36C25019Q0181.docx

36C25019Q0181

PAGE 1 OF

1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO.

3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE

4. ORDER NO.

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY

CODE

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS

UNRESTRICTED OR

SET ASIDE:

% FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ

IFB

RFP

15. DELIVER TO

CODE

16. ADMINISTERED BY

CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

DUNS:

DUNS+4:

PHONE:

FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER 18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

ITEM NO.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

QUANTITY

UNIT

UNIT PRICE

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only) 27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER) 30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

(REV. 2/2012)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Funded by individual task orders 36C25019Q0181 01/03 /2019 Stewart, Wendy 734-845-5605 01-16 -2019 Noon EST Department of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System Network Contracting Office 10 2215 Fuller Road Ann Arbor MI 48105 X 621910 $15 Million X N/A X Department of Veterans Affairs VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

WAREHOUSE

2215 Fuller Road Ann Arbor MI 48105 Y Department of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System Network Contracting Office 10 2215 Fuller Road Ann Arbor MI 48105

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Management System PO Box 149971 Austin TX 78714-9971 877-353-9791 512-460-5540 See CONTINUATION Page The contractor shall provide all Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Ambulance Services for eligible beneficiaries of the Detroit VA Healthcare System in accordance with the statement of work. Resulting contract will be 5-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract. Contracts are unfunded. Subsequent Task Orders shall be issued to provide funding for each ordering period.

All quotes must be submitted via email to Wendy Stewart, at Wendy.Stewart@va.gov NLT than the date and time specified in Block 8. All questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing via email to Wendy Stewart, Contract Specialist, Wendy.Stewart@va.gov. Subject line must read "Technical question - Detroit Ambulance Service”. No questions will be accepted after 10:00a EST, 01/0 /2019.

All questions with answers will be posted as an amendment to the solicitation. No phone calls will be accepted.

This procurement is being conducted in accordance with FAR Subpart 13.5.

See CONTINUATION Page X X X

Table of Contents

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

(continuation from Standard Form 1449, block 18A.)

1. Contract Administration: All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

a. CONTRACTOR: Company Name: _________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ___________________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________________

Point of Contact/Position: __________________________________

POC Phone: ____________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________________

DUNS No.: _____________________________________________

Tax ID No.: _____________________________________________

b. GOVERNMENT:

Wendy Stewart, Contract Specialist Veteran Affairs NCO 10 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Suite M2400 Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

Telephone: (734) 845-5605 Email: wendy.stewart@va.gov

2. CONTRACTOR REMITTANCE ADDRESS: All payments by the Government to the contractor will be made in accordance with:

[X] 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer or [] 52.232-36, Payment by Third Party

3. INVOICES: Invoices shall be submitted in arrears:

4. GOVERNMENT INVOICE ADDRESS: All Invoices from the contractor shall be submitted electronically in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests. Department of Veterans Affairs, Financial Management System, OB10 Electronic Invoicing System: http://ob10.com/us/en/veterans-affairs-us/ ; OB10 e-Invoice Setup Information: 877-489-6135.

B.2 SUBCONTRACTING COMMITMENTS--MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE (JUN 2011)

This solicitation includes VAAR 852.215-70, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business Evaluation Factors, and VAAR 852.215-71, Evaluation Factor Commitments. Accordingly, any contract resulting from this solicitation will include these clauses. The contractor is advised in performing contract administration functions, the CO may use the services of a support contractor(s) to assist in assessing contractor compliance with the subcontracting commitments incorporated into the contract. To that end, the support contractor(s) may require access to the contractor's business records or other proprietary data to review such business records regarding contract compliance with this requirement. All support contractors conducting this review on behalf of VA will be required to sign an “Information Protection and Non-Disclosure and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Agreement” to ensure the contractor's business records or other proprietary data reviewed or obtained in the course of assisting the CO in assessing the contractor for compliance are protected to ensure information or data is not improperly disclosed or other impropriety occurs. Furthermore, if VA determines any services the support contractor(s) will perform in assessing compliance are advisory and assistance services as defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions, the support contractor(s) must also enter into an agreement with the contractor to protect proprietary information as required by FAR 9.505-4, obtaining access to proprietary information, paragraph (b). The contractor is required to cooperate fully and make available any records as may be required to enable the CO to assess the contractor compliance with the subcontracting commitments.

