Q522--Other - Mobile CT for Clinics Base year + 4 optn years

Sources Sought Notice Description General Information Contract Opportunity Type: Sources Sought (Original) All Dates/Times are: (UTC-10:00) CENTRAL TIME, CHICAGO, USA Original Published Date: January 19, 2022 Original Response Date: February 16, 2021; 10:00 am CT Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 9 (NCO 9) For the James H. Quillen VAMC (JHQVAMC) Classification Original Set Aside: Unrestricted Product Service Code: Q522 MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING NAICS Code: 621512 Place of Performance: Mt. Home and surrounding area Description This Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought (SS) Notice is for market research, information, and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of VA or the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. This is a new requirement for Mobile CT Scanning and Ultrasound Scanning Services. Services are to be provided at all James H. Quillen Medical Centers locations in addition to all VAMC associated Outpatient Clinics. The contractor shall provide all resources and equipment necessary to provide these services. It is anticipated that the Contractor will need to purchase and assemble the mobile equipment necessary to meet this requirement. As part of this sources sought notice, the VAMC is seeking to determine how long it would take the Contractor, after an award is made, to procure and assemble the equipment necessary to meet this requirement. The requirement will include a primary vehicle and one back-up vehicle. If an award is made and the services are successful, it is possible that an additional contract could be processed for the other medical centers in VISN 9. A two-week period is being given to respond to potential contractor questions. If you are interested and have questions, please submit your questions via e-mail to daniel.earls@va.gov by 10:00 am on January 31, 2022. Questions will be answered via an amendment to this Sources Sought Notice. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT General Information Introduction and Overview The Mountain Home Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) requires contractual services to provide Mobile Imaging services onsite at the Corner of Sydney and Lamont St., Mountain Home, Tennessee and/or Downtown West Outpatient Center, Knoxville, TN and/or Mountain Home affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Catchment area for Mobile Imaging Services has the potential to expand to all VISN 9 facilities after the first year of the contract. Mobile imaging services includes a non-18 wheeled trailer/coach containing radiolographic x-ray and ultrasound unit. Vehicle platform for this contract is to utilize a mobile platform that is the smallest possible to ensure reliability and travel in winter weather conditions. The targeted platforms include sprinter and box. Mobile vehicle will transport equipment and personnel to multiple locations on a rotating schedule. Radiographic x-ray equipment will be diagnostic x-ray unit to include chest board, table bucky, overhead railing, X-ray generator and all other equipment to be fully operational. Ultrasound unit will be full diagnostic system to perform all ultrasound exams on all body habitus. Ultrasound unit will have the ability to acquire images within the coach and/or transported into a government provided space to perform ultrasound examinations. Government will have option to operate with government qualified technologists or government may request contractor to supply qualified technologist staffing. The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, maintenance, and repair of all Contractor-furnished equipment (including the mobile vehicle unit). Contractor shall be responsible to maintain all of the equipment in good working order at all times and shall reimburse the VAMC for lost time, which may result from defective workmanship or equipment failure. Services shall be performed as listed in the Schedule of Pricing. Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) locations currently include the following: Bristol CBOC: 3130 Lee Highway, Suite 201, Bristol, VA 24202 Campbell County CBOC: 130 Independence Lane, 3rd Floor, LaFollette, TN 37766 Jonesville CBOC: 32613 Wilderness Road, Suite 101, Jonesville, VA 24263 Marion CBOC: 1583B North Main Street, Marion, VA 24354 Morristown CBOC: 925 E. Morris Blvd., Morristown, TN 37813 Mountain City CBOC: 1141 Cold Springs Road, Mountain City, TN 37683 Norton CBOC: 654 Highway 58 East, Norton, VA 24273 Rogersville CBOC: 401 Scenic Drive, Rogersville, TN 37857 Vansant CBOC: 1941 Lover s Gap Road, Suite A, Vansant, VA 24656 Knoxville CBOC: 8033 Ray Mears Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37919 Medical Center Locations VISN 9 Locations? Contractor responsibilities summary but to include all items within this contract and requirements to be fully operational as a vehicle and as imaging units. Contractor shall provide all personnel, transportation, and equipment. Services shall be performed by Certified Technologists. Technologist certification and licensing shall be required for each state in which services are provided. Contractor shall provide a mobile service solution that shall include a state-of-the-art fixed x-ray unit in a suitable vehicle. Shall provide state-of-the-art ultrasound unit that shall be transported (properly secured in the same vehicle unit). Once on site, the ultrasound unit shall be transported inside the government facility (VAMC or Clinic). Contractor shall provide one tech each for ultrasound and x-ray in addition to a driver. Driver is at the discretion of the contractor. This driver position is not a mandate and depends on the Commercial Driver s License (CDL) rating of the coach vehicle as the technologists may be able to drive based on size. Contractor shall comply with all appropriate state and CDL requirements for all states where services are to be provided. All patients scheduled and/or added on will be scanned by the contractor staff and/or government staff with all digital images transferred to VA Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS). Technologist will verify image transfer on all exams and complete all requirement work to bring exam to completion. Supplies Contractor shall solely be responsible for the procurement, receipt, dispensing, administration, and safekeeping of all supplies defined herein. These supplies include items for maintaining equipment, patient positioning, computer systems, and any other items required to operate equipment and perform exams. Term of the Contract The resulting