6515--VISN 10 (Indiana and Michigan) Durable Medical Equipment

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. The purpose of this notice is to conduct market research and obtain information from qualified businesses with special interest in seeking: VA certified Service-Disabled Veteran owned Small Business (SDVOSB), VA certified Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) and Small Business (SB) concerns. No solicitation is being issued at this time. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. The Veterans Integrated Service Network 10 (VISN 10 Indiana and Michigan) has a requirement for Durable Medical Equipment Services. The appropriate NAICS Code 621610, Home Health Care Services, Size Standard $16.5 Million Responses: Please submit your response in accordance with the following instructions: Responses shall be no more than 10 pages in length. Responses are due by 1/25/2022 at 14:00 PM EST. Responses shall be submitted via email. Emails cannot exceed 10mb  Subject line of the Email shall include this Sources Sought Notice Number Firm Name VISN 10 IN & MI Durable Medical Equipment Services. If your response contains proprietary information you will place Proprietary Information in front of the Sources Sought Notice Number. No marketing materials are allowed as part of this Sources Sought Notice.  The Government will not review any other information or attachments included in your submission that is not listed herein or exceeds the10-page limitation. Contractors Federal Supply Schedule Contract that carries the desired services If you do not have a Federal Supply Schedule contract, you shall state open market Provide the Schedule Provide expiration date of your Contract Provide your GSA/FSS/SAC Contract Number Provide the SIN for Durable Medical Equipment Services If any of the items are not on your GSA/FSS contract you will mark which items are open market. Contractor Point of Contact to include: Name Title Phone Email Company Information to include: Name Address DUNs Number Tax ID Number Business Size Provide information as to what Durable Medical Equipment Services contracts are provided by your company. Provide how your company invoices for services in the commercial marketplace. Business Size/Type: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), 8(a), Hub Zone Small Business, Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Small Business, or Large Business. All prospective Contractors are reminded that in accordance with FAR 4.11 they shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database and shall complete annual Representations and Certifications in SAM prior to any offer.  SAM is located at http://www.sam.gov and consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS.  There is no cost to use SAM. FOR SDVOSB/VOSB ONLY:  Please note that if responding as an SDVOSB or VOSB, your company must be registered and verified in the VA s Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database, which is available at: https://access.va.gov/accessva/?cspSelectFor=vemsPlease include a copy of your VetBiz certification with your response. Contractor shall include 3 past contracts for the same or similar services.  Contractor shall include at minimum: Name of Company Company POC Company POC phone Company POC email Dollar amount of contract Contract number Period of Performance Description of services provided Contractor shall include any relevant comments about the attachments, if applicable. Contractor shall provide a public price list/contract price list for the services described herein. Contractor shall provide a detailed response to include your firm s ability, capability, and responsibility to deliver the services presented in this Sources Sought Notice. Contractor shall provide if they plan to sub-contract all or part of the work, and to what firm to include the subs duns number and business size. Determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Preliminary - Specifications/Work Statement 1. The purpose of this contract is to provide prescribed, government-owned DME to patients of the Department of Veterans Affairs at their residences. The contractor shall provide storage, delivery, set-up, repair, in-house instruction, and/or pick-up of government-owned items and equipment for beneficiaries of the VISN 10 Michigan and Indiana geographic area. The geographic area is listed in the B.2 Price Schedule, of this document. . In addition, the contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, materials and equipment to assemble, clean, refurbish, and store DME equipment to include patient education. Multiple awards based on geographical location may be made to contractor(s) whose offer meets the JOINT COMMISSION accreditation standards; all the Governments requirements; and represents the best value to the Government. The contract will result in a firm-fixed-price requirement contract for a period of one year with four additional one-year performance periods (exercised at the discretion of the government). 2. All issuing, and follow-up care provided under this contract shall be provided in accordance with all current Joint Commission standards with compliance to all current National Patient Safety Goals. Contractor does not need to be Joint Commission accredited but must perform the requirements of this contract according to Joint Commission standards. Subcontractors must follow Joint Commission standards and will be monitored by the contractor for compliance. COR will be notified if subcontractor is utilized. 3. The contractor and their representatives shall neither directly nor indirectly make recommendations/comments to patients with respect to the services being provided to the VA under this contract. The contractor shall refrain from discussing decisions to repair/replace items of equipment or any services not specifically delineated in this contract to patients. 4. Before entering a patient s home, the contractor s representative(s) shall present a picture identification card/badge to the patient/primary caregiver and verbally identify themselves. The contractor s representative(s) shall ask permission to enter the home. All costs associated with obtaining cards/badges are the contractor s responsibility. 