B.3 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

ITEM INFORMATION

GRAND TOTAL

Estimated Annual Quantities listed in the Price/Cost Schedule are based on historical data and are NOT GUARANTEED. Actual ordered services may be greater or less than the Estimated Quantities. The Government will order required quantities by issuing Fixed Price Task Orders in accordance with the terms of the contract.

The total minimum dollar amount, or guaranteed minimum, for the contract is $100,000.00 over the life of the contract. The maximum total value of the contract, inclusive of the base period and all options exercised, shall not exceed $10,000,000.00.

B.4 Statement of Work (SOW)

Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contracts are unfunded. Subsequent Task Orders shall be issued to provide funding for each ordering period.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Contractor shall provide Basic Life Support Ambulance Service and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Ambulance Service, as specified herein, for eligible beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs, John D. Dingell Medical Center (VA), 4646 John R. Street, Detroit, Michigan, 48201. Services shall be provided on a twenty-four hour per day, seven days per week basis.

The Contractor shall perform required services in accordance with the standards of the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, established principles and ethics of the medical profession. The contractor shall transact all business with the Contracting Officer (CO) and/or the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or his/her designee, and in no case, shall deal directly with or solicit from beneficiaries of the VA.

CONTRACT DEFINITIONS/ACRONYMS: Advanced Life Support (ALS) – ALS shall be provided by ambulance vehicles containing, at a minimum, two on-board attendants and shall be staffed in accordance with current Michigan State laws and regulations governing the certification and licensure of private ambulances. This ambulance, at a minimum shall be staffed with a Paramedic, and either a Paramedic or Certified Emergency Medical Technician. Ambulance services shall also include cardiac monitoring, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ALS) drugs and procedures, advanced airway management and medication monitoring and administration.

Rates – Rates are defined as the rate paid for one-way transportation from a designated pick-up point to a designated delivery point. Rates shall be further defined as Day Rates or Night rates. Day Rates shall apply to any trip between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Night Rates shall apply to any trip between the hours of 6:01 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. For every trip traveled outside the city limits, Contractor shall be reimbursed at either the Day rate or Night rate plus an amount for any mileage traveled outside of the city limits. This rate shall be paid for all authorized one-way trips ordered under this contract action, with employees receiving, at a minimum, the Department of Labor Service Contract Act wage rates (included herein), during all phases of the trip made on behalf of the Government. Attached Service Contract Act wage rate determinations shall be updated each option year when/if new revisions are issued.

Basic Life Support (BLS) – BLS is defined as services required for non-critical patient care in which a patient requires an ambulance, staffed in accordance with current Michigan State laws and regulations governing the certification and licensure of private ambulances. This ambulance, at a minimum, shall be staffed with two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and can provide basic airway management.

Beneficiary – Veterans and other members determined to be eligible for benefits by the VA.

Service Hours/Days – Service shall be provided on a twenty-four hour per day, seven days per week basis. Trip rates shall be defined as either day rates or night rates (See RATES)

Contracting Officer (CO) – VA official with the authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts, make related determinations and findings.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) – VA official responsible for providing contract oversight and technical guidance to the Contracting Officer. Responsibilities include certification of invoices, placing orders for service, providing technical guidance, overseeing technical aspects of the contract, and serving as a member of the vehicle inspection team. All administrative functions remain with the Contracting Officer.

Contractor – The term “Contractor” used herein refers to both the prime Contractor and his employees, and any subcontractors and their employees. The Contractor shall be responsible for assuring that all subcontractors comply with the provisions of this contract.

The Joint Commission (formerly known as JCAHO) – A national organization dedicated to improving the care, safety and treatment of patients in a health care facility and environment.

Mileage Rate – Mileage rate for ambulance services is the rate paid for each mile traveled beyond the city limits of Detroit. This rate applies to one-way transportation only.

Trip – One-way transportation from a designated pick-up point to a designated delivery point.

