36C26123R0027.docx

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

VA Sierra Pacific Network (VISN 21) VA Northern California HealthCare System 5342 Dudley Blvd, Bldg 209 McClellan CA 95652-2609

POINT OF CONTACT*

CONTRACT SPECIALIST

LARRY FACIO

larry.facio@va.gov

(916) 923-4553

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY The intent of this Sources Sought Announcement is to assist in our decision-making process for services procurement. This is not a solicitation, nor request for quotes or proposals. Through the receipt of responses, this will enable a more precise type of procurement process. The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought synopsis request. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award of a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. Any inquiries are to be made in writing by email to the point of contact, Larry Facio, Contract Specialist. Responses to this notice shall be sent by email to larry.facio@va.gov by the due date and time of 12/21/2022 by 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time).

This is for a Base Year Plus TWO Option Years contract.

Services Required: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System requires 41.0 FTE contract staff that are board certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT), and American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (ARDMS), and specialized in the following modalities: Interventional Radiology (IR), Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound (US), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Mammography (M), and General Radiography (GEN). Services include the full range of radiology imaging care for inpatient and outpatient VA patients to include Call shift coverage for afterhours emergent procedures.

Place of Performance: Contractor shall furnish services at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Radiology Service, 3801 Miranda Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, the other two divisions at Livermore (LVD) and Menlo Park (MP), and VAPAHCS Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) at San Jose, and Monterey.

Staff/Facility: The contractor will be responsible for ensuring that each technologist providing services under this contract is fully trained and completely competent to perform the required services covered by this contract.

License: Contractor’s Radiology Technologist (s) assigned by the Contractor to perform the services covered by this contract shall have Certificate of Completion of Technologist training program accredited by an institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the JCERT. Contractor’s technologist (s) must meet the minimum of five (5) years of relevant clinical experience and a minimum of one (1) year of general radiology experience in their respective sub-specialties in a level 1 hospital setting, proven clinical work experience within the past 12 months and must have prior work experience with VA Palo Alto radiology preferred equipment within the past 24 months. Prior VA experience is desirable.

Board Certification/Eligibility: Contractor’s Radiology Technologist (s) performing under this contract shall meet or exceed recognized national standards established by The Joint Commission (TJC) and have completed training from an accredited institution, and shall have received a certificate of completion of training in Radiologic Technology and have a current certification or registry in their respective sub-specialties by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT), Nuclear Medicine Technologist Certification Board (NMTCB), or the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (ARDMS).

Probationary Period Requirement: The first 3 months of employment are probationary. During this period, the employment of the technologist can be terminated at any time. Grounds for termination can include but is not limited to: (1) inability to meet the required technologist skill set as stated by the Performance Work Statement and the service’s established quality standards, (2) unsatisfactory performance by the technologist, and (3) inability to adequately function within the capacity needed as a technologist.

Technical Proficiency: Contractor’s Radiology Technologist (s) shall be technically proficient in the skills necessary to fulfill the government’s requirements, including the ability to speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. Contractor shall provide documents upon request of the CO/COR to verify current and ongoing competency, skills, certification, and/or licensure related to the provision of care, treatment, and/or services performed. Contractor shall provide verifiable evidence of all educational and training experience, including any gaps in educational history for all Contractor’s Technologist (s). Contractor Technologist (s) shall be responsible for abiding by the VA Facility's Medical Staff By-Laws, rules, and regulations (referenced herein) that govern medical staff behavior.

Citizenship related Requirements:

The Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall comply with any and all legal provisions contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, As Amended; its related laws and regulations that are enforced by Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S Department of Labor as these may relate to non-immigrant foreign nationals working under contract or subcontract for the Contractor while providing services to Department of Veterans Affairs patient referrals;

While performing services for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Contractor shall not knowingly employ, contract or subcontract with an illegal alien; foreign national non-immigrant who is in violation their status, as a result of their failure to maintain or comply with the terms and conditions of their admission into the United States. Additionally, the Contractor is required to comply with all “E-Verify” requirements consistent with “Executive Order 12989” and any related pertinent Amendments, as well as applicable Federal Acquisition Regulations.

If the Contractor fails to comply with any requirements outlined in the preceding paragraphs or its Agency regulations, the Department of Veterans Affairs may, at its discretion, require that the foreign national who failed to maintain their legal status in the United States or otherwise failed to comply with the requirements of the laws administered by Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S Department of Labor, shall be prohibited from working at the Contractor’s place of business that services Department of Veterans Affairs patient referrals; or other place where the Contractor provides services to veterans who have been referred by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and shall form the basis for termination of this contract for breach.

This certification concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of an agency of the United States and the making of a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may render the maker subject to prosecution under 18 U.S.C. 1001.

The Contractor agrees to obtain a similar certification from its subcontractors. The certification shall be made as part of the offerors response to the RFQ using the subject attachment in Section D of the solicitation document.