5. Only the Contracting Officer (CO) and the COR or designee has authority to initiate or discontinue individual patient services under this contract. 6. Periodic, unscheduled on-site contractor visits will be made by COR or designee to monitor the contractor s performance under this contract. The contractor agrees to make available all records and documentation necessary during the visits. The COR will perform unannounced contractor visits to inspect the contractor s facility and review records to ascertain the contractor s compliance with the performance requirements of this contract. A written report of each inspection shall be submitted to the contractor within seven (7) working days of the completed inspection. The contractor will have seven (7) working days after the receipt of the VA report to respond to any discrepancies in the report. 7. Hours of Service: The contractor shall be available for routine contact and receiving orders Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding federal holidays. Federal Holidays: The holidays observed by the Federal Government are listed below. For the purposes of this contract, federal holidays shall also include any day specifically declared by the President of the United States of America to be a Federal Holiday. New Year s Day January 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Third Monday in January Presidents Day Third Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Juneteenth National Independence Day Independence Day July 4 Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veterans Day November 11 Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day December 25 When one of the holidays falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a Federal Holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as a Federal Holiday. The contractor shall be available by phone for emergency deliveries and repairs 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per week, including holidays. The contractor shall provide the VISN 10 Michigan and Indiana VA Medical Centers with a method of contacting him/her 24 hours per day. Contractor shall schedule with individual veterans regarding time and place of delivery that are acceptable to the veteran. An adhesive label with the contractor s 24 hour/7 day a week telephone number will be placed on all equipment in an obvious location so that the patient and/or caregiver will know where to call to report malfunctions. CONTRACTORS FACILITY The Contractor shall maintain and operate from a Contractor-owned or leased facility that shall be physically located in the geographic area in which the Contractor shall provide DME services. The facility shall include an office and a warehouse area for unloading/loading, storing, repairing, and cleaning of DME. The facility shall be capable of unloading/loading trucks with pallet jack or forklift. No liftgate fees will be charged to the VA. The facility shall include telephone, encrypted email, and electronic fax transmission. The contractor will utilize VA approved PKI encryption technology when emailing patient sensitive information to and from the VA. DELIVERY, SET-UP, AND PATIENT EDUCATION 9. The contractor shall deliver, setup, assemble, adjust, and instruct the patients and/or caregivers in the use and care of the equipment. Wheelchair comfort fittings/adjustments require the patient to be in the wheelchair. The contractor shall ensure all equipment is delivered in working order prior to delivery to include battery powered equipment being fully charged. The Contractor shall provide instructions to the patient and/or caregiver in the safe and appropriate use of the medical equipment being supplied, including basic home safety, storage and handling of the involved equipment, required maintenance, electrical safety, etc. Instructions as to whom to call in the event of an emergency will also be provided. The Contractor shall provide a safety/emergency checklist to be completed, then signed by the veteran or his/her caregiver and retained in the beneficiary account folder. Deliveries will not be left unattended at the beneficiary s home. 10. Contractor shall provide copies of the pertinent literature concerning those items with significant safety hazards, such as suction machines, etc. A copy of the owner s manual will be provided to the veteran/caregiver for all delivered equipment. Instruction to the patient/caregiver will include a demonstration of correct use and observing a return demonstration by the patient/caregiver. Contractor shall be responsible to provide the patient/caregiver with the document Rights and Responsibilities and document that the patient/caregiver has received it. Documentation of this demonstration will be available to PSAS upon request. 11. Contractor shall contact patient to arrange for delivery of equipment. Service shall consist of either taking the item from the Contractor s storage facility and delivering it to the beneficiary or picking up the item at the VISN 10 Michigan or Indiana VAMC or CBOC with subsequent delivery to the beneficiary s home. Delivery/pickup will be accomplished within two (2) workdays of the VA order being placed (except for emergency situations when time of delivery shall not exceed four (4) hours). The contractor may need to pick up items from the VA to be delivered to veterans residence. There will be no additional charge for picking up items from the VA for delivery to the Veteran. The need to pick up an item from the VA prior to delivery shall not be justification for delaying delivery to the Veteran. Delivered items may include stock items or patient specific DME items that may require assembly. 12. If concerns or questions of the patient s/caregiver s ability to safely operate the equipment arise within 90 days of delivery, re-education will be done at no cost to the VA. Re-education may, in most cases, require a return visit to the Veteran s residence. 