Scheduled Trip(s) – The term “Scheduled Trip” as used in this contract refers to those trips in which the Contractor has been given notice of required services and a specific pick-up time. Advanced Notice is defined as notice given by 4: 30p.m.the prior business day.

Unscheduled Trip(s) – The term “Unscheduled Trip” as used in this contract refers to those trips required on an as-needed basis and advance notice is not given.

Vehicle(s) – The term “Vehicle(s)” as used in this contract refers to ambulance transportation provided under the requirements of this contract.

Waiting – “Waiting” as used in this contract is defined as the time required and verified by authorized medical facility personnel, for the Contractor to wait at designated pick-up and/or delivery points when performing contract services.

Gender - For equal rights, wherever the masculine gender is used in this solicitation, and the resulting contract, it shall be considered to include both masculine and feminine gender.

SCOPE: Provide Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Ambulance Transportation Services for the Department of Veterans Affairs John D. Dingell Medical Center (VA), Detroit, Michigan for a base year with four pre-priced option years.

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT (BLS): ambulances shall be staffed with two EMT attendant/drivers. Ambulance shall be on-site within one hour after Contractor receives a request for BLS ambulance. The contractor shall be required to provide a minimum of three BLS ambulances at any given time; however, additional ambulances, as required, shall be provided at the contract price.

ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT (ACLS): ambulance shall be staffed with two attendants. One shall be a Paramedic and the other shall be a Paramedic or Certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) with controlling capabilities for Endotracheal Intubation, IV Therapy, Cardiac Monitoring, Defibrillation, and Drug Therapy. Paramedic or EMT to be provided by the Contractor. Ambulance shall be on-site within fifteen to thirty minutes after Contractor receives a request for ACLS ambulance. The contractor shall be required to provide a minimum of one ACLS ambulance at any given time; however, additional units requested shall be furnished at the contract price.

WAITING TIME: For time lost in waiting at either or both ends of a trip, due to causes beyond their control, the Contractor shall be reimbursed at the rate set forth in the Pricing Schedule, for each quarter hour more than the first quarter hour from the time the Contractor reports to the designated person. If the pick-up is other than at the VA, the contractor shall call the Travel Clerk, or Supervisor of Health Benefits Administration Service (contact numbers to be provided at time of award). This call is only for the purpose of verifying arrival time at the pick-up point and is not necessary if the contractor anticipates no delay for which a claim for reimbursement shall be made. Waiting time includes an attendant remaining with the patient at all times.

RATES: Rates shall refer to transportation of only one patient per ambulance. Day Rates shall apply to any trip between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Night Rates shall apply to any trip between the hours of 6:01 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. The departure time for any trip shall be used to determine the applicable rate. Payment for mileage traveled beyond the city limits shall be limited to "one way only" (Mileage shall be reimbursed for one way only, regardless if patient(s) is transported round trip). Such mileage costs shall be paid in addition to the applicable rate per trip. Mileage shall not be paid for trips entirely within the city limits. Trip mileage shall be determined by the latest edition of the Bing Map Mileage Guide for the shortest distance will be used to validate mileage. For purposes of verifying mileage claimed on invoices, www.bingmap.com shall be utilized.

ORDERS: All requests for pick-ups will come from Authorized VA Personnel by either the Travel Clerk or Administrative Officer of the Day at the John D. Dingell Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan. Requests for services shall be made by telephone and subsequently confirmed by Health Benefits Administration Service by fax. Prior to the contractor executing patient transport a Patient Voucher will be faxed to the contractor. If the contractor fails to furnish the required services within the time frames established in paragraphs above, the VA reserves the right to obtain the service from another source and to charge the contractor with any excess cost which may result (applies to the required ambulances only, 3 BLS and 1 ACLS). The VA shall be the sole judge in determining when to order service from another source. Services shall be primarily to the VA, 4646 John R. Street, Detroit, 48201; our domiciliary located at 4777 East Outer Drive, Detroit, Michigan 48234, and the two Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in Pontiac and Yale, Michigan. The Pontiac CBOC is located at 1701 Baldwin Road, Suite 101, Pontiac, MI 48340 and the Yale CBOC is located at 7474 Brockway Drive, Yale, MI 48097. This contract also includes transportation of patients to and from Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; Iron Mountain, Michigan; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

