36C26224R0075_1.docx

Presolicitation Notice Presolicitation Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

VALBHS, VASDHS, and VALLHS

Long Beach CA

CONTACT INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office 22 4811 Airport Plaza Drive Suite 600 Long Beach CA 90815

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Rafael Cervantes rafael.cervantes@va.gov

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE ONLY; THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION.

This Pre-solicitation Notice is issued solely for informational and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Not responding to this Pre-solicitation Notice does not preclude participation in any future RFP; a response to this Pre-solicitation notice is not required. Any responses received to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S Government to form a binding contract. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor the SAM.gov site for additional information pertaining to this Pre-solicitation Notice.

Date: 04/24/2024

Government: Contract Specialist, Rafael Cervantes Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contacting Office 22 4811 Airport Plaza Drive, Suite 600 Long Beach, CA 90815

FSC: Q403 – Medical – Evaluation/Screening

NAICS Code: 561320 – Temporary Help Assist

Reference Solicitation Number: 36C26224R0075 – To be posted on or about April 26, 2024.

New Requirement: Yes.

Type of Set-Aside (if applicable): SDVOSB set-aside

Intentionally Left Blank

Veteran Affairs Mohs Histotechnician Services

This is an Excerpt:

1. BACKGROUND. The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to establish a contract to provide Mohs Histotechnician services on an as needed basis to the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems in California: Long Beach, Loma Linda, and San Diego. The Contractor shall cover the range of services normally provided in a similar civilian health care facility and in accordance with the specifications and requirements contained herein. The resulting contract will be effective for a period of one (1) year with four (4) one-year options for renewal as identified herein.

2. GENERAL. Contract Mohs Histotechnicians are needed by multiple southern California VA Healthcare facilities to perform slide preparations; grossing and fixation, processing embedding, and sections and staining. Additionally, Contract Mohs Histotechnicians are needed to prepare and process tissue samples/specimens extracted during surgery for pathology, physician analysis and interpretation.

3. LOCATIONS. Contract Mohs Histotechnician Services are needed at the following Department of Veterans Affairs Main Facility locations, as well affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

The Department (Dept.) of Dermatology Mohs Micrographic Surgery program;

VA Long Beach Healthcare System (VALBHS) 5901 E 7th St.

Long Beach, CA 90822

Dept. of Dermatology Mohs Micrographic Surgery program;

VA Loma Linda Healthcare System (VALLHS), 11201 Benton St.

Loma Linda, CA 92357

Dept. of Dermatology Mohs Micrographic Surgery program;

VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), 3350 La Jolla Village Dr.

San Diego, CA 92161

4. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. Contract Mohs Histotechnicians must have a minimum of one (1) year hands-on Mohs frozen section training. The contractor must ensure an annual review of staining/labeling/processing documentation by its Mohs Histotechnicians. Only Mohs Histotechnicians approved by the Department of VA shall be allowed to perform under the resultant contract.

4.1. The Contract Mohs Histotechnician must possess the following qualification requirements:

5. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Contract Mohs Histotechnicians are required to prepare and process tissue samples and specimens extracted during surgery for pathology/physician analysis/interpretation. Contract Mohs Histotechnicians shall advise pathology on histopathology test results, resolve sectioning and staining problems, explain and gain acceptance of selected methodologies, and obtain agreement on technical points and methods. Contract Mohs Histotechnicians shall also obtain and maintain equipment and supplies, and coordinate schedules.

5.1. The Contractor shall provide all equipment, uniforms, and supplies needed for Contract Mohs Histotechnicians to perform duties. This includes a contractor-furnished mobile cryostat unit on site at each facility location specified in the Table in Section 3 above while histotechnician services are being performed at that facility. The Contractor shall bring the mobile cryostat unit(s) used to provide the Mohs Histotechnician services to each facility each day a Mohs case is performed.

6. SCOPE OF WORK. Contract Mohs Histotechnicians are expected to perform a variety of duties involving diverse and complex technical or administrative problems and consideration (e.g., evaluating, refining, implementing new methods and procedures for specimen collection and preparation, reagent preparation, inventory and control, instrumentation/equipment maintenance and safety, calibration/correlation considerations, quality assurance, establishing standards of acceptance and performance, and meeting internal and external polices/regulations).

6.1. Assignments involve complicating factors (e.g., unusual or unexpected results, errors, and discrepancies or lack of adequate information about the use and capabilities of new instruments or methodologies).

6.2. The services provided by Contract Mohs Histotechnicians are critical to the accuracy and proficiency of VA Dermatology Surgery Services, and the ability of VA medical staff to meet the needs of proper and optimal Veteran-patient care.

7. TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITIES. The Contractor shall provide qualified Mohs Histotechnicians who shall provide the following services:

7.1. Working with the Dermatologic Surgeon; Mohs Histotechnicians shall be responsible for handling, orienting, and sectioning tissue to provide multiple frozen sections which are critical elements of Mohs procedures. These are specialized frozen sections which require unique training, skill and experience. On occasion the Mohs surgeon may request the Mohs Histotechnician prepare specimens in the Mohs fashion for submission to VA pathology for permanent tissue evaluation.

7.2. Sets up and monitors record-keeping systems and effective quality control procedures, including examining slides for staining, sectioning quality, and appropriate processing of specimens. This includes preparation of the tissue cassette, and a label and jar for all specimens which are transferred to the VA facility’s pathology dept. for permanent storage.

7.3. Evaluates, modifies, or adapts new methods or revises standard techniques to improve or expand accuracy precision, and quality of sectioning and storing.

7.4. Advises a course of action to follow when sections are deemed unacceptable.

7.5. Examines functions of the cryostat instruments, rechecks conditions of the cryostat instrument performance, and evaluates reaction systems and/or procedural techniques utilized. If the cryostat instruments are deemed faulty, the Contract Mohs Histotechnician determines a course of corrective action.

All requirements shall be detailed in the impending solicitation to be issued on or about April 26, 2024. No questions will be considered prior to the release of the solicitation.

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Presolicitation Notice