13. The contractor shall make one (1) scheduled trip per week from the warehouse to each VA facility or CBOC associated with the facility at no charge to the VA (delivery day to be determined by the COR or designee and may fluctuate). The capacity of the delivery may be up to the equivalent of five (5) power wheelchairs. 14. The contractor shall be responsible for contacting the veteran to schedule a time that is convenient for the veteran/caregiver to accomplish required service. If the contractor is unable to contact the patient/caregiver within two (2) days, the contractor shall contact the appropriate COR or designee for further instructions. If direct contact has not been made with patient within two (2) business days, the contractor will send a letter to the patient instructing the patient to contact the contractor. Should the contractor be unable to keep scheduled appointments for service, the patient shall be advised at least two (2) hours prior to the appointment time. 15. Refusal of service - All beneficiaries have the right of refusal of service. In the event a beneficiary refuses service or orders the equipment to be removed from the home, the Contractor shall comply with the beneficiary s wishes. The Contractor shall report the specifics of the refusal to the COR or designee by telephone or email within one business day. If the refusal occurs during a home visit, the Contractor s staff shall make an attempt to notify the COR or designee of the refusal during the home visit. 16. All reissued DME equipment delivered shall be cleaned/sanitized/disinfected by manufacturers approved methods and shall be in like new operating condition in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. If a piece of unserviceable DME equipment is delivered or the delivery is incomplete as determined by the COR or designee, (i.e., all components not delivered) subsequent trips shall be made without additional cost to the government. Subsequent trips must be made within one (1) day of the COR or designee s incomplete determination. In all cases when a bed is to be reissued, a new mattress and mattress cover will be provided to the contractor by the VA Medical Center except specialty mattresses. Specialty mattresses ordered by the VA will be shipped to the contractor, and or re-issued if the contractor has one in inventory. The Contractor shall not re-issue or distribute used mattress covers to veteran beneficiaries. 17. The contractor shall have a contingency plan in place in the event of a natural disaster or emergency where the contractor is unable to deliver DME supplies and equipment to the patients. The Contractor shall establish services with a local home medical equipment provider that will be able to assist the VA patients. The contractor shall provide point of contact information to the patient or caregiver for this provider for help or to get to the nearest health care facility until services can be resumed. The government reserves the right to approve any contingency subcontractor in the event of a natural disaster. 18. All Trip charges ordered under this contract are for the delivery of the DME item, the Contractor shall receive the base rate quoted. The base rate shall constitute full compensation, no mileage or radius will be used. 19. Deliveries and/or pick-ups will be billed at the price quoted in price schedule of the contract. When more than one delivery or pickup is made on the same trip to different destinations, the appropriate delivery charge for each destination will be charged. If more than one item is delivered to a prescribed destination on the same trip, only one charge will be made. DELIVERY, SET-UP, AND PATIENT EDUCATION OF HIGH END AND SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT High End and Specialty Equipment Defined: High end wheelchairs or equipment that require special fitting and set up. This requires an ATP who specializes in comprehensive seating, positioning, and mobility needs. 19. Contractor shall have an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) Certified Technician available. 22. On occasion, special seat fittings and assembly of equipment for patient specific applications will be performed by contractor. 23. Contractor shall provide VA with documentation of ATP Technician services that will include a picture and fitting report in addition to the normal documentation as indicated in this document and as required by Joint Commission. Clinical documentation from VA will be available upon request. 24. The order will specify when ATP Technician services are required, and ATP Technician contract rates will apply. PROCEDURES FOR PLACING ORDERS AND RESPONSE TIME 25. Government owned DME equipment includes but is not limited to: (a) Any type/size hospital bed (electric or manual); mattress; rails (b) Trapeze assemblies (c) Patient lift (d) Wheelchairs (manual, electric, and specialty seating) (e) Bathroom safety equipment (f) Over bed tables (g) Portable ramps (Suitcase ramps) (h) Various types of pumps (IV, feeding, etc.) (i) Scooters (j) Various walking aids 26. PSAS will submit all requests for the delivery and/or pickup of government-owned DME via fax or other mutually agreed upon methods for the delivery and repair of DME. Delivery of new/reissued, or pickups of DME, shall be made within two (2) working days or less. Emergency deliveries, repairs or pickup of home medical equipment shall be required within four (4) hours. Every effort shall be made to confine deliveries and pickups to normal business hours. If the VA instructs contractor to make a delivery, repair, or pick up after hours, weekends, or federal holiday, then emergency rates will apply. 27. Contractor shall deliver and set up new and reissued DME equipment and accessories within the patient s residence in accordance with requirements of this contract. Contractor will also provide and document patient education on use of the DME equipment. 28. All patient eligibility shall be determined by the referring VA medical facility and referrals shall be generated and authorized by the individual VA Medical Facility. 