SCHEDULED TRIPS- PATIENT PICK-UP REQUIREMENTS: Most patients requiring transportation will reside in the Greater Detroit Metropolitan Area. The addresses of patients will vary daily. The list of patients will be faxed to the Contractor by 4:30 p.m., on the day before pick up by the authorized individuals in the travel department at the VAMC Detroit and will included a signed authorization. If the contractor arrives at the veteran’s residence and the veteran refuses transportation, the contractor shall immediately notify the VA's Travel Office. This situation will be considered a “dry run” due to veteran refusal and billed as a one-way trip at the rate specified in the price schedule. The contractor shall clearly identify all billing for “dry runs” on the invoice.

The Contractor shall transport patients with scheduled appointments ensuring that they arrive at the appointment location between 15 and 30 minutes prior to the appointment time.

ADD ON TRIPS: The Contractor shall provide same day “add-on” transportation trips (trips that are not pre-scheduled and are not return trips) when ordered by the VA. These “add-on” trips may be required during and/or after normal work hours. To order these add-on trips, the government will both phone in and fax to the Contractor the patient’s name, pick-up location, and time and location of the appointment and will included a signed authorization. The contractor shall transport these patients ensuring that they (contractor personnel) arrive at the pick-up location within 15-30 minutes for an ACLS run and within 30-45 minutes for a BLS run.

DELAYS: The VA shall be notified immediately by the contractor of any incidence where the patient’s transportation after pick up is interrupted or delayed, whatever the circumstances. The VA will make the determination if patient should be returned to the VA.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall ensure that the VA is notified if the contractor dispatches an ambulance from another company to the VA (or a scheduled pick up point) and shall identify the ambulance company being dispatched.

The contractor shall ensure proper training of personnel to avoid instances where unfamiliarity with pick up locations causes delays in patient transportation due to units being dispatched to the wrong pick up points.

CITY LIMITS: The city limits, for the purpose of this contract, are defined as the city of Detroit (per city map published by the City of Detroit).

TOLL CHARGES: It is agreed and understood that the prices quoted in the schedule do not include any ferry, bridge, tunnel, or road toll charges. Any such legitimate toll charges incurred shall be limited to one way only and shall be listed separately on Contractor invoices.

If the Contractor’s place of business is located beyond the local telephone call zone of the VA, the Contractor agrees to accept telephone orders for service on a collect basis. It is estimated that approximately seventy-five orders will be placed by telephone per month.

VEHICLES: The ambulances under the terms of this contract shall be licensed and meet the minimum ambulance requirements, as mandated by the State of Michigan, and Federal Specifications KKK-A-1822F, dated JULY 1, 2017. The Contractor must have at least six (6) ambulances to meet the requirements of this contract, along with evidence of satisfactory ambulance inspection prior to use under this contract. Ambulances and equipment must be clean, orderly, and in excellent operating condition at all times. Records of maintenance/preventative maintenance must be made available for inspection upon request.

Subject specification applies to Emergency Medical Care Vehicles Only. Subject specifications are mandatory as minimal requirements for such vehicles, but chassis or compartment modifications are permissible when they clearly exceed the minimal specifications.

The basic emergency care vehicle contracted for shall be of the Type I, Type II, or Type III ambulance (See KKK-A-1822F).

If your facility operates two Type I, Type II, or Type III model vehicles, and one is used for emergency services and the other for lie-down transportation, the equipment meeting the specifications for the emergency medical care vehicle can be transferred, when necessary, (i.e., when down for maintenance), to the lie-down transport vehicle, which then may operate as an ambulance, provided it otherwise meets the specifications of emergency.

All ambulances shall have restraints for securing wheelchairs. All ambulances shall be smoke free and have “No Smoking” signage posted.

AMBULANCE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES: Each emergency medical care ambulance shall have patient compartment facilities, oxygen, suction systems and equipment, and additional systems equipment, accessories and supplies (See KKK-A-1822F), as well as environmental climatic equipment, and communications equipment.