contract shall be effective for a base period of one year from date of award plus four (4) one-year option periods, renewable at the Government s discretion. This contract is subject to the availability of VAMC funds; no service shall be performed after end of contract term, unless authorized by the Administrative Contracting Officer. Contractor s Furnished Equipment Equipment shall include, but not be limited to, a Contractor-furnished, fully equipped, non-18 wheeled vehicle/coach, housing a fully diagnostic x-ray unit with table and upright chest board, not a portable x-ray unit, and a fully diagnostic ultrasound, non-laptop, unit that can be wheeled into on-site location. Mobile x-ray imaging services will be performed on a mobile unit that meets facility approval (documentation of proposed units to be provided with bid). Ultrasound imaging unit must meet facility approval. Equipment specifications will include year, manufacturer, model number, and make of all pertinent information. All equipment used will be FDA approved imaging equipment. The entire offering of a Mobile Radiology services shall meet all local, state, federal, industry, JCAHO, NEC, NFPA, VA, OSHA, and other regulatory standards internal and external for which the VAMC is currently accountable and will be kept current with all federal and state regulations. Contractor s vehicle shall be outfitted and fully operational within ___ days of contract award. Contractor shall also have a back-up fully outfitted and fully operational within ___ days of contract award. System Capability Requirements Contractor shall provide an on-site Mobile Ultrasound and x-ray unit that is a full system in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract. The unit shall have the ability to perform all general x-rays and ultrasound exams. Mobile Unit Capabilities and Requirements. The mobile unit must have the following: Hardware and software to support fully diagnostic uncompressed images to include compatible post processing advanced imaging. FIPS 140-2 compliant on all systems directly interfacing with government network. Ability to create, store and export DICOM, JPEG and MPEG file formats. DICOM 3.0 network capability for export of images within VAMC. Transport of images will be VA-supplied network infrastructure. The mobile unit shall be equipped with a CD-R burner for a backup to transfer data and to burn disc for patients on request. The mobile unit shall provide sub-space sufficient to allow patient to undress/dress in private. The mobile unit shall provide the space sufficient and the appropriate equipment for performing CPR, if necessary. The mobile unit will require network connection for government furnished computer to be utilized by technologists to complete all government requirements for exam completion. Contractor shall provide network connection solution for transferring of images to VA network that meets all security requirements. Provide solution/s and/or options with proposal for bid. Mobile Unit Accessories The following accessory equipment shall be provided by the Contractor: Handicap accessibility Intercom system between the control room and the scanning room The mobile unit shall provide all equipment compatible with mobile unit, e.g., pads, sponges, patient moving accessories, wheelchair, etc. Equipment Specifications The following minimum performance characteristics of the equipment are required: The imaging equipment shall provide images with consistently high technical quality to be assessed by VA-employed experts. Poor image quality will be considered non-performance under this contract and must be remedied within 10 days of notification or incur default. The imaging equipment shall be capable of acquiring images to meet all protocols to include dual energy chest. The imaging equipment shall be capable of acquiring images and all post processing requirements to deliver high quality diagnostic images. Contractor shall provide generator for self-contained power to fully operate entire coach and all equipment within, possibly for extended periods of time. The Ultrasound unit shall have: All ultrasound transducers to perform all ultrasound exams to include all body habitus. The mobile imaging unit shall be ready for use regardless of outside environmental conditions, and shall adhere to the following: The mobile unit shall maintain a temperature to assure proper operation of equipment without frequent calibration and provide for patient comfort. The mobile unit and imaging equipment shall meet all federal, state, fire, and safety requirements. The mobile unit shall be equipped with outlet jacks connections capable of transmitting data and voice through Government-provided category five (5) and dual power phone cable. The mobile unit shall be equipped with secured landline and wireless technology that will allow for transmission of images. Contractor shall provide full solution within proposal. Pedestal power and landline network will not be provided by government due to separate existing building lease contract restraints. Contractor may work independently with building owner to establish pedestal power and landline at contractor expense. Please note each location is unique environment and all have different building owners. The imaging equipment shall support DICOM Modality Worklist (DMWL) for future use and shall be able to export DICOM images to at least one destination. The imaging systems must be on the VistA Imaging Approved DICOM Modality Interface List. Equipment Maintenance / Repairs Equipment provided shall always be in good working order in order to provide high quality scans required under this contract. Contractor shall be completely responsible for the preventive maintenance, emergency and general repairs, safety, cleaning, and upkeep of all equipment furnished by the Contractor. Preventative maintenance/repairs on the mobile unit and all associated equipment shall be performed in accordance with the Conformance Standards and manufacturer s recommendations. If the equipment should fail during normal working hours, every effort should be taken in order to reduce equipment downtime by expediting repairs. Exams canceled or postponed due to failure of services provided by the contractor must be rescheduled and performed by the Contractor at the original imaging site within seven (7) calendar days of the initial appointment during the normal operating hours of the clinic services. If it is not possible to reschedule the patient within seven (7) calendar days and the VAMC must make alternate arrangement to have the patient sent to another local facility for the tests, the Contractor shall bear the