29. All durable medical equipment services/deliveries/repairs/pickups shall be provided under the specific orders. 30. Service shall be authorized by the VA only when it has been determined to be in the best interest of the Government. 31. Delivery information: The Contractor will be responsible for verifying the address of the veteran and insuring that he is home when the delivery is scheduled. The VA assumes no liability for additional trips required if the veteran is not at home or if delivery, pick up or repair cannot be completed when deliveries are attempted. 32. Proof of Delivery: Contractor will be required to provide proof of delivery on all direct deliveries. Acceptable proof of delivery will be the certification of receipt signed by the beneficiary/caregiver. SET-UP, PICK-UP, MODIFICATIONS, AND PATIENT EDUCATION 33. Contractor shall provide and document appropriate orientation programs for all contractor employees involved in the delivery/recovery of DME, e.g., safety and equipment management appropriate to the service provided, electrical requirements, back-up system, equipment safety checks, troubleshooting, equipment setup, infection control procedures, patient confidentiality, handling emergencies, etc. In addition, contractor shall perform in home training and assessments for veteran beneficiary and/or caregiver, in accordance with Joint Commission regulations. Contractor will also inform patient of rules of ownership for DME. (a) The Contractor shall have established written procedures to deliver, recover, receive, clean and when appropriate, sterilize reusable items. Such procedures shall address the separation of clean and unclean equipment in the storage, delivery and recovery of DME items. All recovered equipment shall be labeled or tagged and dated to document such procedures. (b) Contractor shall relay to the patient on behalf of the VA that any identified ungrounded/unsafe outlets are the responsibility of the patient to correct. The VA shall not be responsible or liable for any unsafe electrical condition caused by the contractor or veteran. Contractor shall be responsible for identifying safety hazards and clearly documenting them on the patient education training form. 34. The contractor s personnel setting up and assembling any equipment shall meet all applicable Joint Commission requirements / standards, including, but not limited to: (a) Unpack and assemble equipment in a condition to be used to include removal of all packaging material from patient s residence; (b) Instruct the patient and/or caregiver in the correct use, care/handling, cleaning and maintenance of equipment, including a demonstration of correct use and observing a return demonstration by the patient and/or caregiver; (c) Instruct patient on basic home safety, electric/fire safety, storage, and where to call in case of an emergency; 35. The Contractor shall install equipment as instructed by the Chief, PSAS or designee. Permanent installation to walls, ceiling, floors, etc. is specifically excluded from this contract. Contractor s staff shall be alert to structural or environmental problems, which make delivery/set-up unsafe (please see section B.3 section 74.). 36. A label with the contractor s name and emergency telephone number where they can be reached 24 hours/day will be affixed to all contractor provided equipment. Patients shall also be provided with written information about when and how they can contact the VA/Contractor for equipment maintenance, and/or repairs. 37. The contractor shall include the following documents with their information packet when delivering equipment to all patients served under this contract and obtain signed verification of completion: (a) Prosthetics DME patients right and responsibilities. (b) Disaster plan for home medical equipment patients. (c) Miscellaneous patient education materials. EQUIPMENT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE/REPAIRS 38. Contractor shall repair all DME equipment and supplies at the beneficiary place of residence. Repairs include, but are NOT limited to DME, stair lifts, porch lifts and vehicle lifts. Contractor shall have procedures designed to assure equipment is safe, sanitary and operating according to Owners Equipment Manual (OEM). Contractor shall guarantee all materials and workmanship for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of repair or reissue, whichever is later. Manufacturers warranties of DME equipment that exceed beyond the minimum of ninety (90) day period shall be expressed and enforced. 39. The VA reserves the right to purchase repair parts from whichever source the VA determines to be most beneficial to the government. In most cases, VA owned / stocked replacement parts should be used to replace parts. 40. Authorization for repairs: Repairs other than those classified as an emergency will be ordered and authorized by the COR or designee in the VA Prosthetics service via a purchase card. The order will identify the item to be repaired. 41. The VA places an order to initiate the evaluation and repair of the equipment. This order will be inclusive of all labor related to the repair, including, but not limited to, travel time, repair time, and multiple trips. When possible, repair or replacement of items shall be done on initial visit. There shall be a two (2)-trip maximum for repairs of DME equipment. If more than two (2) trips are required, the contractor shall provide written documentation as the rational of such trips to the local area COR, and the local area COR will approve if warranted (billed in 15-minute increments). 