The Contractor shall provide Ambu-bag for respirator dependent patients who may or may not be prior intubated by tracheostomy or end tracheal tubes and/or respirator for respirator dependent patients which may or may not be prior intubated by tracheostomy or end tracheal tubes. Contractor may choose respirator or Ambu-bag, as appropriate. However, for long distance trips, contractor is required to "bag" the patient.

The contractor shall provide blood transfusion monitoring if prior established and shall maintain in-place IV line with appropriate pressure of either a Swan Ganz catheter, Arterial line, or both.

The acuity of the patient with any of the above may require a VA provided RN or Physician to accompany the patient in transport from the Medical Center.

Contractor shall provide an ACLS certified Paramedic when requested. Paramedics or advanced Emergency Medical Technicians do not meet this requirement unless they have received an ACLS certification.

QUALIFICATIONS: Bids shall be considered only from bidders who are regularly established in the business called for (minimum of five years), who are financially responsible and have the necessary equipment and personnel to furnish service in the volume required for all the items under this contract. Successful bidder shall meet all requirements of Federal, State or City codes regarding operations of this type of service. Bidders shall submit with bids a full description of the make of ambulances, model and year to be furnished under the contract including the location and telephone numbers of his/her establishment where calls are received and ambulances are immediately available for dispatch. Ambulance documentation shall include a description of the metering devices or methods bidder proposes to use in determining mileage.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) providing emergency services under this contract shall maintain the qualifications listed below:

Documentation of completed training in accordance with the standards published by the Department of Health and Human Services with a minimum curriculum of 81 hours or "equivalent" including an in-hospital training period. Such training program must also be acceptable under the regulating requirements for local ELMS systems supported by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) under PL 93-154, 39 Fed. Reg. 24,304 (1974).

Evidence of an "equivalent" training program successfully completed by the EMT must be submitted to the COR for approval.

The EMT shall be certified, licensed or otherwise officially recognized by the local, state, or regional government or public entity where the emergency ambulance service is operated or by which it is governed. The contractor shall provide current copies of BCLS, ACLS or other required training certifications when submitting bids.

The EMT shall be enrolled periodically in "refresher" continuing education, or advanced training programs as required by the local or state government entity in which the service is rendered to veterans but in no instance, shall this be less frequently than every two years. Such "refresher" training shall be equivalent to that developed by the Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration. Evidence of successful completion for refresher training shall be submitted to the COR for approval.

Prices shall include emergency medical technicians and paramedics as appropriate. EMTs and paramedics shall be capable of administering oxygen and have successfully completed the Standard and Advanced First Aid Courses of the American Red Cross or U.S. Bureau of Mines, or equivalent. Proof in the form of a current certificate that such first aid training has been successfully completed shall be submitted to the COR prior to working under this contract and maintain currency throughout the contract. Drivers providing service under this agreement shall have a valid ambulance personnel license with a driver designation as required by Federal, State, and local law.

AUTHORIZED ATTENDANCE BY RELATIVE: An authorized official of the VA may, in the best interest of the beneficiary, allow a relative to accompany a patient at no cost to the VA.

GOVERNMENT OWNED EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES: All equipment, machinery, linens, etc. taken with patients from VA Medical Center must be returned to the Medical Center. The Contractor must provide its own linens and contractor linens shall not be exchanged with VA linens.

UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS: Universal Precautions shall be observed at all times during transport of, or waiting with, all VA patients.

INSPECTIONS: The contractor’s facility and all vehicles intended for use under this contract shall be inspected and approved by a VA Inspection Team prior to start of work under this contract and annually thereafter. The contractor shall make every effort to coordinate availability of vehicles on the date mutually agreed upon for the inspection of the facility and vehicles. The contractor shall be notified in writing of deficiencies found during inspections. Failure to correct deficiencies within the time frame allowed by the COR or the Contracting Officer, or to comply with all Federal, State, and local Safety requirements as specified herein, may result in action to terminate the contract for cause.

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 Worker's Compensation, Professional Liability Insurance, Health Examinations, Income Tax Withholdings, and Social Security Payments. The parties agree that such personnel shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose and shall be considered employees of the Contractor.