VA Business Hours:, Various tours of duty which may include day, evening, nights, weekends, holidays and on-calls. Coverage at various outpatient VA clinics is also required, as needed. Management reserves the right to determine and/or change the tour of duty. lunch is a 30-minute break. Work hours may vary depending on clinical responsibilities. Contractor shall be responsible for payment of any leave, including sick leave, vacation time or holiday pay.

Work Schedule: Contractor personnel shall be available to furnish required services consistent with forty hours per week, 52 weeks per year, including local, state and Federal holidays. This will include an "on call" requirement; a pager shall be carried at all times. Technologist must respond by phone or in person within 10 minutes of being signaled via pager. If responding by phone to a pager signal, they shall respond in person as dictated by the medical situation. The “on-call” technologist shall report and be onsite within 30 minutes of the paged to perform the required procedure. Contractor shall bill and be paid for actual services provided by Contractor personnel including "availability" or "on-call" services as provided herein.

Clinical Personnel Required: The Contractor shall provide Contractor’s Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist (s) who are competent, qualified as defined in this performance work statement, and adequately trained to perform assigned duties.

Contractor’s technologist (s) shall be responsible for signing in and out when in attendance. Time sheets will be used by the COR to confirm hours/days and services provided against the Contractor’s invoices. Time and Attendance. Signing in and out through Vista or Outlook emailing is a Requirement and will be used to verify attendance for invoice payment.

Contractor’s radiology technologist (s) shall wear a VAPAHCS facility identification card as well as the required Personal Identity Validation (PIV) card on the front of their clothing, as is required of other employees working at VAPAHCS.

Contractor personnel shall perform services in accordance with ethical, professional, and technical standards of the healthcare industry consistent with VA policy, regulations, procedures, and protocol. Adhere to the ARRT | NMTCB | ARDMS Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards in the science of radiology to improve the quality of services to patients. Promote the safe and effective use of diagnostic radiology by describing specific training, skills, and techniques. ARRT | NMTCB | ARDMS Guidelines by specialty: Practice Guidelines describe recommended conduct in specific areas of clinical practice. They are based on analysis of current literature, expert opinion, open forum commentary and informal consensus. Guidelines are not intended to be legal standards of care or conduct and may be modified as determines by individual circumstances and available resources. http://www.arrt.org, http://www.ardms.org, http://www.nmtcb.org Radiology Modalities:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Interventional Radiology Computed Tomography Mammography Ultrasound Nuclear Medicine General Radiography

Organ specific and Subspecialty-specific Imaging of Adults:

Abdomen – Gastrointestinal Abdomen – Genitourinary Breast Imaging Pelvis Neuroradiology Imaging Cardiovascular | Extremity Musculoskeletal

Standards of Care: The Contractor’s Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist (s) care shall cover the range of services as would be provided in a state-of-the-art health care facility and the standard of care shall be of a quality meeting or exceeding currently recognized national standards as established by:

VA Standards: VHA Directive 2006-041 “Veterans’ Health Care Service Standards” (expired but still in effect pending revision) https://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1443 The professional standards of The Joint Commission (TJC) http://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/standards.aspx The standards of the American Hospital Association (AHA) http://www.hpoe.org/resources?show=100&type=8

Base Year estimates with Option Years 1 & 2 containing similar deliverables.

RADIOLOGY TECHNOLOGIST REQUIREMENT / BASE YEAR

Anticipated Period of Performance: 08/01/23 to 07/31/26 Response Method:

The Government requests capability statements and comments from interested businesses regarding the requirements described above. Responsible sources are encouraged to submit a response to this notice with a statement of interest on company letterhead. When responding, in Subject line insert: Sources Sought VAPAHCS Radiology Technos.

At a minimum, the following information shall be provided:

1. Company Name;

2. Company Mailing Address;

3. Point(s) of Contact including telephone number(s) & email address(es);

4. Socio-Economic (i.e. Small/Large Business, HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, 8(a), etc.) as it relates to NAICS Code 561320 ($30 Million).

5. Provide a summary of the type of services performed and experience as it relates to staffing Radiology Technologist or Healthcare Providers.

6. UEI Number

7. Sub-Contracting Intentions (provide above items 1 thru 6 of intended vendor along with description of sub-contractor duties)

8. Additional information and/or comments.

Veterans First Contracting Program and the VA Rule of Two (Kingdomware v. United States) 38 U.S.C. 8127 - 8128: Service-disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) or Veteran owned small business (VOSB) concern must be registered and verified in VA's Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database at www.vip.vetbiz.gov to be eligible for award as a SDVOSB or VOSB if/when a solicitation is issued for this requirement as a SDVOSB or VOSB set aside. In addition, this requirement has been determined to be set aside as SDVOSB or VOSB acquisition, only SDVOSB or VOSB that respond to this specific notice with in the above stated due date will be eligible for award.

Sources Sought Notice