42. If the actual cost of the repair parts will exceed the initial authorized amount, the contractor will submit a written estimate for the repair, including a parts list for approval. Estimate will also include the number of days anticipated to complete repair and return the item to the veteran, when applicable. Estimates will be submitted within 24 hours of assessment. The contractor will follow up on the status of submitted estimate daily until response is provided. The contractor may attempt over the phone approval if it will allow the repair to be completed at that time. 43. Evaluation for repairs shall be scheduled within two (2) business days and completed within ten (10) business days of initial repair order. Written notice will be given to COR or designee if these timelines will not be met. The VA reserves the right to procure repairs from another vendor if timelines are not met. For repairs requiring additional guidance or authorization from the VA, the time from requesting the information until the information is provided will not be counted towards the ten (10) business day timeframe. If the VA choses to order the repair parts, the time awaiting parts will not count towards the ten (10) day limit. Emergency Repairs 44. Emergency repairs will be ordered by Prosthetics Service via an order. However, repairs can be placed by the COR or designee. Examples of emergencies include, but are not limited to, hospital bed not functioning putting the Veteran at risk of pressure ulcers. 45. All emergency calls/orders shall be confirmed within ½ hour of call being received or faxed. 46. If the Veteran/patient calls the contractor for an emergency during normal daily business hours, the contractor will notify the COR, or designee, immediately for authorization. 47. If the Veteran/patient calls the contractor for an emergency after normal business hours, the contractor shall contact a VA designated point of contact. The designated point of contact will authorize repair if needed. Under no circumstances shall the contractor refuse service if directed by the designated point of contact. An emergency contact number will be provided and the contractor shall make contact for verbal authorization prior to providing service. 48. Contractor shall provide documentation to the COR regarding the emergency response to patient emergency calls within 24 hours. 49. Repairs will be completed within 4 hours unless special circumstances prevent timely completion. Examples of special circumstances include, but are not limited to, the need to order specialty part or inclement weather and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Refurbishing of DME 50. Contractor shall also be responsible for refurbishing VA owned equipment that has been reclaimed. Refurbishing includes, but not limited to, cleaning/maintenance processes used in restoring equipment to a like new condition and appearance. Personal type bathroom equipment shall NOT be refurbished, (i.e., commode chairs, raised toilet seats, bath seats, etc.). After inspection of reclaimed item(s), the contractor shall adhere to the following if items need repair: (a) Minor repairs: Shall be completed within three (3) workdays at no expense to the VA. Examples: Tighten wheels/castors on wheelchairs, check for loose wiring on motorized wheelchairs and electric beds, minor spot painting of areas of chipped paint or rust spots on reclaimed items to be placed in storage. There shall be no charge for labor for easily replaced items, including, but not limited to, batteries, armrests, leg rest, and headsets. After cleaning and sanitizing, the equipment shall be lubricated with manufacturer approved grease oil, and/or silicone spray. Any rust spots shall be wire brushed prior to painting. (b) Major repairs: If repairs are necessary, the contractor shall submit an estimate of charges for approval and acceptance by the local area COR or designee within three (3) working days. A repair order must be placed first prior to the repairs being started. The contract hourly rate for repairs of reclaimed VA owned equipment located at the contractor s facility shall be paid only when such services have been requested and approved by the VA. Labor charges shall be computed in quarter hourly increments from the time work begins until work is completed. (c) Each refurbished item shall be tagged indicating the date it is returned to clean inventory. New batteries will not be provided, if applicable, until time of re-issuance to a different Veteran. (d) Contractor shall maintain an itemized record of all reclaimed items, including item description, serial number (if applicable), veteran it was reclaimed from, date reclaimed, date quote submitted for major repair (if applicable) and date placed into clean inventory. (e) Repairs of equipment, when required, shall be performed in accordance with manufacturer's instructions by personnel who are qualified to service specific equipment. As applicable, qualified is defined as holding certification through the manufacturer when technical certification program is offered. The Contractor shall comply with universal precautions in the cleansing of DME. STORAGE/INVENTORY/SANITIZATION 51. Contractor shall provide storage to allow for storage of Government owned re-claimed/new DME equipment at no additional charge to the VA. The storage area must be adequately equipped with shelves, bins, etc., to properly accommodate the items being stored. Stored equipment shall be maintained in a safe, clean, dry, and orderly arrangement to prevent damage and to facilitate periodic inventory inspections by COR. Storage shall be provided separate and apart, by VA facility, from all other contractor owned equipment and supplies. The storage space shall be sufficiently insured against loss or damage equal to the value of the stored equipment. Proof of the insurance coverage will be provided to the Contracting Officer within 10 days of the effective date of the Notice of Award. Updates will be provided annually or whenever coverage is discontinued. 