costs associated with such re-procurement. The VAMC will provide the Contractor with an itemized list of costs as a result of any service failure and cost will be deducted from the Contractor s invoice for the period involved. Contractor shall be responsible for the overall housekeeping of the unit including but not limited to removal and proper disposal of all debris on a daily basis or as often as necessary to maintain a sanitized and neat environment in accordance with the Conformance Standards. Contractor shall be responsible for all equipment while on VAMC premises. At least one of Contractor s personnel must be present during working hours while the equipment is located on the VAMC campus. The VAMC will not be held responsible for any loss or damage to the Contractor s property, which may be vandalized or damaged, including the mobile unit while on site. Contractor shall maintain property insurance on all equipment throughout the duration of the contract and the successful Contractor shall provide proof of insurance as required herein. Contractor Key Personnel Qualifications and Responsibilities A proposal will be considered only from offerors who are regularly established in the business called for, who are financially responsible and have the necessary equipment and personnel to furnish service in the volume required for all items under this solicitation. The successful Contractor shall meet all Federal, State and Local codes and requirements for the operation of this service and equipment provided. Employees authorized by the Contractor to perform services under this specification and any resulting contract, (including all Technologists) shall be licensed and/or registered in each of the states where services are provided. Contractor shall provide with his or her signed proposal, a description of all personnel, who will be providing services under this RFP. These personnel shall include, but not be limited to the technologists, support and driver staff who may visit a medical center as part of their duties under this contract or have access to confidential personal patient information. In addition, the technologists shall be certified in the specific modality being performed as defined herein. The Contractor shall provide documentation of training and competency of all proposed technologists in all of the following areas: Ultrasound Imaging General Radiology Imaging Operation of mobile unit/s and software applications License to operate motorized vehicle Contractor Key Personnel Qualifications and Responsibilities Contractor shall provide all required modality certified Technologists and any qualified support staff (as patient volume requires) necessary to provide services for the VAMC patients unless government opts to utilize qualified government staff. In the event that additional technologists are required to increase services under this contract, the Contractor shall be requested to provide a written description of those personnel to the Administrative Contracting Officer for approval and security clearance (background investigation) prior to the commencement of any additional services. The Contractor is required to develop and maintain the following documents for each Contractor employee working on the contract: credentials and qualifications for the job; a current competence assessment checklist (an assessment of knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors required to perform a job correctly and skillfully; including knowledge and skills required to provide care for certain patient populations, as appropriate.); a current performance evaluation supporting ability of the Contractor employee to successfully perform the work required in this solicitation; and listing of relevant continuing education for the last two (2) years. The Contractor will provide current copies of these records at the time of contract award and annually on the anniversary date of contract award to the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR), or upon request, for each Contractor employee working on the contract. Qualifications of personnel are subject to review and final approval by the facility Chief of Staff and Chief of Radiology. Personnel assigned by the Contractor to perform the services covered by this contract shall be proficient in written and spoken English (38 USC 7402). Contractor s technologists will be required to pull from RIS worklist and/or type patient information into the imaging system computer ensuring that all images are identified with the correct patient information to include full name, social security number, date/accession number and modality type. Contractor s assigned personnel must be computer literate in the type of software and/or hardware associate with their duties. The technologist shall complete training for government supplied software and hardware required for completion of exams performed. Mobile Unit Driver shall be licensed as applicable to operate and drive the mobile vehicle in which the unit is housed. Contractor technical employees shall be CPR BLS certified and are authorized to initiate this life-saving act if necessary. The imaging technologists shall be trained and qualified to identify contraindications to imaging exams. Imaging Technologist shall be responsible to screen patients prior to performing exams to verify the patient s identification, pregnancy status, breastfeeding status, and confirm the procedure to be performed prior to commencement of any services. Disqualification of a patient from the exam must be documented and provided to radiologist and/or COR before the patient leaves the imaging unit. The technologist is responsible for the initial assessment and identification of medical emergencies and initiating the emergency response procedure for patients in their care. The training for this will be a part of initial facility orientation. Technologist shall ensure that all imaging exams shall be acquired and processed per procedures and protocols provided by the facility Radiology physicians. Raw and processed data remain the property of the Government. VA Radiology Physicians will perform interpretations of the examination(s). Unsatisfactory/non-diagnostic examinations shall be re-performed at the discretion of designated Radiology Physician. Certifications / Licensing of Technologist Vendors shall submit with their offer the following documents: Copy of all personnel s current licenses (certification / registration) List of experience of proposed contract employees Competency checklist CPR BLS certificate Additional requirements for Contractor personnel and Contractor operation: Contractor shall provide the VAMC