LIABILITY: Worker's Compensation and Employer's Liability: Contractors are required to comply with applicable Federal and State workers' compensation and occupationaldisease statutes. If occupational diseases are not compensable under those statutes, they shall be covered under the employer's liability section of the insurance policy. Employer's liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 shall be required.

GENERAL LIABILITY: The contracting officer shall require bodily injury liability insurance coverage written on the comprehensive form policy of at least $500,000 per occurrence.

The above referenced insurance coverage minimums are in reference to FAR Clause, 852.23770 listed in Addendum to FAR 52.212-4, of this document.

Certificates of Insurance shall be received by the COR before contract commencement.

AMBULANCE TECHNICIAN RESPONSIBILITIES: All contractors shall be required to report to the Travel Clerk on duty (while contractor still is on the premises) any time a pick-up, delivery or departure is made to and from the Detroit VAMC. The delivery and departure area for all patients will be specified by the Travel Clerk at the time the order is placed for services. The contractor shall have trip voucher time and date stamped by the Travel Clerk when picking up a patient for transportation from the VA and when dropping off or delivering a patient at the VA.

When the contractor arrives at the Detroit VAMC to transport a patient, the Travel Clerk or the Administrative Officer of the Day will contact the inpatient or outpatient area to determine if patient is ready. The voucher will be faxed to the contractor prior to the contractor executing patient transport. All ambulance run slips must be filled out on the day of service and must be signed by authorized VA personnel. During normal work hours the travel clerk will be the individual authorized to sign the run slip. For afterhours, weekends, and holidays, the Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD), in admitting, will be the individual authorized to sign the run slips. If, during non-administrative hours, the AOD is not in the admitting area, a special place will be identified for the contractor’s drivers to leave the vouchers for signature.

REPORTING ACCIDENTS OR PATIENT INJURIES: Contractor shall be responsible for reporting, in writing, all accidents, slips, falls, and mishaps to the travel section during normal business hours and to the Administrative Officer of the Day located in admitting after normal business hours, and on weekends. All reports must be provided within 24 hours of incident.

Any injury or accident to a patient shall be reported immediately to the COR and/or the Travel Clerk. The contractor shall submit an injury report with copies forwarded to the COR for inclusion into the patient's administrative chart. Upon notification of an accident, the Detroit VAMC will follow up with a call to the patient to determine if the patient needs to be seen by a physician. If off the premises and patient requests, or is in obvious need of immediate medical help, the ambulance technician is to convey patient to the closest Emergency Department for assessment and care. If on the premises, and the patient requests, or is in obvious need of immediate medical help, the Contractor shall immediately contact the admitting staff. Patient falls, whether due to incumbent weather, medical conditions, while on a stretcher or in a wheelchair, even while transiting from the contractor's vehicle to/from this facility, shall be reported immediately and the necessary documentation will be provided by the contractor within 24 hours of the incident.

REPORTING COMPLAINTS: All complaints that the government receives from patients regarding contractor’s performance will be documented on a Report of Contact form by the COR and/or Travel Clerk and will be reported to the contractor for investigation. The contractor’s supervisory official shall provide the COR and/or the Travel Clerk written results of the investigation and actions taken to resolve the matter. Examples of complaints may include but not limited to:

Any allegation of inappropriate behavior including allegations that contractor personnel used profanity, made inappropriate comments, or failed to exhibit caring, compassionate professional customer service will be documented by the COR and the Travel Clerk and reported to the contractor. The investigation's results shall be forwarded to the COR within three (3) working days of the initial submission or notification of the incident occurring.

Any complaints by the patients of Sexual Harassment, EEO violations or any violations of Federal Laws, rules and regulations as well as this center's policy concerning smoking will be reported to the Contractor's supervisory official upon notification. The results of the investigation will be maintained in the strictest confidentiality as applicable under the Privacy Act of 1974.

The government will provide all reported customer service complaints to the contractor in writing within 24 hours of complaint.

Contractor shall report any misconduct exhibited by the patient to the COR and/or Travel Clerk in writing within 24 hours. The travel clerk will provide a written response within 72 hours upon receipt of incident to the contracting officer.