52. The contractor shall provide each VA site a weekly physical inventory of stock, including new and used levels. Government property shall be used only for performance of this contract. (a) A secured information sharing website (i.e. SharePoint) shall be established for remote inventory control. (b) Upon commencement of this contract, an inventory shall be conducted jointly by the COR and the Contractor and signed by both parties. This inventory shall include items, conditions thereof and the approximate total value. Contractor shall establish and maintain a system of control to protect and preserve all Government property. (c) If VA makes a determination to scrap equipment, the contractor shall make equipment available for pickup by scrap contractor, scrap the material as instructed by COR or designee or deliver to VA facility to scrap at no additional cost to the Government. If items are to be brought to the VA facility to scrap, this must occur within two weeks of instructions to scrap. This is not considered part of the weekly VA delivery, and is to be at no additional charge to the VA. 53. Ownership of all equipment (new and/or used) in inventory shall remain with the government. The contractor shall be directly responsible and accountable for all Government property while it is under his/her possession, and shall establish and maintain a system to control, protect, preserve, and maintain the items in optimum condition. The contractor shall identify Government Furnished Property (GFP) by making or tagging and segregating in such a manner to clearly indicate Government ownership. 54. Contractor shall provide the COR or designee a daily report of items delivered. This report shall be itemized by Veteran s name and PO#, to include whether item(s) are new or used equipment, inventory or special ordered, and include any associated serial or lot numbers. Report shall be submitted by noon of the following business day. Submission of all delivery tickets from this day, consolidated as one document, is an acceptable alternative to this report if all required information is included. 57. Equipment shall be protected from the elements during storage and delivery. All clean equipment shall be covered. Clean and dirty equipment shall always be separated and shall be provided with protective covering during transport in accordance with Joint Commission standards. 58. Contractor shall, using universal precautions, sanitize/sterilize all picked up equipment prior to placement in contractor s storage or delivery to VAMC for reissue. This procedure shall be appropriate to the type of equipment in accordance with JOINT COMMISSION Standards. 59. Contractor shall be able to accept drop shipments of DME, which will be included in inventory. DROP SHIPMENT OF DME The Contractor shall be capable of accepting drop shipments of DME at facility for storage. The Contractor shall remove all DME from their packing/shipping cartons upon delivery and promptly inspect shipped DME goods for damages. The Contractor shall dispose of the appropriate packing/shipping materials. Contractor shall note the damages on the delivering carrier s bill of lading, and notify the COR of any damaged items within two (2) hours of normal business hours. If the VA is unable to pursue a claim submission because of untimely inspection and notification of a damaged item, the Contractor shall be held liable for the repair cost or full replacement cost of the damaged item. TECHNICAL INDUSTRY STANDARDS 60. Standards and guidelines are as follows: Joint Commission Standard for Home Care, current year standard. 61. The installation of all equipment by the Contractor shall be performed by a competent professional familiar with nature of the equipment involved and fully qualified under the laws of the State in which the services are being rendered. Installation shall be consistent with local Fire and Safety Codes in the respective area of the State. INVOICING 62. All orders will be placed by each VA facility using the US Government Credit Card (VAF PC-2421) or Prosthetics Authorization for Items or Services (VAF 10-2421). The contractor shall submit an individual itemized invoice upon completion for services ordered and rendered. Invoices are to be submitted to the individual that submitted the order and the following will be available upon request: (a) VAMC file copy of the Patient s Rights and Responsibilities (b) Equipment Delivery Checklist (c) Patient Education form (d) Signed verification from the Veteran / Caregiver that the above items were provided. Payment will not be authorized if documentation is incomplete. 63. Invoices will be itemized to include parts, materials, and labor (when indicated). The contractor must be able to accept US Government Purchase Cards (credit cards). REPORTS 64. Reports are provided within their respective timeframes i.e. quarterly and monthly. All reports will be provided to the COR as specified in the Surveillance Plan. Reports shall be completed per facility. Compliance with contract /Quality Improvement Surveillance Plan will be per facility, such that if thresholds are not being met at one facility, then the contract is not in compliance. SAFETY AND INFECTION CONTROL 65. Contractor safety and infection control procedures are in accordance with Joint Commission, all current National Patient Safety Goals standards in addition to other recognized federal and state regulatory agency standards. 66. In the performance of this contract, the Contractor shall take such safety precautions as the Contracting Officer or the COR may determine to be reasonably necessary to protect the lives and health of all persons affected by this contract. The Contracting Officer or COR will notify the Contractor of any noncompliance with the foregoing provisions and the action to be taken. 67. The Contractor shall assure that adequate security of material / information received from the VISN 10 or from VA beneficiaries is in compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974. As a minimum, security shall consist of but may not be limited to the methods discussed as follows: (a) Conduct reasonable screening of employees so that the workforce consists of responsible, qualified and trustworthy personnel; (b) Develop, maintain and post current access list of personnel who are authorized to enter those areas where Veterans Administration inventory is stored and/or processed; (c) Develop a highly visible identification system which will clearly differentiate between authorized and unauthorized personnel, for example, a system of controlled badges or uniforms; 68. All rooms and areas of the Contractor facility where VA beneficiary information and/or inventory is stored or processed shall be securely locked. 