provision of dialysis services, to include but not be limited to, dialysis machines, water treatment systems and ancillary equipment, plumbing fittings necessary to access VA water supply. System Function Monitoring Prior to each treatment, the contract provider shall test the proper functioning of the water treatment equipment. Copies of bacterial counts and chemical test results, as well as equipment service reports, electrical safety check results, and preventive maintenance reports are to be kept on-site. The contractor will provide microbiology assays as per AAMI standards. The dialysis machines will be disinfected following the manufacturer s policies and procedures. On a yearly basis, or more frequently if a problem is suspected, the contract provider is responsible for testing the unit s supply water for chemical contaminant. Chemical contaminant testing of RO product water is performed at the time of the machine s installation, yearly after install, whenever a membrane is replaced, and/or if a problem with product water is suspected. Poor or unexpected result values that are greater than those listed in the AAMI standard will be reported to the Medical Director and the COR. Copies of all assay reports are sent to the COR.