seven (7) day per week telephone access to the mobile company used in performance of this contract. Services provided by the Contractor shall be performed within the policies, procedures, and regulations of the VAMC, to include the following Medical Center Memorandums: TO be updated before being published The Contractor's radiation and patient safety policies must meet or exceed the VAMC policies for standards of care. The Contractor s current policies for radiation and patient safety must be included with proposal for review by the VAMC. If policies are found to be less stringent than VAMC policies, Contractor must meet or exceed the VAMC policies for standards of care. Contractor shall meet the safety requirements of posting radiation hazardous signs around the mobile unit and make certain the electrical power cable is under a metal cover if it crosses the crosswalk. Neither the Contractor nor the contract personnel shall in any way undertake the practice of medicine, render medical opinions or services other than those services required to support the well-being of the patient, or in any way with the patient other than to provide all ancillary and technical services required for the operation of the unit. The Government may evaluate the quality of professional and administrative services provided but retains no control over the medical aspects of services rendered, in accordance with FAR 37.401(b), Non-Personal Health Care Services. Personnel Policy The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting the personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry out this responsibility, the Contractor shall provide the following for these personnel: Worker s Compensation Professional Liability Insurance Income Tax Withholding Social Security Payments Holiday Pay Health Examinations, including, but not limited to: Tuberculosis Testing Contractor shall provide proof of a negative reaction to Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) testing. A negative chest radiographic report for active tuberculosis shall be provided in cases of positive PPD results. The PPD test shall be repeated annually. Rubella Testing Contractor shall provide proof of immunization for measles, mumps, rubella, or a rubella titer of 1.8 or greater. If the titer is less than 1.8, a rubella immunization shall be administered with follow-up documentation to the COR. OIG List of Excluded Individuals / Entities In accordance with The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1977, the Office of Inspector General has established a list of parties and entities excluded from Federal health care programs. Specifically, the listed parties and entities may not receive Federal Health Care program payments due to fraud and/or abuse of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Therefore, all offerors shall review the OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities on the OIG web site at www.hhs.gov/oig to ensure that the proposed candidate(s) and/or firm(s) are not listed. Offerors should note that any excluded individual or entity that submits a claim for reimbursement to a Federal health care program, or causes such a claim to be submitted, may be subject to a Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP) of $10,000 for each item or service furnished during a period that the person or entity was excluded and may also be subject to treble damages for the amount claimed for each item or service. CMP s may also be imposed against health care providers and entities that employ or enter into contracts with excluded individuals or entities to provide items or services to Federal program beneficiaries. By signing the offer, the Contractor certifies that he/she has reviewed the OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities and that the proposed candidate(s) and/or firm are not listed as of the date the offer was signed. Tort Claims The Federal Tort Claims Act does not cover Contractor employees. When a Contractor s 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. Supporting Information Schedule Contractor shall perform clinical services up to 10 hours per day on a weekday or weekend to be established independently with the VAMC. Services are based on demand of patient exam volumes and/or limited equipment availability internal to VA. In the event that there is a need to increase the number of days per week in order to accommodate patient services, the Government reserves the right to increase the number of days as noted herein. Contractor will be given at least sixty (60) calendar days notice of the VAMC s intention of increasing the number of days per month for which the Contractor will perform services on site. Additional days periodically may be added to meet backlog of exams with sufficient notice, not to exceed thirty (30) days. Additional days of service will be performed for same daily lease rate or less. Contractor will provide additional services for emergency patient/s during same service date if required for patient care. Overtime charges are not authorized. Schedule rate will be based on 8 hour or 10-hour days of direct clinical care. Start of time and/or QC time will be outside of direct clinical care hours. Unresolved scheduling conflicts will be decided by the Administrative Contracting Officer; the decision made will be final. The Contractor shall be required to confirm the scheduled examinations, by contacting the COR or designee two (2) business days prior to the date of services. Procedures will be established and will be mutually agreed upon between the COR, ACO and the successful Contractor during the post-award orientation. The Contractor, based on the knowledge of their imaging system shall determine a maximum number of patients that may be imaged within a day where the first patient begins at 8:00 a.m. In accordance with the above, vendors shall submit with his/her signed proposal, a proposed schedule based upon the level of expertise of the proposed Contractor personnel. Normal Hours of Operation Contractor personnel shall be available on site to perform exams on patients on the scheduled weekday, excluding Federal holidays. The first exam will start at 8:00 a.m. Unit delivery, setup and daily quality control procedures shall be performed prior to first exam and will not delay the start of the examinations. Contractor and COR shall mutually agree upon a schedule establishing dates and time for the mobile unit with technicians to be present on station. Hours of operation must be approved in advance by the COR. National Holidays and the Weekly Schedule The ten (10) holidays observed by the Federal Government are New Year s Day, Martin