69. Contractor shall have a current plan for surveillance, prevention and control of infection. The plan must meet current Joint Commission standards. 70. Contractor shall provide a written emergency management plan in compliance with Joint Commission standards. At the time of set up, Contractor shall provide beneficiaries with a telephone number to call if there are any questions or additional information is required, and instructions for what to do in a natural disaster or other emergency. INCIDENT REPORTING 71. All accidents, malfunctions, injuries, deaths or sentinel events associated with the provision, delivery and use of DME equipment will be immediately reported to the COR, equipment manufacturer (if applicable), and logged. 72. The Department of Veterans Affairs upon notification of equipment recalls will inform contractor by written notice. The contractor shall take the necessary corrective actions and inform each VA facility in writing of actions taken. The contractor shall in turn notify the Department of Veteran Affairs of all equipment recall notices received by them. 73. The Contractor shall provide a written, quarterly report meeting all JOINT COMMISSION Standards for improving organizational performance. The JOINT COMMISSION standards may be accessed at: http://www.Joint Commission.org. (a) Incident Report Reporting special incidents found or occurring during a home visit, to include finding patients in need of emergency medical assistance, safety hazards that do not fall into the category of presenting immediate life-threatening danger to the patient or Contractors staff, inability to contact a patient within a reasonable time, and any other incident meeting the Contractors written policy for incident reporting according to accreditation standards. 74. The contractor shall report suspected incidents of abuse or neglect to the patient by family members or caregivers. Suspected incidents shall be reported within one business day to the COR or designee, as well as to the adult protective agency. The contractor will follow all state and local laws in reporting suspected incidents of abuse or neglect. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION STANDARDS 75. Contractor shall conduct background checks on all personnel providing services under this contract and shall ensure that these personnel are fully qualified, hold appropriate licensure and receive ongoing training and experience to perform the required services under this contract. 76. Employee Certification: (a) The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and make available for review, personnel folders on all employees performing under this contract. (b) Contractor shall provide and document employee orientation, ongoing employee education, and ongoing assessment of employee competency for all employees involved with the delivery/recovery of equipment covered under this contract according to Joint Commission Standards. 77. The Contractor shall always be staffed and have sufficient supplies to render satisfactory and courteous service to the beneficiary. The contractor shall be responsible for the acts and omissions of his/her employees, his/her sub-contractors or satellite offices and their employees. Sub-contractors are required to adhere to the requirements of this contract. PRE AND POST CONTRACT AWARD MEETINGS 78. A post-award conference shall be held at a time and place designated by the CO, to be attended by the contractor, COTR s from each VA facility and other officials designated by the CO. Conference agenda will be furnished by the Contracting Officer. 79. Prior to award of contract, a visit to the contractor s facility may be performed by VA personnel to inspect, evaluate and assess the contractor s existing program compared to the requirements of the solicitation. PHASE-IN REQUIREMENTS 80. For DME, after award of the contract, the contractor, at no additional cost to the VA, shall be responsible for picking up existing inventory from the previous/incumbent contractor s storage within fifteen (15) calendar days after the effective date of the Notice of Award. The contractor shall coordinate a smooth transition with the previous contractor of equipment, to maintain continuity of patient care. PHASE-OUT REQUIREMENTS 81. If the government does not choose to exercise its option to renew the contract, or the last option has expired, the contractor recognizes that the services under this contract are vital to the government and must be continued without interruption. Upon expiration, another contractor may be awarded the subsequent contract to continue these vital services. 82. If this involves additional time beyond the expiration date, the contractor shall be paid on a pro-rated basis in accordance with Continuity of Services clause. 83. Therefore, the contractor agrees to: (a) Furnish phase-out continued patient services coverage for up to 90 days (if required) after this contract expires. (b) Uses its best efforts and cooperation to affect an orderly and efficient transition to a successor contractor. TABLES 84. Geographic Service Areas (a) VA Ann Arbor Health Care System County Allen OH Fulton OH Hancock OH Hardin OH Henry OH Hillsdale MI Ingham MI Jackson MI Lenawee MI Livingston MI Lucas OH Marion OH Monroe MI Ottawa OH Sandusky OH Seneca OH Washtenaw MI Williams OH Wood OH (b) Battle Creek VA Medical Center County Allegan Barry Berrien Branch Calhoun Cass Eaton Ionia Kalamazoo Kent Lake Mason Mecosta Montcalm Muskegon Newaygo Oceana Ottawa St Joseph Van Buren (c) John D. Dingell VA Medical Center County Macomb Oakland St Clair Wayne (d) Richard L. Roudebush VAMC County Adams IN Allen IN Bartholomew IN Benton IN Blackford IN Boone IN Brown IN Butler OH Carroll IN Cass IN Clark IN Clay IN Clinton IN Crawford IN Darke OH Daviess IN Decatur IN Delaware IN Dubose IN Fayette IN Floyd IN Fountain IN Franklin IN Fulton IN Gibson IN Grant IN Greene IN Hamilton IN Hamilton OH Hancock IN Hendricks IN Henry IN Howard IN Huntington IN Jackson