THE JOINT COMMISSION COMPLIANCE STANDARDS: The Contractor shall continuously meet or exceed all standards of The Joint Commission (formerly known as JCAHO). All applicable VA policies and procedures shall be followed by the Contractor.

The patient population treated at the VA consists of veterans with varying physical, psychiatric, and psychological needs. Their conditions are, in many cases, directly related to the individual’s service to this country. Contract personnel shall provide compassionate care with respect for the special needs of the veteran population served, and show professional courtesy toward the VA support staff as an integrated part of the medical center’s mission, vision and values as stated below.

Patient Rights: The Contractor shall respect the patient’s beliefs, values and cultural influences. Protection of all patient rights is of highest priority. Patient privacy and confidentiality shall be maintained at all times. The medical record contains information about current Advance Directives, which shall be reviewed and honored by the Contractor. All required documentation shall be fully completed within VA-required timeframes. The Contractor patient care services provided shall be included in VA data collection activities related to patient compliments, complaints and satisfaction. All patient complaints which are unable to be resolved by the Contractor shall be referred to the Patient Representative. The Contractor shall abide by the VA Code of Ethics, which addresses marketing, admission, transfer, referral, discharge processes, and billing issues.

Care of Patients: Contract work shall consist of transportation of patients with varying medical needs. Medication control, security and safety shall be maintained at all times. Medications shall only be dispensed, prepared, and administered to patients by appropriately licensed and competent individuals. Verbal, written or electronic communication between any VA staff and contracted staff shall not be restricted by the Contractor. VA policies and procedures shall prescribe which information (i.e. Advance Directive, allergies, treatment plan, etc.) is to be shared among care settings at time of admission, discharge, referral or transfer. No samples shall be accepted from vendors or given to patients. All care provided shall be based on assessed patient needs. Findings from assessment and reassessment shall be clearly documented in the medical record, which is used by all members of the interdisciplinary care team in care planning and treatment. All required documentation shall be fully completed within VA-required timeframes.

Environment of Care: Patient Safety shall be a primary focus of the Contractor. The Contractor shall comply with all National Patient Safety Goals found at http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/NationalPatientSafetyGoals . Every effort shall be made by the Contractor to prevent medication errors, falls and patient injury caused by acts of commission or omission in the delivery of care. The VA shall inform the Contractor of all applicable Sentinel Events or other patient Safety Alerts received by the VA. For every applicable alert, the Contractor shall take the necessary steps to redesign processes to prevent occurrences, and provide written feedback to the COR describing prevention actions taken. All events related to patient injury, medication error and other breeches of patient safety shall be documented utilizing the Contractor’s format, and reported to the COR. The Contractor shall maintain a safe environment at all times and follow all safety and emergency preparedness policies. Compliance with all safety management plans shall be continually demonstrated. The VA shall provide the Contractor with VA Sentinel Event definitions in the start-up phase. The Contractor shall verbally notify the VA COTR immediately when a Sentinel Event has occurred, which is to be followed by written notification within three working days. The VA shall determine when a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is required of the Contractor. The Contractor shall conduct all RCA’s according to VA policy, and within established timeframes. Completed RCA’s shall be provided to the VA COTR.

The VA shall approve the Contractors Emergency Preparedness Plan prior to the provision of patient care. The Contractor shall conduct annual fire and disaster drills. The Contractor shall conduct monthly fire extinguisher inspections and ensure annual maintenance is performed. Routine and recurrent preventive maintenance inspections shall be the responsibility of the contracted ambulance service. All significant problems identified shall be reported verbally to the COR within twenty-four hours. A written corrective plan of action shall be submitted to the COR within five working days. Timeframes and priorities for completion of action plan items shall be mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and the VA Safety Officer. An annual compliance report addressing preventive maintenance inspections, as well as Safety, Environmental, and Infection Control inspections shall be reported to the COR in the month of September. Environmental safety shall be the responsibility of the Contractor, who shall provide vehicle upkeep and stocking of the emergency vehicle. Contracted staff shall complete all VA-required Safety education and training, as evidenced by attendance records provided to the COR on an annual basis.