Luther King s Birthday, Washington s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. The Government reserves the right to request an alternate day for performing services to be agreed upon between the COR and the Contractor. Daily Access to the CBOC facilities The Contractor will be responsible for contacting the CBOC office manager at the site of service at the time of arrival. The Contractor will also be responsible for contacting the VA Police at the closing of each workday to ensure that both the building and the data port connections are secured. The location and contact numbers will be provided by the COR to the Contractor following contract award. Commencement of Services Commencement of service date is to be coordinated with the COR. Unit must be ready for patient services no later than 45 days after contract award, unless otherwise agreed to between the Contracting Officer and the Contractor. Inspection and Acceptance The delivery location of the mobile unit site shall be coordinated with the COR; inspection and acceptance of all work performance, reports and other deliverables under this contract shall be performed at the place of delivery. Deliverables will be inspected for content, completeness, and accuracy and conformance to contract requirements by the COR or his/her designee. Inspection will include validation of information or software through the use of automated tools and/or testing of the deliverables, as specified in the contract order. The scope and nature of this testing must be negotiated prior to the contract award and will be sufficiently comprehensive to ensure the completeness, quality, and adequacy of all deliverables. Reports, documents, and narrative type deliverables will only be accepted when all discrepancies, errors or other deficiencies identified in writing by the Government have been corrected. Maintenance logs will be made available upon request. Non-Conforming Products or Services Non conforming products or services will be rejected. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, deficiencies will be corrected within seven (7) days of the rejection notice. If the deficiencies cannot be corrected within seven (7) days, the Contractor will immediately notify the COR and the Administrative Contracting Officer of the reason for the delay and provide a proposed corrective action plan within seven (7) working days. Contractor s Responsibilities Contractor will be responsible for the following: Training VAMC staff on the use of the Contractor-provided workstations and image analysis software. Timely delivery of the mobile unit such that Contractor may facilitate the following startup functions prior to the commencement of services: Contractor shall perform tests as necessary so that the mobile unit and all associated equipment is fully operational, safe, and ready for services so that the schedule of patients is maintained at all times. Contractor shall ensure that the mobile unit is properly positioned and docked. The temperature within the unit is set and maintained prior to performing services. Contractor shall ensure that the mobile unit is level and set for the safety of patients and the appropriate utilities connected for proper warm-up of all onboard systems. Contractor shall allow for sufficient time for contacting the VA Police when gaining access to the VAMC. Communications will be operational. Daily Quality Control time must not interfere with the regular scheduling of patients for exams. This start up functions must be completed prior to 8:00 a.m. on each day when unit is scheduled to be on site in time for the first patient to be on table at 8:00a.m. Contractor will be responsible for providing quality review in order to ensure quality diagnostic images at all sites. The VAMC reserves the right to require corrective action if image quality or other service problems are brought to the attention of the Contractor. Contractor will be responsible for monitoring the number of scans performed, by maintaining a daily log. Contractor shall be Joint Commission (JC) accredited / certified or shall follow established JC guidelines as they pertain to mobile operations, and patient safety and shall follow the guidelines of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA). JC accredited Quality Assurance survey reports shall be provided to the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) consistent with Joint Commission recommendations. Emergency Repairs Contractor shall provide, at no cost to the VAMC, all emergency services to include all required personnel, parts and labor, and preventive maintenance/repairs of structure and equipment to maintain a safe environment as recommended by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) recommendations/specifications in accordance with the agreed upon schedule with the COR. In the event of an equipment failure during normal working hours while in the performance of the Contractor s services, the Contractor shall notify the COR or designee immediately after discovery of equipment failure while on site. All emergency repairs are the responsibility of the contractor. The COR shall determine if appointments previously scheduled should be cancelled and rescheduled as a result of the equipment failure. In the event that the equipment fails, and the failed equipment is un-repairable, the Contractor must obtain an alternate unit which will be available on the next scheduled day and which meets all of the requirements of the resulting contract to ensure that schedule services will be performed as agreed upon under this contract. Contractor-Furnished Facilities, Services, Supplies and Equipment Contractor shall contact the COR to make the necessary arrangements for a site visit of the actual locations where the mobile unit will be located so that precise measurements can be taken by the Contractor who shall be responsible to confirm compatibility of space. Contractor shall be held responsible for any damages, which may be done to the property during delivery, hookup and/or removal of equipment at the site. Any damages caused by the Contractor shall be performed at the Contractor s expense to the satisfaction of the facility Chief of Engineering. Proper installation/staging of the Contractor s furnished equipment including the mobile unit must be completed in accordance with industry standards, all OSHA regulations, and applicable manufacturer s recommendations. The above must be completed prior to commencement of services. Dates and time for completion of the above shall be mutually agreed upon between the VAMC and the Contractor. The Contractor will supply all IT technical support and