36C25626Q0527_1.docx

Presolicitation Notice Presolicitation Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service

Room 2E-155-LR

4300 West 7th Street

Little Rock AR

CONTACT INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office 16 5075 Westheimer Road, Suite 750

Houston TX 77056-5643

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Anthony Marion anthony.marion2@va.gov 713-794-7408

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Combine Solicitation will be posted for Data Innovations Instrument Manager Brand Name -License #075984 and License#347237.

The Contractor shall provide all materials, labor, software, hardware, training, and support necessary to maintain and enhance the CAVHS laboratory interface system including:

System Support and Maintenance

· Ongoing Instrument Manager Maintenance & Support for production systems

· Ongoing Instrument Manager Maintenance & Support for test systems

· Auto-verification license maintenance and support

· Twenty-four (24) hours per day / seven (7) days per week / three hundred sixty-five (365) days per year telephone technical support

· Troubleshooting and resolution of system issues

· Software patches, updates, and security fixes Auto-Verification Continuation

· Continuation of existing auto-verification rule sets for high-complexity workflow configurations

· Maintenance of auto-verification parameters and configurations

· Support for specimen management workspace

· Laboratory Intelligence integration with auto-verification workflows Laboratory Intelligence Implementation

· Installation and configuration of Lab Intelligence module for KPI visualization

· Configuration and support for key performance indicators including:

· Specimen/test volume metrics

· Turn-around time tracking

· Quality control violation dashboards

· Auto-verification rate monitoring

· Quality indicator dashboards

· Lab Intelligence training and documentation System Configuration and Enhancement

· Support for configuration of production and test servers

· Database migration and validation support as needed

· Driver updates and compatibility maintenance

· Mirroring functionality configuration and support

· High availability and disaster recovery support

· Interface connectivity with VistA and all laboratory analyzers Professional Services (as needed)

· Implementation support for system upgrades

· Workflow rule development and refinement

· Training on rule writing and maintenance

· Support for specimen management workspace customization

· User security configuration and management

· Technical guidance on laboratory intelligence configuration Training and Support

· Initial and ongoing staff training on IM system and auto-verification workflows

· Training on Laboratory Intelligence dashboard usage

· Rules writing and maintenance training

· Documentation and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) support

· Knowledge transfer and technical guidance

SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

Customer Service Requirements The Contractor shall provide:

· 24/7/365 Technical Support: Telephone support availability with reasonable response time to critical issues

· Dedicated Support Contacts: Primary and backup technical contacts for escalation

· Response Times: Initial response to reported issues within 24 hours; critical issues prioritized for same-business-day response

· Issue Resolution: Committed effort to resolve reported technical issues in timely manner

· Performance Tracking: Monthly monitoring of support quality and customer satisfaction Product Support and Changes

· Product Notifications: Immediate notification to the COR of any product recalls, security vulnerabilities, or mandatory updates

· Product Substitution: No substitutions without written approval from CAVHS PLMS and the Contracting Officer

· Change Management: All changes to contract terms, pricing, or conditions require written agreement with CAVHS and signature by the VA Contracting Officer

· Defective Products: Contractor shall replace and/or reimburse recalled/defective products at no cost to the Government; Contractor liable for processing costs Site Conditions and Access

· All work and delivery shall take place during clinical business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM CST, excluding federal holidays and weekends)

· No smoking, eating, or drinking inside the laboratory at any time

· Contractor staff must comply with all facility security, safety, and infection control procedures

· Cellular phone use only in designated areas; COR approval required for areas of uncertainty

· Smoke-free facility: smoking prohibited inside buildings and grounds; violators subject to removal Equipment Protection and Property

· Contractor shall protect all equipment and materials from damage

· Contractor responsible for any damage to facility, grounds, or furnishings resulting from Contractor actions

· Contractor shall repair or replace any items damaged due to Contractor actions

· Contractor shall exercise precautions against damage during all work activities System Security Requirements

· Contractor shall comply with all applicable VA records management laws and regulations including:

· Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33)

· Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a)

· Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552)

· National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) policies (36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B)

· Data Handling:

· Protected Health Information (PHI) access and handling under secure conditions

· All data created for Government use remains Federal records under Government control

· No removal of memory storage devices, hard drives, or non-volatile memory units from VA control

· All research data provided for Contractor analysis shall be de-identified

· Confidentiality Requirements:

· Immediate notification to COR of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures

· Restricted disclosure to authorized personnel with documented need-to-know

· Implementation of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for information security

· No removal of Government materials or equipment without written COR permission

· Return of all Government materials upon completion or as directed

· Destruction of records prohibited except per agency records schedules with written concurrence of Head of Contracting Activity

· Willful destruction/damage of Federal records subject to penalties per 18 U.S.C. 2701

· Business Associate Compliance:

· Signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) required if accessing PHI