COMPETENCY ASSESSMENTS: Competency Assessments and annual reviews are required for VA accreditation by The Joint Commission (formerly known as JCAHO) and shall be maintained on site for all Contractor personnel.

The Contractor shall submit a copy of the competency assessment standards, a current competency assessment checklist and the most recent competency assessment review for each employee to the COR for approval prior to starting work under this contract.

The Contractor shall submit a copy of each contract employee’s annual competency assessment review to the COR a minimum of four months prior to execution of an option period. The Contractor shall submit a detailed improvement plan designed to improve the contract employee’s competency assessment rating for employees failing to meet or exceed the Contractor’s approved competency standards. The Contractor’s improvement plan shall be submitted within fifteen calendar days of the Contractor’s competency assessment review and approved by VA’s Medical Staff. The Contractor shall reassess the employee’s competence to perform and monitor improvement plan progress to ensure the contract employee maintains the competency level required by this contract. The Contractor shall be required to replace any employee who does not meet or exceed the contractors approved competency standards and/or fails to meet or exceed those competency standards under an approved improvement plan.

The Contractor shall fully participate in the VA Performance Improvement (PI) program. This shall entail monitoring of clinical processes, patient outcomes and satisfaction, data analysis and collaborative design and operationalization of improvement opportunities. Contractor PI activities may be directed by the VA, VISN or VHA, as well as accreditation or licensing bodies. The Contractor shall abstract, compile, format report, and reporting deadlines shall be defined by the VA. It is noted that PI activities are dynamic and subject to change, as driven by current priorities and resources. In all cases, the Contractor shall continually assess for, and act upon, clinical and administrative improvement opportunities. High priority shall be given by the Contractor to the prevention of risk for the patient. The Contractor shall implement process-related internal controls to prevent risk to the veteran. Monitoring for continuous compliance with The Joint Commission standards shall be directed by VA staff and communicated to the Contractor through the COR. Measures related to contract compliance shall be identified by the COR.

INFECTION CONTROL: Contracted patient care activities shall be integrated into the VA Infection Control program, and contract staff shall adhere to VA Infection control policies and procedures. The COR will provide the Contractor with the required information.

REQUIRED REGISTRATION WITH CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE SYSTEM (CPS): As prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 42.15, the Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates Contractor Past Performance on all contracts that exceed $100,000, and shares those evaluations with other Federal Government contract specialists and procurement officials. The FAR requires that the contractor be provided an opportunity to comment on past performance evaluations prior to each report closing. To fulfill this requirement the VA uses an online database, the Contractor Performance System (CPS), which is maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The CPS database information is shared with the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) database, which is available to all Federal agencies.

Each contractor whose contract award is estimated to exceed $100,000 is required to register with the NIH CPS database at the following web address: https://cpscontractor.nih.gov. Help with registering can be obtained by contacting the CPS Support E-mail (cps-support-l@list.nih.gov) or by calling (310) 451-2771. Registration should occur no later than thirty days after contract award, and shall be kept current.

For contracts with a period of one year or less, the COR shall perform a single evaluation when the contract is complete. For contracts exceeding one year, the COR shall evaluate the contractor’s performance annually. Interim reports shall be filed each year until the last year of the contract, when the final report shall be completed. The report shall be assigned in CPS to the contractor’s designated representative for comment. The contractor representative shall have thirty days to submit any comments and re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer.

Failure to have a current registration with the NIH CPS database, or to re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer within those thirty days, shall result in the Government’s evaluation being placed on file in the database with a statement that the contractor has failed to respond.

Contractor is required to comply with all of the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, as well as all applicable Veterans Health Administration (VHA) regulations, which are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy and http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications. The Contractor shall insure the confidentiality of all patient and employee information and shall be held liable in the event of a breach of confidentiality according to federal regulations contained in HIPPA. Any person who knowingly or willingly discloses confidential information from the VA may be subject to fines of up to $50,000.00 and may be subjected to civil litigation from the patient.

TRIP REPORT: The Contractor shall document each VA authorized transport with the following information:

Date Patient Name Patient identification number Pick-up Origin Time of Pick-up Destination Time of Delivery Mileage Any notes regarding issues particular to the specific transport, including recording…