vendor specific engineer for all provided systems. Contractor provided Information Systems technical support and engineer will assure connectivity and functionality of all equipment during initial setup and thereafter. Contractor will assure availability of all support for timely contact and resolution. Government-Furnished Facilities, Services, Supplies and Equipment The VAMC shall provide all patient services, with exception of the services required of the Contractor within this contract, including the following: Retain full medical responsibility for its patients. Contractor shall be responsible for patient upon pickup at the VAMC designated waiting area, while on the Mobile unit and during the entire scanning procedure until patient is returned to the designated waiting area. Approval and scheduling of patients for exams will be provided by the VAMC where the services are provided. The VAMC will fax a patient list of exams and exam times to the Contractor in a fashion that is timely and convenient to the Contractor. The Contractor will follow up with phone verification of the patient list. The VAMC will be responsible for transporting patients to and from the facility furnished waiting area. Contractor shall be responsible for picking up and transporting the patient to the mobile unit. Upon completion of services, the Contractor shall return patient to the designated waiting area within the VAMC. The VAMC shall ensure each patient arriving for the scans has physician orders to receive services and such other forms or information as required. Contractor is required to identify patients using two unique full identifiers prior to performing radiology exams. The VAMC will designate in writing one or more qualified physicians who will review orders for appropriateness, interpret reports and take such other steps as may be medically necessary. The VAMC will provide all medical supplies, facilities, personnel, and physicians required to provide patients with such emergency medical care as may be required, including oxygen, aspirator and defibrillator when deemed necessary. The VAMC nurses and physicians will have the ability to provide medication for exam specific procedures. Contactor shall provide, during the Post Award Orientation, a reasonable list of incidental supplies which may be necessary (excluding those which are defined as the Contractor s responsibility). The Contractor agrees to ensure compliance/acceptance testing of the imaging equipment is performed on at least an annual basis or if major components of the machine is serviced or replaced. The compliance/acceptance tests will be done in accordance with nationally recognized standards. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring the compliance testing of the mobile imaging device by a qualified medical physicist. A qualified medical physicist as defined is an individual who is certified by the American Board of Radiology, American Board of Health Physics, or American Board of Medical Physics in the appropriate disciplines of radiologic physics and maintain state certification as a Health Physicist in the states of Tennessee. Cancellations / No Charge Services The Contractor will not charge the VAMC for services or supplies when the vehicle and/or imaging units are inoperable due to equipment malfunction, staff shortage, or any other fault on the part of the Contractor. Removal of Contractor s Equipment Contractor will be responsible for the timely removal of the mobile imaging unit from the VAMC premises as agreed upon with the COR not to exceed an eight (8) hour period after completion of the last procedure is performed unless otherwise agreed upon by the COR, ACO and the Contractor. Contractor will also be responsible for the following daily exit functions: Ensure that the day s entire exam data is completely transferred to each Contractor-provided advanced analysis workstation inside the VAMC and to the VistA Imaging Archiving System. Contractor personnel will complete a checklist to assure that all patient images transferred completely to the primary Contractor-provided advanced analysis workstation and provide this signed checklist to the COR or other designee. All patient exam data is purged from Contractor s computer systems once it is verified that exams are viewable on the primary Contractor-provided advanced analysis workstation. At the termination of the contract, the Contractor will remove the hard drives of the workstations and supply them to the COR. VA information retained by the imaging units and other Contractor equipment will be erased at the end of the day after the last patient exam has been confirmed to have been transmitted successfully to VA Picture Archiving System to include thin slices if further post processing is required. The security of information retained by the imaging units and other Contractor equipment both during the contract period and post contract period will be the responsibility of the vendor. All connections from the unit to property are properly disconnected. Any temporary site preparations are removed upon completion of services on a daily basis. Documentation / Reports The Contractor will provide to the COR equipment and maintenance reports if requested by the COR during the duration of the contact. The Contractor will also provide system pre-check and associated documentation at the time the unit is set up at the site where services are to be performed. This is to ensure safety of equipment utilized by VAMC personnel/beneficiaries. The Contractor will permit on-site inspection by personnel selected without prior notice to ensure the Contractor s equipment is operated in accordance with appropriate safety guidelines and/or regulations as applicable. Additional Reports/Documentation required by the successful Contractor prior to commencement of services of both Technologist and PM/Repair services, unless otherwise stated. This VISN may require specialized documentation to satisfy the requirements of local state and federal government agencies, and independent consultants such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation for Hospitals, as well as for services rendered verification for payment of monthly statement. At a minimum, the following information will be provided to the Contracting Officer: Certificate of Insurance, including, but not limited to, Professional Liability, Worker s Compensation, liability, and property insurance of Contractor s furnished equipment which shall be submitted to the Administrative Contracting Officer within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of notification of award. It is agreed upon and understood that the