· Compliance with VA/VHA Directives regarding Protected Health Information

· Collaboration with Facility Privacy Officer for BAA implementation

· Government Equipment:

· Use of Government IT equipment only for contract-authorized purposes per CAVHS policy

· No creation or maintenance of records with non-public CAVHS information outside contract scope

· No retention, use, sale, or dissemination of deliverables containing Privacy Act information

· Subcontractor Management:

· Contractor must obtain COR approval prior to engaging any subcontractor

· Subcontractors must execute written acknowledgment of security and confidentiality requirements

· Contractor liable for subcontractor compliance with all security and confidentiality provisions

· Government Ownership:

· CAVHS owns all rights to data and records produced under this contract

· All deliverables are Government property with unlimited rights for use, disposal, or disclosure

· Any Contractor rights in deliverables must be identified per FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.227-20 Compliance and Training Requirements

· Records Management Training: All Contractor employees creating, handling, or accessing records must complete CAVHS-provided records management training per agency policy (including annual refresher training)

· Infection Control: All employees, contractors, and visitors must comply with local infection control procedures

· VA Directives and Policies: Contractor must comply with all applicable VA directives and policies including:

· VA Directive 1106 - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service

· VA Directive 6066 - Protected Health Information and BAA Management

· VA Directive 6500 - VA Cybersecurity Program

· VA Directive 6502 - VA Enterprise Privacy Program

· VHA Directive 1605 - VHA Privacy Program

· All related handbooks and amendments Delivery and Installation

· Location: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, 4300 West 7th Street, Room 2E-155-LR, Little Rock, AR 72205

· Delivery Timeline: Within 60 calendar days after receipt of order (ARO)

· Pre-Delivery Meeting: Contractor shall conduct joint pre-delivery meeting with COR 60 days prior to negotiated delivery date to verify delivery and installation dates

· Delivery Requirements:

· Deliver specified items only when facility is ready for installation

· Joint inspection with COR upon delivery

· Provide dates of completion for punch list items

· Provide information on replacement parts or short-shipped items

· Provide all manufacturer recommended maintenance schedules and operation materials in binder(s) or digital format

· Delayed Delivery: Government-requested delays up to 90 days after initial delivery date at no additional cost

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service 4300 West 7th Street, Room 2E-155-LR Little Rock, Arkansas 72205 Primary Contacts:

· Laboratory Manager/COR: Sean Whiteman, 501-257-6449

· Laboratory Information Manager: Jessica German, 501-257-6483

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Base Contract: Date of Award August 1st, 2026, through July 31st, 2027.

Option Years: One (1) year each for a total of four (4) option years, exercisable at sole discretion of the Government and upon availability of funds.

PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance Procedures

· COR shall ensure all work is completed satisfactorily prior to acceptance

· All deliverables must meet specifications outlined in this SOW

· Disputes over work quality shall be resolved by the Contracting Officer

· Vendor credentials shall be reviewed prior to finalization of award Performance Monitoring Criteria Vendor performance shall be monitored by CAVHS PLMS Laboratory Information Manager and COR based on:

· Ability to consistently provide technical support in timely manner

· Ability to execute deliverables as stated in scope and specific tasks

· Responsiveness to Government requests and inquiries

· Quality of professional services and training delivery

· Maintenance of security and compliance requirements

· System uptime and reliability metrics Quality Assurance Metrics

· Response Time Standard: Initial response to support inquiries within 24 hours with minimum 95% compliance rate

· Issue Resolution: Technical issues resolved with minimal system downtime

· Customer Satisfaction: Minimum 95% customer satisfaction on annual survey

· Surveillance Method: Monthly monitoring of support quality; annual evaluation; CPARS performance evaluation

· Performance Incentive: Exercise of option periods contingent on satisfactory performance

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT (GFE) / INFORMATION (GFI)

No GFE or GFI shall be provided to the Contractor. Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary tools, resources, and information required to perform contract services.

OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION

Proprietary Access: Contractor shall have proprietary access codes for Data Innovations IM system at administrator level necessary to perform maintenance and support services.

Inspection and Acceptance: Vendor credentials shall be reviewed and verified prior to finalization of award for all consumables and services provided.

Risk Control: All employees, contractors, and visitors are required to abide by local infection control procedures per VA and CAVHS requirements.

Follow-On Work: No known follow-on work identified at this time.

Conflict of Interest: A determination has been made that no conflicts of interest exist, nor is there potential for conflicts of interest prior to execution of this contract.

FEDERAL HOLIDAYS

Work shall not be scheduled on the following federal holidays:

· New Year's Day

· Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

· President's Day

· Memorial Day

· Juneteenth

· Independence Day

· Labor Day

· Columbus Day

· Veterans Day

· Thanksgiving Day

· Christmas Day When a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is observed. When a holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed.

Presolicitation Notice