IN Jasper IN Jay IN Jefferson IN Jennings IN Johnson IN Knox IN Kosciusko IN Lawrence IN Madison IN Marion IN Marshall IN Martin IN Mercer OH Miami IN Miami OH Monroe IN Montgomery IN Montgomery OH Morgan IN Newton IN Noble IN Ohio IN Orange IN Owen IN Parke IN Pike IN Preble OH Pulaski IN Putnam IN Randolph IN Ripley IN Rush IN Scott IN Shelby IN Starke IN Sullivan IN Switzerland IN Tippecanoe IN Tipton IN Union IN Vermillion IN Vigo IN Wabash IN Warren IN Warren OH Washington IN Wayne IN Wells IN White IN Whitley IN (e) Northern Indiana Health Care System (NIHCS) County Adams IN Allen IN Allen OH Auglaize OH Blackford IN Boone IN Carroll IN Cass IN Champaign OH Clinton IN Darke OH Defiance OH DeKalb IN Delaware IN Elkhart IN Fayette IN Ft Wayne IN Fulton IN Fulton OH Grand IN Hamilton IN Hancock IN Hancock OH Hardin OH Henry IN Henry OH Howard IN Huntington IN Jasper IN Jay IN Kosciusko IN LaGrange IN Lake IN LaPorte IN Logan OH Lucas OH Madison IN Marion IN Marshall IN Mercer OH Miami IN Miami OH Noble IN Paulding OH Porter IN Pulaski IN Putnam OH Randolph IN Rush IN Shelby OH St. Joseph IN Starke IN Steuben IN Tippecanoe IN Tipton IN Union IN Van Wert OH Wabash IN Wayne IN Wells IN White IN Whitley IN Williams OH Wood OH SECTION 4: DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS 85. DME includes items, but not limited to such items as manual or electric hospital beds, regular or specialty mattresses, manual or power lifts, Veteran lifts, ramps, wheelchairs, scooters, lifts, walkers. The following clarifications are submitted: (a) Scooters: Scooters are considered DME equipment under this contract. Scooters will be delivered and picked up by the contractor. (b) Motorized Wheelchairs: Basic power chairs will be delivered and picked up under this contract. Basic education is accomplished under this contract. Chairs that are complex such as sip and puff, chin control, requirements will be covered under this contract under the discretion and guidance of the Contracting Officer Representative. (c) Ramps: Ramps that are of a one-piece nature which can be picked up by one person will be covered under this contract. Ramps of this type are usually referred to as suitcase ramps; the contractor will not be responsible for picking up or storing this type of ramp. (d) Trunk or Van Lifts: The contractor will not be responsible for installing or de-installing (unhooking) lifts, however contractor may be required to pick up and store for the VA after lifts have been disconnected. (e) Manual or electric hospital beds, regular or specialty mattresses, manual or power lifts and Veteran lifts are covered under this contract. (f) Contractor: A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime. (g) Contracting officer: A person with authority to enter, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government. (h) Contracting Officer's Representative (COR): An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor if that direction is within the scope of the contract does not constitute a change and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract. (i) Defective Service: A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement. (j) Deliverable: Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports. (k) Key Personnel: Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the PWS. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal. (l) Physical Security: Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property. (m) Plan of Care: A plan based on data gathered during Veteran assessment that identifies the Veteran s care needs, lists the strategy for providing services to meet those needs, documents treatment, goals, and objectives outline the criteria for terminating specified interventions, and documents the individual s progress in meeting specified goals and objectives. (n) Plan of Service: A plan to identify Veteran problems with equipment, compliance, goals and the approach for corrective action. (o) Quality Assurance: The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards. (p) Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): An organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of contractor performance. (q) Performance Improvement: All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements. (r) Subcontractor: One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have privy of contract with the subcontractor. (s) Days: Calendar days are used for any contract requirement indicating a timeframe in days unless specified otherwise. (t) High end and Specialty Equipment: Equipment that requires fitting/customization (i.e., set-up, comprehensive seating, positioning, and mobility needs of the Veteran, by a certified Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP)). ACRONYMS 86. ACOR Alternate Contracting Officer's Representative ATP Assistive Technology Practitioner CCE Contracting Center of Excellence CFR Code of Federal Regulations CO Contracting Officer COB Close of Business CONUS Continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii) COR Contracting Officer Representative COTS Commercial-Off-the-Shelf CQI Continuous Quality Improvement DME Durable Medical Equipment DOT Department of Transportation FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation FDA Federal Drug Administration HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 JC Joint Commission KO Contracting Officer NFPA National Fire Protection Agency NLT No Later Than OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest OCONUS Outside Continental United States (includes Alaska and Hawaii) OIG Office of Inspector General OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Association PIPO Phase In/Phase Out POC Point of Contact PRS Performance Requirements Summary PWS Performance Work Statement PSAS Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service QA Quality Assurance QAP Quality Assurance Program QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan QC Quality Control QCP Quality Control Program TE Technical Exhibit VAMC VA Medical Center VISN Veterans Integrated Service Network