VAMC will not be held responsible for any damage or vandalism, which may be caused to the Contractor s equipment while on premises. Copy of appropriate Business License submitted with proposal. Contractor s employees Certifications/Registrations, Competency Check List and Training Certificates to be submitted with signed proposal as defined herein. Technologists Health examination records of Annual TB Skin Test and recent chest X-ray if there is a history of positive TB skin test. Copies of records shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer prior to commencement of services. Upon request of the Contracting Officer, Contractor shall provide procurement documentation for receipt and dispensing of radioisotopes. Copies of all required Federal, State, and local licenses including specifically the Contractor s current NRC or agreement and state license authorizing the use of radioactive material at temporary job sites. Copy of Hazardous Materials Certificate, DOT F5800.2 at the request of the COR. Documentation of scanner(s) make, model, and year of manufacture and specifications, plus brand and release number of reconstruction software for contractor supplied independent interpretation workstation. Documentation to be submitted with signed proposal. A copy of the coach requirements for parking/space will be submitted with signed proposal. Documentation of a proposed schedule included in the submission along with maximum throughput of proposed system(s) will be submitted with signed proposal. Documentation of JCAHO certification (if available) will be submitted with signed proposal. Medical Records Medical records and other patient information shall be provided pursuant to VA policy and standards which are designed to protect the confidentiality of the patient s medical records in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and recognized standards of professional practice. It will be the responsibility of the VA to obtain and provide evidence of patient s written authorization prior to release of patient information to non-VA medical personnel working on behalf of the Contractor. Patient medical records are confidential and are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a; VA Claims Confidentiality Statute, 38 U.S.C. 5701 and Drug/Alcohol Abuse Confidentiality Statute, 38 U.S.C. 773. Any individual making unauthorized disclosures may be criminally liable for violations of the Act. Protection of Government Property During work execution, the Contractor shall take special care to protect Government property including, but not limited to, all furniture, walls, baseboards, exterior and other surfaces. Damage resulting from Contractor operations shall be repaired by the Contractor, including painting, refinishing, or replacement (if necessary), at no additional cost to the Government. Contractor shall be responsible to meet all OSHA/Safety requirements in the performance of the work. Installation shall be coordinated between the COR and the Construction/Renovation Contractor. Contractor shall be held responsible for any injuries and/or damage, which may be caused as a result of the Contractor s negligence or failure to adhere to these requirements. Timely Invoicing The Contractor shall submit invoices monthly in arrears covering the services performed under this contract. Within 30 days of the end of each month services were provided, as described above, the Contractor shall provide itemized invoicing to the required VA invoicing address. All itemized invoices are to be provided within 30 days of the end of each month services are delivered. Invoices for services provided in the month of September must be received for certification no later than October 31st. Electronic submission of invoices shall be required. The invoices shall contain the following information at a minimum: Contract Number (example: VA249-XX-X-XXXX) Purchase Order Number (example: 621CXXXXX) Break-Down of Cost per Week, to include: Date of Exam to include full accession number Patient Name and Last Four (4) of SSN CPT Code(s) and exam description Total Invoice Amount Billing and Insurance Liability Billing rendered by the Contractor for services furnished under the terms of this contract shall be billings in full. Contractor shall not, under any circumstances, charge VA beneficiaries or their insurance companies for services rendered by the Contractor even if VA does not pay for those services. This provision shall survive the termination or ending of the contract. Communication The Contractor shall ensure contract employees maintain open and professional communication with patients and members of the VAMC staff. Complaints validated by the COR shall be reported in writing to the Administrative Contracting Officer for action. Patient and Staff Satisfaction The Contractor shall provide satisfactory customer service. Patient and staff complaints about the quality of care are reported to the Medical Center Patient Advocate, Service Level Patient Advocate, the COR, the Administrative Contracting Officer, and the Contractor. All Veterans, family members, VA employees and other customers of the VAMC will be treated professionally and courteously. All patient complaints are reported immediately (within 24 hours) and must be satisfactorily resolved within 7 days. Contract Administration The Contracting Officer / Administrative Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to approve changes or modify any of the requirements under this contract. The Contractor shall communicate with the Administrative Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to contract administration. Only the Administrative Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments or issues changes, which will affect price, quantity, or quality of performance of this contract. In the event the Contractor effects any such chance at the direction of any person other than the Administrative Contracting Officer, the change shall be considered to have been made without authority, and no adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any increase in costs incurred as a result thereof. Contracting Officer s Representative A Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) will be designated in writing for furnishing technical guidance and advice during the term of the contract. This includes monitoring the general direction of the work to ensure full compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract. Security Mandatory Training and ADP Security In performance of official duties, the Contractor s employee(s) have regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data, which must be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), and other applicable laws, Federal Regulations, Veterans Affairs statutes and policies. The Contractor s employee(s) are responsible for (1) protecting that data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion and (2) following all applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in a computer access agreement which The Contractor s employee(s) signs. Contract personnel shall complete required security training and sign a VA Computer Access Agreement prior to having access to the VA computer system. Security Training will be accomplished annually. Information on fulfilling the training requirement is found at https://www.ees-learning.net. Employees will select training modules for Privacy Training and Information Security Training. VA-required training will require all Contractor personnel providing services to self-register with VA TMS with the COR as the supervisor for purposes of ensuring proper training is completed in a timely manner. The COR will provide directions for access, if needed. Contractor personnel having access to VA Information Systems are required to complete VA Privacy Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior and VA Privacy and HIPAA training. The COR will provide directions for completion, if needed. Contractor shall provide documented proof to the Administrative Contracting Officer or COR that all Contractor and sub-Contractor employees assigned revenue cycle-related work have received their annual CBI Training. The COR will arrange for training from the respective facility Compliance Officer. Confidentiality of Patient Records and HIPAA The Contractor is a VA Contractor and will assist in the provision of health care to patients seeking such care from or through VA. As such, The Contractor is considered as being part of the Department health care activity. Contractor is considered to be a VA Contractor for purposes of the Privacy Act, Title 5 U.S.C. 552a. Further, for the purpose of VA records access and patient confidentiality, Contractor is considered to be a VA Contractor for the following provisions: Title 38 U.S.C. 5701, 5705, and 7332. Therefore, Contractor may have access, as would other appropriate components of VA, to patient medical records including patient treatment records pertaining to drug and alcohol abuse, HIV, and sickle cell anemia, to the extent necessary to perform its contractual responsibilities. However, like other components of the Department, and not withstanding any other provisions of the contract, The Contractor is restricted from making disclosures of VA records, or information contained in such records, to which it may have access, except to the extent that explicit disclosure authority from VA has been received. The Contractor is subject to the same penalties and liabilities for unauthorized disclosures of such records as VA. The records referred to above shall be and remain the property of VA and shall not be removed or transferred from VA except in accordance with U.S.C.551a (Privacy Act), 38 U.S.C. 5701 (Confidentiality of claimants records), 5 U.S.C. 552 (FOIA), 38 U.S.C. 5705 (Confidentiality of Medical Quality Assurance Records) 38 U.S.C. 7332 (Confidentiality of certain medical records) and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Subject to applicable federal confidentiality or privacy laws, the Contractor, or their designated representatives, and designated representatives of federal regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over Contractor, may have access to VA s records, at VA s place of business on request during normal business hours, to inspect and review and make copies of such records. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). In accordance with 45 CFR 164.502(e), the Privacy Rule includes exceptions to the Business Associate standard. This contract and its requirements meet the following exception and do not require a Business Associate agreement in order for Covered Entity to disclose Protected Health Information to: Contractor is conducting health care on VA s behalf. Based on this exception, a Business Associate agreement is not required for this contract. Federal Background Investigations All contractor employees who perform services on-site at the VAMC shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Security Investigations Center prior to contract performance. This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. If the investigation is not completed prior to the start date of the contract, the contractor will be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for the VA. Position Sensitivity. The position sensitivity has been designated as Low Risk. Background Investigation The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access is National Agency Check with written inquiries. The contractor shall bear the expense ($254.00 per employee, price subject to change) of obtaining background investigations. The investigation is conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The cost of background investigations will be deducted from the first invoice received after the completion of the BI. The contractor shall pre-screen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain a U.S. citizenship (or are fully authorized to work in the United States per current federal law) and are able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language. The contractor shall submit or have their employees submit the following required forms to the VA Security Investigations Center within 10 days of receipt: Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment Background Investigation Forms 1 4 (will be provided to Contractor by the Administrative Contracting Officer upon notice of award). The Contractor, when notified of an unfavorable determination by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the contract. Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security requirements may result in termination of the contract for default. Identification (ID) Badges and Parking All Contractor personnel are required to wear identification badges during the entire time they are on the VAMC grounds. ID badges must have an identification picture, name of the individual and the represented company depicted on it. The COR will assist with the procurement of badges. In accordance with Medical Center Memorandum No. 07B-12-01, it is the responsibility of the contract personnel to park in appropriate designated parking areas. Parking information is available from the VAMC Police Service. The VAMC shall not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor s personnel under any circumstance.